Homespun Dreamings

Gallery

2010-10-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

Since I'm having some trouble with my new website store, I've been asked to place a gallery of pictures of my hand made items here for viewing. If you see something you just MUST have, send me an email, and we can discuss it.

Thanks for looking!

We're Moving!

2010-09-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Our retail site is now open at www.homespundreamings.com. Come on over to find our Vegan Bakery and Fiber shop to find something hand made, just for you.

We figured out how to upload pics, finally!

2010-08-20T14:33:00.001-07:00

Pathetic, I know. But at least we did it!

I'll upload a bunch of pictures here now, but I want to notify anyone who follows this blog (is there anyone, really?) that I am going to be moving my blogs around a bit. I plan to end up with three blogs; Madhyatmika, for my health/spiritual/personal journey, this one, which will be moved to WordPress as a retail site for my handmade goods, and a new family blog, yet to be named, for all family things. I find WordPress much easier to use in a number of ways (sorry Blogger!) and think I'll be far more likely to post more often there.

So for right now, here's the last year, in pictures.

Last Thanksgiving. The Beloved, and cousin Kevin, passed out on the couch after an overage of Turkey Dinner. Aren't they adorable? To me, this is the greatest compliment to a cook. Can't wait for this year! (Vegan Turkey, anyone?)

Then, Halloween. We didn't seem to get any pictures of the costume, but we did get some of Murphy's first attempt at one of my favorite Halloween games. It's harder than it looks! Is this just a New England thing?

My asbestos friend Barbara came to visit us, and we had a blast. Here and gone way too fast. And of course, not enough pictures. (When will I remember to take them?!)

And then, just one lone picture of Eric. We were at Los Corporales, just this month, watching the Beloved play the blues. (I did get some pictures of that too; maybe I'll get them up soon.) It was a fun night. There is nothing better than having your family around on a cool summer night, listening to some awesome music.

That's it for now; but be on the lookout for the new blogs; hope to see you there!

Murphy's Baptism

2010-06-12T21:33:00.000-07:00

Murphy was baptized today into the Mormon Church. He looked so grown up and so handsome. Everyone was so kind to all of us. It was a beautiful day, and the ceremony was lovely. Tomorrow he goes for Confirmation. He's very excited about it.

The thing that touched me the most was this lovely poster that Primary made for him. It's so sweet (both literally and figuratively!) A lovely reminder and momento.

It says There's a Symphony in heaven today because of your Grand baptism. All of your sins are Rolo washed away this Payday. The holy ghost you receive will help you make Good and Plenty choices Now and Later. So when you get in a Crunch remember your promises and choose the right! We are proud of you and love you to Pieces!

All the words with caps are replaced with candy of the same name.

Big Happenings!

2010-05-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been a while again. We've had big things going on though, so I'll take some time to update you.

Murphy has been busy. Playing baseball, doing really great. The Tigers have clinched first place in the division; playoffs start next week. As does the home-run derby; we have high hopes for a run or three by our slugger.

On one hand, he's the jock, slugging it out on the baseball diamond, and running like a madman on the soccer field. But he's got his sensitive side; he takes after his Dad. He's learning guitar, and is a chip off the old block. This week Montessori had their annual Spring Sing, and the Mankins were stars!

Dad is teaching there, the very youngest kids, and he got them to sing some great songs. They were so cute you just wanted to squish them all.

Then Murphy got to play his first gig on guitar, head banging to Pantera's "Walk." The parents in the audience were a little taken aback, but the kids worked hard on something they really wanted to do. Murph was AWESOME.

There's more pictures coming soon, and some of my cool new office also; but enough for tonight.

Family Updates

2010-04-03T14:54:00.000-07:00

Murph had a game today, and played GREAT! They won (GO TIGERS!!!!). His leg is getting better through strategic rest, proper stretching, and advil. He still isn't back to normal, but he can run well enough to play. Today he played first base, and he's getting really good at it.

Flash seems healed too. He's done with his anti-inflamatory meds and isn't limping anymore. He's back to jumping all over everyone and slobbering us all with kisses. We are very VERY happy about it.

Eric's had a bit of a delay with his job; worked for the first week, but complications (having nothing to do with him!) forced a delay in opening; hopefully next week he'll get to go back.

Billy, here to have some eye surgery in Ventura, is recuperating and going wild on our yard; the orange tree in the back looks better than it ever has done since we've been here. He's currently ripping up the sprinkler system to find a leak. He's an amazing guy! He even tackled the "stuff" garage, which is so far above and beyond the call. He found my music I'd written a decade ago; I"m so grateful!

Peru and I celebrated our TENTH anniversary on April 1. It has gone by in a flash. Doesn't seem possible it's been ten years. They've been the happiest years of my life, and I thank you, my beloved. I am praying for many decades more.

I'm still recuperating too. Breathing is better, though I still get short of breath with physical labor. Life has pretty much returned to normal. I go for my follow up visit to the pulmonologist on Monday to be cleared.

At the end of the month, Barbara is coming to visit; I can't wait! It'll be so good to see my asbestos friend.

Happy April to All!

Osgood Schlatter Disease

2010-03-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

That's what Murphy has.

Sounds terrifying, no?

Not as bad as it sounds, luckily. It involves the stretching of a tendon attached to the kneecap, aggravated by exercise and a growth spurt in preteens and teens. Hopefully it will resolve with NSAIDS otc and rest, and he'll be able to get back to the Tigers soon.

Ironically, I've been lecturing Murphy on the importance of stretching before exercise and cooling down after. He has not seen the import until now. Once again, Mother Knows Best. Heh heheh.

Off to study Spanish and Notary stuff...

More ramblings

2010-03-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

Almost a month later and I'm still hanging. I'm better, but still go into coughing wheezing fits when I do anything much. Saw the pulmonologist, who was very nice, helpful and sympathetic to the cost of all these inhalers. He gave me a new med and was thoughtful enough to give me three packages, enough to last six weeks so I could avoid the $200 copays. I went back last week to have pulmonary function tests, and I go back next week to follow up. So I'm slowly working a little around the house, trying to get some stamina back. Hoping to get back to work next week.

Speaking of work... Eric got a job! There's a new Quiznos opening up and he's working there right now helping to finish setting up the store. He likes the people he's working with, which is always a good thing. YAY, Eric!!!!!

Murphy started his baseball Little League season doing really well, but somewhere along the line he hurt his leg. He's limping and unable to play right now; checking with the doctors tomorrow to see if he'll be able to play on Thursday. Get better soon, Murph, and GO TIGERS!!!!

In my down time here, I've knitted a pair of ankle socks, finished a pair of crew socks I started last year, and started a new lace scarf project. Might get around to spinning some of Flash's first cut soon too! Pics later. Maybe.

Saga becomes an Epic

2010-03-02T17:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to another edition of American Health Care in action.

Yes, I'm still sick. The labs she did last week came back negative. I've finished the Advair inhaler, so yesterday I called the doc to see if she wants me to continue. I also need my regular synthroid prescription refilled.

The woman who takes my call in the office is brusque, to say the least. She takes my request quickly and practically hangs up on me, before I can ask a question or two I had.

So this morning, I wake up with a sore throat (new symptom, yay!), coughing up the grossest gray-green plugs, slightly less short of breath however (meaning I was SOB but didn't need to take my albuterol after putting my pants on, wheee!)and I don't know if I need to pick up the letter I requested at the doctor's office or will they mail it, not knowing if they called in the script for the Advair or not... Finally, around noon, a much more pleasant person called from the office to clear up those questions. Yes, they called in the prescription for Advair. Yes, I need to go pick up the letter. (Does it seem reasonable that someone who is sick enough to be out on medical leave needs to wash, dress and get their butt to the doctor's office somehow in order to save the office a $0.44 cent stamp? Just wondering.)

So my incredibly patient, wonderful husband, after working all day, comes home, picks me up, takes me to the office. I pick up the letter, then we head for the pharmacy.

O.M.G.

Advair has a TWO HUNDRED DOLLAR copay.

Are you kidding me?

I don't need to breathe that much.

I decide that since it hasn't improved my breathing an enormous amount, I'll wait until I see the pulmonologist. I have the albuterol for acute attacks. And it's possible my sore throat and a few other symptoms are from the Advair. So we go home.

At home, I google Advair. The first online pharmacy I check (Canadian, of course) has a generic form of advair. Guess how much it costs. C'mon, guess!

Thirty bucks. Thirty. $30.00.

According to eMedTV:

Currently, GlaxoSmithKline holds exclusive rights to make and sell Advair in the United States. There are so many different Advair patents listed with the FDA, it's hard to predict when a generic Advair will become available. To make matters more confusing, it is likely that legal battles could affect when a generic version becomes available.

When Will a Generic Version Be Available?
Because there are many different patents for Advair listed with the FDA, it is difficult (probably impossible) to accurately predict when a generic version may become available. As is common with popular brand-name medications (emphasis mine), there will likely be one or more legal battles concerning the generic availability of Advair. It is simply too early to even guess when a generic may be available.

Too early to even guess. Lovely. Yet there are generics available in other countries.

Remember that more expensive version of albuterol I complained about earlier? I discovered that prior (cheaper) versions of albuterol were taken off the market because the propellant was not environmentally friendly. Well, that's ok; I'm a fan of the environment, and if its not good for the environment, the idea of breathing it deeeep into my lungs gives me pause.

But check this. Any changes made to a patented drug makes it a totally NEW drug, with a new patent, a new wait time before the patent expires and generics can be made. So a change to the propellant in Ventolin and other albuterol inhalers now means it's a new drug. Mind you, the effective medication hasn't changed. The drug, albuterol sulfate, the substance that IS the medication, that has not changed. Only the propellant. So now millions of asthma sufferers must pay twice or more the amount for the same drug they may have been taking since childhood.

It doesn't seem right.

The Continuing Saga

2010-02-24T12:17:00.000-08:00

Still sick.

Had the chest X-ray Thursday. Took the antibiotics, the oral steroids, the inhalers all weekend; finished them Monday. Not better. Still wheezing, coughing, short of breath with minimal exertion. So I called in sick Monday, went back to the doctor. Third time, for those keeping score. Since the steroids didn't help as much as expected, she wants me to see a pulmonologist. She did an EKG, blood work to rule out things, (chest xray was negative, I'm told). Changed inhaler to Advair. She said to expect the consult appointment to take at least three weeks, and that I should take a leave of absence in the meantime. Sure, no prob! Who needs the money; I work for the love of bookkkeeping....

So yesterday, I went in to work to try and finish all the fiscal year end stuff for the accountant. Worked my ass off. For 12.5 hours. I cannot tell you how badly I felt when I finally left. At 6:30, having been up since 4:00 am. But I also feel like I got a week's worth of work done. And I called and got an appointment with the pulmonologist for March 9th, earlier than expected, so that's good, at least.

At least, I thought so. Til I got a call from the office this morning saying "you know that appointment you have? Not so fast..." Apparently, there's a problem with (drum roll, please) my insurance. I'm only allowed 4 visits a year with the doctor. Four? Let's get this clear. I have a $3,000 deductible BEFORE they pay. But if I see the doctor four times, they no longer pay. Anyone see a problem there?

And this doctor, I'm told, does not take cash patients. So even if I want to throw cash at him (cuz, you know, I sort of like breathing?) he will not see me.

The next person who tells me America has the greatest health care system in the world better duck.

Still Sick

2010-02-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

Two weeks to the day after that expensive trip to the doctor, and I'm still sick. Not able to breathe. Made a return trip today. Now have a bag stuffed with steroids, and antibiotics, cough suppressant, and drugs to counteract the side effects of the first drugs. Another hundred bucks in copays. Add to that a lost day of work tomorrow to get a chest xray. And of course, the copay for that as well.

America may have the best healthcare in the world, but it don't come cheap.

My Experience In America's Health Care System

2010-02-03T15:32:00.000-08:00

I’m sick. It’s some sort of respiratory deal. It started last Friday with a sore throat and cough, settled into my chest and took up residence. Tuesday (yesterday) I decided that the wheezing was getting to a point of concern, and thought a call to the doctor was in order.

I’ve been seeing this doctor for five years. In fact, my first meeting with this doctor was for a very similar issue, five years ago. So she knows me. She knows I have a background in nursing. So, I think, well, let me just call the office, see if she’ll write me a prescription for an albuterol inhaler. I’ve been using one, left over from the last respiratory deal, and it helps, but it’s almost empty. Of course, I know she’s a very cautious, very thorough doctor, and think she might want to see me before she writes a script. Well enough.

So Tuesday morning, the fourth day of illness severe enough to keep this family breadwinner away from work for two days, I call at 9:00 am. I speak with the office person, who does a lovely job taking the message that I don’t know if the doctor would wish to see me or not, but if she could I’d like a prescription for an inhaler, as I am wheezing.

I hear nothing back. I ask my husband to check the pharmacy on his way home from work; but nothing has been called in, and of course, the office is now closed.

So now it’s evening, and into the night. I cough hard enough to shake the walls and literally frighten the dog. Any trip to the bathroom makes me so short of breath I can’t string two words together. I consider going to the ER, but it’s too expensive, and mostly I’m ok, as long as I don’t move much. Or recline too far. Or have a coughing fit, which only happens hourly. Or so.

So I pass a fairly sleepless night and call the doctor again, asking why hadn’t I heard? They tell me a message was left to call the office for an appointment. I have been sitting in a chair next to the phone 24/7 since I’ve been sick and other than a few telemarketers it hasn’t rung. I check later; there’s no message on the machine. Oh well, whatever. I make an appointment for 10:45 am (approximately an hour away).

I mentioned some shortness of breath? I try to wash up a bit, brush the hair and teeth, put on some clothes. It takes about half an hour. I do a little, and then I sit and breathe and try to get my self together, do a little more. I keep thinking this would have been a lot easier if my husband had been able to pick up an inhaler yesterday…

I get in the car and drive to the office. It is lovely and close, except for the walking across the parking lot part. I get to the window to check in, and there are three people standing there. I grab the obligatory mask and sit; wait for them to move away, trying to catch my breath. I notice an older woman looking at me like she’s afraid I’m going to code any second. The people start to move away from the window, but before I can get up, a drug salesman hits the counter. I wait a little, but I know that if I don’t sign in, I won’t get called. So I go stand beside him. Luckily a coughing fit takes me about then, and he quickly moves aside.

So I fill out the new form that has taken the place of the simple signature sheet to prove to the insurance company that, yes, I really was there, it’s okay to pay. And I fork over the $20 co pay required, all the time breathing like a steam engine gone crazy. She finally says “Have a seat, we’ll be with you soon,” and I do.

It literally takes about ten minutes for my breathing to subside to something that makes the older woman’s shoulders relax, and I finally pick up the spindling I brought to pass the time, knowing that they were “fitting me in.” But there’s a problem; the woman at the desk calls me back to the window, saying that I owe $20 from my last visit. Are you kidding me? Just moving from the chair to the window brought the freight train breathing sounds back, so I fish in my bag for my card again and pay the twenty. I couldn’t have even begun a conversation to dispute the charge. I take my receipt and head for the chair again.

Another five minutes or so and I’m still wheezing pretty violently, and I begin to wonder if I should just walk out and head for the ER. Just then my name is called.

I follow the nurse to the exam room, where she takes my vitals (T99.1, hr 117, r 24, bp 120/80, pulse ox 98, and since when did pulse ox become a normal part of vital signs anyway? You know they charge 300 dollars for a simple pulse ox in the hospital?) She asks if it’s ok that a student examines me, and I nod yes. I remember being a student.

So, another wait. This time I’m so wheezing and straining my eyes are watering, and I can’t even attempt to continue my spindling; I just sit on the edge of my chair and gasp. The student enters, and she’s nice, and she tries to frame her questions so I can just nod or give one word answers, which I appreciate, but I can’t help thinking that someone, somewhere along the line might have thought it appropriate to take a quick listen to my lungs and pop me on an albuterol respiratory treatment before getting too in depth into the history. Finally, she finishes her H & P, and the doc pokes her head in the door. They leave to discuss her exam, and a nurse comes in to set up the treatment. I’m so happy I tear up!

Then the doc comes back and explains the treatment plan. An IM shot of steroids, oral antibiotics, albuterol inhaler, and steroid inhaler. Fine, I just want to breathe. She leaves, I finish the treatment, thank heaven I’m not gasping anymore. I’m still wheezing, but comfortable, at least. The student returns with my prescriptions, and I see trouble ahead; she’s written for the same steroid inhaler she wrote me five years ago. The CO-PAY was almost a hundred dollars. I ask the student if there’s anything else, more affordable. She leaves to ask the doc, and returns with a sample of a different med. She tells me to not get the other filled. Ok, that works. (Did not give me instructions on how to use the new med, which has a different dosage and administration method than the original, but luckily, I can read package inserts.)

I get my shot, pack up my stuff and make it out to the car. The treatment has helped so much that I only need to pause for about a minute of gasping before I can start the car. I head to the pharmacy.

I arrived at the office at 10:40. I left at 11:50. Must have gotten the treatment around 11:30 ish. An hour is a very long time to be that short of breath.

At the pharmacy, I’m in for another treat. I’m told that albuterol no longer has a generic form, so my co-pay is $40. The spacer the doc wants me to use is another $35. I opt out of the spacer, get the albuterol and antibiotics they’ve prescribed and head home. I realized while writing this that the reason the albuterol co pay went up was because the doctor wrote for a specific form, albuterol HFA, instead of the perfectly good regular medication that has always worked fine.

