I was waiting to be able to share some good news about our progress towards getting into our first house, but, alas there is none yet. The renovation continues as my patience wears quite thin. But I will not lose hope, and as soon as everything is settled I'll post lots of pictures here.
Yoga in the Park
The other day when I was poking around on twitter, I cam across a fabulous local yogini named, Ananda. She tweeted about hosting an outdoor yoga class at Meridian Hill/ Malcolm X Park in memory of the victims of 9/11/01. I clicked through to her site and learned that we also share a love for writing, vegetarianism, and painting. Her yoga series in the park would be going on for a week, so I decided to attend her class on Saturday afternoon.

I took the Metro up to the park and when I arrived I saw Ananda spreading out her yoga mat on the ground in front of the huge fountains at the base of Meridian Hill Park. This park boasts a series of fountains that cascade down the hill for the length of about three city blocks, so the sound of rushing water is everywhere and it almost blocks out the sounds of the traffic on 16th Street. Ananda saw me approacing and greeted me with a welcoming hug. As I began to spread out my yoga mat, another participant arrived. Her name was Marie and she was a yoga virgin. We introduced ourselves all around and then we were joined by two girls from the neighborhood. Ruth, a cheerleader who was eleven years old joined us while her firend stayed off to the side and watched. Ananda led us in a brief period of meditaiton and then into a very slow, restorative sun salutation series. Although it was terribly hot for a mid-September afternoon, I had a lovely time sweating through each asana out there in front of the fountains and under the wide sky. This was my first time doing yoga outdoors, and it was enjoyable. I've been doing yoga alone at home for far too long. It remimded me how important the fellowship of others with like minds is. Now I am going to be sure to look for more opportunities to surround myself with others who share my love for yoga and its spiritual and personal development qualities.
Knitting Progress
Yes, I've still been knitting. I finished the Helena sweater from the summer Knitty for Jordan using KnitPicks Swish Superwash DK weight yarn. I added an addtional pattern repeat, and buttonhole because she did not like the ties in front. I am designing a top-down raglan cardigan for Leila in Maineline from Knitpicks. I'm using the Adobo colorway, which is a brick-red. The color looks great on her. I will be adding a zipper to the front instead of buttons. The only problem is that it's fitting her perfectly right now, which means that at the rate she is growing it won't fit her six months from now.

I've joined a local charity knitting group on ravelry called, Knitters and Crocheters Care. They will be collecting charity knitting items for local non-profits. One of the charities that we are working with is TAPS - Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors TAPS.

Here's the info on TAPS from the Ravelry group:

TAPS provides a support network for the surviving families of those who have died in service to America. TAPS has one main survivor conference and good grief camp in DC on Memorial Day and regional conferences throughout the year. We used to collect blankets and memory pillows for the children who attended Good Grief camp - and for the others who wanted or needed them. Project Linus now collects blankets - so we now only collect Memory Pillows. A Memory Pillws is simply a pillow with a pocket (to hold a memory). We ask that they be between 8” and 12” square (or rectangle or heart or any other) shaped. I hope to collect at least 350 in time for the 2009 Memorial Day event.

For more info you can go to: http://knitters-and-crocheters-care.blogspot.com

crochet pillow: http://tiny.cc/nbFGh

knit pillow: http://tiny.cc/Qzyl1

People should mail the pillows to:
Knitters and Crocheters Care
c/o Claire Wudowsky
PO Box 3036
Merrifield, VA 22116
August 17, 2008 1:44 PM
No, I have not abandoned my blog! Seems like I've been saying a variation of that for quite awhile lately as I try to find a way to balance my time and energy with all that I have going on. But I'm back and I will do my best to post more regularly. Hello and thanks to those who have been asking about me in my absence. I do have other blogs and my freelance writing is taking off, so, unfortunately, this more personal blog has been relegated to the side burner.
Since I posted last, I found a lovely house, which meets all of our needs and was right in my price range. I am now waiting to hear when my closing date is, which should be any day now. We are so excited about finally moving out of this apartment and into our own home. We will be walking distance from the Metro, where as now, Brianna must walk to the bus, and then wait for the bus to the Metro. We will have a front yard and a back yard and so much more space to move around in. I am thankful beyond words that all of this is coming together for us. I'll post pictures soon.
Recently I have been hearing the buzz about Michelle Orne's, Inspired to Knit book that just came out. I saw the picture of the 'Winter Wonderland' coat, and I bought the book. I love that pattern, but I may not use the Alpaca blend the pattern calls for. We'll see. When the book arrived, I saw the 'Vintage Lingere' top, and decided to use my lavendar Jade Sapphire yarn for it. I had to completely re-work the numbers because the yarn is smaller than the pattern calls for. I also used a different lace for the lower edge. I just can't seem to follow a pattern to the letter without putting my own spin on it. I alaways have to tweak it in some way.

My current WIP's include a chocolate brown scarf, a pair of gloves in Brianna's school colors of navy blue and orange. I will use the orange to duplicate stitch an 'M' on the back of each hand. All I have to do is finish the second thumb and those will be done. All of my other projects have been packed up, but I did open up a box to snatch out some sock yarn to make a pair of Cookie A's Baudelaires using some Knit Picks Risata yarn.
Before I sign off I want to share a link to a cool cooking site that I found that allows users to make friends, and share recipes called: http://bakespace.com/ I joined, and my username is: ebb567. Check it out. If you enjoy cooking and baking as much as I do, you'll like it.
So, while life has been insanely busy with work, moonlighter projects and buying a house, I am blissfully happy and overflowing with gratitude.
July 6, 2008 9:52 AM
Good News!
Anyone who reads my blog knows the struggles that my girls and I have gone through. We've been living in a very small apartment since the divorce while I was saving for a down payment. Well, on Thursday afternoon I got word that my mortgage application was approved! I danced the dance of joy around my office sharing my good news with my staff.

My Real Estate agent gave me pages and pages of listings from homedatabase.com, and a friend told me about redfin.com. I made a list of properties in my price range and then looked them up on google maps. Then I drove around and looked at some of the properties. I was then able to pare the list down to the ones I actually want to go into with my agent.

So, the house-hunting process is going well. It's a bit challenging because the DC housing market is insulated from the rest of the housing crisis, and its one of the few areas where property values continued to increase even as values in the surrounding jurisdictions have been plummeting. I don't have a lot of money to spend as a single parent, but I am determined to find the very best deal for my money. I do have a nice down payment saved, so we're in good shape there. My challenge is that with three girls in the house we really need at least 1 1/2 bathrooms, and many of the houses in DC that I have been looking at have only one. We also want a nice backyard where the girls can play safely. So, I am looking at it like a game. I am doing my best to not get emotionally involved with any particular house so that I can make the best decision possible.

I will update the blog as I make progress on finding a house. This is an exciting project and I am learning so much.
Happy Independence Day!

We had a lovely Independence Day weekend. On Friday we went to a family barbeque. All was going wel until the skies opened up and it began to pour down rain. The party moved indoors and we ended up watching movies. We cooked and prepared the food together and just enjoyed hanging out.

My cousin digs Bob Marley music, and after most of the guests left they popped in a Bob Marley concert DVD and we danced around the living room to Reggae music. I was so happy and my girls had a good time.I have only one relative in this area, so it was great to be with family again.
June 4, 2008 11:30 AM
Congratulations Barack Obama!

I stayed up way too late last night filled with excitement and hope because Barack Obmama made history and clinched the Democratic Presidential nomination. I am so thrilled and proud. I fell asleep with a wide smile on my face, and I awakened bleary-eyed, yet filled with excited anticipation.

Onward to the White House!

