I NEED TO FOCUS or get organized or something. I have sooooo many things planned that I have bought yarn (or received yarn . . . see the I Love Swaps posting) that I have become completely bogged down in indecision.
I received the green yarn that I have decided to make a scarf with. I think I will make it in the Backyard Leaves pattern from Scarf Style. Here is a pic from the Knitpicks website: http://www.knitpicks.com/projects/projects_display_yarn.aspx?itemid=30529222#
Of course, there are about three or four or five . . . other projects in the same book.
The other thing is I am itching to do some cabling . . . and there is always Lindsey's Knitwit hat which, by the way, I hate.
I know that I need to finish Zachariah's wallaby. It is really lovely and he is so very excited.
I have also bought more KnitPicks Memories yarn to make bowls and such for Christmas. They knit up quickly, the yarns are wonderful to work with and I enjoy doing them. Plus there is the added advantage of saying to people who ask "oh, what are you making" to respond "a bowl." It is a lovely thing.
Plus, I would really like to make some of Jane's cups/saucers see http://janevdoviak.blogspot.com/2006/08/felted-pottery.html. They are lovely and I think would be fun to give especially to a friend who collects tea cups.
I have also bought some yarn to make a bowl for the Colorswap red/pink for September.
The other problem, just between us, is that I am lusting for the Knitpicks knitting bag. I have put the silly thing in and out of my cart so many times that I am sure, Knitpicks web browser is going to send me an email and say "just buy the thing already"!
And, I should be studying. AHHHHH.
QR Code - go ahead see if it works!
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
Secret Pal Swaps
I think I've mentioned before how much I've enjoyed the knitting swaps. The swapees are the greatest, incredibly generous and there is something really cool about getting great packages from someone you don't know. It is a great pick me up.
Anyway, I received a package yesterday from Lomester! She has been very generous throughout the whole swap and has been a super secret pal. Part of the fun of these things is also getting those wonderful pick-me-up notes and contacts. Thank you so much.
Here is what I received in my package yesterday:
Simple Scrapbooks (when I'm not knitting or going to school or working, I scrapbook . . . in fact, I think we have over 600 pics to add to an album from our last trip!!).Knit Simple . . . wow! This magazine is PACKED with great stuff, including an article on flattering looks for fuller figures . . . how did they know???
A book mark to help me keep my place in my book, and I know just the book since I am participating in the Whodunit KAL!
A small vase which I put the gel pens in. Actually there are four pens, I was already using one last evening taking notes for my exam on Saturday. There is also a great "M" memo notepad which I have tucked into my laptop bag.
A tortoise shell purse handle. I have been looking at a pattern that, shhhh, isn't knit but sewn. You need round handles for it. It is to make a craft bag out of 8 fat quarters.
And, finally, wonderful Classic Elite, cotton rayon yarn, in a dark apple green (I hope the pics do it justice). The name of the yarn is BELIEVE! Not only is this yarn great, but I was just telling someone who was questioning whether or not she should go back to school (she is all of 32), that she just needed to BELIEVE in herself and that she can do this. Now, how quirky is that!!
You know, sometimes you just gotta Believe!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
diploma
I got my diploma from Tiffin University in the mail yesterday. It was a very exciting thing! I know, I know. I'm 51 and many, many others have walked this path before me. But, I cannot believe that I am actually done.
Well, done with that part, as I started working on my MBA two Saturdays ago. Three classes a week: Friday evenings (Finance), two on Saturdays (HR & Marketing). It is a lovely schedule. Last night I was so excited about it, I finished filling out all the school forms for my 12 year old and was in bed by 9:00 p.m. Of course, the first time I looked at the clock this morning was at 3:12.
Did I ever mention how much I hate exams? I hate exams. I just get stupid or suffer from serious memory loss as soon as I get the exam in front of me. I have an exam Saturday in HR management. It is an essay which should be okay as I can usually BS my through just about anything but we will see. The second day of class, this same professor gave us an exam and as I missed the first class, she wasn't sure how I would do. I ended up with a 91 out of 100 (changed one answer which would have been correct except that I changed it . . . duh!). The class median was 87.4, so I did better than I (and Dr. H) thought I would do. Some people were writing "books" for the three essay questions. Dr. H had given us three pages and I only used one. I did get 25 out 25 on the essay questions so am hoping for the best on this week's exam.
