Thunderstruck

AC/DC



In Oakland.



And Angus can still bring the f 'in house down.



And Brian isn't so bad either! To borrow a quote from my sister-in-law - Wicked Awesome. Couldn't hear a damn thing for over an hour, but I would do it again in a heart beat.

Thanksgiving in Idaho

This may be our last Thanksgiving in Idaho Falls, but as usual, it was an enjoyable week and I regretted that we had to head home. Yes - I enjoy visiting my in-laws. Now that my Mother-In-Law is retired, they will be moving to milder climes, i.e., no snow.

It was cold, but it didn't snow. We drove straight through, going and coming home. It's cheaper than flying and we don't have to worry about a rental car out of Salt Lake.



One of the things I will miss is our annual trip to Buddy's. We didn't get to do it last year, because we thought they were open on Sunday and thought we would stop by on our way to Salt Lake. Nope.

This year we were going to make a point of going, and bringing home some salad dressing. OMG it is fantastic. I view it as a cross between Italian and Cesar and I could have it everyday. They serve a huge salad with the dressing just dripping and they serve peppers, olives, mozzarella and salami on the side. Yum. Combine that with one of their excellent personal pizza's and you will have a memorable meal. This is a favorite place of my husband's dating back to his days at Pocatello High School. I will miss Buddy's.



I didn't have the chance to drive around town much this time, but I did manage to get a shot of the fountain. It really is a beautiful piece of art, and the only time I get to see it is when icicles are hanging off of it.



We had a family outing on Saturday. We all went down to the skating rink to support my youngest nephew, Tyson. He will be 4 soon. He is learning to play hockey. He is the one looking at the camera.



He also needs a bucket to stay upright. However, in practice later in the afternoon, he no longer needed said bucket. It was absolutely adorable. It was amazing that we were all there - Kevin and his two sisters, the kids and Mom and Larry. That's what the holidays are all about. I doubt Tyson will remember, but I will.

I hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Flashbacks

I was commonly referred to as Miss Goody Two Shoes in High School. Anyone familiar with the Adam Ant song will now the chorus, and that was me. So, some of the Cheech & Chong humor was lost on me at the time, but I have lived vicariously through others, and now appreciate the humor.

They were in Berkeley and we went to see them. We had one interesting thing happen. We were in an older auditorium, and the main breaker went. Tommy came out and tried to calm us down. Someone offered him some weed. He accepted. What little light there was only enhanced the general fog that had taken over the auditorium, if you get what I mean.

If there was ever a time to get a secondary high, this was the night.

They got the lights working again, and Cheech & Chong played out the rest of the act. It was quite fun and now I can take them off my Bucket List.

Filipinio Night at the Warrior's Game

Filipinio Night at the Warrior's Game
Originally uploaded by solslett

We spent Kevin's Birthday at the Warrior's Game. They lost. But the half time performance was quite fun. The video is the greatest quality, since it was recorded on my Canon Powershot camera. That, and it would seem it was compressed by Flickr. At least you get the general idea.

Oh So Beautiful Socks

These were designed by Judy Sumner and I knit them with Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in the colorway Gold Hill.

The Big Zipper in progress

I've hinted at the fact that I do needlework. These elusive creatures come out of hiding every once in a while and taunt me. Making clucking noises and whispering "chicken", I smack them down and show them who's boss.

And if you don't use a skill, you lose it. Nature vs. nurture. Woman vs. fiber.



Doesn't look like much, does it? This is called the Big Zipper, in seven parts, by Bent Creek. The finished dimensions are 21" x 21". I'm stitching in hand, and if you couldn't tell, the whole piece is gridded to match the chart. That took way too long. The finished piece can be found here.

Flore Hat

I got this as a kit at Stitches West and had to have it.



Isn't it adorable! The kit is from a company called Knitwhits. They are awesome. The designer is a Bay Area local and she has some really wonderful creations. I may need to pick up another next time I see the kits!

It's a beautiful day.....

I feel like singing. I thought I would be up all night waiting for the outcome, but they called it as soon as the California polls closed, 'cause we're it. We took him over the top.

Now, Alex Ross is the bomb.....

...but the President Elect is fierce! I've been feeling a little funny today. Couldn't quite put my finger on it. Oh, wait, that's what hope feels like. I'd forgotten.

This was a San Diego Comic Con exclusive. Go check out the story and see another great print called Bush Sucking Democracy Dry.

I seem to have an earworm today. Anyone remember the theme from Mighty Mouse? Great, now I can't Andy Kaufman out of my head.

Freedom Socks

To commemorate this particular political season, I made these:



The yarn is ONline Linie 3 Supersocke 100, colorway is 836. This is the basic stockinette sock. No muss, no fuss. If I hadn't already voted, I would have worn these to the polling booth.

Red Stripe

Socktober Pair No. 8!!!



Made it with a day to spare! The joy in knitting a basic sock, is that after a while you don't have to think about what you're doing. You just knit. No cable needles. No rows to count. Just knit, or purl. These were knit using Zwerger Garn Opal Prisma, in a 2x2 rib carried onto the instep and knit on size 1US needles.

Conwy

Socktober Pair No. 7!!!



