Mid July...le sigh

It's mid July. I am not a summer person, not by a long shot. I hate how hot and humid it is before 10 am. It is so hot, which makes it no fun for me to outside in that weather. Which also makes it no fun for any poor soul who happens to be with me or within ear shot of my incessant bitching of "how damn hot it is out here". In the evening, a human could easily be eaten alive by the bugs. Ick, no thank you! I do however, quite enjoy the passing thunderstorms.

Up til now, I have not had to spend much time out in the yard. Mainly due to the fact that we are usually at the ballpark, in the car or at some training facility or sleeping. My next door neighbor has been ever so kind to be taking care of the lawn mowing while Rambo is deployed. It is so nice to not have to wonder when I would be able to get around to mowing said lawn. Although, I think he may secretly just want to mow. He mows the lawn at least twice a week. He also probably doesn't want my shabby overgrown field of wild grasses to be next to his well manicured lawn. Whatever his motive may be, I am ever so appreciative! I am even in the process of making him a Thank You Ghan, in patriotic colors.

Unable to sleep more than a few hours the past few days, this morning I decided I would tidy up the back patio/porch area. *hindsight...what the hell was I thinking* Headed out there, swept up, moved a few things around, pounded the chair cushions and thought a good pass with the power washer would really be nice. That was until the damn thing decided not to work for me. Arrrgh! WHY!?!? After my fit, I turn to other projects...like mind wandering....

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT HUGE PLANT?!?!? Why is it so huge...it must be a WEED...or better yet...it kinda resembles poison sumac! Oh CRAP...if it is poison sumac, how the hell am I gonna get rid of it without being overcome with itchy rashes?"









Upon further inspection of the grounds around the porch/patio area...I notice that this HUGE plant has a couple relatives nearby...


Any of you out there who can label this plant? If it is poison sumac, how do I get rid of it without becoming one huge itch?

Whew! First Post for 2009

First off..... one word

OBAMA!

I was thrilled during elections, but the Inauguration....amazing! With it being such a significant historical inauguration, I had my kids stay home to watch it in it's entirety. The teachers flat out told them they would not be watching it. I would have assumed it would have been streamed throughout the schools...what do I know!? Granted we live in a red state, but c'mon...no matter who you voted for; this was history being made! Which brings me to a gingerbread house we saw over x-mess.....




There was a entire village of gingerbread houses. It was quite impressive! It was in Indianapolis. We took a detour on our way to IA. The trip to IA was snow filled fun! Initially, I was missing the thought of my 4x4 Chevy Trailblazer, which was traded in for a more economical car last spring. Which has been FABULOUS!!! However, the thought of snow and my lil Toyota Hybrid Camry gave me the shivers. Of course having grown up and learned to drive in snow country up in New England sure helped in how my car would perform in the snow. One stretch of highway we counted no less than 28 cars slid off the road and into the ditches. I asked Rambo (yes he was able to spend the holly-days with us...yaaay!) to check the weather on his phone, I had feared BLIZZARD... and not the fun, yummy kind from Dairy Queen! Sure enough, blizzard warning! **eeep!** At times seeing the road was damn near impossible, there was blowing snow and cars were zipping off the roads at alarming speeds. One point we were driving 20 mph on I74. Once we were on I80, the roads were in much better condition.

We ate lots of food in IA! My SIL and I made a wonderful xmess dinner. We stayed warm in the farmhouse, even though the temps were typically below zero. The coldest was -22. When it was above 0, the kids went out and played in snow drifts, building tunnels and forts. They had a blast! Time was short and before we knew it, it was time to drive home. Time flew by and then it was time for Rambo to head out again. No matter how many times we do this, it never gets any easier.

Of course for sanity's sake I keep busy with the kids insane schedules and my yarn. In previous posts, I made flip top mittens for Boy Wonder. Well, Teen Queen had to have a pair! I finished them right before we left for IA!




While in IA, I worked on Soldier Socks for Rambo. He wanted them taller than the usual patterned socks...so instead of 12 inch legs he got 15! Took 4 skeins of yarn, but I did it!



