It's Friday and there's still no tiara. In the immortal words of my friend Caryn - "what a suck!"

At least I will have plenty of free time this weekend to look for a new one. Ryan has plenty of thesis work to do, since he's getting down to the wire now. I'll probably head out early tomorrow to try and beat the crowds and the rain. Sunday looks like a great knitting day, given the crappy weather forecast.

I finished the front of the second bridesmaid top, and sewed the shoulders together. Just need to pick up and knit the neck and shoulder edging, and sew the side seams and then I can cast on for #3! Woo-ee!

For all you who wondered if I was innovative or crazy when I decided on this project, the answer is both, leaning towards crazy.

I've been having so much trouble sleeping lately. Not falling asleep, but staying asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night, and then by around 6 or 6:30 a.m., I can't sleep anymore. Mostly I wake up with my head spinning from the things I need to do that day, or in general. I've got a "to-do" list a mile long, and plenty going on at work, too. Add to that the gym 4 times a week (my goal - which I am proud to say I usually achieve) and the occasional social obligation, and I think it's entirely possible that one day I will wake up with flames coming out my ears.

And now on top of that, I think I did something particularly dumb. I think I threw out my tiara by accident. I can't find it at my office, where I last had it because I had brought it veil shopping with me. It was wrapped in a plastic bag, and I think I may have tossed it last week. I'm not going to go completely nuts yet, but after I methodically tear apart my office today, I probably will be convinced that it's gone. I can't for the life of me remember bringing it home, though I have looked around here anyway. Oy. Everything was fine until last week - then I think my brain imploded.

Maybe it's because I realized there are 81 days left 'til W-Day. And there's a war on, which probably won't be over by then. That's comforting. I wonder if people won't want to fly? I hope that won't happen, but I did put information for traveling by Amtrak on the travel information sheet we're putting in the invitations.

I'm halfway through the armhole on the front of the second bridesmaid top. I may be able to finish it tonight, depending when I get out of work. I'm going to go to the gym, have a snack, and park myself on the sofa with the knitting and the kitties. But first, there's a whole work day to get through. Better go get dressed for it.

It's National Orange Day and I am actually wearing orange! I even brought an orange with my lunch, though that was purely coincidental.

I know I haven't posted in a week and a lot has happened. Is it possible that this war has actually rendered me speechless? Not quite. But I haven't quite known what to say, and have felt like anything I have to say has been said by so many people already. But I will do so now anyway.

I was not happy about the prospect of this war. I am no fan of George W. Bush, and I don't have the greatest confidence in his leadership. I do, however, believe that Saddam Hussein is violating the terms of the UN resolutions, and is a danger to at least the U.S. and his own people. But the thought of the U.S. going in there, bombing and killing without an overt provocation really made me stomach turn.

Of course, now we've done it, and there's not much choice. I still wish that diplomacy had worked. I still believe that with another president - one who was more interested in making progress than tough-talking sound bites - it could have worked. Unfortunately, that's not who is in power, so we are at war. And since we are at war, I have to support our troops 100% and hope that the incredible military machine we have built will prove successful. The shorter this war, the fewer lives will be lost, on both sides.

So that is where I stand - I will be tying yellow ribbons, even as I lament that we are at war at all.