When I grow up. . .

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T20:57:00.000-07:00

I wish I could say this was the most romantic Valentine's Day ever but that would be an untruth since I had a school board meeting tonight. All in all though, it was a very nice day. Guitar Guy started several days ago by sending me a photo of flowers he would have gotten me if our cats didn't eat them. Then he got me some instant Starbucks for the days he decides to drink my last cup of coffee before work. Today he had a card and gift bag waiting with new headphones for listening to my audio books!

Our local Italian deli has homemade Chicken Parmisan in the freezer section so we enjoyed a lovely dinner together and now are watching the Phoenix Suns and playing on our respective computers. Nothing exciting but comfortable and relaxing. It's all good.

Hope your day was full of love and good times (or at least some chocolate).

Go Giants!

2012-02-05T11:14:00.000-07:00

Today is a serious football day at our house since Guitar Guy's Giants are in the Superbowl. The machaca is in the crockpot for later today. I'll starting making the pico for chips in a little bit and tv is already showing us a chronicle of the season.

Game on!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

2012-01-22T13:47:00.003-07:00

Lake Havasu Balloon Festival January 19-22, 2012

Today is the last day of Balloon Festival for another year. 60 Balloons were in town to grace us with their beauty. Although it was too windy yesterday for them to go up, the other days have been a joy.

This picture is from a friend who walks down by the London Bridge most days and happened to catch this view!

That's the big news for this week. In updates from last week, I survived the dinner on Wednesday and most people felt it went very well. It is pretty exciting stuff having a college campus open in our community. I got involved with the efforts because I wanted to see more educational opportunities in our area. Now I also recognize the important economic impact this could have on our town.

Not much new on the knitting front. I've been pretty lazy in the evenings and am ok with that.

Have a great rest of your weekend. I know I plan to.

Knitting progress

2012-01-15T12:40:00.001-07:00

Sleeve for Steggie Sweater - Vanna's Choice

Fingerless mitts toddler size - Sunshine Yarns Forest

I thought it was time for a knitting update since I actually have been getting a lot done. Much of this was over Christmas vacation when I had time to knit for hours but I'm making slow steady progress on my projects.

I'm not crazy about the Intarsia on the Steggie sweater. I was cruising along until I hit the sleeves but it will get there. I've only made top down sweaters before so am not looking forward to all the seaming on this one. I also have to put in a zipper. Not crazy about the Vanna's choice but I was too cheap to buy wool for a toddler sweater.

Over Christmas I made the first fingerless mitt for DIL and left it in Iowa. Rowan immediately thought it should be his and wore it to bed LOL. I took that as a hint he needed his own to match his mommy's.

I promised my business partners I would make them socks for Christmas and didn't get it done so the first two pairs are for them. I've always heard the people like Socks that Rock but it was a terrible skein full of knots. I really like the Hermione pattern - easy, quick and nice and stretchy.

Fingerless mitt mommy size

The embossed leaves socks started out being for me but once I got this first one done, I decided the top wasn't stretchy enough for me and that I really don't like that cast on. Fortunately they will fit my DIL perfectly so I'm finishing the second one now.

Today I need to wash and block everything and next week disperse all the various presents. Once I get the sweater done I can start drooling over new projects :-)

Socks that Rock, Harlot plain sock

Indie Dyer - Pattern Hermione


Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga, Pattern - Embossed Leaves

It's a new year!

2012-01-08T19:41:00.002-07:00

I admit it, I hated 2011. WITH A PASSION. Guitar Guy keeps reminding me that there were some very good times but over all as years go - that one needed to be gone.

Realistically I know that turning a calendar page doesn't make bad things less likely to happen but at least it gives me hope for a fresh start. My goal for the year is health and healing. A little money would be nice as well.

I'm not one to make big new year's resolutions I know I will not keep but the cooler weather does give me more energy to get things done. I'm trying to balance Netflix and knitting with cleaning out closets and sorting through old paperwork for shredding or filing.

Work is starting to pick up a little and I have a big nonprofit dinner with the President of Arizona State coming up on the 18th so life is humming along. I thought I got out of planning the annual dinner when I handed it off last year but no such luck. Thankfully I have a very capable co-chair to work with, as planning these kinds of events is not my favorite thing.

I have promised the cats that I won't do any traveling for a while (at least March) so they are speaking to me again. That may not be a good thing at 3 AM when 16 pounds of fluffy is sitting on my chest meowing in my face. He's also taken to "helping" me with my knitting. Ah it is good to be home.

Hope your year is off to a good start. Anything good going on in your world?

2011-12-25T12:27:00.001-07:00

There is nothing more fun than watching a small child on Christmas morning. It took Rowan all of one present to figure out how the whole ripping paper off thing works.

We are all thoroughly sick of the singing Elmo but Rowan loves it. As you can see from the picture, his mother's parents got him a beautiful toy box. Now we just have to convince him that he's really not allowed to play inside it.

We are having a lazy day and eating left overs for simplicity. Rowan's mommy is quite sick with a virus so we are saving the Christmas dinner until she feels better.

Hope you and yours are having a wonderful day!

Remembering

2011-12-15T20:18:00.002-07:00

I'm physically back from a week in Florida helping my husband and siblings prepare for my mother-in-law's funeral. Emotionally I'm still in that numb neverland fog that can accompany the death of a loved one. My multi-tasking sucks and I haven't even put up the Christmas tree since getting back Sunday.

The service was very nice and my husband did a great eulogy. It was nice having everyone together and we had great fun going through old pictures. The cats are mortally offended that we left them for such a long time. We aren't breathing a word about Christmas travels lest they act out more.

Since we won't be able to spend Christmas all together this year, Guitar Guy and I are having a celebration with Nicole and Patrick next week and then with the Iowa clan for the actual holiday. We had planned to do a brunch but Nicole will be coming off 3 days of 12 hour shifts and probably won't be moving until the afternoon. We determined the quiche and pumpkin pancakes can certainly be served in the evening so all is good.

Christmas shopping is mostly done and shouldn't take long to wrap. Christmas letter isn't even started but I do have envelopes. Baking probably won't happen, for which my spreading waistline is grateful. Unfortunately with my trip to Florida, Rowan's stocking won't be done for this year. But I've got next year covered! I may try to get his dinosaur sweater done. It uses intarsia on the sleeves to make the steggie plates. Since I've never done that, we'll see if I can figure it out.

Off to take more decongestant for the lousy cold I came home with :-(

The end of an era

2011-12-04T08:02:00.001-07:00

It is a strange feeling becoming the "older" generation. With the death of my mother-in-law on Friday, December 2, Guitar Guy and I are officially the senior members of the family. This year we have experienced mostly the down side of aging with its accompanying frailty and loss of independence. Supposedly wisdom also comes with aging and I'd really like to know when that starts cause I could use some!

As I sit in the airport waiting to fly to Tampa for her funeral, I'm thinking that 7 AM is way too early to be having such heavy thoughts, especially on one cup of coffee.

All prayers (if you are so inclined) or good thoughts are appreciated as our family waits to put 2011 officially behind us.

.

I

Are we there yet?

2011-11-11T19:44:00.002-07:00

I am really, really trying to get excited about the holidays but so far it just isn't working. Some of it has to do with the year we've had, but mostly this time of year feels like some kind of race to the finish line. It isn't just the holidays, since we will be away for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. We are also caught in a year end frenzy!

Every nonprofit I'm involved in is either preparing for a major fundraiser or involved in umpteen year end activities for the board to attend. We are making a major marketing push to pump up our business (both exciting and exhausting) while trying to plan for 2012. And did I mention that my house has once again collapsed in to a mega mess?

Whew! Glad to get that off my chest. Thanks for listening while I vent :-)

Tomorrow morning I'm walking in the Alzheimer's walk with my business partner Beth. Should be interesting given how out of shape I am. Keep a good thought for me. Tomorrow night I get to be a silent/live auction helper at the a local Rotary event. They graciously donate to one of the organizations I work with so we give back by volunteering for them. I always grumble before I haul myself off the couch but I'm sure I'll have a good time watching other people spend their money!

That's what is going on in my world. What's happening in yours?

Progress in life and on the Christmas stocking

2011-10-30T11:28:00.003-07:00

October has been a month of ups and downs, but mostly moving forward. I am not done grieving over this awful year, but I no longer feel stalled. The waves of sorrow come less frequently and less intensely (though the holidays are sure to temporarily change that). I'm beginning to be productive with our business again and that feels good.

I finally opened the boxes I shipped from my dad's apartment and survived. I haven't totally unpacked them yet, but it is a step. The hardest thing is the scent trigger of his clothes and other belongings. I can understand why he kept my mom's clothes for so long as there is a certain comfort in their feel and smell. I also closed the estate last week while I was in Iowa and went out to the cemetery in the middle of nowhere to make sure the headstone had been engraved.

I spent some time wandering the cemetery where so many of my mother's ancestors are buried and felt the warmth of the sun on the granite. I talked to my parents, felt the wind and smelled the cattle lot next door. I remembered all the times I visited with my mom to bring flowers as a child. I was afraid it would be terribly sad, but I actually felt peaceful.

I continue to work on Rowan's Christmas stocking and am counting the weekends until it must be ready. It's coming along nicely but there are many hours ahead. I think he'll be excited to see it and can't wait to spend the holidays with him. I had a wonderful visit last week and he's always happy to see Gamma. His mother said she wonders if he thinks I can come out of the computer to visit him as he talks to my picture on the computer even when we aren't Skyping.

Now that I've caught you up, I need to get busy on that stocking. Hoping to get in 5 or 6 hours today!

Fall is in the air

2011-10-06T20:26:00.004-07:00

That probably sounds silly in Arizona but a cold front went through and left us in the 70's today. Windows open, enjoying the 2 days of coolness before the temps pop back up. I'm thinking it might just be time to get out the Halloween decorations :-)

I've been cleaning all day getting ready for my nephew to visit for a couple of days. Company is good for making me get out the mop and dust rag. Otherwise my ability to tolerate dust is extremely high! We don't know this young man very well as he lives across the country so hopefully we can find something fun for him to do.

Nicole is just about ready to go back to work full time and actually drove me to Phoenix last week for some major dental work. Things continue to look up for which we are very grateful.

Work continues on the Christmas stocking and I may just have a picture for you in the next week or so. I think I might make it if I keep plugging along. Unfortunately it is putting a major dent in my knitting and reading time. Listening to lots of MP3 books while I stitch.

Have a good rest of the week!

Old eyes need new glasses

2011-09-12T20:35:00.003-07:00

I finally started Rowan's counted cross stitch Christmas stocking, and have discovered a harsh truth - my store bought glasses just aren't cutting it. Somehow those stitches are smaller than I remembered, even with my Ott light, and there are way too many shades of gray. I've already contacted an optician friend to get the name of a good eye doctor. Since I don't see street signs well, I suspect Bifocals may be in my future. Any advice?

On the bright side, the Ho-Ho (as Rowan calls Santa) is taking shape on the stocking and with a little luck and plenty of stitching time, I might just make it by Christmas. This is, however, really cutting in to my knitting time. I started the Steggie sweater for the same darling grandson but it has been sitting in my knitting bag absorbing cat hair for the last week. Guess I'll have to try to alternate.

Nicole got permission to start back to work on the floor (as opposed to the administrative stuff she's been doing for two weeks). She's tired but back to doing her real job. That is exciting news for everyone.

Now I'm off to listen to some Jim Butcher on MP3 and do a little more cross stitch :-)

Catching up

2011-08-20T11:28:00.005-07:00

As my grandson knows, viewing the world upside down not only gives new perspective on life but is darn fun! It has been a busy month since I last posted so thought I'd get you caught up in between house cleaning.

The highlight of the last month was a FUN trip to Iowa to visit my son and family. The weather was beautiful and the Iowa State Fair was a great time (though we missed seeing the traditional Butter Cow). We went to the parks, ate lots of good food and played Toy Story 3. I do a passable Woody when necessary. We did suffer through several days with no hot water which made bathing a speed sport. Before we left Guitar Guy and I recorded a book for the little guy so he can hear us every day. "More Grandma, More Pop" seems to be the refrain.

Nicole and I have made 2 trips to Phoenix for doctor appointments with great results both times. She is returning to work part time as an extern until she can build back up to full time. That is exciting news and makes us all smile a lot. She drove the 3.5 hours back from Phoenix our last trip! She's been to Washington DC and Spokane in the last month to visit friends and is headed back to the gym. We are extremely grateful for her recovery.

On the knitting front, I finished a pair of socks for me and 2 pairs for Rowan. Used Sock That Rock for mine and had issues with lots of thin places. I've always heard good things about STR yarn but probably would not buy again. Just started some fingerless mitts (Zen Yarn Garden Bamboolicious) and have a stegosaurus sweater planned for Rowan. Fall is coming, at least in some parts of the country. We still have a couple months of heat here in AZ.

