A mid-month update...
Quilting
Retirement quilt - flimsy - not even started, but I have decided to use the Quiltworx approach. More prep work up front, but more mental health saved in the long run.
Fruit Cups - done done - not even touched
Scrappy tumblers quilt - done done - brought upstairs for handwork
Stars in Her Crown - centers done - no progress, but I am going to hand piece this. No point i getting frustrated with paper piecing when I am only making one of each thing.
BOM - to handwork stage - not even touched
Licorice All-Sorts - use as a leader and ender, so as far as I can get - not even touched
Harleigh's Easter gift - done done - not even touched and may sub something else for her Easter gift.
Knitting
Block 3 things - not even started
Get to 17" on fade sweater vest - not even touched
Mend 1 thing - not done
Crochet
Finishing on blue afghan - not even touched
Assess granny square afghan and get it half way to done - not even touched
Other
Braid t-shirt strips during the news every day (this will be sewn into a rug) - sadly, not touched
OK so it looks like I've done nothing and in many ways, it feels that way. In my defense, I was gone 5 of the first 15 days of April, so there's that. So here's my back half re-focus:
Quilting:
Scrappy Tumblers will get done. Has to.
Retirement quilt - get going on it. I have a feeling once I get going, it will be fine. I need blocks of time and that is hard to come by, but I will have to force it I think.
Siggie Swap - just got the blocks back, so I want to get this done. It's only 2 feet square, so not a lot of work.
Knitting:
Block 3 things
Knit on anything.
Crochet:
Work on both afghans.
Other:
Start braiding. Try to double up
Monday, April 15, 2019
Sunday, April 14, 2019
Farewell, Old Friend
The first time I read on a Kindle was in 2012. My sister lent hers to me because I forgot a book to read. I had just finished all of Harry Potter and those huge books, and I loved that the Kindle had a light and was lightweight. I was in love.
I promptly saved up a lot of Amex points and bought two Kindles just like Kim's - one for me and one for Renee. I also bought secondary market covers with built in book lights. Renee never took to it and eventually Kim gave it up as well, but I am still going strong with mine to this day.
Lately I have seen my beloved friend lose its abilities. This week it would stay on, after repeated coaxings. It's OK. It has severed me well for a very very long time in the lifespans of an electronic device. Here are some pics....
The top one shows the secondary market cover. It does make the device heavier, but it also protects it and makes it more durable to bumps, bruises and drops. The second one shows how the little book light came out, making reading in the dark amazing.
Preparing for this day, in late 2015, again with Amex points and an incredible Kindle sale, I bought 2 more, this time the Fire models. Again I bought covers. Renee didn't take to her new Fire and so now I have 2 Kindle keyboards and 2 Kindle Fires. I have wiped both Fires clean, re-linked them to my liking and have organized all the content. The new covers are orange and pink. The orange one will be my reader, just like the old one, and the pink one has way more memory (SD card) and can do videos and stuff for going to the gym and walking on the treadmill. I moved the orange one up to my bedside this week, making the transition complete.
This morning I deregistered my beloved Kindle Keyboard. It was time.
Goodbye beloved friend.
I promptly saved up a lot of Amex points and bought two Kindles just like Kim's - one for me and one for Renee. I also bought secondary market covers with built in book lights. Renee never took to it and eventually Kim gave it up as well, but I am still going strong with mine to this day.
Lately I have seen my beloved friend lose its abilities. This week it would stay on, after repeated coaxings. It's OK. It has severed me well for a very very long time in the lifespans of an electronic device. Here are some pics....
The top one shows the secondary market cover. It does make the device heavier, but it also protects it and makes it more durable to bumps, bruises and drops. The second one shows how the little book light came out, making reading in the dark amazing.
Preparing for this day, in late 2015, again with Amex points and an incredible Kindle sale, I bought 2 more, this time the Fire models. Again I bought covers. Renee didn't take to her new Fire and so now I have 2 Kindle keyboards and 2 Kindle Fires. I have wiped both Fires clean, re-linked them to my liking and have organized all the content. The new covers are orange and pink. The orange one will be my reader, just like the old one, and the pink one has way more memory (SD card) and can do videos and stuff for going to the gym and walking on the treadmill. I moved the orange one up to my bedside this week, making the transition complete.
This morning I deregistered my beloved Kindle Keyboard. It was time.
Goodbye beloved friend.
Last Weekend Was Sun....
...and today we have snow.
Last weekend, I was in sunny Florida. My sister had to go for work on the Monday, so we left the Friday before and flew home on Tuesday. She had a good work trip, and we had a good time.
On the Saturday, we drove around to various places to see various schools and neighborhoods. Kim's looking for a new job, so if she was interested in a particular school, we drove and found it, looked around for apartments, checked out where stuff was, etc. While we were travelling to and fro, our old (and I mean she's now 85+ years old) neighbor called Kim. This woman taught Kim to sew, who then in turn taught me. While on the call, I realized that this woman needs a quilt from me, and thus the Good Fortune quilt has revealed its owner to me. I now I have a renewed interest in finishing this quilt. Yay!
On Sunday, we went to Universal and saw all kinds of Harry Potter. We did the following:
Went to Gringott's and exchanged some muggle money
Got a butterbeer and a green fishy ale
Ate at the 3 Broomsticks
Got ice cream at Florean Fortescue's
Bought an interactive wand
Cast some spells - Kim loved the mermaid ones and I loved the tape measure on the lapel at the robes shop
Travelled both ways on the Hogwarts Express
Bought a chocolate frog and some peppermint toads
Explored all the shops
We did not ride the rides. I do not do heat and yes 80 is hot to me.
Monday she worked and I went to a quilt shop and a yarn shop and generally rested. Her day was extremely successful (6 job offers in 5 hours), and so we celebrated at a local food joint where we were the only gringos and I had to order (badly) in Spanish, but OMG - guanabana!!!!!! Guanabana is a fruit we had in Puerto Rico as a slushie and to find it on the mainland was amazing. Renee was insanely jealous. Kim had some and was a convert.
Tuesday we flew home and we had to circle SHARPLY at Midway twice and that was not fun for me. My sister has never seen me have a panic/anxiety attack before (it's really super-rare for me) and she knew I was really just a hot mess. Happy to hit the ground.
So that was last weekend. Today? I'm in central IL and it's snowing right now outside. Yay.
Last weekend, I was in sunny Florida. My sister had to go for work on the Monday, so we left the Friday before and flew home on Tuesday. She had a good work trip, and we had a good time.
On the Saturday, we drove around to various places to see various schools and neighborhoods. Kim's looking for a new job, so if she was interested in a particular school, we drove and found it, looked around for apartments, checked out where stuff was, etc. While we were travelling to and fro, our old (and I mean she's now 85+ years old) neighbor called Kim. This woman taught Kim to sew, who then in turn taught me. While on the call, I realized that this woman needs a quilt from me, and thus the Good Fortune quilt has revealed its owner to me. I now I have a renewed interest in finishing this quilt. Yay!
