Miss me?

Don't worry, I know you didn't. So'K. I was away for a much needed break. That away was from the office...oops, excuse me while I change my voice mail back to standard.....

Done. Being away means away from the internets too. Yeah, I checked in once in a while, but really, we didn't try and do too much.

We went here.

This is the Pittsburgh Steeler Training Camp at St. Vincent's College in Latrobe, PA. We were only there about an hour, and a thunderstorm came on fast.









You can see the darkening sky in the distance. They chased everyone (all 5,000 fans) off the field, and we made it to the "Steeler Store" tent, just as the sky opened up. Now conventional wisdom (from here at weather weenie central), is that a massive storm usually is fast moving and lasts around 20 minutes. In other words, stay protected for about 20 minutes and you should be fine. Well, more than an hour later, and we were still waiting for the pounding rain to stop. They were trying to close the tent. We didn't have any rain gear with us at all, so I had to buy two Steeler ponchos (you know those plastic bag thingies).

I ran to the basilica (St. Vincents is a Catholic college and a monastery) and DH walked the half mile to the car. By the time he drove back to pick me up, the rain had finally slowed to a drizzle. My hero.

We spent a few days at a music festival in the north central woods--and I'm not kidding about "in the woods". Tioga County is so remote, GPS couldn't get a fix on our location. You'll never find the place on Google maps and it's a black hole on the satellite map. Don't bother carrying your cell when you hike. It is of no use. But you also do not hear cell phones ringing all over the place either. Nice!

The concerts are in venues all over north-central PA and the Finger Lakes region of NY. Most of them in the Wellsboro/Mansfield area. And many of the venues are churches, and in a few cases the County courtroom. This makes the concerts intimate. You can be an arms length away from the tympani or the concertmaster. And the music is superb. And this is all done via local volunteers, and resources. It is truly pretty amazing.

After a weekend drinking wine and listening to fine music, we hiked in the "Grand Canyon".



Pine Creek, best trout fishing in the north east, was running higher than we've ever seen it. The rocks that you see in the foreground...well, there are more, but they are not completely covered. We usually sit on those rocks. In fact, people have been known to wade across the creek, and hike up the east side of the canyon (this view is from the west bank). The only problem is that you are then 12 miles away from your vehicle, if you parked on the west rim. It is a long way by road or trail from one rim to another. (Except directly across the creek.) No one was wading on Monday. As it is, the hike down on the west side of the canyon, is a rather rugged two miles, along narrow ledge-like trails, with a sharp drop to a run along one side. The trail was also unstable in spots, and slippery due to the recent heavy rains. It is plenty challenging when the trails are dry.





View of part of the trail on the way UP out of the canyon.




















View of "run" on the drop side of the trail. I'm not sure, but I think it is "Little Four Mile Run".



















This is one of those little falls that dot the runs all along their length.













And so we're back, and this is what we were greeted with yesterday.





Yup, rain. Again....sigh. At least we got something of a break from the exhausting political news.

I wasn't planning this but .....

It's "just shut up" Thursday, and I have a couple or three candidates:

1) Robert Gibbs the Press Secretary of the president:

Briefing reporters Tuesday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs suggested that the opposition is being organized by a small group seeking to create "manufactured anger."

"I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the AstroTurf nature of so-called grass-roots lobbying," Mr. Gibbs said.

Umm... Mr. Gibbs I believe those among us, not in a coma, recognize this for what it is...an attempt to dismiss and ultimately chill First Amendment rights. Since every word you say is now saved-somewhere-FOREVER, you (and ultimately the administration) can't take it back...You definitely should just shut up- and maybe quit the job you are so ill suited for.


2) That US Senate embarrassment (though she has a lot of company) SENATOR Barbara Boxer: Boxer says she can tell that they’re fakes, because they’re too well dressed. How does she know that this is a problem? Because well-dressed people apparently told her to get the hell out of Florida in the Bush-Gore recount, too...[video]

So, if you want to be taken seriously by this administration and their lackeys, dump the tie, don a Save the Whales T-shirt.

Barb, please, do us all a favor and just shut up.

