Winning at Yarn Chicken...

So the Secret Project deadline has been pushed up. No stress here. Nope. Nada. (Ha) 

Like pushed up by MONTHS, not just weeks. And here I am, blogging when I should be knitting my fingers off. To be honest, I've been knitting on this project since I came home from my haircut and a grocery run (about noon)... so there's that. 

I was already playing yarn chicken with the second section of StSt (stockinette stitch). Thankfully, this time, I won the Yarn Chicken game, seeing as this yarn was custom-dyed for this particular project. I'm not sure that the person who did it could duplicate it if I needed another hank of the same. 

For non-knitters, "Yarn Chicken" is when you have a specific amount of knitting and you're not sure whether you'll have enough yarn to finish the knitting. Sometimes you do, which means you've "won" the Yarn Chicken game. Sometimes, you don't. Then, you've lost. You have a few options here: you can tink back and re-tweak the pattern so that it works (say you've got a shawl and you lengthened it -- you can take it back a bit and just have a slightly shorter shawl). Or you can order more yarn, hoping that what you get is the same dye lot (this is where your LYS can be helpful more than the online world). 

In my knitting history, I've usually lost Yarn Chicken. I came close twice - like, literally had 3" of yarn left on a project. And I've had to do my share of tinking (a knitting term, which is "knit" spelled backward: to rip back your knitting). 

As you can see from the picture above, I clearly won Yarn Chicken by a pretty huge margin. Since this is sock-weight yarn, that little bundle will go into my "Oddments" bag for an eventual pair (or two) of FrankenSocks. Otherwise known as Scrappy Socks. 

I'm on the last section of the Secret Project, all Seed Stitch, which is mostly a pain in the butt. And it was worse because I had kept the seed stitch borders, as you can see in the picture. So I had to make it work when the seed stitch went all the way across - which it sort of didn't. Luckily, the colored yarn is so busy that unless you're right on top of it, you won't notice the two odd rows it took me to get the border straight. 

Once I block this out, I'm going to see if I need to line the StSt parts; right now, the border is causing it to curl like a sausage. And I didn't use a border on the ribbed part, which curls as per normal. Then the question becomes "what do you line it with?" I can't imagine this project being regularly washed, so I could use a silk, but I need to make sure that the fabric I line it with is stiff enough to hold the StSt part flat-ish. I mean, I want it to drape a bit, but not so much that it curls. And I don't want such a stiff fabric that it's hard to wear, or needs to be ironed and starched. You don't want to steam this to iron it! 

The Rest of the Knitting...

So after this, I want to do something totally different; a Baby Surprise Jacket. Remember that yarn that I showed you in the Bag of Yarn thing? Well, I got a darker blue which is kind of the "accent" to that. I could do a BSJ holding sock yarn doubled, and that would be cool. Or I could use the Baby Regia in another Breathe and Hope Shawl. You can see at the link that the pattern calls for yarns that are pretty opposite. I've done this with a deep blue and a fluorescent pink - and it looks great! It seems that the more opposite you go, the better this looks. 

I'm also going to start another pair of socks; I have singletons, but they're in patterns where using them as a "carry-along" spare-moments project wouldn't be a good idea. The spare-moments socks are the things you can jam into a bag and just mindlessly knit. I have at least 4 balls of Opal that's self-patterning. Those are the "spare-moments" kinds of yarns - you knit and the yarn does the work. 

And - I want to finish the Copland shawl which is about 1/3 of the way done. It's huge, so it's one of those "doesn't leave the house" kind of thing. I also have a Reyna on the needles. That's in a gorgeous silk-blend yarn, and I can't wait to see how that looks. 

I have so many shawls-in-progress...I have to figure out whether or not I'm giving them to people because I can't wear them all. Well, I probably could. If I wore a shawl every day. Which I could, technically. 

The Garden...

It was nice enough that I was able to move some pots around. Lately, winter hasn't been inclined to leave; this morning (April 1), there was snow on the ground. That's no April Fool's joke. 

Anyway, I was concerned that Hubby had put a pot on top of The Monster Bleeding Heart. Turns out I was right: so when I hauled that pot over on the other side of the house, I found this bit of The Monster coming up!  I was so happy and so relieved! See the bits in the circles? Those are the beginnings of my baby! Unfortunately, that larger bit was growing more than I thought, and it's a little bleached. And then we had snow...so I need to check to see if it's ok. 

The Icelandic Poppy is coming back nicely, as are the hyacinths. Everything else will come back as per usual, and I have to figure out what we're doing for vegetables this year. I think the usual herbs, and also tomatoes, romaine lettuce and perhaps radishes or carrots. Maybe this is the year that we get radishes instead of just lots of greens!

