“It” Has Been Ordered..

The order has been placed for the mysterious item to fulfill a dream. The start up cost is about the same as for a brand spanking new spinning wheel and has not one thing to do with fiber. Not one, unless I decide to cover “it” with some wool.

I ordered “it” from a very nice gentleman named Oliver. He was so very helpful and nice over the phone and also offered to help me out over the phone should I have any problems. I know what I am in for. It is said that it will take a lifetime to master, and even then, no one ever really master’s it, but becomes better. “It” is something best done when no one else is around, at least in the beginning. And “it” is something either someone really loves or really hates. There is no middle ground in this. “It” can be done anywhere within reason, public or private.

“It” should be shipping no later than early next week and should only take a couple of days to arrive here as “it” is located on the Mendocino Coast area. “It” is something to start out on and I expect to have to upgrade in at least a year or two once I become proficient. “It” is something that can be done in a group, in competition or completely alone. You can find “it” in many countries, and “it” is slightly different in each region. “It” is most famously associated with one country though. “It’s” roots go back about 4,000 years as far as history has been able to document it.

I bet that will confuse the lot of you! Guesses? Anyone?

To Live a Dream

I would like to think that I have always had somewhat of an adventurous spirit. I have gone through life thus far never fitting into a standard mold and have been quite content to do things that would raise some eyebrows now and again. These “traits” were always noticed by family members around me, even as a young child. I’ve grown up hearing myself described as unique, different, unusual, strange, weird, eccentric, and eclectic. Some might see these labels as negative, but for me, I love them. So many people go through life living the way they are expected to, as others do. Some never venture on to new paths to follow dreams that they have held secret in their hearts for years. I have several dreams that I want to follow, but as of late there is one that is consuming me and my every waking moment. The very depths of my soul is screaming for me to follow this path and it will not be denied. I am purposely being evasive as to the specifics here, but in the next week or so, I shall be following a dream that I have longed to do. Very few people know of this dream (hush Kary!!! not a word!) and quite frankly most of you will think I have completely fallen off my rocker, but I am going to do it!! (Even Spurg thought I was nuts until I explained to him that this is a dream that I have had most of my life and that when all is said and done, I want to look back and regret as little as possible. I don’t want to look back on my life and say ‘I wish I would have done that or tried this’.)

So now, I shall leave all of you in suspense. Your minds will probably work overtime to try and figure out what I am up to next and you are more than welcome to guess.. but I’m pretty sure that not a single one of you will guess correctly! I’m off to make a phone call to make an inquiry and more than likely, an order… and when it arrives, then I will tell you what it is!

Only One Day of Peace and Quiet… sigh.

Last Thursday I couldn’t bring myself to do a single thing that I didn’t have to do. Poor Spurg came home to a house where the bare minimum had been done and was given instructions to pick up some take out. I was so ready for him to give me “that look” when I confessed that I just couldn’t bring myself to do anything but lounge around and knit since I had the whole afternoon to myself. I went on to tell him that originally I had every intention of getting down and dirty with some of the things that needed to be done around here, but when I found myself alone in a quiet, peaceful house, all I could do was relax and enjoy myself. He gave me the biggest ear to ear grin and said “I hear that! Don’t worry about it, you deserved it!”

Nick came home from school on Thursday. Apparently there was a small incident at P.E. playing soccer. I was completely ready to deal with it when he asked me if I had gotten the email from his teacher. However, he was concerned with an email that wasn’t sent, the one about him not feeling well. He had complained of his throat hurting, was sent to the nurse, no fever, looked fine, sent back to class. I even checked him when he came home. No swollen glands, no fever, good color. I began to wonder silently if he was trying to get out of college day the following day, but I didn’t say a word to him about it and just let him know that I would keep an eye on him.

Just about every night, Nick plays video games with Spurg, but Thursday night, Nick didn’t feel like it. Nick actually wanted to go to bed early. As I tucked him in, I realized that he felt hot and the thermometer confirmed a 100.2 temperature. Okay, so he wasn’t trying to get out of school the next day! By Friday he was pretty miserable. Fever, chills, headache and more. It’s official, the flu is here. No fun for us since this is the third virus/cold to hit our house since Autumn. Hopefully it will end with Nick!

The weekend was pretty relaxed for all of us. Nick slept most of the time, occasionally calling for me when he needed something. As for me, I spent some time knitting. Now this was necessary as I am sure that some of you may have begun to believe that all my yarn and needles may have made off to another household that might appreciate them more. Not so! I have been trying to squeeze it in when I can, although there hasn’t been enough time to devote to it if you ask me.

