One always thinks of our parents as being larger than life, even as we grow to adulthood. This year has been a telling one for the man who gave me life and who taught me how to live life to the fullest. He's always been healthy as a horse, he's survived a bout of bladder cancer a few years ago with seemingly no repurcussions, but this year has been a hard one for him and for me. This spring he had a mild heart attack and found out he had arterial blockages, and had stents put in where possible. It wasn't until fall that he said to me that he finally felt strong and healthy again, better than before his heart attack.
But this past weekend, he had a stroke, possibly brought on by a tumble he took at home last week, but a stroke nonetheless. He doesn't remember short-term anything, including the events leading up to the stroke, nor even a week or more before. He's home, thankfully, and recuperating. Still, I am concerned - maybe, hopefully, needlessly. I hope he'll return to his vital and strong self quickly.
I get to visit him in a few weeks. It's been several months, and that was a quick visit, so I'm anxious to see him and talk with him.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Women voters must send a message: Palin isn't qualified
Robyn Blumner (Tribune Editorial Salt Lake Tribune)
Women will decide this presidential election, so say the political experts. We vote in greater numbers than men and when we even marginally abandon our Democratic-leanings, Republicans win.
The big question is whether Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's two X chromosomes and morning-anchor mien will be the thing that drives women to the McCain-Palin ticket this November.
Palin personifies the overscripted, jab-laden, plasticized rhetoric of the modern presidential campaign. One might even say she was born to the sound bite. But you get the impression that all she's got to offer are about two lines on each issue, parroting what she's been told or what has been written for her.
In Palin's now well dissected interview with Charlie Gibson of ABC News, her answers were shallow and at times barely cogent. On Iran's nuclear ambitions, Palin said three times that she wouldn't ''second-guess'' Israel if it attacks Iran to eliminate its nuclear facilities.
This is probably the most significant national security issue the next administration will face, yet her answer was devoid of the slightest depth.
On our sputtering economy and how she would diverge from President Bush's economic policies, she said: ''We have got to make sure that we reform the oversight also of the agencies, including the quasi-government agencies like Freddie and Fannie, those things that have created an atmosphere here in America where people are fearful of losing their homes.''
Huh?
If she wanted to discuss the foreclosure crisis, Palin could have talked about an end to predatory lending practices or the need to assert regulatory authority over the investment-banking sector.
If she wanted to talk about Freddie and Fannie, Palin could have referred to them properly as ''government-sponsored enterprises'' and described the way they used lobbyists to keep their capital ratios dangerously low.
But what she said instead was nonsensically broad - just a platitude really, and a mangled one at that.
On Iraq, Palin has conflated what happened on 9/11 with going to war there. Is she really still confused about this?
What we have heard from Palin scares me. I want the first woman vice president to be up to the job regardless of her party.
I may not be a fan of anyone in Bush's inner circle, but I know that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is prepared to be vice president. I know that Bush's former EPA chief, Christine Todd Whitman, could do it. There are a number of women on the Republican bench who are able, but Sen. John McCain chose a someone who is - to put it bluntly - not smart enough.
I'm not a school snob. You don't need a Harvard or Yale degree to be qualified as vice president. Bush has an undergraduate degree from Yale and a MBA from Harvard and yet he's one of the dimmest bulbs to live in the White House. But it took Palin six years at six different schools to finally secure an undergraduate degree in journalism at the University of Idaho.
That's indicative of someone who either can't cut it in the academic world or doesn't want to. Either way it's a problem for a potential vice president.
Palin reminds me of Bush's pick of lightweight Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court. Those on the ideological right, such as former Bush speechwriter David Frum and conservative activist Linda Chavez, knew that Miers didn't have the intellectual chops for the job and harangued the administration until she withdrew.
This time, there are no anti-Palin ad campaigns coming from the political right. It apparently cares more about who sits on the Supreme Court than who sits one-malignant-melanoma away from the presidency.
It is not partisan to say that a vice presidential candidate needs to understand this complex, dangerous world with nuance and depth. Palin doesn't. And it is up to women to vote her back to Alaska, where she can see Russia, but thankfully not attack it.
Betcha not all 'down-home' women love Sarah Palin By ROSANNE HEMOND
Article published October 7, 2008 in the Toledo (Ohio) Blade
I CAN honestly speak from the experience of a woman who is a wife and a mother who also has been a working mother for most of her married life.
"Down home," "Joe Six pack," "hockey mom," "gotcha," "betcha," "maverick" - what nave terms used by someone seeking second seat to the most powerful person in America. I cannot begin to describe how offensive I find Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Well, yes, I can. And I shall.
First, she wants to present herself as being the consummate working mother to appeal to all women.
This offends me in so many ways. When I decided to have children I opened my arms to my babies, regardless of health, as have all the women I know. That she did not abort or give away her son with Down syndrome tells me that she is not totally self-serving, but this does not make her special; it makes her a mother.
