Focus

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

Summer Fling

I love swaps. I love finding things for my swape

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!!

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.

On the Road

Well, we left Cleveland around 9:00 a.m. -- a tad later than we originally planned. We woke at 6:00 with the goal of being gone by 8:00. Lindsey, unfortunately, didn't feel well and we were delayed.

Anyway, we drove the first day to Sullivan, Missouri, which is west of St. Louis, getting out of the car around 7:00 p.m. EDT. The next day, we drove to Plainview, Texas. We didn't make it to Carlsbad Caverns as we decided that it was way to far south and we had a reservation and plans to meet friends in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We traveled from Plainview to Rio Rancho, NM, stopping a couple of times for fun stuff like Blizzards from Dairy Queen and we did some shopping in Santa Fe.

Today we spent we our friends. It was great. They have a 3 year old son and a 2 year old daughter. Actually, the kids won't be 3 and 2 until next month. They are 12 months and 10 days separate from each other. The oldest one is getting molars and isn't the happiest camper around. Nevertheless, we did have a great time.

We won't be going to Taos. It is a tad out of the way from our trip tomorrow where we will be heading west and north to the Grand Canyon. We will be camping at the Grand Canyon for the next two evening,

The two evenings after that we will be camping in Cedar City, Utah (by Bryce and Zion National Parks -- very awe inspiring -- makes you realize the wonders of God!).

The following evening we will be staying in Las Vegas . . . where I am sure God isn't often mentioned . . . but we have an acquitance there who got us a great rate at one of the hottest casinos. We don't gamble and I told her all we needed was someplace to lay our heads, fill our bellies and maybe swim.

After that we start heading toward California.

Anyway, it may be awhile until you hear from me again.

Be safe!

Nothing to do with knitting

I am done.
I finished my last class, last evening, doing my final presentation and turning in my final paper.
I graduated from high school in 1972, took the ACT in 1974 (with my Mom, no less), went part-time to school until I got married in 1980, went back in 2001, transferred to Tiffin University in 2004 and finally, finished, yesterday.
I start work on my MBA at the end of August.
Thank you and good night!

what could this stuff be??

I love felting stuff. I love making felted stuff. Felting hides sins and errors. I love the fact that I take this weird looking thing and with a little hot water (well, sometimes lots of hot water), it becomes a wonderful thing that makes you go AHHHH. Not, ahhhhhhh like a lace shawl, but more the ahhhhh like "hmmm so that's what it is supposed to be!" So, maybe its not "ahhhhh" at all, but "hmmmm"?

In any event, I finished Wendy's Lucy bag and Jane's felted bowls for the One Skein SP. Wendy is a friend of mine and loved my Lucy bag. She wanted it in her sons' school colors. So you might start with something soft and weird looking, like this:


and end up with something like this:




It ends up a tight and neat bag that is a really wonderful thing for holding all those things you need to take to fall football games. Plus, as her DH, so nicely put it, "if you get cold you can always pull it over your head!


Then I had my One Skein project for Jane. These things were really fun and the second one (the smaller one), I knit in one evening!! They would make great Christmas presents. Anyway, again you start off with this puddle of knitting and end up with nicely felted bowls.

This is the large unfelted one:






and this is the small unfelted one:










and this is how they look when they are done:

FYI, the orange one has a yellow bottom and the yellow has an orange bottom . . . aren't we just too, too clever!

Leaving on a jet plane . . .

Okay, we aren't leaving on a jet plane. We are leaving in our Town&Country minivan on Saturday for three weeks. Our first official stop will be Albuquerque. My boss' daughter lives there. We are great friends. As it turns out, her Mom will be there too. Very cool stuff.

A little segue to explain this. I have worked for my boss for 33 years. I have a great relationship with him and with his family, obviously. For example, my DDs were in his DD's wedding in 1999. I am sure that there were people that thought that was WEIRD. It was great fun. I made their dresses for the wedding and they were lovely things, even if I do say so myself.

Anyway, we are looking forward to visiting with her and her DH and two lovely children. Her kids are going to be 3 and 2 in August . . . which reminds me that we should bring their birthday presents with us!