The yarn is from White Willow. She referred to the colors as Violet, Olive and Silver. She has a shop on Etsy, which is one of my favorites. The pattern is from one of my favorite designer's, Nancy Bush. This is from the Knitting on the Road book, which is one I go back to often. I think this is my third or fourth completed pair from it.

What I love about Nancy's designs, is that they fit my feet quite well. I always get gauge, and typically use the recommended needle size. The finished product is always amazing. If you haven't had the opportunity to knit a Nancy Bush design, I would highly recommend it. The instructions are very well written, and you learn quite a bit when using one of her books.

STR RPM

Socktober Pair No. 6!



At Stitches West this year, I bought a skein of mill ends Socks That Rock. It saved me a few bucks, so why not. It's a medium weight, which I hadn't tried before. The pattern RPM, from knitty.com, called for this specific yarn, so I had to do it.

I knit these in 3 days. The pattern is easy to remember. I will no doubt do these again someday, since it was a piece of cake to do.

Tirzah's Delight

Socktober Pair No. 5!!!



Pattern is Tirzah's Delight by Heatherly Walker. It came with my shipment of Chewy Spaghetti yarn in the colorway Hazy. I love these socks! I've already worn them too, and they felt great. The pattern was quick and the sock yarn was a heavy fingering weight. I knit them on US2 needles.

Socktober Slippin' Strippin' Socks

These are the Slippin' Strippin', highly irritatin', never knittin' socks with lace weight again socks. The pattern is by Tina Lorin and this was part of Sock Madness 2. I like the pattern and I like the look, but the fabric is so thin in places. I used Jojoland Harmony and Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-Silk.

I started these back in April as we were leaving for our Pacific Northwest Cruise. I actually started them on the way to San Francisco, with the grand plan of having them done by the time we got back. Nope.

Another thing I didn't like - all the ends I had to weave in. Every 10 rows, one yarn changed. Ugh.

Hey - they are done. That's something to be happy about. I probably won't wear these much. I just don't see them holding up well.

Socktober Reversai Redo

Technically, I finished these in April, but I did the second sock on smaller needles and like it better. So sock 1 had to be ripped out and redone. It just took for-ev-er!





Knit in Socks That Rock Lightweight in Lenore. The pattern in Reversai by Janine Le Cras and knit on size 0US! And they're still "roomy". I knit tight too. At least they're wearable now.

Saturday Night Movie

Awesome song - and I don't typically like rap. I am for change. I'm for Obama.

In the sky

As I have done many nights this summer, I went out to do some star gazing. This is the first summer in years that I haven't driven to Southern California to see my mother. It's usually on these drives that I get to do some star gazing. The one I always look for is Orion. Sadly, it has eluded me all summer, until tonight.

Orion, the Hunter, is the first constellation that my father taught me. Ever since my Dad passed away, oddly, it has been the first constellation that I usually noticed when I would be out at night and the sky was clear. For a while after he passed, it gave me the feeling that Dad was looking down on me and that everything would be ok.

This summer has been a time of change for me. I guess you could say that I've been hunting for answers, and many times the answers eluded me, much like Orion has this summer. Seeing it tonight was almost a relief. For me it was a sign that things are going to get back on track again.

I've also missed Dad quite a bit over the last few months. There are some things that have happened recently that I would have wanted to talk to him about. Questions that will have to go unanswered. Also, for the first time really, there is something that has happened that I really can't be open to talk about, because of the impact, good and bad, it will have on those I love. That bothers me quite a bit.

For those of you that have been stopping by for a while, you know that I am pretty open about my thoughts. I can't be this time. It's placed me in a position to understand how some things are better left unsaid. Overall, the situation has opened some doors for me to explore different aspects of my life, at the same time having to keep other doors closed. I'm not used to that.

I've gotten to know some different people, and I look forward to the prospect of deeper understanding and mutual growth. The unknown can be scary though.

This is part of the reason that my posts have been so sporadic and not very deep. I retract, become introspective, and isolate myself when I'm feeling especially vulnerable. I'm sure many of you do the same. My self imposed hermitage is hopefully coming to an end.

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks to those who have been posting comments. The recognition is much appreciated.

Berries Basic Sock

Socktober pair #2!



Should it count if it's Red Heart? Yes, I knit a pair of socks with Red Heart. The reality is I like wearing socks or slippers, or both, in the winter. We have hard wood floors and lousy insulation, and my feet get cold. Do I want to waste good wool yarn on these floors? No. Red Heart wears like iron and I can throw them in the washer AND dryer and not have to think twice about it. Besides, I usually wear a pair of light cotton socks inside the Red Heart socks. Worsted weight socks knit very fast too - another plus.

Again, a basic 2x2 rib pattern continued onto the instep. 2 days start to finish. You have to love it!

Harris Tweed and Socktober

I am officially caught up. I am now officially posting completed items in the month they were completed. I have no more backlogged projects. Yipee!

It is officially Socktober, so my intention this month is to knit lots of socks. Here is pair number 1!



When I was visiting the Yarn Boutique earlier this month, my hands discovered this beautiful skein of Melienweit Cotton Spirit and wouldn't let it go. I came home and searched Ravelry until I found a pattern that I could do quickly and would be one that I would enjoy wearing. I came across Harris Tweed, and cast on.

