Knitting the Blues

I've Been Known To Say That I Like Kids,My Own.

A restaurant in Pennsylvania has banned children under the age of six.  Hoorah! 

Now, I am really the first to defend a parent's right to take their kidlet out to eat.  It happens on vacations and on rough nights when dinner can't be made or for all kinds of occasions.  I did it myself, plenty of times.  Somehow though, some parents just don't.get.it.  There should be rules or something.  The only thing is, some parents refuse to know or read their children.  Over-tired and over-hungry children cannot self-regulate.  Heck, I know some adults who can't self-regulate in the same physical distress, at times I am one of them.  Those are good kids, too.  If you want to dine out with your kid you should plan it for when they aren't tired and aren't too hungry.  Don't depend on the establishment you are visiting to entertain your kid, bring quiet activities for them.  Choose your destination wisely.  I love kids, but if I am spending anything over $14.95 for my entree then I don't want your kid kicking the back of my seat or to be honest, to have dad pacing and bouncing to keep the baby quiet.  It is really up to the parent to be the adaptable, resilient member of the party.  Have a back up plan.  When it looks like your child is not going to make it, and I mean at the first sign of it, pack your food up and eat it at home.  Over stimulated, tired and hungry kids are not easy to negotiate with and it is a little stressful for them to be out of their home environment at any time.

Now, I am guilty of having taken my young children out to eat.  Many times.  It must have been rarely to "nicer" places, but we did go out.  My children left an impression of being well behaved and polite little girls most of the time.  That isn't because they actually were that all of the time, I just knew when it was a good time to go out and when it would be disastrous.  If things started to go wrong there was one warning, they had one chance to shape up or we would leave.  On the rare occasions I had to threaten, I followed through.  It was less about giving into their bratty nature and more about knowing that an over-tired or hungry child is not to be tolerated out, and they will not be able to bring themselves back from a point of no return, even a silly one, and other patrons shouldn't have to have their night out ruined by my loud kid. 

There are some places suited to kids, even sit down places, like chain restaurants that encourage families, but if it is late and your kid is tired, well.  Just order take-out.

Don't mistake me, I have so much compassion for that tired mom who, having just picked up her toddler from daycare and needs something for a quick supper is in the market with said toddler over-tired and cranky as well.  I never think badly of her, it is a hard life and sometimes stuff just has to get done.  It just comes down to knowing yourself and your child and knowing that just because you enjoy your child at all times, not everybody else does.  Heh, especially when you've hired a babysitter for a nice evening out with your husband without having to listen to kid noises.  Ugh!  I'd hate that!

I have to admit, now that my kids are grown I have less tolerance for kids around me and I think a lot of kids are not controlled will at.all.  I would definitely spend my money at a place that caters to adults.

2011.  Twenty. $8.44. I have another theory about all of this, but it would likely piss some people off so for now I'll keep it to myself.  There you go, treated to Terry's views of life and parenting.  I've got pleny of them!  I just usually don't speak out.  Norma must be rubbing off on me........ 

 

WeekendingAgain!? I almost forgot....

the excuse reason I have to post on Mondays.

The girls were all home.

I was there, too.

We hosted a small Easter gathering.  (Yes, there were men there, but while we were smiling for the camera they were where men should be, in the kitchen cleaning up.)

Gillian is on her way back to NYC, and I'll miss her a ton, but lucky for me she has started a blog, Greener Bean!  Now I can keep up with her and her explorations and discoveries on having a healthier lifestyle.  You can read about it, too.  This weekend saw all of my healthy eating go straight out the window, and not in a "holiday" way.  More a stress way.  And either way, it never feels good.  I'm usually good about not indulging because I hate the way it feels after.  Not one bite of food tastes good enough to feel all bloated and tired and gross after, not one bite.  It is back to green smoothies and sticking to foods that support me and encourage feeling good starting now.

As usual, Weekending is hosted by Amanda.

2011.  Thirteen.  $15.00. The girls and I discovered Words With Friends this weekend.  'Nuff said.

Princess

Despite the differences you and I had in your early years, you were a wonderful pet.  Aside from your obvious beauty you were, in these last years, a faithful and constant companion in Dad's office.  While you weren't much of a cuddler, you would race to make sure you were inside a bedroom door before it closed for the night and would take up residence on whichever bed you made it to.  Mostly so you could scratch to be let out at 3 a.m.  You loved to be around, but just out of the fray.  When we were in the family room, you would sit in the doorway to the living room.  And watch us.  You did not tolerate fools, or at least what you considered foolish.  You endured cat fights (bravely protecting your yard), a broken leg (hysterically thump-thumping around the house on your cast.  Well, we were hysterical.), porcupine quills, and other animal attacks (I think the cone was something you considered foolish and did not suffer it well).  You were never much for playing with toys, but when the grand-kitten came to stay with little mice and noisy things to chase, you gave it a try.  It was fun for us to see you, at your advanced age, grab a little bit of kitten like joy.

The quality that made you the perfect pet for me was your complete indifference to anything mine.  You ignored yarn, fiber, fabric, my spinning wheel, all of it.  I could leave it all out, all of the time and never worry.  It's too bad you didn't teach that to the grand-kitten.  It is a new world around here.

You were the quietest cat I've ever known, never making a sound when you wanted anything.  You wanted to be fed?  You sat by your bowl.  You wanted to go out?  You sat looking at the door.  So, this week when you started following me everywhere and making a noise that I think was supposed to be a "meow", I knew you were trying to tell me something very important.  I heard.  You've used up all your lives. 

Rest well, Prinna.

2010.  Sixty-seven.

Ten On TuesdayTen Things About Pete

Ten things about Pete.