Honestly, I'm not sure how the summer will go. Will we be able to get out on our bikes? Will my hip cooperate? Will COVID cooperate? 

Random Picture...

Awhile back, oh, about DECEMBER, we got a notification that we were going to get a few Christmas cards, and a notification about Hubby's emissions test. And they never came. 

We'd been having a lot of difficulty with mail delivery: days when the computer showed we were getting things, and mail just never showed up. Days when mail didn't come till after dark. We missed at least one medical bill that I know of. 

We used to have a regular delivery person. But lately, they've all been random people. Look what showed up in the mail today...Merry Christmas! We honestly thought it was a joke. The envelopes looked like rabid bats had been chewing on them, and it's a good thing that one of the envelopes didn't have a gift card in it - because it was slit all the way open. 

Now, I get it. I want to blame the idiot that TFG put in place who closed post offices, removed drop boxes and was determined to just decimate the Postal Service. 

But I also know that in the US, 980,000 people died from Covid. Dead people can't work. So I'm trying to be patient. 

I don't know the solution to this. But something has to happen. We are at least in an urban area. Folks in more rural areas really are impacted by sketchy mail delivery, and of course, if you're one who relies on the mail for your prescriptions? Yikes...

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...and I lost...

Lost at Yarn Chicken. Badly. At 5" or so into the bind-off, I realized I was toast. 

Gutted. But - I went on the Shawl Knitting FB group and asked around. Emailed Expression Fiber Arts, and got a reply from Chandi herself! And checked Ravelry, where a lovely knitter had Stone Tulips stashed and was willing to part with it. 

So. One PayPal click later, it's on its way. And I'll finish it up in about 10 days, when it gets here. 

Whew! Thank the Knitting Gods and Goddesses for generous knitters willing to share. 

So then I figured I'd go buzzing along on the Green Sock. 

Stand still, kids... I think I'm liking the green sock now. As I'm knitting on it and I can see the pattern coming along, I'm thinking I might like it. Will wonders never cease? Opal comes through again with a colorway that grows on you. This photo is a tad off - the orange isn't as "coral" as it looks here. It's actually more pumpkin - overtones of rust. And the green in the wider striped bits is a bit deeper. The first orange + white pattern got a bit lost in the tail end of the ribbing; as you can see, it's a more fun pattern in the whole section down toward the needles. 

I found a great pattern for that mohair that Kid #1 gave me a few years ago. I'm not a mohair fan, but he doesn't know that. So I have some burgundy mohair - one hank. And I'd been wondering what the heck to do with it. I found a very simple scarf, done on larger needles. Yes, mindless, but worth the yarn, if you know what I mean. It's on Ravelry, "Quick & Easy Kidsilk Haze Scarf" -- quite literally cast on about 42 stitches on size 4.5mm needles, and knit. Bind off. It's stretchy and airy and lets the yarn "halo" nicely. 

Now I just have to find that ball of yarn. But in the meantime, I listed out my current WIPs. Something familiar is going on here...

Yeah. 

The top three are "Second Socks." 

I can justify why Bigger on the Inside is in "sock time-out." It's tight. Seriously, the "Bowties are Cool" pattern is as bad as "Jaywalker" in its tightness. Even at a cast-on of 72, it's tight on my biker calves. I love the color. I love the pattern. 

I don't love the tightness. 

Sole to Sole: That got frogged. I think I dropped some stitches, so I frogged the whole thing; for the second sock, as I recall, I was only about 2" in so frogging wasn't a huge issue. 

I set aside Petty Harbour to start on the Close to You Shawl. Nothing wrong with it. I was moving along on the leg - I was at about 5" or so and I figured I'd better get skippy and do that project before I ran out of time. 

You know how it goes: "The baby isn't due till November; I have time." "The birthday is at the end of the year and it's only June. Plenty of time." "Who starts Christmas knitting in May?"

Ummmmmm. Time is moving at light-speed, my friends. This time, I figured I wanted to get that puppy blocked before  I was on the eve of the birthday. Because it would've worked out that way. 

So I figure I have about 5 - 6 days to get the yarn; then I can finish it up. I only need about 5-ish yards, but I bought the whole hank. Next up: Search Ravelry for a project using 390-ish yards of this yarn. I'm not saying that I don't like the colorway, but it's not my favorite, so I have no idea what to do with it. Something will come to me. It usually does. 

I Hate the Fourth...

