Like The Queen
Whatever happens to strike my fancy, but surely some sort of fiber content.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Wednesday, December 31, 2008  

More Horoscopes




Saying the same thing


You may be setting out on a grand adventure or an opportunity may arise for you to have a rather luxurious larger than life experience. Be drawn to that which makes opens you up to the true strength of your being. Don't be afraid to reach for something even if it feels a little daunting. A hugely creative idea could also be a very lucrative one and it could be the opportunity of a lifetime. As long as you know where your heart belongs you will not loose sight of reality. No matter how far you travel, you will always be connected in spirit with those that are part of your daily life.

I do have an unbelievable collection of larger than life things blooming in my immediate future and I can't see that any of them will taper off and leave me with idle time. Most of the time I walk around pumped and full of energy about them. Sometimes at 3 a.m. I am overwhelmed and a little sad that I have swapped leisurely piddling and deep concentration on self for catching the wave right at the curl.

Later today I will make my New Years choices and this weekend I'll write about them here.

posted by Bess | 8:08 AM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Tuesday, December 30, 2008  

Two Horoscopes



From Mr.H:

Tomorrow night brings the awkward convergence of an earthly tradition and a cosmic apparition. Normally, New Year's Eves come and go without too much fuss. We celebrate. We sing. We make our resolutions then we carry on. But what if some heavenly force were secretly listening in to our every vow, offering full celestial support in ensuring those promises were completely carried out? Tomorrow night, Saturn turns stationary. Such conditions favor those who wish to make a decision and 'cast it in concrete' so that it can never be changed. Be very careful not to make a 'negative' resolution.

Don't fear the worst; imagine the best. Employ your powers of creativity to conjure up a scenario in which everything works out wonderfully. The eventual outcome, of course, won't match this idealistic vision. It will, though, resemble it more than it does the more gloomy picture you feel tempted to paint. You are right to concentrate on the carrot that lies before you rather than the stick that looms behind you. For, even in these last few remaining hours of 2008, it is possible to achieve something you feel justly proud of. You haven't got a 'problem'. You have an incredible opportunity.

And from Ms.H:

When it comes to seizing opportunities you've learned now that sometimes you just have to take the plunge. Hopefully you've also learned how little good worry does and how much of a drain it is on your precious energy. Be on the look out for a creative solution at work that presents itself almost out of the ethers. Right now your instincts are more on point than you imagine regarding most people in your life. Search beneath the emotional surface for a universal truth. If you feel like you are taking a great big risk - don't worry; the pay off will be equal in measure.

I hadn't planned to write a post so soon – I'm busy enough as it is, plus I intend to write a New Year post all about resolutions and plans and such. But these two horoscopes were so uncannily accurate I had to put them up. This is exactly what is going on in my life. I haven't a gloomy care in the world. I'm truly quite pumped and energized. But whew am I busy and whew do I have werk2do.

I am seizing and plunging and conjuring to beat the band. And by golly, I am having so much fun!

I don't usually read other sign's predictions but I hope yours are as exciting as mine are. And for my Virgo sises (and bros, of course) I hope you're having as much fun as I am.

posted by Bess | 7:34 AM

2 Comments:

Just lovely! So full of the pleasure of being in that place. (Quite unlike the asphalt and cement route I take.) And so much love for the history and ambience. Thank you for taking me along.

By Blogger Larry, at 8:50 AM  

What a treat that was, to stroll your woods with you and your dogs. Thank you!

By Blogger cathy, at 1:53 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Monday, December 29, 2008  

Come take a walk with me

Yesterday was a gloriously blue sky day - with temperatures that felt more like mid spring than late December. It was too pretty to stay inside so off I went with two of the pups.
The walk down the lane starts in the front yard but it is flanked on the left by forest
and on the right by open fields and the vast dome of the sky.

Interesting deadfalls litter the understorey


which is mostly made up of holly, crisply green and highlighted with bright red berries.