Thinking maybe I should head to bed. Cleaned house and cooked dinner for Nicole and Patrick tonight. Coca Cola Pot Roast, mashed potatoes, salad and peach pie for desert. YUM

Hibernating

2011-07-23T18:27:00.001-07:00

It's a lazy day at our house. Too hot to do much and no energy to be productive. Movies, reading and computer time are the order of the day. That's a good thing as I'm back on the road tomorrow to pick up Nicole. She's been off in Washington DC for the last week visiting her best friend. Can't wait to hear about her trip and all the places they visited.

Stay cool and have a good rest of the weekend!

Goodbye Icey

2011-07-17T13:40:00.006-07:00

Saturday morning at 10 AM, Guitar Guy and I put Icey in her carrier for the last time. She was as vocal as ever about her displeasure. She'd had a good breakfast and purred as I petted her. I admit I had doubts.

But Icey, at 22, had several kidney failure and creeping debility made it difficult for her to walk or get comfortable. The vet gave me a choice, aggressive hydration and medication that might buy her a couple of months or letting her peacefully go to sleep. Selfishly, I wanted her to stay, but didn't want her to suffer more.

We were with her, rubbing her ears is she lay her head for the last time. It was peaceful and easy. Her old heart sighed and stopped.

Thank you Icey for 22 years of love. You caught my heart as soon as I met you roaming the pet store, when you were just a kitten. If you hadn't been led astray by that Siamese, who figured out how to open the cage and eat the baby bunnies, you might have lived a different life. As it was, the store owners wanted you gone and Nicole and I wanted you. You were plushy and cute and loved to cuddle.

You put up with being dressed in doll clothes, pushed in a buggy, stuffed in a suitcase when Nicole decided to run away and stuffed in a dresser drawer. You were the amazing legless cat for a school project and the Cyclops in another. Throughout it you were endlessly patient and never offered a nip. You used up many of your 9 lives when you were shut in the neighbor's garage for a week with no food or water at age 13. You had a great purr and an absolutely obnoxious speaking voice (which I didn't appreciate at 6 AM).

For all the kudos, you also challenged my patience at times. Your habit of peeing on any clothes, towels or magazines left on the floor was not appreciated and probably would have gotten you removed from some other homes. You could be endlessly persistent when you wanted something and left stains all over the house from your frequent vomiting as you aged.

You had your evil moments as well. I remember bringing poor Cassie dog home from the shelter. Rather than welcome her, or even ignore her, you and Galadriel cornered her in the bedroom and terrorized her. You never initiated such bad behavior but you did go along for the ride!

Rest in peace old girl. Our lives will feel a little emptier without you.

Chasing 2 year olds is for the young!

2011-07-10T11:46:00.004-07:00

Don't get me wrong, I had a ball spending a week with Rowan and his parents. I have determined that I would need to go back to the gym if I were toting a 2 year old every day. Did you know they are heavy? and they squirm a lot?

I have played Buzz and Woody through all 3 Toy Story movies, provided many cups of "Chama milk" (containing a small amount of Hershey syrup), read stories and gotten in my share of kisses. Rowan also made several trips with me to finish the process of selling my dad's house and disposing of the last of his belongings. He was so good and thanked the realtor and neighbors as he trotted out the door.

Needless to say, it was a bittersweet week. Unlike many of my generation, my parents bought their home the month I was born and lived in it their entire lives. I have always loved that I could still look at the kitchen window and almost see my mom coming across the yard with a pan of green beans for dinner. I could sit in the same chair I had sat in my entire life to eat dinner and sleep in my childhood room. The connection to my childhood always seemed sharper and purer in that little house. For a little while I could go home again.

I've dreaded going back to finalize the sale. I was afraid I'd break down and sob. Yet when I finally stood in the empty house I felt relief. The house has sat for nearly 8 years since my dad moved to a continuing care community. He always intended to finish cleaning it out, and for the first 5 years was there several times a week just puttering. When he no longer could drive the house became expensive storage and was gradually deteriorating inside. It felt sad and lonely and I hated going there.

I understand that it has been purchased by first time home buyers who want to make a home. The house will again hum with life and laughter. That is as it should be and makes me smile. I still have the memories. I even have some new ones of Rowan sticking his toys in a drawer my daughter used to pull herself up on when she was 9 months old. The cycle seems complete.

I find myself missing my dad more and more as the reality sets in. After working in hospice so many years I know about working through grief. I knew this would happen when the numbness wore off (usually about 3 months). The knowledge helps me be patient and give myself permission to grieve. I'm always surprised by the number of people who think grief should be over in a matter of weeks. I will ride the waves of sadness knowing that eventually they will become less.

Now I'm off to the grocery store. Nicole and Patrick are coming over for dinner tonight and I'm making her favorite chicken and noodles. Might even do a peach cobbler if I can find some good peaches. Have a wonderful, relaxing Sunday at your house and thanks for listening.

Christmas is coming

2011-06-16T18:59:00.004-07:00

It just occurred to me that Christmas is coming. Last year at this time I promised myself I'd cross stitch my grandson's stocking. That didn't happen. Since he was one I didn't figure he'd know the difference. This year he will. I probably should dig that out and take a look.

We had a wonderful week with my son, daughter-in-law and grandson and were so sorry to see them go. Rowan got to go to the lake for the first time. The plan was to play in the sand but he plunged right in to the water from head to toe. He also discovered the joys of digging with a stick and throwing rocks.

This week Nicole, Patrick and I are back in Phoenix for her Gamma Knife treatment. Keeping fingers crossed that it will be all up hill from here.

The Cat is Making Me Crazy

2011-06-03T21:31:00.002-07:00

Pippin is sitting on the arm of the couch next to me. He also is meowing with a genuine chin quiver and being generally pathetic. I would think it was because I've been gone 4 days and he really missed me except I'm no fool. He's HUNGRY and I don't seem to be getting the message. Since we discovered Merry's food allergies the boys can no longer have dry food. This is an earth shattering trauma from Pippin's perspective.

Lest you think I'm starving my cats, they are receiving generous portions of canned food several times per day. This, however, is not the same as having a bowl of dry food ever ready for nibbling. I now have hair on my laptop, in my mouth and nose and all over my arm from the the endless head butting. When is my next trip?

The happy news is that Nicole finished therapy this week, she got a cute new hair cut and my grandson is coming to visit next week for 5 days! We will bask in the joy until the 20th when we have to head back to Phoenix for Gamma Knife treatment. I also finished a pair of Spring Forward socks this week and started a pair of Yarn Harlot plain socks in Schaefer Nichole for my Nicole. Maybe I'll be able to get some photos this weekend.

Did I mention my grandson is coming? That means a major household cleaning and decluttering. He is a very busy 2 and gets in to everything. Time to try out the new floor steamer. Given that Roxie has to move all her furniture and stuff for floor refinishing, I guess I have no room to whine :-)

Nicole is a married lady!

2011-05-19T19:54:00.003-07:00

Some of you have seen these already on Facebook but wanted to share our beautiful bride with you again :-) Saturday was a lovely day and an opportunity to be joyful and celebrate (something we all sorely needed). Patrick's parents came from Colorado and Nicole's best friends came from Washington state and Washington DC to be a part of the festivities.

Nicole was able to walk down the aisle with her dad (sans cane) and looked stunning. She and I made the Scotcheroo cake (a Rice Krispie treat variation) she's always wanted. A potluck at Nic and Patrick's house rounded out a long but wonderful day.

This week we are back in the travel routine but her therapists have shortened her visit schedule so that we can spend more time at home. We are very excited that my son, his wife and our grandson are coming to visit in June! Always good to have something to look forward to.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T13:56:00.002-07:00

A very happy Mother's Day to all of my blogging friends. If you aren't a mom - celebrate anyway!

I'm reveling in the joy of being home for 11 days and Nicole is off enjoying a totally fun weekend with her fiance.

For today life is good. Hope yours is too.

Time passes so quickly...

2011-04-29T20:26:00.002-07:00

I think I have now officially lost the month of April! When I'm only home for 2-3 days I don't get much accomplished other than putting out fires. The good news is that Nicole continues to make rapid progress with 5 weeks of therapy still scheduled. She graduated to a cane and showering alone this week. Last week we talked about how much we take the use of our muscles for granted until they don't work. Even chewing takes a tremendous amount of energy and can be exhausting (or so I've heard - I seem to be having no problem consuming mass quantities).

The bad news is that our youngest cat, Merry, has severe food allergies including such foods as chicken and venison. He has a very short list of canned foods available to him, none of which Pippin can eat. Dry food has totally left their menu which makes for unhappy cats. It appears they will have to be fed in separate rooms to keep them out of each others food.

Nothing new on the knitting front though I did resume work on a Spring Forward sock. Maybe by the end of May I'll have a pair :-)

Home Sweet Home

2011-04-17T12:46:00.001-07:00

My first block of 5 days home in over a month! Nicole and I left Phoenix Wednesday night after therapy to make the trek across the desert. Although we were very tired, it was so nice to be back in our own environment and headed to our own beds.

Progress continues in therapy and Nicole is working hard to get back to work and school. I am grateful they aren't giving me some of the cognitive tests they give her - quite sure I wouldn't do well. One of the fun things suggested are games like Scattergories and Taboo that require categorization and problem solving. We've also downloaded some computer games like Azada that use many of the same spatial and problem solving skills that her therapy activities do.

On the home front, Guitar Guy and I are celebrating our 31st anniversary on Tuesday. We don't have the energy or money to do anything big, but will get out for dinner sometime before I head to Phoenix. Hard to believe we've been together that long, especially since my parents were convinced it wouldn't last :-)

One of my weekend chores was taking 2 or the 3 cats to the vet. It appears Merry may have food allergies and required $200 of blood work to see what we should be feeding him. If it solves his bowel and skin problems it will be worth it! Ah the joys of sharing one's home with fur person.

Off to the shower now. Nicole and Patrick are coming over to Skype with the Iowa clan. Video phone is wonderful for seeing my grandson but does require that I look at least moderately presentable!

Sprung from the Hospital!

2011-04-10T08:18:00.002-07:00

Nicole was discharged from the hospital Friday so now the next phase of recovery begins. This weekend we are just sleeping a lot and watching a lot of movies. Tomorrow the fun begins again when Nic starts 8 weeks of outpatient rehab in Phoenix. Although we all really want to go home, her inpatient therapists were worried about whether she could get what she needs there. Most of the therapists in our community are not used to dealing with 25 year old stroke patients who are planning to return to work.

Since I'm the family member with the most flexibility in my schedule, I'll be one going back and forth with her. We're going to try it for a couple of weeks and see if the extra travel is worth it. Thankfully we have a place to stay in Phoenix, which helps keep the cost down. The up side to all of this is how much better Nicole is doing. If you didn't know her you'd probably not notice anything other than the lovely suture line across her head and the nifty walker(we are calling it a sports injury :-). She carries on witty conversation, has amazing rote recall and still cracks a lot of jokes. What isn't working so well is her numb left side (it moves fine she just can't feel it), her truly lousy visual/spatial sense and planning/processing slowness.

One of the big concerns early on was her inability to read. That is returning, though it gives her a headache and isn't nearly as fast or easy as it used to be. The therapists continue to remind us that this is still very early in the process and to be patient. They are very optimistic about where she will be in 3-4 months so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

The big question has to do with the naughty blood vessels still sitting in her head which could bleed again. We are scheduling her visit with the radiation guru to find out what to expect from the treatment they are proposing. Supposedly it is very effective for about 85% of patients but has its own side effects ,may set her recovery back a little and has a 2-3 year window to take effect.

As a family, we are acutely aware that life holds no certainties and we have to treasure every day. Hope your day is a wonderful one!

Moving forward

2011-04-01T20:55:00.002-07:00

Looking back, it is amazing how much progress Nicole has made since Monday. She has gone from walking with 3 people helping to tooling around rehab with her walker. A week ago she had just started talking again and this afternoon we had a 1/2 hour conversation on the phone. The rate of change is encouraging as is her quirky sense of humor. She keeps trying to convince me that her Drain Bamage is responsible for anything she wants to get away with :-) I told her that bullshit wouldn't fly.

Although Patrick brought some of her favorite books for us to read to her, I decided the Little Goddess books weren't a mommy read aloud. If I read with appropriate passion we could probably draw a good audience though LOL.

When Nicole moved to rehab on Wednesday, she had to create her goals which included things like typing, reading fluidly and KNITTING. We thought it would be good therapy for her numb left hand. Since her concentration is less than usual, a garter stitch scarf seemed like a reasonable goal. The healing power of fiber - got to love it.

I was home for the day today but am back on the road in the AM. The poor cats are so confused with my absence but seem to be surviving. Now I'm off to make some Scotcheroos for Nicole's birthday on Monday.

Improving

2011-03-27T15:59:00.003-07:00

Sorry for not posting something sooner. Just as I was writing an update the other day, Nicole had some tingling in her numb left side and we all got so excited I never finished.

Since my last post, she is awake, off all her tubes and ventilator, eating real food, joking with us and preparing to go to neuro rehab. We are so grateful for all of the support we have received and for the amazing progress she has made.