I happened to check Ravelry last night while on Obama watch, and I noticed that Ms. Carol (hooker2Cats) had tagged me last week. So, here's my response which will allow you and everyone else to get further up into my binzess ;-). Thanks for tagging me, and we must get together soon and KIP.

First, post the rules at the beginning of your post/the game. These are the rules: Each player answers the questions given about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What was I doing ten years ago?

Ten years ago my second daughter was an infant and I was living back home in Cambridge. I was working for my church running a faith-based non-profit organization out of the church basement.
2)What are five things on my to-do list for today?

• finish the JGS (Jolly Green Socks) I'm working on for Socks for Soldiers
• bring my prescription in to CVS to have it filled
• confirm airline tickets for Denver in August
• work on writing blog
• attend an art exhibit opening

• Almonds
• Twizzlers (guilty pleasure)
• customized Chex Party Mix (I add lots of goodies like yogurt covered raisins, chocolate covered pretzels, peanut M&Ms)

• Build orphanages
• fund economic development programs here and in Africa
• build homeless shelters that provide job training & life skills
• travel around the world and enjoy life

• nik
  
• Erika B
  
• sistahcraft
  
• Dulcedosa
  
• Dana
  

On Friday, I was foolish enough to agree to chaperone my ten-year-old's 4th grade class trip to Philadelphia. We left the school at 6:30am and returned at almost 11pm that evening. We visited the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Christ Church Burial Ground, the famous Christ Church, and Betsey Ross's House. We had absoultely perfect weather and the trip was deligthful. I feel like I learned so much that I didn't know about our history. Having lived in Boston, a city famous for its role in US history, and now living in Washington, D.C., which is a place that makes history constantly, it was fun to visit a place I'd never been and learn new, fascinating facts about the founding of our country.

As a black woman, however, it always sort of chafes me when I hear about how valiantly our forebears fought for freedom from the tyranny of British rule, while at the same time they were participating in holding human beings as slaves. But, please don't get me started on that rant. It's just terribly difficult for me to be too proud of my white ancestors when they profited from the exploitation and degradation of my African ancestors.

When we got home from Philly we collapsed in the bed and then got up at the crack of dawn to go on our annual camping trip to Misty Mount. We stayed in a cabin in the Catoctin Mountains in Maryland over Saturday night and we had a fabulous time. Although we arrived in a torrential rainstorm and under a tornado watch, when the weather cleared it was warm and sunny and the kids even got in the pool. On Sunday morning I arose before the girls got up and went on a four-mile hike up the mountain. I had a wonderful being alone in nature on such a beautiful morning. When I got back to camp I put on my swim suit and splashed around a bit in the pool with the girls. I did not swim because of all of the bazillion little bugs in the water and I did not want to be picking them out of my locs from now until the middle of next week, so I kept my head out of the water. We had a fabulous time, and I can't wait 'til next year when we'll do it all over again. We brought the video cam, so as soon as Thing One uploads the videos, I will share some snippets.
Good News!
I got the news today that my youngest sister is getting married in August. I am so thrilled for her. I am giddy with excitement because I just love weddings--especially family weddings. This, however, does not give me much time to knit a proper lace wedding shawl for her. I may have to make it a wedding stole, but I'll see what I can cook up. I have knit four wedding shawls in the past two years. It gives me the chance to pour all of my love and affection and hope and prayers for the bride and for the marriage into every stitch. It really ends up being a prayer shawl, because it blesses me as I make it and then I bless the bride when I give it to her before the wedding. I love my family so much. I've really been away for too long this time, so it will be wonderful to see everyone and hug everyone again. I have been blessed with a beautiful, loving, relatively drama-free family and I thank God for them. Now I'm off to pick out a good lace wedding shawl pattern. . .
May 28, 2008 10:30 AM
Yesterday was an icky, sticky, hot day. It actually felt like mid-July rather than late May. There had been rain in the forecast, but I never did see a drop of rain. So it's already a very sultry night not conducive to falling asleep easily. I have not yet dragged the AC out and put it in the window, so I opened up my bedroom windows to let what little breeze there was move around some of the stuffy air.

When I finally settled down into bed and tried to drift off to sleep I began to hear the delightful sounds of my neighbors throoughly enjoying themselves in quite vigorous fashion with their windows shamelessly open for the whole neigborhood to hear. Can I just say that they were loud enough to wake my five-year-old, who got up to ask what those strange grunting sounds were. Joy. Of course they finally did finish and eventually I was able to fall asleep, but how can I now look those neighbors in the eye after having heard far too many of the gorey details of their lives? Ahh, the joys of living in an apartment.

But I am moving closer to my goal of buying a house. My deposit account is growing nicely and I will have enough to get pre-qualified by next month. I am excited beyond belief at the prospect of going house hunting. I am taking my RE broker friend's advice when he tells me that this is an investment decision and not an emotional decision. So I should not allow my emotions to cause me to make a bad deal. So, I'm chilling the excitement and focusing on making sure that the prospective property will meet all of our needs.
May 26, 2008 12:11 PM Party Time

I've always been pretty vocal about not liking living here in D.C. I'm not a city girl by any stretch of the imagination. But, I believe in the idea that one should bloom where they have been planted, so I have done my best to make the best of an undesirable situation. This past Saturday night I enjoyed one of the perks of living here.

I was invited to a birthday party hosted by my former boss who was an elected official. This party was held on roof deck terrace in a building in the heart of downtown D.C. There was a live band plaing and lots of good food on a balmy evening under the sky and above the twinkling lights of the city below. There aren't many tall buildings in D.C., so it's not often that you get a view of the city from up high. It was just spectacular. I got a drink and waded into the throng of people. I saw a few elected officials and other of the city's movers and shakers as I moved through the crowd greeting people that I knew and looking for my old colleagues. Although I left my old job a year and a half ago, we make an effort to keep in touch with one another by email and phone, but it was just wonderful to see them in person again.

The party was so much fun and I think we basically closed the place down. It really felt good to get out of the house and hob nob with the locals. For me, for one night living in D.C. sucked just a little bit less.
May 21, 2008 12:00 PM Home Again!
My college girl is back home for the summer. We both survived her freshman year of college with flying colors! It is so good to have my girl home with me. I missed her terribly, and I'm not sure what I'm going to do when she moves out for good when school is over.
I drove up on Sunday and brought my friend, who turns out to be an expert packer. We got all of the stuff from her dorm room into the cargo area of my CRV with room for her as well. I'm so glad that I brought him with us.
Now she is looking for a summer job so that she can have her own walking around money. I love her excellent work ethic, and how good she is at managing her money. Let me stop. I'm so proud of my girl I could just burst. ;-)
Product Testimonial

I don't think I've ever shared a product review on this blog other than for yarn, but since I found this tea, I just had to share because I think it's just lovely. I went to the product web site and found that they have a testimonial contest. I wrote the following, and we'll see if it gets chosen. Anyway, I definitely recommend Guayaki Yerba Mate Tea to those who are tea lovers like me, or for those who would like a taste of the good energy and mental clarity that it brings. Good stuff.
Testimonial: Guayaki Yerba Mate Tea (say: yerbah mahtay)

Twenty years ago my sister moved away to Los Angeles when she got married. We had been very close growing up, and it was difficult to be so far apart. We have done our best to stay close through the years, sending cards and letters and emails, and chatting on the phone. We visit occaisionally, but its still not easy to be apart now that I live in Washington, DC.