As you all know by now, I've got 3 wonderful dogs. Two of them are terrified by fireworks. 

When I say "terrified," I don't mean normal skittishness. I mean drooling, whale-eyed, shaking, won't go out to pee terror. This is Quinn in the bathroom on the 4th of July. She's been there since July 2, actually. And she's still there. 

Because people are idiots. Because people insist on blowing off illegal fireworks, and not only the little rat-tat-tat ones, but half-sticks and M-80s. Those are mortars, people. 

Here's a little 4th of July trivia for you: M-80s were used by the military to simulate explosives and artillery fire. So then, they evolved into professional fireworks. 

And then, somehow, the idiots got hold of them. And started shooting them off in backyards nationwide. 

Fireworks are illegal here in Illinois. They've been illegal for a long, long time. The larger gauge ones are so dangerous it's not even funny. 

Aside from blowing off your fingers (or your face), they can damage - permanently - your hearing. The guy across the street was blowing them off on the 4th before the storms hit. Hallelujah for the storms, but still - some idiots were blowing off fireworks DURING a thunderstorm. 

I sat on the floor with my older dog for over an hour trying to keep her calm. I gave both dogs a massage with essential oils. I had diffusers going. I gave them CBD cookies. I had fans on high speed to muffle sound. And still. Quinn wouldn't budge. 

We finally got her out of the bathroom and into her crate - she likes her crate in these circumstances. 

All I can tell you is that you should be safe on the 4th of July. You shouldn't shoot off fireworks unless you're a professional. And above all, remember your neighbors: the pets, the vets, the people who have sensory issues, those who are elderly and those with other chronic conditions. 

Go visit your municipal display. Leave us in peace, please. 

If You Don't Like the Weather...

Blue skies, beautiful clouds

...stick around for 10 minutes. I mean it. Usually, it's a joke, but on Thursday, these were the shots actually 10 minutes apart. I saw the clouds, around lunch time, and I thought, "How pretty!" so I buzzed out the door into the heat + humidity (nope, no walk on Wednesday) and snapped this. I went back to doing what I was doing, and then glanced up... to see Shot #2...Went out and snapped that, and heard thunder somewhere off in the distance. 

Thunderheads

Ten minutes later? Stormageddon... 

It bucketed, sheet-rain, sideways. The cloud-to-ground lightning was pretty impressive. Actually, kind of terrifying. The thunder was very loud. The rain was almost louder. 

If you can see in the last shot, right over the restaurant building? You can actually see the sheets of rain coming down, just like a Hollywood special effect. 

Sheet rain

And it just kept on coming. It lasted for well over an hour. The bad thing was that I heard a number of sirens, too, and saw at least 2 ambulances rushing down the street. I understood later that there was a big traffic issue at one of the major intersections a few miles down. It doesn't surprise me. 

And then, when it calmed down, of course, fireworks. Boomers set off in the neighborhood next to the office. Really. See paragraph above on my opinion.

In Thursday night's class, people were joking about how effective our "Yoga Rain Dance" was over the 4th of July holiday. It was effective, but not enough, apparently. 

Garden Glories...

I was at Menard's today, doing my good deed for the church. I bought play sand (jeeze, the smallest bag must weigh nearly 40 lbs!) for the "butt bins" at the church. I cleaned out one (I forgot the one at the front door). Then I put it the required 15 feet away from the door. And the group that meets at the church promptly put it back near the door. 

This does not make me happy and I'll have to address it. 

But. 

That's not the point of this section. The point was I was in Menard's. And I found something beautiful for the garden. This lovely hummingbird feeder was on sale. 

I also picked up some additional hummingbird food. We try to buy the pre-made but without the red dye. The birds don't need the red dye; it's really not good for them. 

We had a "mason jar" kind of hummingbird feeder and it didn't work out well. Bugs, probably ants, got in the feeder despite the very deep "ant well" we had on it. I think the openings were a bit wide and they managed to crawl in. This has smaller openings. The colored part is glass, so that's very pretty in the sunlight. It's under the maple tree, so it's kind of shaded. 

We haven't seen a lot of hummers lately, so I hope that this colorful feeder attracts them. The brown-eyed Susans are starting to bloom, the coneflowers are going nicely, and the pink thing that I can never remember the name of (see it right below the feeder, there) is coming up just as it does every year. The hanging baskets are a bit straggly. The wild mood swings from rain to scorching are taking their tolls on the baskets. But they're hanging in there (ba-dum)... 

And the milkweed. Wow. I don't think I've got monarch eggs after all. But they're feeding something. And we'll have some beautiful pods. 

