Drive-By Thinking.

i resolve…

… to do better in updating this here corner of the innerwebz. I hadn't truly thought that it had been as long as it has since I'd last posted. Sorry about that. So how about some updates?

• I hadn't knit jack-all in the better part of six months. The mojo hath deserted me. However, I'd made a pledge to turn the fine skein of wool sent to me by my mother-in-law into something useful, and so I did. Behold the Haruni shawl:

Pattern crafted by Emily Ross. Mine is knit from a single skein of Cherryfield Farm Natural Romney Wool. (Of which I still have a fair-sized ball left.) Mother-in-law was thrilled with the gift and the sentiment, since it had been a rather trying year for her. I'm glad I could help.

Next up…

• I have noticed that when someone attempts to re-enter your life, it is more often an indication of why they had been pushed to the background in the first place than an affirmation of their place in your future.

Those of you who follow me on the big blue Eff site might just recognize this statement. Now that I've had the better part of a month to stew contemplate the whys and wherefores behind it, I'll explain it.

I received a comment to the previous posting that I have yet to make public. (And I likely won't, as the writer gave far too much personal information in it for me to feel comfortable doing so.) What it boiled down to was a "wow, I can't believe I found you after so long/when did you become so bitter/how can I persuade you of your inherent wrongness?" I offer you this quote:

I guess I'm glad I saw this first or talking to you would have broken my heart. You are far too young and too smart to be this angry and this bitter.

She then proceeded to tell me her life story and all her assorted woes, complete with a narrative about how wonderful government was and how much it had given her, and why should I be so against everything she believed in?

To this I indeed offered a reply, citing surprise at having been "lost" in the first place, assuring her that I had no need of her concern nor her censure, and ending with the sentiment that I was sorry she had wasted her time, since I was apparently such a stranger to her.

Really, you live barely twenty miles away and know full how to get in touch, yet you haven't bothered to lift a finger to call or email me once in the last ten years. Now you want me to take your advice? Now you want me to believe you're such a good friend? Now I'm supposed to drop everything I know and believe and say, "Oh my… you're absolutely right and how did I ever get through my day without your wisdom?"

Spare me. And I'll do you the service of a true friend and not uncover your foolishness by putting a public face on it. Then I'll hit "delete."

So we move on.

• HSH is taking her duties as a Junior Girl Scout seriously, and has been working hard on badges. After spending a frigid weekend camping outside (in NOVEMBER, fer cripes sake), she decided to turn her attentions to the Simple Meals badge. She made mac-n-cheese from scratch, turned a simple salad into a meal with the addition of protein (ham and egg) and carbs (croutons), and baked cupcakes for the troop. She tackled a simple dinner (french toast and sausages) and learned something a little more complex: fresh bread.

It was very good. So good, in fact, that it disappeared before I could get a picture. Kid's got promise. She's also made honor roll. More through threats and persuasion than true desire on her part, but a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.

• We have acquired another living critter in the house.

This is Thomas. He's a fine wee cheetie, and full of piss and vinegar. The shelter said he was a year old. I don't think so. This isn't a kitten – he's too large for that – but he's got some growing to do and is far too speedy and frisky to be a full adult. We figure about 7-8 months old.

We picked him because he was laid back and cuddly, and so he remains. Just about anyone can pick this cat up and pet him. Including the dog.

Which was the other reason we picked him. Freckles needed something to light a fire under her butt, and this was just the ticket. Cat likes dogs. Dog is tolerant of cat. In fact, we're pretty sure that Freckles thinks it's HER cat. They play together, race each other, attack each other, and share just about everything. Except the food bowl. Freckles kind of draws the line on that one. And while they'll cuddle like this occasionally, 

Thomas will just pretty much curl up with anyone. He's particularly fond of Hizzoner. Freckles has learned to share her humans, as well.

So here we are, at the beginning of a new year. 2012 had its ups and downs. I hope for better in 2013, but knowing what's looming over the horizon, I refuse to hold my breath.

Instead, I will tend to this, my own little corner, and not lose too much sleep over that which I can't control. I won't hesitate to point out the absurdities, and I will continue with the "I told you sos" as scheduled, but I think I'll try to add in more of the fun stuff as well. I think we'll all need a little more fun stuff.

So have fun tonight, be safe, PLEASE for the love of God don't drink and drive, and I'll see you next year.

K out.

what i did on my autumn vacation.

