Laurie - Lady of Ooze and Slime

Your Pet is Another Man's Meat. Who is in the Right?

2010-06-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

A large percentage of the people in the United States and other Western "First World" countries have companion animals, also known as pets, in and around their homes. Most of these are dogs, cats, horses, parakeets, etc. We humans tend to form very close attachments to these non-humans, and the death of one usually causes deep mourning in the other. It is doubtful that any of these humans would ever consider killing the "pet" they love, let alone cook it for dinner. Such a thought would most likely sicken them. These feelings of compassion are natural. They are part of the way in which God created us.

But, at the same time that we are having these loving feelings towards our own companion animals, are we also chewing away upon the flesh of another animal, just as lovable, such as a chicken, a pig, or a cow?

We would never consider keeping a dog in a cage so small it cannot turn around or lay down. We would never let our cat live in a box where it had to lay in its own feces. We would never keep our parrot in a cage so small it cannot spread its wings after clipping its beak so short it can barely eat. Yet, this is the common method used to keep cattle, veal, pigs, turkeys, and chickens.

Because we humans have compassionate hearts, we want people who are cruel to our pet animals to go to jail. Yet, daily most of us vote in favor of horrid cruelty by purchasing the meat of other animals. Many humans fail to make the connection, or simply may not WANT to make the connection, which is a form of denial and leads to the hardening of our hearts. In our minds, we sanitize what we are doing. We see only "food", or we picture only the living animal and not how it got to our plate. We even name them differently – a steer or pig is called “livestock”. A turkey or chicken is called “fowl”. I've even heard the argument that horse slaughter in the US is bad because it competes with the beef industry. Really? Then I hear, "but humans NEED meat to survive" or "man has developed as an omnivore, we are SUPPOSED to be this way." Again, really? I am perfectly healthy not eating animals or their byproducts. I understand that no one wants to be called cruel. But people who promote cruelty rarely like having others tell them they are doing so. They like to maintain the illusion that they are somehow good people, and having others point at them and reveal that, hey, they're not doing good THINGS, really rankles them.

So, to my omnivore friends, which of the following meats is it okay to eat?

The Elders

2009-06-26T11:01:00.001-07:00

So this is the painting I have decided to take to the Robots vs Aliens show at Thumbprint Gallery in San Diego this September. Unless, of course I paint something I like better between now and then

Artist in Residence... again

2009-06-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

In the very beginning the ancient gods were discussing what they should create to amuse themselves. They created picture tellers to ignite their minds; to draw them into the worlds they had created.

I did not spend years, poverty stricken, studying art. I did not struggle in a small loft.
I have, however, found that frustration is a part of my life. But my response as a picture teller is not to cut off my ear; I do not scream and rage. I talk with my friends and I put paint on a canvas and create their stories in pictures. I read fantasy books, and I put paint on a canvas and create the creatures I read about. I watch movies, and I put paint on canvas in honor of the actors I admire.

Though there were perhaps a dozen years in which I created no pictures, the urge to put paint on canvas never deserted me. I believe the stories simply built up in my mind until, recently, I was unable to contain them and they have begun to bubble out onto canvas again. They can’t be classified, but they can, I hope, be enjoyed.

The True Reason for Mother's Day - A Call for Peace

2009-05-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Use Common Sense, and Don't Kiss the Family Pig

2009-05-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Old Professor Hoffman, from Michael Crichton’s novel, State of Fears, tells us, “the PLM, sic politico-legal-media,… a ravenous machine seeking new fears, new terror. I’m telling you, this is the way modern society works – by the constant creation of fear.”

Over 3 million people worldwide died of the flu (pneumonia and other related consequences) last year. With another 2 million deaths from diarrheal diseases. This is on top of another 2 million deaths from malaria, almost that many from tuberculosis and about 1 million deaths from measles! Did this make the news let alone the headlines?

We (and the PLM) would probably do more good (save more lives) if we spent our time, effort and money on getting our students to: stop smoking (440,000 deaths last year in the US alone), stop using alcohol (85,000 deaths in US), stop driving automobiles (45,000 US deaths), stop using illegal drugs (17,000 US deaths), or stop having unprotected sex (16,000 US HIV related deaths). There is, in all likelihood, a greater risk of death from “other than flu”, infectious diseases (75,000 US deaths) than from the Swine Flu. Our students have a greater risk of dying in a car wreck on the way to school than of dying from the swine flu.

Our chances of exposure to the swine flu are probably higher here in California than if we lived in oh, say, Minnesota, but, they are still miniscule compared to all sorts of other potentially life threatening exposures. In a very cursory study of environmental bacteria growth made right here on the Menifee Campus of Mt. San Jacinto College it was found that “hand sanitizers” were less effective than regular hand washing in preventing bacterial growth on human skin. It was also noted that only approximately 1 out of 4 males washed their hands after using the bathroom. Students noted that samples taken from door handles and from classroom computer keyboards ranked in the top 5 for highest bacterial colony growth from “college” environment areas.

I am not saying we shouldn’t be concerned, but I would hope that we would keep this “news” in focus. I tell my students to stay home if they are sick; flu, hang- over, cold, headache, mental health, whatever. Better for them to miss a day or two than to suffer through my class (even without an aliment) and potentially pass it on to others or me, heaven forbid! We cannot legally grade on the basis of attendance so I try whenever possible to give them an opportunity to make up any missed work, even the ones I think might be “abusing” my good nature. At least when they miss a class it forces them to meet with me one on one. That in itself is usually a benefit to both the student and me.

I think I feel a fever coming on, thank goodness for on-line classes!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. And for God’s Sake, Step Away From the Plastic!

2009-04-08T23:33:00.000-07:00

I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of plastic in my life. Sound pretty easy, right? Not so much. Until I started trying to make purchases that did not include plastic I had absolutely no idea just how pervasive it has become. (At first I wrote the word “invasive” instead of pervasive, maybe I should have left it?). Seriously, try to purchase toothpaste, aspirin, makeup, a pen, even shampoo in anything but a plastic container.

Some stuff is easy – body soap? Pretty easy, there are some very nice body bars sold in a box. Some, like “Pure and Natural” even imbed flower seeds in the box, so that you can bury it in your garden and get flowers as a “free gift”! Trash bags? Not too hard, those come in some really nice corn-based, compostable forms (check out reusablebags.com). Even dishwasher soap comes in a box.

