ARE WE THERE YET?

Only two blue flowers added last night, but I'm determined to finish this piece before the weekend. It's still very lovely to do...the variety of the stitches, as well as the linen makes it a treat (and not a chore). I think I can probably finish this up tonight or tomorrow if I put some serious time into it. Then it's on to hearts for Valentine's Day!

I'm still tweaking the 'ol rotation. I haven't driven myself nuts over my WIP's for a while now, so maybe I should just keep on keeping on and enjoy it while it lasts. I really don't have any specific need to finish anything in particular, but I know that I will be jonesing for a finish pretty soon, so I better hop to it.

That's about it on the stitchy front. We're rainy and dreary today, so this might be a great Happy Chair day...stay tuned!

****WARNING*****

What follows is the result of a very long and sleepless night in which our heroine contemplated life and its meaning and whether or not she should keep her big fat mouth shut. If you would prefer to think of me as a cardigan-wearing, sensible shoe-buying bespeckled little Spinster who has bluebirds flying about her, then please continue to do so and stop reading now.

If, however, you will indulge me, I figure I can do whatever the h-e-double-toothpicks I want to on this here blog, so I'm going to get it out before my head explodes.

As I'm sure you've gathered by now, I am the most tolerant and open minded person on the planet. Quite frankly, I could care less what the heck anybody else wants to do with their lives, because I am too busy trying to figure out my own. But when it comes to the world's defenseless....those that cannot speak or advocate or help themselves, I pretty much have a zero tolerance policy for stupidity. I will, in short, go to the mattresses when I think somebody has exploited or hurt an animal, a child, a person with disabilities, an older person, or anybody else who just needs a little help every now and then to make it through. Being able-bodied or able-minded and stupid does not qualify you for my help. Being in need of respect, dignity, or a ride to the dry cleaners will get me every time.

Now as for this "situation" with Ms. Suleman....please understand that I think bringing a child into the world and then raising it up into a fully-realized person is one of the most noble pursuits on the planet. I am not a mother. I have never had children. But I know delusional when I see it and I think I have the right to express my opinion that this woman should be prosecuted for neglect. And, I think that these 14 children should be placed in protective custody with families that have the financial, emotional, and physical wherewithal to support them properly. I'm sorry, but the answer of "I'm going to be present for them" is simply not adequate to the questions: How are you going to support these kids? Pay the mortgage? Provide them with health and dental insurance? How will you feed them? How are you going to transport them? How are you going to pay the light bill, or more importantly, the grocery bill, which will certainly be enormous. Do you really think that "working once you've completed your studies in a year and a half" is a good plan? And how long do you think it will take to pay off the $50K in student loan bills and the million-dollar plus hospital bills? You're going to move into a bigger house? How? And why, in God's name, do you need a publicist?! Why don't you just tell the truth and confess that you will support these children with the proceeds from your book, movie of the week deal, talk show appearances, and any other shenanigans you've cooked up. Why don't you just look the world in the eye and tell them that you knew exactly what you were doing and that you knew the world would come running with diapers and lotion and contracts that will allow you to spend as much time on camera as your little heart desires? (Man, that was harsh, wasn't it? Even for me...)

YES! I know that children are a gift from God, and I am the first one in line to defend and support anyone who has a calling to birth and raise a large family. I do not begrudge anybody the opportunity to do so, but I think that somebody has to be an advocate for children (since they can't advocate for themselves), and ask the hard questions and make sure there's a plan in place BEFORE the stork comes along. And the idea that a seven-year old sibling will just have to get over it because "life isn't fair" doesn't exactly make me sleep at night. And YES! I watch the Duggar family and am fascinated by them, but I also note that the Duggar family is a self-sufficient tax-paying, home-schooling, property-owning family who lives according to their religious principles. They also are debt free and live in a home that is filled with order, love, discipline, and a sense of community.

I'm pretty sure that God is in the process of writing the following letter to us (I don't have visions or anything like that, and I'm pretty sure I would have no clue as to how one speaks in tongues, but here goes). And I know you'll forgive me for going completely off topic at the end, but once I start twirling around in a rant it's best to just let me go until I tire myself out:

Hi Everybody, God here.
I'm sure you'll forgive me if I'm up here shaking my head and muttering to myself. I have to say, you people sure know how to screw stuff up! I give you the gift of being able to reproduce and y'all go out there and fool around with it. Don't tell me that if I didn't want you to use it I wouldn't have inspired the science behind fertility, etc. I did that because I'm a big fan of science generally and I figured you would know how to properly handle it. Silly me. And as for all of the other crap that you're throwing around down there like war and famine and genocide, well I have to tell you that I'm not one bit happy about that either. And this OctoMom thing, the economy, steroids in baseball, and all of the other stupid stuff that hits the paper in the morning is also a colossal pain in my holy a**. Stop it. Get a clue and wake the hell up already. I won't even go there when it comes to the environment or global warming, or all of the other stuff you do to mess with my universe. Suffice it to say that there's only so much crap you can mess with before it all comes tumbling down. And no amount of fretting will fix it. So that's it, kids. Pay attention. Look out for one another, will you? And use the sense that I gave you to quit playing around and get on with it. OK?
Love,
God
P.S. You're welcome for Sullenberger, by the way.

Thank you, kind and dear readers for indulging me. If I've offended, p****ed off, or saddened anybody out there, I am truly sorry. Come back tomorrow. It will be better. I promise.