I worked on these socks while I was in Santa Rosa at the Harlot event. I guess these will be my Harlot socks. They took 3 days from start to finish and I can't wait to wear them. No, it isn't cold enough yet!

Bath Puff Obsession, and a washcloth for good measure

I blame Carin of Lime N Violet -










Carin had mentioned a Bath Puff that she had crocheted. I thought, "hey, I could get rid of more of my Sugar n' Cream". Four skeins later, I had three bath puffs and a washcloth. I tried a bath puff and realized that the nylon ones that I can buy in the store for a buck actually work. Maybe I missed something in that "bath" is meant literally. It took 3 days for the thing to dry out naturally and then it was a crusty little rock. Throwing it in the wash, and then the dryer, made it soft and pliable again.

The idea is a great one. The results as far as construction is concerned is just fine. It isn't practical, at least for shower use with bath gel. Here I was hoping that I had found a way to beat the system and use my fiber skills to save myself some money in the long run. Nope, not unless I want to crochet with tulle, and I see no cost savings in that one either.

Oh well. My intentions were good. I look forward to the day I have a tub that is acceptable for a proper soak and I can use one of my eco-friendly bath puffs.

Regia Grey & Black Stripe

I wanted to knit some basic socks. This was a 2 x 2 rib that I continued onto the instep. I used Regia 4-ply color number 5165. I finished these last month, and I am still behind in posting finished projects. I'm getting closer though!

Starry Starry Night Socks

These socks were knit as part of the advanced sock competition in Yarn Smack Down. The yarn is Knit Picks Bare, and was passed along to me from the lady that I did the Flying Arrows socks. She had finished half of the first sock. It took a while for me to get these started, but once I got the hang of it, they knit up fairly well and quickly.

I have to admit, I was impressed by the hand of the Knit Picks Bare. If I ever run out of sock yarn, I may have to buy some.

A Wench meets a Harlot

I was pleased and surprised to find out that Stephanie Pearl-McPhee was going to be withing driving range. She was doing a book signing at Copperfield Books in Santa Rosa. She is promoting her new book Free Range Knitter. Janet and Barbara, two of my knitting friends from my Wednesday night SNB were going, and I was able to tag along. We also had another knitter from Porterville join us, Jasmine. Janet offered to drive and we had a wonderful day.



This was the line outside the store waiting to get seated. I had not pre-purchased my book, so I didn't have a reserved seat, but Jasmin and Gigi from the Knitmore Girls Podcast were there, and we had attended the Cat Bordhi class together. They had an extra ticket and they gave it to me! Score! Awesome! They were recording some comments for their podcast, so I may hear myself in the podosphere.



Here is a shot of the crowd. It is hard to tell that there were close to 200 people there that day.



And here she is - the Yarn Harlot - actually reading from her book, which she says is something she hasn't done before.

She was funny and amazing and completely worth the trip to see her. She had a lot of great things to say, and many things to think about, especially how knitting is perceived in the bigger world. For all the work that we do, and the level of expertise we achieve, it's still viewed as a hobby and not an art form. One of the many reasons that knitting, and it my mind most of the other hand crafts, is not taken seriously.

She also said that the knitters she meets are some of the most amazing, smart and creative women that she has known. I would have to agree.

After waiting in line for what seemed forever to get my book signed, I also got this picture, thanks to Barbara:



Proof I met the Harlot. Her t-shirt says "I'm kind of a knitting Superhero. I want to be her when I grow up.

I can also be seen in a picture she took at Copperfield and it's on her blog for October 6th. Imagine, I'm on the Yarn Harlot's blog, along with several hundred others!

I hope I can see her again someday. If you have the chance to meet her - do it!

Montego Bay

Another one of my finds at Stitches West, but this year. I really love Handmaiden Sea Silk. It has a beautiful hand, and the colors in this skein, called Rose Garden, made it a joy to work with. I had been playing with this for a while, trying to figure out what would be the best pattern for it. After searching the Ravelry database for a while, I kept coming back to Amy Singer's Montego Bay scarf from an issue of Interweave from last year. I'm glad I cast it on.

The fringe was interesting. It is braided and knotted, and adds some nice weight at the ends of the scarf. If you have the chance to work with Sea Silk, it is totally worth it. This scarf would be a wonderful addition to your wardrobe!

MItered Square Scarf

Last year when I was at Stitches West, I came across a few different skeins of yarn that I fell in love with at the booth for Tess" Designer Yarns. This was a microfiber ribbon, and I haven't tried yet. So I bought a skein and a pattern and it went into the stash.

I dug it out earlier this summer, after having finally tries mitered squares, and thought it was time to give the microfiber a try. It was slippery as all out to wind into a ball, but knitting with it was easy enough. The added frill ruffle has an interesting, and it is one of the more colorful scarfs I have made.

All in all, a quick project. It took a few nights to finish. Now I need to figure out what I can wear it with!

Ladders Washcloth

Playing around with patterns again, and the need to get rid of more Sugar n'Cream, I came upon this sequence. Overall, quick and easy. I like a washcloth that has some openness to it and offers some more scrubbing quality.

