A Week

Well, this has just been a week. I got very little knitting done. Will try and fix that tonight.

I did get homework done, but have more to do.

I did get more of my Couch to 5K walk/run in so I'm ready to start with Week 2 on Monday.

I did help a friend in a bind

I got a most fabuluous box from my swap partner in England. We've been writing each other almost every day and it is as if we are old friends. Sometimes you get a swap partner that you really click with, and this was one of those times and I'm ever so glad.

The weekend will be here after tomorrow and it is none too soon.

Hee is my package - I'll apparently be cooking this weekend to try out the new book.

A Military Mom

The following was written by a Marine Mom. Her words are so true and I had to share them as well as some other comments. It truly amazes me what comes out of people's mouths sometimes, even my own. I can be snarky and snarly and short, but in the last three years of being an "Army Mom" I can truly say that I an more careful with my words.


“Dear Friends:

As I ponder a thoughtless comment made by a friend today, I reflect on all I have learned since my son became a Marine.
• I have learned to pay better attention to what I say when someone is going through a tough time.
• I have learned not to take the sacrifices made by our military and their families for granted.
• I have learned to shake it off when someone is trying to comfort you and the best they can come up with is “I don’t know how you do it. I could never go through what you are experiencing! “.
• I have learned to keep my mouth shut when all I want to say is “And this is about you how???”.
• I have learned that being a Marine mom means having no control over situations but lots of control over my reactions to them.
• I have learned to marvel at the man my son is becoming.
• I have learned just how important my fellow Marine moms are.
• And I have learned how to press into my faith when times are hard
A "Marine Mom"


Friends have added:
I have learned that lifelong friendships happen when you least expect it
I have learned that with group effort, I can make it through almost anything
I have learned that K1B1 is a productive way to get throuugh the day
I have learned that tears do help as long as you don’t get caught in a flood
I have learned that batteries are very important but the keepers of them are more important and I love them dearly, and
I have learned that not all friendship begin face to face
I have learned the past isn’t as important as the present and future is foggy at best.
I have learned the past isn’t as important as the present and future is foggy at best.

And I have learned that:
- not watching the news is not only possible but makes a huge difference in your day/life. The world doesn't implode and truly, if it is important, someone will tell you about it. And for a news junkie that was big.
- Crying is okay (as long as your soldier never sees it), even in public, and the tears can be worn with pride not shame.
Nothing in the world is better than being there when your child comes home from war and you hold him in your arms.

A Military Mom

The following was posted by a Marine Mom. A few things were added by friends and family. With everything going on in the world right now, military moms of the world need to be reminded they are loved and cared for and they will truly survive their child's deploymet and the thoughtless and cruel things people will say.


“Dear Friends:

As I ponder a thoughtless comment made by a friend today, I reflect on all I have learned since my son became a Marine.
• I have learned to pay better attention to what I say when someone is going through a tough time.
• I have learned not to take the sacrifices made by our military and their families for granted.
• I have learned to shake it off when someone is trying to comfort you and the best they can come up with is “I don’t know how you do it. I could never go through what you are experiencing! “.
• I have learned to keep my mouth shut when all I want to say is “And this is about you how???”.
• I have learned that being a Marine mom means having no control over situations but lots of control over my reactions to them.
• I have learned to marvel at the man my son is becoming.
• I have learned just how important my fellow Marine moms are.
• And I have learned how to press into my faith when times are hard.
Sign, (A Marine Mom)”

And added to her wonderful list:

I have learned the past isn’t as important as the present and future is foggy at best.
I have learned that lifelong friendships happen when you least expect them
I have learned that with group effort, I can make it through almost anything
I have learned that K1B1 is a productive way to get throuugh the day
I have learned that tears do help as long as you don’t get caught in a flood and I've learned to be proud of them
I have learned that batteries are very important but the keepers of them are more important and I love them dearly, and
I have learned that not all friendship begin face to face
I have learned what is really important in life and what is "fluff or bother" and how in the big scheme of things just isn't important.
I have learned to ignore those things I cannot control
And I have learned that I truly can survive anything

Knitting Retreat

Last weekend I spent two days on Chincoteague Island at what was a knit lite retreat. Not the three or four day marathon of knitting two or three big projects, numerous small workshops of an hour or two and falling into bed at night exhausted with little time to sit and knit and enjoy a glass of wine with new friends. Which isn't to say that it can't be done, but I'm too old to get up and be at yoga at 7 the clean up, have breakfast and start my first class at 9, break for lunch, classes all afternoon, then dinner at 6 or 7, and some event until 9 or so. I applaud the women who then enjoy each others company for another few hours. Nope. I have no problem with the getting up at 5 a.m., it is the not getting to bed until well after 9 p.m. that does me in. That is my life.

