Monday, February 19, 2007
Thursday, February 15, 2007
How to Stay Awake at Teacher Inservice Courses, Faculty Mtgs, etc......
This came from a friend whose wife was a teacher. I think it would liven up meetings considerably.
Do you keep falling asleep in teacher meetings and inservices? Here's a way to change all of that.
1. Before (or during) your next meeting, inservice or staff development, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5" x 5" is a good size.Divide the card into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.
2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block: * no child left behind * test scores * core competencies * communication * standards * multiple exposures * benchmarks * proactive * win-win * think outside the box * action plan* result-driven * assessments * knowledge base * at the end of the day * touch base * mindset * differentiated * retention * skills * background knowledge * effective learning * exemplars * implementation * reflection
3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.
4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally stand up and shout "BULLSHIT!"
TESTIMONIALS from satisfied "Bullshit Bingo" players:
-- "I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won." - Adam W., Atlanta
-- "My attention span at inservices has improved dramatically." - David T., Orlando
-- "What a gas! Staff development will never be the same for me after my first win." - Dan J., New York City
-- "The atmosphere was tense in the last inservice as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." - Ben G, Denver
-- "The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed 'BULLSHIT!' for the third time in two hours. The Bullshit Bingo Championship will be played at the next inservice." -Rod H., Nashville
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you do criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes.
Do you keep falling asleep in teacher meetings and inservices? Here's a way to change all of that.
1. Before (or during) your next meeting, inservice or staff development, prepare yourself by drawing a square. I find that 5" x 5" is a good size.Divide the card into columns-five across and five down. That will give you 25 one-inch blocks.
2. Write one of the following words/phrases in each block: * no child left behind * test scores * core competencies * communication * standards * multiple exposures * benchmarks * proactive * win-win * think outside the box * action plan* result-driven * assessments * knowledge base * at the end of the day * touch base * mindset * differentiated * retention * skills * background knowledge * effective learning * exemplars * implementation * reflection
3. Check off the appropriate block when you hear one of those words/phrases.
4. When you get five blocks horizontally, vertically, or diagonally stand up and shout "BULLSHIT!"
TESTIMONIALS from satisfied "Bullshit Bingo" players:
-- "I had been in the meeting for only five minutes when I won." - Adam W., Atlanta
-- "My attention span at inservices has improved dramatically." - David T., Orlando
-- "What a gas! Staff development will never be the same for me after my first win." - Dan J., New York City
-- "The atmosphere was tense in the last inservice as 14 of us waited for the fifth box." - Ben G, Denver
-- "The speaker was stunned as eight of us screamed 'BULLSHIT!' for the third time in two hours. The Bullshit Bingo Championship will be played at the next inservice." -Rod H., Nashville
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you do criticize them, you are a mile away and you have their shoes.
Snow days
As a teaching assistant, snow days are still exciting for me. I'm one of the lucky ones (and I'm not being sarcastic there) whose work goes by the school calendar. As a result, I'm still like a little kid when we have bad weather.
Since Monday night, I've been checking and rechecking the school's website and the local tv station's closing and delays page about every two minutes. Living in the boonies like we do, we don't get any local tv or radio stations. We have satellite internet access, which is wonderful unless there's, oh, for instance, snow or ice.
On Tuesday our school's tech guru emailed me to let me know that school was closed. Of course, due to problems that we've been having with our new school's email server, I didn't get it till Tuesday night. However, I'd decided that with what sounded like a really nasty ice storm heading our way, I wasn't going in to work that day anyway. For once I called it right.
Wednesday was the same. The weather wasn't changing, but still, our school system didn't call it a day off until 6 Wed. morning. Every other school system (and all in our portion of the state) called it Tuesday night by oh, 6 or so. Fortunately, yesterday morning we were able to pick up one of the Harrisonburg fm stations so I got the word that way.
So Thursday, today, emerges. Our school system is running one hour late today. As much as I've enjoyed our enforced vacation (we have 4 days built into our school calendar, and I think we'd only used one up till this week), I didn't mind--too much--going in today. I just went to McDonald's and bought breakfast and high-tailed it to school.
So this is what was waiting for us:
The parking lot was fairly well scraped, but as usual, the sidewalk that about 95% of the faculty and staff use to get into the school hadn't been touched. And this is ice, not nice, fluffy snow. This is almost always the case when we have bad weather.
I'm willing to bet that the sidewalks used by the students have been treated in some manner, but not that one.
We know just where we stand in the bosses' eyes.
And we're just hoping that it's not on our backs out on that sidewalk.
