she's just saying...

paving paradise

From my office window, I've been watching the development across the street on the river. It's a big dusty pit right now, but surrounding it are still vestiges of natural landscape that are disappearing inexorably in Bend. This week I've been watching a herd of deer, a very big rabbit, hawks and geese on this little strip of land. Little do they know what's coming in the way of parking lots, office buildings, streets and "green space" to replace the green space they now inhabit.

Why does our town need more commercial space? There are newly-built empty buildings for lease all over this town, and especially near this little spot by the river. Why are we building more? The city seems hellbent to destroy the very thing that brought most of the folks (and the prosperity) here.

I know I'm singing that same old song, but today it's really disgusting me.

Labels: Bend, Central Oregon, pov, rant

A post a day?

Blog advice writers (I still think the word blog is silly) admonish new bloggers to post every day, especially at first. Of course, that begs the question of whether you have anything new or interesting to say every day. I'm finding the activity of blogging is changing my perceptions of my day. I'm always thinking: "Maybe I should blog about that." "Would that make an interesting post?" "Quick, where's the camera? I have to get this for the blog!" It's definitely an example of the act of observing changing the thing observed.

I don't know yet whether this is a good thing or not. But it's something to keep my mind busy while the rest of my life is seemingly stuck on hold...

Anyway, off to entrelac! Sounds like a quote from a bad adventure movie.

Labels: blog

Cats rule, but cats . . .

drool.

But only when he's happy.

Labels: cats

the Knit-Up tonight

Bend Knit-Up
Originally uploaded by Meltrier

Wow - we used every chair in the house except for the kitchen stools. Lots of fun, food and wine. What a wonderful group of women -- they keep telling me how great it was I started this, but I think how great they are for participating so openly and enthusiastically. I hope we'll meet together for a long time to come.

Labels: Bend, friends, Knit-Up, knitting

Top Ten-ish: Concerts

I could never rank them, so I'll go alphabetically. I cheated with a couple and listed two separate dates - so sue me. And it's 14, not 10, but anyway:

Buddy and Julie Miller: Eugene OR '98
Bob Dylan: Amphitheater, Bend OR '03 and '05
Coldplay: Amphitheater, Bend OR '04
Cowboy Junkies: Athletic Club, Bend OR '03
Grateful Dead: LA Coliseum, Jerry's birthday, Aug. 1, '92
Donavon Frankenreiter: Barcelona on my birthday '05
Elvis Costello: many venues in NYC and LA
Jack Johnson: Amphitheater, Bend OR '06 '05
Jerry Garcia Band, The Forum, LA, '88
Los Lobos: NYC in the '80s and Athletic Club, Bend OR '99
Lucinda Williams: Athletic Club, Bend, OR '05 and Salem OR '06
Peter Gabriel: LA early '90's
Rickie Lee Jones:Greek Theater, LA '92
U2: Sports Arena, LA some point in the early '90s

Then there's the infamous Kenny G. concert in LA when I fell asleep and he walked right up to our seats on the aisle playing his saxaphone and woke me up.

How about you? What's your list?

Labels: music, top ten

Ah, Spring in Central Oregon!

Every C.O. blog is probably posting a similar thought today.

Labels: Bend, Central Oregon, garden, seasons

I hate Blogger.com

OK, spent another three hours getting my blog back up after it went into hyperspace. Blogger is the most user-unfriendly, obtuse program. Once again, as my father always said, there's no such thing as a free lunch. Or a free FUNCTIONING blog site. As JulieLoves2Knit can testify . . .

Labels: blog, pov, rant

I can haz entrelac!

Sitting down yesterday to knit - something I actually rarely get to do. I took a deep breath and broke out my first skein of Noro Silk Garden - beautiful stuff. Several hours later I had about 5 x8 inches of a shaky but cool-looking piece.
Normally I'm a product knitter vs. process - I can't wait to get the darn thing done so I can give it or wear it. But this entrelac thing is more like working a fairly easy but satisfying puzzle.

A friend told me the other day that blogging is my new sudoku. I think entrelac may be as well. Though my sudoku addiction goes unabated.

Labels: knitting

Muffin and Bob

I love the crossed paws.

Labels: cats

soccer in the snow

Oh my it was cold. I realize no one wants to read about third-grade soccer, including me, so I'll keep this brief. H's team came back from a 3-0 deficit and ended up with 6 goals. Including one by H, of course.

Labels: Bend, Central Oregon, son

blog hell with a silver lining

(Not to mix metaphors...)

