by Kat | Feb 9, 2017 | General, Words
This week’s Think Write Thursday task is to write a love letter. It could be a letter to a person, an idea, a project, a dream, a wish, a relative, a famous person, an ancestor or anything (or anyone) else you can think of.
Well, as you could have guessed, today I share my deep love for all that is knitting.
Knitting, I love thee! I will gauge the ways!
I love thee in the knits and purls and YO’s
My needles can knit, and cables to slip
Even when there are many ends to weave in
I love thee without fail in every day’s
Netflixing or some audio-booking.
I love thee in a top-down pullover.
I love the joy of matching hand knit socks.
I love thy charts, repeats, and in the round
And when I grow old and my eyes weary
I will knit my love in miles of garter
With warm, bulky yarn on great big needles
Right sides and wrongs sides are loved equally,
And blessed are they that inherit my stash.
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by Kat | Feb 2, 2017 | General, Words
This week’s Think Write Thursday topic is to write a post titled “Hello, February.”
Hello, February!
You might be bleak, but you just happen to be one of my favorite months! You are short and sweet with days that are slowly lengthening and you are the last full month of winter!
Those are some darned good things – but you have so much more packed in to your 28 days!
There is some Groundhog excitement today, and apparently, Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow and there will be six more weeks of winter. (However, remember this – only 49 days until SPRING!!)
There is one particularly SUPER Sunday and I will be cheering for a certain team from New England. It’s practically a patriotic thing to do!
You bring the birthday of my Rachel, who this year will be 28! Okay, really? How on earth can that be! (And, for those of you wondering – yes, I did use the calculator to determine her age!)
You bring a reminder that love is important on Valentine’s Day.
February 15 would be Susan B Anthony’s 197th birthday…which I think is kind of a big deal this year. A good day to put a pink hat on and celebrate!
We all get a long weekend for President’s Day…which is never a bad thing! (Also a great time to reflect on what makes a good president!)
And, all month long I will be putting pen to paper to send out a letter nineteen times.
I would be REALLY happy if you were a Leap Year – sadly this year you are not!
While I am not officially in the “Bang out a sweater” crew over at MDK this year – I hope to get at least one sweater finished this month. I am also joining in the Kirsten Kapur sock MKAL – I am not sure these will be completed this month, but they will join the knitting rotation!
I am going to try to finish another 6 books this month, which might be a challenge…we’ll see how I do!
I am also hoping that you do not bring days on end of snow and bitter cold – you could keep those things to yourself. Thank you very much!
Love,
Kat
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by Kat | Jan 31, 2017 | General, Words
Month One of joy is almost over, so how is my Joy Meter doing? What sparked joy in January?
Well, there were so many things!
The joy started with “virtual cheers” shared with Honore´ (okay, maybe this happened for me before midnight, but I am counting it!)
Joy continued with Mary’s help on this bit of hat knitting.
Joy overflowed in the books I read this month I finished 6 books this month! Best of the bunch: The Nix, The Secret History, Moonglow, and The Cruelest Month.
There was joy in the unity of the Woman’s March on Pittsburgh.
There has been so much joy in daily stitching – I just must add today’s stitches and the first month is done! I am so happy with this new outlet for creativity!
And, there was all kinds of joy inspired by all of you. Joy from your comments – joy from your posts – and most importantly, joy from the community we share!
What brought you joy in January?
by Kat | Jan 26, 2017 | General, Words
This week the topic for Think Write Thursday is to tell us what your mirror would say if it could talk.
Oh, boy…
Really? Can I just say for starters that I am unbelievably glad that my mirror cannot talk! Exceedingly glad – and then some! Ha!
However, perhaps if it could talk it might say things like this (in no particular order)
- Yes, your hair looks fine and does not need more hairspray. Really.
- Please do not forget the under-eye cover up – those dark circles and bag are not your friends!
- You know, if I were a bit bigger you might not need that magnifying mirror… okay maybe not.
- Two words – grey roots! You better get on that yesterday, girl!
- Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!! And, puh-leeze!! Use the SPF 30 stuff!
