One down 3 to go

Okay.. We are one baby excuse me.. Big Boy blanket down, with 4 more to go.

I completed the BB blanket a couple weeks ago.. I know.. Bad Blogger. I even had H take pictures of it (coming after I find the USB cable for the camera).
I wound up being very pleased with the outcome of the blanket.
After riping it apart during the summer months when it was time to seriously consider reworking it, I also deconstructed the threads. It was blue and green held together throughout. I changed it to blue/blue,blue/green and green/green. Held worked together throughout. Yes, it does make for a hefty blanket. But there is nothing worse than when you are snuggling on the couch with your favorite one and it's still too chilly.
We gave it to the little man in question, yesterday, for his 4th birthday. He pulled it out of the bag, looked at it, said thank you, and then dug back into the bag for the toy inside.
I honestly didn't mind.
I know that it went home with him and was put on his bed. I also know that while this blanket may not mean horribly much to him at age 4. In 14 more years when it is time to head to college. It will be a whole nother ballgame. That delights me more than anything.

Blanket number 2 was cast on immediately upon the finishing of the BB blanket. And I have been frantically knitting on it since. What I figured was a mid march due date, turns out to be Feb 28th. This one is being done in a pale orchid purple and a soft sage green. Both colors are being held together(noticing a trend?), and is working into a lace pattern. Not horribly complicated, but one that will defiantly blossom out once it's been washed and dried.
The pattern is worked over 10 rows. Which is not bad.
It's for a baby girl. We know her name is going to be Isabella.

Blanket number 3 will be done for a much anticipated baby who is coming in June.
I think I am going to go for a denim blue and strawberry pink color. Not sure yet. I honestly have to think on the colors for sure, since what I really am thinking about doing with it. The intent was dump trucks full of flowers, but of course I can't find anything like that. SO I am thinking strawberry and denim in the body of the blanket and then using yarn to embroider the truck and flowers. (need time to think).

Blanket number 4 may wait until next fall.. It all depends on the timing. Since he has already been born. I don't have to rush.

So that is blanket progress!
Photos of the BB blanket soon.. I'll even include the first time through pic again!

14 puppies.......

This animal shelter in San Felipe is where my mother in law devotes 98% of her time, money and energy.
This is the shelter that we let Miss M go to work at for the summer.
This is the shelter where one of our dogs came from.

I will be trying to figure out what I and my Dance Troupe can do to help. I have no knitting projects complete and in surplus that I could sell or auction.

My whole family is at a total loss of words for this senseless act.
Blessedly our family members are safe, and were not at the building when this happened.
That isn't saying much for the loss of 14 puppies who were in the building being cared for and being brought to adoptable health.

All I will ask is that if you can help.... please do. This shelter lost all of it's equipment, medicines, supplies, blankets, water supply....
You can even help by copying this right out of my blog and getting it past my couple readers out into the world. Or by linking back to me.
When I find it on the AP website I will post it again.

It's a sad evening here at our house..


The following is an article that was released to AP from the shelter's staff.

This is their website.
http://sfanimalrescue.org/g/


ANIMAL SHELTER SET ON FIRE

On Saturday night, January 7th, at about 2am, THE SAN FELIPE ANIMAL RESCUE was broken into and vandalized. “SFAR is a no-kill animal shelter, and why this happened is certainly baffling”, said one volunteeer. The double wide trailer which houses our clinic and all supplies and medicines, as well as newborn puppies and some sick dogs was set ablaze and literally burned down to the ground. Fourteen dogs were needlessly destroyed. Other outside kennels were vandalized as well but no other dogs were harmed.

SFAR was started by a concerned group of Americans in 2003 when it became a non-profit organization based out of Arizona. Since its beginning, SAN FELIPE ANIMAL RESCUE has spayed and/or neutered nearly 2000 stray and indigent dogs and cats, in an effort to surgically alter 75% of the 8000 street, camp, desert and beach dogs and cats by 2008. Zero population will be achieved when that goal is reached.

Ronda Walpole, founder of SFAR, and a resident of Show Low and Queen Creek AZ, was devastated when she and group of volunteers showed up Sunday morning to assess the damage and loss of precious little lives. “We will rebuild, and continue our mission, but we need help and support. Everything critical to running a rescue of this size was in that building and lost in the fire,” said Walpole. “We are based in the desert and now all our water will have to be trucked in due to the damage to pipes and pumps However, we will continue to provide shelter and care to the other 100 plus animals on site that were not harmed.” SFAR takes in some 25 strays every week and has a successful adoption program thru PetSmart in Mesa, AZ.

A formal investigation is underway and many, many residents of this small beach town have stepped up to help out.

We can be contacted thru this website
email BAJAANIMALRESCUE@YAHOO.COM
or 707-320-0054 / a US number that connects in Mexico
contact: Steven Forman

A year in review ( a meme of sorts)

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before
I'll just say that it was tons of fun and I have ZERO regrets.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't make them. There is no point in resolving to do things things for myself that I should do without question or fail.

My 2005 resolution?
See above

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
A family member

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, not this year.

5. What countries did you visit?
Just the USA

6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?
Be a step or two closer to having a baby

7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The look on H's face when I surprised her with many flowers on her birthdat
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
First public bellydance performance

9. What was your biggest failure?
There is a fine line between failure and inspiration.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing Major

11. What was the best thing you bought?
H's bathrobe. (I'm always 'borrowing' it)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The Bright Child

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Everyone has their moments

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills, Bills, Bills...