I have been messing with blogger.com (where my blog is hosted) for THREE hours this morning, as my blog wasn't showing up anymore. It appears to be a pretty glitchy program, but I finally got it to work by re-publishing, changing formats, going to the google apps server and messing with my DNS info, etc. Now I have to go back and add a bunch of widgets back in.

All I can say is that again, I learned more stuff. Who knew I'd be messing with HTML and DNS redirects three weeks ago? I guess that's what you have to do with computer/web work - sink endless hours into it until you've seen and figured out most of the problems.

Incredibly frustrating, though.

The only good thing is that my boy brought me some breakfast while I was at the computer. It was reheated tea and an undertoasted english muffin slathered in butter, but it was wonderful. Sometimes they can really surprise you, and in a good way.

Labels: blog, pov, solo parenting, son

Well, the deal is done.

Well, the deal is done. AT&T has officially acquired our company and now . . . uh, nothing. Once again, we're in waiting mode. Business as usual! It will take as long as it takes. The place is abuzz, but with nothing to buzz about. I'm content to wait and see . . .

Labels: work

the Bend Knit-Up

I need to explain. In January, I started a meetup.com group in Bend for knitters. We grew very quickly and are now at 91 members. Over half of those have not come to a knitting gathering, so I'm not sure why they joined, but never mind. We meet weekly Wed. evening and on Friday mornings and sit and knit, basically. It's a wonderful group of warm, funny, quirky women of all ages. If you're a knitter, you get it.

We started some 1-2 session classes led by various talented members, and the first one was entrelac at my house. We'll be doing some sock seminars next.

(Again, if the phrase "sock seminars" sounds utterly Martian to you, just hang with me til I move on to another topic.)

You can find us if you push the button down there on the right and sign in.

Labels: Bend, Central Oregon, Knit-Up, knitting

Entrelac -ack -ack -ack -ack

Entrelac is a knitting technique that is incredibly cool (alright, if you think "knitting" and "cool" don't belong in the same sentence, you can stop reading right now). this is not my work, believe me
Megan blew our tiny little knitting minds last night, teaching this technique. Of course, PJ, the new knitter, took off with it and I expect a completed bag by next week. It was a lot of fun and a great group.

The Juniper sale goes through Saturday. I know I'm not the only one who's going back - it's calling to me, saying: "Addi turbos" and "handspun," as well as many many other sexy words. Just missed Cindy there, but probably a good thing, as we knitters tend to encourage each other in our stash acquisitions.

[Addi Turbos are the Porsches of the knitting needle world. So sleek and fast.]

Labels: Knit-Up, knitting

There's someone out there!

So exciting - I'm starting to get comments on the blog! It's like passing little notes in class: who's it from? what does it say? Thank you to those who've responded - it's nice to know I'm not sending my puny thoughts out into the void. This whole blog thing has been a great diversion from the work front and a great learning. I recommend it to everyone!

Labels: blog, friends

Stash Enhancement

Everything in the store is 30% off, including needles (Addi Turbos!), books, and of course:
I guess I'm in a multi-colored mood. If I only had time to knit.

Labels: knitting

Juniper Sale!

I hesitate to blog this until I get there and buy the place out. Juniper Fiberworks, our local yarn store (LYS to you knitters) is having a big sale. The first one I can remember. Going shopping . . . photos to come.

Labels: Bend, Central Oregon, knitting

Third grade math

I never liked it the first time around.

Now trying to help with homework problems, it's all becoming clear. I only had to live 40 years or so to get it.

A simple word problem (what is the least number of coins needed to give a customer .42 in change?) stumped the chump last night. A clear case of the classic "Read the problem!"

I had H subtracting .42 from a dollar, then working the coin numbers. I overcomplicated a simple question and confused the hell out of him.

Oh well. As Barbie used to say, "Math is hard!"

Labels: solo parenting, son

the Orpha C. Fox

My maternal grandmother was a avid horticulturist. She raised begonias in her basement under grow lights. These are not the beautiful tuberous begonias you see in hanging planters in the summer - these were cane begonias and quite ugly, to my child's eye.

She actually cloned a new begonia which the Begonia Society named the Orpha C. Fox in her honor. One greenhouse on the web describes it as: Striking med/large dark leaves with large silver markings on a compact 'Angel Wing'. Almost constant pink flowers. Choice.

I love that use of the word "choice." It reminds me of her, discussing her plants with my mother and aunts.

Here is a shot of my Orpha C. Fox, growing happily in my bedroom window.

Labels: plants and flowers

phun in phoenix

My new friend Peter and me, getting happy in Phoenix. Thanks, TJ!

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Labels: vacation