Signed, sealed, delivered

That big graphic design project I've been working on for the past month or so? Just a little more effort and they'll be on their way.

The package arrived from the printer yesterday – and I really need to give a shout out to CatPrint for working closely with me and then expediting the shipping when there was a tiny glitch. I love when companies step up and take responsibility for a problem. They were able to get the order to me on the date I'd originally expected it.

I need to fold, seal, label, and stamp each newsletter, and take them to the post office. Then and only then will the job be done.

And then it's time to think about the next issue. The fun never stops.

There are a couple little things "wrong" with it – completely my fault – but nothing earth-shattering and easily correctible for the next piece. That almost always happens with a project like this. We'll work the bugs out as we move forward.

So. Coming soon! To a mailbox near you! That is, if you've subscribed … if you haven't, you can sign up here. Volume 1, Issue 3 mails in early August.

I'd love to chat a bit more … but I have some work to do!

Slammed.

When we last met, I was … oh I'd have to go back and read it to remember and seriously? I just don't have time.

I'm glad you have time to stop by today, though. Even if it's just for a minute. Which is about how much time I have.

My "busy-ness" is cyclical. Lately, and for the next month or so, it'll feel like I have a Real Job again. I have several design projects lined up, and the weather is mostly improving. I'll be ready to get the garden going just about the time the garden will be ready for me.

I love when it works out like that.

Thursday I was in the state capitol all day with a large gathering of Democratic women from around the state. It was our annual Lobby Day. The legislature is in session, and we're peddling our influence at least as hard as the right-to-lifers are. Except I think the RTL group has more money than we do.

Why is it we're still fighting the abortion fight again?

ANYWAY.

Yesterday I realized I had an afternoon meeting at which I needed to present a preliminary design. So I spent most of the morning working on that. And then the committee was spectacularly underwhelmed, so it's back to the drawing board on that project. So to speak.

No walking Thursday, unless you count walking all over the Capitol building (West Virginia's statehouse is truly a beautiful structure, inside and out). My husband and I two walks yesterday. We drove to our favorite little country road, but had to turn around at the half-mile mark. A live skunk nosing around a dead deer and a huge barking dog were signs, SIGNS, I tell you, that we should have walked at home.

So we did. One mile there and three miles here and I'm up to 60 miles for the month. Not where I want to be, but better than nothing.

Refrigerator update 
The model we wanted wasn't in stock and had to be ordered. In the meantime, I'm looking at the far-less-than-perfect situation of storing fresh food in the tiny dorm model in the garage/office as a fitness opportunity. Every time I need something from the little fridge I have to walk over to the garage and climb a flight of stairs. Needless to say I consolidate the trips as much as possible. But still … I'm running up and down stairs three or four times a day now.

I think we're going to bring the baby refrigerator over to the house today, though. My husband is less enthusiastic than I am about this exercise plan. The new refrigerator won't be delivered until March FOURTH. It has been … challenging … trying to keep leftovers to a minimum. We were surprised at how much food the baby fridge can store, but we don't want to add any extras if we can help it. Condiments, fresh vegetables, my husband's yogurt and a carton of milk are about all it can handle.

And now we're all caught up again. I hope you both have a more relaxing weekend than I'm going to. Looks like I'll get a little weight-training in carrying a refrigerator down a flight of stairs. And the old, broken one? It's going on the back porch for now.

I'm such a good little hillbilly. Heh.

A good day in the neighborhood

And by "neighborhood" I mean traditionally conservative Virginia, who just elected a Democrat for their next Governor.

If I drive just 14 miles south, I'm in the Commonwealth, in the reddest of the red part of the state. (Although, to be sure, the state is pretty red all over.) When I recently traveled to Blacksburg on those shopping trips, I passed way too many billboard-sized signs for Ken Cuccinelli, and far too few supporting Terry McAuliffe. And despite the good poll numbers for the Democrat, I was a little concerned.

And it looks as though I had good reason to be. The margin of victory was uncomfortably slim. What tipped the scales (you'll pardon my phraseology … this is, after all, somewhat of a weight-loss blog lately)?

Women.

Exit poll graphic from New York Times.

