toys are good food

Civic Doody

Hi there. Yeah, you. I just wanted to remind you to start thinking about the upcoming presidential election. Chances are that 1 out of every 3 people that read this didn't vote in the 2004 elections.

I'm gonna make it easy for you.

I'm not going to tell you who to vote for. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me if you're going to vote for the candidate that's going to fix all of the wrongs in Washington, or that other guy.

Just be an informed voter.

Sure, everyone knows how their candidate feels about the "hot button" issues, but what about other stuff like health care, education, or economic positions? Learn about each candidate's platform at the non-partisan web site procon.org. Who knows, maybe you'll find out that another candidate more closely reflects your beliefs!

"But Matt", you say, "I learn everything I need to know by watching the campaign commercials during CSI." Would you believe that both candidates have been caught stretching the truth a bit in their adverts? Luckily, the fine folks at factcheck.org have taken the time to research campaign commercials and major speeches. This site is also non-partisan and calls out both Obama and McCain when they sideswipe the truth.

Okay, now that you know who you're voting for, make sure that you are registered to vote. In many states, your name can be removed from the rolls if you move, if there are clerical errors, or a million other reasons. (This happened to me!) If you're not registered yet, time is running out. Most states don't allow you to register less than 30 days before an election. Here's a giant page full of info for every state, including how to register, links to polling locations, etc. The page is from dailykos.com, which is a very partisan site, but this registration information is good for everyone.

"Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote."
--George Jean Nathan

So um.. don't be a good citizen -- wait... I mean, aww heck, you know what I mean.

I made this!

In the 'Look what I can do' category: Saturday, Matt and I enjoyed a delicious* salad procured completely from our own garden! What a power trip!

There is lettuce and mesclun, 'Sweet Treat Hybrid' carrots and a sweet banana pepper, 'Sweet 100' cherry tomatoes, 'Sumpter' cucumber, and a bit of purple ruffle basil (which has an anise taste to it, but looks lovely).

The cherry tomatoes, which only recently have gone crazy, are still a bit on the tinsy side, but they taste good. Especially sun warmed and gobbled directly from the plant (which is how they're typically consumed). The cucumber has been our star plant this year, nearly constantly keeping us in large, flavorful cukes.

There is a lot of our garden not represented in this salad. Tomato plants that have only produced a single, small fruit. Pickling cukes that shrivel before they're more than embryonic nubs. Onions and cilantro that are just gone.

Each year we learn little lessons from our garden, what it will tolerate, and what will tolerate us. I expect to keep learning these lessons until I'm old and gray. (Watch those comments! I know who you are!)

I am planning to start some more seeds in the next week or two for a fall/winter harvest. That's the nice thing about TX: multiple planting seasons.

* This salad was delicious mainly because we grew it ourselves, but in reality, we had let the carrots and lettuce go a bit long and they were a bit bitter. But everything else was fantastic and the bitterness didn't really bother us intermingled in the sweet taste of success.

Two for Tuesday: Memes

Now don't you feel special? Two memes, one post. Could you ask for any more insubstantial blather?

First up, the knitter's significant others meme. Kind of like an interview, but still all about me.

1. What is your favorite thing about my knitting?
   95 percent of the time, knitting relaxes you and makes you happy. That's pretty nice. Of course, the other 5 percent of the time you swear like a sailor at the string, pattern, and sticks.
2. What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?
   Well, obviously the deadbeat knitters that you hang out with. 8^) I dunno if there really is a downside. I will think on this. I'm sure there's something about it that drives me bonkers.
3. What is something I have knitted that you recall is good.
   Your ribbon-winning socks. I'm also pretty fond of my vest.
4. Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?
   As a gadget freak, I'm not going to answer this question, on the grounds that it will come back to haunt me.
5. Do you have a stash of any kind?
   A 'stache? Heck no!
   Oh, A stash? No way! Collecting lots of an item is for the deranged and unstable!
   Hmm... PEZ, Mongers, Jack Chick tracts, those little red plastic sticks that you get with Cheese'n'crackers, Brannock devices, unusual screwdrivers, magnets from different states, paperclip art, and swizzle sticks from casinos.
   [Edited to clarify that Matt is pulling your leg on some of these. But only a few, sadly.]
6. Have I ever embarrassed you, knitting in public?
   Only when you wear your special knitting helmet, dear.
7. Do you know my favorite kind of yarn?
   The expensive kind, made from the fleece of a unique breed of three-legged sheep (tri-ruminants) that live on a very small island in the North Atlantic. The wool can only be harvested every leap year (on Feb 29, natch). The wool is then spun by a cabal of blind midget nuns, who weave in delicate strands of unobtainium. It's the sort of yarn that is far too nice to actually use. On special occasions, you pull out the one skein of yarn that you were able to procure on the black yarn market. You rub it gently against your cheek, before carefully placing it back into a climate-controlled moth-proof box. Am I close?
   [Boy, he's funny. Huh?]
8. Can you name another knitting blog?
   erm... skittermagoo, knitty, purlingps. I'm pretty sure that's all of them.
   [Ha – as if!]
9. Do you mind my wanting to stop at knit shops wherever we go?
   You only really want to go to yarn shops when we're traveling. Sure, those are hours of my life I'll never get back, but I get my just revenge by making you to go to Fry's, and when I drag you out on PEZ expeditions.
10. Do you understand the importance of a swatch?
    [Edited to note that he returned all these answers, no editing on my part.]
    Do you mean the fashionable 1980's watch?
    or
    How else will your Blythe doll get washcloths?
    or
    Something about determining the gauge. Also, it's an easy project to complete when you don't actually feel like knitting. Maybe you can make this funnier when you edit it. [Nope]
11. Do you read my posts? [We share the blog]
    Usually, yes.
12. Have you ever left a comment?
    Signs point to yes. I can't remember any specific comments, but I hazard a guess that I've commented at least once on your knitting posts.
    [And he has.]
13. Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit?
    Probably not. If you didn't knit, I seriously doubt that your new favorite hobby would be scrubbing that mysterious spot on the kitchen tile.
    In fact, the house might be dirtier, since you do knit washcloths on occasion.
14. Anything you would like to add?
    Yes. 14 and 23, which as you know, is 37.
    [sigh]

Well, erm… Thanks, Matt, for those responses.

