Got up at almost 11 am this morning…sleeping curled up under a nice, crisp white cotton sheet with Buddha sprawled next to me and the fan blowing away the warm air and sweet sunlight slipping in between the slats of the blinds, I was aware of many wake-up-and-choose-to-fall-back-to-sleep moments…recreational sleeping opportunities. Woke myself up arguing about something a couple of times…that happens frequently…disturbs me that I can’t let go of conflict even in my sleep. But maybe it’s good to let it all out when there’s nobody there to take the brunt!

Anyway, once up, dog walked and coffee mugged, I took to some random Web strolling…and now, 3 1/2 hours later, I find myself landed here.

Just got a call to a condo neighbors pot luck so I may throw a salad together and stroll on over. Meanwhile wanted to mention a couple of extremely cool Web sites…

For all the rabid knitters, check out MiniMum’s astonishing wee people creations.

MiniMum's Tiny Knitted Fashions

For the book nuts, check out BookGlutton for an ingenious place to read and write online and Lulu if you’re interested in self-publishing (or if you just want to see what’s happenin’ in the world of electronic publishing. Is it the librarian in me or is this stuff just really freakin’ cool?!

Off to the shower!

read more | digg story

read more | digg story

This bill will provide affordable Single-Payer National Health Insurance for everyone, no matter what their income level or employment status.

There is no reason why a country as rich, prosperous and supposedly enlightened as the United States should not have free cradle-to-grave health care. Our current system is a disaster and benefits no one but the insurance and drug companies. Use your vote and your rights in our participatory democracy to fight for what’s right.

Want to know more? Check out:

http://www.house.gov/conyers/news_hr676.htm

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Forecasters are calling for a new foot of snow overnight tonight and into tomorrow…our 19th storm of the season. Shouldn’t affect me much…I have the flu. I’m already miserable. Been home since Tuesday (it’ now Friday) with headache, chills, fever, sore throat, sinuses alternately drippy and blocked, achy joints and eyes…a real whopper. First time I’ve been sick in ages…maybe since I used to read to toddlers at my last job. Forgot how crappy one could feel…

Have at least gotten a lot of knitting done — a baby sweater and hat, a couple of new projects planned.

Dogs are loving my being home. Both are sprawled out next to me on the couch in a puddle of sunlight. Life is good even when it sucks.

Knitting in a Digital Age
By Jan Zlendich — Library Journal, 8/15/2007
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6466638.html

Can he be 8 years gone? Can it be 15 since I fell in love with the man dressed “all in green”? The hole in my heart still gapes…and part of me is always missing…like nerve tissue that never regenerates…like a limb that no longer feels phantom.

Today when I tossed the old and then the new roses onto the water, Siri swam out to fetch them. She grabbed the fresh rose in a soft mouth and dropped it gently when I told her to leave it.

Then Buddha walked over to see what she had been interested in…he sniffed and left it undisturbed.

Soon both roses drifted together…as though kissing in the shallow water.

Pattern: 2007 Rockin’ Sock Club “Inside Out”
Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock, Medium Wt.
Color: Monsoon
Needles:
Crystal Palace 2.25mm — short row garter stitch heel and toe
Crystal Palace 2.0mm — ribbed foot
Crystal Palace 2.75mm — cabled leg up to last 1″
Crystal Palace 3.0mm — cabled leg last 1″

Used lots of seldom-employed or new techniques (for me) for these socks — toe-up construction, short-row garter toe and heel, tighter-tensioned ribbing around the entire foot, cabled inside-out ribbing for leg. I’m pleased with the fit though, as for all my socks knit serially on double point needles, each sock is slightly different from the other. My habit seems to be always to create a better, more snug-fitting second sock from the lessons learned in knitting the first. Not quite ready to do all my socks simultaneously on two circulars, though I am planning to try this technique shortly. Am especially glad that my Monsoon socks striped rather than pooled, as I am not fond of most pooling color effects on socks…especially on patterned socks. Don’t think I mind so much on plain crew type socks. Love the medium weight STR yarn*, though they are just a little more difficult to get into shoes when they’re new. Am looking forward to trying the light weight yarn soon.

April’s kit should arrive sometime within the next couple of weeks. Am looking forward to working with the newly named “Take a Walk on the Wild Tide” colorway, which judging from its cousins looks to be colors found in a tidal pond (pinks, dark and light greens, dark and light blues, dark and light browns?).

Meanwhile, I’m casting on a lace sock out of red STR medium weight called “Lover’s Leap” as a thank you gift for a good friend. The pattern is from a Catherine Wingate/Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer booklet called The Sock Calendar; it’s called “Modern Romance” and it’s an undulating lace top down design. Planning to use 3.0mm and 2.75mm needles according to my usual plan of making the cuff with a size larger needle. Will post pictures as progress is made.

*A little anecdote about the ruggedness and cushioning properties of STR medium weight: When I was preparing to travel with Suzi i over Christmas she encouraged me to pack really lightly for our 13 days (11 in Spain and 2 in Paris), so I decided I should forego packing my handknit socks and threw in a few pairs of thin, black nylon ‘trouser socks’ instead, thinking they would be less bulky. In the end, I couldn’t resist throwing in my favorite handknits, a Fair Isle pair made from STR medium weight. By the second day of trudging over cobblestones and climbing steep-stepped, narrow medieval streets through Andalucia, I had a nasty blister just under the big toe of my right foot. From that day forward, the only socks that would properly cushion my achy feet was the STR pair…and I wore them for 8 days without washing them and never got another blister! Put them through the washing machine and hung them to dry when I got and they’re good as new…