Why we need health care reform.

I saw this today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jng4TnKqy6A
It does a reallt good job of explaining why.
Now we need to do.

Vacation part 2, Or What I learned at Sock Summit 2009

Mix together two amazing women with a dream, a dream team to back them up, 40 teachers who believe in the dream, 153 vendors who support the dream, 1800 student who want the dream and what do you get? An amazing event called Sock Summit 2009 in a magical place called OZ. Ok, it's not OZ but pretty damn close. Portland Oregon is very beautiful and has lots to do and see.

It seemed to me that from the first day to the last everyone I meet had a silly grin. There was a warm aura and a sense of happy urgency.

I learned that even after many weeks of sleep deprivation, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee is very charming and funny and talented.

I learned that to be able to indulge in this hobby (read obsession) for the rest of my life, I have to take care of my body. Thanks Carson.

I learned that sock don't have to be knit top down or toe up, they can go side to side.

I learned that Cat Bordhi's mind work way differently that mine. She just blows me away.

I learned that if I didn't have a house to pay for, and a husband and animals who depend on me, I'd run away to live with Judith MacKenzie.

The perfect weekend

What makes a perfect weekend you might ask. One in which all things come together. I stayed home most of the time and was able to get stuff done. Not big projects but little things. I had a towel that need to be re hemmed for about a year and as I was folding it up to put it away, I said to my self, Lets fix this darn thing, and gosh golly ge wiz I did. It took all of 30 seconds. No fuss no muss just done.

A few weeks ago, last time it was cool enough the stand being outside, I started the project of racking the back yard. This is a big deal because first I have 15 large, 40+ elm trees. They shed their leaves and twigs like a dog sheds hair only they're bigger and there's more of them. Second this yard has been neglected for about 30 years and we are working slowly to reclaim it. In some places the leaves had not been picked up for years. Any way, I'd rack up a bag of stuff, have a beer, rack up another bag, cool off in the pool, rack up another bag, take a nap. On and on it went. Not fast just steady. I am proud to announce 10 bags of stuff raked up and ready for garbage day. I just wish there was some other place to take this stuff other than a land fill. It would make great compost. It's just more than I can handle in my small garden bed.

Vacation Part 1

Here is a link to the pictures from the first part of our vacation.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fiberfloozie/sets/72157622086553378/



We started our trip with breakfast at Joe's dinner in Reno. We hadn't eaten here yet. The food is hearty. Our first stop on this trip was to an over look just north of Sand Harbor, on Lake Tahoe. I just love how beautiful the lake is. We then rode on, around the lake, down 89 and over to Markleville. From there we hooked up with US395 down to Lee Vining and Mono Lake.

Tuesday Morning, bright and early we rode 120, Tioga Pass, into Yosemite. I had so much fun taking pictures from the back of the bike, hence most of the names on the pictures "View from the back." We wondered down into the valley and had lunch at Yosemite Village. After that we headed for Sonora. After the coolness of Yosemite it was a shock to come out the other side. It was so hot the Mike had to put on gloves to protect him hand from the heat coming up from the asphalt.


We stayed in the best hotel in Sonora, The Gunn House. It had a neat pool area and the room was cute and the price couldn't be beat. It was also Mike's 50th birthday. After dinner we wondered around town and happened upon a wine bar. After we sat down we noticed that it had a strange flavor. Turns out that that particular night was a singles night, with many people .

Mike told me about it as we left. No wonder we were getting strange looks. We were to only married couple there.

Wednesday we took off and headed north. We took off the beaten track called Parrots Ferry Road. I was a little worried because there wasn't a lot of traffic, nor were there many homes. If something happened It would be a while before we could get to help. Nothing happened and we saw some beautiful country. One of the stops of the day was in a little town called Murphys. I guess that it is in the heart of a wine making district because there are a lot of wineries around. We stopped at a few and walked through down town. It's amazing how many micro climates there are 3 to 4 hours away from here there are.


We stopped for the day in Placerville. We've been here before and Mike was such a sweetie he dropped my off at Lofty Lou's for a little knitting time. Turns out that the woman who runs the shop on Wednesdays also travels to Ren Faires and sell soaps and lotion and the like. I had even bought some of her products the last time I was at the Vallhalla Ren Fair. Small world.



Thursday morning we decided that we had had enough time in the saddle and wanted to head for home by way of Wrights Lake. It's a beautiful place up off of 50.

Back up 89, around Tahoe again and on to home. Just in time to get in the pool for we were hot and tired and ready to be home.



Next post, vacation part 2 Sock Summit in Portland, OR.

Been on Vacation

I haven't posted on a long time cause I've been on vacation. As soon as I come out from under the mountain of mail, e-mails, laundry, and pictures I'll post about all the fun.