3) From white house new media Director Macon Phillips:

"There is a lot of disinformation about health insurance reform out there, spanning from control of personal finances to end of life care,'' W.H. blogger Macon Philips wrote. "These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation. Since we can't keep track of all of them here at the White House, we're asking for your help. If you get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.''

Ummm the only problem Mr. Phillips is that all this information will be permanently SAVED. There is no help for it.....You should just shut up about your snitch list, and go back to programming.

Does no one else see a pattern here?

ETA: It's not the real point of this article (based on the title), but read Mr. Caldwell's 5 Steps to improve our current health care system. Nearly genius. I, as a lone voice in the wilderness, believe there are problems in our system that should be addressed, however, HR3200, ain't gonna do it.

I'm back....

... but just for a bit.

The last two weeks of July were simply hair raising, or hair graying, as the case may be.

1) I was in the throes of finishing a six week long seminar with faculty at two of our eastern campuses. This seminar is very time intensive because the material is presented in an "online" format, but the seminar includes 3 face-to-face meetings. I am often asked by faculty at commonwealth locations if we couldn't just put the whole seminar "online". They just want to complete the assignments, and call it a day. However, every experience we've had with this course, tells us that the face-to-face meetings are irreplaceable, and every group tells me that they want MORE of them not fewer. It may surprise folks but it is rare for faculty to have the opportunity to just sit down in a non-threatening environment and talk about their work. And when they do...the floodgates open, and all kinds of revelations occur. I have yet to have a faculty member tell me that this kind of opportunity has not made them a better instructor. And isn't that what you want for your tens of thousands of dollars?

2) I was trying to organize for my "spring" cleaning. Yes, in July. Every July, an Amish friend brings a young relative or two, and they spend the day, washing, dusting, vacuuming, and all the things that we who work have no time to do on a weekly basis. It means tearing all the rooms apart, and then putting them back together when the washing, dusting and scrubbing are finished. When I drive them home for the day, it doesn't look clean at all, more like a Murphy's Oil Soap Tornado was through. I usually have most of the "mess" reorganized though by the end of the day. This year, however, nothing was "normal". They stayed longer than they originally planned. I obligingly stopped at a grocery store on the way home (which is about 15 miles out in the country), so M could shop a bit. Everything, of course, took longer than planned. I didn't get back to my house until 7:30. Yoi! And on my way back, a phone starts to ring, and lo and behold, it is M's cell phone. (Apparently, cell phones are allowed for business purposes.) Her basket overturned and the phone was left on the floor of the car. (She carries her lunch in a basket, just like Red Riding Hood.) So I spent the evening and following morning trying to get her phone back to her. And let me tell you, she got more calls that I do!!





3) Mid month, we spent at day at our local Art's Festival with our niece, nephew, and their new baby, our great nephew. He was just about 3 months old, and just starting to get the drift of smiling etc. What a cutie. I think he looks a lot like Sean his daddy.







4) It wasn't all work and no play, because one Saturday we went to a jazz performance. However, because I'm a dope, with too many balls in the air, I forgot to get tickets when they were available a block from where I work, so on the warmest Saturday so far (which really wasn't all that warm) I drove to Tallyrand Park in downtown Bellefonte to purchase tickets. (Did you ever see the original Pollyanna? It is a park like that.) I have never walked to the park during the day (mostly because I have no reason to be in Bellefonte during the day). But this day, I parked on the other side of a little bridge and walked across Spring Creek to the park. Here's what I saw on the bridge:



Yes, it's duck food in bubble gum machines.












Then there was this sight when you look over the railing of the bridge:



After a bit of research I figured out that those silvery things are fish...probably, trout. BIG trout. Fishing is prohibited in Tallyrand and now I'm wondering if the food is actually for the fish. They're big enough.








Now I'm trying to get all my outstanding stuff done before I take a much needed break before arrival weekend. (Someone stab me in the heart, please!!) But I'm blogging instead. I must be crazy.

Hopefully, I'll be able to update my knitting before I leave, which has been happening regularly, even though I had to miss my knitting group because of my "spring cleaning".

The wisdom of Bezzie...

From the comments on yesterday's post:

Maybe the goldfish was actually an Al-tuna? Ok, yeah that was bad.

Ya' think? Well, not so fast.

Meet Al Tuna.