On Sunday, we went to Universal and saw all kinds of Harry Potter. We did the following:
Went to Gringott's and exchanged some muggle money
Got a butterbeer and a green fishy ale
Ate at the 3 Broomsticks
Got ice cream at Florean Fortescue's
Bought an interactive wand
Cast some spells - Kim loved the mermaid ones and I loved the tape measure on the lapel at the robes shop
Travelled both ways on the Hogwarts Express
Bought a chocolate frog and some peppermint toads
Explored all the shops
We did not ride the rides. I do not do heat and yes 80 is hot to me.
Monday she worked and I went to a quilt shop and a yarn shop and generally rested. Her day was extremely successful (6 job offers in 5 hours), and so we celebrated at a local food joint where we were the only gringos and I had to order (badly) in Spanish, but OMG - guanabana!!!!!! Guanabana is a fruit we had in Puerto Rico as a slushie and to find it on the mainland was amazing. Renee was insanely jealous. Kim had some and was a convert.
Tuesday we flew home and we had to circle SHARPLY at Midway twice and that was not fun for me. My sister has never seen me have a panic/anxiety attack before (it's really super-rare for me) and she knew I was really just a hot mess. Happy to hit the ground.
So that was last weekend. Today? I'm in central IL and it's snowing right now outside. Yay.
Monday, April 01, 2019
April Crafty Goals
Let's try a goals post.
Quilting
Retirement quilt - flimsy
Fruit Cups - done done
Scrappy tumblers quilt - done done
Stars in Her Crown - centers done
BOM - to handwork stage
Licorice All-Sorts - use as a leader and ender, so as far as I can get
Harleigh's Easter gift - done done
Knitting
Block 3 things
Get to 17" on fade sweater vest
Mend 1 thing
Crochet
Finishing on blue afghan
Assess granny square afghan and get it half way to done
Other
Braid t-shirt strips during the news every day (this will be sewn into a rug)
That's a lot but I like goals. Gives me focus.
Quilting
Retirement quilt - flimsy
Fruit Cups - done done
Scrappy tumblers quilt - done done
Stars in Her Crown - centers done
BOM - to handwork stage
Licorice All-Sorts - use as a leader and ender, so as far as I can get
Harleigh's Easter gift - done done
Knitting
Block 3 things
Get to 17" on fade sweater vest
Mend 1 thing
Crochet
Finishing on blue afghan
Assess granny square afghan and get it half way to done
Other
Braid t-shirt strips during the news every day (this will be sewn into a rug)
That's a lot but I like goals. Gives me focus.
Sunday, March 31, 2019
Twelve
Before I explain the title to the post, a few updates...
I feel much better about working on one deadline quilt at a time. If I do that, I feel like I'm making progress and then the other stuff I am working on is stuff is that lying around from Magpie Syndrome. I did finally get the right sized ream of newsprint, so that does help. I did enlarge the pattern as I was supposed to. I still haven't found the gift certificate, but I'm not giving up hope.
So today's post is brought to you by the number 12. Why 12? Because we moved here 12 years ago during spring break. I have the actual date written down somewhere,but I just observe it during spring break week and call it good. We moved during Renee's Kindergarten year. Last week, we made the reservations at a local park for her high school graduation party.
Overall, it's been good. I've been involved, sometimes more intensely than others, with Girl Scouts. I've done some other volunteering as well, and overall, my active volunteering days are over I think. I am just tired and people either want me to lead things or do accounting things and those are my day jobs and I don't really need more of that. Volunteering for 2 hours to hand out t-shirts? Sure! Volunteer at the food bank and make pallets? Great! Organize a badge training for 70 girls? No thank you. I'm glad I figured this out about myself.
Workwise, it's been overall good. The bad 2.5 years actually got me the job I have now, so it all worked out in the end. I'm so happy this all worked out.
Housewise, it's time to do some updating! We've done pretty much nothing, and it shows. "Pride of home ownership" would not be the words I would use to describe my home right now. I think it will be better once she heads off to college and he and I can just work on stuff. This is fixable and doable and all fine.
Quilting-wise, which is more like craft-wise, I got back into knitting and learned how to crochet. Both things make me happy. I finished a baby blue afghan last night after we came home from Admitted Student Day. It's nice to have 3 crafts and all of their stuff everywhere - you can be creative at any time.
So sums up how I feel at year 12.
On to other fun stuff! While I am woefully behind in my reading of stashbuster email, I did sneak around for what is the April pre-cut for the challenge and it is shapes, namely tumblers and apple cores. Whoo hoo! I've got one sitting the thhe handwork pile, but I did a little review of my sewing area and lo and behold! There's another tumbler quilt in process. This one is number 4 of 5 in a series of food quilts I am doing. This one is Fruit Cups. I would love to complete it this month, so I will make that a goal.
I feel much better about working on one deadline quilt at a time. If I do that, I feel like I'm making progress and then the other stuff I am working on is stuff is that lying around from Magpie Syndrome. I did finally get the right sized ream of newsprint, so that does help. I did enlarge the pattern as I was supposed to. I still haven't found the gift certificate, but I'm not giving up hope.
So today's post is brought to you by the number 12. Why 12? Because we moved here 12 years ago during spring break. I have the actual date written down somewhere,but I just observe it during spring break week and call it good. We moved during Renee's Kindergarten year. Last week, we made the reservations at a local park for her high school graduation party.
Overall, it's been good. I've been involved, sometimes more intensely than others, with Girl Scouts. I've done some other volunteering as well, and overall, my active volunteering days are over I think. I am just tired and people either want me to lead things or do accounting things and those are my day jobs and I don't really need more of that. Volunteering for 2 hours to hand out t-shirts? Sure! Volunteer at the food bank and make pallets? Great! Organize a badge training for 70 girls? No thank you. I'm glad I figured this out about myself.
Workwise, it's been overall good. The bad 2.5 years actually got me the job I have now, so it all worked out in the end. I'm so happy this all worked out.
Housewise, it's time to do some updating! We've done pretty much nothing, and it shows. "Pride of home ownership" would not be the words I would use to describe my home right now. I think it will be better once she heads off to college and he and I can just work on stuff. This is fixable and doable and all fine.
Quilting-wise, which is more like craft-wise, I got back into knitting and learned how to crochet. Both things make me happy. I finished a baby blue afghan last night after we came home from Admitted Student Day. It's nice to have 3 crafts and all of their stuff everywhere - you can be creative at any time.
So sums up how I feel at year 12.
On to other fun stuff! While I am woefully behind in my reading of stashbuster email, I did sneak around for what is the April pre-cut for the challenge and it is shapes, namely tumblers and apple cores. Whoo hoo! I've got one sitting the thhe handwork pile, but I did a little review of my sewing area and lo and behold! There's another tumbler quilt in process. This one is number 4 of 5 in a series of food quilts I am doing. This one is Fruit Cups. I would love to complete it this month, so I will make that a goal.
