more than you really wanted to know

2009-07-04T21:44:00.003-05:00

Thought I'd drop in on some blogs tonight and see what's new. Seems like since everyone I know is either on Ravelry or Facebook, nobody blogs any more. Including myself.

One blogger that I read pretty often is apparently having the same problem. She decided to try to post Five on Friday - once a week, post five things that have happened, or that she has accomplished, in the previous week. I'm wondering if I have enough self-discipline to follow a schedule like that. Maybe I could do a One on Wednesday?

I started one post last month that I saved as a draft and never finished. Maybe I should start there, then post at least a rough outline of what's up in my life. Then maybe I would eventually go back and add pictures and details.

Someone is setting off explosives very near to my house. Gunfire is rare in this neighborhood, so the first one startled me. But it is the Fourth of July, so I'm not getting too upset about it. Just wish I had had the nerve to pick up some fireworks while I was out of state earlier this week and bring the contraband home with me.

This is my belated post from end of May 2009

2009-05-31T14:03:00.006-05:00

May 29 - Dallas, TX. 7:30 pm, Legacy Books, 7300 Dallas Parkway, Suite A120. Plano, TX 75024:

I went to see the Yarn Harlot again!

I know, I know. You're thinking, why would you want to go when you've seen her before? What more could she have to say about knitting?

First of all, I'm really glad I went. It was a fun and relaxing getaway. Four of us - the Tuesday Night Knitters core group - were originally planning to go. Anita and Polly couldn't make it, so it was only Judy and I who ultimately made the trip.

We each packed up plenty of knitting and a change of clothes, I transferred my GPS locator from my car to hers, and we took off.

The weather was decent and the drive was mostly uneventful, except for when we made a pit stop in Marietta and when we returned to the car it was deader than the proverbial doornail. Judy looked under the hood while I perused the owner's manual looking for some kind of safety switch override. Then we decided to wiggle the battery cables and one came off in my hand! We had no tools, so we fell back on acting helpless and charming. Two nice young construction workers with a small pair of pliers and a huge Crescent wrench were able to tighten up the cable terminal for us, and we were off again.

Our favorite Harlot was, as usual, both hilarious and educational. I was intrigued with the Theta brain wave theory that she explained to us. Let us go nowhere without our Emergency Knitting!

Birdbrain!

2009-05-31T14:01:00.001-05:00

True story: My son and I went to lunch at Burger King a few days ago. We returned to the car and were getting ready to drive away when we both just stopped, mid-conversation, to watch a bird. It had in its beak what looked like a chunk of bread. The bird swooped down to land just under the shade of a car parked across the way in front of us. It was a hot day and there was a little puddle of water there, probably condensation that had run down and back from the car's air conditioner. The bird cocked its head one way and another, dipping the bread into the water. I have to believe it took the softened bread back to its nest for babies, or for a nesting momma bird.

What a birdbrain!

Getting better

2009-03-28T09:57:00.002-05:00

I know, my last post was pretty dismal - but I thought it was better than nothing at all.

This week I have felt much better, but have been very busy at work, trying to make up for missing half of last week. Still not quite caught up.

This afternoon I am going to a birthday party-- my youngest grandchild is one year old today!

Lost week

2009-03-28T09:53:00.000-05:00

From March 16 to March 19 ...

I woke up Monday morning with a scratchy throat - just like three weeks ago, and again a month or so before that.

Tuesday morning it was a little worse, with obvious sinus drainage. I decide to call my doctor for an appointment right away, instead of waiting and hoping it would clear up on its own. Got in to see him Tuesday afternoon, by which time I was feeling much worse. He prescribed me yet another round of antibiotics (stronger each time, with me thinking about this bug building up its immunity) plus a decongestant.

Usually when I make an appointment with my doctor, his staff will tell me they can work me in, but I may have to wait a while. So far - in the last 20 or 30 years I've been seeing him - that usually means 10 or 15 minutes. Not so this time - it's Spring Break! Most of the other doctors in this clinic have escaped for ski trips or whatever. I spent over an hour in the hallway, with the overflow from his office lobby.

