Train Riley

The SCS Challenge of the Day was a sketch challenge and I used a new Riley that Hanna Stamps recently released, Riley the Train Conductor. I can't tell you how much I wish I had this stamp when my boys were little and into Thomas the Tank Engine. Riley is so cute in all that he does. I used acetate that was run through the Cuttlebug and embossed for the background and the colorful papers are from a Basic Grey pack.

I had knitting class today and I had to admit that the sweater I am knitting will not be anywhere near finished by the end of class. It is a cardigan and I am a very slow knitter, so this might take me forever, or just feel like forever. I do like the sweater, so I am committed to seeing it finished. I had an odd conversation at class, though.

Another lady in class, a freindly Grandma,was talking about her granddaughter who lives in Sierra Leone, Africa. Turns out her daughter is a Defense Lawyer for the UN and is currently assigned to the case of Charles Taylor. Taylor is one bad dude. He led a revolution in Liberia and had many people murdered at his command, mainly anyone who opposed him. There is a special court convened to hear his case at The Hague and he faces 11 counts of international violations, including recruiting child soldiers. As much as I believe him to be GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY, if the guilty can't get fair trials, there isn't much hope for the innocent. So, while I hope his defense attorneys do their best, I hope they are not good enough to get him a clean slate.

Whew. Who knew you'd get a dose of African politics here today? I am currently very near the end of reading "Long Way Gone" by Ishmael Beah, a child soldier in Sierra Leone, so this subject I actually know just a tiny bit of a one sided viewpoint about. My friend Maria loaned me the book and now I feel like I need to keep my ears open. Reading this and talking about Taylor in knitting class is an odd coincidence. I will have to keep my eyes open for more on these subjects as I feel I must be gearing and reading about all of this for some reason.