But as a mother, I felt then and now that the first and most critical responsibility as a parent is to be there to raise that child, to make my family my priority. She understands all about special-needs children, and to some degree, so do I. The first rule of parenting is to be there. Mrs. Palin promotes herself as everyone's ideal of a mother, yet she obviously cares more about her career than her family or she would not have dragged her children into the limelight, especially her pregnant daughter. She would have done what most mothers' instincts would dictate: protect her family first and foremost.
As governor of Alaska, she can do that. She can be home and be there for her children. As a political candidate for vice president, she and her husband are continually on the road. Who is there for that baby, and who is there helping her daughter through a deeply personal situation? The teenager is there, living in the public eye.
Mrs. Palin keeps saying that her daughter is going to get married. Why? To protect whose image? The father is 18. They are just children. While I respect Barack Obama for saying that the family is off limits in the campaign, as a voter, it is not off limits to me.
I was not a hockey mom. But I've been a baseball mom and a swimming mom and a theater mom and a band mom and working mom, as well as a wife. I also was a teacher and, afterward, ran two successful businesses, one a large child-care center, and the other a travel agency. None of the above would qualify me for political office.
I will certainly give her credit. She was, let's see, in parent-teacher organizations, so was I. She was a mayor of a small town. I come from a small town, and although I have never been in politics, I am well aware of how much power that position generates, especially when it is a part-time job. She was a business owner. I'm curious about what business she owned.
Now my husband and I are one of millions of families of retirees who are worried about myriad things. We are deeply concerned about the cost of medical care. My husband and I have already lost a portion of what was his automotive pension package. Our investments are bottoming out. I live in fear that our teenage grandsons may end up going to war. I worry about my children being able to support their families and themselves.
Under previous administrations, we have had the good fortune of traveling to many parts of the world and we have friends in Europe. With the experience of extensive travel and ongoing conversation with people from other countries, I guess in the context of international communication, this means I have more experience than Mrs. Palin.
My degree is in education, hers in journalism. I suspect we are almost equals in our government preparation.
As for her being governor of Alaska, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. She may be the best governor Alaska has ever had. So that's where she should stay.
People who are responding to her social conservativism must wake up and realize this self-described maverick's hypocrisy. She can talk down to people and make them feel that she is just like their neighbor, not putting on airs, but her money is not where her "good-old girl" mouth is. She insults our intelligence with her "down home" rhetoric, but perhaps this is just her inability to communicate on a higher intellectual level.
How can anyone begin to imagine Mrs. Palin dealing with Vladimir Putin and the Russian increase in aggression? Maybe she could float a note across the Bering Strait from Alaska, saying, "Now Mr. Putin, that's not nice."
Why, considering the long history of nuclear situations, can she not be taught to pronounce "nuclear"? And all the "betchas" and "Joe Six-pack" idioms will certainly go a long way toward destroying any possibility of global acceptance of her intelligent leadership. We need a leader. We need a communicator.
We must understand that although we are voting for president, there have been too many times when the vice president has needed to take over the job. And those people who fall back on the idea that we are voting only for a president are frighteningly nave. It is a serious package deal and both candidates are equally important.
I like that she is gutsy, pretty, and presents herself well. She means well too - I think. But, electing her to a position that could result in her running a country at war, suffering the worst economic crisis since the Depression and the loss of respect from allies, and dealing with leaders of other countries is tantamount to going into an operating room and finding out that your surgeon just finished a two-month course in basic pre-med.
She has been coached, but she cannot hide her naivete and lack of knowledge. When she doesn't have an answer, she simply refuses to do so. She did this a number of times in the vice presidential debate.
During the debate, Mrs. Palin scolded Joe Biden for looking to the past. Did she miss his important comment that "past is prologue?" When we disregard the past, we are doomed to repeat it.
People must understand that if they vote for John McCain, they are voting for a ticket that could catapult an inexperienced, nave, "hockey mother" of five into the position of becoming this nation's leader.
Remember, too many people deemed the "good old boy" George Bush qualified to run this country, and look where that "down-home" guy got us.
I just don't get it.
Rosanne Hemond, of Clinton Township, Michigan, is a former teacher and a concerned constituent.
I CAN honestly speak from the experience of a woman who is a wife and a mother who also has been a working mother for most of her married life.
"Down home," "Joe Six pack," "hockey mom," "gotcha," "betcha," "maverick" - what nave terms used by someone seeking second seat to the most powerful person in America. I cannot begin to describe how offensive I find Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
Well, yes, I can. And I shall.
First, she wants to present herself as being the consummate working mother to appeal to all women.
This offends me in so many ways. When I decided to have children I opened my arms to my babies, regardless of health, as have all the women I know. That she did not abort or give away her son with Down syndrome tells me that she is not totally self-serving, but this does not make her special; it makes her a mother.
But as a mother, I felt then and now that the first and most critical responsibility as a parent is to be there to raise that child, to make my family my priority. She understands all about special-needs children, and to some degree, so do I. The first rule of parenting is to be there. Mrs. Palin promotes herself as everyone's ideal of a mother, yet she obviously cares more about her career than her family or she would not have dragged her children into the limelight, especially her pregnant daughter. She would have done what most mothers' instincts would dictate: protect her family first and foremost.