I have spent over a hundred dollars out of pocket that will not be reimbursed. At that; I got off cheap. If I had done all that the doctor wanted, it would be: $88 + 40 + 20 + 20 + 22 + 35 = $225. And I still don’t know what I’ll be charged for the shot and the respiratory treatment, which will be billed to my insurance, and the plans we have are so complex I can’t even begin to figure out what my responsibility will be.

I know that I’m lucky. I have decent insurance, which my employer pays 100% for not only me, but for my family as well. I am acutely aware that this is unheard of, and it is in fact, the only thing that is keeping me at a job that has become more than slightly unpleasant. I could take a cut in pay, but I can’t take a cut in my insurance.

I’m also lucky because this, comparatively speaking, is minor. I mean, it’s not fun not being able to breathe, but after all, it’s not cancer, or something permanent. In a week, I’ll be fine, back to my normal self. And while I live paycheck to paycheck, this hundred dollar expense won’t break me. I’ll manage.

It does seem like there should be a better way, though. What if I didn’t have a car to get to the doctor? What if that hundred bucks WOULD break me; the difference between eating or having rent and not? Is it really necessary to drag a person this sick out of his home, to infect every person he passes, to risk complete obstruction of the airways because of activity? Is it really necessary for the prescription to be written for the latest, trendiest, most expensive medications? What if I had the ability to choose my job based on what I like to do, rather than on medical benefits?

What if we had Medicare for all?

Second Video

2009-09-16T16:35:00.000-07:00

And another song; same concert

The Concert - Human

2009-09-16T16:24:00.000-07:00

We were there!

The Killers at Santa Barbara Bowl

2009-09-14T04:51:00.000-07:00

Last night we packed up the family and went to see the Killers at Santa Barbara Bowl. It was an awesome night.

The opening band was The New York Dolls. Something about that name sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't place it. So the band walks out on stage, and I'm looking, and wow, the lead singer looks familiar. You know how you know someone, but you can't remember their name? I tell Peru "That guy looks like that guy, you know, from the seventies, had an alter ego with a band, Johansen something?" So after their set was over, they're introducing the band members, and they say "Something Johansen." Wow. So I'm thinking maybe he's that guy's son or something. You know how it drives you crazy when you can't remember? So during the break between bands, I google madly and finally figure out YES, it IS David Johansen, from the New York Dolls in the seventies, and his alter ego was Buster Pointdexter. Wow. Very wild. Unfortunately, they do seem to be a shade of their former selves. Garage band was my comment; Peru didn't even think they were *that* good.

Then came the main event. Even watching the stage being set up was amazing. I haven't been to a rock concert in a number of years; the technology has advanced somewhat. Ok, I'm a relic. A light show to me is a couple of colored spotlights moving over the crowd. This was Mondo Beyondo. Banks of computers, three story video splash screens behind the band, fog, really amazing lights (the most beautiful blue color I've ever seen in light!). Murphy's eyes were like saucers. The pictures do not of course do justice to the reality; poor lighting, distance, a cell phone camera, and a poor photographer do not contribute to fabulous pictures. You can get an idea, though.

The best thing was that the music was awesome. They played really well. The music itself was interesting; I enjoyed the actual songwriting aspects much more than I expected. Good presence on stage, good interaction with the crowd. The drummer Ronnie Vannucci was fabulous, and not just because he gave us the tickets, being an extended relative and all. Fun to watch, fun to listen to. They had us all up dancing, even Peru! The Bowl was packed and the band had the crowd in their pockets.

Santa Barbara Bowl was great itself; our seats were fabulous; not too close, not to far, though I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. The staff was really helpful and friendly, even making sure Murphy had earplugs in case the music was too loud.

We all had a great time, so worth being out til midnight on a school night! Thank you to all who helped us get there.

Goodbye and God Bless, Senator Kennedy

2009-08-26T17:37:00.000-07:00

It is the end of an era. The magic of the Kennedys has been taken from us, in finality. There will never be others like them. Ted Kennedy was a man. Flawed, as any man is. What made him a great man was his belief in mankind, and his ability to live his values every single day of his life. He made great mistakes. He also made great retribution.

For me, he embodies the difference between “Me Government” versus “We Government.” He was a very rich, powerful man, yet he believed that if you gained something, it did not mean he was losing something. A rising tide lifts all boats. He knew that if you do better, he does better. He knew that if a citizen of this country is suffering, we all suffer. This is very far from the “I’ve got mine, screw you” mentality so prevalent these days. He didn’t need to denigrate you if your opinion was different, no name calling or backstabbing. He showed respect to people from all stations of life, every creed, color, lifestyle. He knew good-hearted people can disagree without being disagreeable.

He lived life about as fully as anyone can, and touched many people along the way. His absence is going to be felt in a very real way, and the world is a sadder place. Godspeed, Teddy.

Ok, People. How hard is this to Understand?

2009-08-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

Healthcare Reform

Ok, one of the main problems is that name. This is not really health CARE reform, it's health insurance, or health system reform. Our actual health care is great. It's the access and affordability of it that's the problem. So let's parse it out, shall we?

Current Health Care System:
A "for profit" system in which people purchase insurance from private companies mandated by corporate law to make a profit, then receive their care from private hospitals likewise mandated to make a profit.

While the insurance companies have little to no regulation, allowing them to pick and choose their clients and refuse care pretty much without cause, the hospitals are mandated to provide care regardless of ability to pay. This means that the care for those who are under-insured or uninsured is passed on to those who are insured, through tax dollar subsidies and elevated premiums.

The idea of insurance is that a lot of people paying into a pool lowers the risk cost for individuals. Not a bad idea, right? But what if the insurance companies can choose only the young and healthy for the pool? That means that the insurance company assumes little risk, and makes the greatest profit. So they exclude "pre-existing conditions" and deny tests and services that are
outside the mainstream, even if they are efficacious. They tell YOUR doctor how long you can stay in the hospital for a given illness or procedure. They tell your doctor which tests he can perform. They tell him how much he can charge, or you pick up the extra cost. Then they take that nice big profit they've made of off your well being, and they pay their CEO's billions in bonuses and take the executives on expensive cruises. It all works very well. For THEM.

Meanwhile, what happens to you? Well, you get a minimum of care while paying through the nose for it. According to the Office of the Governor of California's website:

About half of all personal bankruptcies in the United States are due to medical bills. Several studies—including two published by Harvard Medical School and the Health Affairs journal—put the number of bankruptcies due to medical causes at approximately 50 percent.

Medical bankruptcy hits the middle class. The typical person filing for bankruptcy due to medical costs is about 40 years old, with some college education, middle-class or working-class, and a homeowner.

Many people pay as much for health care costs per month as they do for housing. And if they get sick and are told "that's not covered," what recourse do they have? Little to none. An appeals board? The news is full of stories of people who have literally died while fighting their insurance company for coverage. Remember during election coverage the stories of Barack Obama's mother having to fight for coverage while she was dying of cancer? What do you think would happen to you if you camped out on the lawn of the CEO of your insurance company to protest his policies? Jail time, I'm betting.

Under a Single Payer plan, what would change?

Well, cost. Medicare currently runs under a 3% overhead. THREE PERCENT. Private insurance companies run anywhere from 15-30%, averaged at 25%. Google it if you don't believe me; this info is out there, people. Why the difference? Well, Medicare isn't required to make a profit. It is not answerable to shareholders. It doesn't have to pay those golden parachutes or "retention bonuses." One problem with Medicare, left from the previous administration, thank you very much, is that it can no longer negotiate with drug companies to lower drug prices. That needs to be fixed. Who is Medicare answerable to? Well, Congress provides the funding, right? And you elect those Congressmen? So you can go to his office and picket and protest, and you (provided you behave yourself while you do it) will NOT end up in jail. And your local congress person wants to listen to you, 'cause he's always got another election coming up and he wants your money and your vote.

My personal preference would be Medicare for all. Start it tomorrow. System is already in place; simply begin lowering the age of eligibility, say ten years every year til everyone is covered from birth. Under Medicare, you can choose any doctor. Your doctor makes all decisions for your care without being told what tests he can perform or what drugs he can prescribe. No pre-approval required, no approved referrals required, no redundant tests because the information is available to all your caregivers. Streamlined, simple, and no one, NO ONE comes between you and your doctor.

If you want your own insurance it will always be available. Even in the most socialist systems, private insurance is always available to purchase. Don't like the government system? Opt out.

Talking Points Rebuttal

I don't want my tax dollars going to pay for abortions. It won't. It can't. There is already law in place prohibiting it, and that law is NOT going to be overturned by THIS Supreme Court, even if there were support to change it in Congress, which there isn't.

I don't want my taxes to go up. There are a plethora of ways to pay for this program, starting with repeal of the Bush tax cuts for milloniares, which if completely repealed would pay for the estimated cost twice. And even if your taxes were to go up, your premium cost is going WAY down. Net gain.

Death Boards. Oh dear God. No, the government is not going to kill Grandma. Most states already have provisions for and sometimes require a Health Care Proxy form from all adults receiving care. All the current bill does is allow payment for a consultation with your doctor over YOUR preferences for care. Period. The only Death Boards are the ones the insurance companies use to deny care.

I don't want the Government to get between me and my Doctor. Already addressed. The government doesn't make the health care decisions, it merely pays the bills.

I don't want America to go Socialist. This is the freakiest talking point yet. How will Single Payer Health Care cause the Constitution to change? Are these people aware that Government programs run the Post Office, the Veteran's Administration and Medicare nationally, and state Government runs fire, police, highway departments? That Congress has a government plan, as do soldiers, and federal employees? And horrifically, do these people who want their America back want the America of George Bush, who violated every Amendment to the Constitution except the Third, and most of the main body of the Constitution itself?

I really don't understand the fear that allows these people to accept the nonsensical ramblings and outright lies of Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin and Sean Hannity and Glen Beck. Do a little reseach, People. www.thomas.loc.gov is a great place to start; it is the Library of Congress, and THOMAS is the area where all bills are available for review. Listen to the people who are ranting, and the loaded words they're using, and ask yourself why? Why does Sarah Palin bring her kids, and soldiers, into every conversation, no matter how inappropriate? She does it because it scares people, makes them react without thinking. People who don't think are their best friends.

Certainly, there are arguments about Health Care Reform that are worth having, and indeed, vital. There must be dialog. The current anti-everything movement, however, isn't interested in dialog, they want to shut it down. The ultimate goal is make the Democrats and Obama fail. They aren't even secretive about it; it's right there in their talking points when they tell their minions "Disrupt meetings, don't even let them finish their opening statements." So much for the "post partisian" movement.

A new talent

2009-07-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Murphy has suddenly decided he likes to draw. He drew this freehand last week; it's Nazo from Sonic the Hedgehog fame.

We are quite proud of our budding new artist! He's now enrolled in camp to learn cartooning from a master, Sergio from Mad Magazine.

What you missed

2009-04-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

while I wasn't blogging. Here's some family pictures from the past few months.

Murphy, with the big ball of fur called Flash. Flash was groomed on Saturday and no longer is a big ball of fur, sadly. Pic to follow soon of our shorn puppy.

Here's Murphy at his school's fundraising Sportathon. He did more laps than anyone else, 104, IIRC. We were proud.

Murph, the power hitter. Even his coaches are amazed; he can hit righty or lefty, and really HIT. The Pride of the Angels.

Here he is at practice. Usually, he's the catcher, but here he's making the catch at first!

Dad and Murph playing catch over the duggout fence during an Angels game.

I'd love to post pictures of Eric, and maybe I will, someday; if he stays home long enough to pose. =] He's spending his days hiking in the hills of Ojai. And running Flash on his bike, which is greatly appreciated by all concerned.

So there's the update; we're all happy and mostly healthy and together. Life is Good.

EASTER!

2009-04-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

Our family did a really fun project for Easter. We dyed eggs with ties! Yes, plain old neckties. Here's the process.

First we got a bag of recycled men's silk ties. We opened up the ties at the seams and removed the linings.

Then you take a raw egg, and roll it, right side of fabric against the egg, roll it TIGHT, a couple of times around, cutting off the excess. Tie a string round each end, TIGHTLY as you dare, without breaking the egg.

Then, wrap that package in a strip of clean white cotton, like an old t-shirt, and tie as before. Both wrappings should be as snug as possible. The egg should also be at room temperature.

Next, place the eggs carefully into a large pot of simmering water, to which a cup of vinegar has been added. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 25 minutes.

Turn off heat, and remove eggs to cool. We used a cookie rack with a pyrex pan under it to catch the drips.

When cool, carefully untie the packages, or cut the strings, and unroll your artistry!

We did find that dark colors worked better than light, and some don't work at all. YMMV.

Nashville

2009-01-20T06:52:00.000-08:00

So today, I find myself in Nashville, TN. And it's cold, baby. No snow, though there were a few bare flurries this morning.

Being a California girl, I have nothing to cope with the icy blast. No coat, no shoes or boots. No mittens or scarves or hats. See, I thought I gave that all up when I moved here from Boston. I mean, sure, it gets cold in California, but (don't laugh)- it's a dry cold. Thirty degrees here doesn't feel as cold as thirty in Nashville, or in Boston. The moisture does penetrate more, somehow. Plus, the day may START at thirty, but it generally goes up to the forties or fifties in the winter daytime. So now, it's snowing.

I did have the foresight to knit myself some mittens. Bought the yarn (Misti Alpaca Bulky, yum!) at Anacapa Fine Yarns (thanks, Lois!) on Saturday, cast on as soon as I could get home and find a pattern, and finished them on the airplane. Hoping I have enough left for a basic hat to match. But my feet, in my see through clogs, are FREEZING. Think it's time to hit the outlets?

I'm here because I'm attending a seminar for work. In Alabama. So why am I in Nashville, you ask, astutely. Because the place the seminar is in is so far in the boonies that the nearest airport is - Huntsville. But what's in Huntsville? Nashville is the second closest. So tomorrow, at FOUR AM, thank you very much, I will be on the road, driving 2.5 hours to the class. Joy joy! I wanted to try to do some sightseeing in Nashville, but a backed up toilet, a broken coffee machine, and incorrectly programmed room keys have me in a bit of a tizzy. (Are we having fun yet?) Ever call the front desk to report an overflowing toilet? Ever get the answer "Would you like a plunger?)

I took some pictures but don't know if I can get them uploaded here, so they may have to wait. Not exactly picturesque; I'd forgotten how gray everything is in winter. In less than five years, I've truly turned into a California Girl.

Things could be worse.....

Election 2008

2008-11-04T12:03:00.001-08:00

An historic, amazing, inspiring day.

GO VOTE!

More Cute Puppy

2008-10-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

Can you say "Awwwwwww"?

A New Family Member!

2008-10-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our very much beloved and generous Aunt Merridee and cousin Kelsey, we now have a new member of our family, a delayed birthday gift to Murphy. Isn't he beautiful?

His name is Flash Thunder, Flash for short. He's eleven weeks old, a jet black standard poodle. Already seems huge! He's playful and sweet and affectionate, despite a rather trying three hour ride home.

We're all so happy to have him. I have a feeling our life will not be the same again!

When Fall Comes to New England

2008-10-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

So, we've been here in California for four plus years. I love it here, I really do. But this year, for the first time, I'm really missing the New England autumn. The crisp, cold air that smells like nothing else; the brilliant yellows and reds of the leaves, the light in the evenings and the turning of the stars. I don't know why this year I miss it so.

In my wallowing, I've been listening to one of my favorite albums. It's a compilation of folk songs put together by Christine Lavin, entitled "When October Goes." Here's the track that brings tears. It's by Cheryl Wheeler, and called "When Fall Comes to New England."

Click here to play Streaming Audio

Fall Update

2008-09-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy summer and early fall. I've had a few complaints that I'm not updating as often as I should. Who, me? You mean one post a quarter isn't often enough? I guess not....

So what have we been up to? Well after Father's Day, our next major adventure was a visit from Barbara and Roger. I must say, they are the best house guests ever. We had a lovely time together. We ate... A LOT!!! Tried out some of the fancier restaurants in Ojai that I never get to. Took them for a trip down memory lane to Emma K. Woods Beach, where they stayed (memorably) on their honeymoon. Toured Ojai and saw Lake Casitas, which is always beautiful. Pictures, you ask? Well - I managed to mess up the cellphone camera, so it wouldn't save pictures (which was heartbreaking, because I got the BEST picture ever at Lake Casitas. No, really!) But somehow, I did get a few (proving once again my need for a class in photography.)

Brothers, on the ride home from Emma Wood. I think they like each other! And I think they're the cutest, smartest, most awesome boys ever, but maybe that's just me. =]

Barbara and Roger, who joined us in our weekly bowling event. They are watching Murphy bowl. Who said bowling wasn't exciting?

Eric, at Emma K. Wood State Beach. It was actually COLD. Murph and Dad went to put their tootsies in the surf; somehow Murphy got wet all the way to the neck. How'd that happen?

Anyway, Barbara and Roger's vacation was a very cool vacation for us too. They're so easy to be around (and are good at fending for themselves) so it's not stressful having them. I got to take a day or two off work. They inspired us to do stuff we should do more often, and I got daily hugs. What's not to love? And they made it home in one piece, which is always a good thing. We can't wait to have them back; they are always missed.

