Happy- almost- Halloween

This is a little bit early but.....Happy Halloween! If I were able to get to the desk top I'd put up the Halloween Banner as it's always nice to re-decorate for fun holidays. Tomorrow, the real Halloween, 24 staples go to the Big Magnet in the Sky. May they Rest in Peace, or else be re-cycled to iron for a beautiful garden.

Aren't those two children cute?  I always read this cartoon, as the kids are twins being raised by their grandmother.  Sometimes I felt like my twins' grandmother, they were so way ahead of me!  I always felt like I was two pages behind them in their Story of Life! 

Having lost a very long post to the netbook's secret hand shakes, hidden within it's tiny, challenged little electonic crankiness, I'm typing this out in Word, a fail-safe and idiot proof solution, I hope.  I hate to admit it, but the net book is obviously smarter than I am, with a post-operative fog washing over my wobbling mind like a Will 'O' the Wisp.

Speaking of fog, here is the weather report: 

Sunny and clear, temps in the high 70's. We are having clear, warm weather - the sort we had for the Dread Cedars' Fire - and the East Coast is getting battered by far too much snow and wind!  I am truly sorry!   

and some Knitting Bits:

Trying my best to level off my inner voices between praise and rebuke, I went searching for that Orange Bactus yarn.  I found pumpkin orange yarn - not THE orange yarn, for the Baktus, which will have to be found later.  And so, with my diminished Powers of Google, I'm searching for a pumpkin socks pattern to use with the old orange yarn, these to be finished next year.  It is very true that any socks have a one year lead time in my knitting basket. 

Oh!  I must tell you, the Tosh socks fit!  How's that for guess work and flying leaps of faith?  I pinched myself with glee when my friend told me the socks actually fit!

Today, while looking for yarns, I spied my very dusty spinning wheel.  Now, with a working, and new knee, I'm hoping to give her a better life than the one she's been forced to lead, one of being part clothes rack and part prop for ambitious postings.  She's been part of my magical thinking for too long.  I'm not going to ever have a backyard flock nibbling the weeds nor will I be able to buy fleeces.  But I can spin rovings and enjoy the devil out of that.  I think it was my Scot's Irish grandmother who started this longing in me to be a shepherdess.

Wolfie update:

Wolfie is doing so well.  He may have used up one more of his cat like nine lives, but he's going to be the same happy go lucky little boy.  Whew!  I can't keep my hands off of him, it's so good to have him in the here and now.  We feel just like lucky dogs ourselves!

A lovely surprise came in the mailbox yesterday.  It was a copy of Monica Ferris' book, Buttons and Bones .  I'm reading it right now!  I love this author's Needlecraft Mysteries series.  It's so good to be catching up on Jill and Betsy again.  Thank you, Mz. Suzi.!  

A few days ago was our wedding anniversary, and though I'd just told my brother about it when he visited a few days before, I forgot.  I'm the one who forgets; DH never does.  It is his residing joy that this is so.  So, in the email box came an e card of Waltzing Tortoises, and the message of regret that we didn't get to celebrate properly this year.  I laughed my A** off that it happened...again!

It is my fate,  Kismet!  I'm doomed to never remember that blessed date.  So, to all you guys out there who always are the ones who forget Anniversaries, yes there is justice, and at least ONE woman in the universe who shares your chagrin.  So annoying!

Good night M' friends!  Look for the Beauty everywhere, and share the Joy.

With the whole world watching...

Some times there are things done by the police that can't be ignored:  The shooting and critical head injury done to a protesting Marine, in Oakland, over the last few days is one.

This is our country and we OWN it.  We pay for the streets, we  pay for the sidewalks.  They are ours to use, even in Peaceful protest and to use because OUR taxes paid for them.

Remember when arch enemy China arrested people for just standing in a group, silently?
Do we really want that sort of police force here?

Answers to comments

Blogger doesn't play will with Word pad.  I have to clean this all up, therefore.  That is for after when my brain is cooled down a bit.  Why would anyone need a / in a br tag?  Boggles the mind.  br's don't need closing tabs!


