Promised Pics

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

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.

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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

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...

Been A Long Time Coming

So, between hosting Thanksgiving, the Birthday Week from Hell, various and sundry illnesses, the Christmas rush, and work being a wee tad stressful, I haven't blogged in a while. So today, I'm home sick from work, so I'll see how long I can remain vertical with these meds and try to get caught up.

Thanksgiving was fun, actually. I love having my sister-in-law Merridee and her family over. They're good people. I got just the right amount of help and the food was fabulous, if I do say so myself! We had SIX pies and a 22 lb turkey and amazingly few leftovers. Guests included Mammama and her husband Bill, and his dog Max, Merridee, Terry, Brian and Kelsey, and Peru's cousin Kevin, as well as my crew. It was really nice to see everyone. We'll all be getting together for Christmas as well.

Then, way too quickly, comes the Birthday Week from Hell. Eric's birthday is Dec. 4th, mine is the 6th, and Peru's is the 7th. With Eric's college schedule we didn't see each other more than 15 seconds all week, so celebrations were pretty much nil. We did get lovely packages from Nana and Grampy and The Sweenys with wonderous things for us all though, and then on Saturday we went to Joe's Crab Shack to celebrate. Joe's Crab Shack? Honestly, it was awful! Don't get me wrong, it was fun; it's got a lovely view of the very choppy ocean at sunset, which was gorgeous, and it has a playground for Murphy, who had a blast. But the food was awful! And way way way over priced. We'd wanted to try it for a long time though; now we know, and I don't think we'll be back! We'll stick to Sea Fresh for our seafood, thank you; even though their prices went up recently, at least the food is worth it there!

For presents? I got a lovely bath set from Nana, and a really cute Advent Calendar. Barbara knitted me a stole that was just what I wanted; really long to wrap all around, and warm, and a lovely blue/turquoise/purple color that is so soft to touch. Eric's gift really touched me; he broke my gravy boat after Thanksgiving (it was really slippery!) so he gave me a lovely antique one, with a poinsettia on it, and a lovely matching dish. Really, very sweet of him. My darling hubby gave me a bundle of knitting tools and implements which I thoughtfully had put together for him to give me! Really, my spinning wheel was my present, and I really need to get pictures of her up on the blog!

Murphy was sick all last week. It's so hard to tell with him if he's really sick or just having allergies. Sometimes they morph into each other. He had a fever for a few days, so I figure that's sick. Then Saturday, Eric looked like death. Yesterday it was me. Sinuses hurt so bad my teeth ached, my head pounded, even my hair hurt. Was trying to put out a fire at work so I could leave ASAP, only to find out two hours later that the Bossman resolved it and neglected to mention it. Argggh. So I"m home recupperating today.

Breed Swap is coming along. I have almost all of the research entered and formated; I think I have two more breeds to do. Then to start printing it! and collating the fiber - oh my! But it has been fun and man, I have learned a lot!

And yesterday I heard from my "Spin Me A Treasure" mystery pal! Very cool! She slugged through this blog all the way back to September, I think! Patient woman! This should be fun. I really enjoy these swaps, and this one was started internationally, though most participants are still from the US. Maybe after the swap I'll try.... what am I out of my mind????

I'm still sloggin away at Christmas. I was hoping to get more fibery stuff done, but it's just not working out that way. Not enough time! And I haven't mentioned my second job at Artful Living, a craft store here in Ojai. Barbara Beck, the owner, took a shine to me and offered me a chance to help her out on occasion in exchange for goods in lieu of pay. So I get yummy fibers or really mostly books in return for working about two hours a week. If only she could give me insurance it'd be full time! How cool would that be? Sigh....

Well I'll try later to get some pictures of the Murph up later; the Theraflu is kicking in and I'm finding it hard to type...

Anyone got a spare room?

I got home today to find FIVE packages on my doorstep! Three were boxes of fiber for the Breedswap I'm running. I now have ten very large boxes, and it's getting a tad crowded in my room. Anyone got a spare?

The other two were interesting. One was from Gary, a member of the guild, who VERY generously offered to help me fix my Baynes castle style wheel. It makes a clanking noise when treadled, kind of annoying. He thought that perhaps leather fittings on the footmen would be more flexible, and offered to replace the plastic pieces with custom made leather ones. Peru and I fit them on the wheel and they do seem to help a bit, maybe more after they get broken in. You can still hear a bit of a clank, but it's softer, and I can't feel it in my feet, so I shouldn't get tired so quickly. Thank you SO VERY MUCH, Gary!