Two unhappy toddlers, with their irritated and irritating young mother complaining into her cell phone, just about drove me away with their whining and crying. I was relieved, as were all the others waiting, when a cheerful and competent young mother with two ill but otherwise contented toddlers arrived. She sat in the middle of the floor and played with all four children. I wanted to give her a medal. After the whiny crew were called in to see the doctor, another patiently waiting patient rewarded the good mommy by insisting she and her little ones go next in line, ahead of the adults.

So for my 3:45 appointment, I got in about 5:00 and was out by 5:20 with two prescriptions in hand.

I wearily drove down the street to Homeland, where the pharmacy has a convenient drive up window, and turned in the prescriptions. The lady said it would take about 15 minutes. Too long to wait at the window, and just about long enough to go home and come right back, so I drove to a shady spot and worked on a crossword puzzle. (Didn't even feel up to knitting - and still don't want to think that hard.)

Went back to be told they were able to fill one prescription, but they were out of the other. My options were to let them order it and pick it up the next afternoon, or go somewhere else to have it filled. Didn't want to deal with that hassle, so I said to just order it for me.

Drove home and was almost in my garage when I remembered that I had a book on reserve to pick up at the library. Headed out again, and was halfway there when the pharmacy called me. They did have the second medication, had overlooked it on the shelf. Did I still want it? Yes!

Went on to the library. Had to park the car and go inside - no way around that. Looked at the new book shelf on my way to the service desk and found two new books by old favorite authors - John Sandford and John Harvey. Harvey has finally written another Charlie Resnick novel after a hiatus of several years! So I got those, plus the Anna Zilboorg hat book I had reordered, paid my dollar for overdues.

Went back to the pharmacy window, paid for the second prescription, then finally made it home about 6:30.

I thought about calling to let my pals know that I was not going to our knit-night at Borders, but I fell asleep before I could decide who to call first. Woke up about 8 and took my meds.

Stayed home Wednesday, read and slept a lot.

Got up Thursday morning, got ready for work, started out to my car and realized I really didn't feel well enough to drive to work, much less be there and try to focus on anything. Called in sick and went back to bed.

I am thankful for my family

2008-11-28T03:15:00.002-06:00

Had a great Thanksgiving Day - all the kids and grandkids gathered at Sarah’s house. I only had to provide a thawed turkey and make the gravy. No cooking, no cleanup, and just a little grandbaby holding duty! I did have to use the allergy meds more than usual due to the two grand-dogs and one grand-cat in the house. I got home about seven and crashed in my easy chair - woke up at one AM breathing freely and feeling restored. Now here I am, wide awake at three AM! Maybe I should go shopping …
I've spent the last half-hour trying to send photos from my phone to my blog - no success, so here we are, photo-less. You will just have to use your imagination!

Mission Statement

2008-11-25T09:04:00.003-06:00

Today is an anniversary for me - seventeen years ago today was my first day at GLP - and here I still am. I'm hoping to work one more year of five-day weeks, then go to three-day weeks for two more years, then retire from here and see what comes next. I want the next phase to involve lots of arts & crafts, with some of them for-profit. Hmmm . . . that almost sounds like a real plan. Subject to change, but a plan.

Boo!

2008-11-01T10:36:00.002-05:00

I know, I haven't posted since the Fourth of July, but life is busy and I'm disorganized. That's just the way it is. I'll post some pictures one of these days and fill you in on what I've been up to since July.
I sat on my porch swing last night with a bag of candy and a bag of knitting. Added several rows to my February Lady sweater and treated about 20 kids, if you count my three grownup kids that stopped by individually. (see note below)
After the trick-or-treating was all over, I curled up in my easy chair to watch a recorded Criminal Minds and started a new Forest Canopy Shawl. Next thing I knew I was looking at the menu screen and had four and a half tiny rows, with half a row of loose stitches. I frogged and went to bed!
Note:
1 Tired Dad, with two boys dressed as Pumpkins, on their way home from church carnival, his wife at home ill with something probably carried home from preschool
1 Firefighter, accompanied by a Monk, on their way to a party
1 Pizza Delivery Person, after delivering a pizza in my neighborhood

Fourth of July Weekend

2008-07-06T22:55:00.005-05:00

Hello all!
Hope you had a great Independence Day weekend. Mine started with going to watch the annual parade that travels through my home town along part of Route 66. There were lots of vehicles to enjoy, antique and otherwise, along with horses and bicycles and floats and all those hopeful candidates campaigning for our votes.

