...And Then There Was This...

Well. It's been a week, that's for sure. 

The Mango Menace has literally and actually endorsed Nazis. White males, young and old, who feel threatened by "the brown" and anyone else who isn't white and male, are now free to use their tiki torches, wear their "uniform" of khakis and white golf shirts (as their fearless(?) leader wears on his golf outings), along with their cute little red baseball caps, and march against anything and everything. 

Oh, and mow down anyone who gets in their way. Because they feel "downtrodden." They feel "cheated." They feel "threatened." 

They're morons, just like their leader. The Sun Times put it very succinctly. He's a fake. 

Maya Angelou once said, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." This is true. He's shown us time and again (4 bankruptcies, almost that many wives) what he is. And what he isn't. 

What he isn't is a moral leader. What he isn't - is a leader at all. What he is is a bellicose bully who rants and raves, and who, when he's in over his head, acts just like the tiki-torch bearers in their "not brown shirts" uniforms. Full of false equivalencies, lies, misdirections and bluster. 

When and how can we get rid of him? A number of Republicans have taken to Twitter to denounce his tepid comments about the riots in Charlottesville. I mean, for God's sake - the man attempted to make Robert E. Lee and George Washington equivalents. They're not. A fifth-grader would probably know that. Apparently, that schooling that his KKK daddy bought for him didn't sink in. Or it wasn't supposed to in the first place. The degree was just something to hang on the wall. 

Republicans, I fear, will not move forward with any attempts to impeach him because they all want to be reelected and there's still enough of "the base" in their respective districts to make that a problem if they talk about Dear Leader in anything but the most glowing of terms. 

We need to get our country back on the footing it once was. We're an international punch line now, more than ever. So before he tweets the nuclear codes for his white-shirted tiki team, we need to get him and his minions under control. 

There's nothing wrong with being intolerant of people who espouse white supremacy views. It's a proven theory called The Paradox of Tolerance. It goes like this: if we do preach tolerance of abhorrent views, eventually those who espouse those views will - and this is proven - destroy us. Tear it all down. Or in Steve Bannon's words, "burn it all down." 

So. Let's figure out how to cut this crap out and nip it in the bud. Now. Before it's too late. 

Join an activist group. Participate. Write your Congress-critters and local officials. Speak up and speak out against hate. 

Those Statues...

So everyone's in a tizzy about removing Confederate statues from public areas. On one hand, I kind of want to say what the Republicans have been saying (screw the high road, folks - it's time to get down and dirty): "We won, get over it."

Even Robert E. Lee didn't want statues. I'm not kidding. According to this article, Lee said that he opposed memorials (except for gravestones for the fallen) because he believed that countries who erased all visible signs of civil war actually healed from the divisions faster. He was probably one of the least vile of the generals, and he fought for Virginia because, as a citizen of Virginia, he felt honor-bound to do so. He kept slaves, and some accounts say he was cruel. But he also said slavery was a "moral and political evil." 

So. To those who are crying about the monuments? Even your guy Lee didn't want them. 

What to do about them? Well, I'm torn. We can't and shouldn't erase or whitewash history. The ugliness has to be kept as witness. So that hopefully we don't repeat it. 

But I think you need to separate "history" from "worship." It's not an easy task, but if we take Lee's words to heart and work within guidelines, we can come to some sort of conclusion. I don't know. I'm not a historian - I'm a person who's trying to make sense of a situation that I never thought I'd see. 

Knitting...

Squishy mail! This is Expressions Fiber Arts, silk DK. It's mulberry silk, baby alpaca and a bit of nylon. It's scrumptious. I mean seriously, I want to sleep on a mattress made of this yarn. The colorway is Fairy Lights. I bought this as part of a "scarf kit" with some points (not many points, for sure, but hey...). And of course, I didn't want to do a "basic scarf" because I can actually knit and didn't want to bore myself to death with 3 or 4 feet of plain garter. I'll keep that for my eventual Dr. Who scarf...