As governor of Alaska, she can do that. She can be home and be there for her children. As a political candidate for vice president, she and her husband are continually on the road. Who is there for that baby, and who is there helping her daughter through a deeply personal situation? The teenager is there, living in the public eye.
Mrs. Palin keeps saying that her daughter is going to get married. Why? To protect whose image? The father is 18. They are just children. While I respect Barack Obama for saying that the family is off limits in the campaign, as a voter, it is not off limits to me.
I was not a hockey mom. But I've been a baseball mom and a swimming mom and a theater mom and a band mom and working mom, as well as a wife. I also was a teacher and, afterward, ran two successful businesses, one a large child-care center, and the other a travel agency. None of the above would qualify me for political office.
I will certainly give her credit. She was, let's see, in parent-teacher organizations, so was I. She was a mayor of a small town. I come from a small town, and although I have never been in politics, I am well aware of how much power that position generates, especially when it is a part-time job. She was a business owner. I'm curious about what business she owned.
Now my husband and I are one of millions of families of retirees who are worried about myriad things. We are deeply concerned about the cost of medical care. My husband and I have already lost a portion of what was his automotive pension package. Our investments are bottoming out. I live in fear that our teenage grandsons may end up going to war. I worry about my children being able to support their families and themselves.
Under previous administrations, we have had the good fortune of traveling to many parts of the world and we have friends in Europe. With the experience of extensive travel and ongoing conversation with people from other countries, I guess in the context of international communication, this means I have more experience than Mrs. Palin.
My degree is in education, hers in journalism. I suspect we are almost equals in our government preparation.
As for her being governor of Alaska, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. She may be the best governor Alaska has ever had. So that's where she should stay.
People who are responding to her social conservativism must wake up and realize this self-described maverick's hypocrisy. She can talk down to people and make them feel that she is just like their neighbor, not putting on airs, but her money is not where her "good-old girl" mouth is. She insults our intelligence with her "down home" rhetoric, but perhaps this is just her inability to communicate on a higher intellectual level.
How can anyone begin to imagine Mrs. Palin dealing with Vladimir Putin and the Russian increase in aggression? Maybe she could float a note across the Bering Strait from Alaska, saying, "Now Mr. Putin, that's not nice."
Why, considering the long history of nuclear situations, can she not be taught to pronounce "nuclear"? And all the "betchas" and "Joe Six-pack" idioms will certainly go a long way toward destroying any possibility of global acceptance of her intelligent leadership. We need a leader. We need a communicator.
We must understand that although we are voting for president, there have been too many times when the vice president has needed to take over the job. And those people who fall back on the idea that we are voting only for a president are frighteningly nave. It is a serious package deal and both candidates are equally important.
I like that she is gutsy, pretty, and presents herself well. She means well too - I think. But, electing her to a position that could result in her running a country at war, suffering the worst economic crisis since the Depression and the loss of respect from allies, and dealing with leaders of other countries is tantamount to going into an operating room and finding out that your surgeon just finished a two-month course in basic pre-med.
She has been coached, but she cannot hide her naivete and lack of knowledge. When she doesn't have an answer, she simply refuses to do so. She did this a number of times in the vice presidential debate.
During the debate, Mrs. Palin scolded Joe Biden for looking to the past. Did she miss his important comment that "past is prologue?" When we disregard the past, we are doomed to repeat it.
People must understand that if they vote for John McCain, they are voting for a ticket that could catapult an inexperienced, nave, "hockey mother" of five into the position of becoming this nation's leader.
Remember, too many people deemed the "good old boy" George Bush qualified to run this country, and look where that "down-home" guy got us.
I just don't get it.
Rosanne Hemond, of Clinton Township, Michigan, is a former teacher and a concerned constituent.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Dear John....
As you aspire to be President of the United Sates and the de facto leader of the free world, I just wanted to tell you that as President, you would be required to provide leadership on the following issues
World Peace
Nuclear deterrence
Global economy
War
Health Care
Middle East peace
Job growth
Taxes
Education
Energy
Housing
Transportation
The Supreme Court
Guantanamo
Environment
Social Security
ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
World Peace
Nuclear deterrence
Global economy
War
Health Care
Middle East peace
Job growth
Taxes
Education
Energy
Housing
Transportation
The Supreme Court
Guantanamo
Environment
Social Security
ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Why should I have pay for their greed and avarice? Why should American taxpayers bail those guys out?
I'm not a happy camper. Why does the American taxpayer have to foot the bill for their underhanded and capricious actions? We aren't the ones who blew it! They are, punish them! Dock their salaries, make them pay for their mistakes, fire them! Help the people who have been caught in the middle of the scam, who were hoodwinked by these sleazeballs. Ok, they can't keep the home, but they shouldn't have to pay for a mortgage that was coerced and underhanded!
I'm so fed up with the Bush Administration always helping out his rich cronies! I'm so disgusted that the average citizen is yet again paying for their dishonesty and greed! It's not my job to fix that. Send 'em all to prison for cripes sake!
I hope Congress pays attention!
