Sometimes I Am So Silly

What a dip--I wrote at least two lengthy blog posts earlier and left them on my other computer. Darn. Well, something to look forward to tomorrow. For now, isn't the dog CUTE?? Don't worry, the dishes get washed in hot water.

One thing I didn't write about in the lengthy other stuff is how I think I am finally coming out of a period where I felt really distant and blank. Little glimmers of feelings are coming back.

One good thing about feeling blank is that you can't feel the depth of despair. But you also can't feel happiness, joy, love and all those fun emotions. I felt caring--for the kids, my friends, and such, but I don't think I was full of love. That hasn't happened for a LONG time. I worked so hard in therapy at building a strong wall around my heart chakra. Well, I sure managed that. It is the only way I coped with how I was being treated at work, the job search process, the Dear Partner's emotional outbursts, losing the church friends...but it did take a toll. How much nice stuff did I miss out on? Why can't there be a balanced approach? Just enough feeling and not too much?

Of course, once I start to feel, I worry that I will start feeling things at people. I still need to have huge, immense boundaries about that. I am not too worried--I have set myself up as an attached person raising a family, with stringy gray hair and no chin, and as far as I can tell that means men don't even see me any more. Well, tomorrow at least the hair will be fixed!!!

translation: This begins the phase where I try really, really hard to set boundaries and not let myself become emotionally attached to Lee. But, the glimmers I talk about mean that I was enjoying myself a bit. No touching has occurred. Just good natured humor. And we got coffee occasionally.

Comments

sandy said...
Hey, can you send Scrunchy to my house? I have some dished that could use a good licking before they get sent through the sanitize cycle.It's good to read that you are starting to feel again. With good or bad results, it is better to be in touch with your emotions than to distance yourself from them.I'll look forward to reading the other posts tomorrow.
Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:47:00 PM

In a Groove

I must be getting used to early mornings. I was actually cheerful with the boys when I drove them to school at the crack of dawn, and then I got all excited when I realized I was seeing all the bats flying back to their "caves" (they live under a bridge on the highway) as I was driving in towards I-35. How lovely--there are so many that it looks like lines of smoke, and when you get close they are just flapping their little wings and darting around--very obviously NOT birds. There are good things about really early mornings.

And when I got to work, I found out that all the work I did this week got me the "you go girl" award for the week. They hardly ever give those to contractors. It IS nice to have your work rewarded, and helps heal some of my self esteem loss. And I have worked hard this week, but I like that kind of work, organizing projects and stuff. That is the fun part.

A longer post to come. Thinking about the past and dealing with it with tools and introspection.

translation: this post had nothing to do with Lee.

Comments

Jody said...
I like the image of the bats darting around. Makes me smile.Very very glad to hear about your recognition at work. Very glad, indeed.
Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:16:00 AM

Tina said...
Man, I love bats. Would you know, in the many times I visited before I moved, and in the three months I've lived here, I haven't yet been to seen the bat unger the Congress St Bridge? They're having a "Bat Festival" this weekend, though, so I'm probably going to go to that!'Grats on the "yo go girl" award.
Thursday, August 31, 2006 9:39:00 AM

sandy said...
See, I've been saying it for years..."Suna rocks"You deserve to be recognized.That is so cool about the bats.
Thursday, August 31, 2006 3:23:00 PM

Wet

I am wet. I arrived two hours ago to work in a huge downpour. Even if I had not somehow "misplaced" my valuable umbrella (inheritance from my grandmother, wah), it would have been in the back of the car. It was not raining when I left, but sure was when I arrived to the ALE parking lot. Even with a good space, I was soaked in my little wisp of a Chico's top by the time I got to the door. My pants and shoes are still wet. No makeup, hair very sad.

Oh well, drought will be helped greatly.

That's the weather report from Austin.

In Memoriam, Mallorn

Did you know, a mallorn is a tree from Lord of the Rings? It is! And the site of my former web host, mallorn.com but, it has to go away in a few months. No longer a money maker, and my pal is going to no longer have his last bit account. No big loss. And my pal will be moving on to better things. I just think of him sometimes and hope things get better for him. He reminds me of a younger version of my Dear Partner. Anyway, I loved my email address that had mallorn in it--I had it a long, long time. Long live boring new email address from RoadRunner.

OK, enough dwelling on past buddies (not that he's gone, still a buddy), there, to the left is the yarn I dyed, all balled up nicely. Now the two in center front are already part of a bag I am knitting. The orange-ish one is the EXACT color of wonderful, ripe peaches. So if you ever want to dye yarn to look like a peach, use all the yellow and orange KoolAid.

Many good things in the past few days, since I am hurrying I will summarize:

• Today it rained. Finally. I had never seen rain out the ALE window.
• I had a big knitting class on Saturday and a small one. Both were great fun.
• I got to go out with my friends Saturday night, and I said dumb things, but it also was fun.
• The dear children, partner and I went shopping yesterday, and I got Robin Wood tarot for the young one and CLOTHING for me. Major fun.
• I met a lot of very smart techie guys at work. These are the smartest dudes in the WHOLE WORLD when it comes to tech support. That is very cool. I realized I missed guys like that (mallorn fellow is one of those)
• Dear Partner fellow shared this article saying tea is better for you than water. Cool.

All right, my hands hurt. Time to go knit. HA HA that also involves my hands. Oh the irony.