Anyhow, I trolled Ravelry and came up with a 3-version lace scarf pattern that's from a company no longer in business. I chose pattern #3 (the most "challenging" of all of them) and started knitting. The scarf will ultimately be a little smaller than the "basic scarf" in the kit, but it's also got to be blocked in order for the lace to properly pop, so I think it'll work nicely. Maybe won't be so long, but it's ok. It'll be enough. 

As I worked with the pattern, I found it easy to sort of memorize, but like with any lace - you've gotta pay attention! I like the way the colors are laying out. I like the hand of the fabric. I'm going to love the drape. The sheen of the silk is beyond compare, and the halo of the baby alpaca is something that's going to feel so nice. Now, I can just hope that we get a cold enough winter to wear the scarf. It's either going to match (mostly) my parka, or it'll look good with my camel coat. 


My issue will be that, since I've lost so much weight (thanks, braces), the camel coat will be too big. I'll wear it anyway. Maybe I can figure out how to make a belt to wear with it. Or not... 

I've gotta think about that one. It's a custom-made coat, from a student of mine. I think I talked about it when she gave it to me. It was made for her aunt, now deceased, who was, as she said, "kind of busty" and had shorter arms. That's like me. So she didn't want to just toss it, but she felt a little weird giving it to me. I love it. It's very 1960s, with the camel-colored plastic buttons. I don't want to change anything. But I'm going to swim in it. 

In spite of gaining back about 10 pounds. Which I have to work on losing back. I've got to cut down on the sweets. I've started to stress eat.

I need to stress-knit instead. I'll get a lot more done. 

The Park...

I'm sort of on Day Four of a migraine that won't quit. I think I'm at the tail end, but it's annoying. The other day, my chiropractor adjusted me, and then I went to lunch. I decided to take a walk. The headache was kind of in mid-bloom, and I needed to get some fresh air. I'm near a sports park, and I had a rock I wanted to plant... So I found a path in the park, and took a little stroll. 

I'm not sure whether the weather is playing a part in this headache - it can, you know. But so can tightening my braces. And lack of sleep. And crappy diet. And I've been experiencing all of those. 

There was a bridge, so I took it and then took a few shots of the little creek running through the park. And then I thought about where to plant my rock. As part of the Will County Kindness Rocks project, I painted a batch of rocks (and I want to do more). So this one says, "bloom where you are planted." I wanted to put it somewhere kind of appropriate and not totally obvious. But not totally hidden. 

So I stuck it in a hydrangea bush. I'll have to go back next week to see if it's still there. Hopefully, someone picked it up. I have about 7 more to distribute. If you find one, go to Facebook and let them know you've found it!

Random Picture...

I've never watched an episode of "Game of Thrones" -- and I don't plan on it. But I've heard something disturbing. Apparently, there's a "character" in there called a "direwolf." The production is using Siberian Huskies as "direwolves." And so -- Game of Thrones fans will probably go all ape-crazy about wanting their own "direwolf."

Take my advice. 

Don't do it. 

I've had Siberian Huskies for almost 30 years. I'll give you the "don't buy a Husky" sales pitch. It goes like this: Yes, they ARE adorably cute puppies. And they stay "puppy" for at least 5 to 7 years. Even though they grow to be well over 50 lbs., they'll act "puppy" for longer than you want. 

They shed. Twice a year, 6 months at a time. They chew. They have opposable thumbs that come out at night where they will change the locks on your doors and drive your car. And move your furniture. If they think they're smarter than you (and they usually do think that), they'll take over. And that's not a good thing. They don't like cats or small dogs. Or rather, they do: for lunch. They've got a remarkably strong "prey drive" for a dog that doesn't hunt. 

They're not called "Houdini dogs" for nothing; they'll climb out, crawl out, dig out or jump out. The point is, they want "out" - all the time. They love to run. They are not good at recall. If you want a dog who'll come when called, who can reliably be off-leash and who will be obedient to your commands?

You do not want a Husky. 

So do yourself and the breed a favor. Skip the "direwolves." 

Thursday Topics...

