FO's, WIP's & Birthdays

I took a break this morning from the Fun Fur scarf I'm knitting for my son's girl friend (notice that is two words, not one), to cut out my 'harem' pants. I picked up some gold satin from the remant table at Hobby Lobby on Tuesday. Then I went back to the scarf; it should be finished tonight. I'm working it very strangely -- probably shouldn't even explain it, but I will when it is finished and I upload the photo. In the meantime, here's the pattern for the Tapered Scarf/Shawl I finished last evening for my eldest stepdaughter, Lisa, for Christmas. I used ONline's Linie 43 (4-50g balls -- though I had at least half of one ball left over) on size 15 needles. Loosely cast on 10 stitches. Knit 3 rows. Row 4: Slip the first stitch; *Increase, K2; repeat from * across row (13 stitches now on needle). Knit 3 rows. Row 8: Repeat Row 4 (17 stitches now on needle). Knit 5 rows. Row 14: Repeat Row 4 (23 stitches now on needle). Knit 15 rows. Row 30: Repeat Row 4, ending with an Increase (31 stitches now on the needle). Knit 20 rows. Row 51: Repeat Row 4 (41 stitches now on needle). Knit 20 rows. Row 72: Repeat Row 30 (54 stitches now on needle). Knit 40 rows. Row 113: Slip the first stitch; K1, K2tog; *K2, K2tog; repeat from * across row, ending with K2 (41 stitches now on needle). Knit 20 rows. Row 134: Slip the first stitch; *K2tog, K2; repeat from * across row (31 stitches now on the needle). Knit 20 rows. Row 155: Slip the first stitch; *K2tog, K2; repeat from * across row, ending with K2tog (23 stitches now on the needle). Knit 15 rows. Row 171: Repeat Row 155 (17 stitches now on the needle). Knit 5 rows. Row 177: Repeat Row 134 (13 stitches now on the needle). Knit 3 rows. Row 181: Repeat Row 134 (10 stitches now on the needle). Knit 3 rows. Cast off. Weave ends. Our newest kitty, Harley D'Nero, is two months old 'today.' When he was brought to us, having been abandoned and found crying in the bushes, his left eye was matted shut with mud, trash and infection. The vet estimated his age to be between three and four weeks at that time, so I selected October 21st as his birthday -- it is the birthday of my dearest friend from high school, Mary. He's giving the other family felines a run for it lately, and they have finally stopped (most of the) hissing at him. He dined on smoked turkey pickings and managed to nose into my cup of gingerale & orange juice! Since all the cats seem to be asleep, I think I'll hang the rest of the gold & silver balls on the tree and be done with it. Today my dad brought the poinsetta he'd placed in the church in Mom's memory. It's very beautiful. We may be in south Mississippi, but we have a fire in the fireplace today. It keeps the heater from running! LC