We have a couple of "official stops" including Grand Canyon, then Utah, Las Vegas (one night only . . . just passing through), Yosemite, Crescent City, CA, Yellowstone and then on home. We are camping at all those places (except Vegas). My DH and I did this trip the first year we were married (26 years ago) and have been talking about doing it again when the kids were old enough. We decided that we had to do it this year. Sarah starts her nursing clinicals in August and she has school almost the entire summer next year. After that, she will, hopefully, be working full time and wouldn't be able to join us. Hence, a three week vacation for this year!

Anyway, I will be gone for three weeks starting Saturday, July 22 and won't be back (probably) until August 12. If I have time and access, I will post some stuff here. Be safe.

There are great successes and little mini ones

First of all, I got my knitpicks interchangeable needles yesterday. I organized them, took them home (had them delivered at work where I know someone will be there to receive them) and DID NOT use them last evening. Instead, after Z-man was in bed, I finished my homework. AHHH, heaven. Of course, I then edited it today during lunch.

I also dug out the information that CSU needed for my financial aid audit. Gee, and the only reason I knew that I was going to need this stuff prior to getting any financial aid was because I CALLED THEM. The first person I talked to told me I had to call FAFSA. FAFSA said that I had to call CSU. Please, people make up your mind.

I also packed up all my packages for my Secret Pals. For the One Skein, I sent the yarn for July and the finished product. We are going to be on vacation and I did not want her to wait too long to get her stuff. I sent a shawl pattern and Shimmer (Stained Glass) to both Kimberlee (SP8) and Denice (Summer Fling). I sent Jane (One Skein) the finished bowls and the yarn and pattern for I'll Pack A Hat from KnitPicks. I don't remember what the yarn was but it was a yummy green. I sent Rach (CASP) sock yarn and a pattern for a lacy sock. It too was from Knitpicks and in green . . . must have something about green yarn this time around. I also sent her some tapestry needles and a little photo album that I picked up at Target. I hope everything clears customs okay.

Anyway, I have to go. Class is this evening. It is the second last class. Yeah. Of course, the MBA stuff starts August 12. It just seems amazing though that this group of fellow students and I have been together for almost 22 months. I'll miss them . . . even the weird ones.

Organization is just a myth and other stuff

So, I spent Saturday cleaning out Lindsey's drawers. I do this at least once a year. Don't think that I am stupid or anything and buy her too many clothes, it is that she gets hand-me-downs from two families . . . one of which has two daughters. Lindsey loves this stuff but she hates to part with anything.

Anyway, there were two reasons for my cleaning her drawers this past Saturday. The first is that she isn't home and it is always easier to do it when she isn't arguing with me about every item of clothing. The second reason is that the Federation of the Blind are coming on Thursday and this will give them mucho stuff. Six bags later, her drawers will actually close. The kid wears a 14 slim. There were jeans and pants that were a size 10. The smallest shirt was a child's size 7. She makes me crazed. She had underwear that had never been worn and was still neatly folder straight out of the package. Of course, she wouldn't know that the underwear was there because everything else was just thrown on top of it. Oh, and that is another thing, all of her clothing goes to her room folded. So why isn't it in the drawers that way??? Besides the fact that her drawers were overcrowded?

Being as I was in the mood, I stopped at BigLots on Sunday and bought three bins with latch tops and handles. I sorted some of my yarn into it. Sock yarn, wool and other yarn (I have some lovely Malabrigo) and other stuff. It is a lovely thing. I still have a bag with my reference and pattern books and all my straight needles that I never use. Oh, and the stuff that is buried in the back of the closet. Plus my neighbor is a wonderful garage saler and finds wool for me everywhere she goes.

Of course in organizing this, I discovered that I did not need to make another trip to my favorite LYS to get more yarn for Z-man's sweater. I had it. It was just mixed in with the other stuff. Ah, well, I could return it but I might make a scarf and mittens to match his Wallaby.

Speaking of which, I have one sleeve of the Wallaby done and most of the other. I had most of the body done but decided I hated it and frogged the whole thing. It was just too tight and I was very frustrated because I had checked gauge and everything. Lo and behold when I reread the pattern, I discovered that I was supposed to change needle sizes after the binding was done, oh, duh.