I remember as a kid having those spray-painted silver and gold and then spray painting Michelob bottles. We'd glitter up the pods and make them into Christmas decorations. We found swamp milkweed all over the place. We'd also do cat tails. 

I expect that, this Fall, we'll have a load of milkweed. I'll have to snag it before it takes over the flower garden. Maybe I should plant some along the south side of the house. Hubby won't necessarily like it, but it's an option. And otherwise? I'll have milkweed to spare, if anyone wants some! 

Random Picture...

Speaking of garden delights, I have to say that while my basil isn't quite spiffy, and my Rosemary is sparse, the parsley? Wow. It's beautiful. Lush, and green, and fragrant. I've used it quite a bit and it's only gotten prettier. It's the prettiest we've had in a long time. I think it's better in the front garden and not in the herb trug. 

I think we're going to have to freeze some of it and maybe make parsley pesto. 

Parsley is a great herb. Yes, it's strong. But it's packed with Vitamin C, iron, and Vitamin K. It's not only good for you, but it's good for your dog! Chopped up in Fido's food, it helps with not only "doggie breath" but also with inflammation. It's antimicrobial - always a plus. And can fight some issues like arthritis. 

I'm going to try it with Quinn. Not sure if she'll eat it, but I'll give it a whack. It might be worth a try, particularly for her cysts. Not sure if cysts are caused by inflammation, but it can't hurt. 

For humans: bone health, an immune booster, full of antioxidants. Helps combat constipation, gas, indigestion. The only thing to worry about, and that's if you eat -- like that whole pot up there -- is that it can cause problems with high blood pressure and water retention. Which is odd, because it's supposed to help with UTIs and keep things flowing, if you know what I mean. Check this link for WebMD for more information. Just so you know I'm not making this up! 

It's Serious, Folks...

We are seriously in "yarn chicken" here... I have 14-ish rows to go on the Close to You Shawl. And this is all the yarn I have left... 

I'm praying and knitting really fast (fast for me, I mean). Because it's a proven knitting theory that if you knit faster, the yarn will all work out. Plenty of knitting bloggers have said so, and I'm going to believe them. 

See, this pattern takes 400-420 yards of yarn. I have 400. Of course, I didn't bother to check gauge, because the pattern says gauge isn't really an issue. Well, actually, what it says is "gauge isn't crucial but will affect your yardage."

I'm going with "gauge isn't crucial" and knitting fast. That works. 

I hope. 

If I get too stressed out, I'll switch back to the Green Travelling Socks. Socks are always good for regaining your knitting confidence if it's been battered by the Gauge Gorgon... 

I've actually gotten a few more rows on the Green socks. I'd been bringing them everywhere, and dang it all -- I'm knitting on those things. I want that bag empty and I want socks. Still - I have reservations about the colorway. 

I'm not even sure why I bought it. I must have felt SOMETHING when I bought the yarn. Or was it just the compulsion to buy sock yarn? It's a new-ish Opal colorway, and maybe I couldn't find anything better in the collection. 

No. That can't be right...

Opal always has a colorway that I like. At least one. Usually several. Usually, MOST of them. 

I've gotten compliments on these. Whether it's because I'm knitting socks or people really, really like the color - maybe I'm not seeing it. Maybe I'm jaded with the Plain Vanilla pattern; tired of it again. 

But really? What can you do with this colorway? I could have tried Jaywalker, which is a common zig-zag pattern. But those are notoriously tight if you have "biker calves" like I do. So I didn't want to waste my time knitting something that I can't wear. And nobody else in my family would be able to wear them -- unless I knitted them for The Kid, in his size 11 feet... Maybe I should have done that. 

That would've been great: the mile-long socks (and that's just the heel to toe)...

The Garden Giveth...

The salad I had for lunch the other day had our home-grown romaine in it. 

Let me tell you about home-grown romaine...It's very different from even the organic romaine I've been buying. 

Of course, you can't see it for the avocado and radishes. But it's got a definitely different texture. It's chewy, kind of like kale. It's got substance where the organic romaine I've been buying seems to be getting more and more "iceberg," in terms of being somewhat insubstantial and watery tasting. 

I mean, when I first started eating romaine, it was a really nice lettuce. I could definitely tell the difference from iceberg and even the spring mix I used to grow. Romaine kind of "held up" my salad. 

But not lately. It seems like the romaine has transformed and it's not as filling - or nutritious - as it used to be. 