My sister knows how much I love tea, and for my birthday this year, she sent me a package of your Guyaki Yerba Mate Tea and a lovely set of mugs. I brought the tea to work and added it to the collection of teas in my office cabinet. On one of the gloomiest mornings of the spring I decided to try this new tea. I prepared my cup and added the tea bag and some honey and sampled the flavor. I was delighted to find that the rich, full flavor also had a soothing quality to it. My job is very stressful, and I found that this tea really helped me to gently mellow out yet feel fabulously clear. Was this tea making me happy? Not possible, I thought, but each time I drink it I can only describe the feeling that comes over me as calm contentment. I'm not someone who needs a cup of coffee in the morning to be able to function, and I drink tea only when I am in the mood for a cup. But now I look forward to having a cup of this tea on mornings when I am feeling stressed or want some help in feeling more centered.

I thanked my sister for sending me this lovely tea that helps me to maintain positive energy, and when I drink it now I feel closer to her which only adds to the happiness. I'd like to also say thank you to you for offering such a lovely product. In a world that can be so negative at times, its nice to find a healthy product that makes you feel good to be alive. I need to find a place to buy it in my neighborhood because I'm almost finished with the package that she sent me.

Knitting Progress

I finished the Big Black Socks for my soldier and they will go in the mail this week along with some other care package goodies. I received my new order of yarn from KnitPicks and I've started a pair of Jolly Green Socks (JGS) as they refer to them on the Socks for Soldiers group. Here's a cellie picture of them:

What a perky, cheerful color. I also got some yarn to knit up a few hats to send as well.
Last weekend, when my girls were off with their father I popped in to my fave LYS, Stitch DC, and found that they were having a sale. I have not been in there in months, so it was good to see everyone again. Somehow, a couple of hanks of Cashmere/Silk yarn ended up in my basket, so I kindly took them home with me. I plan to make myself a lacy top to wear for summer. Here's a shot of it before I wound it into balls:

May 9, 2008 3:39 PM

SFS Socks Complete!
Yesterday when i returned home I found that my beloved mail man had delivered the scrap of sock yarn that I needed in order to ccomplete my very first pair of BBS (Big Black Socks) for the Socks for Soldiers group. They are done and now just need to be laundered so that I can ship them out to my soldier. Now I need to order some more yarn so that I can crank out some more pairs. It really feels good to know that they are bringing comfort and love to our soldiers who are so far from home and in harm's way. It seems so silly and such a small gesture, but I believe it makes a difference to the one receiving and wearing the socks.

Does it ever really freak you out when you do one of these quizzes on a whim (I loves me a good quiz) and it turns out that the results are disturbingly accurate?
Well, I found this quiz whilst blog-hopping and I decided to take it. Here are my results:

You're Babar the King!
by Jean de Brunhoff
Though your life has been filled with struggle and sadness of late, you're personally doing quite well for yourself. All this success brings responsibility, though, and should not be taken lightly. Life has turned from war to peace, from damage to reconstruction, and this brings a bright new hope for everyone you know. These hopeful people look to you for guidance, and your best advice to them is to watch out for snakes. You're quite fond of the name "Celeste".
Take the Book Quiz at the Blue Pyramid.

I sent a pitiful message to the forums asking is anyone had leftover black KnitPicks Essentials, and sure enough, Michelle has a few leftover balls and she was nice enough to pop one in the mail for me. Now I can finish the sock, wash them and send them off to my adopted soldier in Iraq. Michelle, I'm sending you big hugs! I'll send her back a little surprise for her kindness.

April 30, 2008 10:19 AM Today I am still basking in the rosy glow of two very successful events at work yesterday. In the morning I hosted our quarterly board meeting in a hotel conference center, and then in the afternoon we had a reception at an Embassy. There were so many moving parts in preparing for these two big events, and there was a lot of overtime, working weekends and waking up in the middle of the night worrying about one detail or another. But during the preparations, I made an effort to visualize a successful outcome for both events. When things got hectic in the planning I tried to envision how good and relieved I wanted to feel after the event was over, and that really worked. Everything seemed to flow very elegantly. We had lovely weather, the meeting went well, the recption was beautiful and well attended, and the honorees were pleased with their gifts. I left work late after everything was over and I had a huge smile on my face as I breathed a contented sigh of relief. Life is good.
I've been working away on my BBS (big Black Socks) for my 'Operation Shoebox' soldier. I am knitting them concurrently, so as to avoid the dreaded 'second sock syndrome.' I did the legs using the 2 socks on one long circ. method, but after awhile, all of the yanking of the cable got on my nerves, so when I got to the foot part, I am knitting them one at a time. I am almost halfway through the first foot, and when I finish the first sock, the heel is already turned on the second one, so that should be a breeze to finish. It's good metro knitting because its pure stockinette. I can knit stockinette without looking at it, so I make lots of speedy progress. Here's a picture of my first official BBS for the soldiers:

I almost always knit on the train, and a few weeks ago I got this note on Ravelry that made me giggle about what a small world it is:

"Hi ! I saw you on the train knitting yesterday as I was on my way home from work. I was riding with one of my co-workers. It was between federal triangle and l’enfant plaza. I don’t know if you remember me making a comment that you knit very fast. It’s so funny because I came home and told my mom that there was somebody on the train knitting very fast and she was logged on to ravelry at the time and I just happened to see you on her friend list. I said, “that’s the lady that was knitting so fast!” My mom says you are an expert knitter. :-) I am new to ravelry as my mom and aunt worried me to death about joining. What a small world. Have a great day! isha

How awesome is that? Anyway, knitting helps me to relax and dissolve the tension in that space between work and home, so whenever I can get a seat I whip out the knitting and start clicking away.
I'm looking forward to Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival this weekend. It's always held on the first weekend in May, and this year it actually falls on my birthday, which is Saturday, so it will feel that much more special for me. Ravelry is having a big party there at the festival, so I'm looking forward to meeting up with some of my local Ravelry friends.
April 20, 2008 10:00 AM

I really can't believe that its been a whole month since I've updated the blog. I have been writing--and doing lots of it. I have a page on a social networking that's part of the ning network. I kind of hesitate to share the name of it because already we've been growing by leaps and bounds lately. I really like the size of the network now. There are lots of cool people who actually contribute and make it a fun place to hang out, network around topics like writing, publishing and artwork. We also have some musicians and then some folks who are just there to enjoy the vibe. It's called The People's Lounge. This month we are celebrating April as National Poetry Month. We are doing this big collaborative poem where one person, Angee, starts each day's poems off by deciding on a theme and then we all contribute a few stanzas to the poem. There are a few of us who have written a poem every day and others who just drop in occaisionally. After April is over we are going to publish the collaborated poem in a book and offer it for sale contributing a per centage of the proceeds to a charity. So, that project has been occupying a lot of my attention lately.

I also discovered Twitter, and that has ben a fun diversion throughout my workday. It's like an online water cooler where you can micro-blog in real time with people all over the world. You get 140 characters to say 'What are you doing now?" folks share links to cool stuff they've found, news stories, or just chat about their day. Sounds odd, but it's fun. I caught up with an old work mate from ten years ago on Twitter and now we can stay in touch almost everyday despite the fact that he now lves in Utah. I also got a lead on a writing gig on Twitter. You get to choose who you follow, and you can block those who you don't want following you, or set your updates to private so that you control who follows you completely. If you like it, it can get to be a bit addictive, but there are those who don't get it and think its just a waste of time. You be the judge.