August was sock knitting and soccer camp; Murphy attended two sessions and had a blast. It's an international camp. They have coaches from the UK come over to teach the kids about soccer and about their country. Pretty cool. Murphy had a great time, and won a certificate or three.

Then school started. Murph is back in Montessori, with a new teacher he seems to like. Eric is taking a class at Ventura Community again; screen writing, which should be very helpful to him. He also (TA DA!!!!!!) got a job. WHOO HOOOO! He is working at our most favorite seafood restaurant, right here in Ojai. Sea Fresh. It's a must go to whenever we have company. You should smell the garlic... well, you probably can, right from where you are! We're really proud of him and right this minute I'm thinking we need to go there tonight....

Then came the day. September 7. A day of infamy. A very special somebody's birthday. MURPHY turned 8! We had a bowling party at the bowling alley. There was a cake, made with love and shaped like a bowling ball, and it was both chocolate AND vanilla!. There were friends, and pizza, and bowling, and presents. Balloons, even. Awesome, if I do say so myself. I actually got to enjoy it. A very nice time.

I can't believe my baby is eight. Sigh.

So what else? Peru is trying to record a demo CD of his music. I love his "Tribute to Freddie King." Trying to find some people to play with around. I'm still working. Still playing with fiber and knitting socks like crazy. Murphy's back in soccer, league play this time. His team is the "Golden Trout" and today he kicked his first in game goal . WHOO HOO!!

That's all I can think of for now. I probably missed a ton of good stuff, which is why I should blog more often so I can remember it! I'll try to do better - we all miss our friends and family who are away.

An Original Work by SlimPeru

2008-06-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

"You Don't Move Me No More" copyright 2008

Click here to play Streaming Audio

A VERY Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Dad, and the whole rest of the family, got a great Father's Day present this weekend; a visit from his oldest son, Bill. Can you tell which one is Bill? I'll give you a hint.... he looks just like his Dad.

It was a bit of a rough start, as his truck broke down on the way, but Peru picked him up and made it home by the time I got home from work. It only took an hour or two to unpack all the neat stuff he brought us. Wow. Peru's been grinning for a week since rumors of his impending arrival wandered through the ethernet. He's just a little bit proud of his son. Just a little.

So this pic is called "My Three Sons." Pretty awesome, no? Each and every one a gem, too. Man what good genes we both must have to get kids this smart and loving and wonderful. Billy, the electronics wonderboy, fixed, well, everything... but most wonderfully the Aussie Barbecue Grill from two or three Father's Days ago, which worked for about a month, then wouldn't anymore. Since we're Olympic level packrats, we didn't get rid of it. Bill took it apart, cleaned it, and ta-da! Barbecue fillet mignon for Father's Day dinner. Amazing.

The long and short of it is that we'd like to kidnap him as a permanent resident. He's a very good influence on all of us, and fun to have around as well. I guess we'll have to settle for more frequent visits though, as his mother seems to want him back. Doesn't mean we won't try to lure him with homemade strawberry shortbread or stacks of sourdough pancakes...

A Baseball Star!

2008-05-17T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today was closing day ceremonies for Murphy's Tball league. It's been a blast and I'm going to miss it, though I admit that not having to sit in 101 degree sunshine is a relief. Murphy is already champing at the bit for soccer, but he'll have to wait for camp in July.

There was a Home Run Derby, in which each player was pitched 8 balls, and each hit was worth 2 points, and then if the ball went a long distance, more points were added. Murphy scored a 12 in the first round, which qualified him for the final round! The top six players hit 5 balls each in the second round, and Murphy scored 8 which won him THIRD PLACE!! We were all very proud and very happy!

Here's a close up of his trophy (he wants you to see his name, so you know it's really his!) and a close up of the 3rd place medal for the Derby. It's really cool!

We had a wonderful visit this week from two of our favorite people. Mammama and Merridee came to visit and got to see Murphy and Dad sing and play in the school's Spring Sing. Then Mammama bought Murphy his first ever Banana Split. He never knew such delights existed! It was so wonderful to see them, and we hope they come more often.

In other news, the critter in the attic seems to have been scared away by the man setting the traps, so the holes were repaired and there's no more critter noises to drive Mom crazy. Thank goodness! Eric has finished this year's college and is looking for a job (anyone have one to give? Anyone?) I'm spinning color and trying to finish the socks I'm knitting, for which I Love love love the finished product but am not so thrilled with the actual knitting; it's mostly purls, and somewhat tedious. One sock is complete, and I just started the heel flap on the second, so now it should pick up a bit. Then I"m trying to knit from stash. Reduce reduce reduce is the mantra. No more yarn purchases till my stash is reduced at least by half!

Off to knit that heel flap!

What's Going On?

2008-04-28T09:12:00.001-07:00

It's been a crazy couple of weeks. First there's the critters in the attic. Loud. Large. Busy. Critters. In the attic. Neighbor thought she saw squirrels going in to the house, but the Pest Control Specialist we finally called in (when the noises brought Mom to the brink of insanity) thinks it is a rat. A FOOT long rat. Sigh. So the traps are set, and he comes back to see if they've tripped this week. So far, the noises indicate they haven't found the traps yet. I'm so very happy. Not.

Then there's the overwhelming chaos in my house. I just have too much crap. Too much fiber. Couldn't use it all in a lifetime. So I'm packing it up. Giving it away, donating to the Mission, sending some to a needy person, throwing some out. Mind you, this is just the acrylic stuff, and I still have boxes. I'm keeping the natural fibers stuff (and putting it where, you ask? Good question.) And I've made a vow to do the stash busting thing this year. No new purchases of yarn or fiber till I've greatly reduced the current stash. However......

Prior to this vow, I'd been working on spinning this:

A full pound of lovely moorit brown merino, which I hope to make into socks. I spun half of it a bit ago, only to find that my "fingering weight" somehow bloomed to worsted weight when plied and washed. Not what I wanted for socks. So I'm doing the other half, and aiming at a much smaller grist.

Then there's this:

Four lovely ounces of beige silk spun cobweb fine. It's beautiful, soft, and I love spinning silk. So? What's the problem, you ask?

Color.

I want color.

Bright beautiful bold gorgeous color.

Everything I've spun recently has been a neutral. Moorit, beige, lots of white. Some black.

It's spring, and I want color.

So before the vow (phew, under the wire!) I bought this:

A pound each of superwash merino (again, hopefully for socks!) in the brightest colors I could find. The pictures really don't do them justice. The blue is electric. The yellows so vivid it's like looking into the sun. Thanks to Christina at dyepot.com for brightening my day.

In mind of the stash busting idea, I knit two hats this weekend, using up balls of commercial but still lovely 100% alpaca. Used up two skeins that otherwise would be languishing in the stash, and learned some fair isle. Pretty cool! I'll try to get pics of those later.

Then the family. Here's our slugger, at his latest game:

A big HIT! The Catcher

It's funny; he's pretty good at baseball, but soccer is still his thing. We're already saving the pennies for soccer camp this summer. An athlete. My son. Whoda Thunkit?

The rest of us are fine, hanging in. Hot weekend, up in the triple digits. Today should be 90's. Then the 60's by Wednesday. Bizarre.

Stay cool. Oh, and the contest is still open... Can't even give my stash away, apparently.

Challenge

2008-04-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

For the first three people that reply to this post, and who re-post this challenge: you win!!!

For your prize, I will send you a gift.

It might be something I’ve made, or something cool from my hidden stash of fabulousity. It might be a mix CD, or a rubber duck, or a book I think you might enjoy. A love letter, a useful object, or something else that is awesome or maybe just taking up room in my house.

Whatever it is, I promise I will get it to you in 365 days of your posted comment or less, and I will need your snail mail.

The only thing you need to do to receive your gift is PARTICIPATE.

Be one of the first three journalers to reply to this, (make sure I can contact you via e-mail) and post this very same thing in your journal, and YOU are the lucky giftee.

Just ‘cuz.

Because you get what you need when you ask, and because it’s fun to give people stuff.

I accepted the challenge from LizzieK8. If you accept the challenge, you need to link to me showing you accepted the challenge from this blog.

Time for the Monthly Update

2008-04-13T13:09:00.000-07:00

Someone from an email group I belong to asked about Tofutsies yarn. I've been meaning to post about this for a while, so this is as good a time as any.

I have made two (and a half) pairs of socks with this yarn. It was pretty fun; the colors are very bright and interesting, and it's novel to be knitting with crab shells. I did find it splitty, but tolerable for someone with low standards, such as myself.

But there was a very big problem, once the socks were completed.

Fade.
I mean, serious fade.

These socks were knit last summer and fall; so they're less than a year old. And I admit, I am not a handwash sort of girl; they get thrown in the washer and dryer with everything else. The nice thing is they didn't shrink. Take a look at what did happen.

The original colorway is black, magenta and gold. Each color was plied with a white strand.

The left is the socks as they currently are. Gold? What gold? Magenta faded to pink, gold is gone completely. White is almost all you can see though the black has held up fairly well.

The second item in the picture is a headband I made to match the socks. It's obviously been washed much less, and therefore isn't too bad off, unless you hold it right up to the remainder of the skein. Not sure you can see in the picture, but there is obvious fading between them.

This is the second pair I made. Green, blue, yellow. No white. Very bright and vibrant colors. I really loved this colorway, which is strange, as green is not really my thing. See how they've held up?

There is literally NO blue left. The green and yellow have faded to pastel. Sad.

I also am not sure how durable they are. The black and gold ones have worn a hole at the base of the little toe on the instep. Strange place for a hole!

Now, I do wear both of these pair at least once a week, and as I said, they get washed in the regular clothes wash. But my Trekking socks have not faded one bit with the same treatment. Regia has not faded (can't remember which one; the line that has elastic in it.) My bamboo ones have faded noticeably, but still not to this extent, and they were the first ones I made.

Now I know that cotton tends to hold dye less well; it may be a function of that. But I probably won't buy this yarn again. If you buy for color, and then the color fades, what's the point? And truly; they aren't quite as comfortable as my wool socks.

Ok, so what have the family been up to? Well, we took a vacation day and went to Knott's Berry Farm. Fun! I was worried about how Murphy would do, as he gets notoriously carsick. Instead, Eric and I got carsick on the way down, and then Eric did the "Sidewinder" coaster, and that pretty much did him in for the day. Murphy? Well, he went on the "Wipeout" which is a spinning ride that also goes up and down. Dad took him on and I was so afraid I'd hear him screaming. Well, I did. Screaming "Let's do it again, Dad!" Well Dad looked a little pale, so Murph went on alone. And then a third time. And then a fourth.

And by then, Dad was feeling better, so they went on the "Boomerang." TWICE. This ride goes fast forwards with a loop de loop twice; then goes back to the beginning backwards. LOOP de LOOP BACKWARDS! Oy. Needless to say, Mom stayed with her feet planted firmly on the ground and took pictures. This is actually THEM in the third car.

Murphy can't wait to go back. Actually, neither can I. It was a pretty awesome day.

Then there's the baseball. Murphy is on the Cardinals, and is probably the best thrower and hitter on the team. He is the oldest (it's really T-ball) and by far the most huge on the team. Here's the team picture; can you guess which one is Murph? Oh man, there is nothing as cute as six and seven year olds trying to play ball. Not even kittens.

Here is a big hit:

Here he is sliding into home for a run:

Then we had a lovely visit from Eric's grandmother, Estelle, and her husband Abe. We only get to see them once or twice a year, and it's always a treat. We had a lovely talk, a tour of Lake Casitas, and then a dinner trip to Carrow's. They're always welcome!

I think that's about it for now; we're all well and happy and going strong. I do hope to get back to some spinning and dyeing soon!

Best. Comment. Ever.

2008-03-17T09:51:00.000-07:00

"Conservatives really are perpetual teenagers, raiding the refrigerator, using up all the gas in the car, taking money from your wallet, and constantly whining about how overworked and mistreated they are."

Susan of Texas said, (at Sadly!No blog)
March 17, 2008 at 15:34

Political Stuff

2008-03-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Due to the increasing idiocy of our government and the persisting outrages against our liberty and life, and due to the fact that most of my blog readers are family or fiber people, who may want to pass on the crazy making political rants I indulge in now and again, I've decided to revive my first blog, Thus Spake Zac for that particular purpose. I will leave a link on the sidebar for those who might be interested in my political views.

Today's rant is on obscenity. Check it out, if you're so inclined.

Opening Day

2008-03-12T21:07:00.000-07:00

Opening Day game 2008; the Cardinals vs. The Tigers.

Murphy at bat in his first T-ball game. He likes it well enough, but he's still going to be a soccer player when he grows up...

with apologies for the cinematography; new camera and bad angles don't mix!

Open Mouth, Insert Foot - Politics Rant

2008-03-12T07:15:00.000-07:00

Ok, I need to get this off my chest.

Geraldine Ferraro was right.

I can't believe the furor her comments have generated. She was right, and the freak out about her comments proves it.

She never said Barak Obama wasn't qualified. She never said he wouldn't be a good president. She simply pointed out, that just like herself, he is being held up for office simply because of his race, or in her case, gender. The only reason she was a VP candidate was because of her gender. Did that mean she wasn't qualified? No. The timing was right and the mood of the country was rife to choose a non traditional candidate. The same thing here. If he had run eight, or even four years ago, would there have been the same support? If he ran this time, and Hillary hadn't, would he have had a chance?

The huge movement behind Barak Obama seems to me to be fueled on reverse racism. See how progressive we are? Aren't we proud, pat ourselves on the back, we can support a BaaaLack Man for President! Whoo hoo, ain't we terrific? And heaven forbid anyone criticize Saint Obama; they must be racist!

Don't get me wrong; I feel the same about Hillary. If she wasn't a woman, I'm not sure she'd be all that right now either. I think the country is so anti-politician right now that we're looking for the direct opposite of George W, and we just can't decide if that's a white woman, or a black man.

Either Barak or Hillary have the potential to be good presidents. They're both smart, thoughtful, reasonably liberal people. We were blessed this cycle to have MANY excellent candidates from all walks of life to choose from, though the media forced out my own personal first choices. I have yet to make up my mind, since Edwards and Kucinich were trashed. Personally, I loathe the fact that Hillary has decided to take the low road in campaigning. It's completely turning me off and making me lean towards Obama. But for heaven's sake people; are we really so relieved that there's a candidate that can put two words together in a facsimile of a gramatical sentence that all else is forgotten? Does the fact that he's black mean that nothing he says or does can be questioned? Both of them still have a lot to prove to me.

Birthday Socks Picture

2008-02-28T08:02:00.001-08:00

Birthday Socks completed. This picture was taken after their first wash. I don't know if you can see that they've fulled a little. The leg was originally an inch or two longer, and the ankle was a little roomier than I like. Fulled, they fit perfectly! They aren't as stretchy however, but they are warmer and less open. All in all, I love the socks but I'll be very cautious about purchasing this yarn again. And these babies will have to be handwashed (gasp) in the future.

I've also been doing some dyeing. My darling beloved has been saving onion skins for me for ages, and last weekend I steeped them for several hours, and then dyed a test skein. I was always told that onion skin would give a rich yellow/gold color. Not mine. Mine came out the most lovely rich brown. Now, I will admit that there was only two tiny test skeins, one mordanted with alum, one unmordanted, with a highly concentrated dye solution, so I thought maybe my first attempt was a fluke. So I tried again, overdyeing a skein that had been dyed with kool-aid, I believe; it was a horrible grayish pink. So I threw it in to the dyepot and let it cook for, well overnight. It's not as dark as the test skein, but it's still definitely a brown. So I thought, well maybe it's the overdyeing that left it brown, some dye in the pink that helped lean it towards brown. So I threw a smallish skein of handspun merino, white, into the exhaust. Let it cook all day. Again; it's lighter, but definitely brown. I'd planned to put pictures here, but my phone camera apparently had other ideas; the picture came out blank. So I'll try again later.

I know our water is very hard. It's so hard that stalactites grow in our shower, and I can't leave water in the teapot over night, or it leaves a solid layer of calcium in the bottom of the pot. So I'm wondering if that's why my colors aren't what I'm told to expect. I guess my next experiment will have to be with distilled water vs. tap water to see if there's any difference.

The other thing I wonder about is mordant. In all my tests I've used the same time, the same baths, everything the same, but I've used one alum mordanted skein and one unmordanted skein. I can't see any difference whatsoever between them. I need to try with some other mordants and see if there's any change with those. It is fun to experiment!

Sorry.

2008-02-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

Due to the amount of spam crap I'm getting for comments, I'm changing to a word verification system. If you want to leave a comment, you have to copy the word you see on the comment pop up box. I hate to do this, as I get so few already, and don't want to discourage anyone, but the spam is getting out of control.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Charlie Chaplin Speaks - The Dictator

2008-02-27T08:12:00.000-08:00

Yarn Review

2008-02-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

I'm going to try to do a regular feature in this blog of reviewing my experiences with yarn, perhaps some knitting and spinning tools as well. I'm starting today with yarn, because I fell in love with this one.

(click for bigger and brighter)

It's Rio de la Plata sock yarn

Here's their mission statement:

Rio de la Plata Yarns supports an old Uruguayan tradition of hand spinning of wool by wives of Gauchos (traditional horsemen). Gauchos used and still use hand made wool “Ponchos” for protection of the cold and dirt when guarding sheep. They play an important roll in Uruguay’s major source of income which is wool. This noble and harmless industry supplies a major part of the wool in the world. Uruguay has not changed much of its traditions producing it. Rio de la Plata Yarns is in the heart of this tradition, creating beautiful fibers and bucket dying them.

