Mistress Stash Enhancer

Some things just get under my skin and get stuck there. Have you heard about Julie Amero? She is a seventh grade substitute teacher in Connecticut who is facing 40 years in jail after pornographic add's appeared on her screen during a class in 2004. It takes a second to google her story, please take a few minutes and read about what is happening to her. And if you can donate a dollar or two to her defense fund (go here).  I'll wait.

Now, I am a mother of 4 kids. Aging from age 7 to 1 month old. What I don't understand is how is this Julie's fault that pornographic ad's started poping up on her screen? She wasn't and isn't responsible for a firewall or spam guard on her classroom computer to stop them from getting in. It is the schools IT's responsibility. Is anything happening to the school for neglecting to do this? Nothing from what I can tell.  Yes, she probably should have unplugged the computer instead of trying to close the pop up windows. But She's did just what I would have done. It still isn't her fault that they appeared in the first place! You can get stuck in one of those loops anywhere. It doesn't matter what kind of site you are on. Pornographic or otherwise. Spyware, adwear can get onto your computer anywhere. Come on people, even I am not a computer genius, I just live with one and I know this!

But what really makes me mad, really really mad. Julie wasn't doing anything wrong. And yet here in Pennsylvania a man who raped a girl walked free of any charges because she wasn't able to testify against him in court. She died the year before in a car accident. So the rapist walked free. The Judge wouldn't allow anyone who the girl told her story to testify. Because it was here say. How is that fair? Seriously, How.is.that.FAIR that he did something wrong, there was proof, and yet he walked free. While Julie was just doing her job teaching, and because the school she was working for wasn't protecting their student's computers from the dangers of the internets she is facing a 40 year jail sentence.

Seriously, How is that fair?

Now, you know the power of the internet, the power people have when they speak out. (ok when more than one person speaks up) I'd like to ask you, take the time. Read her story, and if you think what is happening to her is unfair. Say something. Either on your blog or write an email or a letter to the people on the reference list listed on her blog. Stand up what you think is right. Because its just what you should do.

Really, It's all about me. But I think we all know that already. KIDDING! A few posts ago I was whining that I was sick of knitting for others, and wanted to knit something for me. It felt like everything that came off my needles was for someone else, other than myself. And really, I can be pretty damned selfish. I'm not going to lie. So after B's crazy socks where done, I casted these baby's right on! Right on baby! Right on!

This is my sock Sunday night, as of yesterday afternoon I turned the heel and was moving down the foot. Damn it feels good to knit for me me me!!

Speaking of me me me, d,knit tagged me for the 6 weird things about me a few *ahem*months*cough* ago, even though I've been tagged for it before. I thought I would give it another go. My first answers sucked a bit the first time, and these are a bit odd

1. When loading my dishwasher the silverware *has* to be facing down. (the part that goes in your mouth goes down) I used to have to have the dishwasher loaded just right way, but I've relaxed a bit.

2. I have to wear shoes. I don't like to walk around barefoot or just in socks.

3. Not so weird, but I talk in my sleep. I've been known to have full conversations on the phone while sleeping too.

4. I have to drink water from a glass, not a plastic cup. Bottled water is ok though.

5. Can not eat soup out of a square dish or bowl.

6. My parents told the maternity nurse when I was born that they where going to name me "Lead bottom moose belly"

Sorry I can't remember the rules to this meme, so If ya haven't done it yet, and want to. Go for it. Let me know so I can read your answers! What? Yes, It is all about me me me, here's one more meme! Mary (kinda) tagged me for 5 things you haven't mentioned on your blog meme (I think that's what its called) This post I remembered to save on bloglines so I could go back to it (ya me!) Here we go

First, the Rules:
Someone Tags you, you post 5 things about yourself that you haven't already mentioned on your blog, you tag 5 more bloggers.

1. I once had a job at a local farm near where I grew up in Massachusetts washing eggs for 1 cent/egg.

2. I once *had* to bake blueberry muffins from scratch in the middle of the winter, my Dad was nice enough to buy me real blueberries. I mistakenly added 3 tablespoons of baking powder when I should have added 3 teaspoons of baking soda. Opps! Dad will never forget that one, those muffins where bad!

3. Mike is 15 years older than me.

4. I used to wonder if I would ever have kids, if I even wanted them. Now that I have them (4 of em!) I would never change a thing.

5. I used to write poetry in high school (come on who didn't!) and had once of my poems published.

I'm coping out of tagging, who ever wants to do it, go for it! Let me know if ya do it! Since it's all about me me me, I'm going to finish off my turtle chex mix, which btw is so.freaking.good, and knit my sock. Me me me!!! ; )

We had a 3 day weekend this weekend, after the kids having 3 days off last week thanks to the snow storm (which by the way, why wasn't it called a Nor'ester?) it was like we had a vacation from school. I'm looking forward to tomorrow which will hopefully bring back some bit of normalcy to our house. I say some, because Bryce has a cold and he's being dragged to the Dr tomorrow. Kailey has her 1 month appointment and I'm hoping to have him checked out too. He's supposed to have his adenoids removed this coming Monday. The kids where able to spend some time outside in the snow this weekend. They enjoyed themselves immensely and its a good thing Mema keeps us stocked with mittens!