I'm so fed up with the Bush Administration always helping out his rich cronies! I'm so disgusted that the average citizen is yet again paying for their dishonesty and greed! It's not my job to fix that. Send 'em all to prison for cripes sake!
I hope Congress pays attention!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Did McCain get illegal oil money?
So how sketchy is this?
Right after John McCain switched his position on oil drilling, a bunch of top Hess Oil Company execs gave $28,500 each to help elect him.
But so did a Hess office manager and her husband who's an Amtrak track foreman. They probably didn't have that kind of money lying around, and if oil executives funneled money through them to help elect McCain, that's very illegal.
Turns out, another oil industry exec gave McCain multi-thousand dollar checks allegedly from a Taco Bell manager, an auto mechanic, and a discount studio store owner.
McCain returned $50,000, but over $450,000 in suspect money is still out there.
I signed a petition urging the U.S. Justice Department to investigate John McCain's potentially illegal contributions from the oil industry.
Can you join me in signing at the link below?http://pol.moveon.org/mccain_oil_donors/?r_by=13439-4344308-N_TJ4Wx&rc=comment_paste
Check this out
Right after John McCain switched his position on oil drilling, a bunch of top Hess Oil Company execs gave $28,500 each to help elect him.
But so did a Hess office manager and her husband who's an Amtrak track foreman. They probably didn't have that kind of money lying around, and if oil executives funneled money through them to help elect McCain, that's very illegal.
Turns out, another oil industry exec gave McCain multi-thousand dollar checks allegedly from a Taco Bell manager, an auto mechanic, and a discount studio store owner.
McCain returned $50,000, but over $450,000 in suspect money is still out there.
I signed a petition urging the U.S. Justice Department to investigate John McCain's potentially illegal contributions from the oil industry.
Can you join me in signing at the link below?http://pol.moveon.org/mccain_oil_donors/?r_by=13439-4344308-N_TJ4Wx&rc=comment_paste
Check this out
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Monday, August 04, 2008
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Vacations should never start like this!
So last week, the DH and I went on a vacation. Let me just say that I don't need vacations to start the way this one did. The first Sunday, we took the bikes down to Dover, DE for his mom's family reunion. We've been several times, it's always a fun time, and a chance to renew acquaintances with people we seldom see. It was a scorcher of a day, so we waited til late to leave, preferring to ride home after dark when it's cooler, but as we're headed north, we're seeing lightning off to the west and just know we're about to get drenched. Actually we made it most of the way home, but the last 40 miles we had to travel due west, right into the storm and baby did it ever. I couldn't see the road in front of me. We're on Rte 78, moving from the express to local lanes so we can ride slow in the far right lane. Mike is in front of me, and then suddenly, he's not... and then I see sparks and I'm screaming because he's gone down, and I can't see him, can't stop fast on the wet highway in this downpour, and I'm terrified! After what seems like an eternity, I finally get safely stopped, run back to see him up, (thankyou God thankyou), and trying dodge speeding traffic to get his bike off the roadway, but of course NO ONE WILL SLOW DOWN OR STOP!!!! Finally he flags down a car who stops traffic--whoever you are thank you so very very much for your kindness and care! He's safe, the bike is safe, and he can take inventory. He's hurt, but the 2" of water on the road has really been a blessing. Even though he slid 250', he's got minor roadrash, the bike is ride-able. We need to get off the travel lanes of the highway, so we get on the bikes, get over to the far right and flashers running, head home, going even slower than before. When we finally get home, I took him to ER to be sure he was ok, broken pinky, pulled chest muscles and a few abrasions!!! I'm so grateful!!
When we went back the scene the next day in the sunshine, we could both see how lucky he was. He was thrown into the local travel lanes when he ran over either a truck mudflap or a truck tread (Truckers, do you even realize how dangerous it is to other travellers letting those treads flap off all over the road ???? Do you even care??) - we found both along the side of the road where he fell, and we found a gouge in the curb where his forward controls slammed the cement.
I never want to see that again!
So, Tuesday, we leave for the real vacation, this time in the car, because it's supposed to be a rainy week up in Maine. It is, but not while we're out and around too much, though if we'd been on bikes, we wouldn't have seen or done as much. We went first to my sister's home in Freeport, greeted by Gus & Lily, their new 4 month old yellow lab pups...full of energy and as cute as can be! A short visit this time, we head out on Wednesday to the WatchTide B & B - Pat and Frank are wonderful Innkeepers, and the place is right out of the old days. We spent the next 3 days exploring towns like Castine, Searsport, Belfast, Mt Desert Island, enjoying the scenery, visiting lighthouses, eating in the local diners, and just enjoying ourselves and Maine. I was born and raised there and know some of the terrain, but these were places I'd never had a chance to visit, so Mike & I both had a chance to see something new. And we shared the B&B with 2 wonderful couples from the Atlanta area, the men had entered the National BoatBuilding Challenge.
On Friday, we ambled our way back to Freeport, enjoyed the ride, stopped to see some soggy lighthouses, and then met my sisters and their husbands and my dad & his partner for dinner. Good food, good company!
