45 for the 44th

Wow. It actually happened. I actually saw it (sort of - the video of the feed was a bit behind the audio). I know the nation did not actually decide to give me the present of an historic occasion for my birthday, but nonetheless, that's what I received. I'm a little stunned. In a good way. I was alive for the first time an African-American became the Chief. What was it like to be alive the first time an African-American could vote? The first time a woman could vote? What was it like to be alive when slavery was declared to be at an end? I was alive for the end of segregation by law, but I was very young and it didn't sink in.

I hope to be alive when we truly look at a person and judge them on their actions, words, and deeds. And not by the color of their skin or their religious beliefs.

That is what I have been given. Hope. That this presidency will be the answer to all our problems? Nope. That the minds of my fellow citizens may open more, may embrace their fellow humans as equals. Yep.

And that...

That is stunning.

Losing Battles - with myself!!

Crud, this looks like a lot of fun. And I really need to learn a new craft right now. Yeah, like I need another hole in my head...

http://www.eloomanation.com/

It's weird to look at something on line and watch two sides of me begin battle....

Side One: Weeeee!! Look at this stuff!!! Isn't that cool!! And I have that little square loom that I could maybe use for some of these projects!!! Or I could build a little loom!! No problem - I've had all that woodworking practice of recent!!!

Side Two: You have got to be kidding! Haven't you looked at the massive pile of unfinished projects? And don't you remember that some of those projects are to build things to help organize your overflowing craft/fabric/yarn stashes? Haven't you looked at the house which so needs to be cleaned?

Side One: But, but, but... Doesn't this look like fun? Can't I just maybe do one simple project? And I can use yarn that I already have, so I would actually be reducing the stash! That's sort of like cleaning and organizing, right? And think how much fun it will be!! Fun, fun, fun!!!

Side Two: Get a %$*%^ grip! You'd tear apart the house looking for just the right yarn, which is pretty much the antithesis of organization, and you know it.

(I think Side Two makes an excellent point, there...)

Side One: Just one? One small project? Maybe a bag or container or something to organize my life a bit?

Side Two: Really... something that would organize a part of this crazy world of yours?

(yes, this is where the tide turns...)

Side One: Sure! It'll be great!!

Side Two: Well...

Side One: C'mon... you know you want to see something done this way, too...

Side Two: Yeah, but... But... Well, okay. But, first you have to finish the Christmas presents that didn't get done. And clean the litter boxes.

Side One: Yay!!!

When will it all slow down? Never????

Guess what?!? I get to write about something medieval for a change! How exciting is that? Yes, sometime last year I got the hankering to teach at a medieval event. So, I offered to teach two classes in my favorite stuff: nålbinding and sprang. Yeah. The first weekend after all the Christmas running around is done (which is not saying the projects are done, just all the traveling), I’ve got to have my fecal matter assembled sufficiently to teach. Oops! What was I thinking?? Wasn’t I thinking that I’d have to finish Christmas projects? Oh, well.

I’d done precisely none of the prep work before getting home on Sunday. And everything seems to be taking a long time. Possibly because I’m a little wiped out. But!! But!!! I now have 8 sprang frames and I rather like this construction: ½” dowels used for the sides, glues into holes drilled into 1 ½” x ¾” boards. What I really like about the new frame is that I could take it to Pennsic in an unglued-state and easily glue them. I think that I could even let people glue the frames together themselves! Suddenly, teaching at Pennsic has become much easier – much less bulk to transport! All the handouts have been printed and collated. Just have to determine which yarn I’m surrendering and wind them. Then assemble the little kits to hand out.