The last package was my birthday present to myself. It's a parlor wheel, circa 1890, very tiny and SO light. It's amazing. I haven't quite managed to figure it out entirely; it's a double drive which I've never used before. The bobbin is so tiny, if it holds an ounce of fiber, I'd be surprised. The oriface is tiny as well, and I think it'll be suited to making lace. At least that's my guess! I've oiled it up but need to get better instructions on how a double drive is set up. Where's a guild meeting when you need one?

Yesterday, I got a new spindle, from Jen at Crowhill house. It's GORGEOUS! It's VERY heavy, maybe three ounces! I got it for plying. What really surprised me is that I was able to spin a fairly thin single on it. I'll try to get pictures up soon.

Time for bed. I think I may be coming down with a cold. I get sick out here way more often than I did in Boston. Winter. Gotta love it.

Wish Lists

Several people have expressed a wish to know what I and my crew would like for the upcoming birthday and holiday time.

I'm easiest. I want fiber. Lots of fiber, in pretty colors. I like silk, or merino, or even better, a blend; or exotics like buffalo or yak or camel or oooohhh cashmere. Or Spindles. Links to my favorite stores on the sidebar. Or Knitting/Spinning/Weaving books. I'd love a copy of "Spinning for Softness and Speed" by Paula Simmons, which can be foundhere. "Wild Fibers" magazine subscription, or any magazine subscription put out by Interweave Press. (Spin Off, Interweave Knits, Interweave Crochet) Oh... and Lantern Moon knitting needles; they're so GORGEOUS! Or a set of "Options" circular needles from Knitpicks.

Eric? He's easy too. Money. For social events and books and CD's and games and comics and such. There's a few subscriptions he'd like as well, and I'll try to get a list up.

Murphy? Star Wars figures. "A light saber that makes noise." Moon Shoes. Games. He likes interactive things. If you get him clothes, he's a size 8, but he'd prefer TOYS!

Peru? Guitar Center certificates. Man, he's TOUGH! I have no clue. He always answers "I don't need anything." except for guitar stuff, and I won't get that; too personal a thing, you know? So gift certificates.

Our Town

Eric, aka, Quentin Tarrentino Jr, is currently starring in a production of "Our Town" by Thornton Wilder. We all went to see the Sunday Matinee, and I must say, it was very good. It's a very small theater, so you can see and hear everything very well. The actors spoke clearly and for the most part slowly; the worst thing about amateur productions is the tendency for the actors to rush through their lines.




Eric plays Simon Stimpson, the church organist. It's funny, but even in costume, even from the back of the theater, before he even said a word, Murphy said "THERE'S ERIC!" He was so excited to see his big brother in action and find out why he's always at rehearsal and not available to play with!



Not being at ALL prejudiced, I thought he was wonderful. It's a painful role to play, and he has to scowl through the whole deal and even cry. I'm very proud of him. He's getting much more comfortable on stage, and the Mommy curse didn't show up this time! (I have in the past, made him nervous, and he'd screw up on the nights I came.) The entire play was quite an enjoyable experience, even for Murphy, and we topped it off with the obligatory trip to McDonald's on the way home. Being out with my family is so much fun. I'm so lucky to have such a great guys with wonderful senses of humor and we enjoy every moment, no matter how trivial. I remarked after the play to Peru that it was so sad that people miss half their lives waiting for the big important moments, when the really important moments are there every day. Kinda the point of the play, eh? But I KNOW how lucky I am, and every second of every day I think about it and am so grateful.

The play continues this weekend, so if you're in the Ventura area, it's worth a looksee.

We now return you to your regular programing...

Halloween!

In the midst of election noise, I never posted pics of our little joy in his Halloween costume. So I present for your fear and amazement TA-DA!

DARTH VADER!




We had a lovely time; the weather was perfect, there were more goblins about that I've seen since I've been here. Murphy got a TON of candy. He has watched "Return of the Sith" every day for I can't tell you how long. It was great fun.



And in fibery news, I created a special yarn for Halloween. I had a small skein of the raggedy uneven ends of this GORGEOUS black merino:




and some leftover gold/apricot silk:










So I plied them together and the result?