"Yay! I'm so glad it went well! Good luck with the rest and recovery. Little Luann and I are sending lots of love.  TGL"

To TGL:
Thank you so much, and thank you to Little Luann, too!  Every day is like a leap ahead across the stones in a frog pond.  Not all fun, and maybe a little dangerous , but everyday we grow I O.  YippieYay!!     :+)  The kid in me is well pleased to think that there will be another chance at dancing in  the kitchen.  Wii!

"So glad it went well! I hope it heals quickly, too.  k"

To k:
  Thank you k.  My surgeon has the reputation of being somewhat of a genius of knee replacement.  His good work is roaring along to the finish line practically  hourly.  This is totally amazing DH an myself.   But, back to the leg.  It has gone all red, orange, yellow and purple, that formerly cranky leg, and with many colorful blisters, but in the end the knee will work well with it's sister limb.  So, then,  what's a little extra color in a life that's lived for it, eh?  ;-)  Ah, the colors of life make their appearance in frightful places!  Pond scum comes to mind when I look at that leg.


"Wonderful! Wonderful to hear you are on the mend. I get hallucinations from anethesia--Percocet? I just slept. (and how wonderful that yours were fun and enjoyable--i have a dark spirit, and mine are always scary!) Keep knitting--but keep mobile too! and feel better every day."


OfTroy, thank you,  I've been out and about the house with my walker, and I'm just getting my brain back enough to attempt to knit a Bactus scarf.  But where is that yarn I picked out?  :p  It's hiding from me! 
Oh yes, good old Percocet, in huge dosages, no doubt.  That can make for obsessive dark dreams, and did for me, too, but I just slept 2 hours in 48, so, not much time for dreaming but awake was rather nice. ;)  (@)^(@)
In the OR, RR and in the ward, they load you up with all sorts of anti nausea meds, so that the pain killer doesn't make you ruin thier best efforts.  Can't say I blame them, and happily thedrugs work well.  Sometimes I wonder if it's an extract or synthetic version of weed,.  But of course, I didn't like to ask that question though it has to be said, "Inquiring minds wish to know"! hehe


"I am so glad it all worked out so well. I kept you in my thoughts at #1 that entire day!  karatheredhead "

Kara, :-)  Thank you!   When I did manage to sleep, my dreams were all involving great dragons, and being chased through thickets where bones were being dug up.  Go figure!  After that a frieze of objects from the dungeoens lined the edges of my hopital table.  They were tiny and gorgeously detailed.  Isn't that cool?  I loved those.


"Good to hear from you, my friend. Your spelling isn't too bad, you just need another "L" in your hallucinations. :)  Suzi"


Lol!  Thank you Suzi, for all the missives of love and good will, and Peace messages.  They worked to get me down out of my tree over this multi colored leg. lol  And, I have resisted the temptation to change spellings, though DH may have done more  than just erase two whole posts.  He's a good Egg, and he's a very good Nurse.    I have no complaints, though if I even think of doing this again, I will seek psychatric eval. lol


Again, I want to thank you all very much.  I'm very grateful for your good thoughts and wishes.  It's working! 
As soon as these cuffs are off, I'm going on a yarn wramble to find that bactus yarn.  Rho told me to get it all together BEFORE hand, but I forgot to leave a trail of crumbs.

That crooked knee is gone part two...ooops!

This is a re-post of the original post about that crooked knee of mine.  Last night I'd had  a "brain in death spiral" posting. something unwise to do, as in TMI.  So, I ended up asking DH to delete that post, but he used the shot gun style of post deletion, bless his heart, and  collateral damage occurred.

So, here we go again, and I will answer all the comments in this new post. 

Original post:

"And good riddance!   Now it will be a nice straight leg like the other one.   My surgeons are to be praised to the higher heavens, as is the entire staff of excellent nurses and Aids that took care of me.  I had a wonderful roomie, who was just so much fun to be around.  We neither of us could sleep that first nght and stayed up all night talking!  She's just a great gal.   The next night I stayed up almost all night, trying the patience, I'm sure of the Nurses.  But I had the most amazing halucinations.  The pictures on the walls changed like a diorama.  If you can't sleep, at least you can entertain yourself.  The wonders of Percocet.

