"Some of My Best Friends are..."

That's the start of a quote from Tallulah Bankhead's character in the Hitchcock movie "Lifeboat."

She uses that refrain a lot in the movie. So I'm grabbing it. 

Some of my best friends are...

teachers

students

parents

school officials

grandparents

siblings


And this Mama is mad. What, you say, do all of the above-listed folks have in common?

They're all victims of shootings. Mass shootings, which are now as familiar to us as a regular old weekday. 

Oh, my friends the politicians (some of my friends are even politicians...) will offer their "thoughts and prayers." And some of those "friends" will mightily castigate those who seek to "politicize" the shootings. 

You know THOSE folks. The ones who want - NOW, finally, THIS TIME to talk about mental health issues and gun regulations. 

"But it's TOO SOON." 

Then?

BAM. The next shooting. 

"But it's TOO SOON."

Then? 

BAM. The NEXT shooting. 

It's a bad refrain to an oft-sung song. 

It's NOT too soon. It's almost too late. 

Does anyone recall that the latest shooting in Parkland, Florida is TEN YEARS from the shooting at Northern Illinois University? To the day, people. 

How long (dare I even put this in writing) till someone decides to do "anniversary shootings"? Seriously, don't you dare laugh. Don't you DARE tell me "it's not the guns."  DON'T you dare tell me that it's a "terrorist" if the shooter isn't a white male. 

The mental health safety nets (what few of them still exist) will be shredded under the current administration's iteration of that farcical piece of garbage called their "budget." And we aren't allowed to mention gun restrictions - like restrictions on large purchases of ammunition - because it might upset the NRA and they won't be able to buy and sell their (really, once upon a time, OUR) representatives. 

Here's an idea. Those responsible gun owners that we hear from and about? How about ALL OF YOU resign from the NRA. Seriously, take your money and spend it elsewhere. Maybe when the NRA has only the zealots, and their budget tanks? Maybe THEN we can talk about sensible limits. Sensible regulations. Politicians that aren't bought. 

Because right now? Apparently, the lone "presidential" tweet sending "thoughts and prayers: isn't cutting it, and it is, after all, "too soon."

But not too soon to plan funerals for youngsters whose only misstep was -- going to school. 

The Last Three Inches...

Seems like I was just here. At least in terms of the February Lady Sweater. I had Hubby help me measure last night, and I have about 3" to go on the yoke till I can RE-do the sleeves and then start the lace pattern again. 

For some reason, it's going more slowly than I remember it doing the first time around. But I'm really glad, now that I'm into it again, that I frogged. I think I have the size better, too. Even though I put the eyelets in there, it's not as "swingy" as it was the first time around. I'm hoping it's not too snug, but then, it's going to grow a bit anyway. 

They usually don't but this one seems to do so. We'll see. I can understand it, because the yoke is pretty heavy, considering. And the lace will stretch. The sleeves are only meant to be 3/4 length. I have short arms - they should come nearly to my wrists, and I can always add a row or two. I'll have to see how it goes. 

I'm finally using the "too small" yarn bowl I bought. I couldn't find a hank, skein or ball small enough, but since I have a few of these balled up already, I think I can use this for now. It'll actually fit the entire skein, but I don't think it's center-pull, though I can fiddle with it. 

It's a pretty bowl, but has been, for the most part, useless because of the lack of depth. I was resigned to using it as a notions holder or just as a pretty wooden bowl, but at least for this project, I can use it for its intended purpose. 

I'm already thinking about my next project. I will finish the Shape-It scarf - I'm so close, and I have to fix that little snag. Then I can take care of blocking it and actually wearing it. It being June, I've got time! 

I want to do another sweater, and "J" at work reminded me, "It's 6 months till Christmas!"

So I need to figure out if I'm doing any Christmas knitting. One of our colleagues doesn't celebrate holidays so I'm not sure how we're going to do this. It's going to be interesting, to say the least. I was thinking of knitting up some washcloths and getting some fancy soaps for some quick gifts. 

Young Living Essential Oils makes some nice bar soaps, some foaming soaps and some nifty "bath bombs" - and that might be a nice option for something different. 

Politics...

Well, I wasn't going to go there, but I think I have to. There was a shooting today in Washington DC and everyone's all a-buzz. I even had someone tell me it was an "assassination attempt." 

Call me jaded - maybe it's our proximity to Chicago. It was a shooting. Plain and simple, another example of the daily violence that's endemic in our major cities. 