Jody tells me not to get involved with married men. Thanks. I have that one figured out, finally. My ideal: not a married, unmarried, or even alive. Nor dead. Just no dudes. Good night.


It's a good knitting week. I finished the body of the Heaven shawl from Knitters I am working on. Not too big, but should be OK once it has a border and is blocked. It sure will be nice and warm.

translation: I have an inkling that I like Lee, or I would not have gone on and on about not wanting to get involved. This was when we were doing the T3 for Vista, and Lee and I spent a long time doing weird goof off things like looking at every house we ever lived in on Google Maps while the techies went over other people's documents. I was having fun with my friend. Not wanting to date.

Comments

KillerPeach!!! said...
That yarn IS the exact color of ripe peaches. And I would add, not only ripe peaches, but KillerPeaches. {heh heh heh, you knew that was coming, right?}Sounds like you're saying you're going to go chasing after the womyn, huh? If dudes aren't allowed, that must be the alternative....As long as they aren't married!
Monday, August 28, 2006 9:39:00 PM

deb said...
LOVE the Yarn. Great Colors!!!!
Saturday, September 02, 2006 2:16:00 AM

Life Is Full of Ups and Downs

It's true, it is. So here is a photo of me looking very happy with my yarn. Thanks to Tina for this one.

That is good, because some of today I was not happy. Other parts, I was OK.

I got some disheartening news from an old friend today that explained a lot of what has happened to me this year. I am just sad, sad that I was so much less appreciated for my efforts than I thought I was. But I rallied, because I do, really.

That news made it easy to accept when the computer at work committed suicide, and I was proud of how I got help, helped myself and got all set up and back running on a new computer (not new, but different) really quickly! And we all got second monitors today--if the correct video cards will show up we will even be able to use them! ALE is turning into an equipment paradise! Not to mention that I now have a wonderful ergonomic footstool! Nothing hurts now when I type! And soon I will be able to see lots and lots o' stuff.

Things really do seem to be looking up here in temporary job land. I got assigned some interesting policy stuff to do with my favorite manly coworker, so I will have a chance to learn some more from him and the others we will be working with. I am learning a lot by listening hard and making a lot of mental notes. There really are a lot of smart people here, and I love to learn from smart people. And today a smart coworker said I was an overachiever and that my work was really good. Since I had NO idea whether I was doing OK or not on this week's project, that was good news! Lordy, self esteem is crawling back...

I am enjoying the personal life stuff, too. The kids, partner and I are all getting along well. However, look at this, which I sent to an email list:

Dear Partner sent me the following cheery note this morning:

"I awoke at 8:15 or so to the sound of a quiet "hello?" and the sound of the front door being pulled closed. Evidently whoever left last didn't close the door completely and it opened up and Scrunchy went rambling and was evidently returned (again) by someone. So I was up and went about my usual morning routine. When I went out the front door to get the paper and reset the downstairs AC I found a stack of moth traps in the alcove. Maybe it was him [the pest control dude] who put the dog back?

"Anyway I was drinking my coffee and reading the paper for a while with Scrunchy at my feet as usual when I realized that he sounded like he was munching on something. Now don't freak or anything but he was macking on a dead rat right under the kitchen table. Pretty fair sized one and not a lot left either. I disposed of the thing right away and if I could wash out the dogs mouth with something I would have. I am guessing that it slipped in while the door was open but as to who killed it in the first place is anyone's guess, Shamus isn't talking."

[Shamus = Seamus, my cat]

So, that is gross, huh. I am pretty sure the rat/large mouse came in when the door was open--the youngest boy probably shut the door too softly in an attempt to be quiet when he left this morning. I am glad the pest control dude found the dog (he knows and loves him--had the same guy since Scrunchy was a puppy). I am also glad for the moth traps. We thought we had them under control, but were wrong. I hate them.

Otherwise, had a nice time at Chicks with Sticks last night though it was a bit loud for my INFP self. So I left a little early, which enabled me to eat dinner with the familia. That is good. More thoughts, but must work.

translation: Lee fixed my computer for me, and I was so grateful that he would spend that much time on helping a coworker. When I said I enjoyed my coworkers, it meant all of them. Admittedly, I enjoyed talking to Lee because we have a lot in common. But I was firmly convinced he was the happiest married dude on earth, and that I was stuck with "dear partner" so that I'd never be tempted to have an actual relationship again.

Comment

Tina said...
Guess what! I got the job at iTunes!
Friday, August 25, 2006 11:55:00 AM

Pens, Pens Pens and Dyeing Photos

Good-ish. Not dwelling on yuck-ish aspects of life today.

I am thrilled to say I got my pens in the mail yesterday from the cool Japanese pen website I found last week (go there to see the cute chopstick pencils). Here is sort of a photo of the set I got, only it had brighter colors--a green and a light blue instead of the much preferred maroon and dark blue pictured, wah. Still, they write so nicely. .38 mm is such a nice width for ink to spew forth in. I now have lots of purple and dark green, plus these. All set with good pens with Japanese writing on them everywhere I need to write stuff, now.

And it is Dear Partner's birthday, so if you know him, feel free to wish him a happy 55th. I think he had fun celebrating--he was out until 4 am after spending the evening (as far as I know) at good ole Donn's Depot.


I am also happy to note that Jody posted a description of and photos of the dyeing fun we had on Saturday. It's the August 21 post on this site. See my kitchen! See my dog's tongue! Here is a picture of the lace/sock weight yarn I dyed and got the muted, oddball colors I had been looking for, which are a sea green kind of effect, a dark green and a reddish brown. Can't wait.