1. Loves the outdoors and will try anything in them.  Or out there.
2. He is a hiker, scuba-diver, motorcyclist, beach lover, tennis player, bicyclist, jet-skier, boater......  The list goes on and on and on.  I can't keep up.
3. He doesn't like to wear sweaters (more time to make them for me!), but loves hand-knit socks.
4. He pronounces thorndike as thawndike.  Cracks the girls right up.  Every time.
5. On a dare he once ran across the outfield and tagged the Green Monster at Fenway Park.  During a game.  He loves sharing the exhilaration of having 30,000 or so fans cheering him on.  It totally outweighs the inconvenience of being arrested.
6. Can't hold his tequila (see #6)
7. Frequently dreams he can fly.  Maybe that would be his Super-power.
8. Prefers to have a plan.  That can be both a good thing and an annoying thing.   
9. Most toddlers learn the word "no" early and use it often.  Pete still cannot seem to pronounce it all that well.  That works both in my favor and against it.  His, too.  The girls love it.
10. He is turning 48 today and I'm glad he was born.

Happy Birthday, Pete!  You are definitely the best husband first husband ever!  ;)

2010.  Thirty-six.  And the birthdays seem to come faster and faster.....

Ten On Tuesday, But First.....

Happy Birthday, Meagan!

Twenty-two years of Meagan.  The world wouldn't be the same place without her.  There is a contagious light and sparkle that Meg brings to everything she throws herself into.  Our family is better having her to love and be loved by.  Have a fun birthday week, Meg!

Speaking of birthdays, it is a great day for celebrating even more wonderful people, so go wish Claudia the happiest of days as well!

So, the Ten:  Ten Things You Want, But Wouldn't Buy For Yourself.  This sounds a little like a gimme list.  Just in time for Christmas.  Or my birthday.  Truth is, there is nothing I want that I wouldn't just buy for myself if money was no object.  But seeing as it is, it would be the same object for anybody (ahem) that might buy them for me.  And if there was someone who might buy something for me (ahem), he doesn't read this blog anyway.  And if he did, I don't think I would want him to buy me this stuff unless money wasn't an object.  And I don't think I can come up with ten.  But I'll try.  AND, I believe this is the most poorly written paragraph to come off my keyboard in a while.

1. An iPhone.  The iPhone itself isn't the problem, heck, you can get a refurbished 3G for $49 on the AT&T website.  It's the monthly fees and the activation charges and blah, blah.....  It's the commitment.
2. An iPod Nano.  There is nothing wrong with the one I have.  It just isn't this one.  Of course I'll also need this.  It is a must, I never have an unprotected iPod.  Never.
3. One of these Harney teas.  I'd really love to try this one and this one. These are all Harney Teas, I love them.
4. I love this teapot, which I posted to my other blog last week.  I like this one, too.  In blue, of course, which is available in the store.
5. Bleu.  I really want this book. A lot.
6. I have been longing for this quilt kit for a while.  Truth be told, I can't believe I haven't gotten it for myself yet.  I really want it.
7. I'd really love a Bose Speaker thing for my iPod, but I'd be thrilled with this Altec Lansing iM600 .  Thrilled.  It gets good reviews and the price is a bit better than the Bose.  Someone needs to tell the someone that I think might be getting me one.........
8. I'd love a watch and would buy one for myself, or someone probably would have given me one by now, but I can't decide what I like.  So I just don't get one.  Maybe I'll go shopping.  I am very picky about these things.
9. Then there is this sewing machine.  Wow.  No really.  Wow!  Huge bobbins, really fast, huge working area for those big quilts..... I'd love that machine, BUT.  Realistically it may be too much machine for me, the upgrade I'd love to have is this Bernina.  I would be very happy with it.
10. And this drop-spindle.  Isn't it gorgeous?
    
    via goldingfibertools.com

One hundred thirty-three. Well, I came up with ten after all. It was a little bit hard, but not much. And some of them are almost realistic!

The One In Which She Drags Out Those Silly Super Cute Pillows So She Doesn't Actually Have To Write Something

A few shots of the quilt and pillows in their new environment. 

 

So cozy.  They look comfy and happy, don't they?

It does a mom's heart good to see her little creations making it in the world.

And because I know y'all like your kitty photos:

 

One hundred thirteen.  Or day FIFTEEN!  Half-way there! 

B-O-O! To You!

Happy Halloween!!

Trick or Treat has already begun here. It's fun, but somehow not the same when there are no little kids in the house. I did manage to get some decorations up, I'm a sucker for anything you can put a tealight in, especially if it is a jack-o-lantern. I love those decorations. Witches, too, make me happy at this time of year. Suddenly black and orange are my new favorite colors.

 

This candle is a decoration that has been around since I was a baby.  I'm glad my mom passed it onto me, I think it was one of her first decorations after I was born.

 

This little cat is another.  I love pulling these out every year and think that the vintage (I'm VINTAGE!!!!) decorations are so much better than the current stuff they are peddling.  Guess I'll have to make some stuff.

We have a black cat in our home at present.  She is not loving the festivities.  She is petrified of the outdoors and having the bell ring and the door opening and closing so much is freaking her out.  Too bad, she is the perfect Halloween cat and it would be fun to carry her to the door to great the guests.  As it is, if I try I will certainly end up with claws in my face and a lot of screaming and crying.

 

Sombody in this photo is keeping a little secret.  One that is sure to entertain some of you and have others shaking your heads.  You'll have to come back for more on the secret and the secret keeper in the next few days......

NInety-eight.  Let me ask.  Let's say you were saddled suddenly with cases filled with snack sized bags of Terra Blue Chips.  And let's say they are taking up your side of the garage and you have been passing them out to everyone you come in contact with.  And let's say it is trick-or-treat.  Do you think it is cheap and that kids will be so disappointed with a bag of blue potato chips so you go out and buy a bunch of candy this is going to probably be left over?  Or do you save money and hand out the free chips?  Just wondering.....

