The BEST day I can remember in a very long time!!

Some Days Just ROCK!!

Today was one of those days.  How many times have I said or heard that phrase and waited for the story of the awful things that happened to tumble from my lips, or pierce my ears?  Too many, undoubtedly, and I am certain that I'm not in a lonely boat.  The stories leading up to the events of today definitely qualified along the way for the "other" perception of "one of those days", so I feel it perfectly fitting that I got a trifecta of great news all in one day.

It started like so many Monday mornings... late night being KJ to a great crowd the night before, with the usual wind-down time.... it started after noon is when it started.  Rather, the alarm started at 10am, I finally started around noon... and I did not feel so hot, as it is before cappuccino most days.  Then, the good stuff began.. and it kept on rolling in all day long!!!

I had a doctor's appointment in Medford (75mi away) and my car had been squeaking.  Both, when I turn, and when I hit a bump. I knew I had this trip to make, so I stopped by my usual mechanic's shop last week, and he basically told me that he would put it up on the rack (rack charge $25 minimum) and "squirt the hell out of it with WD40".  Apparently... "these old Honda's (mine's an 88 Prelude) get kinda squeaky around the bushings when the weather changes a lot" and "that's all it needs".... ok, if you say so "Mechanic Guy"... but, I'm doing a friend a favor tomorrow... and with a can of WD40 in his hand this morning - and "a pay-it-foreword favor" most of the squeak-age was gone.

It was definitely a cold winter this year without a doubt... we had frozen fountains, and snow that stuck enough to trap my car for a day or two between a couple of nice sized burms.. so maybe the theory had merit... at any rate, on with the greatness that was today!!

Before Medford, I had to stop at the Courthouse in GP to file the final paperwork on my dissolution from the con-artitst "Fast Eddie" (self-titled no less - can we say "naive"?).  This has been going on since January 29th, 2010, ok?  He has now evaded service for over 6 months, refused certified mail, and had the nerve to contact me only last week asking me to forgive him for all that he had done to me.. and "can't we just have  a chill divorce?"... "not unless you return my belongings" responded I... along with "If it were true that you wanted that, why are you evading service?"... a warrent - probation violation #11 since his release from prison in 2011 for beating up his baby mamma after we were separated... I know, I know - great choice.  In my defense, I was out of my fucking mind when I made it... I have no other facts with which to explain this horrifying decision.  So - I go up there (after going through all the hassle of getting approval to post on the courthouse bulletin board for 30 days in lieu of advertising) to finally file the final judgment paperwork.  As I calmly go through the stack making sure that everything is in order... it appears that I may be missing one form, to me at least.  The clerk assured me that everything was in order, and I asked if that meant that my divorce would be final now in 30 more days.  Her answer... Oh no!!  As soon as the judge signs these papers, your divorce is final!!

Next, I pick up my baby boy (23) and he accompanies me to the GI doctor.  The last time we went, all they did is send me for yet another set of lab work.  I was actually kind of bummed.. driving all of that way only to have been handed yet another lab slip (now #3 since November).... but now I understand why.  The doctor came into the room, and said not much else but this, "I have no idea why you had such an acute liver episode.  But right now, one of your levels is as if you had never been exposed to the virus, and the other one is so low that you don't even need to worry about it... your liver seems to be healing itself".  Really?  Really?  Life is fucking irrationally awesome folks.... seriously.  I was looking at a pretty intense treatment plan if his answers would have been polarized in the other direction!!

... and then, I asked about the card that was sent through one daughter to the daughter who just had a beautiful little girl 3 weeks ago.  Again, I detached from the outcome when I signed and sealed that card, and sent it with nothing but unconditional, unselfish love.  No matter whether she even opened it, or threw it away.  My sentiments were expressed, and I just wanted her to know that it was all about her... no me statements.  "She LOVED it, Mom.  She said it was perfect."

That was my wonderful day.  I'm going to tell you how I think it came about in another post.  Suffice it to say for now that I didn't fret.... not about any of it.  Not from the squeak to the card.. not even about the finances, which is another story altogether already in the midst of being resolved.... and not for where I'm going to live, or when I'm going to move next, if at all.

I'm excited for spring, and can't wait for summer... I want to do more of the things that being in Southern Oregon is all about!!  I'm not wasting one single sunny day!!

I'm ready to hit Apple Jam... with my new Toca, and my awesome quartz bowl... and I can't wait to learn, and collaborate, and vibrate with the souls who share a common dream.  I ready to reach the sky this summer... I'm ready to fly as high as the clouds will float me up in the sky that is my soul's obsession... I'm ready to raise my consciousness... and touch beings on new levels.  I am you, and you are me, and together we can create a reality that only we can dream of.  I'm excited to swim, hike, dance, sing, and bask in the sunshine... I'm ready... and it's not far away... March is already around the corner... and the first Pisces Birthday celebrations in the Age of Aquarius have already been celebrated!!  It's going to be a great year... full of joy and sweetness, beauty and solace, rest and relaxation, and sharing our soul's connections.  I'm more than excited.... I am in labor for the new things erupting this Spring!!!

