Happy New Year

It's been a long week. I spent Christmas Day at my brother's house. We watched the big Kobe v. Shaq match up and ate and opened presents, etc. I think he liked the punk rockers. He opened Henry first and couldn't figure out what it was at first. When I finally told him, he got it and liked it. And he knew who Joey was immediately. So, that was cool.

Sunday I had to do a home visit and I was starting to feel a little off, so after I got home, I took a nap. Apparently that didn't help, because for the rest of the week, I felt awful. From reading around the blogs, it sounds like it was definitely going around, because I wasn't alone. For two days I didn't eat anything and didn't knit a stitch, two things which I never miss out, so I knew I was really sick. For the most part I've just been sleeping and watching tv.

The photo above is from Phuket, Thailand. Like most of you, I'm heart-sick about the devastation in Asia. The numbers are beyond comprehension. My energy level rose with my blood pressure at our President's response to the situation. Taking 4 days to even make a statement? It's pathetic. There was a perfect opportunity for the President to show the rest of the world that America cares about other people in the world, we aren't just aggressors. But when you sit idly by while the deathtoll mounts, that sends a clear message. People may have mocked Clinton's "I feel your pain" sentimentality, but I much prefer that to the cold hearted response from this administration. While European leaders were shown going into Emergency Response meetings in their capitals, our President was at "the Western White House" doing who knows what. The response now is too little too late. Why did my fellow citizens want more of this again?

As usual, it's up to each one of us to make the difference in bettering our world. The knit blog world has offered up a couple of opportunities to purchase goods, with proceeds to go to the relief efforts:

Susan's Hugs & Kisses Sock Pattern
Susan's Beaded Stitch Markers
Terri's Eyelet Rib Wristlets

There are also obviously many places you can donate and make a real difference. Please do what you think you can.