Another reason outrigger is better than crew

Ya, we can see where we're going!



I think these guys are exceptionally stupid, they have a coxswain and they still don't know where they are going.

Plastics

Remember The Graduate, with Dustin Hoffman.

I'm going a bit stir crazy

Part of the reason I haven't said much lately is that I haven't had too much to say. No amusing paddling anecdotes because I haven't been paddling since the Round Hat Island Race up in Mukilteo on September 13. Turns out I'd over done my shoulder back in July up at Gibson's, then did it some more a week later down at the Gorge. After the Gorge I took a week off to rest my shoulder and then back into it to train for the change out race end of August, and well then the last race of the season is in two weeks, I can muscle it through that and then recover. When it hurts enough that it's effecting your sleep, hmm, that may be a sign that you should have paid attention a little sooner. D'oh!

I went to an acupuncturist who is also a certified massage practitioner. He said that all kinds of stuff was out of alignment, ya, like I couldn't have told him that when I walked in the door. He moved things around some and did a little needle work. Then a few days later I went to my foot torturing massage person, Carmen. Damn, I thought she was brutal when she was working on my feet. Seems my neck and back were all a nasty knotted mess.

I'd hoped to be back on the water for a Sound Rowers race on Oct 11. Good sense, though hard to acknowledge, suggested I pass on that race. Then there was fun relay to be held in Tacoma on Oct 25. I decided to pass on that one as well. My back on the water date was going to be Nov 1, this Sat. I'd planned to go to our regular OC6 practice. Then I got an email that the Tacoma race was being postponed to Nov 1! Wahoo!

I figured I could do one of the four 2.6 mile laps. I've completed a 3 mile time trial in 31 minutes. I figure I can do a leisure 2.6 miles in 45 minutes and call it good. I'd found 3 folks to do the relay with me, Neil, Lise, and Janelle. Janelle has had a family emergency so we'll either do only 3 laps, have Neil or Lise do two laps, or find someone on the beach interested in doing a lap. I realize that I cannot do the first lap, I'd over do it trying to keep up with everyone else. And I cannot do the final lap, I'd try to finish hard since it's the end of the race. So, I am relegated to one of the middle laps. Sigh, at least it's paddling. And the quicker I'm off the water to sooner I can get a bowl of Bren's Chicken Long Rice!!!

To help kill some time before I can paddle again I voted today! I hope you have either filled out and sent in your absentee ballot or have figured out how you plan to vote so you are ready when you go to your polling location.

What does a VP do?

A kid named Damon Weaver from Florida had a chance to speak with Joe Biden when he was stumping in Palm Beach. Biden gave a nice easy to understand explanation for what the VP does.




And this was just funny.


more animals

This too.


see Sarah Palin pictures

Some Politics

The first video explains how a US President is elected in simple terms. It is finally understandable but it still doesn't make sense, not in this day and age anyway.



The second video isn't Joe the Plumber it's Al the shoe salesman calculating how much he would save in taxes under Obama's tax plan.



A link to Calculate your tax cut under Obama's plan


I think Sarah Palin is a little confused regarding which mascot is for her team. And she's being blasted for her wardrobe, it's right up there with John Edwards $400 haircut!

Some of My Other Summer Sewing Projects

In addition to the flannel shorts I was sewing up a few other things this summer as well. I made a tank top out of some fabric the mother had designated for a nightgown. It really looks like nightgown fabric, too. It fit pretty well, but I gave it to someone that would likely wear it more often than I would. She didn't mind the pattern. I thought it was perfect to test out new patterns until I got the fit dialed in. I made a t-shirt out of it as well, gave it to the same person. I realize that I need to go to curved neckline rather than a v-neck. I can't seem to get the change of direction to work properly. Grumble.

I also inherited a number of silk shirts, all of lovely rich colors. There was one that seemed very simply designed. I traced it out on the pattern tracing paper I have and whipped up this purple flowered blouse. I think it's a rayon blend, so it drapes very fluidly, similar to silk. The collar turned out wider than I prefered, a bra strap tends to show much of the time. I made a second one (no pic, though) from a similar fabric, same purple but with larger less frequent flowers. The collar turned out better on the second one. I made a third from a cotton weave, it's a much stiffer fabric compared to the rayon blend. It doesn't drape nearly as nicely, but I love the pale turquoise color. It looks a lot like a hospital scrub top.