Friday, February 09, 2007
Welcome to Belize City
We left Ambergris Caye for Belize City last Sunday at noon. It was one of those little puddle-jumpers with only 9 passengers. Another woman and I sat in the very back of the plane, and it was a bumpy flight (17 minutes). We enjoyed looking out at the turquoise water, pointing out sights to each other, until she suddenly covered her mouth, frantically scrabbled in the back of the seat ahead of her, and not finding what she was looking for, just as we were making a very sharp left turn to head toward the runway, she upchucked all over the place. Twice.
And since we were landing, it all ran toward the front of the plane. Surprisingly enough I didn't barf.
Because......
It smelled just like a fresh rum punch. Evidentally she drank her lunch just before she boarded the plane.
And since we were landing, it all ran toward the front of the plane. Surprisingly enough I didn't barf.
Because......
It smelled just like a fresh rum punch. Evidentally she drank her lunch just before she boarded the plane.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Talk about quaking.......
The flight from BWI to DFW was uneventful, thank goodness. I read and knit my way there. Tom read and maybe slept.
In Dallas we switched to a jet heading to Belize City. As we travelled, more and more clouds popped up until we were flying through something from a Stephen King novel. As we slowed and dropped for the landing, the fog parted and I got a glimpse of trees. As in very close. As in no runway.
At the time, it just sort of passed through my thick skull that it was odd that there didn't appear to be an airport nearby. Right about then, the pilot pulled up and laid on the fuel. That's about when I started to suspect that we'd had a near-miss, an up-close-and-personal interaction with the jungle.
He got it right on the next pass.
In Dallas we switched to a jet heading to Belize City. As we travelled, more and more clouds popped up until we were flying through something from a Stephen King novel. As we slowed and dropped for the landing, the fog parted and I got a glimpse of trees. As in very close. As in no runway.
At the time, it just sort of passed through my thick skull that it was odd that there didn't appear to be an airport nearby. Right about then, the pilot pulled up and laid on the fuel. That's about when I started to suspect that we'd had a near-miss, an up-close-and-personal interaction with the jungle.
He got it right on the next pass.
I ♥ Mion
So two weeks ago I got these shoes. Except they're "pearlized black" (which in reality is kind of an odd purplish color, but who's complaining?).
If you remember, they were the only shoes I took to Belize. Not once did I regret the choice. I could rinse them out and put them back on. They were super-comfortable and the right choice for all the walking that we did.
If only I'd had them when we went to Europe. They'd have been perfect.
If you remember, they were the only shoes I took to Belize. Not once did I regret the choice. I could rinse them out and put them back on. They were super-comfortable and the right choice for all the walking that we did.
If only I'd had them when we went to Europe. They'd have been perfect.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Quakin' in my shoes
We're going to Belize tomorrow. It's a day-long trek; we'll leave Baltimore around 8 a.m., swing by Dallas for a bit, then head on to Belize City, taking a puddle-jumper to Ambergris Caye.
That's not why I'm quaking. The anxiety-inducing part is that I'm taking ONLY ONE PAIR OF SHOES. Anyone who knows me will tell you that this is a really out-on-a-limb am-I-out-of-my-mind move for me.
When we went to Europe, I took two pairs; one my favorite Birkenstocks, one dressy pair (non-Birks) for the class reunion. In the 10-plus years that I've been wearing Birks, I don't think I've gone anywhere without taking or wearing them. But Friday I found these.
Now I'm not saying that I'm giving up Birkenstocks. No way; they're comfortable, occasionally stylish, great color and style selection, and I ♥ them. But I wanted something to wear on the beach and running (well, walking) around Belize, and I don't have any waterproof Birks. So after a couple of days of browsing web shoe stores, I found these.
Oh. My. Goodness. Lust at first sight. Since I was a teenager I've loved ugly shoes. And these are ugly with a capital U. I read the reviews, decided that I had to have them, but with only a few days to work it, I had to move fast.
I ordered them and added 2-day postage. Then I got worried about the sizing; in Birks I wear a 38 in most styles, but once in a while I need a 39. So I panicked. Okay, I didn't, but I could have. So I checked with an online rep and was able to add a pair in size 39 without additional postage. They have the best customer service department I've ever come across. I ♥ Drew, my personal rep.
You know me. I worried that even with 2nd-day postage, they wouldn't come in time. But they did. And I'm glad I ordered the larger size too, because the smaller ones didn't fit.
And comfort? Wonderful. Like walking on Memory Foam. The description says that the insole conforms to the shape of your foot within 12 hours of wear, so I've worn them to work the past two days to make sure they're comfortable enough to wear in Belize. And they are comfortable.