We are their link to the world in the sense that any knitter can create garments out of this beautiful hand dyed yarn that otherwise would be unknown to the world. When you buy our yarn you are supporting Uruguayan women who work at home and are able to spend time with their children and sometimes even pay for their own college education.

The Specs:
Yardage: 437 yards per hank
Weight: 3.5 oz per hank
Superwash Merino
Three ply

It's a tightly spun, smooth worsted preparation. It's not the softest yarn I've ever used, though it softens with washing, as does most yarns. It's very smooth to knit with and doesn't split easily. The grist is slightly variable, at times thinner than usual, very occasionally thicker, but it's not enough to affect the gauge of the knitted piece. It's three ply, using a non-repeating constantly changing color technique. It is superwash, so it's easy to care for. There's enough yarn in one skein to make a pair of socks.

The colorways are varied throughout the line and have charming names; this particular colorway has Vibrant Orange, Lime Green, Ethereal Blue, Evergreen, Pointsettia, and Yellow Corn. It does not stripe, so there's no concern about matching pattern repeats. There are several lines of the sock yarn; the above is from the "multicolor" line; there is also a solid and an "Artisian" line, as well as a "multisolid" line. Artisian seems to be more along the lines of a handpainted yarn. I believe that the difference between the Multicolor and the Multisolid lines is that in the multisolid, you have three distinct colors plied together, whereas in the multicolor line, each of the three plies will be multicolored. Solids are pretty self evident, but I will comment that the colors are incredible, and range from brilliant to muted (in the Autumn line).

I can't tell you how much fun this yarn was to knit with. It's got an almost cotton-y feel to it. The color changes are interesting to watch and keep long stockinette sections from being tedious. They list six colors as above, but because of the way the plies blend, there's pinks and corals and aquas and every color you can imagine. Because it's not splitty, I was able to knit a lacy type pattern with psso's and not constantly have to unsplit the stitches. Being a newish knitter, that's a common problem for me. I've completed one sock, and just finished the gusset decreases on the other, so I'll get pics up as soon as possible (probably several weeks....) As the socks are not yet complete, I don't have a review as to their wear, but I can extrapolate a few things. I'm pretty hard on my knitting. I tend to shove a project into a felted bag, pull it out every so often and do a few rows. I also happen to keep my wrist splint in that bag, and it has velcro straps. The two have met on occasion, to my horror. It seems to have survived fairly well. Toting them around, I have noticed that newly knit areas are smooth and clean, where older areas are a tad fuzzier, have more "bloom." I expect that is what will happen with wear and washing.

One caution; if you are hard on your socks, keep in mind that this yarn is 100% wool; there is no nylon added for strength. You might want to add some wooly nylon to the heels and toes for durability.

A few more cautions; the second half of this skein had THREE knots. Not a good thing. Also, I still have about an inch on to start the toe on the second sock, and I'm starting to fear I may not have enough yarn to finish. These socks are HUGE however; for a man's size 12, with a 8 inch leg. For a normal woman's size, it shouldn't be a problem.

Later Edit: The second half of the skein had SIX knots total. The socks looked lovely when finished; but even though this yarn is advertised as superwash, it felted slightly in the first wash. Luckily for me, they were too large, and felted to just the right size! But it is disturbing that the felting occurred in a yarn labeled superwash.

This yarn was a gift from my most favorite elder child, so I'm not sure of the cost of a skein; but reliable sources tell me you can expect to pay about $18-$20 per skein online, $20-$22 in your LYS. Pricey, yes. Worth it? Perhaps. If you keep the cautions in mind.

Political Rant

2008-02-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

If you're interested; Thus Spake Zac

Redecorating

2008-02-15T12:27:00.000-08:00

Man, I have had a blast trying to figure out how to make this blog not look so canned. I think I missed the boat; I'd love to do this all day.

Drop me a comment and tell me what you think of the new digs!

More CVM

2008-02-12T10:18:00.001-08:00

Well, I bagged up that first fleece. It's going away. It's just too brittle to use, especially after dyeing. I may try to felt it into a dog bed or something, just to not feel like I completely threw the money away.

The good news is that I found a second bag from the same shepherd, and it seems much better. It's another CVM, more even color (gray) and while it's every bit as dirty as the other, it does seem more sound, and therefore worth the time and effort it will take to clean it. I've given it one wash and the tips, while still caked, do open up more easily and don't seem to have the canary stain. They also seem stronger. So I'm going to attempt it. I'll post pictures when I'm able.

But when I test dyed the locks on the first CVM, I also dyed the yarn I spun on Dagmar. I had some old dye solution tucked in the back of my closet, and it seemed fine, so I painted it on the yarn and nuked it. I really love the way it came out.

Not the greatest picture but I hope you can see the colors. They're very vibrant. I'll take another one of it skeined tonight. It's blue, purple and red, and I really love it. I need to find something to knit with it! I'm thinking wristwarmers, maybe with the thumb and cuff in another color.

Fleece is a wash

2008-02-10T14:05:00.000-08:00

After much experimentation, and much thinking and much advice from so many people (thank you all!) I think I'm going to give up on this fleece. The tips are so brittle they just break off with only a fairly strong tug. I tried to dye the locks that I'd cleaned yesterday, and the result was a lovely color, but the texture completely changed; it became coarse and unable to draft. So I think it's going to be compost, or maybe I'll felt it into a dog bed.

There was, however a business card at the bottom of the bag. I think I'll be dropping them a line. What that line will sound like will depend on the condition of the second, larger bag. I'm washing a sinkful to see how clean it will come, and if there's the same yellow staining. I'm hoping this bag (from a different sheep) will be better.

Watch for the sequelae...

Washing day

2008-02-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have this fleece. CVM (California Variegated Mutant). I even know the sheep's name; Lavender. Cool, huh? But it's filthy. Now, I don't have much (any?) experience with raw fleece. I know it's supposed to be dirty. But I've never heard of it being THIS dirty. So if anyone out there reads this and can tell me either what I'm doing wrong, or what is wrong with this fleece, please; fill me in!

To start, here's the raw fleece. There's about a pound; I didn't bother weighing it. I expect it's on the short side of a pound. Here's what the Oklahoma State University database says about CVM:

"Fleece C.V.M. color patterns vary widely, especially in the darkness of body wool. Unlike many sheep, the C.V.M. will not fade with age, but rather darkens from birth to their first year. With the wide variety of color patterns, including dark gray, black, brown, moorit, and spotted, not excluding the barred face badger pattern typical to the original C.V.M.'s, a breed description has been difficult.

Fleece should be bright, uniform and dense, of high yielding, long staple, fine wool. Sheep will average about 8 pounds of wool yearly with spinning counts from 60's to 62's quality. 12 month staple length averages 4 - 6 inches. Wool should have a well defined crimp from base to tip, be pliable to the touch and free from kemp or objectionable fibers.

High quality variegated fine spinning fleeces are in demand, as there are not many of them on the market. Spinners have a tendency to shy away from the fine count, but once they have handled and spun the wool, they enjoy the quality, softness and ease of spinning. The C.V.M. fleece is ideal for soft yarn that will not be scratchy to the skin."

I don't know if you can see in the picture what I'm talking about. Yes, there's VM, and lanolin, and dirt all through the fleece; that's what I'd expect. But the tips of the locks are caked together completely, and the white wool seems stained.

So here's what I did. I placed the fleece into two mesh sweater bags.

I filled my top load washing machine with the hottest water and added about a cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I measured the temperature of the water at 140 degrees F. I placed the bags inside, gently, and let them soak for about half an hour or so.

I pulled the bags out of the water gently, drained the machine, and set the cycle to spin only.

After it had spun the water out, I checked the wool. Parts had become beautifully white, and man did it smell better! But those tips still were totally caked together, and the white wool tips were yellowy brown.

I put them back in the machine to rinse, and then put them out flat to dry. Still, the tips of the fleece are caked, totally stuck together.

I took two locks, one gray, one white, and pulled the caked parts apart. Strand by strand. I soaked them again in the sink, in hot water and a lot of wool wash. Here's the result.

Dirty

Clean

Can you see the crimp? Lovely. And it's wonderfully soft. But the gray is almost bleached brown, and the white is still yellowy ick. Is this permanent?

I'd really love to spin this wool. But is it realistic to pull strand by strand apart and still have it be discolored? I'd love to hear from more experienced people. Should I cut the tips? Should I compost the whole thing? Am I just feebling? Is this normal?

Ravelry

2008-02-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

Well, it's been a while. When I wasn't blogging, I also wasn't reading blogs, or checking out Ravelry, or doing anything much computer-wise. So today I strolled in, updated a few things, cruised around, etc.

I'm still not big on the forums. I have two email groups that are already high volume, and I can barely keep up with those, along with logging my food and posting on SparkPeople every day. So I don't expect I'll spend much time there.

The pattern finder utility is wonderful; and I love how you can search by yarn weight and/or several other keywords. But I have about a BILLION patterns downloaded now that need to be sorted and organized and purged.

The things I think I'll use Ravelry most for are posting my projects, as a journal, and keeping track of my stash. That last will take some time to categorize and enter, but I really would like to do so. And catalogue my handspun; I have so much just spun and tossed in a bag. I really need to weigh, measure, calculate wpi and yardage and keep track of where it's been stashed. This will take some major time.

I'm off to work on the Ventura County Handweaver's and Spinner's Guild newsletter... why don't you check out the blog and website while I'm gone? (links on the side)

Gotta get that color right.

2008-02-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

The pictures I've taken of my birthday socks are bad; the colors look muddy and dull. While it's not a bright colorway, it is more lively than it has looked in these pics. So here's the next try...

Hmmm. Better.

I can't wait to get these finished!

Next up is the merino. Washed and dried, it's better balanced than I expected, barely a twist to the hank. Here's the picture. The coin is a dime, for scale.

2 ply, 32 WPI, 1.6 oz.

Nope, not enough to do anything with. The challenge now will be to try and make more in the same weight and twist.... yeah, right!

The Frog Pond

2008-02-07T11:27:00.000-08:00

My birthday socks.

I decided to frog them. Not all the way; just back into the heel flap. I'm so glad I did! It was a horror to pull out several inches of labored knitting, but they fit and look so much better. I can't tell you how much I love this yarn. I know it's on the pricey side, but it was definitely worth it; it's just fun to knit! And I love the texture. Can't wait to finish them, and get them on my feet.

Notice anything missing? The tags. Oh man, those tags were driving me nuts. It had gotten to the point that while I love the socks, love the yarn, love love love knitting with it, I kept procrastinating. The tags made it so not fun to knit. So I took them out. I think I'll start another project and do the tags differently so they aren't annoying. I like the idea of the project, but honestly, if it becomes "unfun" I just won't do it at all.

And when I do... here's the new way to show them off. Are you ready for this?

Clear Clogs.

And miracle of miracles; in my ginormous size.

And even better? They're comfortable. I'm quite impressed. I really thought they wouldn't fit and they'd be stiff and hard to walk in, but they aren't; and they don't hurt my knee. Wow.

So now I need more handmade socks....

I finished spinning the merino I was spinning on Dagmar (the repaired Norwegian wheel, named after my husband's grandmother, to whom it belonged.) It's quite lovely. A bit overspun as I'm still tweaking how to spin on a double drive wheel. I have a hard time adjusting the take up at first, but it comes along eventually. I want to dye it shades of blue, I think. There's a shock! It's very soft and it's laceweight. I hope I have enough of it to do something with! That's my biggest problem in spinning; I don't ever spin enough of the same fiber the same way to actually knit anything. I'm working on that, I hope.

I've got some CVM that I got raw and have scoured (and scoured and scoured and scoured.... it was the filthiest wool I've ever seen!) The fiber itself under all the dirt is lovely heather gray and very crimpy and soft. I'm going to try to spin it from the lock. There's a full pound, perhaps even two, so I should be able to spin enough to have a project. I've only scoured about an ounce though. It took FIVE washings and after the fourth I finally had to sit down and break apart the clumps at the end of the locks one by one. It's still not as clean as I'd like. I'd almost give up on it, except that this is my very first "sheep to something" fleece, and I really want to complete it. And as I said, the fiber itself is soft and gorgeous, so it will be worth the work. I'm going to take a bit of a different tack with it though; skirt and de-clump first, then scour in the machine a few ounces at a time, with LOTS of Dawn. I've read blogs where people would use literally cups of Dawn, which always seemed a bit excessive to me; however do you rinse out that much detergent? So I usually just give a good squirt or two. I think this fleece may justify a lot more than I'm used to. Listen to me saying "I'm used to" like I do this all the time... sheesh. I've scoured about four ounces total. Go ahead, laugh. I'm laughing too.

Sorrow

2008-02-04T08:54:00.001-08:00

There is no joy in Mudville.

The Pats lost.

Project Pics

2008-02-03T07:41:00.000-08:00

See? All I needed to blog more often was a new phone! With an easy peasy camera that actually WILL email the pic right from my phone. COOL!!!!

So here are my current projects.

These are the Birthday Socks. The yarn is Rio de la Plata, and I love it. I wasn't so sure about the colors; coral and green and yellow; not really my shades, but they've grown on my considerably. And the yarn itself? Wonderful. Tightly spun superwash; feels almost cottony. I checked the label twice because I thought it HAD to be a blend. But nope. 100% Pure New Wool from Uruguay. It's a lacy pattern on the top, but I fudged the heel flap and made it far too long. I really do think I'm going to frog, though I've never frogged that much of one sock before! But I love them so much I think it's worth it.

Here's the second project: Baby Mistake Rib socks. I think I got the pattern free somewhere on line. I like it a lot; and they'll be reversible! I love this yarn as well; it's Ostermann, with the Aloe. It feels nice, and I know it'll soften up even more after washing. I'm a little concerned about matching the second sock; the color hasn't repeated yet that I can tell. I don't care particularly if they match, but I don't want them to look like they were supposed to match but didn't, you know? I think both socks are being knit on Size 0 needles.

Ok, so who wants to know about the tags on the Birthday socks? Anyone? Bueller? I'm participating in a Thesis. Believe it or not, someone is doing a thesis on knitters. We have to tag our project each time we knit, or even more often, and journal what we're doing, how we feel, what's going on in our lives. We'll send them to her sometime next month, and she will be displaying them in a Museum. Very cool! I must say though, it's kind of a pain to knit with all the tags hanging. I think for the second sock I'll mark the places with the pins, but not put the tags on the pins til the sock is done.

And my Gwen Sweater? Also known as my reward sweater? Well... I got about 5 rows done. Then started Christmas knitting. Then got tendonitis. Then got Spinneritis. So it's been languishing in my project bag. I do plan to get back to it at some point. After I finish these two pairs of socks, maybe. I also need to knit a "small thing" for a swap; I want to use homespun but I can't ever seem to have the right weight for the project. Strange....

Long Time No Blog!

2008-02-02T17:09:00.000-08:00

Well, the holidays did me in.

Birthdays, Christmas, New Years, more Birthdays. Not to mention 10 days of Jury duty. So blogging kind of fell by the wayside. But things are settling down, and settling very nicely.

Eric started back to college. He's taking a full slate of courses, English, Biology, Speech, and American Government. Mom, who's become a full blown political geek, is thrilled about that last, and plans on stealing his text at some point. He's doing well in all his classes, and seems to like them.

He also took an acting class, which ended last weekend with a public performance. He did really well; I was so proud! All the plays were interesting, and most of the actors were enjoyable enough to watch. He may continue the class, so we'll see if he gets to play yet another oddball character. (Why do they always choose him for the most bizarre roles?)

Murphy is growing like a weed, and doing well. Very sweet. Very smart. Very verbal. He's particularly good at math, which he MUST have gotten from his father. Soccer season is over, much to his disappointment, but t-ball shall soon step in to the rescue. He and Dad are preparing by playing lots of catch. Remember when he used to hit balls all over the living room at the age of 2? Ah, the good old days....

Peru and I are both well. Coming up on our 8th Anniversary, which is mind blowing. Feels like hardly any time at all has passed since our wedding. Amazing.

I'm still doing the SparkPeople thing. I've lost 55 pounds so far, in a little more than four months. It's getting easier; a lot of things have become habit, so I don't have to think about it so much. It's very gratifying to see my clothes starting to get loose. And even when my boss laughs at my lunch box full of fruit and veggies, I know he's pleased that I"m doing well.

I also got Dorothy's spinning wheel fixed. It's GORGEOUS! and I can spin on it, which is even better. It's a single treadle, so I can spin even when my knee is sore. Took me a while to figure it out; I'd never spun on that kind of a wheel before. Also took me a while to realize it was a double drive, and then a bit more to figure out how to use a double drive. But now I love it. It spins very fine yarns and is very relaxing to spin on. Thank you Dick and Elisa for doing such a great job on it!

My other new toy is a Blackberry. I had a Palm Treo, which I loved. It really helped me organize my life and remember things my ADD brain would normally forget. But I wanted to give it to Eric so it could organize HIS life and help HIM remember things his ADD brain would normally forget. So I bought a new Blackberry Pearl. Oh man, what fun! This phone does things you can't even believe. Including taking the pictures above. Much better than my Treo's camera, which I never bothered to use because the pictures were so grainy. I'm still learning things it can do. And it's TINY. Man. Technology.

