Ramblings of a mad Woman

After 30+ years I have reconnected with a dear old friend from high school. We weren't "bf" but we were there for each other from Jr High through High School graduation. We hung out together. Talked about boyfriends, all the normal stuff. But after graduation we just lost touch.

I have thought about her many times over the years. I tried to contact her Mom once. Her Mom had passed on. I tried all the normal internet ways to find her as I became more internet capable. But all I had was her name from High School. Did she marry? Where was she living?
I am 2000 miles from where I grew up.

She was just someone I thought about from time to time. Then Yesterday I get an email. She is alive and well living in Montana. She has thought of me fondly over the past years too. She found me on one of those "high school reunion sites".

I am going to enjoy getting reaquainted .

Current Mood: ecstatic

I am working hard ( sort of) on this Tallit for hubby. It's going along pretty well. But, this simple knit seems to be eating yarn. I am through two and a half skeins and only have ten inches. I bought 12 skeins and this needs to be 72 inches long with a cable pattern. You do the math. It ain't going to work. No way, no how.  So I went back to my computer to order more yarn. They don't have any more in that color.

So, the Tallit was going to be solid blue. Not any more. Most Tallit have a strip or a pattern any way. So we are going to add some stripes. I have ordered a contrasting color so I can make some stripes.

But, because I am already 10 inches in to this project I need to stop and wait until the other color comes so i can start stripping. or this is going to get really strange. I figure the 10 inches then 2 inch stripes of the solid and different color for a total of 18 inches. Then I'll do the cable section , 8 inches of stripes and then the 10 inches of solid again.

With any luck this will work. I am going to check my math again. ( well several more times)  Wish me luck.

Current Mood: confused

I have always loved Animal.

http://www.killerchops.tv/musicvideo.php?vid=9d50d4d15

No one plays the drums like these two.

Current Mood: enthralled

This had me laughing so very hard.    Be sure to watch all the way to the end.
I will never look at things in quite the same way ever again.
www.divinecaroline.com/article/30/51019-happens-go-number-2-space-?CMP=DC_0050_TAG

What have they done? Has the  4th amendment to the Constitution been repealed?  I teach the Constitution to my students. I heard nor read anything about  a repeal. Congress can not vote to over ride an amendment. What are they doing???????

Current Mood: distressed

I live in a suburb of Chicago. I can be downtown in about 20 minutes.
Yet Here we have Norman Rockwell's America. This is one of several
small town 4th of July parades in our  area. We have here our friend Matt, Miss Miriam,
Batman (another friend), fire trucks and classic cars.
A great time was had by all.  :)

Current Mood: bouncy

I have been telling you about this hat that is kicking my butt. Well I am about to add a picture of what this hat looks like. It's a really cute hat but a pain to knit.

Current Mood: confused

Today hubby and I wet to Taste of Chicago. It's a wonderful festival to let people sample the wonderful foods here in the Chicago area.

I am so full and so happy. :) Yum!!!!!
We sampled lots of great food and our secret is that we share. Most of the portions are so big that you really can't try very many before you are too full to move. So we share and each get a good sample of twice as many dishes. But there is one thing I won't share. My Rainbow Cone! I only got the sample size which is a small cup not the full cone of heavenly flavors. But I won't share.
It is mine all mine. (Good thing hubby doesn't really care for all the wonderful flavors in a Rainbow Cone)he had a Double Chocolate Mouse from Morton's instead and was VERY happy.

Summer in Chicago! What a wonderful time of year.

Current Mood: bouncy

I am trying to knit a hat. Sounds simple right? Well this pattern isn't "simple" It's insane.

The entire knitting group is trying to knit this hat. It all started when Kris tried on Tammy's hat. Somewhere along the line Kathy bought yarn to make this hat. Then in the full throws of Yarn Harlots visit the entire group decided to make this hat.

Now I am a project knitter. That means I like to finish one project before I move on to the next. So I decided that with three projects on the needles I wasn't going to buy yarn for another project. (The hat) I would sit this out.

This was not to be. Kathy decided that the reason her "hat" wasn't working was the yarn. So she would buy new yarn. This meant that the old yarn had to go.( It had a jinks?) So she gave me the yarn so I could make the hat too. Now I dearly love Kathy. She is a wonderful person but.....

There is a jinks on this yarn. To be honest I have only cast the hat on twice now and many others have had to cast on several times, but this pattern is a pain in the a**!!!!!!!

If you thought I was insane before..........!

Well, I guess I will try it one more time. Because this one just isn't right.

Current Mood: frustrated

Yarn Harlot was here. That should all be in caps because I am shouting.
For any of you who don't know who this is, Yarn Harlot is a writer and blogger. She writes knitting humor.
Any one who thinks this is a simple task or for simple people, think again. Her books are amazing and there are more knitters out there than you might think. If you want more info on this just ask me.

We had a wonderful time and Yarn Harlot is a GREAT speaker. A great time was had by all.
She is also an amazing knitter. She knits in a style I have never seen before called "Cottage Knitting". The speed of her knitting is unreal. She holds one needle under her right arm. Her left hand moves at the speed of light and her right hand seems to glide in a Vanna White way just to show things off. I don't know how she does it but, OMG.