My newest knitting project is making socks for soldiers. I am handknitting socks that will be sent to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. When I heard Kelly Petkun talking about this project on her Knitpicks podcast, I googled it and found the yahoo group. This is a dedicated group of mostly women who handknit socks that get sent to troops on the battlefield. Yes, we know that it would be easier and cheaper to go to Target and buy a bunch of black socks and mail them over there--and there is another socks for soldeirs group that does exctly that-- this group purpusefully hand knits these socks as a labor of love, so that when the troops receive a pair of handknit socks they will understand that we are truly supporting them and that we want them to experience the luxurious comfort of handknit socks while they defend our freedom. I signed up for operation shoebox, so I have my own troop to send stuff to. They enjoy receiving things like handwipes, chapstick, powdered drink mixes, snacks, jerky, etc. I have my first pair of Big Black Socks (BBS) on the needles now. I am doing them two at a time on a long size one circular needle. This first pair will go to my soldier, and subsequent pairs will go to the socks for soldiers group. I'm humbled to be able to do this and it helps me feel like I am actually doing something constructive rather than just complaining about how this war will never end.

Here's some info about the group:

• * They must be black.
• * They need to be high enough to go over top the boot by several inches (11 inches is good).
• * They must fit without drooping, so use elastic in the cuff.
• * They must be very absorbent, since most soldiers wear their socks for 24 hours at a time.
• * The yarn must be a wool or wool-cotton blend.
• * You have to make them using a simple pattern.

Please don't confuse this Socks for Soldiers with another worthy charity of the same name that provides soldiers with ready-made socks rather than knitted ones. Their website can be found here.

I have also started a sweater/coat that I fell in love with in the Vogue 25th anniversary edition. It's designed by Norah Gaughn and it's made in triangular shaped pieces. I'll try to post a picture. I'm kntting it in Knitpicks Swish Superwash worsted and I am trying out the new options colorful needles. I figure if I start on this now I will have it completed by the time fall rolls around. I plan to put a lining in it and use it as a fall jacket.

This is why Barack Obmama has my vote:

March 17, 2008 12:30 PM

On Saturday, I took the girls to see the Harlem Globetrotters" at the Verizon Center. Actually, a friend who's company has a suite at the Verizon Center offered the girls and me tickets to the game. We stopped at 'Will Call' and picked up our tickets and then rode the escalator up to the third level where the suite was located. It was like a little living room with a bar, 3 TV's, and a private bath, and then two rows of seats facing the arena floor. We could see all of the action from our perch. There was all kinds of food and drinks and we had a lovely time. My girls, who are not really huge basketball fans, mostly watched the Disney Channel on one of the TV's and ate their weight in hot dogs, chips and popcorn. I had a lovely time at the game, and as we were leaving the Verizon Center, Jordan said, "Mommy, we should come back sometime and do this again!" Now my girls have been completely spoiled and they will not want to sit in regular seats ever again.

March 9, 2008 1:30 PM

The rooms were just fabulous, and if I could have taken that heavenly king-sized be home with me, I would have. I slept like an angel on a cloud. They have a great gym in the spa, which I used every morning except for Sunday. I had a view of the ocean from my veranda, so I snapped a sunrise picture on my first morning in Miami.

The food at the Ritz was also fantastic. I have brought the two extra pounds home on my butt to prove it. All of our events went well with no major issues. As part of our events we had a party on the beach with this great party band providing lots of Caribbean style music. We danced and had a good time. On Saturday evening I rode in my first (hopefully not last) motorcade with police escort. We took a ride from the hotel on Key Biscayne to a party at a private home on Miami Beach. The motorcycle cops rode ahead of us and cleared intersections and kept other cars away from the motorcade vehicles. It was very exciting, and made me fantasize about having my own private police detail to help me move through traffic. Wouldn't that be fun?

So, I spent the entire weekend working long hours, but every chance I got I snuck out to the beach. It never got warm enought for me to get into one of the three pools, but I did enjoy a long walk on the beach before we left. I will say that the Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne has eraned every one of its five stars. I'd defintely recommend it. Unfortunately, now I've been spoiled by the very best. There will simply be no pleasing me after having experienced the hospitality and luxury at the Ritz.

When our plane landed on Sunday night, my team members were calling their spouses to come and pick them up from the airport. I'm the only single one on the team, and I wistfully thought of how nice it would be to have someone to pick me up. But I let that go and headed for my car in the parking garage. As I was walking along the concourse, I became aware that someone was walking very close by my side. I tried to quicken my step, but my bags were cumbersome and I was both sleepy and had to go to the bathroom I just swallowed hard and kept on moving. Finally he stepped out ahead and stopped me and it turned out to be a good friend of mine who decided to surprise me by meeting my flight. When I saw that it was him I was so relieved and happy that I gave him a huge hug. It really meant a lot to me for him to come out late on a Sunday evening to welcome me home. What a perfect ending for my trip.

February 21, 2008 09:32 AM

I am Heaven
I trudge along
but my feet make no progress
I labor with no result
my efforts produce nothing more than a well worn rut
my heart aches in its lonliness
It longs to feel that deep connection
with another heart
I question my life
its meaning and purpose
before I reach the brink
the still small voice brings me back
it reminds me that I am heaven

I am heaven
I am an instrument of the divine
I am peace seeking its fullest expression
With a thought I create a world
My mind is a womb
nurturing ideas
bearing the fruit of my intentions

I am heaven
I echo the wisdom of the sages
I am filled with the enthusiasm
of a child
My feet have grown wings
to carry me forward
My heart has re-discovered its eternal connection
to the divine
now it no longer yearns but abides in joy

I am heaven
I live in the flow
I am a hollow reed
The shadow has no hold on me
freedom is my birthright
My destiny I complete

I am heaven
I am the one I have been waiting for

Copyright 2008 Evelyn Bourne
February 16, 2008 09:42 PM

John Mellencamp had a song in the 80's called, 'Jack and Diane,' and the chorus went something like:

"Oh yeah, they say life goes on Long after the thrill of living is gone."
As I go through life and have experiences I find that this is indeed true. Both physical and emotional wounds heal layer by layer. Sometimes, when you think that you've made some significant progress towards healing something will happen to reveal that you still have a ways to go. Today I had a bit of an emotional setback, which put me in a bit of a funk. I did my best to try to tough it out and rise above, but sometimes when the rough patch appears you have to just go through it. And so I did. It occurred to me that if I had any intersting vices like drugs or alcohol, this could have sent me on a three-day bender. I contemplated making a run to drown my sorrow in a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Instead, I decided to go for a walk. I chose to not add insult to injury by sabotaging my weight loss progress by indulging in behavior that while momentarily might make me feel good, but would result in guilt, regret and self-loathing in the morning. So, I chose to power-walk it off. I strapped on my ipod and walked for a little over an hour letting the weak, mid-winter sun shine on my face and the chilly breeze remind me that I am yet living and God willing I will get over this. The walk did me a lot of good and I returned home filled with endorphins and a fresh outlook on my situation. Yes, John, life does go on long after the thrill is gone. But I have confidence that the thrill will return and I will be ready for it when it does.
So, tonight as I sit here, my heart goes out to those who have their own pain be it physical or emotional. Life sucks sometimes, but, as sappy and lame as it sounds, joy does come in the morning. Going through struggles can be lonely and difficult. I pray for courage and comfort and strength in abundance for those who are facing tough times. Mamma always said that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and it's true. I'll add that in times of struggle you almost always find that you posess more strength than you thought you had. The thrill might be gone for now, but life does go on and it is still a blessing.
February 13, 2008 09:20 AM

Valentine's Day is upon us, and I was feeling in the mood, so I whipped up a few facecloths to celebrate. Over the weekend I was feeling a bit under the weather, so I was able to get in some uninterupted knitting time, which for me is a rare thing. These little cloths can be whipped up in no time and they are so much fun to do.

This circular lacy cloth is one of my favorite washcloth/dishcloth patterns and I've made many of them. It will go to my step-mother, who likes my hand made discloths. I remember once standing at her sink and seeing one of my cloths used to the point where it was almost disintegrated. I felt guilty and quickly made her a replacement.