I love how it looks; very halloweenish and cool. There's not enough to do anything with, unfortunately; but next year, I'll be ready!



I also plied some white kid mohair/merino blend:







And the softest most amazing targhee, I've fallen in LOVE; it's as soft as the mohair blend! Amazing! I can't wait to get my hands on more.

I bought two pounds of raw targhee fleece. I've washed it and dried it. It's now sitting in a bag in my bedroom waiting for me to gain enough guts to try to process it. And I still haven't processed my fleece for the BreedSwap, the California Varigated Mutuat I bought a while back. I'm so afraid of ruining it! But everyone has sent their research, and five people have already sent their fiber, so I'd better get started.

BTW, do you have any idea how much room 32 boxes containing two pounds of fiber each will take up? I may end up sleeping in the car....

Go Dems!

Thank God! Voters turned out in record numbers and spoke up, which to me, despite the landslide victory for the dems, is the real victory. People participated. People paid attention.

Now it's up to the Democrats to prove their worth. Keep your noses clean, keep you wallet and various body parts in your pants, and DO YOUR JOB! Provide oversight. Represent your constituents. Show up to work, be honest, work hard. Get us out of the mess Bush has gotten us into, and provide the things we so desperately need. Make America great again.

We Will Be Watching.

Can you waste a vote?

After my earlier post today, there was a discussion about third party votes. Someone asked, "Why would anyone waste their vote on a candidate that can't win?" This was my reply:

"First of all, the founding fathers warned us of a two party system, fearing exactly what has happened. Though they tried to protect us from ourselves by setting up those famous checks and balances, the idiocy of people not performing their jobs through greed of power and money is something they couldn't legislate.

Second, your vote should be your opinion, your belief. To abdicate your choices simply because there's no chance of winning is how we got here, and is unfair to the system.

When things are this fucked up, it's a hard choice to feel like you're throwing your vote away; but a vote is worthy all on it's own, and does not need the justification of winning to be important. If more people had the courage of their convictions, and I'm talking now to the current Dems, John Coyners and Russ Feingold and their like excepted, we wouldn't be in this mess.

I too would vote in any possible way to get these liars and murderers out of office, but I greatly respect the choices we make when we vote, and would not discourage anyone from voting their conscience."

This is something I've wrestled with on and off for most of my adult life. Being who I am, off beat non-traditional candidates often appeal to me. Do I throw my vote away by following my heart, or vote the "sensible" way?

What has come to me over the years is that the vote itself has intrinsic value. The act of casting one's vote means you've made a commitment to the process; that you're participating, you're invested in your country and it's government. This is no small thing. To me, it's very similar to the situation our soldiers find themselves in now; their service alone, their commitment to country and to each other is noble and worthy of support and even awe, regardless of the legality or the ethics of the war in which they serve. Again, it's an act of participation in a greater structure of our society.

So no, I don't believe that you can throw your vote away. I do however, think that sometimes the "throw the bums out at all cost" is worth consideration.

VOTE. No, REALLY. VOTE.

I haven't posted in a while, as life has been busy. I've done some fibery things that I'll get to later, but first the obligatory editorial. I've decided it's too hard to maintain two blogs (can hardly handle this one!) so from now on, here you get me in my full glory, lucky you!

Tomorrow will be one of the most important days in our country's history. I sincerely hope that EVERYONE will get out and vote. Voting is a right and a duty and above all, a privilege, a franchise that this country was built upon. Never mind if there are long lines... never mind if you think they'll cheat and your vote won't count, never mind if your spouse votes opposite of you and you think they'll just cancel out. VOTE ANYWAY!

One of my favorite jokes was about a husband and wife who were of different parties, and they decided that since their vote would cancel each other out, why bother? Of course, one of them secretly did vote every year while the other didn't.

Above all, it's important for you to stand up and give your opinion. This is a chance for you to tell your government just what you think of them and their policies, and an Aye is as important as a Nay. SO VOTE. Yes, even if you disagree with me. Even if you think President Bush is doing a fine job and you agree with his every thought. This is the difference between progressives and republicans... we protect rights we disagree with and encourage the voice of every American in the voting booth and elsewhere.

However... if you're undecided, here's a few things you might keep in mind.