But, the liquid dish soap one would use to wash dishes by hand? Yeah, try to find that sucker in anything except plastic. Cleaning supplies? Plastic. Makeup? Plastic. Shampoo? Plastic…

But wait! Today I made a wonderful discovery. A company called Phytosolba (sp?) makes an all-natural shampoo in ….. a METAL container! Won’t break in your shower, and the container isn’t made from plastic. The drawback? It is made in France. So shipping it here probably used up enough fossil fuels to make up for the lack of plastic. All though, if you look at the labels, most of the shampoos sold here are made in New York, so for us Californians, there is still a fair amount of shipping involved.

Anyhow. Suffice it to say, one plastic problem solved (sort of); many more to go. I’ll keep trying.

Now, where is that darn recipe for all-purpose cleanser… I’ll make it myself and store it in a glass bottle…

Happy Birthday to Joe

2009-03-30T21:21:00.000-07:00

Coming up Joe will have his 8th Bone Marrow Transplant birthday! His sister Nichole was his donor so it is her celebration too!

I LOVE YOU TWO!!!!!!!!!

It is so hard to relive those horrible days when we all were wondering if he'd live or die. I am thankful each and every day that he is alive and well and around to be a pain in the backside. I wouldn't have it any other way!

I've Joined the 21st Century

2009-03-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

First, it was a blog. Now, Facebook. Yup; I'm there. It's a work in progress as I try to steal a few minutes here and there to add to the site. Let me know if I've flaked on adding important stuff...

And no, I don't know how to link these two sites together yet... sheesh!

World Water Day

2009-03-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, March 22, is World Water Day - Established by the UN in 1993, it's an international day of observance and action to draw attention to the plight of the more than 1 billion people worldwide that lack access to clean, safe drinking water and to make safe, clean water available to all. Celebrated since 1993, World Water Day was designated in 1992 when the United Nations (UN) General Assembly passed a resolution. With each passing year, the observance has grown larger and stronger.
In the developed world, our addiction to single-serving water bottles undermines responsible use of water and diverts our attention from investing in public tap water systems and home filtration. So commit to making a difference today, by purchasing a high-quality, safe reusable water bottle for each member of your family. It's a true win-win -- you'll save both money and natural resources.

Go here: www.worldwaterday.org to find out what else you can do!

A Contest to Check Out!

2009-03-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here is a contest with a very good prize and it raises money for a good cause. Make your 90-second video about beauty, upload it to YouTube, and send a link to north@marthabee.com.

The best video gets an iPod Touch.

But even better; every entry earns $10 for a charity that repairs cleft lips and palates on children in impoverished countries (up to $1000).

For more information look here:
North of Beautiful Contest

March 4 is National Grammar Day!!!!!!

2009-03-04T09:31:00.001-08:00

Do you adore clean, correct sentences? Do ungrammatical advertisements make you cringe? We understand completely, and this is why the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar and MSN Encarta have designated March 4 as National Grammar Day.

How can you participate?

Speak well! Write well! And on March 4, march forth and spread the word. We want people to think about language and how it can be used best.

Some of the members of SPOGG (Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar) are planning Good-Grammar Potlucks at their offices. What do you serve at good-grammar potlucks? High-fiber foods, of course. They're good for the colon.

So who is the celebrity with the worst grammar? In today's time it can be quite hard to decide. After all, it's not easy being in the public eye all the time, having your every move and statement recorded. You can't even leave the house wearing an extremely short skirt and no underwear without the darned paparazzi photographing your posterior for posterity.

Still, this is no excuse for bad grammar. Our task now is to decide which celebrity deserves to win the SPOGG Award for Most Appalling Celebrity Grammar. The contestants:

President George W. Bush
We're not the sort to kick a man when he's down (frankly, we're not fond of upright kicking, either). But President Bush really ought to know the plural of the word "child." After all, he's the father of twins.

While running for president, he asked, "Is our children learning?" Then, on Sept. 26, 2007, he proved that this wasn't a one-time fluke when he said, "Childrens do learn."

Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton produced a T-shirt that said, "THATS HOT," cheating the poor apostrophe from its rightful place on her bosom. What's more, she sent Lindsay Lohan a text message that said, "i chill with perez, but not enough for your name to get broughten up." Broughten? Is she the only text-messager who likes to lengthen words?

Courtney Love
It's perhaps unfair to judge Courtney Love by her grammar. It's not even English she's writing on her blog. And we quote:

have a beer with?
i would never votefor a presidenty based on the "person id most like to have a beer witH" Fox transparently obvious talking point. Its maddeningly sexist and mostly its DUMB.
Beer isnt even GOOD. i mean REALLY. "ahh ahm a gonna belly up to the sports bar and have a brewski y'all want one?"
i mean who has really had more than TEN beers in thier life on my blog?

It's entirely possible there are too many errors to correct.

So, post your comment and include your vote on who should win this year's award!

A Rant

2009-02-26T12:17:00.000-08:00

You know what makes me mad? People who move into a neighborhood and immediately start crap! We have lived in the same house, with pretty much the same neighbors for 15 years. And, for the last 15 years we have all had outdoor cats. Really. With the exception of one or two houses we all have outdoor cats. We live on a cul-de-sac and the cats have all been safe - no disappearances or deaths. We all enjoy our "neighborhood" cats especially the kids. Recently we got what we thought was a nice young couple into the house next door. We were excited as the house had been vacant for a couple of years. Well, we're not excited any more! It turns out they don't like cats. And their solution? Not to talk to us. Not to shoo them off their property. But to TRAP them and SEND THEM TO THE POUND TO DIE! Really. I have pictures:

It turns out that it is legal in Riverside County to trap cats. The law is there to get feral cats trapped and into the shelters to be fixed, then released. But, you must post a sign saying you're trapping cats to warn your neighbors so you don't get pet cats in the traps (See any warning signs in the picture? Me neither). This law is misused by people like my neighbor. She is purposly trapping the neighborhood pets and telling animal control they are strays. Even with the kids telling the Officer that they were pets, she lied. Then she told them she was trapping them because she felt threatened by them. Cats. About 8 pounders. Woo. Scary.

So, yesterday, I spent 2-1/2 hours off of work getting my cat Punkin out of the pound. AND it cost me $52.00!!!!! All because they illegally trapped my PET cat! The people at the animal shelter HATE people like this. They were so happy I showd up to get my cat. The girl said that most people don't come looking because they assume their cat was killed, not picked up by animal control. There were over 100 cats in the Ramona Shelter Cattery. There isn't room in the shelters for pets trapped by evil animal haters! Hello! Shelters are OVERCROWDED and UNDERBUDGETED!

When I called animal control to report the illegal trapping, I actually had to read them the ordinance that requires the sign to be posted. ANIMAL CONTROL DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THEIR OWN ORDINANCE! After I let them know it was illegal, they asked for her address. But they never came out.

