Ron just told me that Hurricane Katrina evacuees were responsible for 1 murder out of 4 in Houston last year. Whoa! This year, they're responsible for 1 out of 10. They were about 3% of our population at their peak. Hm. Most are wonderful, law-abiding people who want to live peaceful lives but the other ones are really making them all look like a bunch of wild thugs.

Today I got my lace shawl patterns from Blackberry Ridge http://www.blackberry-ridge.com/index.htm. I also got a gansey (textured sweater) pattern as well. Fast shipping, only 2 days, and gloriously detailed patterns. The "easy" lace charts have me fairly baffled and stupid-feeling but I'm sure I'll figure it out when I'm ready. For now, it's nice to file them away in my organizer notebook and just admire the artistry in the color photographs. They're very inspiring.

I got 2 cards from Mom and Dad, one addressed to me, one to "us". I put the "Me" with my "Bacon" (Ron's gift) to open Saturday, and we'll open the "Us" on Sunday.

Speaking of hurricanes, it looks like we might have another "thing" in the Gulf, but God's holding off for a couple days. Good! Hurricane Rita during my birthday in 04 was no fun.

I'm a little foggy today, it gets old but it's a price I have to pay. Ron asked me if I wanted to "go anywhere" for my birthday/anniversary but I said no. This weekend, Galveston (wonderful tourist stop) has their Harley-Davidson motorcycle rally - not really my scene! I went to the yarn shop yesterday and got some cute yarn (that Brown sheep in the cream really calls to me, but I don't know what it wants to be yet). I'm pretty indecisive.

I told Ron, I just want to go to Burger King tomorrow after work. I love their hamburgers and I can't think of anything else I'd enjoy more. I'm "supposed" to want a fancy steak dinner but I want BK. Saturday, I decided I want my low-carb spaghetti more than anything. I make it with ground and sliced sausage, sauteed in a big iron skillet. I prepare a box of Dreamfield's elbow noodles (Ron likes short noodles), open up a can of spaghetti sauce, and mix the sausage(s) and sauce, pour it over the noodles. Maybe make some low-carb garlic bread. MMMMMM. That is the most delicious-sounding meal I could eat! And leftovers!

I've been wanting to watch Resident Evil Apocalypse for a while. It's on TNT or something tonight at 8. So I'm happy. A good zombie movie.

Tomorrow we go to Walmart (to get my "fixin's" for the spaghetti), and then work (gotta check on the kids), and BK. Home.

I'm really trying to think, is there anything special I want to do, and I keep coming up with no. Huh. I can't decide if that's a good or bad thing.

When I started my Feather and Fan shawl (fall colors beast) I used a plastic circular needle. ICK. I graduated to a bamboo circular. Better, but slow. I had to drag at the stitches. Last night, I switched to my Knitpicks Options 32 inch circular - yeehaw! It's like knitting with a Lamborghini. The knitting just zooms along. I did drop a few stitches when I stuffed it into a bag but they were easy to get back.

I did some calculations and I'm looking at 80+ rows to go. It's enough to make me want to scream, cry, or stuff it in the closet for a while. For now, it's my carry-along but I'm sick of it.

Sounds like what I really want to do for my birthday/anniversary is put up my project for a while. Hm. If I do that, what will I have for my take-along project?

I've got to think about this.