A Generation Changed

I remember when I was little and people would say that they remembered exactly where they were and what they were doing when they first heard the news of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor. Or heard of President Kennedy's assassination. Or when they found out that Elvis had died.

There are events that - rightfully - stop us in our tracks - that sear into the very fabric of our beings, individually and collectively...events by which our lives are measured.

Prior to September 11, 2001, my generation of Americans had never really felt the sting of the world's hatred or tasted the bitterness of war. Sure, we were born at the tail end of the "cold war" and we have never known a world without the "war on drugs". Yes, our childhood was shadowed by the first Gulf War, but really, that was hardly a flash in the pan compared with the Vietnam War, the Korean conflict and the two World Wars fought and endured by our predecessors.

And you know what? We were blissfully ignorant. We were content to be noteworthy because of our sheer lack of noteworthiness. We were a generation of lovers, not fighters. As a whole, we weren't known for our selflessness or our patriotism. If anything, we were known for our apathy and our lack of any real distinction. We were children who watched Oliver North and Ronald Reagan conveniently forget. We came of age under a president who had to have attorneys explain what "it" meant. We are a generation that understands the draft on a textbook level and nothing more.

We were sort of a frivolous bunch really, if we are honest.

After September 11, 2001 everything changed. Everything was redefined. New lines were drawn, new standards set. We watched our loved ones suffer and die that day. We also watched as we - the twentysomethings, just discovering and grasping adulthood - scratched and clawed and struggled to help, to put things back together. To join with other Americans of every age, to move ahead. To show those that had brought us harm that we are not apathetic. We are not ne'er do wells. We are fighters, too, when we are called to be.

We as a generation came of age that day and in the days since. We as a nation have become more than we were, somehow. I am thankful for that. While I remember this day with sadness and reverence, it also symbolizes a new era for us as a nation. We are stronger, more resolved, more resilient than any one knew on September 10. I hope that those who lost loved ones on that day know that their deaths were not in vain. That we are a better people and a better nation because of their sacrifice that day.

Astronaut Steven Lindsey once said, "The anniversaries remind us that we can never be complacent about anything. [They] help us remind each other, each year, to refocus. . ."

I hope we never stop reminding each other, each year, to refocus.

Pima Cotton Silk, You're the One

I have decided on the Pima Cotton Silk. I ordered it from Webs last night. I've decided on a slightly modified version of the Farrow Rib for my scarf. (I think. I'll let you know once I've swatched.) So today, since I'd made a decision and ordered yarn, I did what every reasonable knitter does...I went to the LYS (ha) where I bought a couple skeins of Cascade Sierra to just knit around with. Have ya'll seen this yarn?

It is really quite nice. It is a Pima Cotton/Merino Wool 80/20 blend. It is very nice and quite affordable - $7.50 for a 191 yard skein. I needed to buy yarn today. Ya'll know. This was the right price for a fix, after I'd spend .... umm, considerably more than the ISE minimum at Webs. But I did it gladly because I love my pal, so much that I wish I could tell ya'll who she is so that I could introduce you to her. In time!

Of course, if not for my absolutely super snazzy fabulous sister-in-law Lori, there would have been no visit to the LYS...there would have been no outing today at all. It is frustrating and discouraging having a broken ankle and the driving prohibition makes it that much harder. My husband has taken great care of me and taken up the slack around here better than I could have even hoped. Too, though, I've got Lori who has made things so much easier. It's not just the fact that she has driven me back and forth and all around in these last four months (and loaned me the use of her shower with the bench) - but even more, she has done it kindly and willingly and not made me feel like a burden. My brother did us all a favor when he married her. I hope all of you have a family member or a friend like her. She is a blessing. Thank you, Lori.

Its very late and I'm being sappy.

Little Helper

Look who has come to help me with this post.

She's doing great. We are still being cautious and she is still spending more time than she would like in the cage but she is improving. She wants to go crazy, with the running and the jumping so we have to watch her. She is still not completely sure where her back end is, which would be funny if it wasn't heartbreaking. It is a few weeks more before we have to make another visit to the vet so we'll see.

Has anyone noticed that Blogger's spell check doesn't know the word skein? What a twisted world we live in. Is there anyone who can tell me why it is that Blogger wants to change my font size, after I've posted a picture?

haven't knitted today so the above update on the ISE decision making is the best I've got for you on that front. If you wander through here and you haven't been over to Dorothy's in the last couple of days, please go see her and consider making a donation for the ovarian cancer research she is talking about. She's doing a drawing that includes yarn and needles. A great cause and a chance at winning...so go.