Just after the first bend in the road, that takes you away from the woods is my Praying Place. Here is where I bring my troubles - where I ask in my whiny frustrated voice "Why?" and almost always, here is where I hear the answer, in my heart. This much big open space always puts things into perspective for me.

The road will turn left before it hits those far off trees and take you out to Jacobs Gut, a little stream that marks the boundary of the farm. Here is where the dogs cool of on hot days and here you can see my feet, dangling over the edge of the road. I love it that you can see the sky reflected in the water.


From Jacobs Gut you can drive straight out to a tar road or turn right and walk along one of the pine plantings we have here on the farm. I think this blue, white, green and grey color scheme would make the prettiest Nordic looking sweater, don't you?



All forests smell good, but the pine forest has the most delicious scent in winter. Not every tree in our pine plantations is a pine, though, and these hardwoods sometimes get the most interesting fungal growths on them. I have never seen black ones, though - usually they are grey or white. I like to think of them as little open air theaters for fairies.



This small grove along the edge of the old farm road is what we call The West Woods. BD and LD made paths all through here and named them for cities: The Philadelphia Path and The New York Path. For the most part, the pine tag floor gives off a heady fragrance but there are always hardwoods popping up to remind us that all things flow - even forests.


Here is a view looking homeward from The West Woods. The bright green is winter wheat basking in the unexpectedly warm weather.
This is what Jack thinks of winter wheat.
This is the house, nestled in the woods, viewed from the north west corner of the farm. I was sitting right here way back in October 1975 when a little voice inside me whispered to my heart "I am a boy". That was LD telling me to get ready for Tonka Trucks and cub scouts.
We live alone down here on the farm now, but once this place was much more populated. This house is on Robert's but I like to make up stories about a girl who lived here and on hot summer nights waited for her beau to come by in a buggy to take her out riding under a full moon.
This place is on our farm at the sight of the first and all subsequent houses built on the place - till we built our house overlooking Occupacia Bay. John Dyon lived here and Muscoe Garnett and countless tenant farmers. Not in this house of course, which was built in the late 19th century. But this is the highest place on the farm and it's just a step away from a freshwater spring. We did an archaeological dig here in the 1980's and found all sorts of 17th century artifacts.
When we moved down here we looked this place over very hard to see if it could be salvaged ... it was not anywhere near as far gone as it is now, for I was able, then, to walk around upstairs. It was another house full of other people's happy ghosts. But BD said it was too far gone to rescue.
Truth is, though, I think he wanted to live in a yurt and not in a tenant farmhouse. So now it is merely picturesque.
Here is Priss at the mile point - a convenient place to turn around. You can go on to Robert's Landing or turn left to John Allen's.
Retracing our steps we don't cover any new territory till we get back to Jacob's Gut - where we go up to the tar road to get the Sunday paper. And what is this in the old black gum tree? Yes! Mistletoe!
Heavy clouds roll in as this walk progresses but that doesn't deter the curiosity of dogs. Wonder what Jack smells? This is the view from the mailbox. There used to be a lot more pine trees on the right, down there by the treeline, but they came down in Hurricane Isobel. I know. I had to help cut them up so we could drive off the property. Sticky pine sap was all over us and we didn't have any power so there was no water running into the house. Instead, we took soap and towels and went to the swimming beach to wash off. Brrrr.
But what is this on December 28th?
Yes! Proof that winter won't last forever.
I hope you enjoyed this Sunday Stroll in the country with me.

posted by Bess | 7:19 AM

3 Comments:

What a lovely Christmas. It's nice afterwards to have a few peaceful days to relax, too. All the best to you and yours.

By Blogger cathy, at 12:17 AM  

What a fine Christmas day you had! Today is my first day alone in a quiet house...I miss all the fun but can't wait to finish a good book I'm reading and start the second front of a sweater for me! Happy New Year! Jane

By Blogger jane, at 7:54 AM  

Lovely tree, lovely family time! Nicky Epstein is definitely a designer that intrigues me. I have one of her books (free-form flowers), but I'm never sure about her garment work...Have fun with it (and many other things) in the New Year!

