Nowhere Man

I hereby apologize to the Beatles for stealing their song title, especially since I'm about to rant on Agent Orange. Mango Mussolini, the pRresident*, Don the Con... Or, Nowhere Man. 

I mean seriously. This buffoon will put his name on anything. And I've got a pile of dog crap he can have. I wonder if I'd get into trouble mailing it to him? High grade, Siberian Husky stuff, which might make him all warm and fuzzy about his handler, Putin. 

Rebranding the 4th of July is beyond incredibly stupid. And you know what? He's going to get away with it because he's still a Useful Idiot in the grand scheme of Mitch McConnell, who seems to be single-handedly wrecking our democratic republic. Way to go, Mitch - everyone's gotta have a goal. 

Tanks sit outside Washington DC's downtown area. Luckily, they're not going to rumble down the streets - seeing as they'd tear the asphalt to ribbons. Grandstands are being built. Somehow, there's gonna be the BabyTrump balloon. Wonder how that got there???

And tickets are being offered - for a donation. Which will go into the grifter's pocket or that of his mendicant kids. 

And... WE get to pay for this. Yeppers - right out of our tax money. Never have I wanted more to have a say in where those tax dollars go. And nobody is listening to the screams. 

This isn't America. Or as my friend Alice (a very mild-mannered woman, to be sure) said, "What a dumb-f*&%." She doesn't use that language frequently. When she does, smart people hide under the furniture. 

I'm resigned to no impeachment, though God alone knows that if a Democrat did one iota of the crap that's been perpetrated upon this country and its citizens? Oy, the streets of Washington would be aflame with documents and that person would be escorted out in shackles. 

I know all I have is the ability to rant. So I will move on to other topics, since outrage is wearying and in this case, fruitless. 

The Knitting...

Well, the secret project is coming along, though when the heat hit the 90s, I set it aside to work on socks. Much easier to deal with in the summer! 

This is, however, a sneak peek at the second half of the project. I'm liking how this is working out and honestly?

If I could muster the energy to do a sweater, I'd use this kind of "fade" technique. 

There are a couple of techniques I'd like to start learning; one of the biggies is cables. And for that, I need to learn to read charts. Charts terrify me. I don't know why. But they do. 

I'd rather just watch someone, but I know that for my own skill-building, that's not practical. A knitter needs to know this stuff. 

I also need to work on lace knitting and learn how to read an Orenburg lace chart. Those things are wild. 

But anyway, socks. I'm puttering along on The Green Travel Sock, and am about half-way down the foot. So after that, just cut the other one, stringing a lifeline first, and then re-knit the foot + toe. 


And there's this little beauty -- my Shortie Socks. I will confess that they feel a tad-bit tight. I'm using Size 1 needles. This is my regular Opal yarn, which is my go-to workhorse yarn. The color is called "Model" - can't quite figure out why, but it doesn't matter. It's a very whimsical colorway, and I think if I'd done full-sized socks, they'd have been very striking. 

However - I wanted "instant socks" and this is as close to that as I'll get, if I'm knitting them myself. 

This is "my" pattern - in that it's out of my head. Let's face it: sock architecture is what it is. Heels and toes change, but every sock has the following:

• Cuff
• Leg
• Heel
• Foot 
• Toe

Just a matter of which ones you want to do, and how you do them. Do you want a deep cuff? I like mine rolled at the top. Do you want a long leg or short? Short this time! Do you want a Fleegle heel, Strong heel, afterthought, Sweet Tomato, Fish Lips Kiss, flap and gusset? And I'm probably missing a few styles. This is my go-to, "Doris" heel, for the woman who taught it to me. A nice heel with a bit of knit stitch on each side to aid in picking up stitches for the gusset. 

So my concession to the small needles (Size 1 is the smallest I've knitted with yet), I did my K2tog in "tbl" (through back loop) and it made this little "swoosh" of yarn along the side. It works for me. 


When these are done, I'll write up exactly what I did. I do take notes.

