Sheep Shots

Charlotte left a comment:

Today was the Scouting for Food drive here locally. I set my bag out with mostly canned meat products in it. It sat on the porch all day and no Scout came near it to collect it. I saw a forlorn bag on a neighbor's porch as well. It bugs me that the Scouts can drop off the bag but can't come back a week later to get the donation. I try to help but ... This is not the first time this has happened. The Girl Scouts are just as bad when they ask for toiletries for the shelters. I bag them up, set them out and at the end of the day bring them back in.

Charlotte, and anyone else who has had the same experience, call the scout council office and let them know. They may not be able to do anything right away, but they need to be aware. You can also call your regional food bank and ask where the nearest pantry is located so that you can drop the food there.

For what it's worth, my food bank no longer receives any of the Scouting for Food donations, by design. Our troops and packs are each connected with one or more emergency pantries (where the actual food distribution takes place) and they take the food directly there.

We've had a number of individuals drop their donations at our food bank because the scouts didn't pick it up.

Labels: food programs

Look! Actual picture of knitting! In progress.

Okay, I know you were expecting more, but this is what I've got!

Last night's knitting on Anouk turned into a rip-and-reknit session when I discovered that the initial decreases stop at 61 stitches, not the 49 that I had reached.

No wonder the back didn't match the front

There was some progress on Quilt As Afghan, too, but not in the past several days. No point in spreading it out

Tomorrow promises to be one more Day From Hell. One of our programs (senior boxes, if anyone really cares) is being audited (annual event, nothing to worry over), so I'll be tied up with that all day.

I do love a good audit!

Labels: baby things, fair entry, food programs

It's been a couple of days since I've had 3 minutes to sit and even think about blogging! Work has been hectic. I have folks out on vacation, then the two newest drivers (and I had great hopes for them) left (with no notice) for higher-paying jobs. Can't blame them, but it sure would have been nice to hear something besides, "Tomorrow's my last day."

We survived National Hunger Awareness Day, despite the best efforts of a young and aggressive reporter. (Who knew that people are "happy to be hungry?")

I think my short-lived knitting funk is over.

Face it, By August 1 (7 weeks?) I need to have decided on fair entries and have made signigicant progress on finished works. That's the day my registrations are due. Then I have until August 23 to complete everything. Entries are due at the fairgrounds on August 23 or 24.

And so, do you remember the Little Boy Blue sweater?

It's about to become Little Person Orange.

Why?



Because the blue Sonata seemed just perfect for Anouk.

The pattern, however, is giving me fits! It's written in what the Other Half and I used to call "Nebraskan" (named in honor of our business software provider, located in Lincoln, that wrote directions like: "do this, that and the other thing, BUT FIRST. . .").

Kate Gilbert wrote the directions for Anouk in much the same way. I'm not sure how (or if) I could have written it better. I'm just saying.

The edging didn't make sense to me until I figured out that the "pinafore" or "tunic" styling of this sweet little "not-dress" is more of a tabbard. It doesn't really show in any of the photos I was able to find on-line.

I'm not sure I can get away with entering it as "Child Dress." I am already looking at ways to modify the style to make it more dress-like.


Mittn News: Anami shared a picture of her completed Mittnz.

Don't you just love the black and white ones?

I'm inspired by the Mittnz I am seeing.

I, however, find that I have completed only 3 pairs so far. Must get Mittn knittn!

Labels: baby things, fair entry, food programs, mittnz

The next door neighbors have been replacing their roof for the past 4 days. They are young. More power to them!

Rabbitch suggested that I set up the video camera, just in case, you know, someone slipped.

Didn't happen.

I must say that I grew quite weary of listening to 20-30-comething guys dropping the F-bomb all freakin' day long all weekend. I think they are almost finished.

I hope they are almost finished!

My own weekend was spent surfing, shopping, knitting, and ripping.


The baby dress had to be restarted.

My calculations were off on the first cast on, and frankly, I would have run out of yarn. No doubt about it.

So I started over in a smaller size (this one is for competition and will be a gift later, perhaps). I abandoned the lace. (If it looks that bad in the pattern booklet, how's it going to look after being worn, drooled on, etc.? and what new mom has time to dress lace?)




Yarn that I ordered to start a little sweater (Sonata from Elann in many colors -- 100% cotton) arrived as did my Addi lace needles.

I am prepared to love both the knitting of this little sweater and the Addis.

