Wow. Can hardly believe it's been almost a year since I put in my two cents' worth here. The blank space invites a summary of the past twelve months, but the hour is late and tomorrow is another work day, so this will have to wait - I hope not another entire year.

free verse

hi how's your day going? mine was okay,

not any more frustrating than has been typical lately

until one of my people came in my office

to tell me something she thought I was doing wrong

with the work I took off her hands because she couldn't keep up

because I'm not doing it the same way she has always done it

I tried to blow it off and say okay that's fine

and she kept at me until I asked her what difference it made

and she said that's the way I taught her to do it

she doesn't remember all the changes from where it began

and I tried to explain that I will do it my way

and that it's okay too to do it her way

she did what she does and talked over me so she couldn't hear me

telling me why we are supposed to do it her way

then I asked her if she had ever heard the expression "teach your grandmother to suck eggs" and she went away mad

and now I'm trying to calm myself down

sometimes I wish I were a smoker

or a drinker

or had a rewind button

I'm a blatantly Selfish Knitter

I found a nifty little contest at http://lostcityknits.blogspot.com/ - an insanely lovely person wants to give away yarn and goodies! I hope to win by posting this link here!

Old times and old biddies

Alice and I threw a birthday party for Juanita this morning. I'm not saying how old she is, but she was born 76 years ago. She doesn't get out any more for physical reasons, so in this little social circle, we always get together at her house.

Alice went by our mutually favorite restaurant and picked up an omelette for Juanita. It was prepared just the way she likes it, by Amy, who calls her Grandma. Amy wrote a Happy Birthday message on the top of the styrofoam box.

Alice also brought her an assortment of greeting cards for Juanita to send out - birthday, get well, sympathy, etc. Also gave her a mildly risque birthday card which she enjoyed immensely!

I made a chocolate sheet cake from my favorite recipe, and brought her a little bag containing some stationery items from Target's office supply aisle, plus a package of balloons with a hand pump. I picked out a birthday card suitable for a child - it had punchouts of beach toys and a little bag to keep them in. 

Juanita sent me into her kitchen to make us a pot of coffee - which I had never done in her house, but I eventually found the coffee and the filters and got the job done. Then I served coffee and cake to Alice and myself - Juanita didn't want any until she finished her omelette. Then I refilled the coffee mugs and served Juanita's cake. I told them not to expect that kind of service every time.

It was interesting to see what she liked and what she didn't - Juanita's not one to hold back her opinions, which can be refreshing! She had no use for the balloons and pump, and said she wouldn't open that, so I told her to feel free to give it to her grandkids. I'm not even sure she liked the card I gave her, but my opinion is that we're never too old to have some silly fun once in a while. She said she would use the pens, and what was she supposed to do with the spiral notebook, and why in the world did she need a glue stick, and what was this white-out thing anyway? We told her it was to cover up any mistakes she made with the pens, and - deadpan - she said she never makes mistakes.

She was very happy with the omelette - it was a favorite she had not been able to enjoy for a long while - and I believe she sincerely enjoyed the cake. She liked the cards Alice had given her, but she gave them back! Apparently on a previous birthday or Christmas, one of us (possibly Alice) had given her exactly the same selection of cards, and she had not yet used them up. We told her she was supposed to send them to people - and for a few years recently, I have given her postage stamps as birthday gifts - but she said she didn't have enough occasions to send that many cards.

She said her son Bill asked what she wanted for her birthday, and she told him she wanted a tube of toothpaste! That led to an extended story about what kind, where it could be found, who shops at which stores and won't go to others, and what she had been using since she ran out of her favorite kind. Turns out she's now working on a tube that had been her husband's. He died sixteen years ago. I think Alice is going to return the cards and seek out the favored toothpaste, if Bill doesn't remember it. If she doesn't, I will!

Our conversation from there meandered around from watching the fireworks display last night - since it was rained out on the Fourth - and Juanita said something about us "old biddies" (Alice and me) going out at night in all that traffic - to memories of life on a farm and cardboard inserts in worn-out shoes.

And that was all in the space of two hours this morning. Can't wait to see what the rest of the day holds for me!

Thought I'd drop in on some blogs tonight and see what's new. Seems like since everyone I know is either on Ravelry or Facebook, nobody blogs any more. Including myself.