This home-grown stuff reminds me a lot of kale. It reminds me in the way I have to slice it rather than it "cracking" -- like with the regular romaine, I can snap the leaves into fork-able chunks. This stuff, I had to kind of knife through. And I loved it. It was filling. It soaked up the dressing and made the avocado seem even creamier. And it has as much snap as the radishes. 

Win-win and we'll be growing this again!

Speaking of Food...

This is my take on Nigella's "Pancetta Orzotti." So - I was up late one night, and I watch her specials (often over and over because of the way our TV service works) because they're only a half-hour and usually enough to send me off to dreamland. 

This recipe caught my eye because it actually only takes about 15 minutes, and I love risotto. I just don't always have time to make it. Hubby can make it now, since I showed him how. But if he's pressed for time and I'm pressed for time? No risotto. 

The best thing about risotto is leftover risotto for lunch or breakfast. If not, then dinner. 

You can Google the real recipe. Here's what I did:

Bacon & Pea Orzotti

1 (12 oz) pkg. uncured bacon
2 1/2 c. frozen peas
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 box (1 lb) orzo pasta
4 c. + 1/2 c. of boiling water
1/2 stick butter (unsalted)
Ground pepper
Salt (lightly!!)
Penzey's Tuscan Sunset salt-free Italian Spice Blend
1 handful shredded Parm (fresh, not the crap in the green cardboard container!)

Chop the bacon into 1/4" (ish) pieces. Just slice it right across, and it slices better if it's half-frozen. Place it into a dutch oven or large pot. Saute over medium-high heat till crispy. 

Drain off some of the bacon fat; just have about 2-3 tablespoons left. Turn heat down to medium-low. Dump the frozen peas in, right out of the bag. Stir them around to "glaze" them with the bacon fat, and then dump in the box of orzo, stirring to glaze the pasta.

Add the chopped garlic, Penzey's and pepper. Then pour 4 cups of BOILING water over all of this, and clamp a lid on it. Turn the heat to simmer, and set the timer for 10 minutes. 

In 10 minutes, check the pot. You MAY need to add a little more water; stir it around and see if it's getting toward al dente. Clamp the lid back on and let it simmer for another minute or so, to absorb the water. You want a little bit of "juice" in the pot. 

Turn off the heat. Cut the butter into chunks and toss into the pan. Stir around to butter the peas, bacon and orzo. This will be slightly creamy, with the starchy water. Taste it - does it need salt? Add a bit. Remember, the bacon and Parm will add salt, too. 

Add a handful of Parmesan, and stir it up. Serve. Yum. 

I like to add a bit more Parm on top of mine. Yes, that's my thumb. 

So instead of a 50-minute or so journey toward risotto, this took about 15-20 minutes, start to serving. This is definitely a keeper. 

NOTES:

**You can use chopped ham with this. If you use ham, you might want to add 2 T. or so of olive oil as you saute the ham, just so it adds that "glaze" and taste of the hammy oil to the dish. 

**I will experiment with using shrimp. I think it would work with shrimp, but obviously, you don't want to saute the shrimp that long -- you'll be chewing on a rubber tire. Maybe shrimp AND a bit of bacon? Hmmmmmmmmm. 

**Change up the seasonings. You knew I was going with Penzey's, right? Try Sunny Paris or if you want heat, Arizona. 

Young Living New Product...

So I'm working on cleaning out a building because we HAVE A PRIEST!! We announced it this past Sunday, so I can tell you. She's legit and we can't wait! She starts August 1st. 

Anyway, you have no place to shower. And then when I walk at noon, there's no place to shower. 

I've got these: Seedlings (our baby line) baby wipes. I figured that if you could use it on a baby's butt, I could use it as a "freshener" after a walk or after you've cleaned out a whole room to make space for the priest's office. 

There's 72 wipes in a package. Botanicals and essential oils are tender on your skin AND on baby's tushie. The wipes are nice and thick, so if you are changing a baby? No "wipe failure" while you're cleaning up a mucky butt. 

There's no chlorine, alcohol, parabens, phtalates, mineral oil, sulfates, animal-derived ingredients, synthetic fragrances, or synthetic dyes or colorants. 

Lavender, marigold, witch hazel, coriander, aloe vera, bergamot, Ylang Ylang and geranium...smells lovely! 

I wiped my face and arms down after tackling a huge pile of brush outside and moving stuff around inside. I think I'm taking these to the Joliet Prison when I go there next week to clean up and take some photographs to document the reconstruction of the prison into a new museum. 

Interested in cleaning your baby's bum in a natural way? Interested in having another way to freshen yourself conveniently without harsh chemicals? Leave a comment here and we'll chat!