I can't thank you all enough for all the prayers and thoughts for DH and I.

I can't spell well, yet, either so this is going to be short.  It's being typed on the net book so it's a hassle.

Wolfie spent a day in Doggie day care so that he wouldn't jump all over my new knee, the first day home..  He is also all healed up, and has a bragging  scar now, too.  His wee scab hung on long enough for me to get snaps, and looked just like a tiny vampire bat, trying to fly away off of his head.  It was too cute!

In Hospital, you get this medicine that can give you halucinations.  (remember- I can't spell).  Well, my favorite one was of an Orange spider that only moved when I looked at it.  It would catch tiny things and eat them.  I thought it was probably a special guardian angel spider, but alas.  Both the P.T. and DH.could not see it move.   They thought it was only a very small spot on the wall.

Tomorrow I might get the staples out, and maybe a cane.  Yahoo!i"

Now, to pin the comments on this one:

"They Don't have Guns, How Do You sleep at night?"

He's got some very good questions. America better start listening to it's veterans, especially it's jobless and sometimes homeless ones, and those for whom the veteran's benefits are running short of promised educational expectations. It's happening.

We better pay attention to where they are coming from or even greater damage will be done to our social fabric. All of us are not to blame, but those who are had better rethink their priorities.

Occupy Wall Street is for ALL of us who are in "the Other 99%".


"It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning."

Henry Ford

OWS Worldwide ... Bogus Science hits prime time news... Whoot! Wolfie cum "Lucky" update

Thanks to L for the head's up. Click through for the Big Picture.

Watch live streaming video from globalrevolution at livestream.com

And from B comes this to de-bunk of an AMA bit 'o' the blarney on the broadcast news.
Just What Were They Thinking?


In the local rag today there was a story about the OWS in San Diego. The police used some mace but I presume they did so judiciously, but I can find out. They evicted all the Occupiers but did allow a tent to stand on the grounds as a symbolic gesture, which only seems fitting because everyone here is not Republican operative.

UPDATE of the Doggie, dear:

Wolfie went to his own vet today, and she got to see him as she was leaving. So he saw another marvelous vet for the actual exam. This vet, who got licks on the lips for her trouble, pronounced him "recovering well", and "One Very Lucky Dog"! DH told one of the people in reception that we should call him "Lucky" from now on. He's such a sweet boy. He wants to kiss all the grrrls. Well, anyone with lips. He thinks it's his subordinate dogly duty, I guess. Lol

What a stressful day Thursday ended up to be. Believe me, barring earthquake turmoil, and truly unforeseen circumstances, this won't happen again. All this extra daring do and skuffuffle, has put me behind the times in what I wanted to make for friends. But I will have a lot of time after mid month to work with my beads, and maybe my brain will co-operate with me, too!

Take care faithful readers! Thanks for the encouragement and fear quelling you have done for me. I'm packing my bag.

Meridian, from Down under - Upside Down, Accidental Art #21 , And Wolfie's far too scary day.

The image cast on the water was more interesting than the Yacht

DH, my sister, and I went to Shelter Island for fish and chips yesterday. Wolfie always gets to go because we can eat outside. Afterward we went to see the Yachts and other smaller craft, which are much more interesting than Yachts. Frankly, with names like "Peanut", "Woofie", and "Cream Puff" the little boats are much more charming. But the image of Meridian floating on the water, and turned upside down, was a beautiful piece of accidental art.


When we got home later at night, after dropping off my sister at her home, we almost had a very sad end to our day. Wolfie, free from his lead, ran down the drive and across the street to greet a rambuctious friend of his, and coming back to my call, as I tried to stop him from it, was hit by a car. I was trying to rush across into the street toward him because he saw me and started to dash across it to me. DH ran out to pick him up, and I just screamed and screamed, I was so sure that he was dying. I didn't know I could even scream that much but I was certain that he was dead in DH's arms. I sort of collapsed on the front porch, and screamed some more. Everyone probably thinks I am insane but I've seen dogs hit, not my own but ones from recent past we and others tried to rescue, and from days of yore. I thought my belov♥d little dog had died before my eyes.

