after 371 days

Today did not exactly end as I expected . . .     We had not yet seen Pirates of the Caribbean (2) and when I checked the listings while at work yesterday, it was no longer showing during the afternoons in H'burg, but it was in G'port. So we made a plan to go down there today. Son#1 came along. Great, fun flick. Then we went to Applebee's. Not sure about hubby & son, but my supper was really good and it was the fastest I have ever been served in an Applebee's!     The unexpected happened when we left the restaurant. Hubby turned not left, toward home, but right, heading toward the beach. My heart sank. He did ask me if I wanted him to turn around, but I said it was okay. He wanted to see for himself. He's been over south of New Orleans (Hopedale), where there is nothing left, he's been in Chalmette, where there is nothing left... he wanted to drive by Beach Road over to Bay Saint Louis. (Well, you can't get to BSL any more from Beach Road, duh. I think we knew that, but had forgotten.)     As so many others have noted, it is almost impossible to know where you are, to know even where things *used* to be. When we got to the USMMGCC, I was truly shocked at the amount of missing buildings. To see empty lot after empty lot, where the grandest and the simplest of beach homes used to stand, and only a very few with even a FEMA trailer sitting upon either sandy ground or bare slab, even fewer rebuilt or even signs of rebuilding...     There is no way to express the sadness and regret, most of all for the lost memories. It's the same feeling I had in 1989, when I came to MS to visit my parents and see the new house they were building where my grandparents home had stood. I was very happy for them, and the new house was great, but at one point I had to excuse myself. I walked around the end of the fence, hidden from everyone and cried my eyes out. What I felt, however, is infinitesimal to what the people of the Gulf Coast have had to endure.     To write about something else now seems thoughtless. Cyn

oh what a beautiful morning

    For the first time (that I recall) since I returned from Mexico, the warm sunshine has been accompanied by not hot air and wind, but cool. It actually felt a bit refreshing this morning at 7am when I left for work/school. And even during the heat of the day the breeze was cool. Tonight the temperature has dropped to the low 70s. I am so ready for the beautiful fall southern weather to arrive!     This morning I submitted my application to the School of Library & Information Science at USM for the masters program. I have one more section of the online application to submit to the Grad Studies office and I will have that finished. The requests for letters of submission were delivered today as well. As soon as the envelopes are ready for me to pick up, I'll be sending off the application to TWU. That online application is already finished but needs to be officially submitted. Then all that is left to do is take the GRE.     However, the paperwork to resolve the degree requirement issues for my RELBA is just beginning. I have about 5 or 6 weeks to determine whether I can drop classes or will be able to finish for the second major.     Needless to say, I am a little bummed. I seem to recall a post back in the spring about waiting for the other shoe to drop... at the moment, no enthusiasm for classwork, stitching or much else either. But, "this too shall pass." Cyn

reclaiming identity

"Cynclair" is an online identity which I had for a good many years in the '90s. It is a reference to My Captain, Jeffery Sinclair of Babylon 5. I don't remember how I lost it, but an "Old Friend" lamented the change at the time. B5 was over & I felt I had moved on, but now I am missing the nick, so the first step to reclaim it is re-establishing my blog under http://cynclair.blogspot.com . I think I will try to get my other IDs back to it as well. Cyn

grrrroan

Sigh.     My dear advisor doesn't come to campus on Tuesday. I must wait one more day to find out if I can even begin to resolve the issues with the RELBA. S'okay. I'm trying not to worry. The good news today is that three of the four people I have asked (haven't asked the fourth yet) to write letters of recommendation for grad school for me have said yes... and very enthusiastically so.     I do hope that a research carrel becomes available soon. I didn't realize I would have so much free time on campus this semester or I would have applied earlier. I think I am third on the wait list.     The question of the day is... do I embarass myself by writing to the program director of our Spanish in Mexico program to inquire as to how my grade was determined? That B brought down my GPA a bit, and what I really want to know is why the quiz portion of my grade in one class is 13/30! The email address I have for our teacher in Mexico bounces, so my only way to contact her is through the PD.... I just don't know if I should bother. One the one hand, I'm happy to have survived the course and gotten a B. BUT, on the other hand, if the quiz grade is only half what it should be, I probably actually have an A. AND, what if I only make B's this semester in my Philosophy (Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Freud, Marx, Tolsoy, Dostoyevsky, OH MY!) and Judaism classes? If my GPS falls below 3.5 I won't graduate with high honors and all my thesis work will be for naught. GAWD! I sound like I'm 20 years old. Why the heck does it matter so much to me??     I think I need to knit a bit tonight.... and that's something else I need/want to do: set up some knit sessions on campus for KniTibet. I should probably go to the Amnesty International meeting Thursday. I'm hoping to get one or two one campus organizations to sponsor the drive for caps & scarves & mittens. LC

disappointments loom

#1 trouble meeting requirements for the religion major.     Well, I thought I had checked and double-checked, but it turns out I am a couple courses short of the core requirements for College of Arts & Letters. Now if I'm very lucky, I can wrangle the substitutions, but there's a REAL good chance that I'll come up two courses short. #2 false advertising.     Ever since my friend, Laura (in DC), wrote that she is buying a Toyota Prius and I then saw the MPG, I've been toying with the idea of checking them out. Then yesterday, driving home from Sunday dinner, hubby says, "Maybe what I should do is buy you that car and I'll drive the truck." Well, what he was talking about is a cute little blue convertible PT Cruiser at the local Chrysler dealership. But I told him if he was really serious about buying a car, we ought to look at something with better gas mileage. Of course the PT is about $5K less than the Prius.     So, last night I got online and found the local Toyota dealers and checked for Prius in stock. Bunches came up, so today I drove over to the lot on my break and lo, and behold -- NOT ONE Prius!     First, the salesman acts like no, there aren't any listings online. Then he says they are what are coming in to dealerships all over the area. THEN he says that those are all sold. BY.NOW.I'M.GETTING.PISSED.     Which is it? Available or sold?? I do not like to be given the run-around. I do not being treated like I am stupid. And I do not being lied to. "Guess you aren't going to sell a car, then." As I was getting in the car to leave, he asked, almost as an afterthought, if I wanted him to find out when one was due in. "No, if you can't be any more honest than that on the website, I'll just buy something else."     Then, my son was admonishing me for "yelling" at the salesman -- which I wasn't-- for blaming the salesman for something that wasn't his fault -- which I wasn't... it is Toyota's fault, but at that moment he was the representative of the company and that's part of the job to take the flack for what the company does. AND beside, I was very nice.     You have to wonder if it (buying a vehicle to save on gas) is really fiscally sound anyway: car payment (AND interest), insurance, tag registration,(and in MS) ad valorum tax. There goes your savings at the gas pumps for how many weeks? Years??? So, Laura, good luck with your purchase. I think TPTB are telling me it's not the right vehicle or not the right time. LC p.s. To be fair, I went back to the website () just now. The (only four now) Prius are marked as "available," and the footnote indicates that "A status of 'Available' means the vehicle is available to the dealership from a virtual pool of vehicles, but is not on the lot. Please contact the dealership to confirm vehicle availability." So WHY didn't the salesman know that??

sunday nights

    Ah... Sunday night before a new week of classes. For some people it is despressing, for me, at least tonight, it's a calm feeling. Weekend has been busy. I finally have the survey for my thesis study uploaded and ready for the student participant. I only await the IRB approval to release it.     Most people who know me, know that my two favorite types of food are Mexican and Italian. Unfortunately, Friday night, the meatballs and spaghetti did NOT agree with me. By 6am, I was hugging the toilet. So, I doubt I'll have a taste for Italian for a good while.     Seems I spent the weekend well, but can't make much of a tally to show for it. Most importantly, the list of To-Do's for tomorrow. I can't believe this is the LAST episode of Deadwood. LC

gonna love these no-class fridays

    I can hardly hold my eyes open, but I've had a very productive day and evening. I wrote a page for the MSNA newsletter, updated both my resume and my personal statement/essay for grad school applications, and... ta-dah... got my sleep study survey uploaded to the internet! It is ready to go as soon as I get the final okay from IRB.     Unfortunately no stitching or knitting of any kind, but I did get side-tracked in my Needle Arts magazines for a while this afternoon. With all the years of beading and knitting, I forget sometimes how much I love embroidery. So many things to take pleasure in, so little time. G'nite, LC

won't do. won't do!

    Thursday is my short day; home by one o'clock. Even though I was in bed before ten last night, I was extremely drowsy driving home and went directly to the couch to nap. It is now half past five, and I am just waking up! This will NOT do at all.     Neither will spending too much time on the computer, so.... "later, tater!" LC

remember the magic mirror?