(Also known as being basically underemployed.) So here's the thing: I've got this sidebar thingee that shows what I've completed over the past year. And I'm noticing that there's things missing from it. (Also, that it's pretty sparse compared to past years. I'm not sure why.) Anyhoo, thought I'd post one for the knittahs tonight, showing off some of what I've accomplished but forgot to track.

If you're not here for the knitting, move along. You'll be bored in 5… 4… 3…

In no particular order, I present the following:

om nom nom.

Pattern: Feeteaters, from Knitting Mochimochi
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash (body, teeth and eyes) and Berroco Vintage (sole)
Needles: US 8 dpns
Notes: The medium (supposedly suggested for female adults) fits HSH perfectly. Either girlfriend's got some powerful huge feet or the sizing is a little optimistic. My gauge, for once, was spot on. HSH put them on and ran around the house yelling, "They've got me! Arrrrrrgh!"

Next, I give you

varme hender.

Pattern: Norwegian Mittens, by Beth Brown-Reinsel
Yarn: Dale of Norway Heilo
Needles: US 3 dpns
Notes: The thumbs are a little short, but otherwise these are fabulous. Thick, warm, fun and fast to work (you don't get bored when the pattern changes every row). Yes, that is a tag visible; I had these on display in the store and since it got cold, I brought them home. Forgot to remove the id tag and have been doing a slightly modified Minnie Pearl imitation ever since. And yes, my colorwork tension has gotten much better.

Next on our tour,

I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille.

Pattern: Fallen Leaf Shawlette, from Cotton and Cloud
Yarn: Kid Seta Noir by Cascade, color #18
Needles: US 6 circs
Notes: I used a little more yarn than listed in the pattern, but I also used a larger needle size, so that figures. This also went very fast, until you get to the eleventy billion stitches in the ruffle. It took me two days to bind off, if that's any indication. Also, it's definitely a shawlette, not a full-sized one. The pattern is well written, and the author has a good sense of humor, too.

I also finished (but have no photographic evidence of) 20 (twenty. 2-0. two times ten. four times five.) tiny knitted snowmen, complete with scarves. You can check out the pattern here, in Mochimochiland (click to see her great knitted art exhibition; I assure you mine weren't as violent). They were fun to knit and incredibly cute, but I am – understandably – over the snowman temporarily. I hope the kids in HSH's class enjoyed them.

So what now?

I have four five projects in the fire: the Java socks for Hizzoner, about 25% done; the Vancouver Olympic sweater, due to be completed in time for the Sochi Olympics; another pair of Glittens, nearly 50% complete; Amineko, a crocheted (gasp!) cat; and a project for the store – and me – the Oblique sweater. It'll be a knitalong. I'm just getting a head start. See?

look, ma! half a back!

I'll photograph the other stuff when it gets… well… to a photographable state. Really. I promise.

things get a little dusty

…when you're busy. So I'll just highlight some things that have been rattling around here at Casa DBT:

• Rumors of my demise are highly suspect. I have considered taking down my shingle, just because in two months I've not had the time nor the desire to write anything. Political posts require me to get pissed off and other posts require me to be either witty or verbose, and both take energy I don't have right now. So there. However, the radio silence is deafening in its own way, and I'll do my best to be a little better at updating this space.

• I have been working on stuff. Eight of 20 wee snowmen are knit, and I'm going to finish the other 12 if it petrifies the muscles in my hands. Yes, I'm well aware that I'm crazy, but I've committed myself, and so it will be done.

I finished this before the great snowman invasion:

Yes, that's the famed Alan Dart jultomten. I used all manner of odds and ends, and he's quite content to hang about the house. I accidentally attached his nose off center. It adds to his personality.

• I don't know who are giving me the bigger headache: the talky tweenies in the troop, or their parents. The girls – who are mostly very good – are most bearable when they're very busy. The parents can't be trusted to follow simple instructions, don't check their email, and think they can monopolize valuable – and limited – meeting time with questions that could be easily answered if they followed instructions and read their damn email. I sent home a nastygram with the girls this week that, if read, should minimize future issues.

Oh, calm down. It wasn't "nasty" nasty. It was just … firmly worded.

• The suspension of Mr. Cain's campaign was disappointing. I don't put a lot of credence into the allegations against him. But it doesn't matter what I believe; it matters what the mainstream media can get the average, miseducated American to believe. And apparently the average Jane and Joe swallowed the bait. Thus, the MSM and their leftist allies successfully put down a black man who dared publicly step off the plantation. Note how they've also cleverly put forth into public notice the least conservative members the pack to lead the race for the GOP nomination.

