Wheat Weaving

As I mentioned, we had a class in wheat weaving at the April Daughters of Norway meeting. The instructors left me with some unused wheat and a spool of thread so I could make some things to sell at Norway Day. I made a few angels and men.

Here's my set-up: wheat that has been soaking in water, a pan & wet towel to keep the straw wet, buttonhole thread, scissors, a ruler, an instruction book, and my samples. You also need a spray bottle to keep the wheat damp as you work. The unused wheat stays covered with a towel. It is helpful to cut a bunch of lengths of thread ahead of time.

The first and most important thing you learn is the clove hitch, the knot which is the basis for wheat weaving. Hopefully it is correct in this photo:

The first thing you make is the angel's wings, using four 4" lengths of straw. Tie a clove hitch around the straws, move it to the center, and pull it tight, then make an overhand knot, and trim the ends. Set the wings aside back under the damp towel. (Eight straws also make very nice wings, but stick to four if you are making a man.)

Next, make the body. Cut eight 8" lengths of straw. Tie a clove hitch around them, move it to the middle, pull tight, tie another knot, and leave the tails, they will become a hanger. Fold the straws in half, then tie another clove hitch to form the head. Tie another knot, and trim it.

Next, separate the straws to make a front and back of eight straws. Put the wings in between the two groups. Push them up tight to the head. Tie a clove hitch around all the straws below the wings, and push it up tight. Make another knot and clip the ends.

Finally, tie the two strands at the top together for the hanger, and trim the ends of the straws. Cut them at an angle. You can make the wings and the skirt flare by cutting different lengths. I also just gathered all the straws in the skirt together and cut straight across, it looks nice, too.


To make a man instead of an angel, simply separate the straws into "legs" of eight straws and tie.

The heads were so beautiful, I didn't want to waste them. I made some love knots which are just braided lengths knotted and tied together.

Sheep

These guys are getting sheared next week at the zoo. I'm hoping to catch the drop spindle demonstration, but is going to be awfully near nap time.

Sleeve Set Back

I have been working on the Fana sleeves here and there. I was just thinking it is cool that I didn't do one at a time and have the task of a whole other one to do ahead of me. Plus, I don't have to trust my notes, I will be sure they match. Then I put one that is 12" long off dpns and onto a circular needle and put it on my arm. Oops, way too tight on forearm. Should not be tight.

So I will be ripping. My initial calculations showed that I needed to increase every 3.5 rows, so I started out doing every four, and after a while I measured, and from that point increasing every four rows should have come out perfectly. And the upper arm looks like it will be fine. It just wasn't enough increases soon enough. The other sleeve is only done through the first set of increases, so I will rip it back to the cuff and increase alternating every 3rd, then every 4th row and see how that works. Or maybe I will start doing every 3rd, and switch to every 4th.

If that fails I will rip out the cuffs, which I wanted to be snug and make them a bit bigger so that I don't have to increase so much. It's a bummer, but actually I was not that thrilled with my craftsmanship on the sleeves as compared to the body, some tight floats, so it is better this way.

Take Me Out To the Playpen

Mr. TVP and I went to a Giants game last night. It was the first time I had been to AT&T Park. After doing a lot of time at Candlestick Park, I can just say "wow". What a difference. It was a pleasure just to walk around the park and look at the views.

We don't go out alone too often, and we aren't trying to escape K. However, it is nice to go and just talk about adult things. We don't have a strict "no talking about the kid" policy, but sometimes it is an effort to remember all the other things we have in common. Sometimes going to a new place is a perfect way to just be people.

We had great seats and splurged on some ballpark food and beer. It wasn't too cold. However, everywhere we turned there were babies and toddlers. At a 7:15 pm game? Three of them across the aisle from us. It didn't spoil the evening or anything but it was ironic. We tried to go and have some time to ourselves and couldn't stop talking about kids.

We left the game early and took the streetcar home. K. was really happy to see us and had had a good time with Grandma & Grandpa. I'm going to check into the Giants Stitch & Pitch event on July 22nd. It is so easy to get there and back. The train stops on our corner, goes downtown, and stops right at the ballpark.

Bloggers and Blogs

I've been thinking a lot about blogs lately, since I am trying to "Blog 365" and because I have found so many knitters lately. First I have to apologize. I am a bad "commenter". I just don't make as many comments on other people's blogs as I should. Sometimes I'm a week late and feel weird posting. Sometimes I just feel like anything I would say would sound lame. But mainly, I just don't take the time, and I apologize for that.

Second I've been thinking about the relationship between bloggers and their readers, and the similarities and differences to friends and acquaintances in "real life". For instance, I love The Pioneer Woman - her sense of humor, her photography and the fact that she pokes fun at herself. I am a vegetarian, and her family raises cattle. No problem, I thought. Virtually none of my friends are vegetarians, I'm allowing my son to eat meat, I occasionally purchase meat for my husband. People can agree to disagree.

I've changed my mind, though. She used to be a vegetarian, but she didn't really have a reason for it. I guess if I felt she could understand why people choose to be vegetarian that would be one thing. But somehow I feel she is dismissing vegetarians. I could be totally wrong. But, it just doesn't feel right anymore to read about branding and castrating calves. I know it's only part of her life and blog, but the treatment of animals is one of the reasons I'm a vegetarian.

Another issue that comes up is religion. I kind of approach it like my vegetarianism. It's a choice I have made. If asked I will explain the reasons why I don't eat meat. I don't try to convert or make people think they are wrong, but I would me happy to support someone in eating less meat. Similarly I can tolerate different religious views as long as people don't say their way is the only way and everyone else is going to hell.

I know that several of the blogs I enjoy are written by people much more conservative than I am. Just as with some of my friends and relatives in real life, there are things we don't agree on. My Grandma Buike said you don't have to be Christian to be a good Christian. We should strive to be the best we can be to each other, regardless of who we think God is.