Here's B's crazy socks after a day of wear, He loves how the socks don't match! When I asked B how much he liked his new socks he replied with

"This much!!!" ahhh, this is why I love to knit him socks. Do you know what is so crazy about these socks? I have a walnut sized ball of lapis left over. Crazzzy! The needles didn't even get a chance to cool before I wound up a hank of brand spanken new sock yarn! More on that tomorrow, Here's a pic of Kailey holding my needles 

gotta start 'em while they're young!

PS Does anyone know where you can purchase downloadable Knitting Pure and Simple patterns? I'm dying to have the top down V-shaped Cardigan and don't want to wait a week for it to be mailed to me.

Between my naps and such, there has been a bit of knitting and finishing too! These poor little booties have been waiting very patiently for buttons, they fit Kailey's feet fairly well with a pair of socks. They are so cute, ya almost want to knit a pair for every little girl ya know

ok, I do want to knit them for every little girl I know. But everyone I know who's pregnant is having a boy!

Stats:

Pattern: Mary Jane booties from Knitting for Babies walmart brochure found in check out line.

Yarn: Joann's sensations Bellezza Collection Tesoro 100% wool, color 954 Leftover from Comforting Jenn square

Needles: US 3

Time: ummm... knitting time maybe 2 hours per bootie, but they've been waiting for buttons for 3 weeks!

Notes: I started the first bootie Jan 17 and finished it that night, I started the second bootie the morning of Jan 18 and finished it sometime during my hospital stay. Then the little booties sat around waiting for lil buttons which I found upstairs in my button drawer.

Sometime in November  I bought a hank of Inca Cotton from Stitch your Art out to knit the baby borelo from One Skein. Then the knitting blah's hit, and I finally casted on sometime last week.

Stats:

Pattern: Baby Borelo from One Skein

Yarn: Inca Cotton 100% Organic Cotton Ecru

Needles: US 8 knit pick options

Time: 1 week maybe?

Notes: I forgot to change to a size 9 needle when knitting the ribbing, oops! I think it turned out well. I'm hoping if I put the leftover yarn together with the needles and the finished sweater it will magically reproduce and I will have a baby gift for Mike's cousin who had her baby boy last week. Hey one can dream right? ; )

one more, cause she is so darned cute

Sometime during the first two weeks I knit these

2 of Abigail's 4 corners dishcloths, Abigail you where right they are the perfect knit when one can't concentrate to well.. and yet I still managed to screw up my second cloth (the green one) one side is smaller than the rest. No idea what happened!! The red one is also a good inch bigger around than the green one. I guess I was more "relaxed" when I knit that one! Abigail just came up with a cool new scrubby pattern called tribbles. Finally, something to do will all that leftover cotton!

The kids had a snow day today we baked cookies and chilled out in our jammies all day. They have another one tomorrow. Weatherman says we're getting snow

damn, I think for once the weatherman might be right! They say we'll be getting 6-10 inches of snow tonight, and 5-8 inches of snow tomorrow. I don't think they'll be going to school on Thursday either!

Updated family pic!

Bryce, Corra holding Kailey and Allysa. Just lookin' at em makes me want to smile even though right now they have remodeled Bryce's pterodactyl hot wheels track and are shooting cars from the playroom into the hallway, some cars are making it across the hallway into the living room. *sigh* they grow up too fast

There has been some knitting here these past two weeks, I finally finished my toe up socks from my sock class sometime this past week. What day did I finish them? No idea, really... maybe Monday-ish? But don't they look nice?

(click on all pictures to embiggen)

My first sock class was in November where we learned how to start the toe, I didn't originally pick this yarn for my first toe up socks. We lost power here the morning of the class, I was planning on winding up my yarn that morning. That yarn didn't want to cooperate, its *really* hard to untangle a wonky skein in a dim room. So, in an attempt to save what sanity I had left,  I had to use a ball that was already wound.

I don't particularly like the cast on that we used on the toe, looks like a funky caterpillar doesn't it? Must learn magic 8 cast on, I must, I must, I must!

By the time we had our next class in December, I had my homework finished (knit both feet of both socks) and was ready to turn both heels. I have to say I do like how this short row heel fits my heel. While I would like to learn a different cast off for the leg,

To cast off, I followed Cynthia's directions k1,yo all the way around then cast off. She said it would flare a bit, and boy does it! (She had another cast off, but I was feeling a wee bit lazy and didn't "feel" like figuring out the directions) I must learn a different cast off! I know people won't see the top of my socks, but it still bother's me.

After I slowly finished the first sock and the other one just languished in the bag. Remember this pick?

Notice how I'm wearing one hand knit sock? I have this thing with my knitting, if I put a project down and start another one. The project that I put down, well it has a *very* slim chance of ever getting finished. Some how these guys won,

Stats:

Pattern: Cynthia from Stitch your Art Out really clear toe-up sock instruction booklet. I increased up to 52 stitches for my foot.

Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock medium weight in Lapis

Needles: 5 US1 knit picks dpns, 2 US1 knit picks circs

Time: HA! good question, 3 months?

Notes: I switched to 2 circs after I finished the second heel, so I could knit while holding Kailey. I have a new found love for the medium weight STR, it kept my toes nice and toasty yesterday during the cold weather! Even though Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning and predicted an early spring, I have little faith in that fat, weasly rodent. The next week Mr Weatherman says our high will be in the 10's and its going to be coooold! Good thing I finished these socks, but then again Phil does have a decent accuracy rate of being correct 59% of the time.... hmmm... I wonder if they did their math right....

Finish off this post, I want to learn the magic 8 cast on, and a different cast off... right I'll get right on that... riiiight ; )

(updated family photo to coming soon!)