You know the words... let's dance!

Long time, blah blah...
It's been a struggle to keep my sanity lately. I think many people have this problem at this time of year so I can't say I am unique. I do have to say that now that I have had my hysterectomy, my depression isn't as bad as it once was.
We are officially homeless. We are staying out at our cabin, but it doesn't have hot running water and the furnace didn't work until a few days ago. There is a shower out in the garage with hot water so we are all smelling just fine, when the kids remember to take a shower that is. Heating up water on the stove for dishes really sucks. The water line for the potty froze so we have to refill the tank by hand. Kent got it unplugged yesterday, only to have it plug up again later. Now we are dumping hot water down it to try and move the frozen poodam, again. Do you know what smells worse than a bowl full of excrement? A bowl full of boiling hot excrement.
We do have to travel into town each day to take the kids to school and for Kent to work which ends up to be about $10.00 each day, if we take just one vehicle.
My MIL is fond to say that others have it worse so I shouldn't be too upset. Well, that's what keeps me going. At least we are not living out of the cars.
My house doesn't look a lot like Christmas. I am boiling some cinnamon sticks and ground cloves in the toilet water to help the house smell like Christmas. There are not a lot of places to put even a small tree. My chore for today is to clear up the mess on top of the entertainment center and the credenza so I can at least put up the village.
The kids are adapting pretty well. The younger two have the councilors at school to talk to. The older two... they have their moments, but they are pretty flexible.
I am doing a few commissions, a set of 3 mittens and an acorn, that need to be done by Christmas. I have a commission of a few doggy sweaters that can be done after Christmas. I have the mittens done, I just can't find them all! You know when you set stuff down in a safe place so you remember? yeah. My mind doesn't work like that. I forget where I put the stuff. I am going to have to get some push pins and tack them up on the walls for me to remember.
Pictures will be taken of them once they are found.
I did finish a couple of hats for an old friend who is going through cancer. I heard from her husband that she loves this one...


I am so excited that she likes it! It was a great stash buster. I sent her another one... it's supposed to be a kitty one.




I bought some silk/bamboo for a project for my grandmother but when I heard that Kate needed a hat, I used it. The purple is held double but the white is one strand of the silk/bamboo and one strand of soy/acrylic.
My lovely daughter was feeling goofy the night I took these.

Hockey season is in full swing here in the Minnesota arctic. I am no good at the political stuff that inevitably happens when you get a bunch of adults together. I don't suffer fools and idiots gladly, or quietly. However, if girl child is going to continue to play, either Kent or I will have to be on the board. There are not enough parents of 14U girls or even the 10U girls on it. There are other things wrong, but that's a subject best left for the next meeting.
I love watching the girls play. Each game they get better and you can see the team spirit growing.

I will post recipes and other pictures later... probably not a good idea to post them after talking about poo.

The little angst-er

Yeah, it's my 13 year old. I am fed up. I can't figure out if it's the diabetes or it's the age. Why am I trying to figure it out? She can't do anything about either one.
Both combined are driving me insane.

A sad pause

Today we buried Kent's Grandmother's ashes. Ora was a wonderful woman. I wasn't able to go to her funeral because my daughter was in intensive care. I cried more than I really wanted to and more than anyone else.
The graveside service was wonderful. It started off sunny and then as it progressed it clouded over and threatened rain. As it finished it cleared off and got sunny.
I had a hard time when the yard manager helped fill in the grave and tamped down the dirt with his boot.
I will miss her. The last time I saw her was when Kent's uncle brought her out for coffee. She sat, a little overwhelmed and withdrawn and held my hand even as she shut out the world and shut down.
Kent says his memories are of her stabbing his hands with a fork at the dinner table when he would do something wrong.

The feeling of the day

Today I am feeling a bit melancholly. There are so many things going on that it's hard to break it down into what exactly is causing this feeling.
My reproductive system is doing that thing is does, just 10x more painful than last month. Thank gwad it stopped the every other week thing it was fond of.
I look out the windows and see dogs hanging out of the passenger sides of cars. I wish our dog did that. She is cute, but scared shitless of riding in a car.
Everything is melting. It's a great day! Of course I finished the cashmere cowl last night. It's so heavy, but it looks faboo!!! I will take a picture of it later and push it into this post.
Tomorrow Kay goes and tries out for the AAA hockey team. I am on the fence about her being on the team. Trying out will be a great experience for her, making it will be an expensive venture for us. Practices held 3 hours away and 3 tournaments, one in the Twin Cities, one in Grand Forks and one in Duluth.
We found out on Friday that Kent (my husband) is a match so he can give his father a kidney. I am so very glad that this will help my FIL, but I am frightened about the whole procedure. I tend to be a worry wart, and this isn't helping. There are so many things that need to be done even before a date is set, it's daunting even though it's not me going under the knife!
I can't wait to get my peppers and my tomatoes started! I want to do it before I leave for my mother's. Oh! Wait! Another stordy!
A few weeks ago, mom went through a rough patch and I felt I needed to go out there and spend some time with her. Life got in the way, as it often does around here. Hockey schedules, school stuff and Kolton and Kent getting sick... I just couldn't get away.
One night, Kent was somewhat covertly talking on the phone to his sister. I heard yeses and nos... Then I heard her ask if I would prefer a window or eisle seat. WHAT????
My darling husband booked a flight for me, with his sister's help and miles for next week to go see my mom! What a great guy!
Brownies. Yep. That's whats needed.