1. Bush lied. Repeatedly. And because of his lies, nearly three thousand American soldiers are dead, and hundreds of thousands more are maimed and torn; in total, far more than those affected by the completely unassociated World Trade Center bombing of September 11, 2001.

2. Bush has given the perpetrator of that bombing every single thing he has ever wanted.

A. Osama bin Laden wanted us out of Saudi Arabia. We are OUT. Gone. Kaput. Our presence in his Holy Land was the main burr in his craw, and Bush capitulated and left. Silently, if you notice... no big press circus around that, for sure. The US has never done that, pulled out completely leaving no troops behind, in any other situation.

b. He has replaced a secular dictatorship (yes, I know, Saddam was a bad man...) with a Fundamentalist Islam government, where the Koran supercedes their Constitution. As the Koran is at least as contradictory as the Christian Bible, this leaves huge room for interpretation, leaving the plight of women and children in Iraq far worse than it was under Saddam, admittedly no picnic then.

c. He has constantly threatened us with fear of attacks, instituting bizarre "safety" regulations and curtailing and finally eliminating our fundamental rights as American Citzens. OBL wanted us to live in fear, and GWB has tried his best to insure we do.

I could go on, but honestly, it's too depressing. And that's only GWB himself; shall I start with his Adminstration? Remind you of the incompetence and apathy of Katrina? Point out that despite controlling ALL THREE BRANCHES of government, the only acts of significance they have managed to pass have to do with curtailing our liberty? That they have accomplished NOTHING of what they told us they would do? That they have spent less time in session than any Congress in our history? Point out the hypocrisy of these "Family Value" politicians that are now in jail, or under indictment, or under investigation? Shall I discuss the ethics of promising us tax cuts in wartime to make themselves more appealing in elections, shaking our hands while stealing from our childrens future and mortgaging our country in pieces to those we often count as enemies?

The Democrats fare not much better. Democrats failed us by bending to pressure and not telling us or fighting for the truth. They remind me of the somewhat ethical member of a corporation who meekly raises his hand in objection but is easily cowed back into his seat when reminded from where his paycheck comes. There have been a few lone voices crying in the wilderness, but not nearly enough. They are as at fault as the Administration.

On the whole, I prefer Democrats. Their scandals are limited (usually!) to sex between consenting adults and petty theft, and when they take your dollars for taxes, they do give you some services in return. I do wish they'd grow a spine, however. Russ Feingold, anyone?

At any rate, please vote. This is what our country was based on. It's the foundation of who we are as Americans, what makes us unique. It's what our soldiers have died for in every conflict throughout history, for our ability to have a voice within our goverment, choose our leaders and affect their policy. Get to the polls. And if you find there are issues with the vote, do not let it pass. Speak up. Fight for your rights. Make THEM follow the rules. Make this election fair. If it isn't, march in the streets. There will be patriotic Americans beside you, fighting for our Country. We are here, and we will not be silenced.

Vote. Just Do It. VOTE.

The Saddest Day in History

I don't usually post here about politics but I'm so saddened/angry/frightened for my country I have to write about it.

With one stroke of a pen, George W. Bush did what Saddam and Osama and Hitler and Tojo and Castro couldn't do. He shredded the Constitution of the United States, and took away all of those freedoms he so proudly touts.

Just think about it. By simply signing his name to the Military Commissions Act of 2006 George Bush has removed the protections that made this country unique. That made the citizens of this country FREE. Now any person, anywhere in the world, US citizen or no, can be arrested, detained indefinitely, without recourse, simply on the President's say so. He also quite conveniently pardoned himself and his administration for any war crimes, past present and future.

People joke about King George. I think it's gone beyond that. He wants to be God.

Talk about power. What a rush for him! Don't like Cindy Sheehan's t-shirt? Don't have to arrest her and cause a public outcry anymore! Just disappear her. Keith Olbermann's "Special Comment" segment getting on your nerves? Poof! Gitmo for you! Toss in a little homo-erotic torture and some waterboarding in, just for fun.

How have we let this happen? How can it be that even stalwart Republican members of Congress cannot understand that this is wrong? Why are Democrats not SCREAMING about this? Why aren't WE THE PEOPLE not out in the streets, with torches and pitchforks to toss these criminals out?

We are no longer America. The land of the free, and the home of the brave? I don't think so.

