I Found Them...

...the buttons, I mean. Jeeze. In my other knitting bag. Well, now I have enough to knit a LOT of baby sweaters!

Finished...

The afghan is FINISHED. It looks really good; even though this happened at the end. I hate knots. I hate that sometimes there's no way to hide them...But I think I did ok with this one. It's buried in the middle of a row. I know you can't prevent them all the time, but why is it that they happen in gifts? 

Anyway, this is a very bulky, but yet light afghan. I like the way the colors blended together and I didn't have too much trouble with anything puddling. There are areas where the green stands out and there are areas where the cream stands out. It's nicely balanced. I think they'll like it; and it won't matter the gender because it'll go with anything. 

I have no idea of the decor of the nursery. They told my mom that they may not paint the room at all; right now it's a deep blue, and used to be my nephew's office. 

So...no hint whether it's a boy or girl, and I don't care. This sage will go with anything. 

So here's the thing with "plain knitting." As you can see, it's a big block. Bordered by straight knit. And you really do have to have decent tension, but the gauge doesn't really matter a whole lot. 

I will tell you that my grandma was a stickler for tension. She would make me rip out and rip out. Till my tension was just the way she liked it. I got used to being able to read my tension and see where I'd maybe been a little "stressed" or maybe a little too loose. It's not gauge. It's tension and it's important with a whole whack of plain stockinette stitch. 

This blanket actually came together relatively quickly. So, in my world, even though it was an 8-hour afghan pattern, it took me most of 3 weeks, knitting on it just about every other day. Not too bad. I think this would be pretty in brighter colors, and maybe the next one will be something really splashy. I'm thinking a bright blue with red, or black with yellow? It could work. 


It would depend on the sweater set though. And that's what I started last night. It's in Universal Yarns superwash wool, an equivalent to Cascade 220. The color is called "Greenery." Original, right? 

Anyway, not sure what buttons, but it's my usual - the "New Arrival Cardigan," and of course, as I started it, I kind of panicked, thinking, "It's going to be too small..." But as we go on, I know it'll bulk out. 

Unfortunately, I can't find my one pattern with the notes on it. I have to look for it; for right now, I'm working off the original book. I know I had some specific notes, but I don't know what I did with them. I thought that they were in the red and black bag where the yarn for the sweaters is kept, but somehow the notes aren't there. It figures. Wonder if they're in another bag with more buttons?

I'm using Kollage Square needles with the soft cable. They're nice to work with and they really do make the stitches pop. Of course the yarn helps! But it seems like my tension (that word again!) is better with these needles. And the soft cable really works well - no boiling to make it un-kink. Right out of the package, it's good to go. 

After the sweater, it's the hat and booties. And then, maybe. If nobody else announces a baby, I can get back to knitting socks!

A girl can hope... 

It Was a Dark & Foggy Morning...

This was my view outside my window in the office. I couldn't see the top of the steeple at the old St. Mary Carmelite Church. That's the steeple, and the building in front is the public library.

Much of our downtown is made of local limestone - at least a good bit of it, if they'd stop tearing down the old stuff and putting up concrete cubes. Right out of the 70s, for sure!

Anyway, St. Mary Carmelite is an 1882 Gothic-revival church that's in hideous disrepair because the Diocese can't get its act together. The last "project" was in 2015 - where someone was supposed to renovate the structure for senior housing. But the lawyer next door objected, apparently. 

And now? It's falling apart. It used to be a vibrant church, and when the downtown area was thriving, the rectory next to it was full, and the community was alive. The photo to the right is what it used to look like before it really did deteriorate. I remember going there when I first worked downtown; Ash Wednesday services at noon were very popular. And it had a hopping "Shepherd's Table" in the church basement. 

But as downtown went the way of many downtown areas...the church has languished. 

This photo is of the nave. Note the stained glass over the area where the altar would have been. Note the arches. Note the pillars. 

As a singer, I can tell you that the sound hung there like Michael Jordan on a jump shot. This church was beautiful. 

And now it's near death. It's going to cost more to tear it down. All because nobody knows what to do with it. 

Joliet went through a phase of "tear it down, tear it down," and we lost a lot of landmark buildings. We have a courthouse that's in disarray because (of course) they tore down the lovely limestone edifice and put up a concrete paneled monstrosity that looks like it was upside down. 

