Red, White and Blue

Before I rant, I wish each of you a very happy 4th of July tomorrow.  I’ll be spending it at home, with the dogs and my knitting.  If I really get bored, I might clean and declutter, but you can bet I’d write and post here before it gets that bad.

Let’s see…  For red, I’ll share my latest FO. 

Purdy little thang, ain’t it?  I’m really delighted with it.

Pattern: Floppy Brim Cap   It’s a chemo cap, but I can’t see myself wearing a plain ol’ cap on a bald head, so I thought this was kinda’ cute.  Turns out it’s so cute I want one for the beach, because especially in the middle of the night, my wavy mass of mop needs to be covered.  The pattern even has options for adding color, lace, texture… whatever will make you feel like it’s a great hat.

Yarn:  Redheart Carefree Cotton Blend.  Just screams wash ‘n wear, and wear some more to me.  I hope it will hold up.  It’s more of a cabled cotton, but it was soft and easy enough to knit with.

Needles:  I did the cap on #6 dpns, and every now and then, a stitch or two would jump off one end on a needle or three.  I’m weird and rare in the knitting community I think, because I do like dpns, straights, circs, bamboo, metal…  Anyhoo, there was no way I was going to use six needles to move around the picked up stitches for the brim, so I pulled out my happy little bamboo 24″ circ, and all was well.  (So well that I asked myself why I really think I like dpns, but I do…)

No modifications.  My model is the smallest Pampered Chef stainless mixing bowl.  That grippy rubber part on the bottom of the bowl doesn’t make pulling the hat down too easy, but whatever.  It was the right size, so what else matters?  (I tried a self-photo in the bathroom mirror, but I’m obviously not skilled in taking my own picture.)  I’ll make it again, perhaps with one of the variations next time.

White.  White hot anger?  Y’all think I’m sweet and nice, but trust me, that’s misleading.  However, I might point out that if you are in a service industry and/or are trying to get ME to MAKE FOUR guys work overtime on a holiday (our holiday time started at noon), you MIGHT try being polite at the VERY least.  Just a helpful hint, in case some of you think you catch more flies with vinegar.  It really doesn’t work that way.

Blue.  Did I mention the Knight is one of those four guys?  Or that I’m still at work, with no end in sight?  (Sissy’s sending a telepathic “MOMMY! I’m starving and I gotta’ GO!” message too.)  I can’t leave until at least one of the crews returns.  Crud.  Wish I’d brought my knitting.  Oh – and the Knight is on call, so if the mess isn’t fixed perfectly, our weekend plans will be scrambled.  Joy.

All of that disgruntled employee stuff aside, I wish each of you a great day tomorrow.  If you’re in the US, don’t forget to take a moment to reflect on the actual reason for the day off and the pretty fireworks.  It’s hard to sit at the foot of Monticello Mountain and not get chill bumps this time of year.  Men - and women! – sacrificed their honor, their personal fortunes and even their lives so that they could know true freedom and experience democracy.

My Country ‘Tis of Thee 

(Ironically, to the tune of God Save the Queen)

Lyrics

1

My country, ’tis of thee,

Sweet land of liberty,

Of thee I sing;

Land where my fathers died,

Land of the pilgrims’ pride,

From every mountainside

Let freedom ring!

2

My native country, thee,

Land of the noble free,

Thy name I love;

I love thy rocks and rills,

Thy woods and templed hills;

My heart with rapture thrills,

Like that above.

3

Let music swell the breeze,

And ring from all the trees

Sweet freedom’s song;

Let mortal tongues awake;

Let all that breathe partake;

Let rocks their silence break,

The sound prolong.

4

Our father’s God to Thee,

Author of liberty,

To Thee we sing.

Long may our land be bright,

With freedom’s holy light,

Protect us by Thy might,

Great God our King.

In the church I grew up in, sitting upon land donated by none other than Thomas Jefferson himself, we sang that song at least once a month.  My eyes still fill with tears, just reading the words.  It just might be my favorite song in the whole world. 

Happy Independence Day.