Knit Your Own USA Election Dolls

So Fiona Goble has released a new pattern just before the big US election, November 6, 2016, called Knit Your Own USA Election.

This is my Ravelry project page...Knit Your Own USA Election. I hope to have some pictures up soon.



This work by Cora Shaw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

I don't often write about very personal things in my life but if one family is spared the pain that we have gone through its will be worth it!

Addiction is an insidious disease. It doesn't discriminate. I lived with an addict many moons ago and had decided I would not ever go through that again. When my ex-spouse wasn't using he was the most kind, caring and loving man. The cocaine took that away. He was violent when on cocaine. He was scary on it actually. It was like he was a completely different person. I spent YEARS looking behind my shoulder. I didn't even allow interviews or cameras around my children. I was so scared that he would find us.

I had left him once but went back as he was attending counselling. Within 6 months he was back on cocaine and turning to violence again. It was more difficult to leave but with help I was working on getting away. Unfortunately, he was still on the daycare pick up list for my daughter and he had picked her up. A friend of mine came with me to see if I could take her....nope was thrown into the elevator where I ended up with broken ribs and a badly bruised kidney (not good for a renal patient). I went down to the office to have the clerk call 911...he refused. So we found a phone booth to call from. The police showed up....finally

Six big and burly police officers were able to retrieve my daughter. I was taken to an emergency shelter then to the hospital to have my injuries assessed. It was at this point I vowed I NEVER, EVER  be in the same situation. This was 28 yrs ago.

So in 2001, I moved locations and I'm happy. I left a place I loved but my son and I needed a new start. My daughter was living with her father and my oldest boy was with a family that loved him very much. I was working and had attended school. I had a job I enjoyed and things were ok. Although my son had some struggles with school here. A few years back, he ended up living with his grandparents.

I had a couple of relationships that didn't workout in the meantime. So in 2005 I decided I need to make some changes. this was right around the time that my boy went to live with his grandparents. I had tried sobriety before but I ended up drinking after several years of not drinking. I wont say sober as I hadn't done any changes to mysel that brought me to where I was drinking alcoholically.

What helped was that I had met a man who offered me a place to live and companionship, but most of all he offered unconditional love and support. He took me to where I needed to deal with my demons. He understood me. Something that I had not seen in others. We ended up getting married.

And this is where things get rough. He has 3 kids; 2 girls and a boy. We joked around about being the Brady Bunch as I had 3 kids; 2 boys and a girl. Both of our oldest kids are the same age separated by a few months. Also the 2 oldest kids have kids of their own, again both the same age.

So my husband has always struggled with his son. Turns out he's been on drugs; cocaine and methamphetamine as well as alcohol. after burning bridges with part of the family he lived on the streets and shelters. He's a con artist trough and through. hard to tel what is true with him.

Well fast forward to May. He needed a place to stay. He was working and he was dealing with his addiction, so we thought ok. I needed companionship as it lonely being so sick. I,m in end stage renal failure and on dialysis. I made the mistake  of asking my step-son to go get some groceries from the store. I gave him my debit card and pin as I had been recovery from peritonitis which really tires me out.

However I had no idea that he would actually start stealing from us. I found out last Thursday that he had been taking my debit card out of my purse. I take a sleeping pill which makes me sleep soundly. Renal patients have issues with insomnia usually due to pain or to a noisy cycler....that thing can be loud! In the meantime we've also discovered that he had stolen and pawned some of our expensive items.

So with the blessing of my husband and his ex-wife, I moved forward on laying charges. I have sent a written statement as well as what evidence we have found connected to the thefts. While going through his room we discovered needles and caps (nothing like getting an education in how to use street drugs....shudder) There was plenty of empty booze bottles and beer cans. He was also smoking in the house. He was driving drunk and, apparently with a drivers licence as well.

I did end up getting an Emergency Protection Order as he has made threats to come to the house and kick the door in as well as send Hell's Angels to our door. I just needed to get this out of my head.

Sorry for the long post.

This work by Cora Shaw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

Edmonton police carrying out active shooter training exercise Wednesday

I am fuming! I came across this article on Facebook this morning at around 7:53 am.

Cora Shaw commented on her own post. Oct 19, 2016 7:53am

Edmonton police carrying out active shooter training exercise Wednesday glbn.ca Thank you. Man they really need to give more warning than this. Started at 5:30, just happened to wake up because of Leo. Otherwise I wouldn't have known.

The Active Shooters training started at 5:30 am. This was the first I had heard about it. EPS is doing the training in the following areas:

• Rogers Place (downtown 104 ave between 101 street and 104 st)
• City Hall ( down the street from Rogers Place)
• Commonwealth Stadium

I understand that the training needs to be done but we also need to look at who is in the community. We have the homeless that use services in the downtown core near Rogers Place as well as close to City Hall. there are a numer of office towers in the area, as well as a City Centre Mall. 