There are a couple blogs I waffled about, religion-wise. I knew their beliefs were much more fundamental than mine, but I thought that was okay. But this is not real life. In real life I am willing to put up with certain things to preserve the peace. But blogs, I don't have to read them. I can no longer read the blogs of people who think that gays are sinners. I strongly believe that some people are gay, and are born that way. They are not making a choice. They are not sinners any more than the rest of us are. And we all are. This is a big issue in the Lutheran Church right now.

It's too bad, I have really enjoyed these blogs, and appreciate people who put themselves out there and share themselves, their time, and their families. But I don't want anyone I know to think that I approve of their views. And I won't keep reading "to keep track of what 'those people' think". That's disrespectful, in my opinion.

Bike Quilt

Here is the quilt block I made for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition quilt project.
Mr. V.P. says it looks like I got a message from outer space. Um, well, yes it is supposed to be a bit abstract.

It was fun doing a bit of embroidery and applique. I did a some sketching before I got the background fabric in the mail. I had several ideas around flying, so the fabric made the decision.

Karma

I've been Freecycling a bunch of stuff lately. Well, Karma has paid me back. I was on the right Ravelry forums at the right time, twice in the past week. I received a drop-spindle and some Icelandic roving from the moderator, no less, of Yarncycle. I've really got the itch to learn how to spin. The kind Marlowe gifted me with a ball of Licorice Stick-colored Wildfoote. I'm thinking of a stranded sock, or perhaps cabled anklets. We had a good chat about spinning.

Now I need to go through my stash and see if there is anything that needs to find a new home.

I hope to have some photos tomorrow of wheat weaving and the quilt block tomorrow.

Stuff

No knitting the past couple days. I've been working on the quilt block. I've also got a gift beading project to do.

I saw on the Zoo's calendar that they are shearing the sheep on May 9th and teaching kids to use a drop spindle. I think I'll take K. and see if I can learn a thing or two.

The Sillies By the Bay

If there is a contest for worst photo, I want to submit this:

I was not trying to make a funny face. And I don't know what K.'s damage was. But the best is the bridge growing out of my head.

I rather like this one, though:

I tried and tried with the timer to get a shot of K. and me, but this was the best I could come up with.

Mmm Butter

All I'm going to say is:

1) I have a bungee cord on my refrigerator
2) Those are teeth marks
3) Both parents were within eight feet of the fridge

Joker

Well, the jogging program collapsed. My childcare is too sporadic, and Mr. Viking Princess's schedule to erratic.

How ironic that this card was on the path last time. I was fooling myself that I could do something that required a routine.


I haven't totally given up. I just have to give in to the fact that it is on hold for now.

The Knitting Troll

I put the first sleeve off onto a circular needle and started the second cuff. I have to decide if I'm going to change the sleeves or not.

We had a rehearsal of our Troll play for Norway Day. It is going to be funny!

I've got to get a quilt block done this week for the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition. It will be a nice change of pace.

First Steek

Fana Progress:

I did fix the cuff error yesterday. I also cut open the sleeves and neck so I could try the sweater on. I almost cut through the back of the sweater. Whoops. Luckily "almost" doesn't count.

Here's the neck:


The sleeve openings made me nervous, some loose ends. After cutting I went back and sewed around the holes again.


There's a bit more at the KAL blog. I'm not sure about the drop shoulders.

Fana Cuff

I had actual business to do today, so I didn't work on the steeks. However, I did knit during nap time, so here is some "eye candy". I decided not to use the same star on the cuff as on the shoulder.

I really like this motif. There will be read trim covering the first three white rows.

Looks good, except for the error on the other side! Drat. I shall be ripping. Or I may drop down and pick up the correct stitch. I had to that on the body, but it was only a couple rows down.

Off and On

The body of the Fana Sweater is off the needles, but about to go back on. I did a three needle bind-off at the shoulders. I thought the ridge showing would be neat, kind of mimic the bottom, but, no. So I have to un-bind, pick up, and bind off one shoulder.

Hopefully I'll get that done tonight and be able to get the to the sewing machine and reinforce all the steeks tomorrow. I'm anxious to cut it open try it on.

Sweater Progress

I just finished the body of my Fana Sweater. Hope to jump right in and start the sleeves tomorrow.

Senior Prom

Remember when I was looking for my 1987 senior prom photo, and I had to show you silly ones of my hair instead?

I came across the photo today while looking for quilt fabric.

Here you have it:


Me and Joe (wherever you are) at the 1987 Lowell High School Senior Prom. We went to Disneyland the next day.

I still have that dress in my closet if you want to borrow it. Jessica McClintock silk size 14. It was also my first wedding dress. No, not at Disneyland, and no, not to Joe. But that's another photo and a story for another day.

Somebody's Baby

We have our share of homeless people in San Francisco. While it is not as bad as downtown, there are quite a few in our neighborhood, and many of them live in Golden Gate Park. I don't give money directly to panhandlers, but have given donations to groups that help the poor and homeless.

I do have sympathy for these people. I have never been homeless, but I have gone through tough financial times due to unemployment and illness of a spouse. Fortunately I have family and friends who were able to loan me money and or feed me so I never lost my apartment. I feel for the homeless, I wonder if they are just alone in the world and don't have anyone to help them get back on their feet.

Of course, some are battling more than the loss of a job, they are fighting addictions, or other demons. I can't fathom getting to a place in my life where I would just give up fighting and decide to live on the streets. Can you imagine the loss of dignity? Having to beg for money? What it is like to be afraid to go to sleep because someone might steal your things or beat you for no reason?

I really have mixed feelings. It makes me angry that I can't walk through parts of the park because it is filled with filth that campers have left behind. When I'm sitting in a restaurant I don't want someone begging me for money anymore than I would want a Girl Scout to try to sell me cookies.