Another skein bites the dust.

Manos Italian Chain Scarf

I don't know what I would do without Barbara Walker or her knitting pattern treasuries.

Some time ago I bought two skeins of Manos del Uruguay 100% Wool, colorway 113 Jewel Tones. It was one of those "I'm not going to use this yarn until I have the perfect pattern" scenarios. With a bit of research, I found one I liked. The pattern had to be open and airy and look good from both sides. After some test runs, I ended up using the Italian Chain pattern on size 10.5US needles. The scarf is a little over 5' long.

I can hardly wait until it gets cold enough to wear!

Rattlesnake Creek Socks

These are called Rattlesnake Creek by Anne Podlesak. I used Tess' Designer Yarns Super Socks & Baby in the colorway Tequila Sunrise. I made these as part of the Sock Knitters Pentathalon KAL on Ravelry. That's 3 for 3 so far. We'll see what they come up with for next month!

The Cat Bordhi Experience

The shop owner of my local yarn shop is Marianne of Yarn Boutique. She also attends the same weekly SNB I go to. She suggested, rather convincingly, that I should go to the sock class that she had arranged with Cat Bordhi. It's been years (5+) since I took a full day class, and I thought what could I learn about socks, having knit in excess of 60 pairs at this point.

Guess what? I learned something.

I have had Cat's book New Pathways for Sock Knitters since it was published. Have I tried to knit one of the patterns? No. It seemed overly involved, and I don't knit socks to think. I brought the book, some supplies and an open mind.

I learned 3 new things that will make my life easier: heel turns, a new cast on method and different ways to bind off for a looser edge.

Was it worth it? Oh, yes.

Am I thankful to Marianne for coaxing me? Definitely.

This is what I accomplished during the class:



A lovely pair of baby socks that someday will have some use!

I learned more from Cat in a few hours than I thought possible and her teaching style is warm and open and giving. She is a remarkable individual and I hope that I can spend some time with her again in the future.

Next weekend - the Yarnharlot!

Flying Arrows

I signed up for yarnsmackdown. I wasn't really ready for it - I forgot. Then when it hit, I got my dossier and went to town on the socks to get them done and in the mail. I really fell in love with these and hope that I get something as nice in return.



Flying Arrows by Helen Waite. I used Brown Sheep's Wildfoote in Blue Blood Red. Oh, they were luscious. I bought the yarn when I visited Idaho last, and had thought to make these for myself. But since I am poor, relatively speaking, and can't afford to buy yarn, I raided the stash. Susan Monroy was my target and her favorite color was red. I sacrificed for her enjoyment and she loved the socks.

To show how far behind I am in posting finished items, these were done sent these off on August 10th. Susan sent me the socks she was working on, and the dossier. They've been done for over a week now, but I have no idea who to send them to. The lady they were intended for (good english?) supposedly withdrew, then didn't. Her target wore the same size, so no harm. But I have emailed Helen and wait to hear. In the interim, there are another pair of socks that are done, that I haven't blogged about and have no home to go to currently.

Sigh - and no one has bothered to kill me yet. I think I may be done with sock competitions for a while.

With A Twist

My first sock pattern that I am publishing. This is called With A Twist.



It's a fake cable pattern, where you knit 2 together and before slipping the stitches, knit the first stitch again. It's easy and it's fits well. I used Tess' Designer Yarns Super Sock and Baby in the color way Ocean. I used US1 needles to get my gauge. I also tried two different cuffs to see how it would look. I'm rather proud of how they turned out.

The pattern is available through my website, in case you're interested! ;-)

Not knitting related

There are those who visit for knitting, and there are those that don't. This is for the latter.

I've been going through some stuff that I'm trying to work out. Real world-upside-down stuff. So if my posts are a still shallow with content, it's because I'm feeling a little fragile right now. One day at a time, right?

I took this picture at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, the weekend Chris and his daughter were here. I moved the prisms around until I got an effect that I liked. I was happy that the camera picked it up. I like how the colors layer and intersect. I thought it was kind of cool.

What do you think?

Blue Marble Socks

There are times when you need to knit basic socks. I'm calling these Blue Marble. They are made from ONLine Supersocke 100, colorway 845. These were on the needles for a while. I started them back in June and finished them late July. I know, there are those of you out there thinking, "what does she mean - a while?" I knock out socks in a couple of weeks or less, and these are just ribbed. But I like them.

Lattice and Columns

So, I finished this one back in July, and I have written a pattern for it. You can find it here. It uses 120 yds of Sugar n' Cream. It also has good scrubbing qualities. I'm hoping to have another pattern up shortly for another washcloth that I've been playing with.

The Jewel Bag

I don't know about this one. In this photo, it's looking a little washed out, which it isn't. I think I'm just too lazy to take another picture.



This is how it looked before finishing and felting, and the colors are still pretty true. It's a fuzzy mess now that it's felted and needs a shave.

This is the second time I've had this happen, and there's one common denominator - Lamb's Pride. I like the colors, and I remain ever hopeful. I may try one more time and see what happens. The accent yarn is Pepita by Trendsetter Yarns.