A Great Weekend In NYC With The Daughter orIt Says A Lot About A Bus Company That Sends A Tow Truck To Get Their Bus Off The Side Of The Highway Before It Sends A Bus To Pick Up Their Passengers and Ten On Tuesday

In a spontaneous move for me I hopped on a bus on Saturday and spent the weekend in NYC with Gillian.  It was mostly low-key, I was pretty tired by Saturday night so I stayed in and slept while she headed out to a party.  The day was a perfect day to be in the city, warm, but not too.  Sunny, but not too.  Breezy, but not too.  Crowded, but not too.  We hit the garment district and a little bit of fabric was purchased, but I did not find a copy of the most recent Burda World of Fashion Magazine (June 2009), which I have been searching high and low for.  (Anybody?)  It seems everywhere I went they had just sold out or had it, but in languages I don't read or speak.  The search continues. (Update:  I found it on ebay.  Yay.)

On Sunday I took a brrr cold shower (the super was on it, but not early enough to start my day) and we headed out to run some errands (I got a great canvas bag at Target-I'd not really shopped at Target before!  That place is great) and then back into Manhattan to just walk around, have lunch and watch people.  Some of the people gave us more to look at than others. 

What is this? Fantasy Fest?

After that it was dinner and the Tony Awards!  There is so much I could say, but really, it was so.much.fun.  It is a black tie event and to be in a theatre where, with few exceptions (umm, Carrie Fisher?  Hello!) everyone is dressed in their best is a blast.  And rare.  Who dresses up anymore?  Remember when you dressed up just to go out to eat?  Or to a show?  Or church?  Or school?  Or work? (I know it, another day another post.)  Even after it was all over, walking around the city after it was fun to see so many people in gowns and tuxes.

  

See?  There is Radio City Music Hall (a theatre with the most comfortable seats ever!) up ahead.  Gillian is the pretty poser in that photo.  I have to learn to pose.

 

When we arrived the line wrapped around the block and back again, walking through it gave the opportunity to see everyone's dresses and hair and botox jobs, cosmetic enhancements.  The people?  Hmmm, let's just say they like to see and be seen and talk about it the whole time.  A far cry from my real life, but fun to peak in at.

  

That photo makes the stage look a lot farther away than it was.  We had great seats on the second balcony and could see everything really well.  Even Bret Michaels almost losing his head.  Whew, that was a close one for the lip syncer.

Highlights for me?  Oh wow.  I don't even know how to narrow that down.  The opening number was so energizing and ignited the excitement for the night.  Angela Lansbury won her 5th Tony Award, standing ovation well earned.  The cast of Hair took me back to my elementary school days.  Neil Patrick Harris, who couldn't just love him?  Liza Minelli brought the house down.  The entertainment moved on and off the stage flawlessly.  It was amazing to me that everything was on time and so well executed.  Even the audience was reined in and corralled like kindergarteners at nap time.  As if it isn't enough to get what happened on tv promptly performed, moved, cleaned and moving on and off, there was entertainment for the theatre audience during the commercial breaks.  I always thought that the audience was left to mill around and chat, but no.  We were treated to film clips about some theatre history, former actors and actresses, live entertainment from upcoming shows, other previews and a glimpse into some fundraising events.  That is one way to keep the kindergarteners on their mats audience in their seats.  You know you can't just tell them to stay there.  You should have seen what it really took to get people to sit.down.the.show.is.starting!   I always thought the cameras must get in the way at these things and I hardly noticed them at all.  It never ocurred to me that I would go to any award show, I didn't really have the interest it making it happen, but I'm so glad Gillian invited me and that I went.  Only down side?  This is the first year that I had not seen most of the shows and one or two of the plays nominated.  Weird.  I had a blast.

Monday morning:  I've been wondering just how to blog this, and I think I can do it without much of the emotion, the anger, discomfort or fatigue.  You'll.Just.Know:

• 9 am.  Leave Gillian's and take the short bus ride to Port Authority to catch my bus home.  Looking forward to listening to my book and knitting my shawl.  Perfect end to a perfect weekend.
• 9:45ish:  After grabbing some fruit and an iced tea for the ride (had I only skipped that iced tea run!) I get in line for the 10 am Peter Pan/Greyhound bus to Boston, I should be there by 2:30 (this is important to remember).  No bus, long line.  At this point I had the fleeting thought on that gorgeous day to just stay in the city and take a later bus home. 
• 10:15ish:  Busses arrive and load.  I hand over my ticket to the driver and get on the bus.  No place for me to sit.  Off the bus with the assurance that another bus is being sent for the 15-20 people that have been sold tickets for seats that don't exist.  This is the first of many false assurances the PETER PAN/GREYHOUND employees gave this day.  That must be their main training.
• 11:00:  No bus.
• 11:30:  No bus.
• 12:00:  No bus, not even the 12:00 scheduled bus.
• 12:20ish:  After seriously considering just skipping the ride altogether (why, oh why don't I listen to that inner voice?!) and standing (you only get to stand in a bus station and don't abandon your place in line to complain, go to the bathroom, or get another drink because that iced tea you got for the ride? Long gone!  You will lose any chance of getting on a bus if you leave your spot in line) I finally board a bus and think I may still make it home for my ride (Pete has a flight to catch after he picks me up).
• 1:30-2:00ish:  Bus pulls over on the side of a very busy US95 in Connecticut.  This does not look good.  We are assured by the driver that this is a few minute fix, some computer code thing, and we will be on our way. 
• 2:15-2:30ish:  Okay, waiting for someone to call with correct code, none of the codes the driver has works.  A little longer on the wait.
• 2:30:  No go.  PETER PAN/GREYHOUND is sending a bus to pick us up.  From NYC.  Ninety minutes away.  (Alright, at that moment I totally understood that there was not a driver and a bus sitting there just waiting to come and help us out.  I knew that right then, but I still had hopes that I might be home by six or seven.)  We are to stay on the bus for safety reasons.  HA!  Did I say busy highway?  On the bus, off the bus, we are not safe and we are hot and cranky.
• 2:30-3:00:  People are getting off the bus.
• The exact timing of the following is sketchy in my memory (at some point isn't everything a blur?):  CT State Trooper arrives and says that we really have to stay on the bus.  About 30 minutes or so later he relents and lets us sit outside, reminding us that we are near a big city and we should be careful to not sit on hypodermic needles that may have been thrown from cars.  And I don't think I need to tell you just how bad the "rest room" on the bus is getting with no circulation or air moving around in it.  There is a rest area in our sight with a McDonald's and bathrooms.  We are not to walk there, the state trooper says no (we hear stories of pedestrian deaths on this highway happening every seven something. Seconds? Minutes? Hours?  Our driver is getting no information about the bus that has been dispatched to pick us up, so the state trooper takes over.  Long story short (?) he cannot get any info out of PETER PAN/GREYHOUND (at this point it is important to say that the driver cannot get through to them either) so he calls the emergency number at the Port Authority to get through.  He threatens (and follows through) to call a tow truck for the bus himself to get the bus off the highway, which will cost PETER PAN/GREYHOUND money and that gets them on the ball.  Sort of.
• 4:30ish:  We learn from our favorite CT State Trooper that no bus has left NYC to get us.  Wait.  I haven't maybe given that the proper emphasis:  NO BUS HAS LEFT NYC TO GET US!!!
• Sometime after that:  Tow truck arrives and tows bus with passengers up the road to the rest area, offering us if not any hope of getting home, safety, a bathroom and food.  We sit outside and wait.
• 5:30-6:00:  A tow truck arrives from PETER PAN/GREYHOUND to get the bus (being held captive by the first tow truck driver who I am sure is charging for every second he sits there) because THAT would be costing them money.  Meanwhile, we watch many PETER PAN/GREYHOUND busses drive by.  One stops and can take five passengers. (WHAT!?)
• 6:30ish:  After a day of lies and misrepresentations from the PETER PAN/GREYHOUND company and employees (two actually laughed at us in NYC when we inquired about the bus they were sending for us), a bus arrives and we are on our way. 
• 9:30ish:  We arrive in Boston.  We are safe.  We are sound.  Sort of.
• There was another blogger on the bus and she posted about our day as well.

You know, stuff happens.  I get that.  But how a customer is treated says a lot.  Sending the tow truck before the bus, leaving us in harm's way?  And had it not been for the state trooper's involvement, I can't even think of how the day might have gone.  The driver was getting nowhere with the company he drives for.  Twice Gillian offered to come get me, and twice I told her no because I thought the bus would be there before she would.  I was so.wrong.   

It feels good to be home and I cannot wait to get back to spend another weekend with Gillian, we had a blast.  I think I'll be driving though.

Ten On Tuesday.  Ten Favorite Things To Do During "ME" Time.

1. Beach.  I know, you are surprised.
2. Fiber festivals.
3. Mani/Pedi.
4. Massage.
5. Workout.
6. When I have the house to myself (ahhh) just enjoy the quiet and:
7. Sew, knit, spin, listen to books.  Especially on my back porch with iced tea or martinis.
8. I love checking into a B&B for a weekend, preferably at the beach, and just hanging out. 
9. Visit with friends.
10. Hang with my peeps, like Gillian this weekend.  My family makes "me" time fun.

Seventy-three.  Yes, I brought knitting.  You'll be surprised to know it involves yarn overs and ssk.  Really!

Twenty-four Years Ago Today

I became a mom.  To the best daughter any mom could have. 

So for the weekend she is my favorite.  While that may not mean much, it might be her only present.  Heh.  Just kidding, kiddo!  Have a Happy, Wonderful Birthday!  Thanks for being you, and calling me almost every day.  For worrying about your sisters and grandmother.  For wanting to come home on your long weekends.  For making the best guacamole.  For your easy laughter.  For never calling me at 1 a.m. from the police station.  For making it to 24 without giving me grandchildren.  For never meaning it when you said you hated me.  For being an endless source of joy and entertainment.  And most importantly, for turning out pretty well, despite my sketchy parenting.  Love you!

Sixty-eight.  When I turned 24 Gillian was already a year and a half old.  Weird, right?

Finishing Friday

Knitting can fix almost anything, right?  You would think that to be the truth, the way knitters immediately search the stash and start knitting for almost every occasion.  It nearly always the first thing I think of, and while it may not cure cancer or take away the sorrow of a loss, those stitches, with prayers and good intentions worked in, surely bring warmth and consolation to a hurting heart, mind or body.  So we knitters, we knit.  I knit a prayer shawl for my mom.

• Pattern:  Wool Peddler's Shawl, Folk Shawls, Cheryl Oberle.
• Yarn:  Woolen Rabbit Opulence in Chiquitita.
• Needles:  Addi Lace size 6.
• Cast On:  March 15, 2009
• Bound Off:  March 28, 2009.  (And yes Margene, it was blocked the day before Easter, just as I predicted.)

 

Lace is photogenic, is it not? 

The good news is that my mom is a few weeks post radiation and chemo, and while she is currently suffering a bout of bronchitis, her recent PET scans show that the treatments have done their jobs and she is free of cancer.  Yay!  Now we prepare for her surgery.  One foot in front of the other...