Families Belong Together...

In the midst of the heat wave,  I was out photographing at a local Families Belong Together march. It was held in a more-or-less traditionally conservative area. But we march there because we want to normalize protest and prove that everyone does indeed have a voice. 

As one of the speakers said, "Protest is patriotic." We need to speak up when we see injustice. We need to contact our legislators. We need to be vocal at town meetings and such. 

And we need to vote. In EVERY election. They all count. 

Lest you think that the community was all "white-bread" liberals, aged hippies and entitled folk, there was a bit of diversity in both the crowds and the speakers. We had a Palestinian woman who's been here for FORTY years... And still, today she's told "go back where you came from." Wait. What? She's a citizen of this country. 

Oh, yeah. She's brown. 

That apparently is the thing. The racists are out in full voice. But they're not going to win. This isn't what we aspire to be. 

Unfortunately, this is what we ARE right now. Wait - you think we're not a racist country, right? Well. What's on the news is that we are. No, not the "fake news." Those people would have you believe that everyone that's "not you" is out to get you. That, kids, is called "paranoia." And they feed people this swill. And people suck it up. 

Maybe they're afraid of their place in the world. Maybe things are changing, in their minds, at "warp speed" and they can't keep up. They're uncomfortable with the changes happening so they're lashing out and letting their inner beast loose.

And that - seriously - is what people all over the world see. The idiots in the red hats, white golf shirts, khakis and brandishing tiki torches. 

Welcome to America - version "ick." 

I don't know about you, but my family came here. My great-grandpa came over because the Russians were invading Poland. Again. He figured he didn't stand much of a chance as a farmer who'd be conscripted to fight. So he came here. He wanted a better life. He worked in mills and factories his entire working life. He was a laborer and happy to be here. 

Hubby's family has much the same story. As do a whole bunch of us in this country. Because unless you're descended from the Native Americans, or First Nations or whatever the proper name is? You're NOT a "pure-blooded" American. 

None of us are. We are all immigrants. Some of us are closer to our immigrant roots, but all in all, we are a country made up of immigrants. 

Feeding the hatred of "the other" is the LEAST Christian thing you can do. And that brings me to the next thing: Firstly, we are not now, nor have we ever been, a nation founded on the Christian religion. Check out this link about the Treaty of Tripoli. It was signed in 1796, and so far, the Current Occupant hasn't reneged on this treaty. 

Though I wouldn't be surprised...

Though he's not all that smart, so he probably hasn't had anyone tell him about it yet...


The second President of the United States, John Adams, signed it. Now that's a Founding Father. 

Read your history. Or you're destined to repeat it. As you can see, we are repeating an ugly portion of our history. 

We are shutting our borders; we are denying asylum, a legal process that has to happen in the country you're going to. Not the one you're in. 

I mean, think about it: If I'm seeking asylum in Canada, why would I seek it in Minnesota? I'd want to LEAVE Minnesota to go to Canada and then beg them to take me in, because I'm in fear of my life, or I'm being persecuted. It's a legal procedure. 

This whole thing about the families being ripped apart is so not what we're about. It's so not why this country was created. But it's so where we're at. 

Kids being held ransom for a stupid wall. 

The toddler-in-chief is effectively stomping his foot. 

And Congress has no inclination to stop him. They're busy dismantling everything they can, in terms of the EPA, social safety nets, those regulations which ensure us a modicum of safety and security, and gleefully handing us over to corporatocracies, which, thanks to Citizens United, are now "people." CU and Mitt Romney... 

For many of us, activism doesn't come easily. For some of us, we think, "Wait, haven't we done this before?" 

Yeah. We have. And it looks like we're going to keep doing it. 

Instead of my usual Random Picture at the end, I'm leaving you with a few more shots of the protest. Yes, we were trolled online and a guy in a truck was harassing some of the marchers. But they trouped on and kept their heads (and their signs) high. 

We have the right to protest. You have the right to counter-protest. You don't have the right to be a jerk. 

I Should Be Knitting...

...and watching "The Princess Bride." Which was the initial plan for tonight. 

Instead, I just ate a half of a jelly sandwich and I'm warming my hands on a cup of chamomile tea. I even skipped a conference call I was scheduled to attend (along with about a dozen others, and I basically lurk - I won't be missed). 

Today has been kind of a hot mess, and I blame most of it on the cold I got last week. I was fine (seriously) on Thursday morning, and then practically as I got to the office in the afternoon? WHAMMO - I got hit with a head cold. It was that fast. Spent the weekend (mostly) resting, hydrating, neti-potting, and not talking. 