Hugs,

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:00 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Friday, December 26, 2008  

Christmas Festivities



Ahhh. Boxing day. I hope you are ready to put your feet up, unbuckle your belt (if you aren't wise enough to wear elastic waists) and take it easy. I hope your Christmas day was deliciously wonderful. I hope all good things come to you.

Our traditional celebration always begins with Christmas Eve oyster stew. Last year I found a pearl in my oyster and this year, LD did! We thought they were fitting plunder for our Viking ship. Mine is bigger and whiter, but his is more perfectly shaped.







Santa scurried all over the house on Christmas eve and way into the wee hours of the morning too.





Surprises were everywhere when we finally got up to breakfast by the fire, especially specialty foods. By the afternoon I could tell there was a wee bit too much sugar running in my veins, as I grew a bit cranky. Fortunately, my guys went for a long afternoon hike to work up an appetite, so I could chill with my asked-for-and-delivered Christmas gift of Nicky Epstein's newest book; Knitting On Top Of The World.

Lust city here – combined with more “Huuuuh? What was she thinking?” designs than I have ever seen in a knitting book. Some of her designs really are off the wall, but the ones I love, I really love, and there is a wealth of text about the traditions, history and ethnicity of knitting. Later on, I was careful at dinner – a lavish, butter and fat filled tradition, with beloved cousins at the table and dogs underneath it.

Afterwards we opened more gifts, played dominoes, watched DVD's about railroads, and poured over the big volume of the National Gallery's art collection.

Little cousin L has yet to tour an art museum so this was a real introduction to the world of non-commercial art. Her mom was utterly fascinated as L and I slowly went through all 696 pages of it! I told her that as soon as she was ready to spend all day in an art museum, to call me and we would go up for the day. Told her sister the same thing – and I foresee a trip to Washington in 2009.

A pinnacle day like that deserves a loooooong downtime and the next 3 days will provide it. Our only activity comes tomorrow, when we're joining my sister and her husband at Hanover Tavern, to see the Sanders Family Christmas – a bluegrass musical being performed by the Barkesdale Theater – a Richmond theatrical troupe.

I've been giving some thought, lately, to 2009 and will enjoy writing about it next week, but in the mean time, it seems the Bird Family had a pretty good Christmas Day too. Someone found a bird playhouse and gave it to them as a gift.









posted by Bess | 8:57 AM

2 Comments:

Christmas blessings and much cheer to you, too, Dear Bess! Thank you for your kind words. I am missing my Freddie boy, but his little step-brother, Diesel is working hard to fill Fred's paws...

Hugs,

By Blogger Margaret, at 9:24 PM  

Oh, I so want to be up that way in time to tag along for a tour of the National Gallery with a young one who loves Art! If I'm within striking distance I will invite myself along.

Sounds like a perfect Christmas at the Haile House.

By Blogger Catherine, at 5:58 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Wednesday, December 24, 2008  

Bird Cousins come to visit for the holidays





posted by Bess | 7:16 AM

1 Comments:

Hello bird family! And a very Merry Christmas to you as well!

By Blogger Unknown, at 1:47 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Thursday, December 18, 2008  

The Bird Family sings a carol to you



posted by Bess | 5:24 AM

4 Comments:

Okay...so, isn't that Christmas Mistletoe Gal just a tad too...too... (blush)!

"...soak it in spirits"? Where I come from (Brit/Scot/Canadian), that would be brandy, with a capital B. And you, my southern sweet friend?

Um...How much butter is in a 'stick'? Up here we sell it by the lb/kilo...

And are you really 252? ;-)

You can be my sis anytime, but you will have to wait till Sis #1 gets her Sham #2...

