Santa Has a Blog!

Who knew!?  Yes, the Claus Chronicles is out there.  Ran across it today when small D. was researching time zones and Santa delivery tracking for a school assignment.  It looks pretty funny, actually...

Today is the final day of NaBloPoMo 2008. That snuck right up on me. I still find it hard to believe I've made it every day.  Wooohoooooo!

Great Quote

I saw this quote today in a Ravelry forum. This one's for you, sweetie DH! Isn't it great?

“Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity.”

Robert A. Heinlein, Time Enough for Love, 1973

We're doing OK - my little car is back from its tune-up and repairness. One little part remains to be replaced, but DH has Ebayed it and will be sticking it in place this week. Meanwhile, the Awesome Mechanic has done some tricky bypass of said part, so the car won't just...stall. Cool.

I've even thought of a good Christmas present for the Great Gift Swap - can't mention here as potential giftee in-laws may be reading, but hope you'll like it!

Sadness

My friend Susie's brother David didn't survive the emergency surgery yesterday. Please, keep her and all of David's family and friends in your thoughts at this heartbreaking time.

Healing Thoughts and Prayers Needed

My friend Susie's brother, who's named David, was very badly injured at the start of this month. He had made some good progress in the hospital, but now infection has set in and things are quite serious. If you're a praying person, please say a prayer for him and his family, or send healing wishes. They can use all the good thoughts you can spare.

Today is American Thanksgiving. I'm so thankful that our little family is here and healthy, and able to celebrate the holiday, even if the kids don't like anything except the pumpkin pie.

Scary, Scary Numbers

Spent my day with stomach upset and TV watching...not much to share with you, Gentle Readers, except this horrifying thought, from an article David showed me:

The current Credit Crisis bailout is now the largest outlay In American history.

Jim Bianco of Bianco Research crunched the inflation adjusted numbers.
The bailout has cost more than all of these big budget government expenditures – combined:

• Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion
• Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion
• Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion
• S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion
• Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion
• The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion (Est)
• Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551b, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion
• Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion
• NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion
TOTAL: $3.92 trillion

Nesting

It's mighty cold here in Norfolk this week. Cold wind, cold rain, cold hail, even that snow on Sunday.  Makes me thankful for heat, thankful for down comforters, thankful for woolen socks, and thankful most of all for a warm spouse at home. It's a good thing I'm practicing the thankfulness, with Thanksgiving jsut around the corner. We expats have to do our thing without benefit of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade or a jillion football games.  Just turkey, pumpkin pie, and each other.  [Actually, I think that's nicer...]

Completely Random. Also, Happy...

First off, happy.  David is home, and off work for the next long little while - see his blog for details.  It's a good thing.  We may even have a date or two in there, as well as some great days together.

On to randomness.  Haven't been knitting in days and days, and I realize it's because I have been avoiding the Mystery Socks.  Love the wool, loved the cuffs, love the ankle pattern.  Don't love continuing the pattern on the top of the foot, for a couple of reasons.  I don't like bulk over my instep, and I reaaaally don't like having to think about a pattern for half a round and then knit plain, for row upon row.  Solution therefore is to rip back to the heel, and reknit the foot in plain stockinette, so I have the joy of the pretty pattern up top and the comfort of plain vanilla along the foot. 

Smart, no?  I plan to do this tonight, while David and I watch an episode of Life together.

More randomness...still loving the audiobook of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.  I'm through disc 8 of 11 now, listening only in the car.  My rhetorical question is this:  If you were an author, and you put in a character who was also your namesake, would you make her the incredibly annoying, rather dull, superhumanly nice character?  Why?  Especially when it's rather obvious that you are a student of human nature, and you DON'T really think the best of everyone, or else you never would have written the book.  Ahem.

Off Tenterhooks

I'm off tenterhooks because David is HOME!!  I was on tenterhooks (how I love that phrase) all morning, from the time I was woken up by a phone call (first plane delayed by three hours, please call all affected families) and looked out the window to see snow.

