It's important.

Stolen from a blog I read:

"I'm blessed.

I sent my yarn money to Doctors Without Borders (website for Canada here, for USA here and other countries can find their site here) this afternoon. All donations are gratefully received. If you are able to donate, please, when you go to the website and get the drop-down menu, choose "Greatest Need" or "Emergency Relief" as the target for your donation. That way they will be able to apply the funds where they will do the greatest good.This is a country that is so poor that even before the earthquake they were eating mud."

I sent my yarn money there, too. Right now, it seems all donations they receive are being targeted towards Haiti, so you may not have to worry about selecting the "Greatest Need" donation target. DWB are an amazing group of people who do great work and perform small miracles in the world's worst places every single day. Also, if you're a knitter and you make a donation, click here to represent. Like the above-quoted blogger said, I have no idea how they will survive this. Perhaps, with our help, they can.

Battle Cry

OK, I know, I'm blog fail. But I've been thinking about this post for awhile, since fall started. One day, walking home from getting coffee or lunch or something, a page from a book hit me in the face. No, seriously. It blew up from the sidewalk and literally hit me in the face.

Here's what I read:

"'I sometimes wonder, Danny, if we all aren't a bunch of wild, crazy animals. I guess we all wonder that. But we've got to try to go on living and loving and hating and feeling and touching and smelling whether there's a war, or not.'
'Professor.'
'Yes.'
'Would you lend me your ID card?'
'Why'
'I want to get crocked.'
Norton put out his cigarette and shrugged. 'Is it going to make it easier by going out and getting drunk?'
'Ive got to do something or I'll blow by stack. Don't give me a lecture.'

And it goes on from there, for a brief time. He talks about drinking and bartenders and giving or selling good advice. He mentions Frank Sinatra singing in the background (odd, that, with me walking around in Hoboken - or maybe that's the point). He talks about Danny having a girl be in love with him and should he let her wait for him, and how poeple grow old fast in wars. And then I got to the end of the page.

Hmm. So, I've been pondering what Mr. Uris was talking about. I only had one page of the book (Battle Cry). Also, I've been wondering why that one page hit me in the face. Any theories, please do share. Just an interesting thing that happened to me recently.

Oh, and I knit a few things, too. Will post pics once I take them off the camera.

My kit arrived!!

My kit from the supremely excellent Perenelle arrived yesterday. Took a few wobbly phone pics today to share.

Check out the awesome handpainted Phillies bag she made me! What a great project bag and a great way to show my love for the fightin' Phils!

The pattern she sent along is great, too: A Noble Cowl (rav link). Looks fun!

Inside the purple tissue was two skeins of Mission Falls Merino Superwash in an excellent navy blue/purpley color. Inside the red tissue she also sent a great little notebook, a small tins with some very useful knitting notions and a small sharpie (in green! love!) and some other fun little things!

She also sent along several of my favorite candy bars bewitched to be turned into Dementor Recovery Sticks!! Handy!

Thanks again, Perenelle! I love it!

PHX

Stuck in the airport in Phoenix, wishing I had some of these to nibble on:



Hope all is well -- home soon, thank goodness!

Almost!

So, I've been a travelling fool lately (vacation last week, work travel next week) and have yet to send out my HSKS kit to my spoilee, Thistle. I got it all together today and walked myself down to the post office only to find out it had closed 5 minutes earlier. Boo. (My apologies, Thistle!) Either I take it with me and mail it from my travels this week (if I can fit it in my suitcase, that is) or I won't get to mail until NEXT Monday, 8.24. Sometimes this work thing really gets in the way of important stuff like knitting and swaps. I'll use the extra time this weekend to post a few pics if I can a.) take the box apart without wrecking everything and b.) find the camera.

And, just because, 5 songs that have helped me get through the day of having to work on a gorgeous, sunny Saturday:

Suspicious Minds, Elvis Presley
Monkeys Gone to Heaven, the Pixies
Falls Apart, Stabbing Westward
Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want, the Smiths
and P. Y. T., the late, great Michael Jackson

This week: Albuquerque Monday and Tuesday, San Francisco Wednesday thru Friday. I'll wave as I fly over!

East Coast Tour!

Well, friends, heading out on vacation tomorrow...starting the week in Florida, flying home on Wednesday AM, and then driving up to Gloucester, Mass to see the Johnson side of the family! While I'm away, check in with my spoilee, Thistle as well as my spoiler, Perenelle and say hello to both of them! Back on 8/10, have a great week!!

Game 5...Pffffbbblt.

That's the sound of a raspberry. Which signifies me getting nothing done on Game 5 of the swap. Instead, I offer you some yarny goodness. This is the awesome prize Heather sent me for winning earlier at camp:

It's Malabrigo (squee!) Baby Merino Laceweight in the "Ibiza" colorway, and I could literally stare at it for hours.

Along with this Leaf Lace Scarf pattern by twistedknitter:
And this is the start of a Baby Surprise Jacket for my new little homie, Cooper. Yarn is two strands of Online Supersocke held together:

Happy Friday!!