Yes, if you want to split hairs, it was an attempt to assassinate someone. If you look it up, "assassinate" means to kill someone. So yeah - someone attempted to kill someone. 

Stop making it partisan. Start working on reasonable gun laws. I'm not telling anyone that someone from the government is coming to get your guns. Lord knows that President Obama never did that - do you hear that, crazy uncle of mine?? 

Too many people (Newt, I'm lookin' at you) are spouting nonsense about how Democrats are evil killers. Crap, people...we can't even win an election we're supposed to have walked away with. 

We do need to stop the hate at the highest levels, and I'm not sure I even have the imagination to know where to go with that one. But until we start to address the violence and hate at the local level, we can't get to the higher levels. 

Storm's Coming...

Yes, that's a song by the Wailin' Jennys. Awesome music. But this is more in line with the last "random picture" which wasn't so random. Yesterday, I took a shot of the clouds building for a storm that resulted in a warning, with "high winds and hail."

And we got nothing. 

That is, till about 5:15 p.m. today. It broke over the office just as I was trying to leave. And it kept bucketing. No hail, thankfully, but a ton of rain, lots of wind. And it's going to continue for a while. There are breaks and I'm taking advantage of one of them. 

A few more stitches on the long, long yoke of the sweater and then I'm off to bed. I have a funeral to go to in the morning, and then work. 

Sleep tight, folks! 

This is America, Right?

No, I don't mean "Right America." I'm just curious. And I'm befuddled. Seems that the Food and Drug Administration is also befuddled.

Here's an article in this month's Reader's Digest. Look at it. And tell me if this doesn't worry you at some level. I know, we all try to minimize our need for prescription drugs. And truly, I know that it's better to try to get healthy without relying on Big Pharm.

But there are some things that don't respond well to "au naturel." Heart disease. Some forms of diabetes. Cancer. The list is long. 

And we have a crisis in medications. Here. In the USA. The most expensive medical system on the planet. And the FDA is telling us, "We can't compel the drug companies to do this or that."

Really??? Lemme see: FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. What exactly is it that you do, then?? 

There are people dying right now who don't have medical care. And, according to the information in this article, there are people dying right now who DO have medical care. Because a drug company no longer makes the drug they need, and there's no alternative to give them. 

The woman in the article (one of several scenarios) has a condition that has caused her to have a Vitamin A deficiency. That causes blindness when it's bad enough. The drug she was taking, Aquasol A, was manufactured by a company called Hospira, an American generic drug manufacturer. Well.... there were "manufacturing challenges" that caused this company to stop making this drug. That has a chain effect, folks. Because now, NOBODY has access to Aquasol A. Nobody no where no how... The company "recognizes the critical need" for this drug. (Nice of them...) But it hasn't managed, in a few years now, to find a separate manufacturing company so that the product can come back to the market. 

It gets better... The FDA, apparently, can't fix the problem of shortages because they say they can't compel manufacturers to make sure they produce enough or have an alternative, should something go awry. This woman's case went all the way to the Supreme Court, who refused to hear it. But her lawyer found that a version of the drug she needs is available. In France. 

But the FDA won't provide a compassionate-use exemption. 

It's like a circular firing squad. 

Speaking of Which...

No guns in God's house

This is what greeted us at church this Sunday. And I get it. I truly do. According to the laws in our state, now that the NRA has beaten out of us our last "good thing we got right," we now have to post signs where guns aren't allowed. 

Skip all the discussion about how this won't stop "a bad guy with a gun." Frankly, if you're at our local Chipotle and dressed out in your AK-47, I'm not certain whether you are a GOOD guy or a BAD guy. And I'm not going in there to find out.

Skip the discussion about how incredibly stupid-easy it is to get illegal guns. 

Just consider this. Our church is a 125-year-old building. This is screwed into the side door. Another one just like it is screwed into 125-year-old limestone. 

As far as I'm concerned, I get the issue of WHY. I don't get the issue of HOW. I mean, wouldn't there have been another way to post this at the front of the building, instead of defacing it? 

One of my choir buddies, a "lifer" at the church, is livid. I know that it's important to comply with the law. And I know how ridiculous it is -- if someone wants to come in there and shoot us up? Seriously. A sign's gonna prevent that?? 

I just wish there could be a better solution, instead of whacking into such an old and glorious building. 

And Speaking of Which...

I now work in the safest campus building in the entire world. Truly. Because for the next several weeks, my campus is host to police supervisory training. And my parking lot is blessedly full. With cop cars. 

Yes, they are allowed in my building with their guns. They're sworn officers. This is the first time since they were here last year that I've been able to just leave my building unlocked. 