Today K. and I got on the streetcar and heard a horrible commotion. Someone was leaning out the back door making awful noises that sounded like vomiting. Another person was holding on to him. Most of the passengers in the back half of the car looked horrified. I stopped short and turned K.'s attention onto something out the window.

After a couple minutes I saw a single person stagger off the train. He was wearing shorts and had enormous bandages wrapped around his legs up to his knees. His legs were swollen and I could see purple above the bandages. I watched him limp to a signpost and lean against it, head down. Turns our the awful sounds I heard were not from retching, and the other passenger wasn't helping him be sick. He was screaming in pain, and the other person was trying to help him down the steps and off the train.

It reminded me of something a co-worker said many, many years ago when we were talking about the homeless. Isn't it a wonder to think that every person was once someone's precious little baby? That people that others think of as trash were cuddled and loved and were the center of attention and their parents had hopes and dreams for them. I think about that often. I know there are unwanted children, but many of these are given in adoption to parents who think they are precious.

So I was sad as the train pulled away leaving the lost and suffering soul on the corner. I did the only thing I could think of. I gave my precious little baby boy a big hug and kiss.

A True Story

Once there was a 39-year-old woman. She happens to be a blogger who complains about her life too much, although not nearly as much as she would like to. She has an intense almost two-year-old who still cannot sleep for more than a couple hours a time. He is wonderful and gives kisses and says "I love you", but that is not always appreciated at 3:30 am. This woman is still getting used to being a mom. Perhaps she just had too many years of freedom. She is not used to the utter lack of independence that comes with having a child. She is not used to being at home so much after working from the age of 16 until three years ago. And by home, I mean a two bedroom apartment with small garage space that also is home-base for a general contracting business.

She has her share of normal problems. Family squabbles and the like. She can be emotional at times. She believes in a good cry and that things will look better in the morning.

One day this woman had a particularly rough time. She woke up just feeling "off" and wishing she could stay in bed. Not an option. Toddler to take care of, swimming lesson at 10:00. She found a to-do list from her husband and business partner on the two square feet of a dresser that is her office space. Add that to her personal to-do list, and the housework to-do list, and you get one long list. She started to attack the list. One item was to move fax machine over with the other office equipment. The toddler helped. It was accomplished with much untangling of cables and cords, swearing, and a little sweating.

Swimming went fine, and the toddler fell asleep on the way home. He sleeps fairly well in the truck. Unfortunately the woman forgot, for the first time ever, her knitting bag, so she was prepared to eat her lunch and just hang out in the truck for almost two peaceful hours. Well, the little guy woke up after an hour, she rushed him into the house and into bed so he could finish his nap and she could knit. To no avail. He would not go back to sleep. Guilt-inducing bad parenting ensued. It is a well-know fact that missing one hour of nap time leads to at least two hours of crankiness in the evening. Perversely, it does not lead to going to bed earlier, and actually causes difficulty time sleeping. The rest of the day was looking bad.

Grandma came over and played with the kid. The husband came home to help with one item from the to-do list, pulling the last items together for the taxes and doing a rough run-through. They worked on that together and found very bad news. More money owed than previously thought.

The bedtime was not pleasant, and downright frustrating. Finally the toddler went to sleep. The mom tried to get up from next to him to go decompress by knitting or reading or watching t.v. Every time she got up the kid would wake up and cry. She couldn't read in bed because the husband was sleeping. She was not ready to go to sleep at 8:45. Finally she started to cry, quietly, with frustration. All she wanted was a little peace after a tough day. Why couldn't the kid just stay asleep?

Did her husband comfort her in her moment of need? To the contrary. He growled "I'm sick and tired of your crying all the time". The quiet sobbing turned into full on crying. Self-pity abounded. Why doesn't he understand the value of a good cry? All the time? She wished she could cry as often as she felt like it. And how can he start snoring while she's crying? She got up to get a handkerchief, the floor squeaked, the kid woke up and cried. The mom had to to laugh. Finally the kid went back to sleep and the husband gave a few consoling pats. The mom cried some more quietly and finally went to sleep. The kid just could not stay asleep that night and rolled around out of his crib kicked and talked in his sleep. Not too restful for the mom. The dad, however, snored on.

The next morning the exhausted mom dragged herself into the kitchen. She looked at her husband in a not too kindly manner. They reviewed the previous day's challenges and disappointments. She reminded him of his to-do list, the cranky kid, and his declaration of being "sick and tired of your crying." He admitted it was not the best strategy for dealing with a burned out wife. He laughed and suggested it would make a good blog story.

Wheat Weaving

We got a lesson in wheat weaving at Daughters of Norway today. I'm going to make a few more angels to sell at Norway Day next month. I'll put some photos up later.

Short Post

Friends in town today so no real post. Took them to the Zoo, and thanks to K's connections, J. got to feed a bottle to the young giraffe. Yesterday K. was kissing goats in the barnyard.

Stories of Cloth

I read about the new website, Stories of Cloth, in the April/May 2008 Fiber Arts magazine. I really love all textiles, from tapestry to fabric, to embroidery and knitting. Part of it is tactile, part of it visual. But it goes beyond that. I like to think of all the people throughout history who have woven, embellished, and made useful and decorative items. When I look at old photos I often remember the fabrics. My favorite polka dot Health-Tex shirt, the black "Heidi" cape with red trim.

To quote the website:

Textiles accompany us throughout life's journey; wrapped as we enter the world, and covered when we leave.

The premise of the project is to explore how memories are tied to cloth. The artists have put together an exhibition, and readers are encouraged to submit their own stories and photos.

Wrong Place Right Time

I don't know how much was on the national news, but the Olympic Torch came through here today.