Thank you for ....

...indulging me for the last loony posting. I guess I'm tired of worrying myself to death about the great Cap and Trade con, that will probably drive my elderly mother from her home, which we probably won't be able to sell because it's over 40 years old and not energy efficient, and we do not have the resources to have it either inspected or upgraded... of course, we'll probably be too sick with no viable options to even worry about it, and on and on. In comparison, the Sportbeat "issue" seemed almost "solvable". I'm incredibly cheery am I not?

But on to knitting. Here's were I am on the Wrap Me Up shawl:



This has turned out to be a fun piece. And even though I still don't really feel the Noro love, it looks pretty cool. I can't imagine actually wearing it, but they'll be setting the building temps lower in order to save money this winter (it's much warmer in here now in the summer), and I might need it. The other fun thing is that this piece lends itself to lots of ad libbing. Don't like a color, instruction, pattern? Do something else. It's all good.

I may as well knit ahead, 'cause I won't be getting to my group this month. My Amish friend is coming to help "spring clean" that day, and though we'll be long done, I'll be a wet rag by evening. Last year I drove her home, stopped and got fresh corn from a farmer, cooked and ate it standing up in my freshly cleaned, yet disarrayed kitchen. I was just too mentally and physically tired to do anything else. Blah!

Here are two progress pictures of Girasole. When I took the first, I had just reknit it to the point you see. This was right after the July 4th weekend.



I had not paid attention and ended up with THREE more stitches after the first chart. One then knits six stockinette rows, and when I started the next sequence, I was shocked to find I had extras. I pulled it out to before the stockinette rows and started over.


This is almost through the third chart. I'm doing much better reading the lace, so I can see the errors before I get too far. You didn't think I stopped screwing up did you? I just know how to fix them better.



In this photo you can see the bits of silver in the Dream In Color Starry.



It's a little blurry because I'm struggling with my macro feature. Must. Read. Manual.

Still working on the cardigan too. Pretty boring photo fodder though.

I'll leave you with two cell phone photos from the Altoona Curve game. The ball park is a very nice place to attend a game. You will notice the roller coaster, Leap The Dips, in the background. That is a vintage wooden coaster which is classified as a National Historic Landmark. When the amusement park is open the cars have GO CURVE on the side as they climb the hill facing the ball park. The first photo, is so typical of a minor (AA) league team. There are all kinds of games and prizes and the "kids" run the bases after the game and are greeted by the bizarre array of mascots, including, this year, a goldfish!! No idea how the goldfish relates to the Curve in particular, or Altoona in general. I just thought the last photo was interesting as the fireworks lit up the coaster. (Which had just been doused in water by the fire department to make sure it didn't get set aflame.)

When you wish....

....upon a star....yeah, no dreams comin' true here.

If you look through my postings, you'll probably notice that we here at Casa Black n' Gold are a little nuts for Pittsburgh sports. DH is a native, and once a 'Burgher, always a 'Burgher. I, though not a native, easily adopted this mindset. Though all of the teams wear black, for the most part, they are thought of as the "good guys" in a western. Back in the early 90's we left the Burgh, and thus left behind the local sports news. It was awful. No sports talk, no newspapers, nothin'. DH was devastated. Then a cable channel that catered to Burgh sports began. Mecca for displaced Pittsburgh fans. About 18 years ago a rinky dink sports talk show was produced by the original channel called Sportsbeat . As time wore on it turned into THE information conduit for all sports information, with an emphasis on Pittsburgh. The hosts changed over the years too, but primarily it was manned by Stan Savran and Guy Junker. Pittsburgh fans all over the country bought their sports tiers and packages just to be able to see Sportsbeat and get Steeler, Pirate, Pitt, Penguin,and even Penn State news. For us, I had to tape it every night for DH to watch. The station itself went through many modifications over the years, and lastly has morphed into a Fox Sports Affiliate. Sometime in the past 18 months, it was purchased by Liberty Media, who sometime in the past month decided that those five hours of Sportsbeat was too much locally produced regional programming - never mind that it was watched all over the country; never mind that the ratings didn't flag. They decided that broadcasting poker and the Top 32 Yo Yo Tricks was more cost effective. They had already, unceremoniously kicked Guy Junker off a few years ago. So after 18 years it was announced last week that Sportsbeat would be no more and last night was the final show.