I'm not in an unsafe area, by any means. But it's a long, stretched out building, and we've been told by campus security that we have to have a secured entry. Well, courtesy of the nearly 50 officers here today, I've got a secured entry. 

They book with me every year. I have to get up at "Oh My God" o'clock to be here for them, but it's great that we're able to provide the space for the training. 

The only downside is that cops bring donuts. So it's been a serious struggle. Not just any donuts but donuts from one of the best places in town. Not a franchise place, but a real mom-and-pop donut shop. 

The Garden Grows...

Hummingbird garden

Both of them. The front garden has been refined a bit, Hubby washed and scrubbed each of the hummingbird feeders to within an inch of their lives, and the flowers are blooming nicely. 

We saw a few of the little stinkers, but not recently. We're hoping they'll be back. 

The glass birdbath (in the back there, toward the day lilies) has been a good attraction. We have to get a bubbler in there, though. The twirly birds from the maple tree haven't helped. 

The Fuschia are blooming, too. And so are the herbs that I specifically planted for the birds and the bees. I still have some UFOs in there - not sure if it's a really cool weed or something I planted and failed to label last year. I'll give 'em a few more weeks to pan out and see what I have.

I do have what appears to be a record crop of Purple Coneflower coming back. At least I hope so. Otherwise, some monstrous weed has taken root. Probably planted by those evil, conniving squirrels. 

I don't know why they'd be mad. Sure, they can't get to our birdseed, but the sparrows are incredibly compliant in flicking seed onto the grass. The porky squirrels are not suffering, let me assure you.

Veggies galore

The veggie garden is also coming along. The herbs are loving the trug, though I still think they'd be a little better off with slightly more sun. But since they're behaving nicely, I guess I have to let that one go.

Radishes... we're gonna have radishes! I have to check out a pickling recipe, I think. I've heard you can roast them, which I'll try. 

Left-to-right, in the raised beds, we have tomatoes/cukes, then carrots/radishes and finally, that right-side bed is all lettuce. We have lots of lettuce seed left, so we'll be able to have that continually through the season. 

We'll have to thin out those radishes; and Hubby didn't even plant them all. 

Trug

The trug - that's just to give you a visual of what it looks like. There's basil, thyme, tarragon, parsley and rosemary in there. 

I have French lavender and 3 kinds of basil in pots in the front yard - that's just to let the birds and bees enjoy it. Also, sage. I'm using some of that basil and sage, anyway, but in order to have something for Mother Nature, I deliberately chose to let those basil plants go to seed. Their flowers will help the bees, and we get the additional benefit of some pretty plants that will potentially attract birds, too.

I'm hoping the cucumbers come out in force. God help me for saying that!! Will be doing pickles again. And if the herbs cooperate, probably some more basil jelly. Maybe tarragon jelly if I can figure that one out.

As far as pickles, I'm getting requests already for my "famous, hand-diced pickle relish." So I suppose that'll be the majority of the crop. We still have pickles from last time I did this!

And maybe, since there are only a few tomato plants, we might get more than 3 tomatoes. I'm serious. THREE tomatoes. Only. That's a bummer...

Knitting...

The second sock of the KAL is coming along. It's like the world's longest gusset, but I'm about 2" from starting the toe decrease. 

KAL Part Two

My friend R, from choir, wants to learn to knit socks. She's just going to be doing this pattern, the Plain Vanilla, and on DPNs, because that's the way I know how to knit 'em! Hoping to do that a little later this month. 

Will go back into the "WIP list" and figure out what to do next after I finish this final sock. I know I want to knit more socks, but I also want to finish some of the WIPs, as well as some of those projects listed alongside the blog. I do have some Monkey Socks stashed. I mean, they're already on the needles. And Teal #2 is staring at me. I can feel it. Right through the project bag.

I had wanted to have the February Lady Sweater done to wear this season. I've got the yoke complete. I know I can't knit lace unless I'm somewhere quiet. So, also, with the stashed baby sweaters. The blue one is almost done, at least the knitting. I want to start the lavender one. And from the extras, I want to do hats or something. 

Speaking of extras, anyone have something creative to do with leftover sock yarn? Perhaps a "crazy sock" made up of all the leftovers, no matter what color? Any ideas are welcome. 

Random Picture...

So the Icelandic poppies came back, bigger and better than ever. I confess, I was a little worried about them, after this brutal winter. But then I thought, "Icelandic." They should be able to stand this.