Let the Yarn Shopping Commence

Thank you to those who've commented and emailed and claimed the orphan yarn from my previous post. Special thanks to my sister Cindi for taking the last of it. For the adoptive mothers, I promise your yarn will be in the mail within the next 7 days.

So, before I can purchase yarn, I have to decide on a pattern. I don't want to reveal too much about my pal because I'm oh so very keen on the secretive part of the exchange but I will tell ya'll these bits:

1) She lives in a cold climate. This is joyful news for a California knitter who has been looking for a good excuse to knit a scarf for actual use and not just decoration.

2) I greatly fear that she is a much more talented knitter than I. Furthermore, she has exquisite taste (from what I can observe over at her home on the www) and is a very discerning consumer. Oh the pressure.

3) She likes teal and blue and red and rich colors and warm colors. She also likes natural fibers and dislikes the acrylic, the nylon, the Fun Fur. I agree with her on all those points.

I think this is enough for you to help me a little bit.

It had occurred to me to knit something fancy and schmancy and lacy and fussy but I've ruminated on it a bit and I've decided. . .I don't want to. I want to knit something comforting and cozy and practical. I want to use nice yarn - not expensive pretentious fussy yarn - just high quality, soft, great yarn. I want to knit the scarf equivalent of homemade vegetable beef soup with a perfectly yummy, crisp on the outside hot and melty on the inside grilled cheese sandwich.

So, I've narrowed it down to these two recipes. (And yes sirree Bob, they are both from the Little Boxes of Scarves.)

Blueberry Scarf
Farrow Rib Scarf

Both patterns are fairly easy knits...straightforward, tidy. The Blueberry calls for Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. I do not like this yarn. The Farrow Rib calls for Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted. I do like this yarn, however, I'm not sure I love it for a scarf. Personally, I don't like any scratchiness against my face/neck.

So I am contemplating these yarns instead. They are roughly the same gauge...close enough at least. Ya'll know...I am a lover of the cotton, so of course, these are cottons and cotton blends. What I'm thinking about and what I want ya'll to think about and tell me your thoughts:

1) Will these yarns be soft and snuggly but still make the wearer feel happy and special?

2) Will these yarns do justice to the patterns? Will they hold up and showcase the stitches in a way that makes you want to look at it and touch it and treasure it?

These colors are just for thinking purposes. I obviously haven't made any color decisions so feel free to toss in your 2 cents on the colors, too. The contenders:

Cotton by Blue Sky

Pima Cotton Silk by Misti Alpaca

Four Seasons Cotton by Classic Elite

In case anyone cares, I am kind of partial to the first two. And maybe I'm even leaning toward the Pima Cotton Silk, in this Mediterranean Blue. I think it would show the pattern well. But that's why I'm talking to ya'll now...cause I need help.

Bits & Pieces

International Scarf Exchange

I got my "assignment" and now I just have to make up my mind what to knit for her. I like her - though I don't know her...all I know of her is what I've read on her blog but still, I like her. So I want to make her something nice. And guess what? I have these:

and I've never ever knit even one project from these two boxes. And there are some patterns that really, really interest me. I haven't picked one yet but my ISE scarf is going to be one of these. I think it is about damn time.

Golf Clap for Me

This isn't really something to celebrate. In fact, it hardly deserves even a half-hearted "yah" but I'm happy about this minor accomplishment. If you've been paying any attention to this little blog for any length of time, you've probably noticed that I don't do a lot of colorwork. Intarsia isn't a word we use very often here at House of Ok! What Next?? But last night, I made up this little tidbit...not exactly on the fly, but over the course of a few hours.
Cute, huh? I've got to adjust it a little so it will be a 5" x 5" square for Warming Grace. As it sits, it is a 4.25" x 6" rectangle, but the needed adjustments will be minor.

Free to Good Home

Ya'll I've been doing some evaluating. I need to get rid of some yarn that is muttling up my stash. Yarn that, if I'm honest, I know I will never use. Yarn that isn't bad yarn really, just not yarn that I am going to spend time knitting. But someone might. First come, first served. I'll mail it to you, some cheap probably slow way unless you want to pay shipping. If you want something, please take everything it is pictured with. That seems fair to me...Here you go:

12 skeins of Moda Dea Dream. It is very soft. It is very cushy. I really do love this yarn but I gave up on the project I bought it for and I just want to be rid of it. The pinks are all the same dye lot as are the greens and the blues. I did use some of one skein of the pink and some of one skein of the white. This yarn has been claimed

A Fun Fur sample pack. The four skeins at the top all match. A friend of mine wanted a scarf made from that. Then she changed her mind. The others are just a mixed lot.

