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Knitting and science research

There's a favorite yarn shop, called Delightful Ewe, I visit in Duncansville. It's one of several I go to when the weather is good-ish and I feel like taking a drive. The yarn selection is good and the owner, Carla, is terrific. The Tea Merchant is next door, where I can sit and have a nice cuppa tea before or after the yarn shop. I can knit, have tea and scones, and enjoy good chat. Nothing could be better.

Along the way, before Tyrone and also near Altoona I can look at the wind turbines.  These turbines, as well as others across the country, are the subject of controversy. Some people don't like to see them atop the Allegheny Ridge. I don't mind because they represent clean, sustainable energy. (This doesn't speak to the damage they cause the environment in order to put them on the ridge and I haven't looked into that aspect.)

The thing that concerns me is the wildlife that comes into contact with these turbines. There has been some discussion about bats tangling with the turbines, but I have a hard time believing this is a problem. Healthy bats have wicked accurate sonar and can dodge fast-moving objects with no trouble at all. I can't believe they have a tough time dodging the slower-moving blades of the turbines. I am glad, however, that the energy company who owns the turbines has decided to err on the side of caution. A bat was found dead at the foot of one of the turbines, so the company decided not to run the windmills at night during bat season.

Research being done at Penn State on the effect the turbines are having on golden eagles along the ridge. One of our writers just did an article about this research being done by Trish Miller -- Researchers aim to lessen clash between raptors, wind turbines. Here is the slideshow.

Now, I have watched various raptors in action over the years and I can safely say they a lovely to watch, but way too single-minded for their own good. They get prey in their sight and go for it without checking their surroundings for an escape route.

One day I was sitting in my home office when I head a thump on the window. A hawk grabbed a small bird at a feeder down below and flew  straight into my window. I ran outside in time to see it shake itself, then fly off with prey in talons.

I have seen the results of raptor vs. bushes around my feeders when I lived in a wooded area several miles away from town.

It comes as no surprise that raptors are having collisions with turbines. If a hawk or eagle can't avoid a stationary object, what chance do they have with a moving windmill blade?

I wish Trish much luck with her research.I would hate to lose the natural beauty and the ecological balance of the raptors. But I also don't want to lose the sustainable energy of the wind turbines. There is beauty in the lazy circles in the sky that both create.

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OCD and knitting baby socks

I'll admit it. I don't have OCD but there are times I act like I do. When I was a kid -- and at various times later as an adult -- I would have to perform some task of my own imagining. Mostly the activities required counting. I'd have to count the cards as I laid them down for Solitaire. I'd have to count the church spires along a certain highway. I had to count the number of sidewalk tiles from point A to point B.

I managed to convince myself something dire would occur if I didn't count. Later, I figured if I could convince myself something would happen, then I could bloody well convince myself it wouldn't. I've mostly been able to moderate the behavior.

Knitting is a difficult activity because I have to count. Stitches, rows, sets of pattern all have to be counted. For the most part, I let this satisfy my need to count.

I have not yet found a suitable way to moderate my need for perfection. I see a mistake 30 rows back in an Aran sweater and I must correct it. I don't care if no one will see the mistake. I will know it's there.

I now give classes in pulling back stitches instead of ripping back rows. That skill got me a free night at a B&B in Killarney, thereby turning that quest for perfection into a marketable skill!

Luckily, for the most part, this has not translated into my sock knitting. I don't feel the need to waste yarn in order to get the pattern to come out exactly in a patterned yarn. They don't have to be close. I have no problem with knitting a pair of socks that are reverse colors.

But now I'm knitting baby socks for some pregnant friends. These things are small. I mean 32 stitches as opposed to the 56 or 60 I normally cast on. I'm altering the adult sock pattern as I go. I've done a number of these before and the math works out just fine. I do the Estonian cast-on; then I knit one round, purl one round.

On this current pair, I was down to the heel flap on the second sock. While showing the first sock to a co-worker and holding the second up to the finished first, she was commenting how exactly the two matched! That's when I saw it. Eight stitches were knit in purl instead of ribbing. Four stitches were wrong. It was in the "purl one row" before the start of the ribbing.

No biggie. No one is going to notice four stitches. Right?

So I ripped it out and started again.

Cue the eye roll.

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Photos from the 'hood

I was driving down my street the other day, in a hurry, as usual. I had to stop because of a duck.

Actually that duck in the photo wasn't the problem. The problem was the one that ran back in front of my car and waited for a couple of his buddies.

