better now

Hey thanks. I needed to vent. I feel much better now (of course the two beers I've had probably help a little bit, too).

Monday night means mahjong night at our friends house. Dugan and I are just hanging out waiting for everyone else to get here. I tend to come earlier than everyone else since I work close by and instead of going home and turning around shortly after arriving home and coming to their house. It just makes sense.

Jenn and Dugan are amazing people. I met Jenn when I worked downtown. She would come in, we would chat and we would feel that connection. I always wondered how to ask her to hang out (you know, without coming off like I wanted to date her). And then one day it just happened. I'm sure glad it did. One of my favorite memories of Dugan is shortly after I received the news about the spot the doctors found on my mom's lung (which turned out to be just some scar tissue) I came over to their house for dinner. I got up and was taking my bowl into the house (we were eating in their backyard watching a movie) he grabbed my bowl, handed it to Jenn and bear hugged me. I cried like never before.

The four of us (Kev, me and the two of them) get along really well. We couldn't have asked for better friends.

I love looking back to when we first moved here and thinking about how we had four people we knew. Now we have quite a family of friends.

Jenn, Dugan...thanks. Much love my friends. And that's me speaking, NOT the beer. :)

a rant

I have heard from friends that they like the direction my "voice" has gone when writing here. I used to be much more negative? Anyway, I'm going to revert for just a moment because if I don't get this out it will eat away at me and that's no good.

We at work are switching DSL providers. When the sales rep was here I was being booted off the wireless in the office. We had a lengthy conversation about it. It ended with her saying, "well, that won't be a problem when we make the switch."

Fast forward selector:

Today, the tech came out to do the switch. Well, it seems as though they do NOT have modems that are wireless, we have to provide our own wireless router. Now, I wish the rep would have TOLD me that I'd have to go out and buy one myself because you know what, I WOULD HAVE prior to today had I flipping known.

Instead, we have to go buy one, set up a new time for the tech to come back out and I refuse to make it at 8:00 AM again because you know when he showed? 8:30! That honestly is about half of my annoyance.

You see, the phone lines all converge into a building at the end of the block (the guy owns the whole block). So we have to be able to get into the toy store to access the phone lines to make the switch. The manager told me last week she'd be here at 8:00 today to let us in. Was she? NO. Not that it ended up mattering in the end. But still! What happened to doing the things you say you are going to do?!?!?

And now, I am going to drink my iced latte, listen to some soothing music and work on an ad that is due Friday.

Oh, and KC called this morning to ask if we could open the store as she had a rough night last night. Charles is my hero and said he'd take care of it. I should have bought him coffee this morning, but he said he was going to get his downtown (where we both agree, the coffee is better).

Yes, latte is calling.

good thing i didn't unpack

Normally when I get home from work I unpack my bag of the things I won't need on my day off, if we were to go anywhere. This would include my apron (I wear an apron at work, which the other employees laugh at, so that everything I might need is within reach at all times- phone, business cards, pen, etc), my large jar I use for water, the little container of almonds, you get the picture.

Last night, I did not unpack. Instead I came right in and started getting things ready for grilling. We had our friend, Shannon, over for bratwurst and the works. So good!

On Friday I spoke with one of the employees and she was saying she was happy she had Saturday off because she was starting to not feel great. She stayed in bed all day yesterday, but wasn't convinced she'd be able to work this morning...if I could just go in and open she would try her best to come in and close. In my mind, I'm working 11-5 today. This allows me a different day off this week, but I'm not sure what day that can be.

The bummer is that I was going to go to see Henry today (and visit with other girls). Now I have to text message Jessica saying that I am not going to be able to make it since I have someone down for the count today at work...man, love being a manager.

So, I've gotten out and pulled many weeds already, thinned the lettuce, dug out some stupid dandelions and am now drinking my coffee in anticipation of going in. Must add a few things to my bag (lunch, etc) and finish getting ready for my day.

keep fingers crossed that K-C comes in today around 1:00. :) I'm not holding my breath, though.

after

Would you like some fuzz with that lunch?

I was going to use this as my lunch bag, but instead I think I am going to shave it (yes, it feels weird typing that) and use it for my knitting bag.

Kevin wants to call it Simon Jr because it's so fuzzy.

You can see compared to the photo in the previous post how much it shrank. I knew it would shrink, hoped it would shrink to the size it did, but feared it wouldn't. So YEA for one thing.

It does stand up on it's own, too. So that's cool.

As for Flight of the Conchords, I already knew of them, but Kev just brought home the cd they just released and it's rekindled my love of them. Gail, I'm sad to say that Matt's favorite song is not on this cd and it makes me sad...he must have the ep. :) Tell him, good choice! I love that song.

