Remembering...

My grandfather, Papa, served in WWII as a nurse.  Today we will visit his grave, put down some flags, and remember him as well as his service to the country.

My cousin is a Major in the Army.  Thankfully, this year he is stateside with his wife and daughter and not stationed abroad.  He's already done three tours, both in Iraq and Afghanistan.  We are blessed and grateful he is home and safe.  

Many more men and women have lost their limbs or lives in service to our country.  We remember them and thank them for their service.

People go on tirades that the war is wrong or that military personnel are mindless grunts who do only what they are told.  But none of that really matters.  These people fight for what they believe in, do a job that they are proud of, and do it all with honor.  Much can be learned from them if only we would take the time to study at their knee.

For those who have served, I thank you.

Yarrrn!

I'm sort of known for my t-shirts and hoodies.  I have many (a lot a lot) and they have sayings on them that people, when reading them, don't actually understand.  And I don't explain.  They read them and they scratch their heads and I just confirm that the saying is correct.  Most of them are sci fi themed or quotes from TV shows I love.  If anyone actually knew what was going on on my shirt front, they'd know I was a hardcore geek.  But they don't.  So I remain hidden because I don't choose to explain.  There are only so many times I can say that Hoth is an ice planet or that juggling geese could in fact be a recreational pastime.  

But today's shirt?  Today's shirt has a ball of yarn shaped like a skull with knitting needles stuck out of it reminiscent of the Jolly Roger.  Across the top, the proclamation YARRRN!

When anyone asks, I just tell them I'm a yarn pirate.

All About The Yarn

Today is all about the yarn.  I've committed myself.  I'm going to start with yarn shopping.  I know, I really shouldn't, but this gift card is starting to burn a hole in my pocket.  Besides, I do have Bunny's blanket to make.  And a baby blanket on order.  And since I'm going to knit the baby blanket, I found a super sweet pattern, I need to get started.  Lyse's afghan is still not finished, but it's close.  My goal is to finish that next weekend seeing as how because of Memorial Day, I get an extra day off.  

I've been working Sis's blanket at lunch time at work and the base of it is finally done.  So I need to just make the turtle parts and sew them on.  I need to get something new on the needles or hook to take to work with me.  I've been pretty remiss in the yarn department lately.  As I said the other day, I haven't felt much like doing anything at all.  And suddenly the itch has hit me and I'm dying to yarn.  So, shopping and then yarning while watching some murder mysteries.

Of course, now I just have to decide what I'm going to work on once I get home!

IDAHO

Today is International Day Against Homophobia.  


Discrimination, in any form, is despicable.  No one should be treated differently or badly or hatefully simply because of their sexual orientation.  Or race or religion or beliefs of any sort.

My request is simple:  Speak up!  If you see discrimination, step in, speak up, speak out.  The world can change, it will change, but it will only change a little at a time.  And only if we stop accepting intolerance.

The Me You Know

I sometimes think that I am two different people living in the same body.  I'm sure a lot of people feel this way.  There is the me you know...and the me I keep to myself.  Fortunately, the BFF knows both of those people, she likes them both, and that helps me to accept them both as well.

I get into these funks of apathy where I just don't wanna.  I don't want to do anything or be anywhere or say anything.  I hole up and read and not interact with the world at all.  I've been in one of those funks for the last week.  I haven't felt like posting or yarning or writing.  I've done nothing but read and sleep, escaping reality.  I don't usually know what triggers those moods and I don't know what brings me out of them.  But my apathetic mood finally broke on Saturday.  I had a plan and a list (you know I love lists) and I got down to business and planted a garden.


I love to garden.  I'm not one of those people that has a spectacular plots of land that they keep well manicured and maintained.  I don't know a lot about plants; I am not a veritable font of knowledge.  I just know what I like and what grows well in my little 5' X 3' plot next to the front steps.  I planted snapdragons, pansies, petunias, marigolds, and dianthus'.  It's very pretty and I am well pleased.  My OCD came into play a bit, because I had to have a sort of order to the placement but my creativity was able to roam free as I plotted out which flowers would go where.  And whatever stresses where weighing me down were gone when I was finished.  I worked it all out by toiling in the soil.  I don't even care that my muscles are protesting the overuse and I'm walking like an old lady today.  It felt good and I felt accomplished and I think that I really needed that.

Another problem that I have is that I don't let people see me as anything more as a yarn loving, fun loving, sci fi loving girl.  I keep secrets of other things that I like because I'm afraid of the reaction that I will get when they are revealed.  People know that I like science fiction and fantasy but they have no clue that I am a hardcore fan, a complete dork.  People know that I love to read and often stay up late reading but they don't know that one of my favorite things to read is M/M romance because when that tidbit of information comes out I get the shocked "But you're a girl!  And straight!" So I keep it all to myself because it's safer that way.  Because then I don't have to explain or defend.  But I'm putting out there today, even if it's in the relative anonymity of cyberspace, because I'm tired of only showing half of who I am.  


I believe that people should be accepted for who they are.  Even if you don't agree with their views or their beliefs or their morals.  As long as they aren't hurting anyone, what does it matter who they love or what they read or what they like to do in their spare time.  


I am a hardcore sci fi fan who likes to read M/M romance and has an obsession with the fiber arts.  It's not all of who I am but it's a big part of it.  This is the me you know.

Car Whisperer

I'm a car chick.  I like cars.  I have my favorite (1967 Corvette) and I'm particular to a certain brand (Chevy).  If you need you're car jumped, I'm your girl.  I like to play in them with my uncle, changing fuses and replacing broken parts.  I know enough about the sounds and feels of cars to tell you what's most likely wrong with it, even if I can't fix it.  

We have this Sebring that sort of gets forgotten because we don't always need to drive it.  It's just easier to take one of the cars at the back of the line instead of moving them all to get the Sebring out.  So, it's sort of sat for a while (a looooong while) and wouldn't start.  Batteries drain if they are left too long.  So, with some creative finagling, I got it started this morning.  Finally.  And right now that alternator is doing it's job while the car runs and charging the battery.  I found out that forty minutes was not enough when I turned it off and it wouldn't start again.  Another jump and let it sit longer.  My fault for letting the battery get so very dead.  Hopefully, the battery will retain it's charge and we won't have to replace it.  It's a 50/50 toss up there.

So, now that I have that going, I can devote myself to the yarn.  And a nap later.  

I Show My Love With Yarn

Lyse's afghan, which is an amalgam of granny squares, is nearly complete.  I will be happy to check that one off my list.  It's looking pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Bunny's lapghan is next in the pipeline.  Still haven't figured out the zebra stripes in...cream and dark tan.  That's what she wants, that's what she gets.  More playing is required before I settle on something in particular.

Toby has told me to surprise him with my yarn gift.  That is going to take some serious thought.  I have considered and discarded at least a dozen choices thus far.  I will be sure to update that as soon as I actually make a decision.

Sis's afghan is coming along nicely, but I'm on my last ball of that particular yarn.  So either I have to get her to agree to a lapghan or I have to go shopping.  *dramatic sigh*  Such a hardship, that.

I know what the BFF is getting for her birthday, but thankfully that's not until November.  I can't talk about it here as she does occasionally check in.  

My afghan is on a semi-permanent hiatus.     As is the sweater I long ago started for myself.  

It's simple.  I show my love with yarn but I already know I love myself :)