Cotten Pickin'

It seems inevitable that today would go by with out a mention of President Kennedy's assassination. As the population ages, and that includes me too, it lessens in importance and becomes a moment in history. As hard as you may find this to believe the same thing will happen about the bombing on 911. We have become so hardened in our response to human anguish. I can't help but fear for humanity.
On a more joyful note. We watched a program about Folk Singer and American Icon Pete Seeger this evening. It was wonderful and brought back bitter sweet memories of our younger days. He is 90 now, hard as that is to believe. We learned a bit of trivia I had to pass on.

Have you ever heard the expression "cotten picken'?" For example in "have a cotten pickin' good time"...etc. Meet Elizabeth Cotten who wrote the song. "Freight Train" when she was 12 and sang with Pete Seeger when she was in her 60's. She hadn't sung or played guitar for 40 years when she went to work for the Seeger family. She was left handed and played the guitar in a way that became known as ...."cotten pickin' !" She was born in 1895 and was still singing into her 90's.

I just love a feel good story. She sings her song at about the 4:25 mark in the above link. Enjoy!

Abbreviations ??

Not such a busy week just seems like it went faster. Trick of the human mind. I am one week into getting myself back into control and I am feeling much better.
Had a wonderful time at the "function" last weekend. Got a bunch of knitting done, see OTHER blog, pictures to be posted tonight.

Today's thought provoking post is going to be about abbreviations. Once upon a time we had a best friend now we have a BFF. 'Cept for my daughter who was the "be...fri.." and Dessy was the "..st..end." I remember reading a blog where the knitter described herself as a WSSAHM or something like that. I just about went nuts trying to figure that out.

I work in an office. Since we crawled out of the primordial ooze. Streets were St, Avenues were Ave, Cres were Cres, Circle, Cir, Court Crt. You get the idea. Now for the sake of "speed..(?)" we are down to 2 letters. Do you see where I am going with this? Cr, what the heck is that? Cres, Circle, Court? London is notorious for having the same name on a variety of addresses. One of the little crosses I bear. Hell hath no fury like a repair technician sent to the wrong address. Believe me.

My other peeve this week is about drivers turning left at the intersection but we won't go there. They obviously do not read this blog or they wouldn't keep being the jerks they are. Just in case the man who drives the white van and turns left at the corner of Jalna & Bradley around 4:15pm everyday is reading here. For the love of everything holy, would you please pull forward when the light turns green. Sheesh, I can not see through you . FOOL. I feel so much better.

Had my H1N1 shot. First time I have ever had a reaction. Feels like someone rabbit punch my arm. I would rather put up with this for a day or so than take a chance on getting sick. That could seriously cut into my knitting time.

Triskadecaphobia ?

Well, here it is again. this happens a couple of times a year and for those of you who dread it's approach I am sorry indeed.
This year it all it means to me is I am 11 days behind on Nano Wri Mo... sigh ...Why do I do this to myself?
I have knitting projects up the ying yang, not that much will be accomplished this weekend. I am going to the aforementioned "function" on Sunday. Oh joy and delight my nemesis will not be in attendance and it will be a relaxing afternoon of re acquaintance and conversation.
My closet seems to have had an adverse affect on my clothes. It has cause them to shrink at an alarming rate. This happens about every two years.
I forced myself kicking and screaming to get on the scales this morning and discovered to my horror that I am at x stone 7 pounds. I should be v stone and no pounds. This is not good. In fact this is nothing short of dreadful. Bread should be put on the list of addictive substances right up there with jam and beer. ( pausing for a moment of unrepeatable comments and a little weeping and wailing). O.K. that's over now it is back to the grind. I have to write down everything I eat, what a bore. I know what is healthy to eat. I could be a nutritionist for crying out loud. I am lazy.
I admit it. Now, I have to be focused. I can hide all this bulk under the excuse of winter clothing and emerge in the spring all svelte...and wrinkly.. Lord you just can't win.
The best way to keep focused is to post here on a regular basis. It helps to keep me on track. Genetics really are a bitch you know. Oh to be tall and willowy instead of short and shrubby.
So, tonight after work I WILL walk around the crescent.
Once.
I can do "once."
Tomorrow is another day.

Appreciation Day

After WWI the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month was set aside to remember those who had died during this terrible conflict. That war changed every aspect of life from the acceptance of Nurses to fashion.

Then came WWII where the call for King and Country was answered by many of our parents.

My mother was 18 my father 19 when they signed up. Hard to believe isn't it?

Today we wear a poppy and we are encouraged to think of those who died. I also think of those who live and do their duty every day.


Thank you for being the best you can be. Thank you for standing up against terror. Thank you for showing compassion to the victims. Thank you for representing the values we all hold dear. Freedom to speak, to pray, to live the life we choose.

We are blessed. We should Never take that for granted.

Turns out I really do have something hurting...

It is called costachondritis. Inflamation of the bits between the rib sections. It is a viral thing like a cold. It takes 10-12 days to go away. This is day 6. Enough already. No cause to whine I can still knit!