As I watched her walking with her walker by herself to the bathroom this morning, it was hard to believe that Saturday we were just praying for her to wake up enough to talk to us.
We all know that there is a lot of work ahead to overcome the damage done to her brain and still plenty of uncertainty about the treatment ahead.

For today though, the sun is shining, my daughter is talking with me and life is good.

Just to keep things interesting...

2011-03-23T18:09:00.003-07:00

Some of you know my daughter Nicole. She is in need of your prayers if you are the praying sort or at least your most positive thoughts. Last Sunday just I was leaving Iowa, I had a call that Nicole had a massive bleed in her brain. It was caused by an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) which is basically a tangle of blood vessels she was born with.

She is holding her own and we are hopeful she will make a full recovery. They attempted surgery yesterday to try to remove the damn thing, but it is deep in her brain and the surgeons were afraid they would do too much damage to her so stopped. There is an alternative treatment using radiation so we are keeping our fingers crossed.

Today she is in a medically induced coma to help her heal but they are going to start waking her tomorrow. She was signing to her fiance before surgery (she has a ventilator and can't talk) and recognized all of us.

The family is all here and we are taking turns sitting with her so she knows how much she is loved.

I'll keep you posted as we know more.

Hanging on

2011-03-07T23:06:00.003-07:00

So many people have asked me how I'm doing since I got back home. While I say "Hanging on", I'm really in that numbness that often comes after the initial loss. I know the pain and crying will come back but for now I'm putting one foot in front of the other and functioning.

We held the service last Wednesday, trying to keep it as close to what my dad wanted as possible. My kids by blood and marriage are incredibly awesome - just sayin. They were by my side packing, cleaning, preparing for the funeral, creating an awesome video, funeral programs and a memory board. My son sang Tears in Heaven at the service while my grandson chattered in the lounge watching Nemo. It was a bittersweet mix of loss, life and laughter. My daughter re-arranged her work schedule and flew out to be with me. Guitar Guy just couldn't get away but talked to me frequently by phone. Your virtual hugs and support were also so much appreciated!

This week is a crazy mixture of meetings workshops, a quick trip to Flagstaff and preparing to head back to the cold country again. Still many loose ends to be wrapped up with the estate so this may not be the last trip. My dad's house needs a lot of work inside to be ready to sell and I'm not sure how that is going to happen at this point. I'll think about that another day.

I may be slightly insane but I applied for a per diem social work job to bring in a little extra cash. Most of areas of our local economy are still struggling so we do what we have to. We'll see if anything comes of it.

No knitting news this time - I've been remiss in the fiber realm. On the plus side, I already have my thank you notes about for memorial donations. Now it is off to bed and start all over tomorrow.

An Era Comes to an End

2011-02-26T21:45:00.005-07:00

Thanks to all of you for your support as I have been on this caregiving journey with my father. He died fairly peacefully on Thursday, February 24th with my son and I by his side. My one regret is that I wasn't able to get there while he was still conscious but I have to think he knew I was there with him.

I will write more when I get through the craziness of getting ready for the funeral on Wednesday and continuing to work on cleaning out the apartment.

RIP Lee Griffin 1917-2011 - good man, loving husband and father, and one of my best friends ever.

Time to take the Christmas tree down!

2011-02-15T09:21:00.004-07:00

I've been home for a week and think it is finally time to take the Christmas tree down. Honestly, I probably would have continued ignoring it but seemed kind of weird eating Valentine's dinner with it sitting there.

I've been trying to catch up on all the issues that occurred at home, work and volunteering in my 3 week absence. Back to Iowa on 2/25 so have a lot to get done in the mean time. That is why I'm sitting here drinking coffee and talking to you. Time management through procrastination!

Given our cash flow with all of the travel expenses, I'm thinking about doing a Ravelry destash. I think I got a little carried away on sock yarn in the last year or two and could probably lose a little fiber without too much pain. Anyone ever done one? Any suggestions or advice?

Dad is continuing to decline and still not happy. My father-in-law also just went on hospice so could be an interesting year. Trying to stay focused on what we can do to support each other through this. Thanks for helping be my lifeline when I need something to hang on to :-)

My slavedriver boss says "Back to work" so off I go.

A passing sweater

2011-02-03T21:53:00.003-07:00

I finished Rowan's new sweater although the photo doesn't do it justice. The yarn is Simply Soft and actually a lovely blue. Didn't have the $$ to do it in wool so went for the sale acrylic. Thankfully I actually like the yarn and it washes well for an active toddler.

Dad is moved and I am wading through drawers and closets trying not to get side-tracked down memory lane. I am already worried about leaving, as he is moving and thinking slower every day.

I've been waiting since he fell and went to the ER on December 14 for the emotional melt down I knew was coming. It finally hit last night and I cried for about an hour. Still felt some emotional hangover today but am at least functional again. I'm suspecting his meltdown will come when I have to leave and he has only strangers to turn to for help. I hate to be such a downer lately but life generally sucks right now for a variety of reasons.

This probably means I need to do more exercise, more knitting and better self care if I'm going to keep moving ahead.

On the up side, I get a dose of grandson sunshine this weekend before heading home. That is worth smiling about!

Quick update

2011-01-27T11:02:00.002-07:00

Thanks for all of the supportive comments! I'm still in Iowa and expect to be for another 10 days. This is the longest I've been here in winter for over 30 years! After bringing Dad back to his apartment from the health center we both quickly decided that being alone in the apartment is no longer an option. We are now, sadly, working on plan to move him back to the health center and empty out the apartment.

Rowan's new sweater almost done. I'll try to remember to post a photo before I send it off to him.

Feeling Like a Boomerang!

2011-01-19T08:01:00.002-07:00

I got to be home all of 5 full days before the phone rang telling my dad was having some unexplained bleeding and was too weak to stay alone. Arrangements were made to take him to the nursing home part of the facility so he wouldn't have to go to the hospital and I grabbed a red eye flight out of Vegas back to Iowa.

During my last visit, we had signed my dad up for hospice care based on debility. Many people are unaware that a pattern of decline including weight loss, falls, hospitalizations etc. can qualify someone for this additional help. With the frequent visits and medical monitoring some of those folks actually improve and are discharged.

We have spent 4 days in the nursing facility working through the questions about who was bathing - hospice or facility staff, dealing with their structure and sharing a room with someone who watches television all day. After extensive discussion with the facility social worker and considering the options, Dad came back to his independent apartment yesterday while we figure out a plan to bring in more help.

We are fortunate that Dad has some financial resources to pay for care, which many do not. Still, there are many questions and not as many answers as I would like. I've also discovered there is a huge difference between helping families with these issues as a professional and living them as a caregiver. I try very hard to be patient and use humor when things get tough but I'm not always successful.

Keep us both in your thoughts please.

P.S. I am getting some quality knitting time in :-)

Rowan models

2011-01-08T16:13:00.003-07:00

Rowan models his new "jacket", as he calls it. He likes the crayon buttons though they are too big for the button holes. The temps are supposed to drop to 7 overnight so the wool should keep him nice and warm.

Knitting in to the new year

2011-01-03T20:40:00.003-07:00

The excitement of Christmas was accompanied by a lot of knitting time while watching Rowan or movies (depending on the time of day).

I finished his sweater and loved the yarn, the color and pattern. I even had enough left to make a matching hat. Unfortunately I shipped everything off today without taking a picture. I've asked my daughter-in-law to take one when it arrives so I can share it with you. If I finish my socks before returning home, I will deem this trip a knitting success.

Thanks for the encouraging words and support for my dad and I. I think it is going to be a difficult year for both of us and I foresee even more travel back and forth. I am cursing his decision not to move closer to us but understand this is his home.

Well, off for a couple of rounds of knitting and an episode of Bones before bed. Night.

Christmas came without ribbons or presents...

2010-12-28T19:32:00.003-07:00

Our time in Des Moines is drawing to a close and a wonderful time it has been. Guitar Guy and I arrived first and had several days of playing with our grandson before Nicole and Pat arrived Sunday night. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I watched in amazement as a perfect, magical Christmas snow drifted down, accumulating to about 4 inches. It was one of those dry, sparkling snowfalls that coats the trees and shrubs with a lacy beauty.

It was an unusual year with no presents until Monday night (except for Rowan who got his Duplo blocks early) but somehow I didn't miss them. Beef stew was simmering in the crockpot and beer bread baking in the oven, filling the house with comforting, savory smells.

Rowan has fallen in love with the little man who came in his Duplo blocks, dubbing him Nosez. We had no idea why as his nose doesn't seem particularly notable but Nosez he is. Many towers have been built and destroyed. Everyone has stepped on a block in bare feet at least once. I think we've had as much fun as Rowan has.

Knitting is proceeding well with Rowan's new sweater 1/2 finished. This is a Cabin Fever top down cardigan pattern using Dream in Color Classy in Romeo Blue. It is going to be warm and beautiful with Rowan's bright blue eyes. Hopefully he will like it.

Thursday I'm off to my dad's house for a week. Should be plenty of knitting time and maybe even some pictures. I know my New Year's will be quiet. How about you - anything exciting planned?

Greetings from the Las Vegas Airport

2010-12-23T13:20:00.002-07:00

Hanging out in the Vegas airport, waiting to fly off to visit my family. It's been a long and stress filled month. My father and father-in-law are both struggling with declining health, necessitating many phone calls and difficult decisions. Do they want to do more tests or not? Is is time for assisted living or help at home? How can the family best support them when they live far away. No easy answers. They both frequently remind us that getting old really sucks.

The fun part of the month has been spending time with Nicole and Patrick baking cookies, touring the holiday lights and eating too many good meals. It is such a gift having them in town and we'll enjoy it as long as it lasts.

Since I will be staying in Iowa for an additional week to help my dad, I've packed plenty of yarn so I can get some quality knitting time in. I'm finishing a pair of socks and starting a sweater for Rowan. Should have started a month but you know how that goes. It will be a January sweater instead of a Christmas present.

My best wishes to all of you for a wonderful holiday!

The cookies are calling me

2010-12-07T21:03:00.002-07:00

Six months ago I was so proud of my weight loss and now the pounds are creeping back on. It all started with Nicole's graduation party last May when I let myself gorge and I've struggled ever since. Now the Christmas cookies are calling me and the jeans I wore last winter don't fit anymore. It would be so much easier if they weren't so tasty!

Nicole had a day off yesterday so we spent the afternoon watching Christmas videos and baking. She is working a lot this month so not too many days to do holiday activities. We will try to get out and look at lights one night - GPS makes it so much easier. The stockings are hanging over the fireplace and a few decorations are sprinkled about. For the first time in my 55 years, I won't have a Santa stocking this year. Between packing in a carry-on and the cost of filling the darn things, we decided to forego stockings this year.

It is an odd year with my dad not doing as well and Guitar Guy's dad just out of the hospital after a serious infection. Even old Icey cat has been feeling her 21 years and hobbling around less. It reminds us anew how important those visits (for the humans) and ear scratches (for the cat) really are.

And now back to our scheduled Phoenix Suns game - Go Suns!

Times change

2010-11-27T23:15:00.002-07:00

The good news that Nicole and Pat are settled in their freshly painted house and she is at the end of her work week so we can celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow. The bad news, I think the last 10 days just about did her in. Thankfully Pat's family came and helped with part of the move, I helped last Sunday and did my best to keep the two of them fed until their kitchen was set up.

I now remember why I haven't moved in 25 years! Not only do you have the mountain of boxes to pack and unpack, but all that hauling is hard on the body. Helping Nicole move has renewed my motivation to start sorting, selling and throwing some of our excess now. As I go through my day, I ask, "If I had to move this would I still have it?" It is surprising how often the answer is "NO".

It has been a relaxing weekend, after a busy month. Nicole was put on-call Thursday and wound up not having to work so the four of us watched football and movies, ate a delicious New York loin roast and enjoyed a fire in the fireplace. Friday I puttered around the house and today made a run to the mall to replace my 4 year old purse. When the leather has totally cracked off the handles, it starts looking pretty tacky.

Didn't hit the Black Friday sales this year as our family has agreed to keep Christmas very small. No one has a lot of extra cash and there isn't much we really need. The best gift of all is that we'll be together for at least a few days over Christmas. Getting to hug my grandson is way better than anything that comes from a store :-)

Time for bed so I can get up and start cooking in the morning. Hope you have a peaceful, relaxing Sunday.

Pippin and I are Watching TV

2010-11-17T20:24:00.002-07:00

Back home, sitting on the couch being smothered in kitty love. Pippin was sooooo happy to see his mommy he has hardly left my side. Merry is still deciding whether I have done my penance and Icey is happy if her food dish is full.

We got back about 10 PM Sunday night after 9 hours of air/car time. I think my butt is till numb! I don't know how people do those long Trans Atlantic flights. I probably wouldn't be able to rise out of my chair.

Had a good visit with my in-laws but spent a good bit of time doing geriatric care management with them. My dad started receiving home health care and physical therapy this week to try to slow his decline. Old age truly is not for wimps.

Got part of one sock done (Pattern: Nemesis, Yarn - Sanguine Gryphon Little Traveler) I'll try to get pictures this weekend.