We hit the road about 11:00 a.m., it is a three and a half hour drive, and we planned to stop for lunch, cruise on down the coast and knew we didn't have anything on the schedule until 6:00. We stopped in Annapolis for lunch, went into the town proper to find a real restaurant as opposed to the fast food we could have grabbed to eat while driving. Parked by a dock, and waundered around town for a few minutes helping the economy before finding a nice pub for a bite.

On our way again, across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which is huge, and they had traffic on one bridge split, so you had to stay in your lane with the green arrow. That meant that while the other bridge was all going the same direction, the bidge I was on (of course) was two lanes coming off the shore, and my lane, going toward the shore. A little creepy and I don't mind driving the bridge, but I was glad to get off of it.

We had enough time once we arrived to find the hotel, then drive around town, well main street, and then go check in. Sit on the balcony and enjoy a glass of wine before our next phase. And we agreed that we weren't hungry yet so of course, no early dinner for us!

A lot of places were still closed for the season, and our inquiry about where to have dinner later was met with, most places close at 9. I didn't even think about McDonalds so we decided to figure out dinner later.

The view from our balcony, where we sat, enjoyed a slight breeze and a large glass of wine.

Our meet and greet went well. We had a this is who I am and here's a project I've done/am working on. There only seemed to be about 10 people or so, and I though that was a great number. Then come to find out 25 people had registered for this weekend. Huh. So maybe they just couldn't get off work in time. That's actually okay, I do better in smaller groups.

We broke up about 8, said we'd see each other at 9 the next morning then everyone went off for food. We found the ice cream shop and decided nothing would be better than ice cream for dinner. It's a vacation, right? And it was crowded. A good choice if I do say so myself.

So my first thought was 6 probably isn't a good time to start if there isn't food involved. I know we didn't pay much for the retreat registration because food and hotel was on us, but I think I would have been glad to pay a little more and had maybe a sandwich and salad provided at the first meeting, it would have been easy, we can all clean up after ourselves, and then we could have hung out a little more and knitted/talked/whatever. But there you go. Usually this yarn shop does a full weekend retreat and the "lite" version was a first try at something new. And I'll do it again, without hesitation.

Friday

I went away for the weekend, just now getting around to dumping pictures off camera. And I ripped out half of what I knitted on a knitting retreat because I found an error that was so huge not only was it an un-blockabele it out error, but it would like having a yellow sun painted on the Mona Lisa's cheek. Really obvious.

So Stanley has the post today:

I really need to find a bigger chair

Couch to 5K

Still recovering from the weeked, but will try and get the rest of the pictures downloaded so I can share.

Yesterday I joined the Couch to 5K in 9 weeks bandwagon. Oh my. Last spring I would walk almost 5 miles every evening with my daughter. We had a routine, and did it at least 5 days a week. I didn't really do much else for exercise and lost weight and felt great. Well, I was also eating better but that's another story.

So I got on the treadmill last night with the first week podcast and got started. Hmmm, I have a feeling I'll be doing week 1 for two weeks. But that's okay. You do it every other day for at least three days this week, and I can supplement it with a workout tape I got to try. And I'll stick with the wii exercise/games because they are fun, and I need the extra stretching. Last night while walking/jogging my calves were really starting to ache, but they feel fine today so we shall see.

Retreat

Today I'm off to Chincoteague Island for a mini knitting retreat sponsored by Carodan Farm. Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday morning. My sister and I are going together and even if we don't do anything but knit and sit in a sunny window looking out over the water I'll be happy. I've got the camera, but that is no guarantee that I'll remember to take pictures. I seem to have that problem often. Maybe I'll tie a piece of yarn around my finger to remind me to take pics!

Have a good weekend.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

No. I won't be wearing green today. I'm not Irish. That doesn't mean I don't like the Irish, I do very much indeed, but I also don't feel compeled to wear green. It must be latent dislike from grade school days when if you weren't wearing green to school on St Patricks Day you got pinched. Hard. Back in the "day" this kind of behavior and bullying was, for the most part, ignored. And if someone pinched you and you were wearing green. Oh well. Bah

I was reading a friend's blog GenaWomack.com (no, I haven't figured out the linking thingy yet) and sometimes my kid's friends amaze me. Part of her post was pick a theme song. Learn all the words immediately, keep it on your ipod, cds in your car, wherever. That's kinda a cool idea. Now I'm going to be thinking all day what theme song should I have? Some days Another One Bites the Dust would be appropriate. Or I will survive.