One blogger that I read pretty often is apparently having the same problem. She decided to try to post Five on Friday - once a week, post five things that have happened, or that she has accomplished, in the previous week. I'm wondering if I have enough self-discipline to follow a schedule like that. Maybe I could do a One on Wednesday?

I started one post last month that I saved as a draft and never finished. Maybe I should start there, then post at least a rough outline of what's up in my life. Then maybe I would eventually go back and add pictures and details.

Someone is setting off explosives very near to my house. Gunfire is rare in this neighborhood, so the first one startled me. But it is the Fourth of July, so I'm not getting too upset about it. Just wish I had had the nerve to pick up some fireworks while I was out of state earlier this week and bring the contraband home with me.

This is my belated post from end of May 2009

May 29 - Dallas, TX. 7:30 pm, Legacy Books, 7300 Dallas Parkway, Suite A120. Plano, TX 75024:

I went to see the Yarn Harlot again!

I know, I know. You're thinking, why would you want to go when you've seen her before? What more could she have to say about knitting?

First of all, I'm really glad I went. It was a fun and relaxing getaway. Four of us - the Tuesday Night Knitters core group - were originally planning to go. Anita and Polly couldn't make it, so it was only Judy and I who ultimately made the trip.

We each packed up plenty of knitting and a change of clothes, I transferred my GPS locator from my car to hers, and we took off. 

The weather was decent and the drive was mostly uneventful, except for when we made a pit stop in Marietta and when we returned to the car it was deader than the proverbial doornail. Judy looked under the hood while I perused the owner's manual looking for some kind of safety switch override. Then we decided to wiggle the battery cables and one came off in my hand! We had no tools, so we fell back on acting helpless and charming. Two nice young construction workers with a small pair of pliers and a huge Crescent wrench were able to tighten up the cable terminal for us, and we were off again.

Our favorite Harlot was, as usual, both hilarious and educational. I was intrigued with the Theta brain wave theory that she explained to us. Let us go nowhere without our Emergency Knitting!

Birdbrain!

True story: My son and I went to lunch at Burger King a few days ago. We returned to the car and were getting ready to drive away when we both just stopped, mid-conversation, to watch a bird. It had in its beak what looked like a chunk of bread. The bird swooped down to land just under the shade of a car parked across the way in front of us. It was a hot day and there was a little puddle of water there, probably condensation that had run down and back from the car's air conditioner. The bird cocked its head one way and another, dipping the bread into the water. I have to believe it took the softened bread back to its nest for babies, or for a nesting momma bird. 

What a birdbrain!

Getting better

I know, my last post was pretty dismal - but I thought it was better than nothing at all.

This week I have felt much better, but have been very busy at work, trying to make up for missing half of last week. Still not quite caught up.

This afternoon I am going to a birthday party-- my youngest grandchild is one year old today!

Lost week

From March 16 to March 19 ... 

I woke up Monday morning with a scratchy throat - just like three weeks ago, and again a month or so before that. 

Tuesday morning it was a little worse, with obvious sinus drainage. I decide to call my doctor for an appointment right away, instead of waiting and hoping it would clear up on its own. Got in to see him Tuesday afternoon, by which time I was feeling much worse. He prescribed me yet another round of antibiotics (stronger each time, with me thinking about this bug building up its immunity) plus a decongestant.

Usually when I make an appointment with my doctor, his staff will tell me they can work me in, but I may have to wait a while. So far - in the last 20 or 30 years I've been seeing him - that usually means 10 or 15 minutes. Not so this time - it's Spring Break! Most of the other doctors in this clinic have escaped for ski trips or whatever. I spent over an hour in the hallway, with the overflow from his office lobby.

 

Two unhappy toddlers, with their irritated and irritating young mother complaining into her cell phone, just about drove me away with their whining and crying. I was relieved, as were all the others waiting, when a cheerful and competent young mother with two ill but otherwise contented toddlers arrived. She sat in the middle of the floor and played with all four children. I wanted to give her a medal. After the whiny crew were called in to see the doctor, another patiently waiting patient rewarded the good mommy by insisting she and her little ones go next in line, ahead of the adults.