Saturday was the family get together, my sisters, our neice, and her 1yo son, and her fiance, our nephew, family friends, our step sister and her soon to be 1 yo daughter, and Morgan, the 9yo black lab, and Gus & Emily. It was an awesome day - full of laughter and conversation and too much food. I don't get a chance to visit like this very often, and I'm glad we were there.
I have pictures, I'll post them tonight!
Oh yea, knitting! I made hats for Rog and Brian, and socks for sister Gail, and started hats for Sarah & Madyson. And I have pictures of the FOs
And now I'm back to the ol' grindstone!
When we went back the scene the next day in the sunshine, we could both see how lucky he was. He was thrown into the local travel lanes when he ran over either a truck mudflap or a truck tread (Truckers, do you even realize how dangerous it is to other travellers letting those treads flap off all over the road ???? Do you even care??) - we found both along the side of the road where he fell, and we found a gouge in the curb where his forward controls slammed the cement.
I never want to see that again!
So, Tuesday, we leave for the real vacation, this time in the car, because it's supposed to be a rainy week up in Maine. It is, but not while we're out and around too much, though if we'd been on bikes, we wouldn't have seen or done as much. We went first to my sister's home in Freeport, greeted by Gus & Lily, their new 4 month old yellow lab pups...full of energy and as cute as can be! A short visit this time, we head out on Wednesday to the WatchTide B & B - Pat and Frank are wonderful Innkeepers, and the place is right out of the old days. We spent the next 3 days exploring towns like Castine, Searsport, Belfast, Mt Desert Island, enjoying the scenery, visiting lighthouses, eating in the local diners, and just enjoying ourselves and Maine. I was born and raised there and know some of the terrain, but these were places I'd never had a chance to visit, so Mike & I both had a chance to see something new. And we shared the B&B with 2 wonderful couples from the Atlanta area, the men had entered the National BoatBuilding Challenge.
On Friday, we ambled our way back to Freeport, enjoyed the ride, stopped to see some soggy lighthouses, and then met my sisters and their husbands and my dad & his partner for dinner. Good food, good company!
Saturday was the family get together, my sisters, our neice, and her 1yo son, and her fiance, our nephew, family friends, our step sister and her soon to be 1 yo daughter, and Morgan, the 9yo black lab, and Gus & Emily. It was an awesome day - full of laughter and conversation and too much food. I don't get a chance to visit like this very often, and I'm glad we were there.
I have pictures, I'll post them tonight!
Oh yea, knitting! I made hats for Rog and Brian, and socks for sister Gail, and started hats for Sarah & Madyson. And I have pictures of the FOs
And now I'm back to the ol' grindstone!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Whose gonna get the big bucks?
So guess who's going to make BIG bucks when American Anheuser Busch is purchased by a foreign company...
Washington Wire - WSJ.com : McCains to Profit on Anheuser, InBev Deal
... AND who's not going to pay much into the economy for that huge profit? None other than the war mongering McCain family!
And how come no one is talking about it? Why isn't the media asking McCain about it? Oh, I get it, because it's corporate America controlling his purse strings?
Washington Wire - WSJ.com : McCains to Profit on Anheuser, InBev Deal
... AND who's not going to pay much into the economy for that huge profit? None other than the war mongering McCain family!
And how come no one is talking about it? Why isn't the media asking McCain about it? Oh, I get it, because it's corporate America controlling his purse strings?
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end
Sandy sent me to a link on Friday. I was so touched by Sue's aunt's & uncle's generosity and compassion and willingness to do the extra, no matter what the cost, and by her's as well. I know we all can't save the world, we can only do the best that we individually can, but I believe that each time we step outside our comfort zone and do that one thing extra to help, we are making an enormous contribution to making this a better place to live. So I'm pssing this along. I hope you'll take a minute to see what I mean.
Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end
I donated stash to the raffle.
Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm: A story with a raffle at the end
I donated stash to the raffle.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Knitters for Obama
If you're voting for a real change this year, if you're a knitter on Ravelry, if you want to support Barack Obama with a chance to get some really cool stuff, you really need to join Knitters for Barack Obama!! There's some really cool stuff and every $5 you donate at Knitters for Obama gives you a chance at one of 43 different yummy, crafty prizes!!
Friday, June 27, 2008
BAD Blogger! BAD, BAD Blogger!!
...but it's summer!! My bike wants to GO GO GO and you know I'm there!!
And I have 10 knitting projects in progress, including 2 pairs of socks, some test socks, 2 state squares for the "Knitter's for Obama" Fund Raiser Afghan, a baby blanket, 3 charity hats, and a pinafore!!
Last weekend, DH, Ralph & I rode up to Laconia, NH and hooked up with my brother-in-law for the last weekend of the 85th Annual Laconia Bike Week & Rally. Great ride, lots of fun, a huge # of bikes, and a pretty standard amount of rain for this time of year. We dodged it going up, rode maybe 50 total miles in it on the way home, but intermittently, so we could dry out in between. Only one storm was bad, and we'd already stopped at a rest stop to gear up so we watched it high & dry from inside.
