I was 5 years old

when The Feminine Mystique was published, and I've never gotten around to reading it. I intend to correct that lapse this week. The Girlchild has expressed interest as well, so I'm going to pick it up today, as my own tribute to Betty Friedan. I've never read it, but it influenced my life just the same. I owe the security and peace of mind I have today as a woman on my own in no small measure to the ground broken by women like Friedan in the 60s, when I was too young to be aware. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to this woman, who articulated the issues of her generation of women and in doing so, helped change the future for their daughters.

That Damn Shawl is done, it's in the wash right now. I'm going to run it through the dryer until nearly dry, then stretch it out on my yoga mat (the only blocking location I can think of right now) until it's fully dry. Girlchild says it is nice. I figure it'll get used once or twice a year - I mean, what was I thinking with that eggplant color?

I didn't find anything I wanted at the NSLYS. I fear she's succumbed to the demands of the market, more of her stock has shifted to pricey "novelty" yarns, ribbons and rayons and the like. Shawls and belts and scarves were the talk of the day, and I didn't find anything suitable for charity knitting at all. I try to buy locally, I really do, but the two local shops don't have that much of of what I need. Both are also prone to chatty squatter syndrome, in which the proprietor has difficulty disengaging from the women who just hang out there running their mouths to actually take a special order for an infrequent customer. Then there's the having to go back to the shop to pick up a special order...so I shop online more than I'd like to, I'd love to support my LYS, but my time is worth money to me, too. If I can place an order online and that handsome guy in the brown shorts drops it off at my door a few days later it beats driving across town.

I think the next mindless movie project will be a baby blanket in Softball Cotton from the stash. I need to contemplate my next linen adventure for a bit. I'm leaning toward that Louet pattern, but Caroline had a good suggestion in my comments, and God knows I have a lot of patterns to choose from. Linen is floppy after washing so I'm leaning toward something unconstructed and loose, worn over a tank, but I have to think it over a bit more.

Yesterday I ran the streets, bought practically nothing, came home convinced shopping online is the only way to live. Today's mission is serious housework and the gym, and menu planning for the week. I'm giving the WW Flex plan another chance and upping my exercise. I considered switching to the Core plan, but realized that I am familiar enough with the principles of South Beach to design my own compromise diet. This week I will watch my portions and my points, and also focus my choices on low glycemic index lean proteins and vegetables. I need the flexibility - I eat with co-workers at least once a week and it's seldom diet-friendly. I just have to develop my own system for dealing with it.

After two days of torrential rain the sun will shine again today. Photos later.