The Strong Heel

Well, I sorta cheated. I got to 5 1/2" for the leg, and I measured my own leg. I know - almost every pattern says 7" for the leg length. On my stubby legs, that would almost be a knee-high! So 5 1/2" is where I started the heel. I stuck to the pattern on the leg, but I'm not doing it on the heel; that row of purls on either side of the heel would be annoying. 

I may do a star toe - in for a penny... or just a regular one. Haven't decided yet, but notes will be in order so that I do the exact sock on the other foot. I suppose I could have grabbed a second pair of needles, pulled the yarn from the middle and knitted both at the same time. But that's a bit too fiddly for me. I see folks doing multiples on long circulars, but that's not a challenge I wish to take. 

As you can see from the picture above, the 5 1/2" leg is a good length. The Strong heel, created by Gerdine Crawford-Strong, is outlined in The Sock Knitter's Handbook, as I indicated in my last entry. I had to change up one little thing: See the holes along the side? Those are the result of the M1 (make 1), lifting the lower bar of yarn. I didn't like them, and I realized that the last time I did this, I did Kfb (knit front and back) - which I switched to, so now there's a "little lace" right there on both sides, which is fine. I'm not going to bother to close them up; they're now a design element. 

I had to watch a YouTube video on the process, because I couldn't remember whether the heel turn was done flat - which it is... But I want to know why nobody shows anything on DPNs. It's all circulars and it can be a little mind-boggling. But I got the gist of it. 

It's moving along. I have to admit, once you get the hang of this heel, you might just be converted. No picking up stitches, which is where a lot of us express some frustration. Personally, my "sides" never look the same. The K2tog side is always neater than the SSK side. First World problem, right? Well, if you think that in the history of sock making, it was often delegated to 5-year-olds... Oh well. I know that, logically, if someone is THAT close to notice, they're wayyyyyyyy too close. 

The COVID Update...

I am "half-vaxxed." My next shot is April 9. And I think (fingers and toes crossed) that my sense of smell is coming back. Last night, we had "baked/fried" cod -- our version of fried cod, but baked, with a panko crust. And when Hubby opened the package of cod.... I SMELLED COD!! My "phew!" was automatic, so I wasn't really trying to smell. It just happened. Finally. I'm not sure if it's sticking yet. I smell stuff, but usually "off." 

I'm told that's common once it starts to come back. 

By the way, the cod was done perfectly. Would've been nice to have been able to taste it. But this gives me hope that it will eventually happen. 

It sounds silly, doesn't it? I mean it's taste and smell. A lot worse things have happened: I had a seizure while recovering, my A-fib is back with a vengeance thanks to the virus. And the word loss - the brain fog. Yikes... It takes me forever to blog, to write, to edit. To speak, some days. I laughingly say that I wish I was eating like I couldn't taste anything! 

Random Picture...

Not much else to write about at this point. I'm sure next time I'll be a little more vocal. 

Seems I picked another needlework pic... This is a batch of the ear savers I made. 

I've given away a bunch of them; and since it looks like masks will be with us for a while, I may be making more. This is a great way to use up your cotton yarn stash. I bought white buttons, but for myself, I just go into my button tin and pick out a couple. They should be about 1/2 inch or more. 

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Cheaters Never Prosper

 As in yoga, as in knitting... Let me explain.

I've just finished B.K.S. Iyengar's "Light on Life," and I'm re-reading it to a student (we read during Yin class). And we were on the chapter about consistent practice, where he said, in essence, "Cheaters never prosper." 

In other words, just do it right the first time. 

The Knitting...

Which brings me to my latest project. Socks, finally. Opal yarn, of course, Kfz-Mechatroniker, in color 7125, a lovely grey & blue self-striping yarn with a hint of cream. No idea what it means, but there's a crescent wrench on the label. I'm doing my own pattern - I call it "North, South, East, West." It's on 68 stitches, which should fit me to a tee. The normal 64 is slightly too tight. And 72 is too loose. So I figured 68 would do it. I was going to do plain vanilla, because I honestly have a problem with ribbed socks. The problem is ribbing bores me to distraction. And this yarn has enough of a stripe where if you do something too busy, it's going to look wrong. 

As you can see, this looks like "blue jeans with grey in the middle." Which is perfect for me. It'll be my second Opal colorway with blues and greys, which is great - I wear a lot of grey. 

So the pattern. As you might be able to see in the circles, I took the 4 DPNs and made the center parts purls. So there will be 4 columns of purl: North, South, East, West - going down the leg of the sock. At least that's what I'm planning - we shall see if it all works out the way it looks in my head. It's no huge shakes, but I figured it was something I haven't seen, so I can just try it. It's just yarn. It's just socks.  And I'm going to do the Strong Heel. Which has nothing to do with the actual strength of the heel. It has to do with the woman who invented it - Gerdine Crawford-Strong. Here is a YouTube on its construction, which is one of the more sensible ones I've seen on it. It's also outlined very nicely in "The Sock Knitter's Handbook," by Charlene Schurch & Beth Parrott. 

I did this heel in a pair of socks in a Roman Rib pattern, and it took me a minute or two to figure out how to finagle it. But it turns out they fit pretty nicely and there's no actual gusset to pick up.

So the "cheater" part? Well. I'm sort of anxious to start the heel. I've got almost 5" on the leg, and my usual instructions say to go to 7" -- and I always get "itchy" around 5... Which is technically a bit too short, even for my stubby shanks... So I really, really need to go to 7" on this. I could cheat. 

Of course I could. It's MY sock. 

But I need to just do these right and have some patience. Socks will happen...

Next up will probably be a WIP. Maybe this will be the year that I'll alternate a new thing with a WIP. And maybe I'll get side-tracked like I do each and every time...

I've Been Shot...

Well, vaccinated. Got my first shot a week ago. The side effects weren't bad. I was worried because I'd been told that folks who've had COVID tend to have issues - their bodies see the "first" shot as the "second." Which is where (the second shot, I mean) most folks feel the worst. 

Well. I'm doing ok. A bit of "urgh" on the first day, but otherwise, fine. Had to schedule the second one for a few days after its actual due date. Because that due date is our local election day, and I'm an election judge again. 

The Clerk's Office says we'll have all the appropriate precautions. But this time I think I'll actually use my own face shield. I'll have the maximum immunity from the first shot, but unfortunately, there are mask-holes. I'm not sure what the turnout will be for this election, but I want to be prepared. 

I've lost a friend to COVID and it hurts. She was someone I know - or had known - online. For over 15 years, so it's not just "some new BFF" -- but a person with whom I've had a long acquaintance. She went "radio silent" two months ago, and I'm sure her family thought that our group was a bunch of stalker-weirdos...we kept stalking her timeline, leaving voicemails and emails...checking on her. 

