Saturday, December 22, 2012

Lots to Talk About...

Yeah, I know. It's been another "while." I promised I would keep this up more regularly, but stuff happened.

I got a dose of that vile bronchitis going around, and it slowed me down a bit. I'm done with the antibiotic - this followed a sinus infection about 2 weeks prior. I swear, global warming sucks: we need about 2 weeks of a good, hard freeze to wipe out all the crud.

However, all that being said, I'm better; I just get a little croaky and my vocals aren't where they should be yet. And I could do without the massive post-nasal drip. Sorry for TMI...

But. I've been knitting. And I've got everything baked, wrapped, purchased for dinner, and practiced for. I'm done. Ready for Santa. Two days ahead of time. Wowza.

Here's the headband for K, the girlfriend (Kid #1's girlfriend). She's a lovely blonde, so this should look great on her. Alongside it is a small bottle of "Soak" for her to use. "Soak" is the equivalent of Eucalan - a rinseless product for use on knitting, fine lingerie, etc. I like using it for my stuff that needs to be blocked. It also smells nice.

In case you're curious, the wide part goes on the top of your head, and the I-cords go under, then back over the wide part, to be tied into a bow or fancy knot at the top of your head. She's also got long hair - I'd never be able to pull this one off, because I'm frankly in the same pixie cut I've had for a century and a half!

She's also getting a tote (small one) of Bath and Body products. She's been around a while, so the gifts are a little more plenteous this time.

Yellow Sweater
Also, Orange Sweater is done. Not assembled, but done. We know, though: a BOY and a GIRL. My mom is beside herself with being able to buy "pink." We all run to boys, so it's been a long, LONG time for her! Yellow Sweater is still in the works (I should be knitting on it now...) and it should be done before I go back to work. Here's what they look like, so far.

Orange with buttons
I've put the buttons "on" the orange one, just so you can see. I'm not interested in "twinning" the babies to death, so the only things that match will be the buttons. And of course, the basic structure of the sweater, but that's kind of secondary. I could truly whip out a couple more of these for "baby stash" because they're just about mindless, but they look really cute. They only go up to 6-month size, and since I refuse to make "newborn" patterns, this is it. I love the off-center front, and the fact that this is a basic construction. This pattern is rated "easy" and for good reason. But still - there's a ton of knitting in here. I'm sure a faster knitter than I would say "oh, a weekend sweater" but I'm not going to fuss. This was enough to enable me to make 2 sweaters. The crib afghans are going to be a haul, but these are almost an "instant gratification" project.

Flat knit
Here's the basic format before you fold and stitch, and a close-up of the buttons. The buttons look very different on each sweater.  I suppose a more talented knitter could make this bigger - for say a 12-month size. But by that time, I'd just give in and make a poncho!

Buttons.... The buttons are plastic, washable. Obvious, right? You might be surprised!! I remember my friend Mary Ellen made a whole layette out of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino - and her DIL washed it. Washed. It.

This is, as I said, Cascade 220 superwash. I don't mess around.

And this may be a repeat, but I'm going to post it again. Here's a shot of our 2012 crop of ornaments. The only thing I need to do is find 36 more - for the upcoming twins!! I haven't done that yet, but if nothing else, I'm sure I can find them on The Google somewhere. I finished one kid...and next year, there'll be one  more off to college, so she'll be done, too.

And of course, my kids got theirs, too - even though Kid #1 is 29 and Kid #2 is 24... Kid #1 has the blue Santa in the middle. And Kid #2 has the bright green ornament to the right. He's a high school teacher and the colors of his school are green and white.

So on to the rest of the stuff going on. I've done the intro to the yoga teacher training already and I signed up. Wish me luck! I'm excited, and I'm hoping that all goes well. I think it will. I'm training at Prairie Yoga, doing the weekend intensives. It's a 9-month program, and I have a year to finish - I have to put off one seminar because of a Zonta Club event... I have all my books; I've read 2 of them (well, 3, but I have to re-read #3). I have my calendar all set up already. It's all good.

And finally, I can't help myself. I'm beyond sorrow about Sandy Hook Elementary. And I'm beyond mad at the NRA - in the person of Wayne LaPierre. I think he and his organization need a rectal-cranial enema. Because maybe then that will dislodge where his (and his members') heads are. "Arm the teachers." Right. Not. He is, apparently, ignorant. Well, obviously. But ignorant about basic facts of history. Columbine High School had an armed security guard. That worked well... So did Virginia Tech (a whole campus security department), and Northern Illinois University. And the Gabby Giffords shooting? The one guy with a gun couldn't get a clean shot, so instead of taking out MORE people, he chose (wisely) not to shoot.

We need common sense gun regulation. We need to parse the Second Amendment and realize that it does NOT give us the right to military-style assault weapons. It may give us the right to have a gun, but I can't see the Founders reacting well to this situation. The Second Amendment says we can arm ourselves to protect ourselves from an oppressive government - which isn't the country we live in.

And we need to become a kinder society. Caring for the least of these, caring about individuals and making sure that people are given what they need to function in society. Unfortunately, we're not there. I'm afraid that we won't be, for some time yet.

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