Post Thanksgiving ponderins: the days rant

am feeling like an old party pooper this weekend. Totally non-holiday mode. had the choice to work on turkey day and did, we had nachos for dinner!

am not sure if i can really explain the the problem (if it is even a problem-)it just seems like such a travesty. On the morning news there were shots of the govenor, & movie stars are out feeding the hungry. aren't they nice? yea right, out there in front of the camera on a holiday is good pr but where are they the other 364 days of the year!@???

same thing happens at christmas. all these do gooders & all their hype about 'giving' to the poor and less fortunate. of course they are doing this from their fancy $150 plate fundraising dinners. heaven help them if they actually did anything that made sense the rest of the year. and yes am sounding sour. the same people who are going on ad nauseum about help out the poor and doing their 'christian' duty are driving around in their shiny bmw's amd mercedes and wouldnt know a day without food (unless they're anorexic).let alone how to really make a difference to people who really need help.

i think i will be less pessimistic when i see things like

(1)the pharmacutical companies be less worried about their millions in profits and start making sure that people on fixed incomes can get their life supporting medications

(2)when i see see BIG oil actually encouraging & pushing 'green' fuels because they KNOW the long term petrolium is limited and to continue as we do will ONLY help destroy the planet. (THEY ALREADY DO KNOW they just refuse to acknowledge it)

there is more but most of us already know the problems. i just get so discouraged at the lack of improvement- this time of year just makes it so much more obvious.
sigh...

an example of my 'problem' with things as they are: a lady at work was all excited about what her church group was doing. their 'good deeds'- they were taking garage doors (rejects from the factory) down to a small village in the interior of mexico and building one room houses with them. on the surface this seems nice. people have a roof over their head.... on the surface.....

my problem with the scenario you ask??? first their attititude of "aren't i so generous,so "christian" ?? for Giving you a house?- (doesnt matter to them if the villagers even like the things as they dont seem to have ever Asked. then there is the problem of the materials. how on earth does a garage door strike anyone as a practical medium to build an entire house out of? and what if there is any damage to it? does the villager again do without? they cant repair it (no tools or materials to do so) they cant replace the parts (no money to import more) they cant duplicate the houses (supposing they do like them)because the manufacturing is beyond their villages skills. - at no time did the group appear to have asked some vital questions:such as what did the village REALLY NEED?? i can think of a few things more important - like a clean water source. nor did the group appear to bother to "teach" anything.like how to build a house quickly and effeciantly and cheaply (like strawbale or cob or using tires like the earthship houses.)thereby not only getting new homes and skills to be used over & over. they could have taught how to build effeciant fuel burning stoves for cooking instead of open smoke causing cooking fires.

the thing that strikes me as sad & scary is the group sees nothing wrong with their methodology or attitudes.they are probably decent folk who mean well(in spite of their insistance in preaching their possible unwanted doctrine)there are so many groups like them, but its no wonder so many 3rd worlders resent and hate the gringo yankee. we come off as know-it-alls who really dont take the time to learn or care.

on a more family level i just cant 'get' into spending 2 out of 4 days off traveling to see a huge family group while probably exhausted from said traveling then overeating on one day and turn right around and spend hours traveling back home- somehow i just dont see the fun in it. and why does this "Have" to be on the same weekend as millions of others. there are afterall 11 other months and at least 361 other days. shouldnt we spend more time WITH the family instead? with out the stress?? ok we cant get out of the overeating thing... at least if your family is anything like ours. the first thing the all do is cook a feast :o)

enough ranting for the day - i hope however you all spent your holiday weekend it was fun and safe

found a really interesting and uplifting blog today. apparently she had a stroke in her 2nd trimester of pregnancy & Survived!! wow! she is making remarkable progress as well. a real inspiration. she's at http://bethhanley.blogspot.com/

WOW - its been ages since i posted and a lots been going on. today tho all i am going to mention is the blog i have just recently found Daycreek.com
i was so fascinated that i went back and read every posting. he has been building a cordwood home. The blog is very well written and the writer goes into amazing detail. the kind of things that a potential self builder wants and needs to know. and on top of all that he is a very good photographer! i do hope you take a minute to check his site out. its a delight.

Had a GREAT research day!! www.Ancestry.com has the BRAND NEW 1930's census records on line for the FIRST time!! YEA!!! actually found info on Grfather - confirmed he was born in Ireland (family "Thought" he was but...) also confirmed grmother from Ireland as well AND we found aunt 'Babe"s" first name!! found bunches of stuff on other family lines as well. SOOOOOO COOOL~!! i was having so much fun i totally forgot to watch the fireworks!!LOL!!!

Hot Diggity!

