Summer Vacation Post #2

But first, kudos to Keith Olbermann for holding Rummy's feet to the fire last night. Right on!!

Before we left, my DFIL told us about his burgeoning houseplant. He had taken a cutting from it and put it over the sink in the kitchen, but the original plant was from a cutting his sister-in-law (Aunt Margaret) had brought back from...World War II. Germany.

The cutting over the sink, however, had bloomed. The original plant had never done so. So he wanted to know what it was and why it had bloomed after 50 years. So did we! So I did some research. This:



is the flower of a Wax Vine or Hoya carnosa. It probably bloomed due to being watered less often. It would thrive in our California garden so we might very well bring hom a cutting ourselves at Christmas. Fun! And kind of a gift from Aunt Margaret who passed away suddenly while I was pregnant with DD.

On our last day in PA, we took some pictures with the relatives. Here's the last one:



This is the man who's getting the sweater. I will post a picture of the pattern if I can find one online. He'll never read the blog!

We left for New Jersey and had to be picked up halfway by my stepfather, D, who I believe had an allergic reaction to the fact that we had spent 8 days petting every animal at the farm all day long. Sorry, D! Nice drive, though, and we reached Grandma and Grandpa's house unscathed. Promptly sent GPa to the beach. Thanks for giving up most of your lovely day!!

We spent 12 days in NJ, not seeing my mom as much as we (or she) would like, as she is in the middle of a trial. But if there is justice in the world, at least she will win it. They just shouldn't give control over elderly people's lives and fortunes to people who are just plain mean to them. That should be a law.

Blogger has again ceased to allow me to post photos so I will be back later. Have a lovely!

Summer Vacation Post #1

Blogswarm accomplished. I even put in Site Meter so I could see if anyone came over from Shakespeare's Sister and some people visited. But no comments. Oh, well. I don't want to write any more about Katrina as the MSM is giving me enough and Bush is yammering on. I read where right outside of the frame, there was a toilet in a yard and a house with the wiring hanging out. But not on TV, oh, no! So on to happier days...

We are back! And have jumped in with both feet. School started yesterday, but that is for another post. I will begin with the day we left...

Since we left on DS's birthday, they let the kids fly the plane:



Here they are studying hard so as not to have any problems!








The first part of our trip was spent at my in-laws' farm in PA.

Here is DS with his oldest cousin, also his Godfather:



They are buddies. All of the nephews were their usual helpful, sweet selves and played a lot with the kids. Thanks, boys!

Here my kids are with the middle cousin:



And DS with the youngest:



We got to see "Barnyard" (see previous post) and play A LOT. Even some miniature golf, which the kids are finally old enough to play. Everyone got a hole in one!!

Blogger isn't letting me post any more photos so more later!

Do we only remember what they tell us to remember?

"Today is not about the recovery of the Gulf Coast..."

It cannot be. There is no real recovery as yet.

In line for "The Daily Show" last week a republican asked me to summarize the Democratic philosophy. I made him go first, of course, because I knew he would be an idiot. And he was. But my answer was easy.

Democrats know that the government is here to serve the people. To protect the people. To work for the people and make the people's lives better. To help the people when they are in trouble. To make sure the country doesn't fall apart so that the people cannot function and go to work and make love and be happy and survive.

The bottom line is this government has no thought for service, no care for protection, no work ethic, no compassion, no long-range plan, no goal except their own wealth, their own happiness, their own survival.

Today, this comes home to us in pictures, in film, in our memories. They can tell us not to remember that they let us down, that their most essential purpose was unimportant to them. But we remember anyway. They can tell us that we should be afraid of people from the outside. But we are much more afraid of our own leaders. They can tell us that the terrorists will hurt us if they are not in charge. But the terrorists are hurting us right now. In the destruction of our Constitution, our America, our purpose and our center, we already have the terrorists in our midst. And we must fight them here before we fight them elsewhere.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those who lost loved ones, homes, irreplaceable possessions. And their country. And their country. And their country. God help us all.

Daily Show was Fabulous!