There will be a much larger flock in the fall. I have had to stop the car, shoo the ducks to one side or the other and wave cars through. If I don't 'draw fire' for the other cars, no one gets through. run back and forth; it looks like a bunch of high school kids all trying to make sure the best cliques are on either side of them before they can go anywhere.

It has been so hot here for several days. My poor moonflowers would open and sag. Finally, last evening, one of the flowers opened as fully as it's supposed to. Yay!

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Mann's climategate non-coverup non-issue

There are times when I just want to reach through the computer screen and slap some sense into people. This urge is happening more and more as I log the hits our stories receive on blogs.

Mike Mann and "climategate" has been huge in the blogosphere. It started with someone hacking into the computer of a climate scientist in England and stealing emails from the IPCC. On the minor side of it, a woman I know who has studied ice comes out and vilifies Dr. Mann to me. My comeback was along the lines of "of course, we have to believe that anyone who hacks and steals won't alter 'evidence.' And of course, everything you read on the Internet must be true."

Mann was investigated by various groups and passed with flying colors. But still, deniers like VA's AG won't let it go. I doubt there are many people who can withstand the scrutiny that Michael Mann has withstood -- especially the people who are screaming denials the loudest. Through it all, Mann has kept doing his research and letting the naysayers rant.

What has my knickers in a twist is that every time Mann comes out with new research, the screamers drag out that old dead climategate horse and flog it some more. Adding insult to injury, this little headline was written: "Mann's new hockey stick predicts global warming, er ... a Ice Age, ok ..." That's AN Ice Age, no matter how you slice it.

So to recap: get off the climategate non-coverup non-issue, get off Mann's back (he's right!) and learn the basics of grammar. Thanks!

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Fun at exercise class

I went to my water Pilates class last evening. The instructor was making sure we knew the class schedule for the coming weeks. No class July 4, of course; she'll be her the 11th, and then Chris will take the next two weeks while she's on vaca.

So of course we ask where she's going. They go to the Outer Banks to a town called Duck. I asked her if she has read any of the murder mysteries that take place in Duck. She has not, so after class I showed her the book on my Kindle.

I think I made another sale of "A Timely Vision" for Joyce and Jim Lavene!

The classes are fun. In both we have good chat while exercising. Brilliant!

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Weekend's bat watch

Bat Watch at Canoe Creek State Park

Date: May. 28, 2011
Start Time: 7:00 PM

The first bat watch of summer! Come walk to the bat sanctuary and watch the emergence of thousands of bats as they head out for a night of feeding. Learn about White Nose Syndrome in bats and its implications. Bring a flashlight for the return walk. Meet at bat sanctuary. Parking is in gravel lot across from bat sanctuary.

This is the way it was billed. This is the way it was supposed to be. Part of it came true. We did learn about White Nose Syndrome -- the hard way.

After going all over the park because MapQuest messed me up again, we did get to the right place.  The woman who ran the program was excellent.

There is a maternity colony in the attic of a decommissioned church. We all sat on the side of the hill waiting for the moms-to-be to come out to feed. In 2006, there were upwards of 20,000 bats in the colony; last year there were about 4,000. Saturday, we saw maybe ... MAYBE ... 10. The poor bats are being decimated by White Nose Syndrome. That means there will be more bugs, more West Nile and fewer bats to watch in the night sky.

An ecological disaster, to be sure. But it is also a disaster to kids (and adults like moi), who will no longer be able to lie on their backs in a filed, watching the bats perform their ballet. It's one of the simple joys of summer.

I'm gutted.

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Life in a small town

I have lived here in the same town for about 2/3 of my life. The rest, I lived in New York. That's "New York City" for those who have never lived in New York.

Now I work at a university. That's "The University" to those who live here. Working in the Research Communications department can be interesting. The stories we put out come from research work all across the university and the various campuses. But there is a side effect.

I went to the salon to get my hair done. Dan has been doing my hair for about 4 years now. I adore that man and I adore his partner, Gordon. Two of the nicest, funniest, sweetest, pithy people I have ever met! So Dan is washing and rinsing my hair, talking about a recent give away. The woman who won said she thought it was rigged so that she would. Dan said, "If I was going to rig this, I would rig it so XXXX XXXXXX won. Then I'd deliver the basket to his house!" I made sure I heard him correctly and had the same person in mind. Then I told Dan that I worked with the woman who wrote the release about this guy. She was also graduated from the same department as XXXX.