I have also discovered that I love using all those free make-up bags and such that you get stuff in. I have Z-man's sleeve in progress in one that I got from Avon (it actually had curlers in it and can easily hold this small project. For bigger projects I use bigger bags. They are usually plastic lined and fit tidely into my tote bag that I schlep everywhere.

p.s. I have received a very clever card (from Twisted Yarns) and a postcard from my CASP. Very fun stuff.

from SP

I had put something on my post LAST WEEK about the cool stuff that I had received from my SP . . . but when she sent me an email about it, I discovered that it wasn't there. Crapola batman!

Among other things, my wonderful SP sent me a tin of Margarita jelly beans . . . unfortunately, it is now empty. . . I even shook it to make sure . . . nope I guess I ate them all. The tin will be perfect for row markers and other little knitting things. I also received from Strawberry Lemonade mix in a very cool plastic strawberry. I also received a pencil holder that is great and bright and is perfect for DPNs. And, two skeins of some pink and purple and gray paradiso from Cat's Meow. It will be perfect for the wrist warmers on the new cover of Knitty (see, that was the reason my blog post disappeared . . . I didn't know what I was going to do with the yarn and the yardage and gauge is perfect for this project!).

Sorry about the delay in posting!

4th of July

Phew, it was a great weekend! Four days off work and mucho time to do lots of things.

On Saturday, the girls and I went shopping at an outlet place . . . but managed not to buy many things. The girls were babysitting for a friend's grandchildren and spent the night.

On Sunday, Z-man and I worked upstairs. I reorganized my stamping stuff and updated my stamp binder. Plus, I started hemming Dave's shirt sleeves. He hates wearing long sleeve shirts and I had told him that I would hem his recent long-sleeve shirt purchases. What a pain. It took HOURS. Long sleeve shirts are blousier than short sleeve shirts so you have to make some adjustments and then there just isn't much ease to hem with.

I also finished Wendy's Lucy bag and felted it . . . I will add pictures later. I also finished my bowl for my One Skein SP . . . will add pics later. And, made another smaller bowl with the reverse colors. The second bowl I started and finished Monday evening although it still needs to be felted.

Some of my siblings and some of their children came over yesterday for a picnic. Other friends were supposed to come but they had a flood in their basement and were moving furniture and sopping up a mess. Anyway, those of us who were at the house had a great time. We ate lots of food and drank gallons of coffee . . . which might explain why I was still tossing after midnight. Well, it was that and the fact that the girls went to some fireworks display. I went to lay down at 10:50 and they weren't home. Kept listening and tossing and checking to see if maybe they had managed to sneak in while I wasn't looking (or hearing). I must have dozed off for a couple of minutes and then it was 12:10 and I checked again. The car was in the drive AND they had managed to get to bed quietly!

After everyone left, Dave and Z-man and I sat on the back porch and I balled the yarn for Z-man's Wallaby sweater. Z-man played and had a great time. He is so very fun to be around and is a very sweet kid. I also started his sweater on the bus this morning. The instructions are very clever in that they suggest that you start working the sleeve in order to check gauge.

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful 4th of July. I know that I did.

p.s. I forgot about some of the cool stuff that I got from my Secret Pal . . . I got Margarita Jelly Beans (already been consumed but the tin will be great for little do dads and such), a really cool pencil holder which Lindsey will want but can't have, Strawberry lemonade mix which is staying at the office and two skeins of the Cat's Meow Paradiso which I think will be perfect to make Fetching {http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer06/PATTfetching.html} from the new Knitty.

I did some shopping

This is an illness. Seriously.

Last evening I stopped at my LYS and picked up a pattern for a hooded baby sweater (my niece and a friend are both pregnant). I also picked up some yarn for both sweaters. Very cool stuff. Bright yellow and deep red. I guess I'm not into "baby" colors for babies. These sweaters are great. They have zippers up the back. Z-man had a sweater that had a zipper up the back and it was wonderful. They get knitted from the hood down.

I also decided to jump in and get the Knitpick needles. I ordered the set. I also ordered a 40" and 60" cable and a size 15 tips.