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Taking my first Belly Dance Class and finding that I am both enjoying every moment of it AND am good at it.

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?
Habibi nour al ain- Various Artists have done it.
(Darling light of my eyes)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? much happier
ii. thinner or fatter? the same
iii. richer or poorer? richer in many aspects

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Traveling

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastinating

20. How will you be spending Christmas/New Years?
Next Year. It will be Thanksgiving in Detroit, Christmas in Mexico and New Years Eve Recouperating at home

21. Which blogging people did you meet this year?
None.. But that is okay too.
22. Did you fall in love in 2005?
Yep, H keeps doing things that Stop the world.

23. How many one-night stands?
Are you kidding?

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Rescue Me

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Dislike a few...maybe. Hate is reserved for the worst of the worst

26. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince. I've read others too, and they all of notable quality of some sort.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Reaffirmed my enjoyment of World Music

28. What did you want and get?
Another year of my family healthy and happy. Finally got to see Nine Inch Nails Live!

29. What did you want and not get?
More hours in the day

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Ummmm.... Narnia, From Hell, And a couple old James Bond Flicks

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Went to work, had my child puke on the phone while talking to me,
turned 32, and spent the rest of my evening after work in the company of my small family, with many phone calls from those loved ones back east.

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being able to finance getting pregnant.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005?
As always somewhere lost in the dark and mysterious Gothic, only this time add a splash of Belly Dance.

34. What kept you sane?
Friends, Family

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Trent Reznor(but that is every year), Aria Giovanni, Nic Cage, and an Italian Actor by the name of Maruzio Aiello.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The Entire Bush Administration.

37. Who did you miss?
My parents and brother. They live in Detroit, and I miss them horribly.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met many wonderful people who have added many things to my life.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005.
Smile and Spin

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
You and me
if the world should break in two
until the very end of me
until the very end of you
awake to the sound
as they peel apart the skin
they pick and they pull
trying to get their fingers in
well they've got to kill what we found
well they've got to hate what they fear
well they've got to make it go away
well they've got to make it disappear
the farther i fall i'm beside you
as lost as i get i will find you
the deeper the wound i'm inside youf
or ever and ever i am a part of
you and me
we're in this together now
none of them can stop us now
we will make it through somehow


We're in this Together- NIN

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Bad Blogger..

I'll admit it, I have been a bad blogger, a really bad knitter, and well.. Just a plain very busy belly dancer.
I knew that when I began my journey into belly dance, about 6 months ago, that I would be embarking on a new hobby that would take over my life.
And it did. I know that I tend to do things rather obsessively, like knit, dance and sew. But I did not know that this was going to lead me on a journey of self discovery, friendship, and a wild appreciation for a culture that I know little about, but am learning quickly.
I'll admit that since I began dancing I have knit less. In knitting less, I have learned new uses for yarn, and in some cases the funkier the yarn, the better the use.
We as knitters all know that yarn makes for the best tassels, but did you know those tassels become wearables in BellyDance?! They become attached to our belts, pants, skirts and even to our hair.. But never to our bras! We aren't strippers you know. When braided it makes great belts, when wool is felted they make awesome dreds. And even the ribbon yarns and furry things find a place in this unique world.
In the last 6 months I have been able to deplete my stash considerably, by making these little things that knuggles and non fiber people know nothing about. Even make a little extra cash doing so.
I have been able to look at, and touch some of the finest fabrics and yarns. From beautiful Haboti silk, to the most buttery soft fibers that have been spun to make belts, and other costume pieces.
This is not taking into consideration the history of the dance. Where it comes from, how it got here, and what made it blow up into a global comunity as large as knitting.
Nor is it taking into consideration, the neat things that I can now do with my body. Learning how to shimmy and wiggle at blinding speeds while walking down the street, at the same speed as everyone else. (let me tell you that's a trip)
How to make my belly, and only my belly roll downward, and upward. (upward still makes me want to be sick) without moving a single thing on my spine!
Not to mention learning how to slow my movements to almost imperceptible, save for the jingling of a couple bells.
Did you know, that in folkloric Turkish dance, there is a step that mimics spinning with a drop spindle?!
This journey, has introduced me to wonderful people, who have become my friends.
It's a trip that I have gone on, fully supported by my wonderful partner( so long as I don't play the zills in the house).
It's a new thing, that has our daughter fascinated with music, and asking for her own Doumbek for Christmas. ( A goblet shaped drum).
Because of Belly Dance, and the sometimes outrageous price of costuming, and the local shop owner who doesn't order things above a B cup. I have had to learn how to sew. Which, my own mother tried teaching me when I was younger, only to have us fight and scream at eachother, mostly because I was a horrible student.

I've gotten some knitting done, but not half as much as I would like to, I guess a great resolution for me, would be to find a better way to balance my hobbies out so one doesn't overtake the other. And to better balance, my family life with my hobbies.
I remind myself that I have baby blankets waiting, but the babies are COMING. I can't keep putting off the construction of warm things to wrap them in. I have a wonderful spouse who has been waiting patiently for a year for me to get her blanket done.
How does everyone do it? How do you all balance out your crafts, hobbies, family time, careers and still manage to get it all done?!

Since I will be burying myself in my family, my job, knitting, and dance rehearsals due to an upcoming performance. I will likely be MIA again, until after Christmas. But, with any luck, I will be back, with one and a half baby blankets, and at least another quarter of the Spouse's long waited blanket done.

Merry Chirstmas!
Happy Hanukkah!
Happy Kwanzaa!
Blessed Yule!
And Happy whatever other holiday I might have missed in there!