I found a link to this adorable pattern on Ravelry, my new fave knitting hangout on the web. Designed by KrisKnits, this cloth is called "Be My Dishcloth," and it was fun to make and the pattern easy to follow. This one will go to my February swap partner for my discloth swap group on Ravelry.

This pattern I improvised as I went and designed it on the needles. I wanted a simple heart outline in YO's and despite the fact that it's a bit bunchy at the top of the hearts, I think it came out OK. This one will be going to my daughter who is away at college. I made her up a little Valentine's Day care package and included this cloth.

This "Heart Lace Cloth" designed by smariek knits was fun to knit as well, but I hope that the lacy bits hold up to being used as a facecloth.

It is my hope that everyone makes an effort to show those around them how much you love them on Valentine's Day and every day. I remember when I was younger and single I was a bit bitter about Valentine's Day. But the older I get the more I realize just how important--if not vital love and a sense of connection to others is in our lives. We often neglect to show those we love the most just how much we care about them. Conversely, I don't think it makes sense to feel obligated to give someone a gift just because it is Valentine's Day. You should always give sincerely from your heart. When you give your loved one a gift try to think about how your life would be different if you did not have that person in your life anymore. We need to cherish our loved ones while we have the chance because tomorrow is not promised.

If you are at a point in your relationship where the grass is looking greener elsewhere just keep in mind that grass that is cared for and watered is green. Make an effort to step up your own game and see what kind of effect that has on your partner. Nourish your relationships because it is our bonded connections with other people that makes this life worth living.
Have a Happy, Loving, Valentine's Day!

January 29, 2008 04:30 AM

I've been a vegetarian for the past eleven years, and while I'm not a militant veg who shuns leather and marches with signs, more and more I am seeing how much sense a vegetarian diet makes. But, each person makes their own choices in life. I'm just sharing a bit about mine. I recently heard Sharon Gannon say something to the effect that the fork is the most widely used weapon of mass destruction in this country. Americans are largely unaware of and uninformed about where their food comes from. It is my firm belief that if most meat-eaters were given a tour of a chicken farm or a cattle feedlot they would be outraged at how animals are treated, and mortified to see the way they die so that people can eat of their meat.

I'm not going down the path of trying to make people feel guilty for eating meat, but I'm encouraging you to give some thought to your food choices.
When I decided to become a vegetarian I tried an experiment. I would stop eating meat for just one month and see how I felt and then I would decide if I would make a permanent change. Well, in less than two weeks I felt so much better, I had improved energy, my skin was softer and more vibrant, I lost about eight pounds that month and by the third week I knew I'd never go back to eating meat.

Here's a great site with lots of recipes and resources for vegetarians and for those who are considering trying the vegetarian lifestyle: Veg Cooking.
January 16, 2008 09:52 AM

OK, so here's how much of a knitting geek I am. ;-) I Just love Ravelry, and one of my fave things to do when I'm browsing goofing off on ravelry is to go to the 'people' tab and check out the most recent (Finished Objects) FO's. The thing I like about this is the variety of items that people are cranking out. You can see socks, sweaters, fingerless gloves mittens, adorable baby items--all things that people from all over the world are cranking out on their needles and hooks and then photographing them and sharing them with the rest of us. Few things make me giggle as much as when I complete an FO, and I popo it up on Ravelry. I then quickly click over to the 'people' tab so that I can see my particular FO up there with the rest. Yes, lame, I know. But it's fun to see your stuff out there where everybody can see it. If any other Ravelry enthusiasts are reading this, it's really so much fun when something you've made gets chosen as a favorite, or when someone makes a comment. I try to always leave a comment or favorite the things that I like 'cause I know how thrilling it is to get that kind of feedback.

My second FO's of the year is a pair of fingerless mittens. These were knit from a Rasberry colored wool blend yarn for my swap partner. I actually started a pair of fingerless gloves about ten days ago in a lovely lavender/purple/pink colorway of my beloved Koigu, but, I ran out of yarn mid-way through the second mitt. I had to scramble to make another pair to meet the deadline, so I chose a bulky yarn that would work up quickly. I designed them on the needles as I went starting with a simple 2x2 rib. I used size 8dpns to make a nice, tight fabric. I added the thumb and then applied i-cord to the hand and the thumb. I managed to crank them out over the weekend and they are on their way to their new home.

January 2, 2008 2:56 PM

Here's my first FO of the year:

It's a cotton dishcloth for a swap I've joined on Ravelry. I have had the pattern for so many years that I can't find it online anymore. However, I did find one that is very similar here. I used some pretty orange cotton yarn from my stash, but it had lost its ball band, so I don't know the brand.
January 1, 2008 8:45 AM

Happy New Year! I did not stay up last night and toast the new year, so I woke up this morning feeling especially bright-eyed and bushy tailed and ready to take on the new year with lots of energy and enthusiasm. I feel really good about this year. I am in a really good place in my life and I am excited about all that I am learning and the progress that I am making towards my goals.

I am not one who really makes New Year's resolutions because it seems fruitless. Instead I do my best to just keep moving forward. There is just something special about the first day of the year. At the risk of sounding corny it just feels so full of possibility with almost a magical quality about it. I am anticipating lots of exciting developments this year along with the challenges that are sure to accompany them. But I have faith that God will be with me through it all.

My major focus right now is to buy a house. I live with my girls in a teeny apartment where we have been living since the divorce. I've been working at my new job for almost six months now, and I've been saving but otherwise not really taking any action. Last week I decided to attend a homebuying workshop and now I have been energized to pursue buying a house by spring of this year.

In November I re-committed myself to reaching my weight loss and health increase goals and since then I have lost ten pounds. I have been walking for an hour each day when weather permits. I am not dedicated enough to go for a walk when it is cold and rainy, so on icky weather days I work out inside. My fitness routines these days involve yoga, and weight lifting. I'm feeling good and strong and I'm down a dress size.
I did a little bit of holiday knitting this year. I used up some stash because I've been on a mission to save my money for the house. I made 2 Tudora neck warmers from the new Knitty. One of them was for my mom made in red Brown Sheep worsted, and the other for my daughter in a purple heathery Merino for which I do not have a ball band. I finished the lacy shawl that I was working on using the Harmony lace weight. (there's a picture of the shawl in progress in an earlier post) I started using the Icarus pattern from IK, but I never did switch from the simple YO vertical lines to the intricate lace pattern. When I got close to the end I added the lace border and bound off. I think it came out just lovely.

I also made a pair of Traveling Lace socks of a baby Alpaca, Merino, Cashmere blend for my mom because she loves an appreciates and will hand wash hand made socks. I made the Baby Bolero and lacy baby cap from the One Skein book in a soft lavendar Aurora 8 for my neice who is due to deliver a baby girl at any moment.

