Almost Speechless Monday

I'm down to the last forty rows...

Sweet!

Road Trip

I love a good road trip-especially when my honey does most of the driving and I do the naviguessing and knitting.  Since I have my Tom-Tom to take with us, I shouldn't get too many questions about where we are that I'll be fielding.  If you surmise this leaves me free to knit more, you're pretty astute.  I love that GPS thingymabob.

Neither one of us is taking much time off this summer.  No, this will be an autumn road trip to the east.  So far, we've considered travel through Toronto to Montreal where we'll spend a couple of days as tourists before we cross the border into the states again.  We like Montreal.  Maybe we'll spend a couple of days in the Adirondack region of New York, but we haven't decided yet.  We do have a destination in mind:  Rhinebeck, NY, in the Hudson River Valley.  My driver is a saint to accommodate my desire to go to this gargantuan fiber festival, don't you think? 

It should be beautiful in New York in the autumn and I'm looking forward to planning this journey.  Any suggestions for what we shouldn't miss on a trip like this?

Photo:  Les adirondacks  by Jessica Dubé

Keeping Score?

In case you've haven't been watching, or in case you haven't been able to get The Stanley Cup Finals on the telly (thanks Versus & the NHL), the match is now down to a best of 3.  We are even going into tonight's game.  Kind of trying on the nerves.  It would have been nice to win at least one of those away games-maybe the one Pittsburgh played with too many men on the ice.  I hope tonight's refs passed at least first grade math.

If you've been wondering how the ordeal is going at Rachel's Place, the score is Flakey 0, Rudee 1 in a TKO.  The Flake has left the building, never to darken that doorstep again.  One of the hospice spiritual care providers will be coming by to do a exorcism blessing on the home soon.  We plan to start anew on better ground.  As far as the APS investigation, it's still in progress.  I can't turn back what this person put into motion.  What a shame.

A Hard Rain is Gonna Fall

Why is it that for some people, it is hard to imagine what another person may be going through?  For instance, I have lost loved ones and while I may not know what it feels like for any other person, I certainly knows what it feels like to lose someone I love.  Given that, I can express my condolences and know that I mean what I say, and the recipient knows that my expression of compassion is heart felt.  I am always a bit befuddled by people who lack empathy for others and under no circumstances can imagine themselves in another's shoes.

Mr. Larger Than Life is one of those people.  He hasn't a clue how others may be feeling, because he couldn't possibly care less that they are feeling or experiencing anything.  When his friend's sister died recently, his major concern was that his friend jump right back into life, and more importantly, get busy entertaining him.  Lord knows the narcissist hates to be alone.

I find myself in a peculiar situation today.  Awakened by the ringing phone this morning, I found myself shocked to be talking to Adult Protective Services about a complaint that someone had kissed Rachel on the lips.  Knowing Rachel, she was the one who invaded the space and initiated the kiss.  Knowing Rachel, she was not playing tonsil hockey, and this was just a smooch; an expression of affection.  Being kissed, and giving kisses is something I had to teach her as an expression of love and affection and let me tell you, it wasn't easy to teach an autistic child to give and allow such a social demonstration of feelings.

Listening to my inner voice, I knew immediately who the coward was that initiated the anonymous complaint against her colleague and brought sorrow and anger down upon this sunny day.  Yes, it had to be the one person employed in that house who I don't like, and she's lodged a complaint to get under her colleague's skin in a manner that will be hurtful and damaging.  This person, let's just call her Flaky for lack of a better term (it's what I've called her since April), has lodged the complaint against Rachel's primary provider.  In doing so, she has brought a boat load of misery upon all of us, but most especially, Rachel's caregiver.  Although her complaint doesn't state that Rachel is being sexually abused, I'm sure she found herself thinking that the rest of us would be as homophobic as she and would be perfectly willing to think that all homosexuals are automatically sexual predators.  I can connect the dots alright, but not in the way she thinks.

This person is about to get a lesson she surely never saw coming.  My husband laughed at me when I said aloud to no one in particular, "I'm about to teach her the real definition of a bitch."

To be continued...

What?

What is it about this face that's calling me?  Is it a face so ugly only a mother could love it?  Personally, I think she is beautiful.  Maybe I should go meet her in person.  Maybe.

Here is what the website says about her:

Lady Godiva is a 8 month old, 46 lbs. Catahoula Leopard Female dog. She is a super sweet dog that has a ton of love to give. A mad, mad kisser! Very active, loves to run and play fetch.

Perfect.  She's a herding dog...

It's What's Not For Dinner

For years, my husband would call me at home to ask me what I made for dinner. Last year, after about 3 months with both of us working afternoon shifts, he stopped asking. Now I only cook on weekends, but that doesn't mean my expensive collection of pots and pans are going to waste. I've found a different weekday use for them, and what's for dinner tonight, is leftovers from Sunday.

I finished spinning one bag of Golden Hibiscus Creamsicle wool. On impulse, I bought a second bag so that I could knit something more substantial than a hat. Or a scarf. The first bag has given me about 250 yards of two ply yarn, which means I spun about 500 yards with a fairly thin consistency. I don't know how many wraps per inch I've achieved, but dry, this looks like a worsted weight yarn. I can't wait to swatch it out to see how it drapes, but with the sheen that the silk is giving this, I'm thinking it'll make a stunning tank top.

Tonight, I'll start spinning the second bag of Creamsicle wool so I can make way for my next spinning project. I have about two weeks or so to prepare it and plan on spending a lot of time at the yarn store so I can use the drum carder. This very slippery, short stapled fur belonged to a very special dog who passed away a couple of years ago. Way back then, I convinced my friend to groom her ailing Newfie and save his fur for spinning. I promised her that once I learned how, I'd spin him up into something worth keeping.


On June 19th, I'll start that project during an outdoor spinning and knitting benefit for a local animal shelter.

Stay Thirsty

Yesterday, Stephanie did a post on kitsch and today, I'm stealing her theme. Here is more over the top entertainment from yet another Canadian.



The Red Wings take their show on the road Tuesday and are up by two in this best of seven series. Because NBC seems to be having a love fest for Sidney Crosby (captain on the Pittsburgh team), I'm thankful that we get the Canadian Broadcasting Co. station. In fact on NBC, it's not the Stanley Cup Finals, it's the Sidney Crosby show. All Sidney, all the time. Though CBC broadcasts in high def, we don't get it in high definition here. I wish I could figure out a way to listen to the audio from CBC and match it to the picture streaming in on NBC.

I received one text last night about which orifice Sidney may look to find the elusive puck the Wings kept from him. Good one, FTM!