I wimped out, though, and left early - wasn't enjoying the heat and I've mostly seen it all before, every year for the last 30 years or so.
I went home, cooled off, blocked my Forest Canopy Shawl, and took a nap.

Sam and family invited me to go watch the 'booms' with the grand-boys, but I just couldn't bear the thought of the traffic. On the Fourth, it takes an hour or more - each way - to drive less than two miles to the park, then there is the walk from the parking lot into the Festival area. So again I wimped out, opting to enjoy the sound of the 'booms' in the air-conditioned comfort of my home.

Saturday morning the kids and I met for breakfast and had a good time in spite of the slightly odd service. They wouldn't let us have a high chair at the end of our booth - the waitress said because someone might trip on it. It was a little close, but we managed. The rest of the crew had places to go and/or naps to take, so I went up the the LYS to knit and visit until Sarah called. She and I went and got our toes done! Funny how a quickly a pedicure can change from a luxury to a necessity!

Later I went to a movie at Penn Square. A few years ago I would never have thought to go to a movie alone, but there are advantages to going my own way. I saw Hancock, the superhero movie starring Will Smith. I wouldn't recommend it for family entertainment, because of bad language and one especially unusual bit of violence, but it was a lot of fun and - dare I say? - somewhat heartwarming. I still want to see WALL-E and Get Smart and maybe even the American Girl movie.

Today - Sunday - I slept in much later than I intended, then decided I had been a lazy slug for long enough and unclogged my slow tub drain. Yes, again. I suppose it needs some regular maintenance if I want to avoid this nasty annual snake job.
Then I got out my big old screwdriver and my rubber mallet and set at defrosting the old refrigerator that sits in my utility room. The freezer part was completely iced in, so between sessions of chipping ice and leaving it to melt (I took a few breaks for knitting and reading and TV watching) I finally got the freezer door open and took the food out. It went much faster after that.

I seem to be falling back into my old habit of reading daily. This week I listened to Nevada Barr's Winter Study on CD (in my car) , read Robert Crais' L.A. Requiem and Jennifer Chiaverini's Quilter's Apprentice. Last week I read Brendan DuBois' Resurrection Day, a disturbing story set in 1971, depicting what our country might have been like if the Cuban Missile Crisis had escalated into nuclear war.
I also started Absolute Power by David Baldacci, but when I figured out why I kept thinking about Clint Eastwood I gave it up. Decided I'll try to find a Baldacci book that wasn't a movie that I have seen.
Next up on my eclectic selections are Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled by Dorothy Gilman and Twilight, another dark story by Brendan DuBois. I'm not sure I will read Twilight right away; I love DuBois' Lewis Cole series, and he is a very good writer, but I'm not sure I can stomach two such dark stories so close together - his writing makes them seem almost real.
I have a reserve in for William G. Tapply's One-Way Ticket - he's another of my many favorites.
And so to bed, for tomorrow is another work day. 'Night, all!

Is this February 2nd?

2008-06-25T20:46:00.009-05:00

Hello there! I just thought I would poke my head out, like a groundhog, and see what's going on around me! Sorry I haven't posted lately. It is just like anything else that I put off - the longer I put it off, the harder it is to start again. This little note is just an attempt to build a fire under me. I don't think I can pick up where I left off and fill in everything to date.

PS: On the right, here-- that's Max. Doesn't he look strong and wise? He's quiet, and quick to smile. He'll be three months old this Saturday.

Tracking backwards through time - I had lunch with a few of my favorite people today; sorry, no pictures. Six of us came from four different places to meet for a cheap and tasty burger; Cousin Beth came from her home; Sam, my favorite son, came from his office; DIL Andrea brought the two little boys from their home; and I came from my office. It's amazing how fast an hour can pass, but it surely is a nice break for the middle of a workday!

Tuesday nights, for a while now, has been an informal, but regularly scheduled, knit night for Anita, Polly, and me. Actually, I don't know how long this has been ongoing - I was invited a few months ago to join in this established event. We started out going to Starbucks, which was nice, but decided that a bookstore might be quieter and have more available seating, and still have tasty concoctions to sip on as we knit. So, for a couple of months now, we've been meeting at Borders - and naturally we sit in the section where the knitting books are. Last week I got really tickled when some young ladies stopped by and asked us a few questions. I had the distinct feeling that they saw us as a quaint exhibit organized by the bookstore.