My swimming hole at Green Bridge out by Sunstar Ranch... notice the reflection of the stump.  If you rotate the whole picture clockwise 90degrees.  Maybe you can see the hands in Ohm meditation.

 Mars Swimming Hole, O'Brien - Have never actually swam here, and found it for the first time this winter.  Can't wait to see how clear it gets in the summer if it's this nice already!!

Out and About Treehouse Resort.  Destination of choice among those who enjoy great Reggae, and two days of fireworks in a beautiful treehoused environment with horseback riding, zip lines and Tarzan swing.

Only a few of the highlighted destinations that are within 10 minutes from me.  I live in Paradise.  I don't need to strive toward heaven... I'm in it already.

Sandra Singh gives away Mindy Tallack patterns and yarn!!!

http://knittingwithsandrasingh.blogspot.com/2013/02/win-mindie-tallack-pattern-kit.html

My Garden of Shadows

It's funny.  Here's where we connect different kinds of threads...

I picked up knitting after 35 years of strictly crocheting in 1998.  I had become ill, and was making very long trips of several hours at least twice a month - and needed something new to pique my interest and distract me from both my husbands driving (which was phenomenal, but my skills at being a passenger were not) and the excruciating pain coursing through my body of unknown origin.

My grandmother taught me to knit when I was 9... one pattern.  These:

My mother crocheted... and knew how to knit one thing.  These slippers... every color that Red Heart put out.. doubled yarn on size US8 straight needles.  Not a hard pattern, not at all, and great for a beginner to learn with, but we never got past this one pattern, and they always fell of my feet.  Me being me "if I'm not good at it, I will find someone more capable and we'll trade" and not loving the end result I lost interest.

I had been admiring the smooth soft lines of hand-knit items for years, and somehow could not get my mind around how the skills I learned pictured above could ever become a shawl.... until now.  Connect the Threads Lori, once again... a craft that seemed so "grandma" once (and do not take offense for I now have 4 biological and 3 just as special grandchildren as of the new addition of Lucy Ann on the 2nd of this month) had evolved without my paying attention into the artform it is today.

I am so glad I picked up that little book with cast-on instructions 14 years ago... I love testing for other designers as I gather the courage to publish some of my designs.. learning the ins and outs of pattern writing, testing, and marketing via contacts that really know what they are doing, or we are learning together and either is equally awesome!!  So I present here for your optical enjoyment my very first completed shawl.

Garden of Shadows Shawl

by Marilyn Giselle Maupin

I must tell you this was amazing for so many reasons....

First of all, I love to test knit, and do all my tests through the Free Pattern Testers Group on Ravelry.com.  Anytime I just don't know what to make yet, and most of the time alongside of something else I'm making as well - I will look for a test knit.  It helps me use stash. It gives me a feeling of helping another designer.. and it keeps me in touch with what a deadline really is.

Paulette Richardson, one of my oldest "Cyber-Fiber Friends" created this skein of Sock Yarn for me especially.  She has been support for me since 2008.  She owns Coulrophobia Yarns on Etsy, and the blue is her yarn to me - in her base Hippiechic.  She named it "Bad A$$ Survivor" in my honor.  I had it for a few years before this test knit said, "Now.  Use the Bad Ass yarn now"... and so it began.  The yarn was so soft, beautiful and I was ever more and more excited as the tonal color changes began to do that magic that they do as a fabric begins to emerge from the needles.

As is sometimes the case, and the reason smart designers have their patterns tested, the yardage that the prototype was made with differed with the actual yardage coming off of my skein and I realized by the time the lace panel was finished that it was a shame I had not covered my bases by choosing a yarn of which I had two skeins just in case - or so I thought.  I made lemonade!  I had just gotten in a couple of bags of Ice Angora Superfine (black, and grey - which I bought thinking "you never buy solid colored yarn and someday you are going to need this) and the grey was just perfect... this yarn is a finer gauge than the Hippiechic, and though I was apprehensive, I just did not have any other thing sitting around that would work.. and the original yarn was one of a kind.

I really could not be more pleased.  The angora is super soft, and really warm for how thin the fabric is. The difference in yarn gauge did not affect fabric gauge whatsoever, and I love the way the thin lines of blue pop off of the grey and you can see the whole squiggly thread on each side.  I did some lace work with fingering and mohair ala what's in Romantic Lace (book) using this technique in garter stitch.. but I do believe that it looks just as nice and stands out just as well in stockinette.

I am well pleased.