Ah well, I need to get off to finish all my school work before my work day begins.
Well, done with that part, as I started working on my MBA two Saturdays ago. Three classes a week: Friday evenings (Finance), two on Saturdays (HR & Marketing). It is a lovely schedule. Last night I was so excited about it, I finished filling out all the school forms for my 12 year old and was in bed by 9:00 p.m. Of course, the first time I looked at the clock this morning was at 3:12.
Did I ever mention how much I hate exams? I hate exams. I just get stupid or suffer from serious memory loss as soon as I get the exam in front of me. I have an exam Saturday in HR management. It is an essay which should be okay as I can usually BS my through just about anything but we will see. The second day of class, this same professor gave us an exam and as I missed the first class, she wasn't sure how I would do. I ended up with a 91 out of 100 (changed one answer which would have been correct except that I changed it . . . duh!). The class median was 87.4, so I did better than I (and Dr. H) thought I would do. Some people were writing "books" for the three essay questions. Dr. H had given us three pages and I only used one. I did get 25 out 25 on the essay questions so am hoping for the best on this week's exam.
Ah well, I need to get off to finish all my school work before my work day begins.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
what to do?
This here is a picture of Zachariah in his almost Wallaby. We were at the Grand Canyon and Dave, Sarah and Lindsey were on a hike. Zachariah and I drove to the end of the path to await their arrival. He kept wanting to try on his sweater. One sleeve on, one sleeve on stitch holders and the body of the sweater . . . well, that is what is in the bag! Obviously, he is excited!
I have to admit something. Since I have gotten back from vacation, I have not touched my knitting. Now, it isn't that I've been sitting on my arse doing nothing. I did start my MBA program (three classes a week: Friday evenings (but not every Friday evening) and 8 to 5 on Saturdays). Plus all the requisite homework and projects that go along with this type of adventure. The plus side is that you do work your arse off for 11 months but then it is over. All in all, I have 40 more Saturdays and 27 more Fridays, but whose counting?
On Sunday, I took apart Z-man's bunk bed. It took up too much room and he would have been swinging from the ceiling fan anyway. It is one of those wonderful set ups where the desk and some storage space are built right in to the bed. The lower bed is actually a separate piece so it was just a matter of taking the upper bunk off and taking it apart and moving all the pieces around. He was very excited. I put a table with a lamp next to his bed and he was very excited the next morning because he turned on his table lamp instead of the overhead and it was "very cool." So he turned it off and on several times. Isn't it wonderful what excites a 5 year old!
I also bought a new laptop as my old one kicked the bucket while we were gone . . . that and Z-man would have had fit if I took his laptop away. So now I have to set up my new Dell which arrived today and do my homework and study for an HR exam. I am chomping at the bit to set up the laptop. It is a great thing. Isn't it wonderful what excites a 51 year old!
And I have all this beautiful yarn calling my name . . . I have bamboo and Wool of the Andes and Memories in S'more. I have Z-man's Wallaby almost to the point where I add the pouch. I have a bowl that needs to be felted. I wonder how pissed off my profs would be if I knit in class. Hmmm, I do have an hour in between classes on Saturdays.
I have to admit something. Since I have gotten back from vacation, I have not touched my knitting. Now, it isn't that I've been sitting on my arse doing nothing. I did start my MBA program (three classes a week: Friday evenings (but not every Friday evening) and 8 to 5 on Saturdays). Plus all the requisite homework and projects that go along with this type of adventure. The plus side is that you do work your arse off for 11 months but then it is over. All in all, I have 40 more Saturdays and 27 more Fridays, but whose counting?
On Sunday, I took apart Z-man's bunk bed. It took up too much room and he would have been swinging from the ceiling fan anyway. It is one of those wonderful set ups where the desk and some storage space are built right in to the bed. The lower bed is actually a separate piece so it was just a matter of taking the upper bunk off and taking it apart and moving all the pieces around. He was very excited. I put a table with a lamp next to his bed and he was very excited the next morning because he turned on his table lamp instead of the overhead and it was "very cool." So he turned it off and on several times. Isn't it wonderful what excites a 5 year old!
