I'm making my first pair of socks.  I finished one and am working on the heel of the second.  I'm feeling very cool right now about being able to figure out how to knit socks.  Though I didn't really have to figure out anything - I'm following the directions on this site, which also has a step by step photo section for the more visual learners.

But while I knit, I wonder...who the heck came up with this in the first place?  I mean, did some ancient person one day look at a sheep and think "You know, if I take off all the hair on that sheep, brush it out just right, then twist it up to make a long thin piece, I can then take that long thin piece of sheep hair and use to sticks to loop it all together and make a coat for myself!"

Seriously, go read the sock pattern and then try to figure out how anyone was able to figure out how to do this.  It's a knit to here on three sticks with a fourth stick, then divide them up between two sticks, then knit just the one side, then do this funky thing to make the sides match up again, then do this and that to get it just right, then knit some more...

Whoever figured this out was a genius, that's all I have to say. 

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 6:53:41 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

The other day, that one Jif peanut butter commercial was playing on tv.  The one where there's only one slice of bread to spread the goodness that is Jif all over.  So the boys have to cut and share. 

Now, I've long ago stopped listening to Jif commercials because they're just a big guilt trip.  "Choosey moms choose Jif."  And crap moms buy the house brand.  Right.  I get the message. 

But this one time, I actually focused on the commercial.   And had to laugh.  Because this "choosey" mom who does the right thing by purchasing Jif...was using the last slice of white bread. 

I'm sorry, but if we're supposed to be oh so choosey and doing the best for our perfect little offspring that deserve the best, shouldn't we at least be spreading their peanut butter on whole wheat or whole grain bread?  Not ultra-processed, not really all that good for you, white bread?  Or better yet, spread that peanut butter on a celery stick or apple slice and be a really great mom. 

Of course, we're not huge peanut butter fans in this house.  Miriam's true love these days is Nutella.  Which she spreads on whole grain, high fructose corn syrup free bread. 

Cause I am such a better mom than that choosey Jif mom.  So there.  Thppt.  LOL!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 12:06:47 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

Okay, for some reason, the LiveWriter will post everything just right...and then the text disappears when I go to look at it. 

So let's see if this is readable, or if it'll disappear.

ETA - Okay, figured it out.  It was the theme (aka design) that I picked out for my blog that was causing the words to disappear.  So I've changed to a new look.  Not my absolute favorite, but it works! 

Tuesday, September 23, 2008 10:18:30 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

I can now get back to blogging as I do.

Okay, I have nothing to write about.   Maura is watching The Backyardigans - as is Sean for some odd reason.  Collin's watching something else on the other tv.  Miriam is in the kitchen, stomping about because I've made her go fix her lunch.  Oh sure, I've made her fix her lunch every night, but tonight she's grumpy. 

And now she's doing that screechy whine from the kitchen about something...I don't know what and I'm not going to ask.  She'll most likely have a hissyfit when I tell her in a few minutes that it's time for her to go to bed. 

Maura has been a crankybutt as well.  Probably because she's at the bottom of her medicine bottle.  The nurse told me how the bottom is more concentrated and can throw the kids off.  And by medicine bottle, I'm referring to Maura's seizure meds.  Trileptal, our favorite seizure med :)

But when they're not being little cranky bottoms, my girls are really cute - as you can see in this picture - getting all silly posing at dance class.  

And now I have a son pestering me to use the computer.  You know, this is one of those times that I agree with Collin, that he needs his own computer. 

Maybe mommy needs to learn how to share...

Monday, September 22, 2008 7:32:18 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

It's what Josh uses for all his blogging purposes. It inserts pictures more easily. Let's see if it'll work for me. For this, I'm using a picture we took at the Great Big Sea concert.

Here's hoping it works!

Monday, September 22, 2008 7:09:16 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

The other day, while riding in the car (where we have some of our more interesting conversations), Sean asked me about handkerchiefs. I'm not sure how it came up...we were discussing knitting while on our way to pick up Chinese food.  His interpretation of handkerchiefs were "Those white things people wave."  For me, they will always be associated with my grandparents.