Icelandic Poppy

And they have. It's loaded with blossoms and takes up a big chunk of the "Trapezoid garden" - so-called because I mimicked the curve in the sidewalk. It actually resembles Home Plate... This is another plant that I've had for truly over 10 years. I haven't seen these cream-white blooms anywhere else. I'd love to get a few more, if I could find them. 

I'm sad because our across-the-street neighbor - there's something odd there. Usually, his garden has won our informal "who's is nicer?" contest. It was usually between 3 of us on the block, and till he came, I have to say, my garden was the most colorful. 

I say this because he had a huge bed of the bright orange poppies. I haven't seen him out there, and the garden has gone to crap. I don't know if he's ill or if he's moved out. His son is there. But he didn't inherit the green thumb, for sure. He can barely keep the grass mowed, much less give the flower beds a much-needed weeding. 

Anyway, back to Sock #2. It won't get done if I'm typing! 

REALLY, Florida???

So Marissa Alexander is set to go to trial now, for SIXTY YEARS for firing a shot into a wall, in the direction of her abusive estranged husband.

And someone says, "she didn't have to go back into the house." Really?

Reports say that she didn't live in the house, but had thought that the abusive estranged hubby wasn't home. Apparently, though it's not clear, there was something there she needed...? Either way, at the time of the incident, she did have a restraining order against him. I would like to think that she was as certain as she could be that he wasn't in the home before deliberately putting herself in this situation.  

The abusive estranged husband had already broken through the bathroom door and grabbed her by the throat, shoving her to the ground. According to the records, he was badgering her about the paternity of the child she'd given birth to "days" prior. 

She tried to leave, through the garage, but the door wouldn't open. I don't know - maybe Florida garages don't have service doors like ours do in Illinois.

I do wonder where the new baby was. But I don't have any indications in anything I've read on this matter.

See, here's what makes me angry. She was ALREADY convicted, for a term of 20 years (...though it was 3 counts. The judge combined the sentences to one of 20 years). This move by the judge, to have her serve the 3 sentences concurrently instead of consecutively, was what was tossed out by the 1st District Court of Appeal. Under Florida law, the original judge wasn't allowed to combine the charges that way. But wait... Different appeals courts in Florida have different opinions. Some say that Daniel CAN stack the sentences. Others say no. 

And so now the DA is re-trying it. What happened to double jeopardy? Anyway, this retrial, set for July, will (absent a plea agreement) will land this woman in jail for basically the rest of her life.

Because she fired a warning shot. At an abusive spouse who was charging her. The spouse claims that his kids, who were with him, were the victims here.

Well, yeah, probably. Because he chose that day to assault his estranged wife IN FRONT OF THEM. So that makes him what? Daddy of the Year??  

The Circuit Court judge, James Daniel, said during jury instructions that she had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that she was abused. 

I would think a restraining order was "beyond a reasonable doubt." But you never know about juries, especially those in Florida. It took the first jury twelve minutes. TWELVE MINUTES. To find her guilty. 

What's outrageous if you have a conscience and a soul is that, just recently, two white guys got away with KILLING black kids. Using "Stand Your Ground," they claimed to be in fear of their lives. Uh-huh.

Like Marissa Alexander WASN'T? With an estranged, abusive husband choking her, as opposed to, say, loud music playing in a car? Or a kid walking through a neighborhood who "looked gangster"? 

This article in Huffington Post is even more galling. Apparently, Daddy of the Year has had multiple "baby mammas" and has "laid hands on each of them" according to his own words. 

Oh yeah, this guy wins Prince Charming awards everywhere he goes. Here's a link to a Daily Sundial blog that just about summarizes it: if you're black and/or female, I guess the law isn't on your side. Your Prince Charming can run his scraggly butt out of the house and claim YOU threatened him. Of course, after HE "laid hands" on you. 

I want to vomit. Here's the thing. I'm past 55 years of age and I'm white. I'm female, a feminist, and have worked for a long time in male-dominated fields. I know from discrimination and the "pink collar" crap. I also know how men can get really intimidated by bright, educated women. And that doesn't count the double-whammy of being black.

I am under no delusion that we are now a post-racial society since Barack Obama's election (twice) to the Presidency. I was, however, thinking that just maybe, in 2014, the US would perhaps, somewhat, a teeny tiny bit, be post-gender. 

Yes, the statistics regarding our political representation (18.5% in both House and Senate) and the number of CEOs (4% in the Fortune 500 companies, and 4.4% in the Fortune 1000) are still pathetic. And we won't even talk about why anyone with ovaries would be Republican.