I'm still knitting, mostly socks, when my tendonitis lets me. I presently am making socks out of the coolest yarn that Eric gave me for my birthday. Unfortunately, I making them sans pattern, and just tried them on, a few inches past turning the heel. I made the heel pocket a little large. So now I'm torn; frog back? Or keep going? My laziness and my want to wear the socks TOMORROW (I have a small problem with instant gratification, as some of you may have noticed) say keep going; but I love the yarn a LOT, and it's very special because Eric gave it to me, and I know I'll be much happier with them if they fit properly. So I'm leaning toward frogging; but don't yet have the guts to do it. I'll try to get pics soon, now that I can get good ones so easily!

So that's it for the update now; I'll try to do a bit better about blogging. You could encourage that end by leaving a comment to let me know that someone out there actually reads this thing!

Tag

2007-11-29T08:32:00.000-08:00

Random Tagging
Tag - I'm it. I was tagged by Elisa with the 8 Random Things thingee.

Here’s the deal: Once tagged, you must link to the person who tagged you. Then post the rules before your list, and list 8 random things about yourself. At the end of the post, you must tag and link to 8 other people, visit their sites, and leave a comment letting them know they’ve been tagged.

1. I was scared to death to learn to knit socks. I mean, come on, it's not life threatening or anything right? So I learned this spring and I'm addicted. I still giggle every time I turn a heel; it's magic!

2. I'm an archeology geek. I love learning about ancient peoples and watch archeology TV shows till my family begs me to please stop, for the children. I wish I'd known about it when I was younger; I might have become an archeologist. The show the "Naked Archeologist" did on "True Blue" which featured indigo dyeing nearly blew my mind, discussing two of my most favorite things at the same time!

3. Boston is in my blood. I love living in CA, don't get me wrong; but I miss Boston a lot, and will always think of Boston as "home."

4. Having kids is amazing.

5. I have a brown thumb. I would love to garden and grow things but I just can't. I kill everything. I want to grow a dyer's garden but can't even get the seeds started. Except for the madder, which is taking over the pots next to it.

6. I have the attention span of a gnat. And it's getting worse.

7. Somehow, I managed to wait for the "Right" one. A miracle for which I never cease giving thanks.

8. There aren't eight interesting things about me.

I'm supposed to tag 8 other people, but honestly I don't know eight other bloggers I'd feel comfortable tagging. So if you read this, and blog, consider yourself tagged. Drop me a line if you are.

The Holidays Begin

2007-11-21T08:10:00.000-08:00

While looking forward to the holidays, I also dread them on another level. This year I have to be very careful to not blow my diet; so that will be interesting. After Thanksgiving comes the "Birthday Week from Hell" followed by Christmas cookie baking, and then Christmas. Not to mention New Years. Sigh.

My knitting is going.... well, it's going. I finished the Red Sox World Series Socks except for the logo, which may or may not ever get done. My reward sweater is on hold until after the holidays. I'm working on another pair of socks, and some Christmas gifts. I spun some really gorgeous yarns, which again, I should try to get some pictures of someday. I've been sticking to the spindle as my knee keeps flaring up; not enough to hugely impair my life, but enough to not want to push it too badly.

I did start going to the gym again. Ok, I went once. But I do have intentions to go regularly; but the holiday shopping and such have slowed it a bit. I also walked for about an hour with Murphy downtown on Saturday, which I haven't done in a VERY long time. So it's getting there.

Busy time; and Sparkpeople takes up a lot of time! It helps, so I've been doing it, but it keeps me from writing my blog and checking other blogs I enjoy reading.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Do I blog? Oh yeah, I do.

2007-11-02T16:07:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been several weeks since I've blogged. I won't blog at work, and have competition for the computer at night, and my motivation has been lacking... so no posts lately. So - the Update.

The Red Sox won the World Series!!! WHOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!! The only problem was they did it too fast. I cast on a pair of "Red Sox" Socks with the very first pitch, and they were only about half done when the series ended. I'm trying to stay motivated to finish them, because I do really like them; but I'm at the boring stockinette foot part on both socks and there are just too many other interesting things to do.

Halloween: Murphy dressed this year for the first time as something other than Spiderman. I think he's been Spiderman for the last five years. This year, he decided to go with something a bit more spooky - The Grim Reaper!! He looked great, and had a lot of fun. I even went trick or treating with him; the longest I've walked at one time in ages. Maybe there's hope.

Sparkpeople: I have now lost 27.6 pounds. My yarn for my reward sweater has arrived, and I'm swatching. I hope to start the sweater this weekend. I'm scared to death but so excited too. I'll try to get a picture of the yarn; it's a merino/silk blend by Zephyr called Juniper and it's a lovely bluey green. Hence the trouble getting back to the Red Sox socks....

Eric got a job. Actually, he got two jobs, but one was kind of strange, and they laid him off (with good references) after only two days. He's bussing tables at a wonderful restaurant called Azu; he seems to like it pretty well. But he needs more hours...

They're literally tearing the floor of my office up; it's a horrible inside/outside carpet that's been there since 1953. Really. They're putting in ceramic tile, and it looks nice and all, but it's nearly impossible for me to get any work done. So I came home early today. Hopefully they'll be almost done by Monday.

Guess that's about it. I know, I should get some pictures. These wordy entries aren't very interesting. That's why I don't blog often enough; too hard to get good pictures! But I'll try this weekend.

Oh! Speaking of weekend; Murphy is SO excited; he's playing the Huskies tomorrow! There are several of his classmates on that team and he can't wait to play against them. I'll try to get some pictures of that as well.

The Yarn Museum

2007-10-09T11:10:00.000-07:00

The Yarn Museum My Halloween yarn made this year's show! Check out the Halloween gallery; and some of the other galleries if you want to see really bizarre yarns!

SparkPeople

2007-10-09T08:26:00.000-07:00

Haven't posted in a bit. Not much going on. Knee is progressing; I can almost walk without a limp and have intermittant pain, instead of constant. I've started back on a serious diet, with the aid of the website http://www.sparkpeople.com/. There's a lot of extra junk on there, which can take up a lot of time, but mostly I use it to log in my food intake and weigh ins. Today starts my third week, and I've lost 17 pounds so far; though in all honesty probably ten of those pounds were water, as my doc put me on a diuretic for those swollen feet and ankles. But still, even seven pounds in two weeks is good. I'm feeling pretty positive; it's feeling a lot like when I lost a hundred pounds a few years ago. I'm lucky to have so much support; especially from my husband, who makes it very clear that he loves me no matter what my weight is but that he's proud of me for being healthy so I'll be around longer. He cooks in a manner that helps me stay on my diet, too, which makes it so much easier. He doesn't add salt or butter when he cooks, he provides really healthy food in reasonable portions; and best of all, he sprinkles in hugs and kisses liberally. Have I mentioned how much I love this man?

Ok, enough with the schmaltz, eh? The kids are fine; Murphy still loves both school and soccer, and his team is 2-2. Eric is looking seriously for a job (anyone have a lead?) and Peru is still doing the Help of Ojai thing, and taking music gigs as they pop up. The weather has cooled to a comfortable zone and the sun is out most of the time. There are even a few trees out here that manage to change colors, and we get to watch the Sox and the Pats as they're both doing really well so I don't miss New England TOO much.

I finished Eric's socks; pictures soon, I hope. I haven't done much spinning as I'm afraid it'll re-injure my knee, but I"m starting to think I might try soon. I'm going to start a project to help in my weight loss efforts; I'm going to knit myself a sweater in the size I want to be (pretty much the size I got to last time.) This is the sweater:

The pattern is "Gwen" from the Louet company. It's a sleeveless tank, knit top down in one peice, which is what I wanted, as it's the sewing peices together that makes my knit goods look homemade. It's cabled, which doesn't intimidate me too much; I'm pretty comfortable with cables. But this will be the first adult sweater I've ever made. It's also fitted a little more than I'd really like, but then, that will just be incentive to exercise more, right? I figure it'll take me a year more or less to lose the weight, and probably the same to knit this. After I've stuck to the diet one month, keeping the journal, I'll buy the yarn as my reward. Cast off, and away we'll go!

Ravelry: The Great Time Suck

2007-09-29T11:41:00.000-07:00

That's what they've been calling Ravelry; and it's true. You can spend hour upon hour browsing patterns, looking up your friends, choosing yarns. Once you get in, it'll be hard to find time to knit anymore!

I had a problem where my blog wasn't showing up on my page, but I think I fixed it. I'll find out soon.

Haven't had much knitting or spinning time lately. Work, family, life has intruded, but it's all good. My wrist still hurts so I don't want to do too much and make it worse. I've been drop spindling a lot. I'll have to take some pictures soon of a lesson I learned about gauge and how one spins can affect the outcome.

Murphy's at soccer, so I'm going to go make food for the guys when they get home.

My Swap Box Arrived!

2007-09-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

I love swaps, have you noticed? It's fun to give and receive little presents from people all over. This swap was to use up those small bits of fiber that seem to accumulate; not enough to actually do much with, but too pretty to discard. We were to make some sort of bag, knit, crochet, felted, whatever, and fill it with those little bits.

Jessica is my partner and boy, did she send it FAST! I'm still working on hers. But here's what greeted me at the door last night.

A lovely felted bag with great texture, just the right size to carry a project with me. In light tan, white and gray/black, with a beautiful beaded accent. In the bag were several gorgeous fibers, including a wool/silk blend and some of the softest alpaca. YUM! And some Lantern Moon needles, in size nine, which somehow she new I needed for the project I'm wanting to work on. Thank you, Jessica! I'm going to have to do some serious stash diving to put yours together!

SQUEAL!!!!!!

2007-09-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

Got my Ravelry invite; barely signed up and I LOVE it already! Don't expect to hear from me for quite some time. WHOOO HOOOOOO

I want to know WHO!

2007-09-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

What bog-brained idiot had the affrontery to schedule the Pats game against the Red Sox game? I mean, really. Against the YANKEES? With Schilling on the mound? Against Clemens? And here we are, in the seventh inning stretch, TIED at 1-1? At least the Pats game has been mostly a wipe, so I can pretty much stick with the Sox. If my heart can take it...

Some pics of those WIPs:

The Seraphina.

Yes, I loathe pink. I haven't the slightest idea why I bought this yarn. It must have been a momentary lapse, caused by the incredibly low price tag, coupled with global warming and too much sugar. Or something.

But I somehow like the texture of it crocheted really tightly; it's like terrycloth. I plan on finishing this, even if it takes a while. It will be warm, which was the original objective.

The Modea Tutu Tank.

Again, with the pink. Purchased around the same time. Amnesia. Something chemical in the air. And again, the price. It was going out of stock, so they were clearing it out at like a dollar a skein. I hadn't yet learned that I hate, I mean, with a hate so deep and black it melds with space, novelty yarn.

This tank is so not for me and my forty-something, ever so slightly (ha!)Rubenesque, I've had two children and a lifetime of chocolate cravings figure. But I figured I'd better do something with the yarn or it'd be in my stash forever. I had four skeins. The pattern called for four skeins. Ergo - WIP.

The Triangle Shawl

This is a creation out of my own desperation. I bought this yarn on Ebay. The picture doesn't show it well, but it's black with strands of turquoise and coral as the second and third plies. The colors are bright and electric and I loved the yarn, even though it's acrylic. But what to do with it? It's boucle, so anything smooth textured is out. I tried pattern after pattern after pattern, and nothing worked. I frogged so many times there were flies buzzing. So I decided to make it up as I went along. Again, you can't see it in the picture, but there are lace flowers about two inches in from the border. I'm toying with trying a central motif but I'd better decide soon. I'm also trying to find a nice shaping that will avoid the triangle bunching at the nape and help keep the shawl on the shoulders. I've seen a deep V shaping on a shawl I really liked, and I may take a stab at it. Luckily, this yarn takes frogging well.

No picture of the Pinwheel Sweater, as right now it looks like a hat and in a photo simply looks like a blob. I'm trying to trust that once off the needles, it will miraculously become a flat, perfect circle but my faith is being stretched. I'm almost to the sleeve shaping, and THAT should be fun.

It's now the eight inning. I am not a happy camper. Have I ever mentioned how much I abhor Derek Jeter? And what moron decided to keep Schilling into the eighth? Must be the same guy that scheduled both Boston games at the same time. ARRRGHHHHHHH

WIPs

2007-09-16T09:10:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I lied. Yesterday I updated the OTN bot to include the Seraphina Shawl. I made one a year or two ago, and I love it; but I made it on a huge hook with bulky yarn. As a result, it's VERY open and not warm at all.

So I thought hey, maybe crocheting would be easier on my tendonitis than knitting. You use the hook in your right hand, not left, so no bending on the left wrist. WRONG. I found crocheting much more painful than knitting. So with only 6 rows completed, I"m putting it aside for a bit, despite the fact that I LOVE the fabric it's making. I'm using that rainbow boucle stuff that JoAnne's had last year in the humongous skeins, and I'm using a very small hook, C or D. It's coming out looking almost like a felted fabric, somehow, with much smaller open spaces, so it will be warm. I do plan on finishing it someday, but it'll have to wait for some rehab.

Instead, I started the Pinwheel Sweater in the child's size. I know it's nuts. I've never made a sweater that looked like a sweater. I don't have enough yarn (I'm using Noro Silk Garden, and I only have two skeins). The colors will be, well, interesting, not graduated as they are in the original. But what the hey, it's worth a shot. It's a fun pattern, with no sewing. Sewing pieces together is what makes my sweaters look, well, like hell. I haven't gotten the hang of a smooth join yet, so my seams look bulky and uneven. So that's my current WIP.

I did get my swap boxes, both of them, in the mail yesterday, and only a little late. Now to put Toni's box together. She sent me such wonderful things, I'll have to come up with something really special to thank her.

Antsy for Ravelry

2007-09-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

Found you!
You signed up on July 8, 2007
You are #14966 on the list.
1906 people are ahead of you in line.
17775 people are behind you in line.
39% of the list has been invited so far

So, maybe 10 days? I can almost taste it!

The doings of the past week or so

2007-09-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a busy time. Last weekend was Murphy's SEVENTH birthday. Mammama came to visit for the occasion. It was so wonderful to see her, especially seeing her looking so well. She kept us on our toes and we had a lovely visit that was far too short.

Being the dweebs we are, we didn't take a single photo of the birthday party. Duh. Auntie Merridee and Uncle Terry came for the party, as did Murphy's best friend Natie. There was food and fun and good times for all.

Prior to the party, Murphy had his very first soccer game. The Ojai Tigers, I am proud to report, whomped the other team 17 to 2. Murph didn't score any goals, but did have a few assists. He really loves soccer!

The Next Big Thing

2007-09-13T05:02:00.000-07:00

Secret of the Stole

Me? A Soccer Mom?

2007-09-06T05:03:00.000-07:00

Is this not the cutest child in the history of the world?

Murphy's first soccer practice was last night. He's really GOOD at it! Daddy is a little bummed that basketball is not the chosen athletic activity (Who knows anything about Soccer?) but we're so proud of him anyway.

His team is called the Ojai Tigers with really cool orange black and white uniforms, which fits in really well with a certain plan that Mom has if she's ever allowed to knit again.....

His first game is Saturday, which also happens to be his Birthday Party day... so I'm looking forward to a very busy, very fun weekend. And Mammama is coming today for the celebration; we're all so excited and can't wait to see her!

Enough with the heat, already.

2007-09-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

We're currently in a major heat wave. Temps in Ojai Saturday were ONE HUNDRED AND NINE degrees, and it's humid (for here. In Boston, 60% humidity is to laugh!) We've had brown/black outs two days in a row; Saturday it lasted long enough that we packed everyone up in the air conditioned van and took a drive to Ventura, just to get cool. We could live with the brown outs; turn everything off but the ceiling fans and it was tolerable, but when the power went completely, it was brutal. Even at 10 pm the temp was still close to 100.

Brown outs are a new phenomenon to me. In Boston, a "brown out" was what happened just before a black out; the lights would dim, then go dark. In California, a brown out can last for hours. Sort of a 80% power reduction; it's really bad, actually. Everything just keeps trying to start up again. Our computer kept trying to reboot itself, over and over and over every few seconds, until we realized it and managed to track down where it was plugged in. I'm amazed that it wasn't completely fried. Oh, and getting a UPS has now moved to the front of the "important expenditures" column...

I managed to get some dyeing done yesterday. I mordanted a bunch of sample skeins with alum, and test dyed some wood shavings that Elisa's husband Dick donated to the cause (Thanks, guys!) It's a mixed bag of wood types which I have been steeping in alcohol for a week or two. The color is amazing; it came out the exact color of Cocoa Krispies! I dyed a large-ish skein of unknown fiber (wool) that I received in a swap, and it's quite pretty. I'll try to get some pictures up later. Ok, the picture DOES have a pink background, which emphasizes the pinky brownness, but the color does seem pretty true. If I'm up to it (which is doubtful, having promised Murphy pancakes for breakfast which for some reason tortures my knee) I'll try the ebony shavings also donated by Dick. The liquor is quite dark, but I'm doubting that the resultant dye will be black. It's so much fun to play and find out! Always a surprise. ADDENDUM: the ebony is pretty much the same color; a tad darker, I think. It's still drying, will post someday....