Speaking of knitting for loving care, it is tempting to cast on for any number of afghan blocks and shawls and things for Kay Gardiner after the loss of her husband, Pete.  We just want to do that, don't we?  Afghans for Afghans is a group that was mentioned in the post about Pete, so I went over to see what they needed, dug into my stash of scraps and single skeins and got to work.  I'm not doing a lot, but a couple of pairs of baby socks and some childrens' mittens are short work and I'm knitting my prayers and intentions for the Gardiner family into them.  Won't you join me and make a pair or two?

Fifty-six. 

Unintentional FOs

Just got home from Boston's Symphony Hall.  The high school wind ensemble, of which Erin is a member, was invited to perform there and the concert was this evening.  It was fabulous.  While they always sound good, putting that group of talented kids into a venue that is acoustically superior and they sound awesome.  What an opportunity for them, and for the audience, and a well deserved honor for their director.  Congratulations to all of them.

The destashing continues, some of it by me actually knitting up the yarn.  I had about half a skein of this Felted Tweed in the stash, leftover from ornaments I had knit on a plane in December, 2007.  I needed to reproduce a sweater to figure out the recipe (which I never did-this one is just oh so slightly different and I can't figure out why, but it works), so I grabbed the leftovers and set to knitting one.  Then I started a second to use as a demo-in-progress, and then since I had only .2 ounces left and the weight of a finished ornament was .2 ounces and these knit up in two blinks of an eye, I decided to just finish off the yarn.  Now I just need to decide if they will get monograms or not.  Either way, I mark the yarn used up and the project finished.

Pattern:  My Own, Harry Potter Ornaments
Yarn:  Rowan Felted Tweed
Needles:  size 5
Cast On:  April 13, 2009
Bound Off:  April 15, 2009

And for Laurie, Lucia and Manise:

WHEW!  Just made it, not an inch left in the stash!

Fifty-three.  Are you wondering?  I got seven little HP ornaments out of one ball of Felted Tweed.  Not bad for little gifts or gift tags.  Go get a ball and start knitting! 

So.Much.Stuff.

But I'll be doling it out in little bits.  I missed a Ten On Tuesday, although I did write the post, but was boring the heck out of myself and decided not to spread the wealth of boredom on that one.  The highlights of foods I don't like?  Twinkies.  And some people actually deep fry them and then eat them.  As if they aren't disgusting enough on their own.  I just broke a rule that I have tried to teach my kids, never to say that something other people like is disgusting or put it down.  You must just say, "I don't prefer that."  Much nicer.  And then there is this little story:

Soda. Okay, I really hate soda.  As a kid I would drink birch beer on the Atlantic City Boardwalk while vacationing (my mom's family lived down there and I was born there), and root beer the few times we would fast food, which was confined to the rare occasions of travel and a couple of times per year when my parents would go out.  My father would either go for the pick up or if we were in the car with him, we would have to wait (pre-drive-thru) and then we would eat in the car.  He didn't like special orders so even though I wanted a cheeseburger and root beer, he would only order four hamburgers, four small fries and four cokes.  I hated coke.  I never drink soda now.  Or anything fizzy actually.  I just cannot stand that bubbly feeling in my chest.

See?  BOring.

After that I planned on posting every day.  I have socks, a shawl, a sweater (don't get too excited, it's a toddler sweater) all finished and a serious case of startitis.  I don't feel like writing any of those posts now so this is what you get.

Did you have a nice Easter?  Or Sunday?  Whichever it was for you?  We did.  I went to church, which I had no intention of doing, but Meg was here and getting ready which was just the nudge I needed.  I'm so glad I didn't miss church, Easter isn't the same unless I go.  We sang the standard Easter fare, but not the most fun hymn and we were bummed.  So we sang it around the house all morning and we rock it out with more dramatic effect than those people.  We were not as cute as these three though:

YouTube Sunday.

Among others, we did sing this one, as did almost every church-going Christian in America.  I have to say, we sounded a lot better.  In our own minds.

Alrighty then. I know what you are all really wondering. "What the heck did she wear to Easter Sunday Service?!" That is the important thing on Easter right? Clothing is one of the things that was keeping me from going. I had nothing I felt like wearing and really wanted to wear jeans. I compromised and wore my Indigo Ripples Skirt, out of denim yarn and digging around for a shawl to throw over my white blouse I rediscoverd a long ago knitted Shapely Shawlette. Just the ticket!

The perfect size and shape for the day. I made this shawl a lot of years ago, maybe eight or nine, something like that. I kinda love it and can't figure out why I haven't worn it in years. I love the pin I have holding it together:

Cute, right? This is me trying to take a picture of myself:

Never the best idea, but we bloggers persist in doing it, don't we?

Fifty-two.  Even Meagan is complaining about the absence of a new post around here.  Happy Meg?

A Lazy Sunday

How do I begin to thank everybody that sent well-wishes, prayers and positive energy to my mom?  It isn't something I am all that good at, putting stuff all out there, but perhaps Tammy's comment puts that in perspective:

I understand keeping private things private. But sharing can also bring a wealth of results in prayers. There was a study @ Duke several years ago that showed that people had better medical outcomes as a result of people praying for them - even if they didn't know that the prayers were being made. So prayers for your Mom and for you.

I have read similar articles and studies and when you really think about it-who the hell am I to deprive my Mom of all the prayers and healing energy that can be sent her way?  So I encourage you, no, not encourage, ask from my heart, that you continue to include her in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. 

And how is she doing?  Well.  She is my mom and she has her quirks.  She is three weeks into her daily radiation and weekly (with this past week off) chemo treatments.  She has some fatigue, but is able to spend a few hours at work and doing her ebay thing and getting around.  Even the days when she has only radiation can sometimes be three or four hours out of the day (the actual radiation takes about ten minutes, but you can wait for that sometimes), so considering that she is doing pretty well.  She has been receiving acupuncture treatments and has added supplements and healthier foods to her diet, and so far has only had a bit of nausea, so her weight is steady and she is able to eat.  Not all foods are comfortable to eat, thanks to the radiation to her esophagus, but she is doing pretty well.  Astonishingly so, according to her doctors, who expected her to be doing much worse than she is.  Her response to that?  "Well, there is next week, and that is when it will get worse."  And, when asked how she is doing she will respond, "I'm thriving, I hope my tumor isn't!"  Because you know, if you aren't feeling close to death with the treatment then it can't possible be working, right?

