A Brighter Day
Sorry about yesterday, folks. Had a rather blue day and couldn't pull out of it for most of the day. But today's a new day and let's talk knitting! Trudie is plodding along:



I've gotten about halfway up the armholes ... haven't been knitting much in the evenings. Any progress I've made has been on breaks during the workday. I take my breaks in the lunchroom at my office (too hot to sit outside), and people buzz in and out of there all day. People have gotten used to seeing me knitting, and often ask, "How'd that sweater for your mom turn out?" or "Whatcha makin' now?" There's only one other real knitter in the office, and when she stops by, my break often runs waaay over the time limit :-)

Bonne Marie Burns has re-released her very cool LoTech Sweat pattern. It's now available in 7 sizes, from 38" to 50". Go to her site now and use PayPal to download the pattern for this wardrobe staple!

Flashback: 1973
One of the touchstones of my childhood arrived in the mail every October: The Sears Wish Book. Here's an actual 1973 Sears Wish Book that is being auctioned off on EBay. I remember this cover very well.



By Thanksgiving, the Sears Wish Book would be well-worn and dogeared by grubby little fingers poring over its pages chock full of the latest cool toys. I wasn't into dolls like my little sister -- I was more of an artsy-fartsy chick, even as a kid. I always wanted creative stuff like Spirographs, paint-by-number kits, Walter Foster "Learn to Draw!" books, etc. Never got that rock tumber that I lusted after, though.

Here's another page from the 1973 Wish Book. In a funny coincidence, it shows two toys that my little sister and brother got for Christmas that year. My sister loved her Mrs. Beasley doll to pieces (literally). She made at least one trip to a real Doll Hospital we had in Portland to get restuffed and have her glasses repaired. Notice the price on Mrs. Beasley ($9.94). A check of today's EBay auctions shows a fully restored 1967 Mrs. Beasley going for $155.50! Who'da thunk it?

My little brother dragged Bozo the Clown around for several years. Bozo talked when you pulled his string, but towards the end of his life his voice box slowed down considerably. You'd pull his string and he'd say, "Hiiiiiiiiii kiiiiiiiiiiids" in this deep Exorcist voice. My brother loved him nonetheless.