My uncle, the one-time County Engineer, took one look at those plans and said, "If you go forward with this, I'm noting my objection now. The design is awful and you'll be out of room in a few years." He was right on both counts. 

St. Mary's ... it's a sad story. I've been hoping that Joliet officials will see some sort of sense. But it's not looking good. With the state's reputation as it is (no budget for 2 years, several governors in jail...) - it's not surprising that nobody wants to build or invest.

We supposedly have a new transportation center coming, and they've renovated the train depot in stages. But it's taking forever, because ... well, budgetary restrictions.  

What's sort of saving us are the intermodal facilities just outside of downtown. But then you have the trucks coming through downtown on streets not wide enough to handle a couple SUVs and a bus... Maybe once we see the new junior college building start to hold classes. Maybe when the Rialto Theatre gets its act together. Maybe the University of St. Francis campus will start to bring the kids back. There are good things. 

But to allow a building with that kind of history to decay? It's shameful. 

Random Picture...

This is Alex. Alex is a graduate student at the university where Tippi and I do our therapy work. Alex told me straight up that he was a German Shepherd kind of guy. He told me that he was going to have one when he was able to get back to Israel and start teaching at Bethlehem University, or as he calls it, "THE Bethlehem." 

Well. Then he met Tippi. Who gave him her best Elk-Clown grin, and proceeded to sit in his lap. He laughed. 

I'm told he hadn't had much to laugh about lately, from people who've worked with him. And I'm sure that with him being from Israel, he's got a lot on his mind. He's graduating in May. He's from a place where war is an everyday thing. I'm sure he's thinking about what it's like at home, and what the current administration in the US might -- or might not -- do with the relations between our two countries. 

Last night, we had another therapy visit. And Alex was there. And Tippi did her thing. They took many selfies. He showed me a picture of his friend's German Shepherd dog. And then he asked a lot of questions about Elkhounds. 

He's decided that Tippi is "the perfect size." He learned about their care and habits, and he learned that they can adapt to just about any climate. He's thinking...and I think he's thinking that an Elkhound in Israel is a distinct possibility. 

As usual, Tippi does her magic. 

Short and Sweet...

...mainly because I feel like crap today and I want to curl in a ball with a blanket..

Knitting...

February Lady Sweater

Working away at Teal Sock, since it's Wednesday. The February Lady Sweater made an appearance yesterday and after a mild panic attack at "where did I put the project notes?" I found them. I found the pattern, but my "scratch sheet" where I kept track of stuff was stuck in a pile.

Whew. It's found. Got a lot done. 

Don't know how I was photographing knitting before we closed the lid of the dogs' toybox! This is a nice surface to snap pics on when Raisa's butt isn't on it. 

The directions for the FLS are true: The sweater will "grow" especially with this silk/merino yarn. It weighs a ton now, and it's only the yoke! I have about 6 more repeats of this section before I get to the required 255 stitches. I hope it all works out because the gauge finally did. I hope the NUMBERS work  -- I don't want to rip it all out again.

Teal Sock #2

The sock is moving along. Still madly in love with the Kollage square DPNs and would like to get more of their circulars. Though the Addis are working a treat for the FLS.

Eyeballing other projects as I start to finish the WIPs. Was in the closet yesterday and found two - TWO - sweaters that are just waiting. One of 'em even has buttons ready!

Tippi Gigs...

So we went to St. Colletta's yesterday. I think neither of us was prepared and while it wasn't a total waste, it was an eye-opener. 

I have a huge level of discomfort around special needs folks, and this place houses and schools 12 - 21 year olds with all manner of disabilities. 

TDI asked for a visit, and I went, figuring that if Tippi liked it, I could make it work on my end. 

She didn't like it. She was anxious (which is not her normal MO, I can tell you!) and was pacing a bit. She loved a couple of the kids, but she didn't like the ones who screamed and the ones who somehow just triggered something in her to make her tense up. 

I'll talk to Bobbie, our trainer, just to get some insight, but it's pretty clear that we're not going to be able to be regular visitors. 

It's sad, but it is what it is, and I won't bring her somewhere where she's basically shut down at the end of the visit. 

Random Picture...

See, very short. I need a nap. I also probably need to do this. It's a card made by my friend Mandy, and I need to get a frame for it. 

I'm not feeling well -- nothing alarming, just extremely tired and worn out. I need to breathe, hug Tippi and take a nap. In something close to that order. 

