Saturday, November 10, 2012

It's been awhile

"Oh pleeze.  We begs you...no more Chris Matthews, no matter how much my hair looks like his!"
With the anxieties of the past few months reaching fever pitch, it's with relief I note that "things" have finally settled down.  Despite my best efforts of avoidance, I was dragged into the entire 24 hour news cycle drama.  In the evenings, I watched what the left was saying while at night I tuned into the comics. For balance, I awakened early in the morning to listen to what the right had to say for themselves.   Between all of this, I was besieged by television & radio advertising, or by pollsters at my door, on my computer and about 4 times a day, on my phone.  While I love our democracy, I find that more and more, I abhor the ugly process.  It is with great joy that I note the political candidates who offended me most with their radical beliefs and expressions and whose quotes were featured in my sidebar for weeks, were voted out of their government positions.  Thank you, Missouri, Indiana and Illinois voters.  It would seem their beliefs mattered and offended all of you, too.  And Florida?  I'm so glad you showed Allen West the door.  I hope he doesn't let it hit him in the behind on the way out.   My hope now is that all of the children in the sandbox can finally learn to play nicely together.  I won't hold my breath for there is sure to be dramaz galore for the next several weeks.

My gmail account, which for months had at least 30 emails a day from politicians begging for money they didn't need, has gone down to a more normal one or two new messages a day, most of which are from knitting sites.

Squares on the Roll.  Separate squares from the same continuous ball of yarn.  Two down, 47 to go!
And speaking of knitting, I've been working on the Squares on the Roll afghan.  I'll be leading that workshop soon and I've been playing with the yarn, needles and various ways to make my decreases mirror one another.  It's been such a long while since I made my sample for the yarn store that I made many mistakes on my first square.  I misread the directions more than once, pulled double points out of my work (which liberated live stitches) twice and generally felt like a rookie knitter.  We'll blame it on the news, OK?  What should have been mindless knitting was anything but.  Today that's all changed.

I've been inspired by a visitor on the oncology unit at the hospital who has worn a different hand knit shawl every day this week.  Each one was more beautiful than the next and each was a work of art.  While I won't be knitting a shawl right now, just as soon as I'm done swatching, I will be casting on for Mr. Bluejeans today.  I'm using the Nashua Creative Focus in Blue Moor Heather.  What's better than knitting something blue in a free Amy Swenson pattern?

I think nothing.

It's good to be back to something that resembles normal.


13 comments:

Stephanie V said...

Knitting blue yarn in the winter brings back a piece of that summer sky. Looks like a fun knit.

I was thinking of you on election day and how it would be good for the show to end. Glad the begging has stopped. And that the results were karmic.

Frankie Brown has an interesting knitting mind. Her patterns are always so much fun when you have a lot of scrappy yarns.

Joanna said...

It is good that it's all over (for now) and that some of the deadwood was pruned. Regarding campaigning, I heard an interview with Fran Lebowitz on Canada's CBC radio and she suggested democracy would be better served if the money aspect was removed and broadcasters were legislated to give each candidate equal time to speak. That would eliminate all those hundreds of slick ads and people could hear the candidates words and make their mind up. I thought it was an excellent idea for the USA and for Canada.

Joanna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Irene said...

I do love the wquares that you knitted and think that any Afghan you make is going to turn out beautifully. I di have to get in the mood to knit one of these myself and hope to do so in the near future. I hope your knitting skills rub off on me. xox

Rositta said...

What a cute kid and the sweater's not bad either. I'm glad the election turned out the way you hoped...ciao

Jane said...

What a great block, if I was closer, I'd be coming to your workshop.

Mimi said...

Glad you were happy with the election results! I was too; even though I'm far away, I feel that the US affects us deeply. we loved Barak when he visited Irl last year.
The squares knitting is really different, I'd love to see the finished product.

Ruth said...

Glad your election is over a swell we kept getting bombarded as well but not to the extent you were. Our kniting group has enough ex pats to cause discussion about US politics.
Baby has grown so much she looks gorgeous.
Glad life has setled a bit. Love the squares.

Celia said...

I was just so shocked by some of the hateful things people posted on Facebook and Twitter. I had to "unfriend" a family member for cursing and insulting people. Seriously, this is a democracy. People can vote for who they want. I'm glad to hear NPR isn't all about politics again.

The Bug said...

Well you know that *I* was mightily relieved too! And that kid DOES resemble Chris Matthews - ha!

LOVE the squares - what a lot of fun! I like the sweater you're doing next too...

Knitty said...

I thought post election would mean an end to some of the stuff people post on Facebook. There are reasons to be concerned no matter who won the election, but the doomsayers are getting to me.

After catching up on some blog reading this morning, I think I am going to need to change my reading habits for a while.

Every person is entitled to their beliefs and their right to express them, but intolerance seems to be on the rise. I guess I am no different...I am becoming intolerant of intolerance.

On the bright side, Squares on the Roll is such a happy looking project! I love the colors. I have too many projects lined up to take on another one right now, but I will be watching your progress on this.

I'm off to do something cheery on this gray, wet morning. Is it too early for a Bloody Mary? ;-)

Unknown said...

Here catching up with my favorite knitty nurse. I thought about you during the storm knowing you were probably gonna get some action off the lake. Now I am rushing my big a--e off trying to catch up with the Christmas projects. Just discovered ear clips. Making them for grands. Enjoy your many talents sista.
QMM

Unknown said...

Apparently, it ain't over till you apply to secede from the United States...Am I gonna have to pull an "Argo" and retrieve my daughter from Louisiana? Happy knitting, my friend!:)