I also bought a new laptop as my old one kicked the bucket while we were gone . . . that and Z-man would have had fit if I took his laptop away. So now I have to set up my new Dell which arrived today and do my homework and study for an HR exam. I am chomping at the bit to set up the laptop. It is a great thing. Isn't it wonderful what excites a 51 year old!
And I have all this beautiful yarn calling my name . . . I have bamboo and Wool of the Andes and Memories in S'more. I have Z-man's Wallaby almost to the point where I add the pouch. I have a bowl that needs to be felted. I wonder how pissed off my profs would be if I knit in class. Hmmm, I do have an hour in between classes on Saturdays.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
random stuff
Well, this is just some random stuff that has been collecting in my brain and clattering around begging to come out . . .
Everyone is getting ready to go back to school. Sarah starts her nursing classes on Monday. She has classes Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Summer 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008 . . . and then she is done. Dave took her to buy her textbooks on Monday. They cost over $500 for 27 books. I know it sounds like a lot of books but what the school did was break down many of the text books into smaller and more manageable segments. She actually starts her clinicals on September 6 or maybe September 13. She has classes Monday through Thursday, clinicals on Wednesday and none of her school days go later than 11:50 except for the clinical days which go to 2:00. Plus, she is off Friday. She has told her employer (she works at a local IGA which is really nice since the owner is always on site and is a very nice guy), that this semester, she could work Monday and Thursday afternoons and all day Friday and Saturday.
It was just yesterday that we held her for the first time . . . ten weeks old and such a tiny little treasure. Gosh. I'm getting teary!
Lindsey starts 8th grade the same day. She is very frustrated with the knee high dress code issue. It really isn't worth the battle . . . but her biggest angst is over gym class. She is becoming a charmer, inspite of herself. I have to remind myself that she is only 12 (she skipped a grade). It helps that she is as tall or taller than most of her friends. Her current reading goal is to finish Gone With the Wind before school starts. On vacation, she read the entire Anne of Green Gables series.
This past summer she participated in a string camp at Baldwin Wallace College. She received a letter the other day asking her to join the Youth String Orchestra at BW. Practices are Saturdays from 1:00 to 2:30. I left the decision to her and Dave. I have classes on Saturdays from 8:00 to 5:00 so it would fall to him to get her there and back. She really wants to do it and Dave doesn't mind driving her. I spoke with her violin teacher yesterday evening. She suggested that they do their private lessons at noon on Saturdays. She is a graduate of BW and therefore has use of their facilities to teach privately. Cool stuff. The only thing that Lindsey suggested that if she did this that she not join chess club this year. Agreed. They are also going to do Math Counts, even if Dave or I have to moderate it. But that is another story.
Zachariah starts first grade on Wednesday. He goes to a different school than Lindsey. When we were shopping for Lindsey's school supplies, he was disappointed that he didn't need any. He attends the school that Dave teaches at and since it is in a poorer area, the school provides all the supplies for the students. Anyway, I told him he could pick out one thing to buy. He wanted markers, so markers is what he got. Of course, we have packages and bundles of markers and pencils, paper and multitudes of other school supplies since Dave is always watching out for a deal for his kids and his students.
Dave has been attending a variety of meetings and seminars in preparation for this school year. He is going to be Zachariah's teacher. It should be interesting. I asked him if he thought that there would be any problems with him being Zachariah's teacher and he said he thought not. Zachariah might get some teasing but he will nip that early on and Zachariah is a pretty tough kid. Right now there are 14 kids registered for his class but many parents in the area wait until after Labor Day to register their kids. They are soooo stupid.
At my class on Saturday, one of the administrators mentioned that for the Financial Management and a couple of the other coures, we will need to bring laptops. Well, my laptop Zachariah has been using for his stuff and it really doesn't work anymore. So today I bought a Dell. Hopefully, I will get it sooner than later. I didn't add much of anything to the basic computer so it isn't a huge build for Dell. The funny thing is that as I was ordering it, I kept thinking of all the yarn and "knitting add ons" that I could buy with that money!