I like this close-up because it shows the detail on the yarn's colorway. It's very cute; and it goes with just about everything I own. 

That's what I like about Opal - there's a colorway that appeals to almost everyone. Their themes are usually adorable, and the yarn wears like iron. 

I'll confess that it's a bit scratchy to knit with. Nowhere NEAR as bad as Zauberball (I can't see how people can knit socks with that); and once you wash it and wear it a few times, it softens up nicely. 

I'm trying valiantly to knit from stash. So of course, my friend (the said Doris of the "Doris Heel") gives me a very belated Christmas present: a $50 gift certificate to my favorite LYS. Oy. Gonna save that for something special. 

The Garden...

Well, we've had some wonky weather (what else is new?) and there's more coming this week. Which is nice, because it ought to keep the locals from going nuts with fireworks. That being said, we shall see how it all shakes out. 

The milkweed is still doing well; we've noticed Monarchs flittering around, and from what I'm told, that means they're scoping it out. I'm hoping for Monarchs and Swallowtails on the parsley and dill. 

My veggies are almost done; those that are "summer veggies" that is. The Romaine is about finished. I need to re-plant the radishes and try again. The leeks are coming along, as are the carrots. 

I'm disappointed in the Borage and the Butterfly Weed that I planted from seed. My friend took the rest of my Borage and it's going nuts in her yard. Mine? Pfffffffffth. 

Here's a little video of the storm from Sunday. This was Storm #1. After that, we had Storm #2, which came out of nowhere. What's scary is that when this happened, the temps dropped about 25 degrees. That's "tornado" kind of stuff. 

So far, there have been a few warnings, but nothing really serious. We still have July and August to go, though. 

We had lots of tree damage from this little performance. But luckily, the half-dead tree in our neighbor's yard stood firm. Luckily because if it lands anywhere, it'll be in my kitchen. 

My Hair...

Yeah. My hair. So I'm getting it cut by a new stylist on Friday. (gulp!) I have a 15-minute consultation with her before she even gets me in a shampoo chair. 

For posterity, I took a number of shots as it is right now, because on Monday, it was behaving. Today it is not. 

I've got pics of what I want, I think. I mean I think it's what I want. I do have pics... I'm strongly considering cutting it short again. I know this is "short" to a lot of people, but I'm talking a cross between a pixie and a bob - a little lift and length on top, and considerably shorter at the back. 

My summer includes volunteering to clean up at the Old Joliet Prison and biking. Neither of those is conducive with longer hair - longer for me, I mean. 

And because of the heart meds I take, it's a little thinner than I'd like. I think the length isn't helping there either. 

I'll keep you posted. If you're wondering about the blue background, that's the wall in my yoga studio. 

Random Picture...

Where there's life, there's hope... Last year, this was my shot of a Monarch on my Purple Coneflower. I'm hoping for a lot more of these guys. 

As I look at my garden, I'm a bit dismayed at the amount of weeding I have to do, when the weather calms down; but ultimately, I'm proud of the "native" aspect of it. I've got mostly native plants in there, and everything will come back on its own. It's almost maintenance free. 

Now I just need to see butterflies and bees in regular appearance. That will make it just want I want. 

Hashtags

Well, as much as I try to get here regularly, I can't seem to stick to a schedule. And maybe that's ok. I'm sitting at work, eating lunch -- trying to eat a "wrap-thing" that isn't quite a wrap and not get it down my front. Definitely a "First World" problem, but for those of us whose lunch does tend to wander, it's an issue. 

#shadesformigraine 

Today, as well as being Summer Solstice, First Day of Summer and "Almost 4th of July" is also Migraine Solidarity Day. With #shadesformigraine, those of us who suffer from migraine, and our family and friends, are trying to build awareness. Migraine is not "just a headache" by any means. It can be debilitating, and like many "pink" diseases, it's mainly a woman's disorder. Which means that not only does medical science ignore it, but it's demeaned in the workplace and in some families. 

