The Sad Saga of the Scarlet Sweater

Now for something a bit lighter.

In October, I decided it was high time I knit my wife a sweater. She was talking about how she did not have a raglan and that she really wanted a red sweater. So Hester and I went to Webs, America's Yarn Store, on one of our Mumzy-Hester Days. We picked out this beautiful scarlet cotton wool slub. I didn't know it was a slub at the time. Hester was getting fussy about being in the yarn store for SO VERY LONG so I saw it, loved the color for Clementine, saw the price was GREAT, grabbed some and dashed to the check out. Anyway, I came home and started looking for the right pattern to make it. I even had Clementine close her eyes while I measured her neck, arm length, wrist, etc. She thought I was crazy but knew a sweater was being made for her for Christmas so she was happy. Not so quick, Clementine (foreshadowing coming trouble).

So I found this raglan sweater generator on line and entered in my swatch info. I got my pattern and started knitting. I knit on the train ride in and home from work. I knit anytime Clementine was not around or awake. I did not let her see the pattern or yarn. I noticed that the arms seemed a bit tight but I thought, well, that may just be the style. I then started on the body. The pattern is cool cause you knit in the round for the body of the sweater. As the body part became long enough to see it's real size (it was squished up on the needles) I began to worry more about the size. That Saturday, I measured my creation to one of Clementine's favorite fitting sweaters. Mine was many inches smaller. I was flummoxed until I checked my stitches per inch and saw, I was off by one stitch. Bummer.

The Stitches It knits up pretty, no?

What could I do but frog the entire thing and start over. I redid the pattern and got to work on it again. I tried but only had the arms and part of the body done again by Christmas. So I wrapped that up and gave it to Clementine with the promise to get it finished. I kind of pooped out on it but recently had a resurgence of time and energy to finish the thing. I did. Clementine asked me add a bit at the bottom to make it ribbed rather than a roll bottom sweater. I did that and finished it. Clementine tried it on and we saw it was a bit more form fitting than she likes but thought we could solve that by blocking it. We washed it with great anticipation. Sadly, the yarn shrunk a bit and it was not able to be blocked to fit her. Again, bummer.

The Finished SweaterSigh....

Clementine loves the color and the raglan. I promised to make her another. She looked so lovely in the color so I will work out the size again based on the post washed stitches per inch of the first sweater. Ugh. One more time! Third times a charm, right?


So, friends, you may get a scarlet raglan sweater for Christmas. Watch your stocking!

Hester+Fish+Dim lights=Cool Pics

New Train Schedule + Time Change = Tired Lady

In order to improve on-time service, the MBTA has changed their schedule. What they have done is extend the amount of time the trip is supposed to take rather than improve their ability to arrive a the time they specified. This means my train that used to leave at 6:06 AM leaves at 5:43 AM. Now normally, a 20+ minute change would not be a huge deal except that it is the ass crack of the morning. I have to get up at 4:30 AM to get ready on time. Why so long, you may ask? Because at the ass crack of the morning, even putting on a sock is a huge undertaking. I have to leave the house by 5:30 AM to drive to the station, park, pay my $1 parking, and walk to the train. (Yes, I did say $1 and it is not a typo. Crazy, huh?)

So this was painful enough for a few weeks but then came the time change. Now, 4:30 AM is the old 3:30 AM. I cannot even find my face to put on my glasses, let alone get showered, dressed, and find the car. It is 8 PM and I am considering going to bed now; I am that tired.

@#%$!!!!!

Yesterday morning, I was driving in to work. Things were great; I was listening to Morning Edition (Bob Oaks is the bomb). And suddenly, there was a growing noise from the rear of the car. I was not anywhere near an exit from the Pike. I kept going in hopes of getting off at the Cambridge/Alston tolls. No such luck. The tire blew and started flapping and the steering got wonky. So I pulled over to the right lane as there was no shoulder. I was driving on the rim by then and decided I better stop. My hazards went on the second the tire blew so I hoped and prayed people would see them and get over. It was so scary. Cars came up on me so fast, not slowing down until the last moments. I was so scared for my life and safety. I called AAA immediately and they contacted the State Police who help out on the Pike. Within a few minutes, a man showed up who worked for the towing company that was coming to help me out. He tried flagging traffic away but the drivers were not paying attention. He came back to me and said we had to drive on because someone would get killed. So I drove on the rim to a pull off place. By then, the tow truck had arrived. He changed my tire there with me in the car. It was weird but less scary. However, I was still quite frightened for the tow truck man because cars were whizzing by at 70+ MPH. I was able to call Clementine and tell her I was OK and what had happened. When my car was back in order and the AAA paperwork finished, I drove on into work. I I called Clementine to let her know I was OK, I had stopped at a Starbucks to have diarrhea and a coffee. Lovely. The car was fixed while I was at work to the tune of $158. But I don't care. I had the money in my account and I am alive.

Happy 7th Civil Union

Today is the anniversary of our 7th Civil Union. Seven years ago, Clementine and I got up on a snowy, icy morning and drove to Vermont. We barely arrived in time at the town clerk's office to get our paperwork. Then, that afternoon, we were married in the library of the bed and breakfast where we were staying. Only Clementine, the Justice of the Peace and I were there. That was a good thing because we each wrote a paragraph to about why we were marrying the other and we both SOBBED. Clementine almost had to stop the ceremony to gain her composure. It was a beautiful day.

I did not expect that it would have such a huge emotional impact upon me. When we decided to do it, we were engaged and planning our church wedding. Bush had recently taken office and we were concerned that he would work to take away civil unions from VT. So we made plans and went up, more as a political statement and to be counted. But, pledging one's life to another person is HUGE. Since that day, we have been married twice more, once in a church and the other was our legal marriage. Each still brought tears to our eyes and choked our voices with emotion as we once again pledged ourselves to each other.

As I pondered what to give Clementine for today, I came across an old flier for this book. Immediately, I knew it was perfect. When it came in the mail, I looked through it to see if we were in any of the pictures, since we were at many of the rallies and all of the Constitutional Conventions. Alas, we were not, but seeing those pictures brought back the enormity of the fight for our rights. The fact that we are protected and have the same rights as others in this state is really huge.

I read someone's blog where the person said she did not believe in gay marriage for it does not equal a straight marriage in rights. True. We do not have most federal rights. Our taxes are filed jointly for the state but individually for federal. Because my company has a federal dental insurance, not state contract, I cannot put Clementine on my policy. We could not change our passports to match our married name. And the list of inequities goes on.

But, we gained so much in this state when we got married. We could buy a house together as straight couples do. We could file taxes jointly. We could change our name when we were married. When hospitalized, we have access to each other. When our daughter goes to the doctor, either can take her without any fuss. We were able to adopt her and be on the amended birth certificate as her parents. And the list of gains goes on.

However, the biggest gain is the depth added to our relationship. Our love grows each day. Our commitment to each other deepens each day. But when we said those words to each other, witnessed by the Justice of the Peace, then our community, then by JPP, Orca, an NPR reporter, and a photographer from the Globe, have had the greatest impact upon our relationship. I am so very lucky to know, love, and be loved by Clementine.

Clementine, you are my heart.