I could hug Raisa too, but since she's now the Destroyer of the dog beds, I'm kind of annoyed with her.

But that's a story for the next blog entry.

Till later, folks!

Shoo-bootie & Politics

Sorry - couldn't resist. I have a new pair of shoes, and the receipt says "shootie" but I think in the current climate, I want to stay away from "shoot" in any form.

So I'm calling them "Shoobooties." Kind of a play on the song from The Music Man entitled "Shapoopie." Just go with me here...

They're ABEO shoes; so far, so comfy. I was hesitant at first because they're enclosed. I have arthritis in the feet and high insteps. Wasn't sure how that was going to work, but lookee...Even with wool socks, they've been comfortable so far. I got them from The Walking Company, which is my favorite shoe store. I will tell you that you need to go there. Especially if you're ordering shoes that come in European sizes. 

Did you know that your feet continue to grow? Or I should say, expand... I used to wear a size 8 shoe. Now, 2 kids, constantly barefoot, overweight then losing weight... I'm about a size 9 for the most part. These Shoobooties are 8.5, but most of my Dansko shoes are size 9. 

I have to go on a "shoe purge" and clear out the last of the pumps. I'm not able to wear them because (a) I don't wear high heels anymore; and (b) most of them are size 8 and don't fit anymore. I can deliver them to the local women's shelter and they'll have a use for them. I need to add that to The Big To-Do List, I guess. 

Today, it's rainy and the campus is a bit cool. We have the HVAC people coming out tomorrow, so hopefully, that'll get resolved. Also, the electricians are coming out to (finally) fix the lights.

I have a candle burning to "home-y" up the place. Our cleaners use non-toxic cleaners, but they're vinegar-based. It gets a little much sometimes! The candle is "Red McIntosh Orchard" or some such name. A mild apple-scent, not too overwhelming. 

I have to figure out whether I want to change the water bottle (it's a big one) or see if I can snag a male student to do it. I probably should do it myself. I just get a little wimpy thinking about losing my grip. 

I guess the best way to NOT lose your grip is to just strengthen your grip, right? 

The To-Do List...

I've made a honkin' big "Things I Have to Do" list - kind of all-encompassing because I keep thinking about stuff, and it rarely makes it to my day-to-day list. It runs the gamut from "take the suit to Golden Needle to get hemmed" to "clear out the corner of your bedroom." Plus Christmas cards, learning music, wiring the guitar for Christmas Eve... It just makes me feel better about seeing it all in one place. 

Will be working on the "learning music" thing shortly - I'm at work for the night shift, and before students get here, I can sing without anyone wanting to cart me away!

Politics...

It's about time, Harry!! Finally. Filibuster reform. Click here to read the full story. There is no logical reason why a MINORITY should hold up nominations. Look at what we have here, aside from the aptly-named "Obama Derangement Syndrome." There have been 82 nominees blocked during this man's tenure. There have only been slightly over 85 nominees blocked for ANY OTHER PRESIDENT - all of them included in that math. So for every OTHER president, nobody's blocked what they wanted to do. But not so for the black guy. 

But we're "post-racial" right? I don't think so.

And in other news, CONGRATULATIONS, Illinois! Last night, Governor Quinn signed into law the gay marriage bill. Click here to read about it. Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki held an "exorcism" at the local church. I am dead serious. It's in the article. 

This is, obviously, the only thing the Catholic Church has to worry about, right? I hate to tell them, but my straight marriage is in no way threatened by anyone else's marriage, straight or gay. If you feel that your marriage is threatened by ANY other marriage, then you probably have more problems that go deeper. You'd need counseling at least. Pronto.

Knitting...

The afghan. Almost done. Well, almost assembled. I worked on it today and I just have one more square to attach. Then I weave in about 6 million ends, and then I can do the border of the silvery-grey. I'll probably start on that border on Friday night. 

Thanksgiving...

So I messaged the kids with Lola's picture. BOTH of them said, "So when is she going to be in OUR freezer?" Ha. Poor Lola. 

The turkey is still hard as a rock. It's been in the fridge since Tuesday. I'm thinking that the cold water bath will be the way to go...

I don't think we'll need the ham. The kids will make the spuds on Friday. I wish they'd wait till Saturday, but I have to work with their schedules, too. My mom is - thankfully - making the lighter version of stuffing. 