Months ago, I began the Conwy sock from Nancy Bush’s Knitting on the Road. At first I began by following the pattern exactly as written and when I went to try on the sock in progress, I couldn’t get it up over my heel. I ended up frogging a couple of times as I tried different needle sizes and eventually decided just to skip the whole leg shaping process. I worked my heel flap a little longer than the instructions (2.5 inches as I like it this way), turned the heel, worked the gusset and tried that baby on. Perfect!

On to working the foot. I did discontinue the Twining rib pattern .5 inches before I began the toe shaping and worked a basic and different from the pattern toe, as I prefer it. (Or maybe I am really just a creature of habit and didn’t feel like fiddling with a different toe shaping than I am used to…)

Conwy sock in Lorna’s Laces Tuscany

One down and the other in progress! I did use most of the first skein for the finished sock, however, there was enough left over to do a little something like this….

A Keychain Sock Blocker Sock!

I used a size 1 needle for this as on the size 0 it was far too small and frustrating. I’m not completely happy with the gusset, but live and learn! I may just have to go back to the size 0 needles and cast on a couple of more stitches than the pattern calls for to get a nice, tight and hole-less gusset. Spurg thinks that this is the cutest sock that he has ever seen. (The man has a thing for miniatures, go figure.)

I Double Dog Dare You!

It’s eerily quiet here. Abnormally quiet.. even dead quiet. Everyone is gone except for myself and Jack the cockatiel who has taken it upon himself to fill the silent void. After months of noise and complete absence of peace, quiet and solitude, I have the entire house to myself. All to myself!

Spurg is at work, as usual. Sydney went back to school today (she’s year round, so she goes for 3 months and then is off for a month) and believe it or not, even Nick has returned to school. Poor Nick took a look at a few of the other programs, and after spending over a month at home, he became bored out of his mind and decided to return to his old program. He’s 18 now, so legally, it is his decision. I’ve let him know that we can give it this one last try. He’s been back for a couple of weeks now and so far so good!)

Now. What to do with myself? There are chores to be done, dishes to wash, dinner to plan and bedding to be washed. I’ve started revamping the blog and have some work still to do here with layout and appearance. However, I am inclined to do only the necessary things today and take the rest of the time to enjoy myself! I think after a couple of months with one or both kids driving me straight up the wall and a total lack of being able to have some “me” time, I completely deserve it. It’s either that or I do something crazy like go on a mom strike.

Of course, the past few months have not been completely without pleasure in one form or another. And I must have done something right in life because Karma seems to be paying me back in kind. In December, I managed to win some yummy Tussah Silk hand dyed by Delia and oh do I have some plans for it!!

This was a prize for the “For The Love of Jack” mini draw in the Raffle that Delia is running to help Dave of The Merlin Tree raise funds to pay for much needed surgery for Yukon Jack who was badly mistreated. You can read about Jack and his rescue here. For those of you who are interested in a chance to win some yummy fibery goodness, yarn or even a Hitchhiker spinning wheel, there is less than two weeks left to donate/purchase raffle tickets. So far there are only 30 people entered, so chances are good! Delia also sent out a plea yesterday asking for bloggers to post about helping Jack in an effort to spread the word. For each blog that does this, she will add another prize per blog. So go and see the goodies you could win, spread the word (don’t forget to email her.. details on her blog!) and watch the prize pot grow! Should you feel so inclined to donate, please do so!! And to put my money where my mouth is, I will be doing a second donation this very afternoon!

In January, Lisa had a bit of a Sneaky Contest on her blog. And she wasn’t kidding! All you had to do to enter was leave a comment. What she didn’t tell us was that the Grand Prize Winner would be picked from the previous post comments! But she did us right as well! Second prize was picked from the comments left for the contest and guess who one? Yep. She never gave a clue about what the prize was and when I received it I opened up a box to find this!!!

 Yummy Soft and Gorgeous Alpaca Roving from North Star Alpacas

and some beautiful stitch markers!!! Thank you Lisa!

Now it does seem like I am on some sort of winning streak here. A prize for December and a prize for January. I am only entered in one contest for February and that is For the Love of Jack Raffle. With this winning streak, I’m feeling pretty lucky for the drawing on the 15th and I have my eye on a couple of goodies over there (would be thrilled with any of the prizes though as Delia’s work is absolutely amazing!), and here is where I am going to double dog dare you. I dare you to donate/purchase just one ticket for the drawing and take those goodies away from my greedy little fiber grubbing hands. Swipe the Hitchhiker away from my dreams and keep the fibery yarn goodness from joining my beloved stash. Be the one who blogs about it and teases me with how you have stolen it all away from me and the others!! I double dog Yukon Jack dare you!

