Reading, reading, reading TEXTBOOKS!

Just a quick note since I've been so bad at keeping this blog up to date:
*Still haven't finished cleaning the office
*Working more
*Started graduate school 2 weeks ago and still trying to adjust to the workload
*Got to spend my grandson's 5th birthday with him
*The heat has hit Arizona and I feel limp
*Spending tomorrow with my daughter and going to a play
*Being lazy and avoiding the schoolwork I know I have to do today

That's all for now!

Tackling the office

 The goal for this weekend is to clean the office and set up the new desktop computer sitting in that big box on the floor!  I also have to figure out where to put the yarn overflow LOL 

March blew through

It has been a windy month in Havasu, bringing with it dust and pollen to make allergies nuts.  Everyone is sneezing, coughing and trying to track down allergy medication (which is fast disappearing from store shelves).  It seems a shame to close up the house and term on the air conditioning so soon, but that is the only real alternative to a drippy nose and streaming eyes.

Our temps have already been in the high 80's and 90's, which doesn't bode well for the summer.  If you've been suffering through feet of snow, I may appear to be a whiner. To truly appreciate the "joys" of an AZ summer, please come visit at the end of June or early July :-)

The good news is that I'm staying steadily busy in my business, have extra projects to keep me stimulated and intrigued, am getting everything lined up for school and am getting some knitting done.  I'm trying to start the Water and Stone sweater for my daughter, but it begins with a cable, which is not something I've done before. I'm also concerned about the yarn I chose and how to size the sweater. Thankfully she's close enough that I can find an opportunity to try it on her.  I'm aiming to be finished for the fall, so have time.

 I finally made a pair of Skyp socks for me from Sanguine Gryphon (now Verdant Gryphon) Bugga.  Love the feel and the pattern.  Will definitely do these again.

 The Mukluks are for my beautiful daughter, once I sew the suede on the bottom.  I made a pair from my grandson and she requested an adult size. Thankfully there is an adult pattern so I didn't have to resize.  The yarn is a cheap acrylic but very soft.  A quick fun knit.

Right now I'm working on these Hermione socks in Opal Tonks.  I don't usually like pink, but this yarn just kept calling to me.  It's good to expand one's color palette :-)

A New Look at Yarn

My daughter-in-law got a new camera for Christmas and experimented with capturing photos of snowflakes.  For her background she used a little piece of lacy knitting I did for her.  I loved the juxtaposition of the snowflake on the "forest" of fiber so thought I'd share.

Pot Pourrie

January has been an odd month for me, with a mix of productivity and sloth.  I've been busy knitting mittens for my daughter-in-law and grandson, who are living in the polar vortex this winter.  I love how the Mini Mochi ring mittems look but they aren't terribly warm.  Those, however, were a special request.  I made two pairs of plain vanilla mittens in different sizes.  Wasn't sure which ones would fit and they can always be layered.

I've been busy with visits for my geriatric care business this month but there is increasing competition for the contracted work.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a continued part-time caseload as I'm planning to start school in May.  Yes, I know how old I am.  Yes, I already have one Master's degree.  Yes, I'm still excited about learning, even if it means writing papers and reading dry textbooks. 

I applied and was accepted to the Master's in Social Work program at University of North Dakota.  Obviously, since I live in Arizona, this is a distance learning program.  Unlike my previous degree, this one requires being in video classes for 6 hours per week and a one time visit to Grand Forks, ND.  I have been thinking about the MSW since I graduated from college.  Increasingly, most positions require an MSW, unless they are entry level.  Until fairly recently though, the MSW degree wasn't available through distance learning due to the clinical practice requirements. 

This is actually part of my "retirement" plan.  Like many of us boomers, I anticipate needing/wanting to work at something fulfilling as long as I am able.  I know many people who experienced traditional retirement for about 1 year and said, "That's enough of that".  I also have valued role models who found rewarding new careers at 60 or older because they were open to reinventing themselves.

Knowing how much time school can take, I have a mile long list of things that need to be done before May, like cleaning out the garage.  That's where the sloth comes in :-)  I've thought a great deal about what needs to be done but so far have made little actual progress.  My plan to walk 3 times a week has also stalled despite our beautiful weather.  But, today is a new day, and most things are possible (except for being 25 again).  Off to work and seeing what the new day brings :-)

Happy Christmas time

Sitting at home today, trying to prepare for work, with memories of a great Christmas still so close. Right before leaving Iowa yesterday, my d-i-l took some family photos with her new camera.  I particularly like the one of the 3 generations of Iannone guys together.

We arrived a week ago to a gray and brown landscape, that was replaced on Saturday night by 6 inches of new, fluffy snow.  Rowan wasn't able to go outside to play in it until Christmas day, due to the sub zero temps.  He had hoped to build a snowman but it wasn't a packing kind of
snow.  Instead he and his daddy threw handfuls of snow at each other (and mommy). The rest of us watched from the warm of the house! 

We had hoped to go to the mall to see Santa and see some lights but the ice, snow and generally miserable weather kept us pretty housebound. We didn't do a lot of baking, but I made a couple batches of cookies to make sure we had some left for Santa.  Rowan left instructions for Santa regarding the carrots.  One for Rudolph and one for Dasher.

         We had a delightful time and are already counting the days until we can head back to hug those adorable little guys.  Hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday!

The Holiday Spirit

What a wonderful time we had in California with the family for Thanksgiving.  Our son and daughter both came with their families, as did my sister-in-law from Florida and Guitar Guy's aunt and uncle.  Each year, Guitar Guy's brother and wife host a Thanksgiving feast ala Martha Stewart for both sides of their family and long time friends.  This year we numbered 31 people for dinner! 

It is a busy, noisy day with so many people in the house but always ends with the last few of us basking in the light of the fire and kicking our shoes off.  The next day a few of us went to the Getty Villa to see the antiquities and then most went to the beach in Malibu.

Living in Iowa, my grandsons have little experience with the ocean.  They loved the tide pools, rocks and beach creatures and got totally sandy and wet.  It was a beautiful fall afternoon complete with a rainbow from the morning's drizzle.  The 4 year old even got a shell in which he can hear the ocean.  That will be a wonderful momento for his 
treasure box.

Back home again, the preparations for Christmas begin. Gifts and cards have been ordered and the baking planned. Two weeks from today we'll be headed to the cold country so not much time remains.  Only one gift knitting project still to do, so that should be done in time.  Instead of waiting for Christmas, I've been knitting through the fall and sending gifts as they were completed.  Feels much less stressful that way.

Today is cold and windy for the desert and we might have our first fire of the season tonight.  Might be a good time to put up the tree.  Guess I'd better go dig out the tree and ornaments.  Lots to get done before Santa arrives!