Virginia's current Republican governor and the candidate his party chose to replace him are front-and-center in the war on women, pushing for laws restricting reproductive rights. They cry for small government while standing at your bedroom door, making sure you're practicing the 'right' kind of intimacy. Both the governor and lieutenant governor candidates were backed by the Tea Party.

And Virginia's women sent them packing. Not with the big bang I would have liked. It looks like the vote was more against Cucinelli than for McAuliffe. But it was enough.

One of the signs I saw for McAuliffe proclaimed that "As governor, I never want another coal plant built." He's also strongly in favor of tough gun regulations. In his final debate, he said:

"Some people should not own guns." He then defended his gun control proposals, saying: "I don't care what grade I got from the NRA. [He got an "F."] I never want to see another Newtown or Aurora or Virginia Tech again."

Those are instant negatives in southwest Virginia, where God, guns and gays line up right alongside coal as hot-button issues. That McAuliffe stood by his principles says a lot for his character and conviction. Not so much for his political prowess, but WHATEVER. I love that he was honest and that it worked.

West Virginia's elected Democratic leaders aren't so gutsy. I only wish they were. Perhaps McAuliffe's example of speaking the truth and getting the votes will show Democrat candidates here in the Mountain State that there is support for more progressive positions. Congressional staffers count calls and letters; conservatives are more vocal than moderates or liberals.

Which makes me think of that John Lewis quote I had made into a t-shirt:

It's time. It's our time. Women matter and women vote. And when women vote, Democrats WIN.

Yesterday's rant took it out of me

Today, this morning, facing this screen, I've got nothing.

I predict that will change if I just keep on typing.

My husband's son and his family will be here tomorrow. My plan yesterday was to spend the day cleaning and toddler-proofing the house and spend the evening at the Democratic women's meeting. That way I could make some treats and grocery-shop today.

You know what they say about plans.

Tish Chafin poses with Miss Betty, one
of the hardest-working Democratic women
I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.

I got a call at 9:30 from a plugged-in Democratic woman who'd just learned that Tish Chafin, a candidate for WV Supreme Court Justice, was on her way to our county, and could I show up here and take her there and introduce her to them and …

Turns out I didn't have to be the shepherd, thank goodness. I'm not so great at that. But I suited up, showed up and took a lot of photos, some of which are on Facebook. If you tag and post a photo of a politician, it will be seen by a lot of people.

I got home in time to fix a simple supper ('cause you know that's really important for us ladies, having time to make dinner), then headed back to town for the evening meeting.

At which exactly seven women showed up.

I'm discouraged. Here we are, less than three weeks from a critical election, and I can't get a quorum to show up at a meeting. My husband didn't really help matters when he asked, upon my return, if I'd said or done anything to turn people away. That's been going through my mind ever since.

Have I? I'd like to think not. The last time we had good attendance was May. I blamed busy summer schedules on the lack of enthusiasm in June, July and August. September should have been back to normal, but it wasn't. And this month – with so little time left – well, I don't know what to think.

Thank goodness for the core group who do show up and get things done.

I announced we would not be meeting in November or December (traditionally we do not meet then), but that in January we would collect dues for 2013 and elect new officers. I'll let the new president set her own agenda. I'd like to be involved, but I sure don't want to be in charge.

Being a Democrat in West Virginia

It's hard, people. Trying to turn this state blue again is a MAJOR effort, probably impossible this election cycle when it comes to the Presidential race. Despite a majority of voters being registered Democrats, by a two-to-one margin, there's a lot of crossover and too many of them stay at home on election day.

Well, except for those who voted for that convicted felon during the primary. I wish they would have stayed home!

The upside to being a Democrat in West Virginia, and in particular being a Democratic woman, is getting to hang out for the weekend with a couple hundred like-minded souls who just can't wear enough blue. Blue shirts, blue hats, blue scarves, blue jewelry, blue, blue, blue, everywhere you looked.

It was fitting that the convention ended on Women's Equality Day, the day the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing a woman's right to vote was ratified. Republicans seem to be hell-bent on sending women back to their kitchens, barefoot and pregnant. Soon they'll be taking our right to vote away, as they are doing with young people, old people, black people and Hispanic people – most of the people who voted for President Obama in 2008. If they can't beat him fairly, they'll pass laws to suppress and disenfranchise and make it harder.