Sometimes I get to kidnap a grandchild for no special reason. One evening recently, the little man and I went out for dogs and a beer. I was pleased to find that A&W does still serve root beer in chilled mugs!

My favorite local yarn store usually closes at six pm, but on Thursday nights is open until eight pm. A growing number of us have developed the pleasant habit of dropping in to knit and visit. We have a lot of laughs and always ooh and aah over everyone else's projects. There's a lot of yarn petting and fondling that goes on there. I always come away with ideas for more projects.

Polly, one of my Tuesday night knitting pals, threw down a challenge last week. I've been knitting socks two at a time, on one circular needle. She brought me a pattern for two socks knitted at the same time, one inside each other. Of course, I had to accept the challenge--so even though I have several works in progress, I picked out some likely yarn last Thursday, and will probably cast on tomorrow night! I'll try to shoot and post some pictures.

Our darlin' boy turned three years old earlier this month, and had a backyard party with a cars theme. Or maybe it was a Cars theme. Guests were supposed to only bring one tiny car each as gifts, and most people complied. Grandmothers and aunts can be exempted from the rules, can't they? I have lots of pictures of that fun event.

That pretty much takes care of June, except for showing you the shawl I made. It still needs to be blocked, but I'm pretty happy with it. I had my doubts about getting it finished at all when I ran out of yarn just before the end, but Carol, another knitting pal, rescued me. She is making a sweater, scarf, and hat with the same yarn, and gave me enough to finish my scarf. (Thanks again, fellow Crazy Lady!)

Happy Mothers' Day!

2008-05-11T22:49:00.002-05:00

And a happy Mothers' Day to everyone - even those of you whose babies have four legs or scales or feathers or whatever!
My kids had a big surprise for me. The only clue they gave me was that I had to be up and dressed by ten a.m. - no sleeping in or lounging in my jammies. I figured they were going to take me out somewhere, but I was so wrong. We never left the premises.
After we enjoyed chocolate-glazed donuts and Mothers' Day cards, they pretty much abandoned me in the house with my new grandson (that's a REALLY sneaky trick).
My merciless crew then proceeded to empty and organize my two-car garage. They discarded enough of my trash and treasures to make room for my one small car. I've lived in this house for 29 years and I am trying to remember if I have ever seen a vehicle in this garage - a vehicle bigger than a bicycle, that is. (Hey, there WAS a bicycle in there - where did it go?)
I'm a little sorry we didn't do before and after pictures, but the 'before' was every bit as cluttered as you can imagine.
P.S. If anyone needs a sturdy 4' x 8' worktable, please come by and pick it up from the curb!

He's here!

2008-03-28T01:54:00.003-05:00

Our new baby is here at last! He arrived Friday, 03/28/08, at 1:06am, weighing in at 8 lbs, 12 oz.

Yah-ta-hey

2008-03-22T00:36:00.003-05:00

Let me tell you, two four-day weeks with a fun-filled weekend in between makes for one long day. By Thursday I was so out of it that when I got home from work, I sat down in my recliner intending to read my mail, and slept for twelve hours straight. I did feel much better Friday. Sometimes the old bod just has to say STOP!
The weekend was a wonderful experience. We drove from OKC, which is 1299 ft above sea level, to a point just across the Continental Divide, and just east of the Arizona state line. We spent the weekend at 6568 ft above sea level, and I for one could tell the difference in the air.
We met some really nice people; all but one were Navajo, since there was no one else there. I made friends with a loveable Lab named Opie, and four of us cousins had a really fun slumber party.
Oh, and one more thing - I finished my Branching Out scarf!
Be forewarned, I'll be back in a day or two with lots of pictures to show you.

* poof! *

2008-03-18T12:12:00.001-05:00

I arrived at work at 7:45 am today, with a smile on my face and a peaceful feeling in my heart.
It's noon. They're both gone.

Knitting Daily

2008-03-09T12:54:00.010-05:00

Illness among my co-workers* has increased my already full workload, so the past couple of weeks have been a little rough for me.
* (I always feel compelled to hyphenate that word, otherwise I tend to read it as "Cow Orkers" whatever those might be - it doesn't sound pretty.)
More work hours mean fewer play hours, but I have been steadily working on my
Branching Out scarf,

and have started a pair of toe-up socks.