We do have a family recipe of giblet stuffing that's phenomenal. For grout. I mean, it's tasty. But nobody eats like that anymore. You can eat that stuffing and not feel hungry for a day. To say it's "heavy" is putting it mildly. 

Personally, I'd try a wild rice stuffing. But I'm getting there. We just gradually introduce new stuff, and nobody really gripes too much. They get volunteered to cook if they kick up a fuss. 

Random Picture...

River

The random picture today is an old one. It's of my lovely River, who went over the Bridge a couple of years ago. She was a sweetheart, and I still miss her every day. Yes, I love my elkhounds, but I'm a "Husky girl" for the most part. I love their independence, their tails, their blue eyes, their big fuzzy heads and the way that no matter what, they're the fastest kissers in the land! 

Beware of the Husky kiss. It's slobbery, quick and all over your face before you can duck. Sneaky little buggers, they are. 


I belong to the "Husky Tales" Facebook group, and it's feeding my addiction... I know that at some point, we'll have another dog and it'll be a Husky. I want to be able to have this one be a therapy dog, too. It gives them something to do, and I enjoy working with Tippi like that, so it's a good thing all the way around. 

Off I go - gotta sing before we have company!

It's Not Me -- It's the Dog...

"I can't wait to see you!"

"You make my day!"

"I just love it when you visit."

"Thanks so much for being here; I needed to talk to you."

"The best part of my day is when I can sit here with you."

Yes, I heard all of those comments. And I appreciated them. 

But they weren't for me. They were for Tippi - more exactly, Tippi Un Sigrid, CGC, TDI... you know - the Elkhound who occasionally takes over this blog, though she's been so overwhelmed with her celebrity that lately, she just wants to nap. 

We were at our usual "Tuesdays With Tippi" gig at Lewis University, and I heard those comments and more. Tippi is what I like to call the University's "Furry Flyer" (the school mascot is an aviator). Below is a picture of her in this year's Halloween costume - as a witch. Yes, she really wore the hat most of the visit. Check out her pictures on Facebook... here. You should be able to view her pictures. 

We had lots of visitors yesterday, and she was invited to at least 3 departmental meetings and was asked to "just run around the first floor of the LRC to calm everyone down." Ha - it's a great gig if you can get it. I took lots of pictures, and she really had a good time. Several people (including myself) indicated that when they grew up, they wanted to be Tippi. 

Tippi the Good Witch

Not bad for a rescue dog who had 4 homes prior to her 3rd birthday...And who has become one of my very special "heart dogs." You know the dog. You may have had dogs growing up, and you had dogs in your adult years. And all dogs are lovable. But sometimes, there's this one special dog. The dog IS you. She (in my case, mostly females) sees into your heart, and in spite of the crap you have inside, the way your day has gone, the madness in the world around you -- in spite of all of that, she crawls her furry little self into your heart. You feel like the Grinch after his transformation. You can feel your heart grow and grow and grow.

I am lucky enough to say that in my life, I have had THREE of those dogs. I can't believe how outstandingly fortunate I have been. Tippi didn't replace Topaz or River. She came alongside them. She showed me her soul and asked me for not one thing. Not. One. Thing. She simply is, and somehow, no matter how much garbage she came through, and no matter how horrible I may be feeling, she just is, and because of her, I'm a better person. 

Though I really, REALLY wish she wouldn't bash her butt up against my knitting chair when I'm working on very sharp double-pointed needles! Ouch! She's actually moved my chair an inch or two, depending on how much she wanted my attention.

Purses...

I decided to change my purse. Good idea, bad execution. I went from a messenger-sized bag to the style known as a "doctor's bag" purse. And of course, there's too much stuff in it. But I managed to cram everything but my phone and keys in there. I'll switch to another one when I get home. Problem is, it needs to be a purse that closes, since we're in a more crummy time of the year. I have a couple very nice purses that only have a flap to close them or they're just a cinch bag. I need something that'll zip closed firmly to keep the wet out. 

It's supposed to bucket rain today, and from the sky out there, it's pretty close. I'll be a drowned rat on my way to the truck.

I should pull out my wool Booga Bag... it's nice and wool is fairly waterproof. Please be nice and follow the request: pattern is for PERSONAL use only... please don't go making these up and selling them. It's not nice and knitting karma will come back and bite you in the circulars...

Yarn & Knitting...

