Full disclosure.

I close 2006 with the gory details of my SP9 activity. I haven't posted about it for fear of giving away my secret identity to the knitter I am spoiling, but I'm beginning to believe my previous hints have been in vain and she will need much more substantial evidence, so a full disclosure here will help her find me.

I'm delighted to report that my secret pal (Angela, the one I’ve been spoiling) loved loved LOVED the package I sent her last month . After I read her SP9 questionnaire, whenever I went shopping many things just fell into my hands for her. I have to admit I thought it was a rockin’ good haul of knitterly and pampering treats (I would be doing my own Snoopy dance if someone sent it to me), but I’m always a bit anxious that the recipient of a gift won’t like what I chose.

Here's a full breakdown of what I sent her:

The knitterly stuff consisted of two large skeins of cushiony hand-painted merino sock yarn: Forest, shades of blue, green and brown - from Cavyshops on Etsy and the SP9 special ChaCha colourway, shades of sky blue, silver grey, white and black - from to knit perchance to dream. I added some of those cute cable-sweater shaped plastic needle holders from Clover brand, and there were a couple of stitch markers: one with clear and blue crystals & one a small gold bell for the holiday season.

Some nifty soothing green-tea eye-pads jumped out at me because she was also participating in the recent Knitters Tea Swap (I have to get into the next round for that one!) but those tea bags are for external use only, so I sent along some bags of Orange-Ginger Chai to drink if she’s craving a cup.

There was Life Brand Coconut Lime body wash - my own most recent fave (mmm… citrusy and tropical). They also used to have a great Pina Colada scented one, but I can’t find it anymore. I will definitely be going back to the health food store get some of that yummy Jason Organics Cranberry scented hand and lotion for myself too. There’s a small Life Brand hand held glass massager that can be used with or w/o massage oil (that's between her and her hubby). I hope she’ll use the cute foot-shaped foot file and the matching polka-dot toe-separators to give herself a soothing pedicure (or maybe she can talk her hubby into it – I haven’t succeeded with mine yet, but hope springs eternal). And I say a girl never has too many bath scrubbies!

There were a couple of Lindt dark chocolate bars, one w/orange and almonds and one from Ecuador, some seasonally appropriate Balssen chocolate covered gingerbread cakes, and three miniature liquer-filled chocolate "bottles". I also sent some sweet earrings made from lavender shell and beads with a silver leaf accent, a silver-toned butterfly-shaped hair clip with blue crystals, both of which should suit her beautifully, and last but not least a mini teddy-bear with a candy cane – because it’s all about the B.E.A.R. here at casa MezzoDiva.

While I was procrastinating waiting to send the package, I saw a funny little book on the current demise of manners and courteous behaviour Talk to the Hand by the same author who wrote Eats, Shoots and Leaves and it seemed only appropriate to add it to her package, since I kept telling her it was on the way and then only managed to send it a couple of weeks ago week (finally)!

Whew. I’m not ashamed to admit I was more than a little nervous about it. I’m a virgin swapper and she is a much more experienced knitter, blogger and swapper than I am. Hey - even the exalted Yarn Harlot reads her blog! And guess what? I was praised by the Yarn Harlot! Awwww, shucks... Stephanie said I am awesome (if you don't believe me, see the comments on Angela’s blog). I am such a sucker for positive reinforcement. Actually, my other SP (Laura, the one spoiling me) is in awe that I live in the YH’s city - I had to promise her that if she comes to town I will take her to the SnB at Lettuce Knit.

I almost forgot to mention that some beautiful wheel-made and hand-dyed home-spun goodness from Julie arrived in Friday's mail - the last mail received for 2006 (scroll down to the purple and white stuff in the dye pot - it's plied together with some lovely soft green and blue). It is a gorgeous token of her thanks for supporting her Wheel Fund-raising efforts a couple of months ago. I know she has been diligently working for weeks to spin all the thank-you yarns for her wheel donors, and I suspect mine was the last due to some unforseeable dye adventures, but I have to say that I love it! Now it will have to decide what it wants to be when it grows up...

Oh, yeah -saved the best for last: we have a digital camera!!!! DH and I recently purchased a Kodak EasyShare Zoom Z650 with a 10X optical zoom lens, and we got a 1GB SD card & Reader. Now if I can just learn to use the lovely thing, you'll be getting alot more visual payoff for putting up with all my excessive verbiage.

See you all in 2007! Best wishes for health, fulfillment, prosperity and peace, in the coming year and forever beyond.