My grandparents always carried around a handkerchief.  My grandfather had big white squares of cloth that were always soft from being laundered so many times.  He kept one folded neatly in the pocket of his slacks, brought out to wipe down a grandchild's nose or tears.  My grandmother's were more dainty, as ladies hankies were.  She had all sorts of hankies for different occassions.  The thin one with the embroidered shamrocks always came out for St. Patrick's Day.  I'm not sure she ever actually used one of her hankies as, well, a hanky.  She usually had a tissue tucked under the wristband of her watch or inside a pocket of her purse.  As a child though, I loved going through her dresser drawer, where she kept all her pretty, lace edged, embroidered hankies. 

The one story I remember my grandmother telling is when she and my grandfather went to Italy.  It was post Vatican II, so things weren't as strict in the Catholic Church as it was before about dress codes.  My grandmother - who has always been appropriately dressed for everything - showed up at the one church door one Sunday morning for Mass in her nice sleeveless dress.  The usher at the doorway stopped my grandparents.  He pointed to my grandmother's bare shoulders and shook his head.  My grandmother instantly understood what the Italian usher was telling her - no sleeveless garments in church.  She and my grandfather walked off to the side and she asked him for his handkerchief. He produced his, she pulled hers out of her handbag, along with safety pins (the woman was always prepared to alter a garment I think), and pinned the handkerchiefs on the shoulders of her dress, tucking them in just right to create sleeves.  She marched back up to the door, the usher saw her new "sleeves", smiled and waved them into the church.  The only surprise of this story to me is that my grandfather didn't take a picture of it. 

This week, I was also in the office supply store here in town - which isn't so much an office supply as a "You want it?  We probably have it somewhere in here." type of office supply/general store.  And below the line of backpacks hanging on a display near the door were two boxes of big square men's handkerchiefs.  But they weren't white...they need to be white in my book.  Soft white comforting squares of cloth.  That you could I guess use to wave at people as well, if you wanted to.

Sunday, September 21, 2008 10:21:32 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

I'm trying out the MS Writer form of blogging and seeing how it works...

Tuesday, September 16, 2008 10:26:14 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

As I clean out yet another bunch of spam mail from my email box, I just have to state a few things to you.

First, I don't care what Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, or whatever little "famous for being pretty" female is up to.  Or wearing.  Or not wearing. Or if they have a video. 

Second, I don't have a Bank of America account, please stop telling me I need to confirm or renew information.  That goes for you to, Mr. "Your Paypal Account has been Hacked".  Or that someone is bidding with my Ebay name.  If any of you really knew me, you wouldn't be sending me emails from an email account with adlkgine@ as the beginning of the address.  And you would be addressing me by name, not by "Dear Customer".

Thirdly, I don't want to buy a cheap watch, purse, jewelry.  I don't care if you do say it's an authentic whatever.  I am not going to purchase one through you, Mr. woneriendlgiblah at bufta.com. 

But most importantly, please dear spam people, please realize that I am a woman.  Therefore, I'm not interested in Viagra, Cialis, or their cheaper Canadian counterpart.  I'm not interested in enlarging my male parts, pleasing the females in my life, or making other men jealous of the size of my "man pole".  Really, who opens an email that contains the words "man pole" in the title anyway? 

Please, make my life easier and take me off your list.  Better yet, make the world a better place by not sending these emails out to anyone ever again.  Use that time to feed the hungry or pick up trash on the side of the highway instead.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008 10:35:36 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

You may not make raisins by hiding grapes by the lamp. 

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 12:43:34 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0] 

No really...I was...

and then, I got sucked into the Olympics again.  Darn gymnastics finals. And pole vaulting. 

But, I got to see Bob Costas do a piece about Olympic induced sleep deprivation.  It made me giggle.  Then again, at this rate, just about anything could seem funny. 

We're all getting a little punchy around here.  The boys have been staying up to watch swimming.  And I let them. Hey, it was Olympic history in the making!  Maura stayed up later last night to watch gymnastics.  She clapped for everyone - b/c they all did a good job.  Better than I ever could! 

But I'm tired.  And there's still more track and field and diving.  ack. 

Monday, August 18, 2008 11:11:40 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)    Comments [0]