Also a lot of refugees have made their homes in the communities surround the areas that have the train happening. Most of these refugees have come from war torn countries, so often they are dealing with PTSD and other issues stemming from being in war. 

From 

Edmonton PoliceVerified account

@edmontonpolice

Edmonton Police ‏@edmontonpolice  2h

2 hours ago

Reminder: #EPS is running active shooter training today @RogersPlace , City Hall & Commonwealth Stadium until 2:30pm. Avoid the areas. #yeg

0 replies70 retweets12 likes

 

 

 

1. Edmonton Police ‏@edmontonpolice  4h4 hours ago

   EMS, EFD & security will also be present in the areas. You may hear loud bangs & shouting. Do NOT call 911, as EPS will be on location. #yeg

   0 replies41 retweets17 likes

    

    

    
2. Edmonton Police ‏@edmontonpolice  4h4 hours ago

   #EPS is running active shooter training today @RogersPlace, City Hall & Commonwealth Stadium until 2:30pm. Avoid the training areas. #yeg

   0 replies91 retweets33 likes

    

    
3. 
    

Not alot of warning, with the first post being at 5:00 am. They ask that you do not call 911 however not everyone is on social media. Global did a story but it actually wasn't on the morning news when I turned it on at 7 (when I woke up).

Ok, I get City Hall, I don't understand why Commonwealth Stadium or Rogers Place. If we have an active shooter in the city, it would make sense to protect the Alberta Legislature or Refinery Row, especially if terror related. Even City Centre Mall makes sense as it is accessible to the public.

I will be writing a letter to the Police Commission as to voice my concerns on this and how it has been approached.


This work by Cora Shaw is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.

CeeCee Remembers Joplin

Back in 2011, Joplin survived through a devastating tornadao. AFB Page was

Elephants Remember Jopolin

Well this was a tweet post on Ty Pennington's Twitter Account...

CeeCee auctioned a crocheted elephant for my @PencilsofPromis team: http://t.co/KoaJn0t8hK Remember @extremehome Joplin? Awesome. Thanx!
— Ty Pennington (@typennington) February 27, 2014

How cool is that! If you want to help CeeCee knit or crochet some Elephants patterns are available here:

 
Elephant Pattern

Check out the FB page and see what you think.

8 Afghans to Crochet....along with pillows and slippers/

Staying cozy by the fire this winter is top priority in our books! Try these super cozy afghans and use your extra yarn to make pillowsand slippers to match!

Fireside Afghans
Brown and Gray Lapghan The Lodge Look Afghan S'mores Ripple Faux Shearling Throw Cozy Crochet Cable Throw Highland Home Afghan Bargello Throw Printable Cuddly Sleeved Afghan
Pillows and Slippers
Ruffle Rose Pillow Crochet Zig Zag Pilow Fantastic Fox Pillow Striped Patio Pillows Let It Snow Pillow Sixty Minute Slippers Women's Loafers

Are you over 55...or do you have a loved one who is? Then you'd better take a close look at this from our sponsor! It's All Free For Seniors!

Every year Uncle Sam gives away hundreds of millions of dollars in cash, goods, and services to people just like you. All this free stuff however, is perhaps one of America's best kept secrets. Now, an amazing new book entitled "Free for Seniors" reveals thousands of sources of these fabulous freebies that are yours for the asking. Read more details from our sponsor here...

Happy Crocheting,

Editor of Laying It All Out

Found this really cool Checkerboard Textures Afghan CAL with Red Heart

Checkerboard Afghan CAL with Red Heart

Introduction to the Checkerboard Textures Afghan CAL

Cross-Stitched Square

Granny Square

Back Loops Square

 

I fiubd some amazing Fingerless Gloves on Ravelry, all by the same designer, ironically!

First up is ------> Winding Mitts by Sybil R

Second up is ------> Circle Mitts by Sybil R  

Third up is ------> Hexagon Mitts by Sybil R

Third up is ------> Zimtstern Mitts by Sybil R

Check out her other designs here: -----> Sybil R on Ravelry

Another rant on Copyright...ugh!

As you know, I am a moderator for the Ravelry group, Alan Dart. So periodically I get emails from Alan re: copyright issues. Last summer I got an email regarding a new children's book called Mouseton Abbey. They also have a FB pg. So the issue is that the characters are knit and the women that knit them used Alan Darts mice patterns, more than likely his Dickensian Party Mice or his 

Medieval Mice. On the FB pg it was finally acknowledged that the mice were knit from Alan's patterns, however now they are saying they are going to release a pattern book of the mice...ugh!

Oh and to top it off...this is a play on the popular tv show Downton Abbey...copyright infringement there as well!