Scrooge that I am, I was not happy about the snow.  Nor was I happy about the freezing rain that fell for an hour.  When it changed to big white fluffy flakes, the children could not resist going out to enjoy it and try a few snow angels.  I spent the time inside, worrying about whether it would let up enough so I could get up the hill and out of the village.

Then, alleluia, around noon, the sun came out and things started slushing up.  We made it down to base in ample time, and David was only the teensiest bit behind the announced time. 

He is here. He is home. He is safe. My cup runneth over.

Hey, It's Tomorrow!

Here I thought I was getting in a double post today, but really I'm posting for tomorrow already.  Today. Whatever - it's late. Or early.

So....Twilight. Sparkly chaste vampire love and all that.  Yes, I totally AM going to see this movie as soon as possible. And I shall immensely enjoy myself.  Even though I'm a grown-up. Shut up.  Heh.

However, despite my affection for the characters, I still found this Go Fug Yourself post hilarious.  Even grungy, that Cedric Diggory/Edward Robert Pattinson fellow is still awfully pretty, don't you think?

Scrooge-Along

Doesn't that sound fun? Knittingfrau is planning a little Scrooge knitting (knitting something fabulous for one's self in the holiday season). If I had the yarn pictured in her post, I'd be making something for myself, too! Go have a peek.

I'm not a holiday knitter, in any event. I think it's hard to find someone who appreciates handknits. In addition, some people equate "handmade" with "cheap" unless it's a craft they are intimately involved with themselves.

Lily FeverBean is feeling better. No fever since yesterday late afternoon. Now she and David have matching coughs. How lovely! Just in time to welcome Daddy home in a couple of days, too...

[note - edited this because it didn't pass the “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”  test.]

Day Three of FeverGirl, plus Bonus Funny!!

Just as the title says, Lily Bean was home for the third day in a row because she was still running a temperature at 3 this morning.  Medicated that away, but she was definitely blossoming with a great cough by this morning.  So no school.  Unfortunately, I had unavoidable errands on base, so she had to endure two long car rides, but all was OK.  A couple of naps, even, so you know she wasn't at her best.

No fever since around 3 PM today, so one hopes we're back into normal "cold" territory again.

Sorry I haven't got any knitting to share with you;  I haven't picked it up all week!  However, I do have a funny bit about the decline of maths instruction over the years.  Enjoy...

The Evolution of British Maths Teaching


1. Teaching Maths In 1970

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

2. Teaching Maths In 1980

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or £80. What is his profit?

3. Teaching Maths In 1990

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80. Did he make a profit?

4. Teaching Maths In 2000

A logger sells a truckload of timber for £100. His cost of production is £80 and his profit is £20. Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

5. Teaching Maths In 2010

A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of £20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers. )

Black Boxes and Kind Thoughts

Lily's "polly" (poorly, as she pronounces it) again today, so we are once more housebound for the day. No big deal, really  - she's still got a fever, but is less wan than yesterday, so I expect she'll be feeling much better tomorrow.

Black Boxes - check out the widget to the right here. If you click on Decide, it gives you a series of choices and then you can click on a blog it thinks you might like.  Useless, but fun.

Kind Thoughts - while surfing blogs this morning, I came across a line in a comment that didn't really have much at all to do with the original post, but had a lot to do with what I was thinking. Here it is:

.... the sign over the phone read: “Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” and hung there for 12 years.

That's a continuing struggle for me, to keep  from saying unkind or judgmental things about other people.  The quote above's quite simple, but it packs a punch.  How much better could I be if I subjected everything I say to those tests?

Love Letters

Have you ever gotten a love letter? The best feeling in the world. I'd like to share mine with you. My husband - he's a lovely, loving, warm, wonderful dude and I thank God every day for having him in my life. "I think we'll keep him," to paraphrase the horrible old Geritol ads.

Google Ancient Rome

Have you see this?  Google Earth has created a virtual ancient Rome.  Seems like a great tool for school lessons, among other things.