What really gets me is that these neighbors have two dogs that continually get loose and run the neighborhood when their owners leave. I have gone after their dogs and shooed them back into their backyard at least 4 times so they don't get hurt or hurt someone (one dog actually bit one of our other neighbors when it was out - and he didn't call animal control on their dog!). Isn't that what it means to be a neighbor?

Okay, I feel a little better now. But I'd like to hear some of your ideas as to how I should deal with these "wonderful" new neighbors (rembering of course that I have to live next door to them...). What do you think? Am I in the wrong? Are they in the wrong?

Oh, and their address is: 28693 Auriga Court, Sun City, CA 92586. Just in case any of you would like to drop them a line...

Spay Day is Today! Please Help!

2009-02-24T11:36:00.000-08:00

This says it all!

Don't Buy Eggs. Please.

2009-02-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

1.In the United States, an estimated 95% of egg-laying hens are intensively confined in battery cages.

2.As of December 2008, about 280 million birds are confined in battery cages, almost one for every U.S. citizen.

3.Each cage confines 5 or 6 birds on average, but sometimes up to 10 birds.

4.Voluntary industry guidelines specify a minimum of 67 square inches per hen. This is an area smaller than a standard sheet of paper.

5.Like any animal, chickens are highly motivated to perform natural behaviors. These behaviors include nesting, perching, scratching, foraging, dust-bathing, exploring, and stretching. Caged chickens are denied all of these natural behaviors, causing them severe frustration.

6.Battery hens suffer from serious health problems, such as respiratory disease from constant exposure to ammonia fumes and fecal dust; osteoporosis, bone fractures, and prolapsed uteruses from being bred to lay eggs at an unnaturally high rate; and foot disorders, sores, and injuries from contact with the cage wire in outdated cage systems.

7.As a response to the lack of foraging opportunities in the barren cage environment, chickens sometimes engage in feather-pecking of their cagemates. So, before they are 10 days old, the ends of their beaks are seared off with hot blades.

8.Beak mutilation causes acute and sometimes chronic pain.

9.For every egg you buy, a hen will be forced to endure these conditions for over 32 hours.

10.Chickens are confined for about a year and a half before their ability to lay eggs declines, then they are killed.

11.Eggs are not a necessary part of a nutritious diet, and there are many healthy, affordable alternatives that make it easy to leave eggs off of your shopping list for good. Some good egg alternatives include applesauce, bananas, commercial egg replacer powder (such as Ener-G Egg Replacer or Bob's Red Mill All Natural Egg Replacer) ground flaxseed, tofu, or vinegar and baking soda.

12.The egg industry cannot be trusted to make responsible decisions regarding the welfare of chickens, because it has a profit motive to sacrifice their interests. There are currently no U.S. federal laws that protect the interests of chickens used for food.

13.In California, the egg industry will be allowed to use this type of factory farming of eggs and chickens until 2015.

14.The labels "Free Range" and "Cage Free" mean nothing isofar as humane treatment of the chickens is concerned. The only way to be sure that your eggs come from a humane source is to see the label "Certified Humane" on the carton; or get them from your aunt who has happy chickens playing in her backyard.

"He that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man."

2009-01-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

"And GOD blessed them and God said unto them, Be Fruitful, and
multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that
moveth upon the earth." Genesis 1:28

To many in the religious community, this verse from the scriptures gives humans the RIGHT to eat animals. How convenient for man to define dominion to suit his purpose – butchering then eating the creatures we were given dominion over.

I believe that our intellectual evolution has given us the power to "rule", but it is the application of that very intellect that obliges us to rule as benevolent nurturing caretakers who rule with love and compassion, rather than destructive tyrants who rape and pillage the earth and it’s creatures.

Now, it is my guess that these same people who use the dominion argument to eat the living things they have this supreme authority over, also believe that God has dominion over us… For all our sakes, I hope God is a vegan and treats us humans much better than we treat the creatures we rule over.

Maybe they should also consider these passages from the scriptures:

"And God said: Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat, and to every beast of the earth, . . . I have given every green herb for meat."
(Genesis 1: 29).

"It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood"
(Leviticus 3.17)

"Ye shall eat no fat, of ox, or sheep or goat. And the fat of that which dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn of beasts, may be used for any other service: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. . . Even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people. And ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast"
(Leviticus 7:26-27).

"He that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man."
(Isaiah 66 verse 3).

"While the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people with a very great plague."
(Numbers 11: verses 20 & 33).

But What Do You Eat?

2009-01-22T09:45:00.000-08:00

This is the question I get every time I meet someone new and they discover I'm one of those weirdo vegans... You know the ones, we don't eat anything that comes from anything that had a mommy and a daddy. Why this is considered an appropriate question to ask is beyond me. I mean, do I go around asking obese people "but what do you eat?" No. That would be considered rude. I would be yelled at and called insensitive. But, since everyone is going to ask I decided to take a couple of weeks and post the dinners I eat. Yup. Pictures and everything.

So, after looking back on the dinners I ate this last week I decided it wasn't a very good representation of my diet, but in the interest of full disclosure I'm gonna put it out here. As for the photos of last week's meals, I just decided to post all of this yesterday, so I only have pics of last night's dinner. I'll do better. Promise.

Let's start with Saturday, January 17. (Just because it was my birthday and for absolutely no other reason.) We went out to dinner at the new Chipotle that opened in town! I had the 3-taco basket. My tacos had black beans, rice flavored with cilantro, tomatillo salsa, lettuce and guacamole. DELISH! I did also have a diet coke, which, by-the-by, I am trying to drink much less of these days. It is very very very very bad - and I've been drinking WAAAAAAAAY too much of it. So, as you see it on my list of "foods" remember that I used to drink about 2 LITERS EVERY DAY! (yes, you heard that right, and I am ashamed), and having only one when I eat out is a proverbial giant step for me!

Sunday, January 18. I took the easy way out and heated up a pot of Amy's Organic Vegan Chili with some Vege dogs, vegan cheese and diced onions. (Rarely do we use buns because most are made with eggs or milk or both - but who needs those calories anyhow.) I think I sauteed some dandelion greens in olive oil and brown rice syrup too. Chocolate soy milk to drink. No soda today!!!!

Monday, January 19. I took the REALLY EASY way out and made everyone pick a leftover out of the fridge for dinner. I had a seitan (fake meat) sandwich with fresh lettuce, pickle relish, and vegan cheese with vegan mayo. YUM! Oh, and some white tea to drink. Again, no soda today!!