Fast forward to the next day. A'ndrea and I were out at a local open house. I had told her about the conversation with Dan. Who do I run into? Dan and Gordy, of course! I introduce them. I then find out they all also know XXXX's girlfriend. BANG! Right then and there we have our six degrees.

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Six degrees

It all started at Penn State Hershey.

The story came from there, to our office where it was edited, proofed and distributed. Sleepiness in children linked to obesity, asthma

Next came a science writer. Based on our release, she wrote an article.

That shows up on NPR.

Then came the Twitter feed. A consulting hypnotist/executor of my late brother's estate, tweeted the NPR story.

All we need is Kevin Bacon!

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Habaes Corpus -- or, yes! we have the body!

I used to look forward to spring. Now not so much. A killer was loose in the complex last night. A mass murderer, really. An entire family was wiped out. I had to clean up the mess.

It started about 9:00 PM. Iggy came into the courtyard with what I thought was a baby bunny. I heard the screaming and ran to the door. When I opened the door, Iggy tried to run in -- with bunny in mouth. I slam the door!

Iggy ran over to the courtyard gate and I went outside. I managed to get her to drop the baby bunny. That's when I saw the damage was too bad so I backed off and let her finish the job.

Mom looked out the window later and saw what we thought were bits of bunny in four places. Iggy sat on the bench after that, not wanting to come in.

Fast forward to about 1:30 AM. I was up, cleaning a mess Iggy made of her box, the floor, and the wall. Something she ate caused tummy trouble maybe? Go figure. I decided that it was a good time to clean up the mess in the courtyard. If I waited until morning I would be able to see the extent of the damage. Better to do it when it's dark.

As it turned out, she killed a parental unit -- what I thought was a baby -- and two babies, leaving the remains in the courtyard. I scooped and bagged, then dropped them in the dumpster. As I was walking back I found another on the sidewalk in front of the neighbor's.

My stomach was already in a delicate state by this point and I almost lost control of it altogether. The newest find wasn't dead. It wasn't exactly alive either. The poor little thing had been hurt, judging by the blood on the sidewalk. There was nothing I could do for it.

I know this is the circle of life; I just don't like watching it played out in front of me, if you please. I don't think I'll be getting any more sleep tonight.

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3 months out

I went to the dr. on Monday for my 3 month check-up. Good news all around!

The knee is doing well; I finished up my PT on Tuesday; I start the Wellness program on Friday! An all-around good deal. However, today is a day that makes me run for the drugs, but I understand the pain might be around for another month yet.

I haven't gotten back to my normal routine quite yet; I still can't wear my heels; I get tired easily and early. I think all that will take care of itself as time goes on and the weather gets better. I am looking forward to taking my chair outside and sitting there in the evenings while I read or knit. I am also looking forward to being able to take walks outside.

My loom is looking better and better to me. I hope my knee will feel healed enough to start treadling again! There is also a new knitting group that I think I might check out. The woman said we could bring our wheels is we want to. Again, the knee has to heal a bit more before I can spin, but it won't be long now.

Yep! Good news all around!

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Eight weeks out

In two days, it will be eight weeks since I had knee replacement.  The first several weeks were really tough. I couldn't do a thing for myself. Home PT was a nightmare. I was in pain, swollen and unable to move.

Now, I am able to get around the house, go to work part time and flexibility has vastly improved. I talk to people at PT who have been through the same stage I am in or are going through what I went through a couple weeks after surgery. I can see all sides of this healing process.

Several days ago, I drove for the first time post-replacement. I live in fear of hitting my knee against the steering column. However, there's no real pain during the driving process that isn't there at any other time. The weather is bad and will be for several days so driving is not in my immediate future.

The night the Steelers won the playoffs, I put on my favorite boots and walked around the house -- one loop. I can't yet wear them for longer than that.

At this point, nothing much has changed from before to after surgery. I'm told that's pretty standard. I'm ready for something beyond standard.

People ask me if I would do this again. I would not.

People ask if I think it's all worth it. I'm sure in another month or two I will feel it has all been worth it. At this point, I'm not sure that it is worth the pain, frustration and limitation of mobility.

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Good thing I didn't wait

I've been looking back over the year, as one tends to do at the end of the year. It has been almost one year since I put in for my tax refund and 1st time home buyer's rebate. The IRS turned me down, stating that because my last name and Dan's are the same, I am not eligible for the credit. You cannot buy from an ancestor or descendant - specifically defined as grandparent, parent, child or grandchild.