Getting Closer!

Some of you might object....
But I am doing a small happy dance in my chair.
This note was received from the JDRF by a friend.
President Obama plans to sign an executive order expanding the federal government’s support for embryonic stem cell research on Monday. This is a crucial step forward in our ten year effort on this important component of JDRF’s legislative agenda. The article below from the Washington Post provides more detail.
JDRF will learn more about the contents of the Executive Order and the signing ceremonies over the weekend.
We will be issuing an action alert early next week that will direct you to contact the White House after the Executive Order is signed.
Thank you for all of your hard work on this issue.
JDRF Government Relations

Obama to Lift Ban on Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, March 6, 2009; 3:52 PM
President Obama is planning to sign an executive order on Monday rolling back restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, according to sources close to the issue.
Although the exact wording of the order has not been revealed, the White House plans an 11 a.m. ceremony to sign the order repealing one of the most controversial steps taken by his predecessor, fulfilling one of Obama's eagerly anticipated campaign promises.
The move, long sought by scientists and patient advocates and opposed by religious groups, would enable the National Institutes of Health to consider requests from scientists to study hundreds of lines of cells that have been developed since the limitations were put in place -- lines that scientists and patient advocate say hold great hope for leading to cures for a host of major ailments.
Administration officials would not comment immediately other than to say "there will be a stem cell related event on Monday." But an email sent out yesterday from the White House stated that officials were planning a ceremony on Monday "on stem cells and restoring scientific integrity to the government process. At the event the president will sign an executive order related to stem cells." Sources close to the issue, asking not to be named because they were not authorized to discuss the plan, said the order would lift the restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cells.
Because stem cells obtained from very early embryos are believed capable becoming any tissue in the body, scientists believe they could lead to fundamental insights into the underlying causes of many diseases and repair damage caused by a host of ailments, including diabetes, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injuries, but extracting them destroys the embryo.
President Bush imposed the restriction on Aug. 9, 2001, limiting federal funding to studies of what turned out to be 21 cell lines that were already in existence as of that date to prevent tax dollars from encouraging the destruction of more embryos.
The limitation, welcomed by those who believe that destroying human embryos is immoral, has been denounced by many scientists for severely hindering research one of the most promising fields of biomedical research.
The 21 cell lines that scientists have been permitted to study under the Bush policy have a variety of shortcomings, critics say. Many, for example, may have defects that could make them dangerous to transplant into people. But perhaps more important, hundreds of newer lines have been developed that offer a host of opportunities. Many lines, for example, carry defects for specific diseases.
Because of his long support for such research and repeated promise to repeal the restrictions, proponents expected Obama to lift the restriction in his first week in office, when he issued a flurry of executive orders to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, make government less secretive and lift a ban on funding international family planning groups that support abortion, among other things. But Obama did not, raising concern among advocates that he might be reconsidering his promise.
Opponents have argued that research on human embryonic stem cells has become unnecessary because of scientific advances in the interim, including promising advances, making it crucial to continue to study those cells along with embryonic cells.
Some opponents have suggested that Obama might qualify his executive order to try to take the sting out of the move as part of his effort to find common ground on divisive issues. But proponents expect Obama will simply lift the restriction without caveats and let the NIH work out the details. In anticipation, the NIH has started drafting guidelines that would address the many ethical issues raised by the research, using as models templates compiled by the National Academy of Sciences and the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
Advocates were especially concerned that the delay could force stem cell scientists to miss and opportunity apply for some of the new funding the NIH is receiving as part of the stimulus package.
Despite the executive order, Congress is also likely to get involved by considering legislation designed to prevent any future presidents from reinstating restrictions.
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I am so for this! I know... some of you believe in life beginning at conception. I guess this could be debated but I don't want to! This will help save my daughter's life!
This is such a long post, I will say no more... except... Yippee!!