I'm back

Something was going on and I couldn't log in or post, but seems they fixed it. Why is it we always feel it is something we are doing wrong. We check and recheck our work and think what am I doing? Thing is we should just walk away and try again later, sometimes it works and sometimes not so good. There is going to be lots of things going on this Summer at the shop. First off, I am being a snoopy baby cam for a nest that a Robing built on my door wreath. I carefully removed it from the door where she would be disturbed often to the window box next to the door. I can spy on her through the window while she is being such a good mom in this cold dreary weather. When I first looked into the nest I was disappointed to find only one egg. Ms. Robin was getting all my sympathy for not being very fertile, until I did some research. I was amazed, Robins lay one egg a day, they do not start sitting on their eggs to begin the incubating till they are all laid. The average is 3-4 eggs, with sometimes laying 6, wow, that would be one crowded nest. When all of her eggs are laid, she begins the sitting, she has a bald spot on her belly to conduct the heat to the eggs better, a birds temp is 104', the cool thing is she will with her beak turn the eggs to heat them evenly. She leaves the nest for 10 to 15 minute intervals only during this time, she gets food and sometimes daddy brings her worms to eat. I have yet to see any man coming around. She, has been sitting through all of this stormy weather, but she is sheltered, and I do worry. So hopefully in about a week we will have some chirpy little baby birds.

Becoming a Parent again

No I am not pregnant, but my roomie is, well she isn't anymore, but she is happily sitting on her baby to be! Of all the places to build a nest, a Robin built one on a wreath on my shop door. Ok so she thought it was dormant because I was closed for a few days and come to think of it she is the bird that flew into the shop (the door was open) last week and promptly exited just as fast, wondering where the door went? So I didn't want her to fly into someone opening the door, or startle someone or even upset her, so I carefully moved the wreath to the window box. I peered into the little nest quickly and saw only one egg, so she is limited with motherhood. I was worried that she wouldn't go back to the nest but she has found it and is sitting on her egg, being a good mom. I can spy on her from inside the shop but she knows I am there, she sees me moving around. I am anxious to see the little baby hatch and grow. I was going to put a sign out saying Baby sleeping but I am afraid to draw attention to it and some idiot will have to go look into the nest, probably saying to their young child, "honey look, I'll take this wreath down so you can look at it. AAACCCKKK so you may look but don't touch. I am naming the baby "Apple" because they will be born in a wreath of pink apple blossoms.

Great start

I had a great start this morning, no rush coffee, looked forward to Art class, some photo taking and preparing to frame my Poppy painting. So I had my coffee, set up the camera for some photos, it didn't go so well but not a problem I'll change lens after I come home from class and won't have to rush it. I go for breakfast at George Webbs and it was good, not cheap though but good, took a sausage to Iggy who was acting weird before we left and seemed weird now, he gobbled the sausage and on our way. It is still cool enough to allow him to be in the car while I paint and then I can go to my mom's and hang some photos she has been wanting hung. I get to class and Iggy thinks he is going in, and he is not so I go in and do my thing, meanwhile poor Iggy had a bad accident, in the car. Needless to say I opened the door to "OHHHH MYYYYY Gaaawwwwwdddd" and he was cowering. I took him out immediately and he went again, I found a baby blanket from when he was a puppy and just covered it up so he wouldn't step in it. Forget stopping anywhere but home. Now my stomach is sick, but it is all cleaned up and he has gone again. So, I am not straying too far from home till he stops with the runs. I have some pumpkin for him and I will wait till this evening to give him that. Maybe it is a good thing to just sit here and knit for a while. or maybe nap, maybe we both are not feeling good! I just can't get the smell out of my nose.

Loving Frank

I just finished listening to "Loving Frank" by Nancy Horan. I really liked it, I can tell when I like a book by my can't wait to listen attitude. Frank Lloyd Wright has always interested me anyway, he is truly an architectural genius. He is also a jerk, but I think that came with the territory. This story is told from Maemas, his mistress's view and you can see why she fell in love with her and how he really loved her. She was a woman ahead of her time in a era when woman were supposed to shut up and raise the children. She was an independent thinker, I can relate to that. I really enjoyed listening to it and recommend it, of course you will know the ending.
I am working on Lucy Neatby's Paintbox scarf, it is holding my attention..score!! I love color gamps and have all of the yarn to weave one, I just need to find the pattern I am searching for to do it. The one I am knitting I plan on wearing, the one I weave I am planning on putting on my wall.
I have the framing stuff to frame my Poppy painting, but I need to try to photograph it first to see if I can make copies to print. I have a lot on my plate this week. Today is my Art class, I am working on a Matisse. Wed. is knitting at Fixx, Thursday is the Opening at Fiberwood Studio of the Fiber Art challenge "Changes" I will be there as will wine and snacks. You are invited!!