The cold weather will probably end just as I finish this warm wool/alpaca scarf, but I will be able to wear the socks year round.

I hope to block these Baby Pea Pod pieces and sew them together this week.

Off to see the wizard . . .

2008-03-09T12:47:00.003-05:00

Last night I took my favorite Little Man to see a high school production of Wizard of Oz .
We both enjoyed the show even though it was three hours long.

On the ride home, I asked him which part he liked best.
"The lion. He went 'aargh and aargh.' "

I asked him if he liked the music.
"It was beautiful."

Then he went to sleep in his carseat.

Saturday Morning

2008-02-23T08:46:00.003-06:00

As I write this I am comfortably reclined in an upholstered chair, surrounded by equipment humming and clicking and occasionally beeping. A monitor and keyboard hover in front of me supported by an articulated arm *what the heck is that noise*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please excuse the interruption. I am at home now.

I intended to continue that first paragraph by explaining to you that I was blogging one-handed because my left arm was busy with a fat needle and a several clear tubes connected to an intricate machine named Amicus that was pumping blood out of my arm, extracting life-saving platelets, and returning my blood to me.

You may or may not know, so I will explain, that this is a completely sterile process, because the Amicus and others of its ilk are set up for each extraction with a sealed 'kit' of tubes and bags and such, so the only opening in the entire kit is at the needle. Everything from my entry paperwork to the final product is identified with barcode labels.

The kit itself fits into openings in the Amicus, and loading it is a process that - well, if you sew, have you ever threaded a serger? It's a lot like that. Bags go on hooks, tubes go into channels and around gears, and I don't know what else. It is an extremely well monitored system and I feel completely safe with the procedure, plus I get that warm fuzzy feeling of having done something beneficial for a cancer patient or some idiot who doesn't know to slow down when the streets are icy. They tell me that one platelet donation can save three lives.

I was going to tell you about my surroundings, including the man to my right who was quietly snoring, and the lady to my left who was engrossed in a book. I was going to describe the two phlebotomists who were at this time all the way down at the end of the long room, taking care of some chores after making sure we donors were snugly settled in.

I was rudely interrupted from this pleasant story-telling by the sudden onset of horrible banging and clanking and screeching noises from that wonderful machine named Amicus.

As I said, no one was nearby, so I said, loudly, "HELP!" That, or possibly the awful noises from Amicus, got the immediate attention of two skilled professionals, who rapidly shut down the machine, pulled the needle from my arm, and applied a gauze pad to the hole so my blood wouldn't leak out. They were calm but definitely not smiling as they diagnosed the problem as a "defective kit." I got the impression that this was something that would be intensely investigated. I can't even imagine how much paperwork this incident will generate.

They told me I was fine, but I would have to wait the full 58 days before I could donate again because I did not get that 'return'. I would need that time to rebuild my blood.

I really admire those women. I feel so safe in their care. Most of the time, everything goes as planned, but when it doesn't, there is no hesitation. They know exactly what to do.

I am really sorry they had to clean up all that mess, and I'm also sorry the blood was wasted. I'll go back in April. Or maybe May.

Tagged again

2008-02-21T23:16:00.002-06:00

Anna tagged me for the same "meme" - would someone please tell me what that word means?
Anyhoo, here I go again - Good thing I've got more than one book . . .

Nearest book: Assuming that means physically nearest, this is on top of the stack of four I picked up at the library last night:

Killer Waves, by Brendan DuBois.

I like his writing style and the characters he has created, and am trying to read my way through his entire body of work. (I wanted to use that French word that makes me think of eggs but I don't know how to spell it.)

Page 123:

Has words, even paragraphs. That's good!

Skip five sentences, post the next three:

"Anyway, the meeting got even stranger when people started arguing on why dogs have to get licensed, and cats don't, and cat owners are freeloaders when compared to dog owners. That's when I gave it up and decided to leave."
"Good choice."

Am I the only one that has trouble refraining from adding context around these sentences?

Tag five people: I'm not entirely sure that I personally know five more bloggers, but I'll try.
*hmmmm* (humming and thinking) *hmm hmm hmm* (there has to be someone!)