Next month, we head to ME for a weeklong visit with 2 of 4 sisters and the father unit whose doing his annual or semi-annual? trek to the native land. We're in the planning a 4 day excursion up into Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, maybe riding the Cat over to Yarmouth, NS and riding north from there. Not definite yet.
I have a new kitty who I rescued from the Randolph Animal Pound and who has decided to live in the basement. She and L'il Bit are not communicating well. She's a timid little 1-2 yo tortoise shell who is quite loving but who is quite content being isolated from the other cat althought she is very friendly and loving when us humans go down there for a visit. I'm trying to ease her into upstairs living, but not very successfully yet. I haven't really taken any good pictures of her yet. A weekend project perhaps!
Oh yea! I do have a whole bunch of pictures from DH's 50th birthday party which I will have to post soon. And we have 10 point & shoot cameras that need developing so there will be even more! It was a nice party at the Legacy by Arthur Hills (this is a GREAT place to have cater your event - the staff is totally awesome!). It was preceded by a nice ride out to the Hudson Leather sale - the dude was happy, he had a chance to visit with many old friends and family members some of whom we've not seen in many years!
Just got my yarn from the current Scout's sock club. Love it! I'll have to do something with it right away!!!
That's it! Or as my pal Nobody says
LATE!
And I have 10 knitting projects in progress, including 2 pairs of socks, some test socks, 2 state squares for the "Knitter's for Obama" Fund Raiser Afghan, a baby blanket, 3 charity hats, and a pinafore!!
Last weekend, DH, Ralph & I rode up to Laconia, NH and hooked up with my brother-in-law for the last weekend of the 85th Annual Laconia Bike Week & Rally. Great ride, lots of fun, a huge # of bikes, and a pretty standard amount of rain for this time of year. We dodged it going up, rode maybe 50 total miles in it on the way home, but intermittently, so we could dry out in between. Only one storm was bad, and we'd already stopped at a rest stop to gear up so we watched it high & dry from inside.
Next month, we head to ME for a weeklong visit with 2 of 4 sisters and the father unit whose doing his annual or semi-annual? trek to the native land. We're in the planning a 4 day excursion up into Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island, maybe riding the Cat over to Yarmouth, NS and riding north from there. Not definite yet.
I have a new kitty who I rescued from the Randolph Animal Pound and who has decided to live in the basement. She and L'il Bit are not communicating well. She's a timid little 1-2 yo tortoise shell who is quite loving but who is quite content being isolated from the other cat althought she is very friendly and loving when us humans go down there for a visit. I'm trying to ease her into upstairs living, but not very successfully yet. I haven't really taken any good pictures of her yet. A weekend project perhaps!
Oh yea! I do have a whole bunch of pictures from DH's 50th birthday party which I will have to post soon. And we have 10 point & shoot cameras that need developing so there will be even more! It was a nice party at the Legacy by Arthur Hills (this is a GREAT place to have cater your event - the staff is totally awesome!). It was preceded by a nice ride out to the Hudson Leather sale - the dude was happy, he had a chance to visit with many old friends and family members some of whom we've not seen in many years!
Just got my yarn from the current Scout's sock club. Love it! I'll have to do something with it right away!!!
That's it! Or as my pal Nobody says
LATE!
Friday, June 13, 2008
WWKIP
Tomorrow is World-Wide-Knit-in-Public Day! Where will you be knitting? If you are in the U.S. and in New Jersey and near Morristown, come to the Green!
United States, New Jersey, Morristown
Hosted by: Knot Just Knitting Meetup
Location: The Green, Morristown, New Jersey
Time: 2-4 PM
Date: June 14, 2008
How to get there: Link for directions and parking:
How to get there: Link for directions and parking:
Please bring:Chair, Knitting or crocheting and sunscreen.
This KIP is not knitting exclusive
If there is heavy rain we won't be there.
There are restaurants and a coffee shop around the green
that have bathrooms for patrons to use.
There are pay-to-use bathrooms available nearby
KNIT IN PUBLIC
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Today is the 27th Anniversary of my 29th Birthday
Ok, so how the heck did that happen? Not that it's a problem, but years have gone by and I don't know where they went. I really don't feel this old! Guess that's a good thing!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Riding, not knitting!
How in the world does time get away from me like this! I can't believe it's been 2 wks since my last post.
No knitting this weekend!
My bud Jenn who lives in Wildwood Crest was supposed to come visit for the weekend. She and I chatted, she'd been doing too much for too many weekends and needed to be home, something I fully understand. At around the same time she talked to me about this, another couple of friends decided they were taking a ride down to Wildwood for the day on Friday. I tagged along, and since Jenn & I hadn't had much of a chance to visit, when they left, I stayed with Jenn. We had our visit and she had a chance to be in her home. It was good to hang out with my friend again!
The ride down was spectacular! Not much traffic, gorgeous blue skies and bright sunshine, not too hot, not too cold, and lots of clear open road. I had a great ride down, and had a great visit with my friend. Mike rode down on Saturday morning, he Jenn & I had lunch at Tucker's. Good food, lots of bikers and bikes. Then we rode back up to Denville.
