Vote, dammit!

While I shamelessly use my blog as a platform to yak about whatever is bouncing through my head, I try to avoid mentioning the sorry state of American politics. (I haven't even brought up Dolores!)

But this last month has convinced me of two things: First, while I believe our American system is "fundamentally sound," it's got a lot of issues. But most importantly, it's convinced me that disengaging and whining is not going to make those issues go away.

These last eight years of the Bush administration have made me alternately very proud to be an American (all those heroic pictures from September Eleventh are quite moving) and equally ashamed to admit I'm American (Guantanamo Bay, need I say more?) But on Tuesday, we have a chance to do something about this crazy mess we call a democracy. We get to vote for someone else to be President.

I'll leave all the fancy words about "civic duty" and such to the poor saps who actually want to run this country. But if you aren't satisfied with how the country is doing and you don't bother to vote, don't bother whining.

random photo

This is for La's contest. Celebrate her happy news with her!

Sick

Ever been too sick to knit? We caught a nasty cold at our house last week, and I'm still recovering. I've started knitting again, but am posponing new projects until I'm confident I can count reliably.

As befitting one lacking in fine motor skills, the Mimi does not knit. (I'm postponing teaching her until I'm certain the danger of her poking out her own eye with a knitting needle is past.) At this stage of development, her major form of entertainment consists of chewing on objects. If these objects are ones which her parents have told her are "no-nos" and will bodily remove her from, so much the better. (It's a challenge!)

Now that she's started crawling, picking her up and placing her on the other side of the room from the "attractive nuisance" only seems to encourage her to crawl right back to it. Perhaps she thinks it's a new game...

Here is a picture of her chewing on the blinds at the new house. While we have since rearranged our furniture to block off most of the blinds, she's still fascinated by them. She's also attracted to electrical cords, waste paper baskets, and (perhaps most disturbing of all) Brian's elderly slippers. I felt lunch coming up when I caught her gnawing on them!

Mom's old adage is proving true: "Your children will eat disgusting things that won't make them sick in the slightest--but you'll feel mighty queasy watching them!"

Boxes!

The movers broke contract several times, charged us outrageously, and were several days later than they'd originally told us they would be, but our stuff is here! Most of it, at any rate. Given that the movers tried to give us several boxes from another family, I have my doubts as to whether or not all of our boxes reached us.... Still, the important thing is, my fiber is here!

I have a job lined up, but it doesn't start until November. That, combined with the amazing economic gyrations the world markets have been doing over the last several weeks, has caused me to view my yarn and fiber stash in a completely different light.

Anyone interested in doing a fiber or yarn swap? It's just like shopping online, but cheaper, as all you have to worry about is postage.