Did i mention am a genealogist?? i love researching- wish i could make a living doing it. am doing several friends family lines, KNYVETT, ESCHETE and KARSTENS. Still digging on grandfather "CROFT" too.

AM SOOO EXCITED!! a good friend (who i MISS a lot just let me know her website is up!

CHeck it OUT on my favorite links= Sue's Old Fashions i KNOW for a fact she is an incredible seamstress and a VERY PATIENT teacher!! :o)!!! the pictures dont even begin to show how lovely her clothes are!! if you need ANYTHING in period clothing = she is the Person to check with!!

WhooooHooo! i finished one with OUT major booboo's! LOL!! the only thing i may have goofed on was how many rows of plain knitting at the top. Is a pretty swan- is such fun to finish AND it looks like its suppossed to!!

Did u knit in public today? 10 June 06=National knit in public day!!
YES I did!! LOL!!
went to DH's High School Alumnus Picnic in Garden Grove. LOTS of people came but few from his grad class :( so while we ENJOYED being there and the GREAT weather (its been averaging 108 at home) i had very few to really interact with. so..... :o) i got time to knit. (Yea!) was nice sitting in the cool breeze with all the different people wandering about (i am a bit of a people watcher) i finished a previous KAL from MonthlyDishcloths = i think it was april or march - its a darling garden watering can! the ONLY problem i found with it is that i am STILL having pattern sequencing problems. i had to frog a bit twice. but am even getting better at frogging (i dont have to start over every time now! LOL!!)you can see that i do have that problem on the border.... is frustrating as am NOT SURE what i am doing wrong there tho i suspect i am forgeting to switch back to knit those last couple of stitches.
THANK you to those who wrote suggestion=- the crossing off line by line is helping ALOT more than i thought it would.
we DID refind an old friend this weekend so all in all was a GREAT day yesterday.

the "almost finished' funky color ribbon purse (i still have to complete the handle) its cuter than i expected. :o) and the fuzzy stuff seems to suit it. even my 14yr old says its OK. (high praise indeed from a picky teener!)

I actually DID IT!! i finished my first KAL and my first dishcloth. the pattern is from the yahoo group "Monthly Dishcloths"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MonthlyDishcloths/?yguid=185460809

its such a cute little fishy= i used some cotton i had stored (funny thing- it was sun faded in spots but the resulting varigation is kinda pretty) i already see all my mistakes tho.....:( but i am still having problems following a pattern and the size of dishcloths is great for practicing and learning. i LOVE the feel of the cotton too.

You are Milk Chocolate

A total dreamer, you spend most of your time with your head in the clouds.You often think of the future, and you are always working toward your ideal life.Also nostelgic, you rarely forget a meaningful moment... even those from long ago.

What Kind of Chocolate Are You?

LOOKING for Ideas and suggestions.
My dd#2 is in a hs band that will be performing in Shanghai and Bejing China in July 07~~http://www.psband.org/china.html all very exciting and will keep us incredibly busy for the next 13 months (as if a teen doesnt keep ya busy ANYWAY!! LOL!) but we (and others) are facing a financial situation. While we are struggling to PAY for this trip (dont get me wrong its worth it!) we are a two income household so are (so far) managing to hang on by our fingernails.

THe PROBLEM?? dd's BEST FRIEND is in a single income household w/3 kids and the dad has not been well recently (scared them badly recently with a rush to the emergency room) so they DONT have the funds for her to go. :o( ........and WE dont have the funds to send her either.
(we are talking $2500 a head here- i know, OUCH! but its actually very reasonable all things considered)

So whats to do???? HOW do i go about finding sponsors? i dont hang with the rich crowd. most of my friends are in the same boat as we are... struggling to get by in an OVERPRICED part of the country, where (literally) you can be considered below poverty level and STILL make too much money to Qualify for food stamps!

Does anyone KNOW how to find and qualify for corporate sponsorships?? is there some method or letter one can send? i can DO that. i dont know HOW to do "fundraising' kind of things. am not good at getting donations for anything...... but if it involves letter writing emailing, etc - i think i can do at least that.

could sure use some ideas here.....

The politics are starting to heat up here in California- I actually went to my first ever political shindig. (small scale but very interesting) the candidate had a lot to say that I actually approved of . go figure. me, the anti-politician.. will wonders never cease.

If i continue with this i may just back this guy. His name is Steve Westly, and he had some good things to say about where he would like to take the state. As things are really bad now and quickly going in the toilet, he seems to have some ideas on bringing our state back to some semblance of on its feet. i don't hold the hope that he is some sort of miracle man. but we need a new direction and maybe hes got the moxy to pull it off.