I guess the upshot of that is that we - our group, I mean - have gathered all our "contacts" -- we're putting together a list of emergency contacts just in case. You never know; and while our group has been together a long time, things change - we've had widowhood, divorce, etc. And it's nice to have a way of contacting someone in case you need to. 

How Does My Garden Grow...

We have a baby!!! Actually, it's my 30+ year old Bleeding Heart coming back again. She's a traditional pink one and she's a monster. Anyone who's followed this blog knows that occasionally, her picture turns up, and her name is The Monster Bleeding Heart. She's tucked into the northwest corner garden. Next to her is a miniature white bleeding heart, and on the absolute north side of the house are a variety of hostas and lily of the valley. All of which need to be thinned out this year. 

Technically, we should have done it last year, but 2020 was a mess in the whole, so why would you assume I'd have my garden under control? 

I bought seeds, too. Two kinds of leaf lettuce, carrots, and kale. As well as a packet of "butterfly and bee flowers" - which is a 4-pack. So 2 of the packets will be used at the studio in the flower pots in the front of the building, and two packets will be scattered in the wildflower garden. Hubby has promised to tame the milkweed. I mean, I want it there, just that last year (go figure) it was a total mess. They just took over everything, and I had more red beetles on them than caterpillars. So I'm hoping this year will be better. 

I'd like to have at least a monarch or two. I get a lot of swallowtails due to the parsley and dill in that bed. We shall see, though. 

Random Picture...

Where I got my shot was a clinic held in our local junior college (elsewhere, they're called community colleges) -- Joliet Junior College, which happens to be the nation's oldest junior college... I went to college there, back in the days when tuition wasn't even $25/credit hour. Yeah, it was in the good old days when you didn't need tons of money to get a 2-year degree. 

Anyway, that started my college career. And I hadn't been in there in years. It was weird going back. This is the staircase down to the cafeteria (which is where I got my shot). It's been a long, long time, and it brought back some great memories. 

Have you ever been back to your college? How long was it? And how did it feel?

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Three Things Finished, Two Time Outs

I feel like the title here is kind of Dr. Seuss. And of course, according to some morons, he's "cancelled" --- he's NOT. The Seuss Foundation, the folks in charge of his legacy, pulled a half-dozen obscure titles because of racist depictions. Dr. Seuss wasn't always woke. Actually, a few of his other cartoons are downright nasty, and not in a "let's poke fun at the Nazis" nasty (though there is that). But just incredibly not good. The images in these kids' books were hurtful. 

And of course, some conservative politicians, having nothing to pick on and apparently nothing legislatively going on... decided to make a stink. Even had one of 'em reading "Green Eggs and Ham" (which is still in print, so you're all good). Yeesh. 

Discernment. It's important. 

The Blog...

So I really wanted to be here every day. For pity's sake, a blogger I read who's nearing NINETY is blogging just about every day. 

What's my problem? I just didn't think I had much to write about. Here's what's been going on:

Homework for 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training. I'm in my last module: Philosophy. TONS of reading. Lots of homework. Plus being in a monthly therapeutic apprenticeship, which also requires tons of work. Definitely worth it, and so close to my goal, but a lot of work. 

Still recovering from COVID-19. Three months on, still no taste/smell. Rather frustrating, to say the least. Notwithstanding the lack of these senses, I'm managing to eat. Sadly. I can taste sweet/salty and sharp. But that's about it. I can't taste if I'm eating pork or veggies -- so everything basically tastes like nothing. You would think I wouldn't have an appetite... (sigh).

My nose feels perpetually plugged - like I have to blow my nose but nothing happens. Not even a Neti pot helps. Sorry if that's TMI, but that's the reality of long-haul COVID, and that's with mild cases. 

And words. Words still fail me sometimes. I just...can't think of the word. And for me? That's driving me nuts. 

So - MASK UP, get the vaccine as soon as you can, wash your hands, socially distance. This is TOTALLY not "just like the flu." 

The Politics...

What in the name of heaven is going on? It's like 1999 all over again with the GQP (yeah, GQP) claiming that "on such-and-such a day, #TheFormerGuy (as I shall henceforth say) will miraculously be President." Then, "Oops, not THAT day... THIS day... after all, it was stolen from him." Yeah, because 74 million is ALWAYS bigger than 81 million. In any universe. Even with Common Core Math, this doesn't work. 

And President Biden has big plans, with very little time to get them through. So of course, Dems like Manchin and Sinema have to obstruct every time you turn around. 

Locally, I did postcards for a friend who's running for school board. I've researched our local candidates, marked up our sample ballots and am ready for voting in the local election in April. We're again going to vote early. Mostly because I'm planning on being an election judge again, and we're actually very lucky: our state isn't governed by a bunch of GQP goons who don't want anyone in the Democratic Party to ever vote again, so we can vote in several ways: early, absentee, and at the day. Oh, I heard #TheFormerGuy just asked for his mail-in ballot. What's that? "Mail in ballots are a fraud" is the essence of what he repeatedly said... But apparently -- he will be using one for the upcoming election in his state. Imagine. 

Hypocrisy, thy name is #TheFormerGuy and the GQP. 

They continue to undermine the voting rights of Americans. They want us to go back to the days when a large segment of the population was declared 3/5ths of a person.  

I mean, for God's sake, one of their lawyers even told Amy COVID Barrett "if we don't gut the Voting Rights Act, Repubs will never win another election." So basically, you can't win unless you cheat. And you felt that saying that in front of a Supreme Court judge (still can't believe THAT) was a good idea. I'm hoping (hoping that it's not hoping against hope) that that remark alone would disqualify the whole argument. But you never know. John Lewis is probably spinning in his grave. 

Anyway, if you have a local election coming up, do your research. Don't just vote for a name because you recognize it. You may recognize it but know nothing else. So look them up. Vote for the person who shares your principles, not just because you've seen their name around...

The Winter...

Well, we survived Snowmageddon 2021. That's me standing before the "snow mountain" in the parking lot at work. Sorry about the angle; I'm short and the mountain was tall. 

I got to wear my Gigantic Hiking Boots. And at work, I promptly took a tumble. Down the stairs. Well, not a whole tumble. What happened was that I was going down into the basement in the office because some idiot had left the lights on and I check the building because I'm usually the last one out the door. The toe of my right Gigantic Hiking Boot caught on the step, and my left leg kept going. My left hand grabbed the railing, torquing the thumb that has been screwed back together, bending it at an angle where it shouldn't really go. I ended up in a half-split on the stairs. 

The words I wanted to holler stayed inside. Thankfully. And thankfully, yoga enabled me to not hurt myself too badly. So the thumb was achy for a couple of days. And now, I'm dealing with a knee thing on the right side. That leg got stretched backward and a bit sideways. 

