Monday's Musing

New Year's Edition. :) I love this quote:

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better [wo]man."
- Benjamin Franklin

How did the year go by so quickly?! And how did so much happen?!?!? It's once again time to make Hoppin' John and reflect.

Happy New Year to you all! May your year be filled with love, joy, friendship, good health and prosperity. :)

Snow? Who needs snow?!

Or what we do at the lower elevations in California when we get the urge to slide around.







Seen on Christmas at the end of my street. Hee. :)

Hope you all had a wonderful Whatever-you-Celebrate!

Monday's Musing

I have been indulging in our tradition of reading "A Christmas Carol" to the boys, hence the following quote:

"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys." - Charles Dickens

I love that book. And though there are many different traditions and holidays at this time of year, I like to believe that Dickens was right: this is the time of year when people seem to open their hearts a little more, no matter what they celebrate.

Happy holidays everyone! :) After last Monday's musing, I realized how many of you have had difficult years. Extra special wishes of warmth and joy to you!

Oh! Did anyone else see The Harlot featured in the Sunday NY Times for coining the phrase "to Kinnear"? How cool is that?! :)

Monday's Musing

Hi! I'm still alive out here! :)

I'm afraid I've been in a little bit of a funk (other than being just crazy busy), thinking of those who have been lost to me and my family over the past few years. Isn't it odd how deaths seem to come in cycles? My littlest one said to me the other day that they will live forever in our hearts and memories. It's funny to hear my words come back to me.

So in honor of everything we have lost and everything we have, I will quote my husband today:

"Be happy for what you have; not unhappy for what you don't have."

And we have much.

Have a wonderful week everyone! Be happy. :)

Monday's Musing

Edited to add some breaking news on the yarnball earring front. I am now sold out and awaiting more materials to arrive! You can back order here. Thanks so much for your orders and your patience!
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First of all, thank you all so much for your kind words about Ice Queen! You all made me feel fabulous!!! As usual, I cannot reply to most of you because of the way Blogger handles email addresses, but please know that I so appreciate your comments!

The Yarnhog has inspired my musings today.

"The name of peace is sweet, and the thing itself is beneficial, but there is a great difference between peace and servitude. Peace is freedom in tranquillity, servitude is the worst of all evils, to be resisted not only by war, but even by death."
- Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)

"Peace is not a relationship of nations. It is a condition of mind brought about by a serenity of soul. Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is also a state of mind. Lasting peace can come only to peaceful people."
- Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 - 1964)

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it."
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969)

"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools."
- Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968)

At this time of year the song Dona Nobis Pacem runs through my head constantly. What a lovely holiday gift that would be for all of us.
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In other news, I've been tagged by Dr. Steph and Terri, so here follows TMI!

First Dr. Steph:

THE RULES:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Random and/or odd things about me:
1. I won't watch a movie if I know it has a sad ending. This is why I have never seen "Titanic."
2. I was trained as a classical musician, but I hardly ever listen to classical music.
3. I love puns, wordplay and limericks of all kinds, and I am a terrible punster.
4. I never thought I would have kids until I actually imagined not having them. I started to cry, and then I knew how important it really was to me.
5. I have perfect plumb, or whatever you would call it. I can tell if a wall or box or cabinet is straight by looking at it. Within fractions of an inch.
6. I am very very sentimental.
7. I constantly strive to center myself and find inner peace.

I tag Robin, Sarah, Ruth, Jen, Vanessa (maybe she'll start blogging again!), Annmarie, and Del. And with that, I think I have written quite enough! Terri's meme will have to wait 'til next post. :)

Have a great week everyone!

Ice Queen!

It's here! Ice Queen, my new pattern in the Winter 2007 issue of Knitty, and on the cover! Woooohooooo! Enjoy! :)

In Designs by Romi jewelry news, I've just replenished materials for my hand made yarn ball earrings

featured in Vogue Knitting this season, and I have 15 more pairs to sell here (scroll down to bottom). Yay!!!

Monday's Musing

This Monday falls on my birthday (eeek!), so I went searching for birthday inspiration. And though this isn't what I had in mind when I began looking, once I found it, I couldn't think of using anything else. I love it! :)

"He not busy being born is busy dying."
- Bob Dylan

Wonderful. And isn't it the truth?!

I wanted to think all of you so much for the great comments and quotes you left last week. I love them! They have been running through my head all week. btw, Del, my kids are now saying "make it a great day!"

I am still running around like a madwoman on book deadlines, so I will apologize yet again for dropping off the face of the Earth. It's amazing how many details there are! I am so looking forward to catching up with everyone again. I've missed y'all!

In Muir news, look at these beauties from Gomitolina, Kim, and JoKo! Are they not gorgeous?!