Call me crazy, but that leaves a lot of relationships out that still allow for the same last name. Perhaps the IRS is confused by my father's name Daniel D., Jr. and my brother's name Daniel D., III.

I wrote that I am contesting the decision because 1) Dan was my brother and therefore not in their "grandparent, parent, child, grandchild" parameter. 2) I bought the house from the estate and neither the executor nor the estate lawyer are related to me in any way. 3) It was bought out of foreclosure through the estate and as far as I know, no one at the bank is related to me.

So now I am awaiting another decision.

If  had waited on the IRS, I would not have my Kindle yet! That would be dire! I have been enjoying my Kindle so much; I can't even begin to imagine not having it! Knitting vies for my attention and often as not, loses.

I am two weeks out of a total knee replacement (thanks to insurance changes, I had it done of Dec. 9 instead of waiting for April). My Kindle kept me occupied during the hospital time when I was in bed but not sleeping. It was also a wonderful conversation ice breaker any time I was waiting in "public."

I've been reading a lot of "trash." Nothing too taxing on my brain while my brain is on drugs. The Kindle is the best gift I've ever given to myself! It would have been worth the wait, without a doubt, if I had indeed waited. I'm just so glad I didn't.

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"Fleece Sale"

I saw a "Fleece Sale" sign along the side of the road yesterday. Man, did I get excited! Romney? Corriedale? Maybe even the Lincoln/Romney mix like Molly carried! I was drooling, dreaming of finding something near to the long-gone-but-not-forgotten Richard!

Richard was the first grey fleece I had spun. Emma was the one I learned on and Richard was my prized fleece that I dangled in front of myself. "Learn to spin and you may spin Richard," I told myself. He was a luscious long-stapled Romney/Lincoln with lovely crimp and sheen. He had a lovely hand when spun to a  medium or heavier yarn. Emma was a beauty, but Richard was a dream.

Just seeing that sign made me dream of finding another Richard to spin in the grease. My nose twitched; my fingers itched for just a little pat.

But, ya know .... it's odd to see someone advertising fleece for sale within the town limits. There are ordinances against raising sheep in town limits, so where would they get enough fleece to advertise along the road that they are selling it? Wouldn't a spinner want to keep the fleece?  Wouldn't an heir be better off selling the dearly-departed's spinner's stash at an estate sale? Putting all that effort into a special sale for the relatively small amount someone in town would have, well, that just seems silly!



Oh! Fleece BLANKETS and JACKETS!

Oops. My bad! Never mind.

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Socks and more socks

I have to finish doing the heel gusset on my matching, mismatched socks. Knit in two colors, I am making the one the reverse colorway of the other. Most people just do the cuff, toe and heel flap in different colors.

I am not most people.

Toe, cuff, fine. Those are easy to do and switching color is no problem. The problem is in switching colors on the gusset. How do you switch color if you are knitting in the round and the new color is always on the wrong side of the sock from where you need it to be?

Not a big deal. Always two rows back and forth; knit in pattern and purl back. Wrap the yarn just like in Fair Isle or intarsia. My biggest problem was which row to stop the pattern across the instep so I would remember where I was after turning the heel flap and picking up the gusset stitches.

My solution was to knit the last pattern row so I could come back in plain purl. That way I was starting with the first row of the graph again.

When I finished turning the heel, I purled back and picked up gusset in purl, then continued across the heel again to pick up the gusset in knit. Stop, twist the colors, knit the first row of the pattern across the instep, purl back, stop. Then I make sure that every knit row is either pattern or decrease and every purl row is straight purl. This is what I have so far.

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Kindle vs. Dead Tree Books

I love my Kindle. His name is Vishous. I am faithful to my man V. I am in love with his technology.

There are people out there who try to lure me back to the world of Dead Tree Books (DTBs) for various reasons:

I'm reading a series and I'm offered a DTB because the friend has it. I won't have to buy the book; I can save myself that expense.

I might not like the book; try it first. So what if I can sample on Kindle?

Wouldn't I like the feel of the book in my hands? (Not to mention adding weight and taking up space in my purse.)

What they don't understand is this: There is a reasons I bought the Kindle. Aside from no longer dealing with bulk, storage and clutter, I love the feel of Vishous. I love the way my book is delivered to me and then V gets out of my way. Pages turn with the push of a button. It takes less time and my hand doesn't get in the way like it does with paper.

So now when friends offer DTBs -- mostly paperbacks, this is how it goes:

Friend: I can let you read the paperback.