Sunday, March 24, 2019
The Taxes are Done!
Let me just start there. The taxes are done.
I am a CPA (note the blog name) but I work in industry, not in the attestation function, which is where doing other people's taxes fall. I do my own and that it is. And I dread it just like everyone else, even though I am competent at it. I did get a refund, even though it is down.
(I will not entertain any tax or political comments on this post about this. Do not get me started, and as a CPA, I probably can win the argument. People have tried and told me I was stupid and now they wonder where their refund went. Please, let's all be friends and leave taxes to Caesar.)
(/rant)
On to the fun stuff - quilting!
Since last I wrote, I found!
A ream of newsprint for paper piecing
2 of of the 3 fabrics I need for said paper piecing project
However, the ream of newsprint is 9 x 12 and I need 8.5 x 11 so I ordered that. No cost, as I have a ton of American Express points sitting over there on Amazon.
Renee and I did go shopping on National Quilting Day. She had a horrific cold, but she wanted to go and get some fresh air. We went to the new shop up in Hudson and found Peeps fabric. That had to come home with me. Also found a remnant of newsprint fabric, which was one of the two types of fabric that I was missing. Renee scored it and figured it was a backup plan. Smart girl.
We then went to another quilt shop in town that is in a warehouse, but wonderfully bright and cheery on the inside. I scored a desired coordinated fabric and her loyalty club is to shop there once a month. I've already figured out what my April purchase will be. After that I had spent enough and Renee was toast.
This week, I've done a fair amount of thinking about deadline quilts. Mentally I have some deadline quilts, like 6 or 7 and that is overwhelming and then I don't want to quilt and then nothing happens and you can see where this is going.
So I've decided that I am only going to force myself to work on one deadline quilt at a time. The first one is Kim's retirement quilt. I can now start because I found the fabrics!!! (See the panic?!?!?) I am so excited to have all the piece-parts that I need - 3 fabrics, the pattern, the newsprint! This needs to be done by 05/17/19 and I should make it.
So if I'm only forced on that one, what have I been working on? Well, I had started a top of all the tumbler shapes that came in the Bits 'n Pieces club. There were never enough tumbles in any one color / shade / type to make anything. So I just threw them all together. I got it to a flimsy, sandwiched it with a frankenbatt, got it quilted it, trimmed it and got the binding attached. It's sitting in the pile, waiting to be finished. I hope to have tumblers to come up in the pre-cut challenge and then I can get a finish out real quick!
I am a CPA (note the blog name) but I work in industry, not in the attestation function, which is where doing other people's taxes fall. I do my own and that it is. And I dread it just like everyone else, even though I am competent at it. I did get a refund, even though it is down.
(I will not entertain any tax or political comments on this post about this. Do not get me started, and as a CPA, I probably can win the argument. People have tried and told me I was stupid and now they wonder where their refund went. Please, let's all be friends and leave taxes to Caesar.)
(/rant)
On to the fun stuff - quilting!
Since last I wrote, I found!
A ream of newsprint for paper piecing
2 of of the 3 fabrics I need for said paper piecing project
However, the ream of newsprint is 9 x 12 and I need 8.5 x 11 so I ordered that. No cost, as I have a ton of American Express points sitting over there on Amazon.
Renee and I did go shopping on National Quilting Day. She had a horrific cold, but she wanted to go and get some fresh air. We went to the new shop up in Hudson and found Peeps fabric. That had to come home with me. Also found a remnant of newsprint fabric, which was one of the two types of fabric that I was missing. Renee scored it and figured it was a backup plan. Smart girl.
We then went to another quilt shop in town that is in a warehouse, but wonderfully bright and cheery on the inside. I scored a desired coordinated fabric and her loyalty club is to shop there once a month. I've already figured out what my April purchase will be. After that I had spent enough and Renee was toast.
This week, I've done a fair amount of thinking about deadline quilts. Mentally I have some deadline quilts, like 6 or 7 and that is overwhelming and then I don't want to quilt and then nothing happens and you can see where this is going.
So I've decided that I am only going to force myself to work on one deadline quilt at a time. The first one is Kim's retirement quilt. I can now start because I found the fabrics!!! (See the panic?!?!?) I am so excited to have all the piece-parts that I need - 3 fabrics, the pattern, the newsprint! This needs to be done by 05/17/19 and I should make it.
So if I'm only forced on that one, what have I been working on? Well, I had started a top of all the tumbler shapes that came in the Bits 'n Pieces club. There were never enough tumbles in any one color / shade / type to make anything. So I just threw them all together. I got it to a flimsy, sandwiched it with a frankenbatt, got it quilted it, trimmed it and got the binding attached. It's sitting in the pile, waiting to be finished. I hope to have tumblers to come up in the pre-cut challenge and then I can get a finish out real quick!
Saturday, March 16, 2019
It's National Quilting Day!
And I have misplaced:
A gift certificate
A ream of newsprint for paper piecing
2 of of the 3 fabrics I need for said paper piecing project
I have:
The pattern for the project
1 of the need fabrics
The entire day in front of me
Good weather for LQS shopping
So I will make the best of it. There are 2 more places in my house to hunt for the missing items, so all is not lost.
Oh, and we are in desperate need of groceries.
A gift certificate
A ream of newsprint for paper piecing
2 of of the 3 fabrics I need for said paper piecing project
I have:
The pattern for the project
1 of the need fabrics
The entire day in front of me
Good weather for LQS shopping
So I will make the best of it. There are 2 more places in my house to hunt for the missing items, so all is not lost.
Oh, and we are in desperate need of groceries.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Pre-Cut challenge status
Yeah, February was FQs and nothing happened in February.
Well, lots happened. Renee turned 18. That is a big deal! It feels like a great achievement for us, getting her to the age of majority. She can now carry more than 1 person in her car and there are no more curfew worries. Please note that Renee is Miss Low-Key and as a rule, does not engage in risky behavior. She checks in, as we do with her. (In the era of cell phones, I think checking in with everyone in the family is a good behavior. We have a family text thread going all the time.)
Back to quilting.
The UFO I want to unearth is one of a set of YBR baby quilts that I have kitted up. I love them for retreats because I can cut and piece in 4 hours, sandwich in 30 minutes, and quilt ESS with the serpentine stitch in the afternoon and evening. By the time I go to bed, the binding is on and I can throw it in the handwork pile.
I still plan to dig through the closet of UFO's and get it out and do it. It will be an easy one to accomplish, albeit late.
For March, it's jelly rolls. Well, I actually don't buy jelly rolls. I don't think I own one. But I love making jelly roll races quilts for donation or quick giving. I made one 2 years ago for a baby shower where interspersed I put in white squares and put an applique critter on there. The fabrics were greens, blues and purples and the critters were a dragonfly, an inchworm, a butterfly, a bird. Years ago I joined Keepsake Quilting's Bits 'n Deices club, which for $20 per month, you got a pack of something. I have hundreds of applique shapes.