I am still trying to figure out how to get pictures on my blog here. But, I have them loaded on my flickr account. (Small steps for me.) Go to dreamsweaver and see the whole gang.

It was a great day and late night for this old lady. ;)

Current Mood: creative

The yarn for hubby's tallit arrived today.
The color is great and it is sooooooo soft.
I can't wait to start.

Current Mood: bouncy

I am knitting a shawl right now. I love the yarn and everything about this project. Yes I have had to rip out some (many) rows of work. But I love this yarn so it's not a problem. However I have wanted to put some lace work around the edges to make it something special. I have been looking for the something lace work for a few months.

I found it today! It will be crochet but I can do that. It's from the Pin Wheel Sweater for Women
from elann. The Collection Lara. I can't wait.

Thank you Theresa for turning me on to elann.com

First I found the yarn for hubby's tallit and then the lace for my shawl. This site ROCKS

Current Mood: ecstatic

I have just ordered the yarn for Jan's tallit. Now I just have to wait until it gets here so I can start.

Everyone knows how I love soft yarn. So, I ordered Peruvian Baby Cashmere. Can you think of anything that could be softer?

For my knitting friends I ordered 12 balls @0.88 oz each. That should be enough.
I can do this " 'cause it's only knitting" (Thanks Theresa)

("Oh babe, ..... has gotten into me.") LOL

Current Mood: excited

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

The school year is over !!!!!

I have a new assignment for next year.
Instead of teaching 7th grade I will be teaching 8th grade.
Than means I will have the same students I had this year... again. :(
I have to change rooms too. Bummer

But,to keep me happy I am being given a bribe. The bribe is pretty good.
Since I teach both Science and Social Studies my needs/wants/dreams are a little different.

1. I have been promised lab tables. It is easier to teach Social Studies at lab tables than it is to teach Science in desks.

2. I have been promised a new smart room. That means all kinds of technology.

3. I get to teach US government and US Constitution during this history making Pres. Election.

Like I said, I am being bribed.

As many of you know I teach Middle School. (Jr. High)

Last night was 8th grade graduation. For many reasons I will not go into 8th grade graduation is not one of my favorite events.

Last night was different. This was a great graduation. If you have been to a graduation in the last decade or so you know that they can be loud and at times disrespectful occasions.

Last night the students, the Parents and the families (Most often the loud people) were well behaved and polite.

Everyone gave the ceremony the dignity and respect that a graduation deserves. It was really very nice!

Current Mood: cheerful

I have been wandering around Ravelry looking at all the wonderful patterns.
I can across this thread (?) about a knitted tallit. A Jewish prayer shawl.

So I started doing some research into could this be done? Is it kosher?
I found out that there are no rules against knitting a tallit. There are rules about mixing materials or fibers. But a knitted tallit is kosher.

I mentioned the idea to hubby. It was just an idea. Something I was thinking about maybe for myself.

He LOVES the idea and wants me to make it for him.

So here I sit trying to decide. This project will need to be 36 inches wide and 72 inches long. That may not seem so big until you think 3 feet wide and 6 feet long. OMG

Then there is the whole, what yarn thing to figure out. It needs to be light weight because it will be worn in Sept. mostly, when it is HOT here in the mid west. So maybe lace weight? 3 feet wide and 6 feet long in lace weight yarn?

Then I need to figure out what I want in a pattern. Hubby thinks a nice cable down one side would be nice. That's 6 feet of cable.

I checked out a few sites. There don't seem to be any patterns for hand knit tallit. There are patterns for knitting machines. But that doesn't really help me.

I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew here. It's not that it would be hard to make. It's just HUGE.

Current Location: Home
Current Mood: confused

It's a wonderful day. I am looking at the start of a three day weekend. Nothing major to do for three whole days! ;) Hubby comes home tonight. ;) Life is good.

It is strange. When my hubby is out of town all I want to do is be a hermit. I go to work and I come home. Tzurriz wants me to come to dinner tomorrow and I tell her I'll think about it. It's really nice to be wanted. So why is my plan always to stay home??? HMMMMMMM

Anyway, I got tagged so here we go:

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
10 years ago I was teaching and working on finishing my Masters. I had one daughter in college and one getting ready to go.

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today - not in any particular order?
Grade some papers, knit, play cello, play with the cats and wait for hubby to call

3. Snacks I enjoy:
Chocolate anything

4. Places I've lived:
Garden Grove Ca, San Jose Ca, Mountain View Ca, Freemont Ca, Riverside Ca, Homer Township Il, Country Club Hills, Il, Flossmoor Il (anybody see a pattern here?)

5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1st I would retire!!! Then I would play. I would play with my family and travel.

Current Mood: lazy

To all the Mothers out there

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!!!

If you have ever loved a child you have filled the role of a mother.
If you have kissed a scraped knee, shared a laugh, held a scared hand, you have mothered a child.
If you have been there in a moment of need, a moment of encouragement or just a moment of friendship, you have mothered a child.

Here is to all of us, who have loved a child.