Speaking of Booga Bags, I am so happy to find the pattern!! I have stash yarn somewhere in the closet for this. It's so much fun to knit then felt. Amazing how it turns out. And honestly? Making 5 FEET of I-cord is quite meditative.

I really should be working on the Fluffy Scarf today. I'll get to it. Last night I finally picked up #2 Teal Sock, finished the cuff, and started on the leg. Elizabeth Zimmerman was right: "knit your ribbing till you're sick of it, and that's enough." I was just about over it at the 12th row, which was convenient, since that's what the pattern called for. 

I know; I don't have to follow the pattern. Except this is #2 of a pair. They should be somewhat similar...

I'm wearing the Robin's Egg socks today. Nice and toasty feet. I'm hoping the MadTosh wears well; I heard from my knitting friend D that they don't usually wear as well as a sock yarn like Opal, or something with at least 10% nylon in it. Oh well. Socks wear out. One needs to get over it. 

Politics...

So now everyone's miffed because "Obama lied" (yawn...) - apparently his comment, which he probably should've confirmed first, about being able to keep your own insurance was premature. 

Let's face one big fat fact: that legislation (a) is NOT health-care reform; (b) IS a very basic run at HEALTH INSURANCE reform; and (c) was probably written in collusion with insurance companies and lobbyists. 

Therefore, you know the insurance companies (who are NOT non-profits, just look at their CEO pay...) will wring every last dollar out of each of us. For example, the CEO of United HealthCare, my provider, made $13.9 MILLION in 2012. 

Let me repeat that. THIRTEEN POINT NINE MILLION dollars. Ok, mind you, only something like $1.3 million of that was ACTUAL money. The rest is stock options.

So, dust off your econ books, and let's look at this. The guy gets paid a certain amount of actual "salary" on the books. But the rest is tied to performance-based bonuses. This means "How well do we treat our STOCKHOLDERS?" This does NOT mean "how well do we treat our INSURED CUSTOMERS?" basically because we cost them money. He gets paid a bigger bonus if WE get less services. 

So. I take a medication for seizures. There is a generic. The insurance company (NOT my doctor!!) changed to a generic for me, because "generic is equivalent." Well. It wasn't. I need the "real" drug. Honestly, do you really want to mess with seizure medicine?? It didn't work. And there's science to back up both issues. Yes, sometimes (most of the time) generics are just fine. But in a certain percentage of people, the generic Does. Not. Work. It's part of my permanent record. 

Well, I have to have my doctor write, each and every year, an appeal. Because the generic is something like $270 per month (so $810 for a 3 month Rx), and the brand name is $1,600 for a 3-month supply. This is certainly sticker shock, but it does get somewhat better.

As you can imagine, it's a whack at our $2,500 deductible...so in January, I usually pay the whole $1,600 for the refill. After that, for the next several refills, I pay only about $400 per 3-month supply. 

Obviously, let's look at the math. United HealthCare would much rather pay $810 for 3 months of meds. They'd much rather have that money go to their shareholders...they're a BUSINESS. Fact of life, folks. Rule #1 is "Your Insurance Company Does Not Care About Your Health." Keep repeating that. Oh, and they usually get nice fat tax breaks that we civilians won't ever, ever, EVER see. Corporations are people, too, my friend. 

I'm very lucky. My health care is not being cancelled. Some insurance providers ARE cancelling policies and honestly, that stinks. But it's about the money, people. It's not about the ACA - well, not all about the ACA. Look at your premiums and pay attention. I don't know about you, but MY premiums have risen every year. Every. Year. My premiums rose in double-digits. My paycheck only rose in single-digits. 

This article in the Washington Post kind of explains why it seems like it's a no-win argument. It's confusing between the fact that you may be covered, or eligible for Medicare...or you may be covered under your employer's policy. Or you may have to go out into the marketplace.

In my own very humble opinion, employers who kick their employees off their policies are not playing fair with their employees. The company AND the employees should work together to find a good solution. Screwing your employees is just a bad business decision. 

Again, luckily, Hubby's company covers us, and they put out an excellent graphic detailing the options we had and where we needed to go. And Kid #1 figured out that he will spend nearly $200 LESS for insurance on the marketplace instead of taking his company's plan. And Kid #2 has great insurance and doesn't need to change. 

Estate Stuff...

Friday is the closing on the house. I also return my brother's work stuff to his last place of employment. We already gave the car to the one kid (against all advice to the contrary...but it's not my problem any longer). So now, we just wait out the remainder of the claim period, file the Final Accounting, and then we can move to close the Estate. 

