Variety Pak

Moo

It's been a while since my last cow but there really isn't much to have a cow about that you haven't heard already. I could rant about the insane drivers going through my neighborhood while the main thoroughfare is undergoing construction (sewer line repairs), the self-centered maneuverings of the current administration, or the horrific price increases of fuel (I can hear the Europeans going 'nyaah nyah nyah nyaah nyaah' in their individual inflections). But there are other places where if you're interested in these rants you can visit. Just Google it!

Just an ordinary day in Oregon

It cracks me up to hear people complain about the weather around here. Not long ago the state went through a heat wave of 90 degree F weather. Now it's raining and in the 60's. I've heard plenty of whining about both. Well, the natural state of things around here in May is that you get these periods of heat followed by periods of rain. It happens every year. The heat gives you the chance to check on the barbecue and the A/C to see if they're working properly. The rain gives you the chance to make repairs and take a break from mowing the lawn. It's not going to stop raining until after the 4th of July. Get over it.

Knit Night Out

Wednesday night, Close Knit keeps their doors open until 9 pm for Knit Night Out. An interesting group of knitters ranging from experienced to novice come in for chatter, help, and cameraderie while working on fiber projects. Beer is fetched from a nearby pub, adding to the atmosphere of fun. They got to see the RSM and made suggestions about what I could do later on to pass on the silliness. A good night for laughs, which for me is the best tonic, especially listening to nurses in training talking about being poked and the mind going directly into the gutter: "He kept missing and it stung. Before I knew it there was this big blob." "I was poked 3 times in 15 minutes." "She kept poking and poking; we were at it for over an hour." **snort snurfle snort snuk snort**

Current projects

I've started working on a doll and writing the pattern while working on her. The boob shaping has been the trickiest as they aren't merely bobbles. I've tried doing increases and using short row shaping and I think the short rows will be the best in the end. I'll have to do some sample swatches to see before I work it out on paper.

This doll is already named. Six years ago, I was going through a period of intense stress and was desperate for an outlet. This was before I took up knitting. My escape ended up being a series of novels about a woman who discovers she possesses powers and belongs in a parallel world to ours. Her name ended up being Zora Pickstone. She learned her parents had been criminals in the parallel world and that she herself had been smuggled to our world to keep her mother from killing her for her powers. The stories were her discovery of her power, her learning how to use that power, and coping with living in a world so different from ours (for example, the chief mode of transportation is a platform similar to a flying carpet). This doll is Zora, comfortable with her power now and not afraid of being who she is. She will be done in time for the trip and will accompany the RSM.

Pictures later children!