Who was it that thought hot flashes AND a period were a good combination??? Augh. As I gradually work my way toward menopause, I am still committed to not using HRT. I don't think it's a good idea... Though my mother feels vastly different. She was just at her new gyne (the last two  - men - retired and didn't bother to refer any of their patients; just "I'm leaving in June, thanks.") and she likes this gal. She's younger, so hopefully she won't bolt.

Anyway, I was shocked to hear that at age 76, my mom was STILL on HRT. I think that's nuts; but she says the doctor said it's ok. She said the doctor told her that HRT "was the reason you have all the energy you have." 

Hmmmmmmmm. Still not convinced. Thanks, I'll stick to a good diet (I mean habit of eating, not "diet" diet), yoga and meditation. Can't quite get used to the idea of using pregnant mare's urine to help me out.

Pregnant mare's urine = Premarin. Seriously. Google it. And on top of that, I'm ethically against how they get the urine. These mares are kept just like veal: in a box. It's nasty and I don't want to be a part of it. 

The whole "fountain of youth" thing is absurd. Your body was made to turn certain things off (do you HEAR that, uterus?????) and I think there's gotta be a more natural way of keeping your vim and vigor than ingesting hormone treatments made from horse pee. Call me crazy...

Semi-Rant on Politics, Terrorists & Education

OK, so I saw a clip of Malala on Jon Stewart. I will confess right now that I love "The Daily Show" but in spite of my enjoyment of the show, this interview will amaze you. This young lady has the Taliban shaking in their boots because... wait for it...

She wants to be educated. 

Go figure. See the clip here. Watch. Be amazed at this young woman's poise and ability to articulate something that nine tenths of American teens consider "a bore." Maybe I'm over-estimating that 9/10ths figure, but I know that American teens for the most part don't seem to appreciate the gift of education we have here. Even in the under-performing schools, they get more than many, many Third World countries get. 

Though I think under-performing schools have their own problems and the education system in general needs a kick in the butt. But not on a business model, thanks. Because people aren't widgets... One size does NOT fit all. Your learning patterns may change as you get older, but it seems to me that if you are one type of learner, you kind of keep that through your lifetime. I'm very visual. I can figure it out quite nicely from a book, but I like to *see* it. And I've always been that way, though I will certainly try other formats. 

I see it in the students I have here at work, and those I teach on a yoga mat. Some of them respond quite well to a verbal cue. Others, I've gotta SHOW them what I mean. 

So we can't just say "This is how we'll measure success" in education because the model is flawed. We can't consider that everyone learns at the same pace or in the same style. Some people freak out at tests. No matter what, they'll freak out. So we have to individualize the way we measure them. 

I'm not talking about handing out "feel-good" grades. Everyone does NOT get an "A" just for showing up. But you have to take into account how people process and then regurgitate the information back for measurement. That's all. 

And of course, be grateful that education is seen as an important opportunity. Because as you can clearly tell from Malala's story -- in many countries, it's not even on their radar. 

What to do?

So I was at my women's group meeting the other night. I have been the group's webmaster for 10 or 12 years; been so long I can't remember. Basically the year I joined, 6 months later I was asked to take over the site. 

For some reason, now that I've "been and gone" as president of the group, I seem to notice a level of cattiness that I didn't realize existed. I mean, hey -I know - women can be cattier than cats!

But at the meeting, one member seemed "off" - she's usually friendly, but lately, not so much. She asked about whether "topic X" was on the website, and I told her I hadn't done that yet. Actually, I was hoping someone in our PR committee would actually write the press release so I wouldn't have to... 

Then she says, "Well, when was the last time the site was updated?" in a very challenging and snarky manner. I said, "Well, let's see...the new yearbook is up there, and we just got that at the last meeting. The new board is up there, but no picture since I haven't been able to get every board member in the same place at the same time."

Mind you, she's involved in "topic X" -- she then proceeds to inform the group that there's an event concerning "topic X" -- coming up quickly. You'd think (at least I would think) that if she was so concerned that "topic X" was not on our site, she'd have shot me an e-mail a few weeks ago (having some manners???) saying, "Hey, can you put this on the website?"

