*SCREAM*

And a heartfelt scream it was! The last couple of weeks have been so crammed full of homework and projects for school, and the only time I touched the computer was to do said homework. Otherwise I stayed as faaaarrrrr away as possible from it.

Easter was so great at my mom and dad's - I love getting together with the whole family, seeing my sisters and and brothers and all the kids running around. Sometimes I like to just sit back quietly and listen to the raucous laughter and chatter. There's no way you can NOT laugh along, or at least grin stupidly.

Many years ago, we would go to my Gramma E's house at Christmas and Thanksgiving (and other times too) in a little town in central Illinois. Another laughing, loving family, full of tales to tell and retell. The adults would usually congregate in the kitchen after the dinner and dishes were finished, and we'd exchanged our gifts... and us kids would entertain ourselves. Gramma's tree was always cool to look at. She had old glass ornaments and very old candle-shaped lights that had a racing effect up the candlepart. I don't know if that's right, but that's how I remember it. Gramma's house didn't have real solid doors in most of the doorways - they were arched with very thick walls, and heavy blue curtains hung on a small rod at each door. A few times I'd be really tired, and I would go into Gramma's bedroom, where all the coats and wraps were piled, and crawl under that pile. I loved the weight, I loved the scent of her room, and I loved listening to the muffled voices of the adults sitting around the kitchen table telling the same tales they had told year after year. It seemed a very safe place to be - almost cavelike.

Today my production/operations management class toured the Briggs and Stratton plant in Poplar Bluff. It was fantastic - excellent tour guides, plenty of information (which is good when you have to write a paper about the trip...). I carpooled with my class partner, and was able to get several rounds of knitting done on the Kerry Blue shawl. I have less than 20 rounds to go, and the last one was over 500 stitches. I love the pattern though, and the color is very rich. I'm very pleased with the yarn too.... in fact, I think I'll get back to it right now. :)

Hi Patty and Rebecca!!! :P