I finished winding all the yarn I dyed and overdyed with the young son last night. I will post a photo of the lovely yarn cakes that resulted this evening, I hope. I think all my various sunny variegated Ella Rae worsted wools will knit up to be a fun felted bag.

I have been very flattered at the younger son's interest in tarot lately. He asked for a deck and is now using the very Irish one I used for a while. He is being quite studious, and has good intuitions on it, too. It is so nice talking to him that we ended up enjoying a very long traffic delay yesterday. He said, "Mom, look on the bright side; it was family bonding time!" Of course, costly bonding with the price of gas, but all good.

Comment

Tina said...
I'll get some pictures up later today - including more of your dog's tongue! Tell DP I said happy birthday!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 12:26:00 PM

Set of Three Things about Me

I found this on my friend Barbara’s blog. She got it from a site called 43 Things. She keeps answering all these interesting questions, so I thought I would give it a try, rather than venting my spleen, which would be really an ugly thing right now.

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:

1. Sue Ann
2. Suna
3. Mom

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:

1. SunaSAK
2. LLLSueAnn (that one’s a goner)
3. none—I am consistent

THREE THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. I am kind to people and animals.
2. I have interesting and useful talents.
3. I work very hard at any task I am asked to do.

THREE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:

1. I can’t dredge up interest in home maintenance projects
2. I am “too sensitive”
3. I suck at picking men

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:

1. nuclear holocaust
2. losing my children
3. being out of work

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:

1. yarn
2. tarot cards
3. contact with friends

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:

1. Vietnamese shirt
2. black dress pants
3. a jade and peridot ring

THREE FAVORITE DESSERTS:

1. bread pudding
2. Jack Daniels pie from Texas Land and Cattle Co.
3. drambouie

THREE THINGS YOU WONT EAT:

1. natto (Japanese fermented soybeans)
2. fatty sausage (makes me sick—no gall bladder)
3. raw eggs (texture)

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS (at the moment):

1. Slaid Cleves
2. Bruce Springsteen
3. Jeff Tveraas (aww)

THREE NEW THINGS YOU WANT TO TRY IN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS:

1. Knitting a shawl with yarn I dyed
2. Get a permanent job
3. Take a class on something new

THREE THINGS YOU’D WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:

1. Mutual respect
2. Humor and fun
3. Financial stability

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE:

1. I have a degree in Japanese.
2. I have never broken a bone.
3. I know how to tat

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX (or same) THAT APPEAL TO YOU:

1. Broad shoulders that taper to a narrow waist
2. Good hair (color and style can vary—like it long)
3. Lively eyes

THREE THINGS YOU JUST CAN’T DO:

1. Keep my personal space tidy
2. Maintain an exercise regimen
3. Play a musical instrument.

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:

1. knitting
2. tarot reading
3. reading

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:

1. Go somewhere in nature near a body of water, and sit and read and knit alone for about a week
2. Knit while watching an interesting TV show about philosophy
3. Give a couple of folks a piece of my mind (which I never will in this case--I've made a vow).


THREE CAREERS YOU’RE CONSIDERING:

1. Knitting teacher
2. Management of writing projects
3. Director at a healthy, interesting nonprofit organization that does work that is meaningful to me (good luck on this one)

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:

1. Oregon
2. Western Ireland
3. a lake house in northern Florida

THREE KID’S NAMES:

1. Kynan Kendall
2. Declan
3. Ada Maeve

THREE CELEB CRUSHES:

1. Pierce Brosnan
2. Dennis Quaid
3. Richard Gere

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A GUY:

1. I like to watch sports on TV.
2. I am most comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt.
3. I prefer action figures to dolls.

THREE WAYS I AM STEREOTYPICALLY A CHICK:

1. I love to paint my nails interesting colors and grow my fingernails long.
2. I like fabrics with flowers on them.
3. I like things that smell sweet.

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:

1. Live next to a lake.
2. Spend a couple of months without anything to worry about and no effing growth opportunities.
3. Go on a book promotion tour, which assumes I have written a book.

So, what are yours? Email them to me or post them to YOUR blog!

Comment

Jody said...
I can't believe you said Richard Gere...
Monday, August 21, 2006 8:57:00 PM

Fun, Fun, Fun

It's been quite a fun few days, but I am worn out from it all! I am very pleased to have fun to report, though!

An Interesting Religious Diversion

The Dear Partner found this article on the behavior of religious folks versus nonreligious (atheists, agnostics). It was based on a scientific journal article. Here's the link http://www.humaniststudies.org/enews/index.html?id=219&article=7 -- the site is the Insitute for Humanist Studies (hmm, maybe I could get a job THERE). I was interested to see how the secular socieities had more law-abiding populaces. Read the whole thing--it's an eye opener, though of course I have no idea if it's just a bunch of bull or well done stuff. No time to evaluate at this point, but maybe later.