But still. Michael Dunn could "stand his ground" in a parking lot. Marissa Alexander can't do that in a home she once occupied? At least Ms. Alexander was being physically assaulted. 

Dunn just didn't like the music. 

Concealed Carry in Illinois...

So today, as long as I'm ranting on domestic violence, I read that the State of Illinois' new/stupid law allowing the citizens to carry concealed weapons may have a loophole. A large, frightening loophole. 

As a side note, a pox on Representative Brandon Phelps, who sponsored this NRA-written law. May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your soft squishy parts. In your next life, may you come back as a worm. One of those night-crawlers that creep onto the sidewalks after a heavy rain -- you know, the ones everyone steps on...

Anyway. I digress. 

Under the current Illinois law, a person can be arrested for just about any offense including domestic battery.  Wait for it. You'd think, "Ok, ONE arrest and done."

Noooooooooo. You can be arrested up to five times within a 7-year period. Do you understand how incredibly ludicrous and stupid this is? How many times will it take to actually kill the woman you're assaulting? And those are only the situations where it's reported.

Domestic violence goes unreported. A lot. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has put out a flyer outlining some of the statistics. They're not as current as I'd like but the numbers are still staggering. Add the availability of concealed carry to this. 

Then add the fact that Illinois is broke, and that the background checks may not extend across state lines.

Right now, the IL statute is more restrictive than the federal statute, and the "domestic battery" segment is the only misdemeanor in the federal statute. Of course, the gun lobby is going wild about this. They want that misdemeanor REMOVED from the federal statute. The US Supreme Court held oral arguments in a Tennessee case that would repeal the "Lautenberg" amendment and restore gun rights to convicted domestic abusers.

Let me repeat that. 

...restore gun rights to convicted domestic abusers.

Has your blood run cold yet? If not, check your pulse. Women in this country (and particularly in Florida) are going to become an endangered species unless we duck our eyes, follow our man 5 feet behind his noble self, and act as breeders. 

Yeah. That's how I wanted my future to be. 

Random Picture...

Satellite picture

I'm not in the mood for cute-puppy-pictures. However, I will use these, that I found on The Google... According to today's paper, about 80% of the Great Lakes is still frozen. That hasn't happened since the mid-1990s. Spring, groundhog to the contrary, will be late. 

But Mother Nature is certainly putting on a show for us. 

Light-house-sicle

Icebreaker

Ice Beard

No Guns Allowed....And Don't Text, In Case...

...the guy behind you is a retired cop with a gun.

Seriously. Here's the link:  http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/13/justice/florida-movie-theater-shooting/

This guy texts his 3 year old. OK, aside from the fact that it's ok for mommy and daddy to have a date night and who texts their toddler anyway??? -- he's texting and he's not supposed to be.

Cop-with-attitude-and-handgun asks him to quit. They argue. 

Again - really? If you're that anxious to text your toddler, then perhaps (a) you stay home; or (b) you GET UP AND WALK OUT OF THE THEATRE. 

CWA+G goes to get theatre employee, apparently comes back really annoyed, sans employee.

Again - USHERS??? That's what they're supposed to be there for, and if not an usher, how about a manager???

Then shots fly. Texting Daddy dies. 

CWA+G sits down after shooting, with handgun in lap. 

Only in Florida. Well, not really, but come on. A black kid gets shot because some vigilante nut job thinks he "looks suspicious" and now this??

Screen in the movie theatre says "Please don't text. And handguns not allowed in theatre." 

Well. There you go. Everyone plays by the rules, right? 

Just one more responsible gun owner exercising HIS freedoms. 

Except somewhere in Florida, there's a toddler now without a dad. Sure, the dad was being a jerk texting in the theatre. Sure, the theatre posted warnings. But really - the retired cop HAD to shoot him? Why? The light from his phone bothered the cop???

This does not bode well for a couple of things.

First off, Florida just might beat Chicago in gun violence. That would wreak havoc on the tourist trade... "Come to Florida. With Luck, Leave Alive." There's a ringing endorsement!!

Second, of course, is Illinois' recent leap into insanity (well, MORE insanity) by allowing itself to be bought by the NRA. We were, up until last year, the only sane state in the US. 

Broke. Corrupt. But SANE - no "concealed carry" here. Well, no LEGAL concealed carry. But noooooooooo - the NRA and gun-nut-lobby folks had to have their way. So now, people are applying for concealed carry permits. They are required to pass background checks and take 16 hours of gun safety courses, but there are still too many loopholes... Enough for one of Former and Jailed Governor George Ryan's illegally-licensed CDL drivers to drive through. Unscathed. 