I see many more of these in my future.
That's not why I'm quaking. The anxiety-inducing part is that I'm taking ONLY ONE PAIR OF SHOES. Anyone who knows me will tell you that this is a really out-on-a-limb am-I-out-of-my-mind move for me.
When we went to Europe, I took two pairs; one my favorite Birkenstocks, one dressy pair (non-Birks) for the class reunion. In the 10-plus years that I've been wearing Birks, I don't think I've gone anywhere without taking or wearing them. But Friday I found these.
Now I'm not saying that I'm giving up Birkenstocks. No way; they're comfortable, occasionally stylish, great color and style selection, and I ♥ them. But I wanted something to wear on the beach and running (well, walking) around Belize, and I don't have any waterproof Birks. So after a couple of days of browsing web shoe stores, I found these.
Oh. My. Goodness. Lust at first sight. Since I was a teenager I've loved ugly shoes. And these are ugly with a capital U. I read the reviews, decided that I had to have them, but with only a few days to work it, I had to move fast.
I ordered them and added 2-day postage. Then I got worried about the sizing; in Birks I wear a 38 in most styles, but once in a while I need a 39. So I panicked. Okay, I didn't, but I could have. So I checked with an online rep and was able to add a pair in size 39 without additional postage. They have the best customer service department I've ever come across. I ♥ Drew, my personal rep.
You know me. I worried that even with 2nd-day postage, they wouldn't come in time. But they did. And I'm glad I ordered the larger size too, because the smaller ones didn't fit.
And comfort? Wonderful. Like walking on Memory Foam. The description says that the insole conforms to the shape of your foot within 12 hours of wear, so I've worn them to work the past two days to make sure they're comfortable enough to wear in Belize. And they are comfortable.
I see many more of these in my future.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
A snow day
We've had a pretty mild winter so far, with warmer-than-usual temps and only snow flurries now and then. We live in the boonies of WV and have to drive over a mountain to and from work.
Strangely enough (at least, to me it's strange) the WV DOT is usually on top of any bad weather, even when it comes on suddenly. Rarely is that side of the mountain icy or have much snow on it at all. The Virginia side, in comparison, is like an unplowed driveway.
One morning last winter we left home at the usual time (before 6). By the time we got to the mountain, it was snowing heavily (I bet it's all of two or three miles), but the road on the WV side was relatively clear. At the top of the mountain, at the Virginia line, it became a ski slope. There'd been no plowing, no salting or sanding, and just around a curve, a tractor-trailer had jackknifed and backed up traffic. Cars had slid all over the road trying to avoid hitting it, and there was no way that we could stop. Even though we were going maybe 10 mph, we slid and turned and bumped into the guardrail (thank goodness that Virginia at least has those) and bounced off that into a small car. Somehow Tom got us turned around and headed back home, where we waited until things started melting, around 10:30. Well, he waited; I went back to sleep.
Unfortunately, the damage to the truck was on the side that I hadn't bashed in the year before.
It snowed most of the day Sunday, one of those heavy, pretty snowfalls that doesn't leave too much on the ground. We watched the birds going after corn that the deer had left behind, then we threw out some bread and popcorn.
Two male cardinals (only one female that we saw) really stood out in that snow.
Really gorgeous day.
P.S. School was actually closed yesterday. We had snow in WV, but VA got ice.
Strangely enough (at least, to me it's strange) the WV DOT is usually on top of any bad weather, even when it comes on suddenly. Rarely is that side of the mountain icy or have much snow on it at all. The Virginia side, in comparison, is like an unplowed driveway.
One morning last winter we left home at the usual time (before 6). By the time we got to the mountain, it was snowing heavily (I bet it's all of two or three miles), but the road on the WV side was relatively clear. At the top of the mountain, at the Virginia line, it became a ski slope. There'd been no plowing, no salting or sanding, and just around a curve, a tractor-trailer had jackknifed and backed up traffic. Cars had slid all over the road trying to avoid hitting it, and there was no way that we could stop. Even though we were going maybe 10 mph, we slid and turned and bumped into the guardrail (thank goodness that Virginia at least has those) and bounced off that into a small car. Somehow Tom got us turned around and headed back home, where we waited until things started melting, around 10:30. Well, he waited; I went back to sleep.
Unfortunately, the damage to the truck was on the side that I hadn't bashed in the year before.
It snowed most of the day Sunday, one of those heavy, pretty snowfalls that doesn't leave too much on the ground. We watched the birds going after corn that the deer had left behind, then we threw out some bread and popcorn.