    Today was the first day of the new semester, and even though I did not have classes, #2Son did, and I had errands to take care of on campus so I drove him. It was a good choice, as my errands each took longer than expected, i.e., there wouldn't be enough time to do them on a day when I do have classes. But the best thing was seeing people I know. I felt a little like Miss Nancy from Romper Room: "I see Susan, and Paula, and JohnL,
and Diana, and Jeremiah, and Dan, and Cody,
and Halima, and Cathy, and Patrick, and Walter."     The errands were all concerning graduation and grad school. I've changed my primary major from psychology to religion, so I can "walk" for the religion degree. As for grad school, I think my heart wants to go to TWU, but I'll probably end up at USM. According to the information I received today in the mail from TWU, you have to have already been accepted at TWU before submitting for financial aid (not that it makes much sense... I'm hoping it only means they won't award it until then).     I have exactly 72 days to complete (the final draft) my thesis! I am afraid this semester is going to pass much too quickly. LC

learn-a-bit, knit-a-bit

    School is about to begin, and along with all the other things running willy-nilly in my feeble little brain is KniTibet. I need to review everything I wrote last year about the project, confirm it all and get the website updated. I am hoping to get some sponsorship from one or two of the student organizations, and to start a "lessons for contribution" program on or just-off campus.     So, along that vein, last night I cast-on for a prototype hooded scarf. During lunch Tuesday, a friend mentioned a very simple style hooded scarf that she crochets. I got to thinking that perhaps this would be a good idea for the children. Only one item to keep up with, but which serves multiple purposes, not the least of which would be as a teaching tool.     I'm not a big fan of seamed up hats (just a personal preference... silly me; I'd rather wrangle with double-points). My idea is to start off with the simplest of cast-ons and garter stitch (on straight needles), then add some patterning with purl stitches. That would teach not just the purl stitch, but practice at "reading" one's knitting and perhaps using markers. If the hood needs to be (and I think it will) a bit wider that the scarf, viola, increasing. Then they can either learn decreasing and continue in the pattern and then the garter border to the end, or perhaps set that piece aside, make a second just like it and learn to kitchner. I have been making tapes of the Knitty Gritty shows, so I could cue up some of those demonstrations if we met in the media library.     I have some Debbie Bliss Merino Aran that I bought on sale at San Antonio several years ago. But, with our limited access to (reasonably priced) wool around here, they may end up with Lion Brand's Fisherman wool. The white will be pretty bland, but it could always be dyed later for another learning experience.     Well, just some ponderings when, of course, I should have my mind on other matters.     Oh! And to anyone who has written to me through the KniTibet address, my sincerest apologies. I just today stumbled across the password and regained access to the account. Between Hurricane Katrina and the cancellation of our planned 2006 trip to Tibet, I certainly dropped the needles and the stitches on this one. But I am confident it will be successful in the end. LC

baby's got 'em

    What's the best thing about losing weight? My doctor, of course, would say my improved (current and future) health, but we all KNOW that it's B U Y I N G     N E W     C L O T H E S ! ! !     Except.... when the your new skirts (purchased just two weeks ago and not even worn because you didn't shaved your legs) are now too big? Don't throw out those 12s, Rissa -- I may fit into them yet!     So, what's a girl to do?? Buy new shoes, of course! ¿Estamos bailando todavía?     I need a fancy pair of shoes for the EGA banquets, and I think these will do nicely. When I was trying them on for the second time, this sweet young girl told me they looked very pretty on my feet... bless her little heart! I just *had* to buy them after that. I do already have a red dress, but I'd really like to find something a bit fancier. Or maybe just fancy-up the one I have. Still a good many weeks to figure out that one. It's a good-news-bad-news kind of situation as far as wanting to keep losing weight and wanting to fit the clothes I have recently bought!     Good news from the doctor today. Glucose was 81, BP was 127/81. He wants to do a fasting blood test for cholesterol to see if treating the diabetes has lowered it. At the same time he will check the AC1 for the past three months. I'll do that one day next week -- he said there was no reason to "stick" me twice.     So much for my day. Now I want to knit just a bit and then go to bed. Gotta start getting some more sleep. Those 8am workdays are going to be starting much too soon. LC

150 things, done and undone

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink -- there were only two of us though. 02. Swam with wild dolphins -- before it was "In" and not in an artificial environment. 03. Climbed a mountain 04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive 05. Been inside the Great Pyramid 06. Held a tarantula 07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone 08. Said 'I love you' and meant it 09. Hugged a tree 10. Bungee jumped 11. Visited Paris 12. Watched a lightning storm at sea 13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise -- many times! 14. Seen the Northern Lights << this one's on my do before I die list 15. Gone to a huge sports game -- Superbowl II - Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders with my dad. 16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa 17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables -- hubby grew; I ate. 18. Touched an iceberg 19. Slept under the stars 20. Changed a baby's diaper 21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon 22. Watched a meteor shower 23. Gotten drunk on champagne 24. Given more than you can afford to charity 25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope. 26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment 27. Had a food fight 28. Bet on a winning horse 29. Asked out a stranger 30. Had a snowball fight 31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly could 32. Held a lamb 33. Seen a total eclipse 34. Ridden a roller coaster 35. Hit a home run 36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking 37. Adopted an accent for an entire day 38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment -- many times! 39. Had two hard drives for your computer 40. Visited all 50 states << only 39, so far 41. Taken care of someone who was shit faced 42. Had amazing friends 43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country 44. Watched wild whales 45. Stolen a sign 46. Backpacked in Europe 47. Taken a road-trip 48. Gone rock climbing 49. Midnight walk on the beach 50. Gone sky diving 51. Visited Ireland 52. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love 53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them 54. Visited Japan 55. Milked a cow 56. Alphabetized your cds 57. Pretended to be a superhero 58. Sung karaoke 59. Lounged around in bed all day 60. Posed nude in front of strangers 61. Gone scuba diving 62. Kissed in the rain 63. Played in the mud 64. Played in the rain 65. Gone to a drive-in theater 66. Visited the Great Wall of China 67. Started a business 68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken 69. Toured ancient sites. 70. Taken a martial arts class 71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight 72. Gotten married 73. Been in a movie 74. Crashed a party 75. Gotten divorced 76. Gone without food for 5 days 77. Made cookies from scratch 78. Won first prize in a costume contest 79. Ridden a gondola in Venice 80. Gotten a tattoo 81. Gone white water rafting 82. Been on television news programs as an "expert" 83. Got flowers for no reason 84. Performed on stage 85. Been to Las Vegas 86. Recorded music 87. Eaten shark 88. Had a one-night stand 89. Gone to Thailand 90. Bought a house 91. Been in a combat zone 92. Buried one/both of your parents 93. Been on a cruise ship 94. Spoken more than one language fluently 95. Performed in Rocky Horror 96. Raised children. -- should be "raising children" cause it never ends. 97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour 98. Created and named your own constellation of stars 99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country 100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over 101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge 102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking 103. Had plastic surgery 104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived. 105. Wrote articles for a large publication 106. Lost over 100 pounds 107. Held someone while they were having a flashback 108. Piloted an airplane 109. Petted a stingray 110. Broken someone's heart 111. Helped an animal give birth 112. Won money on a T.V. game show 113. Broken a bone 114. Gone on an African photo safari 115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced 116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol 117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild 118. Ridden a horse 119. Had major surgery 120. Had a snake as a pet 121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours 123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states 124. Visited all 7 continents 125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 126. Eaten kangaroo meat 127. Eaten sushi 128. Had your picture in the newspaper 129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about 130. Gone back to school 131. Parasailed 132. Petted a cockroach 133. Eaten fried green tomatoes 134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey 135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read 136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 137. Skipped all your school reunions 138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language 139. Been elected to public office 140. Written your own computer language 141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream 142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care 143. Built your own PC from parts 144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you 145. Had a booth at a street fair 146: Dyed your hair 147: Been a DJ 148: Shaved your head 149: Caused a car accident 150: Saved someone's life

katrina on my mind

    As the one-year anniversary of Katrina approaches, I find myself thinking about it a lot. Perhaps most people around here are doing the same, I don't know. Although I have not yet been able to bring myself to return to the Coast, I spent two days last week at the APA convention in downtown New Orleans.     There is an eerie (not scarey, eerie) atmosphere there, which is really difficult to explain. Very few people are on the streets, even fewer working and hardly any vehicles. We left downtown at 6pm on Friday night and did not hit a bit of traffice until we were east of Chalmette! Many places downtown are still closed -- as is nearly everything east of New Orleans. Some businesses are gone entirely (like Nawlin's Cookery), but we drove out Dauphine on our way out of town Friday and it was good to see some familar places open, and in the same places (like Mulates, The Central Grocery and Cafe du Monde -- although we personally don't care for the beignets at the latter). There are also new and unfamiliar shops and restaurants. There are also lots of dumpsters for the debris as clean-up and remodeling continues.     On Thursday evening we drove out toward the lake (Pontchartrain) to see how badly Joe's Crab Shack had been hit. Nothing appears to have been done yet towards reopening the restaurant. The road along the shore is damaged in several places. The high water marks are still quite visible on most of the houses along the boulevard. FEMA trailers and dumpsters sit on many properties. It is sad to see, but at least they have something to rebuild from... the MS Gulf Coast is not so fortunate. I have heard more than one person say that it doesn't look as if anything has been done at all on the Coast, as if Katrina hit just recently and not almost 12 months ago.     Wednesday night I saw a "coffee-table" book of Katrina pictures that I really want to buy. One of the reason is that there are many more photos of the MS coast in this one and not just NOLA like most of the ones I have seen previously.     And for those who might have missed the news, the Beau Rivage resort has chosen the anniversary as their reopening. Whenever the Coast is rebuilt it will have an even more different face than the new New Orleans seems to be getting... I imagine only hotels and casinos in their future, not houses. LC