Aaaand the RNC does nothing but stick to the tired old formula of shuffle up the heir apparent while not fighting back. Fabulous.

I'm reserving further analysis until after primary season actually starts. 

• The holiday season has been going well. I drove around the neighborhood to check out the lights, and yes, my whacktastic neighbor has his full show going. He's broadcasting a variety of carols on his own little loop (107.3, if you're driving about), complete with elf voices reminding you not to block the other driveways. Apparently the penguins have developed a notoriety. He's billing them as the [neighborhood name] Penguins.

• I was a bit disappointed with The Sing Off this season. Not that I didn't watch; not that I didn't sense real moments of brilliance. The problem lies in refusing to let a'cappella music shine as its own genre. The producers have evidently decided that it needs to be pushed into existing drawers of the musical card catalog, and the artists should follow suit. Also, allowing groups that have formed for the sole purpose of this teevee show to compete, without a track record or history proceeding them, has dragged down the level of artistry. 

The audio mix isn't helping. It's impossible to tell if what the teevee viewer is hearing bears any resemblance to what the judges are hearing. I have to believe there's either a marked difference, or the judges have suffered marked hearing losses since last season.

That having been said, the winning group was head and shoulders above a lot of its competition and I wish them well. I want the album when it's released.

• And that's about it for this post. I will do my best to not let cobwebs collect in this corner of the innerwebs from now on.

i'm out of catchy titles.

So this will have to do.

I've been AWOL again, but that's only because I've suddenly gotten busy. School's in full swing; I'm teaching again; I've had a client with a monster-sized project going back and forth; and then there's Girl Scouts.

A funny thing happened on the way to my email a couple of weeks ago. The leader of HSH's troop sent out an inocuous-looking note with the date and time of the first meeting. Added to this was: "if you'd like to help out, let me know."

Next thing you know, I'm the Junior co-leader. Odd, for someone who personally never made it past Brownies.*

This is kind of freaking me out. 'Cause you know how good I am with other people's kids.

Hey, I finished a sock.

Pattern: Scent of Lavender by Stephanie van der Linden.
Yarn: Oceanwind Knits Merino Sock in Sienna.
Needle: US1 Addi Turbo.
Mods: None, really. I wish I'd added another pattern repeat for the leg, but I'm not ripping it out now. 

Okay, I've got to get back to finishing stuff up so I can gorge on Sing Off tonight. I'm not going to review this season yet. Maybe after they narrow it down from 16 groups. I will say a heartfelt "thank you" to the NBC PTB for 86ing Nicole and her orgiastic commentary, and bringing on a real musician in her place (I think; I may eat those words later). 

K out. Show's on.

_________

*Of course, this is hinging on a clean criminal background check. One never knows what one's been up to, does one?

is this thing on?

I know… I know… I've been dealing with a lot of crap lately – most of it self-imposed – and it's left me with little time or desire to analyze either my life or someone else's in enough detail to write about it.

The biggest thing that's happened in the last three weeks is that Her Serene Highness was promoted to 3rd grade sporting all As on her report card. That represents a great deal of hard work on her part and a great deal of riding her ass on my part. We're both exhausted.

Scouts is also finis for the summer, with the exception of a week of day camp. She's particularly excited that they're going swimming, weather permitting. It's not cheap (cheaper than a week away at sleepover camp) but it's worth it if it breaks up a summer consisting mainly of her talking to herself.

Oh stop. We do things together as a family. Or have girl nights. Like last night, when we stole every pillow in the house and stayed up late to watch the Miss USA pageant.

Last weekend was also Worldwide Knit In Public Day at the store. We had a great turnout and a heckuva lot of fun. We spent a great deal of time rattling passerby by waving and smiling while wielding pointy sticks. While I'm not sure we inspired anyone new to take up the craft we certainly did attract attention.

I also finished a couple of things. One:

Pattern: Nordic Inspiration, from Around the World in Knitted Socks by Stephanie van der Linden.
Yarn: Dale of Norway Heilo
Needles: US 1 Addi turbos
Notes: I did things differently than the pattern called for. For example, I didn't like her heel directions, so I did my usual short row heel. I also did the toe first instead of picking up the provisional cast on and knitting down. Won't do that again now that I understand why she wrote the directions the way she did.

I also learned that I have some powerfully huge feet. 

Then I finished this inside of a week:

Pattern: #7261, from Regia Journal 611.
Yarn: Regia Extra Twist Merino
Needles: US 7 Addi turbos
Notes: The only think I changed here was not doing the crochet edging. I didn't think it needed it. Oh, and if you do this shawl – and I highly recommend it – I found a mistake in row 93 of the chart. Let me know if you need the correction.