Hugs and blessings,

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:13 PM  

A little more cake than fruit, moist with rum, sounds pretty good to me. :)

By Blogger cathy, at 1:35 AM  

I thought so too, Marg - about the avatar. She's the free version - obviously in more ways than one. If I paid a montly subscription she'd do a little more than rock her hips. eh. Obviously made for a teen market.

a stick of butter is half a pound or one cup depending on how you wanted to measure it. that's 230 gr. I used rum in my cake because that's what I had in the house - but I like rum also ... that's why it was in the house! :D

By Blogger Bess, at 5:37 AM  

Cathy - it really is good and it was good before it got sloshed! Thank you Fannie Farmer editors.

By Blogger Bess, at 5:40 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Wednesday, December 17, 2008  



Christmas Cake


At the beginning of this month the Creativity Jar coughed up a slip telling me to make a Christmas cake and soak it in spirits. I love the idea of fruit cake and I have never tasted a fruit cake that pleased me. They're all too bitter – because they have citron on them, I believe, and getting picky about the fruit in a store bought cake is sort of silly. Especially when one has a kitchen, an oven, a mixer – you get the picture. But I didn't really know how to go about this soaking cakes in alcohol. Having never done it or seen it done and being one of those adventuresome cooks anyway – the type who always tries out new recipes on guests – I pulled out my old faithful Fannie Farmer Cookbook and found a recipe I thought might work.

Here it is, with my alterations and comments:

2 sticks of butter
2 cups sugar
1 TBS vanilla
7 eggs, separated
2 ¾ cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp. Baking powder
1 cup milk
2 cups white raisins
2 cups pecans in pieces

Preheat oven to 325
Cream sugar and butter
Add vanilla, egg yolks
Sift flour salt and baking powder (a lot)
Mix flour mixture and ½ cup milk with butter mixture
Add remaining ½ cup milk
Stir raisins, fruit and pecans
beat egg whites till stiff but not dry
Gently stir in 1/3 of egg whites into batter
Fold the rest of egg whites into batter

Fill 24 mini loaf tins or 2 regular loaf pans or one large ring pan 2/3 full with mixture
Bake till straw comes clean
About 30 minutes for the mini loaves, an hour for the larger cakes.
Cool
Soak cheesecloth in spirits
Wrap cake(s) in cloth(s)
Wrap in foil – tightly, but so that you can unwrap and slosh on the good stuff twice a week for 2 weeks.
Or if you have a tight tin can, you can dispense with the foil.


It's been 10 days now and I'm giving those cakes away. Of course I've sampled them and they are okay or I wouldn't offer them as gifts, but what I wish I'd done is to have added lots more fruit. At least 2 more cups of fruit. Maybe more. It could have been all raisins but cherries would have been great and pineapple too, both of which are suggested in the original recipe, along with stuffed dates – which I would NOT have added no matter how much the recipe author goes on and on about how good they are. No thank you. I like dates, but the original recipe is not rum soaked. I can't wrap my brain around rum and dates.

So. Happy holiday snacking to you all.

Labels: ,

posted by Bess | 7:17 AM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Thursday, December 11, 2008  

My holiday wish for you. Even if you do not celebrate Christmas I wish you the joy of the season all year long.

posted by Bess | 5:44 AM

1 Comments:

Wow! Don't we wish that all county officials were that excited about their public library. The world would be a wonderful place.

By Blogger erica, at 10:47 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Wednesday, December 10, 2008  

Stars in the sky!


The Sun is headed for a hard link to Saturn in your sign. When this happens, it's like the Universe is shining a very bright torch at your sign and reminding you that you're DOOMED to work very hard at the moment. Yes, DOOMED! But don't be too down about it! Because after the DOOM comes the JOY and RELIEF of knowing you did all you could. And if you're still not quite doing all you can, buck up and begin! This tough cycle could yet be the MAKING OF YOU!

Sometimes these things are so uncannily right on target it makes the hairs on my arms stand up.

I have a meeting with our new county administrator today. I dropped in to meet him just before Thanksgiving and he had a grant application on his desk for library funding. He invited me to sit and chat a bit about the library (poor fellow – didn't realize he was pricking the Talking Balloon Mouth) and in the course of the conversation he said “Well, my dream for the Essex Public Library ....”