Friday Fun

I went to the coffeehouse I'd talked about, and did OK. I still get a bit of a nerved out vibe there, but was able to enjoy being with some good friends, including the musicians, who are always SO kind to the Dear Partner that it makes me a little teary. The wife of the pair said his puns remind her of the way her dad was. Ah, someone who can handle incessant bad puns with grace. I need lessons!! I am going to try to take the DP to see them play again tomorrow, and try to get some of his friends to come out to celebrate his birthday (it's Tuesday and he will be double-nickel) (I am much younger!!). This will wipe me out, because it means I will get no sleep (driving kids to early band practice before dawn on Tuesday), but I can make the best of it. In any case, I think I will try to go back to church on Sunday next. My older son really wants to, so I think if I just show up and listen, but do not get involved with personalities or organizational management, I might, might be able to. And I hear there are nice new people...

Hair

Did I mention I finally got a hair cut appointment? I did. September 1. I am tired of the frizzy mess that is my current hair. I am sure the Great Gregory will work a miracle.

Dyeing Yarn

Ooh, yesterday was fun. I spent the entire work day at the yarn shop, which was not my plan, but was fun. It was not too busy and we got to look at a lot of pretty colors. Some good teaching occurred, and lots of knitting helping and such. And I got to look at the tarot deck Jody got me (I now finally have the Barbara G. Walker deck--my heroine--and an odd one it is, too--but readable). Many thanks to Jody! And she got a MOST unusual deck, the name of which escapes me, but it something about the secrets of the sea...she can tell us what it really was.

Then, after work and finding Tina, whom we had lost (and visiting her apt, which strongly resembles my kids' playroom in decor and ability to place an object on every single flat surface--so cute and so how I wish I could do things!!), Jody, Tina and I all trekked to my house to dye yarn. I have the biggest kitchen, you see. And a patio that can be ruined and no one will care.

I am impressed that we didn't ruin anything, other than the color of Jody's hands. I wore gloves.

I had enough tiny containers of color and larger containers, that, along with Tina's giant dye pot with an atomic symbol on the bottom, we had plenty of dyeing stuff. And a lot of places to soak yarn, thanks to my first-floor full bath. And a turkey baster and some syringes to apply dye with something like precision. It was way fun. I made some sorta ugly stuff but learned a lot, and will still be able to use the yarn to make a felted bag, I do believe. I don't think the dye will come out--we nuked or boiled it all and it seemed stable. In fact, when rinsed, none of the Kool-Aid dyed stuff ran at all. All the color soaked into the wool!

I dyed I think 5 skeins of off white knitting worsted wool and one skein of laceweight that used to be an ugly sock. The laceweight I wanted in sort of muted colors, and I ended up with a sea-blue-green, greenish brown, and salmony-rose blend, with various shadings. I think it is very close to what I had been thinking I wanted. Just pouring Kool-Aid in little containers until it was a color I liked. Can't wait to share photos! (Jody and Tina took some and I assume will post some on their blogs)

Mostly we used Kool_Aid, but Tina had some fuschia RIT dye that she turned some lightweight yarn into quite a beauty with. Jody made a "sausage" that was blue to purple, and the blues came out really interesting and two-toned. They will make AWESOME socks. We all had definite successes and near misses (the color salmon kept creeping into Tina's stuff), but in all, it was quite a fun evening of learning and adult beverage drinking. Tina learned, for example, that Ace Pear Cider is the Best Pear Cider on Earth (nectar of the gods, I always say). I now have a lot of Woodchuck to choke my way through, or give to unsuspecting acquaintances.

And a horrible accident had a semi-happy ending. You see, yesterday, while we were at the shop. Jody had brought some sodas to drink, Diet Dr. Pepper, with cherry. Late in the 100+ degree day, she went to her car for some reason or another, and upon opening it saw that the soda she had left there had exploded most heinously, all over the car AND some really, really nice undyed wool from lovely, rare sheep. She was NOT pleased. Poor yarn. Permanently disfigured. But, she bravely dyed it with black cherry Kool-Aid, and oh my, did it come out pretty. Looked like Manos de Uruguay kettle dyed yarn (duh, it was sorta dyed in a kettle). The color was gorgeous, ranging from very deep to lighter, depending on we are not sure what. But, while the yarn might have best been undyed, it is certainly glorious dyed, and I hope can grow up to be something nice.

Anyhow, my pals and I had so much fun. I hope we can do it again and have more people. We now know a bit more of what we are doing.

This morning, the Dear Partner went into the downstairs restroom to see the glorious sight of all my yarn (plus one that may not be mine--anyone want to own the dark reddish stuff??) with the morning sun pouring through it. He said it was really beautiful. And you know, if a dude comments on how nice yarn looks, it must REALLY look nice.

Photos to come, I hope.

Comments

Tina said...
Hmm... I made it home with all of my "dark reddish stuff." was it the one of yours that Jody dyed, perhaps?
Sunday, August 20, 2006 1:50:00 PM

Robin said...
I love dying wool with kool-aid! I've only done carded wool, then used it to make all kinds of fun waldorf-like felted objects. Orange kool-aid makes awesome felted pumpkins!Sounds like a fun day. Wish I had a local yarn shop like yours, Suna!
Sunday, August 20, 2006 1:59:00 PM

Jody said...
The dark reddish stuff is indeed the Ella Ray that I dyed for you - cherry and grape, yum.It was a lot of fun. Gotta get to posting picutres, though that may not happen tonight.
Sunday, August 20, 2006 6:30:00 PM

