Furball Friday

Just in time before the closing ceremonies, I give you the results of the 

KITTY GAMES!!!**

Event:  Sleep Gymnastics

The following are all members of Team USA, who - for the first time in history -  not only swept the medals in this event, but are siblings!

BRONZE MEDAL

Name:  Milo (aka The Koodle)
Age:  4 months
Hometown:  Philadelphia, PA
Inspired by:  Doodle Dogs
Skill:  Single Upside Down Twist
Level of Difficulty:  6

Milo was awarded the Bronze Medal when the judges decided that the combination of his young age and willingness to be photographed on a contrasting pattern during this event made him worthy of a medal.

SILVER MEDAL

Name:  Jetsam
Age:  6 years
Hometown:  Philadelphia, PA
Inspired by:  Twizzlers
Skill:  Double Body Twist
Level of Difficulty:  8

Jetsam was given the Silver Medal when the judges were impressed by his ability to do a nearly full-body twist on a pad while almost matching the background, assuring that the position would still make him visible.

GOLD MEDAL

Name:  Pip
Age:  2 years
Hometown:  Philadelphia, PA
Inspired by:  Oscar Pistorius
Skill:  Double Twist with One-Legged Thrust
Level of Difficulty:  10

Pip managed to strike a unique pose, which also has an element of danger, since any sudden necessity to stand up could be difficult, as his only hind leg is twisted and straight up in the air.


Hope your weekend is free of any difficulty, with a perfect score!


**No way was I gonna use the "O" word, and be handed a Cease and Desist order from the USOC ...

Things I Don't Understand

Not all of them, of course, but there are so many all at once over the last few weeks, I'm hoping to get them out of my brain  ...

1.  Why, after writing about starting new projects when there are so many unfinished, I have not knit a stitch in over a week?

2.  Why anyone could possibly care about Olympic gymnastics champion Gabby Douglas' hair, when she has accomplished something that not even 10% of all humankind will even come close to doing?

3.  Why people like hot and humid weather?  I was dismayed at the wimpy winter we had (I know other parts of the country had a terrible winter, though), but then the summer came along with a vengeance.  Oh well, who needs to breathe, right?

4.  What is the deal with guns?  I don't think anyone should have a gun (well, OK I guess if you have an army you need to have guns), much less several.  And NO ONE needs assault weapons if you ask me.  I know this is not always a popular opinion, but if anyone reading this is offended, I am expressing my own opinion.  Whereas, I would like everyone to think like I do, I am not so naive as to think they do.

5.  Why people have to kill other people because they are different?  I am not by any stretch of the imagination the world's most noble, perfectly tolerant person.  But I learned that from a very early age that a) not everyone was just like me, and b) if they were not, and I didn't like it, that was my problem, and c) if I felt it was just so terrible as to be unbearable, I should stay away from them, move, or anything other than even think of harming them.  My parents were not necessarily enlightened, they were however, quite practical, and did not suffer fools gladly.  (In which case, Apple meet Tree ...)

6.  Why it's considered so weird/unnatural/selfish/fill-in-the-blank not to want to have children?  The world has plenty of people, and isn't it actually better not to have children if you don't want them, than to have them because it's the societal norm?

7.  Why the assumption is that if you don't want children, you will want to hurt them?  Plenty of people who have children they wanted do that, thank you very much.

8.  Why it is OK to answer a call on your cell phone while either talking to someone else in person, or ordering your food and drink while others are behind you in line?

9.  Why people who have been waiting to check out of the grocery store or for the bus for more than 5 minutes suddenly have to rifle through their purses/bags/pockets for the money or tokens to pay?  Really?  Did they think that somehow, it would be free??

10.  Why it is a bad thing in America to be smart?  If you show any intelligence at all - about anything - you are suddenly a snob, or elitist, or live in an ivory tower.  Which always amuses me, because you don't need to be smart at all to fall into those categories.  And yet, smart people are apologetic, as if it's a failing.  Don't we want smart people to be doing things, leading us, making discoveries?  Stupid people do plenty every single day, and some of them are famous for it.