Two male cardinals (only one female that we saw) really stood out in that snow.Really gorgeous day.
P.S. School was actually closed yesterday. We had snow in WV, but VA got ice.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Celebrate
I don't have anything in particular to write about today, I just have some photos I want to share. Lucky you.
I was back in Orlando Jan. 4-7 for A's birthday. We'd just gotten home from Florida two days before, but I was able to get incredibly cheap airfare and flew back down for three whole days. On Sunday we went to Celebration, Disney's planned community. Want to live there? TOWNHOUSES start around $400,000.
There's a cool fountain where children can play, so we took the kids there. It was so much fun to watch them running in and out of the water.
The first photos are of a loon that was in the lake; it cruised around with only its head and a little bit of neck sticking out of the water, then it came ashore and stood still for at least 10 minutes while its wings dried. Then, of course, it jumped back into the lake.
Then the kids played in the fountain. It was a balmy day, and although I would have been cold in the water, they weren't.
Notice the couple on the Segways. Only in Disney territory would this be an alternative mode of transportation.
And, of course, there were little boys who....... enjoyed the fountain a little too much.
On the way back to the car, we smelled burning rope. Why on earth would anyone in a Disney community be burning rope on a Sunday afternoon?
Oh. It was this guy and his wife, both gray-haired and wearing Harley leathers. They quickly got on their bike and left. (Not the family in the foreground; that older man in the left background.)
Smoking dope in Celebration. WWWDD?
I was back in Orlando Jan. 4-7 for A's birthday. We'd just gotten home from Florida two days before, but I was able to get incredibly cheap airfare and flew back down for three whole days. On Sunday we went to Celebration, Disney's planned community. Want to live there? TOWNHOUSES start around $400,000.
There's a cool fountain where children can play, so we took the kids there. It was so much fun to watch them running in and out of the water.
The first photos are of a loon that was in the lake; it cruised around with only its head and a little bit of neck sticking out of the water, then it came ashore and stood still for at least 10 minutes while its wings dried. Then, of course, it jumped back into the lake.
Then the kids played in the fountain. It was a balmy day, and although I would have been cold in the water, they weren't.
Notice the couple on the Segways. Only in Disney territory would this be an alternative mode of transportation.
And, of course, there were little boys who....... enjoyed the fountain a little too much.
On the way back to the car, we smelled burning rope. Why on earth would anyone in a Disney community be burning rope on a Sunday afternoon?
Oh. It was this guy and his wife, both gray-haired and wearing Harley leathers. They quickly got on their bike and left. (Not the family in the foreground; that older man in the left background.)
Smoking dope in Celebration. WWWDD?
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Things we do to for our dogs
I just received these photos of two Yorkies wearing sweaters that I'd knit for the Yorkie Shoppe.
I've knit over 20 sweaters so far and have another 4 almost ready to go. I took a break over Christmas to finish these knee socks for two little girls:
While we were in Florida, Zippy stayed with my sister and her dog, Kipper. Kip's an old man who doesn't like these young whippersnappers playing in his yard, but as long as it was just Zippy, he was resigned but okay with it. Add in another young dog and Kipper just barks curses at them nonstop.
Chester was really glad to see Zippy when he finally came home.
I'll leave you with these photos of how well our cats get along together:
I've knit over 20 sweaters so far and have another 4 almost ready to go. I took a break over Christmas to finish these knee socks for two little girls:
While we were in Florida, Zippy stayed with my sister and her dog, Kipper. Kip's an old man who doesn't like these young whippersnappers playing in his yard, but as long as it was just Zippy, he was resigned but okay with it. Add in another young dog and Kipper just barks curses at them nonstop.
Chester was really glad to see Zippy when he finally came home.
I'll leave you with these photos of how well our cats get along together:
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Long time no write
Wow. It was longer than I thought. It's been a long long month!
First, let's do away with that Christmas panic thing. I got over that. I knit a whole bunch of bowls and felted them. Done. I think that I made something like 13 of them in less than a week. They're pretty much useless, but they're pretty.
And at the same time, I finally felted Nancy's cat bed.
This was after I was hospitalized for 4 days after experiencing stomach bleeding. Only I didn't realize what had happened. How can one person be so stupid? I can only plead lack of blood supply to the brain.
*Warning--yucky details*
I was at school when it started. I didn't feel any pain, just a feeling of warmth swept outward from my stomach. I thought it was a weird hot flash. Immediately I was weak and lightheaded, but I figured I had the bug that was going around school. I work in the main office for 1/4 of the day and every sick kid comes in there for Tylenol or Advil, like that'll cure them.