Maybe we deserve it. We abdicated our responsibility to monitor our government. We somehow allowed this country to become a two party system; something our founding fathers warned us against. We've become so complacent, trusting our elected officals to be working in our best interest rather than for themselves. We pick one issue and elect people on what they say about that one issue, rather than picking the best person for the job. We're too busy watching "Dancing with the Stars" and following Paris Hilton's escapades and "Branjelina" new baby and Tom Cruise's Scientology meltdown to care that our government is killing us. Killing our soldiers in Iraq. Killing our children with poverty and ignorance. Killing our creativity buy killing our freedom of speech. Killing our self esteem with unemployment.

Even as Iraq continues to decompensate, and the administration continues to deny there's a civil war, and Afghanistan is falling again to the Taliban, and there's nowhere nearly enough troops there, even as North Korea tests their nuclear capacity again... the Eisenhower Strike team is headed for Iran to prepare for the next war. Have you heard about it in the news? Nope. They arrive on or about the 21st of October, just three short days. What happens next?

And what will happen to those who protest it? Will they be labeled "unlawful enemy combatants" and be rendered?

This is the darkest day in our history.

Where is the outrage?

I am SO excited!

Ok, I haven't been blogging much recently. I've been busy. I know, yadda yadda. But I really have! And I have a bunch of news that is exciting, to me at least. Those of you who visit now and again may not find it all that enthralling, but here goes.

One VERY big, very wonderful piece of news is that Murphy, my "I will not make any developmental milestones until I'm darn good and ready and you can't make me, nyah" child, who swore only two short months ago that he COULD not read, WOULD not read, and didn't WANT to read - he read me a book tonight.

And he really really read it. Unlike Eric, who would just remember, memorize and read by context at first, he actually reads every word. Murphy brought this book home from school today, with instructions to read it to one person and bring it back to school. So he read it to Daddy, in the car on the way home. And he read it to me and Eric. And to himself. I'm so proud and happy I could bust. The best part of it is his attitude. Hey, I can do it, no big deal. But there's this undercurrent of excitment and pride and happiness, and THAT's what makes me want to burst.

Have I mentioned I love Montessori? At least for Murphy, it really seems to be working.

On to the next wonderful excitment; and this is about Eric. The last two weekends he performed in "A Series of One Act Plays" at Ventura College. He was in a Perry Mason play. Again, I'm busting with pride. His character was a bit of comic relief, and he really did it well. He kept it from going over the top (he played a hayseed with a trash collection business) and it would have been easy to make him TOO much of a caricature; but he didn't. They didn't allow picture taking so I didn't get any, unfortunately, but here's a picture of the program.

Then on Saturday, I attended the monthly meeting of the Ventura County Handweaver and Spinner's Guild. It was a lovely meeting, as always; the women are so friendly and helpful. I won a huge bag of charcoal roving, which is rather coarse. I'm going to try knitting with it unspun, as roving; it works up soft that way. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. The news from that meeting is twofold; first, I met two lovely women named Ellen and Anna, who would like to learn how to spin. They have a couple of alpacas and want to learn what to do with them. I, in my VAST experience as a spinner for all of half a year, told them I'd try to help them. So we met at Nibbles N'knits on Wednesday and had a lovely lesson, with some help from Susie too! They're such very nice people. The second news from the meeting is that I've been roped into "running" for Recording Secretary for the coming year. I'd feel very honored to be asked if I didn't know how desperate they were.

So now we come to the next exciting news. Like I don't have enough to keep me busy? Well, I started a project. A major project. The Yahoo group "Spindler's List" where I have found a world of information and wonderful people has the occasional exchange, where people sign up to make a gift box for someone else on the list, usually with some theme, or purpose. I am running this one. And it's a biggie. A Breed Project. Each person in the swap will give one ounce of fiber, one lock of fleece, and one yard of spun fiber from a breed of sheep, along with a page of information, all sent to me. I will compile them all into 32 separate notebooks which will then go out to all the participants. We'll end up with a book of information and samples of 32 breeds of sheep. I am SO excited about this project. And my fiber arrived today! Two pounds of roving and one pound of raw fleece from a breed called CVM, or California Variegated Mutant. Sounds like the breed *you'd* pick, I can hear some of you whispering now! I've never dealt with raw fleece before, and WOW I forgot that it would be a bit ripe! But it's so cool and still greasy and I can't wait to dive in and play!