Aches and pains

I have such a cramp in my back. oooo. Yesterday at work I was in so much pain. I held on for the day and did as much work ahead as possible. I really didn't think I would make it in today. I was already to go home and go to bed after work but Carl convinced me to go see a Dr. As he put it," I am not ready to be rid of you." Sweet man, so romantic..lol
Last night I sat in the walk in clinic for almost 2 hours. The Dr. says it appears to be muscular and gave me an anti inflammatory and pain pill prescription and sent me home. I took a pill 3 hours ago and it is already starting to wear off. I did not fall, slip or lift a heavy object yet my upper back is killing me. He listened to my lungs and said nout about that. I guess they are clear. I do not have any symptoms of the H1N1. That at least is ruled out. I have a back up ( pun intended) appointment with the family Dr for tomorrow morning.
I seldom go to the Dr., I am blessed with good health, so when I do want an appointment there is a damn good reason.
I got an email last night. lol, actually I don't get that many, anyway, I will be attending a function this month and I was given a heads up that a certain individual will also be in attendance. I was pretty sure that this would be the case and I had accepted the invitation regardless. Suffice it to say I would have had a much better time sans this "person." I will rise above this, (hear the snapping of porcelain as I grind my teeth) and be gracious. Class always wins out.

Look who is 40!!! Happy Birthday Sesame Street!

Writing and knitting

NaNoWriMo report: Yesterday I managed to write almost 3000 words. In the beginning I didn't have much of an idea and so far it is all unmitigated drivel but the story line suddenly took off and frankly I think I have a doozy of a plot. Clues above. It seems to be writing itself. I just hope the momentum keeps up. I need to get another 3000 words today to keep on track.

Last year I did a lot of research but I just couldn't get a story line to go any where. Suddenly I find bits popping into my mind. I came home from work and wrote down ideas that had surfaced while I was driving home. I am going to have to carry a note pad with me. I am afraid of forgetting an idea ...it has happened before. Once I write it down it is safe.

I have a cramp in my back that is so annoying. I have adjusted my chair at work. I have tried a heating pad and Advil. It is right around my lungs. Other than that I feel no worse no better.

Work has slowed down a little, enough to catch up the paperwork. I am ready for the next onslaught.

On the knitting front I frogged about 7 rows on Michael's sweater vest. Got carried away with the decreases and was doing them every row instead of every other row...hanks of hair being yanked out...at that rate the vest would have had spaghetti straps. As it turns out, it was a good thing cause I really wasn't happy with a colour combo I had used. Now I can change it.

It is always better to look on the bright side.

Happy Halloween

Do you see the hidden image?...stand back and squint...cool eh?

Thursday already???

.......No, It is Friday fool.














I started this yesterday, obviously, and then never got back to it.

The Halloween candy is in the bowl but we are having second thoughts about whether there will be enough. I am expecting a larger crowd due to the weekend date. We have showed great restraint since I filled the bowl...patting myself on the back...and have stayed away from pinching too much.

NaNoWriMo starts on Sunday and I haven't signed up yet. Last year, when I signed up, I still had nary an inkling of what to write. Nothing came to me and I descended into ignominy and defeat. So the deadline looms for this year and IF I sign up this year I have to write 50,000 words no wimping out. The year before I collected pictures of "things" that inspired me. as it turned out I was pleased with the resulting story even thought I never did any rewrites. That's for when I retire.
I was planning on going to the Knitter's Group again this evening after supper. Carl will be working late and it sure beats sitting in the house alone. The "Tim Burton Cat" as my brother calls Ebony, is not a lot of company. I have decided to stay in after all too damp to go anywhere.
I am busy perfecting my technique for "double knitting"...see other blog... It would have been easier had I chosen 2 solid colours but noooo I had to choose 2 variegated. Some days I am my own worse enemy. Still and all as long as the light is good I can handle it. I took a break from the "The Vest" this week. I am ahead of schedule on it.
It is pouring down rain right now and the air is damp ooo I hate damp. It is time to stock up on cup a soup to keep me from being chilled.

Autumn has arrived.

I know, I know, where the "Sam Hill have I been?" That is an expression my mother always uses and I have no idea who Sam Hill is or rather was. Everyone is ticked off with me. I haven't called, I haven't posted. Well, it has been crazy at work and more than once I have come home and fallen asleep before putting the supper on.

My boss has joked for years that he wishes we could go from air conditioning weather right into furnace weather. (See picture above. This was Thurs Oct 15. Our first snow. Not much but under that dusting was a thick layer of ice. Chip chip chip that's how I started my day.) We have been going non stop since June. Great for business but the staff are pooped...including me.

Speaking of Mother, she is doing better, very slowly and seems to have settled into the routine at the "Manor." Of course she would rather be in her own home but she is a very practical person and accepts that is not possible at this time.
The nice part of sunny autumn days is watching this bush in the garden change it's colour. We have one on the left and one on the right. I see them from the bedroom window and the colour is quite lovely.
Lots of knitting going on over on the "other" blog. I have discovered a wonderful wool shop in St Thomas, "Little Red Mitten" and I finally made it out to a knitting get together on Friday night. I realize how much time I spend alone when I get into a room full of women who are chatting and knitting. The knitting vibes were wonderful. I miss teaching we used to have so much fun. Of course I talked too much. Could have kicked myself afterward. I took this picture outside Little Red Mitten, with my phone, but the detail is lost. Yes, that is a huge memorial to Jumbo the elephant in the back ground. The sun was shining and the Canadian flag was vibrant against the dark grey threatening clouds. Next time I am there I will be sure to take the camera.
I also picked up a copy of the pattern for the Adult Surprise Jacket. I have enough Koigu ( I hope) in some gorgeous colours to knit it. Jean over at Jean's Knitting has inspired me and we were talking about her progress on Friday evening as we admired one in the "flesh," so to speak. That's a lot of garter stitch.
On the "Ever Optimistic Canadian Attitude Toward Weather" front. We are in for some Indian Summer this week. This may be my last chance to knit outside till spring. Pictures to follow.