more feline weirdness

from my cats... Nero likes to chew on the little flip-flops they put on your feet after you get a pedicure. Last week I bought a pair of regular flip-flops at Walgreens, but they were make of the same kind of foam as the pedicure flippies. I accidentally left them in the living room on Thursday night. Then I didn't notice when I put them on Friday morning, but he had chewed the heels of one and the toes of the other overnight. Looked really charming at the APA convention that day! Sasha is a true female: she loves sweets and especially chocolate. Now,I know that you aren't supposed to give cats and dogs chocolate, but every time someone has any kind of sugary treat she comes running. She knows the sound of a Hershey kiss being unwrapped, or any other candy wrapper. And, as I mentioned before, she loves to play with the ball of foil. She will drag candy wrappers out of the trash basket in the living room to play with, and she especially likes the shiny mylar kind. We love to watch her 'dance' with her toy. Their water bowl used to be in the kitchen, beside the food bowls -- of which there has to be two so they don't fight. However, it was moved to the laundry room because they kept spilling it onto the kitchen. Before we moved it though, we had gotten in the habit of putting ice cubes in it whenever we got ice out of the fridge (that's not what started the playing/spilling of the water though). As funny as it was to see them play with the ice cube, it is even funnuier now when they come running to the kitchen whenever someone gets ice out of the fridge. Poor babies. LC

toys: how cats and kids are alike

    We have three (indoor) cats -- only one of which we would consider psychologically normal -- and each one has a favorite toy. Not a store-bought toy, however, or even a lovely handmade one like the felted ball someone sweet made for them. No, they like best a few things that most anyone would have around the house.     Sasha likes balls of paper, in particular, balls of foil candy wrappers. Brickle like string, especially shoe strings. For Nero is has been straws, but now we have discovered something that he just goes nuts over: red laser light.     We discovered this a few months ago, but recently #1Son bought some kind of flashlight with a laser. Shine it on the floor, furniture or wall, and Nero is chasing it with the energy of a manic kitten. #1Son lets him play with the laser every night when he gets home from work, and now Nero also turns with anticipation whenever #1Son comes into the living room from anywhere else in the house at practically any time of the day or night. Tonight we even caught him sitting looking at the flashlight on the end table. I've got to try to get at least a few seconds of video of these antics.     So just like with children, we have often spent money on toys, but they (our cats at least) alway seem to have more fun playing with the packaging! LC, asleep at the keyboard

prodigal one returns

    Today I returned to work in the library. Unfortunately not as a full-time employee, but in my former position as a student assistant. It was a long day (longer than I used to work at one stretch), but it was nice to be back. There are fewer patrons over intersission/break, of course, so I can ease back into the routine. There have been a lot of changes in the last 5 months with regard to what is in our area, so I have things to learn -- most everything is the same though. My supervisor(s) are such wonderful ladies. I really missed them.     I want to knit, but I have so many things to do... It is already 9:00pm, though, and I am very tired. So, perhaps just a few rows while I wind down and ponder what items on my never-ending to-do list have the highest priority for tomorrow. And Deadwood has just begun, so I'll be up at least an hour. LC

more matters of size

ooo! ooo! ooo!     Now tonight I am really excited.     We went down the road to Home Depot tonight (did I ever mention how much I despise HD??) to get carpet padding. They didn't have any carpet padding and the carpet wasn't where the greeter at the door even said it was and the woman sitting in the 'design' area ignored us while, as per usual, all the HD employees deftly disappeared. I hate HD like most people hate WM.     Needless to say we left, intending to go all 25 miles back up the interstate to home, plus the 50 more north to the Lowe's (did I ever mention that I live one-half to one-full hour from any decent shopping??). However, I suggested that we could go to Lowe's tomorrow night and hit Hudson's tonight while we were close. No one EVER has to twist hubby's arm to go to Hudson's! Boy, am I glad we chose the latter!     There were very few women's clothes, but what was there worked out wonderfully for me. Most people seem to leave the silks and wools, and I love to snatch them up off the 75-80% racks. Tonight I scored a pair of beautiful red silk "grasscloth" (with silk lining) slacks... size 12s... no elastic waistband... no stretch fabric... that fit perfectly!! Two 3/4-length sleeve cardigans and two silk tops completed my clothing purchases.     As for hubby's cache, well, Rissa... neither Ben or Rodger can "go to Hudson's any more."     Now, to go try on those slacks for hubby's approval. >>wink-wink<< LC

changing course

A few days after I visited Teotihuacan I put up as my desktop this photograph which I took that afternoon: But, with my Spanish classes completed, my thoughts are turning to the next study-abroad trip I hope to take. Tonight I changed my desktop photo back to one of my favorite photographs of Tibet. The greens are so soothing: I hope it will not be too long before I can once again set in motion the KniTibet project. LC

breaktime

    Summer classes are over, and I have one whole week (!) to relax and piddle around the house before I go to back to work at the library over the break. Yesterday and today I managed to get a little housework done. And organized my old class notes and papers now that the semesters are over. Getting ready for the new one. And some knitting. And, hm... well, just odds and ends I guess.     Like tracking down the which hotel in Saint Augustine we stayed the last time we were there. Unfortuately, it took all afternoon. But, now I know the name.     As for the knitting, I've been working on a hat for the premature baby of an acquaintance. The first one was too small, but the second one is good, I think. And today I started a third, just because I wanted to try a little fuzzy thread with what I'd been using. Which is LB's Microspun. I pulled it out of my stash because I knew it would be very soft to the skin of the baby, and easy to care for by the mom.    Am still (slowly) losing weight, so I hope that my sugar is good when I get back to the doctor. I have an appointment soon. The size 14 capris I bought before I went to Mexico are loose, so I went to buy 12s -- they really didn't seem that much smaller, so I tried on the 10s. I like the way they fit, so I bought a couple pair. Admittedly, these are stretch capris, so I can't be that excited. Especially since I also bought two size 16 skirts that weren't stretch or elastic.     I picked up an underbed storage box for the tops and slacks that are too big, so that's a project for tomorrow. Late in the week, the plan is to get all the furniture out of the bedroom and finish painting it (don't ask), so over the weekend we can put down the new carpet.     Laundry calls. Had to rewash hubby's clean clothes that the cats pissed all over while they were sitting in the laundry room waiting to be folded. Cats are crazy.... LC

katrina +320

    After nearly 11 months, we have the living room back to normal at last. My father replaced all the carpet in his house back in the spring and gave us what they took up. Only one room in his house had been damaged during the storm, so the rest of the carpet was in fairly good shape. About two weeks ago, hubby and the two sons were finally all home (& well) at the same time so they went to Dad's to pick up it up. Yesterday, again, everyone was home (& awake) so we got the biggest piece put down in the living room and all the furniture back where it belongs. The best piece will probably go in our bedroom. I'd love to replace what is in the hallways, too, but I don't know if the sizing will match.     The cats were so funny inspecting the changes. The new/old furniture arrangement was like some kind of obstacle course for the first couple hours. But what was really amusing was how the female immediately seemed to command ownership of the carpet, lying in the middle like royalty while the males remained at the edges on the bare floor -- carpet doesn't quite cover the whole floor. After a couple of hours though, all three were enjoying the comfort of the carpet.     During the afternoon and again today, I have been slowly returning books, CDs, videos, etc., to their proper places. I hope to be able to spend many of the coming vacation (from classes) days cleaning and organzing my house. The clutter has gotten beyond even my tolerance level -- which is saying A LOT. For the rest of today, however, it is back to Spanish. And a little more knitting, I hope. The tote is coming along nicely. Into the second ball (of five) yesterday.     I've received good news about my grades for the classes in Mexico. I got an A in one, and should have at least a B in the other. The A is a surprise.     Hasta, chicos! LC

¡está bien!

    Although it wasn't the firts PPT presentation I have created, it was the first one I got to truly present in the format. During spring semester I prepared one for my capstone course, but I wasn't able to get the equipement in the classroom to present it. It was all text anyway, so the handouts and oral was all I presented. However, the classroom in which we are having our Spanish class is fully equipped for multimedia presentations. Considering that it was impossible to practice in the environment I had to present versus on my own computer, I think it went pretty well.     Of course, something I suspected would happen did. The sound files were only linked from their location on my hard drive to the presentation file, so when I used a flash drive with the .ppt file on it in the classroom system, the sound wasn't linked any more. Fortunately, I had my computer with me, and played the song clips through it. Tonight I found out how to save it with the files embedded, now it is all together. She asked me to bring it back tomorrow, so now the music soundtrack will play as it should.     The best thing was that she told me it was the first time she had put "Música Indígena" on her list of presentation topics, and that she had learned a lot. And, she loved my handout: I made an activity sheet very much like she has been giving us on the topics she presents. One would think I was a teacher candidate! I plan to do an English translation of the presentation for my sister (who *is* a teacher), in case she would want to use it in her classes. She's an art teacher who seems to end up teaching more non-fine art but still artistic, enrichment-type classes.     I took a nice nap when I got home. Lord, the heat was oppressive today! But, I feel like I can relax just a little tonight. Reading the last few stories in the Legends of Mexico book for a report due on Friday, and hope to do a little knitting on the purple tote later tonight. LC