OK, you're all thinkin' I've really gone round the bend. Why does this matter? Our country may be slowly imploding. We have nuts in other countries trying to figure out how to kill and maim our citizens. I have a friend who will soon be deployed (for the second time in two years) to Afghanistan. But all I can try and tell you is that it has something to do with the water/air/implanted microchip that you acquire living in Pittsburgh. There--it is a way of life. Where else can a gnome with a voice like a rusty gate be a beloved broadcaster. Where else will THOUSANDS of fans travel to sit in the hot sun and watch big men run around seemingly aimlessly. (And yes, we'll be there. I'll take pictures.) So this came as a blow. I didn't see the show, I taped it for my DH, but I had just gotten home from yoga, when Stan Savran (who is remaining with the station), did his final commentary, and I literally couldn't hold back my tears, and apparently neither could he. He said that he had to pre-tape his remarks because he was afraid he'd be too emotional.

Folks, I don't know this man from a cake of soap, but he has come into my home every night for 18 years, and shared a bit of what we still consider home.

Now, of course, I'm wondering how to find out about FCC licensing and how to complain that FSN isn't supporting the local community. (There is always some public comment period when a license is to be renewed.) It's not like there isn't enough evidence. I'm working up to ripping 'em a new one.

Finito!!

Finito #1

The Vanilla sock!!



Happy Birthday Mom....Basil (the bear) not included. I figured out that if I actually worked on the blasted thing I'd finally finish it.

Knit Picks Dancing, wool/cotton/nylon blend. It is rather thinnish and has quite a bit of give. They no longer have this yarn, but mom loves it, so I'll have to find a good sub. I'm thinking something with bamboo. Let me know if there are better options.
No idea what color. The way it knitted up reminds me of Sweet Tart candies. (Yes, I'm loony, why do you ask?)
Knit on two #1 circs.

Finito #2

RIP MJ

Please, please, please, no mas!! Reverend King he is not! He was a sadly, self-destructed individual.

Finito #3

Finally, over the holiday, we got to one of the state parks we've been interested in for a long time. It is on the "endangered" parks list. PA, like so many other other states has a huge budget shortfall, and there are 20some odd state parks that may be closed due to the budget short fall. We have some glorious areas in PA, and it would be a shame!

This is Trough Creek State Park. It is over an hour south east of us. What I liked:



The Rainbow Falls. But I could have done without the felled tree down the middle.














The Falls stairs, which looked a heck of lot like Cirith Ungol for you Lord of the Rings geeks.















The Balanced Rock, a remnant from one of the ice ages. It is balanced precariously over Trough Creek. One of these days they expect it to tumble over the precipice. I hope the idiots who think it is the place to proclaim their love for each other with magic markers stop before it happens.









The cliff side view.













This is taken along one of the ridge trails. Only problem with this park is that most of the trails are up! Makes for tiring hiking. But the views are wonderful.














This is a suspension bridge. It is wonderfully swingy, and made me very nervous to cross. It felt like being in a ferris wheel.






What I didn't like were all the signs that reminded us that rattle snakes are protected, and there are lots of snakes in the park....Not a snake fan, alas, and I kept wondering who would protect me from snakes.......! Thank goodness I didn't meet any.

My knitting is surrounded by water.....

.... meaning I have islands of seemingly unending knitting with no rescue in sight.

I'm on the second sock of my mom's Very Vanilla pair (originally intended for Mother's Day, but now targeted for her birthday in August). I'm halfway down the foot, and I'm just not getting any love from it, so it's going very slowly. I'm envious of the knitters who one day are at the gusset and the next at the toe. Don't these people work? I mean really? Don't they have to shovel out their homes once in a while? Empty the fuzzy continers from the refrigerator? Well, never mind...... just sayin'.

There is my Oceania cardigan. It went like gangbusters while the hockey playoffs were on. Great knitting for when your attention is elsewhere..... (aside: how about that Marion Hossa! Twelve year contact with the Blackhawks!) However, I am on the second front side, and I seem to have picked up the habit of dropping stitches. Terribly hard to see in boucle yarn. I've dropped stitches, at least three times, in the past week. Sheesh! This is not a complex knit people!!