I hope that every one who can WILL vote for whoever they choose. thats the most important thing.
could be an "interesting' summer! assuming of course that he wins the primary. i hope so as i dont much like angelides either.
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OTN: found some ribbon on sale ($1 a skein!) couldn't resist as i like the feel of it. is pretty screwy colors tho.. not what i would choose for myself but have enough to make a teener type purse -with matching furry trim. am trying to figure out how to finish it now. is interesting.

am still working on the the sock..... am calling the whole thing my 'pet' porcupine but have made progress finished the ribbing and am working on the leg part now. one of these days i may even succeed and finish the thing. :o) i dont mind tho.. am getting the hang of its rhythm and its surprisingly soothing.

Found a blog from new zealand with the most wonderful pictures!! would love to visit there. the band kids that came to visit us from there were absolutely delightful. i hope that they can come back soon. heres the blog. do check it out. http://kiwisoul.blogspot.com/

Color play


by r18rj18

Some photo experiments

by r18rj18


by r18rj18

Has been a few days but have been busy busy.... FINISHED!! a yummy large scarf for my mil for her birthday and got it and other goodies sent to her. when we called her for her happy birthday call found out bil paul is going into hospital for foot spur and stretching of achilles tendon.... OUCH! i have a LOT of sympathy as i too have foot problems!
The scarf was of a simple varigated boucle yarn of oatmeal lavender and pale blues. worked up lovely and SOFT-- i hope she likes :o)

otn- RESTARTED baby sweater again. i dont know enough yet i guess to be able to look at my work and figure out WHY it doesnt look right. i just know it doesnt,..... so i frog and frog.. :(
this time i restarted it on the vario. got the increases done up til the 21 stitches on each side increase -then the machine had hiccups. ergghh so i took it off and am doing the next part by hand. i really like the row counter on the machine but will see how it goes from here. is pretty in bright yellow & orange,,, i know SOUNDS funky but the yarn is pretty nevertheless! i started the blanket for the shower gift on the machine, ITs pale yellow and pale green very subtle but really nice. if sweater 1 works then i will do a sweater to match blanket. if not maybe a hat? will see.

still working on the looooonnnnnnnnnng blue silk scarf. i was going to give it to a friend for her going away present, but it didnt want to go! every time i tried to finish it that weekend something went wrong ... i guess it will tell me where its SUPPOSED to go eventully. its very soft and airy. am using huge needles with fine yarn.. i like the effect.

THIS IS SOOOOO NEAT!!

ITS OFFICIAL!!

The SPIRIT of the SANDS, Palm Springs High School Band and Visual Corps. is THE FIRST American Band to be selected To Play at the 2007

www.psband.org

BEIJING OLYMPIC MUSIC FESTIVAL!!!!!!

the youngest is going to china!! Oh MY!!!

THis band director does AMAZING things with and for the Kids (how many hs bands do you know get to perform at DISNEYLAND on a regular basis! or is the local city's official band?? OR play in the SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE or TIVLOLI GARDENS, Denmark??

ESPECIALLY as they do it on a budget from the school district of $00000000!!!!!

every dime is raised by the band boosters and the families of the kids.

So From Now on i will also be including band performance info here.
this weekend there is a Bookfest with a LOT of authors here in town selling and chatting up their books and activities. I think i will go and see some favorite authors :o) and also pass out invitations that i have made on my own to as many as i can to invite them to our

Palm SPrings Youth Music Festival & 19th Annual Invitational Field Show Tournament. Its offically from the 2-9th of December in downtown Palm Springs.
SO IF YOUR family is in ANY way involved with your local high school LET THEM know about our tournament. We have an internationally adjudicated program and LOTS Of FUN!!!

Of Finland & Sweden:
I see that I have had a visitor from both these countries. How cool is THAT!! I loved visiting both of them. We went ot Stockholm then rode a train for several hours to a friends home (i dont remember where exactly but it was GREEN~! too too wonderful. there was a forest right across from their house..

Our friends in Finland were in the town/city of Espoo (also forested). Lordy that was a beautiful place. I miss those friends. we have lost touch with them and i dont even know if they are still there. Keith & Leah if you come across this, my dh worked with you in Tabuk!

i know, I know, a LONG SHOt that anyone i know would actually see this but ya never know! LOL!!

I really enjoyed All of scandanavia - is a Stunning part of the world. would love to go back someday.

Where Falcons & Desert Hawks Fly http://kkmcdeserthawk.blogspot.com/ HAs a GREAT shot of a Camel in the desert. Its funny the odd little things you miss about a place. We lived in kingdom for over 4 yrs and those loud smelly unfriendly oddly shaped and equally oddly beautiful creatures are one of them.. strange but there it is....

Discovered A really neat blog Called Infinite Zoom: A Fractal Gallary= while i have NO idea what a Fractal is i DO know when something is really pretty and these images really ARE!!
http://infinitezoom.com/index.htm