It was a great ride, but I was tired!
No knitting this weekend!
My bud Jenn who lives in Wildwood Crest was supposed to come visit for the weekend. She and I chatted, she'd been doing too much for too many weekends and needed to be home, something I fully understand. At around the same time she talked to me about this, another couple of friends decided they were taking a ride down to Wildwood for the day on Friday. I tagged along, and since Jenn & I hadn't had much of a chance to visit, when they left, I stayed with Jenn. We had our visit and she had a chance to be in her home. It was good to hang out with my friend again!
The ride down was spectacular! Not much traffic, gorgeous blue skies and bright sunshine, not too hot, not too cold, and lots of clear open road. I had a great ride down, and had a great visit with my friend. Mike rode down on Saturday morning, he Jenn & I had lunch at Tucker's. Good food, lots of bikers and bikes. Then we rode back up to Denville.
It was a great ride, but I was tired!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Ocean Toes finished finally!
So I've been working on "Ocean Toes" by Cat Bordhi, from her New Pathways for Socknitters, Book One. Chock full of new ways to knit socks, this particular one using the Cedar Architecture. No gusset, no flap in the traditional manner, just a series of increases and decreases. This pattern did the increases in an orderly manner, but in theory one could increase anywhere at anytime in the heel process. Interesting ideas! She's remarkable. How in the world does that woman's mind work that she would come up with all these different ways to knit socks!
Anyway, here are some pictures:
Monday, February 18, 2008
On my needles
A co-worker's DM-I-L has breast cancer. I offered to knit some caps, I knew, based on what she told me about her chemo, that she would lose her hair, and quickly, and it's still winter here. But she said no, she was going to buy her MIL a wig, and I left it at that. Last week, she asked if she could take me up on my offer. I of course said yes, and I've knitted 2 hats, and have another on needles. 
The brown is soft boucle from Hobby Lobby, the green, well it's mystery yarn. I don't know the manufacturer, but it's similar to Lion's Homespun and about as soft. The third is a cornsilk/cotton blend, white blue & green variegated. I'm doing a turban style for this one.Three more are waiting in the wings, 2 simple caps, one with a rib, both in Berroco Chinchilla, one red, one black, and finally the third I think will be a cable or lace one.
The brown is soft boucle from Hobby Lobby, the green, well it's mystery yarn. I don't know the manufacturer, but it's similar to Lion's Homespun and about as soft. The third is a cornsilk/cotton blend, white blue & green variegated. I'm doing a turban style for this one.Three more are waiting in the wings, 2 simple caps, one with a rib, both in Berroco Chinchilla, one red, one black, and finally the third I think will be a cable or lace one.Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Sleep peacefully my sweet handsome boy
You know, once in a lifetime you get to share the world with a special one. Don't get me wrong, I love my kitties, every one of them who have come to my life.
But this handsome boy was different. He was a lover and he demanded that you love him back. So I did, every day I loved him with all my heart. All he wanted was to make me happy. And he did! He followed me around, he came when I called, and he loved me, everyday and everyway he could. He'd sit on my shoulders, and give me kisses and hugs. we went for rides in the car, and in the end, he just never let me know there was anything wrong, until it was way to late to do anything.
Saturday, he started vomiting incessantly, every time he moved practically. But on Sunday & Monday, he seemed better, and I thought he got into something or he wasn't tolerating his new food, but he was even eating plain chicken and drinking water with no upset. This morning, though it was back and I zoomed him over to the vet for an emergency checkup. He was horribly dehydrated from the vomiting. An Xray though showed the real problem. There was something in his large bowel. They would do an ultrasound at noon and see exactly what it was. It was cancer, and it had already grown so much that it had invaded the tissue outside his intestines.
So tonight, Mike & I spent about 45 minutes with my best boy, he had been hydrated, and was looking more like the sweet kitty that I knew, he sat on my shoulder, in my lap around my neck, in Mikes arms, and then finally in my arms, we talked, I scolded him for not letting me know he was sick - gently and not seriously, and he loved me for the last time. And then, the vet did her magic and my sweet man was asleep forever.
My heart is broken and I am so very very sad.
Rest in peace Monster. I am the lucky one to have had you in my life for all these years.
They Will Not Go Quietly
They will not go quietly, the cats that shared our lives.
In subtle ways they let us know their spirit still survives.
Old habits still make us think we hear a meowing at the door.
Or step back when we drop a tasty morsel on the floor.
Our feet still go around the place the food dish used to be,
And sometimes, coming home at night, we miss them terribly.
And although time may bring new friends and a new food dish to fill,
That one place in our hearts belongs to them
...and always will.