So for my 3:45 appointment, I got in about 5:00 and was out by 5:20 with two prescriptions in hand.

I wearily drove down the street to Homeland, where the pharmacy has a convenient drive up window, and turned in the prescriptions. The lady said it would take about 15 minutes. Too long to wait at the window, and just about long enough to go home and come right back, so I drove to a shady spot and worked on a crossword puzzle. (Didn't even feel up to knitting - and still don't want to think that hard.) 

Went back to be told they were able to fill one prescription, but they were out of the other. My options were to let them order it and pick it up the next afternoon, or go somewhere else to have it filled. Didn't want to deal with that hassle, so I said to just order it for me.

Drove home and was almost in my garage when I remembered that I had a book on reserve to pick up at the library. Headed out again, and was halfway there when the pharmacy called me. They did have the second medication, had overlooked it on the shelf. Did I still want it? Yes! 

Went on to the library. Had to park the car and go inside - no way around that. Looked at the new book shelf on my way to the service desk and found two new books by old favorite authors - John Sandford and John Harvey. Harvey has finally written another Charlie Resnick novel after a hiatus of several years! So I got those, plus the Anna Zilboorg hat book I had reordered, paid my dollar for overdues. 

Went back to the pharmacy window, paid for the second prescription, then finally made it home about 6:30.

I thought about calling to let my pals know that I was not going to our knit-night at Borders, but I fell asleep before I could decide who to call first. Woke up about 8 and took my meds.

Stayed home Wednesday, read and slept a lot. 

Got up Thursday morning, got ready for work, started out to my car and realized I really didn't feel well enough to drive to work, much less be there and try to focus on anything. Called in sick and went back to bed.

I am thankful for my family

Had a great Thanksgiving Day - all the kids and grandkids gathered at Sarah’s house. I only had to provide a thawed turkey and make the gravy. No cooking, no cleanup, and just a little grandbaby holding duty! I did have to use the allergy meds more than usual due to the two grand-dogs and one grand-cat in the house. I got home about seven and crashed in my easy chair - woke up at one AM breathing freely and feeling restored. Now here I am, wide awake at three AM! Maybe I should go shopping …
I've spent the last half-hour trying to send photos from my phone to my blog - no success, so here we are, photo-less. You will just have to use your imagination!

Mission Statement

Today is an anniversary for me - seventeen years ago today was my first day at GLP - and here I still am. I'm hoping to work one more year of five-day weeks, then go to three-day weeks for two more years, then retire from here and see what comes next. I want the next phase to involve lots of arts & crafts, with some of them for-profit. Hmmm . . . that almost sounds like a real plan. Subject to change, but a plan.

Boo!

I know, I haven't posted since the Fourth of July, but life is busy and I'm disorganized. That's just the way it is. I'll post some pictures one of these days and fill you in on what I've been up to since July.
I sat on my porch swing last night with a bag of candy and a bag of knitting. Added several rows to my February Lady sweater and treated about 20 kids, if you count my three grownup kids that stopped by individually. (see note below)
After the trick-or-treating was all over, I curled up in my easy chair to watch a recorded Criminal Minds and started a new Forest Canopy Shawl. Next thing I knew I was looking at the menu screen and had four and a half tiny rows, with half a row of loose stitches. I frogged and went to bed!
Note:
1 Tired Dad, with two boys dressed as Pumpkins, on their way home from church carnival, his wife at home ill with something probably carried home from preschool
1 Firefighter, accompanied by a Monk, on their way to a party
1 Pizza Delivery Person, after delivering a pizza in my neighborhood

Fourth of July Weekend

Hello all!
Hope you had a great Independence Day weekend. Mine started with going to watch the annual parade that travels through my home town along part of Route 66. There were lots of vehicles to enjoy, antique and otherwise, along with horses and bicycles and floats and all those hopeful candidates campaigning for our votes.

I wimped out, though, and left early - wasn't enjoying the heat and I've mostly seen it all before, every year for the last 30 years or so.
I went home, cooled off, blocked my Forest Canopy Shawl, and took a nap.

Sam and family invited me to go watch the 'booms' with the grand-boys, but I just couldn't bear the thought of the traffic. On the Fourth, it takes an hour or more - each way - to drive less than two miles to the park, then there is the walk from the parking lot into the Festival area. So again I wimped out, opting to enjoy the sound of the 'booms' in the air-conditioned comfort of my home.

