I have the best secret pals!

I just want to start my post off today with a big thanks to both of my awesome secret pals. Thanks so much for your comments (and also to the rest of you who have also left comments in the past few days). It makes me feel so loved! In fact, you wouldn't believe what arrived in the mail yesterday:

Yes, I got the most darling card from my sp8 secret pal just saying that she was thinking of me. It totally brightened my day. So, thank you secret pal!

Thank you also to my one skein secret pal for your detailed info on Charleston. I have been there once before - my parents actually recently bought a house down there to escape the bad winters. But, there's plenty that I still haven't seen - and I definitely plan on checking out the festival - even if I will only be there for a few days.

In knitting news, I'm making good progress on the lacy tee - as of now, I have about 10 pattern repeats down - 8 more to go..and then the hardest part of the project is over (at least it seems that way from briefly glancing over the instructions). I've really been enjoying working on it - the lace pattern is really beautiful.

I'm still waiting on my knitpicks order so that I can start my crocheted afghan...but I've been going into a little crochet withdrawl...so I couldn't help myself. After looking through Crochet Bags! by Candi Jensen which I have been fortunate enough to have been able to borrow from the library (I know I mentioned this before - but I love love love the library for knitting and crochet books - the public library is just the greatest invention for us knitters and crocheters because otherwise, I'd be so in debt from all the books I would have bought). Anyway, there are a number of really cute bags in the book - and I spotted this quick one skeined project for a little change purse made with ribbon yarn of all things:
So, I couldn't help myself...I popped into a lys and bought a skein of ribbon yarn..and so far have finished one side of the little purse.
The good news is that the purse uses so little yarn that I'll probably have enough for at least 1 or 2 more...so I'm thinking one might end up going to one of my secret pals. We shall see!!

In non-knitting news, I've been grading papers and exams like crazy. One of my classes had their final yesterday - the grades are posted...and no complaints which is always a good thing. I'll tell you - I'll be so happy when my first year teaching is actually over. I have so much writing to do - and actually prep for one of my classes in the fall!