Tuesday, January 20. We had creamed spinach in filo dough, fresh steamed veges (cauliflower, broccoli, carrots), fresh fruit, and mashed potatoes. I made some fresh squeezed grapefruit juice from the fruit from Joe Lample's tree. Thanks Joe!

Wednesday, January 21. I had some organic brussels sprouts from Sprouts Market that needed cooking up. So I tossed them in olive oil and Chardonnay Oak Smoked Fleur de Sel (fancy name for chardonnay smoked salt) and sauteed them with 3-grain Tempeh, thinly sliced elephant garlic (organic), and a little brown rice syrup (organic). All this with wild rice on the side. And this I do have a photo of:

Well, that's it for now. Let me know if you want me to start posting recipes.

It's Been Awhile - Missed Me?

2009-01-21T15:26:00.000-08:00

I know. I missed you too. But I had all that Christmas knitting to do, and it didn't leave much time for blogging. Enough excuses.

This is my newest information:

The Argentines (who clearly loooove cows) have outfitted some of their bovine friends with methane-capturing backpacks in this season's go-to color, hot pink. Argentina figures that up to 30% of its total greenhouse gas emissions come from the country's 55 million cows (an average cow produces about 30 cubic feet of emissions a day). Currently they've got 10 cows in the program - imagine the possibilities if the US got their dairies involved in this. We could have some red-white-blue backpacks! Oh Yes We Can!

Still Plugging Along

2008-10-22T17:45:00.000-07:00

I'm still knitting like crazy on all my Christmas knits. I'm making pretty decent progress. I've finished 2 sweaters (ribbed and hooded), 1 felted bag, 1 pink monster toy, 1 pink headband, and 1 illusion scarf. I'm working on 1 backpack, 1 pair of socks, and 1 sweater. Still to go - 1 more sweater, 1 lace shawl, a pair of legwarmers, a tie, fingerless gloves, hats, and a Deady Bear and a snake, ... this is looking pretty good! I may actually get to end of the list; we'll see how it goes closer to the holiday.

Here's a couple of pictures (don't worry I promise not to post pictures of any gifts that are being given to anyone who might read my blog! I'd never ruin the surprise!).

Meet Your Meat

2008-10-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

C'mon, if you're gonna eat it you should know how it gets to your plate. And let me tell you, life on the farm isn't what it used to be. The green pastures and idyllic barnyard scenes portrayed in children's books have been replaced by windowless sheds, tiny crates, wire cages, and other confinement systems integral to what is now known as "factory farming."

Today the majority of farmed animals are:

~confined to the point that they can barely move,
~denied veterinary care,
~mutilated without painkillers,
~and finally slaughtered -- often while fully conscious.

Fortunately, each one of us has the power to help end this suffering by simply choosing to eat vegetarian.

A huge Thank You to ChooseVeg.com for this enlightening information. It's not pretty. But, it is a choice each of us is able to make every single day of our lives.

These animals have no choice.

A Few Words About Knitting

2008-10-03T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have come to love knitting. Sometime back in the early 80s I decided I wanted to learn to knit. At the time I was very into needlepoint and embroidery and cross stitch. I’d bought a Reader’s Digest book on needlework through one of those mail-order book clubs – it had needlework directions and patterns in it for every kind of craft that used yarn or thread. Macramé, do you remember macramé? Of course, it also contained a section on knitting and one day I decided I was going to learn how.

Now, my mom has knit since I can remember. Some years she knit more than others, a reflection, I’m sure, on how much work her kids were requiring and how much money there was available to purchase yarn. As memory serves me, when I decided that I wanted to knit, I went to my mom and she gave me a pair of knitting needles (and undoubtedly some yarn too). I’m sure she showed me how to do the simple cast-on and the basic knit stitch. Around the same time I learned the knitting verse:

In through the window,
Run around the back,
Out through the window,
And off pops Jack!

(Can you picture the knitting sequence that goes with this verse?) With these simple steps learned I started knitting a garter stitch “scarf” for lack of a better term. Once I felt comfortable with the stitch, and I no longer inadvertently increased the number of stitches on my needle every few rows or left gaping holes from dropping stitches, I decided I was good enough to branch out and learn to purl.

After awhile, I started working my way through every single one of the knitting patterns in that needlework book – seed stitches to lace stitches. I knit dozens of 8-inch squares learning all of the knitting patterns in the book. I didn’t do much beyond this type of knitting – rectangular scarves or square wash cloths for a long, long time. I was still much more interested in needlepoint and embroidery.

Then one year I decided it was time to really knit something. I decided to knit everyone in my family (Myself, my husband, and my three kids) a sweater. My mom took me to Velona’s in Anaheim Hills and I picked out some beautiful Pingouin cotton yarn for my first attempt – the “Rare Flower” blue sweater in the Popeye knitting book – that I would make for myself. It was fairly slow going; I think the sweater took me a month to make knitting full time (stay-at-home mom, with kids in school!). It had colorwork flowers and a saying: “I am a rare flower,” and a cute little pocket on the sleeve. I learned to increase and decrease. I learned how to pick-up stitches for a neckband. I learned finishing techniques like sewn-in sleeves, and how to sew up side seams. And, it turned out great! I actually wore it numerous times!

The next sweaters that I knit were for my (then) husband – a fun pullover with a shawl color with Popeye on it out of fairly cheap acrylic; another great pullover for my youngest son with Hagar the Horrible on the front with more inexpensive acrylic; a beautiful black and white cotton pullover with a music note design for my oldest son; and a striped cotton button-up-the-front cardigan for my daughter.

I think that the fact that no one told me that intarsia knitting or fairisle knitting was supposed to be hard (read: “advanced”) was a blessing. I wasn’t at all intimidated by these sweaters. I liked knitting them. They were much more interesting than knitting plain old stockinette for an entire sweater! Sometimes having all those yarn bobbins hanging off the back got a little annoying, but for the most part I was totally engaged in my projects. And amazingly enough, all the sweaters fit their intended recipients! They must have been fairly good because a friend of my mom’s actually asked me to knit her a blue sweater just like mine!

For awhile after this, knitting came and went in my life. I’d pick it up for awhile then move on to something else – painting, jewelry making, embroidery, sewing, gardening, et cetera. But over the past 4 years knitting has become my first love. It is my go-to for relaxing on a Saturday after the farmer’s market. It works wonders when I come home after a freaking long day at work and I need to decompress. It is what I take on car trips to give my hands something to do, and I use it to keep my mind occupied on a plane trip. I knit when I can’t sleep. I knit to keep awake waiting for some member of my family to come home. I knit when I’m sitting and waiting for one appointment or another. I knit on my lunch hour (a three-hour break in between my split shifts). And recently, I’ve found a great group of friends – My Stitch ‘n Bitch buddies – to knit with. I always have some knitting project with me.