Here we have four skeins of Lion Brand Homespun. The two in the middle match. The other two don't. These are full or just shy of full skeins. I've done a swatch or two. You know how it goes. This yarn has been claimed

Now appearing: two skeins of Paton's Carmen and two skeins of Joann's Exclusive Halo. They are both soft - very, very soft. Almost creepy soft. A little slick to knit with but very nice. I made projects from both of these yarns - I'd simply bought too much.

And last but...well, yeah, least too: Three skeins of Caron Perfect Match acrylic. The colors are actually really very nice. I used several skeins of these previously (potholders, I think, if I remember correctly. It was early in my knitting days.) Knit something for your grandmother. Knit some potholders. Whatever. Just take them. Please.

Here's the real nuts and bolts of this giveway: I've promised my husband I wouldn't buy anymore yarn until I get rid of these. I don't want to have to hide yarn purchases from him so I would appreciate your help here.

Leave me a comment or email me. Thanks!

Knitters are the Nicest People

In my last post, I mentioned that I have been soaking up the comfort of the Grey's Anatomy. Tonight I watched the episode entitled The Name of the Game and I discovered a whole new reason to love the Grey's Anatomy. . . In this episode, Meredith and Izzie have taken a vow of celibacy and are replacing sex with knitting a sweater. In the opening scenes of this episode, Meredith is KNITTING IN THE BAR! Just one more reason that this show has been my favorite therapy.

I've Been Neglectful....

I've meant to mention this project several times lately but I've neglected to. I came across this project several weeks ago and I've been knitting squares from my cotton scraps and . . . I keep failing to mention it here. I AM MENTIONING IT NOW!

Warming Grace Warming Grace is Cynthia's project and (to quote from the Warming Grace website) "NAMED IN HONOUR OF MY NIECE GRACE WHO IS BEING TREATED FOR LEUKEMIA, WARMING GRACE IS AN ONGOING PROJECT DESIGNED TO CREATE BLANKETS FROM KNITTED AND CROCHETED SQUARES FOR CHILDREN DEALING WITH CANCER..."

This is her niece Grace (also stolen from the Warming Grace website).

I blame it on PMS but I confess, the first time I visited this website and saw that face, I cried and cried. What a beautiful girl. How could you not want to knit squares for this baby - or for a project named in her honor - knit until your fingers bleed???

Ya'll, there are so many wonderful knitting charity projects and knitting good deeds and ways to contribute to making the world a better place. . . it is kind of overwhelming to me how many great, meaningful causes there are. It is both thrilling and intimidating to see all of the projects we can knit for. Sometimes I contribute but I don't knit for every charity knitting project I come across but sometimes I am just compelled. Sometimes I am touched in a way that I don't expect - that's how Warming Grace touched me. I think this is probably one of the smaller projects I've seen but I hope you will go over and visit. And maybe knit a square. They are small squares - only 5". That Cynthia is pretty easy going, not overly restrictive - she is seeking "knitted or crocheted squares, blocked, any colour, any pattern, in 100% soft cotton or wool". See? Couldn't be easier.

Maybe you will want to knit two or three.

The Boredom Really Sets in

A brief pictorial review: This is the view from where I sit. Still.

Exhibit A: A much smaller bandage - and no cast!
Exhibit B: That is a hairy leg. I haven't quite reconciled "You can take a shower, just cover it in a plastic bag" and "Zero weight bearing". I'm working on this, though.
Exhibit C: That's Sally's cage. She is such a good and patient soul. She gets out of the cage now for several hours a day and seems to be doing much better. When I open the cage to put her in there, she just goes in and makes her nest. It would be almost better if she would resist.
Exhibit D: My crutches. (Nearly) 2 weeks down, 6 to go. They don't look like much but they are my new best friend. I may not have such kind words for them once I go back to work next week.
Exhibit E: The bathroom. The outer reaches of my adventures these last 9 days.
Exhibit F: That's the way to the rest of the house. I haven't gone that way very often lately but I've ventured out of this room 4 times today. Progress comes in little doses.

I've been watching a lot of Grey's Anatomy. Love this show. I'm so glad that ABC has been rerunning it this summer. God bless the DVR.

I've also been knitting. A sampling:

Jen sent Dorothy these dragonfly disclothes that I immediately loved. She sent me the link for the dragonfly pattern over at Purple Duckie and I found the pattern for this duck.
So cute. I had some Sugar n' Cream leftover from the ill-fated baby washcloths so I whipped one up. I still need to weave in the ends. Hopefully Courtney needs a baby washcloth.

I've also been working on the blocks for Mama's blanket. Only minimal progress has been made on this but in addition to the mutlicolored block I'd already finished, I've also done these:
That's the blue themed block on the top left. The bright one is about 2/3 complete.

So that's it in a nutshell. Enjoy the long weekend.