Poor Peru has been sick this week. I feel so bad when he's ill. But it made me remember last year, when I was sick on and off for months on end. I didn't do anything around the house, I whined and was miserable. He waited on me hand and foot, did all the chores, made me soup, comforted me. He never complained, never made me feel like he thought I was slacking, just took care of me, and the house, and the kids. This is love. Simple, true, amazing, unconditional love. Roses are nice, and candy and jewelry, and all the trappings that men are supposed to give to show their love. But I don't need those, because every day, I get the "I love you" message in ways that don't expect reward. Coffee that arrives magically in my pot every morning, even though he has to warm his up in the microwave. Making me my comfort food, Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup (classic only!) when I don't feel well. Shoveling my grass path (in flipflops and shorts!) so I wouldn't get snowy feet from the car to the door back in Boston. Letting me cry when I need to for no reason at all without judging me. Always accepting me, as I am, taking what I'm willing to give, sharing what he has. I am so blessed. And so very grateful.

And then we come to politics. Oh dear God. I can't even go there. I am so angry with these self important selfish greedy power hungry idiots I can barely breathe. But that's going to ruin the lovely mood I had thinking about how much I'm loved, so I think I'll go play with my fiber -oh! and watch Dr. Who!

Meet Homey Bear

This is Homey Bear. He is knitted from my very first ever yarn. His vest is spun from merino roving that Murphy and I dyed. He's the first, the very very first thing ever created out of my homespun yarn. He's gone to visit Auntie Barbara and keep her company at work when she's having a bad day. I know they'll be good friends.

The winds changed today, and took the ash clouds away from Ojai. There's hope that on Wednesday we'll have some showers to help fight the fire. I'm just glad that for now, the winds have moved it away from homes, and back into the forest.

As much as I love my wheels, lately I've gone back to spindle spinning. There's nothing like a full cop to give me a feeling of accomplishment. Last night I spun some fiber I bought when I first picked up a spindle; the colors are pretty but the wool is quite coarse. I think it was meant for needle felting. And I'll probably use it for felting, in a handbag, at some point. I do love making bags! But it's so lovely to finish the batt of fiber, and have a full cop to admire, nicely shaped and balanced. I'm working on my third cop of a lovely sea blue silk, spun pretty fine. It will be interesting to see how it turns out plied.

I have so much fiber it's hard to know what to do next. I'm really into knitting now, though I've frogged the last several projects I've started. I'm taking that as a sign of maturity, since before, I would keep every single thing I made regardless of how poorly it was done or how much I disliked it when finished. Now, I'd rather play, try new things, rip it out after I've learned a few things, and start over. Get it just the way I like it. Growth, right? RIGHT? Perfectionism? Uh, maybe.

I'm off to start something new. Or maybe, just maybe, fill that third cop of silk....

Snow in Ojai?

Peru was loading up for his gig last night, and it was the strangest thing; snow was falling! Okay, it's not really snow. It's ash. The Los Padres Forest Day Fire is relatively close to my house (as in, close enough to smell and see ash, not close enough to cause real worry). It looks remarkably like flurries, until you open the door and the smell hits you. I am a little concerned for my boss and his wife; their house is a whole lot closer to the fire, and may be part of the evacuation area. Hoping all is well with them!

The pictures below don't really give you the full effect; the white part of the ash doesn't show against white, and the black doesn't show against black, but you can get the idea. Remember, this car was clean less than 12 hours ago.
It's almost to the point where you can see your footprint walking outside. Freaky. So far, I don't think the fire has damaged any homes (other than that soot deal) but I'm not sure, and I know there are evacuation orders for upper Ojai. I'm waving DPNs (double pointed knitting needles) that they get it under control soon, and that no homes are damaged.

Will have pictures soon of some FO's; they're being held till the recipients get them. Can't wait to show you!

Which reminds me; if you visit my blog, please leave a comment once in a while; it's a little strange to feel like I'm posting to no one, makes me feel crazy, like I'm talking to myself. Let me know you've stopped by!

No Time to Post

It's been a busy few weeks. School is finally settling into a routine. Eric has dropped one of his classes, but added two more low credit courses. Murphy's back in school to find that several of his friends are not returning, but he's making new friends quickly.

September is a big birthday month. My brother Keith's is on the second, as is my friend Doug's, who got a new baby boy for his present this year. Roger, my asbestos friend Barbara's other half, is on the fifth. My mother in Florida celebrates hers on the 10th. Billy, Peru's firstborn, arrived on the 13th. Happy Birthday wishes in great abundance fly from our house to all of you on your special day!

