Colony Collapse, Center for Disease Control and knitting socks

I have colony collapse disorder (CCD) on the brain. And too Center for Disease Control (CDC).

I was reading a sock pattern and it says "k2, p2, k3, yo, CCD" ... say, what?

So I read it again. "k2, p2, k3, yo, CDC" ... that's still not right.

What it really says is k2, p2, k3, yo, CDD" for "center double decrease". I guess we've done a few too many stories about colony collapse and H1N1. Not in the same story, of course, since I doubt swine flu has anything to do with bees. Anymore than it does with knitting, come to think of it.

When the whole "swine flu" thing hit the news, our unit started getting calls from students and parents alike. I thought if I got one more call asking if they could continue to eat pork, I was going to respond "Not if you keep kosher."

I guess that's why the CDC and media now try to refer to the strain as H1N1 -- so people don't associate it with pigs. Parents were concerned that the dining halls would serve pork and their child would get swine flu. They have much more to worry about if Johnny or Susie get sneezed on, share a drink, kiss or use someone's pen than if they eat pork. Unless, of course, they keep kosher.

Now I'll get back to CDD and try to keep bees and swine out of it all.

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My Miss Iggy

I have to face reality. My little kitty is getting on in years. The vet sent a reminder about scheduling a "geriatric" check-up.

True, Miss Iggy is somewhere around 13 or 14 years and she's getting some white hair but she really doesn't seem to have changed much over the years. She still gets her 20 hours of sleep a day. She still keeps me up all night playing the "in-and-out" game. She still loves to chase what moves and she loves tossing her catnip bag around. Miss Iggy is as picky about her food as she ever was and her favorite napping spot is my mom's lap.

I do not think of her as "geriatric." She's my baby; she's not an old lady.

One thing has changed: I debate about taking her for a check-up. Her shots are necessary and I don't hesitate to make the appointment for those. But a check-up? Is that really worth all the stress it puts her under? I'm not all that sure.

Miss Iggy is one-of-a-kind. Even in the cat world where "quirky" is the norm, Iggy stands alone. She came to me in a roundabout way. Iggy -- or Cassie, as she was then known -- started life as a stray. When she was about 2 she was adopted by a woman who now lives in the next building down. Things went well for Iggy until the woman decided she would foster dogs for a local pet rescue.

The dogs were big; Miss Iggy was small. This did not make for a happy family! The dogs would not leave her alone. She would try to take refuge in a closet but sometimes that was not enough. The woman had to resort to drugging this little cat.

One day Iggy saw her opportunity and she took it! Out the door and again into life as a stray. The guy living next door to my mom left his door open all the time. Miss Iggy adopted him right away. She walked in, jumped up on his bed, said "Lucy, I'm home" and went to sleep. He had everything she needed: a nice place to sleep and no other animals. She could provide the food if he didn't.

When Andrew went away on term breaks or for business, Miss Iggy came to me. When Andrew got a job elsewhere, I acquired all Miss Iggy's accouterments and after a two week disappearance, I became the chosen one. Except for when I went to work. Then mom became the chosen one.

Now things are even easier on our little girl. Since mom and I now live in the same place, Iggy doesn't have to run back and forth between our condo units.

My friend Alex had a cat that her family decided had to be put to sleep. Alex was understandably distraught. I certainly would be!

For a long time Alex waffled about getting another cat. She adores them but for a while she would cat-sit for others and not have a kitty of her own. Sure, there are all sorts of considerations you have to take into account when you have a cat, but owners tend to take that in stride just as anyone with any other pet does.

The difference is: it's true -- dog's have owners; cat's have staff. So I look at Iggy as an example: she chose me to wait on her, hand and foot. I'm sure there are many people who would have taken her in and been glad to have such a sweet-tempered little lady allowing them to share her space.

Alex finally did take in a cat. It was one that she would have over when his human would go away. Alex is now his human and she couldn't be happier. It happened in the best way, just like it did for me. Not with a lot of planning, but as the perfect alignment of chance, timing and opportunity. The cat chose her as his servant and she accepted the job.

Alex is happy with Mr. Filou. Mr. Filou is happy with Alex.

I am happy with Miss Iggy and I think Miss Iggy is happy with me. Just as long as I don't take her to the vet for frivolous check-ups. And if I could please not take her for shots. While I'm at it, start reading her mind so I know what she really wants for supper and not go through the several cans til I get it right.

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Yarn, Tupelo honey and CCD

I was a bad girl. I went to the yarn shop in Duncansville. I was going to go with Ruth but she was sick. Mom decided she wanted to ride along. What a lovely day it turned out to be!

I wasn't going to buy yarn. I really wasn't! No! REALLY!! But Carla got Louet's Gems in and she had it in lavender and one with a lavender stripe and she was gently waving them back and forth at me and I could hear them calling my name and ...

well ... I caved. Alright? I caved.

