It's an orgy, and you're invited

An orgy of finishing, that is.

Amazing what you can get done when you're trying not to pay attention to the world falling apart around you, nationally and in your own home.

First we have the Dec/Jan Six Socks, knit in the Grignasco Strong I bought at the Weaving Dept. in St. Louis. (My eternal thanks to Charlene for the yarn/bead crawl--it was the most fun I had on that trip.)



Here you can almost see the shadow illusion hearts:



I think it would have worked out better if I had reveresed the colors, but these were for The Spouse, and two months ago I made him a pair of grey socks.

And for myself, I finished Cinxia!

(Forgive the crap-tatstic shot. But do I get an award for being probably the last knit blogger to do a mirror shot?)

I don't know why so many people (including me) had trouble finishing it. It's really very simple, and it looks good on. I just think it's uninspiring to knit. I have also found out how big a difference the designer's involvement makes in a KAL; I don't think that the sole difference between this KAL and, say, Mariah, is the leaders. (At least I'd like to think not.) Never again will I lead a KAL if the designer isn't interested in at least lurking. I understand the realities of freelancers having to work, but if you have the time to design something, don't you have the time to at least be available to answer questions on your design, if not to actively participate? Look at the support Zib gives Ella, or that Jodi Green gives Mariah. Yet I wouldn't expect support for a printed pattern... I don't know...

MIA

Janjan asked where I've disappeared to.

I got lost here:

and here:


and here:


Nothing's done yet, but my goal is to have clean sticks by the time I leave for my next trip. (Yes, it's in the planning, and no, we're nto sure where exactly we'll be yet.)

There's also been an awful lot of household stress, none of which I may talk about at this point, and national stress. They're rerouting the main roadway through Samaria, and no one, at this point, is telling anyone anything. All three of my teens learn in Jerusalem, which now is a straight shoot down the road (a long shoot, but straight). Next year, who knows? They may have to go through Kfar Saba, which is sort of like getting from NY to Washington via Boston.

The deathwatch continues

Sharon's still on the respirator and drugged. Rumors are flying; I doubt that more than a small percentage thinks this weekend will pass without a death announcement.

Yesterday The Spouse and I went to Tel Aviv, and one kiosk owner (whose lemons we looked at but rejected, because they weren't lemons, they were lemons, as in the lemon laws) started to yell at us, accusing us of killig Sharon. Watch out--my mighty dpns of death may target your favorite world leader next!

And speaking of thing sthat never happened, got this meme from JanJan, who's absolutely the best person to have with you if you plan to rob an archeological site.

If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a COMPLETELY MADE UP AND FICTIONAL MEMORY OF YOU AND ME.

It can be anything you want--good or bad--BUT IT HAS TO BE FAKE.

When you're finished, post this on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people DON'T ACTUALLY remember about you.

And while you're thinking that over, check out Jen-La's Second Annual Knit Blog Awards. Thanks, ladies (and I use that term loosely. It's such an honor, I'll name myself after your cat. Oh, wait--did that already...

81 days

The prospects for Ariel Sharon are grim. The TV news is saying there are two separate issues: whether he'll live and whether he'll be functional. As for the first, the doctors they've brought on to comment say "maybe," as to the second, "no." Then again Sharon's gotten out of tight spots before.

Either way, it's a pity. I, and other Oranges like me, wanted to see Sharon live a long and healthy life--behind bars. Maybe this is G-d's way of saying he doesn't trust the Israeli system, either.

So now what? Yesterday there were rumors that while Sharon underwent scheduled surgery on his heart President Moshe Katzav would be acting Prime Minister, specially appointed, but since this bleeding happened before, Ehud Olmert is Acting Prime Minister.

According to section 20b the Israeli Basic Laws:

Should the Prime Minister be permanently incapacitated, the Government shall be deemed to have resigned on the 101st day during which the Acting Prime Minister served in his place.

section 15b reads:

(b) Should the Prime Minister be temporarily unable to discharge his duties, his place will be filled by the Acting Prime Minister. After the passage of 100 days upon which the Prime Minister does not resume his duties, the Prime Minister will be deemed permanently unable to exercise his office.

and section 20a reads:

If the Prime Minister dies, the Government shall be deemed to have resigned on the day of his death.

but section 30c reads:

(c) A Prime Minister who has resigned shall continue to carry out his functions pending the constitution of the new Government. If the Prime Minister has died, or is permanently incapacitated, from carrying out his duties, or if his tenure was ended because of an offense, the Government shall designate another of the Ministers who is a member of the Knesset and of the Prime Minister's faction to be Interim Prime Minister pending the constitution of the new Government.

so it might not be as clearcut as it seems.

Like everything else in Israel, the situation is complicated.

Olmert was elected mayor of Jerusalem, I think, more because people were sick of Teddy Kolleck than anything else. Does he stand a chance of getting elected PM on his own? I doubt it. So he may try to inflict as much of his program on the country as he can in the 81 days left before elections.

Politicians may want to watch out for Bibi Netanyahu -- he got elected last time because Rabin was killed, and now that Sharon may die, his chances are getting better. I'm just sayin'...

Someone's looking out for me

Life's been--well, you know that dice game guys in old ganster movies played in back alleys? Yeah, life's been that lately, and will be that way for the next few years. Stupidity is inexcusable, and that's all I'm allowed to say about that.

But in the midst of all this, I got a package from my still Secret Pal (now will you tell me who you are?). This is the final proof that my SP is the absolute best there was in this round.



Aside from the adorable little sheep and more post-its (I'm in post-it heaven!), there's a sock's worth of Fortissima (already claimed by The Middle Teen; we just have to figure out which pattern I'm knitting it up in), two skeins of a lovely alpaca, a larger size of my favorite irredescent dark bead, and a tub of Udderly Smooth. Not only is this a great skin cream, but the directions are hysterical when you're using it for a woman and not its intended bovine:

Wash udder and teat parts thoroughly with clean water before each milking to prevent contamination of milk. Use clean individual towels for this purpose. Apply to the udder after each milking, massaging into the skin. For teat cracks apply in suuficient quantity to fill crack and cover surrounding area. Apply uniformly to chafed area and bruises to maintain skin suppleness. For aid in softening swollen udders following calving, apply liberally twice daily with gentle massage. May be used for chapped or chafed skin. Do not use in or near eyes.

Thnak you, SP. I know this package took a long time to get here, but its timing couldn't have been better.