Good News

Happy Friday, friends -- we made it! It's been a calmer week at work, thank goodness, but it still feels like it's been a long one.

Yesterday, in particular, felt long because all day I was awaiting word from my brother and sister-in-law. They got the call from the hospital at 4:45 a.m. (which was early, but not outrageously so), and at a little after 6 last night, we received word that my niece had been born! I don't have explicit permission to post photos yet, but I expect I'll have some to share after we meet her. Despite measuring quite large at my sister-in-law's doctor's appointment last week, she was a very respectable 7 lbs. 3 oz., most of which seems to be in her cheeks. Everyone is happy and healthy, and we're all looking forward to meeting her. My parents are watching my nephew, and my mother reported that when they told him he had a sister, he "smiled and moved on to dinosaurs." Typical!

The other good news this week is that thanks to the quick work of my tech editor, I was able to publish my sock pattern this morning!

I've called it Oh My Cod, inspired by the fish tail-like lace pattern and also a joke among the moderators of the Indie Giftalong on Ravelry, of which I am one (and so is my tech editor). It all started when our leader was typing notes using a keyboard that sticks on a couple of keys and suddenly the fish-related puns were flying. I'd been struggling to come up with a name for this pattern prior to this, but as always the perfect name came along at the right time. I know a number of you expressed interest in this pattern before, so I wanted to let you know that it's out now on Ravelry and Payhip.

Speaking of the Giftalong, I also wanted to mention that it kicks off next Thursday (11/21) at 5 p.m. This the 12th year, amazingly. The first week is a massive pattern sale in which the hundreds of participating designers (we have more than 200 this year) put 10-20 of their patterns on sale for 25% off. I've been participating in this event as a designer since the first year and as a moderator for almost as long, and as it's about to suck up a lot of my time, I'm extra glad that I was able to release the sock pattern before it starts. I know many of you aren't the type to get involved in this event, but if you've had your eye on some patterns, it might be worth it to peruse those that are on sale next week.

In a small effort to make the world a better place, I've got my fifth blood donation of the year scheduled this afternoon (keep your fingers crossed that my hemoglobin is high enough!), and then Molly and I will have a girls' evening tonight, as the Mister is going to the Dave Matthews Band concert with his brother and a friend. We have no plans for the weekend other than snuggling our new niece/cousin when she comes home from the hospital!

I hope you have a relaxing weekend full of good things!