It was a good think he kept talking, since I was stunned silent for a bit. I mean – a county official with a dream about the library? In my 30 years here there hasn't been anyone but Womans Club members and library board members who had any thoughts at all about the library. “It's a nice place but I like to buy my books” is the common refrain from the board of supervisors (which is probably only partially true – what they mean is “I only read professional literature to do with my day job.” or even more likely “Oh god – I might run into my sister-in-law there!!”

We haven't been shunned, by any means. But we haven't been on the radar, either. Now, here is this fellow with a more sophisticated view of what a library is and what it can be and he's got this grant opportunity (with a January 9 deadline!!!) and he has a dream about the library?

We're going to get together on this one. Yes. If it's fruitful it will mean a ton of work between now and 1/9/09. But then..... What's a little work, hmmmm?After all, I have only Christmas to contend with, and out of town guests coming in tomorrow, and sock knitting and parents who are needing my assistance, or rather, sister who needs help with parents. I feel like a chaos lightening rod – but I know this. When opportunity knocks I will at least peek through the security hole. Might even answer the door.

And this is Hump Day? Well. Have a good one.

posted by Bess | 6:51 AM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Tuesday, December 09, 2008  

Christmas is Coming


It's that hectic time of year again – December always has fewer days than any other month, February notwithstanding. And I am absolutely struggling with enemy Christmas Socks knit from Knitpicks superwash sock yarn. As God is mah whitnuss, I will never buy Knitpicks sock yarn again. Been stung twice by them and I am absolutely not getting caught there again. I'm at the last quarter of a pair of socks in the slipperiest slitheriest ... I might even say slimiest yarn I've ever worked with. It stretches out so thin as you knit on it you'd think it was lace weight. It splits and it is driving me crazy. And I am almost done with the durn things. And they might defeat me yet!

And every time I pick up the Surprise Sweater I hear the holiday clock ticking and know I really am supposed to finish up Christmas socks. For the boy who doesn't want anything else I feel I can do no less than give him a pair of mama-love socks as a gift. Once a year you'd think I could do a little better.

Still and all, there has been inching movement on the SS – and all of it slightly defective. But – hey – this is a knitting blog and I can rip it all out and do it right if I want to so here are some photos.

This is the sleeve with the short rows in them. I did the wrap & turns 2 stitches apart – and that was my first mistake. They should have been about an inch apart. Then the slope would have been more gradual.




It's hard to test the sleeve of this sweater to see if it's long enough by holding it up to my arm. Of course, I could always get another sweater I like, measure it with a yardstick and then measure this sleeve to see if it is the right length. But that would mean getting up from my chair when I have a lap full of little bits of yarn. Once I put all those balls of yarn down, I might not come back!

So I guessed, decreasing in the center every 4 garter ridges. Then it seemed the sleeve would end up too wide at the wrist. So I began decreasing every other garter ridge. Bad knitting math. The sudden change made this ugly hump.



I'm not sure what I'm going to do.

Yes I am.

I'll baste the top together and try it on and see if it even shows.

And then – I will be more careful with the other sleeve. And then I'll probably be so dissatisfied I'll rip out this sleeve and do it right.

After Christmas.

Tomorrow.

At Tara.

posted by Bess | 6:57 AM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Saturday, December 06, 2008  

Saturday at last!!




Found somewhere here at MySpace Animations Dot Com

I'm so happy it's the weekend – and a Christmas December cold frosty one. Miraculously the house has remained fairly clean and tidy this week and I don't intend to do a lick of housework beyond the laundry – which isn't really work. I like my clothes. I like the smell of clean clothes. I enjoy folding them and putting them away. I even like ironing in the wintertime – though I often don't get around to it, only to discover lost favorites at the bottom of the basket. But the scent of warm cotton floating up off the newly wrinkle free fabric makes me feel both loved (reminds me of mama) and productive.