I managed to drag myself back upstairs to my office, telling myself with every step that I could not drop the laptop. I don't know how I made it, or how I made it to the car and drove to pick Tom up. My coworker told me that I looked awful.
I didn't go to work the next two days (Thursday and Friday). I got progressively weaker and could barely stand up. I was really cold and couldn't get warm no matter how many comforters I had over me. I still thought it was the flu. The odd thing was that I didn't feel sick, just couldn't stand up or even hold my head up.
Thursday afternoon I noticed that my (*WARNING--YUCKY*) stool was totally black. I just thought, huh. I bet that's blood. It didn't really sink in that it's not supposed to be like that. The thought just sort of flitted through my head.
By Sunday I was noticing that my lips were completely colorless. Again, I thought, huh. Isn't that odd. Since I was getting worse instead of better, I decided to go to the doctor's the next morning. Forget work.
Tom took me into the doctor's office. I could hardly stand up long enough for the nurse to (*WARNING--YUCKY*) weigh me. My blood pressure was something like 60/28. The doctor pulled my eyelids down and looked at them, then looked at my gums, read my palm (at least that's what it looked like) and told me to go immediately to the emergency room.
After telling the same story to about 50 different people, they decided that I was telling the truth and decided to admit me. Whew, that means I don't have that $100 copay. They took me to the Critical Care Unit, which I have to admit scared me a little. I didn't think it was that critical.
I was given three pints of blood that afternoon and evening. A GI specialist was brought in to scope my stomach to see if they could pinpoint the bleeding. All of the equipment was brought into my room; if you're in ICU, you get real service. They couldn't find the origin of the bleeding, so either it healed on its own or it was in the folds created by the stomach surgery I had four years ago--almost to the day.
The next day I was taken to a regular floor, but that night I was given a 4th transfusion. I was awakened every three hours for my vitals to be taken; by Wednesday night I was exhausted and was given Ambien. I love Ambien.
I was released on Thursday with a new med, Protonix. No lifestyle or diet changes were suggested and I sure didn't ask for any.
I was out of sick leave by this time, but I didn't care. I stayed home Friday and went back to work on Monday, and you know what? I felt better than I have in years. No fatigue at all. I was concerned that it would take me weeks to get over losing so much blood (my doctor later told me that he thinks I lost 5 pints; I think that's half of the blood in the average adult), but I've felt wonderful ever since. I must have been anemic for quite some time.
We left for Florida a week after I came home, played with the grandkids, shopped, went sight-seeing. Absolutely no problems. Well, there was that one time when I drank a slushy drink way too quickly and thought my stomach was bleeding again, but it was just an esophageal spasm. Those things hurt.
Last Thursday I flew back to Orlando for A's 7th birthday. I was a little apprehensive about the trip; she was taking a bunch of kids to DisneyWorld for her birthday, and I was worried about my stamina. I shouldn't have worried; the kids and other parents wore out long before I did.
Life is good.
*note: if your lips turn white, go to the emergency room*
First, let's do away with that Christmas panic thing. I got over that. I knit a whole bunch of bowls and felted them. Done. I think that I made something like 13 of them in less than a week. They're pretty much useless, but they're pretty.
And at the same time, I finally felted Nancy's cat bed.
This was after I was hospitalized for 4 days after experiencing stomach bleeding. Only I didn't realize what had happened. How can one person be so stupid? I can only plead lack of blood supply to the brain.
*Warning--yucky details*
I was at school when it started. I didn't feel any pain, just a feeling of warmth swept outward from my stomach. I thought it was a weird hot flash. Immediately I was weak and lightheaded, but I figured I had the bug that was going around school. I work in the main office for 1/4 of the day and every sick kid comes in there for Tylenol or Advil, like that'll cure them.
I managed to drag myself back upstairs to my office, telling myself with every step that I could not drop the laptop. I don't know how I made it, or how I made it to the car and drove to pick Tom up. My coworker told me that I looked awful.
I didn't go to work the next two days (Thursday and Friday). I got progressively weaker and could barely stand up. I was really cold and couldn't get warm no matter how many comforters I had over me. I still thought it was the flu. The odd thing was that I didn't feel sick, just couldn't stand up or even hold my head up.
Thursday afternoon I noticed that my (*WARNING--YUCKY*) stool was totally black. I just thought, huh. I bet that's blood. It didn't really sink in that it's not supposed to be like that. The thought just sort of flitted through my head.