Good news is that I finished another knitting project. Bad news is that I ripped out TWO socks... And I fell flat on my face, breaking my glasses, AND I'm still fairly snotty. Awesome. 

Knitting...

Fuzzy small scarf

Well, one done and two frogged. Out of the "stuff in the room," I had plucked this scarf. It's done. It's actually not long enough for a "real" scarf, but it's a small-ish, "could be a cowl" thing. It's that "fun fur" yarn, held double. No idea the color. Size 9 needles. 

And the socks... I pulled the Sole to Sole sock out of the bag, and one of the needles came out of one side. I put the stitches back on, but I must've screwed something up because there were too many stitches on the needle. And so, in a fit of pique, I frogged it. It's in time-out. 

I also frogged (AGAIN) the St. Charles sock. I didn't like the way it was turning out on the size 1 needles. So it's also in time-out. Again. It'll eventually be socks. I know it. But for right now, I don't want to deal with it. The yarn needs to breathe, and so do I. 

I've started another pair of socks. It's a pattern called "Peaks & Valleys" from the "Knit Socks!" book - it's a hard-cover book shaped like a Christmas stocking. The pattern is basically a ripple, and I'm using Cascade Heritage Sock in colorway 5610 - which is a camel color. I think that'll pop nicely with the ripple pattern, and even though it goes down the whole foot, I may leave it at the leg only. I'll have to see. 

That being said, I've gotten 3 rows done so far. I've been trying to get to it, but everything else seems to get in my way. 

The Meltdown...

So, falling on my face... As I raced home Tuesday, trying to beat the "leaving school" traffic, I had in mind the zillion things on my list(s). I needed to finish the 2017 ornaments. I hadn't yet started any baking, but Hubby was doing most of it. He's a good baker, but it was annoying because I do love to bake, and it seems like I just haven't had time to do much lately. 

Still need finishing

I set up the laptop and prepared to finish up a project for church. As I knelt over the arm of my knitting chair to plug in the charger, Quinn had stuffed herself under the chair. Well, rather than ask her to move, I stretched a bit more. And then I slipped. My face hit the glass table, my glasses broke, and I lost my temper. 

Back up a bit. I'd also been to the orthodontist that noon, and had a ligature placed on my front lower teeth, and had actually had the orthodontist pulling the teeth together. It was quite painful - Lamaze-breathing painful, and I'm still wired up so that the teeth get to where they need to be so that I can get my braces off next month. My face hurt. 

Lucky for me, the space where my chin would've hit the table was actually just air... I mean, my upper chest hit the arm of the chair as my right eye and nose hit the corner of the table, which is glass. 

Which, if I hadn't had glasses on, would've done a huge number on my right eyeball. 

My frames didn't snap, but the right arm of the glasses bent at a pretty nasty angle. Hubby made a remark about setting up a docking station on this little tray-table I'm using till I get my office in order, and honestly? I lost it. 

Hey - I was in pain, and upset. And I'm human. I snapped, stormed off to the eye doctor to see if they could repair my glasses, and wondered how I'd explain the black eye I was sure I'd given myself. 

Ok. Well. The eye doctor had just ordered a spare pair of my frames, and was able to replace them. They still need a bit of adjustment over the right ear, but I can run up there on Thursday or Friday to have them tweak it. I don't have a black eye, but my eye socket is a tad tender. And my face still hurts from the orthodontist. But I'm not mad at Hubby. 

And I'm still behind on the zillion things I have to do. This weekend, I'll be on a baking marathon to finish up about 4 different batches of cookies. Hubby is finishing 2 batches tomorrow. 

Sometimes, I do really dislike the "busyness" of the season. 

The Mosque...

This picture is from the mosque in a town nearby. I found that the quote on the sign kind of hit me. So for all the talk about "those terrorist MOOZLIMS" - you see this. 

A reminder that God's mercy is indeed great, and available to all of us. I don't get all preachy, and I don't mean to wave a Bible or Q'ran at anyone. All I'm doing is pointing out that this quote seems to me a very strong reminder that if you do worship God, then He (or She) is a being whose mercy is something offered to all of His (Her) children, no matter how badly we behave. Of course, this means that the Mango Moron who's driving our country into the sewer is also going to be forgiven in The Grand Scheme of Things. But maybe God has a special place for predators and those who think that they themselves are God... For example, according to a recent Chicago Tribune story, his own lawyer says he can't be prosecuted because he's the President. 

Ummmmmm. No. That's not how that works. One branch of government is not more powerful than another. They're all checks and balances on each other. 