Me:(puzzled look)

Friend: You can borrow my paperback!

Me: You have paper on your back? What?

Friend: Don't give me that! Here! (hands me the DTB)

(I dig around on the top for the "on" switch. I press the sides of the book)

Me: This thing isn't working!

Vishous is my honey. He hoards my library and only allows me access. V is faithful to me and I am faithful to V!

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Now I am officially pissed at the IRS

I just received a letter from the IRS. They are asking for the HUD-1 form for the 3rd time. The first time they said they didn't receive it. The second time, I got receipt notice, followed by a letter saying they would make a decision in 45 days. Today I receive a letter saying they need the HUD-1 form.

Question: If they haven't been able to make a decision with 2 copies of the form why do they need a 3rd? Do they need another for someone else in the office? Do they not have copiers?If they actually need something else, why do they not ask for it? Since all the information is on the form -- names, signatures, date, contract sales price, addresses -- is it that they cannot read the form and don't know where on that form to find the information?

Or is it -- as I suspect -- just to give them a time extension?

Do I need to get my lawyer involved?

Happy birthday to ME!

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IRS and my baby -- Vishous

I get this letter from the IRS. After going through the whole "first time home buyer" thing and sending in the HUD-1 paperwork, I got a notice saying they didn't get the paperwork. I then had to send it again to Andover, MA. I did that and requested a return receipt this time. Another month passes.

I get this letter from the IRS. They have not done all the research necessary and I will hear from them in 45 days.

I send in my paperwork -- minus an important piece of information in January. The issue might be resolved by September 15. I have an ugly suspicion that they are going to say no because I bought it from my brother's estate. Not my brother -- his estate. The regulations say you can't buy from a family member defined as a parent, grandparent, child or grandchild. Brother is not included but I have the feeling they will say brother is included as family member, even if it is the estate.

So how does Vishous enter into the discussion? He's my Kindle! Had I not listened to my mom -- that persuasive-tongued woman! -- I would not have bought my Kindle in March.

So I will now play a game I very rarely play -- "What If ..."

Had I not brought Vishous home when I did, I would not be spending the amount of money on e-books that I have spent. Or the amount on accessories. Kindles are now much lower in price and there are some improvements overall. I would still be waiting because there would still be no decision from the IRS. And I would be rocking like a mad woman possessed, massively pissed!

On the other hand, I would have caved when the IRS gave me the rest of the refund a few months back. I would have bought my Kindle in May and been two months away from the cheaper, newer model and still have spent money on the books and accessories. Plus AAUW would have gotten a lot more DTBs (Dead Tree Books). Add to that, I would not have had the pleasure of my baby Vishous as my constant companion.

All in all, things work out the way they should even if it's not the way I want. Kindle-wise anyway. IRS-wise remains to be seen. Note to IRS: Should and want are one and the same, in this case. Fork over the bloody refund!

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My cat ate my underwear

Remember the days when "my dog ate my homework" was used? Well, this morning my cat ate my underwear.

Iggy has a problem with my bare legs anyway. There's something about the legs that makes her want to attack them. Most of the time she just rubs against my legs and then give them a swat. Maybe the company that makes the body wash and powder puts catnip or catmint in the 'herbs' mix.

She gets this look in her eyes and I get the clue. Most of the time I can cut the problem off by putting on my pants or my skirt. She loses interest and goes to lay down.

Not today. Every single time I tried to get into my underwear, she swatted at it and dived for my legs. Until ... she grabbed the underwear and rolled around in it for a few minutes.

I put another pair on. She dropped the first and went for the legs. As I tried to put on the skirt, she made a dive for that.

If it weren't for the coffee, a very funny video sent by a friend, and zucchini bread made by another friend, I would be putting a sign on my door: "Don't Fuck With Me Today!" However, since that really isn't appropriate for the office, maybe I should just use Mr. Yucky Face.

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Pistachios, pistachios, pistachios

Sort of like saying nuts, nuts, nuts ... but different. One more pistachio story out of Penn State by the same woman who gave us all the other pistachio stories. The Mother of Pistachio studies written by the Mother of Nut stories. (She'll hurt me if she reads this. **wave**)

I used to love pistachios, but I'm not so sure about them now. Every bite is all about heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering, blood pressure-lowering, antioxidant nuts. Next thing we'll hear is they are the poor man's Viagra! Then watch the price of pistachios go through the roof.

Nuts, I say NUTS!

Ok. Rant over. For now.

But No More Pistachio Studies!

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