And now for something completely different - Florida!

2010-11-09T23:44:00.003-07:00

I'm off on a jaunt again. This time we are headed to Florida to visit my in-laws for a few days. Neither of them are getting any younger or in any better health. My father-in-law had surgery yesterday for probable bladder cancer. We are keeping our fingers crossed for good news.

On the bright side, we are having lobster for dinner Friday night and my sis-in-law is going to mix yummy drinks. Perhaps I won't knit that night. I might just stab myself.

Nicole picks up keys to her new rental house in Monday and then the move in begins. Between work, school, moving and a friend's wedding, I think she's doing about 1500 miles next week alone. I anticipate a major energy crash about the 21st. If you hear a big thump it was her falling asleep while carrying a box.

Keep a good thought for the poor lonely cats who will only get wet food once a day. They are so spoiled!

Freezing my ass off

2010-10-28T19:17:00.003-07:00

Iowa has turned from fall to winter while I'm visiting and I was not prepared. The chill winds that blew through the Midwest took most of the remaining leaves and dropped the overnight temps in to the 20's. I came prepared for the usual fall jacket weather and the heat of my dads apartment. This has made running errands a process of run and shiver. I now clearly remember why I live in Arizona!

One more day with Dad and then on to visit my son and Rowan. This trip he was unable to get out to the apartment to go to dinner or go to Walgreen's. The doctor is running some tests to see if the increased weakness is anything treatable. If not, it is just one more step in the aging process and we'll have to create a new plan for how to adapt.

Rowan's mommy is off in Portland doing a 1 month medical school rotation in Pediatrics ICU. She is lonely and missing her boy! We keep assuring her that time will go by quickly and she'll be home in 24 more days. Guitar Guy changed jobs when my son was about Rowan's age and I remember the time apart is being difficult for all of us.

Nicole is plugging away on packing and trying to get everything done for a mid-November move. Hopefully all will go smoothly and they'll be settled in by Thanksgiving. Being one of the newest nurses she has volunteered to work the holidays so people with young children can take the time off. I think that means Thanksgiving comes on Sunday at our house this year :-)

Have to go finish Rowan's newest socks before I get on the bus tomorrow. Got to keep his little feets warm this winter!

It is official

2010-10-10T23:30:00.002-07:00

Yep, it is official, Nicole and Pat are moving here. They found a nice house that would accept all of the animals and will be here full time in about a month. She's working lots of overtime to get the move money so don't see a whole lot of her.

Not much new in my world - a little work, a little knitting, a little Buffy (on Season 6). Now I'm off to bed. Have a good week all.

Christmas Really?

2010-09-24T15:59:00.003-07:00

I saw them yesterday. Christmas trees. In Kmart. Knitting panic set in as I realized that there are only 90 knitting days until Christmas. I meant to start early -honest I did. Behind again...sigh.

Busy, busy week between our business, my volunteer responsibilities and doing householdy things like cooking. Can you believe I'm actually using recipes and cooking after years of thawing and take out? I've discovered that if Nicole doesn't have dinner waiting when she walks in the door after a 12 hour shift she doesn't eat well. Guitar Guy is loving it - he gets real food (even though he has to wait until 8 PM or after to eat) I'm actually discovering I do like cooking, I just don't like the clean up :)

This may all change again soon as Nicole and her guy are considering a move to our community. It is a toss up whether she misses him or her cats more when they are separated, but being away from them seriously sucks. They did some looking at rental houses today that would accomodate them, the two cats and a 180 lb. English Mastiff. Keeping fingers crossed that a potential landlord will be impressed by the fact that the gigantic dog soon will complete her Canine Good Citizen and is not destructive. Now if she would just quit lavishing drool on the cats..

So a couple of weeks ago I took everything out of my bedroom except the basic furniture and cleaned the carpets. Since that time I have been enjoying the open space and relief from the odor of eau de cat vomit. Unfortunately, the enormous pull of stuff too valuable to throw away is still sitting in the middle of my living room floor. Who knew I had 20 years of photos I never put in albums and that they were all in my closet? This weekend I have to start sorting and finding homes for all of my memorabilia, Christmas books, decorative bric-a-brac I don't even remember buying and so much more. Can you say major garage sale?

I think I need a nice Friday afternoon nap to prepare. What do you have planned for the weekend?

Cat lovers unite!

2010-09-16T09:34:00.004-07:00

Two weeks ago I posted this picture of Merry as my avatar in Facebook and on my page in FB's Fairyland game. Since that time, many total strangers have come out of the woodwork to share their cat pictures and stories.

I have talked with people in England, Australia, Indonesia and across the US about our spoiled felines . We all agree that we are excellent staff for the fur people who run our homes :-)

Merry has a very swelled head after receiving many compliments on his beauty. I have not shared with his adoring public that he finds the bathroom floor and tub equally as attractive for deposits as his cat pan!

Things are slowly moving in to a routine after the traumatic events of a few weeks ago. Nicole is making herself crazed trying to keep up with a full time college schedule online while working full time and commuting 3.5 hours from Phoenix. She'll soon be through orientation at the hospital and will have more control over scheduling her work around school requirements.

The summer heat is beginning to ease here in Arizona (at least in the evenings and mornings). That means that the activity level of the community has now kicked in to high gear. I've had events to attend every night this week which keeps life interesting. I'm always amazed when people say there is nothing to do in our community. We obviously aren't living in the same place!

Nothing new on the knitting front other than another pair of socks for Rowan. I'm being a knitting slacker these days. Hopefully the cooler weather will inspire me to get moving. Hope all is well in your worlds and you are looking forward to a wonderful weekend.

Sometime routine is good

2010-09-03T10:44:00.002-07:00

It's not a very exciting day today and I'm good with that. Routine is sometimes the glue that holds us together. The turmoil of last weekend has roiled through the town all week. People are holding memorials, raising money, making food and generally doing all of the things we do to comfort ourselves in times of tragedy. Nicole keeps putting one foot in front of the other and trying to help out those who can't.

She's due back today for her next group of work days so I'm picking up the house, cleaning and getting ready for the weekend. I awoke early for some reason so went to the grocery store early before the heat and crowds set in. Holiday weekends in our community are a good time to hibernate with all of the visitors! My daughter brought us all of her Buffy seasons so there may be a Buffy marathon in our future.

I started another pair of socks for my grandson and realized yet again that I don't need any more yarn! My stash likely will likely outlive me! On the other hand, I always have a project available :-) I need to start another pair of fall socks - so many great colors in that palette.

Today I'm taking everything off of our bedroom floor to clean the carpets. We will not discuss how long it has been since that happened. Everything from the closet is sitting in my living room and needs to be sorted. I've been putting this off for years because it involves bags of pictures and other memorabilia that I have no idea what to do with. Keep a good thought for me. If you see a massive cloud of dust bunnies hanging over the Southwest you'll know I finally got down to the floor :-)

Hug the ones you love

2010-08-30T07:24:00.003-07:00

It has been a whirlwind couple of weeks as Nicole started her new job and we all adapted to the changes in our lifestyle. We seem to have worked out the shower schedule and have enough bandwidth to accommodate the extra computer. It isn't ideal but what in life is? We are figuring out how to make it work because that is what family does (at least in our family).

My 55th birthday was last week. Just writing those numbers gives me pause. In my head I'm still 40-45. In my father's head he's 75 not 92. I guess it isn't so unusual that the changes time makes in our bodies aren't matched by the vision in our minds. It was a quiet day, sort of. Nicole was off work for the day and was studying. Since she studies by talking through the ideas she's reading, we wound up chatting most of the day. Although the dinner out was nice and birthday presents fun, the gift of a day with my daughter was the best.

This weekend we were harshly reminded of how quickly life can change. My daughter's new boss, the woman she went to high school with, who took a chance on a new grad to mentor, was gunned down by the father of her children, along with 5 others at a birthday party. It's been all over the news. You may have heard about it and thought, "how sad..." but our family, our community is reeling from the blow. Facebook is full of anguished questions of former classmates and friends of the victims. How does one make sense out of something so senseless?

Nicole was not due back to work until this morning. Instead she hit the road shortly after receiving a call requesting help at the hospital. Some people couldn't work after hearing the news. Most were in shock and leaning on each other for support. Nicole wanted to do what she could to help because that is who she is. Although my heart hurts for her and all of those so immediately touched by this tragedy, I couldn't be prouder of Nicole and the poise and compassion she brought to the situation.

Now the questions will begin. Why didn't someone do something sooner? How could this have happened? How does one pick up the pieces and go on with life? In an instant life can change. We don't know when or how. What we can do is hug the ones we love, tell them they are important to us every day and live fully and joyfully.

Have a good day. Live. Laugh. I'm thankful for each of you and the joy and friendship you have brought to my life. Just thought I needed to say that.

Don't Blink You Might Miss It

2010-08-18T09:27:00.002-07:00

I'm always amazed at how quickly life can shift. Last week I was an empty nester and now my daughter will be living with us part time and working at our local hospital. HUH?

The good news is Nicole has a job as an RN. She started today. The other good news is that we get to see her more. The other good news is that she will have benefits and be financially solvent. The other good news is that she is starting the RN to BSN program at Arizona State University online this week. That is a lot of good news.

There will certainly be adjustments for her SO and the pets, especially this first six weeks while she is orienting and training. There will be adjustments for Guitar Guy and I after 5 years of having no children at home! There will be adjustments for all of us as we learn to co-exist as adults, not parent and child.

I've learned to be careful not to blink or I might miss what is coming next!

Now I remember humidity!

2010-08-05T10:29:00.002-07:00

I landed in Iowa and my hair started curling and frizzing. Heat and high humidity combined with occasional sprinkles have reminded me how much I hated my hair when I lived in the Midwest! Cleaning out my dad's garage storage cabinets also resulted in the rivulets of sweat that start with any activity in this kind of heat. There is a reason I worked at a swimming pool when I was young :-)

I've spent with the last 5 days with my dad, as I do about every 3 months. We get done what errands he is able to do and spend lots of time eating and talking. Every time I arrive I can see the incremental losses in motion and ability since I was last there. His mind, as sharp as ever, dwells in a body that cooperates less every day. Emptying the dishwasher has become an energy-sucking chore. Getting the top off of Tupperware is almost impossible. Walking to the mailbox requires a 2 hour rest. Days are long with few visitors and yet he perseveres.

We talk about the news and argue politics. We remember good times and talk about the struggles of life and aging. We share memories of my mother and laugh at old pictures. Underlying the love and companionship is the pang of loss and the shared awareness that time is short. Each visit could be the last, The hugs goodbye are tight and tears glisten in our eyes.

But softening the sorrow is a little boy with blonde curls, who at 14 months has boundless energy and a giggle that lightens the heart. He hugs his great grandpa and says "hi" 40 times in an hour. He is the legacy - continuing the love that binds family together, carrying the love of music and gadgets, stories and hugs.

Life is good.

Hibernating

2010-07-24T23:31:00.003-07:00

July is one of those months when I try not to leave the house any more than I have to. It also is the month when Guitar Guy goes to guitar camp leaves me on my own for a week. This is what happens when I am left on my own too long - the table explodes with all of the projects I pull out to do (including figuring out how to sell pre-loved junk on e-bay). I eat a lot of cereal, stay up late and sleep late, never turn on the tv and do exciting activities like sort out my knitting needles!
I started a new pair of socks for Rowan since he now will sometimes leave them on his feet. This yarn came in a toddler sock kit but I didn't like the pattern so am doing Riblets from Ravelry. Basic K3 P2 ribbing - easy and stretchy for grow room.
Also finished a Classic WWII watch cap for my son using Dream in Color worsted (Shiny Moss). Should keep his head cozy next winter and match his jacket.

Other than the usual meetings, I've just been working and getting ready to go back to the Midwest to visit my dad and the kids. Amazing how fast 3 months can go when one is busy or knitting while watching Bones.

Nicole just got back from her 9 day trip to Greece and I still haven't heard the travelogue but she posted a bunch of great pictures on Facebook. Seems to have had a wonderful time and wants to go back again. She tactfully pointed out that I might want to start getting in shape now if Iwant to go back with her. Evidently Greece is full of stairs and not many elevators. I probably would not survive that in my current shape (soft and doughy). Something to think about - tomorrow.

Is it hot enough to whine yet?

2010-07-08T19:42:00.002-07:00

I shouldn't complain. We haven't had a day over 120 degrees (which is unusual for this time of year). I know CA has been sweltering as has the East Coast but Arizona is hot. Somehow every year I put out of my mind that I should wear oven mitts to touch the steering wheel. I forget that errands really need to be run VERY early in the morning or late in the evening. I think the heat is a little like child birth - once the cool weather arrives the pain of summer slips away in the joy of glorious days.

Since it is so blasted hot I, of course, decided to knit my son a new winter cap using worsted wool :-) I think it has something to do with sitting under the ceiling fan, drinking a cool drink and watching Season 3 of Bones and the first season of Castle. There is some work in there too, but the heat makes me pretty lethargic.