Can you spot Iggy?

When I take Iggy to daycare twice a week, I am so happy to watch him walk into the back playroom. I am not so happy that he could care less about me but that his tail is wagging and they are doting over him. He loves it there, he plays with other dogs and chases balls, his most favorite thing. They do such special things and they have people working there that actually love the animals. Imagine my surprise when I walk into the daycare and Tia that works there says "I have a game for you to play" really, ok I can do that, she says "it's up here." I step up to the counter and there is a photo of four Westies, she says "can you pick Iggy out?" hhhmmm it was tough but I saw his collar. Their hair was all the same length and some are related, and they are so cute. I was so excited and then she gave me a photo of them. I asked her how she got them all to line up, she said they wanted me to kick the tennis ball...LOL Now you tell me where else do you get that kind of a staff. Gail is always keeping things exciting and has no problem stooping down to dog level and getting a face full of doggy kisses. I highly recommend Central Bark in Franklin on 60th and Ryan rd. It is always a surprise when you go there. One time they had a "banana bread cook off" the staff all made their favorite recipe and we tasted them and voted. It was a win win for me!! Cinco de Mayo, we had salsa and chips. They have birthday parties for their patrons and one time they had a "best listening dog" yeah we won't discuss that one. I just enjoy the whole crew over there, but this photo, warms my heart!! Thanks Central Bark

Happy Mother's Day

There has been a lot going on around here.  Classes are doing well and lots of students willing to learn new things.  The Fiber Festivals are happening all around us and I think we may be heading into Spring.  I just had to share this photo.  I opened Ravelry this morning and checked out a "Yarn Camp" in Rhinebeck NY and this is the first photo I saw?  Not a good early morning illusion....at first glance it looked like a beard and a guys nose, then I won't even go there but ends up it is a llama fleece being exposed to show how beautiful it is...I think it could have been shown much nicer.
Hope you Mother's day if you are one is wonderful, if not you have or had one, so enjoy it either way.

Getting it right

From Anderson Cooper to Whoopi Goldberg, people are really tired of being misquoted or construed.  The "Oh I heard you said this or that or they said this or that"  Unless you hear the whole story and don't take it out of context, you can hurt someone with what you repeat.  We as a whole have gotten so rude and mean, but think nothing of it.  Politicians are setting horrible examples of this, quoting one part of a previous speech and playing it over and over and over, and when you hear the whole speech in context it is nothing like what the competition is quoting.  What does this accomplish, or better yet this is why we ALL need to do our own research.  There is a rare quality called honesty, you can find it but it is hard to recognize under all of the lies and embellishing.  We all sensationalize when telling a story but that is just a few adverbs, and doesn't hurt anyone, it just makes things more colorful.
Being honest has it's cost too, the dreaded "how does this look?"  uhhh, remember you can always say, "It is you!"  try to be positive in your critique, regardless, don't lie but search for the right words, it is OK to stop and think about an answer.  Be nice, if someone shows you their knitting, your first judgement might be....ew that is one ugly color arrangement or weird pattern, but look past "what you like"  it isn't yours anyway, you will not be wearing it, so look at how beautifully it is knit and comment on the good stuff.  If we would all encourage one another instead of looking for fault, we would all walk a little taller.  And quit pulling one sentence out of context and passing that crap along, we all have enough to deal with on a regular basis.
@DalaiLama: Overcoming negative tendencies and enhancing positive potential are the very essence of the spiritual path.” 

Seriously?