I started this from the top with a garter stitch in Lamb's Pride only. When I moved to stockinette, I alternated the yarns in a set pattern, and increased the size 2 stitches on the sides of the bag every five rows. Perhaps when I have found some handles I like, and figure out whether or not it needs a clasp, I may be happier with it.

Sleeptight Eyemasks

So, I mentioned these a while ago, and I figured I should probably post some pictures. I finished writing the pattern, and it is available on my website. There are three versions, they evolved so to speak, so I named them G1, G2 and G3 ("G" stands for generation, a la Apple).

Here is G1:



This one is slightly narrower than the other too and can be done in a DK or Sport weight yarn. The benefit of these is that there is nose shaping, helping keep it in place, and there are no seams! It comfortably wraps around the head and can be easily adjusted.

Presenting G2:



This one has a different shaping for the nose, and cups the tip. Now, I don't know about you, but I have a problem with cold nose in the winter months. This solves the problem! Also, it anchors the mask, so even if you move around a fair amount, it won't. This one is also for DK or Sport weight yarn.

Finally G3:



My fingering weight solution. Have extra sock yarn? Here is a way to get rid of that 100 yards or so that has been languishing in your leftovers basket.

Depending on length and width, you need approximately 70-100 yards of yarn. These knit up rather quickly.

I would like to thank my husband for modeling these for me. These were his idea, because unlike me, he actually needs a dark room to sleep. If necessary, I could sleep with spotlights on and it wouldn't matter!

Summer Fling Bag

Here is the first bag I have written a pattern for. It's available on my website. I was really happy with the way it turned out! The yarns I used were Cascade 220 in #8910 Citron and Crystal Palace Squiggle Print in #9547 Tulips. I purchased both of these at The Yarn Boutique in Lafayette, CA.

I'm working on a focus of Eco Clever Crafting, which is a philosophy of reducing, reusing and recycling. It also plays into the fact that I don't have the budget to buy whatever I want, or even buy in some cases what I need! So, I've been cruising thrift stores for ideas. The handles were from a handbag I got at Good Will that cost me $2. It was a hand made bag with beading, so I recycled the beads as well for a future project.

When comparing Brown Sheep to Cascade 220 when it comes to felting, I like Cascade 220 much more. If you have had experiences felting with different wool brands, let me know what you like. I would enjoy hearing about it!

Another long one - better get that beverage

Hello all,

I felt a strong need to sit down and write an entry. After the last few days, and after watching the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, there are many things I need to put to “paper”, so to speak. I hope you’ll bear with me, because I think this will be an entry very reminiscent of the old journal entries that I used to write when I kept such a thing.

Over the last two weekends, I have had the wonderful opportunity to spend time, and in many ways reconnect, with my dearest Christopher. Over the years, because of the distance and our own individual circumstances, we have not spent one-on-one time together. That was at the crux of why I went to So Cal this weekend – to step back in time a little and enjoy something that I have really missed. Oh, and there was the high school reunion thing he wanted to go to. I’ll save that for another time.

I asked him last weekend what he thought was my biggest regret and he encapsulated it so well – risks not taken. He was absolutely right.

We spent this weekend just talking about anything and everything – dredging up feelings and memories that I’m sure will help with healing some wounds, but perhaps, more importantly, trying to put them in perspective and put them to rest. In many ways, that is easier said than done, because it’s hard for us to let go and not obsess. We are very apt to keep saying why, even when there is no immediate answer.

He also said that our lives have been running parallel, with ups and downs, but at opposites. When things have been going well for me, he has struggled, and the same has happened to me in turn. We both would really love being at the same place – satisfied with both our personal and professional lives and being able to share those successes simultaneously. I’ve got work to do in both areas.

I had the opportunity to stop by and see his parents this weekend. They still live in the same home they had when we were in high school. The last time I was there was 3 days before I left for Norway. His mom still has a dog that was bound and determined to trip me up and stay underfoot. His folks are obviously older, and the furniture has changed, but as I sat down at the breakfast counter, it felt as if the last 20 or so years had slipped away and I was 19 again waiting for Chris to get ready. It was very strange, but still comforting. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I needed to get my head back in line. I’ve felt scattered and a little lost the last few months. In many ways struggling to remember who I am, what I can be. As I sat at that counter, I remembered some of the thoughts I had on that weekday afternoon back in May 1985. As scared as I was of the prospect of leaving everything and everyone I knew, I was also excited about the opportunity to get to know my family overseas, understand my heritage and the culture my parents raised me with. Chris remembers that I was very excited. What he failed to realize back then was that I was putting up a fairly good front – I didn’t want to loose those weekday afternoons talking to him about anything and everything, I really didn’t want to leave him. Thankfully, it lasted less than a year. But that trip was full of promise of exploration and education. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I hadn’t gone home and walked my path alone for awhile.

When we were 19, we were full of expectations and anticipation. The future was ours, and we were going to take full advantage of it. I don’t think either of us could have imagined then where our paths would have taken us, and we probably would have made some drastic changes if we had had a clue. But, then again, we wouldn’t be the people we are today.