Nicole is off to Greece for her vacation. Today they were going to the Acropolis. Hard to believe my little girl is half a world away! According to Facebook they arrived safely and are having a good time. When she returns from Greece the search for work begins again. So far, she has been rejected for every nursing job due to lack of experience. Keep your fingers crossed (and toes if you have the flexibility and inclination).

I'm off to go through my stash and see what I want to start next. The wool is calling...............

She passed!

2010-06-21T22:53:00.003-07:00

The exciting news for the day is that my daughter passed her nursing boards and is now a real RN! Celebration is now in order! Too bad Roxie isn't here to fix her up a beautiful table when she comes this weekend but we'll figure something out (which shall remain secret since she reads this blog sometimes).

Last week was a busy one for our geriatric care business though I'm not sure how much on-going work we will have from it. We just keep plugging along trying to build a solid reputation. This week we are ordering polo shirts with our logo to wear around town. The fact that I think it is a big deal probably says something about my life :-)

Icy seems to be feeling some better and is back to being her obnoxious self. She insists on draping herself across the arm of the couch in the morning, which tends to put her tail dangerously close to my coffee. This would not be a huge issue except that she has a history of dunking the end in my java! Personally, I don't want to think about where that tail has been after 21 years.

I am yawning so must be time to put myself to bed. Goodnight

And now it is a pair

2010-06-14T22:03:00.002-07:00

Finished my new socks over the weekend and will know put them away until about November. Too bad Arizona's wool sock season is so short! I've pulled some patterns to start a WWII watch cap for my son and a sweater for Rowan. Thinking about Cardigan for Merry based on the Arwen sweater. Anybody made either one? I've never cabled before but what the heck. The worst that can happen is I'll have to frog it.

I also pulled out a counted cross stitch kit Christmas stocking for Rowan. This should be interesting since I haven't done cross stitch in years. I do have my Ott light now so hopefully that will help with those itty bitty stitches. I got excited when I sorted the thread and saw all the rich colors. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Still trying to find a balance in my life but my energy is picking up a little. My goal for this week is getting through the tasky stuff that has been piling up and clean my office. That should be a good start to re-organizing and prioritizing.

Spent the morning taking poor old Icy to the vet. She has chronic bladder infections and her antibiotic shot wore off. Peeing blood every 3 feet across my light beige carpet ensued. She seems very subdued tonight so I'd guess she doesn't feel very good. She is 100 years old in cat years so infections take a toll on her. Keep your fingers crossed for her to perk up.

Just finished a Dairy Queen sundae. Tomorrow it is back to Weight Watchers :-)

Finally updated with pictures and socks!

2010-06-01T08:42:00.005-07:00

Just to prove I have been accomplishing some knitting lately, I got the camera out to take photos. I finished this one sock (Yarn Harlot basic sock pattern, Opal Harry and Ron yarn) I've been working my way through the first season of Bones on Netflix and this has been the perfect project for that. I love watching the pattern develop but the stitching is simple. The other one is on the needles and should be done by the end of next weekend.Embossed leaves pattern in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga (don't remember the color) I started these a year ago for a Bugga challenge on Ravelry and got sidetracked with Rowan knitting. I didn't really like the pattern when I knit the first sock and had trouble motivating myself to knit the second. I took it to Iowa with me and finished the second sock. Decided I like the pattern better now and like the yarn a lot.
I finally finished the #1 Husband socks, and I think my Guitar Guy will be happy with them. I used Shelridge Farms Heather Charcoal which knits in to a pretty heavy weight sock. Nice yarn but these are definitely winter socks in Arizona. We'll put them away until the air is a tad cooler here.

I hate working with pictures in Blogger and never can seem to get them in the right order without losing them and having to start over, so you get them in the order loaded :-) If anyone has insights to share on easily moving photos around please share!

Nicole graduated from nursing school in May and had her pinning ceremony on May 13th. This is the happy graduate with me, Guitar Guy and Nicole's boyfriend Pat (who you may remember from the great office redecorate of last summer)

This is Nicole receiving her nursing pin from one of the professors. Since she chose not to walk at her high school graduation and probably will not do ASU when she graduates there, this was the ceremony for all of us to celebrate her accomplishments!
This is me speaking at Nicole's pinning ceremony. I was so honored to have the chance and made it through with minimal emotional choke ups and no tears Rowan's first birthday party at a local park. He had a great time but wouldn't get off of the blanket and walk on the grass. He had his own little island :-)
Opening presents required some guidance from the experienced kid but Rowan quickly got in the swing of things. The big hit of the day was a ride on truck!

It has been a whirlwind month and I didn't even include handing out diplomas at high school graduation, attending Project Graduation that night or facilitating a round table discussion for local nonprofits. Guitar Guy and I were fortunate to stay the whole weekend after pinning and enjoy the graduation barbecues.

While in Des Moines I got sucked back in to the Fairyland Facebook game by Nicole and Alex. Since I am a compulsive and competitive game player, I shamefully admit to letting it suck up vast amounts of time in the last 10 days. Now that the holiday weekend is over, I have to get back to more mundane things like laundry and work.

I'm not entirely sure what happened in the last month, other than that I went on vacation and never quite came back to the real world. I had a lot of trouble reconnecting to my regular routine and just sort of crashed. I feel foolish whining about my brain feeling overloaded when some of you function in that state most of the time, but that is the reality. After 2 years spent re-inventing myself, learning about running a business, plunging head first in to social media promotion for two businesses and attending way too many committee meetings, my brain needed to reboot.

I didn't realize how much I had disconnected until I started reading your blogs and realized what I had missed. This summer my goal is to regroup, plan and try to restore some balance in my life. What helps you find balance in your life? Any advice?

Update promised this weekend

2010-05-29T13:42:00.002-07:00

I was shocked to realize I hadn't blogged in a month. Of could blame it on traveling or being busy, but I haven't been blogging on my business blogs either. I just plain took a break. Promise I will have an update by the end of the weekend complete with sock pictures!

Protecting your brain

2010-04-28T21:08:00.002-07:00

For those who may have missed Blue on Facebook, I give you the foil brain protector! His quirky mom, my daughter-in-law, thought he needed to model her creation. I understand he was less than happy about the hat, but loved getting his picture taken :-)

I will be seeing him again soon as I head back to the Midwest for a family/knitting vacation. Every time I get ready to go I swear I don't have time and every time I'm glad I took the break. Meetings occur endlessly but family time is to be treasured.

Had a great weekend with my daughter and her boyfriend last weekend. They came up for Guitar Guy's gig at the Piss on the River Poker Run party, held at the Eagles Lodge. We were among the few not in bandanas and leather but no one seemed to hold that against us. The rest of the weekend we talked, watched movies, cheered for the Coyotes and ate lots of good food. I totally ignored my Weight Watcher's points and the scale showed it this week :-( Now to get back on track while traveling.

I'm half way through the foot of Guitar Guy's second sock so it will get done. Movie watching time on Sunday really helped it along. I'll have to pick out something to take with me to Iowa with a little more color.

Back to work now so I can finish up my chores before Friday AM!

Saturday Laziness

2010-04-17T13:31:00.004-07:00

Spent the morning teaching a caregiving class so now is the time to kick back and enjoy the weekend. What shall I do? Read? Knit? Watch movies? All 3 at once? I'd love to say I'm taking a hike in the desert or something healthy like that but being slothful is more my thing.

Still working away on Guitar Guy's socks. Does gray take forever or is it just me? Craving color but need to keep forging ahead. I should get them done just about in time for the weather to heat up and then he won't need them until November! The joys of knitting wool in Arizona.

I'm debating on my next project. I might start a sweater for Rowan or just browse through my patterns for some something fun and different. Is there such a thing as a knitting slump? I think I'm in it and need to get re-energized.

Guitar Guy had a gig tonight but I opted to stay home and veg. Caught up on the last two episodes of Supernatural and the first new episode of Glee. We only have one satellite box so when sports are on I miss my shows. Thank goodness for Hulu.com and ITunes for those television emergencies.

Tomorrow night we are going out to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary (actually on Monday). Considering that my parents were convinced our marriage wouldn't last, I think we've done pretty well. I can't say it has all been perfect, no relationship is, but after 30 years I think I'll keep him. After all, breaking in a new model would be tough :-)

Now back to my regularly scheduled sock. . .

Catch up

2010-04-03T10:05:00.003-07:00

Thought I'd have one last cup of coffee and catch up on my blogging before I head out to run errands. I can't believe we are in April already, especially since I leave again the 30th to head back to Iowa! Combine that with my daughter's nursing school pinning/graduation part in mid-May and I'm basically gone for 3 weeks again. Shhhh - don't tell the cats.

Speaking of cats, it has now been decided that Icey has developed a chronic bladder infection to go with her gallstones. We are trying antibiotic shots every two weeks, hoping that will decrease her vomiting and improve how she feels. If it works, she'll have to stay on them indefinitely to the tune of $58 per shot! This getting old stuff isn't easy for cats either.

Had a great weekend in Phoenix with my daughter and her boyfriend. I even tried sushi for the first time. I must be getting more daring as I age :-) The hockey game was great (especially since Phoenix won) and then we went out for beer and appetizers at Gordon Biersch. They have the most amazing garlic fries. Obviously I wasn't counting Weight Watchers points that night!

Now its time to get caught up on Supernatural since I missed it Thursday night. Angsty veal, here I come.

A short note

2010-03-26T10:58:00.002-07:00

I promise I will get back in to the swing of things with the blog, but not today. Racing through my "to do" list before heading to Phoenix to spend the weekend with my daughter and go to a hockey game.

Still working on Guitar Guy's socks and dropped a stitch on the Monkey Sock so it is sitting on the coffee table until I'm ready to deal with it.

Later

Where did spring go?

2010-03-17T20:23:00.002-07:00

In typical SW fashion, we suddenly went from wonderful springtime coolish daytime temps to almost summertime heat. Mornings and evenings are great but I almost had to put air conditioning on in the car today!

Ran errands this afternoon as I usually do. Finished grocery shopping and realized everyone around me was wearing shorts and tank tops (always a good clue). The car was hot, but it is AZ, so didn't think too much about it. Looked down at my car thermometer and it said 86 degrees outside. Uh Oh.

Got home to discover the house was 79 degrees INSIDE! I still have sweaters sitting on the kitchen table from the last load of laundry. Don't think I'll be needing those puppies any more this year.

The good news is I might fit in to some of my spring clothes from 6 or 7 years ago now that I've lost weight. The bad news is, I'm probably going to have to buy some clothes - one of my least favorite activities.

Off to open windows and enjoy what little is left of the coolness before blistering temps return again.

A beautiful spring day

2010-03-10T19:07:00.002-07:00

Wish I had a photo to show you, but it was the most beautiful spring day today. I actually took an hour off this afternoon and went down to walk by the lake. I'll try to remember my camera the next time I go.

Didn't get my Monkey Sock done but did get through the gusset so feel like I'm on the home stretch. I think I made this pair a little small so guess I'll have to wash and block for maximum stretch. I also need to learn to darn as I wore a hole in one of my favorite Spring Forward socks. I knew the yarn was a little soft for socks but was still learning about such things a year ago. It's not like I don't have enough yarn to make more :-)

The cats won't leave me alone since I got home! I guess being gone 17 days out of 21 was too much for them. I woke up with 17 lbs. of cat on my chest the last two nights. That's bad enough, but his brother was laying across my feet, making it difficult to move. Spent the morning at the vet with Icey our 21 year old cat. It appears she now has a chronic urinary tract infection and gallstones. They have to consult a specialist because of her age, so we are still waiting on recommendations.

Tomorrow is the first day of a learning community I am facilitating for nonprofit executives. Although I've been part of such communities, I've never been one in charge. Should be interesting. In a month I'll start another one in a neighboring community. They are really excited about making visionary change practical in their community.

You know I can't end the day without Rowan (who is actually walking now!! - look out world)

Grandmahood

2010-03-01T19:53:00.002-07:00

Had a great time with Rowan over the weekend. Being the Grandma definitely has its good points like not getting up in the night :-) Spent most of the day Friday with the baby while his parents were at work. We had a great time dancing to the Bob the Builder MegaMix on YouTube. He thinks I'm a very cool grandmother.

Good thing he took two naps though because by afternoon I needed one too. There is a reason to have children when you are young - energy!

Now I'm spending the week with dad getting his errands done and reminiscing. Always a nice time and I'm so grateful that I can take the time to spend with him.

Now I'm off to start on a second Monkey Sock. I made the first one a year ago. I might just go home with a pair.

Just stopping by to do laundry

2010-02-21T18:47:00.002-07:00

Got home from Tucson yesterday afternoon and leave again for Iowa on Thursday. That gives me just about enough time to pet the cats, do laundry and kiss my husband (not necessarily in that order).