There is a site called Kickstart.  What Kickstart does is help support small business ventures trying to break into the world of business's.  One of the ideas for instance is those darn Joulie coffee temperature beans.  I have been stalking them with great interest.  You place these Stainless steel coffee beans about he size of a small cookie (large enough not to swallow)  into your coffee cup when you pour in the hot coffee and it cools the coffee to drinking temp, then when the coffee starts to cool it emits stored heat to keep the coffee at the same temp.  I think it is a great idea, I love coffee and I drink it rather cool, than some with asbestos mouth.  They do say to keep the coffee at it's ultimate best you should drink out of a stainless steel covered mug.  That was the deciding factor, I love my coffee out of my special pottery mug, my special mug is whichever one I pick for the day.  So anyway the idea is if I like this Idea, I can send some money as starter money to help fund their start up.  They do need seed money and I know this, so that is not the problem, you get something in return on this venture, for the most part.  In this case you get a bag or 5 beans for $50.00 investment.  The problem I do have is, there is an Artist that wants to move into a new studio and is looking for funding?  This artist has a history of not having any money but does workshops all around the World and not for free, has written a book and more.   They are self exclaimed partiers?  So I am all for helping feed someone, shelter someone, give them some livestock, but a new studio?  I am thinking how I can work this angle.  Hhhmmm  I need a new place to do my work, how about you send me money to help support my move and buy me a new place.  There is just something wrong with that, in my ethic code, that is.  But people are sending money to this Artist, some people are blinded by the celebrity to notice that some things are just not right.  I guess this Artist is a  smart cookie for doing this.  I think seed monies should be sent to start up business's and yes you can lose your investment nothing is  a sure thing, but better I drink hot coffee, because they couldn't get the whole funding, but are trying a new venture than funding a constantly misfunded endeavor.  Bernie would be proud.   We all can decide where our money goes and it is an individuals decision, but, seriously?

British words

Mel B from the Spice girls is on Regis (whom I really don't care for), but I am doing computer stuff so it is backround sound.  It is so fun to listen to British sayings, she said about Lindsey Lohan, she may need to get banged up (put in jail)....it just cracks me up.  That I watched all of Doc Martin didn't hurt either.  It takes me a while to get into their accent but once I do, it is just fun.  Buggers?  not to be confused with boogers.  Listen to some of the sayings they are hysterical.

Oh the craving!!

The power of suggestion is such a strong one and I get suckered in on many occasions.  My brother and I were talking about oysters.  He had watched a cooking show and the Southern woman was cooking fried oysters to put in a Po boy sandwich.  He went shopping and $40 later he made two very good sandwiches but not that good.  I didn't get to taste them but he said the woman's  cooking looked much better.  Today I decided after a long workshop weekend with Jacey Boggs which I will blog later, I decided to do minimal running today.  What prompted this running to Outpost was deodorant, Jacey smelled like Nag Champa, she is too young to know what a great Hippy smell that was, right up there with Patchoulli   mmmmmm , I kept smelling it, to the point of her, (and she is very approachable and down to earth) whips up her armpit and says "is it this?".  Why I think it is?  as I grab her beautifully tattoo embellished arm and sniff, yes sniff near her armpit!  Well by Gawd I think it is?  So she showed me the deodorant bottle, an organic roll on.  She prefaced it with, it is very expensive...but if it works and it is natural I am okay with that.  So on my run for deodorant which I did not find and had to order online, I went to the City Market.  I have not been there since it probably opened, how nice it is.  You park for free and hey they have Fried Oyster Po Boys....I am there about 10:30 and they are not open for lunch yet but the guy takes my order, I call my brother who works downtown and tell him I am bringing him Fried Oyster po boy...he is salivating as am I!  I found the best peanut butter chunk cookies at the bakery down there, they have a sample tray and I should say "had"  I did a few walk bys.  I had a cup of coffee and waited, I did buy bread, that was still warm....OMG!  I went to the Cheese Market but was being blocked by two woman that kept stepping in front of the cart and I just could not get away from them and knowing how crabby I am today I wanted to ram them with my cart and tell them get the hell out of the middle of the aisle.  I left that area.  I went an picked up my Po boy order, and left, I drove to where my brother was working, and dropped off his sandwich, we were both smiling like cheshire cats.  I am two blocks away and the phone rings, I am thinking he was overcome with glee at the wonderful sandwich...but.....I answer to _uck em shuck em...we got Shrimp not oysters!  What?  are you kidding me?  he says check yours so as I am driving, I look and I should have said nope mine is oyster but I was so disappointed I said "mine too"  Even though it was good, it was not fried oysters....I am staying home and napping before I kill something, or someone.

