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! 

Veteran's Day, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day...

See the title, and wonder why? 

Women's Memorial - Vietnam War

Well, November 11 is many things. Armistice Day, which is probably the oldest form of recognition of this day, is the day, November 11, 1918, when fighting in World War I (wasn't that the "Great War"?) ceased, with the signing of an "armistice" between the Allies and Germany. 

An "armistice" is an acknowledgement between warring parties that the fighting will stop. It can be a permanent one or a temporary halt to the war. It's also defined as "truce."

Remembrance Day is held also on this date in the UK. It's also called "Poppy Day." Everyone wears red poppy pins to commemorate those lost in war and those who returned. At 11 a.m. on 11/11, a two-minute silence is observed. 

Also, for the women vets out there, on this day in 1993, a bronze statue honoring the more than 11,000 US women who served in the Vietnam War was dedicated in Washington DC. It's hard to remember the women... particularly because often, the women had behind-the-scenes roles which were vital. Women serving as drivers, nurses, aides - all of those women did fight the war. Maybe not with guns, but I can't even imagine being in a field hospital and seeing the carnage. And then perhaps having someone think that you "didn't really fight" in the war. Really? 

Veterans Day is the US version of Armistice Day and Remembrance Day. In our country, it's a commemoration of every war in which the US fought. 

Flags up and down the entryway

Oh, and it's also all about the sales. Sorry for the whiplash, but truly: check out the numerous signs and flyers advertising "Veterans Day Sale"... And go ahead, shake your head. 

Our main campus recognizes the day by having flags placed along the drive in and out. It's not the best picture, but here is what I was able to catch. You get the idea. We have a great guy who's the Veteran Liaison and he's been instrumental in helping local vets get hooked up with financial aid, counselors, and getting them ready for "re-entry" into the civilian world. It's not easy. 

Even if you're in the peacetime military (if anyone remembers that), you would go out on cruises, out on missions - you were maybe stationed far from home. All of that is very foreign to the civilians back home, and when you came back, you were forever changed - and so were the folks you left. In the Navy particularly: you have a 6-month cruise, and you leave your spouse and a couple of kids. She has to take care of everything. Everything. And then you come home. 

That re-entry is difficult at best. Particularly because couples often clashed in terms of whose job was whose. Which roles were whose. Who did what with the kids. What the routines were, and how they were established. All of that is hard work. And that's why military marriages are hard. 

The poem most associated with this day is called "In Flanders Fields," and it was penned by Lt. Colonel John McCrae.


Here it is:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
      Between the crosses, row on row,
   That mark our place; and in the sky
   The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
   Loved and were loved, and now we lie
         In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
   The torch; be yours to hold it high.
   If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
         In Flanders fields.

That should give you goosebumps. If it doesn't, please check your pulse. 

Pause for a moment today - it doesn't have to be at 11 a.m. -- but pause. And thank those who didn't come home, as well as those who have come home, forever changed by what they saw and what they remember.

Knitting...

Opal Sock

Yes, I cast on another pair of socks. Here it is so far. The yarn is Opal Diamant. It's a bicolor, and looks prettier than my crummy camera on my phone can make it. Dye lot is 6526 and color is 660. At least I think that's the order they're in. Opal labels are not in English, for the most part! 

The DPNs are Knitter's Pride "Cubics" - they're wood, and they feel very fragile compared to my Kollage aluminum needles. I'm using a very plain pattern - just a cuff of about 1" and then straight knitting. Maybe boring, but the color changes add enough interest; I don't want to obscure the colors with a busy pattern. 

I will get back to the Teal Sock. I'm just mad at it now, and we need a Time-Out. 

Christening...

I wish I could say I have pictures of the twins' Christening. But I don't. I wasn't even there. It's this way... I had a rash and went to the doctor for a fix. The fix gave me a  horrible reaction - like hives all over my body. And on top of that, I thought I had pink-eye. I actually DO have an eye infection, but (whew!) it's not pink-eye. 

However, the doctor told me "wash your hands a lot and stay away from kids." It's still catchy. It's looking lots better, but I thought that since I was contagious, nobody would appreciate me being there. 

That's how the Opal socks came about... I stayed home from church and the christening, watched a lot of old movies and worked on the sock. 

Weather...

We have "snizzle" in the forecast for today. Snow/drizzle, for those of you in warmer climates. Yep. Just a taste of what the next 3 months or so might bring us. Personally, I'm hoping for a snowy winter, because I want to get out my snowshoes. Which brings me to....

Holiday Creep...

What is with people? So far, Mercedes started their holiday commercials right after Halloween, and now there are several stores opening on THANKSGIVING Day. Really? And Sirius satellite radio announced this morning that their holiday channels start tomorrow. 

This is too much. Kid #2 says that Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday, but now lately, "...it's the butt-crack between Halloween and Christmas." 

That's about right. 

We go to pick up the turkey on the 19th. We are having Thanksgiving early - and before anyone says that that's kind of hypocritical, let me just say that in our family, it's practical - and a matter of survival. 

My brother has to go to his in-laws. You know the family dynamic, and if you're lucky enough to not have that kind of weird, please bow your head in thanks. 

My nephew (dad of the twins) has a second family to visit, and his wife has a wide variety of "steps" to visit. Those kids run ragged, and it's not fair to the babies, either.  

As well, this year, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are on the same day. Or I should say that Hanukkah begins on November 28. To me, though, that's just a regular calendar thing. 

This bit about having people shop on the ONE DAY that everyone agreed was "hands-off" is a bit much. Today in the Trib, Macy's said they were acknowledging that people need family time, so they're opening at 8 p.m. Nice. 

Not.

I think that we need a non-commercial holiday. We need to not be out there looking for "the next best thing" to put under a tree. We need to spend time with parents, grandparents, etc. The cousins need to get together. We need to share stories more than we need to park at a mall and shop.

So while we'll have the "non-traditional" day on the Sunday before, I like having the actual day to our own family. The first time we did this, I think my mom was feeling bitter, "Nobody wants to stay at MY house..." etc. I did remind her that Hubby hasn't been home for a Thanksgiving in many years and that she really has to get over that feeling. Now, though - even she's liking the Sunday-before thing. Nobody has to rush to get anywhere, and it seems less stressful. Kid #2 will be late, because it's his school's "Step-Up Day" and he has to be there. But then, he wears his "Teacher Duds" to my mom's house and she gets all squishy. It all works out well. 

Random Picture...

Lake view, Mt. Bre

I'm pretty sure that this is Hubby's picture, but I can't remember. What I do remember is that this is the view from the mountain, Mt. Bre, on the Day We Saw the Mountains in France and Switzerland. I wasn't going to hike down to this view, because I was tuckered, but I did. And I hiked all the way back, too. I was a dripping mess, but yes, the view was definitely worth it. 


Kid #2 requested a picture of Mt. Blanc, and I think this might be the one I give to Kid #1. Both kids love the mountains, and I know they'll love these pictures. 

That trip was indeed a trip. I think it's one of my fondest times. So far, at least.