Take, for instance, road rage. Illinois, especially Chicago and the collar counties, is infamous for its traffic snafus. Let's put it this way: 

Hillside Strangler

One of our worst areas for traffic is nicknamed "Hillside Strangler." Then there's Lower Wacker in Chicago. Then there's Rt. 80, where if you're not a trucker, you're road kill. Then there's... well, anywhere else in the immediate "crossroads" area in and around Joliet. 

For example, just try to get anywhere during "rush hour" at Rt. 80 coming into Joliet. At Larkin or Rt. 55. Or try to get somewhere on Rt. 53 going toward Bolingbrook. 

Yep. Let's let everyone carry guns in their cars. That'll fix the traffic situation.

I talked to a friend who's a Vietnam vet and thank you very much, a good video game will do just fine; he's not interested in owning a gun anymore. The Army cured that itch. He says that his ideal would be to not have "concealed" carry. "Just have them carry open - at least then you know." Which is a good point. Let's just let it all hang out. Then I can see you. 

I mean, think about this. What do you do when you see someone creepy, maybe in an elevator or coming at you on the sidewalk? The SENSIBLE person either doesn't get into the elevator or crosses the street. The SENSIBLE person doesn't go all John Wayne on the other guy. 

Pardon my cynical nature. But I don't really see "sensible" being the overriding principle now. I see "John Wayne" happening more and more. "I'm safe because I have a gun. I'll take 'em all out!" 

My friend Chuck says he knows that most civilians aren't prepared. Even with your 16 hours of training. You're just not ready to handle the ramifications of handling a lethal weapon. 

Guns have no purpose other than killing. Let's be blunt. Guns kill. 

Whether it's hunting, which by the way I'm fine with, as long as you're eating what you're shooting, or whether it's pointing it at a human. Guns kill. Period. End of sentence. End of discussion. 

There must be some responsibility somewhere along the line. And it has to be taken by the person holding the lethal weapon. Your hand holds the gun, you must take the consequences, whether they're good or bad. You took the gun. You take the heat. 

Overall, though, I'm interested to see how this plays out, particularly at my employer. I'm in a university and our policy is pretty simple: No guns on campus. Simple. Mostly one-syllable words. 

Knitting...

"Rip-it, rip-it, rip-it."

So I frogged again, as I said. It's so bad that, after I cast on YET ANOTHER TIME, Kid #2 says, "What?? Again???" When the kids notice, you know it's an issue.

I'm doing a very simple hat. About 1" of Garter stitch (K one row; P the next) and then straight Stockinette. It's on DPNs, but I may nip out to see if I can find a size 7 circular with a 16" cable. 

Speaking of nipping out to get needles, we had a tragedy at our LYS. It's a store-front, in a strip mall. Apparently, they had someone drive through the window. Into customers who were sitting in the "knitting area." 

Back in the day when my friend owned the shop, the "knitting area" was in the back, facing the front. Sonda believed that (a) this was cozy and it was usually warmer back there; and (b) she could keep watch on the store from the back. When the new owner took over, she initially had a seating area somewhat in the back, but she recently moved it to the front, right by the plate glass windows. 

The last time I was in there knitting, I sat on one of the rockers along the side, so that I could see not only the check-out desk (where the employees gathered) but out the window as well.

Call me superstitious. Call it the early training I had working in a prison. I just don't like my back to where I can't see something. Even now, at work, my back faces a wall, and I have the view of the windows on my right, and on my left, I can "see" the front entry, peripherally, at least. I'm aware of who's here and where everyone is at. I like that.

One of the gals I know was sitting in that chair and she saw the whole thing. Another, who was seated on the couch, had gotten up to go toward the Keurig machine for tea; she was in a prime spot to be hit with the car. The woman who ran into the building apparently thought someone was under her car because she backed away from the window. Had Lynn been under her car, she would have been killed. 

There was lots of flying glass and the injuries that resulted were from that glass. 

Each shop owner has the right to do what they please with their establishment. But shortly after this woman took the shop over, someone drove through the plate glass in the shop next to hers. 

The windows are right at the sidewalk. Logic would tell you that perhaps this was an accident waiting to happen. It's a shame. I don't know what will happen. I hope she opens back up soon, and hasn't spooked her customer base; and I also hope she puts it 'back the way it was.' 

It's one thing to do your own thing. But really, you should keep the safety of your customers in the forefront of your mind.