Great week at consultant immersion including beautiful weather. I had a patio room so was able to open my sliding glass door and enjoy the sunshine. It is amazing how quickly a day can pass when you are engaged and excited about what you are doing. Just in case you don't remember from last year, we were talking about building stronger communities by focusing on what is possible, instead of on problems. We practiced starting with a vision and working back to putting first steps on a calendar

It really is no different than Roxie imagining her Saturday tea party and then working back to the first step she needs to do today. We just start with building a strong community which takes a little longer :-)

I love these kind of opportunities, but then I come home and the cat has puked on the couch just to keep things in perspective. Cats are like that.

Bright and early Thursday morning I'm off to see baby Rowan (and my son, DIL and Dad) It will be way too cold and probably will snow on me at least once. BRRRRRR.

And so it begins

2010-02-11T20:40:00.004-07:00

This week I've been up to my eyeballs in projects that have to be finished before I leave town for about 3 weeks. I'm making progress but already shortening the list to what absolutely has to be done. I've made a little progress on the #1 husband socks. You can kind of see the pattern. I haven't used this yarn before (Sheffield Farms) but hope it softens up more when washed.

Saturday Guitar Guy and I leave for Phoenix to visit our daughter and go to a Phoenix Coyotes hockey game. I'm not a big hockey fan but live games are pretty fun, especially if they fight! Got to watch for those flying pucks though. When Nicole was little she used to read at hockey games because she was bored. Made her mother very nervous.

Sunday Guitar Guy heads home to take care of the cats and I'm on to Tucson for another week of the consultant immersion class I did last year. This time I'll be a "seasoned" participant, facilitating the learning of the other students while advancing my own knowledge. Should be fun but also intense and exhausting. I'll be back home for 4 days then off to frigid Iowa for 9 days. That should give me some knitting time though I might take a break from the gray and start some purty colored socks for me :-)

Off to bed now. I have a 7 AM Chamber breakfast so need to at least fake alert and interested.

Full stomach and a productive day

2010-02-02T19:06:00.002-07:00

Had to do the baby cuteness picture for the day. I get to see him at the end of February. SQUEEEEEE!

Just finished my Dominos thin crust pizza for dinner. All that good pizza flavor with less Weight Watchers points. That makes up for hitting the Hot Tamales this afternoon. Damn grocery store keeps having them on sale and they jump in the cart as I wheel past. I feel it is my duty to help them escape. That's my story and I'm sticking too it.

Today was the nonprofit workshop I've been prepping for with the speaker from Tucson. Guitar Guy and I got to go out to dinner with her and her business partner last night and had a really nice time. They are bright, well read, funny people - what's not to like! We had about 24 nonprofit execs and board members turn out for the presentation and it seems like it went well. Looks like I'm volunteered to start a local learning community to further the discussions. I got a very nice endorsement from the speaker and talked to a few people about the possibilities of doing some work for them. I'll be headed back to Tucson in 1 1/2 weeks for another training session. Had to miss 3 board meetings to go but so worth it to get re-energized.

Next on the volunteer agenda - selling raffle tickets at the Winterfest street fair this weekend for the Chamber of Commerce. Keep your fingers crossed for no rain! Last year it poured the whole weekend - not good for attendance.

Now I need to get knitting - not much progress on those #1 husband socks so it's time to kick it in to gear.

A day to rest and recover

2010-01-24T12:08:00.002-07:00

It has been a long, busy week and my stomach is not feeling well. I'm sitting on the couch reading blogs and enjoying the warmth of Pippin purring by my side. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning.

The Foundation meeting went well and I'm really glad it is over. I've determined over the years that I don't really enjoy event planning. That is probably why I love hearing about Roxie's teas and seeing the pictures, but wouldn't do it myself. Vicarious enjoyment works for me :-)

In the process of buying all of the materials for centerpieces at Walmart, I had a horrifying moment. Picture 7:30 AM, under the merciless lights of a big box store, I look down in to a mirrored tile and see that GASP - I look old! Saggy neck skin, jowls, lines around my mouth etc, etc etc. Since I don't have the money for plastic surgery and don't know that I would ever do it anyway, I've resolved to never look down in to a mirror again. There is more than one reason to keep your chin up!

I'm off to knit and read some more of Rampant. Hope your day is restful and full of good things.

Oops it's Monday

2010-01-18T22:36:00.002-07:00

Meant to post yesterday and lost a day somewhere. Caught up the work blogs this morning so time to update you too.

Last week was really busy but mostly with school board and nonprofit board meetings. We had a 3 hour work session on closing one of the middle schools, the regular board meetings the next night and a debriefing on the failed override on Wednesday. By end of day Wednesday I was pretty fried on school district issues!

The exciting news for this week is an upcoming presentation in town by the woman I studied with last spring for nonprofit consulting. She'll be traveling through the area and offered to do a free workshop if we let her sell her books at the end. There is so little opportunity for live education in our area, I'm hoping people will turn out.

Today I got to sit on in on the City Council's visioning process at their annual retreat. I was one of four Chamber of Commerce reps, though I'm relatively new to that board and still learning the ropes. It was an interesting afternoon and the people present have an exciting view of our future. Hope at least parts of it can be moved forward. We want to be ready when the economy eventually turns up!

This week I have the annual meeting for the 4 year university group. Our progress is stalled at the moment due to the economy but trying to move ahead. I was the only one willing to put the dinner/meeting together so have been chasing a few last minute details. I have been promised that if I become an officer of the board I won't have to do this job again :-)

Saturday we have a board retreat for the youth organization I'm involved with. Thankfully, I don't have to facilitate. The Exec and I are putting the agenda together with a volunteer facilitator. Excited to see what comes out of it and awaiting Sunday as a day of rest.

I did start Guitar Guy's socks yesterday but don't have enough progress (and am too lazy) to take a picture. Liking the pattern so far. Did have to order another skein of yarn since men's socks are bigger. Figure I can use it at the toes of the color is too different.

Off to bed and my comfy pillow.

Happiness Project

2010-01-10T10:52:00.002-07:00

I just started reading Gretchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" so celebrate the new year. Who isn't in favor of more happiness?

What I like about it so far: each person will create their own happiness project, not follow a prescribed pattern. Changes are added one at a time, building on successes. This is basically the process I've been following to change to a healthier diet. Other than starting to add in some exercise, I'm not inclined to make a lot of changes this year.

Had a great time in Phoenix with Nicole and my friend Kathe last week. Indian food, Sherlock Holmes and a road trip to Tucson were on the agenda. My grandcats were very happy to see me as well. They've recovered from the trauma of Christmas at our house and claws are healing.

Yesterday I finally took down all of the Christmas decorations and cleaned the front of the house. Guitar Guy was out and about so I turned up my music and sang loudly while I was cleaning. Still have more decluttering to do (and we won't talk about the garage) but now I can take that a little at a time.

Finally am starting socks for Guitar Guy. He's been complaining for months that I've never made him anything. Decided on #One Husband socks. Hopefully by next week I'll have a picture. Now off to choose the yarn and wind.

Happy Sunday!

Is it really 2010?

2010-01-03T16:03:00.002-07:00

I can't believe how quickly the holidays went by! Of course having a cold and sinus infection sort of put me out of action for a couple of days. Thankfully I caught the sinus infection early and the antibiotics seem to be kicking its butt. I'm trying to be patient with myself which is why my Christmas decorations are still up. Hopefully I'll at least get the tree down tonight. I enjoy the lights, so waiting doesn't really bother me.

The big news of the weekend is that Rowan is now mobile. He's moving fast, eating out of the dog bowl and tearing pages from books. Kind of glad he held off until he got home as our house is not baby proof. I'm hoping to get to see him at the end of January if I can find a reasonable air fare.

I also need to get out to see my dad again. A family friend he's known since I was a baby died this weekend. At 92, there are so few people left who share his memories that losing one more is very hard. Getting old is definitely not for the weak.

Tomorrow I'm off to Phoenix for a couple of days. My best friend from college is coming in for a conference so we'll try to catch a few hours together at least. Beats me traveling to Omaha, NE. The last time I was there we were up at 2 AM keeping track of tornado movements.

I hope you all had good holidays and are ready for whatever 2010 throws at us.

Happy New Year!

2009-12-27T19:09:00.002-07:00

Rowan as Santa Claus supervises present opening on Christmas morning
Rowan's new Christmas outfit from Grandma and Papa
Pop and Rowan open baby's first remote control with buttons that make noise!
Nicole prepares to decorate sugar cookies. The green sugar is particularly popular this season :-)

A great holiday week but I am now officially exhausted! Rowan arrived with a cold and ear ache so now all of us have colds to match his. He has left to go home but his virus remains :-)

The people had a good time but not the cats. Nicole's cats and mine had some serious issues this visit. Although they've been together before, it has been a while. Merry was particularly annoying and slightly stalkerish. Much hissing ensued. Occasional growling and batting took place over the course of the week. Unfortunately Pippin and Micah somehow became entangled and each suffered a broken claw and bleeding on Christmas Eve day. $275 for an emergency vet visit later, both were treated, disinfected and given antibiotics. We won't be trying this again!

The week went much too fast and I abandoned my Weight Watchers log about 3 days ago. The kids all headed home today so the house has become very quiet. Back to reality tomorrow. Hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday too!

Almost ready

2009-12-23T21:23:00.002-07:00

My grandson just finally fell asleep and reminded me why having children is a younger person's game! Thank goodness he's so cute.

Cookies are baked and presents are wrapped.

My nose is starting to stuff up and my throat was sore this morning. Sounds like a typical Christmas :-)

Nicole's cats have mostly quit fighting with mine (except for the occasional snarl or growl) I figure they will all be getting along famously by the time hers go home.

HoHoHo and Merry Christmas.

Family arrives soon!!!

2009-12-15T20:35:00.004-07:00

Sorry for not posting for a while. I got distracted by work and trying to make a dent in my messy house. I decided tonight that I absolutely will not get everything clean and tidy before the kids get in. I'll just keep working at it and do what I can. As I get older I'm looser about such things. After all, my kids grew up in this house and they know my lack of housekeeping interest :-)

The tree is up but only half the ornaments are on it. I can't find the stocking hangers or the rest of the Christmas decorations. Breathe deeply and go with the flow - breathe. . . .

Cards are mostly out and my dad's box is sent. Most of the Christmas shopping is done but I still need to wrap. I've been through the recipes and bought most of the baking ingredients. Decided to wait to bake until company comes. I'm now approaching 25 lbs of weight loss and don't want to be too tempted by all those goodies.

Tomorrow my partners and I are going to lunch and celebrating our first full year of business. We each made low 4 figures this year from the business but we paid the bills and are growing a little. We'll keep moving forward - slow and steady.

So excited to have all of the kids here, including our friend Briana, who will soon be leaving on a plane from Ghana! Rowan will be here on Sunday (with his parents). I bought baby food tonight for the first time in about 22 years. Too much fun.

Off to hang a few more ornaments

Procrastinating

2009-12-06T20:33:00.002-07:00

I could be working on finishing Christmas cards tonight. I could also be wrapping Christmas presents. I don't feel like doing either. Think I'll watch the Phoenix Suns instead and play on the computer instead.

It's been cold in the desert this weekend. That may sound like whining to those who live in snowy country but morning lows in the high 30's are chilly. We finally got to light the fireplace and enjoy the play of flames. The cats like to sit on the hearth and gaze in to the fire. It feels very cozy.

Not much new on the knitting front. Since I decided not to do Christmas knitting this year I haven't made much progress in anything. I might do one more hat for Rowan - one with ear flaps for those frigid Iowa winds.

That's all for now - hope your week gets off to a good start!

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

2009-11-29T18:52:00.005-07:00

Back from 4 days in California visiting family. Daughter Nicole and her boyfriend met us over so we had a great time being together. The Iowa crew including Rowan had to stay home this year and we missed them a lot.

Had a lazy time over the weekend - just what we needed. We all went to see The Blindside on Friday and really enjoyed it. We laughed, we cried and we repeated quotes from the movie all day yesterday. Go see it! Last night we watched The Wrestler - good but kind of a downer.

Tonight I'm preparing for the busy week ahead instead of knitting. The real world sucks.

Hope you and yours had a wonderful time over the weekend.

Just me and the cats

2009-11-21T21:02:00.003-07:00

It's a quiet Saturday night with Guitar Guy out doing a gig. Sitting on the couch surrounded by sleeping cats - I don't think they miss him a bit :-) I haven't told them yet that we are headed out for a family Thanksgiving weekend and leaving them behind. I'm sure they'll figure it out when the suitcases start appearing.

I think I will finish the socks I'm working on and watch some episodes of Heroes Season 2. Netflix streaming to my computer makes it so easy to catch up. I'm also reading The Lost Symbol. I know, it isn't great literature but my husband bought it and I was bored. I have to read something while waiting for Rampant to get published!
And just to give you a fix of baby cuteness. . .

I have a plan

2009-11-12T21:59:00.002-07:00

Well, since last week I have a plan for the holidays. We have all agreed on a minimalist Christmas since none of us have a lot of money this year. I have a gift list created for everyone and have about half of the stuff ordered.

The new washer and dryer come tomorrow. Tomorrow morning will be spent trying to create a path for the delivery guys to get through. I meant to get that garage cleaned out but, um, it didn't happen. Now I pay for my laziness. On the bright side, I'll have a dryer that doesn't make ghastly grinding noises.