I finished making the Christmas cards yesterday and will begin addressing them today or at least, tonight. I enjoy this annual card writing ritual. I buy a lovely new slender gel pen – or whatever new type of pen that has delighted me as it debuted on the market in a given year – and take the Rolodex to the dining room table. Then, starting with the A's, I work my way through the list of people I am thinking of, missing, and loving. It usually takes several days. Often I set a goal of 10 cards each night. Though the cards are all the same, I like to think of each one as a special note to each recipient so there's always a wee bit of catching up written above our signatures, though nothing like a Christmas letter. After all, some folk already know about this or that event that has peppered my year, while others haven't yet heard.

I love getting cards but I love sending them with equal delight.

Surprise sweater? Do not ask. The sleeves are going so S L O W L Y. And there are socks, whining from their respective hiding places, nastily reminding me that there are only 3 weeks more till they must be unveiled. There is also decorating to do and perhaps a wee bit more baking. I haven't yet tried one of those tipsy cakes though I plan to sample one today. The idea is to add more rum till they are ripe – but when a cake is ripe will be an adventurous discovery for me.

The week was weirdly difficult to pin down – I did accomplish the serious goals, but it feels like I frittered away the whole week. That's not true, of course. Our expanded computer network for the public opened up yesterday; officially doubled and officially over budget. Well, this was one of those projects that, once started, had to be carried to completion. It will be worth it in the end. I'll also know better how to estimate the labor charges next time. Our new IT man is very good, actually the best I've ever had, but library networks – networks that have a lot of public use – are something new for him. He hadn't thought about .... all the issues yet and believe me, anything that has to do with the public has issues. It's up and running now and it's the most secure network we've ever had – and the fastest. This is a true happy day for me.

No gym. Boo. Too much snackey eating too. A second boo. But hey – it's December. It's Christmas! We have the Christmas music on. It's a splendid time of year. May your weekend roll out sweetly and bring you joy.

posted by Bess | 8:57 AM

1 Comments:

I did have a very lovely day yesterday, Mr/Ms. Horoscope notwithstandiing. And yes, I have been rather "knackered" of late. Many naps of up to 2 hours!

I also ended up with "Midnight" in that quiz...which leaves me scratching my head. However, there is the delight that, once again, you and I show our VirgoSis colours with these matching results, Dear Bess!

Hugs,

By Blogger Margaret, at 10:31 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Tuesday, December 02, 2008  

You're in theory one of the healthiest of all the signs. However, right now, for many Virgos, the idea of getting down to the gym and pumping some iron (or whatever it IS that people do in gyms…!) well, it just doesn't appeal. For one thing, many of you are knackered, thanks to Saturn. For another, well, there are so many good excuses to be had. However, today as the Sun triggers the North Node in your Health and well-being zone, you're strongly advised to go out and do something that's both sweaty and good for you.

Now – fairly generic advice, right? Exercise is always good for you. But I had JUST decided – as in not 5 minutes before I read this – that I was too busy and a little too tired to go to the gym today. Howzat for starry guidance?

And speaking of stars ... have you seen this?



This isn't the view I saw driving home yesterday. I saw the moon's points looking up and the planets at 4 o'clock to the moon but it's the best photo I could find. Too bad I didn't remember that I had my camera in my purse.

Yesterday was the most fritterful day I can remember having at work. I completely forgot how to be a librarian over the Thanksgiving weekend – at least, till about 5 minutes before time to go home. Today will be better.

In the mean time – I filched this from C and for a morning person like me, I can't imagine how I end up being Midnight.




You Are Midnight



You are more than a little eccentric, and you're apt to keep very unusual habits.

Whether you're a night owl, living in a commune, or taking a vow of silence - you like to experiment with your lifestyle.

Expressing your individuality is important to you, and you often lie awake in bed thinking about the world and your place in it.

You enjoy staying home, but that doesn't mean you're a hermit. You also appreciate quality time with family and close friends.