Listening to...

Krishna Das channel on Sirius. Blissing out on just lovely chants from Sean Johnson & The Wild Lotus Band. 

I need to figure out how to get this on my phone. I know it can do it. It's a Windows smartphone. I can't let the phone be smarter than I am!

Reading...

Still plowing through the complete Jane Austen. Holy crimoley --- the "Letters" novelas are horrible. Horrible. First off, the language is enough to gag a diabetic. Second, I can't figure out who's who. Third, it's fragmented. 

Perhaps they had more imagination back then. Perhaps these were the writings that flopped. I'm betting on "flopped." 

My next book would be the yoga book I have to report on, and then another one from my Kindle; haven't decided which. Maybe "The Princess Bride." I think that would be fun. I need some fun after Jane. 

The other option is The Canon. Excuse me. "The Complete Sherlock Holmes." It's been a while since I've read The Canon. And with the new season of "Sherlock" coming up, it might be nice to refresh, even though Stephen Moffatt has turned the concept on its head.

Not that it didn't need freshening. And I could listen to Benedict Cumberbatch read the phone book. I rather like the idea of trying to figure out where the new stories come from. Sure, some are quite original, but some are takes on the classics. 

It's an amazing thing to have one character portrayed by such a variety of actors in such a variety of media - and for so long. 

Lake Lee, Alberta

Random Picture...

This is something I snagged off a friend's Facebook page because it looks amazing. This is actually from Jaime Vedres Photography, and it's Lee Lake in Alberta Canada. 

Look at the stars. I have been to Alberta, but it was for a meeting with their roofing association. Not a fun trip; I mean, the roofing guys were a hoot, but I didn't see any of the sights. 

And we went into Alberta when we went on our honeymoon. I want to go back there, because it's a beautiful place. My idea would be to stop in Banff National Park for an extended stay. It's beyond words gorgeous. It would be a great place to take the dogs - except I'm not sure how we'd get them into Canada. Rats. Oh well, it was a thought. 

If you get a chance, you don't have to go to Europe. You can just go north of the border. Our neighbors to the north are lovely people and they have a lovely country to explore. 

A-Frogging -- Again!!

I know the Yarn Harlot has an "easy way to make a hat" but I don't have the book here. And it's probably a good thing that I left the Strawberry Fields hat at home. 

Now, I'm up to 4" or so on the body. Hubby held the needles (so nothing would slip off, which would totally annoy me). I tried it on. 

Or rather, I tried to try it on. I swear it's a baby beanie and the pattern said NOTHING about size. Ok. So I frog. Again. I am determined to make this hat, with the Kauri yarn. So maybe I have to delve into the world of knitting math, but I'm so annoyed with myself at this moment.

And I'm annoyed at the hat. At the designer for not specifying size alternatives. At the yarn for not behaving. And at Zealana for not having more free patterns. Thanks, but no - I don't want to have to purchase an entire book and "hope" there's a hat pattern in it. Can't you just put out a simple hat? Let the yarn speak? 

Yeesh. There are days when knitting is NOT therapeutic. And today is one of them. 

So I found this link: 
http://www.earthguild.com/products/knitcroc/marypat/hatcalc.htm 

- it's a hat calculator. So I figure, if I can get 4 st/inch as the designer did specify, perhaps I can just enlarge the hat. 

I love the pattern. LOVE it. 

It's such a gorgeous pattern with this absolutely sublime yarn. Nuts. I hate when the knitting fairies conspire against me. I do not want to go buy Red Heart yarn for this pattern.

And why is DK yarn not uniform? According to Wikipedia (don't judge -- I'm having a yarn crisis right now...) I'm in the ballpark. But I'm flummoxed as to what is wrong. I have 188-ish yards of this stuff, and I don't want to knit it bald. 

Auuuuuuuuuuuughhhhhhhhhhhh (as Charlie Brown said after Lucy pulled the football away).

Guns...

In today's Chicago Tribune, there's an article: Dangerous mix: Guns, road rage. No, I'm serious. Like nobody's ever thought of that concept before??

So now that Illinois has succumbed to the stupid and is allowing people to carry concealed weapons, NOW someone thinks about guns + stupid + road rage = something not good... Yeah, we're on the ball here, folks. 

I'll save you the trouble of digesting it all. To sum up: "...researchers and police alike worry an increased number of legal guns in cars could lead to an increase in road rage shootings."