I also have 9 cute little nålbinding needles. I rushed them a little, so they aren’t as smooth as they normally are. But, they are done. 8 teak (for the students) and one reddish wood (maybe redheart?) that I didn’t like at all until I rubbed in the beeswax. Ah, beeswax! Beeswax rubbed in with a little nålbinded “cloth” that had a lot of lanolin in it! Ah! Beeswax and lanolin. I’d love to be able to say that the printed material for the nålbinding class is all done, but I’m having some issues with my printer. I can’t complain too much, because it was free, and came with a full cartridge of toner. And it’s a laser jet, which I like better than ink jet. But, the darned thing keeps thinking there’s a paper jam when there isn’t. I know what you’re thinking – something must be in there somewhere. That’s what I’m thinking too. But, why, then, will it print 4 sheets before thinking it’s jammed? Open the cover, close the cover, 4 more sheets, “I’m jammed!” Seriously. This is way so annoying. Especially since each handout has 8 sheets printed on both sides (and the printer does not have a duplexing unit – I am the duplexing unit…). I’ve gotten halfway through the job (printed all of the “backs” of the sheets, now just have to print the “fronts”…)

2 more nights. I think I can pull it all together in two more nights. Better still would be pulling it all together tonight. But, I’m not going to force myself to do that!

And then, I get to work on getting ready to teach sock knitting. At least I won’t have to really jump into that for a bit – the first actual knitting session isn’t until January 20.

January 20^th. Inauguration Day. My birthday. Should be an interesting day!

Still in relaxation mode...

Ah, New Year's Eve. And I'm still relaxing and not knitting like a fiend. Well, not on socks. I lost my beloved camouflage mitts on the drive home - left them in a restroom. This wouldn't bother me so much if I hadn't, as I set them down, said to myself, "This is potentially a bad spot to set down your mitts, kiddo. You might forget them..." So, I whipped up a pair in Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair. Oo. Pretty. Sparkly. And then last night I noticed the little ball remaining from knitting my Christmas Calorimetry... And I thought that little Christmas mitts would be fun to wear whilst celebrating Christmas with the Mills boys... So, I'm knitting those instead! About one quarter of the way along... should be able to finish them during lunch (with a little bit of time before I leave tonight to supplement that...). And given that I made little Christmas slipper socks ages ago in the same yarn, I'll be quite coordinated! I hope Bret and Jared don't gag!!!

Along the relaxation lines, I actually got to do something I wanted to do before Christmas but didn't have the time - I went to Lake Hope State Park and walked down the Trail of Lights with my friend Cindy. The trail wasn't quite as long as I'd hoped, but the lights were pretty. We ended up walking it twice (my suggestion) and it was just lovely. Not too windy. Not too cold. Very quiet (we were the only ones there when we started the trail, though people were in the parking lot getting ready to leave when we arrived, and others arrived as we were leaving). The displays were a little beat up from being out all December long, but still very festive. And I brought a thermos of hot chocolate which we drank in the car after the walk. All in all, a very lovely evening. And I got home with still time to work on stuff. So I packed clothes for the weekend and wrapped the last two presents: Jared's box (easy) and Bret's table (not so much...).

Have you ever wrapped a skinny little table that's not at all in a box? Oh, it was fun. Rule #1: no cellophane tape could be applied directly to the wood. Rule #2: every bit needed to be covered. Wrapping using these rules was a bit of a challenge. The taper of the legs was a help, actually. The paper only slid down so far... So, the legs were each covered and then the apron and top were wrapped, taping the paper to that on the legs. And! I finished a role of wrapping paper that I've had for years. Exactly. None to spare (well, I'm not counting the pieces that are about 1" x 3" that I cut out of the top piece to get around the legs...). How cool is that? Now, of course, the trick will be getting it in and out of the car without damaging all that hard work!

What a Joyous Whirlwind!!

Back from Christmas with the family. It was so wonderful to see them all. I wish I could have spent more time with everybody. I'm contemplating taking weekends and visiting one portion of the family at a time. It's a little hectic with everyone all at once, or running from house to house in one day. Joyous. Merry. Wonderful. But, hectic.

