Yesterday, the doorbell rang. I ran outside to see the mail truck on the way out of the driveway and a stack of mail beside the door.

The bottom layer is boxes!

To avoid confusion (a large part of my day is spent avoiding confusion), I ran back in and grabbed a marker to label them before I picked them up.

Based on row and proximity to the front door.

Then I set about figuring out what team was what! Box number six came from Laura of the Cotton Queens!

Wintergreen Lifesavers! Sparks in the dark!

The sock notes book from The Loopy Ewe is the perfect treat! It’s divided into sections so that I can record my favorite sock yarns, the needle size I used with them, what DPNs I have in my collection, favorite blogs, patterns I’ve made, people’s measurements, and my favorite yarn stores. I love it, Laura! The earth tone dish rag is gorgeous, Captain Lani will be thrilled.

The Cotton Queens were knitting under a two day handicap this year (read about my shocking imperfections), so even though the box arrived on October 2, the amended date is September 30. So they are really the fifth box to finish, but since we’ve already got a fifth box, I am going to record two fifth place boxes and not a sixth. Confused? Excellent, I like to keep you on your toes.

Moving ahead to the seventh box to finish the race: THE DISHY DOZEN!

Ooooh! Ahhhh!

Sara packed this box to the absolute brim! With two dishrags: one for me and one for her Captain, Wen. I’ve got to start something to put in the project bag (the paper lanterns) right this minute. Empty project bags and full chocolate boxes effect my self control in similar (if opposite) ways. Thank you so much, Sara!

Box number eight has fabulous decorations. That’s right, it’s the Rag Olympians!

E is for me! Awww, it has a wee tiny pen.

Suzanne sent stripes! I have only enjoyed the magic of a self-striping dish rag vicariously until now, I think I’m going to try a corner to corner pattern to maximize the fun. Thank you, Suzanne! The beautiful earthy dish rag will be on the way to Captain LaVerna. I really like the earth tones – I bet they still look great when they are grubby, too.

And the ninth box? Are you ready? Is the anticipation driving you crazy? The Dishrag Divas!

William Henry helped himself to the chocolate. He makes me so mad.

My new order of operations is to eat everything that WH might be interested in before bedtime. Don’t worry, Susan, I got the sampler all to myself (cardboard and plastic wrap defeated him). How cute is that baby stitch holder? I hope it doesn’t miss its Mama. The pretty peach dish rag belongs to Team Captain, Deborah.

I tell you true, if there actually was a Superlative for most stuff crammed in a box, the Dishrag Divas would have my vote. Not only did Susan manage to get all of her goodies in there, each team member packed in a little something from their home state!

How much fun!

Thanks so much to all of you – and congratulations to all of the day’s finishers achievement of Dish Rag Tag Glory!

Tomorrow, if you’re good, I’ll show you my knitting. *wink wink*

Dish Rag Tag: the Sequel Round-Up
1… Deuces Wild 9/24/2008
2… Rag-Taggers 9/25/2008
3… Dishrag Taggers 9/25/2008
4… Dishin’ It Out 9/29/2008
5… Cotton Queens 9/30/2008 (amended)
5… Cross Country Knitters 10/1/2008
7… DISHY DOZEN 10/2/2008
8… Rag Olympians 10/2/2008
9… Dishrag Divas 10/2/2008