Ratties, or, Bicycle Around the World Day

Somehow December passed in a whirl- actually, it was more like a drive-by shooting, the way that it hit hard and sped by fast, leaving many moments gasping for more time and air.
Yeah, I finally breeched into that dreded time of adulthood when the holidays (that is to say, Christmas and New Years) are more stressful than they should be.
Despite this, Christmas was very nice. I got to see some family, sing good music, and I got a few nice things under the tree. It's funny. Every few years, sometimes two in a row, Mom or Dad will say, "I hope you guys aren't expecting a huge Christmas."
Even when they don't say it, I know that we've never had a huge Christmas. But it's okay, because I've never had a Christmas I've been unhappy with. Present-wise I tend to like practical things, so that's no big deal. And I know that it sounds trite, but I honestly like the day because it's one of the few days a year that my brother and I magically get along.
I was extremely excited to find a large wire cage, unwrapped under the tree this year. It's big enough for rats or guinea pigs or even a small bunny or a chinchilla or something. I've decided, after years of wanting them, to get a few rats. I browsed around our humane society and stumbled across the Mainely Rat Rescue. I've applied for Madeline and Pimento, a pair of rats listed there, and I'm crossing my fingers that the adoption papers get approved, because they're Sooo cute. So. Cute.
Along with that large (and inexpensive. Apparently they found it at a yardsale) gift, I also got some bike accessories, like an odometer and a bell for my bike (more on that later).

Speaking of which, today, according to my schedule calandar, is Bicycle Around the World Day. In honor of it, I would take out my bicycle...except I don't have snowtires. That could be problematic. So instead I'll just cheer on this noblest of noble days.
I have, however, found a quite spectacular way of biking in the winter...sort of. A friend of mine introduced me to the great sport of Bike Polo. There's a motley group, apparently, who play under the cover of the parking garage downtown. I haven't gone yet, because I still need to construct a good mallet (they all make theirs differently, out of broomstick handles or PVC pipes or plumbing).

So, a hoorah to those people, whoever and wherever they may be, who are biking around the world right now. You're honorable. Maybe someday I'll do it, too.
After I finish hiking the AT and saving the world.

What do you get when you cross Christmas with lots of yarn and fabulous patterns?

My annual challenge has arrived: Find Christmas presents for all of my friends while staying within my (rather lacking) budget.
And in my ruminations on how exactly to attain presents for approximately twenty plus people, I realized I could (as they say) kill two birds with one stone.
Remember when I was looking for good knitting patterns, because of my surplus of super nice yarn? Well, it's okay if you don't. But now I've decided to provide for half of my christmas presents by knitting them awesome things. And by awesome, I mean awesome. And easy.

In my search for a koala bear pattern (for a friend of mine who heavily resembles a koala bear. He's also Jewish, but I'm still giving him his present on Christmas, especially since Hannukah starts today, and I haven't even started it), I found a site with a list of fun animal patterns, and I've taken a good lot of ideas from there.
So, lo and behold...
my project list for the next three weeks:

A little Koala
Probably a Tree Ornament
Finger Puppets. BEST GIFT EVER.
Probably more ornaments. Piggy?
And the best one yet: DINOS
On top of this, I'm starting a hat and a scarf so that I don't freeze this winter.
All in all, I ought to be happily knitting very soon.