Saturday morning the kids and I met for breakfast and had a good time in spite of the slightly odd service. They wouldn't let us have a high chair at the end of our booth - the waitress said because someone might trip on it. It was a little close, but we managed. The rest of the crew had places to go and/or naps to take, so I went up the the LYS to knit and visit until Sarah called. She and I went and got our toes done! Funny how a quickly a pedicure can change from a luxury to a necessity!

Later I went to a movie at Penn Square. A few years ago I would never have thought to go to a movie alone, but there are advantages to going my own way. I saw Hancock, the superhero movie starring Will Smith. I wouldn't recommend it for family entertainment, because of bad language and one especially unusual bit of violence, but it was a lot of fun and - dare I say? - somewhat heartwarming. I still want to see WALL-E and Get Smart and maybe even the American Girl movie.

Today - Sunday - I slept in much later than I intended, then decided I had been a lazy slug for long enough and unclogged my slow tub drain. Yes, again. I suppose it needs some regular maintenance if I want to avoid this nasty annual snake job.
Then I got out my big old screwdriver and my rubber mallet and set at defrosting the old refrigerator that sits in my utility room. The freezer part was completely iced in, so between sessions of chipping ice and leaving it to melt (I took a few breaks for knitting and reading and TV watching) I finally got the freezer door open and took the food out. It went much faster after that.

I seem to be falling back into my old habit of reading daily. This week I listened to Nevada Barr's Winter Study on CD (in my car) , read Robert Crais' L.A. Requiem and Jennifer Chiaverini's Quilter's Apprentice. Last week I read Brendan DuBois' Resurrection Day, a disturbing story set in 1971, depicting what our country might have been like if the Cuban Missile Crisis had escalated into nuclear war.
I also started Absolute Power by David Baldacci, but when I figured out why I kept thinking about Clint Eastwood I gave it up. Decided I'll try to find a Baldacci book that wasn't a movie that I have seen.
Next up on my eclectic selections are Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled by Dorothy Gilman and Twilight, another dark story by Brendan DuBois. I'm not sure I will read Twilight right away; I love DuBois' Lewis Cole series, and he is a very good writer, but I'm not sure I can stomach two such dark stories so close together - his writing makes them seem almost real.
I have a reserve in for William G. Tapply's One-Way Ticket - he's another of my many favorites.
And so to bed, for tomorrow is another work day. 'Night, all!

Is this February 2nd?

Hello there! I just thought I would poke my head out, like a groundhog, and see what's going on around me! Sorry I haven't posted lately. It is just like anything else that I put off - the longer I put it off, the harder it is to start again. This little note is just an attempt to build a fire under me. I don't think I can pick up where I left off and fill in everything to date.

PS: On the right, here-- that's Max. Doesn't he look strong and wise? He's quiet, and quick to smile. He'll be three months old this Saturday.

Tracking backwards through time - I had lunch with a few of my favorite people today; sorry, no pictures. Six of us came from four different places to meet for a cheap and tasty burger; Cousin Beth came from her home; Sam, my favorite son, came from his office; DIL Andrea brought the two little boys from their home; and I came from my office. It's amazing how fast an hour can pass, but it surely is a nice break for the middle of a workday!

Tuesday nights, for a while now, has been an informal, but regularly scheduled, knit night for Anita, Polly, and me. Actually, I don't know how long this has been ongoing - I was invited a few months ago to join in this established event. We started out going to Starbucks, which was nice, but decided that a bookstore might be quieter and have more available seating, and still have tasty concoctions to sip on as we knit. So, for a couple of months now, we've been meeting at Borders - and naturally we sit in the section where the knitting books are. Last week I got really tickled when some young ladies stopped by and asked us a few questions. I had the distinct feeling that they saw us as a quaint exhibit organized by the bookstore.

Sometimes I get to kidnap a grandchild for no special reason. One evening recently, the little man and I went out for dogs and a beer. I was pleased to find that A&W does still serve root beer in chilled mugs!