I used up some leftover Knitpicks laceweight and whipped up a Branching Out scarf for my boss. I highly recommend this pattern if you need a quick, but lovely gift. I finished it in two evenings of knitting and it was beautiful. For myself I started making a pair of the fabulous Cookie A.'s Twisted Flower Socks, but as I approached the heel turn I was so enamored of the beautiful pattern that I decided that these did not want to be socks hidden away on my feet, inside my boots and under my pants. This lovely garment wanted to be transformed into gloves--fingerless gloves that would keep my hands warm while I work in my drafty office, and be visible and admired. So, I tweaked the pattern and the sock became a glove. Finally, I started another Cookie A. sock pattern called Mona, using the Knitpicks silk/wool blend sock yarn. I finshed my Tilted Duster from the Fall IK, but I still need to take pictures of it. My poor Ravelry account has been sorely neglected as has this blog, but I have been knitting a blue streak nonetheless.
My prayer for everyone is that you would be happy, blessed and take the time to enjoy your life. All we have is right now, so we must do our best to make the most of every opportunity. Take the time also to encourage someone along the way. Encouragement is free, but it is amazing how much a little bit of encouragement can lift another person up.
Have a blessed, exciting, engaging, grateful, generous, fantastically fabulous New Year!
November 29, 2007 9:15 AM

I have been blessed with a high level of energy. I love life and I like to live it to the fullest. About ten years ago, my grandmother passed away and I was there in the house when she died. Sharing those last moments of her life with her was one of the most beautiful experience I have ever had in my life. After that I gained a new appreciation for life and I completely lost this pervading fear of death that I once had. Now I can honestly say that I really don't fear death. I view my life here on earth as a temporary home. I belive that I am a spiritual being on this earth to enjoy physical and human experiences for a time. When my work here is done and I have let go of this physical form my spirit will continue on. I must, however, confess that I do have a fear of growing old. I'm not saying that I necessarily want to die young, but when I see the way my grandparents and other older folks are wasting away I feel terrible. I love my granparents with all of my heart, but to see them growing so old and frail fills my heart with fear and sadness. My mind, my consciousness, my talents and energy and ideas--these are the things that make life interesting for me. I love to learn and question and create and interact with the people around me. It seems like old age slowly takes all of those things away from us. What a terrible curse!
Good health has always been a priority for me. I became a vegetarian about 11 years ago and I do my best to eat a helathy, balance diet. Now that I am getting older I can clearly see just how important it is to be mindful of everything I eat and to exercise and to stay active both physically and mentally. I believe that if you stay in shape and eat right and stay engaged in life you don't have to slip into a frail, demented, helpless state.
I am not afraid of dying. What I fear is dying without having lived a full, rich life all the way to my final breath.

September 9, 2007 8:15 PM

My middle child, Leila, my non-diva-princess, practical, creative, artistic spirit, made her momma proud yesterday by asking me to show her how to knit socks. She's nine, and learned to knit when she was four, so I thought, "Why not?" I found a spare ball of yarn and dpn's and I had her cast on. I ended up joining the round because this little maneuver is still tricky for me despite my thirty-plus years of experience. She watched as I joined the stitches to form a loop with no twisting, and then I told her do K2, P2 ribbing for an inch. She caught on to knitting on 4 dpn's very easily. Once, after she put the work down and then picked it up again later to resume knitting, she made a common goof--she knit back across the work creating a gap. She saw that she had goofed and asked me to show her how to fix it. I did, ans she's off to finish up her first sock. I can't wait 'til we get to the heel turn. That's the 'magic moment' of sock knitting when a simple tube of knitting gets transformed into a shape that will fit your foot.
Here's a picture of her nimble fingers clicking away on her fisrt sock:

Here is a picture of a Monkey Sock in progress for the Monkey SOck Swap. I'm using some Trekking from my stash in colors that my swap partner said she likes. This week I'll be on the lookout for some monkey items to add to my swap package.

This shawl is a holiday gift that I'm getting a jump on. It's an Icarus Shawl using the finest laceweight I've ever worked with on size 1 US circs. It's my current Metro knitting project, but soon when I get to the lace charts I will keep it at home. It's too difficult to juggle both knitting and a chart on my lap when I'm knitting on the train. I love the color changes in the yarn, but I do hope that the lace work does not get lost in the stripes.

This little purse and knitted cupcake were also for swaps on swap-bot. These patterns can both be found in the One Skein Knitting book.


Finally, I finished the Luna Moth Lace shawl from elann's free shawl patterns. This is the pre-blocking photo, ans, silly me, I was so excited when it was done blocking that I wrapped it up and sent it along without taking a final picture. It was lovely. It never gets old, that magical moment when the crumpled up piece of knitting transforms itself into a lacey thing of beauty. As Brenda Dayne of Cast On fame says, "It's like crack."

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July 7, 2007 9:34 PM

College First Steps I survived college orientation weekend! In fact, I am proud of how I handled everything. I did not get weepy at all--not even when I was in the alone on the way home. I will say that I am prouf of my daughter and how poised and mature she is. She maintains a sense of decorum and grace that are beyond her years. When I looked at some of the other young ladies and they way they were dressed and the way they were acting in the presence of the young men there I was embarrassed for them. I shared my advice with her about how to handle herself, but I am confident that she will be fine.
She tends to be a bit shy, and like me, she does not have a lot of friends, but a small number of very close friends. Because her campus is so close, I hope to be able to drive up there occaisionally and visit her and have dinner, or go shopping together every so often.
When I went away to college, my mother packed up and moved to San Diego, so I really had no home to go and visit during Thanksgiving and the holidays because I could not afford a plane ticket. I plan to make sure that Brianna and I stay close and that she feels completely supported.
I consider all of this as a training exercise for when I have to do it again when Leila is older, and then again for Jordan. Oh, the joy.
These are some things that I know for sure--that I have learned in my almost eighteen years as a parent, with the majority of those being spent as a sinlge parent. I have come to the conclusion that there comes a time in the life of a parent when you have to step back and let your children go. If you have done your assigned work, then you should have nothing to worry about because their lives are in God's hands anyway. You should feel confident that they will have gained the ability to act on what you have taught them over the years and make the best decisions. You have to resign yourself to the fact that you can't protect them from everything in life. They will make their own mistakes and they will either learn from those mistakes, or they will not learn from them, but either way you have to let them do it on their own. I am learning that it is important for me to stay in touch, and to be here when she needs me, but I have had to let go the reins and allow her to begin to chart her own path. I will continue to be here to support her and pray for her and be a listening ear, but gone are the days of shaking my finger, laying down the law and issuing ultimatums. It's an adjustment fro me, and I have found myself biting my tongue and stopping myself from saying something that I have though better of later. This is also a chance for me to grow into new areas of being a parent. Sometimes stretching and growing is a little painful, but the harvest is indeed worth the struggle.
For all of you parents who are sending your children off to college, you are in my prayers as I hope that I am in yours. Now is harvest time. Now we get to see if the foundation we laid in their lives will stand. Now are the days when we will hopefull beam with pride as they go out and make their own way.

File this one under, "It's an EXTREMELY Small World." While I was in the main session for Brainna's Freshman orientation program, they gave out various prizes. They gave prizes to the students who had traveled the farthest to attend the event, and they had prizes for the three sets of identical twins in the class.

Well, yours truly also received a prize because I was the first one to get my application in for the Freshman orientation program. I was mortified with embarrassment because they asked me to come all the way up on stage to receive my gift, which was a university mug. When I returned to my seat the man seated a few seats down from us on our row leaned over and said to me, "By any chance were you in Fort Washington last week with a flat tire?" Sure enough. Last week I went to a party with some friends in Fort Washington. When we were a few blocks away, a driver motioned to us that the front left tire was flat. We wobbled our way to the party and then I called the auto club to come and change my tire for me. (I would have done it myself, but I was all dressed up for the party and had a fresh manicure) The auto club sent a woman and she called me when she arrived to fix my tire. I met her at my car and I watched as she very quickly and efficiently set to changing my tire as if she were on the pit crew at Nascar. I stood there chatting with her as she worked when a very friendly neighbor came over and said, "Oh, here, let me get that for you," he was offering to change the tire for me. I thanked hom profusely and I said, "No, she knows what she is doing. She's getting paid to do this." But I was absolutely thrilled that someone would offer to change my tire for me. This young woman had the tires changed and was on her way in less than ten minutes. I was impressed. So, how weird was it that now I'm seeing this guy, who also has an incoming Freshman son who will be attending the same university as my daughter. (Insert Twilight Zone music here)
July 7, 2007 9:34 PM