Robbed/Stolen or just plain thieved

As many others I am not a person that has a huge savings account.  Try as I might through the years, I am unable to keep money in an account without the back of my head saying...you have $$$  at the bank.   I also imagine what I could buy with the money and spend it over and over again.  While I was working my regular job, I had a bank account with my Credit Union, I had $5.00 taken every week out of my account so I would consider it my Christmas Account.  When I retired I realized money was not going to be added but that was OK, it was a little nest egg and really it wasn't much money a little over $300, so it wasn't burning a hole in my pocket to spend it.  I watched the statements for 4 months to make sure they didn't take money out for non use.  I watched and nothing was taken out, I felt secure that I had me a little extra cushion in case I needed it.  Not so....I have been retired for 5 years and this Spring has just been a tight one, seems all my insurances are due and blah blah blah....car repairs, my pseudo heart attack, glasses.   I went to draw my money out and actually maybe put it somewhere closer to home.  I stood at the window and the woman says $175.00, I swallowed hard....swallowed hard again and asked what happened to the rest of my money?  Inactivity!  hhhmmm Inactivity?  I have my mortgage at this Credit Union, if I had the time and effort and the money I would refinance.  Yes it is my fault once again in handling my finances for not watching the statements that come each month.  I have come to a new conclusion, spend the stuff, just go and throw it away on any crap you want because if YOU don't some bank or man will come along and do it for you.  I am just thankful that I didn't get a bill from the bank saying that I owe them.  I am holding tight onto my $175.  and no I am not buying lunch...LOL

Sticker Shock

Yesterday was Money Monday.  That is where I do all of my errands and spend all my money.  I went to a couple of quilt shops in search for some cool fabric for Iggy Pops, little bags I am making that are selling quite well for yarners or someone just browsing.  Just as a beginning knitter goes into a good yarn shop, my eyes got really wide looking at the prices of fabric.  Now in my defense the fabric I was looking at came from Japan and was stunning.  I envisioned beautiful tops made from the fabric and would consider it, if I had a pattern I really wanted to make.  I love linen fabric and let's just say, I may start sewing some tops once again.  Now back to the bags, I will not be using expensive fabric from Japan unless it is a scrap...sorry!  I did find some really cool fabric though on my hunt.  I was almost seduced into wanting to quilt again, the slow simmering seed has been planted.  I am fighting the urge to just get sucked in.....I have all of the equipment...I saw a beautiful silk quilt that was drawing me in, still in my head...the colors swimming about.....then the reality of Iggy laying on 100% silk, or a drip of condensation from a cup, dripping on the quilt, made me realize I need something more substantial for my home.  I am one of those people that use my stuff, I am not going to make something and store it in a closet...I don't have closets so it is on my couch with the beautiful afghan I wove from Mountain colors Mohair and Wool that darling Iggy has claimed as his comfy blanket, not that he ruined it or has destroyed it but a bad choice of fibers is Mohair, rub it a few times and you have felt.  So today I will be creating!

Jan against machine

What started out as a really good day quickly turned sour.  I took the Igster to daycare and needed to pick up some sour cream for the coffee cake I was going to bake.  Not being a big fan of Pick n Save, but it was right on the way home and with the price of gas, it became an option.  I walked in and went to the dairy case, picked out 3 containers of sour cream and some butter, because I figured if I was going to run out of anything it would be butter.  I walked the mile back to the check out counters and there is no one checking out, no human that is?  So, there are a few customers using the do it yourself lanes and I am not a fan of those either.  I push the Start button and scan your first items is said to me.  I scan a sour cream, dink, it registers, Place item in the bag, I did, place item in the bag, I did, place item in the bag, I DID!!!  Figuring it wasn't going to stop telling me to put it in the bag, I tried to scan another item dink it worked, then another sour cream, nothing, another sour cream nothing.  Then out comes, place item in the bag...again.  I leaned forward and said, I DID!!!  Finally a kid came over and said they are having problems with the machines?  Well then why is no one checking out?  So I said to the kid, I did not start out my day to fight with a machine and he said neither did I .....we were both laughing.