Anita made me do it

2008-02-19T23:26:00.003-06:00

I realize that I have not been blogging lately. It's not that I don't enjoy it - I have just felt very boring lately. But then I did say "even if no one else finds it interesting" so here I am, back again with boring stuff to say. Or maybe not . . .

Anita and I met at Starbuck's tonight for a mini-knit-in. We talked and knitted and laughed at ourselves. That was fun. And when you get right down to it, that sweet lady can be really sneaky. When she asked me if I had read her blog lately she didn't tell me she had tagged me.

I'm IT, so here goes!

Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more: Even though it is physically the closest, I think I'll skip the phone book - it doesn't have sentences. Next-nearest book is a used book that was given to me, and I haven't read it yet. Title is Spring Hill, Tennesee, subtitle, A Novel, author, Tom T. Hall.

I like his songs, so I should like his book as well.

On page 123, find the first 5 sentences: Done.

Post the next 3 sentences: "You oughta dress up mo' often. It make you look ten years younger every time."
Amanda brushed the front of the tweed jacket with her hand.

Tag five people: Andrea, Sam, Carolyn, Amanda, Linda

Fait accompli. I've never done this before; am I supposed to tell them they've been tagged, or just hang out until they find this?

Uh oh - look at the time! Yet another reason for me to avoid this activity. I really need to get more sleep!

I'll try to stop by here sooner next time. Just don't try to make me promise.

It's only February - want to see those Christmas socks?

2008-01-20T20:28:00.009-06:00

Sam, those are NOT for your ears!

Melissa always HAS liked purple.

Pat got socks for his hands.

Warm tootsies for my beautiful granddaughter!

No socks visible here, just had to show you a cute grandkid!

(I did make him a pair of socks - we just didn't get a picture. )

Christmas Doggerel

2007-12-25T05:36:00.000-06:00

Four AM Christmas Day, and all through the house
Are so many WIPs I feel like a louse.
Though most of my gift list was truly unspoken
The ones incomplete feel like promises broken.

One goal, handknit socks for each of my loved ones;
I finished two pair for four daughters* and two for four sons*.
I started a scarf and a pair of warm mitts.
One, I can finish, but the other's the pits.

Presents are wrapped-- except one that's back-ordered
And due in on Thursday--hope I can afford it.
The sheet cake is baked, iced, and well covered,
Green beans are casseroled, with mushroom soup smothered.

I sewed one more stocking for a significant other
Too late, remembered Little Man's expected new brother.
I have too many ideas and not enough time
But I always remember just how blessed that I'm!

(*I'm taking LOTS of poetic license here--!)

Merry Christmas, and God bless you one and all!

Thinking about Christmas

2007-12-02T14:26:00.000-06:00

The following was written by Ben Stein and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary:

(No, I'm not Jewish; that's not what I said! I'm about as White Anglo-Saxon Protestant as a person can be -- I'm printing a wonderful quote from Ben Stein!)

My confession:
I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was
Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those
beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don’t feel threatened. I
don’t feel discriminated against. That’s what they are: Christmas trees.
It
doesn’t bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me. I don’t think
they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of
like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy
time of year. It doesn’t bother me at all that there is a manger scene on
display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a
crèche, it’s just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away .
I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think
Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who
believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no
idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country.
I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my
throat.
Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that
we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we
understand Him? I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too. But there are a
lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the
America we knew went to.
In light of the many jokes we send to one another
for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s
not funny, it’s intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham’s daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane
Clayson asked her "How could God let something like this happen?" (regarding
Katrina); Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She
said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years
we’ve been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government
and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has
calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His
protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
In light of recent
events…terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when
Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained
she didn’t want prayer in our schools , and we said OK.
Then someone said you
better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou
shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.
Then Dr.
Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because
their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem
(Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s
talking about. And we said OK.
Now we’re asking ourselves why our children
have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t
bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.
Probably,
if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has
a great deal to do with "WE REAP WHAT WE SOW."

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder
why the world’s going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but
question what the Bible says . Funny how you can send ‘jokes’ through e-mail and
they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the
Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and
obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is
suppressed in the school and workplace.
Are you laughing?
Funny how when
you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list
because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for
sending it.
Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of
us than what God thinks of us.
Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not
then just discard it… no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought
process, don’t sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in. My
Best Regards.
Honestly and respectfully,
Ben Stein
Amen

My September

2007-09-29T20:32:00.000-05:00

It's me-- I'm back-- don't know why I've been away for so long --

Well, that's not completely true. There just doesn't seem to have been much to blog about lately. I've been working, and knitting socks, and reading, and watching new TV shows.