As I type, I am sitting on my three season porch, and since it is March and still winter I guess that makes it a four season porch, no complaints here.  With the glass in and the sun shining it gets warm in here, warm enough to sit out with a small pot of tea (this green blended with this herbal-the mint verbena not lemon, because I know you were curious), a small bit of chocolate, and my laptop.  I'll grab my knitting next.  I would have taken a photo, but because my camera battery died you will just have to imagine it.  The teapot is a small cast iron and the mug is one of my Blue Sheep mugs.  The chocolate is Taza 70% Dark Stone Ground Chocolate.  Apparently soy lecithin may be one of the things that is bothering me, and this chocolate is soy free.  And very good.  I can't wait to find some of their chocolate discs to try.  The Chocolate Mexicano discs, Guajillo Chili sounds good or the cinnamon one, or the vanilla.....  Thanks to Laurie I found Michel Cluizel chocolate bars and did you know that the Whole Foods 365 brand of chocolate bars are soy free as well?  I'm back in the little bit of chocolate per day groove.  A very good thing because I just read that chocolate has, along with teas, pears and apples (among other things) have flavanoids that help reduce belly fat.  I eat all of those things every day.  Now if they would only tone me up and give me that washboard thing people talk about, I'd be all set! 

I earned all this sitting around by mostly sitting around all day and then getting my butt off the chair to go for a walk.  If Cheryl hadn't called me from her walk, I may not have gone out.  I should be thanking her, right?  No, I am, really.  It was a good thing.  I haven't really done much since my injury in January and this walk was, well, I could feel the lack of muscle tone in my legs.  Luckily, that just makes me want to go out again tomorrow because I want the muscle back.  Why couldn't tea and chocolate do that for me as well, I wonder? 

Pete has been away all weekend, down in Florida to see the Red Sox at spring training.  More talk of spring!  Opening Day will be here before we know it!  Things are different around here when Pete is gone.  A person can sit in their pjs half the day, doing things like photographing fiber stash and adding to their stash page on ravelry without feeling guilty that she isn't out doing something.  And Pete, love him as I do, has a way of hovering around until you feel like you really should make a plan of some kind.  Go somewhere.  DO something.  But my house is picked up and clean and I kind of like staying here doing nothing sometimes.  And I did things.  Organized the fiber stash, some of the yarn stash, excercised, last night I watched Seabiscuit with Erin (why had I not seen that movie before?  I loved it!) and you know, regrouped.  I'll admit that I was feeling a bit the slug though, thank God for the walk.  Now when Pete calls I'll have something to tell him when he asks what I did today.

What is up for the week in Blues?  I have knitting to show you!  Things finished and in progress and if I can decide to actually part with somethings, maybe a stash reductions sale.  I thought digging through the stash would help with that, but all I wanted to do was start spinning all of it.  I need Claudia to come up and be a voice of reason.  Will you Claudia?  There is chocolate and tea in it for you!

Forty.  Is it bad that I am back in my sweats already?  I am not leaving this porch for a while yet, time to brew another pot of tea.

He's Got Legs! (And Knows How To Use Them...)

Not bad for forty-<cough, ahem>

The man with the hot legs had a birthday last week (and I didn't blog it, I know!  I robbed you all of the opportunity to send well wishes to his aging self!) and I made him a pair of socks.  He is not a lover of the handknit, doesn't wear sweaters, has a thing about scarves (never wears the Noro striped scarf I made him, and it is my favorite one), might wear a hat or felted mittens when he is winter hiking, BUT!  He is a lover of the handknit sock.  So I made him a pair for his birthday.  It was the bulk of my vacation knitting, I knit one and a half socks in Florida and flying home, then finished the next week.  He loves them.  yay!

Pattern:  Priscilla's Dream Socks (raverly link) by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts in IK, Fall 2000 or Favorite Socks or Simple Socks Plain and Fancy
Yarn:  Lang Jawoll Superwash, 2 skeins
Needles:  size 0
Cast On:  February 24, 2009
Bound Off:  March 3, 2009

The color was hard to capture, it is a really dark blue with bits of emerald green running through it.  I was gifted four skeins of this yarn in a swap and can now make a pair for myself.  We'll be matchy-matchy!  And don't think I got off that easy on the birthday present.  I did get him something else, which I'll show you tomorrow or the next day or the next week.  A little story goes with.

Speaking of little stories.  After convincing Gillian that the day was beautiful and yes, she should make it up to the city to go to church I get a call.  "Guess who I saw at church today?"  Now, Gillian lives in NYC and that question can mean anything from my cousin to her cousin to anybody she ever went to school with over seventeen years to anyone she ever met, or cover the range to some no name actor/actress or a named one that I don't know or a big star.  That question usually has me quipping something fresh back at her, but I was a bit dim on Sunday and my silence led to, "Oh never mind, I'll tell you, you'll never guess."  Gillian attends a teeny little church in NYC and Bono attended services there on Sunday.  BONO!  Humanitarian BONO!  Singer BONO!  Of U2, BONO!  And he stayed for coffee hour and chatted with people.  Gillian met BONO!  This was, of course, more exciting to me than when she met Elton John or Patty Lupone or, oh hell, she is in theatre, the list is long.  Now I want to go to church with Gillian.