It doesn't matter how hard it is to vote. We have to do it anyway.

In West Virginia, the most important thing to do is give President Obama a couple more Democrats in the House of Representatives. My Congressman is a Democrat, but he's the only one left here. We're so small we only get three. Our Senators are both Dems, as is our Governor (one Senator and the Guv are decidedly moderate, too much so for my taste, but hey! We'll elect them and then pound them into submission!) It would be amazing if our state could help give the President the Congress he needs to really, truly do the job we elected him to do.

Am I fired up? Why, yes, yes I am. That's what happens at Democratic conventions.

I really wish I were headed for Charlotte the first week in September. If I got any more fired up, though, I might explode!

My hand knit bag and its contents brought $65 at the auction – not as much as I'd hoped, but the auctioneer started it way too low, so it's all his fault. Several women bid on it, and there was an exciting little back-and-forth flurry at the end, so that was fun. Now, though, it's time to campaign and make calls and try to convince folks around here that voting for Republicans is voting against their own interests.

Because believe me, we who live in Appalachia need a tax break more than the 1% do.

Thanks for reading … I'll be off the (blue) cloud and back to something resembling normal tomorrow.

Maybe.

A bit discouraged

I know it's summer and people are busy. I realize re-electing President Obama isn't everyone's cuppa, and his chances of winning West Virginia are zero and none. I get that time is limited and it's important to spend it wisely.

Last night was the monthly meeting of the local Democratic women's club, of which I am the Democratic woman in charge. In June, eight members came. Last month, only five. Last night, seven.

We haven't been able to vote on anything all summer. There are items to vote on and money to disperse. The election is less than three months from now. A handful of members can't be expected to plan and [wo]man fundraisers or events or receptions.

Our next event is a public screening of the HBO film Iron Jawed Angels. I'm going to try to make arrangements for a late September showing. Voter registration ends October 23 and early voting begins October 24, so airing it in September – NEXT MONTH – makes sense.

And apparently, if it is to be, it's up to me.

I feel strongly about making this happen, and the members who showed up last night all thought it was a great idea. One had seen it, said it was very powerful and definitely something we should do. And if more people had been at the meeting, I might have gotten more constructive input. More than, "Wow, what a great idea."

In order to show it without paying royalties on the film or rent on the venue, it has to

1. be shown for educational purposes [check]
2. have no admission charge [check]
3. be open to the public [check]

That leaves a lot of leeway as to what our group can do. I went to bed thinking about making post cards to put on each chair with future meeting dates printed on them. I woke up wondering if we should rent a popcorn machine. In between, I thought about publicity, inviting special guests, having a discussion period prior to or following the film, and more.

In other words, there was not much sleeping going on here at Chez Middle of Nowhere.

This election seems to be one in which women will make the difference. Fifty-one percent of voters are women, and Republicans seem to be hell-bent on selling us out. If you're a woman, or if you love a woman, how can you support a party who is against ALL abortion, even in the case of rape, incest or the life of the mother? (And if you're pro-life, doesn't the mother's life count?) Someone who voted against the Lilly Leadbetter Fair Pay Act. Someone who would, somehow, get rid of in vitro fertilization. (How is that possible?)

The film depicts what women went through – ridicule, imprisonment, torture – to secure the right to vote. I don't even have to see it to realize that my whiny little rant about lack of participation at a meeting is nothing compared to the original struggle to cast a ballot.

Thank you, Blogger, for that insight.

Look out, look out!

The spammers are coming!

Actually it was only one, but s/he left comments on two different posts. People like that should get a life.

So last night was pretty fun. Because I have a life! Heh. I went to the monthly meeting of our local county Democratic women's group. I'm the Democratic woman in charge of the group, and I'd invited a woman I met six years ago during a Congressional campaign to come talk with us about the upcoming Presidential race. She has a calm, even manner and has lots of experience with phone-banking and canvassing and registering voters. She actually QUIT HER JOB to work for Obama during his first campaign. She really inspired our group.