I think I'm okay on toddler socks now. I got past my mental block on those, and have returned to working on my current Six Socks Knit Along project, the Victorian Lace pattern.

The first one took me about two months - I didn't keep track of time on it very well, but I finished the first sock right after I got back from seeing the Yarn Harlot in Wichita on September 16.

The delightful Ms. Pearl-McPhee was as entertaining as ever. I admit I had wondered if she repeated the same stories every tour, but her material this time was completely different from when I heard her in OKC last year.

She stood behind a heavy wooden lectern, in the auditorium of the beautiful East Wichita High School, and of course had to pull the mic way down to her level. I had a seat on the right side of the front row, and I could see that as she spoke, she mostly kept her hands in plain sight, holding the edges of the lectern, or gesturing, or turning pages in her notes.

When she opened the Q & A segment, I soon noticed that her hands were very busy behind the lectern, and I remembered to ask her something I had wondered about since last year. When my turn came, I asked her if she would step out from behind the lectern so we could watch her hands, and her fingers were simply flying with her doublepoints. She didn't ever seem to look at her hands. I think she said, "I'm knitting. You all know how to knit, right?" But it was like nothing I had ever seen before.

I continued with the second part of my question, asking how she holds her needles when she uses straight needles. She then told us about the history and technique of Irish Cottage Knitting, and borrowed a scarf-in-progress from the nearest knitter using straights, and demonstrated for us, holding one needle stationary under her right arm, tensioning the yarn with her right hand. She said this is the technique used by the fastest knitters in the world.

Yep, there is such a competition - and I seriously doubt if it has ever been mentioned on ESPN.

I cast on my second VL sock at lunchtime Wednesday, September 19, and finished the leg in eight days. That's some kind of record for me. I'm just past the heel turn now. Maybe there is some truth to that YH sock mojo after all!

I miss my knitting buddies. I was just really beginning to feel like I belong to this group, and now I haven't seen any of them for almost a month, and haven't even made it in to the LYS in that time.

We were SO not ready to vote at the last Knit In, but MG made us do it anyway. We were still throwing in new ideas for names after the vote, and some of them were pretty good. DYYSH Night is my personal interpretation of the winning name - we ARE, in spirit if not in name, the -- (drum roll, please) -- Divine Yarn-Yarn SisterHood!

I nagged at myself this week - even told myself I can't go play with my precious grandson - until I finally put some more work in on my living room remodel. Today I put the trim up around the two doors, and put the treshhold edge down at the front door. There is still a gap, but that must be what that color-matched sealant is for--at least it is now! Wonder how many more tubes of that I will use, compared to what a pro would need.

Now I'm ready for another trip to Home Depot for my baseboards, and when I get them installed I can think of putting the furniture in there like a real living room, instead of it being a woodshop adjunct.

Then that reminds me - I've got to find some space in the garage. It's there, I just can't see it for the clutter. Which in turn reminds me that I really want to replace my garage door, but I am reluctant to take that big bite out of my savings.

I have to stop now and get some sleep. I have a very important Play Date in the morning!

My Ravelry Status - 08/31/07

2007-08-31T21:01:00.000-05:00

You signed up on June 23, 2007
You are #10804 on the list.
7 people are ahead of you in line.
19091 people are behind you in line.
36% of the list has been invited so far

Seven to go. Only seven people. Yippee!

Note to www.techcrunch.com/tag/ravelry:
Social Network? Is that what Ravelry is? [I signed up for the same good reason lots of other knitters did - if everybody else wants in, let me in too!]

Social Network? This may be like all those blind men trying to figure out what an elephant is, but my view is WOW! A tremendous database, where I can, oh, look up a yarn in my stash and see how it will work up with a pattern I have in mind. Or maybe if I'm near the end of a project and need one more skein, maybe I can find someone who has one to spare. And just think about doing a pattern search all in one place, not on fifty different websites?

Social Network? That will likely be a side benefit, and maybe primary to some people, but to me it looks very like a really wonderful resource.

And that's MHO.