Knees don't like sideways. I have the feeling something got jogged out of place. I have to figure out how to make it better...without going to a doctor, who's likely to tell me I tore something and tell me that I need to wear a brace. I have one. It sucks. 

The Knitting...

So I finished a thing. Remember that squishy yarn that I was working on with the simple lace pattern? I finished it. It's nearly 7 feet long. SEVEN feet. A Dr. Who scarf without all the colors, and in lace, which was not what I'd intended. But it's what I ended up with. I lost at Yarn Chicken with it and didn't quite finish it off as nicely as I'd planned, but it's for me, and it's SEVEN FEET LONG (did I mention that?) so if someone gets close enough to examine both ends of it, they're likely WAY too close for COVID-times anyway. (Pardon the mess -- I was in the midst of clearing out a bunch of stuff and I wanted to block this so I basically shoved my stacks over to one side.)

I did wear it, and it's surprisingly warm. Of course, we're having a False Spring, or as we call it here in Illinois, "Give it a minute." So I will have other opportunities to wear it, as we'll be getting more "seasonable" temps in the next week or so. 

Which is why I enjoy living here. I can wear my wool socks virtually all year round, and at almost any given moment, except for maybe August, we can potentially wear a shawl somewhere. And then there's A/C when we're able to actually go somewhere else besides our house... In restaurants, they inevitably seat me either next to someone who's loud or directly under an A/C vent, so I'm unable to hear my dining partner and I'm freezing. 

Next up on the Finished Items list: The Step It Up Shawl using a Caron Cake that was a gift; these were or are the rage, and I couldn't figure it out. The ball band said "make a scarf." Another scarf I do not need, so I went to Yarnspirations (the Caron pattern library online) and found this cute thing.The yarn color is Bumbleberry. It's a shawl in the shape of an obtuse triangle (look it up). The whole thing took me just a month of monagamous knitting time - which I've found that I like. Just focusing on one project at a time. Maybe that's slower, but it works for me because otherwise, it seems like nothing I do ever gets completed; and my stash of WIPs is kind of ... large...

Anyway, how did I come by this yarn? Well. My friend gave it to me for Christmas a few years ago (pre-COVID) with a whole bunch of knitting accessories - I was rather impressed because she doesn't knit. I have a little purse thing, big enough for a shawl pattern & supplies, a needle roll, and a project bag that looks almost exactly like a lovely little make-up suitcase. In black & white polka-dots, looking just like something out of a 1920s movie. It's adorable. And it's holding the next shawl. I've put my NEW project into one of the bags: Back to a pair of socks with a pattern I'm fiddling with. I'm not at all a knitting designer, but I was tinkering with math (yeah, another shocker) and I thought I'd try something. 

I only make socks for myself, so if they suck, I don't care - just wear 'em under jeans. And people are usually so gobsmacked that I knit socks that they compliment ANYTHING that comes off my DPNs. So there's no pressure there. Just getting my hands & fingers used to size 1s rather than size 9s. It takes a few rows. 

I also finished another thing...(yes, that's THREE THINGS FINISHED -- go ahead, fan yourself, I'll wait...) a long, skinny sash thingie out of some random novelty yarn. Could be worn as a belt or a scarf. Red and white. Ancient. Like over 10 years ago WIP ancient. 

As I recall, this came to me by way of a "raffle basket." A way long, long, long, LONG time ago, my friend Sonda, who owned my very favorite LYS (she has passed, unfortunately, young, from melanoma), was in the same women's group as I was and still am. It used to be our custom to have those of us who owned a business do an occasional meeting raffle prize. Well, the woman who won it was absolutely not a knitter, and she knew I was - so she handed me the basket. It had some needles, a couple novelty yarns and a few other notions in it. I was tickled. In the days when we could do that, occasionally I would win something -- usually a bottle of wine, which for me is useless. So I would pass it on or ask them to draw another name. Karma is a good thing. 

As I dove back into the bag that contained this item (a purse my SIL gave me from Peru -- the country, not the town in Illinois), I found two other ancient WIPs: a bias scarf using Safari Mohair (Lion Brand). Holy crap, why in the name of Ariadne the Knitting Goddess did I buy that??? It got frogged tonight, and I played with the idea of re-knitting it. 

The second just-as-ancient WIP was out of some ungodly Homespun. Don't judge me. At one point, EVERYONE was addicted to it. And that was while it was still half-way decent in quality. It's gone downhill from there, in my opinion. 

That was a knitted scarf, with a pattern that I can't even remember. Frogged it. Thought about knitting THAT as the bias scarf. Then thought about crocheting it. 

Then, had a knitting revelation... Why do that? What joy would that bring? And do I really want another Homespun scarf? 

Rewound it and chucked it in the bag with the mohair. I'll be donating those to the prayer shawl ministry at church. Someone will enjoy them. Not me. 

I have too many things that I really want to knit. I've decided 2021 is going to be the year of knitting stuff that I want to knit. Not worrying about WIPs that I "need" to finish. Who said that? Who made that rule? Not I.

In truth, there are really some WIPs I have that I actually DO want to finish. But I'm going to be culling them; my friend "D" just handed me a crap-ton of yarn that she's off-loading; she's turned to quilting, which is cool because she's outstanding at it. She's a truly epic knitter, too, and I don't use that word as a slang term. The woman is a needlework magician. The yarn is all Good Stuff, because she didn't buy cheap. And there are a bunch of things I really want to knit with that, as well as my own stash. One thing about this pandemic: I have actually been stash-busting to a large extent. 

So then I also thought, "I'd best get skippy on a baby knit just in case," because my mom had mentioned that my nephew and his wife were "thinking about family." I don't want to get caught short, so I picked a couple colors: teal and a darker ivory (taupe-beige but not "dusty") and thought I'd do a color block afghan, or maybe just double them up and do a tweedy thing. Better to have something in reserve. I also have a couple skeins of neutral Cascade 220 Superwash so I can do a sweater. Now I just have to find the buttons I bought. 

I do have a baby sweater done already, but it's blue variegated. And it'll work if the next family member is a boy. I mean, it's REALLY blue. I have an orchid version of that yarn somewhere in a bin...somewhere. It's nice acrylic, so maybe if I find it...

Next time, I hope to have pictures of a sock that's down the calf a ways so you can see my "unvention" of a pattern (an Elizabeth Zimmerman reference). Right now, it's just past the cuff and looks like nothing more than a napkin ring. 

The Reading...

We're doing a book club. So all of us are reading "I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness" by Austin Channing Brown. Disclosure here: I'm a white female who's past 60. I have so far enjoyed reading this book, but I'm probably not at the point where it will make me uncomfortable.