As I mentioned, I’ve been watching the convention. I was very moved by Teddy Kennedy’s speech, and the tribute prepared by Ken Burns. You forget what he has done over the years, the tragedies that he has experienced, the strength he gained from those circumstances. Even now, as he battles brain cancer, he still felt the need to be present, to remind those of us listening that the dream still lives. The speech given by Michelle Obama was well prepared and presented. I am thankful that I decided to sit through this first evening, because I did learn something, and oddly enough, was comforted by it.

I haven’t been hesitant about making some politically charged statements on this blog. It is something that I am quite passionate about. However, in the last several presidential elections, I have become disenfranchised and tired of the partisanship. It seems the only way someone can win an election is to tear down the opponent by whatever means necessary, including smear campaigns and lies.

The network pundits think that the Democrats made a mistake by not attacking McCain. I found it refreshing. I used to like McCain, and may have voted for him in 2000. Not anymore. Every time I see McCain it’s all about how Obama is wrong for the job or that McCain was a POW. When Jay Leno jokingly asked McCain how many homes he owned he launched into when he was a POW he didn’t have a house, or a kitchen or a bedroom. Lighten up, John.

This evening restored some faith I had in the political process. I won’t jump on the band wagon yet, because I also want to see what the rest of the week holds, and I will be watching the Republican Convention. I want to hear what each candidate will be proposing. I don’t want to hear how the opponent will be leading us down the rabbit hole to guaranteed disaster. How much worse could it get? Don’t answer that.

So what does my personal journey of rediscovery this weekend have to do with the Democratic Convention? Change. Hope. Promise.

I also took a step this weekend that goes hand in hand with risks not taken. I’m not too old for that. And it’s a change.

After I left Chris, I was passing the exit that would lead back to the old neighborhood. I just kept saying, “you can do this”. I drove by the old house, took in the changes in the neighborhood. I pulled up in front of the house of an old friend, and hoped her parents still lived there. Lo and behold they did.

The last time I saw Becki was my wedding day to my ex – way back in 1988. She was moving to a new home with her husband, and I was a newlywed. I didn’t try to contact her for a while, and I didn’t hear from her. Because my life was being poisoned by a man that wanted to control every thought and action I had (no, I’m not bitter), I assumed I had done something to drive her away. That wasn’t the case, I found out, but because of my own insecurity and obsessing on the negatives in life it took 2 decades to find that out.

Yes, Becki was fine, remarried with two beautiful boys. Just as I did, when her first marriage ended, she left the OC, but she headed south. We talked briefly Sunday afternoon and then again earlier today. I spent a few hours with her mother, trying to catch up on what had happened to us over the years. I also found that she is a preserver of stash as well! She spins! She grows cotton in her backyard! She knits and does needlework and I had no idea.

Our families had shared a back fence from 1978 to 1985. Becki and I would get chased off the phone and it would be too late to go around the corner to the other’s house, so we stood on chairs talking over the fence and star gaze and dream of the future. Becki was one of the first friends I made when we moved to Orange County – even before Chris. Though a year younger, we were still fast friends, and stayed that way through high school and in the years after graduation. When I needed to move away from my parents, she opened her home to me. When I had “boy” problems, she is the one I went to. When we needed a cover story for our parents, we were each others alibi. As Becki’s mom put it, we were thick as thieves.

We’ve taken the first steps in rediscovering each other, which is exciting and scary, but at least I can say that I took the risk and I can move forward with exercising that regret from my life. It’s a change, with hope for the future and potentially the promise of having an old friend back in my life.

So what does this have to do with politics? Hope for the future. A change for the better. An improved economy, that will mean monetary improvement. A better job market and the ability to recover financially. That’s a lot to hope for, but I want to have more things to look forward to instead of looking back and dwell on the things I should have done to put me in a better situation now.

One of my favorite albums when I was in high school was Pat Benatar’s Get Nervous. There was one song on there that I always associated with Chris, and now it seems that it really speaks to how we both have handled things over the years. Bear with me – here are the lyrics:

I heard you say you’re feelin’ like a change now
Maybe, baby this could be arranged now
But I warn you that no exotic scenery
Will solve your problems or make you feel easy
You say you’re happy, but I see apprehension
That little laugh of yours doesn’t hide the tension
The precious book you clutch so tightly in your hands
Won’t help you sleep at night, won’t iron out your plans

You ask advice, then resent my observations
If I didn’t care, then I wouldn’t make them
Can’t change the past, so why let it haunt you
Can paint the future, but first you have to want to

You gotta fight it out with your heart
You got to fight it, though it tears you apart
You got fight it out, my friend
You got to do it for yourself
You got to say when

I can see how much you hurt inside
I know all about the tears you hide

You know that the lonely pay the price for the love in the end.

This was never what I considered “our song”. That’s not something I think most people typically have for a friendship, but in my mind, we had two songs that were, and still are, our songs. The first one was “Shadows of the Night”, also off the Get Nervous album, and “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” by Chicago, the latter being a self-fulfilling prophecy over the years. As to the former, I guess Chris has always been my Midnight Angel. The lyrics above still mean something after all these years, and now reflect back to me and my own struggles. If I want to be happy, and insure that my husband and marriage stay strong, I need to fight my own inner demons and let the past be the past. I also have to have faith in myself again, my strengths and abilities. I will succeed – I will be successful again.