Aren't the colors great?

Not stash!




And I rolled up what is left of the yellow yarn for the quilt-y afghan and took it to work.

Not to knit upon, but to weigh on the well-calibrated digital postage scale! It appears that I will have just enough to make this blankie in the originally-planned colorway, so I am pressing on!

This, my loyal readers, is a very good thing!

So, it's back to the red/yellow/navy/natural color scheme.

And In Work News: Tomorrow (first Tuesday in June) is National Hunger Awareness Day. It's a time to look around and recognize that not all Americans (or citizens of the world, for that matter) get enough of the right things to eat every day.

Tomorrow, we release the results of a survey of 350 local people who use the charitable food network to feed themselves and their families at least part of the month.

The stories haven't changed much since 1989 when we first surveyed participants. In many cases, things are a whole lot worse.

In others, though, (children eating breakfast at school, for example) there's a lot of improvement.

People who work hard and play by the rules should be able, at the very least, to feed their families. There's lots of room for improvement before we ask these questions again.

Labels: baby things, fair entry, food programs

Labels: food programs, ship support

This is the big weekend, so I will be working nearly non-stop from early morning Saturday until mid-morning Sunday. I am hoping for a bit of sleep during.



But I couldn't go another day without showing and telling the latest acquisition:

It's from Smiley's.

Sock yarn in natural and navy to combine with red and yellow from the stash for a lap robe, some ack in a reddish heather and white for Ship Support hats and Christmas stuff, some red Cotton Ease to go with the white ack, and some Mango cotton for (probably) a child's sweater.





And this little number is the Vine Lace Baby Hat from Knitting Daily. Side view and top view in the same sock yarn as the sweater.















Don't forget to put a can of peas (or something) out for your letter carrier.

Labels: baby things, fair entry, food programs, kfys 2007, yarn diet

Never say that you are at full staff after being without a full complement for a long while. Someone is sure to get sick or quit or something.

Never say "spring has sprung" (at least not before April 15 at the earliest) because as soon as those words leave your lips, the weatherbug is going to predict "accumulations of 4-6" in this area."

Never say. . . well, anything you don't want coming true, because as sure as I am typing this, it will!

Okay, that out of the way, I've done a teensy bit on the current Dulaan:



I still have about 1.5" before the ribbing. And the sleeves.

So far, (knock wood and don't say. . .) the yarn's holding out well.

I have nearly a full ball of the royal blue (the neck ribbing color that also serves as the background on a lot of the bands) and about 4 ounces of the other colors (this much of the sweater, including the needles, weighs in at about 4 ounces).

I'm wishing I hadn't been such a wimp with the yoke. I'm really loving the wider bands' patterns.



And here's a "glamour" shot of the current car knitting. Guesses?

Think Zimmermann. Think elfin. Think Tomten! In about a 6-9 month size.

I am saved! The deep blue superwash that might be needed to rescue the Dulaan sweater (as ribbing) will also work for the i-cord contrast edging on this sweater! (And I have lots! Something like 2500 yards.) No need to purchase yarn.

The weekend is fast approaching, as is the latest "weather event." My noon-time service club meeting is already canceled. I just want to know, what if the snow fails to materialize?

Then I checked the "school closings" board at our local television channel's website (that channel has to be good for something besides mocking). Three closings already posted. One is a piano recital. Ok. The kids will be disappointed, but they'll also have an extra week to practice.

The other two are Meals on Wheels to the west of us and the Senior Lunch Program to the east. I'm guessing this means that people don't get hungry when it snows?? This has always troubled me. And I know there is a "blizzard bag" (that often gets consumed on the first weekend after it's dropped off) and the food is delivered by volunteers, but it seems that if one is able to reach a ripe old age, one's food supply shouldn't depend quite so much on the weather!

It's enough to make me trot down to the Turkey Hill for milk and bread.

Back when such things were important to me, it always seemed more prudent to stock up on Box Of Wine than Loaf of Bread. Because, well, you know.

Now? I figure that I can put something together with what's here in the house if I can't get to the store. I mean, they'll be plowing the roads sooner or later, won't they?

Labels: baby things, Dulaan, food programs

that I have not published in several days.

Well, dudes, I have been busy.