I am so into knitting that this year I’ve decided to knit Christmas gifts for my friends and family. It’s quite the list (or so I’ve been told), but I started back in July so I think it is manageable. Here is the list (without names attached to any project so my friends and family can actually read my blog and not spoil their Christmas):

1 long-sleeved sweater completely done in 5x3 ribbing,
1 hooded sweater in stockinette with a bit of colorwork,
1 lace hooded sweater,
1 long–sleeved cable pullover sweater,
1 lace shawl,
1 scarf
1 pair fingerless gloves,
1 pair legwarmers,
1 felted messenger bag,
1 backpack,
1 headband,
3 toys (snake, bear, & pink monster),
1 tie,
1 pair of socks,
and a few hats.

This is what I’ve accomplished so far: I’ve bought all of the yarn for all of the projects though I’m still deciding on the shawl pattern. I’ve completely finished 2 of the sweaters and have a good start on the third. I've finished the felted bag (which became a purse instead of a messenger bag) and the headband. I think I’ll start some more of the smaller projects and work on them at the same time as the last two sweaters. It is somewhat unusual for me as I don’t normally work more than one project at a time.

So, between now and Christmas I’ll try to keep everyone updated on my progress. I won’t post pictures until after the holidays (for obvious reasons) but I’ll try to get pictures of everyone with their gifts during the holidays and post them at that time. Wish me luck!

Vote YES on Proposition 2

2008-09-25T16:46:00.001-07:00

Tattoo Time

2008-09-24T19:01:00.001-07:00

I got a new tattoo this past weekend. I’ve loved tattoos since I was in my teens. I got my first tattoo back in 1987 at Laguna Tattoo in (where else?) Laguna Beach, CA. After 21 years I decided it was time for a new one. This time I really, really, really, wanted a tattoo to commemorate my love of needlework, especially knitting. Here is what I had done:

She is the Stitch ‘n Bitch pinup! It is still a little red and irritated, but I am absolutely in love with it! At some point I’ll probably join my older tattoo that ends on my right hip with this tattoo (it’s on my left calf) by getting one that goes across my left thigh. I have, oh, about 21 years to think about it!

So why, after 21 years did I suddenly decide to get another tattoo? Short answer - I don’t know; it’s just one of those things. It sort of happened like this: Joe and I were talking about his birthday tattoo - he’s going to have the Harwood family crest tattooed onto his calf. While we were chatting I decided to drive to Temecula to talk to the artists at 1st Amendment about getting my pin-up tattoo. He came along to talk with them about his tattoo. And voilà! 3-1/2 hours later I have a tattoo on my leg! Joe will get his next month for his birthday.

For a little history of the art of tattooing, read on...

Tattooing is an expression of beauty found throughout the world. The history of tattooing goes back thousands of years to most countries of the world.

In the Americas, ancient pottery fragments and fragments of ancient ceremonial objects show that North America's Southeastern tribal people have been using tattoos to decorate their bodies for centuries. The early European explorers were amazed at the complex designs covering not only the men's bodies but the women as well. Swift hands and delicate motions imbedded intricate patterns into the skin using turtle and fish bone needles and natural dyes. It took hours to create one segment of a design that would eventually, over years, cover the entire body. I can only imagine how an individual's life story could be read from the art on their body. Tattoos were also used on the face and body to give power to the individual wearing them. For example, paint or tattoos were used to create symbolic eagle eyes around the eyes of men, giving them the eyes of the eagle in flight.

Japanese tattoos are referred to in Japanese as irezumi which literally means the insertion of ink under the skin leaving a permanent mark or tattoo. Tattooing in Japan is thought to extend back to at least 10,000 years. The Ainu people, the indigenous people of Japan, are known to have used tattoos for decorative and social purposes for many thousands of years.

Religious tattoos have been around for thousands of years but they haven't always been accepted as they are nowadays.

During the Roman Empire the practice of tattooing was almost eradicated in so called civilized culture. The Romans believed that the body was to remain in its purest form and tattoos had no place in this belief. Roman soldiers came across many tattooed barbarians in the expansion of the Roman Empire and as a result soldiers began bringing tattoos back into the civilized world.

As Christianity emerged it brought with it the secrecy of an underground religion in a Roman state of intolerance. Christians began tattooing crosses on the underside of their forearms as a secret sign to other Christians. This was a bold statement of their faith, although secret, a Christian caught with a cross tattoo would be killed immediately.

Several accounts of tattooing in Palestine can be found in travel journals of Christian pilgrims and the practice continued well into the twentieth century. In 1956, a professional tattooist, Jacob Razzouk was using tattoo designs carved on woodblocks that had been handed down from father to son in his family since the seventeenth century. The blocks he used were copied and published in Carswell’s book Coptic Tattoo Designs, printed in a limited edition of 200 copies in 1956. The book contains reproductions of 184 prints together with descriptions of the traditions and symbolism associated with each design.

Throughout history it has become commonplace for tattooed individuals to be set apart or outside society. But times are changing. More than a millennium after church authorities condemned tattooing as a sin, there is a surge in people getting religious tattoos. Christians are inking their bodies with images of crosses, sacred hearts and angels. And, for a small but growing subculture within evangelical Christianity, religious tattooing is becoming more and more a form of expression of individuality, identity and faith. Instead of worshipping religious representations displayed on stained glass windows of the local church, people find meaning in inscribing images on their own private temple of the Holy Spirit.

Abiding by the principle that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, most conservative Christian churches have set limits on bodily expressions, whether these expressions are in the form of tattoos, piercings, extreme hair styles, et cetera.

As far as tattoos go, the Bible has different decrees open to different interpretation. For example Leviticus says:

"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead,
nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."

But, in his Letter to the Galatians, Apostle Paul says:

"Let no one cause me trouble,
because I bear on my body the marks of Jesus"

Other biblical passages from Exodus to Revelation describe divine symbols being placed on the bodies of believers. Since the Emperor Constantine banned the practice in the third century because it violated God's teachings, attempts by religious authorities to prohibit tattooing have met with limited success.

Tattoos have not only risen in status to become popular and acceptable within all classes of society, in some milieus, tattoos have achieved an elevated degree of aesthetic value. Tattoo art and artifacts have value. Tattoo, a previously ignored and marginalized practice, is undergoing a process of cultural re-inscription. New meanings of tattoo are being generated by exhibitions that reframe tattoos as art. Recent international exhibitions in American galleries and museums suggest that cultural experts are now speaking on behalf of tattoo culture.