Mom was pretty good about it. The color, I mean. I could hear her mentally screaming "NOT PURPLE!" but she didn't vocalize.

Then we went next door to the tea shop. I treated mom and myself to a fresh-brewed iced tea. Heavenly. That's also when I picked up my Tupelo honey.

As it turns out, Tupelo honey is very expensive for honey. All honey has increased in price since CCD (colony collapse disorder). Even the naff stuff you get from the supermarket has gotten more expensive. Just because the bees aren't given special pollen to collect doesn't mean its any easier or that more are around to do it.

We(Penn State in general and University Relations in particular) have been putting out stories on CCD for a couple years (big surprise since several of our researchers are leading the investigations into the cause!) but out at Ag Progress I learned a couple of things: CCD isn't any closer to be solved because more possibilities for the cause keep popping up; it doesn't affect all colonies in the same area; honeybees, while being "general" pollinators, do not pollinate every flour, fruit and vegetable. The bumbles take care of the tomatoes. Now I'm sure if there was not much else to select from, a honeybee might deign to stop by a tomato plant but that's not their pollen of choice.

Of course CCD isn't affecting the other bees because they aren't the communal creatures honeybees are. By the same token honeybees are the ones with the honey.

All this talk of pesticides in the hive wax makes me wonder about burning beeswax candles. I really hate the idea of not being able to have my beeswax candles.

Back to the Tupelo. I did have a moment of guilt thinking about the hard work the bees did and the decreasing number of bees. However that moment passed rather quickly. There is also another honey I saw that I need to get then next time: rosemary and lavender! I have no idea how that will taste since the honey doesn't taste like the pollen doesn't taste like the flower.

Poor bees. No two ways about it, I'll be snapping up more of their yummy honey. They'll just have to learn to deal. After all, this is about me and not them, Uh hu. Sure.

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Ball game, yarn, Tupelo honey and a movie

Last night I went to a ball game. I love the Spikes. The atmosphere is great. The people sitting around us are usually very nice; lots of fun at the park! Last night was no exception even if we did lose. The one pitcher walked the based loaded and then walked one home.

As if to try to make up for it, the Spikes rallied in the 9th but still lost by one. I won't mention which "one" that was.

Sometimes I take my knitting to the park with me and I knit while in a line or while waiting for the game to begin. Once I knit during a game while I was trying to finish off a pair of baby socks. I don't have to look at them much while I knit so I really don't miss any of the game.

I'm glad I didn't try that last night. Pop fly fouls kept coming in our direction. Even near the concession stands it wasn't safe. I was in line and a guy yelled "HEADS!" We all ducked because we had no idea where the ball was. It hit the roof of the stand, so yeah, close enough!

This weekend I'm going to a yarn shop but I actually have an ulterior motive. There are new yarns in the store but I'm really going to that area for the tea shop next door. They carry Tupelo honey. I've been jonesing for that since I was at Ag Progress Days earlier this week. Something about standing around hives, looking at all the combs of honey, gave me visions of Tupelo, dancing through my head.

Tomorrow afternoon I've decided to go see Julie & Julia. Looking at the theatres around here it was decided we have three choices: District 9, G.I. Joe or Julie & Julia. I'm betting J & J will be leaving first so I'd best see it before it's gone. The other two aren't going anywhere any time soon.

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Yarn Harlot and knitted socks

I was reading Yarn Harlot's blog today. (Yes, along with reading her books I read her blog!) She knit a pair of socks for a friend and did something too cool for a fellow knitter! http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2009/08/14/dear_tina.html

So it got me to thinking about socks I have knit for people. One woman requested toe socks. After I knit them for her she complained they were uncomfortable. Ok.

Most people say thank you and that's that. This is the reaction I always expect.

Alex, however, gave me a far different reaction. She emailed; she texted; she showed them to her mom, who in turn oohed and awed over them. Alex wears them on special occasions or when she wants to feel good in a trying situation. She treats this as though I did something amazingly special for her. All I did was knit a pair of socks with love.

Alex is a friend of mine I first "met" on line. Later we had the good fortune to meet in person. Since then I've seen her a handful of times. She lives in Germany and I live in the States.

Alex and I keep our friendship going but there are weeks that go by when I don't hear from her or her from me. Yet I know she's there, living her life in Germany as I live mine in the States. There's something I find very cool about that.

When I offered to knit the socks I got her foot measurement and then chose the yarn very carefully. I knit the socks, all the while thinking of Alex putting them on and what she would think.

I used Opal yarn. Made in Germany and returned to Germany. A gift of warmth and friendship to be worn by a German woman I rarely see. There's something amazing about that.

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