Crying Shame

We finally found out how hard our school was hit after the failed school levy. It's not as bad as some of the others in the district but it's definitely not good. We lost the HIP HOP program for the whole district, which was an after school program that helps K-8 students with math, reading, writing and study skills. We lost our Para in the resource room, all of our library aides, 15% of the building budget (who knows what that will do, guess the kids will have to do without lights and heat for 20 minutes every day to save money), and our intervention specialist (she helps teachers with ideas for dealing with academically and behaviorally challenged kids.

Sadly, most who voted against the levy were doing so because they do not have kids in the school system and are on this no more taxes kick. It's one of the drawbacks to being in a town where there are a lot of empty nesters. Every year the cost of living goes up. Taxes and death are the two constants in this world. Do they really expect that the cost of running a school is going to stay the same? What freakin bubble world do these morons live in? See the levy would have raised property taxes around $15 per year for someone with a home valued at $100,000.....if I remember correctly. I know it was a small amount. $15 per year isn't much when you think about it. Hell one less trip to the casino would make up for that. That's 3 less trips to Starbucks for me. The school district was asking for a little shy of 1 million dollars. When you factor in that the school district is comprised of 15 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 2 high schools, I'd have to say that 1 million dollars is pretty damn reasonable. So instead of paying a little more each year on property taxes they voted no and now the kids are the ones paying for it. 24 teachers have lost their jobs, classroom sizes are going up, German language classes have been cut from Middle School and the kids are without the ability to recieve tutoring for free. What's next, band and art? Sure as hell won't be sports. It drives me crazy that schools put more priority on sports then actual education. 

Needless to say I'm sick of schools taking the beating from people who don't want to pay taxes. Watching these idiots in town with their picket signs for their tea party braggin about how they won because the levy was defeated and talking about doing away with our government and going back to a simpler Montana. One boob in town actually has a sign is his yard that says impeach Obama. Impeach him for what? That ignorance makes me laugh every time we drive by it. I swear our country's founding fathers have to be rolling in their grave with all the political BS going on right now. Never mind that some of these people who want to do away with our government completely, are now standing in the freebie line with their hands out for help from FEMA and the Red Cross because they had homes and property destroyed from all the flooding we've seen in this state. Oh shoot wait it's the presidents fault that we had heavy snowfall in the mountains this year or that it's been raining like crazy (gonna have to insert the sarcasm here and a few eyerolls since you can't see or hear me). Don't bitch about taxes and the federal government and then stand in the line to get help from said government when you need it. Talk about being hypocritical. 

Anyways, I could rant on and on about this place and the serious problems and lack of progression in this town but that would probably shoot my blood pressure through the roof. Instead I'll just move on to the knitting portion of the post which calms me and keeps me sane. Plus every city has it's problems so it's not as if Great Falls is any different then any other city in the US. Find me a perfect city and I shall flock to it when retirement hits in 1 year, 3 months. If not I'll be bloggin from Boise, ID and happy to be away from the messed up town.

I powered through my moms Rosalind shawl (ravelry)(non ravelry) so that she could take it home with her. 

The yarn is Dream in Color Baby and the colorway is Blue Sage purchased from TLE. I used 4mm megatamas from Earthfaire. DIC Baby is a really nice yarn but I'm really wishing I would have used a thicker yarn. Baby is more like a light finger weight yarn and the pattern called for fingering weight yarn that is on the heavier side. I'm thinking I should have gone with Smooshy instead. Oh well, I'll just have to make another shawl for mom. Maybe this time I will make one out of worsted weight yarn for those chilly days. 

I finished the dishrag made with Knit Picks Dishie.

I really enjoyed knitting with this yarn. It has great stitch definition and worked up beautifully with US 7 needles. It's been pressed into service and I'll report back after a few trips through the washer and dryer on how it's holding up. No bleeding in the dish water so that's good. I have a few dishrags using the Peaches and Cream and Sugar and Cream that still to this day bleed and they've been used countless times. 

Bree's socks are making great progress.

A few more trips into town and I'll have these babies done.  They actually have about two inches more on them since this photo was taken. My parents were here for a visit so the blog post got pushed back until after they left. I need to have Bree pick out a solid yarn for the next pair since they have a lace pattern and a fancy ruffle on them.

I'm joining in on Camp Loopy. It's my kind of camping. :) The yarn has been ordered so now I just need to sit back and patiently wait for the yarn to get here. I order Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in the Berry Pie Mix and Salt & Pepper colorways to knit Whippoorwill (ravelry).

On the gardening news front I planted 4 tomato plants. Two cherry tomatoes, one early girl and one big beef. Even with all the rain and lack of sun they are doing good. The cherry tomatoes each have one tiny green tomato and tons of blooms. The early girl and big beef still haven't shown any tomatoes yet but they are blooming quite well and some of those blooms have closed so I have a feeling I'll soon be seeing more green tomatoes. We're going to have sun for the next two days so I'm hoping that will help.

Happy Crafting!