Anonymous said...
Whee! An appointment with Gregory! I think I am finally resigned to not having him in Illinois any more. I got a cut at a "haircuts r us" place this month that is not too bad. When I was whining to a friend that my hair just hasn't been the same since he left, she pointed out that I probably paid a third of what I paid for a haircut from him. And it's probably 75% as good. A bargain, I guess. And really, pretty good.I'm really happy that you will be getting a nice new cut, though. You know he's good!Nancy Jo
Monday, August 21, 2006 12:37:00 AM

Judy said...
Your yarn dying sounds like a fun time was had by all, and you even dyed some yarn to boot! ..LOL.. Honestly, you should have just added some vodka to all that kool-aid and sipped through a straw while the yarn was soaking! ..giggle.. Okay, okay, it probably doesn't work that way, but it sounds fun anyway. It's fun times with friends like that, tht make all the other carp easier to put up with.Judy
Monday, August 21, 2006 2:35:00 PM

deb said...
I found the article to be very interesting. Unfortunant really but true. And this from a religious person, however I am not the type religious person to say my religion is the only religion. And the dying party sounds very fun indeed. I second the vodka in the kool-aid. hehehehe
Monday, August 21, 2006 5:57:00 PM

Suna said...
Those of you encouraging the vodka need not fear. There was Mike's lemonade, pear cider (both good (Ace) and bad, and apricot beer)and even a huge case of the giggles as we wound our way from yarn to tarot. So, we had lots of adult beverages to inspire creativity, even if we didn't mix it with Kool-Aid. I still don't think I can bring myself to try Kool-Aid after so many decades of abstinence.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006 10:43:00 AM

It's About Time I...

...made a hair cut appointment. So I did, for September 1.

I think I'll just let him do what he wants, though I think I want it still long, but layered and perhaps less gray--either dye it or highlight it a LOT more. That is all for now. Big evening at Former Spiritual Community for a concert. Afternoon will visit Knitting World, whee.

Oy, 6 AM Is Early

It is going to take me a while to get used to taking three sweet band students to school two days a week. I have to get them there between 6:45 and 6:50. Argh. It is now 5 pm and I am dead tired. I guess one good thing is I get to work BRIGHT and early so I will have lots of time to leave early on Friday!

My socks look sort of funny in the picture. That's because I took the photo at an angle. They are normal socks, with the tops as wide as the bottoms. Certainly an interesting yarn--very subtle in colors. I ot them to match fairly closely, so I am satisfied. They are Opal Silk/Wool and I did them on 00 needles with 72 stitches per round. Enough about socks.

I got a bunch of new tarot books yesterday, which I really should talk about on the tarot blog, I guess. Jody said they had a lot at this new Half Price Books store, and they sure did. Nice new store, too, in the former KMart near Our Beloved Fry's Store. I got a bunch of books in the advanced tarot topics series (including that book on designing your own spreads that both Diane and I thought one of us owned already). Plus the Dear Partner insisted I buy one (it was $3!) by some very amusing fellow who must be both my age AND gay judging from his humor and pop culture references (I checked, yep, has a dude partner). He also writes in the "adult learning" style that the person I used to work with who was a learning expert writes in, so that is also sorta eerie. Like she is "there"--I'll have to see if she knows the guy. Anyway, the book is a 30-day course in using the tarot in really different experimental ways, so I think I will enjoy it, as well as the "my age liberal pagan gay-friendly person" humor. I did find it most charming that DP picked out a tarot book for me.

I also got a book about the history of red dye. Cochineal. I guess that is also purple. But anyway, I love that sort of book (those of you who know me well may remember my rantings about how great the book Salt was or the one about The Pencil). So, I ever stop knitting, I surely have stuff to read. Dye seems like an appropriate topic, anyway, as we may be dyeing on Saturday and Tina might even get "real" dye in addition to Kool-Aid. Hope we all have enough dye vats. Maybe I should get some cheap buckets.

I started a mat of some sort with a Barbara G. Walker lace pattern in its center, in very intense blue-green cotton yarn. We will see if that comes out better than the yellow hankie (which looks VERY nice now that it is BLOCKED--see Cheri, I said "blocked").

The boys are surviving school--the young one had a rough first day, but is better today. The old one finds marching band too easy now, or something. Sheesh. Master of his craft.

Things at ALE are OK. I am writing like crazy, and only get overwhelmed by it occasionally. I seem to be doing OK, in any case. The boss said I did a great job on my first official written item. Woo.

Happy birthday to old friend Joanne, and to my friend's daughter who is 9, and to oh so many people born around this time!

Comments

Tina said...
By the way, I think the KoolAid dye has to be heated (either microwave or stovetop) for the dye to set, so maybe everyone should bring some sort of pot? Unless you know of another way to KoolAid dye (I'm going by the directions on knitpicks.com).
Tuesday, August 15, 2006 10:20:00 PM

knittingwoman said...
Hi SueAnn!!!!Hannah Bird told me about your blog. I am completely addicted to knitting too but don't have a blog just write sometimes on LJ.I'll be a regular reader now.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:03:00 PM

knittingwoman said...
oh, I should identify myself. I'm Susanna in eastern canada.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:03:00 PM

Suna said...
Tina--I don't know anything about dyeing. We should probably chat about all the equipment and stuff. I do have a microwave.Susanna, I am guessing you are the same one I have known for all these years? In that case, welcome. Well, welcome in any case. I will email soon--I was out of the house all day yesterday.
Thursday, August 17, 2006 2:17:00 PM

