Husband Retired

Now he finally has time to clean and reorganize. He hates to lose stuff. The hall closet has taken on a new look.

What I'm Reading

The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown
This is a page turner.

The Silver Star by Jeannette Walls

Double Helix Shell

I finished knitting this recently for my favourite down-under scientist. I used this shell pattern and added the double helix cable.

Breaking News: The Search for the Truth is Overrated

. . . and should be eliminated.

A governor who never got a college degree feels qualified to unilaterally change the mission of the state university system. Not kidding. You can't make this stuff up. Even fiction writers have limits to their imaginations.

Read all about it.

Oh, now he says the language change was a drafting error. Methinks Mr. Walker upset half his constituency with his first move, and then the other half when he retracted it.

Lesson for Mr. Walker: Don't mess with Bucky Badger. Ever.

Easy Neck Warmer

I made this to match the evening mitts. You can wear it as neckwarmer, or double it lengthwise to wear as a head band.

Easy Neck Warmer

Worsted weight yarn
Size 5 needles -- straight or circular
Worked Flat

Provisional CO 32 stitches. Knit every row until you have 14 inches of knitting. Remove provisional stitches onto another needle, and work a 3 needle bind off to finish. Weave in yarn ends. This is a quick project!

Evening Mitts

Carlotta pulls a stunning pair of fingerless mitts up her bare arms as we head out for a sunset hike along the windswept shore. Her skin glows in the organic orange light; I lace my fingers into hers, and I feel the soft wool stitches warming my palm, the heat racing up my arm and lighting a fire in parts that have long ago settled into a resigned state of hibernation. I shiver.

"You're cold," she says. Her shy voice offers a promise.

I smile. "Right. My father's old beach house is just ahead. We'll find shelter there."

Evening Mitts

Worsted Weight, 150 yards for woman's average size
I used Classy Dream, Sundown Orchid
Size 5-8 circular or straight needles
This is knit flat, and very quick -- knit it in a day.

Provisional CO 55 stitches (or less for a shorter mitt) using waste yarn. Click to see a good video on how to do a provisional cast on.

Measure width of hand across knuckles, multiply by 2 and then subtract 1/2 inch. Add desired yarn and knit every row until you have achieved desired width (wrap around hand as you go to check width -- if you like them snug then you simply knit fewer rows).

Last row: Knit 2 inches and then BO (bind off) 5 stitches for thumb. Knit to the end.

Remove provisional cast on, and slide the revealed stitches onto a straight needle. Using 3 needle bind off, bind off all stitches until you reach the thumb gap, and then bind off 5 stitches on the single needle to complete other side of thumb. Continue to bind off remaining stitches using 3 needle bind off.

To finish, weave in ends.

Collateral Damage

The St. Paul Diocese of the Catholic Church recently filed for bankruptcy in the midst of sexual abuse lawsuits. This has been all over the news -- front page for several days.

Anyway, I hadn't thought much about it until I ran into a friend today, and she disclosed that she had been sexually abused by a relative, over many years, as a child. Then she said, "I am Catholic, but now I can't go to church. I am so angry and sick about the abuse, and I can't look at the newspapers without reliving all the nightmares I thought I'd put behind me."

Needless to say, she says she's now in therapy again, after many years of being "ok".

I suspect there are many members of the church who have experienced the trauma of sexual abuse. Do they feel violated and betrayed again, like this friend? How will the church heal these people?