I have since completed 2 team knit pairs and sent them in. I finished a beanie/skull cap for Rambo to wear under his kevlar helmet. Last but not least I am working on 2 more pairs of team knit soldier socks which will be sent out shortly.

Sock clubs were my gift of choice this year! I enjoyed them so much this past year, I decided to repeat it. This way, every month I am getting wonderful yummy yarn in the mail! I love surprise yarn in the mail! Of course the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rawk club will be shipping it's first edition out this month. A new sock club I joined was through one of my LSG gals; The Yarn Bearer. If you like yarn, or want to send ME YARN... please check out the link to her Etsy shoppe! This is my first skein from UberSock and it's so pretty and smooshy!



Speaking of my LSG gals.... Chile had to be chic and go bald. So, we are all making and sending her hats! It is so amazing to me that we are seen as a bunch of rough around the edges, don't give a shit kind of gals by those who scorn us LSG'rs. Yet we are a very close group, especially for an online community! Here are a couple hats I made for our girl Chile!




And last but most certainly not least....a MYSTERY SHAWL! I did my swatch for Mystic Star. If you dig on shawls, are addicted to lace knitting, or want to learn...there is still time to get in on this KAL! GO HERE for details!

Here is my swatch. Size 6 needles, Jaggerspun 2/8 color is Amethyst. The color is darker in real life, my flash washed it out. This is what I get for taking pictures at 2am!



WHEW! So... that's been my 2009 so far.
Well that, and I had a birthday in there...39 baby! Sneaking up on 40, yes I am.

Shawls to be put on hold...due to the war

This past year I have become a Mystery Shawl addict, I am well aware of it, and it is no secret that I have a love of lace. However, I have soooo many of these KALs saved to my computer. Simply due to the fact there are not enough knitting hours in my day for lace knitting. With all the kid corralling I do, I need portable knitting. Lace is not very portable. I have many mystery lace projects in different states of done-ness (if that;s even a word). With so many lace WIPs lying about Wicked Manor, it has taken every fiber of my being to *NOT* sign up for any more lace shawl Kals, free or otherwise.

The making of Rambo's socks, I felt the need to make more! Not just for him but for others. Not just others, but other soldiers. I have been yearning to add charity knitting to my list, but had not found one I could be committed to. Then it came to me... SOCKS FOR SOLDIERS!!!


Partial Description from the site~ Socks for Soldiers, Inc.
This organization is about sending gifts of love to our soldiers in the Middle East. We are not interested in the politics in this war, but in showing support to our troops by each sending love in a special thoughtful way. When we knit a pair of socks for one soldier we are sharing part of ourselves. "Support our Troops" means more than a yellow bumper sticker.

With my Special Forces Rambo man off doing his thing for duty, honor, and country... I need to do my part. Well you know, besides running the home and kids of course!
I may not be Rosie the Riveter... but I can be Wicked, the Special Forces Sock Knitting Wife! I am passionate about this, and will be blocking off a good portion of my knitting hours to this charity.



You do not have to know or even care about the reasoning or agendas behind the war/s, you do not have to be a Democrat or like Republicans, you do not have to even know a soldier; to show those who are deployed and putting their lives on the line everyday and night that you care about them and are thankful for their duty. I have met many people who thank Rambo for what he does. I have also met many people who thank Me and the kids for what we do and endure as a military family. Support the troops means also supporting the troops families. There are families attached to those soldiers. These families who continue on with their day to day activities while their loved ones are half a world away. If you should come across a military family in your day to day activities, thank them. Offer help for anything at all. It could be something as small as mowing the lawn. It could mean much to them and one less chore on their plate. (anyone who loves painting eaves and overhangs... boy do I have a job for you!*wink wink nudge nudge*)

All joking aside. It used to really tick me off during our first war deployment, when people would give all the praise to the soldier, without even taking into consideration what the military family left behind goes through while the soldier is off fighting the fight. So many people are effected by the war deployments, and yet; so many people, day to day while out grocery shopping, or driving through Starbucks for their daily venti latte forget that we are a country actually at war.

It is not fame, glamor, power, political agendas, or wealth that made this country great, it is honor, duty, courage, and love of country.