Tina said...
I'll be by the store Friday afternoon, and we can chat then, if you want.Hopefully I'll be there by 1 or 2, I have a job interview before, so after that I'll stop at home to change and then I'll be there.I ordered more yarn to dye, and it's in Dallas. I hope it gets here by Saturday (its not "supposed" to be here until Monday).I'll bring a printout of the koolaid dye instrustions from KnitPicks so we can examine them, and I know I'll bring something to dye in, but we'll discuss specifics Friday.
Thursday, August 17, 2006 5:13:00 PM

I Can Be So Droll

Rather than sharing a typical photo of my new socks (you can find them in the Flikr feed in the left column if you can't wait for a big photo here), I thought I'd share a goofy photo of me in the hankie or DOILY that I made as a yarn store experiment. Am I droll, or what? Cheri and Jody and I were getting extra goofy toward the end of the yarn shop day! I think the hankie makes a dandy mantilla. Good thing I memorialized the pink shirt I was wearing, since I managed to poke a hole in it while sewing in the handles and snap to my felted intarsia bag last night and ruined it. Wah.

In the photo I am also holding a little bag I made while teaching Knitting II. It holds my cell phone or the wonderful MP3 player. The yarn is luscious--dark purple wool with shiny purple lurex in it--but just a little, not too much. There is a closer photo of it in Flikr, too, and I will post that here later. I also hope to share a photo of Jody wearing the Icarius shawl in a really nice way that I will try to emulate at some point. What a fashionista she is. She looks like a fashion model in the photo anyway, so I can't imagine WHY she wouldn't share.

It's been an OK weekend all around. I finished a lot of knitting projects (will share the intarsia bag later, too) and got a ways on the mohair shawl I am now plugging away on (current Knitter's mag, the ugly brown one, only not in ugly brown). I got yarn (pink Misty Alpaca laceweight) to make the little shawl in the current Interweave Knits. Geez, and I want to make another faroese shawl...AND something else in Zephyr. At the rate I am going I will have as many shawls as hand-knit socks!

I am looking forward to maybe dyeing some yarn next weekend, if Tina and I get our acts together and do so. I mentioned it to some yarn shop folks, too. Hoping to come to my house with Kool Aid and lots of tubs to dye stuff. I have that very thin yarn (I swear it is laceweight) I tried to make a sock out of and didn't like (will unwind sock), and I guess I will get some Cascade and dye something thicker, too. I'd like to make a shawl in neutral colors, but can't believe I'd dye anything a calm color. Whee, in any case. I hope to get ahold of more yarn somehow.

Last night we went to Donn's Depot to see the great Albert and Gage (live at the Live Oak Coffeehouse next Friday!) as Gage's birthday was being celebrated. It is always interesting to be around Dear Partner's friends. They are all nice, but I have very little to say to them, because I don't know most of them well enough to ask pertinent questions and they just know me as "JGT's Girlfriend." It is weird to listen to live music nowadays. I get all sad that I have no opportunity to sing anymore. I keep wishing it was ME singing. The ole Partner did get to sing, which was good for him. His bass player pal whispered to me, "That will make his night," which was true. The most pleasant part for me was a very warm greeting from the bartender, a nice young woman I had met at the Albert and Gage holiday party last year. It was so nice o be remembered! I do need to get the Partner out more--he loves it, and should do it more often. Plus, it is good podcast networking.

Sigh, he would not do a second request on his fund drive for the podcasts, so he got hardly anything in contributions. I ordered him the stereo digital recorder he wanted for his birthday, and he went ahead and got the software upgrades he needs--at least the couple of hundred that came in helped defray that. But with so few gigs now, it is hard for him to spend money--but this will help him MAKE it, I hope. See, I am being positive!


OK, here is a photo of the hanky item, which is a prototype of a shetland shawl I might teach a class in. It is very yellow, because it's a store sample and yellow sells the least, LOL. I just thought you might want to see it not poised on my head. Thanks to Cheri for the photos.

And one more thing, I did get Plammy the Palm Pilot back up in working order. Whew. The kids were great about looking up the instructions for me.

And school starts tomorrow. Sure starts early in Texas.

Knitting Fun

For those of you into the bizarre of knitting, here are two sources of endless amusement.

No one seems to know where these knitted objects came from, but they are, um, different.

http://gallery.andreas.id.au/knitting.html

And here the Anticraft, which is a MOST different online knitting magazine with a rather pagan flair and a lot of boundary stretching. See if you can find the knitted condom. I like how durned Celtic they appear to be.

http://www.theanticraft.com/

And as for me, I finished my Opal Silk/Wool socks last night. Photos ASAP!

Comments


Oh my! I haven't looked at the knitted condom yet, but someone at a reception we attended last week was telling about her German grandmother who used a "sock" for birth control. Gotta know now!
Friday, August 11, 2006 1:26:00 PM

HAPPY 100th POST: Icarus, Plammy, the World

My 100th post to this blog! Congrats to me for sticking with it and getting back to posting regularly after the scares I had with people using my blog against me (I think I am back to a place in life where no one thinks I have power or influence enough to feel a need to be "against" me, finally, and that is a relief).

So, lookee here, it is Icarus, all finished and lined up against the Noro wall at the yarn store. Thanks to Pat for the lovely arrangement. Don't forget to click and you can see it bigger.

Naturally I have close-ups. I am so impressed at how nice the patterning came out, compared to how lumpy and bumpy it was before blocking. Janet did a great job helping me block it, which I will always remember fondly.