Frankly, I could write a book about my experiences as a migraineur (which is the term for one who suffers from migraine). I remember teaching my kids about "Mommy has a really bad headache, so please be quiet." I clearly remember a conversation with my neurologist telling her that I was going to shoot myself if the pain didn't cease. That was before we really got them under control - which is very much a "trial-and-error" process. I remember my own mother's "Mommy has a headache so please play outside till dark" requests. The Migraine Diet (eliminating potential triggers). The prescriptions. Keeling over when I was clearly over-medicated - usually in the process of substituting a "better" drug for the one that became ineffective over time. Oh yeah. Good times. 

Oh, oh, oh... My FAVORITE one... I was working at a job (which shall remain nameless) and I had a migraine over the weekend. It was a 3-day migraine, and on Monday, I was still under the weather. I called in and said I had a migraine and wouldn't be in that day. About 3 hours later, the phone rang (I wanted to shoot it...) and there's someone on the phone from the job wondering "how bad the headache really was?" Lucky for them(??), Hubby answered the phone. 

Let's just say it wasn't pretty. The person got a new seat ripped into them courtesy of Hubby, who's been my staunch ally in this journey. And then, when I got in on Tuesday, I read them chapter and verse about migraines...and pointed out that, in 3 years, that had been my ONLY sick day. Trust much?? 

Anyway, the reason I'm blogging about this is that I found out about #shadesformigraine by accident. I had a migraine starting on Tuesday, and I neglected to put sunglasses in my car. Hey, it's Illinois, and this is the "season of no sun" lately...it was raining when I left for work. Well, I posted on Facebook, "Pro-tip for migraineurs - always carry sunglasses" and a fellow sufferer gave me the info. 

Let's show the world that migraines are a problem. Help me share by taking a selfie with your shades, and using the hashtag. Thanks!!

The Knitting...

I can't remember if I posted this, but this is still as far as the shortie socks have gotten. I brought them home from work; I haven't been able to work on them during lunch, so I thought I'd at least whack out the heel at home and then perhaps carry them in the car. It won't take too long to finish them. I think I'll shoot for a Star toe, which I have in a reference book somewhere in my office. 

I'm really enamored of the colorway. So summery. At least, if this summer pans out like the Farmer's Almanac says it will (colder and wetter), there will be SUMMER ON MY FEET!!

So this is all I have left of the Secret Project. Well, not really. It's all I have left of the first 2 balls of yarn. I've got enough to stash for the ultimate project: a Stripey Scrappy Baby Cardigan. I'll use my favorite pattern, which is easy and adorable, and I'll use up all my worsted scraps. It'll be wild... 

I haven't really done much on Copland. But I am loving the tones of the brown yarn. The more I knit with it, the happier I am with it. The hand -- I mean the way the fabric drapes ("the hand" is the term for that) -- it's just so lovely and soft. And the stitch definition is scary-good. I mean, this is all stockinette stitch - so I've got about a zillion miles of stockinette that has to be pretty much perfect. 

Because the tiniest "blip" will show. Lucky for me, my tension is usually pretty good (Wait - the Knitting Goddesses did NOT hear that from me...!!) and I'm pretty confident (wowza, I'm brave...) that this will be lovely when it's done. 

No thanks to my knitting (trying to appease said Knitting Goddesses), of course, but to the lovely Expression Fiber Arts yarn. 

I've started another project, and I love the way the colors are coming together. As you can see it's from a "refreshed" 8-Hour Baby Blanket book. I love what they've done to the patterns. There are some old faves there and some new ones that are just lovely.

What I like is that they're "lap robe" sized, which is a blessing for me. My church has a fairly active Prayer Shawl group, and I really don't have tons of time to knit a full-sized shawl. I'm so slow that it's not even funny and if I'm going to do this, I'd like to actually complete one in a year. I'm not kidding... I'm pushing my luck with Kid #2's afghan AND the Copland being a Christmas gift!