And now, onto other subjects.

You know, I don't often watch the Daily Show. Okay, that's a lie… I don't watch the Daily Show at all. Mainly because Jon Stewart's type of comedy isn't my cup of tea; minorly because the fact that there are people out there who take him seriously – which he himself finds disturbing – and I don't feel the need to add to that ratings demographic.

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

He's right on with this bit, though. What kind of desperation does that indicate? What lack of journalistic integrity have we stooped to? When did tabloid journalism become the mainstream? How do these talking heads look themselves in the mirror in the mornings?

And why, if this is the best that network news and major newspapers can field in the way of investigative reporting, why am I still nominally unemployed? Honestly – this could make a saint swear.

Oh hey… apparently, the TSA isn't just content to give you a quick thrill. This explains where my mother's camera went – the one with the last pictures of my father on it. (If I ever get hold of the person who stole it, he'll be minus a set of hands.) Not than anyone at Homeland Security thinks this is a real problem. Their precious union flunkies would never do anything like that.

Another reason why anyone working in government should have to show real-world experience in the private sector: we're doing just fine without a budget! Move along, peon… nothing to see here…. Meanwhile, even Russia is dumping US holdings. Yeah, dude… just fine. If this is your definition of "just fine," I'd really hate to see your definition of "totally fucked up."

Okay, I've bored y'all enough for one night. K out.

#601

Just some potshots here and there for today, kids. Nothing earth-shattering enough to require a full article has happened this week.

____

I was poking about on the internet in an attempt to flesh out the bare bones bios on Ancestry with some real stories of who my ancestors were. I know one of my great-great grandfathers was a respected accountant and someone of some importance in local politics, having run for Superintendent of the Poor and then having been appointed to the Oneida County Board of Supervisors in 1879. (He also had a ne'er-do-well son who blew the family fortune.) It was interesting, reading the newspapers' reports of the election and all the hijinks leading up to them.

It was also incredibly interesting seeing the total 180° the media (specifically newspapers) has done since then. The Rome Citizen (now defunct) wrote a spirited defense of Republican candidates (including my g-g-grandfather) and the Utica Morning Herald (also no more) also leaned heavily in that direction.

One is inclined to dive further into party politics of an otherwise relatively bland historical period (Reconstruction aside) just to find out what all the bickering is about.

The Utica paper also included this tidbit:

"What Judas Iscariot needed was a republican committee to whitewash him."
– Atlanta, Ga., Constitution.

No; he needed a democratic committee to suppress or disregard evidence, and completely vindicate him.  [Utica editorial response]

Yow. THAT was a little below the belt… seems some things never change, though. It also sounds like something that'd be thrown about on teevee today. 

Oh, and according to the same paper, the Liliputian Opera Company will be presenting the operetta "Jack the Giant Killer" starting March 6, 1879. If you haven't gotten your tickets yet, don't bother.

____

Fairly OddParents featuring the guys in KISS (as cartoon characters in full costume) is just tickling me. Having Gene Simmons melt the alien robot with firebreath was an added bonus.

____

I was really pumped for the world to come to an end and all that. I figured there'd be really good fireworks. And that I wouldn't have to pay my Discover bill. Now I'm disappointed AND broke.

____

Can Kung-Fu Panda 2 be as good as the first one? Guess I ought to watch the first one before I comment further….

____

I was totally pissed off to discover that I seem to be coming up with stellar ideas for two knit shops, when in fact I'm only being paid by one.

I suppose I have to be careful in what I say, because I can't prove anything. But anyone with a pair of eyes and a few spare brain cells to rub together can solve for x when x=2+2, if you know what I mean. For the most part, I've been able to shrug it off. We serve pretty much two separate customer bases, with a few exceptions. But even I can't make excuses any longer.

The last – and most blatant – ripoff came with our release of details for our summer promotion. Three days later, an announcement was made touting their own promotion – same base subject, same classes, with the words rearranged.

I can't sue; I can't issue a cease-and-desist order; I can't even prove anything. The information is all over our store's website and social media pages for our customers to see. I'm sure I'm not the only one to think up the ideas I've had; odds are that if I've thought it, everyone else already has too.

There has to be a way to counter this. Or at least set up a trap that lets them know that we know what's going on.

But that all feels very sixth grade.