I want to knit so badly (some think I *do* knit badly, rimshot) it's really driving me crazy. I don't feel like the brace is helping; my wrist still hurts and I still have the little lump there. Ok, so it hasn't been a full week yet. I'm trying to follow the rules. Sigh.

More later, I hope.

More Frustrations

2007-09-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

I'm typing this VERY laboriously, with a brace on my left wrist. It seems I either have a recurrance of a ganglia which I had surgically removed when I was a teen, or tendonitis. I lean towards the former, my doctor leans towards the latter. Doesn't really matter, as the early treatment for both is immobilization, rest, etc. Therefore, I am under strict orders; NO KNITTING for at least a week. Oh dear God. I can't spin because my knee got really badly worse this week, so I got a cortisone shot for that, which helped until I decided to make zucchini bread. I can't knit. I am probably not supposed to spindle either, but come on! I have to do something! So I'm using the wonderful Jerusalem spindle which I LOVE, but I'm using it very carefully, with my brace on (fun!) making sure not to flex the wrist at all. It doesn't hurt to do it, so I'm assuming it's okay. I finished spinning the merino from my swap partner; today I'll ply it (laceweight, I think!!!!) and maybe dye it if I'm feeling adventurous. The spindle really is amazing; it spins fast and forever, and it holds an unbelievable amount of fiber. It was just starting to act heavy as I was finishing up the last few inches of the fiber. I'll weigh it off the spindle to see how much it holds, but it's a LOT.

Murphy's wonky tooth finally came out. He'll be seven next week and he looks so grown up, so earnest and excited about everything. Children are so amazing. I'm so blessed to have such wonderful ones. School has started, and his favorite subject is PE. This is MY child? Nope; he's his Daddy's boy, through and through. That's a blessing too!

Seeing as there's a line for the computer, and I have some swap boxes and birthday stuff to pack up, this entry is short. Lucky you!

Swap Box Arrived!

2007-08-25T20:16:00.000-07:00

My husband and son and I were on our way out to dinner at our favorite restaurant, Sea Fresh (mmmm, calmari!) and I nearly tripped over a big box on our drive. I squealed, scaring both husband and child, and grabbed the box, getting into the car.

Wait to get home to open it? I don't think so!!! In the car, I inspected the box, and then carefully opened it. The return address was marked Israel! WOW! I love these swaps; to be able to contact people all over the world and share a bit of our selves and our culture is a wonderful experience. I always feel I shortchange the people on the other end; American stuff seems to be available almost everywhere, and I have a hard time looking for unique interesting things that I think they might not have access to.

Anyway; on to the booty!!!

First; the fiber.

A HUGE package of white alpaca, just gorgeous! All the alpaca I have has been brown, so white is a treat. Along with it was a smaller package of less prepared fiber that I'll have fun picking and combing ( I am GOING to get those combs set up tomorrow!) I'm already planning what to make of it; a shawl? Some fine lace gauntlets? There's enough there for several decent projects. And there's always a dyeing scheme to plan...

Then there's a heavenly bag of superfine Australian merino. Ohhh yum. White as snow and softer than a cloud; it's just gorgeous. People say it's hard to spin, but not to me; it's like buttah, I swear! I love it. The smaller bag of brown fiber is baby camel. WOW! I can cross one more off my list of exotic fibers I want to spin! Even with bits of twigs and such, it feels so soft I just want to dive right in.

Then she sent some cotton yarn in a really beautiful solid blue color and a varigated brown and gold. This is a godsend, as I've been dying to make a market bag and didn't have any cotton yarn to use. This will be perfect! It's an Israeli brand too. The blue isn't quite as electric as it looks; I really do need to take some photography lessons.

On to the YUMMIES!!!

Some really interesting snack foods. One is a peanut butter flavored puff which she says is very popular with children there. I'll add it's pretty popular with children here too! Murphy couldn't wait to dive in and is thrilled that I've given him permission to take it to school in his lunchbox. I tried to explain where Israel is, and show him how the language is different, but I'm not sure he really grasps the concept. But he sure likes the treats!

While he munched those, I treated myself to a lovely cup of spearmint tea and a bit of chocolate (with hazelnut filling; YUM!). She enclosed a large bag with treat size chocolates of three different types. What a treat!

Last, but most exciting to me, is this amazing spindle.

This is her information about it. "Jerusalem High Whorl Spindle. This spindle, although originally in a larger size, was used in the early '20's in Israel. I reduced the size to allow spinning with today's fine wools. It is a very balanced spindle, and I will be submitting an article to spindleandwheel.com in Sept. and it will explain its history."

As you can see, the whorl is square, with two notches on each side. It is indeed well balanced and spins forever. It's heavy (compared to my featherweight bossies!), but not too heavy, and I picked that baby up and grabbed some of the merino and spun a really fine thread sooooo easily. Oh, I LOVE it. I'm going to be spinning a lot on it, as my knee is still too painful to treadle my wheel.

Toni, I thank you so very much for your kindness and generosity! This package is amazing and far exceeded my expectations. I am truly blown away. I hope your partner is as wonderful to you as you have been to me. Thank you thank you thank you!

Spinning Exhibition

2007-08-08T19:31:00.000-07:00

Sunday was the Spinning Competition/Exhibition at the VC fair. Unfortunately, it was mostly cancelled, as the building we were to have it in also held the livestock judging. Two hours after we were to have begun our little deal, they were still judging livestock, with no end in sight. So a vote was taken to suspend the competition for this year, other than the Advanced category, which was held outside the building where we had been demo-ing. Since I was a beginner, I passed, but it was fun to watch. And I still got a lovely basket of yummy fibery goodness for showing up!

Here's a pic of the turquoise top I spun while we waited. The color is unbelievable! I already spun a bobbin of it some time ago; I need to knit a swatch and see if it felts. I have a few ideas in mind, but it's critical to know if it will felt! It's not the softest fiber, but it's got great sheen and is very durable. I'd like to knit socks but this fiber seems to want to spin thicker than fingering weight. Funny how some fiber has a mind of it's own...

So it's on to Monday, and my next adventure. I was driving home from work, when about a block away I feel a huge THUNK. I look back at the road to see what I might have hit, and there's nothing to be seen. So I turn into my street, and suddenly there's that horrible, terrible flopping clunking noise that says "YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE!" Sigh. I'd complain, but really, I'm so grateful that I was close enough to limp into the driveway rather than being stuck on the side of the highway that the sigh is enough. My fabulous, incredible and eternally patient husband finished assembling the enchilada verde that he was making for dinner, popped it in the oven, and dealt with the whole mess, entrusting me only with removing said dinner from the oven when it was done. Have I mentioned how amazing my husband is? So he takes the tire off, brings it to the tire shop where they mount a new tire, and discover just why my tire went flat. Wanna see?

The round circle is a quarter, for proportion. This is the bottom of a jackhammer. This 10 inch long monstrosity was INSIDE my steel belted radial tire. Yikes. Scary to think where it might have gone if not into the tire!

I'm knitting a triangular shawl out of this gorgeous-even-though-it's-acrylic yarn; black boucle with aqua and orange threads plied in. The pattern is one I'm making up on the needles, so this should be very interesting. I've never not had a pattern to make something before. I tried about 4 different patterns and didn't like the way the yarn looked with any of them, so I'm winging it.

Just finished the gusset on the first Moc Croc but I'm already planning my next pair. I really want to do the Bayerische Socks but I'm not sure I'm up to the task; they are amazing!

Bedtime for the littlest one. Leave a comment if you read my blog; it gets lonely!

Proud of my Dad

2007-08-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

Check out the link to the left to see what my retired Dad has been up to in Florida. He's helping to build a railroad! It's such a cool project and he's so excited about it. Here's a pic, stolen from their website; but wander on over and have a look. It's a great thing!

And the final post today. Promise!

2007-08-04T19:40:00.000-07:00

I forgot to post the pictures of my Tour de Fleece project; so here they are!

This is the merino tencel blend. I hope you can see the colors; I'm so in love with them. I'd love suggestions on what to do with this; I only have about 2 ounces, and I'd say it was a thin fingering weight.

This is the chocolate alpaca. Oh it's sooo soft! I'm really pleased with the way it came out. Again, I have no idea what to do with it; this one is about 4 oz. A hat, maybe? Or a neck warmer; I know this will be very warm!

It was a fun challenge, and I only missed two days, when my knee was really bad. I reduced my fiber stash right? Of course, I increased my yarn stash....

And still one more post today!

2007-08-04T19:37:00.001-07:00

Washed the fleece I bought at the Fair yesterday. SO COOL! The nice thing is that it's a breed I've never seen before, so I can add it to my Breedswap book. WHOO HOO!!

It's softer than I expected and I have great plans for this wool. And lots to learn to get it all done... oy.

More Dye Experiments

2007-08-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

I tried the copper again, this time wetting the fiber properly, and I left it simmering for maybe twelve hours. The result is amazing, at least to me. A really dark moss green.

The lighter green is my first attempt with avocados. This was steeped in alcohol for weeks. Simmered a long time, several hours at least. It's a true 70's appliance avocado color. I was expecting neon green. I wonder if my water has anything to do with it?

Then this is a batch of ecualyptus BARK (not wood, as before.) The liquor was a ruby red, so pretty! But I had the feeling I'd end up with more of a brown. Still, it's a pretty brown. So much fun to see how things change!

One of the things I learned with this session is that my little crock pot still can get hot enough to boil the liquid, so I'll have to really keep an eye on it. Maybe use one of the electric thermometers from the kitchen to alarm when it hits a certain temperature; I know some natural dyes are very sensitive to heat.

Always something more too learn!

A Crime Against Fiber

2007-08-04T19:09:00.000-07:00

While I enjoy the occasional novelty yarn or fiber, I mostly prefer it simple, natural, un-augmented. Especially if it's good fiber. But then one runs into an absolute crime.

I won some fiber in the Guild raffle a month or three back. One of them is GORGEOUS; a brilliantly soft, heathered, taupe-y color something that feels like a merino blend. I've spun it lace weight (I hope - it's still on the bobbin) and wish I had a pound more of it. It's probably only half an ounce. Sigh.

Along with it is this. The base fiber is wonderful; soft, high lustre, fine crimp, low micron count. It's a deep grape color. And then someone carded in lumps of cotton, I think. Ohhh it's so sad! It can only be spun thick/thin, which I don't like. There are tantalizing spaces where there's no cotton and you can really get a feel for what the fiber is like; then CRASH in stomps a big lump. I spindle spun some, plied and skeined it. Can't imagine what I'd ever use it for. A tragedy, really.

Sheep to Shawl

2007-08-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I played hooky from work (with my boss' approval - there are advantages to working in Ag!) to participate in my guild's Sheep to Shawl Exhibition at the Ventura County Fair. It was a blast! There were somewhere between 15-20 people there, spinning or carding or plying, while Chris our President, wove. My knee was giving me a bit of trouble and by the time I got home, I could barely walk, but it was worth it. And my thoughtful husband, who must love me a lot, thought to bring my cane when he came to pick me up. And a soda! Whataguy!

The shawl was really beautiful when it was finished. I wasn't wild about the colors of the yarn we were spinning; purple and green and orange; but when it was spun and used as weft against the lovely rich brown warp, it was muted and really lovely. I hope we got a really good price for it!

I also managed to come home with some fiber; the shepards weren't stupid. Having a captive audience of spinners they came with huge bags of fleece of every color and type. I managed to limit myself to two purchases, one I can't tell about because it's going to be a Christmas present, but the other is just YUM; a 50% Mohair, 30% Merino and 20% Angora blend in a lovely medium dark charcoal color. Oh man, it is to die for! I wish they had feel-o-blog so I could post and you could touch it. Hey, Mr. Gates? Get right on that, won't you?

The boys came with for a while, just to not disappoint, but we'll come on Sunday to do the BIG stuff. I'm going to participate in the Spinning Competition/Exhibition which should be interesting, to say the least! Then we'll have the rest of the day for fun. I just hope I can walk by then!

Trekking Socks

2007-07-30T17:51:00.001-07:00

Have moved from OTN to FO. Witness.

I have now cast on for another pair of the Knitpicks Moc Croc socks. They're the only pattern that seems suitable to me for the yarn I'm using currently; a very short color change and a cottony type feel. I tried casting on for the Zokni socks but hated the way they looked. So I .... wait for it... RIPPED them out! I guess I'm getting more mature about my knitting. Good thing I am about something!

Later will be picks of the fiber spun during the Tour de Fleece. Oh! And my boss' wife tells me my plant is Dusty Miller. WHoo hoo!

Dye Swatch

2007-07-30T05:41:00.001-07:00

I knit this from samples from the experiments in the previous post. I think I'm going to continue it with each experiment.

Dyeing Experiments

2007-07-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

May, 2007
My first dyeing experiment was with Eucalyptus wood. The wood was obtained from a tree in our yard which had fallen during a wind storm over the winter. The wood had aged a bit, perhaps four months, on the ground. It was in chunks of about one inch or so. I steeped it in Everclear for several weeks. I then heated it in the microwave with two small skeins, one mordanted with aluminum alum and the other unmordanted. I heated and cooled it a minute or two at a time, approximately 5 times. I allowed it to cool, removed and rinsed the yarn. It left a lovely reddish tan color on both skeins. I cannot tell any difference at present between the mordanted and unmordanted.

June, 2007
My second experiment was with an unidentified plant from our front yard. Dorothy said it was “Gray” something. The leaves and stem are a gray color with irregular shaped leaves, and the flower is a small bright yellow with multiple leaves. I used the flowers only, collected at full bloom, and steeped for several weeks in everclear. I again used the heat and cool method in the microwave, with a skein each of mordanted and unmordanted wool. The color left is a soft sage, actually very pretty. Again, I can’t see any difference between the mordanted and unmordanted.

July 2007
My third experiment was with copper. I made several mistakes with this experiment. The first was using a copper scrubber that was “copperized” rather than one of real copper. I steeped it in water for several weeks, then heated it with the skeins. No color change whatever.

I then got some real copper scrubbers. I placed one in water, in a small crock pot, and added the yarn, unfortunately, dry. Duh. I simmered overnight. It made a color change to a green/blue color, but was very blotchy and uneven. I blame it on the dry yarn and lack of stirring. Just for fun, I stirred the pot well, wet the skeins, and threw them back in. The color change was much better, but the areas that had dyed previously turned sort of a greenish black. A far less pleasing color. I hope to try again with better techniques to see if I can get a more even color.

I currently have two pots of avocado peel fermenting; one in water, one in alcohol. I’m still looking for non sudsing ammonia to do another pot. I also added more alcohol to the first pot of eucalyptus wood and have left that steeping as well. And today, I just decided to try the copper again... the right way. Pics for all these experiments soon, I hope. (I guess I need to pay my photographer more. Right, honey?) Pics added.

Can anyone tell me what this plant is?

Ravelry

2007-07-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

Found you!
You signed up on July 8, 2007
You are #14966 on the list.
7604 people are ahead of you in line.
6463 people are behind you in line.
33% of the list has been invited so far

Sigh. Why do I torture myself looking EVERY SINGLE DAY when they're inviting about 200 per day? At that rate it'll be like a YEAR. Sigh.

Sniff

2007-07-27T17:49:00.000-07:00

Due to some unexpected expenses, I decided the other day to sell on of my wheels. I listed it on http://fiberfinds.com/ and surprisingly, I got a call almost immediately! (Thanks, Elisa!) Tonight, however, as I was cleaning it and preparing it for transport to Guild tomorrow, I started to tear up. I can't sell this wheel! This was my first big deal! My husband and I lovingly sanded and stained and assembled it. I LOVE this wheel! Yes, I love all my wheels. What's a fiber freak to do?

So I'm already spinning up some charcol gray Coopworth X New Zealand roving on my beloved Baynes. I'm not ready to give her up. I guess we'll just have to look harder in the sofa cushions.

But there WILL be fiber and FO's for sale in the store, as soon as the resident photographer takes the pics!

Tour Crash

2007-07-26T21:15:00.001-07:00

Well, I was going gangbusters for a while there. I spun the two ounces of tencel wool blend and I love the results. I'm 7/8ths done with 4 oz of chocolate alpaca (YUM!) when BOOM.... the knee flares up again.

I was finally feeling hopeful. Monday, the WHOLE day, I walked sans limp. No pain. I walked without a waddle, without the ache. I was gleeful. Giddy even. Then Tuesday evening came, and I could feel the joint getting tight, swelling up by the minute. By Wednesday night, I was considering pulling out the cane. Sigh.

So, fortuitously, I had a follow up with the esteemed surgeon. He said "Considering what we found when we got in there, this isn't really surprising. This will not be your last surgery. Care for some cortisone shot?"

I'm ten weeks post op, for crying out loud! I really had expected to be better than this.

I declined the shot, as I'm afraid of the "kickback" effect he described. It's better today and really, it's not so much painful as distressing. I'll hold off on the cortisone until it's more severe. After all, Monday was so good! If it got there once, it'll get there again, right? So I do my exercises and ice and hold my breath a lot.

But it has cramped my spinning. Rats. Maybe this weekend I'll be able to get back to it. I hope so!

Updating

2007-07-25T22:41:00.001-07:00

I haven't updated my links and such in a while. I've started, but it's going to take a while! Meanwhile, check out my store at Fiber Finds.com; I've posted a few things but more will be ups shortly. I'd love your comments on the store.