And finally, I'm not a joiner....not really. You may remember though, that I "accidentally" joined the Loopy Ewe sock club, and am now making a collection of sock yarn, that will remain as stash (which Sheri says doesn't count as stash) until my deeply depressed sock mojo (thanks, Vanilla sock) returns. But this probably won't happen until after I finish Girasole. Yes, I joined the Loopy Ewe KAL for Girasole and gosh it's a great knit. It is actually the only thing I feel like working on. I should have refrained, but I got Dream in Color Starry to work it in, and it speaks to the hidden exotic dancer in my soul. It is working up a little stiff, I think, but I'm guessing a good soak and blocking will take care of that.

Then there is my Wrap Me Up monthly knitting group ...I've slowed my pace so as not to make my fellow knitting group members want to throw me out. Actually, I'm the cautionary tale of the group. I make all the mistakes first. So I suppose I serve a purpose. Also it is Noro Kureyon, and it is a pretty heavy wrap at this point. Not exactly a summer knit. However, it is zipping right along. I'm about one block ahead at this point. I'm kind of comfortable with that.

As I look through all these projects I'm feeling very guilty that my beading is just languishing. There is a pearl bracelet that I've wanted to work for about a year, and several pieces, including sun glass leashes that need repair. But knitting boucle, and dropping stitches seems to take priority.

I'm hoping to take some WIP shots this weekend. I'm also hoping I can get DH to hold up the Wrap Me Up shawl so I can get a good shot. It is big enough that it doesn't lend itself to draping.

Finally, Happy 62nd 63rd (I stand corrected!) Anniversary (yes, that's sixty two three years!) to two people in my life that I dearly love and admire. I don't know how you've done it, but you're an inspiration. No kidding!!

Happy Anniversary Guys!

ETA: I was asked in the comments if these were my parents, but no, they are my in-laws. And as I've said in other venues...I won the in-law lottery, no kidding. I did pretty well in the parent category too, but my mom was widowed almost 9 years ago.

ETA2: They have got to be kidding! I am just stunned by this circus.

Well this proves it...

.... Minnesotans will vote for a brick if it runs on the Democratic ticket. (Remember Jessie Ventura?)

Personal story time....

This post has been removed.

No offense .....

.... to Michael fans out there...but preempting programming....really?

It's just too much....way too much. He was a misbegotten, talented, probable pedophile, with mental problems that I couldn't even begin to guess.

Seriously, world, get a grip.

March of the Penguins...

City of Champions.....



Has a nice ring to it!

Catch up...

May was a whirlwind month. What with classes ending I don't know which end is up. My "business" is indirectly proportional to whether there are classes. The Penguins in the Stanley Cup (and giving us fits!), means that our lives revolve around whether they are playing or not in the evenings. We spent a little time at a jazz festival and outlet shopping last weekend. And we will have family stuff the next three. Also let me say that I still have wool sweaters and turtlenecks in my bursting closet. (And bought more WOOL clothing at the Pendelton outlet in sizes that actually fit!) I was smart enough to dig out a few polo shirts and shorts to tied me over, but it looks like it will be July before I "reorganize". That being said I have been knitting. Not all of it is going well.

First up Embossed Leaves socks.



I really like the sock pattern, this is the second time I've knit it. You may remember the first. Notice the difference in the patterning in the yarn. I'm not convinced that I like the color patterning in this version. In fact, I know I don't. These were knit with Pacapeds alpaca blend. Lovely, soft yarn, but a tad splitty. The fancy, schmancy, cast on and the twisted rib combined to make it rather tight around the top. (Also I make them about 7 inches long rather than 6 or shorter. I hate shortie socks.) So for the second sock I used a long tail cast-on and it was much more flexible.

Knitting Lies

And I really mean it. I am knitting a cardigan from Cherry Tree Hill Oceania. A merino boucle yarn. I bought the put up over a year ago and it was around 1600 yards. It literally took HOURS to wind into useable cakes. I was petrified that if I screwed up it would be a mess to rip. Fortunately that is not the case, because here's what I got as I started the back.


