What does your name mean? Mine means, Honest Truthful One. I think mostly I tend to live up to the meaning of my name, sometimes brutally so. But there are times that I shirk from the truth. There are times when it’s really hard to tell the truth. Especially when you know the truth will really hurt.

Maybe Honesty isn’t always the best policy. Is it better to destroy a relationship in the name of honesty or to preserve it in the name of… deceit? omission?

And while we’re talking about truthfulness, do you feel compelled to tell a person in a close relationship if you think they are doing something wrong or damaging? I think this is where it gets sticky. I think a good friend should be able to be honest with you without destroying the relationship. But I think that the risk a good friend takes is that just because they think you are doing something wrong, doesn’t mean that it’s actually wrong. And in that case, they damage or destroy the relationship and loose your trust.

What do you think?

(edit: Not to worry, nothing is going on, I’ve just been thinking about this for awhile.)

Dear people of who drive on my streets,
Please drive carefully. I know it is easy to think this, but you are not the only one on the road. Please watch for stop signs. You’re really supposed to stop at them. Especially if you are downtown, please stop. I see you running them everyday, but they really are there for a reason.

Please watch for red lights. You’re really supposed to stop for these too. Especially if you are an 18 wheeler, please stop, you almost killed my family yesterday. (We’re talking almost as in you missed them by mere feet.) I kind of like them and they kind of like me and we’d sort of like to stay together if that’s all the same to you. I know you are bigger than everything else, but really, the laws still do apply to you. It’s surprising, I know.

Please check your blind spot before changing lanes. You’re really supposed to do this, especially if you are a big fancy-pants SUV. I know this is an irksome task, but if you crash into my meager Honda, it will probably leave a dent in your big fancy-pants SUV. I like my meager Honda as-is and I’m willing to bet you like your big fancy-pants SUV the way it is too.

Please just be very careful in general. I know someday I’m going to die and someday you’re going to die too. I just don’t want it to be because you couldn’t stop when you really should have.

Sincerely,
Allison

I wrote the pattern for these mittens last week. I think it was a beautiful use of the new Malabrigo. I’m looking for a couple of people to test the pattern for me, so let me know if you’d be interested. (I’m also looking for someone to test the hooded scarf too.) Ok! I’m all set on test knitters, thanks!!

With me working full time while I get things running smoothly at the store, I’ve been experiencing all sorts of rotating emotions about not staying home with the kids. Mostly my emotions switch between enjoyment and guilt. I enjoy my time away from them. I enjoy being in a space that isn’t constantly being destroyed, a space that is quiet and peaceful. I enjoy the fact that I get to be anal about where things go, and those things actually stay where I left them.

But I also feel guilty. I feel guilty for leaving them, but I guess more than anything, I feel guilty because I enjoy not being a stay at home mom. I’ve always had such strong feelings about being a stay at home mom, that I look at myself now and know that four years ago, I would have judged my present self harshly. As I’ve eaten so many judgments thus far in my almost 25 years of living, I’ve come to view the verse in the bible, “Judge not lest you be judged.” differently. It’s more like, “Judge not lest you be judged by yourself.”

How many things have I stood up and loudly declared my opinion on, later to go the exact opposite direction? A lot. And I know that I’m going to do so on a lot more… How many people have I looked down my nose at, only to become that same person? And I wonder… will I remember this in the future? When there is someone just begging to be judged, will I be able to refrain? Or will I be eating my words once again?

In the meantime, I will hope that I am doing the right thing by my children. I know many people that would tell me that I am not, were I to ask them. And many people that would say that I’m finally not wasting my brain by staying home with them (gah!) but I guess, I’m the only one to decide that. And I wish that was something I realized four years ago when I was passing judgments on others for deciding/needing to work.

I don’t have a lot of time to write – the store opens in 5 minutes! I have to say, that while it wasn’t too terribly stressful or extra difficult, the month of July has been the LONGEST month of my life! But I am so pleased with what I accomplished.

Here is the store in all it’s glory, look here for the before pics. I’m still waiting on 3 shipments of yarn, some back orders, some more books and some patterns, but most everything is in.

(click any photo to see bigger)

We’re off to the last day of swimming lessons. The kids have done really well, Eden has even warmed up to her BOY teacher. Honor has mastered the “dunk” and today he’ll be dropped off the diving board (wearing a life jacket) to me waiting in the water below. I don’t expect that he’ll care much for that.

After lessons we’re going to have a picnic at the adjoining park and then go back to the pool to swim. Because I’ve been in Honor’s class with him, I haven’t been able to see much of what Eden has learned, so I’m looking forward to swimming with her and seeing how she has progressed.

Not a whole lot is new on the yarn store front, but things are all falling into place. Just a month to go until opening day. eek!

Here’s to a relaxing and LONG weekend!

I’m opening up a yarn store!

My boss at the store I’ve been working for has decided to close the store. And this just makes it the perfect opportunity for me to open up my own store. I will be staying in the same place (a block from the house baybee!) ordering in a whole new stock, and yeah… owning a yarn store. I’ve got things all worked out so the kids are only away from me for two days a week (like it is now) and I’ll still be at the store as much as I need to be. And of course this means FREE YARN. What could be better than that?

Needless to say, things have been crazy around here. I haven’t even looked at Bloglines for over a week. But everything is falling into place. I’m still a little scared, but mostly excited. I’ll have a lot more details to come, but in the meantime, I could use your help. I want to know:
What would your ideal yarn store be like?
What are some cool things you’ve seen your local yarn store do?
What are things you’ve disliked in a yarn store?
What is your favorite yarn? Your favorite needle? Favorite book/pattern?

eeee!!

THANKS!

Yeah, I’m not pregnant. Repeat, this has nothing to do with my uterus.

I’m sorry that I haven’t been here that much this week. There is a lot going on, and I’m busy doing, going and processing it all. We went swimming at the lake yesterday, the windiest day of the year. And tomorrow we’re going to head over the mountains to spend a couple days in Denver, or more importantly, the Apple store.

I’ve been knitting away on Ms. Marigold, and even though it’s on 5’s, it’s going really fast.

Busy is good… I just have to keep telling myself that.

xo

Please tell me about any stores you love (online or a physical location) that sells either handmade goods or something like a mom and pop bookstore. It can be anywhere in the world.

I’m helping a friend do some research for a book she has coming out in the fall.

THANKS!