So for March, I pulled 12 applique shapes in warm (pink, orange, yellow) and cool (green, blue, purple) to make 2 quilts. I'll pull out my 2.5 strips drawer and see what I've got and then I'll hit up my scrap bags and then the stash yardage if needed.
No promises they will get done in March, but it will be nice to have 2 fun new starts to work on while I try to plod on with the UFOs.
Well, lots happened. Renee turned 18. That is a big deal! It feels like a great achievement for us, getting her to the age of majority. She can now carry more than 1 person in her car and there are no more curfew worries. Please note that Renee is Miss Low-Key and as a rule, does not engage in risky behavior. She checks in, as we do with her. (In the era of cell phones, I think checking in with everyone in the family is a good behavior. We have a family text thread going all the time.)
Back to quilting.
The UFO I want to unearth is one of a set of YBR baby quilts that I have kitted up. I love them for retreats because I can cut and piece in 4 hours, sandwich in 30 minutes, and quilt ESS with the serpentine stitch in the afternoon and evening. By the time I go to bed, the binding is on and I can throw it in the handwork pile.
I still plan to dig through the closet of UFO's and get it out and do it. It will be an easy one to accomplish, albeit late.
For March, it's jelly rolls. Well, I actually don't buy jelly rolls. I don't think I own one. But I love making jelly roll races quilts for donation or quick giving. I made one 2 years ago for a baby shower where interspersed I put in white squares and put an applique critter on there. The fabrics were greens, blues and purples and the critters were a dragonfly, an inchworm, a butterfly, a bird. Years ago I joined Keepsake Quilting's Bits 'n Deices club, which for $20 per month, you got a pack of something. I have hundreds of applique shapes.
So for March, I pulled 12 applique shapes in warm (pink, orange, yellow) and cool (green, blue, purple) to make 2 quilts. I'll pull out my 2.5 strips drawer and see what I've got and then I'll hit up my scrap bags and then the stash yardage if needed.
No promises they will get done in March, but it will be nice to have 2 fun new starts to work on while I try to plod on with the UFOs.
In My Defense...
I know I said I planned to post once a week, but last week got away from me. In my defense, I was sick.
On March 1, I drove north to my sister's high school and watched the Disney musical Newsies, based on the 1899 newsboy strike in New York. My sister was the Assistant Director, and since is this her year of retirement, it was her swan song for the theatre department. So I went.
But I had an ulterior motive.
Most weeks, Ted and I play pub trivia. Sometimes Renee joins us, sometimes not. (I don't cook when there's trivia, so her motive is free food.) We play with another couple and another friend and her FIL. The 3 ladies were all in grad school together and have remained friends ever since. Sometimes trivia has theme nights and when it's Disney, we go and even add in another couple for fun.
The one thing we ALWAYS get wrong is Newsies. Every. Single. Question.
I told Kim I was on a mission, explained the situation and she got me a ticket.
The show was incredible. Far above high school level - at the collegiate level, and I think I can say that, as my college theatre department had a Broadway actor as its head. (In fact, the head set guy on Newsies actually went to my college when the Broadway actor was there. I told Kim this was officially a big deal. She did not doubt me.) They were judged for some honors. I hope they get tons of accolades!
So Saturday morning, we went t o breakfast as a family - just Kim and me - to a place we had gone to since we were kids. We have no memories of our first time there - we just always went there. Twas delicious and then I headed home.
I was dying of thirst. And then a migraine started. I made the decision to power through and not stop anywhere. The drive is 2 hours. I was also trying to beat bad weather, which I did.
I got home and collapsed. I would get up, made it about an hour sitting and then back to bed. I chugged a lot of water. It was a long day.
Sunday was less worse, but no desire for food. I made a whole chicken - nice bland food.
Monday was a day off for me and Ted - it was David's 20th birthday and we felt it was worth a day off. Renee came down with how I felt midday and I told the nurse to sent her home. I made chicken and noodles for dinner - more bland food.
So I was Saturday into Sunday. Renee was Monday into Tuesday. Ted was Wednesday into Thursday. Friday was a low key day but we all made it to school / work. We survived.
And so went the week.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
D9P #1 - the green one
On Stashbusters, the 2019 monthly challenge is pre-cuts. I have decided that I would pick 1 UFO that fit the bill each month and finish it. Since my goal is 12 UFO's this year, this works well.
January is charms, which are traditionally considered to be the 5 inch nickels. I knew the exact UFO to pull. Years ago (less than 12), I inherited a bunch of fabric from my cousin. I seriously doubled my stash size. One piece was this luscious purple.
Then I decided that I wanted to make an oversized king quilt for my bed. The Disappearing 9 Patch (D9P) was all the rage. Plus my nickels bin was overflowing. I had this purple fabric. So of course a UFO was born. The purple are the pieces that end up 2 inches square. Look along the edges of the quilt for the little purple blocks.
Well, since I started this quilt, we got rid of our guest room, as no one used in the first 9 years we lived here. So we got rid of our king bed because it was worn out, and we took the queen bed from the guest room for our bed. It was, in fact, our original bed when we got married. And thus the UFO was not as urgent.
So when this challenge came up, this was the UFO I thought of. I took it out and assessed the situation. I ended up with enough parts to make 2.5 cuddle / lap quilts, so it wasn't much more work to make the third quilt.
Here's the first one. I call it the green one, because the back is made from green stash. The second one will be the blue one and the third one will be a mish-mash - leftover backing scraps from 3 or 4 other quilts.
It measures 59 * 59, and busted 5.24 yards of stash. Its owner has not been revealed to me.
And yes, the other 2 tops are complete and are in the flimsy pile to be sandwiched.
YTD stash busted: 8.96 yards
January is charms, which are traditionally considered to be the 5 inch nickels. I knew the exact UFO to pull. Years ago (less than 12), I inherited a bunch of fabric from my cousin. I seriously doubled my stash size. One piece was this luscious purple.
Then I decided that I wanted to make an oversized king quilt for my bed. The Disappearing 9 Patch (D9P) was all the rage. Plus my nickels bin was overflowing. I had this purple fabric. So of course a UFO was born. The purple are the pieces that end up 2 inches square. Look along the edges of the quilt for the little purple blocks.
Well, since I started this quilt, we got rid of our guest room, as no one used in the first 9 years we lived here. So we got rid of our king bed because it was worn out, and we took the queen bed from the guest room for our bed. It was, in fact, our original bed when we got married. And thus the UFO was not as urgent.
So when this challenge came up, this was the UFO I thought of. I took it out and assessed the situation. I ended up with enough parts to make 2.5 cuddle / lap quilts, so it wasn't much more work to make the third quilt.
Here's the first one. I call it the green one, because the back is made from green stash. The second one will be the blue one and the third one will be a mish-mash - leftover backing scraps from 3 or 4 other quilts.
