LONG TIME COMING

It has been a long slow winter and it's only just started. There has been some unexpected happiness and unexpected sadness, serendipitous meetings and sad goodbyes.

On the knitting front I had a prolific year, gave all of it away to my new and beloved co-workers at the DVS Shelter. No photos, no postings on ravelry, but I did enjoy knitting some of the more trendy patterns, like the Noro striped scarf , Sivia Harding's Moebius , and several quickie corkscrew scarves in luxurious yarn, along with the really fun and quick knit Caliometry.

Speaking of beloved co-workers, it's important for everyone to know that all of your local community services, including your local Domestic Violence Shelter, are hurting under the budget contraints left over from prior political decisions. Our local budget has been cut by aproximately 20% and we are scrambling to provide the same level of service. If you have the time, think about volunteering at your local DVS or donating money, clothing, food, bedding, etc. Make sure to check with your local shelter to see what's needed. When the economic picture looks grim, women and children are the first to become disenfranchised and abused. What I've realized is that we don't see what we don't want to see. Most of the victims are either intentionally hiding, or are the "invisible women" that most of us look right through.

Now for something completely different. (quote from Monty Python) I had an unexpected sad/happy long weekend, saying goodbye to one Aunt and spending wonderful close and funny time with my beloved sister and Auntie El, who flew north to help say goodbye to Aunt Shirley.
Auntie El is everyone's zany aunt. Our family would be a much more serious bunch without her. The three of us needed Depends on our funereal road trip. I know that sounds disrespectful to some, but as my nephew says, "It's how we roll". I managed to knit my sister a caliometry for under her bike helmet over the weekend and after seeing Auntie wear the Kiri I knit her a million years ago, I started a pink (her favorite) Ishbel
I'm about to sent it but I did photograph it first. Isn't she gawgeous? So easy and fun to knit.