-Linda Barnes
edited by my best pal Patty - thank you!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Saturday Night Flats
So, Saturday night, my pal Mara is coming home from vacation and I am picking her up at Newark International. No problem, we do that for each other, she calls, they've landed, no gate, and still has to go thru customs, plenty of time to get to the airport, and I head out in my car. I'm 3 miles or so away - Rte 78 at Hillside for those who know the area - and I get a flat. It's close to 9, and I'm NOT changing this tire myself, so I call AAA, it's going to be at least an hour, I call my pal and tell her what's going on, call the hubby (sick and in bed at home) and then, start winding some Lorna's Laces for my Ocean Toes KAL, since silly me, I didn't bring the current socks with me. These two great AAA rescuers show up about 50 minutes later, and quicker than you can think, change the tire put the donut on, and zoom, I'm on my way to the airport, a call to Mara to find out where she is.
So we're in the car, Mara, her mom and me, suitcases squished in around the flat tire in the trunk, and headed home, I'm travelling below the speed limit - 50-ish to be precise, when BAM... we hit a pothole - no a POTCHASM on Rte 24W right next to the Short Hills Mall. I think crap, say "we'll be ok" and sure as s*** floppity floppity... Yea, a flat - the frikkin donut! We're screwed, and AAA must now tow my car because silly me, I forgot to bring the extra extra spare!
So we're in the car, Mara, her mom and me, suitcases squished in around the flat tire in the trunk, and headed home, I'm travelling below the speed limit - 50-ish to be precise, when BAM... we hit a pothole - no a POTCHASM on Rte 24W right next to the Short Hills Mall. I think crap, say "we'll be ok" and sure as s*** floppity floppity... Yea, a flat - the frikkin donut! We're screwed, and AAA must now tow my car because silly me, I forgot to bring the extra extra spare!
But they can only carry 2 people, there are 3 of us PLUS luggage, so I must call the hubby to get up out of the sickbed, bring the truck down the road and rescue us. He's not happy, I'm really ticked since this is the 3rd tire in less than a month that the NJ roads have killed and I get to pay for it all! I am thinking I should contact NJDOT to see what recourse I have - though I already know the answer.
UPDATE: Not only did the donut rim get bent, the tire on the same side was damaged had to be replaced. So it's not just 2 tires and a donut, it's 3 tires 2 rims and a donut ($1000.00+), since the beginning of the year!!!!
UPDATE: Not only did the donut rim get bent, the tire on the same side was damaged had to be replaced. So it's not just 2 tires and a donut, it's 3 tires 2 rims and a donut ($1000.00+), since the beginning of the year!!!!
Fix the FRIKKIN ROADS!
FIX THE FRIKKIN ROADS!!
FIX THE DAMN FRIKKIN ROADS!!!!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Oy am I in trouble! Cathy tagged me...
So I've been tagged by my pal Cathy for 7 Random Facts Meme!! I hope I do this right, and I hope I know enough 7s to make it right!!! ACK!
Here are the rules, and they must be posted on your blog:
Here are the rules, and they must be posted on your blog:
- Link to the person’s blog who tagged you (see above).
- List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
- Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
- Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog and also so they can look at your blog and not tag the same people all over again!
Let the fun begin.
- My first known ancestor was either the assassinator of King Charles or at the very least was a member of the hit squad.
- My great great great great grandmother Martha Carrier was hanged at the Salem Witch trials
- I have only sisters and my husband has only brothers AND we're both the oldest child
- Easter & my birthday have been the same day 3 times, when I was 10, 21. and 32 but not at all since then.
- I am left handed but only for writing, and cutting with scissors. I do everything else, right-handed, including knitting.
- My feet are always too cold when I go to bed, but always too warm when I wake up.
- I love flowers and gardens but I don't grow anything well.
NOW... do I know 7 people with blogs who I can tag!
- My commuter pals Patty aka chrome horse knitter and
- Karen aka ChooChoo Knits
- Chappy glad your knee is better and you're back online!
- and my pal Colin aka Knitman who knits wonderful socks and has the cutest pooches!
- Kim over there in PA, hope you join in this silliness!
- And a new biker/knitter friend Nobody
- and a college knitter from my town, Manda
Now, that was pretty silly! But fun too!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Socks for my sister redux
Ok, so I had to take out the shortrow heels I did. I started the increase incorrectly, so it wasn't seated evenly across the row. What a pain, I probably should have just yanked all the stitches back to the first decrease row but I was trying to save time. Wraps and double wraps and dropped stitches, but I finally got tinked back to the last decrease row. I will be more careful this time!
They look terrific!!
They look terrific!!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sock's for my Sister
For a long time, I've wanted to knit socks for my sisters. I have 4 of them, they are all younger than me. This is the year. Here's the first pair, for Elisabeth, who turns the big 50 this month.
They are Elfine Socks, and I'm using Socks that Rock. The yarn really lets the pattern pop, and after I charted it, it became easy enough to commit mostly to memory with an occasional peek. I think though that I need a smaller needle to get better sizing. I will continue as I'm pretty sure these will fit her.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Christmas photos
I am so very slow getting these pictures online. I have nearly 100, but won't put them all here. They are on my flickr site.
Here are Nikkie and Kira showing off their new hats.
Here are Nikkie and Kira showing off their new hats.
That's my greatest gift, holiday fun with my family!
I hope you had wonderful holidays too!
I hope you had wonderful holidays too!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)