If you have some free time, check out:

This.
But don't blame me when you pry yourself away three days later and find your cat ran away because you neglected her.
(and don't stop at the snowflake, the other stuff is awwweeesssooommmeee too.)

Wow, how late is this?

I had to pick this up from the post office on Saturday because my mailperson didn't leave it at my house. Yeah, I don't know either.

Needless to say I was very excited and was trying not to get my hopes up after being burned last year.

but...

Of course I shouldn't have worried. My Pal Rocks! and S/He timed it perfectly with my birthday.

Under the wonderful birthday message was a handmade (?) scarf, a gazillion packs of decaf coffee (!), a great pink and black bag (had to hide it from my girls), and two skeins of brown and ivory alpaca yarn. I think they were Berocco Ultra Alpaca, but now that I'm writing it I can't remember and I can't quite make out the label in the photo.

I put the yarn in the bag and it reminded me of some yummy Neapolitan ice cream. I'm going to have to get a skein of pink and make something in that colourway.

Thanks Secret Pal! You seriously Rock!

Dilemma

There is a phenomenon I often ponder. I call it "no comment syndrome." I notice this when someone is accused of some wrongdoing, evil, or other nasty badness. The accused has an option of responding to the accusation in a number of ways. They can say, "I did it. Take me to the gallows straight away." They almost never say that. They can scoff, "Well I never. How dare you accuse me of such a thing." This is common, whether the accused is actually guilty or not. Or they can take the third road becomming more common by the day, "no comment."
What I ponder in this situation is why someone would take the no comment route. In my mind, it always implies guilt. If said person were innocent, why wouldn't they deny? If said person were guilty, again, why not deny- unless you are making a sworn statement *cough* scooterlibby *cough*.
Now the concern is all mine. One of the PRGE Participants, Kate, has gone and pointed her finger at me. ACCUSED me of being her secret pal. She's even listed the reasons she thinks I am guilty. Pretty good reasons at that. What can I do? I can deny, and maybe that would be lying. Or maybe it would narrow down her hunt for her true pal? I can admit. Maybe again that would be a lie taking credit for the great package her true pal has already sent and feeling like I abandoned my true pal?, or maybe it would be true, and thus, spoil her suspense.
Now you see my delimma. The reason I am spending so much time on this problem is that I, like Kate, am dying to figure out my pal's identity. My pal has sent me a wonderful package full of alpaca yarn, decaf coffee, a great little bag, and a handmade scarf. All wrapped in a birthday note. (I'll upload the pics tomorrow.) It was sent delivery confirmation and no return address, I guess my pal likes to live on the edge. I think I might have a guess, but I'm nowhere near as bold as Kate. so I'm not putting that out in the universe just yet.
Every day I scour the blogs and comment on a few to try to get some clues. But my pal is way to smart for that. The CSI guys would have been proud of how I examined the package to try to pick up dust, a cat hair?, ANYTHING. Nothing.
In summary,
I am in Louisiana and I like LSU, its where I got my master's and Ph.D.,
but I haven't lived in Baton Rouge for three years.
I started commenting on a few PRGE blogs when this exchange started,
and have noticed a few new comments on mine. (Kate, are you MY pal trying to divert my attention?)
I sent my package with confirmation,
I think we are all supposed to do that to keep off the deadbeat list.

So, Kate, I hope I have answered your question.

And thanks to My pal, whomever you are! I loved all my gifts!

Somebody's getting a surprise!

Well, I guess they should be expecting it. It's my first care package for the new Punk Rock Gift Exchange. I finished putting it together this weekend and would have mailed it yesterday if my FM had not kicked my butt twelve ways to next week.
But, I'm walking again today (although slowly) and made it to the post office during lunch to mail the goodies. Delivery confirmation- just to be sure.
Bad news is the one and only LYS in this stinking town is closing an hour earlier. 4:00! Don't knitters work around here?!?! So I'll have to do some creative lunch shopping for the next package. I wish I could have faxed it, I'm so impatient to know if he/she will like it. Want to know what's in it? Ha! You'll have to wait until the recipient blogs about it.
Oh, my other pal (the one who will be gifting me- I hope) sent me an email. Very cryptic... I'll have fun playing whodunnit.

We got our PRGE pals today!

I was reading my secret pal's poll and decided, as long as it is, its still not enough information. I learned she likes *blank*, but what KIND of *blank*? So I spent a few minutes going over her archives and there it was: ************!Then I remembered that when I switched over my blog, I didn't bother to move any of my old posts from my other blog and what if my pal wants to learn more about me (and perhaps see cute pictures of my kids?). Well, I think my old blog is still accessible- at least it was yesterday- at www.shannonssoaps.com/blog. Just in case, you know, you want to get really personal.