We had a great time! But I want to fully post about it when I can upload pictures. Although, since they wouldn't let us take pictures once we were inside, it won't make that much difference. Still...

Thanks, Sue, for getting us in, it was a blast! And my mom and I got to spend some time together sans kids.

DGrandpa had them for the entire DAY!! He was great! He took them to the boardwalk, got them ride wristbands, bought them kitsch, ice cream, the whole works. Did better than I would have done, sounds like. Yay, Grandpa!!

Back to the spray park today, I think. We won't get another chance. And the cleaning lady comes today, better to be out.

I'll start packing up today. We make a huge mess when we stay here, but I just can't get motivated to be organized. And how can six days worth of clothes for three people turn into so much laundry!?!?!

Hope you're having a lovely day!

Screenplays, ipods and film fests, oh my!

First of all:

I am a Snapdragon What Flower Are You?

I don't usually agree with my quiz results, but this one I like.

Second, there is some exciting and creative thinking going on with me and mine. DH and I are writing a screenplay, which is turning out really well, if I may say so myself. I'm also percolating ideas for little series' of video vignettes to be downloaded to an ipod or computer. Fun stuff and very silly!

Third, DH and business partner M's production company has submitted a short film to a lot of film festivals and it has been accepted to festivals in Rome, Los Angeles, Florida, Washington, D.C. and New York! And in Rome (drum roll, please) IT WON!!! Best Costumes, Best Leading Actor and BEST SHORT FILM!!!! We are all pretty excited about that. Wish I could post the trailer from here, but I will when I get home.

In other news, nothing really tremendous, I guess. Lots of relaxing. Fibonacci socks may be finished today (but not the weaving in of ends; that is a whole 'nother day). Did some Rogue. Planning FIL sweater. Reheeled DM's sock. 2 fairs down, one to go.

We are going to a taping of "The Daily Show" tomorrow, woo-hoo! I will report back on how fun it is (sure to be loads).

UPDATE: Even though I'm sure no one has read this entry yet (if anyone will at all!). I bought the Fall VK because of the reported sock patterns. What drek! What are they thinking? As I paged through in the den with my cousin watching a movie, I kept saying over and over, "Hideous!!" Not even the cover sweater by Michael Kors was interesting enough to spend tens of hours and thousands of (cashmere) dollars on, Jennifer Aniston notwithstanding!

The socks are cool, admittedly. But they are ALL done only in one size! And they're too small! Now, I can make a sock fit, don't get me wrong, but can everyone? Can the common reader of VK, who is not used to sock patterns after all, cope with an 8 inch long, 7 inch circumference pattern for her size 8 1/2 feet? No, no, no, I think not! I am SO glad that I do not subscribe to VK. They should be sorry I feel that way!

Rant over. Have a lovely day!

No news is...vacation!

Not much progress to report. Finished one Fibonacci sock and put the needles back in the other one. Ran out of blue right before the ribbing, no big deal. So they are short, but I like them that way anyway.

Went to the spray park and met Trek today and her cutie little daughter, who was too sleepy to play. We'll try again next week, I hope!

Tomorrow mom is off work and we will attend the Somerset County 4-H fair. Saturday night will probably be the Colt's Neck Country Fair (it's only in the evenings). If we still have it in us, next Friday will be the Hunterdon County 4-H Fair, which has sheepdog trials, which my mom especially loves.

DD has been a bit of a pill since daddy went home to CA. DS is doing fine, though. When DD was four she was a total pill on summer vacation so it's nice to have at least one in a good mood. Man, I take them shopping, to the movies, to the beach, to the spray park, and what do I get? Whining. But not all the time, thank goodness.

Hope you're all having a nice relaxing evening wherever you are!

Blogging from Afar

I've arrived at my mom's house, where the internet is rather intermittent at the moment. We are going to the beach today if the sun comes out. Rumor has it the weather has been pretty icky for beach going this year. I figured with the heat wave it would have been great, so much cooler by the water, but I guess not.