I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. On one hand it's the Olympics, which is about sports and unity. On the other hand I think China should take its hands off Tibet. It guess it's hard to separate the athletes from their home countries, from the Games' host country, and governments from citizens. I think protests should have been allowed, but the torch is sacred, somehow, to keep people from seeing it was wrong. It's sad that the City had to spend so much money to have it come through here.

We went out for a walk in Golden Gate Park this afternoon. At 19th Avenue a bunch of police motorcycles came through, at first I thought they were returning from a funeral. Then they stopped traffic. I had read that the torch's route had changed, maybe it was going through the park? I kicked myself for not having my camera along. A crowd gathered and a woman standing next to us called home to check the news. Turns out all the security was just escorting the torch and all the associated folks to the airport.

It was fun for K. There were well over a hundred police motorcycles, big buses, little buses, and an ambulance. We waved. (I don't care what side the people were on. They are in our city and we wave at tourists. It's what we do. Okay, I wouldn't wave at Charles Manson.) But best of all were the helicopters. We counted a total of seven. I feel for people who waited several hours to see the torch come through only to find out the route was changed. But for us it was a nice diversion with helicopters!. And we can say we saw the bus that carried the Olympic Torch through San Francisco in 2008.

Wishbone Lace Socks

I present my wishbone lace socks. I designed them myself using Ann Budd's "Getting Started Knitting Socks". It is basically her eight-stitch-to-an-inch recipe with three repeats of "centered wishbone lace", also from her book, on the outside of each sock.

Here are some of the troubles I had getting started.

I guess I could have continued two reps of the lace down the top of the foot. Live and learn.

I love these socks. They are comfortable. And the colors are perfect for me, as I wear blue jeans and a pick top more often than not.

Nøstepinne

I got a nøstepinne from Norway and thought I would try my hand at winding this yarn into a ball.


A nøstepinne is a "stick" you use to wind a "nest" of yarn. I found these instructions, and you can buy nøstepinner from these people, too.

My first attempt was undone before I got too far in, it was just wrong. If a nøstepinne is a Norwegian ball-winder, then this child could be called a Norwegian-American ball un-winder.

The second attempt went a bit better after I fought and fought with the skein. Usually I have my husband hold the skein and I wind the yarn. Kind of old fashioned, feel like we should be in rocking chairs, but I'll take any quality time I can get. The skein always gets tangled, though, and this one was worse than usual. For one thing I was hanging it on a chair, plus I just don't have the hang of handling a skein.

Here is my first full attempt. It is worse than it seems. The "nest" is supposed to end up flat on the top and bottom, not round. I also lost the end inside, so when I rewound the ball I had to pull from the outside which was annoying.


The second attempt is somewhat better looking, at least it is flat one one side. And I was able to pull from the center without too much trouble when I gave it one last shot.


And this is my third and final attempt. It was actually the hardest to do, the yarn kept slipping to the bottom, but it is relatively flat on both sides and can be pulled from the center. My main problem is I get lazy and stop moving the pinne with my left hand while I wind with my right. I also think I'm not winding a long enough base at the start. I definitely enjoy winding the yarn this way and with some practice I should improve.

Need photos

We went back up to the Russian River today. I got to knit a bit on the sweater. I practiced winding yarn with my nostpinne this afternoon.

I just need to get some photos taken and I will have actual knitting content here.

Swam Dive

I had to go to the first rehearsal of our troll play at a "sister's" house in the Haight. Parking there is hard, and I like to be "green", so I decided to take the streetcar. I put $1.50 in my pocket, closed the front gate and heard the train coming. I ran to catch it and all of a sudden I was lying in the street. I jumped up, gathering what change and dignity I could off the asphalt. I looked up and the driver hadn't opened the front door but he was still sitting there. I pressed the button, got on, set down my bag (turns out a felted bag is pretty sturdy) and dug for the rest of the change I needed.

I went to put it in the machine and see the "out of service" sign. My ride was free. Jackpot. Ignore fact that the driver, who I had had a short "Here. Thank you" conversation with just the day before, does not turn to make eye contact. Walked through the unusually crowed car without making eye contact, sit down, and surreptitiously assess the damage. Palms are not bleeding. Get out knitting to insure eye contact will not have to be made. Notice hole in jeans. Thank heavens I only buy Levis on sale, not $150.00 jeans. Hands shaking too much to knit. Pull out book of baby hats. Peek through hole to make sure I'm not bleeding profusely.

Get to my stop. Get up to the door and ignore two or three people staring. Saunter to the corner so as not to have to pass in front of driver. No luck, many people getting on. Try to limp nonchalantly.

The rehearsal was fun. I need to make a viking cloak and maybe shoes. Two items I've been needing for my costume anyway.

Educating Duncan

K.'s favorite engine listening to K.'s favorite story:

The baby doll, skunk, and bear also get to hear stories. Apparently their are all far-sighted, because they are generally placed almost against the page of the book.

Happy Trails

Actually "Happy Roads". I gave my road bike away today. She had several thousand miles on her. We rode around Tucson literally, and across 480 miles of Alaska, not to mention mile after mile of training in Marin and down the Peninsula. Several Cinderellas. A couple of Grizzly Peaks and Grizzlies.

Here we are at closing ceremonies of the Alaska AIDS Vaccine Ride. We rode in snow for the first and only time that week. There is plastic wrapped around the saddle because the freezing temperatures caused the gel in the saddle to melt into a liquid.

I don't ride anymore. I know I could just as easily go ride for 45 minutes instead of jogging 45 minutes, but that's not enough time, at least on the road bike. It takes me that long just to warm up. When I do start to ride again it will be on my comfy pink bike with K. in a kid's seat.