Another slow day at Casa Knit Farm.  Lil's got a little fever.  She seems otherwise pretty sparky, but given the rash of sick kids at school, I'm keeping her home today.  My babysitting friend is still willing to come tonight, unless the Bean feels worse, so I will still be going to the grant workshop tonight, in hopes of finding out how to get lots of lovely money for the preschool.

Otherwise, the day's a bit derailed.  Ah, well...

Feeling Logey But Still I Bring Gifts...

Hi, Gentle Readers...I ended up taking a "sick day" today.  Woke up with a narsty tummy, and after I got Lily to school  I came home, cancelled plans for today, and stayed on the couch with The Great Escape.

Feeling a bit better, but just tired, now. Lily and I are watching Valiant (a cartoon about WWII homing pigeons), and David's at Cubs (wonderful neighbor driving again).  Once I get Lily to bed, and David comes home, I will soon be in bed myself.

However, I do have a little something for you, especially if you're a Doctor Who fan.  There's a link to the Children in Need Doctor Who preview here.  Enjoy!  We did.

And So It Begins....

Nothing starts off the holiday season like a quick viewing of a Rankin-Bass production. Ahhh, the stop-motion animation of my youth. Loved 'em all, except for the Little Drummer Boy, fo some reason. We're watching Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town right now...

You know what would be great? A Wallace and Gromit Christmas film. That'd be awesome.

Saturday, Scattered Day - Some of Everything

Today's been a pretty good day so far.  We headed to base early because I wanted to meet a friend at the Christmas Bazaar, via a stop at the mailroom where a package was waiting (yarn and little girl clothes...  thanks, Jill - you rock!). The Bazaar was sort of Meh, but the kids enjoyed themselves and got to go on a couple of rides. I had fun spending a bit of time with Chrissie and browsing around, even if there was nothing that shrieked Buy Me.

Kids are watching Ratatouille (thank you, library, for free video rental) and I am catching up on blogs. After bedtime, I'll be collating some stuff I've written down and collected and getting my Sunday School lesson ready for tomorrow. Oh, and the house is still pretty clean.  Good times!!

Link of the Day - Feminist Mormon Housewives. The title alone makes this blog worth a visit.  The group of bloggers here talk about anything and everything, and the viewpoints are all over the map.  Many times, the discussion happening in the comments can be even more interesting than the blog posts.

How Did I Miss This?

A new on-line knitting magazine? Goody!! This is only the second issue of Twist. Isn't that cover sweater gorgeous?

Friday Links to Make You Laugh

I confess it - I have read Twilight.  My niece brought Twilight along this summer and I picked it up and inhaled it.  In fact, I've now read the whole series (thanks, Afton!). It's cheesy, but it's fun - chaste, angsty teen vampires and the klutzy, angsty girl who loves them. Oh, and her werewolf best bud.  Anyhoo, the movie opens soon, and someone's done a hilarious trailer spoof.  Funny, but a thousand times funnier if you've actually read the book.

Continuing the funny theme, have you ever seen the Saturday Night Live synchronized swimming mockumentary? Harry Shearer and Martin Short are two synchronized swimming brothers, one of whom can't swim very well.  Hilarious, although I can't find a link (darn copyrights!).  Anyway, my point is that synchronized swimming is a rich comedy mine, and these guys do a great job finding the funny at their talent show.

Happy Friday, everyone - I have umpteen things to do today, among them cooking a vegetarian meal tonight to bring to a family tomorrow. First, however, I think I'll have a late breakfast!

Teh Audiobook, It Is a Good Thing.

Last month, I borrowed the audiobook of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy  from the library. Read by Douglas Adams himself, it's been the ultimate in drive-time entertainment. Today, I chose something completely different: Pride and Prejudice by the great Jane Austen.  Eleven CDs worth of Jane Austen is a LOT of Jane Austen, but so worth it.   

Now when I tootle back and forth to base, an hour each way, I'm really having fun.  Too bad I can't knit and drive at the same time...