A great link for pictures of tattooed women in history and general tattoo history: http://www.lyletuttle.com/tattoohistory/pasttattooedwomen.html

Humane Society has Endorsed a Presidential Candidate!

2008-09-23T19:38:00.000-07:00

This quote from the Humane Society’s statement of its unprecedented endorsement of a presidential candidate:

”…..Gov. Sarah Palin’s (R-Alaska) retrograde policies on animal welfare and conservation have led to an all-out war on Alaska’s wolves and other creatures. Her record is so extreme that she has perhaps done more harm to animals than any other current governor in the United States.

Palin engineered a campaign of shooting predators from airplanes and helicopters, in order to artificially boost the populations of moose and caribou for trophy hunters. She offered a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf as an economic incentive for pilots and aerial gunners to kill more of the animals, even though Alaska voters had twice approved a ban on the practice. This year, the issue was up again for a vote of the people, and Palin led the fight against it – in fact, she helped to spend $400,000 of public funds to defeat the initiative…….”

They are endorsing Obama/Biden.

Hug a Vegetarian Day

2008-09-23T19:05:00.000-07:00

Okay. This Friday, September 26, 2008 is

HUG A VEGETARIAN DAY

So, go find your favorite vegetarian and give 'em a great big hug! What?! You say you don't know a vegetarian?! Well, go out and meet one. We tend to hang out at places like Sprouts and Trader Joes...

She's a Woman Now!

2008-09-22T17:35:00.000-07:00

Campbell has started laying eggs!! She started on Friday and has laid an egg a day since. They are still kinda small - about the same size as small or medium eggs found in the grocery. But since she just started, I'm guessing she'll end up laying extra-large ones when she's fully developed. I think Lipton is more proud than Campbell. He crows and crows until I come out and see the egg. Then I take it away and he walks the fence complaining. No pleasing that guy! Campbell shows no signs of wanting to sit which is fine by me. I really don't need more chickens. Well, actually, more hens would be nice but since I have a 50/50 chance of getting more roosters, I'm not interested in hatching any! So, a nice half-dozen eggs per week! Perfect for baking or making the odd french toast or pancake breakfast. And since I know they are humane I feel fine about using them!!

Time For Work and Time For Play

2008-09-17T21:01:00.000-07:00

I love working a split shift. Why? Because I have time in the middle of my workday to go and sit with my stitchin' friends and chat and stitch and bitch and drink weird coffee drinks. For three hours I get to do this! Twice a week! And because I'm working those crazy-long ten hour days I GET FRIDAYS OFF!!!!!!!!!! That equals a three-day weekend EVERY weekend! Now that is just boss!!!!

So today was one of those great stitch-n-bitch days. We talked about the crazy but cute-as-can-be baby blanket that required something close to a million circular needles to work; the cutest darn project bags ever and how they net some of us (this would be you Alicia; see http://www.brentandalicia.blogspot.com) some great yarn on those nutso Ravelry swaps (go check her etsy store and you too can have a bag!); how some of us just walk in and employees simply hand them drinks like they are regulars or something (Maggie, I KNOW I didn't see you walk in and order that drink); and the podcast addictions of some others (namely myself).

So, in my last post I admitted to my podcast addiction. And, silly me, I asked for some knitting podcast suggestions. Well, in some people's (M's!!) attempts to enable me in my addiction, I received a couple of great suggestions. But, as podcasts will want to do, one or two knitting podcasts have multiplied like tribbles (remember Star Trek?). I have added SEVEN more podcasts to my list and they are all about knitting, or in the case of one, about all kinds of crafting. At the request of Alicia, here's a list of the ones I added. Sorry I don't have links to these, but I use itunes and just do a search using the titles.

Sticks and String
CraftyPod - the podcast that's all about making stuff
Knit Naturally
Knit Obsession with zknits
Knittingatnight's Podcast
Stitch it!
It's a Purl, man

Check them out. They are all pretty good.

What's on my iPod

2008-09-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

I like podcasts. I think it might be close to an addiction; it takes forever for my podcasts to update each day, which is my indicator that there may be a problem. So, here is the list of podcasts that I listen to: 60-Second Science; MicrobiologyBytes; BrainStuff: The HowStuffWorks Podcast; Chris Evans Drivetime - The Best Bits; Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4; NPR: Fresh Air; NPR: Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me; Science Weekly; The Ellen DeGeneres Show in A Minute; What Not To Wear: Trends; and WhoWhatWear. This looks to me to be a mix of comedy - American and British, Fashion Trends, and Science. Now that is just plain weird. And I must say, I've been looking for a knitting Podcast. Know of one? What do you think? Do I need to be concerned? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Eating from my CSA box

2008-09-08T17:51:00.000-07:00

This year I read this book called "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver.

I loved this book. Synopsis from the book's web page: "Hang on for the ride: With characteristic poetry and pluck, Barbara Kingsolver and her family sweep readers along on their journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. Their good-humored search yields surprising discoveries about turkey sex life and overly zealous zucchini plants, en route to a food culture that's better for the neighborhood and also better on the table. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle makes a passionate case for putting the kitchen back at the center of family life and diversified farms at the center of the American diet.

"This is the story of a year in which we made every attempt to feed ourselves animals and vegetables whose provenance we really knew . . . and of how our family was changed by our first year of deliberately eating food produced from the same place where we worked, went to school, loved our neighbors, drank the water, and breathed the air."

After reading this book, I decided to try my best to eat as close to home as I could. In doing my research I found a local CSA Group(Community Supported Agriculture) - the Inland Empire CSA (www.inlandempirecsa.com). I signed up for a year's "subscription" at about $30 a week. For this I get an entire box of fresh, local, yummy, organic produce!

I picked up my first box on Saturday morning at the Temecula Farmer's Market. I took it home and my mouth started watering!!!! Here's what was in it:

Sage honey, Figs, Apples, oranges, Peaches, Plums, Jujubes, Tomatillos, Onions, Garlic, Eggplant, Anaheim Chiles, Armenian Cucumbers, Mixed Greens, Summer Squash, Winter Squash, Arugula, Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Avocados, Oregano, Mint and Basil.

The figs are all gone; so are the jujubes - YUM! The tomatillos and chiles are now fresh salsa, along with one of the onions and some of the tomatoes. The eggplants are going to be Eggplant creole as of tonight.

And it is LOCAL, meaning I did not pay for the fuel or contribute to the global warming problem in order for this stuff to be trucked here from The Central Valley, or flown here from Argentina!!!!! It grows right here in Riverside County!, at Sage Mountain Farm in Aguanga and De Luz Farms and Nursery in
Temecula! You need to check this out if you live in Riverside County! You owe it to yourself and your family to eat where you live! They have pick-up spots all over the place - Idyllwild, Palm Springs, Riverside, Anza, Hemet, and more!