Put away your white shoes now, darlin'

2007-08-30T23:28:00.000-05:00

This has been a really strange summer, weatherwise, but with Labor Day fast approaching I guess we can call it gone. Sorry about the dearth of entertaining reading here, but the days recently have seemed awfully short.

A few of my faithful readers have asked for an explanation of the "interesting"events posted August 11, so I'll tell you about one of those days.

I'm a confirmed procrastinator. There, I said it.

Most days it's a struggle for me to get myself out of the house in the mornings--most days I pull into the office parking lot at the last possible minute. On this particular day, I was feeling pretty good about myself; I refrained from hitting that snooze button "just one more time!" and ate a simple breakfast in time to head out of the house with a few minutes to spare. I'm out the door, arms loaded with purse and knitting bag and water bottle, headed for my car which is, as always, parked nose-out in my driveway, ready to go.

Why is there a puddle of water by the garage door?

I looked up, stupidly. The sky was clear. No recent rain dripping off the roof. And then I knew. I threw my stuff into the car, and went back into the house. Yanked open the laundry room door to see what I knew was there-- a floor full of water.

I said a few unladylike words, thanked myself for not having laundered the pile of towels in the floor, shoved them around so I could walk on them from the door to the @#$%@! water heater and turned the pilot to OFF. Went back across the towel bridge, opened the door leading to the garage, and fetched the water key from the garage wall.

Back again to the front yard. Used the key to flip the cover off the water meter, fitted it into the slot and pulled with all my might, trying to turn the water off. The valve wouldn't turn.
No reason to worry; I was wondering why those pieces of rebar were still keeping my garbage cans company beside the house-- I got one of those, slipped it part-way into the steel-pipe handle of the water key to increase my leverage, and gave it all I had. The valve wouldn't turn.

I stood in the middle of my front yard, with tears of frustration rapidly forming, and looked up and down the street, trying to think which of my neighbors might be able to help. Dear Mrs. Carter, a tiny Southern lady who is 80 if she's a day? Mr. Lunday, 90-ish and stone deaf? All the able-bodied souls on my street were off to work already.

I tried the city water department, but I got their voice mail--it was still too early for them. Then I remembered. Our heroic Bethany firefighters are always ready to help. I really didn't think this situation justified a 911 call, no matter how desperate I felt. Instead, I called my younger daughter, who for some obscure reason learned the fire department non-emergency number about 15 years ago and still knows it.

So I called, and my phone call brought me a big shiny red fire truck (quietly - they didn't use their sirens) and two extremely capable-looking bodybuilders, um, firemen. They applied my water key to the valve, added my rebar extension, and rippled all of their lovely muscles. The valve wouldn't turn.

We all agreed they probably COULD break it loose, but would most likely break the meter in the process. So one pulled out a radio and called another city employee. That call brought us a pretty red water department pickup, and another pair of valiant men. (Maybe not as impressive-looking as firefighters, but they had a much bigger water key than mine.) One put the key in the slot, and applied all his strength. The valve wouldn't turn.

The second water department guy went back to the truck and returned with a long wrench to use as a cheater bar, and the two tried again. With much loud complaining of metal-on-metal, the valve finally turned. Our heroes turned it back and forth a couple more times to loosen it up, but we all agreed that they certainly hadn't had to turn my water off in a very long time. So much for paying my water bill promptly all these years.

I thanked them and they all drove away, but my ordeal was not over. I still had a leaking water heater, and I knew I needed to call a plumber. [A moment of silence here.] There is some dark humor in that statement. I haven't had to call a plumber since 1976. I was married to the best plumber in town for 26 years, but he quit this life a couple of years ago, and now is resting where faucets don't leak and toilets don't clog. Probably drinking a cold beer and enjoying a cigarette.

So I called our friend at the supply house, and asked him who I should call. He recommended a local third-generation plumber who came out promptly (Honest! He was there by 10:30 am and finished in two hours!) and did a quick and efficient job of replacing the tank.

We got to talking about his dad (retired) and my husband (deceased) and his grand-dad (deceased), who all knew each other. We shared a few laughs and shed a few tears. I learned that his grand-dad was the same nice old man with a smile in his eyes who, twenty years ago, would order blueberry pie down at the local restaurant, then would say the slice was too big and would give me half.

I love blueberry pie.