By Sunday I was noticing that my lips were completely colorless. Again, I thought, huh. Isn't that odd. Since I was getting worse instead of better, I decided to go to the doctor's the next morning. Forget work.
Tom took me into the doctor's office. I could hardly stand up long enough for the nurse to (*WARNING--YUCKY*) weigh me. My blood pressure was something like 60/28. The doctor pulled my eyelids down and looked at them, then looked at my gums, read my palm (at least that's what it looked like) and told me to go immediately to the emergency room.
After telling the same story to about 50 different people, they decided that I was telling the truth and decided to admit me. Whew, that means I don't have that $100 copay. They took me to the Critical Care Unit, which I have to admit scared me a little. I didn't think it was that critical.
I was given three pints of blood that afternoon and evening. A GI specialist was brought in to scope my stomach to see if they could pinpoint the bleeding. All of the equipment was brought into my room; if you're in ICU, you get real service. They couldn't find the origin of the bleeding, so either it healed on its own or it was in the folds created by the stomach surgery I had four years ago--almost to the day.
The next day I was taken to a regular floor, but that night I was given a 4th transfusion. I was awakened every three hours for my vitals to be taken; by Wednesday night I was exhausted and was given Ambien. I love Ambien.
I was released on Thursday with a new med, Protonix. No lifestyle or diet changes were suggested and I sure didn't ask for any.
I was out of sick leave by this time, but I didn't care. I stayed home Friday and went back to work on Monday, and you know what? I felt better than I have in years. No fatigue at all. I was concerned that it would take me weeks to get over losing so much blood (my doctor later told me that he thinks I lost 5 pints; I think that's half of the blood in the average adult), but I've felt wonderful ever since. I must have been anemic for quite some time.
We left for Florida a week after I came home, played with the grandkids, shopped, went sight-seeing. Absolutely no problems. Well, there was that one time when I drank a slushy drink way too quickly and thought my stomach was bleeding again, but it was just an esophageal spasm. Those things hurt.
Last Thursday I flew back to Orlando for A's 7th birthday. I was a little apprehensive about the trip; she was taking a bunch of kids to DisneyWorld for her birthday, and I was worried about my stamina. I shouldn't have worried; the kids and other parents wore out long before I did.
Life is good.
*note: if your lips turn white, go to the emergency room*
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The Christmas Panic has begun
This year I decided to be nice to myself and not try to knit a bunch of Christmas presents. I'm limiting myself to one or two (which I haven't even started yet. Of course.) Every year along about September, I think that I have plenty of time to knit presents for almost everyone. Reality has set in and I now realize that I can't do it without staying up all night every night and knitting while I work.
So, here it is, almost December, and I have so many things that aren't gifts that I promised to make. Knee socks for two little girls. Socks for a blog friend. Socks for Tom's little niece. A gazillion doggie sweaters that need to be in the Yorkie Shoppe right now for Christmas presents.
Okay, I tell myself, this is manageable. Knitting is relaxing for me. Knitting is Xanax. It's meditation in motion. The only things that have to be done in the very near future are the doggie sweaters. I can make one per evening. I can do this.
So why am I feeling pressured?
P. S. Nancy--remember that cat bed that I knit for you two years ago and haven't felted yet? I'll get it done soon. I promise.
After Christmas.
So, here it is, almost December, and I have so many things that aren't gifts that I promised to make. Knee socks for two little girls. Socks for a blog friend. Socks for Tom's little niece. A gazillion doggie sweaters that need to be in the Yorkie Shoppe right now for Christmas presents.
Okay, I tell myself, this is manageable. Knitting is relaxing for me. Knitting is Xanax. It's meditation in motion. The only things that have to be done in the very near future are the doggie sweaters. I can make one per evening. I can do this.
So why am I feeling pressured?
P. S. Nancy--remember that cat bed that I knit for you two years ago and haven't felted yet? I'll get it done soon. I promise.
After Christmas.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
A little knitting
I've done a lot of knitting in the last couple of weeks. I've made 5 sweaters for UYR. So far one of the members has sent me over 15 pounds of assorted yarns. I'm having fun playing with them.
While we (meaning Tom) were driving to Rehoboth Wednesday afternoon, which stretched into Wednesday night (that Bay Bridge doesn't care much for high winds, so traffic was backed up into DC. Literally. It took us 5 hours to drive 40 miles. At one point we got off [by driving in the breakdown lane; I really had to pee], went to a nearby Wendy's, got something to eat, then got back on the road--only to find ourselves in back of the same cars and trucks we'd been behind earlier; yeah, traffic was really moving well that night.) I knit once I woke up, even after it got dark. Turned on the cab light and knit until traffic started moving again. I got over half of this child's sock done that night, and finished it yesterday.