What Time Of Day Are You?

posted by Bess | 6:28 AM

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]



Monday, December 01, 2008  

You can breathe out. At last. Often, when we have to cope with difficult scenarios, we tense up without even realising it. Our bodies 'hold' the stress that our minds are going through. Our necks stiffen, our shoulders grow tight. It is only later, when we relax, that we see how uncomfortable we have been. Either physically or emotionally, you have lately been compensating for a lot of pressure. Soon you'll start to recognise what you have really been upset or cross about, and why it is now safe to relax.

In any case, today should be a good day for Virgos, as Venus kisses Jupiter in your Fun Zone.

Well, my Virgo sisters, and any other readers out there ... that is what Mr. And Ms. Horoscope have to say about today. A good day.

I could use a good day. Not that I have had a bunch of bad days this past month, but for most of it we've been sick and sad. We are still sad – though not that frozen sad of Grit Your Teeth days that filled the first few weeks of November. On Thanksgiving Day, BD brought out photos of his brother and put them on the dresser in the living room, the piece of furniture that does the work of a fireplace mantel. There is a very good photograph that was used in the funeral program and it prompted lots of opportunities for BD to talk about his brother. This was the first sign I've seen of the healing process. We had some conversation about a memorial gift last night, another good sign. And he was able to get in touch with our sister-in-law ... something he had not been able to do earlier. All in all we are moving in the right direction and one month after losing a brother, that is a very good thing.

We seem to have licked that nasty flu bug too which is an additional good thing. I am ready for good things and good days and just all round goodness.

I am also giving serious consideration to these monthly goals. Each month I've put up a little scroll with a few things I'd like to accomplish over the next 4 and a half weeks. And rarely do I accomplish them! This is the third time I've put “finish the surprise sweater” on the goal scroll and it's still not done. As a process person (think, mothers of toddlers, librarians always putting books back on the shelves, daydreamers, ENFP's) coming to completion is not particularly rewarding for me. I am glad I have hand knit socks in my sock drawer, but I'm not thrilled by the thought of them. I am pleased when someone notices my socks. I'm happy when I'm wearing them. But I'm really only thrilled by the opportunity to cast on another sock!

And yet.

And yet, without at least giving a nod to some goals, would I ever finish anything? I'm not sure.

Well, I am sure I would finish a few things, but would I move in vivid interesting directions? The Creativity Jar helps some with productivity and I have enjoyed that, but it was designed for short term goal achievement. A sweater's worth of achievement is a mighty task for this Woman With Stash.

I was taught time management in the School of List Making and I am pretty durn good at that. If I have Things To Do, I can organize my life around TTD lists, tick items off, and get to the end. But is that actually a goal? The Goal Theory of time management is that you do all this list ticking for a reason. You want to be at some different place, either physical or spiritual, that is rewarding and satisfying to you, so you set that as a goal. It doesn't matter if you get there by wishing, by luck, by orderly steps, or because someone picks you up and takes you there. So. My monthly goal scrolls are starting to look more like TTD lists aren't they?

The goal. What is the goal? Where do I want to be? Oooo. Now that is a topic for pondering and thought and serious consideration. It is no surprise to me that at the end of a year, the last month, the month of goofing off, if only in my mind, for 31 days, that I should begin to consider the ultimate question.

Where do I want to be?

Hmm.

Well. I'm not exactly sure. I will have to think on this and let you know at the end of the month. January is a good time to commit to a goal.

In the mean time, I've managed to fill up a whole blog post with nothings. As a reward for those who have read to the bottom – here are photos of the Surprise Sweater – the button band is done.



Oops. It is NOT done. I forgot to put the top button hole in. Well, a little ripping back is okay. It's only 3 rows.

I particularly like the corners at the neckline.

And I have begun working on the short rows at the elbows. Three pair look to be enough. I will decrease 2 stitches every inch in the center of the sleeve till I get to the wrists. I-cord bindoff is the plan -but I'll do it after I've seamed the shoulder seam.

I'm also thinking of knitted ball buttons. But that is for next week.

Now, aren't you glad you read to the bottom?

posted by Bess | 7:03 AM
links
archives