Kittens and mittens

I tried to come up with something clever tying in the mittens I knitted recently and the fact that our alley cat is going to deliver kittens any day now. But, I didn't have any luck. So, I'll give you the dry, uninteresting version.

Mittens
The lady at my local yarn shopped convinced me some time back to purchase a book by Ann Budd that included patterns for many standard knitted items using any gauge yarn. (This was one of those times I am glad I didn't say "no".) I've had it quite a while and never used it. So, I dug it out recently in an effort to knit up some stash yarn that I love, but didn't necessarily want to use for the project for which it was selected.

I have long had a love affair with mittens. I never quite grew up enough to wear gloves regularly in the winter, even though I have several pair. It's just that I have always enjoyed the coziness of mittens. I like the fact that my I can feel all my fingers, that they aren't separated.

So, I knitted up these mittens, particularly sized to fit my hands. Overall I am pleased, but they do tug a bit at the thumb. I love the colors. I like that they are warm. If you want the particulars, click on the Finished Projects section at right.

And kittens
Now, onto the kittens. Seems Sally Cat The Alley Cat is sporting a bigger and bigger belly each day on her little, tiny frame. We expect her deliver any time now, even though neither of us are particularly qualified to even venture a guess. Poor little kitty, she just lays in the mulch trying to stay cool and avoid any unnecessary movement. The mother-to-be even waddles.

This is her second pregnancy and even though you'd think that she'd have learned her lesson the first time, well, she didn't. We have big plans, post-birth and nursing, to cat-nap her and have her spayed. Think her real owners will notice the blue stitches along her belly?

Help me out here, there has to be a clever way to tie in the kittens and mittens thing.