Everyone is getting ready to go back to school. Sarah starts her nursing classes on Monday. She has classes Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Summer 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008 . . . and then she is done. Dave took her to buy her textbooks on Monday. They cost over $500 for 27 books. I know it sounds like a lot of books but what the school did was break down many of the text books into smaller and more manageable segments. She actually starts her clinicals on September 6 or maybe September 13. She has classes Monday through Thursday, clinicals on Wednesday and none of her school days go later than 11:50 except for the clinical days which go to 2:00. Plus, she is off Friday. She has told her employer (she works at a local IGA which is really nice since the owner is always on site and is a very nice guy), that this semester, she could work Monday and Thursday afternoons and all day Friday and Saturday.
It was just yesterday that we held her for the first time . . . ten weeks old and such a tiny little treasure. Gosh. I'm getting teary!
Lindsey starts 8th grade the same day. She is very frustrated with the knee high dress code issue. It really isn't worth the battle . . . but her biggest angst is over gym class. She is becoming a charmer, inspite of herself. I have to remind myself that she is only 12 (she skipped a grade). It helps that she is as tall or taller than most of her friends. Her current reading goal is to finish Gone With the Wind before school starts. On vacation, she read the entire Anne of Green Gables series.
This past summer she participated in a string camp at Baldwin Wallace College. She received a letter the other day asking her to join the Youth String Orchestra at BW. Practices are Saturdays from 1:00 to 2:30. I left the decision to her and Dave. I have classes on Saturdays from 8:00 to 5:00 so it would fall to him to get her there and back. She really wants to do it and Dave doesn't mind driving her. I spoke with her violin teacher yesterday evening. She suggested that they do their private lessons at noon on Saturdays. She is a graduate of BW and therefore has use of their facilities to teach privately. Cool stuff. The only thing that Lindsey suggested that if she did this that she not join chess club this year. Agreed. They are also going to do Math Counts, even if Dave or I have to moderate it. But that is another story.
Zachariah starts first grade on Wednesday. He goes to a different school than Lindsey. When we were shopping for Lindsey's school supplies, he was disappointed that he didn't need any. He attends the school that Dave teaches at and since it is in a poorer area, the school provides all the supplies for the students. Anyway, I told him he could pick out one thing to buy. He wanted markers, so markers is what he got. Of course, we have packages and bundles of markers and pencils, paper and multitudes of other school supplies since Dave is always watching out for a deal for his kids and his students.
Dave has been attending a variety of meetings and seminars in preparation for this school year. He is going to be Zachariah's teacher. It should be interesting. I asked him if he thought that there would be any problems with him being Zachariah's teacher and he said he thought not. Zachariah might get some teasing but he will nip that early on and Zachariah is a pretty tough kid. Right now there are 14 kids registered for his class but many parents in the area wait until after Labor Day to register their kids. They are soooo stupid.
At my class on Saturday, one of the administrators mentioned that for the Financial Management and a couple of the other coures, we will need to bring laptops. Well, my laptop Zachariah has been using for his stuff and it really doesn't work anymore. So today I bought a Dell. Hopefully, I will get it sooner than later. I didn't add much of anything to the basic computer so it isn't a huge build for Dell. The funny thing is that as I was ordering it, I kept thinking of all the yarn and "knitting add ons" that I could buy with that money!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Summer Fling
I love swaps. I love finding things for my swape
My Summer Fling SP, Keri (KGoodrow), went over the top. I received honey (a friend puts up the honey), burt's bees almond milk beeswax hand creme and lip balm, Tom's natural clear body bar, Pacifica Bali Lime Papaya candle, a wonderful yellow and green flowered bowl with fruit candy, TEN skeins of Knit Picks' Merino Wool in "Storm" (a wonderfully warm color), Yarn Harlot's Knitting Rules AND three skeins of luscious Plymouth Yarns Royal Bamboo in lovely shades of green/aqua/blue (oh and four Heath bars . . . almost forgot them but one of them was a perfect snack in the middle of my Marketing class Saturday afternoon . . . and I am hoarding the other three for more class time!).