I am not at my perkiest this morning, after hearing news about more plots to do awful things involving airplanes. I had a pretty horrible experience on 9/11 and have felt that things have gone "downhill" in my life since then. Working to change that, of course, but I can remember sitting in that hotel room, all alone, watching coverage on TV and knowing that my husband wasn't even particularly concerned about what I was going through, that there was no other "romantic" person in my life I could turn to, and that I had to get on a plane and go home as soon as possible. I hated being away from my kids, and was so upset at all the death and confusion. Of course, the ordeal of trying to get home DID teach me there were still wonderful people left in the world, and that was good. And I had Nancy Jo, who had to deal with all her own issues in order to fetch me from that horror at O'Hare and sat with me and watched the television numbly for longer than she had to--had her own kids to get home to. Well, so that is all I am thinking about right now

.And about my beloved friend, Plammy, my Palm Pilot. Last night my endless game of Bejeweled built up so much that it froze the unit. And I can't play the game any more until I remove some software. Which, of course, there are no instructions for ON the unit. The youngest child was very upset that Plammy died when he was using it (with my permission) so he's going to look up how to fix it for me. My little multimedia king. I am surprised at how upset I was to lose my background graphic (looked a half hour for where to get that back--I set it up so long ago I can't remember), my precious Bejeweled game (but good thing I also put it on the new pink phone, huh!!), and my reliance on Plammy. I DREAMED about it last night. What's the world coming to? In the dream, Tina from the knitting store fixed it. I wonder if she knows my subconscious thinks she is a genius? Yeah yeah, it's just she was the last person I talked to before I went home, that's all the deep subconscious meaning to THAT. Don't let me get too Piscean!!

OK, back to work. I have a lot to do and it is actually interesting.

Comments

Tina said...
Your subconscious can just keep on thinking I'm a genious. I'm TOTALLY cool with that.Also, I decided to keep the laceweight, and dye it. We should have a Kool-Aid dying party sometime soon. I'm free ALL next weekend, hint hint.
Thursday, August 10, 2006 7:33:00 PM

Tina said...
Also, just looked at the site I got that yarn and fiber from, and there's a whopping 1120 yards of that laceweight! For $11.60!
Thursday, August 10, 2006 10:28:00 PM

DianeS said...
Boy, Icarus looked a lot *greeny* in person. (In wool?) But it does look gorgeous all blocked out. Is it big enough?
Friday, August 11, 2006 12:59:00 AM

Nancy Jo said...
I'm so concerned to hear about your Bejeweled problem. Patty is now a keen Bejeweled player, leading to me leaving my dayplanner at home sometimes, which is not really a wonderful thing. Maybe her cell phone will play it? I hadn't thought of that option. Hmmmm.Amazing Icarus! I'm not worthyNancy Jo, who bought the exact same Palm Pilot, and first beamed Bejeweled to Suna :-)
Friday, August 11, 2006 9:13:00 AM

rachel l. said...
Wow, Icarus is so beautiful --- I have been trying to decide what to make with the laceweight I got at Kaleidescope Yarns last month and this might be just the ticket.
Sunday, August 13, 2006 10:12:00 AM

Scary Stuff, to Me

I was listening to the radio this morning on the way to work, and a news report came on that was talking about what is going on in Iraq culturally. There is this new religious police force they have, to “protect” their religion. I am all for religion if that is what someone wants, but…

They have been killing shepherds who do not put diapers on goats, because the sight of a naked goat butt apparently tempts men. They have also been killing grocers who arrange their fruits and vegetables “seductively.” These people have to be horribly sexually repressed to actually think a goat needs an outfit to render her safe from men. These religious police certainly have a low opinion of Muslim men. No wonder martyrdom seems like a good option for some, sigh.

Perhaps THIS is the nightmare the 9 of Swords card I drew refers to. With the way the world is going, I am often filled with dread that some sort of Handmaid’s Tale scenario will happen and we will be taken over, not by fundamentalist Christians (who sound comparatively benign at this point) but by these fringe elements of Islam, who seem to feel they have the right to judge everybody else. And be executioners.

I just don’t get it, or maybe I really do. The liberal and moderate Muslims don’t seem to be able to say anything or do anything about this stuff. Just sit there and watch, or hide, or stick a burka on and try to blend. I guess they have their own issues with being afraid to rock the boat as folks like me do here in the US, not wanting to attract attention to ourselves as our own society skids quickly toward totalitarianism.

These days it is getting harder and harder to maintain an open mind, to genuinely WANT all people to worship whatever they want (even if I personally think it is all a bunch of hooey), and for societies to keep their traditions. Some of this stuff is NOT treasured old traditions, but as far as I can tell consists of thinly disguised ways of exerting power over others and keeping the money and influence in the hands of a very small group, who are exempt from all these weirdo rules and regulations. I would not be surprised to find the small group consisting of Americans, Europeans, Middle Eastern people, Indians, Chinese and all the other “new” and old powers. These would be mega-rich and powerful folks who have no loyalty to geographic entities, but are pragmatically loyal to each other and their shared possession of the power, money and influence over the world.

I am a conspiracy theorist. Funny. Not funny?