Been a while

Can I tell you what a blast I have been having.  I am selling off stuff that I have been dragging around for a while and I put it on Craigslist and cleaning house.  I feel much better, some of this has been a weight around my neck and I am letting go.  I am in a few challenges, one is the Sketchbook Challenge and the other is the Fiber Art Challenge at Fiberwood Studio, the challenge is called "Changes".  I have the last one done, and the Sketchbook challenge is every month, this month is "Spilling over".  I love the fact that I am being expanded to create more and more and I love this kind of challenge.  Now if it were a foot race, I would let you win, these are not winning things, these are just what their name is "Challenges". I am on an endless challenge to clean up and make my basement studio workable.  It is an endless state of chaos, and that is pretty much how I roll.   Try as I might to clean up and organize, my default setting is organized mess.  I am hand knitting a sock from handspun yarn, it has a shaped instep, so it is proving to be kind of weird.  All is well here,  Life is good.

In a time of Pain

It is the time of year when many people get depressed.  The political unrest, the economy, and now the earthquake.  The color here in Wisconsin is blah and after a long winter, it takes a pretty hardy person to endure the long dismal days of this Season.  I was cleaning stuff out and found this little story by Charles Swindoll, from many many years ago.  I thought it was appropriate
The Oyster and it's Pearl
Pearls are the product of pain.  For some unknown reason, the shell of the oyster gets pierced  and an alien substance- a grain of sand- slips inside.  On the entry of that foreign irritant, all the resources within that tiny, sensitive oyster, rush to the spot and begin to release healing fluids that otherwise would have remained dormant.  By and by the irritant is covered and the wound is healed.  by a pearl. No other gem has such a fascinating history.  It is the symbol of stress...a healed wound an precious tiny jewel conceived of irritation, born of adversity, nursed by adjustment.  Had there been no irritating interruption, there would have been no pearl.  Some oysters are never wounded...and those who seek for gems, toss them aside, fit only for stew.
No wonder our heavenly home has as it's entrance "pearly gates".  Those who go through need no explanation.  They are the ones that are bruised and have responded to the sting of irritations with the pearl of adjustment.  It is possible to endure adversity and come out a winner.  When your first irritation of the day comes along, quickly tell yourself, "God is in control"  and mentally make the pearl of adjustment.
I think I know very many Pearls, I just love this comparison or description, and when I get to feeling like, "shit", I think of what a pearl I will be.
If you are feeling down take a moment to think of how beautiful you are going to become from that little piece of irritation!!!

A Small Security and Comfort

A small endearing little gesture, a couple holding hands.  You don't see it so much anymore.  I was in my car and a young couple was crossing the street and the guy put his hand back to lead her across the street with him securely guiding her.  I miss that, it is such a sweet sincere thing.  Sometimes you see older couples walking hand in hand and it just makes me smile.  There is a tenderness when a man wraps his hand around yours and makes you feel so safe.  I remember the first time I held hands with a guy, his name was Peter, he was a little dorky, this coming from the tom boy dork.  We walked to the Zoo with about 10 other kids and he grabbed my hand and my heart jumped.  I looked at his big 8th grade hand encompass my girly hand and I think I can almost still see it.  I feel in love with his hand, it looked so tan and masculine holding mine.  Seriously he was just a body connected to "that hand".   I always liked holding hands.  One bad experience was one Sunday when I was real little we went to church and a lot of men had those gray tweedy dress coats and my dad had one.  I got pushed away from my dad and saw his coat and and grabbed the hand hanging there and then looked up to see it wasn't my dad, sheer panic, but my dad grabbed me and lifted me into his arm and saved me.  They both exchanged laughs but I still remember how panicky I felt.  Good thing it wasn't the pirate or I would have been scarred for life, and that my friends is another story.  The last time I held my boyfriends hand that I remember we were sitting on the couch pretending we at a movie, he was too sick to go anywhere and we had popcorn, soda and a movie on TV.  He was a good hand holder, and I can still see his hand too, it was rough and calloused from Ironwork, but it made me feel so secure.  I am missing him today, a little more than usual.

Baby I'm amazed!