What song would you pick?

Tuesday Triumph

At this point I'm going to get a swelled head. I not only finished another project but I've taken pictures and can post them! I know! Shocked and amazed I am myself.

I got a hankerin for working with cotton, probably since I'm in a swap and my partner asked for some sugar n cream, and while I was getting it, I liked some of the colors, and who ever has enough shopping bags? It's a little thicker than I would have liked for carrying in my purse, and I've got enough to make a few more, but I think I'll do one in linen/hemp for keeping in my purse. Except my hands really don't like working with it.

The Girlfriend Bag

Finished Project

A week or two ago I finally put a knitted project up. It wasn't finished but I had at least started my Constant Companion Bag, which I have been wanting to make for oh, about 5-6 years. Time blurs ya know? I finished it today. Well, I don't like the way the handles look so will probably re-do them, but I want to use this NOW, so will and just change the handles later.

Ready to felt

The top band

Gotta have 5 feet of each I-cord

The tools. I didn't want to pound on the grommets directly on the cement, oh yeah, they weren't part of the pattern, but I did them anyway. So I went looking for wood. Found just the right piece but when I picked it up there was a baby slug. UGHHHHHHHHH. So I knocked it off, then wrapped the wood in foil and plastic wrap just in case.

wierd sideways picture, but it shows my button from Phat Phiber March Box.

Bling because I could

Fini, I think I'll be very happy with this new knitting bag!

Proud

My son coached a boys basketball team for the church, 5th and 6th grade boys. He doesn't hae children. He doesn't play basketball either. But they called and asked so he said okay. Way more work than he anticipated, and I could tell the last few weeks he really wanted to just quit. But we don't quit. We may not do an activity again once the season is over, but we never, ever quit before the season is over.

So he saw it through to the end. And it wasn't even as if the kids on his team didn't do well. He had the smallest number of players, and a lot of unskilled ones, but he used all the coaching knowledge he had from years of playing lacrosse, and actually had an undefeated season. He couldn't make the "league party" so he decided to have his own end of the season party. So he invited 6 boys and their families to the house. X-box and brownies and cheesy poofs were the main events. He even decided to give the kids certificates of achievement. Of course he didn't think of that until 10 this morning - for a party that started at 2.

One of the dads is a professional photographer and brought cds for each kid with pictures of games and practices he took, and they were fantastic. A few parents stayed and we had a lovely few hours. Son did a small presentation of certificates and pictures, and had something good to say about each kid. He made his momma proud.

we're all glad this season is over, I'm too old to be a team mom again. And basketball season apparently interfers with deer season in our state.

Body Images

Wow. You hear so much on the news and in magazines anymore about how fashion models are too thin, setting bad examples for young girls, actresses are too thin, gaunt, whatever. How we need to errase the body image thing for good. How your build is your build, how you look is how you look. It shouldn't matter if you're thick or thin, tall or short, have curly hair or straight hair. Young girls need to love their bodies for how they are. I saw something yesterday about how moms are now on the war path because Tinkerbell and other cartoon characters are getting a makeover and now have hour glass figures and wear short skirts. Hmmm. Lets not get into how buggs bunny and daffy duck have been turned into creatures that would have ascarded me as a child. Bring my cuddly characters back please.

Yesterday on the internet news were "articles" about how Kate Middleton is looking too thin and gaunt. Bulimia and her intended's mother had eating issues. And the public is now weighing in on how much weight she seems to be losing (and how there isn't any neeed), oh she is losing too much weight, she will look horrible. A doctor was interviewed. Not her doctor mind you, just a doctor. Nutritionist was interviewed who basically said you just need to eat right. Hope they didn't pay her much but at least she didn't get sucked into the foray. They talked with bridal organizers who said the bride always loses weight right before the wedding from stress. The people on the street said oh, she is thin, she shouldn't try and lose any more weight. Blah, blah, blah.

So, we're suppose to be encouraged to not make weight and body and image an issue, encourage our young girls to be and love themselves as they are. Make our sons less concerned about the looks of a girl/woman because her looks are not who she is. However we are also free to criticize a woman for maybe losing a few pounds before millions of people watch her walk down the aisle and quite frankly she didn't look to me like she had been losing weight.

I can hear it now, after the honeymoon, and she has relaxed and eaten nothing but chocolate and champagne for a week (which is my ideal vacation) the talk will be how she's "porked up" and maybe she should watch what she eats more closely.