I need to reduce my stash, so look for a LOT of yarn and fiber to be put up soon.

OUCH!!!!!!

2007-07-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't poke myself with a DPN. Much, much, much worse.

I frogged my Mystery Stole.

153 rows completed, and I just wasn't happy with it. I'd made a few mistakes, and that defective yarn thing just made the whole stole look sloppy and ick. So I bit the bullet and with tears rolling, I frogged the entire thing. Cut off the first 100 yards or so of the triple ply, and already I'm back on the horse. (Man, I'm using a lot of aphorisms...)

I am so glad I did it.

The second attempt is coming out so much cleaner looking. I'm using size three needles instead of the fours I was using, and instead of the addi circ, I"m using some Crystal Palace bamboo straights. The points are much more suited to the lace weight yarn, and it's not sliding the way it did on the addi's. I'm thrilled. Ok, so it was two weeks worth of work; I'll be so much happier with the finished product.

For those who don't know, and probably don't care, I hate ripping out. Tinking back a row, well, maybe; but to actually RIP out rows where you have to go back and pick up the stitches again? YIKES! I'd rather start over. And with this project it really was best.

So now I"m excited about the MS3 again.

Oh, and I've kept up with the Tour de Fleece; I finished the tencel blend and I love it. I think I'm going to keep it as a single; it seems fairly well balanced and I don't want to mess up the colors. With only 2 oz, I don't know what to do with it though.

Now I'm trying to do a lovely chocolate brown alpaca in lace weight plied... we'll see!

Pics when able.

Tour de Fleece

2007-07-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I haven't done much spinning of late. My knee hurt too much until about two weeks ago. I was so happy when I found I could spin again, I jumped right in and spun too long, and my knee ached for days. So I decided to limit the time spinning per day. Which was ok. But I've been spinning this CRAP fiber that I'm so disappointed in. I need to look up where I bought it because I never EVER want to buy fiber there again. I got it directly from the shepard's farm. The breed is Polypay. It's sticky (despite two washings and a dyeing), it's full of VM and coarse black hairs, which I could live with, but it's also full of neps. I mean FULL of neps. I end up pulling out a huge pile of unspinnable fiber every time I spin it, and it just not fun. I finally finished one strip of purple koolaid dyed fiber, washed and skeined it, and it's horrible. I had wanted to use it for the Sheep Thrills hat exchange, but no way would I wear a hat made out of it; it's far too coarse and itchy.

So when I started the Tour de Fleece, (and I haven't missed a day yet!) I finished the purple, started on the red. But this was duty. This was labor. This was a miserable time. Last night I decided if I was going to commit to a project like this, I should enjoy it, dammit! So I took that bobbin off the Majacraft and thought "what would I love to spin?"

Ohhhhh my. I bought this roving at the Santa Monica Fiber and bead Fest last August and have been afraid to touch it. The colors are so amazing! So I threw caution to the wind and loaded up a fresh bobbing and oh my I am in LOVE. The fiber is Tencel and Merino and it feels and looks like silk. The color is copper and brown and purple and green and just gorgeous. My husband thought it looked like a coil of copper wire, but soft! I can't wait to spin this stuff and I finally remember why I love to spin.

The lesson being get good fiber! It's such a shame that the Polypay is such a mess, and purely the shepardess' fault in carding, I think. I have a pound of the roving, and I'll spin it all eventually, but it's too icky to make anything to wear, so I'm wondering why.

Anyone with a suggestion on what to do with it? Compost heap? Maybe dog coats? Rug?

Promised Pics

2007-07-08T16:59:00.001-07:00

Ok, these are the socks. Bad photo. Blame the otherwise perfect Spouse. Will try again later.

These are the newly cast on trekking socks. It's funny, but I really like Trekking yarn. It's coarse, not wonderfully soft like most fiber I like, but somehow, the socks come out really great. Of course, 110 degree heat in Southern CA doesn't exactly make one run for the warm socks...

And here is the MS3, completed up to row 132. Can you see the line where the plys changed? I'm hoping when it's finished and blocked, it won't be too noticeable. And if it is? Well, another shawl for me!

Fibery Stuff

2007-07-08T07:59:00.000-07:00

I am in love with homemade socks. I have now made five pairs and have cast on for my sixth. They are fun to make, portable with large sections that don't require huge detailed attention, and so comfortable to wear. It's also very cool to have people exclaim "You MADE those?"

I've learned a lot in making those pairs, and continue to do so. I never knew there were so many ways of making heels and toes, or even of knitting types. DPN's, both one and two circular needle, toe up, toe down. It's amazing. I feel a need to design coming on, and perhaps after I finish the Simple Trekking Socks I will take a stab at it.

I've signed up for a few "---a-longs"; the Tour de Fleece, which is a commitment to spin every day the Tour de France runs. I'm participating in an exchange on the Sheep Thrills group where we spin the yarn to then knit (or crochet) a hat, due in September. Finally, I'm doing (and yes, actually doing! the MS3 knit along. MS3 means Mystery Stole #3. It's a lace stole being knitted sight unseen by thousands of people all over the world. We receive "clues" every Friday and try to knit them before the next clue is released. I started the MS2 last year and never got past the 8th row. Stop laughing! I had only just learned to knit, and it was a little over my head. This year I'm up to row 115, and it's going fairly well. I'll get a picture up soon. The only problem with it is that my yarn is faulty. STOP LAUGHING, I said! No, really it is! I'm using White Jaggerspun Zephyr, which is a lovely lace weight 50% wool, 50% silk. After knitting 110 rows, it suddenly went from a three ply to a two ply. Losing a third of it's bulk changes how the knitting looks, who knew? It seems like the rest of the one pound cone I purchased remains two ply, so I'm not quite sure what to do. If you think I'm frogging 110 rows of beaded lace, you're out of your mind! I'm hoping it won't be that noticeable. STOP LAUGHING!

Time for coffee, and maybe some picture taking, and then to tackle the 116th row...

On to something lighter.

2007-07-08T07:52:00.001-07:00

You know how being a parent can be really really hard? When you have those days that you're so stressed out and exhausted that just brushing your child's teeth seems insurmountable?

Today, I had a day that makes those days worthwhile.

Murphy and Dad were playing games on the computer, and he mentioned that he had had a bad day the day before; he'd broken a knick-knack, and hurt himself, and forgotten a thing or two which needed correcting. But then he said something that made every travail in my whole life worth it. He said

"Yeah, but most of my days are the best day ever."

Beam.

An open letter to ALL Politicians

2007-07-06T19:48:00.000-07:00

Wake up.

No, really. I mean it.

You claim to want what’s best for this country. You claim to serve it. YOU ARE LYING.

Stop worrying about the next election. Stop worrying about your legacy, and your war-chest, and your popularity. Wake up and look, really LOOK at what’s happening in this country.

We are losing America.

Every value, every right and freedom and philosophy that the Founding Fathers worked so hard for, that they fought and died for, that they risked everything for; it’s all being trashed by a power hungry greedy corporatist administration. Six years in office and somehow these people have pulled the Constitution right out from under us, and you have allowed it.

You are as responsible as Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney for the condition America finds itself in. You did not do your job. You sat back, Republican and Democrat alike, perhaps for reasons dissimilar, yet sit you did, watching, smiling as the coffers increased, as our rights were eroded, as a three branch co-equal government system was raped, leaving us with a unitary executive whose sole motives are power and greed.

Are you aware of National Security Presidential Directive 51? Where are the challenges to this power grab? Any crisis, anywhere in the world, and Mr. Bush can declare himself dictator, with unlimited, unchecked power, including the power to remain in office past 2008.

Are you aware of the theft of Iraqi oil? We do not steal it to pay for reconstruction of the country, no; it’s merely for the profit of the world cabal of Oil Companies. We, the United States of America, are allowing a group of Oil Companies to literally write laws in Iraq which outright give rights to nearly all current and ALL future oil fields to Exxon and Standard Oil, et al. Oh, a twenty percent share goes to be split between the factions in Iraq, after of course, the Iraqi government gets its cut, which has yet to be determined. The Iraqi reluctance to sign this bill is delaying one of the “benchmarks” that the US has imposed to go forward in Iraq. Is this not extortion? People do not understand the greed. They say that if this war is being fought for oil, why are the prices so high? They must understand that it is for control of oil that it is being fought. They have no interest in bringing prices down. By owning, they can control the price, and controlling the price, control much of the commerce in the world.

I was moved to tears this week, watching the history of our Revolution unfold on TV, in honor of Independence Day. I watched how this group of men decided that the King’s rule was intolerable, that their basic human rights had been violated, and that therefore they had a DUTY to rise up against such oppression. These men did not do this lightly. They placed their lives in jeopardy, their families and their homes at risk. They knew what they were getting into. Their families were tortured and killed, their farms were burned, they were hanged and abused, yet they persisted.
They saw that what they were fighting for was bigger than themselves. They wrangled and fought even amongst their own to found a government that could be an example of freedom and democracy to the world. They fought against all odds and they won.

Read the Federalist Papers, and the correspondences of the Founding Fathers. They explored and shared and dissected every area of Government. Why have a government? Who should the government serve? How can that Government be structured and confined? What are human rights, and how can they be attained? Their party affiliations were chosen by the philosophical bent of the party, not by issues.

Where is our Jefferson? Our Franklin and Adams? Where are those with the courage and conviction to stand against a rogue administration and lead the masses back to the Constitution? There are rare few voices out there, and unfortunately, they are marginalized. Dennis Kucinich pens a Resolution of Impeachment against the most toxic Vice President in our history, and people laugh. Over and over the Democrats give up before they even start, saying “oh, we don’t have the votes.” Well, dammit, make the stand anyway. Let the people, yes, WE the people, know that you tried. Let the world know that the majority of our citizenry does not support the policies of this President.

It is simply incomprehensible to me that even the staunchest of Republicans can support this President. There is nothing about this man that is truly Republican. He has spent the biggest budget surplus in history down to record deficits, and none of that has gone to programs that help mainstream Americans. His record on the environment, on health care and science, on immigration and national security are failures in every possible way.

I know there are protests going on. I’ve been to a few, and I get emails every day from very large groups who are working to reign in this Administration. Why do we not hear about it? When 10,000 protest immigration policies in LA, we hear about it, but when there are nationwide protests organized by Code Pink, or World Can’t Wait, or the Coalition for Peace? Not a word.

To all of you facing re-election in the coming years please know this. All the money you raise is useless. Your fate rests in the hands of millions of others like me. We’re ANGRY. We want leaders who will serve US. We want to believe that the people we support will have a backbone and a basic knowledge of right and wrong. We want someone who will tell us the truth, even if it hurts. We want the Constitution to mean something again, and not be viewed as a “quaint document.” We want honest, thoughtful dialog, where people who disagree can work together for the good of the country, without vitriol, without name calling. We want respect for all Americans.

If you believe in America and what it stands for; if you “defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”, then you will do anything and everything to preserve it.

Are YOU that person?

Can we please stop with the lies?

2007-06-07T07:23:00.000-07:00

Number One. Valerie Plame wasn’t a covert agent.
If the CIA testifies in court that she was covert, which they DID, then SHE WAS. Those who continue to repeat that talking point in an attempt to ~~mislead~~ lie to the American public only look stupid. It’s in the court record. Duh.

Number Two. Scooter Libby’s trial was a farce, he’s innocent, and there was no underlying crime.
At this point, I beg you; at least be consistent. He lied. This was proved once again, in court. That’s what he was charged, convicted, and sentenced for. Do NOT claim it is a trivial matter or that because there was no indictment on the underlying crime it doesn’t count. It sure counted for Clinton. It was a matter of supreme importance that he lied under oath then, despite there being no charges in that underlying alleged crime. The rules are not different for Republicans vs Democrats. Obstruction of Justice is a crime precisely because it keeps the underlying crime from being investigated.

The recent indictment of William Jefferson was a striking juxtaposition to the furor over Scooter Libby, for anyone willing to pay attention. No one denies that there are corrupt politicians in both parties; after all, we all know power corrupts. Look, however, at the difference in how these people were dealt with in their own parties. Not one person in the Democratic Party made excuses for him. No one tried to cover it up, or blame someone else. Instead, as soon as it was made public, the Speaker asked him to resign from his committee positions immediately. If he is convicted, he will leave office. Now consider Tom Delay. Scooter Libby. Duke Cunningham, Jack Abramoff, David Safavian et al.

Number Three. We must win this war.
There is no war. War was never declared. Why is that, one wonders? It’s because there cannot be a war on a tactic. Terrorism is a tactic, not an entity, not a government. (This same rationale applies to the misguided wars on drugs, on crime, and on poverty). If any of this debacle can be called war, it ended with the overthrow of Saddam and the “Mission Accomplished” banner. Our soldiers did what they were asked to do in ousting Saddam. Anything after that is occupation. One can NOT win an occupation. One can manage an occupation, as we did so well after WWII, but it requires a much higher ratio of soldier to civilian than this Administration has been willing to consider. Hence we play “Whack-a-Mole” and more of our soldiers die daily.

Number Four. If you disagree with the President’s policy, you’re a “bad American.”
This is the most divisive, the most subversive, the most heinous attitude I can imagine. It goes against the most basic tenet of our country’s beliefs. Telling me that I hate America because my opinion differs from yours is not only insulting, it’s dangerous. Our country was built on dissent. It’s not a happenstance that freedom of speech is the FIRST amendment to our Constitution. One might posit that someone willing to speak out against abuses by elected officials and fight for the Constitution loves their country more than one giving support to an administration run amok.

This is another case where the attitude of Neo-cons and Progressives show marked differences. As progressives, we fight for your right to disagree with us. We want you to be informed on all issues, from all sides. We want you to speak your mind. We want you to vote. We think that such dialog improves our society. The right wing pundits want you to believe what you’re told. They know what’s good for you. They discourage discourse. They place impediments to voting. They restrict your access to information to keep you focused on what they want you thinking about. Above all, they do not want you to think for yourself.

We who disagree with the President’s Iraq policy do not hate America. We don’t want Al Qaeda to “win.” We do not rejoice when things go badly over there. It’s insulting to be told we are traitors, aiding the enemy. This is a lie that hurts America, as it further divides us, making it harder to find solutions. It’s wrong, and it needs to stop.

Number Five. The Left Wing Media.
This is another Duh moment. All one needs to do here is take a look at who owns the big media conglomerates. Almost exclusively they’re owned by very rich, very white, very male conservatives. Then take a short look at the stories that DON”T get covered. Like Monica mentioning “caging” in her testimony, which has barely even been mentioned in the MSM. Like the focus on the really important issues of our day, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears and Anna Nicole Smith. It has become a full time job to ferret out the information that is vital to really understand what is going on in the United States right now, and one must often turn to external sources such as the BBC get what is being hidden from Americans.

No, I’m not an advocate of the Fairness Doctrine. I do believe in the Free Market approach, but our current system is faulty. The Free Market can’t prevail when all programming is controlled by FIVE people who carefully slant what they allow on the airwaves. If a progressive isn’t given a chance to earn market share, that is not a free market. That amounts to censorship. Welcome to ~~The Third Reich~~ America.

I'm really not done ranting, but my stomach is roiling, so the rest will have to wait. Blech.

Surgery Over

2007-05-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, here are the gruesome details. My doctor was kind enough to provide images from the camera inserted into my knee.Lovely, aren't they? That picture up in the left upper corner is the knee cap, and should be smooth. Think of a chicken leg bone, the white part on the end. Mine is, well, shredded into what looks to a fiber freak like angora in need of plucking.

That metal thingy you see is the instrument they used to scrape that fuzzy stuff out of my knee, and cauterize and seal it. I was awake through most of it, and the doctor was very good about showing me and explaining what they were doing. Problem is, I was a wee tad medicated, and some of it is fuzzy now, and getting more so.

So it's been a week, and I'm still using a cane to walk. My recovery has been a bit slower than expected, unfortunately, but it is progressing. I start PT on Friday, which I fully expect to be horribly painful, but will help, I hope.

I returned to work today. My desk was piled so high I couldn't see my monitor. Sigh. But I waded through a great deal of it and caught up fairly well. I took my lunch break at the end of the day so I could leave early, as the pain was steadily increasing and I could feel it swelling. So it's back to the armchair and the bags of ice for the evening. It was good to be up and around though, and I'm sure a relief for my beleaguered spouse.

I'll try to get some photos up tomorrow of the fibery things I've been working on while I've been immobile.

Annual Spring Sing

2007-05-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight was Murphy's school annual "Spring Sing." As with most school concerts, a certain amount of tediousness can be expected; but the kids are so dang cute that you can't help but laugh and be so proud of them!

Much too late to do anything about it, we discovered our little angel has outgrown his one set of "church" clothes. The suit he wore six months ago will not even meet to button, and the pants are capris now. Sigh. So we had to do some improvising. Luckily, living in Ojai, amongst the hippies and the artists, one has great leeway with one's attire. So we morphed a few things and voila!

Daddy's tie and a shirt that had always been so big we forgot about it were enlisted and he looked so adorable!

He got to play the Glockenspiel, and he sang and made his motions with enthusiasm, making his mother so proud! It was lovely. Here he is with his best friend Natie.

And so another school year inches to a close, and we have to wait a whole year til NEXT Spring Sing. It'll be worth the wait!

