Keep the Home Fires Burning

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The Airman is 28 tomorrow.

So is Epcot.

It is the anniversary of the Chicago Tylenol killings.

Sony CDs share this birthday, too.

Yeppers. A stellar historical day!

To celebrate, I am going to see the Airman while the Mister keeps the home fires burning. I am flying. Pray for the people on the plane. Did I mention I don't fly well?

Twelve years ago I took the Airman to England backpacking for three weeks for his 16th birthday (yes, we were still speaking when we got home).

You know it is going to be a bad flight when the plane can't make the concourse and you have to go to it on a bus.

And you have to sit on the tarmac for an hour.

And the pilot says, after the plane suddenly drops eight million feet, "Uh, ladies and gentlemen; please put on your seatbelts. We are going to try to make Charlotte in less time than scheduled. We have a little problem with the plane."

And then, when you are ready to land, two hours early (??), you are told to assume "impact positions."

And when you land you hear a remarkable crack and then nothing.

And then you see your son's hand in the air, three rows over, finger spelling his favorite swear word at the time.

And then you hear a thud!

Because another plane has backed into you.

Yah. I am super excited!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Banning Books??

Yeppers. It is banned book week! And to honor this wonderful week celebrating free thinking and the glorious opportunity we have in this country to select what we read (or don't), here is a list of the top 25 banned books:

1. Harry Potter (series) by J. K. Rowling
2. Alice (series) by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
3. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
4. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
5. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
6. Scary Stories by Alvin Schwartz
7. Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers
8. It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie Harris
9. And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
10. Captain Underpants by Dave Pilkey
11. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
12. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
13. Forever by Judy Blume
14. The Color Purple by Alice Walker
15. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
16. Killing Mr. Griffin by Lois Duncan
17. Go Ask Alice by Anonymous
18. King and King by Linda de Haan
19. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
20. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
21. The Giver by Lois Lowry
22. We All Fall Down by Robert Cormier
23. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
24. Beloved by Toni Morrison
25. The Face on the Milk by Carton Caroline Cooney

How many of these have you read?

Tomorrow I will share the Banned Book Event we held on campus today. Tonight, however, I am pooped. Dragging around my ball and chain have worn me out!

Happy reading!

Getting Normal

While I still have the cast, I have mastered driving, which is making me a happier gal. Today, I took myself to and from work. Yah!

What makes this most delightful are three things:

1) I no longer have to listen to the Mister's road rage.

2) I can listen to K-Love on the way to and from work without comments.

3) I got home early enough to have a wonderful cuppa and to catch up on my blog reading!

Life is good, ya'll, even if one is hobbling... At least I am hobbling!

I guess this is a segue to another thing on my mind -- my son's former fiance'. Her current boyfriend had a terrible accident in the summer and is paralyzed from the chest down. I love this girl so much and am heartbroken for their sadness. Will you help me remember them in your prayers? They need all the love they can get right now.

First Day Musings -- Sitting Pretty

Learning to sit quietly this weekend is like going to a Southern religious retreat: there is a lot of praying, eating, and crying. Then, you kind of settle into a routine and all is calm. Mostly.

As the foot has been swelling like a good yeast bread this weekend, I have spent the greatest part of it on my least favorite part of my anatomy: my sitter. Not much happens when you are sitting, three miles from any neighbors, and it is raining. Coffee. Movies. Knitting. Grading. Reading. Repeat as needed.

So, let me entertain you with what I have been doing.

This is a scarf for M'Mere. She has asthma and cannot abide natural fibers. (So sad!) I discovered this lovely little fiber at Orchardside in July. It is Online, Linie 194, Solo, Colour 201 (black and white). It is a really neat pattern. Cast on 7-8 stitches by picking up along the edge of the "ribbon". Then, knit until you are exhausted. I have learned that I need to leave about one finger's width between each "stitch" to get the best looking ruffle.

This is the sweater for the new baby. I usually knit either a Five Hour Sweater or a Baby Surprise Sweater for new wee ones. But when Knit Simple came this month, I fell hard for the layette patterns. It is all in garter stitch, which is rather brainless and I can knit as the Mister drives me around (it cuts down on the use of the "Oh Rats!" bar). I had this Encore worsted weight that I bought on close out a while back. I just loved the stripes and, since we don't know if it is a dude or dudette, I decided this would work for either. When I am done, there will be a sweater, hat, booties, and blankie. I'll show all when done.

I have graded all my papers and read a little bit. And, I have seen ALL of "Independence Day", "Chronicles of Narnia", and "Inspector Lewis." Yah. Fun times. Oh, and I am drinking decaf... to be safe...

How's your weekend??

Phewww...

Something in this house stinks. I mean STINKS. I have looked everywhere and cannot find it. No rotten taters. Or onions. No unfortunate Wookie boo-boos. No sour laundry. No trash. Compost. Recyclables.

I've checked the Mister's shoes and mine. Looked behind the sofa and under His chair.

The bathroom has been scrubbed.

My search even went out to the porch, but Absolutely Nothing.

In short, my house smells weird and I can't find the source.

No one is getting in until I find it. I hate when this happens.

Added later: I found it! Wookie's food formulation has apparently changed. Mystery solved. Glad it wasn't the Mister. I have gotten used to him....

Say Cheese!

When one has been a good girl all week and not cried about having no wheels, she gets a fancy dinner at a fine restuarant and her picture taken with her hero! I just wish you could see the lovely green cast...

Basket safety: steel toe boots

I have a monster Longaberger Hope Chest basket complete with maple top. Last night I went to retrieve yarn for the new baby (Sara and Julian are due in October) and put the lid on the top of the cedar chest. As I leaned over, the top slid off the chest and straight down on my bare foot.

I'll be in the cast and walking boot for at least through hay season...