We had a lovely time at the in-laws. Lots of time to spend with family, new puppy, children who could be released into the wild without any particular supervision (I love the country!). DS only almost died once! He rolled down the hill and hit (I couldn't tell which) some bony part of his body on the edge of the porch, but it turned out to be 1) a rib; and 2) not as hard as it sounded. It was not the skull.

Got to see "Barnyard" (okay, but what's with the udders on all of the male cows?). Didn't cook dinner for 10 (!) even once but felt very lazy all week. I'm sure if I were a proper SIL I would have done more, but DH stepped up, knowing that I do that stuff all the time at home.

We also went miniature golfing, which we all enjoyed. We might try that again this week.

Wish I had pictures, but no uploading. Have almost finished the Fibonacci socks, but am almost out of one of the colors. So they won't be very tall (doesn't bother me a bit) and there won't be any dark blue in the ribbing (not this, either). I really must work on Rogue during this part of the trip, though, since the measurements have been taken for the FIL Sweater. Of course, he doesn't really want a sweater like DS, but in fact a v-neck cardigan. So be it. I can still knit top down in one piece, I believe. And I shall. But I need to do a bit more research. The sweater he likes is in ribbing, which I will not do for a whole sweater, but I'm thinking about some fun texture, maybe a basketweave or small cables. Think, think, think.

Silk spinning is coming along (one cop) but I forgot to bring my niddy noddy. So I probably need some straws...I'm spinning from the fold but since the top is dyed in very long sections, I'm alternating bundles from each end. DH is still trying to claim the yarn for himself, I think he likes it better than the Angel yarn I bought him for Father's Day. So maybe he'll get it. He does get a scarf before Christmas. I'm thinking the Opera Scarf you can make with two skeins of Koigu, but I don't know the yardage I will get from the silk.

Am missing blogging and surfing terribly!

Hope you're having a wonderful August!

Pennsylvania, Here I Come!

I'll sing the California one on the way back. Tonight we fly to see the in-laws and my folks for three lovely weeks of vacation. In-laws have put in a new pool so they will be able to see the kids' new fishlike skills. We pray that my mom's trial will end before we arrive so she has plenty of time to play with us. Seriously, pray. We will go to the spray park and the beach and DS will turn 5!! So we'll probably go to Chuck E. Cheese as well.

I won't be able to post pictures, but can update a bit after the first week. So please don't forget to check back! I should have made some progress on the projects in my last post.

Please be safe and happy and crafty while I'm gone. I will try to read all of my regular blogs when I get to my mom's house.

Go Ned Lamont!

Some exciting news!!! [UPDATED]

First of all, an amazing cusp has been reached. DD (7) has been knitting ON HER OWN!!!

The story goes:

DD: Mom, you promised to make me a poncho.

Me: Yes, but you decided on the Tomato red hoodie sweater, which I made you last year.

DD: But you promised me a poncho!

Me: Yes, but now Grandpa Charlie asked for a sweater and you got a sweater last year.

DD: You promised!

Me: Sorry, honey, but Grandpa Charlie's sweater has to come first. I only make one sweater a year and he's next.

[think, think, think]

Me: I bet YOU can make a poncho. [Mom goes outside to get the "The Knit Stitch"]

Me: This poncho is just two rectangles you can do that.

DD: Yes, I can!

Me: And you could wear it and tell everyone you made it yourself!

DD: That would be so cool.

And so $44 and 12 hours later, DD has knitted 5 rows ALL BY HERSELF!!



Myself, I got my Rogue out to set it up for vacation knitting. I can't start my FIL sweater until I get the measurements so I know how much yarn to buy. I'll be there on Monday so I can measure for myself. So, yeah, I suppose I could have made the darn poncho. But it seems like a good thing to get the girl knitting! I have told her that I will knit on it some while she's sleeping, but she might say she doesn't want me to do any of it. We shall see. I'm going to try to finish the kangaroo pouch before I pack Rogue up in the suitcase, so I can get those straight needles out of it.



