PinkPurlGrrl

What's New?

This is the first banner I have ever made.  I'm not sure I love it, but I thought I'd stick it out there for everybody to see. 

So, what do you think?

Yes that is my great big head (well, most of it anyway - some is missing).  In person I am not a bug-eyed kook, just a regular kind of kook. 

Why I credit Stephanie at the top of the blog: Stephanie Perl McPhee is a great writer, a humble knitter, and a namer of washing machines.  I so love her book(s) and her blog that I took an afternoon off work to go see her talk about bookbookbook and try to get a signed copy.  In my copy (and probably in many others) she wrote "Obsession is not a bad thing."  Now, I love permission - so I took that permission and ran with it.  My obsession for knitting and all things fibery has bloomed, and my confidence has grown.  So thanks Stephanie, for all the humor and encouragement.

I Support Gay Marriage So Much I Went Out And Married One

borrowed from Norma

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, liposuction and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans...
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Re-post this if you believe in legalizing gay marriage

1) Being gay is not natural. Real Americans always reject unnatural things like eyeglasses, polyester, liposuction and air conditioning.

2) Gay marriage will encourage people to be gay, in the same way that hanging around tall people will make you tall.

3) Legalizing gay marriage will open the door to all kinds of crazy behavior. People may even wish to marry their pets because a dog has legal standing and can sign a marriage contract.

4) Straight marriage has been around a long time and hasn't changed at all; women are still property, blacks still can't marry whites, and divorce is still illegal.

5) Straight marriage will be less meaningful if gay marriage were allowed; the sanctity of Britney Spears' 55-hour just-for-fun marriage would be destroyed.

6) Straight marriages are valid because they produce children. Gay couples, infertile couples, and old people shouldn't be allowed to marry because our orphanages aren't full yet, and the world needs more children.

7) Obviously gay parents will raise gay children, since straight parents only raise straight children.

8) Gay marriage is not supported by religion. In a theocracy like ours, the values of one religion are imposed on the entire country. That's why we have only one religion in America.

9) Children can never succeed without a male and a female role model at home. That's why we as a society expressly forbid single parents to raise children.

10) Gay marriage will change the foundation of society; we could never adapt to new social norms. Just like we haven't adapted to cars, the service-sector economy, or longer life spans...
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Re-post this if you believe in legalizing gay marriage

SPiffy SP Gifties!

Thank you Super Secret Pal!  Your timing is impeccable, and your gift selection is spot-on.  I came home yesterday, tired and down...but I found someone had thought of me and sent me a wonderful little frog card with a magnet and a note referencing good things to come.  It feels so good to know that someone spent time finding something I might like - considering favorite colors and animals.  Thank you for  your kindness and great timing.  I have spent the last week starting and frogging (how appropriate) pair after pair of socks, and my knitterly mojo is off.  I now have the gumption to begin again. 

Secret Pal

This is my first time joining a Secret Pal ring, and so far it's been pretty nice.  The person I am spoiling received her first package this week.  I liked seeing her response on her blog, I liked getting a thank you email, but the best was stepping outside of my world and thinking about the wants and wishes of someone who is very different from me.  I think it is the suspension of the self that is the best gift for the person doing the spoiling.   I have made someone happy, just because.  That is a nice thing to think on during the middle of an otherwise non-descript day.

I don't usually post these, but...

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Muckin Funday

I needed to come back to work to recover from my weekend.  There was a lot of running around, cooking, gardening, and visiting done over the past two days.  Saturday morning a friend hosted us for high tea, she baked all kinds of treats and we sat around drinking tea, nibbling, and knitting (OK, that was just me) for hours.  We took the same friend to a local sale yesterday and bought the place out.  Saturday night we hosted another friend for dinner - I cooked as if I thought a dozen were coming.  Nice to know I won't have to cook much for the next few days.

Next Saturday is the Senior Group Auction.  I'm volunteering at the event and will go to training on Wednesday.  BLING is attending the dinner and will sit at a table our neighborhood group has reserved.  I am really excited to see how much we can raise (I especially want to see how much my beloved Birch goes for).  The dinner is catered and looks to be pretty good.  I have to be a good girl and watch my pennies this week so we can bid on things and contribute to the cause.

TV - well, I'm still watching.  My interest in Threshold is still high, Friday's episode was really well done.  I caught the premier of Desperate Housewives (I like Terri Hatcher's character less and less, she need to be a parent to her daughter - not the other way around), overall the episode was good and tied up two loose ends from last season's finale.  Also watched the medical drama that comes on after DH (BLING - what's it called...bad brain moment) - feels a little angsty, but I liked it OK.  Finally caught up with the new Martha Stewart Apprentice, which I liked very much.  I had DVR'd it and watched it Friday.  A couple of the boys on the show are real pains in the pin-cushion - but I liked the first challenge.  Her letter at the end was a bit much - but hey, she's Martha Stewart.  Sometimes she needs to be a bit of an anachronism, it makes her progressive moments that much better.