A Most Auspicious Day!

Here I am, finally on the mend from the dreaded “what ever that was that hit everyone and knocked them on their butts” virus. As predicted, I managed to evade until everyone else was on the mend, then it hit me full force.. if it hasn’t hit you yet.. go stock up on vitamin C, zinc and cod liver oil capsules.. trust me.

As the title of the post says, today is a most auspicious day, and no, I didn’t have to use the spell check to actually spell “auspicious”, so my brain is finally working somewhat again! Honestly, I could look at today as either a huge negative, or as a true positive, and since this is quirky me, I chose the positive. You see, as of today, I have just entered my fourth decade of life. Yes, I can see a hint of crows feet around my eyes, and yes, there are silver strands gracing my thick mane. (and I plan on keeping both of these signs of age, thank you!) I’m not as spry as I used to be and there are things that I can remember that the younger generation will refer to as antiques.. such as record players and vinyl albums. I remember when the only remote for my dad’s TV was one of us kids getting up, walking across the room and changing the channel manually with one of two dials. I remember hard wired rotary phones that you had to rent from the phone company, when public phones cost a dime, a ride on the bus a whole quarter and you could get a decent loaf of bread for less than fifty cents. I remember being able to go to a movie for just a couple of bucks and when a dollar could get you four full sized candy bars. I remember people wearing leisure suits of polyester (back when it was a “new” fabric and everyone had to have it) and I remember when disco was the thing (anyone else remember Disco Duck?). I went to the Rocky Horror Picture Show when it began it’s cult status and was around to hear Meatloaf’s first album when it came out. I vaguely remember Watergate, and I remember Carter running for president. I remember the gas crisis and the odd and even days to get gas. I remember when cars came standard with AM radio. I remember 8 track tapes and concerts on the green (these would be outdoor concerts in the park). I am old enough to know that Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship before becoming Starship (and I am old enough to be able to say that I saw them when they were still Jefferson Airplane). I remember when Donny and Marie had their own show and when the Muppets were a big hit on TV. I am a year older than Sesame Street. I remember a show called the Electric Company where Morgan Freeman got his start on PBS. I remember when Elvis was still alive and I remember the news reports when he died. I remember feminism and women entering the workforce in droves.

I remember being at UC Berkeley to protest the war in Vietnam. Officially it was over, but we were still over there. I remember protesting against South Africa and Apartheid. I remember when hippies were still everywhere and I remember when most of them turned into yuppies. I remember when computers first came out into the market for the masses. I remember the Commodore 64 (which just turned 25 last month). I remember when I didn’t need cable to watch TV and I remember when we first got cable. I remember when they first built the space shuttles and the very first missions as well as the first disaster. I remember Mount St. Helen’s erupting and the dusting of ash that made it’s way to California. I remember when VCR’s came in either VHS or Beta, they were all top loading and so much larger than today. I remember when CD’s first came out in the record stores. I remember record stores. I remember when community colleges were free tuition. I remember the New Wave music with the second British Invasion. I remember HIV and AIDS before the CDC had names for them or even knew what they were dealing with.

There are so many other things that I can remember. All these things should make me feel so old, but they don’t. As I said, this is an auspicious day, a day of good fortune and good omens. Today I can look back and see what is behind me, and I can look forward and see what is still yet to come.

Behind me I leave the drama years. There is no need to go to the “cool” places to be seen, to meet people or to hang out. I leave behind the need to always look just so, the buying the trendy and the fads. I leave behind the obnoxious flirting, the stereotypes that were presumed. I leave behind trying to fit into the mold that the media tries to convince younger women of what they should look like.

Today I look forward. I am now 40. There will be no “over the hill” black balloons to grace my day. For today, the rest of my life really begins! I am the (hopefully) wiser woman who has seen some of life and will be taken for what is in my brain instead of what is on my body. I’m on the verge of “the change” as they used to call it in my younger years. I find that I no longer seem to care about making sure whatever comes out of my mouth is pleasing, but now care that it is honest. As I grow older, I find myself less willing to put up with other people’s crap and more willing to spend that wasted time pursuing the things that I want to do. I no longer surround myself with people who are “cool” but now look for people I can relate to and whose company I truly enjoy. My taste have change, I’ve developed my own style in life and it no longer matters what anyone else thinks. I can be quirky, odd, strange, eccentric and it makes me unique now. (Not like when you are younger and you strive to be like everyone else to fit in!) Today I am liberated and free. Each future year will strip away one more thing that I was supposed to be and allow me to be one more thing that I want to be.

May this year be one that allows all of us to cherish the memories we each have, and to become more of the person’s that we choose to be for ourselves. May life touch each one of us, bless us and allow us to enjoy every glorious day that we are here!