Here's the second meme, from purse-ho. Basically, list six random things about me. Hmmm, let's see…

• I do not like fried chicken or gravy, two traditional foods in my oh-so-American heritage. And the gravy thing goes as far as thick brown sauces in Chinese dishes. Ugh.
• I do love musicals. I grew up on the Sound of Music, Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, and Paint Your Wagon.
• I never collected anything until I met Matt. After some contemplation on what I should collect (and before the knitting happened), I started a Smurf collection. Although not on display, I still like my lil' blue guys (and girl).
• I can touch my tongue to my nose.*
• I do not enjoy the concept of picking a favorite. Favorite color? Favorite animal? Favorite food? None of it. It stresses me out and is completely unnecessary/stupid.
• Due to an unfortunate Diet Coke incident, I do not drink dark sodas. In fact, I rarely drink soda at all since this, and mostly sustain myself with water, milk, and the rare Vernor's Ginger Ale.

Now I'm supposed to queue up six more blogs to take the reins on this meme. So let's see…Would the following bloggers step on up:

Now go forth and meme-ply!

* I remember the one time I met my great-uncle on the side porch of some rural farm, he showed me how to do this and how I can practice my stretching my tongue. The only other thing I recall from this day was that he had a true corncob pipe. I never met him again and have never been back to this place. I don't know how young I was (5 maybe)?

More baby

Schtuff

Well, not about my bebeh. Just knitting. For another baby.

This sweet set, bolero and booties, is for the new Kelsey Marie, born to my best friend from high school. I don't see Krista much (there's a bit of distance between CO and TX), but every time we talk or email it's just like we're 17 again and the friendship comes rushing back!

This is my second Baby Bolero that I've knit, and I still very much enjoy the pattern. (First here.) I used L.B. Cotton Ease in pink (from my stash!) and taupe. The booties are the Simple Shoes, which I found the pattern on Ravelry. (Yeah, it's good for that.)

This makes for a good, warm-weather set that can be washed and dried with the regular clothes. No special laundry instructions for the new mommy.

(I, however, fully expect to have a hand-wash laundry load for my bebeh. There's so many warm wool, alpaca, and cashmere yarns that I want to spoil cheerio in.)

Even cowgirls get cold feet

We have this friend (A.Peach) who nearly constantly knits for others. To the point where we have tried arm wrestling her and forcing her declare "selfish knitting" years. Yeah, that didn't go over as well as we'd hoped and A.Peach continued to turn out hand knit socks for others.

(Oh, she'd proclaim that she had knit for herself, but the end-of-year tally would be tipped to one side. Not the A.Peach side.)

In the past two years, A.Peach has knit socks for each of us knitgrrls' birthdays. She rawks like that. My first socks are wonderful tiger print socks that have been known to fight terrorism and speed my journey through airports.

My A.Peach birthday socks for this year are wonderful Regia socks, which she "helped" me pick out the yarn at our LYS.

She's amazing, A.Peach, and generous, and gosh-darnit, I really like her. So as a Thank You and a gift returned, a few of us knit her socks for her birthday in a surprise switcharoo.

These are mine: Cowgirl Sox.

Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Sockina Cotton ('cause A.Peach would never knit cotton for herself)

Pattern: Broadripple

Needles: 2.5mm

More details on Ravelry

I really enjoyed both the yarn and the pattern. Although cotton, the Sockina Cotton is soft and warm to the touch like wool; and very smooshy. And the pattern... I had previously passed by this pattern thinking it looked too, um.. feather-and-fan-y. Not really my style. But seriously, these are wonderful and I want -no, need to knit a pair up for myself!

I called these the Cowgirl Sox for no good reason other than the colors kind of seemed cowgirlie. Actually, the socks are nearly exactly the color of my childhood bike, Dusty Rose. Ahh, memories...

Well, I've been sitting on these socks, keeping them a secret, for a while now. I finished them in March, way WAY before they were needed. (I knew if I didn't get them done first thing, that they'd never get done in time.) They were gifted in August. But I just now pulled the pictures from the camera. I am a sad sack.

Here's to long wearing socks and long lasting friendships! (clink-clink)

Halfway

According to the books, I am now halfway into my pregnancy. (Actually, a little past at 21w, but the internets ate my first post and I was too bitter to write again til now.)

I'm starting to show, although mostly when I wear clothes that emphasize the belly (like the current empire waist style blouses that are popular). I'm still not in maternity wear... yet.

Just recently I've started to feel kicks and nudges on a more regular basis, and even played a short game of Kick Me, Poke Me with the bebeh. (In this sport, I feel a definite kick and I poke back at that spot. Within 30 seconds, I get another kick in the same spot. And I poke back. Repeat. The game ends after about four kicks, at which time the bebeh is sick and tired of getting poked and hides.)

At my last check-up, my BP, BPM, and weight were all good. Plus we got to hear the heartbeat again. (I loves me some doppler.) We scheduled another Level II sonogram and another check-up, which may include another glucola test and some bloodwork (iron levels). Fun for all (or just me?).