An Ambitious List of Projects & A Commentary on Society

Here's my list of knitting projects I'd like to do before the year is over. It's ambitious for me, with the wild man hanging around, but doable if I get my ass in gear!

5-10 Spa cloths for the Crafty Angels
socks for my MIL (Araucania Ranco purple)
socks for my oldest SIL (Trekking XXL tweed)
socks for my hubby (Trekking Handpainted gray-green)
Fiber Trends moccasins for my Dad
Fiber Trends tote
Fiber Trends Clogs (for me!)
Turtle amigurumi (Knit.1 Summer 2008 Green issue) for my wild man

I was deep in thought last night about so many of the knitting blogs I read. Granted a lot are written by singles or by moms with older children. I find it difficult to find a chunk of time in a day to just knit with a rambunctious 2 yr old around. Usually it's during his nap time when I should be doing more important things like; the dishes from last night and this morning, the laundry that has made 3 significant piles in the basement, or vacuuming the dog hair from the floors so my wild man doesn't look like a furry hairball. Instead I watch a DVR'd show and knit...or nap, whichever. How do other moms do it??? I feel like I'm being a horrible mom snatching what little time I do get.

So we're off to the Acton Fair to show the wild man some animals this morning. Should be interesting. If I can get to one of the exhibition buildings I may get to see some spinners and weavers at work!! I'll use the rabbits as an excuse. Their barn is right next door!

We're off!

**UPDATE**
2:15pm

The fair, though small, was a lot of fun! Grampa paid for our admittance (wild man was free) and also bought us fresh squeezed lemonade and piping hot french fries! You have to admit, fairs make the best fries. Generously sprinkled with salt and vinegar and dipped into thick tomato sauce...YUM! Wild man busily stuffed his face as fast as Grampa could feed him the fries! I know, it's not exactly healthy for him and could possibly start food related issues at an earlier age and cause him to become extraordinarily overweight and have self-image problems - come on!!!

I'm digressing here. Kids are treated with, well, kid gloves in this era and look what's it's done. We've got kids with weight issues, gender issues, behavioral issues, substance abuse issues, sex issues, identity issues. And, we've got the drugs to treat it all. I could go on and on and on. Suffice to say, when I was a kid in the 70's, my mom told me to get out of the house and find something to do. I played hard outside. I rode my bike, walked, ran, climbed trees, swung from tire swings, played cops and robbers or cowboys and indians, went swimming, played make believe in my sandbox with my matchbox cars and barbie dolls. I even read my books outside. I had daily and weekend chores and I was given a modest allowance for them. I was NEVER allowed to play video games (not that we even had them)...and in case some of you forgot, yes, there were video games in the early 80's. Remember Atari? We also had color TV and that was forbidden until 7pm. My folks watched the 6pm local news and the 6:30 nightly news and then I was allowed two hours of shows. I exercised my body and my brain in those days. None of this constant exposure to everything electronic.

We are an instant gratification society. If we can't reach it by cell phone, email, texting, podcast, digital whatnots then it's too much bother for us to do it the long way. I'm as guilty as the next guy. I can't live without my internet, high def TV or my email. (I'm still resistant to the iPod). The main difference here is I was gradually introduced to these things as they developed. Generation X is a crossover generation. We remember beta and 8track and now we are adept at programming our TIVO's for next week's special event. Our children, on the other hand, are born into it - bombarded with pixels and dolby 6. It soaks into their pores until they can't survive the day without texting at least one person every 5 minutes. I'm terrified and hopeful at the same time that my little guy will be better at it then I am. That he will have a handle on it and become a genius at managing his life that will no doubt be ingrained with electronics, yet somehow, keep himself grounded and take time to do something the "long way" just because.

So to that, I'm attempting to model myself after my mother (she's rolling in her grave right now) in a more modern way. I've been limiting the wild mans TV and not even letting him see video games yet. He's booted outside to our lovely fenced in playground to play and run to his heart's content. Hubby and I are keeping him active longer and making family time together fun. Wild man will not be a latch key kid ever. I will let him play video games when he is older (much older) but, if the weather permits, I will continue to boot his adorable little butt outside as often as I can. I'm not perfect, as evidenced by the consumption of french fries this morning, I will never be perfect. I can only do what I think is right and hope for the best in the end. In the end we are the sum of our experiences and these experiences help us become who we are meant to be.

Well, that was an unintended rant! And long-winded, too! Probably should have given it it's own posting... Live and learn! (Or cut and paste!!!)

Anyway, back to the fair... I was disappointed in the spinning and weaving tent. I was hoping for some demonstrations. There were 2 women set up, one was winding yarn and the other was spinning. Several more were gathered around and I got the sense they weren't ready to demonstrate anything. One woman in particular was grousing about being stuck there (I presume at the spinning tent) during a spectacularly beautiful day and could be doing something else. Hmmm...none of them gave off a friendly vibe. Oh, well. The rabbits were fun!

More fair tomorrow night when hubby will be around to help manage the wild man. Who, BTW, was really good today and is now napping his bald little head off! I'm off to my chair by the window to knit a few more rows on the hubby sweater. 'Later dudes!