I almost teared up when I was cleaning her off, but it is for the best. She's just hanging next the the clothes dryer and I feel sad that I can't ride anymore every time I see her. It will be a long time before I get to ride enough miles a week to justify having such a fancy bike. And I do hope to get back into riding some day. I want to ride across the U.S. For now I have to be satisfied that there will be enough room on the bike rack so that I can actually pull the other bike down and use it from time to time. And a woman whose bike was stolen can continue with her training for the AIDS Life Cycle. (Edited to add: She just emailed to say she named the bike "Sunshine")

When I was digging for that photo I found an envelope with all my ride patches and a couple numbers. I don't remember what ride this was from but it must have been a cold one because the paper is totally intact, must have been on my jacket, not a sweaty jersey.


It also must have been a ride in the country. Here's what's written under the number:

Laundress

The most notable thing about today is that I was doing laundry at home and at the laundromat simultaneously. Spring cleaning.

I finished the socks, but haven't blocked them yet.

Book Review - O Pioneers!

Here's another book about the Nebraska praries and people trying to tame them: O Pioneers! by Willa Cather. A big difference between it and "Giants in the Earth" is that Alexandra loves the land.

Usually I advocate reading the introduction to books first, but I wish I hadn't in this case. The Penguin edition has a very scholarly introduction by Blanche E. Gelfant that reminds me of papers I had to write in college comparing Gabriel Garcia Marquez to William Faulkner to Alice Walker. I don't so much mind that the plot was given away as that I wish I could have made my own impressions about things like Alexandra and Carl's relationship on my own instead of them being shaded by Gelfant's talk of what "friends" means. This is the kind of book that warrants being read over again and dissected, so now I will read the introduction again.

Alexandra has to take over the farm when her father dies, because her father knows that she is better suited than her two brothers. She has great vision and leads the family through hard times, and is like a mother to her third, youngest brother. There is drama and, in my opinion melodrama. The book is so full of imagery about the land. Cather manages to tell a story, paint vivid pictures of the land, and let us inside the characters heads (some more than others). I especially enjoyed the comparisons of the Swedish immigrants to the French and Bohemian.

I will not say more because you can read much better reviews at Amazon. I look forward to reading more by Will Cather.

(This is in our Anna K. library)

Freecycle

Just a post to say how much I love Freecycle.

I come from a family who keeps stuff. We have specific collections, like model trains, plus we keep an overabundance of other things, "for a rainy day". I got these genes from both sides of the family, so it is a constant battle for me to keep "stuff" from controlling me. It's really tough now that we live in an apartment with virtually no garage storage. The office/sewing room was turned into K.'s room, so our living and dining rooms now contain all that stuff, while K.'s room has some of my sewing stuff in it. There is nowhere to put his clothes and toys as he grows out of them. Did I mention we are running a general contracting business out of the small piece of garage we have? I feel very cramped. Part of it is the space, but part is that I have a lot of stuff.

Yes, I could just take bags of stuff to Goodwill or Salvation Army, and we do that from time to time. I also give things to the Daughters of Norway and church rummage sales. But, storage is an issue, and sometimes things just need to go when I get the courage to get rid of them. It's hard to explain if you don't suffer from this condition. Here's an example. A few years ago I was dieting, cycling, and running. The exercise took up a lot of my free time. I was by no means skinny, but at my lowest weight ever. At that time I bought a suit. Now that suit doesn't fit and there is no way I can devote enough time to exercising so that it will. A normal person sees a suit that's too small in the closet and gets rid of it. They don't keep it as a kind of torture device, reminding themselves every time they see it (daily) that they've gained weight, and that they don't get to cycle anymore.

And here are the excuses I had for keeping the suit in the closet: it is too new, only worn a few times; it cost x dollars; maybe when K. is in preschool I'll be able to exercise more. Finally the voice of reason kicks in: it will be out of style eventually; I've had a baby and am 39, there is no guarantee the suit will fit again even if I lost a bunch of weight; maybe someone really needs it.

Here's where Freecycle helped. I came to terms with the fact that I needed to get rid of some clothes, and should post them so that I would know that someone who really needed them would get them (yes, I know people really need the clothes at Goodwill, but I would never just stick that suit in a bag, and I might be tempted to pull it out before I ever got to Goodwill). Lo and behold I was reading the postings and someone needed dress clothes in my size. We got in touch, I gave her the suit and a few others things. Win-win. She got stuff she needed for free, I have more room in my closet, and the things are actually being used.

I wouldn't say that I'm a true compulsive hoarder, but I have have the tendencies. It's hard to get rid of things, like my old sleeping bag. Things become too special. I'm not talking about truly special things, like inherited jewelry, or the tablecloth Grandma embroidered. I'm talking about regular stuff. Never mind that we have newer sleeping bags, enough for the whole family. Never mind that it is taking up valuable space in the closet. The sleeping bag is full of memories of past camping trips and nights staying up late on the sofa watching movies. I have to come to grips that those memories aren't going away just because the bag goes away (and it is!). Plus it is still a useful sleeping bag.

Again, Freecycle lets that bag get used and gives me a little more closet space. And I don't have to leave the house, toting the kid, to get rid of it. The recipient comes to me.

It also works the other way. Sometimes you need an item but don't necessarily want to pay for it or care that it is brand new. I got a playmat from a family who had just installed carpet in their kid's room. But for someone like me it is better to stick to offering stuff. And, like everywhere, there are flakes on Freecycle. My first experience was bad. People not showing up, etc. But now I know that I need to be specific about the times I am available, and get people's phone numbers right off the bat. As time goes by you also get a feel for people.

So, Freecycle and groups like it are a good thing. Junk stays out of the landfill. People get things they want or need for free. Others get space freed up, in their closets and minds.

Spring at Russian River

We took a drive to the Russian River area today. I got to work on the lace sock, and should have the pair ready to show tomorrow.

Spring has sprung at the river. We walked over the old bridge.


And down to the park.


The sprouts on this tree are amazing.