birthday weekend

    My birthday was Friday, and along with a beautiful handmade stained-glass dragonfly pin from my sweet husband, I have received many special surprises from my friends. These included Facebook messages from new friends in and from Mexico, which led me to photo albums and pictures of people and places I missed taking while there. Phone calls from family and friends. Special gifts from friends including special silvercloth bags for the sterling silver jewelry I bought in Taxco, MX, a book on European Ayurveda (which should go nicely with Mediterranean Diet), and some beautiful bead stitch markers! Upon my father's gift I type this message: a refurbished (but seeming brand new) Averatec laptop I bought to go to Mexico, which weights only 4 pounds and is now also great to carry to class. I had dinner with hubby and #2Son on Friday night, then with Rissa & Ben, and Lisa & Mark last night in Jackson. Friday night I was good, but last night I indulged in a small amount of pan-fried potatoes, the top of a garlic roll, and a portion of chocolate cake.     During the EGA meeting yesterday afternoon I tried to knit; only Lisa had remembered to bring her drawnwork project, so there wasn't a lot of teaching done. On the way home I manged not to make any more mistakes and got back to and beyond where I had been before I ripped on Wednesday night. Coming through H'burg, we stopped at Michael's and I found some size 8 circulars -- so with my new stitch markers placed at even intervals I should be able to just as easily keep track of the count to help avoid adding stitches and at the same time not be dropping them off the end of the DPs.     Today, however, it is back to the Spanish. My PowerPoint must be ready to present tomorrow morning, so... hasta luega, mis amigos! LC

foolishness

    Well, the library job listing had been removed by the time I double-checked on it this afternoon. At least I didn't look foolish going to ask the woman about it. Nothing else interesting posted today.     I did do something foolish last night. Got to the end of round ten on the Berroco Knitting Tote and had three extra stitches. After counting and recounting several times (it was late), I started frogging. Two rows back I found where I had failed to psso. That accounted for one extra stitch. I just KNEW in my heart that the other two stitches were on the cast-on row. Couldn't, however, convince my brain and fingers. It was ONLY two little stitches that would not have mattered one little bit in the end product. It would NOT affect the patterning; there wasn't even any reason to decrease. But stubborn idiot that I am, I kept taking it back and back and back. Then, of course, I dropped one of the cast-on stitches. So today, I started all over again. Am now halfway through round four and going to bed... after I play some HexicHD on #2Son's Xbox.     Did I mention I have a Spanish quiz tomorrow?? At least class isn't until 3pm. LC

catch 22 and all

    I find myself in a bit of a quandry lately, brought even more to mind with an email I received yesterday morning.     I am 11 hours shy of fulfilling my degree plan, and scheduled to take 12 hours in the fall semester which will complete my double major and minor hours. While the courses won't be terribly difficult, they are upper level courses, and will require a large time commitment. (Translation: read books, write papers,read books, write papers, read books, write papers.)     At the same time, my honors thesis will be due about mid-semester. I submitted approval papers for my study prior to leaving for Mexico and still have not received any further information. So, I have lost the opportunity to use the summer students for my project (which requires at least five weeks of participation).     Now, all this could be resolved nicely, if I pushed graduation til May... and the best possible way to do this would be to get hired into a full-time position at the university. [The reason why not just any full-time job would be as good a solution is the benefits available as a university employee.] While I was in Mexico, I checked the current job listing, and amazingly, there was an opening (a good one) at the library. Perfect. I applied, and also emailed my former supervisor to check on the situation. Then, my son let me know that I had been called for an interview the following Monday. Oops. Calls were made, messages left emails sent and received, but the short of it is that the person doing the hiring wanted to do so by the 21st, and I didn't return until the 26th.     So, once back in MS, I checked the listings again and found another position annouced for in the Honors College office -- unfortunately, the above mentioned email informed me that I am ineligible because I am enrolled the Honors College.     Now here's what keeps going round in my head: one of the primary reasons for considering a full-time job is to extend the time available for me to complete my thesis as a student of the Honors College. If I dropped out of Honors College, thereby being eligible to apply for the job, I would no longer need to extend the time to complete a thesis.     Now the weird part is that the library job is still in the listings. Yes, I will go make myself look foolish tomorrow morning by asking about it. Alert! Knitting content follows!     While in Mexico, I finished LB's Open-Mesh Market Bag -- I only wish I had a photograph of how it looked full of (first) all the fragile items I packed in it to carry onto the airplane, and (second) all the things Continental made me take out of my suitcase because it was over 50 pounds but then allowed me to carry onto the airplane. I swear, if it had been red instead of yellow, all the little kids would have thought I had Santa's pack!     A couple days ago, I finally cast-on for the Berroco Suede Knitting Tote (materials for which I carried all the way to Mexico and back, along with supplies for about four pairs of socks -- what was I thinking??) At 210 stitches per round, I'm going pretty slowly. It would be faster if I had size 8 circulars.... think I'll go check eBay. LC

you know you've been to a Spanish in Mexico immersion course when you

1. place your order in Spanish to the Popeye's cashier in the Houston airport simply because she was speaking Spanish to the patron before you. 2. the first thing you watch on television is "La Fea Mas Bella" -- but it's not nearly as much fun without your Mexican hijas to watch with you. 3. find you have to stop yourself from saying "gracias," "hola," and "salud," instead of "thank you," "hello," and "God bless you." 4. can't block out all the nearby conversations because for the first time in over a month you understand everything people around you are saying. 5. open the sports page of the local paper and are disappointed at the lack of World Cup coverage. 6. still throw toilet paper in the trash. to be continued... LC

interruption

    Interrupting my Mexico trip to note a sad discovery.     In the spring semester of 2005, I took a world geography class from a really compelling and funny professor who, during our study of Asia, showed the film Genghis Blues. This documentary followed the adventure of an American songwriter, Paul Pena (perhaps best know for writing Jet Airliner, made popular by Steve Miller Band in 1977) as he performed in a throat-singing competition in Tuva. In the summer, I rented the DVD so my husband could watch. Not only was the type of singing fascinating, but the scenery was spectacular.     So, the other day, I was playing the soundtrack and one particularly melancholy tune touched me. I thought it was French, but it is of Cape Verdian (islands off the coast of west Africa) and from Porteguese. Tonight I found the lyrics and the translation, but searching with Google revealed that Paul passed away on October 1st of 2005 from complications of his diabetes and pancreatitis.     Upon my discovery of the loss of this sensitive and talented man, I hope that someone will discovery not only his music, but the country of Tuva and its proud heritage. Here are some more links to help with the latter: Friends of Tuva, Wikipedia's entry on Tuva, and here's one more page of Tuva information. LC, raising a glass in honor

down-sizing

    What a strange 'eating' day I had today. Had my normal(school day) breakfast of scrambled eggs (2) and skim milk, adding a banana today, but then after my nine o'clock class I needed something to drink, and eneded up eating an early--and large--lunch of Chicken Asiago Salad and Fruit Salad (of which I only ate the grapes and brought the rest home to Rodger). Bought apple juice, but never drank it. It was a "big salad" and I was a little miserable in my next class.     Rodger and I had made plans this morning that we would go to Ryan's for a good supper tonight, since he now gets off from work much earlier. I worried after my large lunch that I wouldn't be hungry. I was wrong; well, it was more than five hours between the two meals with no snack! Had a short nap after John and I got home (with my feline sweetheart, Brickly, curled up beside me), and when Rodger got home he woke me and away we went.     It was a good meal, but I basicallly ate the same thing I always eat there (now): steak, vegetables and water. I didn't have more salad, and only a few grapes and a sugar-free cookie for dessert. Afterward, however, I felt unsatisfied. Much of the joy we used to have in eating out seems gone. Eating is now a chore most of the time. And I was feeling fairly frumped when we left.     We decided to drop by Hudson's so Rodger could get some more of the juice he bought last week. They didn't have any, but I strolled through the clothes looking for cotton fabric (rather than knit) tops for Mexico. I didn't find any tops, but they did have the stretch Capri pants that I've looked at but not yet bought. I grabbed several pair and tried them on... they were T O O B I G ! ! !     I had to go down a size and boy, did that ever surprise me. I had no idea that I'd lost enough weight to make that kind of differece. I did know that I was abel to wear some pants that a friend gave me last year that I hadn't been able to wear before, but this totally caught me off-guard. Needless to say, my frump disappeared.     There's more I wanted to write, but I've got to go to bed. LC

hot momma (or "hot, momma!")

The A/C is broken. It's rather hot for mid-April in Mississippi, in my opinion. And it's dry.dry.dry.dry. Someone (stupid) is setting brush fires along the interstate. "They" say it has not been this dry in 70 years. Don't know how "They" know that, but regardless, we could sure use some rain. The A/C is broken. It's too hot to knit. Which really frustrates me because I had to rip out all that I did during the day yesterday (starting another pair of socks for sister) before I went to bed. Which was very early this morning, actually. Neither John or I was awake enough to make classes today. Such bad children we are. The A/C is broken. I'm too tired to read. My eyes, that is. Are too tired. They are really squirrely the last week. The distance portion of my glasses is totally useless. I pulled out all my old glasses to see if any of them would help (they didn't). I have to tilt my head a bit to have sharp(er) vision. I'm getting a crick in my neck. Just found my FosterGrant magnifiers though, so now I can see to read (and knit) better. The A/C is broken. I did get some knitting done today, though I just got hotter and hotter through the afternoon. I discovered the A/C is broken when I tried to turn down the thermostat -- a result of wondering why the A/C wasn't coming on since it was getting hot in the house. But it always does get hotter in the afternoon, so I didn't really think too much about it. And I was sitting under a halogen lamp knitting and finding mistakes and ripping and reknitting, just generally frustrated. The A/C is broken. I was actually going to cook tonight, but it's too hot. Rodger arrived home from work to find me napping in the recliner. I told him the A/C was broken. We hope that it is just the thermostat. Obviously, I wanted to go out to eat. I've been having just a little bit of carb 'treat' every day. Only at one meal. I want to see if they'll check my glucose at the health clinic on Friday afternoon. I am not drinking soda, sweetened tea, or even fruit juices; no cookies, candy or anything like that. I do want to know how a small amount of carb 'treat' will affect me. So, we had Mexican tonight: grilled chicken breast, beans, a very small amount of rice (I like to stir the salsa into it), only 3 chips with cheese dip and some wonderful guacamole. I know it might seem high on the fat side, but he's letting me do that for now. Still not fatty enough to upset my stomach, so that's good. No weight gain since Monday, at least by my scales. I weighed before I went to the doctors, so I have a pretty good idea how to compare the two scales. The A/C is broken. Fortunately, the air outside is cooling off and so is the living room. Maybe I can get the foot of this sock done tonight afterall. Oh, I am itching to buy some more small size DPs. I love the Susan Bates Quicksilver style. So slick and easy to use. Wish they came in the short length though; so much nicer for knitting socks. I'm thinking about some pairs of circulars too, to try knitting two socks at once. Been 'window-shopping' online for sock yarns, too. I want some Opal Petticoat, but seems like only the overseas sellers on eBay are listing it. There's another one... Dancing, I think it is called. My paypal balance is burning a hole in my pocket! Enough of this rambling for tonight. Did I mention the A/C is broken? And that it is hot? And that I have only had 3 hours sleep since yesterday morning at 6am?? If it's not one thing, it's your mother! (Love ya, Momma!!) LC

& the winning number is...