Christ, I’m getting maudlin. I have had but one small glass of Muscato, and it takes more than that to get me “I love you man” drunk.

So back to risks not taken and the promise of the future - I guess I chose a new path to follow over the weekend. I hope it works.

For those of you that managed to stay through this sorry excuse of wool gathering/navel gazing, I promise that I will get back to the knitting soon. I have pictures I need to upload and I want to share!

Thanks for staying in there with me.

A quick update

Hello everyone!

It's been busy around here. I've been trying to build my insurance business and it has become a slow, painful process. The economy makes it more difficult for some people justifying adding costs to their monthly budgets. And if you haven't paid for health insurance for awhile, it makes it more challenging. I keep plugging away, though.

My best friend and his daughter visited us last weekend, which was unexpected but still a wonderful experience all in all. There are too few occasions we have to just hang out and enjoy each others company. This is one of the few regrets I have in moving to Northern California - those that I consider to be my close friends are all in Southern California. Will we move back down there? Probably not. As much as I miss Orange County, I can't imagine living there again.

So, what else I have I been up to? I got my first kill in YarnSmackDown. I have a pair of socks that I need to finish, but I'm not as motivated as I have been in the past. I have been spending more time developing knitting patterns. I love the creative outlet, and I have been working on putting some of my hat patterns to paper. I should have a set of 4 ready for next week. Two of the patterns are those that I have used for charity knitting in the past and I'm using Rowan Felted Tweed, which makes a great warm, lightweight hat. When they're ready, I will post it on the website and provide a link.

Tonight I am heading back to the OC for a small scale 25 year high school reunion. I probably wouldn't be going if it were not for my friend Chris (the same one who was here last weekend). He wants to go, but doesn't want to go alone. The things to we for those we love. Of those that have RSVP'd, I remember 2. It should be interesting. I wonder if they will remember me?

That's it for now. I'm hoping to get back on track with regular blogging, because I am finding that I miss it. But there are only so many hours a day and the Olympics have been on, so there you have it.

Wasn't Michael Phelps amazing?!?! We've also been watching things like handball and table tennis. I usually like watching gymnastics, but have been disappointed by some of the judging and the rule bending done by China when it comes to the ages of a couple of their female gymnasts. It's been amazing to see a different side of China, and I do hope that I can visit there someday, as their culture and history are very interesting. Oh hell, I just want to travel. Anyone want to give me a couple tickets to anywhere?

See you soon!

Freebie

I'm offering my first free pattern. Go to the website and check it out!

www.solslett.com

Let me know what you think!

I'm Back

Did you miss me? I missed you!

Fair warning, this is going to be a long ass post, so I would suggest getting your beverage of choice. Mine is a spiked Arnold Palmer (Smirnoff Citrus Twist, Lemonade and Tea – yum). I’ll wait while you get it.

(insert Final Jeopardy music here)

Ready?

It’s been a bit crazy over the last few weeks. I was also feeling some burnout trying to post to the blog everyday. I had a good run. Part of it was thinking of interesting things to write when my life has been less than interesting. Times are tough, and we’ve been feeling it.

Kevin had an out patient surgical procedure a couple of weeks ago. Prognosis good, and he’s fine and went back to work within a few days. I have also been working diligently building my insurance business with mixed results. This has been very frustrating, yet I persevere.

I am excited about something that I’ve been thinking about a while. Earlier this year, I secured the domain www.solslett.com. I lost Venka.com a few years ago to a toner company in England, which sucked. So what to do with a website? Go look. I’ll wait.

(insert orchestra piece, something along the lines of Disney)

Well? Yeah, it’s still rough and needs some work, but I’m going to publish knitting patterns. My sister-in-law and I are also going to add some of our more expressive photography for those that may be interested in purchasing them for their home or office. I’m still working out the legal aspects, but I remain positive that this will be a successful venture. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

I have been working on writing up patterns. I have a sock pattern called With A Twist, which is a ribbed sock, and fits quite nicely. I also completed a pattern for a wash cloth called Lattice & Columns. Then there are the sleeping masks I made for my life sensitive, desperate to sleep in on the weekends, husband. Last is the Summer Fling Bag.

I have also been working on a line of patterns called Eco Clever Crafting. One of the patterns ready to go has a Eco Clever Crafting tip! Since I’m severely cash strapped right now, I cannot justify spending any money on craft supplies. My solution – thrift stores and Charities such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill.

The Salvation Army has a half off sale the last day of the month. I found a number of good “fiber” sweaters that I am going to unravel, wash and create. A 100% wool sweater in a men’s large was had for only $1.50. Yes, there is work involved, but the sweater was new and a good, workable color. I picked up a few more sweaters with different fiber profiles. I also picked up some old handbags. Purse handles are sometimes quite expensive, and if I can get a bag with interesting handles for a $1 or $2, then why not. It’s a new twist on the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle philosophy. I’m thinking of creating patterns for a shawl, a shopping bag, a laptop case and a few other goodies. Stay tuned.