My favorite local yarn store usually closes at six pm, but on Thursday nights is open until eight pm. A growing number of us have developed the pleasant habit of dropping in to knit and visit. We have a lot of laughs and always ooh and aah over everyone else's projects. There's a lot of yarn petting and fondling that goes on there. I always come away with ideas for more projects.

Polly, one of my Tuesday night knitting pals, threw down a challenge last week. I've been knitting socks two at a time, on one circular needle. She brought me a pattern for two socks knitted at the same time, one inside each other. Of course, I had to accept the challenge--so even though I have several works in progress, I picked out some likely yarn last Thursday, and will probably cast on tomorrow night! I'll try to shoot and post some pictures.

Our darlin' boy turned three years old earlier this month, and had a backyard party with a cars theme. Or maybe it was a Cars theme. Guests were supposed to only bring one tiny car each as gifts, and most people complied. Grandmothers and aunts can be exempted from the rules, can't they? I have lots of pictures of that fun event.

That pretty much takes care of June, except for showing you the shawl I made. It still needs to be blocked, but I'm pretty happy with it. I had my doubts about getting it finished at all when I ran out of yarn just before the end, but Carol, another knitting pal, rescued me. She is making a sweater, scarf, and hat with the same yarn, and gave me enough to finish my scarf. (Thanks again, fellow Crazy Lady!)

Happy Mothers' Day!

And a happy Mothers' Day to everyone - even those of you whose babies have four legs or scales or feathers or whatever!
My kids had a big surprise for me. The only clue they gave me was that I had to be up and dressed by ten a.m. - no sleeping in or lounging in my jammies. I figured they were going to take me out somewhere, but I was so wrong. We never left the premises.
After we enjoyed chocolate-glazed donuts and Mothers' Day cards, they pretty much abandoned me in the house with my new grandson (that's a REALLY sneaky trick).
My merciless crew then proceeded to empty and organize my two-car garage. They discarded enough of my trash and treasures to make room for my one small car. I've lived in this house for 29 years and I am trying to remember if I have ever seen a vehicle in this garage - a vehicle bigger than a bicycle, that is. (Hey, there WAS a bicycle in there - where did it go?)
I'm a little sorry we didn't do before and after pictures, but the 'before' was every bit as cluttered as you can imagine.
P.S. If anyone needs a sturdy 4' x 8' worktable, please come by and pick it up from the curb!

He's here!

Our new baby is here at last! He arrived Friday, 03/28/08, at 1:06am, weighing in at 8 lbs, 12 oz.

Yah-ta-hey

Let me tell you, two four-day weeks with a fun-filled weekend in between makes for one long day. By Thursday I was so out of it that when I got home from work, I sat down in my recliner intending to read my mail, and slept for twelve hours straight. I did feel much better Friday. Sometimes the old bod just has to say STOP!
The weekend was a wonderful experience. We drove from OKC, which is 1299 ft above sea level, to a point just across the Continental Divide, and just east of the Arizona state line. We spent the weekend at 6568 ft above sea level, and I for one could tell the difference in the air.
We met some really nice people; all but one were Navajo, since there was no one else there. I made friends with a loveable Lab named Opie, and four of us cousins had a really fun slumber party.
Oh, and one more thing - I finished my Branching Out scarf!
Be forewarned, I'll be back in a day or two with lots of pictures to show you.

* poof! *

I arrived at work at 7:45 am today, with a smile on my face and a peaceful feeling in my heart.
It's noon. They're both gone.

Knitting Daily

Illness among my co-workers* has increased my already full workload, so the past couple of weeks have been a little rough for me.
* (I always feel compelled to hyphenate that word, otherwise I tend to read it as "Cow Orkers" whatever those might be - it doesn't sound pretty.)
More work hours mean fewer play hours, but I have been steadily working on my
Branching Out scarf,









and have started a pair of toe-up socks.








The cold weather will probably end just as I finish this warm wool/alpaca scarf, but I will be able to wear the socks year round.

I hope to block these Baby Pea Pod pieces and sew them together this week.

Off to see the wizard . . .

Last night I took my favorite Little Man to see a high school production of Wizard of Oz .
We both enjoyed the show even though it was three hours long.

On the ride home, I asked him which part he liked best.
"The lion. He went 'aargh and aargh.' "

I asked him if he liked the music.
"It was beautiful."

Then he went to sleep in his carseat.