And I'm ok with that. I've sailed through my life, for the most part, with the usual bumps that women have had. But I've never given particular thought to what black women go through - not that I've ignored it. I just haven't had to think about it. How "white privilege" is that? So I'm hoping that this book will help me get better insight. As a friend of mine said, "You white women are exhausting." 

I don't want to be exhausting. I just want to be better. 

The Epiphany #1...

No, not the liturgical one. The epiphany (small "E") I had in my head. I'm kind of zoned out about the whole 1-year-anniversary-of-the-pandemic thing. I mean, I'm in a rut. I'm numb. That's weird. 

Though why I would think that is kind of silly. I'm a human like everyone else. I just don't feel much of anything. Looking back at my first paragraph, all I can say is "apathy." I really just. Don't. Feel. That's very strange. And scary. 

The Epiphany #2...

Since this no taste/smell thing, I've eaten stuff that I normally wouldn't eat, like roasted red peppers, onions, etc. I mean, they're supposed to be good for you, right? And I just thought I didn't like the taste or texture, so I avoided them. As long as I'm in this state, I figured that I might as well get some benefit from eating them while I couldn't taste them. They're supposed to be full of vitamins, so what the heck... 

Wrong... My tastebuds may be temporarily out to lunch (yeah, I know...let me have my one pun, please), but my stomach is on alert. 

My stomach does NOT like the things I previously didn't like due to taste or texture. Green or red peppers and onions, mostly. I still won't eat eggplant, no matter how far gone my tastebuds are. That's just as nasty as okra, and I'm perfectly happy to argue the point... 

I ate a Whole-30 approved meat stick that I bought by mistake (Jalapeno flavored), thinking that it would be fine. It went down fine. And my stomach STRONGLY told me in no uncertain terms, "DON'T DO THAT!!!" 

Okey-dokey. Now I know. Believe me when I tell you (without too much extra info) that I am now paying attention. 

Random Picture...

Hubby's orchid bloomed. If you recall, I started by bringing a few orchids home, and researching all different ways to make them grow. Then Hubby kind of "muscled in" --- and I'm PERFECTLY fine with that, because I can literally see his blood pressure go down when he's pottering around with "his" orchids. We have two regular-sized phalaenopsis (Moth) orchids (like you buy at the Target or grocery store), 3 minis of the same kind that we bought at an orchid house, and 2 Cattleyas, otherwise known as those "Mother's Day" orchids - like you'd give your mom a corsage. Or at least that's what they used to do - I've seen them in the stores. The one Cattleya is blooming and she's gorgeous. 

I'm not sure if he's going to split her up or just re-pot after she's done. He keeps saying we have "no more room," but somehow or another, there's always room for just one more. 

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COVID DIARIES, AN INSURRECTION, AND AN IMPEACHMENT

Well. Merry Christmas to me. I got COVID-19 and I have no idea how that happened. I've been religious - I mean RELIGIOUS - about the masks, hand washing, socially distancing, all of it. 

And I really just felt like it was a "normal cold" thing. Sinus issues are rampant in our family, so that wasn't unusual. 

Luckily for me, I stood firm and told my mom that I was not visiting her over Xmas. I wasn't feeling like it was safe; I was around people who'd been exposed, I'd been around people who I've had to hand masks to...I just felt like it was a safe bet to stay home. 

Thank goodness. 

Because my brother was diagnosed the Saturday after Xmas. And he'd spent time with the family over the holiday. 

Hubby, luckily, is negative and we're sort of isolating (as much as one can isolate in a 1500 sq. foot house). 

Symptoms? EXTREME exhaustion. That's what cued me in to having to go to the doctor. I thought I had a sinus infection because my face hurt. Like a bad ear infection and sinus infection combined. And I was napping. A lot. I'm not a napper. I went to a CVS "Minute Clinic" because of the supposed ear infection. The NP told me that my ears were fine, but "you probably should get a COVID test."

I've been tested 3 times....prior exposures. I knew that at some point, my number would be up. So on New Year's Day, I went to another clinic, got a flu test (nose swab) and a COVID swab... 

And yep. My number was up... 

But it gets better. One morning,near the end of my quarantine, I got up and sat down to take my temperature. And flapped my hand at Hubby. And that's all I remember for a good bit. Apparently, I either fainted or had a seizure. Either way, I stopped breathing and it took "several minutes" for him to get me back around to this planet... Luckily, I had only stopped breathing for about 20 seconds. Landed myself in the ER. 

And all I was told was, "Covid does some strange stuff to people." I have an appointment with my neurologist and we'll see what's going on. 

With this very mild case, I've lost my sense of taste and smell. I mean it's absolutely gone. Not like when you have a cold. I literally can't smell anything. If we had a gas leak? I'd be the last to know. So I haven't been eating, because everything tastes like wet cement. I've lost a good bit of weight, but this isn't how you do it... 

I've finally had a day where I haven't napped. I actually got some mindless knitting done and I've been binge-watching "Foyle's War" on Acorn TV. A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do...

I've been able to go back to work, and then the next thing happened... I have a history of Atrial Fibrillation. And for a while, it was under control. Till this past week. I woke up, "off," and I thought, "oh, no, I'm not gonna keel over again" and had Hubby drive me to work. Got to work, decided to check my heart. (I have the Kardia EKG device on my one phone.) Turns out, I was in really bad A-fib. Heart rate was around 156 (which is quite uncomfortable) and it took me about an hour to pop back into normal rhythm. And then it happened again...my cardiologist is not happy. Nor am I. 

And I suspect this will also be "COVID does weird crap to people." 

The Insurrection...

I can't say it any better than Rude Pundit. Here you go. And for once, no, I don't ask that the profanity be excused. No, I don't talk like that, but sometimes a mule needs a 2 x 4 to get the point across. 

For those folks who say that these are "protestors" -- I have one word for you: Terrorists. I walked in several protests for Black Lives Matter, and I can tell you that the only reason I wasn't threatened any more than I was (I was called some names that were not nice and flipped off more times in August and September than I have been in my entire 60+ years) is because I'm a white, grey-haired woman. 

These buggers are terrorists. Period. The retired military who participated, and the cops who participated? Traitors. Terrorists. 

My dad has been gone almost 30 years. As a Marine, on the cusp of getting on a boat to Korea, he'd have been in his 90s by now. And he would have crawled. CRAWLED....to Washington to beat the snot out of those domestic terrorists. 

The Impeachment...

So, twice is nice. The Mango Mendicant was impeached again, by the greatest bipartisan count ever. One count: fomenting insurrection. And let's look at this: he wasn't whisked out of DC on a secret plane. He was IN THE WHITE HOUSE watching the whole thing unfold, and according to some news sources, bemoaning how "low class" the terrorists were. 