~ 95 ~     My doctor was flabbergasted! Frankly, so was I. I was simply hoping to be under 200. He said that it was not due to the glucophage, but to my diet. He was honestly shocked that I had actually cut out all my 'whites' -- he seemed to start to say that most people don't follow his instructions. Which to me seems really stupid. You don't fool around with diabetes! Anyway, he said I am obviously "diet sensitive." I had lost 3 pounds, and my blood pressure was a little higher than last Monday (not suprising with doing taxes, and paying bills, and school papers and reading and Spanish to re-learn -- and of course, the GRE is the elephant in the corner that I just don't want to think about). Now, I get three weeks on my own to see what happens. Maybe I can check my blood glucose at the university clinic in the meantime.     Yes, I indulged just a teeney bit at supper: I ate the skin and bit of meat off of (less than) half a small baked potatoe. And a small sugar-free cookie.     Today was the first day of classes after "spring break" -- what a joke. We have three weeks of classes until finals. I have two major papers and two smaller ones, and one final -- which, thankfully, is a take-home, 'short answer' type.     AND... I finally finished (except for the bind-off) the pair of socks I started on the way home from Natchez last weekend! All in all, not a bad Monday, Garfield.... LC

heels and toes, no pasta bows

    The excitement of attending the Lily Chin workshop in Natchez last weekend was unfortunately overshadowed by my health situation, but I did have a great time and learned a lot about short-row technique. So much so that on the ride home, I began toe-up socks using short-rows for the toe. I'd done the short-row heel ("hour-glass" it is sometimes called) on my Old Shale anklets, but wasn't really happy with the result. I felt it could be neater. I knew it could be neater because I'd used short rows on my hemp top last summer following instructions at knitty.com. But when I tried wrapping the stitches like that, I could not see them; I miscounted, and mis-stitcned like crazy, and finally gave up and did it like in the Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook.     Because I only made ankle-length sock with the ball of Sockotta, I had lots left, but I wasn't sure just how much. Thus, toe-up socks. I alternated between each sock, judging my yarn (using the Jaywalker pattern from MagKnits), and got up to the heels by Wednesday night. My goal Thursday was to finish the heels so I could do my taxes on Friday. I didn't really get started until late afternoon (first I slept in, then I had to eat, then run errands... and eat... and think about what to eat... and eat... and think about what to eat). Looking back though, I still can't believe how much trouble I had and how long it took me to knit the heels. "Best laid plans of mice and men"     The saga: First I followed these instructions from Wendy Johnson. Turned out fine, but the wrapping was a little different than what Lily had taught us. I did it her way on the second heel. I liked it better, so I went to bed (6am) determined to re-knit the other heel on Friday.     Yes, I was a good girl and did my taxes first. It was actually after 5pm when I got back to knitting. I do not know what my problem was, but although the first half of the heel went find, I bet I re-knit the second half three or four times. First I ended up with unequal number of wrapped stitches as I knitted the short-rows together. Then I did the wrong part of the pattern at the wrong place on the second half of the heel. Next (and at least twice) I managed to drop stitches or was unable to correctly un-knit the wrapped stitches. Finally, I was just too confused about what was what and pulled the whole heel back to the start! It was about 12am when I finally got finished.     I guess I now know at least one reason why few people continue pattern down the heel! It can be difficult to keep track of the pattern and the compensation for pattern. But for wearing with open-backed shoes, I like to see the pattern continue down the heel.     Now I plan to just knit in pattern until I run out of yarn. For the moment, though, I need a shower. But first, I have to eat something!! LC

cures?

    Driving home from the doctor's office this afternoon, where I was given the delightful news that I am diabetic, I began to wonder, just what is the last big disease modern medicine actually 'cured.'     There's no profit in cures for disease only in treatments, whether it's cancer or diabetes. LC

"flat-out A"

Professor said he only gave one on the mid-term papers and I got it!     I told a classmate the day we turned them in that I thought it was the best paper I'd ever written for this professor -- and there have been, hmmmm.... at least seven others. I think I am as pleased with him being pleased as I am with the grade! LOL     In my psych class I'm less than 150 points from an A for the course, so I'll need to get most of the available points for the research paper and presentation (which I really don't think will be a problem).     That leaves Islam class. I'm guessing he'll have our second (of three) papers graded by class tomorrow night. I told him when I turned it in that I had no idea whether I did what he wanted or not. I hope so. The paper seemed to write itself, but took longer to complete than I expected.     Now, to get the paperwork done to run my sleep study for my thesis and get all that material created and uploaded to the experiment site... and... and.... and.....     Somewhere between four to five weeks to get the remaining papers/presentations prepared, then two weeks more to get the study in order before M E X I C O ! ! !     I finished one sock (last week sometime?) and began the second one (on Friday?). I finished the heel last night and got the foot started so I could have some pickup knitting for waiting around at school, or taking a short break from the books. Which reminds me, I have 'homework' for the workshop this weekend! Yeah. I know. Pictures. Soon. I. Promise. LC

if that mockingbird won't sing

    We've lived in our house for over six years now, and from the very beginning there have been mockingbirds who sit and sing outside the bedroom window. Rather than disturbing, I have always rather enjoyed them. What always amazes me is how early in the morning they begin -- or rather how late at night??     Anyway, this morning the singing was quite different. Apparently this particular bird spends a lot of time where someone is playing video games. ALL the twitters had a definitely electronic nature. I wish I'd had my recorder in the bedroom; I was too sleepy to get out of bed to get it. But I will have it tonight and perhaps will catch it. It really is funny.     Little 'monkey-see-monkey-do' that I am, I just had to get some Socatta when I saw Rissa's great socks. It arrived on Friday, but I was still working on a hat for KniTibet. But, Tuesday night I gave in to temptation and began a sock with the fushia/yellow/orange colorway. I wanted to make them like the Old Shale sock in Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. Somehow I managed to miss that the pattern was on the next page after the picture of the sock... so I spent a little time looking at Old Shale/Feather&Fan patterns I had and converting those 18-stitch patterns to the 11-stitch pattern the book says the sock used. Long-story-short: I started the sock making the pattern row every other row instead of every fourth row. It is a pretty pattern, but not really what I wanted.     I presented my problem to Rissa, who kindly pointed out the pattern on the next page of the book. I actually fought my desire to rip, grabbed a different ball of Socatta last night and started another sock using the pattern on the page. Turns out the pattern in the book does NOT create the same as is pictured. To get the same look as the picture Round 2 of the pattern, the purl row, must be:

p2, k7, {p4, k7} 5 times, p2

As soon as I can find my digital camera, I'll get some pictures posted.     Oh! Oh! We are going to a Lily Chin workshop in Natchez in two weeks! LC

ides, irish, italian

    Saw my former supervisor at the library yesterday; she said I was missed. Last week, one of the other workers asked me if I missed working. I do miss it, because I enjoyed working there. But I also treasure the additional time I now have. My stress level has definitely decreased.     Last night I finished another Spiral Rib hat for KniTibet and began a new one. I'm using the wool Rissa and I dyed in November. I've knitted up the golden brown, the aqua, and am now using the purple. When is it finished, there is one more hank of an olivey-green. I found some wool blend novelty yarn (No Boundaries brand) at Wal-Mart this week and am working that into the main body of the hat. Because I am carrying that thread across four stitches and working four stitches around each row, it is very soft on the inside.     Hubby was home when I finally got out of bed this morning. It had begun to rain just as he started to work at a friend's house, so they had to quit. He asked if I wanted to "do" something today.... now that the day is over, I remember that there was an Irish-Italian festival at one of the Catholic churches near campus today (celebrating St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's Days). Oh, well. I sure could eat some good Italian food. LC

adieu

I wanted to post this last night, but it was late when I got home and I went straight to bed....

"Tonight I worked my last shift in the library. Part of me is relieved not to have to work any more, to just go to class and study. But I also really enjoyed my job and I will miss the people. Not the lazy students who want you to do their research for them, but the ones whose faces light up when they realize the information they need is readily available to them either in our library or online. If I am lucky, there will be room for me during the summer or next fall. I've been told I'd be welcomed back."