BYOB - Bring Your Own Bag!

2008-09-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Paper or plastic? Neither, please! Eco-friendly bags are lightweight, reusable, inexpensive, roomy and strong. And I mean roomy and strong - a typical grocery trip for me used to be 20 to 30 plastic bags. The same amount of groceries uses 10 canvas bags. WAY fewer trips from the car to the house! Seriously, 1 canvas bag holds SIX 2-liter bottles of soda!

Don't like the bags you can buy at the grocery store? Want some really cool ones? Go online and get some! I like this web store: http://www.reusablebags.com/. I purchase my kitchen trash bags (totally compostable), my doggie poop bags (totally compostable), wraps for my lunches (no ziplocks necessary and my sandwich bread stays soft), and other fun stuff like my canvas/net shopping bags that are good for the environment not for trashing it! There is also tons of information on this web site - ways in which you too can help save our earth for our kids and grandkids.

Race for the Cure

2008-08-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

I'm entered! Support me! It's my third year! Let's do what we can to put an end to breast cancer! Last year I had a lump. Scared me. It was nonmalignant. This year I had another. It was nonmalignant. Some day it might be cancer. I'd like to know there is a cure out there!

Lions, Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!

2008-08-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not lions, tigers or bears, but a sincere OH MY! I did a head count on the home pet population today: Pop 13. Broken down it equals 2 dogs, 6 cats, 2 chickens, 2 rats and 1 snake. What, am I insane?! Very possibly. Begging for unconditional love? Probably.

Let's meet the pack in order of accrual:

Tinker. Domestic shorthair cat (aka mutt cat). Grey and white, 20 lbs. Age unknown. Adopted from the local vet when his former owner had to move to a rest home. Niki (daughter) was home then and she worked for this aforementioned vet. Tink had been living in one of the kennels for 2 or 3 months and she could no longer stand it. She asked if I wanted him, I said of course! Tinker moved in.

(I can't believe it, but I removed tons of personal photos from this computer. I'll bring a photo of Tink in later).

Lucy. Ball Python. About 5 years old. Approx 1 meter long. Adopted from work. The students were driving her nuts. She eats frozen rats; warmed up of course. She is sooooo sweet!

(Photo of Lucy coming later also).

Louie. Boston Terrier. 2-1/2 years old. Adopted from a local rescue. I was innocently on my way to Home Depot to get house stuff. PetSmart happened to be having their adoption day. I saw a cute little boston terrier in one of the cages. I stopped. Now, I have ALWAYS wanted a boston just like Aunt Pearl and Uncle Mel's dog. I yelled "That is my dog!" Paul (hubby) and Joe (son) were in the car and were sure I'd lost my mind. I got out, went over, knowing full well that they were gonna tell me the dog had already been adopted. It was already 2pm for goodness sake. Well, not one person had even asked about him!!! I looked at Paul and Joe. Said, "Would you mind having him?" They said it'd be fine. He was mine!!! I had to run to the ATM and get out the adoption fee, then stop and get a collar and leash. In the time it took me to do this, 5 people stopped and tried to adopt him! I am SURE he was meant to be mine. His name was Lucifer. I hated that and changed it to Louie. Some days I know why he was named Lucifer.

Mouse and Rose. Rats. Grey and white, about 2 years old. They were supposed to be snake food. Couldn't do it. Don't have photos but I'll take some. Rose has a tumor now, but she seems happy. She eats tons!

Bubba Dude. Great Pyrenees, 8 months old, 80 lbs. Adopted from my hairdresser's mother-in-law. She had EIGHT of these dogs living in her house! She had to give some away. Now, understand that Louie (see Boston above) is NOT dog friendly. I really wanted another dog, but was afraid to get one because I was sure Louie would kill it. Then I heard about Bubba and realized that he was so big (at 5 months he weighed 50 lbs which was twice Louie's size!) and so lovey that Louie would HAVE to end up being his buddy. I brought Bubba home and Louie hated him. For 2 days he did nothing but try to get at him. Now they are best friends! The usual game of tug-of-war is a little more in Bubba's favor (he's just a tad bigger), but Louie never gives up.

Let's see. Next came Lipton and Campbell. One Brown Leghorn Rooster (Lipton) and one Barred Leghorn hen (Campbell). I work at a college, in the biology department. We do experiments. One is all about development. One of the things we do in this lab is incubate chicken eggs for various periods of time, open them up, and look at the developing chick. VERY. HARD. LAB. FOR. ME. Normally we destroy any eggs not used. This semester I just couldn't do it. I kept the 4 leftover eggs in the incubator and waited to see if any would hatch. 2 hatched. One black/yellow chick and one chipmunk colored chick. They imprinted on me and thought I was their mommy! (Yes, it really is true that the first animal they see becomes their mommy.)

This is them sitting on my desk at work. I took them home every night and brought them back to work every day. They went "cheep, cheep, cheep" VERY LOUDLY whenever they couldn't see me! I waited to see how they'd look when they grew up....

Here they are at 4 months. The rooster is Lipton and the hen peeking out from behind him is Campbell.

They don't think I'm their mommy any more. As a matter of fact, Lipton now tries to spur me. But he is just so beautiful!!! I can't do that lab anymore knowing that these gourgeous creatures are what we destroy. Campbell will start laying eggs in the next month or so. My family cringes whenever I start wondering out loud if I should let any of them hatch.

Who's next... Punkin' and her babies! I stole her. No, really, I stole her. She was our neighbor's kitten. She started "becoming a woman" and the neighbors wouldn't take her in to get fixed. The male cats started hanging out. She tried fighting with them. One clawed her eye and it got badly infected. The neighbors refused to take her to the vet. REFUSED! I called animal control when I found her dying in my garage. An officer came out and forced them to get her veterinary care. It was too late for her eye, she lost her eye. And they still didn't get her fixed. So, surprise!, she got pregnant. They said she was too young, that she wasn't really pregnant, only fat. STUPID PEOPLE! Anyway, after she had her kittens (in my yard of course) we brought her and her babies into our house and there they stay! Punkin and her 4 babies - 3 girls and 1 boy. We're still naming them, but so far one girl is named after Gus Gus (the mouse in Cinderella) cuz she is so fat; and the boy is named Jack. Everyone will get shots and fixed and hopefully new homes. Or not. They can always hang with us.

So, I guess I'm a little animal crazy. But I just can't imagine a home without pets. The "experts" say that people with pets live longer. If it goes by the number of pets I should live to 125!!!!!

