Tilted Duster done!

Yup, I finished it last night. I couldn't be any happier with it if I tried. Here it is:



It was such a fast knit and so easy too. I decided to steam block it once it was seamed up and I'm very happy with how it sits now. I had knit the pattern out of order because I had originally wanted to knit it with a longer skirt but actually I think it's good where it is. I finished it this past weekend at my cousin's house. She gave me the idea to use some buttons of our grandmother's. Actually she was Eric and my cousin's grandmother but I couldn't help but think of her as my grandmother as well. The first day I met her, I knew I was family. I was called "ShitPot", hit on the head with wooden spoons, fed ceaselessly and yelled at for not visiting more often than the two times a week I visited... just like all of her blood grandchildren were. *laugh* I love her and I can tell you my only regret is that I didn't have the opportunity to know her more than the 12 years I did. But I still feel great love for her and am very pleased to use four of her buttons on my duster. She would smiled. Then probably fed me something. So I'll proudly strut in my duster with those buttons. :)

While I was visiting my cousin, I also worked on my I Do shrug.

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I know I can't believe it either! I'm telling you, she is my project mojo. I'm nearly done with it and I just can't believe I was able to figure out where I was in the pattern. I have about 9 more repeats to finish and then it's seaming and then wearing.

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I think I can get that far. Heck it's only been like a year or so since I've touched it. :P

Wish me luck!

*sniff* Sock disaster

Okay, I had a long hard pout over this. I finished my one Entrelac sock... and it won't slide easily over my heel. Once it's on and with some fighting it gets on, it fits fine.

I think I'm going to cry.

So once I was done pouting, I started the cast on again with a new one. I've decided I'm not going to frog the other one yet. I need it as a reminder of my stupidity. Where did I go wrong? Well see, in my infinite wisdom, I decided to change the number of stitches I cast on and to do a different toe-up cast on than the one recommended in the pattern.

Yeah.

*pout*

I guess I kind of deserved that. So, for all those of you interested in these socks that like me, have a thing for altering patterns.... don't. You'll cry. On the good side, I learned the Middle East cast on! :) At first I thought the designer was on crack but now I see, it's a great cast on! A bit clumsy to work with at first but it looks great.

The Tilted Duster is coming along nicely too. And no, I didn't alter that pattern at all. I'm done with the first of 11 repeats of 8 rows for the skirt. Oh it's a lot of K2, P2 with the occasional M1 thrown in here and there and I don't do any of that very fast so it's slowed down a bit but it's looking fabulous!

On the college front, I just aced my second test in my Computers class. *struts* I'm feeling so good about these classes and not just because of the grades. I'm just feeling so much better about all sorts of things when I'm there and/or on my way there. I can't explain it. It's like I said though to one of my professors "Of course I'm glad to see you! Every day that I see you is one more day closer to my degree." He smiled. I did too because I realized it is true. Midterms start this week and I can't believe it's already upon us. Next month I'll be registering for my Spring Semester classes and that's where the fun will begin! I'm going to try to get into Intro to Forensics, Cell Biology, General Botany and/or Intro to Criminalistics. Oh I can't wait!

Have you seen this travesty?!

Alrighty folks... I've always been a political person but I've never really brought that to my blog but this time, I kind of have to. Actually, I really have to. I know this may make some of you not want to read my blog anymore and you completely have the right to do so and I'd be sad to see you go. But I have to do this and I hope you will read on.

For everyone in the US who can do something about it; have you seen this bullshit?

I know a lot of people have issues with immigration but I think a lot of people forget... this country is what it is because of immigration. Legal or not. A lot of people forget about all the folks fleeing the potato famine. Fleeing the wars overseas back near the turn of the century. Hell, my own grandfather came here in 1917 (not so legally I might add) and worked in a munitions factory making shells during the war.

Do you realize how awful this is? The man's child (who is a US citizen! Legally thank you very much!) could be sent to a place where his wife fled as a little girl for her very life! Our nation has sent this man over to the Middle East THREE TIMES and here our country is saying thank you to her for giving up having a husband at home by telling her to take her ass, her kid and get the fuck out. That's some messed up shit folks! Look at this woman who's husband DIED on their honeymoon, trying to save two children from drowning. Now that he's dead, she's probably going to be forced to leave the country. That's fucked up folks!

Now I know some of you might say that they should have applied for citizenship a long time ago. I agree... but... BUUUUUUT the first woman listed missed it on a technicality and the second woman was in the process of doing so. What the hell? Both were technically here legally already but now, that is in jeopardy. I know some people don't realize just how long or how much it takes to become a citizen. It can take years in some cases. Like upward of 5, ten or even 20 years depending upon the money you have.

So I ask you all. Have we all forgotten what Lady Liberty says?

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Apparently we have.

So what can we do my fellow Americans? Write your representatives! This is what I have always said about anything. Write them. You may not have voted for them but you know what? They have the job and that means, make them work for you! Remind them that the power lies with the people. A lot of them have forgotten that...

This is what I sent out today:

Dear Honorable Congressman Coble, Senator Dole, and Senator Burr,

A travesty is occurring in our nation. Soldiers are fighting, being wounded and dying over seas and all the while, they are faced with the prospect of their spouses/families being deported.

We have an issue here, Sirs and Madam, that needs immediate action! Our soldiers are fighting for our rights and our nation and yet our nation is disgracing them by committing such an act of callousness.

I say that we should allow amnesty for all active duty and reserve soldiers whose spouses/family members are not US citizens so that they are allowed to stay here on US soil while their loved ones are deployed. This will also allow them to legally apply for citizenship. It's bad enough these people who we owe so much have to serve away from their families for so long but then to add the thought of their families being forced out of our nation to places where their very lives could also be at stake is horrific!

Senators, Congressman, call for a Bill to make this action possible. We all owe our soldiers (veterans, active and reserve) so much already. This is something simple that can be done to make their lives easier as they bleed for us.

As the wife of a Disabled US Air Force Veteran, the granddaughter of a KIA US Army soldier and the sister of a retired US Army Solider, I plead with you... please do what is in your power to help our soldiers. They suffer for us all enough as it is. Take this bit of suffering off their hearts and minds.

Thank you.

Mrs. Lisa P

Now you may not agree with me and you are well within your right to do so. But if you do agree... please help do something about it. That's all I ask.

*hugs*