____

Since the world still goes on, I think I'll go get some Chinese food and watch the conclusion of Celebrity Apprentice. Y'all have a good week.

question for the sockies:

If you were going to enter a sock contest (ie: having to do with the making of socks, not the wearing thereof), what would attract you to such a competition? What kind would you enter? What would you prefer, subject wise? 

I ask because I am absolutely devoid of ideas. Y'all have much better ones. Enlighten me.

Thank yew for yer support.

yawn.

Recovering from a relatively busy weekend. First, let's get the picture stuff out of the way.

 

Pattern: Gort, from The Big Book of Knitted Monsters by Rebecca Danger.
Needles: US 4 Addis magic looped.
Yarn: Odd ends of Galway wool.
Notes: Quick to make; easy to follow the directions. If I had to change anything, I'd have Kitchenered the top of his head rather than do the 3-needle bindoff. I think it would have been a neater finish. Also, you can see that I stitched Gort's mouth to his face. She recommends glue. I own no fabric glue, and honestly, I figured he'd be more likely to have a mouth further into the future if I sewed it. Even? Not really. Secure? Yes.

He's the shop monster now. If it encourages people to do something other than baby blankets and dishcloths, it's worth it.

Easter is over and I hope y'all had a nice one.

Spent most of Saturday with HSH. The early afternoon found us on a Scout outing, at a local horse farm. Apparently the owner's been affiliated with Scouts since Juliette Gordon Low was a tyke, and puts together special programs to help all the age levels complete horse/equestrian-related badges. I have to admit that she's incredibly thorough. She also had the complete attention of all ten girls for nearly three hours – a feat not easily equalled.

They learned all aspects of what goes on in a barn (storage, organization, why stalls are set up a certain way); what all the parts of the horse are; what you need to care for and set up a horse for riding; and how to properly groom a horse. (Mind, it was the short version.) She made each girl take a turn approaching and grooming the demo model, a pony named Polar Bear.

HSH seemed to enjoy herself immensely.

Each girl got a turn riding as well. Short walk around the ring, but enough to complete the afternoon. They were all happy and beaming – and tired. Which was good if you weren't going to a birthday party right after, as we were.

Add on another two hours of rollerskating – some of it not even hanging onto the wall – and someone was ready to head directly to bed upon getting home. I'm not sure what time HSH hit the hay, though.

So we spent today recharging. Which is why there's not a whole lot of substance in this post. Maybe tomorrow; maybe later in the week. 

some lament

the way that I've effectively unplugged myself from the 'net these last few weeks. Unblogged, as it were. I could protest that I'm still incredibly busy – a state that will remain so for quite a while yet.

Yet, I don't honestly feel like writing. I've ignored most all of the news as of late, so I've no comment. Sorry to disappoint those of you who tune in solely to hear my latest rant. On the personal side, there's been a lot going on, and I even have pictures… but the narrative isn't doable right now.

So I leave you with a treat for now.

Pattern: Dad's Blueberry Pie, by Jennifer Tallapaneni.
Yarn: Plymouth Encore for the filling; Plymouth Baby Bunny for the crust.
Needles: US 6 needles, size F crochet hook
Notes: It was easy to knit, but a @#$% to put together. The top crust is misshapen and hard to work with because of the way the cables distort the fabric. And whether it was my knitting or the pattern, once assembled the top crust was inadequate as written. I added a row of single crochet all around the top, both to make it look more finished and to flesh it out a bit. And I still suck at duplicate stitch. But dang, it's cute.

Twice the fiber and only a fraction of the calories.

questo è tutto.

It's 9 am and 65F out. The rain should start anytime now, if my radar widgets are to be believed. There's a nice thin line of storms parallel to I-85; I should have two or three hours before they get here to post and take a shower.

Thank you all for being patient with me over the last few weeks. Things are rather unsettled here at Casa DBT and although we are slowly resuming a state of normalcy (!) it will will still probably be difficult to post with any depth or desire for some time.

_____

I have plenty of thoughts about the upheaval in the Middle East. I'm not hurrying, as some are, to go interfering or intervening in the affairs of countries that already have us on their "top ten things that went wrong in my day" list. 

Nor am I particularly pleased to see these leaders go. Hateful oppressive bastards they might all be (or downright kooks), but at least it's a known factor. The unknown is the scary bit. Especially if more radical factions (I'm looking at you, Muslim Brotherhood) gain ground.

My personal biggest concern is the cost of gasoline, which has already vaulted into the WTF category. When you drive 60 miles roundtrip to get to work (and twice that on certain days), it becomes a significant worry. If things continue on as they are, we will shortly tip into the "is it worth it for me to work where I do" discussion, which will open a whole 'nother bag of worms as there's not exactly a plethora of folks banging on my door with job offers.

