I voted and my dear son voted for the first time. Proud mama moment. The lines were not long, but steady. I may go back and caucus tonight, I have not decided.

At the college I attend, they are having a Women's Studies week and since I am getting a certificate in Women's Studies as well as a Masters in Literature, I attended the key note address last night. It was titled Women and Shame. The speaker said it was far better to feel guilty than it was to feel shame. Next time you do something that you feel bad about don't say to yourself, "I am stupid (or bad, or whatever)," say "That was a stupid choice I made (or bad choice or whatever)". She said that in her eight years of research, that just that change in mind set makes a big difference. She also said to use the "stupid choice" phrase instead of "you are stupid" to your children. I got her book and will be reading it and when I am finished I will review it. But I wanted to give you a little taste while it was still fresh in my mind.

On the Crochet/knit front This is my first knitting creation. I have named it Vanilla and Chocolate Frosting. It is a scarf and I made it using the knit stitch or garter stitch holding one strand each Vanna's Choice Chocolate and Yarnbee decorative yarn for one half and Vanna's Choice Beige and Yarnbee decorative yarn for the other half. I knitted each color way until I ran out of yarn. I used number 10 needles. Very simple yet very cute, fun and warm.

You could make this with many different color choices and call it strawberries and cream if you used red and white or peaches and cream or I even thought of Neapolitan, using the chocolate and vanilla and then adding some pink and a decorative yarn in between. I don't know why I am mixing yarn and ice cream, but what could be better. Find some yarn in your stash and give this a go. If you make something, send pictures.

I have another blanket for my son's friend on my needles and I have my son's blanket on my hook. Both of these are of a bowling motif that I have created, when I am finished I may publish the patterns, because I could not find anything anywhere that had anything to do with bowling. I do my best yarn work in the bowling center and I am sure there are others out there with this interest.

I am also going to start a cute sweater today for the She-Knits podcast March/April KAL, but I am going to crochet mine so I hope Sharon will open it up to be a KAL/CAL (for my dear sister in law, that is Knit Along and Crochet Along, if you would ever break down and let me teach you how to knit and crochet you would know these things.) I am going to do the Textured Cardi on p. 20 in the March/April 2008 Crochet Today and I am going to use Vanna's Choice Pea Green. I will have links for these things in Favorite-Crochet.

Have a good day and if you are in one of the primary states, GO VOTE!

Peace,

Laura