I'm sure that he thinks I hit him as the last thing he probably remembers is me screaming "STOP" and NOOOOO!", as he ran toward me with his eyes locked on my own. He's been thoroughly checked out and has concussion, and the cone of shame, and a gash on his newly shaved upper face which gives him an entirely new "hairdo" and persona.

Wolfie with his sad look, looking even more sad.  This little dog has been through far too much
Bob told him he could be Frankenstein for Halloween

We have to keep him quiet for the next several days, and he goes to see his own vet for follow up. I'm glad we can afford emergency treatment for this fantastically sweet boy of ours. He and DH are bonded thoroughly now, since I'm sure Wolfie thinks I hit him. I don't think he remembers the car that hit him. What a day! We stayed up all night to watch him, catching naps in our chairs. Needless to say, DH will not let him off his lead until we are safely into the house from now on. Wolfie is too quick, and his hearing is a lot better than our own. He heard his friend; I did not, nor did DH.

I don't know when I'll post again. Time is getting very short here.

PS: To get paragraphs in Blogger now, I'm having to add HTML breaks < br > without the spaces. Are other bloggists having to do this too? Is it time to go to typepad or that other one? Is this something Google is doing to kill Blogger? Am I over reacting or just making some stupid mistake because this is only happening to me? I'm tired of typing in the html tag!

The Real Tomata

Ok, these are small tomatoes, but they smell and taste just divine.  The tomato on the left is what they all look like on top, and the one on the right, which is about 2.5 inches in diameter, is what they all look like on the bottom.  You saw the insides in another post HERE.  I am so SO proud of these little things because they have struggled for their place in the Autumn sun, and survived the munching of an unknown night marauder - Opossum I think - plus being in a container - upright.  If I grow these again, and yes, I'm saving the seeds, I'll hang them upside down like THIS.

I will be posting sporadically for awhile.  I will be knitting and watching the lovely parade of bridal gowns on that show I'm watching.  I like the people and MOST of the brides and their mothers, but ADORE the Kleinfeld  people!  Well, not The Claudia.  lol

Have fun and knit a lot, and make delicious things to eat, and hug the kids, and that includes the furry ones... just have yourself a wonderful time enjoying whatever you like the most, unless you are a thief, brigand or a killer, in which  case I HOPE THEY CATCH YOU AND LOCK YOU UP, for the greater good.  :P

Ta!

Ceramic Puff Deer

When I went to ceramics a couple of days ago, the day the contractor was supposed to show up but didn't, I had to unload the tall kiln all by myself. But I did it! It was fun. No one was there to tell me not to, either. I don't trust myself to load it but I can still unload one.


Here are the deer. I have a small "forest" of 18 inch high Christmas trees, and they will feel right at home within that at Christmas time.

Today I have to start scrubbing that knee with some special soap. My biggest concern in all of this is that this surgery will activate Fibromyalgia or Gout. It's the knee that is affected the worst by that last bit of fun. Friends have said that it's too bad that you can't just see the surgeon one day, and he can't say, "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow and we'll get this puppy done up."

Speaking of Puppies, Wolfie is getting very anxious that his "pack" is going to leave him behind. He stands on his back legs and clings to DH's or my knee, with those brown eyes pleading to say that we won't leave him. I'm starting to worry more about him than myself! He doesn't get to go on this one, but he did get his shots today. I wish I could say that I'm just going to get mine. Maybe he would think to himself, " I don't really want to go there again. Is Dr. B your vet, too?" This little dog just has saved my life. I'm so happy he has his forever home with us.

Ok, I'm off to restart a search in my beads for the perfect ones. I keep finding things to toss out over there in that end of the big room. I need to find those beads! Wedding gowns with all that gorgeous beading on them have given me ideas.

