Mallard

I have added a link on the right side under Home Education to a site that has some Mallard Fillmore comic strips. These pertain to Home Schoolers and the current NEA (National Educators Association) opinions about parents taking their children's education into their own hands.

Enjoy!

ITE Knitted Bag

Here is the knitted bag I made for the International Tote Exchange. The pattern is from the June issue of Simple Knitting.I made some modifications, due to the yarn I was using. It called for wool, and since I am allergic.....

I added a surprise - photochromic buttons. They change colors from white to purple. She said she likes color, but not neons, and likes textures. I hope the recipient likes it!

The Age of Consent in Indiana is 14 as of July 1, 2007!!!!!!!

'Romeo and Juliet' law starts
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070709/LOCAL/707090367

I have been out of town and so I missed this if it was in the Indy Star paper. My dh told me to turn on the O'Reilly Factor on Fox News this evening to see a blurb about this law. I could not believe that it went into effect on July 1! I am outraged!!!! Did anyone see this in the paper? The article was actually written for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. It has been distributed via the Associated Press, but not very widely. I feel that this law requires action on our part as parents, as this portion of the law simply encourages our young people to be sexual active without the possiblity of consequences.

I am composing a letter to our congressmen to protest this law and request its amendment. This may not do much good as the law was passed 98-2 on the 3rd reading reading in the Indiana House http://www.ai.org/legislative/bills/2007/PDF/Hrollcal/0313.PDF.pdf and 44 to 5 in the Indiana Senate http://www.ai.org/legislative/bills/2007/PDF/Srollcal/0402.PDF.pdf .

After reading the bill itself, it is evident that this is a line-item addition to a bill that has some very important changes. Most of the legislators probably were either willing to allow this addition to pass in order to get the rest of the items in to law or were ignorant of its inclusion.

It is so sad to see another reason why our society is out of whack and that we need to be so vigilant for our children's well-being.

I'm off my soap box now.

Crochet-based Economy

I read this blog entry from one of my fav email lists, Crochet Partners, and I just had to respond! I have copied my response below, but in the interest of the rights of intellectual property, I request you click on the link to read the original post to the blog.

http://crochet.craftgossip.com/the-proper-care-and-feeding-of-the-crochet-based-economy/2007/07/09/

Here is my response:

"I am so glad I am not a traitor to the cause! One project at a time?!? Blasphemy!!!

For those of us cross-breeds (both knitters and crocheters), I would add NAS = Needle Acquisition Syndrome as well as the general NAAS = Needlework Accessory Acquisition Syndrome, we can't forget all those lovely gadgets that help us create our works of love, if not, art. BAS (as stated by Bonnie) and FIPAS (Free Internet Pattern Acquisition Syndrome) I would freely include in the PAS, lest we get too confused by too many abbreviations.

And, on the topic of ecology, many of us also recycle those grocery bags to use in projects. Plus, we have encouraged yarn manufacturers to create yarns with other such renewable resources as corn, soy, bamboo, sari fabric, etc. Yeah for us needleworkers who assist in the global economy as well!

This is not to forget those independent designers, who have been encouraged to create more patterns to feed our addiction. And several of those designers have become published as a result of the internet and our societal needleworkers support.

And then those ball winders, that necessity to aid us in keeping order of our stash. Or, at least, attempted order. Plus the act of winding can be meditative, as well, as addictive.

And for the computer programs, we also need them to keep a list of our WIP, WIM and to aid us in calculations and conversions. So, computer programmers are a portion of *another* industry we support.

You are so right! Without us crocheters (and knitters, too!) our economy, as well as our society in general, would completely collapse!

Thank you for putting into words what so many of us feel!

Happy Hooking!"


Oh, and I forgot to include this comment from the CP list:

"LOL JD too funny but you forgot we also help with the housing boom
because as George Carlin says we need stuff, then a place to put our
stuff, then more stuff to put our stuff in, then a bigger house so we
can go out and buy MORE STUFF!

The blessed Law of Stuff!"

Here's Fluffy!

This is Sammie, our 1 yo Maltepoo. We rescued her from a bad situation.

I'm finally done!

I finished all 12 scarves and mittens for the bears. Here is a picture of the finished project. They kids really like them and the people at BBW said they had never seen anything so cute.

The way of life...

Well, Momma Duck has abandoned the nest. I found an egg in the driveway yesterday and carefully put it back in the nest in the hopes that she had just left for food. Today, I found the nest disturbed again and the egg gone. So, no baby duck for us.

The girls are sad, but it is a good lesson in life.