Sad Bangkok

Bangkok is going through a most difficult period and though on the surface things have calmed down, an explosion yesterday is convincing evidence that under the surface, things are still very hot and people are still very angry.

I feel so sad that the disadvantaged people from the country side are being taken advantage of by the red shirt leaders (and their ultimate leader, Thaksin). They deserve better. They deserve to get in on the good life too - but the struggle isn't like their leaders are portraying it but they believe the people who put food in their stomachs and clothes on their backs - how could it be otherwise?

The violence in Bangkok in April and May was such a huge departure for protests. Watching the news became so stressful that I had to stop - yet was drawn to it because "i had to know" - the scenes of violence with tires being trucked to places and set on fire, with the black shirts shooting at the soldiers and the soldiers shooting back. With the random violence from the heavy weapons shooting at random targets ... And then when the army finally stood firm and would not allow the red shirts to get resupplied - they gave up for ths particular time - but not before giving the signal for the burning of Bangkok - which they had given ample notice of in their speeches but which no one believed would really happen. But it did. It was to the point where I had to take some classical music into the bedroom and listen to it in order to get to sleep. So sad for Thailand.

So many different factions, really. Red shirts, black shirts, army that is divided against itself, police that are more for the red shirts than the government - and it isn't ended. I ache for Thailand. And it all appears to have come out of the hubris of ONE man who will NOT leave off his quest for regaining power.

Enough. Please.

Catching up - yet again

A lot has happened since my last entry - the death of Mark being the shadow over everything. Much of what I feel is included in the blog "Remembering Mark Hall" but since every entry goes to those who are 'following', I kind of feel restrained in what I can write. So here I am more free?

I cry inside for Mark so often, so full of regret for missed opportunities to return the love he showed me - but I was so cold and so hard. Tears still come so often, even nearly two years after he died. And if it is this bad for me - imagine how hard it is for Mom and Dad. It is to the point where Dad doesn't feel happy to get back to his beloved house in the woods, and that is so sad. Though he was absent from our lives so much during the past 30 years, until he came home to live, this is different.

Mark - I miss you more than I ever thought I would and wish I had told you and showed you more often that I did love you.

Back again ... for how long this time?

Well, I've had an interesting few months since I last logged on ....

The sweater in the picture (Samantha) fit my sister perfectly and she loves it ... the Mrs. Darcy (modeled by my co-worker) was too small, so I frogged the whole thing and am knitting it up again, only larger this time - fortunately there will be plenty of yarn still, since it WAS a stash buster sweater!

And I was so privileged to be able to meet a fellow knitter, Anna, from the cold part of Europe (Sweden) - here in hot Bangkok. It was a real blast to sit in a coffee shop and do a few rows of knitting - but the most fun was just meeting someone. She gave me some really sweet mementos - two darling stitch markers - one of which I used immediately, on my way home that day! - and a very special gift of Addi needles! I've heard so much about them, I'm thrilled to actually have some to try out!

I made my trip to the US in April and had lots of knitted goodies to pass out - will have to upload the pictures and post them.

... So will I be more regular in my blog? Will try!

Loooooong absence!

Well, after a long absence, here I am again!


I dunno, maybe I just don't have anything to say, or, more likely, I'm just too lazy! Anyway, I've finished Samantha, a gorgeous sweater I was honored to test-knit. Lovely design by a very talented clickstick-er! Now to find someone that wants it so I can give it to them!

Anyway, I'm knitting madly (one Lady of the Lake, two imogen AND two bags to be felted) because I leave for the US in ONE WEEK! (Yes, I know, I'm shouting, but I'm happy!)

Had a lovely visit with a childhood friend - her father is a missionary dentist, still here after 40+ years, and she came out to visit him with her grandson. So we had a great time visiting the umbrella factory in Chiang Mai:




I can't wait to see my parents again! Yay!

Mrs. Darcy finished! buttons, buttons, buttons

Well, after a lot of fiddling with the sleeves (my fault, trying to do them top down in one piece) I finally finished! Now for the button hunt. I confess. I am NOT a button person! So when I went to the sewing/craft supply area in Bangkok to look for some, I knew I was in for a hard time ...

See what I mean?
And that isn't even a quarter of the buttons! There were plastic buttons, metal buttons, wooden buttons, buttons made from coconut shells, from bamboo, from shells, from bone ... I mean !!!!!

SO. I ended up using some old buttons in my sewing stuff at home. Not exciting, but I figured when niece Mandy gets the sweater, we can change the buttons to something SHE wants!

Now on to finishing the NEXT project ... Samantha!

Still hanging in there

I joined a knit-along for a really cute sweater called Mrs. Darcy by the clever designer. Decided to use some very old (20+ years) chenille-like stuff in my stash. Needed to be wound. Now, I inherited a knitting machine, very old, and with all the stuff that was included there was a winder - a real serendipitous WOW! So I decided to use it for the first time. No problems with the first three skeins. The third ... somehow, it was all twisted and I spent four hours trying to get it unscrambled before finally giving up and cutting it - twice. But I didn't give up!

Now most of that yarn is in a beautiful emerald green sweater - just the sleeves left to do. I did the sweater in one piece and now I'm dithering over doing the sleeves from the top down or separately and then *ugh* sew them in...

Got a co-worker to try it on for a picture - I just wish the color came out green instead of blue!

**Home project: started a new lap robe for a dear friend - using yarn brought over by another dear friend! How wonderful is that! It is a variegated pink.

**Bus/boat project: Started another Moebius yesterday, this one with a pattern and in a lighter colored yarn (again from my VERY large stash) so the pattern can be seen better. Interesting work, to say the least!

Now for the weekend ... and so much busyness that I doubt I'll get much knitting done!

Knitting saves the day!

I guess I was so shocked at starting a blog that I never came back!

I live in Bangkok. Anyone who has ever been here knows that means I spend a lot of time commuting. For years I just read or sat/stood there. Then I got an idea: KNIT! Ah, yes! A good place to knit! Air conditioned! So I hauled out my needles, got my stash out of the top cupboards and artistically placed the boxes around the living room, encouraged my college age niece to order knitted items from me and I was set!

Since then, I started knitting at work ... I have down time quite frequently in the afternoon, and started knitting at home. So, typically, I have three projects going: one for the bus/boat commute, one for work, and one at home. The home one will be the big one, not portable (such as afghans), the work one a more intricate pattern and the bus one more of a mindless pattern.

With three hour traffic jams not uncommon, believe me, knitting on the bus saves my sanity! (Also helps my husband's since he doesn't have to listen to me complain on my cell!). And I become very productive!