FugueStateKnits

One year ago today, before the New Year’s fireworks started, Danny and Tori were married. Happy Anniversary and many many more. I wish them all the success and happiness in the world.

All of us in this country give lip service to the ideals set
forth in the Bill of rights and emphasized by every additional amendment, and
yet, when war is stirring in the world, many of us are ready to curtail our
civil liberties. We do not stop to think that curtailing these liberties
may in the end bring us a greater danger than the danger we are trying to
avert.

So far, this week has been lazier than anticipated. I finally FINALLY finished my son’s sweater and, as stated previously, it is about 2x the size it was supposed to be. I knitted this a size HUGE. But for some reason, he still wants it and who am I to judge? I’m just glad it’s off the “UFO” list.

Bob Breszny says: “There are still places in China where plagues of locusts periodically descend in Biblical proportions. A few years ago, farmers in the region of Xinjiang fought back, gathering an army of 10,000 chickens in anticipation of the invading hordes. The bird soldiers were trained for two months, and when the showdown came, they acquitted themselves admirably. This vignette is an apt metaphor for a challenge you’ll face in 2007. While in general the year should bring an abundant amount of sweet luck and high adventures, there will be a locust visitation or two. I urge you to assemble your own personal equivalent of a chicken army. What might that mean, practically speaking? Here are some possibilities: (1) Be well-prepared for natural anomalies. (2) Ally yourself with the enemy of your adversary. (3) Get others to help you fight your battles. “

Ah, but how to “fight” apathy? The one thing fighting will never do is get someone to love you. Being loving is the only way I know and truly loving doesn’t even care whether one gets the result or not. Another thing: who is one’s adversary? Usually one doesn’t even know that until it’s too late. What are natural anomalies? Why should others want to fight my battles for me? I get that we need to be prepared, but this kind of thinking could drive one a little crazy. How about taking reasonable precautions, building up treasure in heaven and building on the the true wealth in life: love and friendship?

Sounds like a plan to me…..

Well, so much for simple answers to complex questions. And thank God there aren’t any simple answers to complex people:)

“The Christian religion not only was at first attended with miracles, but even at this day cannot be believed by any reasonable person without one. Mere reason is insufficient to convince us of its veracity; and whoever is moved by faith to assent to it, is conscious of a continued miracle in his/her own person, which subverts all the principles of his understanding and gives him/her a determination to believe what is most contrary to custom and experience.”

David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding “Of Miracles” (1748, edited to remove the sexist use of pronouns)

With the exception of the first picture, some of the above are so funny – they’re logos from another blog: gracenotes over at livejournal.com. I especially love the “f you.” No, the sentiment isn’t exactly sweetness and light, but it cracks me up.

Well, Christmas was lovely. I am sort of kind of taking the day off today, since we had no shelter hearings today and there is really no reason to go into the office.

Dori took amazing photos of the grandbabies and framed them. We now have four lovely professionally done photos of our two granddaughters. Where to hang the pics? Decisions, decisions, but we think in the playroom-which-was-supposed-to-be-a-dining-room area makes sense. A preview of one of the photos is at the top of this entry.

Three of my kids got me a portable GPS system which will come in VERY handy while doing client visits. And yes, it talks to me. How disturbing…. Two of my other kids got me really interesting books, one of which provided the quote you see here today at the top of this post. John got me some cool gifts, one of which was a “regifting” from a customer at the Center Club, unlike John, a fellow Democrat. It is a keychain that gives you the countdown for Bush’s time in office. Kind of like the one you see on the sidebar of this blog, LOL. Also a DVD called “WordPlay” with an accompanying workbook about crossword puzzles. I am in hog heaven:). That and the cool corkscrew set really shows John’s got my number, LOL:)

John got the usual cologne and a few goodies from Restoration Hardware from me. The kids got him a photo printer. He’s not one to view things online – wants to frame and hang up his photos like a normal person:)

The grandchildren were overwhelmed by the time they had to get to their daddy’s house, but this morning, they briefly stopped by for a visit to collect a lot of their “stuff” and they seemed a lot better rested.

As was Grandma. I’ve started to finish that huge sweater for my son, Danny – it could fit him and his wife together, but he wants it anyway. Hmmmm…. they are newlyweds. Not going there, LOL

Well, Nigella Feasts is running for the 110th time on the DVR thingie, so I better get going. And I may just take another look at the Knitty Gritty episode on steaking.

Hope you all are enjoying your holiday:)

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Well the downstairs at least is clean, the desks are cleaned off, the carpets are vacuumed and even the bathroom is clean (no pic of that, puhleeease) and it feels like Christmas is coming. A cheesecake is in the oven, thanks to Sabrina seen cooking above.

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