Thirty-seven.  When I was in high school the show Spencer for Hire was filmed locally and Robert Urich and his family went to our church regularly.  While Robert was something, I was more thrilled that his wife, Heather Menzies, was Louisa in the Sound of Music!  See, you can meet people anywhere!

Shedir

Even after posting every day for more than a year, I still don't find it an easy or simple thing to actually share much of my personal life on the blog.  Not a whole lot about my family or my health or really personal stuff, it seems so easy for others, but I'm guarded when it comes to that stuff.  Partly I think it is for some privacy and partly because things are so often misunderstood in the blogging.  I'm not usually looking for advice or pity or any of those kinds of things (unless I specifically ask for them, which I may from time to time), but often people give the unsolicited advice or, I don't know, something I'm not asking for and so I just keep things to myself.  Add to that a fiercely independent streak and there is enough reason to maintain my privacy on things.  But now I have a finished knit to share, a pattern that is often made to be worn by people who may lose their hair while receiving treatments for cancer.  I made it for my mom, who may lose her hair in the next few weeks as a result of her treatments for esophogeal cancer.  Currently she is going daily for radiation to her esophagus and weekly for chemotherapy.  Burning the inside of the esophagus with radiation sucks, no two ways about that, and the fatigue and nausea that chemo brings.  Well, most of us know something about that, if not personally, then because someone we care about does.  After this is all done and she recovers she will have surgery to remove her esophagus.  Her doctors sound quite confident of a cure, but that cure comes with a price, a long and hard recovery.

 And what do knitters do?  Well, we knit.

• Pattern: Shedir by Jenna Wilson for Knitty.  (PDF link)  (Ravelry link)
• Yarn:  Rowan Calmer-slightly over one ball
• Needles:  size 3
• Cast On:  February 22, 2009
• Bound Off:  February 24, 2009

This is the second time I have knit this hat, the first was a few years ago, but my tight knitting at that time made a hat that was too small for any adult.  This time it all worked out.  I had help choosing a color from Claudia, who had the remainder of a second skein left from a Shedir that she had made, generously offered it up to me and I headed straight to the yarn store to get a full ball to augment it.  This was perfect airport knitting (and I spent a lot of time at the airport having arrived at five a.m. for a ten o'clock flight hoping to fly out stand-by on an earlier flight.  Long story short:  wasn't possible).  I knit for the whole time, the whole flight and then in the sun that afternoon.  You can make a lot of hat in that time.  My fingers are crossed that my mom won't need to wear this hat and she can donate it to Dana Farber for somebody else to use.  That would be great.

Thirty-four.  Doesn't Meg look cute in the hat?

Ten On TuesdayOr NotSomething Like It, Though

This week's Ten on Tuesday is something like the Ten Best Moments of the Year.  I have dreaded this post all day.  Do I go global?  National?  Entertainment?  Personal?  Make it a joke?  All of these thought plus a migraine were making my head feel explosive!  Then, in the nick of time, my good friend and fellow year long blogger Vicki came to the rescue.  And just like last year at this time, I am copying her idea again.  Thank you, Vicki!  I love you for this (and for a lot of other reasons as well).  So, here are the first sentences from the first posts of each month along with a photo from that month of my choosing.  The photos probably don't have anything to do with the sentences and Vicki's photos are way better than mine, so read my post before you head over there and read hers.

January:  But we got off just in time (the boat and the year)!

February:  Some stuff. You know.

March:  I mean! Whatever you think about Freddie Mercury or Queen, you can't deny the charisma.

April:  Ten Things You Would Fix In Your Home (if you had the time and money).  AAARGH!

May:  Everything took longer than expected today and having plans with the family to go here, running even shorter on time I had two choices: Blog or run.

June:  Today we are having the big graduation/going away party for Gillian.

July:  Ten Favorite Sports to Play or Watch.  I was sure this one was going to be so hard.

August:  This thing called summer!  I love it.

September:  Photos from the museum in Oak Bluffs.

October:  Well, you can blame only yourselves for this.

 

November:  Well, I could write a whole post on how this day is the 336th day, in.a.row! that I have posted something to this blog. ONE YEAR!

December:  Yippee!  I'm 21!

ONE TO GO!!!!!!!! What if I blow it on the last day? Can you believe it? I can't. Or maybe I can. I'd better not count my chickens just yet. But when I set my mind to something..... Pete is wondering why I don't set my mind to making a million bucks or something, I'm sure.

Just Remembering Where I Was One Year Ago

And seeing as the crazy here is never-ending, I really wish to go back.  Soon.

FIVE to go!  I'll be happy when this is over only on days like this one, when remembering I still have to post always comes as a suprise to me at the end of the day.  I know it!  Even after a YEAR!

While Visions of Sugarplums Danced In Their Heads......

I hope your day was filled with
Peace
and
JOY!

On the way to a cozy bed, that is where all of the Campbell kids are headed on this Christmas night.  It was a crazy day during which not one thing went as planned.  It all started well on Christmas Eve, with a beautiful church service filled with wonderful music and carols and O Holy Night sung by Meagan.  We came home to do some last minute wrapping and cleaning, but a power outage beginning sometime around 2 a.m. and lasting until midday had our hard work getting the house ready for the holiday rendered futile, but got my sister and her family to do a last minute clean-up for the hosting job.  It was all great in the end, our power returned in time for us to get some hot water over our bodies before we left and our house stayed all clean for our return  home.  Luckily I had cooked up a storm yesterday, so our breakfast plans could continue with quiches warmed at our neighbors (generator) and coffee brought in from a Dunkin' Donuts in the next town.  A decent cup of tea was a bit harder to come by, but I somehow made it through the morning despite the lack of sleep.  (No white noise means a little bit of sleep for me if I am lucky.  It is all the breathing that Pete does.  Breathing, breathing, breathing.  Drives me insane.  I could sleep just fine if he would just.stop.breathing.  Heh.) 