Comments

Anonymous said...
{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}So very scary.... kinda puts other issues in perspective! Will spend time hugging the kids when I get home from work and they will think I am going crazy! Miss you! Bev
Monday, August 07, 2006 12:49:00 PM

Deb said...
Very Scary!!!Makes you wonder what the world is coming too and what our children have to look forward too as adults.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006 9:24:00 PM

Being There for Each Other

Well, let me do the knitting news first: Icarius is in the blocking stage! Thanks to my pal Janet for her excellent assistance, the shawl is MUCH bigger now and looks beautiful. (However, if Tina reads this, she still might want to consider making it one repeat larger.) It is probably completely dry now, so soon I will have photos. I took some of it on the blocking wires. I now wish I had taken some of it in its pitiful lumpen "before" shape. I am now partway through a "hankie" I am making, and spent so much time sitting and waiting at band events in the last couple of days that I almost finished my first silk/wool sock that had been languishing for a while. I think I will finish that one today.

So...it has been a very busy few days, all in a good way. I have enjoyed doing a lot of high school band volunteering. They are a nice bunch of folks to volunteer with, and I feel no pressure about it. This year's band is way ahead of last year's in marching and music progress after a week of band camp, too. The tubas all march in a circle at one point, which will look cool from the stands. This year's music is classical stuff that is also in old TV cartoons, which should be fun. The Older Boy says the tuba parts are too easy, but the marching is hard, so I think that is actually a good thing. Isn't the picture for today nice? The band historian took it, and her mom sent it to me. The location is the large tarmac where the band practices.

Anyway, yesterday I spent the morning at "everything day," where the band come in to get fitted for uniforms and all their supplies, and even though there was no air conditioning in the band hall, it was not TOO hot, and the crowds were not bad. Very successful day. I spent a lot of time with my son's friend and his little sister, and they were most entertaining, too. My son, lucky boy, went off to a water park (Schlitterbahn for you locals) and had a blast. He is a bit pink today, though.

Most of the last few days has been spent spending time with my good friend, Janet, who is going through a turbulent time. I am glad I got the chance to be there and listen and commiserate. Sometimes you need a friend who does not judge you, even when you make "mistakes" or do things in ways others might not. We had IMMENSE margaritas Friday night at La Mesa Rosa (conveniently located little more than a mile from my house) and that helped a lot. I was probably a bit overly interested in the friendly waiter. Oh well, that rarely happens any more, so it was a nice diversion from the theme of "eek, things are gonna be a mess for Janet for a while, but eek, things are looking up," and that is good. In any case, it was nice to spend that time with her, and my only regret is that we left her dog at my house and that made all the dogs bark and irritate Dear Partner. I am so glad to have Janet for a friend, and glad I won't really "lose" her, since email is Our Friend.

Yesterday after the band thing, Janet and I headed out to the yarn store, where we attempted to relax and had fun in between her phone calls from various people in her cast of characters. We enjoyed yarn, teaching a nice woman how to knit (really nice woman), talking to the Yarn Store Staff minus the beloved Cheri, and meeting up with Deb and her family, who also dropped by. They got the NICEST yarn (even if they did spend a lot of bucks on it--they will have NICE outcomes). Deb's spousal unit got the best shades of green to make a felted "man bag" (satchel) out of--I hope to see a picture of the final product. I might make such a thing to carry my stuff to work in, if I see how his works out. And their kids were great, too. We do get some of the most well behaved kids in that place!!

When Jody got to the shop, "fresh" from her Friday of fun, we eventually decided to take a field trip to the sewing store, and that was a nice diversion, other than it being SO HOT HERE. A walk down the shopping center was almost too much! I had wanted Janet to see the "cherry" theme fabric they had there, and sure enough, she got some to line a purse (her birth name was "Cherry"). Seems like a nice marriage liberation theme fabric.

After yarning all day, Janet and Jody and I went to dinner and did some serious tarot stuff. The dinner was good (Bear Rock Cafe again) and the readings interesting. More on them will be found in the tarot journal. Janet's reading was reassuring and VERY accurate, and mine was...thought provoking. Jody's was a tough one to crack. We eventually went home, where Icarius got blocked and we thoroughly enjoyed watching the pug and Janet's dog (yorkie) play together. Whoa did they have a blast. I think Srcunchy was in heaven--Gwynnie doesn't play as well now that she is blind, and the cat usually declines his invites (frequently issued).

Janet left before I woke up this morning. I took sleep stuff and zonked a LONG time. Finally got rid of the headache and other aches. Today is chore day, so off I go to finish the laundry and stuff.

Comments

Tina said...
I am probably going to go ahead and add another repeat - it DOES seem a bit small. Did you find out if getting Zephyr wet will make it freak out? I guess I could knit a swatch (I usually don't with shawls. Hard to REALLY screw up on gauge.).
Sunday, August 06, 2006 5:25:00 PM

Deb said...
Anton is almost done with his man bag and it is quite nice in those colors. I am so glad we talked him out of the black and grey. I finally finished my market bag that I rag out of Big Koreon for over a year ago but we able to nicely match another # skein from the shop. It is on wash #2 and I will make sure to take pictures once it is done.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006 9:31:00 PM

Quickie Update

Good: new phones arrived and I had a blast making my Palm Pilot "talk" to the Razr phone via Bluetooth. And the phone is a really nice magenta, not pale pink.

Bad: MP3 player is STILL not here. ACK. I hope it is not lost.

Good: I am on the bind-off of Icarius

Bad: I got delayed because I was one stitch off on the next-to-last row, and didn't notice it until almost done with the last row. Leading to having to erase a thousand plus stitches. Bleh.