_____

There's a great deal of cookie accounting to complete soon. Molto grazie to everyone who supported the chicklet. She met her goal and then some and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the requisite patches for her vest.

_____

I've had an alarming increase in my amount of Twitter followers as of late. This is quite amusing to me, as I very, very rarely share anything on Twitter, and then it's usually the automated feed announcing a new blog post. They're not even just spam Twits offering foreign endearments – these are legit folks. Have I been sleep-tweeting or something?

_____

I do still knit. There's not a lot of evidence to support this claim on what otherwise used to resemble a knitting blog, but rest assured that there are three pairs of socks and two sweaters needing completion and pictures will be posted when I damn well feel like it.

_____

Planning my vegetable garden this year based on the Square-Foot Gardening method. I'll let you know if it works out. So far I'm going to put in lettuces, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, spinach, radishes, melons, cherry tomatoes, and a late crop of broccoli and brussels sprouts. (What? I like brussels sprouts.) Any suggestions to flesh out the foliage? (No, I'm not planting beets. I don't like beets.)

Yeah, I know. I'm descended from a woman who killed a plastic cactus. (Hi, Mom.) I'm hoping that the curse skipped a generation and that I can channel Grandpa, who could have scared any seed into sprouting at his very command. (You didn't argue with my grandfather.) I did alright with my thyme patch. It took over the front yard.

_____

Speaking of plants, the camellias are blooming.

_____

I had a customer bring me cookies yesterday. She claimed that I rescued her sweater when it unravelled. I'll have to take her word for it, because it would be impolite to refuse a whole plateful of home-baked oatmeal raisin cookies. My momma didn't raise no dummies.

_____

You need to check out Michael Ramirez's cartoon on the Wisconsin mess. Sums it up perfectly.

I have no objection to teachers being paid what they're worth. Personally, I think my daughter's teachers deserve a hazardous duty-type bonus. And seeing most of the little ankle-biters running around my neighborhood makes me want to extend that to the public district's instructors. But that's not what this whole thing is really about.

This is union hijinks, pure and simple. The teachers are just a prop being used to extort money from the citizens of Wisconsin in order to pad their own coffers. That they aren't smart enough to figure that out is troubling. That they've pimped their students in order to promote their cause is sickening.

Personally, as a private sector worker, I don't have any problem being asked to fund my own retirement or health care. I'm amazed and slightly incensed that public employees find this a personal affront. (And my saying so has again decreased my Facebook friend count. Oh. Darn.)

What this boils down to: if the money isn't there, the money isn't there, and asking for it (or in this case, throwing yourself on the ground kicking and screaming for it) isn't going to magically produce it. Private sector workers are taxpayers, too, and they've had to tighten their belts more than those protected by civil lists and overreaching union contracts. Suck it up, pay your share, and you might find yourself more respected than reviled by your fellow man.

The state senators that ran away like a bunch of five-year olds? Abdicated their sworn responsibility as elected officials and should be impeached. Then sent to their rooms without supper for a week.

And no teevee, either.

_____

Final bit for today: I've been reading A Little House Sampler, bits of writing from Laura Ingalls Wilder and her daughter, Rose Wilder Lane. It's mostly essays, with editorial pieces of history and background connecting it. Fascinating reading for those of us who devoured the Little House books as kids. 

One of the pieces struck me particularly, given circumstances. Sometime in the '30s, Laura was asked to speak to a local (to her) group on her career as an author. She spoke of her surprise in the interest of others in what she had to say, and her ability to say it, especially at her age. She spoke of reviewing her past to write about and discovering that she had, in fact, lived a pretty good life. And she spoke of one more thing she discovered:

"Running through all the stories, like a golden thread, is the same thought of the values of life. They were courage, self-reliance, independence, integrity and helpfulness. Cheerfulness and humor were handmaids to courage.

"In the depression following the Civil War my parents, as so many others, lost all their savings in a bank failure. They farmed the rough land on the edge of the Big Woods in Wisconsin. They struggled with the climate and fear of Indians in the Indian Territory. For two years in succession they lost their crops to the grasshoppers on the banks of Plum Creek. They suffered cold and heat, hard work and privation as did others of their time. When possible they turned the bad into good. If not possible, they endured it. Neither they nor their neighbors begged for help. No other person, nor the government, owed them a living. They owed that to themselves and in some way they paid the debt. And they found their own way."

Well said, Half-Pint. Would that more people thought that way today.