And Life Nearly Returns to “Normal”, What Ever That Is!

It’s just past 2 in the morning here. I’ve been on a television and internet information overload sabbatical, that alone has done a world of wonders for my spirit. I still have the same feelings, but far more perspective. Perspective is always a wonderful thing when you can have it.

Christmas was somewhat our usual quiet style. For us, it’s all about the kids and both of them behaved like they had just won the entire inventory of a Toys ‘R’ Us warehouse. They both really loved the things they were given and I didn’t once hear moans about what they didn’t get. Either they are learning graciousness, or I’m going deaf.

Sydney came down with some little bug a few days before, but she is my trouper. Nothing gets that one down. Always a smile on her face, a song on her lips and a dance to her step. Christmas Eve, that same bug hit Spurg hard and then Nick a couple of days after Christmas… you notice I haven’t mentioned me. That’s right, good old Murphy’s Law is in effect around here! Every one BUT mom got sick so that mom had the distinct pleasure of being nurse, short order cook, entertainer of bored children.. yadda, yadda, yadda.

That was until 2 days ago. Suddenly I started sounding funny to everyone. Spurg said I sounded like a teenager who had yelled to loud for too many hours at some rock concert. (And to show my age.. when I used to go to said rock concerts.. tickets were just a touch under of $20. That and albums were still being mass produced on vinyl. But that is an entirely different post for the weeks to come..) Then yesterday morning I had a sore throat for all of 15 minutes. If that’s the extent of how sick I’m going to get, that would be great. But we all know how this goes, as soon as I have everyone else on the mend, BAM!! This thing will come back to knock me on my rear.

Which brings me to why I am up at 2 in the morning doing of all things, blogging. I’m killing some time here. I can’t go to bed just quite yet, even though I would love to. See Nick has this bug worst of all right now. He has been running a low grade fever for a couple of days now then it began spiking today. I’ve been doing all the things that a mom is supposed to do, Tylenol, lots of liquids, bed rest and all of that, but Nick is beginning to hit the worst part of this bug.. he nearly slept all day today, managed to stay up for 6 hours this afternoon and then was too tired to play video games with Spurg. Started complaining that he was cold and Spurg got a little freaked out. He decided it was best to leave all of this for Dr. Mom to deal with, which is fine. I don’t mind at all.

For now, I have Nick’s fever under control, and at 3 I need to give him another dose of Tylenol so that he can get a good night of sleep. He’s been pretty lethargic though and that does have me a little concerned. So in a few minutes, I’m grabbing a couple of blankets and my pillow to go camp out on his bedroom floor in case he needs me during the night.. that and I’m hoping that Spurg will get a little more much needed sleep since I won’t be constantly trying to push him on his side because his snoring sounds like someone is trying to cut down every tree on the planet through a bullhorn. (Please do not tell him that I said that.. I’ve said it to his face, he didn’t believe me so I video taped him sleeping once.. he still doesn’t believe me even with that evidence!)

Hopefully, tomorrow, I won’t be too bleary eyed as there has been a bit of knitting and crocheting going on over here… I gotta keep these hands busy, especially being the only semi healthy person in this house. If I don’t get a chance to blog before the new year, then may each and every one of you have a wonderful, and safe New Year’s and may the upcoming year bring blessings of joy and laughter to your hearts and families!

What Is It All About?

*Note: The following post is more introspective, more of a personal journal entry and may seem a little depressing. It is not my intent to bring anyone down, however, I have some thoughts and feelings that I have the need to express. I realize that sharing these feelings via a blog may not be the best idea, however, I do feel that maybe someone feeling the same way may stumble across this and not feel so alone. If you feel that you would rather read something more lighthearted, please skip reading this post and come back another day.

Thank you,
Christine

I think in many ways that I have been having a difficult time and not admitting to it. I have watched the world around me, through my own community, the news and various groups that I belong to online and seen a great many things that have been bothering me. I have spent a great deal of time withdrawing from this blog, and other avenues of communication. For my prolonged silences, I do apologize to all of my readers and friends.

Most of the time, I have pretty much been soul searching. I’m very discouraged by what I see all around me. I’m not much for preaching, you know that if you have spent time on this blog, but the world doesn’t seem to be the wonderful and giving place that it once seemed. There are those special people out there who seem to have hearts finely crafted of gold, who always have a kind word and helping hand, even for those they don’t know. For them, I am grateful. For in the deepest and darkest moments in losing hope and faith, you have been the flame on the candle, lighting the path before me.

