Flattery Will Get You Everywhere

And clearly, flattery will get you a new blog post!

Mind you, I realize I haven't updated since April. Do you ever get that Winnie-the-Pooh feeling (I think I've mentioned it before) about your Things being not-so-Thingish outside your head? Don't know what I mean?

"When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it."

That's from The House at Pooh Corner.

But it sums up that feeling one gets when one realizes what one has to say is really only important or entertaining or informative to oneself. So it comes as a surprise to me when someone (Like Auntie Meal--hey, Auntie Meal! *waves madly*) mentions that they miss my blog posts...perhaps my Things are more Thingish than I thought...anyway, what's been going on since April. Well, let's see.

First of all, let's get it on the table that summer has arrived suddenly and full force. True story: on July 1 it was so chilly out with a high around 61F that I had to put a sweater on. It's now July 9 and for the last three or so days we've been oppressed by 90+ degree temps and 187% humidity. Have I mentioned how much I hate summer? I had to put the AC in because poor old Lilith cat started puking and drooling and I knew that wasn't so good. So I dipped her in the tub (a process I do not recommend for anyone whose cats still have their front claws and are younger than 15 years old) and Larry and I rassled the AC unit into the window. It's managing to keep the living room anywhere between 72 and 80 degrees most days. Pathetic. But Lil is feeling much better.

Larry did point out the irony that I was happy to let the family sit and baste in our own juices day after sweltering day, but I'll put the AC in for the cat. Trust me, it didn't escape my notice.

So, needless to say my wooly projects have been temporarily shelved for the time being. But I have finished knitting Dave's little winter jacket/sweater: and Larry's big winter jacket/sweater: and they are reading for finishing as soon as I can bear the thought of touching it. It was bad enough snapping these pics just to show you them in their unfinished states. You'll get the deets when they're done, okay? Know this: Larry's sweater is Lopi. If you are a knitter, you know just what I mean...

In the meantime I've been contemplating a "greener" existence. Not because I think global warming is responsible for this heat wave, and you can bet your butt I'm not doing anything that costs me a lot of money or effort, but I figure I can whip up some reusable shopping bags and maybe give recycling a whirl if it doesn't turn out to be too big a pain in the ass. To that end, while I still haven't acquired my recycling bin from the recycling folks over on 140, I have created a pattern for an easy peasy string shopping bag and...drumroll please...posted it on Ravelry! Now I'm on there as a Designer and hopefully will be able to sell some patterns there as well. It's my first baby step and it's taken me literally hours to figure out how to do it, but there you go!

Oh, and if you'd like to download a truly simple shopping bag pattern to have for your very own, just follow the link to Ravelry and the It's So Easy Being Green pattern. Whee! I have a couple of other patterns here on the blog that I think I'll post over there as freebies too, now that I know how.

And speaking of "greens", in non-knitting news, my cousin Bean is expecting her first behbeh in August and we had a lovely shower for her. I made the centerpieces. To say she's an "avid golfer" is like saying I'm an avid knitter. So the theme was "golf" and here's what I came up with for the centerpieces. There was a lovely buffet and she got enough stuff to outfit three newborns, so now all we have to do is sit back and wait for baby Cole to arrive. *taps foot impatiently* And yeah, she's going into her ninth month and still swinging a club. I don't know how, honestly. I was so uncomfortable and hot and cranky by my ninth month that everyone I know thought it best to keep potential weapons (like a 9-iron or a sand wedge) out of my reach.

Old Home Day is fast upon me again and I'm nowhere near as ready for it as I was last year at this time. Having trouble lining up crafters this year, which is a switch since they nearly bombarded me last year. I'm afraid they didn't do very well and maybe rethought it this year. If I don't get many, I'm not sure what to do. Perhaps push the bake sale harder. I don't know, really. I'm open to suggestions!

Okay, that's all I can think of at the moment. I need some more iced tea and a spell in front of the AC. Because as Pooh's friend Eeyore once pointed out, "This writing business, pencils and what-not. Overrated if you ask me."