It measures 59 * 59, and busted 5.24 yards of stash. Its owner has not been revealed to me.
And yes, the other 2 tops are complete and are in the flimsy pile to be sandwiched.
YTD stash busted: 8.96 yards
Baby Cody's Quilt
I read several crafting bloggers and one said her new year's resolution is to post once a week. So, better late than never, here I go.
Here is the first quilt finish of year. It was not a UFO - it was done in about a week.
Holly is on my team at work and imagine her surprise to discover that she was expecting her 4th (!) child at 42. Her other kids are 18, 13 and 11. So as the fabulous department that we are, we threw her a baby shower. (With me, there are 10 women - all moms and 1 man - and he has 2 grown children.)
Awhile ago, my MIL gave me some sports fabric because her grandsons are not into sports and she had no idea where she would use it. I've stashed it for a boy quilt, and when Holly figured out she was having a boy, it was a logical choice. Holly's older kids have all been in sports and her husband is a coach, so here was the fabric selection for baby Cody's quilt!
When I pulled out all the fabric, they were nearly all 10 layer cake charms. The other pieces were larger than that. My favorite, no thought required, quilt is the Double Slice (DS). My MIL's stash had 28 pieces and so I only had to find 2 more sports fabrics to get to 30. I found 3 or 4.
I don't like the cut-sew-cut directions for the DS. I actually just cut everything into 3.5 x 5 and 6.5 x 5 pieces and sew from there. (I trim my scraps this way and keep a shoebox for these pieces!) I sewed up all the halves and then stacked them up and sewed all the blocks. I set it 5 x 6.
The challenge is that there was a lot of fabric with black backgrounds, and I didn't want it all to pool in any one spot on the quilt. Eventually I got a good layout and got it sewn up.
My go-to quilting is to use a serpentine stitch on every stinking seam (ESS). It looks like unilock pavers on the back. I found a bright green Greek key fabric for the back.
I think there are 20 sports represented on this quilt.
It measures 45 x 54 and busted 3.72 yards of stash.
Baby Cody arrived safe and sound and is the 6th man in the family lineup.
Here is the first quilt finish of year. It was not a UFO - it was done in about a week.
Holly is on my team at work and imagine her surprise to discover that she was expecting her 4th (!) child at 42. Her other kids are 18, 13 and 11. So as the fabulous department that we are, we threw her a baby shower. (With me, there are 10 women - all moms and 1 man - and he has 2 grown children.)
Awhile ago, my MIL gave me some sports fabric because her grandsons are not into sports and she had no idea where she would use it. I've stashed it for a boy quilt, and when Holly figured out she was having a boy, it was a logical choice. Holly's older kids have all been in sports and her husband is a coach, so here was the fabric selection for baby Cody's quilt!
When I pulled out all the fabric, they were nearly all 10 layer cake charms. The other pieces were larger than that. My favorite, no thought required, quilt is the Double Slice (DS). My MIL's stash had 28 pieces and so I only had to find 2 more sports fabrics to get to 30. I found 3 or 4.
I don't like the cut-sew-cut directions for the DS. I actually just cut everything into 3.5 x 5 and 6.5 x 5 pieces and sew from there. (I trim my scraps this way and keep a shoebox for these pieces!) I sewed up all the halves and then stacked them up and sewed all the blocks. I set it 5 x 6.
The challenge is that there was a lot of fabric with black backgrounds, and I didn't want it all to pool in any one spot on the quilt. Eventually I got a good layout and got it sewn up.
My go-to quilting is to use a serpentine stitch on every stinking seam (ESS). It looks like unilock pavers on the back. I found a bright green Greek key fabric for the back.
I think there are 20 sports represented on this quilt.
It measures 45 x 54 and busted 3.72 yards of stash.
Baby Cody arrived safe and sound and is the 6th man in the family lineup.
Monday, April 23, 2018
So Much for a Vacation...
Today is my tenth and final day home in a row. It was supposed to be 6 days of me home alone and of course the two weekends. It ended up being me home alone for 4 days and about losing my ever-loving mind.
We survived prom. Mother Nature went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth with the barometer, leading me to have more migraines and mini-migraines all week. I napped and napped and napped. And read and read and read. That part wasn't so bad, in retrospect.
However, I got next to nothing done. I did get the donation bags out of my trunk, so that has to count for something. I did get the binding on my Innovations quilt and it's nearly all sewn down. I watched *a lot* of tivo. I mean, an insane amount of recorded stuff. I got a sized 2T cardigan through one sleeve, leaving the other sleeve for a conference this week at work. I got a shawl to the point I wanted to.
Of course today (being the last day) is the first and only day I have felt OK. And I left my wallet and car keys in Ted's car. We went to the Cardinals game in STL yesterday and I took the keys out of my pocket and put them in the door pocket for the drive home. And forgot to check when I got out last night. So I've relaxed some more today and did 2 hours of work, going through a huge amount of email.
So back to work I go tomorrow, but hopefully I will have the energy to do stuff after work now.
We survived prom. Mother Nature went back and forth and back and forth and back and forth with the barometer, leading me to have more migraines and mini-migraines all week. I napped and napped and napped. And read and read and read. That part wasn't so bad, in retrospect.
However, I got next to nothing done. I did get the donation bags out of my trunk, so that has to count for something. I did get the binding on my Innovations quilt and it's nearly all sewn down. I watched *a lot* of tivo. I mean, an insane amount of recorded stuff. I got a sized 2T cardigan through one sleeve, leaving the other sleeve for a conference this week at work. I got a shawl to the point I wanted to.
Of course today (being the last day) is the first and only day I have felt OK. And I left my wallet and car keys in Ted's car. We went to the Cardinals game in STL yesterday and I took the keys out of my pocket and put them in the door pocket for the drive home. And forgot to check when I got out last night. So I've relaxed some more today and did 2 hours of work, going through a huge amount of email.
So back to work I go tomorrow, but hopefully I will have the energy to do stuff after work now.
Monday, April 09, 2018
11 years and 1 year
Today marks my 11th work anniversary. It is the longest I have ever worked anywhere, as the job market and benefits here are so very different than Chicagoland. I have a pension, thus making the decision to switch jobs so much more complex. I am very happy where I am.
Today also marks 1 year since I figured out a few things about my UFOs.
Last year I figured out that I had over 200 UFO's. In fairness, some are just collections of fabric with no idea, just that they need to stay together. However, I cataloged about 90 and then stopped, figuring I had hit about half way. A year later and more poking around the sewing space, and I think 200 is about right.
So I vowed last April 9 that I had to do 10 UFO's a year. I don't care about new starts as long as they are finished. I just have to do 10 UFO's a year. Even the one finish that I had for Q1 of this year doesn't technically count because it was started last summer. The 2 tops that I have completed so far this year do count and they even have backs ready, so that's a huge start. I also have planned a week long staycation this month and I have a minor goal of 4 tops done and a lofty goal of 8 items ready to have their bindings hand-sewn down.