I have prevented the premature deaths of several of the people with whom I work. Just call me The Guardian.*

It was all over a few paking spaces. Or perhaps I should say too few parking spaces. There are 13 of us (plus a van that belongs to the food bank) and 12 marked parking spaces. Shall I go on?

It's solved for the moment. We'll see how long the peace lasts.

More About School Meals: Did you know that the school meal program grew out of the U.S. military's need for draftees and recruits who were not malnourished?

The food that is served in the basic meal (the one that is offered non ala carte) must follow certain standards if the school district is to be reimbursed by the federal government. These include minimum serving sizes for protein, fruits and vegetables, grain, and dairy.

For breakfast, the requirements include 1/4 of the RDA for protein, calcium, irion, and Vitamins A & C. For lunch, the requirement is 1/3 of the daily RDA of the same nutrients. For both meals no more than 30% of total calories can come from fat, no more than 10% from saturated fat. These standards went into effect more than 10 years ago, and are very likely being revised to meet "MyPyramid" guidelines. You can read all the regs (if you are so inclined) by going to the USDA website. Search on something like "school meal regulations." Warning, it's dry, dull reading.

Schools that participate in "Healthy Choice" option for "extras" and vending machines (called "competitive foods") are entitled to additional reimbursements. This additional reimbursement is part of the PA "plan." What this means is that soda's out, juice and water are in. Veggies and fruit are replacing chips and fries. You can read more about the standards here .

If you think that the meals at your kids' schools are not up to snuff, please talk to the principal, the food service director, or the school board.



*Movie Review: The Guardian is fantastic! And this is coming from someone who pants only slightly a lot when watching Kevin Costner, and yawns a lot only slightly when watching basic training coming of age movies. Lots of action, not a lot of hitting, and only one swear word. No nudity, no sex. You could let your 10 year old watch! Oh, and there's a couple of strong, smart women, too.

Coming Soon: Pictures of actual knitting.

Labels: food programs

Dragon knitter had some interesting things to say in yesterday's comments. If you aren't right in on the industry, you may not know:

DK: my school feeds breakfast to anyone who comes, and not just low-income kids. i don't take advantage of it because of a few factors: 1. there are 700 kids in my sons' school, and the lines can be insane. 2. it's not enough food for 2 teenage boys. 3. i can afford to feed my kids, i'd like to leave the money/food there for those who can't.

SS (me):That's called Universal Breakfast, and if the free/reduced (kids qualifying for subidized meals) population reaches a certain point, it isn't taking money or food away. The schools actually qualify for additional funding if the program is available.

"Affording" or not doesn't really enter in. The whole idea is to get kids to eat.

From the PA Hunger Action Center (an advocacy group): "Multiple research studies have shown that children have the best chance for academic success if they start their days with nutritious breakfasts. While breakfast is traditionally consumed before leaving home in the morning, other factors - such as parents' work schedules and children's lack of appetite early in the morning - often interfere. Educators have found that providing a school-based breakfast is a cost effective way to enhance the learning environment."

SS: The meals offered in schools that participate in USDA food programs must meet certain guidelines for providing a level of calories and nutrients that is adequate. It might not be "enough for teenage boys," but nutritionally, it is adequate.

DK: although, i do have to say i think they're trying to starve my boys. the school lunches are completely inadequate! and they charge an arm & a leg for extras!

SS: Well, see above, the meals contain the proper percentage of nutrients and calories or food service doesn't get reimbursed. And they aren't going to let that happen!

This is all leading up to our Governor's School Breakfast Initiative for PA:

". Schools in which low-income students comprise 20 percent or more of enrollment would be required to offer School Breakfast. This is consistent with what Ohio and New Jersey already require. In Maryland the minimum is 15 percent and in New York there is no minimum.

". Schools that implement a breakfast program would receive a 20 - 40 percent increase in state supplemental payments through the National School Lunch Program. This ensures that the school breakfast program does not increase local costs for taxpayers.

". Schools that adopt the PA Department of Education's Guidelines for Nutritional Standards for Competitive Foods in Pennsylvania Schools would receive an additional increase in state supplemental payments through theNational School Lunch Program. This additional supplement will ensure that school food service departments can pay their costs, notwithstanding the loss of revenue some may experience after introducing healthier foods in vending machines and lunchtime a la carte offerings."

All Sheepie can say is: It's about time!

If you live in Pennsylvania, contact your members of the General Assembly (State Representative and Senator) and tell them that the kids are counting on them!

Labels: food programs