He didn't have to be swooped out of the White House because he was in no danger. These were HIS minions. "Go home, we love you." What a joke... 

While I know a lot of people are all, "Let's just unify," and "Let's just sing Kumbaya and make s'mores and all get along," my viewpoint is simpler:

This administration was a boil on the back of the nation. It exposed what was ugly, and that may have been the only good thing it's done. And we all know: boils need to be lanced, drained, packed with antibiotics -- if they're left to just be a boil, they will become more and more infected, and the infection will spread. It's already spread too far. 

We have conspiracy theorists in our government. Sitting in Congress. Think about that. People who will, till their dying day, say that this election was stolen - flying in the face of logic and math. People who think there's some secret sub rosa government that's out to deprive them of their basic rights. 

Rights which they'll deny to black, brown, LGBTQIA+ folks. In other words, anyone who isn't a "white christian" (and yes, I'm not capitalizing it). 

We are witnessing the dying gasps of the white dinosaurs. And it's not going to be pretty. Our nation is in for a rough go over the next few years. But we have a decision to make. 

Who, and what, do we want to be? If we want to be the nation of laws and norms which we purport to be, there must be consequences. 

Heck, even a kid in their Sunday School classes knows: you can't be forgiven unless you're sorry. "Oh my God, I am heartily sorry..." which is the old form of the Catholic Act of Contrition. The more modern language is this: My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. 

Thing is, they're NOT sorry. They've planned this, and they've planned MORE. And they refuse to acknowledge that we did indeed have a fair election. They've refused to honor the peaceful transition of power that has been the hallmark of our democracy since this experiment was launched in the 1770s. 

The Congress-critters who swore oaths, along with the military and complicit cops? They're actually the worst. The deluded deplorables aren't without guilt, but they're just stupid and dangerous. The Congress-critters, military and complicit cops? They put their hands on a Bible and swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States "against all enemies, foreign and domestic." And it turns out, in the immortal words of Pogo: "We have met the enemy and he is us." 

I weep for this country. And the only way we'll heal is for the terrorists to be punished to the full extent of the law. 

The Knitting...

Even before the COVID, I really messed something up. I mean, FUBAR-messed up. It was a baby blanket and I had to do a quick switch because the little one is due anytime now. So I did a quick switcheroo and did a fleece blanket, a hat and some booties. Same difference. 

I'll pick out the blanket and figure it out. 

And (insert drumroll here)...I finally finished the ripple afghan. Not quite as big as I wanted it, but I figured it covered me, nearly, so it was good enough for Kid #2. It's draped over the "reading chair" and is being used as an aid to reading on chilly nights. That works for me. It can also be draped over the bedspread if needed. 

So after I finished this thing...I took a week and didn't lift a needle. Not one. I just needed a break. 

I picked up the baby blanket after a week, and apparently, that wasn't enough time - because that's when the FUBAR happened. 

The baby blanket is another ripple variation and I had stitch markers at the yarnovers. Somehow, I thought something was off, and I started moving stitch markers. Well. That's usually a recipe for disaster. 

And it was. About 4 rows in, I finally looked at my knitting. That was a mistake. Waiting for 4 rows, I mean. Because by that time, I was having COVID-BRAIN and then I got frustrated, and then I said, "Screw it." This isn't even the latest picture. It's the only one I have. I should have taken one before the FUBAR happened. 

So I dug around in the craft/yoga/sewing/office room... and I found that I had purchased this fleece afghan/throw thing. So I figured I could whip that up since it involved no knitting, just knotting. And I figured I really couldn't mess THAT up. 

Funny thing I noticed was that the colors in the throw thing are almost exactly the colors of the knitting I was going to do. Strange how things work out like that. Hopefully, Mama will send me a picture so that I can share it with you. 

During my enforced rest, I picked up a simple pattern. First, I frogged a lace scarf because I was too lazy to find the pattern. Then, I looked in my Stitchionary Vol. 5 - Lace. And I found a simple "Stars and Stripes Lace" pattern. How ironic is that name, given the recent insurrection? 

I don't know the colorway of this yarn. The ball band is lost. But it's a great base from Expression Fibre Arts, their Dewy DK line. 

And I really don't care how it turns out. The yarn is squishy and lovely and it'll be a nice wrap for my neck. Do I need another scarf? Probably not - but this is one of those little ones - only cast on about 27 stitches... so it can go round a couple of times and I can wear it during the day if I feel chilly. It's actually got more purple in it than it looks like. So it'll go with just about everything I own.

At some point, I want to really gather my projects and get organized. I know - I've said this several times before. But I just want to get a handle on what I have as WIPs and what I want to knit. I've given away a lot of yarn, and my friend D just gave me a crap-ton of yarn. She's off-loading, and it's good stuff. So what I don't use, I'll also pass on. But first I have to get a handle on what's what. 

What I mean by that is that I want to decide what I want to knit and what, ultimately, I really do NOT want to knit. Because I'm at that point. I don't want to "knit all the things" at this point. I want to knit what I want to; because time is finite and I don't have all the time in the world. I'm not being fatalistic - I'm being realistic. There are some things I really do want to knit and there are some things, yes, that I bought, that I just no longer want to bother with. 

Random Picture...

I do have a birthday coming up and a dear friend, W, sent me these. They're pewter, which is one of my favorite metals anyway, and they're just adorable. 

I know, the picture seems to have an awful lot of "bottom" on it; but I'm planning on using it for another purpose, so I figured this was the best way to shoot them. 

The poses are, left to right, Halasana (Plow), Sukhasana  (Easy Seat); and Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand). I can only do one of them, though I can do a half-shoulderstand. 

I'm still teaching on Zoom; and we have to watch what we teach on Zoom because we still can't physically be in the presence of our students, and if we could, we aren't yet allowed to get close enough to adjust them. 

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The Nation Exhales

 Over 50% of the United States has just exhaled... 

Joe Biden is our President-Elect and Kamala Harris is our VP-Elect. 

Maybe we'll get some sleep. 

And I'm going to say this right here and right now: I don't CARE that conservatives or Trumpers are upset. Don't. Care. Not. One. Whit. 

As they said to us, "Get over it."

It was a long, hard road. There were questions and there was stress. There was a lot of breath-holding. 

Sanity has been restored to the White House and yes - we have a CRAP-TON of work to do. We need to celebrate this weekend. Absolutely. 

But then realize what needs to be done. And get to doing it. Here's my wish list (off the top of my head, in no particular order).

• Make Roe settled law - no more "we're going to overturn it" crap
• Rebuild the Voting Rights Act
• Pass the ERA
• Balance the Supreme Court
• Overturn Citizens United
• Restore Environmental Controls
• Green Energy
• Clean House...
• Undo the Billionaire Tax Breaks
• Secure Social Security & Medicare
• Fix the USPS

The Knitting...

