Tuesday, May 30, 2006

What Was I thinking?


An entire baby blanket? Done in garter stitch? With color changes every 2 rows? And I repeat ... in garter stitch? Wouldn't a lobotomy have been more fun?

This. Is. Taking. For. Ever. (Like the way I split that word in half for effect? Like how it makes no sense like that? See how I care? See what this blanket is doing to me??!!)

I'm not being fair--it's not just the blanket that's driving me insane. I am currently editing the Article From You-Know-Where. This is the kind of article where you find that your eyes cross after reading 2 lines. Then you have to read those 2 lines over, because you can't remember what they were about. I'm only on page 20 out of 40, and footnote 149 out of 256. Hey! I should take heart: I'm more than halfway done, if you measure by the number of footnotes.

But that's work--I'm not supposed to enjoy that. The knitting, on the other hand, is supposed to be fun for my free time. This blanket, however, oy. It's a bad sign when I have a hard time deciding between knitting something and folding laundry.

The picture above shows said blanket (about 2/3 done) posing with said mountain of laundry. Tell me: which would you choose to do? Notice how I have piled it all on the bed so that I can't sleep until I do something about it all. As an aside: does anyone notice how I messed up the pattern about 5 inches ago? I did not notice for a while and dang-nab-it I'm not ripping the darn thing back now. Please ... tell me you don't see it! Of course, this picture may not be the best one to "show" the mistake.

This blanket had better look GREAT when I am done, or I may just run over it with the car instead of giving it to Jo-Anne. She'd probably be quite happy with a Target gift card, anyway. Sigh.

Friday, May 12, 2006

Shut-Out Inning! (by A, edited by Mom)

This is A writing. Last night our baseball team won 6 to 5! It started out terrible, with our first pitcher (“P”) walking everyone. Then our second inning pitcher (“J”) did the same. However, in the bottom of that inning, we scored two runs. In the third inning, the score was 5 to 2, and I was pitching. I walked two batters. The third batter hit a slow grounder that I fielded. I threw to first base and got him out! Then I struck out the next batter. I walked the next batter. The bases were loaded. It was cold and had started to rain. One of their biggest hitters was up at the plate. I threw a perfect strike, and he hit it straight to me! I threw it to first. He was out! The inning was over. They scored no runs while I was pitching.

In the bottom of that same inning, we scored 3 runs to tie the game. After a scoreless fourth inning, it was very dark. The coaches decided that the 5th inning would be the last one. Our pitcher in the 5th inning pitched much slower than the pitcher we had in the 4th inning, so the players on the other team all swung too early and struck out. Now it was our turn to bat.

J struck out. He was followed by P, who hit a single. While C was up, P stole second. Then C hit a brilliant home run right over the left fielder’s head. It was so high he didn’t even see it, so the center fielder had to run back to the fence and get it. By the time they got the ball back into the infield, both P and C had scored. But the second run didn’t count because we won when P crossed the plate. It was an amazing come-back!

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Butterflies!














We have butterflies!

Night at the Phillies

Our town thought it was great that the Little League's "Night at the Phillies" coincided with Barry Bonds' visit to Philly, combined with his proximity to the Babe Ruth record for most homeruns. Unfortunately, I think the coincidence turned out not to be a tremendously happy one.

For one thing, it ended up being a sell-out. This meant it was very, very crowded. I don't like crowds like this--crowds so loud you can't hear your cell phone ring when your husband calls you to ask you where is God's name you are. Crowds so huge you have to wait in line just to get on the escalator to the next level. Crowds so immense that they ran out of pizza, and your daughter refuses to eat italian sausage. Crowds so big that when you finally get to your seat, after delivering boys from your team to their respective parents, you don't want to get up again.

The parade was nice, but not exciting enough to justify the 1 and 1/2 hours of waiting the Phillies required the boys do in the tunnels under Citizens Bank Park. Here are pictures of our team (the turquoise shirts) marching around the warning track of the field-- from far back and a zoom shot.













And here is C cheering them on.
Barry did not hit a dinger that night. But the kids learned some new words to yell from the stands. C thinks the nice folks behind us were yelling "Barry's sunk," and I have not corrected her impression. A got the words right, but I think he understands it to mean that Barry likes lemonade.

Another grouchy post. I am so sorry! I will try to be a little cheerier in the future!

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Meet Hairy!

Actually it's Hairy Potter. C. wanted a hamster, but the man at PetSmart talked us into a guinea pig instead. We are glad--a guinea pig is much more cuddly than a hamster, and we think that is really what C. was interested in. After about 5 days, Hairy is finally starting to get more comfortable with us, venturing out of his igloo to squeak a hello every once in a while. But he sure makes a mess out of his cage. Sheesh, what a slob!