Lovely long days.

I love the long days of June. I really do. Now that I'm middle-aged, I have circulation issues in my hands and feet, so winter is not my best friend. But right this minute? I'm barefoot. My hands are warm and the air is moving around, fresh air right in from the windows with a hint of spent-fireworks smell from the whistlers the neighbor boy is setting off in anticipation of Independence Day. The temp reached around 90 today, too hot to hang around outside much but still, it was lovely. Yesterday it reached 101, so I was thankful for the air conditioner. That makes two things to add to my list:

• Long summer days
• Our air conditioner

My sister and her partner gave the AC to us 10 years ago when my youngest son was born. It was 100 that entire week in July that year. Boy was I thankful for it then, too.

I haven't been knitting as much. Some, but not as much by a long shot. I have been working quite a bit on our house and for my job. One evening a few days ago though I sat around with the family and played the board game, Catan. It was pretty fun and the boys became ferociously competitive, naturally. While they vied for the card that gave them the title (and subsequent points) for the most warriors and what not, I quietly acquired land and houses and just before they came to blows, I won the game. Whew!

Another gratefulness item:

• board games

Stay cool.

Engrish!

About a year ago at our house we discovered some very funny stuff called Engrish. Engrish is usually signage of some sort spotted in China or Japan and it's hilariously garbled. I certainly know of several gaffs I myself have made in Japanese, so reading Engrish makes me laugh super hard! Anyway, I've been visiting this blog and just this evening discovered the Engrish category of posts. And in the name of humility, might I just say that I have called myself a Japanese term that came very close to meaning "lazy" and thought, accidentally, that my friend wrote a thank-you note telling me to clean my nose when in fact she was telling me that the flowers I gave her were beautiful...

One in billions.

I'm coming to terms with that. I'm coming to terms with the drive to "say" anything, that my views whether through a camera lens or through my mind are simply a grain of sand. It's easy, I suppose to think in a more myopic manner, to believe that one's point of view has some kind of importance in the larger scheme of things. I see it all the time when I read posts of swingin' knitters, political pundits and what not. But lately I'm more in the way of enduring and attempting to appreciate, rather than trying to generate communication. Maybe it's a symptom of my immediate environment, which includes animals who need a lot of maintenance, a husband who isn't interested in much of anything beyond himself and the kids, same. I've come to believe that virtually everything has been seen or read or thought of before, so my position is to enjoy what does come before me if I can.

Today I'm thankful for:

Garbage Service

My washing machine.

I'm thankful for:

1. My washer
2. My dryer.
3. My mattress.

I was sleeping on the floor for a while.

There. Three things. I'm PMS'ing and I've had a bad night with the Marina vest. I came sooooOOo close to finishing but it's just frickin' huge on me. I have to take the entire thing out and I'm trying not to be too upset but it is just huge. Even after I took it off and shortened the shoulders and everything. I'm going to go to sleep now, as I spent a good portion of my evening knitting with great anticipation of being finished. Yes I tried it on numerous times before now but now the edges are finished and it's just. Not. Right. I will rip it all out after I spend some time analyzing what needs to be changed and customize the pattern so it isn't so irritatingly huge. I will also knit it differently than the pattern calls for to bypass that awkward shoulder seam thing. I think it's my inexperience.

The day is just too short. My boys have been running around yammering about the new software, "Spore" and its release of the creature creator. The full version of the game should be released in September and of course we'll get it then.

I have so many ideas of stuff I want to make and do. I can't do it all in a 24 hour day. I either have times like this, inspired to do a ton and have little opportunity to do it all in, or feel flattened in winter with no energy. It will work out, sure it will.

Rrrrrrip.

Marina in progress

Here it is after following directions the best I could, about 90% finished. The armholes are too big and the neckline is so low it goes below where a normal woman would ever wear it. I also had a devil of a time sewing up the shoulders. I'm now in the process of taking out the shoulder seams and ripping down about an inch on front and back for length. Once it's about right, I'll then go back and add the edge detail around the front & neck.

Fun quiz I found:

I saw this new sock pattern on Knitty.com called, Spring Forward and it just so happens I have the yarn to make those... I would like to! But first I am finishing up my Noro Taiyo vest. It's been really a nice knit, quick results and I'm probably 80% of the way finished now. Anyway the designer of those socks has a link on her blog for this little quiz about color & personality. I guess it's just a little fun because it's not like it changes you, but it does make a person feel less alone, especially when it's true. Here's the link. And here are my results:

you are darkslategray #2F4F4F

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well. Your saturation level is lower than average - You don't stress out over things and don't understand people who do. Finishing projects may sometimes be a challenge, but you schedule time as you see fit and the important things all happen in the end, even if not everyone sees your grand master plan. Your outlook on life is dark. You're generally a pessimist and everyone knows it; you're the one the come to when they don't want the sunshine blown around, they just want to straight truth. You can miss good things in life if you make up your mind too early though.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Things I'm thankful for today:

1. Maxalt.
I awoke with a migraine today that could have ruined my day, but instead I am quiet and staying mellow while the drug works its magic. It really is a miracle drug, especially for someone like me who gets so many migraines and it has restored a sense of a normal life for me. And no, there was no alcohol consumed to spur on the migraine this time...

2. The Deli at the Grocery Store.
Today the boys have a pot-luck gathering for their Japanese class, and I know I would just shrivel if I had to offer up something I had actually made. I ordered a large platter of fruit from the deli. Wah-lah. Something healthy, not necessarily American and ego-protecting, not to mention time saving. It is a major luxury for a reasonable price.

3. Coffee.
I love my coffee with cream.

Yesterday I went to Borders up in Lake Oswego, just to spend some time out of my usual track. I really enjoyed just poking around & browsing without voices demanding that I see what they are looking at, let's go and all that. I got to peruse the magazines and found one that gave me great hope about our kitchen dilemma. It was in Fine Woodworking in a special issue (I think) about kitchens and the innovative guy who did up his own kitchen actually used the rubber surfacing used on playgrounds around climbing equipment for his cabinetry. He said he has busy kids and they worried about sharp corners. It looked great and surely would hide every smudge. I wouldn't use it myself, but the innovative thinking gave me great hope regarding our dishwasher problem. Dave managed to get the thing attached well so he is hired to be Dishwasher Man whenever he is home. When he is away, if it sprays I will hand-wash. Meanwhile I will keep my eye out for more eclectic solutions and not freak that we must dish out thousands for a more conventional solution. We will, however, be doing a tile countertop with great big tiles someday soon, and replace the sink.

No pics today. I'll get one of my Marina vest soon though, as I am almost done with that.

JUNE!

I've got big goals for June. For the most part I just want to work on my knitting as I can (no new projects - too many solo socks and nearly-done items) and try to focus on things I'm thankful for, attempting to list at least 3 things I'm thankful for at minimum once a week. Tonight I am thankful for:

1. Hot water
2. My car
3. My house
4. The fact that my husband has a job and can support us.
5. My own job.

Those are big things, but I am very grateful for them.

This picture shows a point of frustration for me though. I think of water as sacred and hot water in particular, since it is two basic things: energy to heat it and the water supply itself. So when my dishwasher, which is a portable job, is not connecting well to the faucet (as it is wont to do) I get pretty frustrated. I spent a long time trying to get this thing to connect properly last wash and again tonight. I tried to catch at least some of the hot water but the waste just horrifies me. I am ready now for a new solution.