After I finished my pink ducky shorts I had some fabric left over. My neighbor has a four year old daughter so I offered to try and make some pants for her. I borrowed a pair of simple elastic waist pants and traced them out. I simplified the pattern by eliminating the side seam, leaving only the inseam of both legs and the front to back center seam. There can never be pockets this way, though. Went together pretty quickly. But they are the reason I finished my blue duck feets shorts so late. J was very funny about the pants. First she didn't want to try them on and then we couldn't get them off her to be finished and finally she tried to lock Llelo in her bedroom so he could stay for a sleepover. I took Llelo up with me for the fittings, Gus isn't so fond of kids, so he was happier staying in the apartment. She adores Llelo and he seems perfectly happy to flop down next to her for tummy rubs and ear scritches. She tries to play fetch with him as well, but it gets complicated since her dog wants to play with Llelo or get in on the fetching, too.

After our outrigger capsize drill the first weekend in Oct I was chatting with some of the ladies about gear for winter paddling. I offered to stitch up some fleece hats. I copied a hat I found in a lecture hall at UCSC, chemistry class, way back in 1984. And whipped up these in a little over an hour. I still need to sew up some neck warmers as well, next on my list of things to do. That and a fleece pullover. I'm a little nervous about putting in a zipper, though.
For $5 you, too can have your very own fleece hat or neck warmer made expressly for you by me. Oh, and I think I have a pretty lame expression on my face when I am photographing my creations.

Pajama Shorts

I have a fondness for rubber duckies. Of all the fabric my mother collected over the years there are some pieces that she definitely bought with me in mind. Among them was a piece of cotton flannel, dark blue with bright yellow duck feets. Somehow I just knew that fabric wasn't going to be used on a new vest for my brother. About seven months before she passed Gus and I took a road trip out to visit. She sent me home with that piece of fabric and her old Singer Slant-O-Matic. As near as I can figure she got that machine around 1960. I remember her teaching me to thread and use that machine so very long ago. She also gave me a pattern for boxer-style shorts, the type I like to sleep in. I had all I needed to start sewing.

A local friend of mine, a sewing genius in my estimation, suggested I get a piece of fabric to practice on before cutting up the good stuff. I bought an old bed sheet at Value Village for $3 and proceeded to teach myself how to sew. After trying the pattern twice with some modifications to help refine the fit, to no avail, so I decided to ditch the pattern. I had an old pair that fit well but had been retired as they were rather threadbare. I got out my seam ripper and while watching a movie I deconstructed them. From those pieces I drew my own pattern. I also bought a piece of flannel so I could make sure I had it right before I cut the duckies.

Dang if they didn't turn out!!! The legs were, erm, generous if a bit short, but they fit. That was way back in Nov 2006. The seams were far from straight and I didn't know I needed to fold the fabric over twice to keep it from unraveling. The fabric wasn't duckies but it was cute, little starfishes.

Early summer I made another pair, a bit longer and legs not quite so wide this time. The seams were somewhat straighter and there was less unraveling. This print had little moons and stars. Turned out pretty well. In August I made my third successful pair. The flannel was awesome, small pink squares with little rubber duckies! I used a double needle and finally figured out how to roll the edges under for a more finished look.

Last weekend I decided I was finally ready, ready to cut the duckie fabric. I took a deep breath and began to cut, again modifying the pattern, a little longer this time. It was getting late Sunday evening, I just wanted to pin a couple of the seams. Then I thought, 'If I sew this one seam I can pin this other part'. Next thing I realized it was around midnight and I was nearly finished, very tired but I didn't didn't want to put it down with only the waistband to finish. At 1 am I had completed my, uh, masterpiece? I tried them on and they fit great. I thought they looked pretty good, too, but then I am partial to the duckies!

I think the mother would be pleased with how much sewing I've been doing. It was rough to get back into it after she passed, I think it took about a year. I know she was pleased to see my first pair of shorts. I had the chance to show her before she passed. I think I'm ready for the next generation: side seam pockets!