Members who have sent new-member post card invitations all got little treat bags like this one:

I was busy most of yesterday getting things ready for the meeting, and thus skipped the walk I usually take on Thursdays. But being busy means I'm not bored, and I eat more when I'm bored than when I'm busy. Except for a snack-sized peppermint patty. Or two.

As I was telling someone just this morning, event-planning is fun. I love finding ideas like the "mint" bag and putting my own spin on it. When I saw it on Pinterest, it was presented as a teacher-appreciation gift. I also made flyers (or is that fliers?) to solicit donations for a fund-raising walk for our state associations PAC (Political Action Committee). And a thank-you card for our speaker. And a salad and cookies to go with the Pizza Hut pizzas we had for dinner.

As I was also telling someone just this morning, it's always nice when the event is over!

Have a great weekend. Looks like stormy weather is headed our way – Mother Nature's way of telling me it's time to get out of the garden and clean my house!

4 more

Both of you know I'm kinda crafty. My favorite hands-on hobby is knitting, of course, but I also like sewing, making jewelry (although I don't wear much), and creating handmade books, cards and stationery. I came up with an idea for a fundraiser for our county Democratic women's group, and last night was a work party.

I demonstrated the various steps to complete one of the little pins we're making, and then let each member choose which job she wanted to do. 'Cause that's the democratic way. Heh.

It worked out surprisingly well. Some were better with scissors, some didn't mind getting their hands dirty (ModPodge was involved) and everyone seemed to have a good time.

It was good for me to get out of the house for an evening, to not think about the CRAP that is ever present in my real life. It was fun to just hang out with these decidedly non-crafty women and watch them take ownership of the project, solve problems, work together.

I learned from that two-hour meeting that I have to own what's going on and do what's right for me. I can't fix anyone else. I can't solve anyone's problems. I can't change the way things are into the way I want things to be. I need to back off  in order to gain some perspective.

In other words, I'm not in charge. Except for once a month, the third Thursday, for a Democratic women's meeting.

It was a crafty day, indeed

I ended up making 18 of the little square campaign buttons I showed you yesterday. I got them done fairly early in the day, and it rained all. day. long. so I wasn't able to walk outside. And, frankly, I decided a day off would do me good.

Knitters who give knitted gifts exhibit an odd behavior in the last few days before the holidays. If they've managed their time wisely, all their projects will be done, wrapped and shipped (or under the tree) well before the big day, and they will decide, with three days to go, that there's certainly enough time to knit another [hat/scarf/pair of mittens/pair of socks/bag/oven mitt/accessory of your choice] for [recipient]. All that extra time on their hands is burning a hole in their pockets, if you don't mind a mixed metaphor.

Well, I'm a knitter who wasn't knitting yesterday, but I was looking at a long afternoon and I was in a crafty mood. I decided just handing out campaign buttons wasn't enough, I had to present them. I set off  on the internets to find the perfect little do-it-yourself box.

Here's the one I found. There are lots more out there.

Turns out a pillow box is pretty darned easy to make, and it took exactly the right amount of time to make them. I just knew my cardstock stash would come in handy someday!

Our meeting last night was fun, and we added a couple of new members. Everyone is enthusiastic about the upcoming election, eager to work on fundraising projects and a membership drive and especially anxious for Democrats to take back the House of Representatives. Republicans, and especially the Tea Party faction, seem hell-bent on turning the clock back to the 1950s.

The fact that we as a group are, um, older (at 60 I think I'm the youngest) doesn't mean we won't be fighting for reproductive rights. We won't let everything we fought for 50 years ago be overturned by some whippersnapper of a man who has the financial backing of more men. It's not right, it's not fair and it's not going to happen.

Not if the Three Rivers Democratic Women have anything to say about it.

From pillow boxes to soap boxes: My, that was fun! Have a great weekend. Due to my commitment to post every day in February, I'll be here tomorrow. I hope you will be, too.

Wow, what a weekend

I'm a liberal Democrat, a progressive, and proud of it. It's hard to be a liberal Democrat in West Virginia, as you might well imagine. We used to be a solidly blue state. Now we're kinda purple, turning red, and it was certainly on the minds and hearts of those attending and speaking at the convention I went to this weekend to turn us back to blue.