And, yes, two presents got wrapped unfinished. And that's okay. I'll get them done by the end of January. And one last present is almost finished, but I'm pretty unhappy with it. The hall table is just not right. Bummer. But, I will finish it tonight, and take it up to Bret and tell him that he can help design a better one (one that will fit his needs). And the next one I won't make the doweling mistakes on the legs (I might even cheat and buy legs already made...). It's actually not a bad little table. It's just not a great little table.

On the bright side, I have two presents started for next year! And plans for others.

This year will be the year that I get everything done. I will start in September, when things aren't too crazy. I will have everything planned by the time October comes around, so there will be no scurrying about trying to decide what to knit. I've started the list today!! Which means I won't forget the excellent idea I had on Christmas Day for my niece and nephew-in-law!! WoOt!!

And maybe, just maybe, next Christmas I'll actually get to relax!!

I ain't going down with this ship...

Which means I am putting my hands up and surrendering. Yip. Two projects moved to Next Year status. One project wrapped way not done (but it's argyle, and all the diamonds and lines are done, so he'll get the idea). I am going to try to do a pair of socks today. The pattern is written quite weirdly, though... So, I'm going to use it as a guideline...

I did get a lot done next year. And I have two projects in progress for next year already! So, I'm ahead, right?!?!

Joyeux Noel to anyone who reads this!!

It's Friday... and, yes, rain...

Oy, yesterday did not quite go as planned. I opted not to touch the wood working, as I'd pulled a muscle in my back trying to get my neck to relax. Yeah. It was a bad afternoon. And now, I'm a bit achy. And I need not to be. But, I shall persevere. I think...

I sat down to work on knitting in my comfy recliner with a rice-filled heating pad thingie to help the neck, and, I was out like a light. Slept for an hour. I totally needed that nap in a physical sense, but I totally needed to knit for that hour in a project-production sense. Oh, well. Spilt milk, water under the bridge and all that. It was marvelous waking up and finding the cat, Bertimus Maximus, on my lap. I vaguely remember him being there when I started to feel the click coming on. And I woke up with a very warm and toasty lap.

My neck feels absolutely fine this morning. That pulled muscle? Not so much.

What did I get done? Well, I put the finishing touches on some beaded banners that I've been considering done, but weren't really - 15 minutes of work left was close enough in the Grand Scheme, but it was still not officially done. Now, officially, they are done, done, done.

I needed a little brainless-ness, so I worked on making sure I have boxes for everything. Oops. I don't! Well, I have boxes, but they're going to be too small. Just one box shy. I might have something that will work, but it certainly isn't the standard size. Of course, I could shoot for a wacky package - maybe a big tube? I need to figure out something for the cardigan that's not done yet...

And I got much closer to the toe on the Earl Grey. Very close. I probably would have gotten closer if I hadn't watched television while knitting. But, hey, I kinda needed some Christmas specials/movies, eh!!

How do I feel about this weekend? I feel like it's going to hurt. A lot. I feel like I'm going to need to take the muscle relaxants. And I feel like I won't get everything done. I may feel better about this after tonight. If I can get the sanding done tonight, then... well, that's the most physically abusive thing I have left. It would be so nice if it was done. So nice. Did I mention that I'd done the math, and I can stain and poly everything on one day? I was worried that I made a mistake (who, me?), so I double-checked the directioins. Between stain and poly, I need 8 hours, and I had computed with 4 hours (between coats). Panic!! Terror!! Recalculate... Oh, goodie!! If I start at 7am, I can still get it all done in one day. I'm not going to run the humidifier, so the house proper should be nicely capable of dessication. I'll bring the wood up tonight and hopefully the cats (cat, actually... Bert, specifically...) won't figure out how to open the door and get to all that nice unfinished wood that he likes to scratch so much. It's kind of nice that there's a whole bunch of waiting in finishing process. Working on wood will break up the knitting, but there's still a bunch of time for knitting to get done!

Achy. Worried. Still mostly positive.

That's where I am....