Travel

I'm getting ready to go visit my mom for a few days. From her house we're taking an overnight trip to Atlanta. I was trying to decide what knitting project to take and thought that I could work on my Mermaid sleeves. Since I started one, got half way done with it and saw HUGE error. Rip city baby. Then I looked at the front I had started . . . rip city there too. I bought this Hanne Falkenberg kit and by golly I'm gonna make it. Durn it. I figure an hour on the plane wednesday won't get much knitting done because I'm in a middle seat - ugh but I can read up about my raging hormones and how I'm going to control them with diet and exercise - yeah right!

But I digress. Three hours on the bus from mom's to Atlanta, sleeve knitting, miscellaneous down time in Atlanta, maybe a scarf? I'd best get hoppin on that one. Three hours on the bus going back to mom's sleeve knitting. A day with mom? precious. But will spend it helping her get those things done that she wants. Airport going home, with a lay over in Atlanta, yeah well, what can I say? knit, knit, knit. Got my clothese ready, the ipod is charged and loaded with hours of tunes . . . bring it on

Lazy Day

Got my fingers and toes done not that anyone cares, but it was a quite enjoyable hour and a half. LOVE those pedi chairs! Then met my sister half way between our two houses for a hot chocolate and some knitting time. Never had hot chocolate from starbucks, mostly because I refuse to pay for overpriced "names" but she bought so that was a bonus - thanks!

Then we went to a new to me yarn shop. they had some good stuff and I can definately see me shopping there often, even if it does take about 40 minutes to get to. I saw a great sweater/jacket thingly hanging from the ceiling and said to her, love that. Need to get the pattern. She asked, the owner said oh, we're doing a workshop on that in a few weeks. it is from the Kimono book. Well, wouldn't you know that I actually got that bookfor christmas from my sister? and wouldn't you also know that my mom saw it and kept it? Well, I said she could borrow it until I came back to visit . . . so I'm taking it back this weekend when I leave.

Now I'll have to buy more yarn, which I really hadn't planned on doing before Maryland Sheep and Wool. I've got some projects I'm trying to finish up. I'm going to a knitting retreat in NC in March and will have one sweater to start there and I don't know what else

Random Wednesday on Thursday

Let's try again, shall we?

1. Knitting guild on wednesday night. Great fun visiting, played casino knitting game. I'm not much into these cutsey games, but had good conversations and learned about a korean market not far from me that has apparently much better produce at much better prices. Will take a gander in there this weekend.

2. Went hunting last weekend for yarn to make a sweater. Has to be a specific yarn for a retreat I'm going to in March, just have to pick the color and picking colors on line simply sucks. Didn't find the color I was after, but got two other possibilities, swatched one and made a cap with the other.

3. My sister found the color I was after today and will send to me (I'll make another hat) she wants to see the hat I made because she wants that color for the same sweater.

4. working on my jacket, have one sleeve 1/4 done so it is just a matter of finishing it, doing the other sleeve and then putting a color and bottom in seed stitch on. Piece of cake. Wanted to be done with it by Sunday but don't see that happening. well, maybe.

5. I've GOT to get pictues loaded into the computer and posted. WIPs should be shared dont ya think?

6. Going to spend a couple of days with my mom next week and go to Atlanta. Should be fun times - will take pictures.

Inaguration Day

Wow, I have been watching a little tv (with no sound) and am amazed at the number of people who were on The Mall at 5 am. Being in DC area, I've elected to stay home and not get caught up in the crowds and I can work from home easily.

I have also seen come of the one line comments on MSN sent in by various people. There is a lot of hope out there, and that is good, but I too wonder how much pressure is being put on one person to solve all the problems we've got. Somehow I think that many new members of this administration are going to feel a cold slap in the face within the next few weeks when they find out exactly how much they can not get accomplished. I remember when Clinton ran and started. Health care reform was right up there on the top of the list. What no one took into account was that not only does congress/senate get a say in what passes, but the drug companies and insurance companies are not going to want chang eand you can bet your bippy they will be lobbying congress to NOT pass anyting that will cut their costs. Why you might ask when it will be so good for the people? Because it cuts into their profits and their stockholders won't like that.