See the big streak of gray right in the middle. Attractive no? I know what you're thinking.....why the heck didn't the idiot knit with two balls? Well, the bad news is that the idiot was so paranoid about ripping boucle, that she DID knit from two different balls. Yes, indeedy, and that is what I got. Charming? Then look down a little farther....see the hole?



Right here.

Now it isn't like I wasn't checking as I was knitting along. But all of a sudden there is a hole. Not a dropped stitch, but I somehow did a M1 without knowing it. There was nothing I could do. Fortunately, for all concerned, meaning me, the M1 occurred below the gray clump. I ripped to the hole without too many tears, and began again. And how far along was I? See the stitch marker? That's where the armhole shaping began. (I always mark the point where some change takes place, so I can compare the other pieces.) I was already making the arm scythe (I always wanted to use that word) shaping. Now I have to hope that I didn't choose a too small size. I am making the medium because the large seemed to be sized out to be enormous.

It has not been a satisfying knitting month.

And Elvis has just left the building!

With apologies to Kemtee:



Dancin' with Lord Stanley again.

"Just shut up!" Thursday.

With apologies to Mike (Greenberg) and Mike (Golic) ESPN radio's irrepressible drive time duo, from whom this is a complete ripoff, I'd like to start a new tradition..."Just Shut Up Thursday". You get to vote for whomever you'd like to "just shut up!" (Gah! That was horrible to write. Still isn't great! Maybe I should "just shut up!")

1) Our girl Nancy, for her ever shifting story, six at last count, of what she knew when.
2) Joe "Loose Lips" Biden, before he reveals BO's "tighty-whitey" size.
3) Arlen "No-Cred" Spector, who neglected to mention, until now, after 30 years in Congress, that our intelligence agencies lie. (You mean the way congress people lie, Arlen?)

I wish I had a prize, but alas, I don't. Maybe I can figure that out in future weeks. Vote your choice for the "Just Shut Up" Award for this week.

Some things I think, I think ...

To my friends in the San Francisco area: I'll make a deal with you...you get Pelosi out of the Congress, and I'll work to get that old gas bag John "we're all racists" Murtha out. Granted it will be a little tougher for me because I don't live in his district. But if there is any way I can get the stupid out of the water in Altoona/Johnstown, I'll do my best.

To Janet "Memory" Pelosi from the CIA: Game on!

To the Carolina Hurricanes from our beloved Pittsburgh Penguins: Game on!

To Gary Bettman, Commissioner of the NHL: You'll never improve the visibility of the NHL if you only give playoff television rights to that bastion of ultimate cagefighting, Versus. Not even all the fans who are interested will be able to see the games. You, sir, are an incomparable idiot.

To Bottom Line Books: By now you should have heard [again] from the representative from our attorney general. Pick up the clue phone and leave us alone. Changing your "business model", from the "scam and badger" approach, might be something to consider.

To the representative from the Attorney Generals office: You, sir, are a gentleman. I truly appreciate your time in speaking with me and helping our family. Hopefully, this will be the last time we interact, but not because you weren't anything but helpful and considerate.

To the young woman at Wegman's checkout: You really made my day yesterday. When you said you remembered me, I was worried at first. (I like paper bags--before anyone gasps, we recycle our newspapers in paper bags--for most of my groceries, and plastic for my rotisserie chicken and leaky olives. So I'm kinda a PIA.) But when I said "Oh oh." You said that you remembered me because I was so nice to you. You weren't feeling well, and that I had been really nice. Not only is that a relief, it's a little shocking what with grocery prices and all, but Wegman's is kinda easy to handle really because most of the employees are truly nice too. Thanks! I'll make sure to get your name next time. And good luck on your graduation. Much success for your future. Hope you'll be working at Wegman's for a while longer.

To Wegman's: Thanks for the cool reusable bags. Even I remember to bring them (when I don't need paper). This is my favorite, the grapes. They also have peas and a tomato print.

In the never ending....

... parade of bizarreness that is my life--take a look at my calendar.



Pretty no? I do have a "thing" for carousels. Always have. In fact my husband refuses to go to amusement parks with me because the only ride I really like (and that doesn't make me nauseous) is the carousel. Especially if it is an original Dentzel Carousel like at Kennywood Park .....but I digress. Because there is nothing too weird about this right?