So, I ripped out some socks that I was working on back to the toe, and then I decided to knit Mama Monkey's Carolina socks, but I modified the pattern so that I could knit it from the toe up since that seems to be my inclination these days. The yarn is 50/50 Merino/Tencel that I wrote about yesterday. I just love these colors, and the pattern is looking really good. I just love the ribby texture. Here's what I've got so far:

Tomorrow I take my girl up to college for Freshman orientation. This is all so surreal I just can't get my head around it. I will go to the parent events and then leave her there on campus until Wednesday. She will be able to meet some new people, get a chance to find her way around campus and get registered for classes before the big rush. I am happy for her and incredibly proud of her, but I can't imagine what I am going to do without my girl. I am going to stop writing baout this now before I start to cry. I am determined not to shed a single tear when I leave her. I will wait 'til I'm in the car alone on the drive home. I want her to enjoy herself and not worry about her basket case mother who can't hold it together. Pray for me ya'll.
July 4, 2007 10:42 PM

Happy Indepenence Day!
I hope that everyone is having a safe and enjoyable 4th of July. I spent the day chilling at home with my girls. We have work and camp tomorrow, so we did not want to go far. I am just taking a moment to reflect on how thankful I am to be living here in the United States at this point in history. I am thankful for the freedom that we enjoy and I do not take it for granted. I pray for safety for our armed forces who are in harm's way to protect our way of life--or I guess we have to believe that's what they're fighting for. I support our troops despite the fact that I think this war is absolute insanity.
HSKS Swap Haul
Mama Turtle sent me the most amazing HSKS kit ever! Here is the amazing bag that she made. It's soft sculpture and it is just fabulous:


Here is a picture of all of the cool stuff she sent. The chocolate has already been half eaten, and my girls tried to steal some fo the jelly beans, but as some of the flavors ar quite different they have left those alone. But the sock yarn, the needles, the beautiful stitch markers, the cuticle cream to pamper my fingers (how did you know?) and the pattern looks fabulous. So, thanks, MamaTurtle. It was a terribly fun swap.
Knitting Progress
I have posted a picture of the toe-up sock that I am designing on the needles. It's nothing earth-shatteringly original. I simply inserted a stitch pattern from a stitch dictionary into a basic toe-up sock formula. In this case, the busy nature of the hand dyed yarn fairly obliterates the stitch pattern, so I'll have to do them again in a solid color yarn. Since I snapped this pic I have bound off that sock and finished the toe on sock #2. It has been my custom to always cast on for the second sock the very next moment after I have bound off the first sock. Because these are toe-up socks and I have had trouble with the cuff being too tight in the past I increased some stitches in the last row of the ribbing using needles two sizes larger than I used for the ribbing and then I bound off as loosely as I could using the larger needles. It worked and the sock went right over my foot with no troubles.

My nephew's girlfriend is getting ready to have a baby soon, so I made some tiny baby socks and a little cap using some left over sock yarn. How cute:



The lace shawl that I am working on in the cherry tree hil laceweight is coming along nicely. I have not yet been able to memorize the pattern, so it's been slow going. I can't take it on the train with me because it's too tricky to balance the chart on my lap, so I can only work on it at home when I am alone and have time to knit. Yeah right. Needless to say, this shawl will take me awhile to finish.

June 7, 2007 8:42 AM

Proud Mommy!
I am a mommy who is bursting with pride because my eldest child has graduated from high school! Brianna graduated from one of the top 100 high schools in the United States, she won the Creative Writing Award, and she won the Zora Neale Hurston Essay contest. It's a good day when you smile so much your cheeks start to hurt.
She is now chillin' like a villain and counting the days until she starts college in the fall.
Here are some of the pictures that we took at the graduation ceremony:

Here'e a picture of me and the graduate
This is me, my mom and the graduate
Jordan cheesing it up for the camera during the ceremony

Knitting Progress
Here is the photo of the Kiri Shawl that I made using KnitPicks Shimmer lace weight yarn in the Deep Woods colorway.

I used size 3 Addi Bamboo circs to knit the shawl, and the yarn was just a dream to work with. The silk adds just that little bit of tooth and crunch to the shimmery Alpaca. The subtle color changes did not completely obliterate the lace pattern, and the lace pattern was simple enough to let the yarn shine through. I am pleased with this shawl, and I've got my eye on some more Shimmer in the Happy Dance colorway for a shawl for moi.
I am still working on the two pairs of socks in progress that I am designing on the needles using some Merino Tencel that I bought at the MD S&W fest in May, and the other sock yarn I received in a swap. The problem is that I am having trouble with the lace pattern. When you knit it back and forth it does a vertical zig-zag, but when I turned the heel and started doing the lace pattern in the round, it no longer zig-zags but only zigs. Hmmmm. I need to figure out what I am doing wrong and rip back a few rows to fix it.

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May 28, 2007 1:46 PM

Memorial Day
I started to write 'Happy Memorial Day,' then clumsily remembered that this is not really a holiday to celebrate, rather it is a solemn day set aside to remember our war dead--some as recent as this day--who gave their lives so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have in this country. I do have to work today, as I am temping in a retail shop, but I can still honor the memory of those who died for my freedom.
Neither my father nor my grandfather were in the military, so I don't have any Veterans in my family, but I did have a very close friend when I was in college who was a veteran of the first gulf war. He had plenty of ghosts and dark memories that haunted and tormented him about his fellow soldiers who died. It was difficult for me to see him in such pain, and it was not really something that we talked about much. I remember when he would have his dark days. I would just have to give him his space. I have not talked to Mario for years, but every Memorial Day, I think of him and wonder if he was ever able to put those demons to rest and get on with living. I pray that he has and that he is happy. I pray for all of those who have fought in wars and who are still with us. I pray for those who have lost loved ones in wars that they would find comfort and peace as they grieve their loss.
Knitting Progress
I finished the Mother's Day shawl! This year I made a Kiri shawl from Knitpicks Alpaca/Silk laceweight for a special mom in my life. I am going to be vague on the details until she actually has the gift in her hands. I have taken photos of it and I will post them to the blog after the shawl has been received. I am just thrilled with how it came out.
With that FO off the needles, my fingers were itching for another lace project, so I dug through my minimal stash and found a skein of Cherry Tree Hill laceweight in the Martha's Vineyard colorway. I was going to do the feather and fan shawl from A Gathering of Lace, but I never did start it. This past week I learned that another one of my college friends is getting married, so this will be yet another wedding gift shawl. I decided to try something other than an Evelyn A. Clark pattern for a change. (gasp!) I'm making the Luna Moth lace shawl from elann.com's free pattern section. Here's a baby picture of the shawl's progress over the weekend:
I sat and worked on this while the girls played in the park on Sunday afternoon. As we sat I felt a deliciously cool breeze blow through the cloyingly humid afternoon. Suddenly, the partly cloudy sky gave way to very dark, very fast moving clouds rolling across the wide open sky. We could hear the rumbling of thunder off in the distance. As it quickly got dark and the trees began whipping in the wind I gathered up my chil'rens and decided that it might be time to head for home. We passed a group of folks who were cooking out at the park and having a good time. I heard some of them saying, "Naw, it's not gonna rain here." I chuckled to myself a few moments later when we arrived home just in time for the sky to open up and dump a deluge of rain. The wind and the thunder and lightning whipeed up so quickly. I was glad that we got out of that park when we did. The girls sat in the window and watched the storm and tried to sing louder than the rain.
I am trying my hand at some crochet this week. My eldest diva child saw the Hemp Flowers Necklace, by Nora Gaughn in the 2005 Interweave Crochet magazine and wanted one.