The branches are covered with lichen, and the tree still looks dead, but you can't stop Spring.

Book - Giants in the Earth

I've been reading an awful lot of books that take place in the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Iowa lately. Some of them are pioneer tales, others modern mysteries. I am really curious about the land. I already have the Black Hills of South Dakota on the list of places I want to visit, because my mother was born there. Now I want to see the prairies, too. I know they won't be like the books, they are probably huge corporate farms now, and the little towns won't have dirt roads and aren't little anymore.

Most recently I read "Giants in the Earth" by O.E. Rolvaag. I've been having trouble figuring out what to say about it. Yes, I liked it, could barely put it down, but...I can't express it. I think this part of the introduction explains it. "Rolvaag is primarily interested in psychology, in the unfolding of character; the native American writer is primarily interested in plot and incident. Rolvaag is preoccupied with the human cost of empire building, rather than with its glamour and romance."

I realize that the book is about the people, but I guess I need to see the land more to understand what they were thinking. I need to feel the place. The book is about America but was originally written in Norwegian by Rolvaag, a Norwegian immigrant. The forward and introduction discuss this fact extensively. I wish I knew Norwegian so I could read the original, I think it would make a difference.

I've been struggling for days to write this and I'm not sure why. It's not because the story and ending are quite harsh, it's because of the characters. Beret is ill-suited to the hardships of pioneer life, and deals with it with religious fervor. Her husband knows of her depression, doesn't understand it, and that's it. I guess I can't relate to that kind of marriage or situation. And the concept of empire building and taming the earth. I just have a different point of view about that.

Grammar Police

I've been seeing a lot about grammar on the internet lately. Kerflop acknowledges that she has a problem with who's and whose. Craigslist is full of Spelling and Grammar Police who correct people constantly. Now there's a thread about grammar on Ravelry which has garnered 425 responses so far in twenty-four hours.

First off, let me say I am a bad speller and always have been. Thank heavens for spell-check, I don't have to pull out the dictionary so often, and if I do, it's online. Second, I used to have very good grammar and punctuation. I was proud of it. I was the go-to proofreader in the office. However, I had to work to remember all the rules, and now I have gotten a bit rusty, not to mention foggy-headed in general as I age and parent. (I just had to look up it's and its. The problem is I know that "it's" is a contraction for "it is", but I can't get my mind around "its" being possessive because most possessives have an apostrophe, for example "the dog's bone"). I know there are errors in my previous blog postings, and I catch and fix them from time to time.

The Ravelry poster says that it bothers her when people use poor grammar because sometimes it makes it hard for her to understand posts. She goes on to offer many examples of correct/incorrect usage. On one hand she is saying this is her pet peeve, but on the other hand she is basically telling people they are uncaring when they use poor grammar, and she wants to help them. In addition, to me, the tone of the message is condescending due to some of the phrases she uses. But that brings up another issue, that you can't "hear" a person's tone over the internet.

I don't have time to read all the responses, but it looks like many, many people, though not all, agree with her. A few years ago I might have, too. I never would have corrected a person's blog or Craigslist posting, but errors definitely bug me, and influence how I perceive people. I admit I thought people were lazy. But these days I've loosened up. I've come to realize there a lot of reasons people's writing is not always perfect.

• Some people can't type quickly or well.
  
• For me, it's hard for me to see errors on the screen. I catch many more when I have the printed paper in front of me.
  
• Others may not have had the benefit of as good or as lengthly an education as others of us.
• There are cultural and age differences. People say "where you at?". That's the way they speak. It's like "ain't". Language evolves. Things that were "wrong" to some become acceptable over time.
  
• English grammar and spelling rules just don't always make sense. Some people give up, or do the best they can.
• It is just harder for some people to remember these "rules". Just like math or chemistry is easy for some, hard for others. The internet is public, so those with trouble with grammar are more visible, than those, like me who struggled with Physics class, for instance.
  

But the main reason is my husband. He hired me to help him with setting up his computer and business. We met in person, we spoke over the phone a few weeks later, and he interviewed me in person. I was impressed by his business plans and knowledge of building. However, if he had emailed me I would have thought something very different, because he cannot spell. He is dyslexic. He has beautiful, engineer's handwriting, but the content appears to be from a schoolchild. Sometimes I don't understand what he's trying to say!

You know what? I can understand most postings that use "to" instead of "too" or "who's" instead of "whose". I think if you focus on the errors you get hung up. Just read it. These are brief messages about topics you are interested in. They are not novels or the Declaration of Independence. They are meant to quickly express an idea, to share information. I think it's sad that a knitter might be shy to post on Ravelry because he knows his grammar is not perfect and people might jude him.

But don't get me wrong, it does bug me to see incorrect usage. I think that actual publications should use correct grammar. I am amazed at how many errors I find in the newspaper. I guess as someone who graduated from high school in 1987 I wonder why poor grammar is so rampant, instead of blaming people for it. I am worried that grammar is not being emphasized at school anymore. I know writing essays and papers isn't. I was in my first year at S.F. State in about 1999 and was horrified that an upper division instructor had to waste my time with a session about how to write papers. I first learned this in Middle School. I guess things have gotten worse since then.

My point is: try to be open-minded about language. It is constantly evolving. It is a way to communicate, and if you can understand what a person is saying, is a misspelled word such a big deal?

My Kid is Talking

This wasn't planned to be a mommy blog, but I am a mom, so...

Did you know that blowing bubbles is a contact sport? Well, it is at our house, anyway.

In other news: Everyone said don't worry, including our doctor, but K. was only saying a few words and is 20 months old. According to the "books" he should be saying 50 words, and as of last week he was saying "ma ma", "da da", "dat", and that was about it. Actually he was saying "thank you" but we didn't realize it.

Well, in the past few weeks he has begun saying more and more. I'm relieved. Here's a video of him and his favorite new Thomas Friend, Duncan. He sleeps with Duncan under his pillow.

