Friday, May 6, 2022

Friday Letters: 5/6/22


Today I'm taking my virtual fountain pen in hand to give you a long-awaited update, express some outrage, ask for a new, improved product, and tell you a secret. Let's open the mail ...

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Dear Readers,

Remember this picture of the puzzling structure in my neighbor's yard from a few weeks ago? We had some good guesses in the comments - a place to store trash bins, a well cover, a smokehouse, but I finally have the answer for you. I was walking past their house last weekend, saw them standing outside, and marched up the driveway to ask them what it was. They laughed and said it was "The Snoopy House". They had built it a couple of years ago, decorated it with Christmas lights, and put speakers inside. At Christmas time, they played the soundtrack of A Charlie Brown Christmas and broadcast it to the neighborhood. They said they meant to use it at Halloween, Easter, and whatever other holidays they could, but their interest had just fizzled. They were kind of apologetic, but I told them that several people have been wondering just what this interesting structure was and I was happy to finally provide the answer. I told them that I would make it a point to walk past at Christmas time and I hoped to hear music and see lights flashing!

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To SCOTUS,

I have no words. (Well, I do have a few for you.) Dark days are upon us when you are more concerned about the leak of the draft than what the draft says. I find it incomprehensible that you have said the government does not have the authority to make people wear a mask, get tested, or get vaccinated against covid, but you are ready to say that it does have the authority to force women to give birth against their will. I'm not a constitutional scholar, but I am appalled at your decision.

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Dear Celestial Seasonings,

My drink of choice this week has been Tension Tamer tea. It's soothing and sometimes I mix it with Peppermint for a different taste. This has been quite a week for many people and I wonder if you might have considered Extra-Strength Tension Tamer? I would buy it by the case. Thanks for your consideration. 

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Dear Readers, 

I have a secret to share with you. While I'm waiting for my buttons to arrive, I decided to deal with the pesky underarm stitches. The directions said to graft them, and I gave it my best. After four attempts at grafting just 10 stitches on each side of the underarm, I was at my wit's end. Each try looked sloppy and the stitches were loose and uneven. I sat down with a cup of tea and checked out what else I could do. I was intrigued to find that Kay from Modern Daily Knitting suggested a three-needle bind off. I found several sites that said this should never be done as it would result in a sloppy, tight underarm area. But I finished my tea and with my tension tamed, I threw caution to the wind and did the three-needle bind off. It worked, much neater than my attempts at Kitchener stitch and it doesn't seem too tight. Hooray for 3NBO!

P.S. Please don't report me to the knitting police. 

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I wish you a lovely weekend, one without tension, with a neat and useful shortcut or two, and a Happy Mother's Day if you're celebrating.

11 comments:

  1. I do always enjoy your letters Bonny! Great to now know what that "structure" is and I hope you will report back at Christmas time. Outrage doesn't even begin to describe this week - thank God for teas that can calm, sooth and tame our tensions! Congratulations on the 3NBO (which I have never had to do or had occasion to do, but I love the sound of it). Happy Mother's Day to you. I do hope that the rain ends by Sunday. I'd love to get out for a walk.

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  2. Just seeing the title of your post today made me smile -- because I just love reading your letters. So glad to find out about the Snoopy House. (Maybe your inquiry will bring renewed enthusiasm for their project?) And, yes, we certainly need an Extra-Strength recipe for Tension Tamer right now. (I can't even with SCOTUS.) And, in my opinion, it's always good to go your own way when knitting instructions and techniques VEX you. (There are always several ways to "skin a cat.") (I hate that phrase with a passion, but it often seems to get the point across. . . ) I hope you enjoy a delightful weekend, Bonny. XO

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  3. Thanks for the update on the Snoopy House - I agree with Kym that your question may reignite their interest. And yeah. SCOTUS sucks. We need Tension Tamer for sure and probably something stronger, too.

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  4. Best thing I have read online this week! Hooray for Friday letters! I have not tried Tension Tamer tea, but I certainly do need some. Although I must tell you that what I think I need is some Valium. Wonder if they could make that OTC for a while until we get used to living in Gilead? Of course that is a Snoopy house now that you have confirmed it. They need to put a cutout of Snoopy up there with Woodstock. Thanks for the update, Bonny. I bet that was a short-lived, but fun, diversion this week. When I knit, I do what works, so no knitting police here. I'm glad the 3 needle BO worked well. Isn't Kay officially part of the knitting police? I hope you have a lovely Mother's Day with lots of sunshine, Bonny. Hold tight.

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  5. My words for SCOTUS are a bit more profane than yours, but suffice it to say that I very much agree with your sentiments. I'm not sure there's enough Tension Tamer Tea in the world to make me relax in the wake of that news.

    For the record, I have zero problems with you working a three-needle bind-off on the underarm of the sweater. If you're happy with it, that's all that matters -- knitting police be darned. I enjoy grafting and do it all the time, but I always have issues with underarms coming out sloppy.

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  6. I love that you finally caught the neighbors outside... I love the answer! LOL

    And thank you for the heads up on Tension Tamer Tea... which certainly is smarter than the Vodka IV Drip I was contemplating! I am not a Constitutional Scholar either, but even I can see that they will be opening Pandora's Box... and I have read that story. (big hint... it did not end well either!)

    Have a great weekend... I do so love your letters!

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  7. three needle bind offs give more structure and is easier than grafting imo. Lovely knitting!!

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  8. I had not thought of what to do with those stitches under the arm, but to me ending them as I do the toe of a sock (Kitchener) seems like it should have worked. Glad you found a solution. :)

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    1. I tried grafting the stitches like I finish sock toes (four times!), but the stitches were so loose and sloppy that I just couldn't get a neat finish. The three needle bind off worked well, and chances are that nobody will ask to look at my underarm area!

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  9. I would never report you (or any other knitter) to the knitting police. As far as I'm concerned if the knitter is happy with a result, that is all that counts. As for the Supreme Court, words fail me.

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  10. I take every opportunity to do a 3NBO -- it's one of my favorite knitting things!

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