But no. Snarking at me in a meeting is apparently more fun. So our current president said to the entire group, "You know, we could use help on the website since it's been the sole responsibility of only one member for so long... surely there's another techie person or two who'd be willing to offer help?"

Crickets. Particularly from the Cranky One. 

I suppose I could've been snarky back, but I believe that only escalates the situation. Not worth it. Again, let your mask slip - show your true witchy-ness in front of others. No matter to me. I'm just sitting there letting it roll. 

I used to enjoy the snark. But now I don't. I'm just tired of it being all "high school mean girls." But unfortunately, it's part of my job to be involved in service organizations and frankly - I just don't feel like I want to expend the energy right now to join a new one. Kind of "the devil you know" if you know what I mean.

Yoga

Last night, I was back at my regular yoga class, as a student. And the weirdness appears to have passed. Sweetly, my teacher thanked me in front of the rest of the class for teaching for her while she was gone. It was nice. 

And our after-class chat was more like it used to be. 

I'm subbing more (tonight and Friday a.m.) and thankfully, one of the other teachers stepped up to do Saturday -- one of our regular teachers has a child who's ill, and we're trying to keep her classes going because if you continue to cancel, you lose the students. 

We'll see how this works out. I don't honestly like teaching this much while I still have a full-time job, but I also don't like to see something whither away because nobody else will step up to help out. We're in this together. If the studio struggles, we as teachers and yogis struggle. 

Knitting

Almost -- ALMOST -- ready to assemble the charity afghan. I have about 4 - 6 more ends to weave in on the last square. Finally.

Then, I have to continue working on The Fluffy Scarf Project. And I made a huge - HUGE - mistake in the Cathedral Lace scarf.

Note to self: DO NOT TRY TO KNIT A ROW OF LACE when you have a migraine. It just doesn't work. And another note: DON'T TRY TO FROG IT WHEN YOU SCREW IT UP. Need to take this one to my knitting buddies because I think I really did badly and I'm not frogging the whole thing (my first impulse) -- I have about 8 - 9" on this thing already done and I just don't want to start it over.

So once that's all back underway, I can concentrate on ... more knitting!

I might actually be able to pick up the Teal Socks again. Or (gasp!) start something new! Or work on the Nephew Afghan. Or, as Kid #2 reminds me, "Your last son DOES NOT HAVE AN AFGHAN YET." Subtle, that boy... Hey, I have it cast on. 

I guess I'd better get some real work done. 

So Here's the Thing...

I just took a look at my schedule for the next few weeks.

Yikes.

Last night, I had pity on myself since I was still a little in "migraine hangover" territory and I didn't assist at the Basic Yoga class.

Today, I taught my normal 9 a.m. class. Tonight, I teach a community class at Prairie Yoga. Tomorrow night, I teach my normal Yin class at 7 p.m.

I realized that even in the midst of teacher training, I'm actually present and either teaching or assisting at THREE yoga classes a week. FOUR if I'd shown up on Monday. Mind you, I do have a bank of sequences lined up; and I think I'm pretty good at adjusting on the fly.

But I'm wondering how in the name of Virasana (Hero Pose) I got myself into teaching that much right off the bat.

Ok, the community class is part of the training. I have another one near the end of July; I wanted to get them over with. And during that, I'm only actually teaching 1/2 hour of the 1.5 hour class. But it's prep time as well.

The Tuesday class, in all honesty, may not hang for the full summer. We really need to get more folks in there. Yin will probably go forward, because those of us who really love Yin will always show up.

Just a little overload.

And the blue Chandelier Lace? Frogged. AGAIN. There's some serious Karma here, people.

The yarn can't decide if it really wants to BE that scarf. But it's gotta be something. Maybe I'll look at a different lace pattern.

I really like knitting lace. Truly, I do. It's beautiful. And I'm fairly good at it. But for some reason... hmmmmmmmmmmmm - stress???? -- it's not turning out like I want it to.