While I was at it, I also ordered some more yarn. I ordered a couple skeins of sock yarn, some Memories yarn for felted bowls. I'm planning on sending a skein of yarn and a pattern to my SP8 and Summer Fling Pals.

I'm going to send my One Skein Pal some sock yarn and a pattern for some really nice socks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ah, its an illness. A really bad illness, but its safer than transquilizers!!! Gee, I wonder if I could take my knitting habit as a medical expense.

This is stupid and non knitting related, well maybe

Why is it that I am always the one to find the empty roll . . . you know the empty toilet paper roll, the empty paper towel roll. I thought it was just at home, but twice today, I have replaced the empty roll at work in the coffee room.

Dave too find the empty rolls at home, but the kids are semi-blind to it. I say semi-blind, because they will leave one square on the roll. Therefore, it is fair to assume that they know it is coming to an end but doesn't want to have toe change the roll. I realize that it is sooooooo hard to do so. For the toilet paper in all the bathrooms, it is a matter of either bending down and getting a new roll out of the cabinet or, in the case of the kid's bathroom, we keep them stacked on the back of the toilet (dual purpose in that it keeps them from piling it high with "STUFF"). The paper towels are a little more difficult in that they have to go to the garage . . . hmm, ten steps to the kitchen door, ten steps into the garage, repeat on the return . . . and there isn't a HOLDER. We keep the paper towels on the counter top between the sink and the breakfast bar.

At work, the paper towels are stored in a cabinet directly above the holder.

I know, it is the unwrapping that frightens them. Maybe I'll do a manual or training class on unwrapping.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bowl for the One Skein project is becoming a project. Somehow, I miscounted the cast on. DUH. and have five more stitches. I am at the decrease and have been frogged the last couple of rows more than once. Bah humbug!

Wendy's bag on the other hand will be ready for felting by this weekend. You (whomever reads this) are my witness(es) that it will be done this weekend. Seriously. Really. I will do it as soon as I am finished replacing all the toilet paper and paper towel rolls in the house.

Why is everything taking so long

I finally finished the long strap on Wendy's Lucy bag . . . I think it took longer to knit those 17 stitches 200 times than it did to knit the rest of the bag. I have a good four inches done on the short strap. And, I think I have that whole Kitchner's thing down. I did not cast on Z-man's sweater this weekend. We, Dave, Lindsey and Z-man went outlet shopping. I love shopping with Dave. I always feel so guilty when I buy stuff that is extravagent and he just does it. We bought new cocktail tumblers at Mikasa. They were $8 each and we bought four. He also bought seven new shirts. I have to cut the sleeves off of two of them since he won't wear long sleeves but he really liked the colors.

Anyway, on the way to Lodi, I managed to get mucho of the strap done. On the way back though we took the scenic route and had the windows rolled down. It was a lovely drive and I didn't do any knitting.

Last night (Sunday), I had the tv on, knitting in hand and Elizabeth Zimmerman's instructions on Kitchner's at hand. Dave commented on the fact that I was watching tv, reading and knitting? HA! I am superwoman. I did point out to him finally, that the knitting and reading go hand-in-hand.

We are going to have a discussion over the fact that he keeps messing with my knitting stuff. I have my knitting needle case, two bags (one with books, one with WIP) next to chair. During the summer months, he becomes the domestic diva and vacuums. A lot. And moves the furniture. And keeps messing with my stuff. He picks it up, puts it on the chair that I sit on and doesn't put it back. Makes me crazed.

This morning I was working on my bowl for my one skein SP. But for whatever reason, I have decided that knitting on the morning bus hurts. I must sit funny or something. Maybe I should switch sits. It also doesn't help that one of regular riders gets on and friggin always opens the window. I end up wanting to wrap my knitting around myself. Its morning. I've only been awake 45 minutes. I want to be snuggling in my bed with a blanket and he opens the stupid window. I think, tomorrow, I will sit in his seat!

No knitting this weekend

Okay, simple equation here. There are 24 hours in the day. No matter what day of the week you are talking about there are still only 24 hours in any given day. However, if you stay up past midnight on any given day, you will then be able to really push that whole issue . . . but I guess that would mean that you would have had to get up at 12:01 or something.