Dinner calls.

they may be the end of me

Go now and find Flight of the Conchords! Trust me. You will check out their HBO show, laugh, and buy the cd. I swear, trust me.

Okay, I must focus. This is supposed to be a post about the bag I just finished knitting and have placed lovingly in the washing machine to felt the hell out of. (yeah, ending with a preposition)

It's going to be rad! I just know it. Of course the only thing I worry about is the handle opening being so damn small. (man, i failed to re-read the pattern right before casting off for it)

Check out the colors together. Pretty wonderful, if I do say so myself. I will post after felting photos at some point in the near future, when it's all said and done. Meanwhile, keep those fingers crossed that it shrinks considerably. I didn't take measurements, but it's probably about 20" in width and near 25" in length. The handle is pathetic. I may end up cutting it wider if it felts up nicely...

orts here, get your orts here

I know that writing about a Pass over tradition within an ort post is possibly not the most appropriate...however, when one has a little time and so many things that have happened since the last post...orts it is.

• Saturday I worked all day at the kids store. It was a fun day. We were busy and Amal was happy I was there (even though I don't know as much about kids shoes, she is an amazing teacher and would listen to me, allowing me to work with customers and helping when she would see me struggling). I had a great time! After I picked up Kev and we fed the crew we went do dinner before offering to come help with some prep for the dinner we were attending Sunday. Aaron told us, "STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THIS PLACE AS YOU CAN TONIGHT, THERE'S LIKE 14 PEOPLE HERE...AND THEY'RE CRAZY!" Rachel said, "COME!!! THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE YOU WOULD LOVE!!!" We ended up not going because we were both extremely tired after a long day at work. They forgave us. :)
  

• Sunday night we drove to our friends house for Sedar dinner. There were about 40 people under a beautifully decorated tent in their backyard. The heaters were pumping and the wine was flowing easily. What an amazing and warm group of people we got to share the evening with. I was especially in love with Grandma Joan. I walked by her and heard her say, "who was that stunning beauty?!" And yes, she WAS talking about me. She told me later that was what she said to her daughter as I passed by. It was a beautiful night spent with amazing friends and family.

• Monday was nothing special, just tired from all the wine they MADE us drink the night before. Thankfully it was over many, many hours so I did not feel like something the cat dragged in. I was just exhausted from a dinner that lasted until 10:30 the previous night.
  

• Tuesday I worked downtown with one of our newest employees. I got some great feedback about her. She's doing exactly what we'd hoped she would! Boosting the energy in that store and the sales. We all are really happy that Julia joined our family. :) At about 4:30 I met up with a girl I'd never met before in person, but we share a mutual friend. Myself and 4 other women decided to go listen to Stephanie Pearl-McPhee speak at the Forestry Center. She was funny and insightful and informational. We knitters, are smart people who are like monks! When she posts the photos from the talk, you might be able to see me and my friends. We got rock star seating. Two of us (myself and Kaarin) got front row, right in front of the podium. The other three were in the second row a few seats over from us. We had a blast. Three of us, Jenn, Heather and myself, went out for happy hour burgers on our way through town ($1.95...for a cheeseburger and fries! Hells yeah!). Allison stayed on the train and headed home. Kaarin had headed home from the event because she lives in the opposite direction we all were traveling.
  

So that is the past few days. Today is a day off! I am making the oven fried chicken (not to be confused with my oven friend chicken, Dad) for our neighbor, Ian. Kev agreed to hit the grocery store on his way home because I offered to clean the whole house in return. I love the working out of the chores. I dislike the grocery store...I didn't look forward to going at all. I love Kev. :)

today

It started with having to dig out the roots. Kevin is a maniac and did an amazing job. I have convinced our neighbor, Ian, to haul it all away for the small price of an oven *fried chicken dinner next week.

The roots you saw above, were where these four lovely trees now live. I clipped down the two overgrown butterfly bushes and when I went to purchase the trees, Kev dug the roots out. When I got home, the area was ready for planting.
Since we had one tree of the five I bought left over, we opted to plant him by the garage. It really has added something. And it's got a friend. A Hebe. I love Hebes! They are such pretty little plants and will flower.
I love Hebes so much I bought one to put in the pot that my parents sent us for our Anniversary that is coming up on May 6th. It's the pottery anniversary. I love that my parents do the traditional gifts. It is so much fun.

So yeah, that's what we've done with our day...how 'bout you?