So I started on the Trekking XXL yarn. I'm doing a Really Easy Sock pattern. And it really is easy. I am starting, on the advice of Doris, my sock-knitting guru, with 3 rows of plain knit. I have "biker calves" and I also cast on tight, even using a needle a couple of sizes larger. So Doris suggests the 3 rows of knit, to ease the top of the sock. The sock starts, then, with a k1, p1 cuff of a dozen rows.

Then it goes into a 3x2 rib. I've got the teal for Ovarian Cancer Research, and I'm not participating in the toe-up KAL. I don't want to. But I did want to knit something in this yarn. I think it's going to be lovely in the wide rib. Of course, that's the whole leg, and across the instep. The foot is a fairly straightforward flap heel and then the toe decrease. We shall see if we get the "elfin" toes again.

And I think that once I'm on the leg, I'll go back to the blue silk yarn. By then, perhaps, it will have decided to behave, and I'll be a tad calmer. But I do need to get to it by the end of this month; it's a Christmas gift. And yeah, it's only July.

Speedy Knitter I am not. Off to go grab my decaf tea and work a little more on that cuff.

I feel as if I've gotten a bit more rest in the last day, though there's still something "off." Maybe it's nerves about this class, which is odd, since I've been teaching for a few months. We will be getting evaluated, and all I can keep repeating is "they're not going to throw you out!"

Will let you know how it turns out. What's your summer knitting looking like?

Socks From All Angles

My friend Doris tells me there are some FANTASTIC new MadelineTosh sock yarn colors. I may have to dive into that pool, though I have Opel and some Trekker to work on first. 

And she says madtosh Light is better for shawls than the sock yarn; doesn't stretch as much.

Anyway. The Robin's Nest Socks are complete. And modeled here for your pleasure. 

Head-on

Not bad for having photographed them myself. I give myself credit for being a yogi - I'm flexible! I wanted to show various looks at the swirls. And yeah, the decreases on the toes is slightly "elfin." I think I'd like to try a swirled decrease for my next pair. Or maybe just any other decrease. This is a Kitchener grafting, too. Maybe 3-needle bind-off next time? I know a knitter who uses 3-needle bind-offs on all her sweaters. She says it's more comfortable. I'll have to give it a shot on a sock. Not as much to bind off if I don't like it. 

And yeah, my feet are shaped funny; so the elfin thing kinda works! One foot is a full size smaller than the other, which makes shoes interesting. Oh well. None of us are perfectly even on both sides. I can live with it! 

Swirls

This is lovely yarn that was a treat to work with. I think that I didn't need to match the start exactly; it really is close enough. They're definitely clog socks, though. I'm not sure it's as sturdy as the hiking socks. Which reminds me, I don't think I actually took a set of pics with those socks. Will have to add that to my list.

Side view

Like I said, I'd do a "Doris Heel" or maybe the Strong Heel next time. Just because (a) I really like the Doris, which is her version of the Eye of the Partridge Heel with a set of K3 on each end. And (b) I want to have some alternate skills when I'm on this Sock Journey. Helps to learn new stuff. Not that you'd always tell which pattern or whatever I'm using because the yarns are so vastly different. With the Opel, I'm sticking to a fairly straightforward leg; the yarn patterns itself and there's no sense fighting it. After all, you're buying it because of its self-patterning colorway. Why would you put a complex pattern of stitches in there? Kind of over-kill, in my opinion. 

In the midst of the knit-fest, I have to confess that I screwed up a yarn-over on the Chandelier Lace. I have nothing to show you because I frogged it. I was 1" in and I tried to backtrack. That didn't work, and I figured it would be easier on my blood pressure if I just took it all out and started over.

Other side view

And I found something at Hobby Lobby for my student workers. I was going to knit them a scarf each (they're both girls) but I wasn't interested in spending a ton of money. Not because they're  not gems. They are. But because they're students. If the scarf doesn't get left somewhere, it'll be washed and perhaps turned into Barbie clothes. I just want easy, simple yarn that nobody has to think about. I was going for a ribbon/DK kind of match, but then I stumbled upon Paton's Lace with Sequins. 