Do you hear the sarcasm, because I sure can! In actuality this was a very challenging topic for me – one that is totally outside my comfort zone. I am not comfortable talking about myself in a positive way – I can talk about things I do, or ideas, or beliefs without any hesitation. But, when it gets down to that face in the mirror – it is an entirely different story.
Rather, here is what I see when I look at this picture – a middle-aged woman who will stand up for what is right and help you if you have a problem. I am a procrastinator and a dreamer and I do not at all feel like I am 57, but I sure as heck am glad I am not 75 (yet) or 25 (again). I am content with who I am inside even if I am uncomfortable talking about the outside.
A challenging journey that is, I hope, far from completion.
Thank you for selecting such a thought provoking topic this week Carole. And, I really mean that!
If you would like to join me and Carole on our Think Write Thursday journey, you can do so by signing up here.
by Kat | Jan 20, 2017 | General, Words
Friday generally is the best day of the week – the doorway to the weekend.
But, today it seems to be the Monday-est Friday ever. Almost as if all the Monday’s of all time have been rolled into this one day.
Painful times infinity.
Today will be a day of avoidance for me – avoiding news, avoiding Facebook and Twitter, avoiding television and radio (sorry PBS and NPR – today I just can’t). I am not sure how I will manage this with how “technology-centric” my life is – but I am going to try. This also means no emails and no looking at my iPhone – a true challenge.
There will be no links today – although perhaps they might make a good distraction.
I will be reading, knitting, watching the birds (see above – a dule of doves?), and getting ready to stand up with the resistance tomorrow in Pittsburgh.
I have added a book to my “read list” We are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama by E.J. Dionne Jr. and Joy-Ann Reid. It is sad that President Obama’s farewell address is not in this book – I think it should be.
But, I will leave you today with President Obama’s Thank you – it is just what I needed for today, and I hope it is what you need too!
by Kat | Jan 19, 2017 | General, Words
This week’s Think Write Thursday topic is to write about 3 things I would do if I were the President of the United States. (Carole adds this bit of confidence to the topic: “I’m very certain that any one of us could do a fantastic job!”)
Well…. that certainly inspires some monumental thoughts! And, ones that I have never considered before. Me as President?!
Yeah, that would never in a million years happen.
However, perhaps I could offer some arm-chair coaching that could be entirely useful as well as incredibly helpful.
One of my favorite shows was Borgen – which was all about the government process in Denmark. And, while I realize this is far from reality – there are some things that I think are an excellent take away that could prove useful to improving our system here in the United States.
- Cabinet selection – rather than selecting donors who gave significantly, or your friends, or – god forbid, your family as those who advise you during your presidency. I think it would move this country in a much better direction and decrease the current state of gridlock that exists to sit down and negotiate with the political parties about their representation in the cabinet. This way everyone has a voice. Everyone is part of the process. And, I mean all parties – The Green Party, The Libertarian Party, Republicans and Democrats – both moderates and conservatives, and, yes, even the Tea Party. Perhaps, if everyone has a seat at the table – there would be incentive to govern and do so in a manner that represents all the people!
- While in my heart of hearts, I would love an extremely liberal court – I know that balance is the key to the courts success. And I think that a court that reflects our diverse nation is a very good thing. So, I would encourage the President (whoever they are) to improve that diversity with justices that reflect that.
- Finally, I would like America to make education important – as important as it should be. We are a nation that somehow has fallen far behind on the value of education. Educated citizens make informed decisions, they are not afraid of diversity, they are not fearful of differing opinions, and they understand what compromise is. They are also less likely to be influenced by the phenomenon of “fake news” and fear mongering. Healthy debate is crucial to democracy and an educated nation would not fear reasoned and informed debate – they would welcome it! And let’s remember, compromise is not losing – it is forging a way forward, creating something that everyone feels good about – something that everyone had input in creating.
There is my tiny bit of advice for anyone desiring to be President.
Tomorrow brings the close to what has been, in my opinion, a practically perfect presidency. Did he get everything right? Of course, he didn’t but his measured and thoughtful leadership have given this nation something they can be very proud of. I will close with some encouragement President Obama gave us to hold on to and inspire us in the coming days:
“Democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity – the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together; that we rise or fall as one…I am asking you to believe. Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.”
If you would like to join Carole and me in our Think Write Thursday journey, you can sign up here.