I love love love the color of this yarn. It's a real "ruby slippers" red. I'm going to have to get me some of that. I started the second one yesterday, too, and will be knitting socks and dog sweaters for a long, long time to come.
Good thing that I'm obsessive-compulsive. Just a little.
While we (meaning Tom) were driving to Rehoboth Wednesday afternoon, which stretched into Wednesday night (that Bay Bridge doesn't care much for high winds, so traffic was backed up into DC. Literally. It took us 5 hours to drive 40 miles. At one point we got off [by driving in the breakdown lane; I really had to pee], went to a nearby Wendy's, got something to eat, then got back on the road--only to find ourselves in back of the same cars and trucks we'd been behind earlier; yeah, traffic was really moving well that night.) I knit once I woke up, even after it got dark. Turned on the cab light and knit until traffic started moving again. I got over half of this child's sock done that night, and finished it yesterday.
I love love love the color of this yarn. It's a real "ruby slippers" red. I'm going to have to get me some of that. I started the second one yesterday, too, and will be knitting socks and dog sweaters for a long, long time to come.
Good thing that I'm obsessive-compulsive. Just a little.
Family and stuff
We spent Thanksgiving with Tom's family in Rehoboth Beach. Lots of fun, good food, good company. Throw in a beach and it's all there.
Tom and his brothers and sister:
It was our first anniversary the day after Thanksgiving. Tom's youngest brother passed around a card for everyone to sign. Including us. He said, "Sign this; it's for Matt's graduation." Neither of us noticed. They had a good hearty chuckle at that.
We went out Friday afternoon (our anniversary) and looked at rings. Last year we decided to get married on Thanksgiving--6 days before the day. There was no time to find a ring; I was going to borrow one, but my sister, Joan, bought one and I wore it for a year. We found this one, which I love.
I couldn't get a nice, clear photo of it, try though I might. And I did. Try.
If you squint your eyes just right, you might be able to see the detail in the center of the band. It looks just like a knit or crochet stitch. I didn't realize that till later that day, but it's so appropriate.
I gave a pair of socks to Tom's little nephew, Ryder, who is almost a year old.
And of course, we had to go by the beach. It wasn't hideously cold that day, just very windy after really hard winds and rain on Wednesday and a good bit of Thursday.
Tom and his brothers and sister:
It was our first anniversary the day after Thanksgiving. Tom's youngest brother passed around a card for everyone to sign. Including us. He said, "Sign this; it's for Matt's graduation." Neither of us noticed. They had a good hearty chuckle at that.
We went out Friday afternoon (our anniversary) and looked at rings. Last year we decided to get married on Thanksgiving--6 days before the day. There was no time to find a ring; I was going to borrow one, but my sister, Joan, bought one and I wore it for a year. We found this one, which I love.
I couldn't get a nice, clear photo of it, try though I might. And I did. Try.
If you squint your eyes just right, you might be able to see the detail in the center of the band. It looks just like a knit or crochet stitch. I didn't realize that till later that day, but it's so appropriate.
I gave a pair of socks to Tom's little nephew, Ryder, who is almost a year old.
And of course, we had to go by the beach. It wasn't hideously cold that day, just very windy after really hard winds and rain on Wednesday and a good bit of Thursday.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Florida princess
My little A has done it again. First in her age group in a pageant.
Yes, my baby is a pageant queen.
As a result of being in pageants, she's totally comfortable in adult social situations. She can get on the stage and strut her stuff, chat with the judges, model her outfits, and dazzle the judges with her talent. It doesn't hurt that she's gorgeous.
But these last two pageants are a different sort. They're more centered on the girls' conversational abilities, their ease in social settings. These pageants emphasize community service (no, not that kind); the girls will go to nursing homes, children's hospitals, that kind of thing. But for A, the best part is being in parades.
Especially a parade at Walt Disney World! Lunch with the governor and an invitation to the new governor's inauguration and ball is pretty cool, but come on, Disney World! She lives just a few minutes from WDW, gets to visit free since her mommy works there, but being in a parade in WDW is just the best thing.
I would have crawled under a table and refused to come out if I'd been told I was going to be in a parade when I was A's age. There's no way I would have stood on a stage and maintained eye contact with a bunch of grownups.
All this attention, practically her whole life, has not caused A to be vain or aloof. She's still just a little girl who likes to play dress-up with other girls. The prize packages that come with the titles are pretty exciting, but A likes the sashes and crowns--and toys--that are part of the rewards.