es and I love getting things from my givees. It is very fun to get things from total strangers who are generous and kinds. This summer I have participated in a couple of great swaps. I usually don't have a camera at my desk to take pics with and apologize to my other SPs for not posting pictures of the wonderful things I have received from them. I am actually thinking about keeping my son's very inexpensive digital with me. He won't miss and then I won't miss posting pics of the stuff. In any event, I did happen to have his camera with me today (it is what happens when you don't totally empty your bag from vacation) and took a pic of what I received from my Summer Fling SP.
My Summer Fling SP, Keri (KGoodrow), went over the top. I received honey (a friend puts up the honey), burt's bees almond milk beeswax hand creme and lip balm, Tom's natural clear body bar, Pacifica Bali Lime Papaya candle, a wonderful yellow and green flowered bowl with fruit candy, TEN skeins of Knit Picks' Merino Wool in "Storm" (a wonderfully warm color), Yarn Harlot's Knitting Rules AND three skeins of luscious Plymouth Yarns Royal Bamboo in lovely shades of green/aqua/blue (oh and four Heath bars . . . almost forgot them but one of them was a perfect snack in the middle of my Marketing class Saturday afternoon . . . and I am hoarding the other three for more class time!).
I have joined the Colorswap and am looking forward to spoiling my downstream(?) or is it upstream (?) for the neutral colors and have also signed up for September's pink colorswap!
Also, once I have my pics organized and such, I will post pics and maybe a link to all of them for anyone who has absolutely nothing to do but look at pics from someone else's vacation! LOL!!
Monday, August 14, 2006
We are back!
Phew, at a little less than 7,000 miles, we made it home, safe and sound, by 8:00 p.m. on Friday, August 11.
It was an incredible trip . . . and I didn't need any tranquilizers . . . well, at least according to me . . . the entire trip! I think part of this was that the women on the trip, Lindsey, Sarah and I, switched seats enough to keep us and our seat mates happy.
While Dave and the kids unloaded the van Friday evening, I started laundry and general clean up. We had been doing laundry as we went along so there wasn't boatloads of the stuff, just about four or five days worth. Everyone, except me, crashed by 10:30. I stayed up and did some homework on the computer that had to be completed by Saturday morning.
While I was at my first MBA courses on Saturday, Dave and the kids went to a wedding. We went to the reception Saturday evening (the kids were invited) and had a blast. We didn't leave until 11:30. The bride and groom were distressed because some people hadn't taken any pictures at all. So Zachariah and Dave ended up collecting all the cameras that were left on the tables and took pictures of people laughing and dancing and chatting.
Sunday was spent finishing clean up, dropping off film (Dave still uses a 35mm) and downloading other pics. When I have them up and online, I will post them.
It is good to be home. It is good to be back at work. It was great to spend time with my kids and hubby without any outside influences.
I will write more about what we did later.
It was an incredible trip . . . and I didn't need any tranquilizers . . . well, at least according to me . . . the entire trip! I think part of this was that the women on the trip, Lindsey, Sarah and I, switched seats enough to keep us and our seat mates happy.
While Dave and the kids unloaded the van Friday evening, I started laundry and general clean up. We had been doing laundry as we went along so there wasn't boatloads of the stuff, just about four or five days worth. Everyone, except me, crashed by 10:30. I stayed up and did some homework on the computer that had to be completed by Saturday morning.
While I was at my first MBA courses on Saturday, Dave and the kids went to a wedding. We went to the reception Saturday evening (the kids were invited) and had a blast. We didn't leave until 11:30. The bride and groom were distressed because some people hadn't taken any pictures at all. So Zachariah and Dave ended up collecting all the cameras that were left on the tables and took pictures of people laughing and dancing and chatting.
Sunday was spent finishing clean up, dropping off film (Dave still uses a 35mm) and downloading other pics. When I have them up and online, I will post them.
It is good to be home. It is good to be back at work. It was great to spend time with my kids and hubby without any outside influences.
I will write more about what we did later.
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