Here is the weird part:



Do you see it?








Look closer .....



Bet you don't have one of those in your month.....

Seen ....

... in our chronically balky elevator at work:

Bottom Line Books, the sequel.

You may recall that the last time we visited the drama that is Bottom Line Books... (I keep using the entire name for a reason, I want as many hits on this phrase as possible), with the assistance of our attorney general, we got a pre-paid label to send back the "books" my MIL was sent "on approval". (The only approval we can assume here is Bottom Line Book's approval.) Well she couldn't wait to seal up that mess and send everything back. You'd think that would be the end of it, right? Au contraire...... Yesterday she received a letter that stated that she sent back ONLY ONE of the books. Those black-hearted wretches are trying to outright scam an elderly lady. I told her to ignore the letter. They are not going to do anything for a $20 (or whatever) book. But of course, being a daughter of the depression, she is "nervous". I am considering contacting the rep in the attorney general's office directly, and then filing a harassment complaint in Wright County Iowa, the "location of record" for this "business". To contact them directly means another loopy conversation with the Moonie-like (remember the Moonies?) call center operator. It appears that this is simply another part of their process. They get the books back and claim one is missing. How convenient is that? Sheesh.

Dear Reader ...

....I am here to apologize for my poor judgment in voting (numerous times) for that incomparably selfish individual Arlen Specter. I, who gets the creepin' eeps from anything ideologic, kinda liked that he was a loose cannon. However, I didn't anticipate his selfishness and gutless behavior. When he caved and voted for the "Oink" bill, I wrote him an email that said something like, you tossed all PA under the bus, and that I hoped he had enjoyed his time in the Senate, because he lost both my respect and support. He (his office) wrote back with a long winded explanation that he didn't like it, but it was the best they could do yada, yada. As if doing "nothing" was not a viable option. (It was and still is, IMHO.) Then I heard him trying to explain his position on some news program, and it hit me, he was clearly scared....really scared, and saw this as the only way he could do "something". That capped it for me. Being in the Congress, much like being a teacher, is not for the faint of heart. I coach grad students, who are teaching, and I often give them pep talks that start with something like "teaching is not for wimps and weenies". You have to be able to stand up to criticism, both fair and not. Arlen has lost his nerve. So when he was faced with what is beginning to look like an insurmountable challenge to his seat, enhanced by his very unpopular vote, he bailed. I can't think of an insult bad enough for what I think he has done to the residents of this state. As for the red herring excuse that that the Republican Party is getting too conservative, well ask the true Regan conservatives, and then duck. John McCain would never have been nominated by a truly conservative party. Huckabee would have been the nominee in a conservative party. How dumb do they think the public really is. Or is this just noise for the lap dog news media to bark about? I am not enchanted. (Sorry I couldn't help myself.)

So, yet again, I find myself in the position of having to change my voting status from "unaffiliated" to Democratic, in order to vote against Arlen in next year's primary. And I don't care who the other candidates happen to be. Anyone is more deserving of this Senate seat....are you hearing me Arlen?

I feel better now....on to knitting. I became exhausted by all my forever and a day projects, so I took a lead from another blog I read and whipped up this....


Crofter's Cowl (Rav link, sorry). The very cool thing about this cowl is that the points face each other. The uncool (for some people) is that the way you achieve this is by knitting it in two parts and grafting in the middle. Since I am not "afeered" of kitchener stitch (can't be a weenie and be a knitter either), I went ahead and it turned out beautifully. The yarn is elsebeth lavold's incomparable Silky Cashmere (55% Silk, 45% Cashmere), and I used about all of three skeins (44/skein). This is precisely the reason I chose this cowl. I had limited yardage. The color is a very beautiful "wine" color, that is not reflected in my photo.

I loved this pattern so much I immediately made a second one (no photo) for a friend who has lost an enormous amount of weight, and is now chilly all the time. For that I used a lonely skein of bulky alpaca from Knitpicks. It doesn't look like they have it anymore. It isn't a firm bulky, so it worked out very well. Some of the comments in Rav indicate that folks had trouble getting the points to align. I had no such difficulty.