Small Lecture on Happiness Alert!:
My DD called today to announce the good news about her test. She was convinced that she'd failed it but she did well! So much lost sleep for nothing! I hope she sleeps well tonight. We talked about how we struggle for happiness. We agreed that there is just too much deplorable news in this world and that a person has to make their happiness out of small things, while still working to help on the big picture issues.

This is the only way to live in this disturbing modern world, though, honestly, it's been true since long before the Vikings started slavery in Ireland, for one thing - long before. I've been told that St. John took Mary to an island sanctuary so that she would not be disturbed by the events that were coming. She became a contemplative. And those greedy, aggressive Romans just went right on from there doing worse things to other populations for decades.

A person has a right to spend some of their time in the moment with beauty or happiness. Woody Allen made a joke once, that if he knew of one person anywhere in the world who was suffering, he couldn't be happy. Since we literally know of millions of people and other sentient beings who are suffering, to go on with life and be productive, we have to give ourselves "windows" of free breathing and beauty as we go through our days.

Go out there and just create your happiness, if even for small windows of time. It's just as natural to do this as it is to breathe. The creator put beauty all around you. It's for you.

Stay sane.. Stay safe.. For my Daughters...

 

The Other 99% Speak out!

I'm nervous, what can I say?

Blogger has some very interesting things going on for Modifications, so I'll be trying them out. My nerves are on edge.
I'm too nervous to be alive at the moment. I'm getting things ready to work with - some beading projects as well as to start that new sweater for DD1 and her sister's fingerless gloves. Of course the UFO sweaters have been dragged out, kicking and screaming, from the pile at the top of the basket. I believe I heard them complain that they hadn't been let to mellow enough. They don't like being handled roughly after a long summer sleep. Yes,  I admit that I ripped through their storage bags quite mercilessly to try to find any sort of notation of where I actually WAS when I put them away.

I've been watching American Loggers With DH. I still can't figure out how it can be American Logging when they are all French Canadians and the cut logs are all shipped to Canada. What am I missing? Our evening "netflixing" ( the overly dramatic spell check suggests "nesting" for that word) is a trade off. DH likes "American Loggers", "Obsessed",and "America's Dirtiest Jobs", and I like to watch "Say Yes! to the Dress", and "Hoarders". Jane Austin I have to hide out to watch.

Here's a little snipped of a song about Loggers:
"My Lover was a logger and not just a common bum. Because he was a logger, he stirred his coffee with his thumb."
I actually like American Loggers, except that they are so destructive. It's sort of like liking Terriers, isn't it?
Good night! I have nothing but Babble to offer you, not even any hot button Political events babble! But a thousand people actually made it out to the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstration, here right in the hottest little red spot on the continent!
Bravo San Diego! There's life in you yet!
Sweet Dreams!

PS. Has anyone else noticed that they have to put html breaks in the code for the new publisher, in order to get a new paragraph? I have to physically insert them now rather than just using the enter key for a line break.

Happy Halloween!

Women, War & Peace, PBC series Starting October 11

WARNING: This video has images and some language that is not suitable for children.

As a woman with four daughters, this subject is very important to me. I will be joining the discussion to the extent that I am able. It comes at a bad time for me to participate except on the web.

If you can, please watch the series. It's important for everyone.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/

Maggie the English Mastiff vs. Dude the Chihuahua

I'd title this, "Can't we all just get along?"

I think the Mastiff, a pretty gentle breed, does a very good job of putting up with Dude, the feisty little featherweight. She tries to go for him to "play" more, at the end, but she was pretty patient with those razor teeth!

Tomatoes off that big old vine

This variety, whatever it is, turns yellow with stripes, and is very delicious. They have a lovely tomato aroma, too. The only trouble is that we have bottom rot. I won't plant in a container again. It's the ground or nothing.

Actual Knitting content

Autumn Leaves is done.

One more small thing to make and off they will go to the Merry Angel!

It's cooler now and so the two sweaters are coming out of hibernation and will be getting sleeves knitted. Also, I have another sock started, Jane's Hedgerows, two at a time. I've found that it's still better, though not faster, to knit two socks together. Also, that 5 inch needles, if you are careful, are not too short for my own hands, in fact they make it easier to handle dpns, which are my #1 favorite sock kneedles.

