Friday, January 19, 2007

A hodgepodge of knitting and bits of news ...


1. Moving right along with the Tube Scarf using Rowan's Kidsilk Haze ... love that yarn! And I finished the 3rd book in the series written by Maggie Sefton, Needled to Death. I see she has a forth one out called A Killer Stitch, but I'm going to wait for it to come out in paperback. All three books were fun to read. Took me awhile to read them tho, only because I've been reading only once I go to bed and some nights ... well I fall asleep pretty fast. But it wasn't the author's fault ... I just get up early, work all day, and knit whenever I get the chance so I'm pretty tired already when I get to bed. My next book for bedtime reading just got here today ... 'Knitting A novel'
I usually get paperback. This one is hardcover, but I only paid $1.59 for it. And BTW, the reviews were good.

2. And look what I got? Some goodies came in the mail yesterday! From Sock Porn. Aija asked if anyone was interested in receiving a booklet on a special sneak peek of the book, The Friday Night knitting Club by Kate Jacobs . I just had to leave her a comment and she'd send it out. Oh yah, I love to read and all the better if knitting is mentioned right? The "sneak peek" is a way to see what it's about a little before purchasing this book for my next "bedtime read" ... which I no doubt WILL get when it comes out in paperback I think.

BUT, the best part was the goodies, Aija (doesn't she have a unique & interesting name?) put into the envelope ... some samples of the markers she makes for her Etsy Store called ZeroMarkers. Check out her store ... the markers are beautiful! Made with fresh water pearls. Gee thanks, Aija. I just love them!! I bought markers for Christmas gifts for the grandchildren I'm teaching to knit this year ... so I'll keep Zero Markers in mind for next year so they can add to their collection. The ones that are still knitting by then, that is.


And now
for what's in the News ...


3. Check out the news link posted by Well behaved women rarely make history! (click on the Home Video once you get to the news page). If it isn't all the snow they're getting out West, it's the ICE and the accidents it's causing. Sorry guys!

4. And check out the Subway Knitter the Amazing CharlieCard Mitten, in today's Boston Globe!

Anyone not from around Boston might wonder why it's called a Charlie Card ... here's where the name came from ...

Back in 1959 The Kingston Trio had a major hit with the song Charlie on the MTA. But the name came from the song which was written years before The Kingston Trio as a political song/ad. (note: the MTA is now the MBTA) Below are the words to the song, but also check out the History page to get more insight on why the song was written in the first place.

(And check out the History on the song)

"Let me tell you the story
Of a man named Charlie
On a tragic and fateful day
He put ten cents in his pocket,
Kissed his wife and family
Went to ride on the MTA

Charlie handed in his dime
At the Kendall Square Station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain
When he got there the conductor told him,
"One more nickel."
Charlie could not get off that train.

Did he ever return,
No he never returned
And his fate is still unlearn'd
He may ride forever
'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.

Now all night long
Charlie rides through the tunnels
Crying, "What will become of me?
How can I afford to see
My sister in Chelsea
Or my cousin in Roxbury?"

Charlie's wife goes down
To the Scollay Square station
Every day at quarter past two
And through the open window
She hands Charlie a sandwich
As the train comes rumblin' through.

Now you citizens of Boston,
Don't you think it's a scandal
That the people have to pay and pay
Vote for Walter A. O'Brien
Fight the fare increase!
And fight the fare increase
Vote for George O'Brien!
Get poor Charlie off the MTA."

Chorus:
Or else he'll never return,
No he'll never return
And his fate will be unlearned
He may ride forever
'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man (Who's the man)
He's the man who never returned.
He's the man (Oh, the man)
He's the man who never returned.
He's the man who never returned

(I use to listen to the Kingston Trio along with Peter, Paul & Mary all the time back when I was 13/14 ... pre-Beatle years. Loved 'em!)

(Hope I haven't told you too much, LOL)

9 comments:

Dorothy said...

Subway Knitter is hosting a raffle for a custom made pair of her Charlie Card mitts. If you donate to Rosie's by clicking on her Paypal donate button, you get entered into a draw for a pair.

Kim said...

Awesome! Go Subway Knitter!

BTW, Rhonda, I was wondering since you got all of those kids knitting books - do you have a recommendation for a 7-year-old girl who wants to learn to knit? Also, should I teach her "right-handed" even if she is a lefty? I've seen lefty knitters report they knit righthanded, since it's a two-handed skill anyway.

JulieLoves2Knit said...

PP&M - my kids roll thier eyes when I play those albums - but they know every word!!

Susan said...

My parents played Peter, Paul & Mary when I was a youngster, we were in Australia at the time and I think they were bigger there than in the UK.

Oh I got the book by Louisa Harding on line, cheaper than I could have got it from the book shop!

I'm going to be doing son his gloves from it.

Pooch said...

Wow! We were listening to the same music at about the same age. So, I guess that does tell me something! hee-hee I loved the sound of what was then called "folk music"---maybe it still is. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Can you believe it? I still have a few 45 records from waaaay back then!!

:)

Anonymous said...

Yay for the Subway Knitter, that's really amazing! And hey, thanks so much for the trip down Memory Lane!

crissy said...

tha man who never returned :)))))))
now there is a song out of our past for sure
i am not much of a reader of books these days.still have to get through harry potters last two before the next one comes out .
butttt i sure do like the stitch counters. for ages i used the tiny white plastic ones about a year ago i ran into my first fancy ones and went on a mission to make my own. yep i sure do like the new kind :)
good to see you again.
hugs and love and tons of prayers from me crissy in alaska

Dove Knits said...

I loved that mitten! And what cute stitch markers.

Nadira said...

(swells with pride)
If you google "charlie on the MTA", the very first hit, before the wikipedia article, even, is my very own husband's treatise.
http://www.mit.edu/~jdreed/t/charlie.html
He even got to interview one of the lyricists.