Undo

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Those avid scrapbookers among you (Christy) are intimately familiar with the wonderful substance known as Un-du. Un-du is an adhesive remover which allows one to losen and remove stickers, tape and glue from paper products without damaging the photographs or documents.  I’ve rescued very old pictures from sticky photo albums and even removed postage stamps from childrens’ art work using Un-du.  I have decided to undo some things in my life lately, but as Un-du will not work I’ve resorted to other methods.

First, the tank top.  I LOVE the color of this cotton and a really, really want to have the tank top for me (selfish, isn’t it).  After spending a night of tossing, turning and pondering a solution was conceived.  I’d simply let out the side seams, and knit some side panels in between the front and back pieces.  The diamond pattern used for the front would be too wide for what I needed, so the left-leaning net stitches used to form the diamonds was chosen. The results looked like this.

An additional three inches was added to the overall width of the tank top, giving it much more room.  I actually like to breathe while dressed, thank you very much.  Anyway, did a happy dance in my new tank all of the way back to the bathroom.  Then I saw the mirror and decided that I just didn’t like it.  At all. So, I did what any self-respecting knitter would do, or rather undo, and I frogged the sucker.

This weekend my friend, Karen, posted a very old picture on her blog.  I’ve never liked pictures because I’ve always hated the way I look. But looking at this one made me realize just how out of shape and gelatinous I’ve become over the years. At least then I was slim. Now my stomach resembles bread dough and I’d worry about starting a friction fire with my thighs if I walked in corduroy pants.  After spending 24 depressing hours wallowing in misery I decided enough is enough.  It’s time to undo years of neglect. I started exercising this morning and I’m going to cut back on the starch and sweets. This won’t be a quick fix and I’m not expecting to look 21 again.  My end goal is to feel healthy again.

On Sunday the family took a drive through the Ridgefield Bird Santuary. While there we were treated to views of blue herons, assorted species of ducklings, geese and lots of non-fowl residents as well.  This little fellow looked quite comfortable in a knot hole of the bird blind.

And speaking of things to undo, we saw dozens of these fellows.

My middle daughter spotted the first one.  It was too small to be a beaver and it had a long, thin, hair-covered tail.  Obviously it belongs to the rodent family, but it wasn’t an otter or a mink. They dotted the channel banks throughout the refuge and we saw several juveniles as well as the full-sized ones.  Later inquiries revealed that the mystery creatures are called nutria.  Many websites have expressed the same facts and opinions regarding these rodents.  They were imported from South America in the 1930’s and sold to people to raise for their fur.  The nutria either escaped or were turned loose into the countryside where, having no natural predators, they took off like gangbusters.  They wreak havoc along the Gulf Coast states and they are not well-though of.  A morning discussion with my mom revealed that these animals also damage the cranberry bogs, by burrowing into the edges of the irrigation ditches, sumps, etc.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe these creatures are responsible for global warming, will be the demise of our civilization or other such extremes. I doubt that we’ll have to build thousands of miles of fences to control them like the Australians did with the rabbits. However, I do question the lack of forethought by those who imported these animals many years ago.  In the words of Ron White, “You can’t fix stupid.”

Time to go undo some of the dirty laundry. Hope you all have a marvelous Monday.

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