Should I even get started on the banks? Wow, they needed money to "help the economy and those in need" Hrumph. I sure haven't seen any help. Now they want more. There are 3 million tax payers in this country. The Government should give each legitimate law abiding tax payer 1 million dollars. That would still leave a bit left in the coffer so to speak. And yes, I'm sure that a majority of the receipients would go right out and spend that money on cars, houses, vacations, etc. but wouldn't that stimulate the economy? Why doesn't "the government" tell the banks okay, we'll give you this much money, you wipe out these credit card debts and close the accounts so that the people who were in trouble to begin with have a harder time getting another credit card. Yes, that lets a lot of poor money managers off the hook, but hey, isn't the government letting banks off the hook by giving the more money when they sure made bad decisions letting people run up credit cards they couldn't repay and buy houses and cars they couldn't afford?

I hear how the new president is going to make everything better. It wasn't the old president's fault (and I am certainly not one of his fans) but nevertheless, he didn't cause the stockmarket to fall. He didn't cause the banks to make poor decisions. He didn't allow crooked executives and didn't approve the high obscene kickbacks/benefits that the heads of large companies make. The stockholders control that. Deregulation caused that and plain old greed. The rich will stay rich, the poor will stay poor and those of us caught in the middle will continue to struggle helping the rich stay rich and feeding the poor with our tax dollars.

I am on a spending diet for awhile and will wait to see what the next 100 days brings. I have hope, but am not trusting that anything will change and I fear a lot of americans are in for a big let down.

This morning, I stood at my son's door and watched him sleep. He's 21 years old.

He came home for a long weekend Friday and it is the first time we've seen him since early August. Telephone calls just don't cut it. Sometimes you just have to see the flesh.

I did very well I think when I picked him up at the airport. I stood at the baggage claim area for almost 30 minutes. When he came through the tunnel, I didn't run to him, didn't scream, cry or waive my arms shouting. But I did walk up to him, stand on my tippy toes and hug him until he finally said "okay mom".

Today he spent visiting friends

DD and I spent the day looking for yarn. We are going on a knitting retreat in march and have to choose colors for our "big project". I learned the hard way a few years ago that picking colors on line don't cut it. Of course, I didn't find the color I really wanted but picked two possbilities. I'll swatch them and look at them for a few days. Then I'll need to decide if I want to pick the color I want but no store had, or go with black. Berroco Inca Gold, grey, deep pink (sorta) or garnet (which I want but can't find)


stay tuned

A very very good day!

I thought monday was a great day. DS#1 called to say they had a 4 day weekend and he was coming home. get him a ticket. Of course, he wasn't taking into consideration that airline tickets are at a premium the week you want to travel, unless of course you have flexibility. The Army is not known for flexibility. Then you have to take into consideration that he would be flying into the washington dc area. on innaguration weekend. for what is touted as being the biggest inagural deal ever. Being a determined mother, I succeeded. He leaves at 6am friday morning but gets here before 10 so he'll have most of the day. He leaves earlier than a mother would like on Monday but he does have to fly to florida, change planes and then go west and then drive 3 hours from airport back to base, so I had to be a little flexible. And he won't get back there until about midnight. But as he said, he can sleep on the plane (both of em)

Then I got home and my mom had ordered and had mailed to me an egg poacher. I love her egg poacher. It is about 60 years old. Good Revere ware. She guards it when I visit her. Of course I could get one very much like it, but then I'd have to spend a lot of money and I just can never bring myself to spend a ton of money on pots. Of course, cooking would probably be a bit easier, but, meh. So now I've got a 6 egg one (hers is only 4 eggs) and it looks as if the teflon pan can be used separately to fry. I don't usually believe in teflon pans because you scrape that stuff off, it gets in your food, then cancer city. And yes, I know, if you don't use metal things, the teflon won't come off.

Bathroom Stories

no, not that kind.

Last night DH and DD were chasing each other through the house . . . ages 63 and 24. Don't ask. DD ran into her room slammed the door and locked just as DH hit it. Loud crash. then lock stuck. Reminescent of years ago.