Oh, wait, did I forget someone?

Murphy turned six on Thursday. My baby! He's so grown up now, and is such a delight. Memories of four days in the hospital awaiting his arrival, and the precipitousness of his delivery after so much waiting brought me to tears as we celebrated. We had a lovely dinner at Carrow's, where Murphy had funny face pancakes (what else?) and a HUGE slice of chocolate cream pie. Then home to open gifts; Star Wars was the theme and wow, he got a lot! Nana sent a junior version of Monopoly which we're planning to learn today. Auntie Barbara sent all kinds of lovely art supplies in different mediums for creative exploration. Eric gave him "Ratchet and Clank II" for the PS2. Guess what's melting from overuse? We all missed Eric as he had classes and didn't even get to see Murphy on his birthday, but we still had a lot of fun anyway.

I got my final package from my "One Skein Secret Pal." It's a scarf made from a bobbly type yarn; very lovely. Even my husband thought it was beautiful! And some wonderful handmade soap that is currently making my bath "stink good" as my husband would say. Thank you so much, Frances. You were a wonderful partner, and all my good wishes go out to you and your husband.

I've got lots of spinning and yarn stuff done, and will get pictures out soon, I hope. Just never have enough time!

Happy September to all!

Newest Acquisition

This is Cerridwen. She's my newest wheel, a Baynes castle style. As you can see, she's in pieces. I bought her unfinished, and Peru and I spent Saturday staining her a lovely cherry. This shows her in the bathtub drying.

Sunday, we put her together. One of the most amazing things about our marriage and relationship is that we always work together without bickering. I can't count the number of pieces of furniture that we've assembled, and despite Japanese directions, or pieces missing, or pages of instructions missing, we still manage to have fun doing it. This, of course, mostly consists of me reading the directions, finding tools, holding pieces, etc, while Peru does the real work. So here is Cerridwen, fully assembled.

And here is the side view. It's very different to spin on than my Gem. The ratios are different, the action is different. It took a bit of practice to get Cerridwen spinning well, but it's coming pretty quickly. There is a mysterious clacking noise from the treadle that I'm working on eliminating. I think she'll be a wonderful plying wheel; she spins much faster than the gem with far less treadling. I was worried about being able to control the spin forwards and back, but really had very little trouble at all. I'm pleased as can be with my new baby. I plan to do some serious decorating on her, stenciling some Celtic knotwork and such at some point. My biggest problem now is finding enough time to spin everything I want!

School

Last week, Eric and Murphy both started school. Eric is attending Ventura College, which is a community college in the area. He's studying film arts; acting, film history. He auditioned for and got a part in a one act play already. The logistics of getting him to class are interesting; he's got one class every day at noonish, and one class every night at 7. Good planning, eh? But he seems to like it, and has already made some friends. I'm so proud of him. It's so strange to think of him being so grown up, managing things on his own.

Murphy is back at school as well, and is thrilled to have his favorite teacher again; Sharon. He's in kindergarten and is a math wiz! He can read five digit numbers, add and subtract and multiply. He loves to count the minutes till The Simpsons are on. He loves school and has lots of friends there. One really nice thing is that one kid who was kind of a bully to him last year seems to have grown up over the summer, and Peru arrives at school finding them sitting together and sharing lunch. Wonderful! He really is lucky to be attending such a great school. Thanks, Mammama!

Off to work... more pictures later.

Fiber Festival

Last weekend I didn't post, because I attended the 2006 Fiber and Bead Fest in Santa Monica. It was fun, but much smaller than I expected. Mostly was booths of beads and jewelry, with not nearly as much fiber content as I had hoped. The highlight was the Carolina Homespun booth, where I managed to spend a pretty penny, as they say.

The first purchase was something I'd been wanting for a while; Wool combs. These deadly items are invaluable for getting raw fiber under control. They are four pitch English combs, where one is clamped to the table and the other is swung (carefully!) perpendicularly to align the fiber. I'm waiting to have a quiet child free moment to try them out.