Can I just say how much I love music.  I am watching the DVR with Oprah and she has talented kids on.  Lenny Kravitz just came out and is jamming with a teen, like they have played together for years.  How do they do that?  He just gave the kid a signed guitar, what a great gift, what a great talent.  I am one of those people that God did not grant the gift of music to.  My gift is my creative brain/mind and hands, but he did give me the gift of appreciation.  I appreciate music and I am not picky, I love Opera to some Rap and everything in between.  I love the twang of the Hillbilly music my dad loved, I secretly love the backwoods country/bluegrass, to the Black Eyed Peas.  My music collection is eclectic, I love yodeling, and if I hear a Native drum beat my body moves to it.  I love Pink Floyd, AC/DC,  Led Zeppelin.  God gave me the ability to turn on electronics, Ipod, stereo, Pandora and appreciate the music of others.  Don't get me wrong I have tried my hand at playing an instrument, I envisioned myself playing folk guitar on the porch with my  halter top on and ripped jean shorts and wedge sandals.  Oh yeah, my long dark hair swishing around as I sang from my heart, when in fact.  We had no porch, I had a guitar but baby I could only pick, G-L-O-R-I-A  Glllllooooooorrrria, so slow I made it into a waltz.  I don't know what a rift is or a bridge unless it's the thing you drive over.  My dad could blow a harmonica like a star, I blew spit into it and swelled the reeds and made my tongue raw.  I just don't have it.  I love to sing and loud, because the rule is if you sing loud you sing well...LOL  NOT.  So I have the greatest appreciation for music, not mine but for other gifted people that have that talent.  I will stick to what I do best fiber.  It is my passion.  Now to put on some music.

End in sight?

I really don't want to get involved with this political stuff, I am tired of this bickering.  I understand people are upset, I understand we have problems to fix.
There are so very many things we are never made aware of, until after decisions have been made and the damage is done.  Our State is in financial crisis, as are many families.  So the first thing a family has to cut to try to make ends meet is probably Cable TV, or at least premium channels.  I had to do this and I enjoy my TV, but something had to give.  I am not a martyr in any way, but people are complaining that the parks are going to take a hit.  Well look at it this way, I love my parks like anyone else, if in fact I love it that much there is nothing stopping me from going and planting a million dollars worth of flowers, other than I don't have that kind of money, or mowing some grass.  We can live without "beautiful" parks and they can be regroomed when the economy kicks in.  The land won't disappear, it will go back to what it once was.  I say let the parks go.  Education trumps all of the Parks and Parties.  We need to educate our children and young adults, this also falls on the parents.  I think it was last year that MPS was giving Ipods to students that came and ate breakfast for free. Excuse me did I say that right?  Yes, they want to encourage children to come and eat a free breakfast.  Here is my take on that.  Tough crap!  If you don't want to come and eat, I am not going to bribe you with a steak let alone an Ipod for which you need an account to upload songs and if you are eating free breakfast you don't have the money to buy songs, you should buy food.   What is that about?  Now I do believe that the children shouldn't have to pay for their parents inability to feed them and they should get food at school, but when I was poor, I would buy a loaf of cheap gooey white bread and generic peanut butter, we had to eat it not only for lunch but sometimes supper.  I am not a fan of PB & J to this day, I have had enough.  My son did not get free "anything" at school.  So MPS wastes alot of money and I don't care where it came from Federal whatever, put it to better use, you are not a soup kitchen, educate our children to get better jobs.  Little known fact, my SIL works at  company that sells bags and boxes, here in Milwaukee, Ex Gov Doyle sweetend the pot for an Illionois company to come to Wisconsin to help create jobs, I am not sure of the actual $$ amount but it was let's just say billions.  The company moved across the border in Kenosha and all of the workers commute except maybe 20 new hires.  Now that was profitable for Wisconsin.  How long will it be to recoop that billion?  Instead of working with companies here, we will bring other States companies and their workers over the border and still not create jobs.  They say if you want to fix the fat, ask the little people, the bottom feeders and the low on the totem pole people to find out what is going on above them.  We all are going to feel the pinch, as a small business owner I am feeling the bite, I am not alone and I know this.  I will survive this, but will our State if we don't all do something?  I do not believe in Union busting, but for over 30 years I paid to work, does that sound right?  If I didn't pay my dues, I would not have had a job, I paid into a pension that I am thankfully collecting and my family doesn't or won't have that ability.  If I missed a day of work, I did not get paid, I had no paid sick days, I did not get accumulated sick time.  I only got paid for the days I was at work.  In my Union contract, I paid into my health insurance, my vacation pay, my pension and negotiated raises that were for the last 20 years pretty much defunct.  These items were all negotiated, and called collective bargaining.  If you are Republican or Democratic, or Independent these are all Collective Bargaining units.  I am none of the preceding I am for a fair government.
I read this story many years ago and it has resonated with me forever, think about it.
A Repulican father calls his Democratic, college daughter and asks how she is doing in school.  "oh dad, I am working my butt off, trying to get good grades and I study and I am tired of all of this work, but I want to do well"  the father, I am proud of you sweetie, how is your roomate doing?  "Dad she is partying and having a great time but her grades reflect it, she is flunking."  there was a silence....Honey, why don't you go to the Dean and ask if you could take your A's and give some of that grade to your roomate to bring up her F to a C?  DAD!!  I work hard for those grades, she is out doing nothing, how can you even think that I should do that?   Honey welcome to the Democratic party.
I used to think that I wanted to be a Democrat because of course they believed in Democracy and defended our freedoms like speech etc.  I thought Republicans were affiliated to the Republic of China which I thought was bad.  Now I don't think either, I think Independently for the Right person to do the Job, I don't care what party is, they are all crooked and all have bad ideas and good ideas.  There is an old saying " when you retire you want a Democrat in office because they GIVE so much money away and while you are working you want a Republican in office. I am retired and have not got a break yet?   I just want someone to FIX this mess we are in, I don't care if they are a Factory worker, Millionaire, Nurse, Teacher, let's just all share this hit and  move on to a better Wisconsin, or we will all go down.  Besides I haven't done my taxes yet and I want my refund, if I get one.  I am done and this is the last you will hear from me about this subject.  We need help, we need to all share in the pains.  I don't know what it will take but we need to pay our debts.