LC

monkey-see-monkey-do

    Here are my Johari and the Nohari windows, following in Rissa's blog-steps.     Saw two good movies this weekend. One was "The Interpreter" with Nicole Kidmann and Sean Penn. The other was better, though. It was "{Proof}" with Gwenyth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins.     Finished three hats for KniTibet with the wool I bought a couple weeks ago at the Hudson's in Jackson. Honestly, it was too much knitting; my hand is hurting a lot. Friday morning is was tingly-numb when I woke up.     Tomorrow and Tuesday are Mardi Gras holidays for the university, but I offered to work for a couple of the girls so they could have a long weekend. I am hoping to have lots of quiet time to study for an exam. LC

meanwhile

    I feel terribly guilty about not posting for so many weeks. I mentioned to Rissa this weekend that I've written several in my head on the morning drive to campus, but never get them actually typed out.     Life is rolling along, I'm trying not to stress over the amount of reading I need to be doing, and vascillating between wanting to quit and keep my library job. I have small chunks of time between classes when I don't seem to get much done, and once I'm home... well, I'm not as diligent as I should be.     I knitted up a large skein of Rowan chunky cotton chennille into three nice facecloths; two were a little large, the last one a bit smaller. They were to be gifts for my father, then I realized the yarn was black and not navy and he doesn't like black. So, the two larger ones are going to a dear friend instead. I will give him the third one, but doubt he will really like it.     I tore out all the rayon/funfur scarf. The longer it got the more the 'lace' closed up. Not sure what I'll do with it now, but I did discover that I had several other balls of rayon chenille in my stash, too.     So, in the very infrequent moments when I knit instead of read (and take notes), I am back to the green alpaca/silk. On Sunday, I finished the third skein. Now I think I will work the sleeves and figure out how to finish it, adapting the pattern to include the sleeves.     I picked up four balls of some high percentage wool blend at Hudson's while I was in Jackson this weekend. It's not great colorway, but it was 75% off retail and impossible to pass up. I should be able to get somewhere between 4 and 8 children's hats for KniTibet. I plan on knitting higher gauge than recommended to have a more dense fabric.     Seems I never posted a photo of the fine wool yarn that Rissa helped me dye in November, so here it is (click on the photo to go to the original post). On my screen it is much more orange than in real life; it is actually quite peachy. LC

back in the saddle

    Oh, it feels good to be back in classes. It would feel even better if I had gotten to sleep before 1AM this morning!     Last night was Intro to Islam; professor seems a little timid, but very knowledgeable. I didn't think his voice would even be audible on my voice recorder, but it was. Picked up the main textbook today and ordered another one last night (turned out that the BAM club price and free shipping was less than the half.com price plus shipping). The rest I'll get from the library or borrow.     Today we were off early... well, actually, we were off late, but I managed to get #2Son to his 8AM class on time. I just didn't get to stop for coffee! So I stopped on campus for a pumpkin muffin and decaf (NOT at Starbucks!), except there were no pumpkin muffins. They were the seasonal choice which is no longer a choice. Bummer. They were really good. The banana-nut just aren't as good.     My classes today -- Religion & Healing, History & Systems of Psychology -- were with former, and favorite, professors, and several former classmates as well. In only one of my three classes is there a non-traditional student. I decided to drop the yoga class (credit, not recreational) -- I'll try to start going to one of the rec. periods.     Got settled into my research carrel, too. Man! It is SO quiet back there I feel like people can hear me swallow! Also worked a shift in the library. A pretty quiet day, all in all. I'm relaxing tonight because I have no classes tomorrow and hubby will go off to work, so I'll have the day to read/study.     Biggest problem I have at the moment is getting hold of the woman who said I could borrow the textbook for my psych class.     Knitwise, I bought the 2006 Pattern-a-day Knitting Calendar last night at Sam's Club (and included the 365 Knitting Stitches in my BAM order). Now, I'm going to put a few more inches on the rayon/funfur scarf before bed. LC

enabling friends

    Just a quickie before midnight. Had a wonderful weekend, again, with friends in Jackson... did some knitting, did some reading, did lots of eating and visiting! Unfortunately, didn't do a lot of sleeping--at least last night while everyone else was! Woke up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. Then took a two-hour mid-morning nap and slept most of the way home late this afternoon. Not the best way to get to spend time with friends and my sweetie.     But I came home with gifts: a ball of luscious rayon chenille that I just had to get on the needles tonight. I knew it would go well with some "Sandstone" Fun Fur in my stash. But I also didn't want to hide the beautiful peachy-tan color of the rayon, so... for your viewing pleasure:     I am only using the Fun Fur along the sides of a center eyelet panel, in a diagonal scarf (i.e., when working the purl side, increasing on one side and decreasing on the other). Oh, yes, I rewound about half the rayon from the outside end into a pull-ball so it wouldn't be tangling quite so badly. It is silky and shiny and slippery, but really beautiful. Thanks, Rissa! And for the cotton chenille, too.     I worked far enough (making about four false starts) to take a picture that I hope will show the pattern well enough. LC

the little voice that is my mother

    For the past three days I've been knitting facecloths with some Rowan Fine Cotton Chenille that I purchased a couple years ago in San Antonio. My sister wanted something speical to give her sister-in-law; I thought chenille facecloths would be nice.     I used this pattern and made three; two for the sister-in-law, and the other one for my sister. I was pretty sure I didn't have enough left for a fourth, so I started one of these with the plan that I would just knit until I ran out of yarn. It was wee hours of the morning when I was finally sleepy enough to go to bed. The little voice told me 'you ought to go to bed' to the thought of doing just one more round.     Should have listened. Found a mistake this morning working the fourth row passed where I quit and went to bed. I should have finished long ago, but in addition, I had to work the last round (the bind-off) three times before I had it right. First time, I did one round too many to have enough yarn for bind-off; second time, I didn't have enough yarn to finish the bind-off round; third time was a charm.     I like doing these facecloths. I think I'll make some more to have on hand for gifts. I have a large hank of navy, plus I have this friend with a really large stash..... LC

loving knitting

    I have had several good day knitwise. First, I finally finished the underarm seams and all the yarn ends on the top I made with the hemp yarn this past summer (tidbits). Now to get it blocked!     Today I wound a 6oz hank of Classic Elite Inca Alpaca into a ball with the yarn winder and swatched for gauge. I started with US6 (one size smaller than recommended), but I didn't care for the openness of the stitches at 5/inch. Switched to US4, am getting 6/in and like the fabric much better.     One of the many nice gifts I have received from my friend, Rissa, is a computer program that designs sweater patterns. So, I want to get it on my computer and see what kind of sweater I can make. I have 22.5oz of brown (and .5oz of persimmon), which I hope is plenty for a mid-hip length cardigan/jacket.     I'll finish the swatch tonight and then go back to the green alpaca/silk. LC

home comforts

    Even though I despise cold weather and hope never again to have to live much further north than I do now, I have to admit that it is nice to have a fire and fireplace. After several days of high 70-degree weather, it has dropped low enough that we need a fire to keep from having to run the furnace. Waking up in a chilly bedroom and coming into the living room to find a warm and beautiful fire in the fireplace is very comforting.     As of this morning, I have ten more sleep-in mornings before I will have to get up early for 9AM class. It has been relaxing for the most part, though I have accomplished little that I planned. It doesn't appear that I will have to purchase a lot of books this term; that is good news. As much as I looked forward to the semester break, I now am looking forward to class beginning again.     I am nearly finished with the second skein of BlueSky Alpaca & Silk in this lace pattern and I am worried. It is rather short. Not having a lot of experience with wool and/or blocking, I can only hope that (as I have often heard)blocking will resolve the length problem. I really love the pattern, although it is sleeve-less and I hope to put at least a small cap sleeve on the top. I have three skeins of the yarn remaining, so my plan is to work the next two skeins into the body and save the one for sleeves.     I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted pictures. Restoring all the little things on a computer when you have to reformat always seems to take forever. I read somewhere that the urgent things of life keep us from doing the important things. If I was going to make a resolution for 2006 it would be that I would make time for the important things... LC

catching up

    Another holiday season finally over, and one in which I am sure I have once again disappointed my entire family (sans spouse). I forget to call. I am late with gifts: I don't like to shop -- crowd avoidance, wrap -- laziness, or have to ship them -- in general, I just dislike the whole ordeal. Oddly, I don't have this reaction about gift-giving and friends.     However, to me it is much more important to reach out throughout the year than on particular (and somewhat arbitrary) days. It would be fine with me if we didn't "do" Christmas at all. My sister is visiting from Hawaii and I made a small Christmas dinner for us. But as my children have grown up and especially since my mother died in 1999 (16 days before Christmas), the holiday spirit just seems to pass me by.     The week between Christmas and New Year's was a total wash... when I wasn't at work, I was home in bed feeling awful. I did manage to read Howard Becker's Writing for Social Sciences, and begin his Tricks of the Trade. I have not done enough 'chores' around the house though. Post-semester blues, I guess. Just can't get motivated.     Speaking of the semester, I did manage to make the Dean's list. My only B was in Spanish. Now I have only 12 required hours to fulfill my degree plan. Part of me is ready to get back to class, but I'm sure it will be here before I know it!     I broke all family traditions yesterday: no black-eyed peas, no cabbage, no bayberry candle. We had to return a movie to Blockbuster -- amazing how many stores were open -- and we had burgers at Hardee's because even at 2pm the restaurants were packed! My tree is still up (not even half decorated this year), though I don't think I will leave it up until Twelfth Night as is my custom. Pehaps I will have better 'luck' by not following traditional supersitions!     The old year went out and the new year has come in with a minor heat wave: it has been in the high 70s and low 80s here for the past several days, and not dipping below 60 at night. It would be nice, except the humidity is high. We've also had just a bit of rain. I guess it is pleasant in a strange sort of way. I love living in the South in particular for the warm winters, but this is too warm (actually, just too humid).     Knitwise, on New Year's Eve, I decided that I did not like the way my stockinette stitching looked using the BlueSky Alpaca & Silk, so I ripped it. All of it! Thanks to having the ball winder Rissa gave me for Christmas, I got it all wound nicely and quickly. Then I grabbed a pile of knitting magazines and in the first one found something in a similar gauge. I didn't really swatch, so it will probably be too small, or I won't have enough yarn, but maybe I will get lucky. I think it was actually after midnight when I started stitching -- I hope that will be propitious.     Happy New Year to all . . . LC

