This blog has been moved. The new address is http://hjdong.freehyperspace2.com/blog/ . Come on over and join the party :-) . (p.s. I did it, but it's pretty basic for all my talking ;-) ).

I haven't been going totally crazy . . .

James and Mia
Originally uploaded by hjdong

two things have been taking my time. One, when I need time for myself, computer time decreases and two, I have been trying to set up the new blog with the time I am spending. It's been, well, trying. I hope to have it done . . . sometime.

One to happier topics :-). My sister and family came for their final (while they're living here visit). She mentioned it was o.k. to share pictures of Mia, so, presenting . . . Mia.

Thanks to everyone for their advice and support about personal time. As it turns out, James was also getting a cold, so that isn't helping in his ability to be alone.

I'll be participating this year in Project Spectrum 3. I'm looking to jumpstart my creativity. For me, of course, most of my projects will be knitted, but I'm also looking to do some sewing and to pay more attention to my photography. This is part of the reason for the new blog. Darren installed a new software program (Adobe Lightroom) and I can't really effectively take advantage of it using blogger. Although I may make the switch before learning to take advantage of it fully in the new platform and learn on the go. We'll see.

Not enough hours in the day

James (note the name change from Jamie, a recent decision) has made many development leaps in the past few weeks: falling asleep on his own (finally), occasionally sleeping on his own, note the name change, definitely noting the boy/girl play, although still playing with either gender (thankfully, although talking over the issue), eating up schoolwork and asking for more, little things that happen so slowly I've hardly noticed, baths to showers and on his own, getting his own food and drinks, I'm sure I'm missing some.

But, with every developmental leap, he clings, as if he is unsure of his new self. And in some areas, he slides. I've gone from "mom" to "mommy," which, for the record, I was never called, it was always "mama." And I seem to have no alone time anymore. I know that as he becomes more comfortable with these changes, this will pass. That it is healthy that he can come to me, that he needs me (and Darren) to see him through his growth; we all need a support system to rely on when we make huge changes.

I, however, am a introvert by nature. I need my alone time to regroup, refresh, be healthy. And I am finding myself drained, short, ungiving. By the time he is done with me, it is time for me to make dinner and be giving to my husband. I find myself begging him to watch a longer movie during the day (me, who allows him just one movie a day, saying, "You know, that movie isn't very long . .. "). I need this time to pass, so I can see to myself again.

So, how do you, if you do, find the balance between caring for those you love and yourself?

Where I ramble on about nothing much

Like it's any different from normal really?

Saturday we went to see the Shanghai Acrobats. Time for True Confessions. We saw the Shanghai Acrobats in Shanghai in 1999. Be we, I mean Darren and I were both occupying seats. I, however, have only seen pictures of the event because I was quite soundly asleep. We had just gotten in after a red eye and the tour company thought it would be fun. I never thought I would fall asleep because it was so cold in the theater. I was wrong.

This time however, I managed to stay awake, and quite enjoyed it. James (who no longer wishes to be called Jamie, please remind me) is no balancing on our fence, practicing to run away to the acrobats, I suppose.

Having told him that we were going to see the Acrobats, I left it at that. He finally said, "Yes, but what ARE they. Some kind of bat?" Oh, yeah, maybe I should explain that.

Sunday we spent weeding on a very blustery day. However, we are having our green time in So Cal and we can't let the weeds get ahead of us. Soon, I hope to post some of the wildflowers that have burst forth on our property, some of which have lain dormant for at least 2 years, waiting for rain. The difference between a weed and a wildflower: 1) mustard is always a weed, 2) a weed is growing where we don't want it to.

However, I need to (still) deal with the picture issues I'm having. That may result in a change in location for the blog. Stay tuned.

I am da Bomb

Arrow gets in on the shoot,
originally uploaded by hjdong.

Presenting to you . . . a knitting post. Wait, all my non-knitting readers, stick with me anyway. This is a moment of triumph. My first real knitting done for myself. That's right, there it is, in all it's glory, the Bombshell.

My sister gave me the extremely nice yarn last year for Christmas (last year as in 2006 not 2007) and I vowed to cast on in July, which I did. Then, I finished Jamie's sweater, because I couldn't take it camping with me. Then, there was all that Christmas knitting to be done.

