More Christmas progress

So, I swatched the yarn for Nora's purse on Monday afternoon: I think it looks pretty cool. I swatched with one of the skeins that took less of the dye, figuring I'd use the more vibrant ones for the actual purse. I started the actual purse itself Monday evening, and got a lot of it done yesterday in between loads of laundry. The purse is moving along - I'm about 1/3 of the way through the pocket portion, and then I have about a million miles of icord to do for the strap. Yippee. Then, I felt and assemble, and ta da! I think I am going to try to find some beads to put on the flap of the purse once it is done. I have to say, I like these colors a lot better than I expected to. I wasn't sure just how the combination would work out, but it's really cool. I might even do something for myself with these at some point. To digress from the knitting stuff for a bit: The last month or so has been really difficult on a personal level. Kris and I hit a crisis in our marriage that I never saw coming, and I found out that a friend was not at all the person I thought she was. I am still dealing with the repercussions of all of it, and still find myself veering back and forth between so angry I can't see straight and so upset I want to curl up in a ball and die. I am really thankful that I have knitting projects to focus on so that I can escape from it for a time. It has made it possible for me to deal with everything without actually going crazy, and to let my mind work on some decisions without spiraling into an emotional wreck. I've had to make some decisions that are really tought and a little selfish, but my first priority has to be my marriage. OK, enough of that. Happy kitty pictures - Rajah perched on the couch : (Nice flash reflection on the window, oh genius photographer)