I know this might seem to be a political blog, now,  but I blame the politicians for turning everything under the sun into a political football. You can hardly talk about anything that is wrong with our lives without it being political. It's a good thing we talk about it anyway!

We can't allow them to set the agendas anymore nor taint everything with their dealings, because some issues are local and just life or death ones. Some are international and wonderful, like the people who gather brand new supplies (expired) from hospitals in the United States and take them to African hospitals. More on that later.

I'm going to keep knitting and keep my eyes open for kindness and beauty all around me, and I hope that you can find them all around you as well. Because they both are always there under the noise and screaming across the Congressional aisles, the terminal greed on Wall Street, and the posturing of selfish, ignorant office holders and seekers. Kindness and beauty are there holding their own.

We can't actually stop paying attention to what is going on on Wall Street and the revolving doors at Washington D.C. or they will keep marching our sons and daughters off to their wars for resources, and they will keep amassing obscene fortunes as well as chipping big chunks off of our civil rights. But we can keep paying attention to Nature as a true Godsend for our weary souls' respite. Don't give that up for anyone!

Jesse Ventura on what's wrong

He came to the Occupation.  His is the finest sort of self promotion in the world.  Of course he is saying the same things  my friends and I said in the late 60's and 70's forward, so it's not exactly new.

But it is time to make sure changes are made, and peaceably.

I especially like Jesse's quote from John Adams.

Thanks to L for the head's up on this!

What I'm up to.. Orgainizing and more books!

I am reading, and knitting and rushing around like dog who has just escaped from a bath!

I'm reading this book along with the one in the last post, and also for fun, The Farfarers by Farley Mowat:

These two books -this one and Perfectly Legal - are fundamental in knowing why so many people in the United States are so P*ssed off that they are marching in the streets all across the country. William Greider's Book on the Fed - Secrets of the Temple - should be a must read for all American college students.  After all, if they are in the shrinking Middle Class, they are suffering from all this, too, or are about to.

Organizing report:

The sewing room's last corner is a real challenge.  There is so much stuff in that corner, and it is truly a corner, having an old $40 L shaped steel case secretary's desk taking up most of the room;  I go in that corner and start to feel panic.  Everything in there has to be kept so it must be better organized.

Meanwhile, my organization skills are fully engaged trying to get all my appointments and thing done in a timely way.  This week was a flu shot and a eye exam, and being told I do have cataracts that will affect me vision from now on until I'm in the mid 70's.  When they tell me this, I think, "Ya, and I'm likely to die right after I go blind, right?"

So for now, I've got a band aid prescription to move me - and my eyes - along toward the river Styx!  All I will need, with my white shaded eyes, is a pointy witch's hat and a mole on my chin.  Hollywood make up departments (on Line) can supply that if I don't get one naturally.  The hairy chin comes with the years, too.  Annndd, so that's covered.  gah!

Anyway, stay well, and stay well informed.  Knit like your life depends on it because it probably does.  Peek oil, ya'know?  It's not that much different than Peak Oil.

If you can get a copy, this is a must read Book!

I bought mine, used, at Alibris.  This tells how it was done and is very pertinent to why people are Occupying "Wall Street" across the country.  Yes, we have a good reason to be upset.

Sergeant Pepper Spray Will Be Investigated!

Sergeant Pepper Spray Will Be Investigated! Kudos to Daily Kos & Kossack Grapski!

Thanks to K! Well spotted!

And, with this level of police brutality finally exposed DURING the day, and not ending in a smashed camera for the news crews (and Indi news is a bonefide news crew), we the people can now attempt to get the brutes off of our police squads. I wonder how long NYPD lieutenant Anthony Bologna has been at this in the DARK and under the cover of a badge? And, I wonder, how many more like him lurk in the shadows?

There are plenty in Los Angeles, and in Seattle, as the protests against the WTO  proved in the 1990's.   I had first hand knowledge of the activities of some, in Los Angeles.  We need to stop letting public employees off the hook when they take illegal actions under cover of authority.  Honestly, we have to stop this thing.