It's fast. But the attorney we're using said up-front that he "didn't like them hanging around" and neither do I. I want this done and over with. I've done the bulk of the work, so I've saved some $$$ on attorney fees, I think. 

My mother has made the difficult yet necessary decision to un-invite the 2 kids. Let me explain...

The two kids, half-brother/sister to each other, are not speaking. The girl is living with her grandmother, since her mother had also died a number of years ago. The boy, removed from our family by my brother's X (who said WE were nuts and bad influences) only recently came back after age 18 to "look us up." He has caused nothing but trouble, and while we usually want to take the high road, we are at our wit's end right now. 

The boy is bipolar and schizophrenic. The girl is just a moody 17-year-old. The boy likes to stir things up when he's ON his meds. But we also know that at least twice since my brother's death, he has gone OFF those meds. And his mother, in a fantastical burst of "magical thinking" has told him that "at age 25, your metabolism changes, so you'll no longer need those meds." She heard it on TV.

Anyone with an Internet connection and two brain cells will be able to find out that, particularly in young me, bipolar and schizophrenic behavior tends to blossom at age 25 for whatever reason. BLOSSOM - as in "gets incrementally WORSE." But this kid thinks that on the morning of his 25th birthday, he'll awaken all "normal" and he can go get a gun; he can apply to the police academy; he can get off his meds....

My mother is scared of him. And so, with a heavy heart, she decided that she really didn't want either of them there. She doesn't want or need the drama, and frankly - she knows the rest of us would (a) escort the brats out the door; and (b) then leave. We don't want the drama either. 

Random Picture...

Avon 2-Day Pedometer

This an "oldie but a goodie." From my Bucket List, a desire to walk in the Avon 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer. I like it better than Komen because the vast majority of the funds stay in the community in which the walk is held. As far as I was able to find out, Komen funds don't necessarily go where I'd like to see them go (treatment of poor patients, under-served areas, etc.) and I like the "local" aspect. I was able, thanks to many kind donations, to meet the fundraising goals, and I walked. 

Mind you, I did not complete it. Right before the walk, I was diagnosed with A-fib. After trying several different meds, 3 emergency stays in the hospital and finally finding a Rx we thought worked, my cardiologist said, "Go ahead, but don't be stupid." I also had a heart monitor on. 

This was only Day One. It was a Saturday. That Sunday, my walking partner S woke up with a screaming migraine, so we went home. And that Monday, I was back in the hospital. 

No, I wasn't stupid. The new Rx wasn't the right one. (sigh) 

Anyway, I do count this as a bucket-list item because I did the walk. I would like to have finished it, but I did what I could. And in life, as long as you've tried and your intention was good, you've succeeded.

Things That go "Snort" in the Night...

My dog snores. Snorts. Sometimes so loudly that she wakes herself up. It's amusing in a way, but when her own DAUGHTER leaves the room in a huff, you gotta wonder...

It was really funny last night. I couldn't figure out if she was having a dream OR snoring, or perhaps having a dream AND snorting. 

Either way, she eventually woke herself up and toddled out to the living room. 

If reincarnation really does exist, as many people believe... I want to come back as my dogs.

Therapy Gig...

Today is another Tuesdays with Tippi day, and for this festive season, she's dressing as a witch. This is an "extra" since October has 5 Tuesdays. Normally, we go the first and third Tuesdays, but I figured this special one was worth it. 

Lucky for us, the rain is holding off. Tomorrow is supposed to be a "buckety" kind of day, and Madame does not get wet. She's very grumpy when wet. Not to mention sorta smelly...

Yarns...

She's still enjoying it, so we keep doing it. She's not exactly jazzed at the costumes, but she gets salmon treats. It's all in how you look at it, right?

Yarn...

So, yarn pics as promised. And the lovely bag from LMR Knittery. Love the quote on it, "Get they to a knittery." Shakespeare made a bunch of references to knitting anyway, so this is just catchy.

Top to bottom: Madelaine Tosh sock weight, specially dyed for Le Mouton Rouge Knittery; Opal sock; Cascade Paints. The MadTosh specialty dye even impressed Hubby. I know this one and the Cascade Paints look similar, but they're destined for two different things. MadTosh is going for a lovely cowl. I haven't figured out where the Paints is going, but I will. 

