C is for Clutterbug

Oy! I can't believe I will admit this in a photograph, but my name is Carly and I am a Clutterbug! Proof. . .this is my desk. Desk, you say, I just see paper! Yes, unfortunately, you cannot see much of my lovely antique desk because it is covered in STUFF! I like to blame the fact that this is SO bad on the fact that I have not yet finished painting/furnishing/decorating my office. Since I work from my house, this means that lots of paperwork has no place to go and so just stacks up. This does not totally excuse it, I really am cluttery by nature, as evidenced by the fact that there are two knitting magazines, several days of mail and other assorted non-work items on the desk, as well :) This is the main reason I cannot collect tchotchkes .. .I would end up with them everywhere! Other parts of the house are cluttered, but not as badly because Jake can't deal with it! Organization is a skill I need to work on, but there you have it, my 'C' for the ABC-Along.

However, timing being what it is, I have two more Cs. . . .

C is for Cocoa Swap! I got my package today from Sarah. It's awesome! And also funny that her blog is 'Craft n Clutter' when I just posted about being a clutter bug :) What did I get? I'm glad you asked! First, my mood booster (which admittedly I don't need today given that it is 80 degrees!! he has already taken up residence on my desk (see above) to make me smile in darker weather!) is Polk the Puppy, watching over the goods.
(There are great pictures of him on Sarah's blog, so I didn't attempt to get more yet!) I have yet to introduce Zosia & Jimmy to the new pooch, but it may have to stay that way so Polk is not mistaken for a chew toy! Polk also makes me chuckle, as I am Polish and so I think of the Polka :) I also got Gummi Bears (YUM! I've only eaten half the bag), Shaved Belgian Chocolate (to make into cocoa by melting into milk - my favorite!), locking stitch markers, which I really have been needing and are much appreciated, two skeins of Wool Bamboo and slipper bottoms to make Twinkle Toes with! She also included the pattern printed out for me! I love it all, thank you so much, Sarah! I can't wait to go through your blog :) I must admit, though, I love the color of the yarn so much, and I have several sock patterns that need a solid yarn. . . I may just have to make it into regular socks and use the slipper bottoms for Jake's felted slippers! Of course, none of this will happen until March when I can start projects again :) OOh, and I almost forgot, how cute is the knitter notecard??

While I'm talking about the Cocoa Swap, I forgot to introduce my spoilee, Kristen. She got her package Thursday and she and her kiddos enjoy the buddy I knit. He has been named Red :) Go on over to her blog and check out pictures of him at the park!

Finally, C is for chicken. In case you ever wondered, this is what 25 pounds of chicken looks like, it looks like this (note that I didn't capture the depth in this picture, but the ziploc bags go all the way to the back of the counter). I just bought a bunch from the butcher. If you order in bulk, you get a nice price break. And, this butcher gets his chicken from a local farm in Gates County (North Carolina) and I like the whole supporting small local farms and stores thing. I'd even have paid their normal price for chicken ($3.99/lb) because that is still cheaper than the Tyson or Purdue chicken at Kroger which is always $6-7/lb when they don't put it on sale. I consider getting it for $2.59/lb quite a steal!

Now, I need to go make room in my freezer for all that chicken!