I created my Christmas cards on Shutterfly this week and they've already arrived. Lots of pictures of baby Rowan and his adoring family :-) I even have the mailing labels printed and ready to apply. I might just get those puppies about by Thanksgiving so I can forget about them.

Had a great time in Phoenix last weekend. We ate Thai, Chinese Dim Sum and Nicole's boyfriend made us Chicken Marsala. I am pleased to announce that despite the gluttony, I still lost .8 lbs. this week. I'm at about the 18 lbs point in my weight loss (we won't discuss how far I have to go). People are starting to notice, which is always affirming. I'm happy if I make it through the holidays without gaining and hit it hard again in January.

I got a lecture from my physician today about eating less carbs and exercising more. This man truly believes a life without carbs and sugar is worth living! I already know I won't maintain a lifestyle of chicken, fish and veggies so I'm not going to make myself crazy trying. He's been giving me that same speech for about 20 years and hasn't worked yet. What is it they say about taking the same action and expecting a different result :-)

If I blink will it be Christmas?

2009-11-05T19:54:00.003-07:00

I've been back for almost a week and still don't feel close to being caught up. Tonight I ordered a Christmas present online and realized how rapidly the holidays are approaching. I have decided not to commit to holiday knitting this year to reduce my stress load. If I get something done - great, if not - great. Did finish another hat for Rowan and worsted socks for my son while I was traveling.

I started a list of all of the things I have to get done around the house before the family descends on December 18. Since we'll have a baby on the floor, carpet cleaning is high on the list! My washer and dryer are dying. How rude to only last 20+ years! The garbage disposal is also making terrible crunching noises (though I can't see anything in it). I haven't read a really good review on any washer under $1000. If you have any experience to share on the washer front bring it on.

This weekend we are off to Phoenix to see Phantom of the Opera with our daughter. She paid for most of the cost of tickets for her dad's Christmas present. Should be a wonderful weekend and we are really looking forward to it. The cats, of course, will be pissed. I just got home and now I'm gone again? I don't listen too much to their complaints. The pet sitter I hired plays with them way more than I do. They do love that laser pointer :-)

The sad news for this week was the failure of our school overrides to pass. That means 1 million dollars less starting next year plus whatever hit the state gives us. I keep hearing that the district needs to learn to live within its means, but AZ is 49th in the nation in per pupil spending and our district is one of the lowest in the state. In my first year on the school board I've seen no evidence that the spending is anything other than well reasoned, conservative and in compliance with the umpteen regulations and laws governing school finance. Our district has made great progress and is considered one of the better districts in AZ with progressive leadership. There is no fat to cut (despite the letters to the editor) and anything from here on out will be very painful. Sorry for the whining but it is so maddening!!!

Hugs to all and may your weekend be relaxing, cozy and filled with fiber.

The perfect Halloween pumpkin

2009-10-26T19:39:00.002-07:00

Rowan has had many compliments on his pumpkin hat I knitted him. The fact that he likes to wear it makes me happy :-)

2009-10-16T18:14:00.002-07:00

Icey the amazing shaved cat in all her glory. Seems to feel much better with all those nasty mats out of her fur. Not bad for 21 years old!

Real work for a change

2009-10-14T21:47:00.002-07:00

Thanks for all of the comments on my last post. Obviously I'm not the only one that likes a little diversity in my neighborhood. Em does have a good point about the garage band though. I don't think upscale retirement communities allow that kind of thing (though they do have a bagpipe group)

Since last week I have been actually been really busy doing work that pays our business (as opposed to work that is trying to produce pay). It is even possible that we might actually get to take a little money out of the business for the first time ever. It still means we are working for about 10 cents an hour but we did it all on our own. A little extra cash right before Christmas wouldn't hurt a bit.

Thank you for giving my a break from all of my client charting. I was boring myself silly.

Why I don't want to live in a retirement community

2009-10-08T22:31:00.003-07:00

Roxie raised some good questions about what my issue is with retirement communities. The big one we visited is full of beautiful homes, sculptured golf courses, clubhouses and flowers changed out 4 times annually. It is largely populated by people roughly my age (55-65) who retired early and have time to play and socialize to their hearts content. It isn't the "heaven's waiting room" that some of the Arizona retirement communities are.

It isn't the rules and fines or even the homeowners association checking for open garage doors that bothers me. What sets my teeth on edge is the lack of diversity in the population (read no one under 55). I live in a community that originally was advertised as a retirement destination. The people who migrated to Lake Havasu were of a different sort than those who reside in retirement communities. Our retirees wanted to live in a traditional town with children! They wanted to read in schools, help with programs for teenagers, work with young parents, provide their knowledge to new business owners etc. In short, they wanted to contribute to their community.

Retirement communities feel a little too homogenous for me to be comfortable in them. So there you have it.

Lazy blogger

2009-10-06T10:35:00.003-07:00

Yes, I am back home and just being a lazy blogger! We survived the week with my inlaws and got lots of reading in. I have determined that I do not want to live in humid Florida and do not want to live in a retirement community. Guitar Guy agrees so we are good to go on that.

We arrived back home on Saturday after a long day on the road. Daughter and her boyfriend drove back up with us as Guitar Guy had a gig that night. I made it through two sets before my eyes totally stopped focusing and I had to go to bed.

Merry has fully recovered from his gastritis and is happy not to have that awful medicine anymore. He has to go back for a follow up visit this week and his annual shots so won't be happy about that.

All is good. The weather is getting cooler. I'm trying to wade through my "to do" list and am making a little progress. Onward and upward.

Traveling again

2009-09-26T21:41:00.002-07:00

Off to Florida this time so blogging will probably be at a minimum. Spent the day with my lovely daughter today. We did pedicures and went out for Indian food. I made a good dent in my Weight Watchers bonus points but it was so worth it.

Our minor trauma for the week was Meriadoc (our youngest cat) getting gastritis. He had diahrrea for 3 days and then vomited all over. After an emergency x-ray (showing nothing but gas) they decided to dose him with antibiotics for 10 days. This meant I had to quickly find someone to wrap a fighting cat in towel twice a day to give him his medication. He already seemed to be feeling better by the time we left.

Life is always interesting!

Chinese food and a fat cat

2009-09-18T19:02:00.002-07:00

I'm not sure where time has gone, but it hasn't been blogging. I'm sitting on the couch after a full week. I'm waiting for Chinese food to be delivered to my door so I don't have to cook. Pippin feels this is the perfect opportunity to "help" me write my blog so we are having some cuddle and purr time. I haven't told him I'm headed off on another trip soon. He really doesn't want to know. He's already had enough trauma after having to have a catheter inserted for a urine sample this week. Poor guy.

Since getting back from Iowa I've been very busy. You all know how it is when you come back after a trip. Everything you put off is impatiently waiting. I've plowed through most of it and still have a week to finish up before I head off to visit my in-laws. Thank goodness for great business partners who keep things going while I'm flying around the country (plus they take care of my cats!)

Yesterday I got to help make a marketing visit to a physician's office. It was a very strange experience. We got to stand in the hall and wait for the physicians to pop out between appointments and approach us for a 30-60 second spiel. A couple of them asked good questions and seemed to understand the whole geriatric care management idea. Hopefully, we'll see some referrals out of it.

I'm still liking having our own business, but not liking the lack of income. We've decided to commit some funds to advertising and keep moving forward. A true benefit of our slowish start is that I've had the freedom to spend time helping my dad and visit my grandson. That is truly a gift.

I think I hear the delivery guy coming up the walk. Mongolian beef and shrimp with garlic sauce - Yum!

Family photos

2009-09-07T21:46:00.002-07:00

Home again from a great trip to visit all of my family in Iowa. Dad and I ran errands every day and got much of his list done. We still had time to eat lots of sweet corn, talk for hours and just enjoy spending time together.

Baby Rowan is almost 4 months old and can finally wear his rock and roll t-shirt we got him. The Guitar Guy wants to make sure Rowan starts out right!

Rowan's new sweater on the model. It fit well and I think he looks very handsome in it. Unfortunately he kicks off all the socks I made him even with the ribbing. If you have a good pattern that really stays on, let me know (Amy - yours stay on!)
Rowan dressed as a shark. It's kind of hard to see the shark on the back but the hat has eyes and a fin on the back.
Here are Rowan, Dom, Dad and me celebrating Dad's 92nd birthday. Had a great time! If you look at the painting behind our heads, the little girl with dog is me :-) A friend of my mother's painted it and included my dog, Fritz, and I from a photo.

I think Rowan and Great Grandpa have a mutual admiration society. There many smiles and lots of love. A great time was had by all!

Don't tell the cats

2009-08-29T13:06:00.003-07:00

Today is my last opportunity to get the house in some semblance of order before heading out to my dad's for a week. The cats are already eyeing the suitcase so I think they are on to me! I at least got the family room straightened out! It is where we spend most of our time so it accumulates the most books, knitting, guitar magazines, newspapers etc.
I finished Rowan's sweater to take with me. It's just a basic top down cardigan with matching socks. The yarn is Lorna's Laces sport weight in color Seacoast. Rowan's whole room is done in an ocean theme, so it seemed appropriate. At the rate he's growing it will probably fit him for about a month or two. That just gives me a reason to knit another one :-)
Pippin is guarding my office door so I can't escape without him noticing. Of course he didn't even twitch when I took the picture so he's not much of a watch cat.
Have a good rest of the weekend!

2009-08-23T19:55:00.008-07:00

Here are some more pictures of my office, as requested. This is my collection of Depression glass and Elegant glass of the Depression era. For those inquiring minds, the former was sold in soap boxes or given away at carnivals and gas stations. The latter was a higher quality glass usually sold in department stores.

I'm also getting some of the items from my old office out of boxes and setting them up like the blue bottles on the filing cabinet. It feels good to get familiar things around my space. The painting is a watercolor of my mother done by may Aunt Nancy before I was born. It was first in my uncle's attic, then my parent's attic and finally framed and hung.

I love my ersatz Tiffany lamp (thank you Overstock.com) as I prefer lamps to overhead lighting. The small cabinet is the one that took me 2 long sweaty hours to assemble. It holds all my office supplies and paper. The files on top make it look like an official office!

Last is our booth from Thursday. We had a drawing for a free massage, which made us very popular. Next time I'm bringing cookies or candy though. Those booths were WAY popular.

I didn't get nearly what I wanted done this weekend but should finish my Gryffindor socks tonight while I'm watching True Blood. That's my idea of a good time :-)

P.S. Why does blogger pop some of my pictures to the right? It looks fine in the preview and then I publish and it is out of alignment. AARGH!

More this weekend

2009-08-21T18:21:00.002-07:00

I'm just doing a quick post now to let you know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. Hopefully over the weekend I'll get my office totally put together so I can take photos for you. It has been a really busy week which included manning our booth at the Chamber Business Expo all day yesterday. Well worth doing but lots of work getting displays and materials ready!

More to come this weekend.

It happened again!

2009-08-12T20:10:00.002-07:00

Just when I thought I was getting caught up on things, I realized I hadn't blogged in a week. Where are these weeks going? The summer is nearly gone and I know what that means - I'm already behind on Christmas knitting!

Rowan got a new polo shirt and jeans from the Baby Gap because his mommy couldn't resist. I've almost got his early fall sweater done (still needs buttons) and one matching sock. These small sizes whiz by pretty quickly. I get to go visit Rowan again at the end of this month when I go to see my dad. Short visits but at least I get a few baby cuddles in.

I got all the glassware put back though wish I'd had KnitTech and Roxie to help me and have some rum to celebrate :-) I'll take pictures one of these days. I put a storage cabinet together for the office today. Two hours of sweating and cursing created a fairly attractive addition to my office. Unfortunately, it won't hold my heavy duty printer so I may have to assemble one more piece.

I'm being lazy tonight when I should be reading one of those seven deadly boring solar energy proposals for the school district. I'll have myself for it tomorrow morning but I just can't focus. Much more fun to play on Facebook and knit.

Hope your day was a good one!

Where has the week gone?

2009-08-05T19:23:00.004-07:00

I suddenly looked up and realized it had been a week since I blogged. How does that happen? I spent most of the weekend knitting and putting away glassware (almost done) so that was fun. This week has been a blur!

My partners are both busy this week and suddenly our geriatric care got busy. It has been wonderful getting to help people but totally not what I had planned for the week. Plus I had to get all of our accounting and billing caught up. I never can figure out why that takes so much time for such a small business. On the other hand, everything is entered, reconciled and paid.

I'm spending 18 hours this week evaluating solar energy proposals for the school district. No, I know nothing about solar energy. I was asked, as a school board representative, so that the committee would have people from all levels of the district. Solar is awesome - and I'm all for making our schools more "green" but we have to find a proposal that makes good financial sense as well. It keeps my brain spinning plus I get to eat lunch in the teacher's lunchroom every day :-)

Monday I started Weight Watchers online. I want to get healthier so I can keep up with Rowan. Someone asked me today if Weight Watchers works for me and I said "Yes, all three times". I'm always amazed at how little sense of portion control I have. Measuring food is such a shocker. "That really is 3 ounces of meat?" Um - I've been eating twice that much. We won't even go in to the chips and ice cream.