DD and DS#2 were in the bathroom . I thought they were running from DS #1 but apparently not. DD had some glow in the dark toy and was showing DS#2. So of course they went into the bathroom, which has a window. The door locked. they couldn't open it. it took us a few minutes to figure out they were in the bathroom, then the screaming clued us in that something was wrong. Of course DH "mr mechanic" had to try and open the door first. Tried to talk them through unlocking a handle they hadn't locked, and finally saying well, we'll just have to kick it in. That made DD and DS#2 start crying more than they had been. To give them credit, they were 2 1/2 and 4.

So we told them to get into the bathtub and close the sliding door. Two swift kicks (we were a log younger and stronger then) and not only did the door open, but it came off it's hinge and the door frame separated from the wall. Now please explain to me why the door didn't just break? Why would half of the door frame hold on to that door so hard? it was as if . . . well, never mind I won't go there. But, we got a new door, replaced the frame, painted and 18 years later DD still remembers it vividely. Even remembers the stupid toy.

Stash Knitting

Since I've been of a stash diet for the past year, I've tried to knit only from my stash. Except I keep having to buy those little things. I was working on a knitting bag last spring. Ran out of yarn. Went to a couple of fiber festivles, didn't see what I needed. Of course I could buy it on line and have it delivered in a few days but what's the fun in that? I'm definately a touchy feely kinda shopper especially when it comes to yarn.

Well, ended up ordering it on line anyway. Ordered saturday, arrived monday. From across the country. How great is that? Bag is finished, remaining yarn measured and divided for the straps which I'll work on tonight and if all goes well and when does THAT happen I'll be able to felt it tomorrow and then wait a week for it to dry. There lies the problem, patience is not one of my best virtues. Picture to follow . . .

Direction

Saturday night. I'm happily knitting away and watching a stupid movie, which I'm going to turn off shortly. DH is on the phone with son #1 talking toys - because what else to grown men do on a saturday night but discuss their gas powered little cars and how fast can you make them go if you up grade the motor? The stinking car is 15 inches long. son #1's frame is bent because he lost control of it and ran it into the tire of the truck. A real truck. big tires.

Son #2 and DD are on their way to a skating rink 40 minutes away. Looked at map quest but didn't bother to print the directions out. Now there is a receipie for disaster just waiting for it's time. Of course they call my cell phone which is in the room with DH talking on house phone with Son 1. Directions are asked. I say, well hold on, let me go turn my computer on and pull u mapquest so I can see where you are and where you need to be.

DH says to son #1 hold on. then says to me, give me the phone I know where they are going. So I hand him the phone and leave the room. Just how stupid am I? Don't ask. I then hear DH saying when the road ends you have to turn. and then turn right. No, I don't know the name of the streets just do it.

HA!

So go turn my computer on knowing what will come next. . . . . yep, Hey, come talk to the kids. They want you. Imagine.

Because during my days I have people calling me because they are lost, I have become the queen of directions. I even got son #1 and #2 unlost when the were in another state. Of course when I asked them where on the highway they were the answer was mile marker 73. Unfortunately I had to give a long lecture on how map quest doesn't care about no stinkin mile marker and I need a city/town/route or dirt road sign.

DH and son #2 are merrily on their way now, and haven't called for about 15 minutes, so I am presuming they are at their location. Son #1 and #2 got unlost out of state and ended up coming home.

night

First Day

There is a Do and a Do Not. There is no Try. hmm

well, I have nothing prolific to offer. Have caught up on some blogs this morning, and most are either no resolutions, some resolutions, lets have a better year (goes without saying huh?) no resolutions, etc. Congratulations to Vicki on expected new family member that is always a happy one!

Can I blog every day. No. Do I want to? Maybe. Will I finally remember to take the camera more often to add happy pictures? Maybe. I did try and get an awsom sunrise yesterday, but alas, the camera decided that it wasn't picture worthy and wouldn't click. Of course, I if would learn to use the camera better, it probably would have worked.

So lets make this a better year. A year of growing and learning. I'll set myself one managable goal and somehow see it through. So many thoughts and wants run through my head and then leave. Maybe my first goal should be to start writing these things down? Of course, I forget about them before I have that chance, so maybe my goal should be to stop forgetting - wow there's a good one.

I wish much happiness and prosperity to my family and friends on this first day of 2009.