Knittery Bag

And of course, the Opal will be socks. Pretty basic ones, though, because the yarn speaks for itself, and often, knitting can get in the way of what you're doing. I mean, yes, I could do a lacy leaf-ish pattern. I actually have that pattern. But then, I could also do a Simple Sock and the yarn would shine. All in what you're aiming for, and I think that sometimes "brainless" is better. For both the knitter AND the yarn.

The Fluffy Scarf project is temporarily stalled while I work on the assembly of the Charity Afghan. That's rolling along nicely. I have 15 squares done, 9 more to go. That includes on-the-fly filler of single crochet, and then a border. 

Good thing my family stopped procreating. I can knit on other stuff. But I'm still holding onto the idea of starting a sweater for myself really, REALLY soon. Maybe in that lovely merino + silk in that pretty lilac color. 

Politics...

So now Mr. Graham is having his own hissy fit. Lordy, Lordy - what's up with these Bible Belt Conservatives? Is "Benghazi" the new "Nazi" word?? Love Rocky Mountain Mike's take on it here. Of course, anyone who can parody so quickly is a total genius. 

Clinton nails it. Do y'all remember Medicare Part D? Yes. Do you remember the pillorying that the Democrats gave the Republicans when the computers crashed during Part D's implementation?

Of course not. Because there wasn't any. Look, Democrats are hardly squeaky-clean. But in the case of Medicare Part D, they just rolled up their sleeves and got the thing rolling, without so much drama as we see today. 

I mean, my God. You'd think that the ACA was the ONLY social program to have ever had a computer problem. Darrell (Witch-Hunt) Issa is now calling for Secretary Sebelius' head. 

Grant you, I'm thinking they should've done more testing prior. And used an American developer. Right-on there. But obviously, nobody in the Republican party will ever admit to having been through a roll-out of a software program that has galumphed right into massive potholes. I don't like it, but it's fixable. Without throwing anyone under the bus. 

Fall...

Back yard tree, late afternoon

So the cold snap everyone was complaining about here? Lookee... This is what happens. Our back yard tree is coming into its color finally, and the front yard one is also moving right along. The back yard tree is a Norwegian Maple. And the front yard is what's called a "Lipstick Red" color when it's all decked out. It's a Flame Maple, I think. All I know is that, when they're in full color, our house in the middle of the block is actually visible at either END of the block because of the brightness of the trees. 

Yoga...

So I got hurt in Therapeutic Yoga training! Well, not hurt badly. Just yanked around a bit. I was having an adjustment in Ardha Candrasana II involving a strap at my standing leg's hip crease and ending on my raised leg's foot. As I opened up, the instructor increased the traction, which felt really good. 

Till I got in the car to drive home. By the time I reached my driveway, in a relatively swift drive of about 45 minutes, I was not happy. It's eased up now. 

I have the 3-day Sanskrit training this coming weekend, so by that time, I ought to be pain-free. It was a little interesting teaching my Monday night beginners, but I told them I got hurt, and used it as a teaching moment to underscore the fact that yoga is a great thing, but as with anything involving the physical body, you have to be aware of your own self. 

Fall Sky

Random Picture...

The other day, the sky looked so lovely outside my office. I took a picture of it. I love the "painting" of the clouds on the blue sky. I often bemoan the fact that there aren't a lot of trees in the area of my building, so the parking lot can get really hot. But on the other hand, I have such a lovely view of the sky. 

Trade-offs. I'll take the sky. I love the way I can see incoming storms, the "Michigan Mountains" (storm clouds building over Lake Michigan), all the air activity because we're so close to the airport without it being obnoxious, and all the birds. We have owls, hawks, geese, crows...Just a great area to remember that along with the humans and "civilization" we also have a good chunk of Mother Nature here. I couldn't work or function in a concrete jungle.

Food...

This is my new favorite salad blend. It's just a treat in a salad raw, and then you can also saute it or use it in smoothies. 

Great salad mix!

And as you are all aware, of course, you still have to wash it, even though it says "triple washed." Don't believe them. Wash it anyway.

And if you're eating it cold, use a basic vinaigrette dressing. It'll help to soften up the chard and kale. While baby kale won't knock you across the room, it's still best with O & V and not a creamy dressing. 

I would also use this in addition to a regular lettuce blend, just to share with people who "don't eat greens." Because the flavors are that subtle and enjoyable. 