Naw, she won't have to do that, the world at large will be sure to let her know her eating habits are atrocious and what she can and can't have.

That is one girl far braver than I will ever be.

Experiment

I'm going to stay off Ravelry for an entire 24 hours. Hope I don't implode. I realized today that I spent more time at work on Ravelry than I did on actual work. That sure is a good way to get fired isn't it?

I'd give it up for Lent but that seems a little extreme. So I though, 24 hours. I can do anything for 24 hours, can't I? Hmmm, that remains to be seen. So while I will keep checking my email, and the like, no Ravelry.

Already I can't imagine. I enjoy the controversial topics that get people really talking and well, not arguing but two opposite sides. And there are always a few people who are so passionate about their feelings, they get so frustrated when they can't change everyone over to their "side". Those are the ones I like to mess with the most. I'm cruel aren't I?

Easily amused? Why yes, I am. So what are your vices?

Controversy

Some days I really wish I could spell. sigh.

Feminism: the doctrine advocating social, political and all other rights of woman equal to those of men; an organized movement for the attainment of such rights for women; feminine character.

Yesterday Stephanie aka The Yarn Harlot wrote about International Womans Day. And did her own salute to women. I thought it was a wonderful piece and wish I were so eloquent. I'm sure more than one person commented on it on Ravelry, but I only read one thread. Oh. My. The anger and disgust of some women. Really.

I'll ignore the ones who only wanted to say they don't like YH. Naw, not interested and wondered why they bothered to even read the thread.

I don't know that I'd exactly say that I was a feminist, because I tend to not like labels. I find sometimes they can be limiting. But I certainly do believe that women should have equal rights to men. And the same opportunities and the same pay for doing the same job. I also will say that there are some jobs that women should not try to do. Not because they can't do the job but because perhaps a man could do it more effectively. A woman can shoot a gun as good as a man can, sometimes better. They can be surgeons, lawyers, corporate CEOs. Anything. About the only thing a woman probably could not do as well as a man is carry me down a 20 story ladder. I get motion sick easy and wouldn't really want a man to do that either, but there you go. For 99% of the jobs, anyone properly trained can do anything they put they mind to.

Why do some women get so bent out of shape about this topic? There were women who stay home and raise their children and run their house defending their right to do that and saying we don't need feminists. Well, isn't that a right and ability feminists want? The ability and option to choose to stay home and raise your children and run your house? There were women arguing that we need to fight for the right to work and get equal pay and not be forced to stay at home and raise children. Hmmm, well, we can work (although not usually at equal pay) and there are a heck of a lot of men staying home now to raise their children because the wife is making a better salary, the husband got layed off, whatever the reason.

Has the free world changed so much that this is a non-issue anymore? Probably not, I still see a lot of unwilling repressed women around.

Does the fact that I color my hair, cut it short a few years ago, not because I was of "an age" but because I like not having to fool with it anymore, and have my nails done mean that I'm a traitor to the cause? Does the fact that my dad was a man ahead of his time discount the struggle?

So what do women want? What "secret" agenda are men plotting now?

Should we all join Danae's Benevolent Order of Superior Sisterhood in order to banish the scourge of stinky booger-brained boys?

Now THERE's something to think about.

International Woman's Day

Go read the Yarn Harlot.

She says it all.

The Weekend

Usually I "catch up" on the weekends. Not sure on what or why, but I'm not anymore. Or at least not this weekend. Yesterday I spent a relaxing morning with my coffee and newpaper, a muffin, and the cats. Then I drove to Warrenton to meet some friends. We spent a lovely few hours at a local alpaca farm, and patted ourselves on the back when we left, we only bought a little over 6 pounds of fiber between the three of us. Not bad eh? Then we had a lovely lunch at the kind of place the locals say, are they open today or not? Yep! Very tasty, I took canoli home to DH who said it was pretty good, which is high praise from him on canolis. I had a piece of raspberry mousse cake that was good (but my red truck muffin was better). But I did score some silk hankies, so this summer I'll be making gloves a la Yarn Harlot. I figure I can block out the time, my hands won't be so dry and rough, and who wants a lap full of wool when it's 100F out? Silk hankies will e just the ticket. I may even gift them.

I got home, skipped dinner because I was still full from lunch and got some knitting done. My DS fixed my truck that I haven't been able to drive for 2 weeks. Of course it needs one more thing, but I can still drive it. I didn't realize how much I missed "my" truck until I got in it yesterday afternoon. I actually petted it. If I had been alone, I may have kissed it. And really, I'm just not that attached to things, ya know?