This is my kind of goal.
Today also marks 1 year since I figured out a few things about my UFOs.
Last year I figured out that I had over 200 UFO's. In fairness, some are just collections of fabric with no idea, just that they need to stay together. However, I cataloged about 90 and then stopped, figuring I had hit about half way. A year later and more poking around the sewing space, and I think 200 is about right.
So I vowed last April 9 that I had to do 10 UFO's a year. I don't care about new starts as long as they are finished. I just have to do 10 UFO's a year. Even the one finish that I had for Q1 of this year doesn't technically count because it was started last summer. The 2 tops that I have completed so far this year do count and they even have backs ready, so that's a huge start. I also have planned a week long staycation this month and I have a minor goal of 4 tops done and a lofty goal of 8 items ready to have their bindings hand-sewn down.
This is my kind of goal.
Tuesday, April 03, 2018
Where my time has actually been going
Walk walk walk on the treadmill of doom.
That would be the Cliff Notes version. But yes there has been a lot of walking. I decided to really get serious about it in January, then I slacked a bit and then in February, it all just clicked. I am doing it for reals.
A few factors, some of which I will explain, and some that I won't, at least right now.
My daughter explained to me that children get their accents from their friends and not their family. Extending that corollary, the company I keep has changed. Fitness is in. One person does not know what I am doing. Another does and is incredibly discreet about it - maybe an occasional comment one on one but not in a group. 3 others are in the same age group as me and we have a walking group whenever work has a challenge - we all sit be each other and we are encouraging.
Hogwarts Running Club. Trust me, this has been invaluable. Harry Potter not your thing? $10 bets that there is a fandom for you that does this.
Crazy life goals. I'm approaching a big birthday and I have a few crazy-pants goals. Swimmer Katie Ledecky said this about goals:
I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they're impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.
That would be the Cliff Notes version. But yes there has been a lot of walking. I decided to really get serious about it in January, then I slacked a bit and then in February, it all just clicked. I am doing it for reals.
A few factors, some of which I will explain, and some that I won't, at least right now.
My daughter explained to me that children get their accents from their friends and not their family. Extending that corollary, the company I keep has changed. Fitness is in. One person does not know what I am doing. Another does and is incredibly discreet about it - maybe an occasional comment one on one but not in a group. 3 others are in the same age group as me and we have a walking group whenever work has a challenge - we all sit be each other and we are encouraging.
Hogwarts Running Club. Trust me, this has been invaluable. Harry Potter not your thing? $10 bets that there is a fandom for you that does this.
Crazy life goals. I'm approaching a big birthday and I have a few crazy-pants goals. Swimmer Katie Ledecky said this about goals:
I would encourage you to set really high goals. Set goals that, when you set them, you think they're impossible. But then every day you can work towards them, and anything is possible, so keep working hard and follow your dreams.
When I am ready to reveal my crazy-pans goals, I will. I am trying a few on for size.
All of this being said, there will be posts about where I am at goals-wise.
Sunday, April 01, 2018
Q1 is Done
The first quarter of 2018 is done. Today is Easter Sunday and it's snowing. April Fool's!
The first quarter went pretty well regarding crafting. I am working on my final term of Loopy Academy and I am so grateful to have a great niece to make a sweater for instead of me. She's a size 2T. I'm not.
On the quilting front, I have done a lot. I am trying to adapt various techniques to keep the mojo flowing. I am using JOT - just one thing. It is rougher for me with the machine on the main floor and the ironing station downstairs but hey I gotta do what I gotta do. I also have started to use the OMG concept - one monthly goal. My monthly goal is one top completed. I realize that there is usually one top and an alternate.
Then I got a wild hair and I decided to do a reverse WITB - what's in the box. Most do the WITB to empty it. I chose to take a basket and fill it with everything in my UFO pile that I seriously want to work on. I let all responsibility go and just picked fun things or easy things or even similar things. The laundry basket sits in my living room and it hopefully won't take me all year to empty it, but it will be fun.
So how successful have I been so far this year? 1 have 3 tops completed, and one is already quilted and bound - my Q1 finish. Not great but enough for now.
Monday, January 01, 2018
To Quote Michael Jordan....
"I'm back."
This was his 2 word fax to the Chicago Bulls when he returned and they repeated the Three-Peat.
2017 was a year. Oh My.
I bought a new car.
I bought Renee a new car.
(Both are Chevy Sonics and both are used.)
I knit a lot.
I quilted some.
I bought tatting supplies.
I became a great-aunt.
A good friend had her second child.
Another good friend bought a house with her man.
I went to Europe.
I went to Coronado Island.
Worth every moment.
We lost Coach Rachel, tragically, on September 14.
We lost Grandma Mary on September 29 (my birthday) at age 96 and a half.
Grief sucks.
On August 22, Renee injured her shoulder.
On September 16, Renee suffered a concussion.
The swim season was a bust and rehab continues.
Ted got bronchitis the week before Thanksgiving.
I got ill the day after Thanksgiving.
The holidays were low-key.
This was his 2 word fax to the Chicago Bulls when he returned and they repeated the Three-Peat.
2017 was a year. Oh My.
I bought a new car.
I bought Renee a new car.
(Both are Chevy Sonics and both are used.)
I knit a lot.
I quilted some.
I bought tatting supplies.
I became a great-aunt.
A good friend had her second child.
Another good friend bought a house with her man.
I went to Europe.
I went to Coronado Island.
Worth every moment.
We lost Coach Rachel, tragically, on September 14.
We lost Grandma Mary on September 29 (my birthday) at age 96 and a half.
Grief sucks.
On August 22, Renee injured her shoulder.
On September 16, Renee suffered a concussion.
The swim season was a bust and rehab continues.
Ted got bronchitis the week before Thanksgiving.
I got ill the day after Thanksgiving.
The holidays were low-key.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
How Migraines Work
5.00am The migraine awakens you to announce its presence.
6.00am You wake up to start your day. As you shower, you realize that the migraine has decided it will take charge of your day.
6.15am You take migraine medicine.
6.40am After the thought of coffee disgusts you (a very scary sign), you drive your child to sports practice. The burning ball of fire in the sky is pure evil, as is the barometer.
7.00am You arrive home, change out of your mismatched work clothes (another sign of the migraine), change back into pajamas and go back to bed.
8.20am Your husband asks you to get up to drive him to the airport. Also a migraine sufferer, he has great sympathy for your plight, but needs a ride.
8.35am You drop off his car at the repair place (well, it will sit in the driveway anyway while he gone - might as well get this handled). Text work that this migraine is taking over today.
8.50am You drop your husband off at the airport. You are ready to pull away but he's not walking in. You roll down the window and ask if things are ok. He gets back in the car. We live in Illinois and you can't fly interstate without a passport to go with your state ID. Our state IDs are not updated because there is no money because there is no budget (for a year now).
8.55am Drive longingly past the McD's and head home to get passport while husband texts child that you will be late picking them up from practice.