So, despite the fact that I can't hardly crochet a lick she wants me to make her one. She thinks that her mommy can make anything if its made with yarn. We'll see. Here's what I have so far:

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May 20, 2007 7:26 AM

Bri's prom was gloriously uneventful. She looked beautiful in her red dress, her date was adorable, she had a lovely time, and we both lived to tell the tale. Thank you, Lord.
The evening of the prom I attended a banquet with her that was given by a college prep group that she has been working with since 10th grade. They gave out scholarships and had a silent auction. Brianna received a very nice scholarship, which gave her a very wide grin. I am so proud of my girl and how poised and well mannered she is. Of course, now I'm getting all sentimental because she is leaving me now to start branching out on her own. I know that she will do well, but I will miss her more than I realise right now. My baby girl has become a very capable young woman, and I look forward to seeing what she will do with the gifts that she was blessed with. I must take a step back now and let her make her own choices, but I will also be here when she needs me. Now I realise that I will be doing this twice more with my other little women.
May 16, 2007 10:46 PM

As my eldest daughter prepares to graduate from High School we are going through the various rites of passage that occur in our culture. This week she has the senior prom, which she is very excited about. Because I was home schooled, I never attended a prom and I did not graduate from high school, so I am enjoying seeing these events up close for the first time.
Yesterday, her high school sponsored a "Prom Promise" breakfast where the parents were invited to come to the school for a formal breakfast. The event was sponsored by the National Capital Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking. They had invited speakers who spoke about how the choices that we make today can have a far reaching impact on our lives and on the lives of those around us. They told horror stories of prom night indiscretions and admonished them to be mindful of the remifications of their choices. Brianna sang a lovely solo, some of her classmates from the Class of 2007 played musical selections and then the students and parents made pledges to one another. Brianna tells me, as I had suspected, that there definitely will be drinking going on despite this whole performance. It's too bad that it often takes a tragedy to get people to change their behavior. Right now they feel like the world is their oyster and that they are invinceable. I pray that God would look out for all of these children and protect them as they make whatever choices they make in the process of maturing from childhood into the adult world.
Pray for me as I sit home biting my nails waiting for her to return home after the prom. I am not worried because I know how she was raised. I have confidence that she will act responsibly and have a lovely time celebrating life, her accomplishments, and her boundless future.

May 6, 2007 12:20 PM

Yesterday I went to the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival, and for me this was not a banner year. My absolute favorite vendor, the Koigu folks, were not there and I was crushed. I was looking forward to getting my annual Koigu fix, but for some reason, they did not make it this year. So, I wandered around unitl I ran into my knitting buds. We shopped for awhile, but I was pretty uninspired. I did find some very pretty sock yarn from Ellen's Half Pint Farm in Merino and Tencel.

After that I went to meet my peeps for lunch on the grass. We sat and compared purchases and ate our lunch together. We sat with the folks from Stitch DC, and then I went off to my class.
I took Janet Szabo's "Infintely Intersting Cables" class, which was lots of fun. I have been knitting cables since childhood, so I didn't need to take a class, but I have admired Janet's work over the years and I have been planning to buy her book, so I took the class. Here are my swatches that I knit:

I learned something new and had a great time chatting with the other people in the class. When class was over, the temperature had plummeted and it looked like rain, so I headed home.

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Here are my answers to the HSKS Swap (a bit late, sorry!)

1. What Hogwarts house have you been sorted into?
Ravenclaw

2. List your three favorite double-point needle brands, including size and length.

3. Would you like to try a new brand needle? If so, which brand? Size? Length?
My preferred sock needle is a bamboo dpn size one and two. I also like to do socks on two circs and in that case I prefer Addi Turbos in a 12" length.

4. If you are a RAVENCLAW, do you prefer the colors in the film or the book? Do you have a strong preference?
No preference, really.

5. If your pal decides to send candies or chocolates are there any that you don't like?
I like chocolate. I like good, plain chocolate--dark or milk with no nuts or creams or fillings.

6. What are your favorite scents?
rose, lavendar, citrus, honeysuckle

7. Do you have any allergies?
No

May 3, 2007 3:15 PM

On Turning 40
Today is my 40th birthday, and even as write this I can't believe it. It's funny how 40 seems old until it happens to you. I am feeling really good, and happy and blessed today. I have accomplished so much in my life and I look forward to all that is in store for me in the future.
I took this pic of myself before I went to bed the night before my birthday. Do you think I was feeling a bit nostalgic for my 30's?

National Day of Prayer
Since this is the first Thursday in May, it is the National Day of Prayer. Although I pray every day, today I am going to say special prayers for our military folks who are fighting and dying in this crazy war. I pray that God would protect them all and return them soon to the safety of their families. I pray that we can find a way to extricate ourselves from this war and let the Iraqi's develop whatever kind of country amd government they want because it's clear that they are not too keen on our way of doing things. So, I guess most of all, I just pray for peace.>br> I often quote this poem that was written in response to 9/11 when I write about peace because it is so simple and to the point:
"Wage peace with your breath.
Breathe in firemen and rubble,
breathe out whole buildings and flocks of red wing blackbirds.
Breathe in terrorists
and breathe out sleeping children and freshly mown fields. . .more

Knitting Progress
I finished my bright, techni-color orange socks for the Socktopia KAL in the waning moments of April.

Now I need to finish the Wine and Roses Mitts from Interweave Knits, and the Kiri shawl that I am knitting with some Knitpicks silk/alpaca lace weight that has been languishing in my stash since last fall. Since I have two moms, I am scambling to finish these for a important holiday coming up in mid-May.
New Knitting Podcast from KnitPicks
Kelly Petkun of KnitPicks has put out a new knitting podcast. I listened to it last night and found it just delightful. In this first episode she tells of how she came to the craft of spinning and then to knitting. A later segment reviews some classic must-have knitting books. Take a listen. I'll be subscribing to it in itunes because you just can't have too many knitting podcasts to knit by.
April 28, 2007 10:54 AM

Partners will soon be assigned for the HSKS and geeky as I am I can't wait. Ya'll know how much I enjoy a good swap. ;-)
I've been busily writing and trying to stay out of trouble. I just can't say how much I am enjoying the freedom and flexiblity of working from home. It is pretty solitary, but I like that.

If I should feel like I want to be around people or just have a change of scenery I bring my trusty laptop to the local library or to one of my fave local coffee shops that has free wifi. I must say that I've become a regular at my favorite spot. The staff all know me and I often see the same poeple hanging out there and working and surfing the free wifi.

I have been making some progress on my fire orange socks, but as the month of April is quickly slipping past, they may not be finished in time for the socktopia challenge. I am also working on another lace shawl for an upcoming May holiday and a pair of lacy fingerless gloves for the same occaision. Because I've been so busy with writing I have been keeping my knitting projects fairly small.

Foolishly, I started yet another pair of socks that I am designing on the needles. I received some yummy (literally) looking sock yarn from the etsy.com seller, 'Crash into Ewe' in a swap in the colorway "ice cream," which, btw is one of my fave food groups.< But it was new yarn and so pretty and, well, I was unable to stop myself.


Look what the mail man brough me from another softie swap on swap-bot:

Earlier in the year I was on a doll making kick and I made up some cloth dolls that I was then going to knit clothing for. They have been sitting on my dresser staring at me for months now naked as jaybirds, so I have decided that it's time to clothe the young ladies and send them on their way to be adopted into proper homes. Not every item in their ensembles will be knit, but they will at least have hand knit sweaters or shawls and socks on. These will be in memory of my Nanie who was a doll maker. The dolls she made were mostly baby dolls, and she named each one and dressed it all the way from a real diaper to the real shoes on their feet. Be on the lookout for pictures of the girls as I finish their outfits.
April 18, 2007 11:03 PM

My heart really goes out to the families that lost their children