I'm glad I decided to try this. I've never eaten chard and I always wondered. 

The Spooky Will Get You...

Owl

OK, I'll confess that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love to decorate, and it's just adorable... Even the super-icky decorations that some of our neighbors put out? I've gotta admire their creativity. Even as I look sideways at some of the displays! 

So I was talking about The Great Pumpkin - and I don't mean the Peanuts version. This pumpkin was actually in my dad's hospital room. My SIL brought it in for him once and set it on the window ledge. 

He promptly said, "Fer crissake - you could land a plane with that light!!" So I ended up taking it home. It's been on our porch every Halloween since. 

Skeleton Flamingo

Every year, I try to shake up the decorations; this year, though, we're kind of taking it easy. I did buy some new yard stakes; they don't glow in the dark, but the reflective paint reminds me of the stuff they use on the roads! 

Here are some shots of the various decorations. 

Call me morbid, but I get a huge kick out of the skeleton flamingo! Yes, I actually have the plastic pink flamingo yard art. And I have skeleton plastic figures, too, but I can't remember where I put them. 

I also stuck a wreath-ish thing on the door. Which nobody will see since our "front" door actually faces the "side" -- it's off the side of the porch. 

Oh well. I like it. And I guess that's what counts, right?

Therapy Dog Gig

Today is our therapy gig, but I am just waiting to see how the weather holds out. Unfortunately, Tippi does't like thunderstorms. So we'll see. Hopefully it'll all work out so that we're there and gone before anything comes up. 

Luckily, I have the "magic parking pass" and I can park up close to one of the buildings. We'll be doing our work INSIDE today! 

Autumn Wreath

Tippi's almost got her required 50 visits in to advance to the next level of TDI - and I'm excited about that. She still enjoys it, so we still go. 

Zonta -- Proclamation

Tonight is our annual "City Council Proclamation" meeting. Our Zonta Club (check here) comes before the City Council on or near UN Day to get a proclamation reinforcing the work we do as a local club and our contributions to the greater Zonta International effort to advance the status of women. Zonta International does such good work - Safe Cities programs, educating young women, providing funds for scholarships. 

We're lucky to have a vibrant club in our area. Our club also sponsors 3 scholarships for girls, and we do a lot of service work. Our current service work is with Habitat for Humanity - our local affiliate is Will County Habitat for Humanity. We love to be able to get hands-on with the projects!

Our current president has to make a speech; I'm just there to take the group picture! We're also going to be going to the local County Board meeting as well, but I am not sure I'll be making that meeting. We'll have to see. 

Knitting

No assembly work on the afghan today. Working on a white Fluffy Scarf. Can someone tell me why in the world they split the ball?? I had to iron a few feet of the yarn and double it up because they had a huge splice in the middle. Yeesh. 

It's coming along, though. Knitting while watching "A League of Their Own." I think we'll have to acquire a copy of it - even though I know it's not exactly PG rated. I'm not a big fan of cussing in the movies. Call me squeamish, but there it is.

Random Photo

Shower Cake

This is a "tropical theme" shower cake from my friend Jodie's wedding. She and her Hubby have just celebrated an anniversary. 

I made this and their wedding cake. This one was a yellow cake with no filling except buttercream. The fishes on the top represent the fact that their wedding was a cruise wedding; we didn't attend. I'm betting it was a great time; the wedding cake I made was actually for a post-cruise celebration, so that worked out well. They're a great couple! 

Their wedding cake served 300 - and I was going to put on a variety of stands, but since their reception was outdoors, in a stiff breeze, next to a sand volleyball court... we went with a table display! 

Reading

...well, kind of about knitting! I'm re-reading "Knitting Rules" by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee - a/k/a The Yarn Harlot. I've read all of her stuff and she's really funny.

The Great Pumpkin

Also, on the Kindle, working my way through the Jane Austen collection. Mostly through "Emma" now. I may order "I am Malala" and either put that on the Kindle or order it as a "real" book.

Kid #2 wants a signed copy of "Rant" by Chuck Palahniuk. His favorite author next to Kurt Vonnegut. That'll be interesting. 

Which reminds me, I have to visit Amazon for some stuff. I'll have to stay away from the knitting books section! And the yoga books section... And the fiction section... (sigh)

Well, back to the Fluffy Scarf. Total of 7 and I've got 1.5 done.