Heels

They didn't have many colors left. I didn't like the navy or the peach. I don't like knitting with dark colors if I can help it, and the peach was blah. So I ended up with one white and one red. There was a free cowl pattern. One ball each. Done. The cowl is knit in the round on size 4 or 6 needles; I can't remember. But it should go fairly quickly; the yarn does the work and I'm hoping the little bit of mohair won't make me insane. 

Also bought some half-pint canning jars. The ones I have are pints, and that's cool, but the 1/2-pints are good sizes when you have small batches. My friend Sue usually gives me peaches for a French-style soft jam, but never enough for say 3 or 4 pints. I find that the 1/2-pint jars for this type of soft jam are actually better anyway. 

Speaking of jam, I finished the Rosemary (see picture) and yeah, it does have food coloring in it. I was going to leave it plain but it reminded me of the medium you find in petri dishes. Ick. It's worth 3 drops of green. And there's a small sprig of Rosemary in there. 

Rosemary Jelly

I had to re-do the Basil because it didn't jell after 24 hours. It did this time. And I also re-did some Cranberry-Pineapple Jam. That's cooling now. Good thing; it's a sticky one today! 

I'm hoping to maybe do some other savory jellies. I'd love to do a Shallot relish or something like that. I love jams and preserves. Don't like the sugar. 

I have a fairly robust Rosemary plant, so there will be more of that in the future. It's a skimpy recipe (note the head space?) so I could double it and use those nice 1/2-pint jars. There's also a nice garlic and rosemary preserve. Yummmmmmmmm - as a spread on some crunchy bread?? 

Knitting Lace, Quinn and Quinn...

No, the title's not a typo. You'll see.

So I did frog the Lettuce scarf. First off, I think there's an error in the pattern, which will frustrate me. Second, the scarf is BEAUTIFUL. In a variegated or hand-painted yarn. I think in a solid, it'll be just blah. Not blah as in ugly, but more, "Ok. Nice." Just not "Wow, you MADE this for ME??" kind of knitting. 

Chandelier Lace Scarf

To that end, I started the Chandelier Lace in the Cascade Heritage Silk, which is 85% merino superwash and 15% Mulberry silk. I purchased the yarn at Le Mouton Rouge, a very adorable LYS in Morris, IL. A little farther than I'd like to drive, but I am currently "out of like" with my more local LYS for a couple of reasons. 

Lovely, lovely, lovely yarn to work with so far. That hint of silk is what's going to transform this project. Here's what it looks like so far. Not much, but it's a super-easy pattern to memorize, at least row-by-row. It's a 26-row repeat, but not really. What I mean is, the pattern total is 26 rows, but you are actually repeating rows 1 - 9 after row 10. 

There's a new variety of stitch here. It's called S2KP. Let me explain - or let Vogue explain: Slip 2 sts tog, K1, pass 2 sl sts over. It's kind of like what I've done before, but not slipping 2 stitches together. We'll see. Can't be all that hard.

I switched from Addi Turbo aluminum to bamboo. I really should use lace needles, which I don't have. The only gripe I have is that this yarn has the potential to split easily, if you're not paying attention. Sharper points would help, but the only thing I have in really sharp points is a set of DPNs and this is a flat project. Anyway, the longest DPNs I have are only 7" and this scarf is at least 8 - 9" wide. 

The picture, of course, doesn't do it justice, because the yarn is just a lovely color. Even with the crappy-camera on my phone. I think when I take a progress picture, it'll show up better. More fabric will equal a better picture.


Today is sooooooooo humid!! It's humid when, in a building where you can't open windows, and the A/C is working, you still have condensation on your water cooler bottle. Yuck. But for some reason, I'm chilled, so I don't necessarily want to turn on the fan. Though I probably will, just to move some air around. 