Knitting - get to the point already!!!  I have cast on and ripped out the start of 3 different socks.  I picked up the waterfall scarf and made some progress but the pattern just isn't coming to me and I keep royally messing it up.  Nothing is making me happy - but I need to be knitting something.  Maybe I'll stop by Acorn Street this afternoon at lunch and see what's there.  I could pick up yarn for the raspberry hat for the pending baby (not mine!), or some size 10 dpn's for the Kureon Karp.  Maybe I'll fondle some Noro Silk Garden and think about holiday presents.  Any opinions?

Keep on Keeping on...

Nerves-nerves-nerves today.  Primary day - good day to stand on a corner and wave signs at passing cars.  I'm thinking I could throw a canvas tote over my arm with sock yarn in it, hold the signs at an angle in the crook of my armpit - and knit socks?

Oh heavens, where is my dedication.  OK, no knitting while waving at strangers.

The polls close in 5.5 hours, I hope the results come in quick.  We are a smallish city.  Ack.

Knitting - that's what we are all here for isn't it?

Last night I made my goal and knit up to the heel on BLING's second red and black sock.  These are longish (but not knee) socks and should be good and warm for fall.  I bet I can turn the heel and work the gusset before bed tonight.   I also got around to downloading pictures of Birch on the lovely shoulder model Kate.  The nice people at ROWAN have granted me permission to donate it to the charity auction.  They don't make a practice of allowing goods knit from their patterns to be sold, but agreed this was a good cause and added hope for it to fetch a high dollar.  Thanks Rowan!

So - nobody watches TV?  I didn't get even a nibble on that last post.  OK - I'll catch you up on what you are missing.  Threshold ROCKS!  It had both BLING and I on the edge of our seats.  I am left with a racing heart and overwhelming urge to yell "Then what happened?"  Surface was OK, and if it isn't up against anything special I'll watch it - but it didn't sell me last night.  Tonight I'll say goodbye to a surprisingly good way to spend summer hiatus: RockStar INXS .  I was really rooting for Susie, but I am a realist and can see that it just wasn't going to happen.  Mig is pretty, JD is an ass (but he writes good songs), I'll probably shift loyalty to Marty. 

Now go out there and watch some TV!

TGI Monday

BLING's socks: FINISHED

Birthday socks: FINISHED

Muppet Fur scarf: FINISHED (I know, I know - but it's just so darned soft and so darned purple I couldn't help myself.)

Hurricane Relief Dinner: SUCCESS - we fed over 50 people and raised somewhere in the neighborhood of $2000.00.

House: CLEANED (well, mostly)

AND I meal planned AND I did the grocery shopping AND I took care of a sick BLING who needed some TLC and a warm hat.

Oh yeah, I'm all that - I just don't have any pictures to prove it.  Tonight, a nice dinner, some picture taking, and down to the heel of BLING's other socks (that have been on needles for at least 2 months).

So - what TV is exciting you this week?

One Pair Down

I was a good girl and finished a pair of socks last night.  I used the Feather and Fan pattern from Socks, Socks, Socks! and KnitPicks Dancing in the Jig colorway (in the photo a couple of posts back it's the blue/yellow/green sock).  I had finished the first sock on the flight to San Francisco in August, but didn't have a tapestry needle on me so I did a loose double needle bind off and pulled that out last night to do a proper kitchner stitch.  They look pretty good, but the colors are so contrasty you can't really appreciate the pattern.  I liked this sock much better in Lorna's Laces.  I am going to try some different KnitPicks sock yarn, but probably won't use the Dancing again.

Pluses to KP Dancing - it is very stretchy/bouncy and a great price.  If it washes up well I would consider it for kiddie socks (growing feet).

Here is a GOODIE for you - a live web cam trained on a pond in Botswana!  It is on the National Geographic web site, and it totally rocks.  A few minutes ago two jackals were cruising around the pond (it's about 9:00pm there) and they threw back their heads and yipped and sang!

I'm the What?

In life, we all have goals.  Sometimes you even know what your goals are; sometimes you only know part of the story and get the joy of surprising yourself.

Yesterday was Library Board (meeting 2/year 2 of 4 year appointment).  I had a goal for this meeting, my goal was to not be suggested/nominated/elected as Board Secretary.  That is a good goal, I've been Acting Secretary for months, almost a year now.  I was more than ready to let go of that task and hand it to the next person.  I accomplished that goal, I am not the Board Secretary.

However -

I will be the Board Chair.  See, that is the surprise part.  I had no idea that was a goal, but there I was saying I'd be honored to serve the Board in that capacity.  Who knew I had it in me.  Today the Library Board, tomorrow - well, let's just see about tomorrow.