frost on the punkin*

    From 80 degree weather on Sunday to below freezing on this morning! What a system-shocking change... and upon leaving home this morning, I realized I was not dressed appropriately. I had to make a call home to have my sons bring my coat.     Have I ever said how I hate to wear a coat? I do. Especially in a car. Especially when driving. One of the great pleasures of the past five winters living here in south Mississippi is the joy of not having to wear a coat. And not having to tote around a coat once you are inside overly hot buildings.     Though I must say I was freezing in every building I was in today -- could have had something to do with the light-weight clothing I was wearing.     Bah-hum-bug on this cold weather.     BUT! Huzzah (as they kept shouting at the ren-faire yesterday) for Best Buy having my laptop ready to pick up tonight! I got my "baby-back-baby-back-baby-back." LC *I love this poem. My dad used to recite it to us, along with a couple of other James Whitcomb Riley poems (Raggedy Man, Little Orphant Annie among them). But in my college children's literature class (32 years ago), the professor suddenly developed a dislike for me after learning this fact... to the point of accusing me of plagerizing my children's story from another student (even though I had turned in mine first) and failing me for the class. I was too naive then to know that I could have fought it. I always assumed she thought me some kind of racist; which made no sense to me. The dialect of Riley's poems always struck me as just good ol' country folk.

having a heat wave

    Wow! Is it ever warm in southern Mississippi today. Not summer-warm, and not exactly winter-warm either. That probably doesn't make much sense, but if you've ever enjoyed the mildness of a southern winter day, you might understand. The weather today, however, just feels like something very unusual.     And it's another slow day at work. Or perhaps just a typical Saturday (I only work two Saturdays a month). Daytime weekday shift hours keep us much busier! We all get paid the same, but night and weekend workers get lots more playtime.     Speaking of work, I don't think I am going to next semester. I see lots of reading, research and writing time in my future. Perhaps I can come back to work for the summer term.     I've taken photos of the yarn Rissa and I dyed last month along with a few inches of swatching -- but neither of my sons has yet remembered to download and forward them to me by email, so I can't post them. Soon. I promise. It is really pretty.     The pattern I want to adapt (Fiber Trends' Estonia Garden) arrived. I'm going to need some help with the conversion, I think. I may have to get hold of the book that makes the Faroese type from neck down, as that is the way the FT pattern is designed.     Oh! The last whiney post I made, I forgot to mention the final straw that actually sent me to the keyboard: I measured the length of one skein's worth of knitting the alternating seed stitch pattern with the alpaca/silk and found it to be only three inches, where the straight stitching had given me five inches!! I am NOT buying any more of this yarn! So, I ripped back to four inches of pattern stitching and returned to the stockinette for the rest of the body. I'll make a similar border of the seed stitch pattern on the sleeves.     Under making lemonade from lemons, I decided that it was a good time to force myself to learn continental style. So far so good. Not only does it seem quicker, but it appears my stitching is more even -- I have to watch not to work to tightly though.     You'll notice the Boycott China logo now on my blog... though I wonder if it is truly possible to totally boycott Chinese products. Even if one watches lables, how can one know if the raw materials originated in China? I would especially like to see a boycott of the 2008 Olympics. "Oh, but the atletes have trained so hard," some might say... how many Tibetan and Chinese and Mongolian and other lives is that bronze, silver or gold medal worth?? Not a single one. Better than a boycott of the Olympics though, would be an end to the bruality, the torture and the oppression of the Chinese and Tibetan people. LC

the other shoe

    I should have known things were going too well...     Last week I found out the all three of my class substitution requests were approved. Also, that I am doing better in my psychology of learning class than I thought.     Thanksgiving used to be my favorite holiday. It hasn't been for the past five years. Thanksgiving was the last weekend that my mom was really 'with us.' Things just haven't been the same ever since. However, my husband and sons had a nice day and a good meal. We have a lot to be thankful for this year.     Since then, though, things have certainly going downhill. On Thursday night after #1Son went to bed -- after playing WoW on my laptop most of the afternoon and evening -- I rebooted the laptop and shortly it started making noise. The noise was like something hitting on the fan. The next morning it didn't take too long before the noise was back. I could smell a 'hot' smell, and shut it down immediately.     Then I had to get the old desktop set up, moved the data off the backup laptop harddrive and switch out the hard drive in the Vaio. I booted it up just to be sure it would, and the fan noise suddenly stopped. I'm afraid it totally broke or locked up; either way, it's heading to Best Buy tomorrow.     Along the way, just one headache after another, getting things set up and working, moving files, being sure I don't delete something I need. See, I have SPSS projects and note files for papers that are due within the next two weeks.     It's just aggravating more than anything else... and I felt like whining a little bit. LC

knitting when I should be studying

    Early this week my addi turbo needles arrived, and I excitedly moved my alpaca/silk project onto them. I didn't have any time to knit right then, but when I did pick it up to stitch, I saw a "3" on the needles. I was afraid that I'd ordered the wrong size, but realized that was the millimeter size, not the US. Unfortunately, the US2's I'd knitted that skein on were 2.75 mm, and I knew that in stockinette stitch the change would be very evident! So, out came all but the first 6 rows (edging).     In the meantime, the extra skein of matching dye lot arrived.... $6.00 shipping charge. First class postage was $.83. I'm sorry, but that is outrageous. I won't be shopping there again.     Last night hubby helped me wind the last three of the four hanks we (that's Rissa and me, the mouse in her pocket) dyed last weekend. Total weight just under 450 grams. The pattern I want to attempt to covert to a Faroese shawl is on it's way, fruits of a knitswap swap (thanks, Eve). Will post a photo of the pretty wound balls asap. I'm on campus now, and #1Son has commandeered the laptop for WOW gaming.     Back to the alpaca/silk... I decided to do an all over pattern of, I guess you would call it two-row alternating seed stitch?? I have another sweater that is done in that stitch and I really like it. The k1p1 is aggravating, but I think it will look nicer than all stockinette. My concern is whether the seed stitch is going to give a smaller width gauge, and therefore make my sweater a smaller diameter. Any ideas?     I can't believe the semester is so close to being over. I've had or will have next week the third test in my classes, so nothing else until the final. I only hope I can have time over Thanksgiving holiday to do the rest of the reading/research for the major paper I have to write (that's due 12/6). LC

who is this jacka$$?

    People who know me, know that I avoid political controversies like a plague. It is upsetting, mostly because there is so damnned little one can do about it. Still, I read something today that has upset me so much I really felt like I had to at least bring it to someone else's attention...

"There's a realization that we have to accept China for what it is," said James Sasser, another former ambassador who now represents clients doing business in China, such as FedEx, Ford Motor Co. and Motorola. "The influence that we can have on China in economics and political development . . . and human rights is frankly peripheral." From the Washington Post, 11.13.2005 (emphasis mine).

PERIPHERAL???? WTF??     If what is going on (and has been going on) in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and all the rest of the Middle East is wrong --- then so is what is going on in China!!     Every time we support China economically, we are supporting not only the jackasses who think like Sasser (how coincidental that that's the name of a nasty computer worm) and the Chinese who are oppressing and torturing their people and those of the countries surrounding them. LC

another silly sunday

that feels like monday cause so many things have gone so squirrely . . .     I started the day by coloring my tired ol' grey roots. Unfortunately, my Hudson's bargain box of Clairol Nice 'n Easy was way too dark. I look more like my mother than ever I did before! Guess I'll just pass it off as a trick or treat prank.     Ate some breakfast and pulled out the Buddhism book I need to read before class on Tuesday. I spent ALL DAY yesterday (save 3 hours I went out to grocery shop, etc.) working on my data analysis project that is already one week overdue. And then... I just don't believe it... after all that, the last procedure I tried to run locked up SPSS and I lost all the data results. Fortunately, I have the information and graphs already placed into the project document, but my output file will have to be totally recreated -- I will need some of the information again. So, this morning, with only a couple of hours before I had to be at work, I just couldn't get myself motivated to mess with statistics. Buddhism seemed so much more appropriate for the moment.     But, of course, reading made me sleepy. So I headed to the bed for a quick nap before leaving for work at 1pm. At about 12:20pm, my co-worker called... major brain fart: I was supposed to start work at noon!     When I tried to clock in, seems I forgot to clock out on Wednesday--at least I think that's the last day I worked. I am so SCREWED UP some days and this week I've had more of those days than not. Then there's the Spanish test tomorrow night and lots of online "homework" to do before midnight tonight. I just can't seem to get caught up.     Did I mention that I finished knitting the blue and red Lamb's Pride Hat? I did. But not with Lamb's Pride. I like the pattern. I thought I had a link on the KniTibet pattern page, but it's not there. Thank goodness for Google, so I could find it again quickly to include the link.     I'm trying not to start anything until my new needles comes and I can continue on the Stripes Go Round pattern with the Alpaca & Silk yarn I bought from there... especially since I really don't have time to knit anyway. But there's just something about knowing you have something on the needles that you can grab for just a couple of moments to de-stress, or even escape.     Enough prattling... LC