OK, I'll shut up and move on with my life.  I do, however, feel a little better now that I've gotten that off my chest.

Which reminds me ... oh never mind. :-)

Old Photo Friday

My mom - I have no idea the date of this picture. 

I remember when I was a kid, being surprised when people would say my mother was pretty.  Because, well, as far as I was concerned she was OLD (meaning she was older than other kids' parents), and that just didn't make sense.  

But you know what?  She was pretty!  Way to go, Mom!

I hope your weekend is filled with pretty things, see you next week.

For a Good Time ...

I am using my 700th post (!) to suggest that you check this out:

The Knitters' Hunk Contest 2012

It's just so much fun, and people get so involved, trying to have their nominee be the winner.  Every year, I'm amazed and impressed that Kim gets it all figured out, as it's the kind of thing that would sound good to me in theory, but drive me nuts actually putting into place.  

This year, I nominated Jon Hamm, Denzel Washington, and Paul Rudd.  I usually decide on someone the day after nominations close, so I am quite proud of myself.

This year, she is adding another part, The Knitters' Chick, at the suggestion of her son.  I nominated, Rashida Jones, Sofia Vergara, and Meryl Streep.

For me, I just think the idea of hanging out with any of these people would be fun, even if they weren't knitters.  I have decided that a sense of humor and ability to laugh at yourself are real contributors to my idea of physical attraction.   Granted, the people I listed above may be considered "hunks" or "babes" by a lot of people, but for me, I thought of people who I enjoy before trying to think of who was good-looking.

In any event, check out the contest, and throw some names into the mix!  There's suspense, cliff-hangers, and prizes - who could ask for more???

 And to quote my mother, "It sure beats spittin' ..."

In Which I Ask: What Was I Thinking???

If you have been a reader of the blog for even a short time, you know that I am not exactly a knitting machine, cranking out things like crazy.  Which I'm fine with, I enjoy knitting, and though there are things I wish I had/would finish(ed), I'm not really in a race with myself.

But I really do have to wonder sometimes.  Take the past two weeks, when - besides working on the Cranberry Waffle socks - I have taken on more projects.  Why?  You may well ask, as I have wondered myself.

Let's review:  I have a pair of the aforementioned Cranberry Waffle socks on the needles, and a long-time-on-the-needles project of my Mallard Sweater, and my Turquoise Narragansett, which I have vowed to finish by the end of the summer.  And there are other bits and pieces along the way.

So ... WHY in the past couple of weeks, have I felt compelled all of a sudden to start knitting:

1)  What I am calling my Lemming Shawl.  It's a KAL on Ravelry by the Loop Group.  I wasn't going to even think of trying it, and then others started posting pictures of their completed ones.  Of course, I bought the yarn and got started.  As a matter of fact, I bought two more skeins in a different color to make another one at a later date!

2)  But Oh, I wanted to make something for my new[ish] great nephew Parker, who lives in San Francisco.  His parents are not much for homemade things, but I have made something for all of my other great-nieces and -nephews, and wanted to make something for him.  I decided a toy was a good idea.  So I started the Baby Bobbi Bear:

and then, 

3)  I decided to try to do something for the Ravellenic Games (formerly the Ravelympics).  Of course, there is a "team" for those who want to finish WIPs, but did I join that one?  It didn't occur to me, as clearly I didn't think it through at all.  So, I have started Caeles:

I have until the end of the Olympics (roughly two weeks) to finish.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  

Dear Diary:

What was I thinking?  Why would I do all of this - or rather, try to - all at once?  Oh diary, I fear that I have done something foolish here.  Hello, my name is Bridget, and I have a problem ...

Love, Bridget

****************

In other news, Pip finds that the Olympic Women's Cycling Road Race can make one quite tired.