We have rain! And Rivendale Socks in the Mail!

We got some rain, with maybe more to come.

This is very exciting! For weeks the big clouds passed us by with not a drop of rain to be wrung from them. I could only comfort myself with knowing that they might head to Navajo and Hopi lands and rain for them if not for us. Plus, the East coast has been getting pelted and they were all pretty sick of it, while we watched the skies in vain.

Stormy skies over Kearney Mesa

One of the Eppies celebrated with a blossom!

This is a new red.  I love the color of it.  Not shopped, just natural.  I ♥♥ it!

The socks are nearly done and when they are off the needles I'll post a picture. I promise! I knit them for about fifteen minutes at a time because longer and the hands start tingling. It's the tiny "0" needles. I don't know how anyone knits with them, frankly. I'm glad they are bamboo and not the metal ones.

DH just brought the mail in, and look what arrived!  Socks came, from afar!  They have arrived, K!  I'm so intensely bouncing off the walls!  They are  Rivendale socks and they are beautiful.  I have them on my feet right now.  They are so soft and yummy!

Thank you K!  They are so lovely and they are so soft and warm!  Beautifully knit!

Fox News gets it's Clock Cleaned!

This guy took them at their word, and Told it Like it Is! I don't think they put this on the air. I'm not sure because I do not watch that Trashy TV Channel. *spits* Thanks go to Ele for the head's up on this one.

The San Diego Reader

The San Diego Reader is this marvelous, totally grown up magazine that's published every now and then (once a month I think), is FREE, and has some truly great writing in it. When I was getting my heart monitored, to make sure I had one, and my blood taken, to make sure it has stayed bluegreen, there was a pile of the latest edition of the Reader at the hospital.

There is a terrific story in this edition which is about urban, front yard gardening. It is sort of a Guerrilla Movement to take back the land, and make it useful rather than useless. I thought the front page was a terrific piece of art, as well. The story is very interesting, telling how one family took control of the out of control wasteland of green grass and makes a New Age Victory Garden out of it.

The San Diego Union also had a story one Sunday this summer about three families who did the same, melding their three small front yards into a flower and vegetable garden where the whole neighborhood could congregate.

Go Ahead. Be a Guerrilla Gardener! Kick up some dust and cause a fuss. Start eating better, too.

Saving America, One Dead Lawn at a Time

Wolfie, on the other hand, doesn't want to go outside because he's not allowed to dig holes out there anymore. He just wants his treat.

He's emoting, "Where is my Cookie?"

See my muck boots?  I love them.  Actually I wanted Pink but they don't come in that color.

I used to call these Earthshaking Brownies

They were pretty darn good at the time.  This is my own recipe, tweaked and pinched up before the ones with marshmallow creme in the middle were concocted.  There is no beating the ones with a gooshie center!

This paper was printed out in prehistoric time with the most unsophisticated print program and on the most expensive printer I've ever owned.  It was a black and white HP, before color came along at anything less than several thousands of $$$.   I just had to have a printer and we got it used. lol.  As you can see, even back then, hearts were my favorite shape.

The sheet was in with the other recipe detritus from the old kitchen therefore it is scruffy and looks like it was ripped off a concrete wall somewhere.

And the Potato Salad referred to in the scribbling along the bottom is another version of one of those great Midwestern Potato salads.  I had a tupperware cake keeper that I filled up with stuff to make this potato salad.  It's my maternal grandmother's.. Grandma Leila's Potato Salad.  I posted it somewhere once, probably on Sewingworld - that wonderful (though now defunct) site that was just fabulous for sharing anything and EVERYthing.  I still miss it.  KR for knitting, and SewingWorld for sewing.  Heaven I tell you!

Yes, I am getting more nervous by the minute.   I would knock back a couple of straight shooters if I was the drinking type.  In fact, I might just do that anyway!

Have fun with your knitting.  Do any of you remember the fabulous red sweater that was called Drunken Cables?  Ok, I am so OUT of here! Ta!