Bogged Down

Dear Friends,
I am bogged down at the moment. I'm behind answering email and regular mail. I'm behind on reading blogs. Behind on paperwork. Behind on housework.

The jogging is not going well this week. I'm doing it but it is really hard. I think it has to do with all the pollen in the air.

I will get back to the sweater. I just need a quiet time to sit down and figure out how I'm going to finish the top. Quiet time is something I don't get much of.

I did finish one wishbone lace sock, and am about the start the heel on the second.

So that's life at the moment.

Happy Easter

Last night I was "living the dream" as my husband calls it. Put together an Easter basket and hid eggs.

I got K. a book about Easter so he would have some idea what this morning was about. His favorite thing was Duncan, of course. He became a fixture immediately, he had to nap with K.


He liked his bunnies, too. Both plush and chocolate.


































Did you know Easter Grass could be used to decorate vehicles? K. had a unique way of opening the Easter eggs. He threw the first one on the floor, probably thinking it was a ball, and the candy came out. All the rest of them were thrown, too. The aftermath was widespread. His poor new kitty got chocolate kisses on his white face.

This sums up his feelings about Easter.

Knitting on Public Transportation

I got on the streetcar this afternoon and the only place to sit so that my right arm wouldn't be up against another person was in the back. This was dangerously close to a disheveled man with a full beard who was talking loudly to a man who was desperately untangling his ipod earphones, but I wanted to knit, and it wasn't too close, so I risked it.

Things were fine for a while, the headphone guy got up and moved, but the talker kept on talking to him. I avoided eye contact, of course. But then I hear it "is that knitting or crochet?"

"Knitting," I say.

"Yeah, crochet is different."

"Yes," I agree. And that was it.

I'm actually amazed that this guy and the one I mentioned a couple months ago know enough to see the difference. I guess they are from a different time, when their moms or grandmas knit.

Nightmares

So, we are in a new portion of the never ending sleep problems around here. Last week Dad got kicked out of bed for being too restless. The kid is still waking up every two hours or so and will not go back to sleep for dad, only me. So, my evening alone time has been derailed again. I know things were better at one point, I remember knitting and watching t.v., even seeing the occasional Letterman. On the plus side, we finally have the little dear sleeping in his crib next to our bed. On the plus, plus side at least he isn't screaming every few hours.

You know, what makes me psycho is not only the overall lack of sleep, but being awakened numerous times. I think it fries the brain to have REM interrupted. I've always been one to have vivid dreams and remember them in the morning. It's different being awakened at 2:00 to a vivid dream. Sometimes it's hard to go back to sleep (not to mention having a small child who will only sleep with his face an inch from mine grabbing me).

I often have recurring dreams about the last thing I watch on t.v. or read on the internet. Unfortunately, the last thing I read the other night was this gossip piece about George Clooney and his fictitious plastic surgery (scroll down). Not a great visual to have seared into my brain at midnight, 2:00, 3:30, and 5:00 am. He really has, well, nerve to say things like this about himself. He must be very secure in his movie star manhood.

Where's Waldo?

He's in this truck:


I guess the question should be "Where's Waldo's Head?"

Actually, make that "Why would someone keep a headless Waldo?"

Quote of the Day

I read this in "Threads" magazine:

"A garment is like armor; it's the last gate against barbarism"

The article, Fashion is Art Applied, is about Dominique Fallecker who is a great fan of Christian Lacroix. I am unclear who is being quoted, as it is not in the article, but in a sidebar.

Bobble Head Martin Luther

First a little housekeeping: Your eyes do not deceive you. Sometimes I date a post with the previous day's date because that's when I thought of the idea. Often in the evenings while I appear to be reading a rousing rendition of "The Little Engine That Could" or "Thomas' Railway Wordbook" I am actually composing blog posts in my head. Sometimes I fall asleep before getting to the computer. I believe this is within the Blogging 365 guidelines. Also, the posts are either here or on Sunset Style. Edited to add: Also, Blogger hates uploading photos for me. I have about a 10% success rate, so often start a post, but am unable to finish it until the next day.

I came across a blurb in "Thivent" magazine for oldlutheran.com. Here you can find Lutheran humor: "You might be a Lutheran If...you have more than five flavors of Jell-O in your pantry". Lutheran recipes - Tater Tot Hotdish (hmmm could I use veggie ground beef for that?). I am most intrigued by the store, though. Yes, indeed, there is a bobble-head Martin Luther, as well as temporary tattoos (!!??), and clergy girl dolls.

Check it out.

Rough Night?

I came across these my morning walk:


Now I did go out yesterday for drinks with friends. But I had my two beers in a bar, and arrived home at 6:30 with all my accessories.

Baby Curls

This is my view, pushing K around on his trike.


I can't bear to cut off those baby curls.

Junk Buffet

Is it just around here or do men in general have to take up us much room with their stuff as possible?

One example is cooking. I tend to get everything out that I will need, and put things away after I use them. Use a bowl to beat eggs, rinse it out it and put in the sink. Use the flour sifter, put it away. That way at the end there isn't as much to clean up. The other adult in this house is a great, creative, cook but he takes everything out, uses it, leaves it out and has a big mess to clean up after the meal.

Another example is job sites. I've worked on a few with him. Again, everything gets spread all around. One of my jobs is to organize and clean up at the end of the day. Put tools back in bags, put all the painting materials together, etc. I don't have job sites, I can only compare it to a big sewing project. Again, I tend to clean up as I go. Finish cutting the pattern, through the scraps away, etc.

I wonder two things. First, does one way of working or the other really save time? I think staying organized and keeping the field clear makes the job go faster. I can see the argument, though, that it is faster just to plow through and get things done. And that you risk putting something away only to have to take it out again. I don't like cleaning, I think that's why I clean as I go, that way there isn't a huge clean-up looming.