circles of life

    Over the last couple of weeks, I spent a good amount of time researching graduate schools online. I'll need a fully on-line MLIS (Masters of Library Science) program. I'd like one without out-of-state fees. I want it to have a wide selection of elective classes available.     I looked at about a dozen or so, narrowing to a handful within the last week. I know you are supposed to apply to several, but there's always some big "con" (as in list of pro's and con's) for all but one. That one would be Texas Women's University. So, I think -- at least until I have additional information about these things -- I will only apply there and pray for scholarship award and waived out-of-state tuition. If I am not accepted, I think I shall just stay at USM and chance not being getting hired because my graduate work would be from there. The out-of-state fees are just too high to justify (at my age), and the schools with lower tuitions just don't have a program with enough variety to suit me.     As for the circle... TWU appears to be in Denton, TX, and closely affiliated with North Texas State University. This is about 50 miles north of where I lived during the late 70's and where my ex-husband went to college. LC

healing kitty & mommy

Nero update: he's getting around much better, though I think he still has some fluid. He started throwing up the Keplex, so he didn't get the full dose he was supposed to get. He also got VERY good at getting away from us, though we tried something different every time the medicine needed to be given to him. Cleaning up that regurgitated medicine wasn't any more pleasant when it was a cat than when it was a child.     A couple of nights ago, I finished knitting one hank of the alpaca/silk yarn. It only measured about 5 inches of 'fabric.' I have to knit 14 inches before starting the sleeves, so I don't think I am going to have enough yarn. Have emailed the shop to see if they can send me another hank. I really want to make three-quarter sleeves anyway, so I need it. Also want to get a longer length circular set of size two. What I have are too short and the join is aggravating. I always have to be pushing the stitches up over the hump. I do love working with the yarn though, it is yummy. It would probably look better in a stitch pattern. I wonder how I could work that in without having to start all over. If anyone has an idea, please let me know.     Oh! And by the way, if you don't leave a valid email when you make a comment, I can't reply to you except on the comment link.     I must be acclimating to the southern autumn weather more than I thought. I have been getting so cold on campus. It's not really the outside environment but the A/C in the buildings. So, I try to remember to keep a sweater with me.     The weather really has turned beautiful lately. The house A/C is turned off and the windows are open. Not so great for my allergies, but the air is nice. I just wish I could sleep more comfortably and better. "The insomnia researcher can't sleep."     I tried (formal) meditation for the third time tonight. It was a totally different experience than the first time. (Second time was guided imagery, not concentration meditation, like the other two times.) But the 'scientist' part of me wants to pull out all those journal articles I copied last term for the sleep/consciousness/meditation project I never got around to writing. I can not recall what they documented as far as brain wave patterns compared to sleep stages. I seem to remember a similarity to the pattern between wakefulness and stage one sleep -- just can't say for sure without checking. What about 'microsleeps' and meditation -- at least for those unskilled/unpracticed at it. So little time, so much research to read!     And speaking of, I have a test in Psychology of Learning tomorrow, laters taters, LC

i·ro·ny

is defined as: incongruity between what might be expected and what actually occurs. For instance....     The oppressive heat of summer in the deep south is finally beginning to subside. And so, having become even more conscious of the cost of electricity lately, and wanting to enjoy the pleasantness of the weather change, we have had the windows and doors of our house open for the last week or so.    Saturday night, unfortunately, eithe dear husband left the screen door open or one of the cats was persistent enough at pawing (clawless, no less) at it to get it open. Late in the night, sounds of a cat fight disturbed my study time. As I tried to untangle myself from laptop, electric and network cords, books, pens and remote controls, Nero came streaking through the living room. Next arrived #2Son to say that the screen door was opened. I took just enough time to do a cat-count before going to the door. Brickle was missing. Backtracked to get a flashlight because I couldn't see outside. When I got to the door, there he sat, all hunched down. He refused to come in with either cajoling or ordering. Like ANY cat and ANY time would do what you told it to do. When he did finally come in he hissed and growled at me at #2Son, at Sasha, but especially at Nero. Sasha too was quite nasty-acting to him. I stayed up a good bit longer just to insure there wouldn't be any further fighting.     Sunday, Nero stayed hidden away all day in a chair pushed under the dining room table -- his favorite place to hide. It is dark and the other cats seem to leave him alone. Monday, dear husband said he saw him a bit more, but didn't think he was felling very good. We didn't worry too much, figuring perhaps he got real scared or had eaten something outside that made him sick. On Tuesday, dear husband said he thought Nero was feeling better. Then that later that night, after we got home from Hattiesburg, Nero was laying on his left side in the middle of the living room floor, and we saw the problem. He has several wounds, one of them a rather large, nasty-looking hole in his side, and a gash below it.     Now, we live in a small town with no all-night vet clinic, so we had to wait until morning to take him. Feeling very guilty as the good doctor shaved the hair away from the wounds (there were a few more than we could even see the night before), we watched as he tended to our little rescued feline. Nero was really very tolerant of all that was being done to him; Rodger rubbed his face to keep him calm (he likes that very much). But the cut made to let the abscess drain was more than he could stand. And so, Rodger got bit rather badly in the thumb.     Nero is much recovered today. The last 24 hours were nerve-wracking though, worrying about Nero being further attacked by the other two cats. Fortunately they only seemed to have hissed and growled at him. All seems pretty well today... thought Nero doesn't like Keplex liquid any more than my sons did as children!     So... we may have a lower electric bill this month, but we spent the savings at the vets. LC

taking time update

    There are so many things I need to post about. Most of it good, but not all... so, might as well get the worst over with first.     The trip to Tibet has been disapproved for 2006 by university officials. It's a long boring story (and has nothing to do with the hurricane), but that's the sum of it all. Even though many of us who signed up to go will graduate before May 2007, those involved could not change the decision of TPTB. If I am able to go next year, I will try again to organize a knitting effort. For those of you who have already knitted something, I encourage you to either send it along to the Tibet Village Project Coordinator, or donate to another worthy charity.     Without KniTibet on my creative mind, I turned to some new yarn I purchased a couple of weeks ago. I went with some friends from Jackson. They bought wool embroidery thread/yarn for a crewel work project. I mostly went along for the ride, only to discover that it was also a yarn shop. Rissa swears she told me -- and she probably did -- I still had a lovely time gazing and fondling all the wools and silks and other beautiful items. I finally settled on four hanks of Blue Sky Alpaca's Alpaca & Silk in a pale green. I swatched a few days later and was pleased to get the same gauge I did making the Stripes Go Round top this summer in the hemp yarn. And so, I began another one. I carry it with me at school, but get (or take) very little time to work on it. I have only got about one and three-quarter inches so far. At 256 stitches per round, it's slow going. But for me, knitting is about the 'journey,' not so much the finished project.     School is going well. (I apologize if I repeat myself.) I have four classes this term: Advanced Data Analysis, Psychology of Learning (not a class about human education, but animal learning theory), Buddhism, and Spanish. On top of these, I have to prepare (by mid November! Yikes!) a thesis proposal. And along the way, I'm working 15 hours a week in the library and taking care of all the paperwork to be sure my transfer credits are all processed properly and applied to my degree plan. To make up for the two weeks we lost due to Katrina, we have lost our two-day semester break and will have an extra week of classes in December. Finals are over just a few days before Christmas.     I know people probably want to know our Katrina stories. Honestly, I don't have the energy to 'tell' it all. Wonderful things have happened, and extremely aggravating things have happened. EVERYTHING seems to have changed so much. It is truly a defining moment in time for those of us who have lived through it. I will say that we were very fortunate, both during the storm and since. Not everything has been perfect, but complaining seems so petty in light of all that others have suffered and lost in comparison. We are happy to be alive and safe and still have our home, our cars, and our belongings. We haven't gone hungry -- thanks to generosity of so many volunteers and donors. We have been granted grace periods by all our creditors -- except, somewhat ironically, the homeowner policy holder. About the worst problem we are having to deal with right now is the same problem with which the rest of the country is also dealing: high gasoline prices and the resulting higher prices of everything else.     I should write more, but I should also either hit the books or get to bed. Monday will roll around way too soon. LC

alive and well

as can be expected, at least.     Fifteen days post-Katrina and still no phone or drinkable running water, but we have refrigeration and air conditioning. Bottled water, ice and MREs are still available even though the Red Cross stopped serving hot meals at the high school cafeteria. The local schools are supposed to begin classes again on Monday, Sep 19. Our university classes resumed this past Monday; it is good to be back. Nice to have some contact with others and get a bit of news. Without phone at home (cell or hard line), our only internet access is on campus.     I have posts I wrote after the storm to upload, but I'm writing this on from my PDA and those files are on my laptop.     Thanks to all of you for kind thoughts and prayers -- still knitting for Tibet. Finished one more hat the first night we got our power back. I will send an email to those who have contacted me about this project soon.     No classes tomorrow -- but I have FEMA and DHHS lines to tackle. Maybe we'll even have time to get some real groceries. Regardless... we       are       so       fortunate! LC