Anyway, last week and this week I have way to much stuff to do and 24 hours a day isn't going to cut it.

I was in charge of the United Way raffle that we did last week . . . it went very well. We raised over $1,700. Not too shabby. I was disappointed that I did not win the tickets to WICKED. I did, however, win a gift certificate to a nice restaurant that is a favorite lunch place. I have invited a friend that can't usually afford to lunch and won't even allow me to occasionally "buy." Since it is a freebie, it should work okay.

I had my presentation on Thursday (went very well . . . at least in my mind). It was on Eli Lilly and is a case study for my Capstone course. Ah, capstone, another issue for another blog. I have my case analysis that is due this Thursday. "Should be simple because you are basically using the same information that was used for the presentation in the case analysis." Well, at least that is what the prof said . . . she lied by the way.

So, I have a 12 to 15 page report due this Thursday. I also have to read some Ethics stuff . . . even the prof says is boring . . . and have six worksheets with respect to the reading that is also due Thursday. It is on Confucious, Hinduism, Judai/Christianity, etc. zzzzzzzzzzzz
oops sorry I started to doze . . . .

I didn't knit all weekend. Nothing. Never ever touched it since Wednesday morning. I had school Thursday and it is the only day of the week that I don't bring my knitting on the bus (I review school work instead and don't take a lunch). I had a car pick me up at 5:30 a.m. and worked until 6:30 on Friday, had a dentist Saturday morning and then came straight to the office until 3:30 and then we went to neighbors for the evening. Later, I worked on my paper.

On Sunday, we took Linds to BW for the string camp. She will have a wonderful time. The campers sleep in dorm rooms. They wake at 7:00 and are out of the dorms by 8:30 a.m. They have sectional/orchestra rehearsals and private lessons in the a.m., after lunch they have recreation activities, then dinner, more rehearsals and then more recreation and back to the dorms at 9:30 p.m. The goal is to not only teach the kids how to work as a team and orchestra but to absolutely exhaust them! Check in was at 11:30 and was totally disorganized. I don't think that it was the school that was disorganized more like there seemed to be too many parents that had too many stupid questions. The school specifically said: DO NOT BRING YOUR LUGGAGE OR INSTRUMENTS TO CHECK IN. Anyone want to venture a guess as to how many parents and students were standing there with luggage and instruments????

Anyway, we didn't get home until after 4:00 p.m. Since it was 90+ degrees, Z-man and I first spent some quality time in the pool and then he vegged out watching Wizard of Oz and I wrote thank you notes to all the people who helped with the raffle. After he went to bed, and I had a glass of wine, I went back to my paper. I hate my paper. It is the SECOND last one I have to do and I hate it.

Back to the 24 hours, I don't have time. Nevertheless, yesterday I kept trying to figure out how I could squeeze in time to cast on Z-man's sweater. I thought about bringing the yarn on the bus with me this morning and balling it but decided that would be silly.

Actually, to be honest, except for my bus time, I cannot knit until this paper is done. Well, maybe I'll knit tomorrow at lunch . . . but I probably should work on my paper or the ethics stuff . . . oh, bah humbug.

Books, I bought me some books

Ah, someday I will be able to get to them all and make adequate use . . . but alas, it won't be today! Well, especially since I ordered the books from Amazon and they won't be here until Friday!!

Anyhow, I ordered three books from Amazon.com. Two knitting and one really weird one but one that I know that I will use.

The non knitting one will only be appreciated by anyone who has ever had to live through incredibly boring powerpoint presentations. They can be hideous and real snorers. It is called Beyond Bullet Points.

Now doesn't that just sound so incredibly exciting!!!

I have a presentation to do Thursday night (a powerpoint no less) and after listening to this guy's podcast and the information he provided, I am going to have to change my presentation . . . oh, yeah, tomorrow is Thursday . . . hmmmm, I shouldn't be blogging . . .

Anyway, the other two books are knitting related and since I am really getting into reference materials, I have decided that I would just buy the things for me. So, at the same time I am getting my powerpoint book, I will be getting:

and

However, I went back and forth on the Yarn Harlot books and moved them to my wishlist. I'll wait another day for those.