But then again, you'd have to have a working knowledge of basic civics to understand that. And it's hard to do when you believe you're the Emperor. 

Super Moon...

Seems like all the full moons lately are called "super moon" and I'm not quite sure why. So the latest full moon was called "The Last Super Moon of 2017." Well, it wasn't as huge as some Harvest Moons we've seen, but for December, and the clarity of the sky? It really stood out. 

And it was a beauty. As I left my Yin class, I turned to get into my car and saw this. It was too perfect - a beautiful, huge full moon right over the top of my studio. I sent this out on my studio's Facebook page, and lots of folks loved it. 

This is one reason I love where I live. There are a lot of reasons to hate it. We're near a transportation hub, and the traffic and the semis are both horrendous. It's Illinois (that's usually enough of a reason...). But... We're nearly in the country. In one hour, going north, I can be in Chicago if I want to be. In one hour (or less) going south, I can be in the middle of corn fields. And we have walking/biking trails that are amazing, two rivers, lots of open space. 

It's a blessing to be out here in the 'burbs. 

The Orthodontist...

So my orthodontist has a heavy hand. I mean, I'm kind of seriously dreading the removal of the braces. But it is what it is. I know he knows what he's doing. However, that ligature thing the other day? I was nauseated. 

He was recommended by my dentist, and I trust him (my dentist, that is), so I'm sure my teeth will turn out fine. 

You know that "Elf on the Shelf" thing? Well, it creeps me out. That, however, is what the orthodontist's office is doing for Christmas. They're calling it "Doc on the Shelf" and they've pasted a picture of his face on the elf's head... 

It still creeps me out. But in a way, it's really funny. He's got a great sense of humor, and it seems like everyone enjoys their job. I love my technician - she's a hoot and has been a boon to me in terms of information on questions I have. I will miss seeing her. But I won't miss the tightening and the wires. 

Oily News...

There's a great Young Living Essential Oils blend called Christmas Spirit. It's spruce, orange and cinnamon, and it's quite lovely. In my last shipment, I got Pine...and I thought, "Hmmmmmmmmmm." So I added some tangerine and some peppermint, and I got a different kind of "Christmas" scent. It's really quite nice, and I'm glad I thought of it. I can't smell much of it yet (head filled with snot...), but I'm told it smells really nice. 

While I love the blends Young Living already has, I do enjoy making my own. I think it's the cook in me. I love to experiment. Some of my blends have been unqualified FLOPS. But many of them seem to be quite nice and I use them almost daily. 

And I like their single oils, too. Tangerine is one of my favorites. It's "orange but soft." It's "lemon but lighter." I love it in water and in my Ningxia Red supplement every morning. I also love it in a smoothie. 

And here's another "life hack." I'm a bit traditional...when people talk about "hacks," I still think of hacking into a computer... 

Anyway - my sister gave me a very nice black leather bag. But she smokes. And it reeked. She said she'd only used it once, and had tucked it away for me. But it still reeked. 


So here's the "hack" for un-stinking a purse or other object. I took a custard cup, put in 3 large cotton balls, and dropped about 8 drops of Purification blend on the cotton balls. I sealed them up (custard cup + balls) in each of the purse's 3 compartments, for about 6 days each. 

The other day, I thought it had "cooked" enough, and of course, still unable to smell, I said to Hubby, "please smell this and let me know what you think."

He said, "I think it smells like Purification." Well - props to him for getting the oil's name right, and recognizing the scent! And thankfully: the purse doesn't smell like smoke anymore. I can now use it. He's even more sensitive to smoke than I am. I think that, since I grew up with my dad smoking, I do have a somewhat "nose-blind" spot. I mean, we don't smoke in the house - or rather, nobody in my house smokes. So I am aware of it. But his nose is a bit better than mine. 

And I'm happy to have a second nose on board. 

Random Picture...

This is serious "yarn chicken." I thought I was playing chicken with the Close to You shawl. Well, p'shaw... I had OODLES of yarn with THAT project. 

The "rule" is that it takes roughly 3 times the yarn to bind off. I mean, you measure three "rows" of yarn across your project. So I did that. I even fudged with extra. 

And this is what I ended up with at the end of the project. Not even enough to put into my knitting notebook.

Well, there it is, kids. Another night with no knitting - worked through lunch, too, so no knitting there. And once again, I didn't sleep well (snot and sore face). So I'm going to sign off, wishing you an amazing evening, and a great day tomorrow morning. 

Find some time to do something you love. Just for YOU. Spend the time. You are worth it.