So I set aside the Kid Afghan for a brief minute. I started some quickie wash cloths for Xmas gifts. I have to order the soap to go with them, but they're really easy to whip out. I have 4 more to do and they'll go quickly. 

I also have to get skippy on the baby afghan and then get even MORE skippy on the Kid Afghan. 

I really want to make a pair of "pedicure socks." Those are basically socks with no heels or toes. Today, it's a gorgeous 70-degree day and we're about to go on a walk and take some pictures of what's left of the fall colors. I got another - what may be final for 2020 - pedicure. I don't do them in the winter because my feet freeze in flip flops. 

But with a pair of pedicure socks, I could do it without frozen toes! That may be next in January. 

The Cooking...

So I'm almost done with my Whole30. And I found a few great recipes to add to my toolkit. Though tonight, I'd rather go face-first into some chocolate (see first section of blog!).

I love Avgo Limono Soup - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup. But on Whole30, it's a no-go because of the orzo pasta (or rice - I've had it both ways). But I found a Paleo version, and this is what I did:

Lemon Chicken Soup

2 scallions, diced

2 carrots, sliced thin

2 stalks celery, sliced thin

3 cloves garlic, diced

4 qts chicken or veggie stock

2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 sprig fresh Rosemary

1 tsp EACH: Oregano, basil

Salt & Pepper to taste

1 lemon

1 pkg. frozen spinach (chopped variety)

2 T. your favorite oil (ghee, avocado oil, olive oil)

In a large soup pot, add your oil and heat it up. Add your carrots and celery, stirring (heat is about med-hi). Let them brown a bit. Then add your scallions, let them get translucent. This is about 7-8 minutes total. Then add garlic and get it a little soft. 

Add your stock to the pot. Nestle the chicken in there, add the Rosemary, oregano & basil and put a lid on it. Turn down to simmer, and let it simmer about 25 minutes. 

When the chicken is done, pull it out of the pot and set aside to cool slightly. 

Roll the lemon on the counter to make it juicier. Slice in half and juice. Then use a micro-plane and zest it. Set aside. 

Take the meat off the chicken bones, and chop it. Discard bones & skin, returning meat to pot. Add the block of frozen spinach and put the lid back on. Simmer about 5-8 minutes, till spinach loosens up and heats up. 

Add the lemon juice and zest. Add salt & pepper to taste. This serves 8. And you can either freeze the extra or just cut the recipe in half. 

There's an awesome-looking chicken & artichoke soup I want to try. Though it was nice today, it's not going to last and soups are very comforting, whether you're on Whole30 or not!

The Random Picture...

Since I haven't had a guitar lesson since March, and I haven't been able to arrange another one because the morons in our county can't behave and our rolling positivity rate is over 14% -- and our two hospitals are screaming that beds are getting scarce...

I decided to polish my nails. This is Ella Mila color "Yacht Club" which I bought years ago when the first female Dr. Who was announced - this is the color of her TARDIS. 

It's only coincidental that it's also blue for the new Democratic president. Honest, I didn't do this for Election Day. I was a judge, and I'm impartial that day.

It's a pretty color. And I'm a klutz at doing nails. I'm out of practice. 

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OK, let's see if this works... No comments, so either people couldn't read the last blog entry or nobody had a problem with the font change. 

So teacher training is still kicking my butt. My last Body Reading assignment and my last sequence were...not received well. But unlike Graduate School, I can just re-do them. It's not graded. 

This week, I started the Apprenticeship segment. Now NORMALLY, we'd have a "Head to Toe" yoga class and we (the trainees) would be the apprentices to the master teacher. We'd learn by doing. But, now, COVID has changed all that. Now, there are 8 of us, and we have to figure out how to learn to do these therapeutic techniques when we can't even touch each other. 

So, this picture has nothing to do with teacher training...but it IS a great reminder. Left to right, it's amethyst, green aventurine, and raw black tourmaline. These are gemstones that I got in barter for knitting a baby hat. They're lovely stones. I have them on my table next to my little "yoga gnome." 

Friday night, we had a lot of lecture and a few teachings where each of us was chosen to demonstrate a technique. We then had to discuss how we wanted to go forward. In that, I mean, we need to learn in this module how to sequence for therapeutic yoga, we have to learn a myriad of adjustment techniques...and we have to do this without student to practice on! 

All I can say is that it's going to be interesting. 

But this weekend's Therapeutics module -- today I had fun. Prenatal Yoga!!! I've wanted to teach prenatal yoga since I started my 200-hour training, but I never felt like I knew enough. We've managed to talk to the master teacher who presented today, and might be able to get a class together to do the actual 85-hour certification. Yeah, I know - I'm probably nuts. But it's something I've always wanted to do.  

The Knitting...

Well, Kid #2's Afghan proceeds apace. It's going a lot more quickly. I had a consult with my "color consultant." A/K/A the Hubby. I was trying to balance out the 2 sections of black that The Kid wanted in there but I was having trouble placing them properly. Hubby took a look at it, then we slightly rearranged my notes and you can see that I've got about 10 rows to go, then a 5-row border that matches the bottom border. For once, I think it might work out as a balanced pattern! I mean that on MY part, not Hubby's...his eye for color is amazing and I will usually consult him because I'm not good at that. My mom is actually pretty good at it, too. 

We ended up switching up the black sections; initially I had grey where the black was and it would've been almost 6 more sections (12 rows!) to get the balance right. I am totally winging this color combo. Initially, it was just the red and grey (college colors are red + white, but I try not to put white in an afghan unless it's just a slight accent). But then the request for black...(sigh - a ginormous pain to knit with, even with my lovely Ott stand light). 

You can see my "color list" here, working from the bottom up. It's rough, but if you have a system that works for you? Go for it. You are the only one using it. 

I am anxious to get back to the Baby Car Seat Blanket, because I want to stay on schedule for that. 

And I want to get back to knitting a few things I've set aside -- the Longsands Tee and the February Lady Sweater, along with a couple of shawls. 

The Reading...

I finished the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book series - at least what's been published. Aside from all the yoga stuff I've been reading, I've also just purchased a couple Agatha Christie books. I mean, you can't exactly snuggle down before bedtime and read Ray Long's "The Key Muscles of Yoga." 

Well, you could, but you'd have to be wayyyyyyyyyy geekier than I actually am. 

Anyway, I have "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd," which has been called "the greatest murder mystery novel of all time," and "Murder at the Vicarage," the first Miss Marple. 

For me, Geraldine McEwan was the perfect Miss Marple; Joan Hixon was the first one to play the part, and she's my #2. Just as David Suchet is  -- just "is" Poirot. 