Second, is it some kind of male territory-marking thing? Or are there women out there who work with all their stuff spread out, too?

The Greenlanders - Mini Book Review

I realize that I'm not doing book reviews, they are barely even mini-book reviews, but I want to share books of possible interest.

I finished "The Greenlanders" last week, and highly recommend it to people interested in Scandinavian history, and to those who just want a good read. It's tale of one family's fate in 14th century Greenland, and really Greenland's fate, too. It is bleak, but it really sucked me in. I had to force myself to go to put it down, not just because I was staying up too late reading, but I wanted to savor the story.

It was especially neat to read this after "Kristin Lavransdatter". They are both sagas in a 14th century Scandinavian setting, but so different. If life seemed rough in Kristin's world, it is downright brutal for the Greenlanders.

From the back cover:

Set in the fourteenth century in Europe's most far-flung outpost, a land of glittering fjords, blasting winds, sun-warmed meadows, and high, dark mountains, The Greenlanders is the story of one family - proud landowner Asgeir Gunnarsson; his daughter Margret, whose willful independence leads her into passisonate adultery and exile; and his son Gunnar, whose quest for knowledge is at the center of this unforgettable book. Jane Smiley takes us into this world of farmers, priests, and lawspeakers, of hunts and feasts and long-standing feuds, and by an act of literary magic, makes a remote time, place, and people not only real but dear to us.

My knowledge of Greenland was pretty sketchy, I didn't even know that Iceland was inhabited first. I bought "A History of the Vikings" by Gwyn Jones to learn more. This is a classic that has been updated several times over the years. Turns out most Icelanders where from Norway. I knew they were Scandinavian, but I didn't realize primarily Norwegian. On my shelf I already had "Vikings - The North Atlantic Saga" which answered my questions about who is in Greenland today. Don't let the bargain price at Amazon influence you. It is great book with a lot of photographs and history. The question of what happened to the last Greenlanders of European descent is still debatable.

I highly recommend "The Greelanders" and the two Viking books I mentioned.

Now I'm reading "Moo" also by Jane Smiley. A great departure from "The Greelanders".

(Anna K. Sisters - we have both Smiley books in our library)

20 years of Anna Kolbjørnsdatter Lodge

Today we celebrated twenty years of our Daughters of Norway Lodge, Anna Kolbjørnsdatter, #36. We had a catered tea party prepared by our sisters of Sigrid Undset Lodge #32.

That's the beautiful program our Cultural Director, Jill Beatty, created.

We honored our charter members, past presidents, and deceased members, each group in a special, different way. And we initiated several new members. It was a day to celebrate all the talented women, past and present, who make our organization the sisterhood it is.


At the very end, all these candles, representing deceased members were lit. Then we proceeded up to the table, each member with a flower in hand with a late sister's name on it. When we reached the front, the name was read, a candle extinguished, and the flower placed in the vase.

This year is also the 100th anniversary of the first Daughters of Norway lodges.

If you are in San Francisco at the first part of May, be sure to go to Norway Day on the 3rd and 4th. It's a fun time, and there is a lot of entertainment and things to see, do and buy. Our lodge is performing a troll play on Saturday afternoon.

Indeed

* Disclaimer - I've been debating whether I should post this or not. I do not support graffiti. I am sorry that this homeowner will have to re-paint their fence. However, I doubt that "taggers" are reading this blog and getting any validation of their actions.

Today...

I have not knit today, hope to do so tonight. Still taking a break on the sweater. I'm starting the foot of Wishbone Lace sock #1, though.

Meanwhile, here is a contest I found out about on Ravelry. I love contests, not just because of the chance of winning cool prizes, but because it leads me to knitters I haven't "met" before, not only the contest holder, but the other entrants, too.

Tracing is having a blogiversary contest. You just have to vote for your favorite of her 2007 f.o.'s and tell her your own fave f.o. Easy.

Edited to add:

Here's another great contest. Enchanted Yarn and Fiber are starting a knitting store and want some input. Mention that you heard about the contest from me, okay?

Knitting Design Contests

There are two knitting design contests that caught my eye this week.

My Ex is Full of Knit Contest invites you to use ADHDKnitting's pattern to design a bag that looks like your ex (any ex - spouse, boss, etc.). The first prize is $500 in yarn. The submission deadline in March 31st. Go take a look, the bags are funny.

You've probably heard about Think Outside the Sox, which is sponsored by XRX, which is publisher of Knitter's Magazine and books, and the organizer of the STITCHES events. This year the yarn companies have set up $500 contest categories for their products, which they judge. There is also a grand prize of $6,000, a second of $1500, and third $500. I've only done a few pairs of socks, but I really enjoy them and want to try new methods. The contest deadline isn't until January 2009, so maybe there's time to learn enough. I really like Tofutsies yarn from Southwest Trading.

Meanwhile, did you see Mason-Dixon Knitting's Teeny Project Runway? I really wanted to make an outfit for our pterodactyl puppet, "Pterry". Here's the flickr link to all the submissions.

Gossip & Socks

So I was just catching up with LaVerna and she told me that Devonshire is having a blogiversary contest. It's easy, just tell her your favorite dessert. Tell her I sent ya, okay?

Got about 8" done on the "Wishbone Lace" socks, ready to start the heel. As I was looking at the lace pattern page I had a flashback. I actually ripped one more time than I mentioned. When I was fussing about originally, unable to do the "Centered Wishbone", I started doing "Faggoting Ribs" because I didn't like the "Left-Slant Wishbone", I messed it up and ripped.

Now I'm looking at my sock and realize the wishbones are upside down compared to the chart, it doesn't matter, but, I prefer the way they look with the "v" at the bottom. Oh well, maybe I'll do sock #2 the other way.