Back to Family and Fiber

2007-05-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here are the cutest kids.... EVER!

Murphy and Eric. Twelve years apart. The best children a mother could ever ask for. Smart, sweet, honest, loving, generous and gosh darn fun to be around. I am so blessed.

They gave me a lovely Mother's Day. Murphy wrote me a poem that made me cry for half an hour. Amazing. If I could have listed all the things I would want my children to think about me, it would have been that poem.

Eric braved foreign territory, venturing into the local yarn shop "Artful Living" to get me a perfect little project bag. He was wise enough to enlist the aid of the proprietor, Barbara, who knows me well. The bag came with several IOU's, including hugs and chores to be claimed in the future. Very sweet. Thanks, Eric!

My most beloved and charming husband made me buttermilk pancakes and ham and eggs for breakfast, and then took me out to Panda Buffet for dinner. The poor man worked like a dog all day, waiting on me and helping his friend move. It was a lovely day, and I felt very loved and cherished, even more so than I do on a normal day, and that's saying something!

My knee continues to deteriorate. Pain is getting worse by the day. Tomorrow I go for a pre-op visit, then Friday pre-op testing; then just hang in til Monday, courtesy of massive doses of ice and vicodin. I am holding my breath, counting the seconds.

Ok; the fiber stuff. Finished my second pair of socks. Knitpicks "Moc-Croc" pattern. I didn't think I was going to like them while I was knitting; the heel looked really weird. But when I put them on, it formed a perfect little snug pocket for my heel. I love them! The color is wild too; it's Tofutsies, made from soysilk and crab fiber. Yep, crab and shrimp shell. Man, they can make yarn out of ANYTHING these days!

Eric is having a love affair with all things Jamaican currently, so I knit him a hat reflecting those colors. Then of course, Murphy had to have one too! Despite the face, Murphy actually is laughing, not crying in that photo!

Then Eric asked for a different style hat. Found a picture on the internet of one for sale, and I tried to copy it. This is the result. It's crocheted. I haven't crocheted anything in ages, at least six months or so, might be a year! He's really pleased with it, and wants me to make some for his friends. It's called the "Dank Hat," as that is apparently the newest vernacular for really cool. I may post a pattern when I get it sussed out.

I'm working on another pair of socks, and a few other things that may or may not come to fruition. I'll post more when I get a chance. Right now... its off to the recliner to ice my knee and pop another pain pill. YIKES!

Why We Must Impeach this Administration

2007-05-11T20:18:00.000-07:00

This is a very long and very political rant. If you're not up for it - Leave now!

I wrote a long time ago about how we needed to be better parents to this country. I still think that’s true, and it’s one of the main reasons that I think we need to impeach both Bush and Cheney. I’ve heard all the arguments from both sides; how it would be bad for the country, that it would be divisive, how it would undermine investigations into other crimes and corruptions, and God forbid we end up with a female president Pelosi by default!

There’s something to be said for just doing something because it’s the right thing to do. We want to teach our children moral behavior but then don’t call out our politicians when they “misbehave.” We want to have the moral imperative in the world but we don’t want to make a fuss when our leaders violate the most basic fundamentals of our Constitution.

What these people have done to our country, to our standing in the world, to our Constitution, to our collective psyche is so pervasive and so heinous that it must not stand. It might be easier to just ride along and let the next election take care of it, but we cannot allow the easy road. We must tell the people of the world, and indeed those same politicians that we will elect in the future, that we will not countenance these abuses of power. We must tell them that we do not slumber, that we are awake and watching and will call them to task for what they do in our name.

I’m tired of politics. I’m tired of having to assume that I will be lied to. I’m tired of people working only for their own best interests rather than the country’s. Yet it’s too important to give up. There are so many people I know who are “too busy” or too stressed or too fed up to follow what’s going on in our country. I don’t do enough either. It’s hard, and time consuming to stay informed, and sometimes one feels alone. I know there are people protesting, but somehow we don’t hear about it on the news, so it’s easy to become complacent.

I laugh, bitterly, every time I think of the furor made over President Clinton’s impeachment. Yes, he did something wrong. He lied about it. Of course, it was a question he should never have been asked, but putting that aside, he lied and he shouldn’t have, and he was IMPEACHED over it. I think that was a tad extreme, but hey, democracy in action, right?

But now, the man who could teach Orwell a thing or two about doublespeak, who has lied over and over and over about material issues, about things that resulted in the death of an uncountable number of people; he’s become the “Teflon kid.” Nothing sticks to him, and even more unfathomable, his party continues to look the other way. It’s beyond incomprehensible. How can people be so obtuse or so greedy as to allow the basic rights of the people of the United States to be worn away?

Has there ever before been a time when dissent meant you were unpatriotic? The McCarthy era, I suppose, another banner time in our country’s history. The first line of defense for the neo-cons is to attack the opposition’s love of country. I’m not the first to draw lines of comparison with the Third Reich, and I know it’s not considered proper to do so, but if we don’t learn from history we are destined to repeat it. The unanswered question has always been “How did the German people go along with him?” The answer is right in front of you now. It’s not happening quite as fast or efficiently as Hitler was able to manage it, but the same mechanisms are in effect. Unite the country under a fear of a common enemy. Undermine the patriotism of anyone who disagrees. Keep the regime immunized against answering tough questions. Slowly chip away at the rights of the citizenship, all in the name of safety, of course. Monopolize the press to limit dissension and keep your message of fear before the public. Give the executive figure more and more power, again in the name of homeland security.

Like presidential candidate Mr. Gravel, I am not afraid of any other country. We are strong in America. We are young and healthy and wealthy and we cannot be defeated by an outside force. I am, however, terrified of my government. We can be toppled from within, and I fear we are far down that road already. We have allowed a group of wealthy, powerful conservatives who do not believe in government to take over our government. Their icon, Ronald Reagan, said “I’ve always thought that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”

How in the world can people who do not believe in government execute any kind of viable government?

Thom Hartmann, on AirAmerica Radio, speaks of the fundamental difference between progressives and conservatives. Conservatives believe that people are inherently evil and therefore must be regulated. Progressives believe that people are inherently good, and that the purpose of government is to uphold the people and help them achieve their best potential. It may be that the view one takes reflects one’s own character. These holier than thou Christians who feel that our country’s laws must be changed to agree with the religious law project their sins on others. I’ve never heard anyone say “Please, pass this law to prevent me from doing something sinful;” it’s always to stop another from doing something the first person would find objectionable. Almost puritanical, isn’t it? I know what’s best for you, dear.

I prefer the liberal view, myself. I prefer to let each person act within their own moral code, to believe what their faith leads them to believe. I think we are all (mostly) good, and if we can have our basic needs met, most people will act as good neighbors. Then I look at the neo-cons, and doubt, sometimes. They are appealing to our base nature, and they’re getting results.

There are so many things I’m angry about. I am angry at those who question my patriotism because I speak up when I don’t like what I see. I am angry at those who say we must respect the President simply because he is the President. I say I honor my country when I defend the Constitution from those who think it’s “quaint.” I think I honor the OFFICE of the President when I demand the occupant of the office perform his duties in the best interest of the country, not in the best interest of his bank account, or his church.

I love my country. The United States of America and its experiment in representational democracy is a historic and amazing place, and I’m so proud and blessed to be living here, where I can write a piece like this and not end up in jail. I want to preserve it. I want to make sure that when my son grows up, he too will be proud of his country, and able to speak his mind about the changes he would like to see. I want to leave this place better than I found it. I want to get back the reputation the United States enjoyed among the countries of the world, back to when we did have the moral high ground, when people all over knew that we would trade fairly and treat people well. In a short six years, all that is gone, despite the way the world got behind us after the World Trade Center was destroyed. GWB has taken all that “capital” and tossed it away.

We, the People, must impeach George W. Bush and Dick Cheney to make clear to the world (and to the next generation of politicians) that America is good. To show that when the people speak, the leaders MUST listen, and that not even the President is exempt from the laws of our country. It’s tough love, but it’s the only way to reclaim our country and restore the glory it once deserved.

The congress needs to stand up and at least TRY to do the things that they believe to be right, even if there is no chance they can pass. There is no shame in being defeated in battle, but to not try because you know you’ll fail? We need to show we stand for the truth. It used to be that that was important; has the need to survive the next election changed that?

We need to do the things we know to be RIGHT. The President and Vice President have violated their oath of office many times over, and we must make them own that responsibility.

Another One Bites The Dust

2007-04-27T21:44:00.000-07:00

Or doesn't, more accurately. Murphy has lost another tooth. I'm telling you, the tooth fairy is in danger of bankruptcy. So for those keeping count; he now has three empty spaces, the remaining top incisor is quite loose, and several other teeth are slightly loose. He'll soon be living on applesauce, ice cream and pudding!

On the knitting front, I have finished my first pair of adult socks! WHOO HOOO! These are knitted in Regia Bamboo on size 3 dpns, for those who care. Next time, I'm dropping down a needle size, as the fabric is more floppy than I'd like. Overall, however, I'm very pleased. The pattern is from http://knitpicks.com, the Twisted Rib socks. I really like them. Especially the not having a one inch deep ridge in my ankle when I take them off! I've already cast on for my next pair, which is also from the Knitpicks site; the Moc Croc ones. They're a really cool colorway. When I get a few rows done, I'll try to post a pic.

No news yet on the arthroscopy. Still hobbling with the cane; some days better than others. Today wasn't too bad; on Wednesday I was begging to be shot. I am grateful, really; I know it could be that bad all the time.

Tomorrow is Guild; I hope it's a good day or it'll be a short meeting for me.

Looks Like Surgery

2007-04-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

Saw my orthopedist to discuss the results of my MRI. Not a good sign when he walks in the room and says "Well, you really ruined your knee, didn't you?"

So it's arthroscopy for me, as soon as the insurance approves it. I can be awake and watch the surgery, which should be fun. At least, I think so; my husband gets the willies just thinking about it. I just want it OVER so I can get back to life!

I asked him about spinning; he said if it hurts, don't do it; if not, should be fine as long as there's no weight bearing. So I plied some lovely turquoise wool I won at the last Guild meeting. It was nice to get back to it, but it was painful, so I don't think I'll be spinning much, unfortunately. I really miss it. The knitting has been fun, but I'm starting to ache for a change. I can spindle for a while, but I'm supposed to keep the knee elevated. Have you ever tried spindling whilst reclining? I have... but man, your arm gets tired fast!

And me with all this breed swap fiber to start spinning....

It's a Miracle!

2007-04-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

No, not that I'm posting twice in one day, after having laid dormant for three months. Four? Whatever...

The miracle is that I finally got my approval for my MRI, which I then scheduled for 12 noon today, so it's DONE; and tomorrow I go back to the ortho to find out the results! HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!! Oh please, PLEASE let there be a solution to this knee pain! Today was agony; I just got home after the MRI and am falling into my chair with a Vicodin, praying for tomorrow.

Just had to share!

Still Alive!

2007-04-19T04:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been a while. This has been a rough winter with sickness and other medical issues; luckily it's really all been annoyances rather than anything truly serious. Still, wearing and depressing and frustrating at times. I finally got over the respiratory plague I had for December and January, only to have my very old knee injury flare up in a major way. So I'm hobbling about with a cane in fair to middlin' pain, awaiting the old insurance company's approval of an MRI, to be followed (we assume) by arthroscopy surgery.

Meanwhile, Murphy has now lost a total of four teeth, and currently has two gaping holes in his mouth, having lost one of the top front teeth. He reports that six others are loose too; he may end up eating nothing but applesauce!

Eric is in a new play, to debut tomorrow night. He plays a corpse. Apparently he has more lines than you'd think. It sounds like a VERY... uh... interesting play, and I can't wait to see it.

Peru is up for sainthood. I mean, truly! It's been one thing after another and he's had to take care of me, the kids, the house, the shopping, everything. By himself, for the most part. And he's not complained once; never groused, never resentful, just does what needs to be done. Have I mentioned this man is amazing? And on April 1st (Yes, April Fools Day!) we celebrated our seventh anniversary. Yikes! I can't believe it's been that long! But very much the best years of my life.

In fibery news, I've finally got the Breed Swap under control. About twelve boxes have gone out, most of the rest are packed and ready to go. Again, poor Peru has to deal with this, as I'm not able to carry many boxes holding a cane! I hope to get the rest out this weekend.

Monumental to me is that I've finally conquered knitting socks! I tried several times before and got frustrated. Finally, it dawned on me that if I started small I might have better luck, so I made a pair of baby socks; and now I get it! I understand the construction, and that helps. So I made two pair of that pattern, then another pattern of baby socks, and then I tried some boot socks. They were going to be for my BBF Barbara but unfortunately, they fit Murphy.... so I tried one more time and I DID IT! Ok, so far, only one is knitted, but I did cast on for the second sock last night. It's the knitpicks twisted cable pattern, and I'm doing it in Regia bamboo yarn; very interesting! But the first sock is done, kitchenered, and it fits! The next challenge is to try the two circ method...

Happy New Year!

2007-01-11T21:08:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm a little late. Maybe a lot late. There are still SEVERAL people I have not managed to get Christmas presents mailed out to yet. December was ... well... rough. To put it mildly. Finally surviving Birthday Week from Hell, we were then faced with colds, flu, ear infections, sinus infections, back to colds again. Then there was the water heater blowing up. And the wind storm, that brought down an amazing amount of tree branches, not to mention a very large eucalyptus tree that split down the middle, one half across the bike path behind our yard, and the other across the fence that keeps small children from falling into the culvert. And I forgot about the sprinkler system that required having all the valves replaced. While Murphy had a lovely Christmas, I was barely conscious and spent several hours at the not-so-local clinic, where I was kindly given several prescriptions which due to the holiday were unable to be filled until the next day; no small inconvenience considering the size of the headache I had from the flu (extra, extra, extra large, with a bonus serving of OUCH). Thank God that Peru was able to handle most things until I became somewhat functional before he got the worst of his bout.

So now we're all recovering, and I'm trying hard to catch up on all the things I'm behind on; the Breed Swap, the aforementioned Christmas gifts, the housework, and of course, work. Did I mention the business consultant that's turning the company inside out trying to make us more productive and more profitable? Looking over my shoulder at every step? And did I mention that I have a miserable cold, AGAIN?????? Sigh. But it's all small stuff, thank God. We'll get through it.

Tomorrow I'll try to post some pictures of the yard from the wind storm. They don't show the true extent of the mess, but it'll give you an idea. And some of Murphy and his presents. He's pretty darn cute!

Tagged

2007-01-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

I've been Tagged!

THE RULES: Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.

This is tough; I don't know how weird I am.

1. I like brussels sprouts.
2. I spin yarn from raw fiber. I even like cleaning a raw nasty smelly fleece.
3. I met my husband on the internet. And we're still together, ten years after our first contact!
4. I love my family. I really do. I'd rather stay home and be with my husband and kids than do anything else on earth.
5. I like folk music.
6. I hate math, I hate numbers... but somehow I ended up as a bookkeeper. THAT's weird!

Ok. So I have to tag 6 people? I don't know if I know six bloggers! I'll give it a shot, but I can't list names, sorry.

I haven't blogged in forever as I've had in quick succession the following: birthday week from hell, cold, flu, sinus infection and now am back to cold. I just LOVE the left coast; I seem to have no immunities whatsoever to the bugs out here. How I long for Boston... or at least it's germs!
Will try to blog more later but have limited access these days.

Promised Pics

2006-12-13T12:07:00.000-08:00

Here's the promised pictures. This is Murphy, building block castles. He's had these blocks since he was a baby, and never showed any interest. Last week (probably due to cabin fever!) he discovered making castles with them.

This is the castle that Aunt Merridee gave him for Christmas last year. We tucked it away and pulled it out recently, and he's been having a blast. He discovered that he can WRITE things on it with the markers, and is so pleased with himself. He wrote "Flawers for Mom" on it, under his drawing of some flowers; very cute.

This is my new baby. She's much smaller than she looks in the picture, and weighs practically nothing. I'm told she was made in Alsace, France around 1810-1820. She's beautiful and delicate and spins the finest yarn I've ever been able to spin, truly a lace weight, and maybe even a cobweb, when I get a little better. She's a little creaky, though much improved with some Woodbeams and oil. I'm spinning the Ramboulliet that I got at the Santa Monica Fiber Festival on her, and it's coming out gorgeous. I'm trying to find the perfect name for her; maybe I should hold a contest. I'm looking for a very delicate french name, preferably starting with the letter D.

This is the side view. It's a double drive wheel, which I've never used before, so it took a little adjustment. It's also a single treadle which I've never used before. I find I do prefer the double treadle, as it's less tiring for me, but I love her anyway. The bobbin is so tiny! I'll be surprised if it holds two ounces of fiber, though at laceweight, that is still a fair amount of yarn. I'm hoping to dye it something yummy and maybe, just maybe, actually knit a lace shawl.

I'm doing lots of knitting, most of which is being frogged, these days. I'm learning so much! I want to complete a pair of socks but just can't seem to get there. I finally have my Trekking socks started, and I'm about four inches into the leg. Rather than get frustrated trying to focus enough to follow a pattern, I'm simply doing stockinette stitch, just to got the sock DONE. I'm also working on a few things that hopefully will be Christmas gifts, so I can't discuss here, but several of them involve new techniques, so they're progressing slowly. I'll try to get pictures up... someday...