9.10am Arrive home, get passport.
9.25am Finally drop husband at airport.
9.27am Finally get food at McD's and take second migraine pill, as first has done nothing.
9.45am Pick up child very late from practice. Child is fine.
9.53am Return home. Change back into pajamas and go back to bed.
2.00pm Get husband's car, grab lunch at Jimmy John's (migraine hangover food) and return home. Child has done mise en place for dinner and is asking questions on fried rice cooking techniques. You silently thank the gods for your child's wisdom on this matter.
2.54pm You finish this post.
Please note that tornadoes ripped through Illinois overnight and my migraine plight is nothing. I had one co-worker who spent the night in her basement with her kids with no power until 6am. She made it into work. I suck.
6.00am You wake up to start your day. As you shower, you realize that the migraine has decided it will take charge of your day.
6.15am You take migraine medicine.
6.40am After the thought of coffee disgusts you (a very scary sign), you drive your child to sports practice. The burning ball of fire in the sky is pure evil, as is the barometer.
7.00am You arrive home, change out of your mismatched work clothes (another sign of the migraine), change back into pajamas and go back to bed.
8.20am Your husband asks you to get up to drive him to the airport. Also a migraine sufferer, he has great sympathy for your plight, but needs a ride.
8.35am You drop off his car at the repair place (well, it will sit in the driveway anyway while he gone - might as well get this handled). Text work that this migraine is taking over today.
8.50am You drop your husband off at the airport. You are ready to pull away but he's not walking in. You roll down the window and ask if things are ok. He gets back in the car. We live in Illinois and you can't fly interstate without a passport to go with your state ID. Our state IDs are not updated because there is no money because there is no budget (for a year now).
8.55am Drive longingly past the McD's and head home to get passport while husband texts child that you will be late picking them up from practice.
9.10am Arrive home, get passport.
9.25am Finally drop husband at airport.
9.27am Finally get food at McD's and take second migraine pill, as first has done nothing.
9.45am Pick up child very late from practice. Child is fine.
9.53am Return home. Change back into pajamas and go back to bed.
2.00pm Get husband's car, grab lunch at Jimmy John's (migraine hangover food) and return home. Child has done mise en place for dinner and is asking questions on fried rice cooking techniques. You silently thank the gods for your child's wisdom on this matter.
2.54pm You finish this post.
Please note that tornadoes ripped through Illinois overnight and my migraine plight is nothing. I had one co-worker who spent the night in her basement with her kids with no power until 6am. She made it into work. I suck.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
20 years
Today marks my 20th wedding anniversary to Ted. (A co-worker is celebrating her 36 - she says I'm a rookie!) Interestingly enough, it's been a time of introspection.
The dad (Joe) of the best man at our wedding (Mike) died last Friday. Ted made the choice to go to the wake even though he and Mike have not talked in about 10 years. They just grew apart, and despite social media, they have not kept in touch. Ted debated about going, but Joe and his wife Kathy were such a part of his life pre-marriage and even post-marriage, it was the right thing. He took a half day off to go.
So Ted saw some folks from Mike's group of friends. Others were not there / had not shown up. He saw Mike and his siblings, and some of their kids, but none of their spouses. And not all of the kids either. In my family, a wake is a command performance and all spouses and kids (grandchildren) must be present. (Think we don't do it? My dad's wake was -10 degrees out. That's below zero. And yep, we were all there.)
As Ted was chatting with the widow Kathy, she asked about me, our girl, etc - all the usual niceties. Ted replied with yep, we're married, life is good, etc. Kathy muttered that all of her kids were getting divorced.
That explained a lot. One spouse and the kids were coming after she got off work (huh?). Another spouse of a child who lives out of state never even made the trip (but she sent the g'kids). The third spouse was also absent. Of the group of long-lost friends, one is divorced, one remains single, 1 is still married (we're friends on FB) and I think the other 2 are still married.
Ted said it brought closure. And he's happy we're still married.
Tradition says that china is the gift for 20 years. We're getting takeout.
The dad (Joe) of the best man at our wedding (Mike) died last Friday. Ted made the choice to go to the wake even though he and Mike have not talked in about 10 years. They just grew apart, and despite social media, they have not kept in touch. Ted debated about going, but Joe and his wife Kathy were such a part of his life pre-marriage and even post-marriage, it was the right thing. He took a half day off to go.
So Ted saw some folks from Mike's group of friends. Others were not there / had not shown up. He saw Mike and his siblings, and some of their kids, but none of their spouses. And not all of the kids either. In my family, a wake is a command performance and all spouses and kids (grandchildren) must be present. (Think we don't do it? My dad's wake was -10 degrees out. That's below zero. And yep, we were all there.)
As Ted was chatting with the widow Kathy, she asked about me, our girl, etc - all the usual niceties. Ted replied with yep, we're married, life is good, etc. Kathy muttered that all of her kids were getting divorced.
That explained a lot. One spouse and the kids were coming after she got off work (huh?). Another spouse of a child who lives out of state never even made the trip (but she sent the g'kids). The third spouse was also absent. Of the group of long-lost friends, one is divorced, one remains single, 1 is still married (we're friends on FB) and I think the other 2 are still married.
Ted said it brought closure. And he's happy we're still married.
Tradition says that china is the gift for 20 years. We're getting takeout.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Camp Loopy 2015 - Or What I Did This Summer
So it's been awhile but I am back. Let's talk about Camp Loopy, which is part of What I Did This Summer. ;-)
The theme was Safari. The first month, June, was to be something you'd see on safari, if I recall. I was watching my Tivo'd episodes of the Amazing Race and they were on safari and one of the challenges was to go to find elephants. So using that as my guide, I found a pattern on Ravelry with elephants.
Without further ado, here are the Elephant Sox.
The above is the completed photo. I actually wear navy pants and purple sweaters / shirts a lot, so this winter, they will be lovely.
June was a month of travel for me. Here are the sox at the end of the IASA national conference in Las Vegas. My sister and I went and we went early so we could have some long visits with our aunt Susie and our cousin Laura. Totally worth it. The conference keynote speakers were Peyton Manning, Condi Rice and the daughter of Alan Funt of Candid Camera.
Once I returned from Las Vegas, I was then off to Puerto Rico with Renee for an immersion trip. A great trip. Good kids, good parents, good guide and a good time. Well paced and nicely done. The above photo was taken on a catamaran. We headed out to 2 places to snorkel and swim. Not much knitting was done because rum punch was involved....
There is also a fantastic story about how our boat was parked between two other party boats (we had kids so we were tame. The party boats were all adults - not so tame) and the winds drove us into one of those boats. Our first mate Dolly (a lovely young woman) got us through that and then flipped off the other boat's captain. I commented that action needed no translation and she replied that he was her ex. Enough said.
This day was the last day I knit the sox in PR. It is being held in this photo by our lovely tour director Melani and we are at El Morro, the oldest fort in the New World. Lots of history here.