I'm president of my county Democratic women's club, part of the WVFDW, and was attending my first state convention. We heard from Lena C. Taylor (D-WI) who, along with 13 of her colleagues, left the state of Wisconsin to prevent bad law from being railroaded through the legislature there. (It slowed the process, but the law was still passed.) We heard from many union organizers. West Virginia's former first lady, Gail Manchin, spoke, as did my Congressman's wife, Melinda Rahall, and the Congressman himself. (She gets top billing; she's a hoot!) West Virginia is having a special gubernatorial election October 4 (10/4, good buddy!) and Governor and Mrs. Tomblin came to fire up the crowd.

We elected officers, attended workshops (how to get young people more involved was a big one), networked – all the things you do at conventions. The mayor reminded us that what happens in Huntington stays in Huntington. Since the median age was probably the same as mine, not much was likely to happen. The fundraising auction, which netted more than $4000, was the raciest event of the weekend; a couple of the male Young Democrat representatives were auctioned off for a lunch date.

I was proud to learn that the president of the Young Democrats of America is a West Virginian and that the president of the National Federation of Democratic Women in 2013 will be a West Virginian. Perhaps West Virginia can again turn blue.

No knitting was done. Not a stitch. I sat beside and behind a couple women who were knitting during the business meeting, but I'd left my bag in my room and didn't feel like going back for it.

I walked two miles each day. Saturday I ventured outside, but Sunday I had to get it done early so I hopped on the hotel treadmill. One of you will be proud of me for hitting a couple of the Nautilus machines. I was grateful to be the only person in the workout room; you should have seen me trying to get on and off those contraptions!

I ate dessert at lunch Saturday but skipped the dessert reception at the banquet Saturday night. That was hard. Those desserts looked good, but I wasn't hungry and I was tired and it just felt more right to skip the evening festivities and head upstairs for a little football watching and some rest.

It was difficult to attend this event by myself. I'd planned to go with another of our local members, but she had a family emergency at the last minute and couldn't attend. It wasn't easy to meet new people, but I did it. I now have some new ideas for growing our group, and some new understanding of how important it is to elect Democrats, even if you think they're not quite as liberal as you'd like them to be.

It's a no-brainer, really. The alternative is to vote for a Republican, and we've seen what they've done to our country. Can we take it back? I sincerely hope so.

I'm sure I'll have more to say about this as time goes on. I may have to change the name of the blog again. (Knit. Run. Reap. Eat. Vote Democrat!)

Or maybe the color. Heh.

Three in a row

I walked three miles Saturday and Sunday mornings when I was out of town, and four miles yesterday morning. Yay, me!

Because Saturday was the one-year anniversary of my dad's death, I spent a lot of time thinking of him and the obesity legacy. And because the retreat happens only once a year, and I don't see any of the attendees during the interim, I thought, "How cool would it be if I came back next year at or near a healthy weight?"

The only way to do that, I decided, is to continue to eat healthful meals and to be consistent with exercise. (Not that it's worked before, but maybe this time will be different. Maybe if I sprinkle myself with glitter before I go for my walk. Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.)

Duh. (Current studies show that exercise isn't that helpful in losing weight. But it's so helpful in other health-related areas that I think it's a good idea to continue moving, especially as I get older. And I was going to link to one or two studies but I find too many that contradict each other. If diet and exercise work for you, keep doing it.)

In order to be consistent with exercise, I will, some days, need to get back on the elliptical. Thanks to audiobooks and podcasts, I don't think that will be as difficult as I pretend it is. Another weapon in my fitness arsenal is the still-broken rowing machine, which would take half an hour or less to repair.

And, of course, there's yoga and weight-training, two disciplines I really need to incorporate into my routine, but I seem to have a mental block about them. I have the necessary equipment, I just don't have the necessary attitude.

So. Something to work on.

Actually, lots to work on.

Knitting! I got quite a bit done on Jujuba over the weekend. I'm nearly at the point where I can split it for the neck shaping. Alas, I won't have it finished for next weekend. I'd hoped to have a new blue sweater to wear for the state Democratic women's convention. There's not much blue in my closet, but the convention theme is Women in Blue: We Believe. Ah, well, it'll be ready for next year.