New project, new bag. Well, not "new" -- one I got when I purchased some dog things at Fun Time Dog Shop. Fun Time is an online store where 100% of the profits goes to rescue groups. They have a list of partners and at checkout, you can pick where you'd like your profit portion to go. They were giving the bags away as a promotional and I was lucky enough to be sent a lilac one. So you can click here to check them out. They source as many products as they can from the USA; they test all their products. They take input from their customers. I'm just tickled to be able to have a nice place to get good stuff for my dogs. The treats, leashes, puzzles and other items have all been first-rate. And it's good to support rescue. 

The bag is plain and nothing special other than a great way for me to spread the word about a female-owned small business that does wonderful work. In fact, to use this as a knitting bag, I have to use point-protectors because sharp enough needles will puncture it! 

Quinn ready for her nap

So, you're wondering: Quinn and Quinn?? Well, I realized that I hadn't posted a picture of Tippi's daughter, Quinn. In a while, or ever... Here she is, being a goofball on the couch. She gets up there and paces back and forth trying to figure out her most favorite spot. Then she nests. Usually upside-down. And twisted. On you or right next to you, if you happen to be there and she needs a pillow. Or between me and Hubby. Always. Always - even sitting there staring a hole in us till one of us moves slightly, then she jumps up and jams herself in  between us. We always wonder who'll get the butt-end. It's usually an even split. She's fair in that regard. 

We're worried about her this 4th of July. She doesn't like fireworks or t-storms. The doc has suggested melatonin (3 mg) - taking 6 mg twice a day. We'll get it into her system and see how she does. We can layer a Benadryl on top of that, but we have a 50/5o chance that the Benadryl will either mellow her out or cause her to be more hyper. More hyper, we don't need. She already has a Thundershirt, which only worked a couple of times. We have a cave for her; she goes into our bathroom. I have ordered an Anxiety Wrap which is supposed to be more focused on accupressure points and covers a little more of the dog's area. There's also an Ace bandage wrap technique that's a figure-8 that is supposed to work. 

This is all to keep her from freaking out and potentially hurting herself. I hate 4th of July. 

The other Quinn is our beloved (?) governor here in IL. He's rewritten our newly crafted concealed carry law. Now, you all know that the only thing I think Illinois did right was to have a law against concealed carry. Well, the NRA fixed that. They bought a couple of politicians, like they've been doing nationwide, and we now have a "compromise" bill. I'll admit it's restrictive. But he wanted stuff like magazine capacities and the limit on only carrying one gun. And obviously, the Powers that Be (which aren't him, apparently) say that they'll veto his veto. Gotta love government that works. Trouble is that lately, we wouldn't recognize government that works because nobody's government seems to work at all. 

I mean seriously... you really WANT to carry ALL your guns? Let's just ask for trouble, eh? And carrying guns where alcohol is sold? Yeah, that's just a totally cool thing. No problems there, right? I don't like the idea of concealed or open carry. I don't think - and a number of cops agree with me, because I asked them - that the average citizen needs to carry a gun. And large capacity magazines are idiotic. If you want to beat me over the head with the Second Amendment, let's parse that.

I believe they say something about a "well-regulated" militia... And that's only for starters. You want to go all Founders on me? Ok. Have your weapon. The average Colonist had one gun. One. Usually a rifle. Usually a lead ball and gunpowder. And he made his own bullets. 

Fine. You can have that kind of gun. Not an automatic weapon with a 30-round clip. Go for it.  Otherwise, please -- if  you feel like it's that dangerous to go out, then stay in. Your "right" to arm yourself infringes totally on my right to not be your collateral damage. 

Anyway, those are the Quinns we were talking about. I'm in one of those "I don't want to be here" moods and I think I'll just knit a few rows on the scarf to take my mind away from here. No yoga class tonight; we cancelled it because 9 times out of 10, right before a holiday, nobody shows up. So save some gas and aggravation, right?

Maybe a walk when I get home, if it's not raining. Have a safe 4th of July! Quiet, too, if you're lucky.