Leap Year Day

February 29, 2008

In the English speaking world, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap year day. (Incidentally, years that are not leap years are called "common" years.) It has been suggested that the tradition was initiated by Saint Patrick or St. Brigid in the 5th century but the tradition did not really start before the 19th century so that is doubtful. There is a law on the books from 1288 that Queen Margaret of Scotland (who was then five?) required that a fine be paid if the man refused a proposal of marriage from a woman and it spelled out what the fines were including money, gowns, a kiss. Since this made the men feel very vulnerable the tradition was changed to being activated only on Leap Year Day.

"Steel Magnolias" opens tonight, a production by the City

Island Theater Group. A play with strong women roles

and I think Liz has probably found another excellent role

for herself. I hear that she disappears and Annelle takes

over which says a lot about Liz's talent. My role? Cutting out 448 tickets.




As far as the eye can see----


Monday was a beautiful day at Arlington Cemetery. It is such a sad but moving place. I started out at the National Museum of Women in the Military and found myself not wanting to leave. Sorry-I am not sure if that is the correct title of the women's memorial but you get the idea. They have a number of videos there and the one I was most fascinated by was the one done by the nurses from Viet Nam.

As I was leaving the JFK gravesite I noticed this small cross behind the memorial. Curious, I went back and checked it out. The gravesite of RFK. What a surprise. No markings, no nothing. Just sitting there below Lee Mansion. It has been that long since I was at Arlington.

The gardeners' forum that I agreed to be a moderator for went live this week. It has fun to be in this from the beginning with some input and watching it develop. If you are interested, check it out. You can get to it from Doug Green's garden website.

Progress on the "life sweater" is coming along. I started working on the back of it this week. So now the crewneck is done and the shoulders from the neckline to the tops of the arms. I have picked up stitches along the shoulder saddles and the collarline and am starting to knit down the back. I am incorporating three patterns with different numbers of rows into each line. It really is a pattern that has to be watched every single stitch. What is a "life sweater"? Just my own term for a sweater that I think it is going to take me my whole life to knit. Sorry it isn't anything more interesting than that, no great knitters' secret code.

I finished the book for our book chat. It ended up

not being as horrendous as it seemed to me in the

beginning. And Liz brought home a Janet Evanovich

book for me to read-a "between the numbers" book,

all the same crazy characters but not one of the more popular number series she writes. It is about a one or

two day read so I am almost finished with it.

I have come screaming into the 21st century with a new iTouch. i Touch, iPhone, iPod, MP3 players, what do I know? Well, now I know a little more. One thing I know for sure is that it sure is nice to just tap this screen and read my email. No more waiting for the computer to come on. I am anxious to learn how to transfer pictures and music to it and hopefully will get to all of that this week. Nick was kind enough to transfer my mail, calendar, etc. to it and get it up and

running. Thanks, Nick.

Another leap forward-a Christmas present. Talk about a a toy. There is also a definite learning curve with this Vac 'n Seal. Two bagels last week ended up about 1 inch thick. I have to learn what you vacuum, what you seal and what you get to vacuum and seal.

I'm learning so much this week. Vera Wang actually has a cut flower collection.

Break a leg, Liz!

And last, but not least, Sylvia in her own personal Vera Wang bridal veil.