Why Vegetarian?

2008-08-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

I get asked why I'm a vegetarian. Why anyone cares is beyond me, but hey, some people care who other people want to go to sleep with also.

So, why have I chosen to eat veges and not meat? Many reasons. The main one? Because eating other earthlings makes me want to vomit! I mean seriously, why would I want to eat one of my fellow creatures? Because they can't talk; because they can't say, "Hey, I don't want to die"? Because I have opposable thumbs and they don't? Because supposedly I am "better" than they are? Or more "important" in God's eye? Who said? God certainly has never told me I am any more important than any of his other creatures. He did say to take care of them. I just don't believe eating them is what he meant by "taking care of them"; sounds a little "godfatherish" to me: "Hey, Stanley, I want you to take care of that guy."

Another reason... Factory Farms are Mean and Nasty! And, unfortunately, most of the meat products found in our local stores comes from factory farms. These are cruel places where unspeakable things happen to animals. Don't think so? Watch the movie "Earthlings". You can find it on Google for free.

Why else? Because as a scientist I understand the benefits of being a primary consumer. I realize the benefits of eating those primary producers (plants) whose cells produce all those energy rich organic molecules that my body needs, without having to first pass through a herbivore (cow) and loose so much of that available energy. Hello! The available energy decreases at each step! I'm staying close to the original energy source (the sun).

If that's not enough, how about land use issues. We only have so much land available to produce food. It takes a whole lot more land to produce a pound of cow than it does to produce a pound of vegetable! It takes a whole lot more energy to produce a pound of chicken than it does to produce a pound of vegetable! More than 260 million acres of U.S. forest have been cleared to create cropland to grow grain to feed farmed animals. According to scientists at the Smithsonian Institute, the equivalent of seven football fields of land is bulldozed every minute, much of it to create more room for farmed animals. Of all the agricultural land in the U.S., nearly 80 percent is used in some way to raise animals—that's roughly half of the total land mass of the U.S.

Then there is the whole global warming issue. A 2006 United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, planes, and ships in the world combined. Greenhouse gases cause global warming, which studies show will increasingly lead to catastrophic disasters—like droughts, floods, hurricanes, rising sea levels, and disease outbreaks—unless we drastically reduce the amounts emitted into the atmosphere. Many conscientious people are trying to help reduce global warming by driving more fuel-efficient cars and using energy-saving light bulbs, but they could do more simply by going vegetarian.

So there you have it. This is why I'm vegetarian. Do I care one whit if you are? Not so much. I don't care who you are sleeping with either, but that is a whole different topic.

Ravthelete

2008-08-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

I did it! I finished my olympic sweater before the closing ceremonies! I got my "medal". I can't post pictures of the sweater because it is a gift and the giftee can't see it till christmas. But here is my Medal:

Blessings Inherent in Having a Dirty House

2008-08-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Never in my life did I think I'd consider a dirty house a blessing. I've come to realize over the last year or so that I'd much rather live and play with my family of kids and animals than have a "showpiece" house. It's been a rather slow conversion...

It started with the granddaughters coming to live with us. This is what I knew: little kids are messy. When my kids were little I had a messy house. But I didn't care. Then they grew up, and I became obsessed with having a "perfect" house. The cleanest, prettiest, best decorated house in all the world. Or at least in my part of the world. All fine and good when I only have myself and my house to care for. Then 3 years ago, the granddaughters came. They were 7 and 8 years old. They were messy. I went NUTS trying to keep that same spotlessly perfect home. I screamed. I pouted. I was a martyr. I made everyone miserable.

Then, two years ago I rescued a puppy. An 8 month old Boston Terrier named Louie. He wasn't exactly potty trained. I had brand new hardwood floors. I had a brand new wool area rug in the living room. I had brand new carpet in the rest of the perfectly spotless house. Hmmmm. New floors and a new puppy that had no idea that he shouldn't potty in the house. More screaming. Not at the dog mind you, he didn't know better. No, I shouted at everyone else because they left it to me to make sure he was taken out to potty. They left it to me to clean up the accidents. And the dog hair!!!! Guess what I learned? Short haired dogs shed. Alot. And those little black hairs stick everywhere!

Clearly I wasn't miserable enough. This last May I rescued another puppy. A five month old Great Pyrenees named Bubba. Now, this dog isn't little, nor is he short haired. When I got him he was a fifty pound, long haired bundle of slobbery puppy joy! And he sheds, boy does he shed! And did I mention he slobbers? Oh, he slobbers. On EVERYTHING and EVERYONE!

Guess what? I couldn't keep up with the mess. So I gave up. I quit. I pouted. And guess what else? No one cared! People didn't come over and whisper about how my lovely showpiece house fell apart around my ears. No one made comment about how messy I was. Nothing bad happened. At all.

And I learned to relax. And I learned I could stop yelling at people. And stop pouting because I'm playing the martyr. I can accept the piles of white fur floating around the house and getting into my knitting. And make jokes about how I have a black furry chaise instead of a beige one. And laugh when I look at the wall and there is dried slobber on it. And now I have time to knit. And I have time to play. And I enjoy my family and my dogs. The messy people. The people I love!

I Just Watched:

2008-08-25T10:17:00.001-07:00

"Awakenings", with Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams. Directed by Penny Marshal. 1990.

Quick synopsis: A true story about the victims of an encephalitis epidemic many years ago who have been catatonic ever since. A new drug offers the prospect of reviving them.

What I learned: There is no such thing as a simple miracle. Also, we humans need to Love living! Truly be alive every day and appreciate that we are here, now, with all the abilities or disabilites we have.

What I will try to do: Live my Life. Not exist day to day, but truly Live.

Ravelympics

2008-08-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

What? Ravelympics? I'll explain. I belong to a knitter's online world called Ravelry. It's a great place to connect with other knitters, find patterns, log projects and yarn stash and knitting books, yadda, yadda, yadda. The "powers that be" in the Ravelry world decided to have a little fun and start a knitting olympics to coincide with the real olympics. We chose a project, and had to start and finish during the two weeks of the olympics. It was supposed to be a challenge for the knitting "athlete". I endered the WIP Wrestling event on Team MINE!. WIP stands for Work in Progress. I have been working on a sweater and needed some impetuous to get-er-done! I am almost there! I have until noon on Sunday! Will I make it??? Cue olympic music...

If I do, I will get a gold medal to post right here on this blog!

What exactly does one do with a blog?

2008-08-19T18:43:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to be blogging these days. Or reading blogs created by others. Just what does one do with a blog? I intend to find out.