In the end it was a pretty decent day and now it is over, we are watching movies, drinking tea and I'm knitting.  The best end to a day that I can imagine.

On a sad note, it is a bit ironic that the only vocalist to really do this song well should pass on Christmas day.  Thank you, Eartha.  You will always be a favorite part of my holiday season.

Six to go! Tomorrow is for relaxation!

Alright. I will.

I had a post, but I decided to save it in place of YouTube Saturday.  So for tonight I have nothing.  I could tell you about the snow.  Alright, I will.  It snowed today.  We are snowed in.  Love.It.

I could tell you about the cleaning of the game sewing room.  Alright, I will.  I cleaned up the game sewing room.  Now I can find my sewing machine and people can play pool.  My zipper foot is still missing though.  Looks like I'll have to buy a new one.  Such a bummer because the one thing that I keep totally organized and neat is my sewing stuff.  I cannot imagine where the heck that thing went.  We all know that it will turn up the second I I buy another.

I could tell you that I was knitting today.  Alright, I will.  I restarted the Ben sweater.  Oh, that was after I blocked the neckwarmer I made for my mom.  I had a skein of yarn left from the Wedding Shrug, had my favorite dyer change the color and knitted it up toot.sweet.  Too dark for photos and I cast on so fast that I forgot to photograph the yarn.  I am loving the Ben sweater, but I wonder why the designers at Sirdar think a sweater for a 1-2 year old should be 16 1/2 inches long.  Doesn't that sound long to you?  I think I'll be adapting that.

I could tell you about the little party that Erin had here today.  Alright, I will.  Erin had a big holiday-do planned for tonight, but the weather had people cancelling early on, so I told her to turn it into an afternoon party and if anybody wanted to stay the night they could.  She baked and planned and cleaned and kids came and went.  Movies were watched (Batman and Horton Hears A Who-loved that one) and food was consumed, laughter and parents getting lost in the snow on the pick up end of the deal.  We are down to one for the sleepover, and she moved in a few days ago because she still has no electricity at her house.  She is welcome to stay, but as I told her, I am NOT paying for her college education.

I could tell you that I talked the two of them and Pete to watch White Christmas again tonight.  Alright, I just did.

I could tell you that I fell down on my no sugar deal and had cookies.  Alright, I will.  Erin made my favorite Christmas cookies and they were taunting me.  They are cranberry oatmeal crisps.  I just couldn't stand it.  Then some really yummy Lake Champlain chocolates came in the mail.  I had a bite. Or two or three.   Really defeats my purposes for putting myself through this, but whatever.  They were too yummy.

I could tell you that I finished decorating and the tree and house look great.  Alright, I won't, because that would be a lie.

I could also tell you that I have a fresh photo for today.  Alright, I will.  Sort of.

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Twelve to go. I wish I could be snowed in all day tomorrow. Maybe then the house would be decorated.

And Erin Thought She Had The Prettiest Dress At the Ball

Or Junior Semi-formal, whatever. 

So, the only problem was that while I can sew anything, really, I can hem nothing.  I was fixing that effing hem right up until the time she had to leave and she was so frazzled that she left without letting me get a single photo.  The pics that follow were taken after she had been to the dance, out to eat with friends, then to an after party at a friend's house and she was only home long enough to get changed into her pajamas and head back to the party to sleep over.  I'm assuming that the after party involved all kinds of sitting and laying around on floors, which will explain all of those wrinkles in the silk.  I plan on getting it to the dry cleaners this week and making her put it on again for better photos, minus the good hair.

Pattern:  Vogue 8360
Fabric: Silk Charmeuse-vewy vewy slippewy!
Started: December 1, 2008
Finished: December 6, 2008

I am pretty happy with this dress, especially after doing an internet search to see if others had made it and not liking much of what I saw.  There were definitely problems, but the biggest one was bad fabric choices.  The pattern clearly calls for light-weight fabric and the ones I saw around the net were made in heavier satins and tafettas.  As a consequence, the gathered section on the front made the dress look slightly "maternityish" and I knew that there was an excellent chance that I could finish the dress, have her try it on, complain about looking preggers and refuse to wear it.  Hmmm....  So.  I knew the correct fabric choice was on my side.  I also knew that the construction of the dress as written was not.  The pattern instructed the sewer to gather both the dress fabric and the lining together before attaching to the bodice and I knew that would have to change, so I planned to rework the linings and cut them flat (there are gathers on the back as well-I'll get pics when I get it cleaned, the back is so.cute.).  Still a tad bit worried about the preggers look I called a friend who is a real dress-maker and she made the best suggestion.  Usually when I gather fabric I will run two gathering threads and pull up, I use smallish stitches if I am using a really light fabric, but just the two.  Well, Candy told me to run four gathering rows of stitches.  What a Great.I.Dea!  The gathers were perfect, and they didn't poof out at all, the dress was so flattering.  I'll get better photos of that, too. 

There was a little issue with the underarms and the low back popping away from the body a little and I ran out of time (and the will) to fix them.  Thank God for Braza Clothing Adhesives.  They kept anyone from looking down the back of the dress and the bodice, which fit almost perfectly, to her sides.  

I think she was happy.

 

Hey, don't forget to check out this week's  YouTube Saturday post and read to the end, I'm giving away a copy of the cd I talk about to one lucky commenter!

Twenty-four to go!  Don't you even dare think critically of these photos.  It was late, I had been asleep on the couch for two hours before she got home and could barely see her as she whirled by and back out again.  I'm lucky I got these at all. 

Happy Birthday, Meagan!

Yippee!  I'm 21!

Happy Birthday to a big goofball.

Thirty to go!  One.More.Month!  I think I'm in shock.