Her mommy makes most of her clothing for the pageants. Big money is spent on pageant clothes for these little girls; you wouldn't believe me if I told you how much just a swimsuit can cost. But my daughter, J, makes them herself, and they're often held together with safety pins and hot glue. If J wanted to, she could do a big business in making pageant clothing.
Friday, November 17, 2006
It fits!
Isn't this a darling little dog? His name is Max, and he belongs to my blog friend Peri. They live in Canada; after he was blown over--literally--one cold, windy night as he was watering his lawn, I offered to knit a sweater for him. Can't let a cute little guy like Max get all ruffled up.
And I have to brag--I knit those socks, too, to the measurements that Peri sent. I'm absolutely amazed that they actually fit her!
I'm on a socks jag lately. I've been knitting baby socks in assorted sizes using left-over sock yarn. I've also knit a bunch of doggie sweaters for the United Yorkie Rescue Organization's Yorkie Shoppe. They're sending me a boatload of assorted yarns to try out. I've been knitting with my own stash, so this is greatly appreciated.
One of them:
And another:
Anyone want the pattern? I thought you would.
2 Piece Dog Sweater
This sweater will take roughly 3.5 oz of yarn. Your gauge is roughly 4 stitches to the inch. I have worked this up on worsted weight 4 ply and also on sport weight. Using sport weight the gauge works out to 4.5 stitches to an inch. You will also need size 5 needles and size 7 needles.
You will need the following measurements. Dog’s collar size, Top Line measurement and measurement between the pups front legs.
(I tried to find the website where I originally found the pattern but have been unable to find it. It was also sent to me by a knittin' member of the UYR. If anyone out there (hello? hello? hello?) knows who wrote the pattern, please let me know so I can
1. For a 10” collar cast on 40 stitches on size 5 needles. Beginning with the neck work in a pattern of your choice, for the length of your choice: 1” for a mock turtleneck, 3” for a fold over turtleneck, 3” for a rolled neck. The pattern can be knit 1 purl 1 or k2 p2, a rolled neck is knit one row and purl a row.
2. Switch to size 7 needles and work in a pattern of your choice until the piece measures equal to 1” short of the top line of the pup. I suggest you add 1-2” to the top line because the pup’s body will make it shrink up. Garter pattern is the easiest. If you choose the stockinette pattern (knit one row, purl one row) you must knit the first 4 and last 4 stitches of every row. Stitch the last inch in the same pattern as the neck.
3. Bind off.
4. To make the chest section: Using size 5 needles cast on 3 stitches. Knit row
5. K1 increase in 2nd stitch K1 (4 stitches on needle)
6. Knit row
7. K1 increase in 2PndP stitch increase in 3PrdP stitch K1 (6 stitches)
8. Knit row.
9. Knit 2 increase in 3PrdP stitch increase in 4 stitch K1 (8 stitches).
10. Continue increasing in the 3 stitch from the beginning and from the end, alternating with a knit row until the width of the piece measures the width of the space between your pup’s front legs.
11. Continue knitting the piece until it measures 1” short of the pup’s rib cage for male dogs, or as long as you want it to cover the little girl’s tummy. Knit the last inch in the same pattern as the collar.
12. Bind off.
13. Now to sew the pieces together. Seam the neck edges together. When you reach the main body, take the point of the chest piece and match it to the edge of the collar, seam down each side until you reach the point where you stopped increasing. Leaving a 2-2 1/2 slit open, continue to seam down the sides. The slits form the leg openings. Slits are perfect for longhaired pups. Less matting.
Enjoy
Here are some notes on sizes:
The gauge is roughly 4 st=1", 5 rows=1". I use size 8 needles mostly, but you can use any size you like to get the right gauge.
For a 6" neck, cast on 38 st; chest piece, increase to 14 st.
For an 8" neck, cast on 40 st; chest piece, increase to 16 st.
For a 10" neck, cast on 40-42 st; chest increase to 18 st.
For a 12" neck, cast on 44-46 st; chest increase to 20 st.
For a 14" neck, cast on 48-50 st; chest increase to 22 st.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Sick Puppy
This is Zippy, my small emergency backup dog, with his favorite book.
Traitor. He was named by Dave Barry bloglits.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Trick or Treat
Since we live in the middle of Nowhere, no humans came to our house looking for treats.
But these did.
It's an earlier photo, but the same deer (we think) are still coming around. It's hard to tell once the babies lose their spots, but the twins are still around.
But these did.
It's an earlier photo, but the same deer (we think) are still coming around. It's hard to tell once the babies lose their spots, but the twins are still around.
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