PR was beautiful and I would love to go back as a family. Pro tip: invest in a 5 star hotel.
The third trip saw no sox knitting, but we went to The Birthplace, which any girl scout can tell you is Savannah, GA. That trip was super hot and I heard so much about Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I bought the book for my Kindle and started reading it right then and there. I also found The Frayed Knot yarn shop and made a contribution to the local economy. I think I would love Savannah in the winter.
The second month, July, had a challenge of a pattern found in the wild - on your travels and serendipity. I had started to read the Yarn Harlot's blog from the beginning and I chose her snowdrop shawl. People at work asked to see it and so the pic is on a cube wall. Random, but effective. Yes, I like pink. Move along...
There was no travel in July. I was gone nearly 3 weeks in June and while I had adventures, one thing we did learn is that we like to have Ted with when we travel. Vegas was different because it was Kim and she had never been to Vegas to see Aunt Susie and that was totally worth it. But when Renee and I travelled in June on the other two trips, we realized that Ted needs to be there...
On to August. August's challenge was to make something amazing. Well, I am here to tell you I feel that this item will look amazing on me. So there!
I have given up on buttons and now use cardigan clips.
I haven't worn this sweater yet but the weather has turned so bring on fall.
Another thing that happened in August was a significant change for me at work. I have been in my present position for 8 years. I do project work for the Controllers division at my work. I love what I do. I've already done what I want to professionally so I decided when I moved here I would only do accounting that I loved.
Anyway, another department in Controllers (there are 14 departments) lost one supervisor to her posting to another area and the second one was pregnant. The decision was made to add a supervisor in on a temporary basis to get through. My project before my current one was implementing their new system so I know the product, the people and the process. Long story short, everyone cleared it with everyone else before I was talked to.
Of course I took it. It has been a while since I supervised people but they are a good group, which is wonderful. It was to be a temporary position, but the new mama has chosen to stay home. So I guess it's permanent. Since I plan to be at my current employer for the next 20+ years, I need to have some mobility.
And that is how I spent my summer.
The theme was Safari. The first month, June, was to be something you'd see on safari, if I recall. I was watching my Tivo'd episodes of the Amazing Race and they were on safari and one of the challenges was to go to find elephants. So using that as my guide, I found a pattern on Ravelry with elephants.
Without further ado, here are the Elephant Sox.
The above is the completed photo. I actually wear navy pants and purple sweaters / shirts a lot, so this winter, they will be lovely.
June was a month of travel for me. Here are the sox at the end of the IASA national conference in Las Vegas. My sister and I went and we went early so we could have some long visits with our aunt Susie and our cousin Laura. Totally worth it. The conference keynote speakers were Peyton Manning, Condi Rice and the daughter of Alan Funt of Candid Camera.
Once I returned from Las Vegas, I was then off to Puerto Rico with Renee for an immersion trip. A great trip. Good kids, good parents, good guide and a good time. Well paced and nicely done. The above photo was taken on a catamaran. We headed out to 2 places to snorkel and swim. Not much knitting was done because rum punch was involved....
There is also a fantastic story about how our boat was parked between two other party boats (we had kids so we were tame. The party boats were all adults - not so tame) and the winds drove us into one of those boats. Our first mate Dolly (a lovely young woman) got us through that and then flipped off the other boat's captain. I commented that action needed no translation and she replied that he was her ex. Enough said.
PR was beautiful and I would love to go back as a family. Pro tip: invest in a 5 star hotel.
The third trip saw no sox knitting, but we went to The Birthplace, which any girl scout can tell you is Savannah, GA. That trip was super hot and I heard so much about Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I bought the book for my Kindle and started reading it right then and there. I also found The Frayed Knot yarn shop and made a contribution to the local economy. I think I would love Savannah in the winter.
The second month, July, had a challenge of a pattern found in the wild - on your travels and serendipity. I had started to read the Yarn Harlot's blog from the beginning and I chose her snowdrop shawl. People at work asked to see it and so the pic is on a cube wall. Random, but effective. Yes, I like pink. Move along...
There was no travel in July. I was gone nearly 3 weeks in June and while I had adventures, one thing we did learn is that we like to have Ted with when we travel. Vegas was different because it was Kim and she had never been to Vegas to see Aunt Susie and that was totally worth it. But when Renee and I travelled in June on the other two trips, we realized that Ted needs to be there...
On to August. August's challenge was to make something amazing. Well, I am here to tell you I feel that this item will look amazing on me. So there!
I have given up on buttons and now use cardigan clips.
I haven't worn this sweater yet but the weather has turned so bring on fall.
Another thing that happened in August was a significant change for me at work. I have been in my present position for 8 years. I do project work for the Controllers division at my work. I love what I do. I've already done what I want to professionally so I decided when I moved here I would only do accounting that I loved.
Anyway, another department in Controllers (there are 14 departments) lost one supervisor to her posting to another area and the second one was pregnant. The decision was made to add a supervisor in on a temporary basis to get through. My project before my current one was implementing their new system so I know the product, the people and the process. Long story short, everyone cleared it with everyone else before I was talked to.
Of course I took it. It has been a while since I supervised people but they are a good group, which is wonderful. It was to be a temporary position, but the new mama has chosen to stay home. So I guess it's permanent. Since I plan to be at my current employer for the next 20+ years, I need to have some mobility.
And that is how I spent my summer.
Saturday, July 11, 2015
The 4th
This 4th, my friends, was a rough one.
We did nothing. It’s OK. I live in a town that DOES NOT HAVE a parade. The first 36 years of my life I have lived in a town with a parade. It is what you do. Seriously it is what you do. How do these people cope?
Anyway, my memories of the 4th are fun. There are a lot of Dad / Grandpa memories. He would go in and drive a shift at midnight and come home at 6am and I'd let him in (my room was closest to the front door). He would nap on the couch while we got ready and then we would go to the parade in Hinsdale and see relatives. Lastly there was a family reunion in the afternoon.
(No amount of my mother's dysfunction can stop these from being good memories and I assure you she really had a hard time with the 4th. Loud noises and her did not mix well. Add in visiting in-laws and you get the idea. That women was seriously full of hatred and no one quite knows why.)
As an adult, all that changed was that the party moved to Kim's. We still watched the parade, albeit in Brookfield, and Dad wasn't driving any more. But we still loved and enjoyed that day. Kim lived for years on the parade route; that is the way to go! She currently lives around the corner from it, so viewing at her house is still pretty darn awesome.
Last year we were traveling for the 4th, so it didn’t have time to sink in. This year it did. This was the 4th of grief, as odd as that may sound. I just could not get into it. I went and bought flag shirts, I made cole slaw and burgers. But I had no desire to see fireworks or leave my home. Not this year.
Next year, the 4th is a Monday, which is always a drag. However, it should be better. I will remember to get shirts a bit earlier. I will plan a parade event. I will make sure there’s ice cream for viewing fireworks. And I will leave my house.
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