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Time for Change

Today is the presidential inauguration, so I can't help but reflect back upon the past 8 years. In December 2000, just before George W. Bush was inaugurated, I had just graduated with my second Masters degree. I was filled with optimism and hope for the future. I never thought that I could calculate the gaps in my resume to discover that I'd only been able to work 65% of the time. When I do work, it's not as if I don't work my tail off. I get great references (in instances where the client is allowed to provide one). More often than not, I've had jobs where I've been unable to take a break for lunch. I've even worked a job where a typical (salaried) work week was over 100 hours.

Tomorrow's supposed to be be the start of a new era, however the realist in me knows that it's just another day. Each day I wake, hoping to see beginnings of the changes in motion. I wait, still, as without hope I have nothing.

Real life knitting mystery

It seems like there's a new genre of books based on knitting themes. A friend of mine loaned me her copy of Fleece Navidad by Maggie Sefton. Since it's now that time of year where one can't avoid the hideous combination of red and green (sorry....pink and green is sooooo much cuter), I think I'm going to give it a go. I'm a bit scared of the loan, given that Prin is a corner chewer and both cats like to sit on books in order to regain their position as center of the universe, but at least it's still in print.

Not having read any knitting mysteries, I'm trying to figure out their appeal. Do I, the reader, have to solve the usual mystery of someone's death or is it something more juicy like a lost stitch, yarn without a ball band, or the secret lives of disappearing stitch markers?

Anyhow, the current mini-series that I'm producing includes the following episodes: Where in the Universe is My Denise Case Hiding Out? and What Will Become of My Massive Bunny Stash?

"Housewife" doesn't sound so frumpy if it means I get to wear gowns

Inspiration for Mary Jane

The other day my mom called to read me the inscription on the birthday card she was sending to Mary Jane Hogan. On November 7^th Mary Jane will spend her 83^rd birthday in a nursing home in Indiana. I believe she once shared a room with her husband John, but she's a bit too out of it too fully understand the conversation. So out of it in fact, that she's recently accused me of calling too much even when I hadn't called. She's not sure where her husband is. I want to call and wish her well, but given her mental condition, its better that Mom calls her weekly and sends cards and tea to brighten her spirits. This time she had requested that mom mail the card early so she could have more time to enjoy it.

Mary Jane was to more to me when I was growing up than just my babysitter; she was a crafting genius. Their apartment was a makeshift craft store, not just of purchased supplies, but of gathered bits and pieces, found objects, and recycled parts that could one day become projects. She was constantly learning new crafts and techniques (on her own) and each year for Christmas she would make all of her dozens of cards using a different technique, using watercolors, acrylics, or even needlepointed plastic canvas. I didn’t just go there when Mom needed a babysitter; I went there for fun. Why go out and play when I could decoupage, paint, cross stitch, bead, cut, glue, and sew? The irony is that the only crafts I can think of that she didn’t partake in were knitting and crochet (also she didn’t own a sewing machine at that time of her life). If I were about to undertake an ambitious new craft or school project, I would run down to Mary Jane’s for some tea and guidance. Even in college she attempted to guide me through a beaded silk dress and a 5’ vinyl cheeseburger in the style of Claes Oldenburg. I miss those days and I’ll bet she does too. There are crafts in the nursing home; however she doesn’t bother to participate because she says that she’s better than the teacher.

Mom called again today after opening a letter from Mary Jane’s niece in Indiana. John passed away on October 10^th, and Mary Jane just can’t comprehend where he went. She asked us to pray for Mary Jane and keep sending cards. I wish I could just rush down to Indiana and hug her. I’d like to fill my car with craft totes and works in progress and tell her I need her. Maybe she just needs some one to teach. I’m going to call her later and tell her that I’m still here, receiving her creativity, love, and inspiration.

Jimmy hat

Here's that project from nearly two years ago. Somehow I have a knack for knitting projects that come out looking suggestive. For instance, my pretty pink Malabrigo turtleneck shrug looks like a pair of crotchless chaps when it's not worn. Anyhow here's my giant pink, um, hat.

Before felting it was just this mammoth piece of sport weight alpaca. Those markings on the board underneath are inches by the way. It practically just needed some sleeves, because I really felt like for all that knitting I should have come out with a sweater (or something more substantial) instead of a hat. Luckily, it turned out to be super cute (and also the warmest hatI've ever worn). I am also fortunate (especially with my tiny kitchen and lack of domesticity) to have a Pyrex bowl that's just the same size as my head. Only a knitter would find serendipity in the fact that their head resembles a rose tinted bowl. 

For those with cats, Blixa rated this projects as two paws up. The scent of wet alpaca is extra special to cats. He visited it frequently while it was drying. 

Losing my blogging virginity

So, here's the blog that was meant to go up years ago. I guess it wasn't meant to be or I would have actually posted something. Okay, it just wasn't pink enough. I don't even remember the URL or login.

It's 11pm and since I'm not about to go around trying to photograph things in my poorly lit house, I'm going to travel back in time to the project I was supposed to upload in the first place. Strangely enough it's one of the few projects I have photographed. Here goes my first blog post. Whheeeee!!