Rachel and Tibor are FAMOUS!

Okay, so they're as famous as an appearance on a PBS Kids show (Fetch! to be exact) can make one. Probably not as famous as they are in the ballroom dancing community.

But it was still really cool to see them and the studio on TV. Of course, it made us realize how much we miss the studio, the dancers, and so many parts of our life in metro Boston.

Reason #4722 Why the Religious Right Has It All Wrong

<rare rant mode on>

So, scientists at Merck have come up with a safe, effective vaccine against HPV (human papilloma virus) -- the (sometimes) sexually-transmissible virus which causes a majority of cervical cancer cases in this country. Good thing, no? Think of the lives which could be saved, the suffering which could be alleviated.

Enter the Family Research Council (FRC -- not that I want you to go to their website, but better the enemy you know, right?) which in a stunning display of ideology trumping reason, intelligence, sanity and even compassion has fought vigorously against the vaccine's approval by the FDA.

Why, you (my sane, rational, compassionate, and above all intelligent readers) might ask, would anyone calling themselves Christian wage such a battle against something so positive? Let's get it from the horse's mouth:
"Our concern has been that this vaccine not be presented as a shot that makes it safer to have sex," said Peter Sprigg, vice president for policy at the Family Research Council.
It appears that FRC and other "Christians" are concerned that teenagers, free of the fear that sex could lead to cancer, will start having sex. A similar argument, it turns out, to the one they used against approval of Plan B for over-the-counter sale.

Now, I don't know about the teens in your life, but the teens in my life aren't really all that concerned about cancer -- it's certainly not a motivating factor keeping them from having sex, and I'm betting they don't even know that most cervical cancer is caused by a sexually-transmitted virus. Can you say fear-mongering?

<rant mode off>

<begin saner mode>

Okay, so after some meetings with folks from Merck, they have given up their fight against approval of the vaccine, though they are still 100% committed to fighting the vaccination of teenagers and children.

Small steps; infinitesimally small, baby steps.

Published!

I'm going to be published! Just got the word that Storey accepted a little pouch bag I designed for a one skein patterns book they're publishing this fall. AND I retain all rights to the pattern itself! The whole thing came about because we realized we didn't have a sample swatch for Katia Jamaica in the store, and since the skeins are so large someone suggested a simple little pouch bag. So, here it is.

Aside from being a cute little summer carry bag, it would also make a great small project bag (if you chose to line it with fabric).


Pattern: My own
Yarn: Katia Jamaica #4010 (100% Cotton, 100grams, 219 yards), one skein

Finished Measurements
Bottom diameter – 6.5”
Height from purl row to cast off edge – 7.5”

Materials
One ball Katia Jamaica #4010 (100% Cotton, 100grams, 219 yards)
8” or longer size 6 double point needles (or size required to get gauge)
12-18” circular in same size (optional)
crochet hook size F

Gauge – over circular spiral stitch 28 sts=4”

Abbreviations
K=knit
P=purl
K2tog=knit 2 together
KFB=knit into the front and back of the stitch
YO=yarn over

Circular Spiral Stitch
Every round – *K2, YO, K2, K2tog*, repeat between *

Directions
Over 3 double point needles, cast on tightly 6 stitches, place marker, join

Round 1 *KFB*, repeat between * (12 stitches)
Round 2 *K1, KFB*, repeat between * (18 stitches)
Round 3 *K2, KFB*, repeat between * (24 stitches)
Round 4 *K3, KFB*, repeat between * (30 stitches)
Round 5 *K4, KFB*, repeat between * (36 stitches)
Round 6 *K5, KFB*, repeat between * (42 stitches)
Round 7 *K6, KFB*, repeat between * (48 stitches)
continue in this manner, adding one knit stitch between increases each round until
Round 20 *K19, KFB*, repeat between * (126 stitches on needles)
Next round: knit
Next round: purl

Begin Circular Spiral Stitch – work for 6.5” from Purl row

Next round: knit
Next round: *K2, YO, K1*, repeat between *
Knit next 4 round
Bind off loosely

Assembly
Crochet 2 20-28” chains (depending on desired length of drawstrings), and thread drawstrings through YO holes in row above spiral, tie on opposite sides.

Line with fabric if desired.

Phew!

Well, Mother's Day weekend is over. All permanent residents of our home are utterly exhausted. Though it's nice finally to be able to host the parental units in our own house, it is very tiring to have that many people in the house for any length of time.

Our sweet little boy spent the weekend keeping track of six adults, and it like to have killed him. He crashed when they left, though just like a child who doesn't want to miss anything, he tried to keep an eye on us, but they just wouldn't stay open.

Sometime around 7-ish our buddy MS (that would be the man who forgot to move us until it was almost too late) showed up -- big black truck pulls into the driveway and honks. Out tumble MS, his two sons, his dog, and his mother. "I just wanted to show my mom your house -- especially the attic." Poor Mom, who has never met us, was a little embarrassed -- alas, it's MS and we're used to this behavior. I love this man. He's raising his two sons alone after his wife left, and he's doing a bang-up job. They're smart, well-adjusted, honestly good kids who work just as hard as their dad (how many 16-year-old boys can you say that about?).

We missed early-to-bed, and we've made the wimpy decision that there's no going to the gym in the morning.

And we don't get a weekend next weekend, either.

And, I also realize I haven't yet waxed poetic about the attic -- perhaps tomorrow.