Anyway, this is going to be the project in the upper left picture; the other color is a cream-and-green tweed, heavy on the cream. I've already started that section and it's popping nicely with that beautiful green. 

 Encore Worsted is such a great, economical choice for not only baby stuff but things like prayer shawls. It's around $9/hank and so it's totally reasonable for charity knitting. It's durable, being 75% acrylic and 25% wool. And warm. It knits up really nicely; especially with this "8-hour" method -- on size 13 circulars. 

A lap robe, for instance, can take me about a month. Combine slow knitting with work, and I can deal with a month for a project like this. 

Huzzah!! In between paragraphs, I managed to finish lunch, and nothing landed on my shirt!

I'll take little victories today. 

Current Events...

I have to confess, I've been in a bit of a news hole lately. There's a limit. 

I am not surprised at Hope Hicks' refusal to answer questions. I am scared, though. Scared that this nightmare won't end. Scared that we've turned a corner which we'll be unable to retreat from, in 2020. 

I'm afraid that this administration will flourish, thanks to the likes of Mitch McConnell, who's getting exactly what his little turtle-mind wants: he's using the Useful Orange Idiot to strip the country bare. He simply doesn't care about anyone or anything unless it directly profits him or his cronies. And the rest of us, and the planet? We can go hang. 

What I don't understand is where does Mitch think he and his buddies are going to live when we've irretrievably polluted this planet? You still need, last I checked, air to breathe and water to live. 

Tippi Update...

Well, the Tipper wasn't doing so well this week... Chemo took its toll on her, and she had a day of vomiting and not eating. I expected it; the labs we got back showed that her system was bottomed out. The vet told us this. 

She's still subdued; eating but not her sparkly self. I would love to get her out on a short walk, but (a) her immune system is kaput; and (b) because of the Prednisone, she wants to Eat All The Things. 

Silly me, I had a half-day today, and I should've brought her here to work. Of course it didn't help that "Almost 4th of July" is happening and fireworks are now a nightly occurrence; we had a rough night last night. 

Yes. In Illinois, they ARE illegal. But we know how that one goes... I almost wouldn't mind the little "poppers" -- those ones on a string that are tiny. 

But I actually DO mind, thank you very much, the half-sticks and the M80s. One of my students remarked that last year, the only reason the cops came out to her neighborhood was because a half-stick actually lifted part of the street outside her house. First off, that's insane. And second off --- THAT is a problem. You want to blow your limbs off, that's fine with me. But shooting half-sticks of dynamite in a neighborhood causes property damage. 

We live near a river that's used heavily for barges. There are sheds along the river where sometimes construction companies store supplies. One year, about 8 years ago, one of the sheds blew up. It did have dynamite in there -- not a lot, thankfully, but we're about a mile or so from the actual river. 

Debris landed in our yard. Pieces of roofing, large shards of metal, shingles. One mile from the blast. Our whole house shook; we thought it was the chemical plant about 1/4 mile down the road. 

This is what idiots are shooting off "for fun." It's not fun. It's stupid and dangerous. 

Random Picture...

My friend gave me this mug. It's a really nice one; but I'm not sure I entirely agree with the sentiment. 

I guess I agree in a sense of "stop living in the past," but as we can see from current events in this day and age, we NEED to look back because in a very real and scary sense, history is repeating itself. And not in a good way. 

And I'm not talking about 80s and 90s fashions coming back. I'm talking about the hate, division, and evil being actively encouraged by the Useful Orange Idiot. 

There are many who do see the parallels. There are a significant number who don't see them. They do appear to be a bigger group, but I sincerely believe it's because they're just loud. 

I have to believe, if I'm to keep my head on straight and for the good of my kids and yours - that cooler heads and those with brains will prevail and this country will correct itself. 

I will soon start to research candidates more thoroughly. I will soon immerse myself in the upcoming campaigns. 

But for right now? I'm meditating on lovingkindness and working locally to encourage people to get involved and - most importantly - to talk to one another.