The world at large seems to have become so very materialistic, so very self centered. I know that times are tough all over. Gas prices are extortion. Food, housing, utilities are all up and money is just tight for everyone. The stupid reality TV shows, the unending assaults of major news stories that pound my heart and soul into oblivion, the strangers with their nose in the air when you say hello, and the constant need of so many to keep up with the Jones’. In many ways all of these things have left me feeling like Christmas is just another day that I really didn’t want to be bothered with. Yes, all these things in the world have been affecting my spirit that much. In many aspects, I believe that I have actually been experiencing some depression just from what I was seeing all around me. I found myself actually feeling tired of life and all the crap that seemed to come with it to the point that I didn’t even go to the downtown Christmas parade this year.

In years past, Christmas was always a magical day filled with love, family, joy and laughter. It never mattered what we had or didn’t have, we managed one way or another. There was always something under the tree, something delicious baking in the oven, and the house decorated. There was always a song in my heart and a bit of a prance in my step. Watching Christmas shows with the kids was a tradition and watching them enjoy each day a treat.

It was just a few days ago that I felt so empty inside. The stores started decorating before Halloween. Advertisers hitting us with stupid commercials that we need to buy this and buy that for our children.. then the massive and multiple toy recalls. Stress upon stress upon stress. Heaped up high and tall on each and everyone of us. And with all of that I still tried to feel the spirit of the season. I still found that it wasn’t there.

I carried on with traditions of Christmas past. I read the famous editorial, “Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus“, and O. Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi“, which I have done since I was 12. I watched “It’s A Wonderful Life” with James Stewart, another tradition I have indulged in since I was a teenager. I’ve been baking like a mad woman. Knitting and spinning like a lunatic (mostly to keep my hands busy), and picking out presents with as much thoughtfulness as I could muster. Even with all this, even with the tree up, it felt more like just going through the motions. (I didn’t even feel up to blogging as it felt as thought I wasn’t being sincere in my posts. Most of the time I felt like I was putting up a front of happiness and contentment. Fake, empty, shallow and hollow is how I sound to myself. I told others when they asked that I was just tired.)

Today, honestly, even though I am not quite my usual self, I believe that things are a little bit better in some way. There is still a part of me that feels that somethings are missing, and I can’t quite put my finger on one of them. Yet there is now something that is not missing, that has been set to right, and I owe that to a woman I have never met who needed a little help for her kids sake and time was running out. I was able to reach out and with the help of so many others, we created a minor miracle in it’s own rights. (you know who you are, and I want to thank you for helping me to help someone else this year!) This has in it’s own way, renewed my faith that there are still some people out there who care enough to make a difference, even when it is not something they will get to see or for someone they will never know. That is the biggest part of what has been missing. That is what I hadn’t done this year to put the song in my heart, the prance in my step or the spirit in the season before us. (This is a clear indication that I really feel that I need to do more for my fellow human beings out there, or at least try to make some sort of difference. I need to stop feeling like I am just one person and there’s not much that I can do alone. Instead, I need to put my faith back into the goodness of people around me and do what I can while trusting all the details will work out on their own. Whatever I can do, within my means, will be enough.)

What else is missing still? Thankfully, one is something minor that I can do all on my own. Since Nick has been home, I haven’t had one single moment in this house to myself. I haven’t been able to get out for a little walk downtown on Main Street to just window shop and enjoy a bit of time to myself. I haven’t been able to just let go of everything that I need to think of and focus on that one moment in time. (I can fix this by creating a little space that is all my own, whether it is outside in the yard, or somewhere in this tiny house, I need to create a small sanctuary visually where I can just be me.) I’m sure that soon I will be able to do just that, and then maybe that other one that I can’t quite put my finger on will figure itself out all on it’s own.

I’m feeling a bit better now getting these thoughts out there, getting all of this off my chest so to speak. I’m sure tomorrow will look a bit brighter than today as will the day after that. Thanks for lending me your shoulder today. I probably just really need to get out of this house!!! Or maybe I just need some chocolate?

Now, before I go, I do want to point out a couple of great things that other fiber artists are doing. My friend Delia of The Fiber Denn has been helping Jack’s owner (Dave of the Merlin Tree) raise some funds for Jack’s health care expenses that arose from possible mistreatment from a previous family. Every $10 donation earns a raffle ticket ( Click for Details ). There are some wonderful mini prizes for the raffle every two weeks and then in February there will be a raffle for a spinning wheel(s)!

Kary of The Knotty Sheep has her group, Macuwita sni which in Lakota translates to “I am not cold”. She and some very wonderful knitters are knitting for the Cheyenne River Sioux children who in winter may only have a sweatshirt to use over their clothes against the bitter winter cold. A great way to use up any extra yarn stash!