Ummmmm. Yeah. It's likely. And there's another wrinkle in this tablecloth: undiagnosed mental disorders, specifically anger disorders. The article notes, "...psychologists say anger disorders are some of the hardest to detect, allowing them to easily slip by undetected and get concealed carry permits." Lovely. I'm so looking forward to this summer. 

I'm sorry: I don't think the 16 hours of training is enough. I don't think people have fully comprehended the concept of carrying a deadly weapon and how quickly things can go bad. And they haven't considered fully the psychological implications of actually pulling the trigger while the gun is pointed at another human being. We civilians don't think like that. We're not trained sufficiently, and we have a romanticized version in our heads of what this new law will do.

And I don't think it'll be pretty when the bullets start flying. People have this image of "only gangbangers will be shooting" but it's not so. Guns have a weird psychological effect on you; they make you think you're actually fit to defuse a situation, and immune to injury because you're carrying them. 

I think people are going to be surprised at how this all shakes out. And I pray that I'm overreacting. 

Yoga...

So I have the script and a basic outline of a sequence for hands and arms. That's the thesis I'm doing to complete my 200-hour training. I have one section on mudras to work on and then I have to get Hubby to film it. I'm doing a DVD. And no, I'm not selling it, nor am I doing much promotion on it, though if I can figure out a way to do it, I may get a workshop out of it!

Apan mudra

Mudras are fascinating. They are hand gestures used in yoga and Indian dance. My focus is on the therapeutic use of these gestures, specifically as they relate to hand and joint health. 

The one pictured here, apan mudra, is an energy mudra. It helps balance the mind and bring clarity to your thoughts. The image is one I grabbed from The Google. It's not my hand; my hand isn't that pretty! 

And yes, I believe this. 

Mudras can be used for meditation; healing; rejuvenation. It's all subtle body work, and maybe the key is that, in this loud, loud, LOUD world, mudras force us to sit still and breathe. Maybe that's a key component to their healing properties. Either way, I'm looking forward to finishing it up. 

I have one Karma (free) class to host, one more private lesson, and one more workshop. Oh, and one more book review, which is a pain because somewhere, I set the book down, and now I can't find it. It's likely buried in the heap that is my office. 

Mud Season...

So it's now "mud season" till the next snow and/or polar vortex. They say it's coming back. Right now, it's "ugly snow" and mud. Lots of mud. I took some pictures on Saturday, because I had to go out and get my new glasses. These are along the river and in the canal area. This is where snow is not pretty. 

The picture to the left is where I parked my car to get to the eye doctor's office. It looks better than snow looked at this time of year when I was a kid. At least this is crud.

Back in the dark ages, children, we used cinders to spread along the roads. Not salt unless it was BIG SNOW. But for everyday snow, it was cinders all the way. 

Tracking those buggers through the house was a pain in the butt. You couldn't get them all cleaned up. They were everywhere. 

For environmental reasons, they stopped using cinders. I live in an area with a lot of coal-fired power plants, so cinders were a totally renewable resource, if you think of it a little sideways and you squint. 

Thaw along the river

I went under the high-rise bridge to get the one here. It's a gorgeous spot, though prone to flash floods because the road is so close to the river. 

This is with phone, so you probably can't see the ducks. It was a grey day, so the light wouldn't have been spectacular even if I had the big camera. 

Hubby took the girls for a walk and came back in record time. He said the trails were so icy - even in the melt, there were large sections of black ice and he wasn't about to risk breaking something. As it is, Quinn slid and was hopping around on 3 legs for about 10 minutes. Nothing was broken on her, but she took a good jolt. I've been overly-careful myself. Today is the first day I'm actually wearing "real" shoes. 

I hear people chirping about "spring being right around the corner." 

Yep. In about 3 months. 

Random Picture...

Hunting Island Lighthouse

This is at the top of the Hunting Island lighthouse in South Carolina. It was a cloudy day. I would imagine that a sunny day would be spectacular!

I think this might have been one of the highlights of The Bus Trip with Mom... Climbing to the top of the lighthouse was something I wasn't sure I could do, because I hadn't exactly been physically fit. More like "physically pfffffffffth" because of my own lack of exercise. But I took my time, stopping to take pictures out the various windows, and then getting to the top. It was dizzying - I mean, I'm out on the deck there, it's a high-ish wind, and I wanted to get a sense of the scope. But I tipped my head up and realized (quickly) that that wasn't smart! Railing notwithstanding, it was a very "Vertigo" feeling! I hope the picture gives you an idea of what I was seeing at that moment. 

It's not exactly Ansel Adams, but it's a cool picture. At least I think so.