I'm looking forward to one of those tonight; not sure which one yet. My other favorite murder mystery author lately is Louise Penny, with her Inspector Gamache mysteries set in Canada. 

And of course, I love the "usual" ones: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (I've been reading Sherlock Holmes since high school), P.D. James, Martha Grimes... A good murder mystery is just a balm to my imagination and restful to read. Funny, maybe, but there it is. 

I'm also re-reading The Whole 30, which I'm starting on Monday. Or I should say, "re-doing." I need to get rid of the COVID-19 that I gained. 

I suppose I should have been on the ElliptiKILL or knitting during the shut-down, instead of making (and eating) bread...

So today is "prep day." I have made ghee (so stupid-simple, why would you pay $11/jar!?), and I've got eggs boiling. So why ghee? It's clarified butter. When I was a kid, the Galloping Gourmet (just Google it...) used to talk about clarified butter and it always sounded so exotic! 

It's easy. Take a small saucepan, put in 4 sticks of butter (you can cut them up if you want). and simmer over medium-low heat. The worst part: DO NOT STIR IT. Seriously, that's the hardest part. As it simmers, you'll notice a froth on the top - that's the dairy solids, which you don't want. Skim them off the best you can; you just toss those. 

Then, put a strainer over the top of a canning jar, stick some cheesecloth in there (it's way easier than a coffee filter - ask me how I know that...), and strain the now-clarified butter into the jar. Cool before storing it in the fridge. You can keep this in the fridge for 6 months, or at room temp (easier to use) for 3 months. 

The biggest thing is to prep. If you try to do this on the fly, it usually won't work. I'm really in need of a  re-set; I've gotta get my sugar demons under control, and I think I need to do something about gluten. It doesn't make me sick, per se. But it does make me bloat. Is that a problem? Not sure it's a real medical issue; just more of an intolerance. Either way, I'm over it. 

And if I don't do something, I'm setting myself up for a gigantic lecture by my cardiologist. Wish me luck...

The Politics...

So #WeezyMussolini violated (again) the protocols and held a rally.... a "rally" on the WH lawn. In the middle of the COVID pandemic, while he's still contagious (and no, I do NOT believe the "doctor" who said he was fine). And --- he PAID THE ATTENDEES. 

Dude was supposed to speak for 1/2 hour, made it to 18 minutes. He's still got pneumonia, I'm tellin' ya. I've had it (pneumonia, minus COVID) and it's bad when it's "regular" pneumonia. I can't imagine COVID pneumonia. 

November 3rd can't come fast enough. We need a landslide and Electoral College victory that cannot be denied. And then the Secret Service can move the mendicant crime family out of the White House, fumigate it, and we can get back our democracy. 

I'm not sure we'll ever get back our "original" pride in our country. And it's goingto take years to get back our reputation - even a shadow of it. But we can start the process by ending the reign of mendacity that's occupied our country for the past 4 years. 

Maybe we will have learned something profound during this time. We've certainly learned the ugliness of our nation was really just under the surface. Maybe now we've learned that it takes all the good people to get up off their sofas to make the changes necessary for us to live in a better world. 

I watched the VP debate. God, it gave me flashbacks of every moron male boss I ever had... Mikey P. was a total jerk. Kamala's "mom look" was perfect, though sometimes, you really wished she'd have just said "SHUT. UP." 

The problem is, "angry black woman" is a real stereotype. But what angered me even more was the rubber spine of the moderator, who was a prior donor to the Republican party. I swear, they should've gotten a mom in there who's been home-schooling her kids. Pence wouldn't have stood a chance if my mom was the moderator. Then again, my kids would say the same if they thought I was the moderator! 

Vote. Please. 

The Random Picture...

Well, Raisa was not looking for toast. I actually had her huge Kong bone in my hand. The one she flung at me and that clocked me in the shoulder. She knows how to pitch. 

Her problem is that her aim is off. You're more likely to get whacked with that bone as she uses her skills as a doggie baton tosser. She'll roll the bone around her neck and then toss it up - and that's cool. It's when it goes on an angle where it gets dangerous - then, it could land on your foot. In your knitting bag. On your lap. 

Or, as frequently happens, bounces off your head. 

That's always fun. 

And remarkably, as with buttered toast...the bone always hits you with the slimy end that she's just gnawed on. 

It's a good thing she's cute...

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Current Events and Not-So-Current Events

 

Well, it's been nearly a month, and I didn't mean it to be that long. 

I guess I should go in some sort of order. The teacher training is kicking my sit-bones, in a good way. Therapeutics has always challenged me, though our population at the studio seems to trend toward those that can use that kind of yoga. I just have to get more confident. 

I finished my second body study, wrote it up and submitted it. I have a case study due at the end of the month, and I have an assignment for my apprenticeship. That goes first, then the case study. 

No wonder that this module is considered the hardest one. I'd rather do 6 months of Sanskrit and Philosophy. 

By the way, I'm experimenting. I've changed fonts - not sure what your computer will show you, so please comment and let me know. So. On to...

CURRENT EVENTS...

Ruth Bader Ginsberg is dead. The entire nation just about collapsed in short order; it's amazing what we put on this tiny, courageous woman's shoulders. Her final wish was that her replacement not be chosen til after the election. Of course, Trumpenfuhrer et al steamrolled over that before Ruthie was cold. 

Choosing a woman who was on the Federal bench for about 45 seconds, who's pro-life (which is actually only pro-fetus), has a bunch of kids and belongs to this weirdo religious group (which she FAILED to disclose on her paperwork for appointment to the Federal bench, by the way) which believes that the man is the head of the home and should direct the woman in all things.Just how did she get to law school? Oh, and her "goal" is "to bring the country to the Kingdom of God." Ummmmmmm. Treaty of Trent, anyone? We are not now, and never have been, a nation founded upon the Christian religion. So sayeth Thomas Jefferson. 

And on top of that, the GOP then accuses the DEMS of wanting to "pack the court." Just what, please explain to me, are THEY doing shoving this Handmaid down our collective throats, and why does Clementine get to do this when Merrick Garland was refused even a meeting, in the Obama years? No, you don't have to answer, I know what it is. It's the Black Guy in the White House. A/K/A Obama Derangement Syndrome. 

Then, Karma came along. 

After a disasterous debate ... um, "debate" performance, in which Clementine was all sound and fury and Chris Wallace was unable to yank his choke chain hard enough, and even Biden snapped - a "debate" in which it was reported that Clementine simply wanted to rattle Biden enough to cause him to stutter, thus being able to cull out-of-context video clips showing him to be "stupid," because those of us who stutter are often called "stupid" (you shouldn't get me started on this)...and they failed...

THEN...