Next purchase was a pound of Ramboulliet top. I bought 4 four oz balls. One I gave to Murphy, and we spent the weekend dyeing it. One I gave to Eric, and he preferred to spin his first, then dye. He gave it a valiant try on the wheel; started off really well, but when the roving broke, had some trouble getting it started again. I unfortunately had to work, and left him in the lurch. We'll have to try later.

One thing I bought was really inexpensive, but I can't believe the difference it makes in my finished product! I bought a Niddy-Noddy. This is a simple little device for winding a skein of yarn or roving. It makes the skein neat and uniform and makes my homespun yarn look so professional! The yarn on it is from Murphy's last dyepot; I'm very proud of it because it's so uniform in size. The colors are really cool too!

The last thing I bought (and wasn't I being restrained?) was this lovely Merino/Tussah Silk blend. Ohhhh it's so yummy, I can't wait to spin it, but I have SOOO many projects going! It's going to have to wait some time, I'm afraid. Which is good; because I'll have gotten lots of practice by then!

There's many more things to tell and pictures to show, but they'll have to wait another day, as it's time for a game of Uno with Murph, and a sleepy bedtime.

Weekend

Well, we have had an interesting weekend. On Saturday the wonderful gentlemen that normally do a lovely job taking care of our yard accidently cut the main water pipe into the house. Just a little nick. Unfortunately, it required turning the water off until it can be repaired. Ever look at those splashy ads in the Yellow Pages, where plumbers advertise in big bold red letters "24 hour Emergency Service!!!!" I have news for you... THEY LIE. Out of six that we called, only one returned our call. And he informed us that it would be $150 per hour for him to come out on Saturday. How many hours do you think it would take to repair this little pipe at that rate? I bet a few. My enterprising beloved gave repairing it the old college try, but with out the proper equipment didn't have much luck. So we're praying for an early visit from the plumber this morning, and fearing a motel stay tonight if it can't be fixed... I REALLY need a shower! And we won't go into the machinations necessary for say, a trip to the restroom. YIKES!

On the other hand, I got quite a bit of yarning done. I finished one bobbin of the lace weight blue and plied it; haven't set the twist yet as we have NO WATER!!!!! but did manage to ply and wash some of the heavier weight blue and Murphy's yarn Friday, before we went dry. The blue is so silky feeling; I have to look again and see what variety of wool it is. It's not a blend, that much I know; this is the first wool I took from raw wool to yarn!


This is yarn from the Merino roving that Murphy handpainted. It's gone through some interesting changes, and I have learned a lot from doing it. It's very soft and the color changes are kinda wild, but the overall effect is muted, and thank goodness, not girly pink. I'm not quite sure what to make from it though!

I started several projects this weekend. Some I will post pictures; others are for gifts and will have to wait till the recipient has seen them for posting. Some I'm really excited about. And some are waiting for WATER for blocking...

More later...

Ventura County Fair Part 2

On to the fun stuff at the fair! First thing through the gate, Murphy and Eric hit the big slide.




Then we did some browsing and shopping, and then stopped into Uncle Leo's Barn, which Beardsley & Son sponsors every year. The only thing Murphy was really interested in there were the chickens, for some reason. He was very excited to see a real live chicken, which he did. Which promptly pooped just inches from Murphy's nose, making him gag. A farmer, my child isn't.




Then the Dragon Wagon - the first "all by myself" ride. What a grin on his face; he had a blast!


It was corn dogs and steak sandwiches for lunch, then back to the rides! Here we find Daddy, Eric and Murphy in line for the Tilt-a-Wheel. For the SECOND ride. Sigh. Murphy takes WAY after Daddy. LOVED the Tilt-a-Wheel.


A hang gliding ride; he liked this one after a while but was "a liddle scared" that he'd fall out. Daddy rode beside him and made him feel safe.

It was a wonderful fun and exciting day and we're already anticipating next year.

Ventura County Fair Part 1

Mommy played hooky from work today, and we all four packed up and went to the Fair! We had a total BLAST!!!! First stop was the Home Arts Pavillion, where I had entered five items. Wonder of wonders... I WON!!!!! I won two first place awards.


One for a crocheted scarf,






and another for a crocheted, felted bag.





I also won a second place for a homespun crocheted bag.











as well as an Honorable Mention for a skein of homespun yarn.








I also entered this knitted bag, which didn't win anything.





I am extremely pleased, as I entered on a lark and really didn't expect to win anything. Four out of five ain't bad! Watch out, because I'm already planning for next year!