*Yeah, thanks Dad. :) I guess I just got so excited of our friend doing this for us that friend came out of my fingers instead of fried. :) Love you!!!

the never ending story of weeds

So along with a backyard that is a garden comes fighting the weeds. I pulled two and a half five gallon buckets this evening alone. There are more out there taunting me. Josie was quite the helper, trying to lick my face, chasing invisible critters, pooping twice. It was lovely. I hooked up the ol' wireless speakers and cranked Arthur Dodge and the Horsefeathers and weeded like a maniac.

I enjoyed myself. I realized why my parents always worked out in the yard when I was growing up. It's lovely and relaxing and you get to see pretty instant results. The only downside is my back doesn't care for it. I try to go back and forth between forward bends and kneeling, but even with that my back feels a little knotted up after I've been out there for a little while.

I came home today to find a large box on my front porch. Above it, on the door was a note from FedEx stating they'd left a package, on the porch. Um, cuz I might miss the large box?

I'm hoping for a lovely day off tomorrow with Kevin. If it's nice out we'll do more weeding and hopefully get Josie out for a hike. It's been far too long.

go there, buy things

I got Gnorman McGnomerson in the mail a couple of days ago. We finally sat down and had his first photo shoot. The camera really loved him. He's such an excellent subject! Well, I think so, you decide though.

If you love him and want one of your very own (although each are handmade and one of a kind) go here!

Gnorman is the handle for my first and only crochet hook. A knitter sometimes needs such tools when stitches decide to be bitches and run. Now, I have my Gnorman to help me when that happens.

My friend has made some amazing ones, right now she's got a robot up at her blog. You really should go see him and his friend the robot sheep. I kid you not!!! Go. NOW!

Meanwhile, I've been a busy girl on my cardigan. I've got the back and both of the front pieces done. I only have the sleeves to do before the seaming party commences. I'm pretty jazzed.

Thanks for all the sweet comments about my Goofy Girl's hat. She's an easy one to knit for!!!

goofy girl!!!

With Zoe's permission, I give you...AUGUSTA!!!

She received her hat yesterday in the mail and it seems as though she instantly put it on her beautiful head. I'm so thrilled that she loves it as much as I loved making it. She's been the only child who I've made something for who has requested another, but bigger! I think the smile says it all. I love you Gusta, enjoy your new hat baby girl!!!

~Aunt Shanny

farewell

I got the call yesterday from my Mom. Grandma Sam passed away. She was a hard person to get close to, but I loved her none the less. She had great stories of times past. From her days as a traveling sales person (when women did NOT do that kind of job) to talking of flying up on her broomstick to see me so we could have champagne and caviar. I will miss her.

It's hard to imagine that she's not there anymore. That constant. I can still hear her voice in my ears. I can still see that vibrant red hair. I can still feel her with me.

the life of simon

I sat down with my knitting this morning. Remember that fast post yesterday when Josie demanded I play with her (and since she plays so infrequently I normally drop everything when she asks/demands)?

Anyway, I set it down to poke around online a little while ago. After answering several emails, getting lost on Ravelry, posting to my animal group...I decided I would like to sit down again and knit more. You know, get a little bit further before my friend Jenn comes over tonight. So she can be wowed again. :)

Yeah, Simon just makes it hard for me to do anything:

I hate to move him, but I think I may just have to. I know when I wear this sweater, I can always expect to have a cat on me whenever I sit down. This is a good thing!!

need i say more?

Storm, no she is NOT the devil.


Oh! Mah! Gawd! FOOOOD!

how many times?

I have been knitting an amazing sweater. I've started and re-started the back three times (it's now done). I've started and re-started the left front twice (it's still on the needles). Anyone want to guess how many times I'll start and re-start the right front and each arm? Wagers?

It will be perfect, though. At least I'm saying that now. I hope it will be perfect. It will be warm, that's for sure! Alpaca is the yarn.

I'd write more, but Josie is demanding I spend some time with her (she just brought me one of Kev's socks)...

blank

today we did this:


soon we'll do this...

and this...

I'm such a tease.

the excitement of being me

Today I worked for a few hours at the outlet store before heading to the office to get bills ready to send out on Monday. I was done by around 4:00 and with Ahmed's blessing came home to the three yards of mulch that was delivered this morning. It was raining. I got a few paths between the garden plots covered, but then the rain came down harder.

Note to self: get wheelbarrow!

In a few minutes I will leave the house to get Kev and go to the grocery store to get food before friends come over to watch the KU/UNC game tonight.

an aside: Firefox recognizes KU but not UNC in its dictionary :)

I am off...sweater is zipping along well, for those knitters who may be wondering.