...because Nicole wants to know....

In an effort to green up the world, what's the one thing you don't want to change?

you know.. this is a tough one. Not much because I am a tree-hugging hippie. I'm cheap thrifty and our society is pretty wasteful (enough with the packaging already!). You all know how I feel about Ethanol and our infrastructure and mass transit systems are inadequate. I use cloth diapers, cloth bags and I LMAO at people who buy bottled water which is - in most cases - not as "clean" as your tap water.

BUT I think what it comes down to it that I don't want us to stop being Americans. Sure, Europe is way ahead of us as far as "going green", but they live another life style. In some ways it is healthier - they walk more and eat "closer to the Earth" (translation - less processed garbage). Americans, however, march to our own drummer. We think outside the box. We still have not lost the "American Dream" - we've just outsourced it to India and China. I don't think we should lose that by trying to be more European. Maybe we can just go easy on the packaging...

Come to think of it, I don't want to give up my big American car. I have no desire to idle on I-95 for 3 hours a day either, but when I go somewhere with the kids, I want room for the giant stroller, a cooler, camp chairs, the diaper bag etc... and oh yeah.. the kids car seats. Which, for those of you out of the loop, just keep getting bigger and bigger. (Extended rear facing is great, but can we make a seat that fits in anything other than a minivan?) I have a tall husband and 3 boys. I'm keeping my SUV - until we trade it in for a bigger (hybrid) one!

While we are on the subject, I feel the need to point out (again) that even though I think we need to clean up after ourselves, I'm getting pretty fed up/bored with the Global Warming hype. So, Nicole - or anyone else- if you still need something to read, check this out. Then you can go tell Al Gore to put that in his pipe and smoke it (just don't inhale!)

January thaw is not Global Warming

As I said the other day, I finished the mittens and they were immediately put to use - even though we are in the midst of a "January Thaw". I did swipe them for a photo op. I had to use the remains of giganto tree as a backdrop as said thaw has depleated us of snow ice.

I really liked the density of the fabric. The thumb gussets worked up nicely, look good and are appearntly comfortable. I don't like the decreases at the top. it decreases to rapidly and makes it bunch up. I think the next pair will be a little different. I'll make the tops more like sock toes and decrease a little more slowly. I'll also either double strand of use bulky weight on larger needles. I'll still work it in a firm gauge to get a nice dense fabric, but it'll go a little faster and make thicker mittens - which will work out nicely once winter returns to kick us in the arse.

With the mittens off of the needles, I cast on Todd's Safari Socks. I am really liking the LL. I'll be working more with this in the future. I am still working on the toes. Did I mention that he wears a 14EEEE?

yeah.. I'll be knitting these 'til next winter... sigh...

oh- and the whole blocking wire thing - I was looking around on ravelry and learned that I do NOT need wires (which are wicked expensive!) I can use string - or more likely crochet thread. WOO HOO!