It was disclosed that Trumpenfuhrer's assistant, the young Ms. Hicks, was positive for COVID-19. After which they started dropping like flies. Suspiciously, after a "super-spreader event" in the "Now Not a Rose Garden" where nearly 200 people were crammed in to meet RBG's supposed replacement, sans masks. 

THEN...

It was disclosed that the medical team, after flying Clementine to Walter Reed, had claimed that he was "72 hours in" to his COVID diagnosis. Which means he knew - or suspected - that he had it during the debate. During which time he was out of control raving, and during which time his ENTIRE mendacious crime family sat in the arena maskless, against Cleveland Clinic rules. Which, by the way, someone should've bounced the lot of 'em. What could he have done? Closed the place? 

THEN...

As he's being airlifted to Walter Reed, nobody bothers to tell Nancy Pelosi, who's 3rd from the throne, as it were. She's supposed to know stuff like that. 

And a good percentage of Americans think this is a tremendous hoax in and of itself. We've been gaslighted so often by this administration that we really don't know what to believe. Though when he got sent to Walter Reed, I started to believe that it was "real." Walter Reed wouldn't go along with some political stunt, even for this guy. While anonymous (which seems how we get any information), a source has said his breathing is labored. I am struggling to find the balance between "karma" and "kindness." I don't want to be overly sanctimonious, but I am battling my "angels" for this. 

Do I wish him dead? No. Honestly, I don't. I wish him miserable. I wish him to achieve (though I know it's like peeing into the wind) a shred of humanity and humility. I wish him a landslide loss in the upcoming election. I wish him humiliation and a prison sentence for his crimes, which are multitude, and I'm only counting the ones since he's been in office. 

The right all want us (the left/Libs) to "have compassion" for Trumpenfuhrer...though he callously had/has no compassion for over 200,000 dead. They're screaming for Biden to suspend his campaign. 

You know - much like Clementine suspended his when Hillary came down with pneumonia. You remember that, right? Because if you do, you are truly living in an alternative universe. Because it never happened. He doubled down, mocked her and called her "too old." 

Whew... 

On top of that, we are under the spell of the first of the October full moons (there will be two) and, this being Illinois, we can't really see it because it's raining. I saw it before it reached full power. One day...

THE KNITTING...

So I'm moving along nicely on the Feather & Fan Variation for the Car Seat Blanket. I'm using the same yarn I used for the Wedding Afghan but it's not for the wedding couple. If I get a Happy Announcement from them, I'll just order more. This is for a friend of mine. 

The pattern is actually from The Linus Project, and it's a 3-row variation on the Feather & Fan which is super-easy to memorize. I can see this being a nifty scarf or shawl. But not now. I'd thought about one colorway and then I rearranged after I laid things out. It moves along fairly quickly, and I like it because it's light enough to sling over a car seat so that, in the event the parents can take The Peanut out into public EVER, and it's air-conditioned or chilly, it will be warm enough, but lacy enough to not feel like it's smothering. I love the color combo, but you know by now that I really adore a "sophisticated" palette for a baby. I like bold colors, strong patterns. 

I will use "traditional" colors if I know mom prefers it. But I don't ask. If I'm told, then that's different. If I'm not told, they get what I knit. 

I also have completed the hats and have given 2 of them to my pseudo-nephew and he looks stinkin' adorable!! As you may recall, I used the colors from his baby layette and then I used his mom's favorite color. The hats are for a one-year old, and this kid has a HUGE head! It may be that I knit him a hat a year. We'll see... This was part of my "hat binge." I'm over it now, thanks. I also did a batch of "Ear Savers" that I brought to yoga training. And in that move, saved the lives of several trainees...Kidding; but they did love them. And I'm glad I could just do that for them. 

Tomorrow, I absolutely MUST pull out Kid #2's afghan and get cracking on that. The Peanut isn't due till January, but I totally, really, REALLY must have that afghan done for Christmas for The Kid. I promised and I should have been doing that during the shut-down instead of baking bread. I wouldn't have gained 20 pounds...and I've had had it off my list finally and could with no guilt actually knit for myself. 

THE BOOK...

The book has not only been launched, it's in the top 10 nationally and INTERNATIONALLY in Holistic Health. So technically, I am an international best-selling author!! I got my author copies today, did a little "let's open the box" video and posted it. The book is available here on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback versions, and it's a great resource. If you want an autographed copy, drop me a comment and I'll ship it to you in the US (shipping on me, but I can't ship overseas at this time). All the volumes are really good resources; even if a topic seems to be repeated, there's always a different slant on it. Because each of us is a subject-matter expert, we often give our own techniques. So, if in Volume 1 you see a chapter on breathing, that's cool - because my chapter on breathing in Volume 3 is different. So now you have TWO tools for breathing. 

I'm really pleased to offer the tool I offer, and I think you'll like the other chapters in the book. The good thing is, you don't have to read cover-to-cover. You can look at the table of contents and check out whichever chapter strikes you. We each tell you why we talk about what we do, and it's quite interesting to read some of the stories. 

One of the stories that hit me particularly in the heart was my friend Jen's journey through the pain of infertility. I know so many women who've trod that path. Much of society tells us that motherhood is the be-all and end-all. And somehow, we as women are penalized if we can't carry a pregnancy through to completion or if we can't get pregnant at all. Jen's story will resonate with so many people, and I hope help them as well. 

And that's just her chapter. Hopefully, you will also enjoy mine, Chapter 6: Inhale. Exhale. Repeat. Yep, it's that simple. And that difficult. I lead you through a breathing technique and visualization meditation that you can start right this moment, and "grow into," so to speak, as your practice starts to grow. 

And...when you purchase the book, you get access to a Facebook group wherein ALL the authors will periodically offer workshops and sessions, interviews, Q & A and more!

RANDOM PICTURE...

With the new Blogger (which, by the way, I really still dislike, except for the cool fonts which I hope translate to you, the reader), I would normally have a picture stuck here and then I'd write about it. But this way, I have to write first, then insert picture after. 

Not liking that at all. And on top of that, my "camera roll" function on the phone and One Drive seem to be going all wonky. So the picture I kind of had in mind? I'm not exactly sure where it went to... 

Did I tell you that I adore technology??? Yeah. Not. 

Anyway - in remembrance of When We Use to Have Family Holidays, these are Avocado Deviled Eggs which I made for last Easter. Which my sister, who adores deviled eggs, wouldn't eat because she claims to be allergic to avocado. I have never heard that, but I'm not one to mess with her gut, seeing as she's usually got a raging case of IBS and I'm not willing to put her in any more angst. 

So technically, I owe her a dozen "regular" deviled eggs. Someday. When we are all able to meet as a family. Or I drive to her house and drop 'em off. 

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www.just-breatheyoga.com or call/text us at (815) 546-2770

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