I've never done the online version but just couldn't see adding in another meeting during the week. I do everything else online (well not EVERYHING) so figured I'd give it a try. So far so good. I'll keep you posted.

Have to go work on Rowan's sweater. I might even get this done before the weather gets cold!

My office is done!

2009-07-29T12:38:00.006-07:00

Last week we took a long weekend and visited our children and grandson in Iowa. Rowan continues to grow like crazy and was able to grab a toy for the first time. He and the Guitar Guy spent a lot of time enjoying each other's company (when I wasn't holding Rowan).

The day we got home, Nicole and Pat arrived to finish the office. While I still have a lot of work to do hanging art, putting glassware back and setting up office files, the big stuff is done.

You can see what a difference some paint and new furniture makes! Plus the amazingly decorative Ragdoll really adds to the room. I'm told I might get wood laminate on my floor for next year's present!

In addition to finishing the room, the dynamic duo hung a new ceiling fan in the family room, painted the kitchen ceiling, hung a new chandelier, hung track lighting in the kitchen and took all of their garbage to the landfill!

Part 2: Cleaning out the closet

2009-07-19T11:33:00.014-07:00

None of us thought of sealing the cracks in the closet door so the office closet was covered in drywall dust. If you've ever dealt with drywall dust, you know how fine and tenacious the stuff is. It sticks to absolutely everything! All my out-of -season or out-of-size clothing was stored in that closet plus a hodgepodge of "don't know where else to stuff it".

Here is the clothing left after I threw 2 garbage bags full. I'm getting more brutal with my "thin" clothing. Even if I ever got back in to it, the styles are totally outdated.

After I pulled everything else out of the closet, this was some of the mess I had left. I finally pitched 3 paint by number horse pictures my Gramps painted in 1963. They've totally yellowed and I'll never hang them. Took pictures for posterity and in the trash can they went. (I'm currently reading a book called The Boomer Burden which is about cleaning out the mess parents leave behind. It is making me less sentimental and more ruthless with my stuff)

This is all of the glassware that has to be washed and put back in the next couple of weeks. It has taken over Guitar Guy's studio/amp workshop/library. Thankfully he's not building anything right now. Hopefully he doesn't need any of the guitars stuck back in the corner before I'm done

A parting Rowan shot while on vacation in Colorado. I love this one because you can see how long his eyelashes are. My son had beautiful eyelashes too. Why boys seem to get them is one of life's great mysteries!

Now I'm back to work on the bedroom. The painting crew arrives tomorrow - hurray!

Remodel in progress

2009-07-15T21:36:00.007-07:00

For your viewing pleasure (and at Roxie's request) I'm documenting the remodel of the office. What a mess! My darling Nicole and her boyfriend worked long hours to get the room ready to be painted. He spent most of Tuesday sanding down the walls since we decided not to retexture. They are now wonderfully smooth.

Step 1 was to remove the wallpaper. The steamer did a great job - much better than the paste dissolving fluid I've used before.
Step 2 involved cleaning up the initial mess and preparing to put drywall mud on all of the walls.

Meriadoc had to check out the crinkling plastic while the workers were on a break.
Step 3 involved covering the walls with the mud to provide an even foundation for the paint.
Step 4 After the walls dried overnight, Pat spent many hours sanding. By the time he was done he was coated in white powder from head to toe.

I didn't get any pictures of Nicole sanding baseboards but there are more still to do! We also had multiple trips to Lowe's, Home Depot and assorted hardware stores for paint and supplies.
We stayed up way to late talking, went out to eat several times and laughed a lot. Hopefully my remodeling crew will return next Sunday to begin painting. I'm so excited!

(If my pictures jump out of alignment it isn't my doing. Blogger is being difficult again!)

Quick update

2009-07-12T23:02:00.009-07:00

Just got back from watching two international soccer matches in Phoenix. The tickets were Guitar Guy's anniversary present since he loves soccer. Got to see our daughter, eat at Red Lobster and spend a relaxing weekend together.

My daughter-in-law posted a picture with her February Lady sweater I wanted to share with you.

She also posted a photo of my grandson Rowan wearing the socks knitted for him by no otherthan Amy Lane. They are so cute! For those on Facebook you can visit a video of Rowan smiling while wearing his new socks on my profile page. We were all touched that Amy found the time to add to Rowan's hand knit collection!

A real grown-up home office

2009-07-10T17:12:00.007-07:00

My darling daughter Nicole has volunteered she and her boyfriend to redo my office (her former bedroom). This is what it currently looks like (note the lovely pink walls and teenage wall and ceiling decorations.
They will need to remove the 15 year old wallpaper and may have to retexture depending on the condition of the walls.

My job is to remove everything except the computer desk so they can paint. This wouldn't be quite so bad if I didn't have a 40 year collection of glassware stored here. I'm slowly moving it in to another bedroom. Of course after two years, it all needs to be washed before I put it back on the new bookcases I bought. Someday when I hit the lottery it is going to be in sealed cases!

Let's see - today is Friday and they start painting Monday - yikes! I know what I'm going to be doing tonight and tomorrow. But it will be awesome when it is done. I will try to get more pics of the process for your viewing pleasure.

On the knitting front I've finally finished the first Embossed Leaves sock in Sanguine Gryphon Bugga. While I love the yarn, for some reason this pattern went slowly for me. I started it as part of a Bugga KAL but everyone else finished long ago. And with the new Harry Potter set to open I am rushing to finish some new socks in Sunshine Yarns Gryffindor. Not sure whether I'll make it but I'll give it my best shot! Yes, I am a geek.

And now, back to moving glassware.

The Guitar Guy returns

2009-07-03T16:29:00.003-07:00

Just arrived home with the Guitar Guy after an exciting week in Virginia. He learned a lot, loved his time there and is really glad to be home. Tonight he has to meet with his band to plan the set list for two gigs tomorrow. So much for spending time together! I'm not planning to go to either gig. Too hot and way to many people in town for the holiday.

Got to spend some time with Nicole and her friend Briana last night and today. Having just returned from India, Briana is off to Ghana in 3 weeks. She'll be spending a year working in communities there and supervising the volunteers working on projects with the citizenry. As we headed back home she was off to get innoculations for Yellow Fever, Meningitis and Rabies. That didn't sound too promising. Nicole is hoping to go visit with Briana is there. I am thinking about it but not sure I want all those shots (I'd need a bunch more). A nice cruise is probably more my speed.

Have an excellent July 4th weekend for those in the US.

Band camp

2009-06-27T09:23:00.003-07:00

Thursday my husband and I were driving to Phoenix so he could catch a flight to Virginia. I chuckled to myself about how long it has been since I took a boy to camp! Yes, the Guitar Guy is off to blues camp again this summer. He had such an amazing time last summer and made such lasting friends, he couldn't wait to get back.

We did look at the expense long and hard given the economy and our budget this year, but ultimately decided we could make it work. There are few things he would rather do than sit around and talk gear and riffs with a bunch of guitar geeks. It also means I won't understand a thing he says for the first two hours back home. What they learn is so far beyond my musical knowledge it boggles my mind.

Thursday we got to spend the evening with our daughter and her friends. I had debated about taking the drive with the Guitar Guy, because it means I have to drive back to pick him up next week. When I found out Briana (who some may remember me writing about) was back from India and coming to dinner, I had to make the drive. We met at Byblos, a Middle Eastern restaurant we've been eating at for 20 years and all love. We laughed, reminisced and learned about some of the challenges of living in India that didn't make it in to the blog. Briana made sure we knew how rich we really are here in the US! We too often forget how fortunate we are.

Yesterday, daughter Nicole and I hung out, went to lunch and did some shopping. We ate a very healthy lunch and then splurged on a chocolate chip cookie, ice cream, fudge, whipped cream dessert (to share of course). It was a lovely day and went by too fast.

The cats welcomed me back home last night after a thorough sniffing. Nicole has four cats at her house right now and I obviously had been unfaithful to my feline companions by petting some of those purring lovelies. Fortunately, hunger won out over disdain and I am now forgiven.

Today is quiet and I plan to work on some small projects, knit and generally enjoy myself. Have a great weekend.

It's done!

2009-06-20T19:44:00.004-07:00

I finished sewing the buttons on my February Lady today and took a few pictures before I send it off to my daughter-in-law in Iowa. I'm pretty happy with how it came out. I just hope it fits!

Em asked for me to explain a little more about group interviews, for those who have never been through them. My first experience was when I applied for my previous position as Executive Director. There were 18 board members in attendance. More than a little intimidating! During my years as ED, we used group interviews a lot. A manager from each department was part of the interview committee. We each had standard questions for the candidate, different than their original personal interview. More scenarios, role plays etc.

After the interview we discussed answers, but also talked a lot about fit with the position and organization. As a candidate, group interviews are challenging. As an employer, they can give you a lot of valuable information about how people interact with a group and how they handle stress. As a group works together through a series of interviews they get more confident in each other and the process. In a one hour personal interview, a candidate who interviews well can fool you. That is much harder to do with the various perspectives of a group. Hopefully it prevents a bad fit for both parties.

Now I think I need to dig out a nice pair of socks to finish. I love socks - they are quick and not hot to hold on your lap in the summer!

A better week

2009-06-18T08:39:00.002-07:00

This week I feel much more "on track" than last week. I appreciated the listening ears and supportive comments. Roxie's observation about taking one project at a time has helped with the feeling of being overwhelmed. I tend to pressure myself to be superwoman and then am disappointed when I'm not :-)

The first three days of the week were mostly spent sitting on an principal interview committee for the school district. It was a lengthy process involving paper screening and extended interviews with the candidates. I've done lots of group interviews over the years and the process always amazes me. The longer the group works together toward their common goal, the clearer the choices become. I think everyone left feeling good about the recommendations.

On the knitting side - I finished the February Lady yesterday! I'm going to wash and block her today and then I'll be ready for buttons. It looks really small, even for my daughter in law. I have faith though, that all the reports I read on Ravelry about superwash growing are true. Should have pictures tomorrow!

I've been remiss

2009-06-13T11:28:00.003-07:00

I apologize for my lack of post lately. I've once again been immersed in the world of website optimization and marketing. Our geriatric care business has slowed to a crawl and we've discovered a painful truth - none of us really like the marketing side of the business. It was exciting when the business was new and we couldn't wait to tell everyone about it. We then made the rooky mistake of assuming that our reputation and contacts in the community would bring in business. That doesn't work beyond a couple of referrals.

This week we focused on creating our marketing plan for the next 6 months. We've got some good ideas to work on through July, and then ramp up again in August for another go at it. The problem I always have in the summer is lack of motivation. It is hot in Arizona. Really hot! It is the time we hibernate and watch movies (unless you own a boat or have a pool, which we don't). The days tend to slide by one after the other and before I know it we are at Labor Day. All my good intentions of cleaning out drawers, planning for the coming months, getting my computer cleaned out - all gone.

Thank you for listening to me complain. It always helps to have an ear to bend for a while. On the bright side, Nicole is coming to visit for 2 days starting Sunday. Then in two weeks I go visit her for a couple of days. We have to take advantage of these opportunities before her crazy, breakneck schedule starts again in August.

Enjoy your summer day (unless you are in Australia keeping warm by the fire) and have a great weekend.

The AHA moment

2009-06-06T11:28:00.003-07:00

I commented on Twitter yesterday about a conversation I had with my daughter. We were discussing her plans for the future and I asked her some questions. What does she want her future to be? What would it take to get there? How do you begin taking baby steps toward that future?

Being a thoughtful young woman, she already had some of the answers worked out for herself. I admire her tremendously. She has always been goal oriented (except for a relatively brief period of wandering) and keeps her eye on the prize!

The AHA moment came when I hung up the phone. Do I need to ask MYSELF more of those questions? The answer, of course, is "YES". To give myself a little credit, I have been working toward my career and life focus (volunteering) goals for the last year or so. I'm proud to say I've made some progress. What I need to work on more are things like health (diet and exercise) and the environment I live in (as Amy would say - my craptastic house). I'm giving that some thought again - but no answers yet.

I'm having company tomorrow night for dinner and looking at the disgusting hall bathroom. I have a cat that believes the bathtub is the overflow cat box. If someone else is in the box, or it isn't quite up to the standards of his highness, he uses the handy dandy shiny box. Sometimes to show his disdain, he goes on the floor. Other than the evidence, I can't prove exactly which miscreant it is since I never catch him in the act! This makes for decision like "Should I wait to clean the bathroom until tomorrow afternoon for the best chance at keeping it clean through dinner?" Thankfully, you, my blogging friends, have shown me that I am not the only making these kinds of weird decisions :-)

I have very little knitting progress as I've been reading and playing on the computer. I've been working my way through Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It is about the political genius of Abraham Lincoln and the cabinet of rivals he put together. It is not a light read but fascinating nonetheless.

Have a wonderful weekend!