Today it is raining. A lot. That's okay though, I don't have to go out, have no excuse not to spend a little time working on taxes - so they are done well before they are due. No reason not to know how much I owe, even if I don't send the check in yet. Got some more knitting done, exercised, and now will spend an hour or two spinning, I may never finish this purple stuff. And listening to Les Mis on PBS

I'm so sad they are losing federal funding, will have to make larger donations I guess, since I tend to watch it more than commercial tv. sigh.

Behavior

I work at a college. It is a pretty large college, not ivy league or such, but huge. We also have a huge diverse population of teachers and students. While I could go on and on about faculty and their "specialness" that isn't what today is about.

I walk the campus a lot for exercise. I see a lot of behavior. Good and bad and WTF and were you raised in a sheep stall kind of behavior. Sometimes, kid are just being stupid kids, like the ones that were skateboarding in the back parking lot. That in iteslf wasn't such a big deal. The part that concerned me was that they were being pulled by a pick up truck while holding on to a tow strap to get that extra whip. As faculty/staff, we're not encouraged to challenge students on their behavior. We are told to call campus police and let them deal with it. While I find that a little annoying, I understand, it is a common sense thing because some of the students will really challenge you back, and if there is a "cultural difference" then you've got a whole other bag of worms when you are now being accused of not being tolerant of a different culture - although littering isn't a cultural thing, it is a common courtsey to NOT do it, but that's a different rant.

So yesterday, as I was walking i was noticing how many people were stopped in the middle of the parking lots blocking traffic and cars wanting to park, but their blinkers were on so that's okay, right? Meh, they weren't blocking me, so I wasn't concerned, they were either in their car or standing right outside their car visiting with friends. Not my problem, just thinking wow, one nice day outside and people forget they don't own the world.

Then I saw another car, no driver, but wait he was standing about 10 feet away from his car talking to a girl up on the main road - up a huge incline. He was persistent, come on, talk to me, come with me kind of thing. She was REALLY not happy and it wasn't a regular don't bother me tone in her voice, it was a you really scare me voice. Of course I didn't have my phone, so I drove over to the police station and sent them over. She did have a friend join her before I left and the friend was very persistent that said boy take a hike.

Then I wondered. Should I have gotten more involved? Should I have just led her away to safety? was there really a problem? My mommy/woman radar was going off at not a full fledged DING, DING, DING, but it was blipping.

Wonder if this is going to be a long spring and summer.

Tuesday

I have a very furry cat on my lap, he is stretched all the way down my legs and it is hot. It is also difficult to use the laptop and I'd better not drop it.

I've been trying to cook dinner more often. Not always successful, but I'm getting better about it. Last night I made fajita/stir fry stuff. The boy didn't come home before I cleaned up so I put some in a small container for lunch, and I put the rest on another container for the boy to heat up when he got home.

I was talking to daughter when the boy came home, so I told him that leftovers were in the cool whip container that said ice cream on the lid. DD said you have GOT to stop doing that. booy said yeah. I looked at them.

DD said, you open the refrigerator, see the cool whip and grab it, get a spoon, open the coolwhip container up and . . . there is no cool whip inside

meh, it's not that good for you anyway.

Two Days in a Row - Must be Some Kind of Record

I actually am 95% done with a project, and I actually have pictures. About 5 years ago I saw a My Constant Companion Bag in a book and fell in love with it. I knew it was my destiny to make that up. Of course I also knew that I wouldn't do it in the recommended yarn because I'm cheap.

So I waited, and waited, made other project, and finaly last year I got some KnitPicks yarn. They were having a sale, and I even got some of the clear acrylic needles to make the wonderful bag. In roughly the same colors as in the picture.

I started the bag, then let it lay. For some reason middle of last week I resolved to finish that sucker. Well I know the reason, there's stuff I need to do and don't want to. So by Saturday afternoon, I was here:

I will say that the thought of knitting 5 feet of I-cord was a littl daunting, but I did them two at a time and it went swimmingly

I've often wondered about people who rave about how much knitting they get done while watching a movie, or a marathon of tv shows. I watch movies r tv when I knit, I get a few rows done, then I guess I get distracted. I also don't watch much tv so my sitting in front of the tube time is limited. But I popped in PS I Love You because I've had it for a long time and never watched it. Oh my. Good movie and yepper, I did get me some knitting done.

Plan to get me some felting done this weekend.