But, it finished up quickly and nicely post Christmas.

It was a great learning sweater. My first sweater (for Darren) was done flat, on teeny tiny needles, and did I mention, flat. That means loads of seaming. Vowing not to make that mistake again, Jamie's sweater was made in the round, bottom up, and it's a great utilitarian sweater. He loves it. This was top down, and I loved making it.

I made some slight modifications. I added short rows for the breasts (and lots of them), I made the waist slightly larger (it came in 9" at the waist originally, which is a lot), and I made it slightly longer, because no one really wants to see any skin.

Now, when I look at a pattern for a sweater, I feel like I can change things to make it more suited for me (although not every sweater is made for every body type).

The yarn is so soft, it is glorious to wear.

I have already started gauge swatches for another sweater, but an having issues. This is a question solely for the knitters out there. I am swatching up SWTC Bamboo. I should have (according to the pattern) 4.5 st. to the in. I have 7. I know, crazy. From what i have read, it has serious stretching out issues. People say to knit it tight. If I stretch my swatch out, my gauge is fine. Who stretched a swatch out? How to follow this advice? Go somewhere in the middle? If I knit at 4.5 stitches to the in. I'm going to have a holey sweater. And, this is the yarn recommended for the pattern. Any thoughts appreciated.

And the winner is . . .

Me! See the thing is, you have to read the post to find out (or you could scroll to the bottom. How many cheaters read my blog?). I won because last night, for the first time since we moved to this house, nearly 2 years ago, Jamie fell asleep on his own. Before we moved here, for about 6 months, I would read his stories, snuggle for 5 minutes, leave, he would go to sleep and stay in bed until the morning when he would kick the wall to let me know he was awake. And yes, he was in a bed not a crib. The first night we were here, he left his room about 100 times and sleeping has been somewhere between a nightmare and annoying every since.

But, he has been wanting to be "grownup." He's 5 1/2, you know. Practically ancient. And so, like parents everywhere, I have been using that weapon against him, testing the waters occasionally, but no dice. Last night, he finally bit. He wanted to be grown up enough that staying up in his room, being allowed to read books in bed, deciding when to actually fall asleep on his own, deciding whether to sleep in his loft bed or his Spiderman bed (one of those foam couches on the floor) was enough to throw me out and fall asleep alone. Well, alone with Penny, the most loyal dog he doesn't really like ever.

On top of reading that victory, Kitten has tagged me for 7 things about me, so I'm making you wait even longer.

1. I used to remember tons of random facts. Now, I can't remember to take my purse when I leave the house. I'm only 35. I'm slightly (really) worried about my elderly years.
2. I've decided this morning the make the library a regular part of our week. Next unit. I have a book problem. And a bad library. I went so far as to search the library on-line for this unit. And gave up. See #1.
3. I never cut Jamie's nails. Darren always does that. See #1.
4. We ended up celebrating New Year's at Greenwich Mean Time again. By accident again. Two years in a row, so that is our new tradition. Next year, we'll screw it up. See #1.
5. I loved Mom#1's tradition of taking a family picture. We have 1 family picture in the past . . . years. Must try to do that. See #1.
6. I have finally finished my first big knitting project for myself. It was a gift from my sister and is blocking. It will be making an appearance on the blog soon. See #1 (that doesn't make sense, I just didn't want to lose my rhythm)
7. I really hate that my sister is moving (in 2 weeks), although I'm trying to be a big girl about it.

O.k., so, now, the winner really is (drum roll please). . . Marla! Congratulations, Marla! I will be contacting you.

No rest for the wicked

It has been a busy time since my last post. My sister came to stay for New Year's while her husband went to take care of some moving details Back East. Now, Jamie and I are at her house until her husband comes home tomorrow night. It's been great to have more time before they move to spend.

Another 3 days on the contest, so scroll down if you haven't yet entered.

I haven't done any of the New Year's reflecting stuff, or even the end of term reflecting stuff. And my sister's cat keeps standing on my computer, making reflecting difficult.

So, what the cat is reminding me of: Living in the moment.