Other vacation knitting will be (sorry, evil mitred blankie, but you take three bags of yarn balls so I can choose on a whim) finishing socks-in-progress, woo-hoo.

Which leads right into Scout's meme, Just How Many UFO's do you Have?

I started these two years ago (at least) for mindless knitting at the park:













These are from some handspun that I carded when I first got my drumcarder:













These are my Bearfoot Jaywalkers:

















I also have socks that have been living in my purse out of Knitpicks Parade (discontinued) and my mom's socks that need a new heel (that's first).


If I can finish all of these, I will have more than enough socks not to wear any commercial socks this winter, which is my goal.

[UPDATE] Then, not socks, I have a log cabinish shawl out of handspun. I'm still spinning the yarn for the end panels (combination drafting wool and silk). Maybe for next year's fair, but the colors are quite raucous, like the blankie. We'll see.

I also started the Mystery Stole #1 last year and lost my motivation very early on. Lace, it turns out, is not really my thing. I will eventually frog this and recycle the yarn. Maybe I need to do lace on fingering weight...hmmm...

I also started, a very long time ago, a beaded scarf for a prototype for a yarn shop that just turned out to be too far away to teach at. This may stay where it is forever, I don't know. I'm certainly not frogging all that beading, but whether I will get to finishing I doubt. I did learn about the Bead Spinner for this project and I cannot recommend it highly enough for stringing beads for knitting. It's a bowl with a spindle in the middle. You spin the bowl and lower a curved wire down into it and the beads literally jump up onto the wire. It's AMAZING! They usually have them for sale at the L.A. County Fair, if you're interested.

My last piece of good news is I'm coming into some Alpaca fleece. The last library show of the summer was yesterday and it was a traveling petting zoo from Parties Fantastic. They had bunnies, chickens, ducks, pygmy goats and 2 alpacas, one of whom had just recently been sheared. So I asked my usual, excuse me but what do you do with the fleeces?

Well, she said, "Would you like them?"

And the rest, as they say, is history. So after I get back from vacation, Star and I will be having much fun with raw alpaca, yay! One is a Suri, brown and white. They are both very soft and filled with VM, but that falls out when you process. Alpacas love to roll in the dirt!

So it's all good today. Now off to clean the house, do laundry, pack for our trip.

Have a lovely day!

More Progress!

Inman and I have spoken and as soon as I get back from my trip, we will begin planning activities or joining in events that are already happening in our area. Or both! We are very excited about working together and I will be getting a copy of 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Fight the Right as it sounds like quite the primer for people like me! Inman, of course, has vast experience in this field and will be our wonderful catalyst!

In other progress, the blankie lives on:



I cannot seem to get a decent picture (although all of the crap in my carpet comes out just fine, I see). Either I get the oranges or the blues, never both. It is two squares away from the full width that I originally planned. I will probably leave it there for a while and see what I think. But since it is NOT going on vacation with me (too many bags of little balls of yarn so I can decide one at at a time what to use) its progress will soon come to a screeching halt.

I have been spinning silly yarns for it, however. Spinning 20 yards or so of this, then that, then this, then that. They look terrible on the niddy noddy, totally unrelated, but I'm using them one at a time, just putting them on the same bobbin. I'm on the third bobbin of those:



The yarn you can see is two years ago's easter egg dyed roving. It makes a wild yarn (I have some 2-ply) but I don't know what to do with it. In it goes! I suppose if I did enough of these to last the trip, I could take it with me, but I shouldn't even think it, really, I shouldn't!!

Joy and I sat down to teach her spinning this afternoon and she was a trouper! You know how it is the first time, lumpy, slubby stuff only a mother could love. She may not take to it as she looks forward to the knitting, but it may grab her when she has more skill. Keep at it, Joy, it is REALLY fun! Think of it this way, you can have control over EVERY aspect of a knitting project. Fiber, color, weight, plies, pattern, gauge, everything. All you need is practice! I had lots of fun teaching her and she is a natural.

Our weather has gone pleasant, finally, hope it does out east before we get there! I also hope that it's nice wherever you are! Have a lovely!