Behind me now

With Sheep in the City behind me, I have been busy getting back into the groove.  I have some loose ends I need to finish.   I have my "Changes" necklace to finish.  I am spinning Quivet, need to finish that.  I bought some Alpaca,  want to spin that.  I have sweaters coming out of my ears and I need to catalogue or put them so I can see what I have to and this is a swear word "Organize" them.  The shop is clean after the show.  I just unpacked my suitcase, and filled the dirty clothes hamper, so that means wash.  I have my new Sketchbook challenge, "Spilling Over"  still thinking about it, I was going to do something with my brain spilling over, I need to think on that one.  Spinning Guild is this Thursday and I am the program, doing Garneted yarns.  So what am I doing?  Making notes..hey I went to visit my mom yesterday and I was laying on her bed watching her knit on a baby blanket she probably started 10 years ago.  It is a fan and feather knit, and it was so good to see her knitting and guess what she knits wrong, she twists her stitch on the purl...LOL  I tried to explain it to her and then I thought, who cares.  She mentioned there is an aide who is expecting and she would like to make this for her.  I told her I am a little embarrassed, here I own a yarn shop and she is knitting on crappy and I mean crappy acrylic.  LOL, she too laughed.  I will have to bring my knitting with me now.  I am going to buy her a shuffle today and put a book on it, so she can listen to a book while she is sitting in her chair.  I think the shuffle is easy enough for her to use, the only button she will need is the big middle one.  I hope.  It was cute, she took forever to get across the row and she said "look how slow I am"  I said when was the last time you knit??  Why do we expect to be so good at something we have not done in Years.  We are our worst enemies aren't we?  I want to go roller skating...can you say broken bones...I used to skate, but I want to do roller derby.  I think it would be great, what the hell am I thinking, I can hardly walk some days.  Our mind still thinks we should do it, but man our bodies say...hell no!!!  Step back and give yourself a break.

Spilling Over

That is the theme this month for the Sketchbook Challenge.  Last month it was "opposites"  I did a portrait profile, kind of like can you see the Old lady and the young girl.  This months theme is perfect, because my head is exploding with spilling over things. I have so much I want to do now that Sheep in the City is behind me.  I bought some beautiful gray alpaca to spin, it will make an awesome beret, or cowl, I do wear cowls.  I have some dying to do to make silk caps for the mitten class, coming soon.  I also have some dying to do for some nuno felting and hope to have a class when it gets a little warmer.  I think it is starting to feel like Spring is in the air.  It just smells like it outside, even though there is snow on the ground it smells like spring.  just a thought!!  So yesterday we go out for our walk and it looks like some furry animal has slept overnight in between my back steps and a trash can.  Iggy is smelling around the steps and I can see furry hair between the dark slot.  For fear that it is a rabid raccoon, or scratchy cat, I pull Iggy to the car and hope that the animal leaves now that we are gone.  I come home from taking him to daycare and it's still there, great, is it dead?  So I stand on the landing of the steps and pull a bag of garbage off the top so I can see it better and maybe it will take off running.  Uhhmm  it was a rice broom, that was bent over, no running away there.  I need some more sleep!!!