So, what else is going on……

There was a family reunion in Norway weekend before last. I wasn’t there, obviously. Either was my mom – it was her family. We were both a little emotional about the whole thing. What came out of it was a surprise – cousins that I haven’t seen in years, and spouses I have never met – have been reaching out to me through email and of all things Facebook! I only signed up for that as a lark and never thought it would come to anything. It’s been amazing and wonderful and awesome! I have intermittent contact with two of my aunts, but that’s been it for years. My cousins have told me that Mom and I were spoken of often throughout the weekend and we were very much missed. Now that they know how to reach me, they will keep in contact. How cool is that?

Speaking of cool – we headed down to Los Angeles last weekend. Spent the weekend with our extended family – our wonderful friends. This past weekend at the Hollywood Bowl, Eric Idle of Monty Python fame presented his new project Not the Messiah (He’s a very naughty boy), “a comic oratorio inspired by Monty Python’s Life of Brian”. Billed as “5 soloists, choir, orchestra, 4 bagpipers and some sheep…”, it was a delightful musical romp through the movie. My friend Tammi and I thought it would be fun if we all dressed for the evening, similar to what we did last time we were at the Hollywood Bowl. That was for Rocky Horror, and a much different crowd. Many people thought we were part of the production, and we were the ONLY ones that dressed for the evening. I went as far as to make 3 caftans and a couple of vests which Kevin and our friends Chris and Damon wore for the evening. Tammi brought some costumes from a theater she works for. I have created a Webshots album with the pictures Tammi and I took. Go take a look at us crazy people.


Not the Messiah


We stood out. I typically avoid such situations. This was fun and the vodka didn’t hurt either. The one that looks like he’s drunk – he’s a goof. That’s Damon. My mother l-o-v-e-s him. Damon being Damon loves attention, is very charming and v-e-r-y friendly. But that’s how he endears himself to people and we love him the way he is. It’s never boring with Damon around. We also came up with (I should say Kevin came up with) a gesture to remind us of the evening. Most of you would be familiar with "jazz hands". This is also used as sign language for applause. Well, because we are a little twisted, we employed "crucifiction hands". I know, I know. Blame it on the alcohol.



This would be my hubby, who grew his beard out just for this weekend, and my BFF Chris. The guy cut off on the left is Damon. Chris got on a plane the next day with his daughter and is now in Hawaii playing beach bum. I send a raspberry in his general direction. He better take lots of cool pictures with that new Nikon of his.

What else…..

I think I will end with some brief comments…

Brett Favre is a drama queen – but I would love it if he played for the Vikings. I would like to be proud of them again. 20+ years of disappointment is hard to live with. Go Vikes! Kick Seattle’s ass this Friday. To the Hall of Fame selection committee - when the hell are you going to nominate Cris Carter? 8 Pro Bowl selections, 3 times All Pro, NFL's 1990 All-Decade Team, 1100 receptions, nearly 14000 receiving yards and 130 touchdowns isn't good enough? Shesh.

Paris Hilton – I don’t hate her anymore. Her “response” ad to McCain’s Obama Celebrity bash was hilarious!

McCain – I liked you in 2000. I could have voted for that McCain. Not so much anymore. Can we hear what you will do – a consistent message that doesn’t change for a week or so – instead of what Obama knows/doesn’t know/lies about/doesn’t have experience with? What happened to the Straight Talk Express?

Obama – specifics please. No more race baiting. Yes, the Republican smear campaign will do its worst. It’s what they do. I would hope that you would take the high road.

Clinton – I love you Bill and would vote for you again in a minute, but quit being such a whiny drama queen. “No one is ready to be President” my ass. Were you back when you took the oath? Way to go in supporting the party.

Democrats – what the hell? 7% approval rating isn’t enough to wake your asses up? You CAN’T blame it all on Bush and Republicans. Get a clue. We the People are fed up with your partisan crap and continuing to flush the country down the toilet. There have been so many incidents of corruption and illegal activity in this administration, it makes Nixon’s actions petty in retrospect. Also, I have a simple suggestion. Close the damn Enron loophole and take speculation out of the energy market. How many more hearings do you have to have, how many people have to tell you that this loophole can easily be closed and should be? Are you people deaf or just dumb?

China & the Olympics – The OCC made a huge mistake granting these summer games to China. Of course, since they own us we can’t protest too much. Bush has zero pull, and every request he has made has been denied. He wanted to go to an underground church on Sunday – nope. He wanted to give a speech a la Reagan at the Berlin wall – hell no. There were other examples, but these stood out to me. Bush thought he could give a speech in a public square – in China? Pushing for that positive legacy thing can be tough. We can’t get China’s support in Darfur. What on earth makes anyone think we can change how they treat their own people within their borders? Two words – Free Tibet!

Wow, didn’t realize I had that much of a rant in me tonight. I’ve typed almost 1500 words. That’s an essay. Good thing I’m not being graded. Am I?

I don’t know if I’ll get back to posting every day, but I won’t go almost a month without a reason. I missed this more than I thought.

I’m out of beverage and I need to load this.

Again – thanks to those that reached out to me and posted comments during my absence. As always, it was much appreciated and much welcomed. Looking forward to your comments in the future!

Take care and I’ll see you soon.