WIP - A Disaster In Progress

I have restarted the Shipwreck shawl and am making a proper mess of it so far. You would think I would have marked somewhere the row I left off. But that would make too much sense, wouldn't it? It would be like where I fixed the pattern for sock #1 which I started back in MARCH and didn't bother to write that down either since I was certain I would remember. So I saw I'd left row 7 on the counter, found my place on the Bleeding Heart pattern and began - I was sure I was on the 2nd set. Midway through I realized the stitch markers were only 10 apart and the pattern called for a 12 stitch repeat. Curious. So I fixed it on row 8, very proud at my ability to fix it and as I started row 9 I discovered that pattern only had 144 stitches per row and I had counted 290. Curious. That would be when I figured out I must have completed the Bleeding Heart and moved on to the Madeira pattern which has......a 10 stitch repeat. Mystery solved. So I will have two rows of Bleeding Heart smack dab in the middle but am intending to pass it off as something I meant to do - Artistic License instead of Glaring Mistake. It's a plan, go with it.  And I still have the last half of the socks to finish - they're parked up on the bookshelf  emitting accusing looks  on me daily - The Socks Of Guilt.  I secretly hate them and would throw them out but I've already knitted one and a half so I will soldier on - and hope I meet someone with one big heel. David and Jackson will be heading back here tomorrow morning - I would have liked them back a day earlier but Jackson's time is limited and David hasn't seen his parents in a couple of years, so what's a day? I actually had a fun day just messing around by myself - coffee, couch, knitting needles and TV, what more can a girl ask?. I did have a bit of a scramble this morning, not only can't I remember what row I'm on but I can't remember that Tuesday is Garbage Day. Tuesday has been Garbage Day since we moved here over a year ago, yet every week finds both David or I flying out the door  like Jesus is making a Special Guest Star Appearance  at  the bottom of the driveway ( of course if that happened I would have been wrong all these years, wouldn't I?) The other thing I've been having great fun with is my Kobe ereader I got from Borders for Christmas - I LOVE that thing! I've figured out how to download books and of course the first one I downloaded was P.S. Your Cat Is Dead, one of the world's greatest books.  Adam is expected tomorrow night and once he's here I can stop worrying. Until they have to go back.

Give Me A V!

Jackson looks good, he managed to pig up his room in record time but he'll clean it before he goes. I hope. We had a good couple days together, nothing too special but it was fun just to see him again. I sent him and David back to LI on Sunday - as you remember David had missed his trip there due to an unexpected truck repair and I know his parents were disappointed. Adam ended up changing his plans and won't be here til Wednesday so I changed Jackson's plans so he would have enough time to see everyone on LI. I had to work today so it worked out well. I am planning on us all spending one day together which will be Thursday because David is working on the weekend so he can't come with us. Today was my last day of work and then I'm off for two weeks - I don't think I've ever had such a long vacation! It's making me a bit anxious - what didn't I do, what did I forget, what if something happens when I'm gone? But other people have gone on vacation and I've survived it, so I suppose they will survive without me. In other news I finished the baby sweater this morning, frantically adding the last touches before work. I wasn't able to get a picture of it because David took the camera to LI but hopefully the mother of the recipient will take a picture and send it to me. It came out better than I thought it would. Now i can finish the socks and the shawl -although whether the socks get finished or not is up in the air. i just don't like the pattern, it's a bit cumbersome or something and it's like a punishment. On the other hand I already have one an a half socks finished so we'll have to figure it out. But I have two weeks to do that, don't I?

2011

I was laughing with an aide the other day - years ago when we were kids we used to figure out how old we would be in the year 2000. I figured out I would be THIRTYNINE - as close to dust as you could get! I would be almost  FORTY, most likely dead since that was a very advanced age. I am now on the verge of 50 and still this side of the ground, who would have guessed. With it being New Year Day it's of course very easy to get smarmy and nostalgic, isn't it? To make a boat load of Heartfelt Resolutions that will be forgotten by week's end.  But resolutions do have a purpose - they make you feel super guilty and give it another go. I received a Victoria's Secret catalog and a Weight Watchers coupon on the same day in the mail - if that's not a cosmic kick in the pants, I don't know what is. So I will resolve to lose weight, I just need to find a fun diet to do it with. I've done WW, South Beach and that one where you eat nothing but protein - Atkins?? - I just remember it doesn't work too well for vegetarians as there is only so much cheese, eggs and tofu dishes one person can eat. My other resolution is to sit on the couch and knit - it works for me. Jackson has arrived in one piece despite all the dangers that lurk out there - according to David I think I'm the only person that can do anything without something happening and feel the rest of the world needs my guidance. So I resolved  I would NOT call Jackson repeatedly offering travel advice and making him call me every step of the trip.  He called me from the airport before his plane took off - at 1 am and after sitting in bar with a Canadian he'd met while waiting for his plane - serves me  right, doesn't it? I picked him up from Longhorn Steak house where he was cheerfully bolting down a burger and beer with his Aunts - they had picked him up from the airport and drove him halfway. New Year's passed quietly, Jackson was exhausted from the red eye so he pretty much slept the night away.  I managed to plan his vacation to his satisfaction - it's difficult to make sure everyone sees him and he sees everyone he wants to see in such a little time frame. He kept saying it was so strange to see everyone after being away for two years - and it is. Adam will be arriving midweek - that will be strange as it will be the first time in FIVE years we will all be in the same room at the same time. We went through a long period where we didn't see Adam because he had been stationed overseas, now that he's stationed in Norfolk we can see him a few times a year at least - but now Jackson is living across the country so we are in the same boat with him! Oh well, I'll enjoy what I get and not worry about the rest - Happy New Year everyone!

Their Heads Are Made Out Of Rubber, Their Bottoms Are Made Out Of Springs

Having three dogs in the house that bear a striking resemblance to each other is a bit unnerving at times - I was petting Pearl and she was leaning, then I realized it was Gypsy and Pearl was downstairs. They play hard - since they're all the same breed it's a very equal playing field but it's fun to watch as they play and run at top speed at all times. All of the guests, canine and human left this morning - after Tommy got the truck packed and the two dogs in their crates Pearl The Traitor jumped in the cab of the truck and wouldn't come out. She was going home I think - or at least trying. They didn't do too well hunting but I think the next time Tommy comes if he arrives early in the season he should do well. But we all had a good time and I know David enjoyed seeing him and getting to hang out with a real friend. Someone said to me today that you can have acquaintances and people you know, but a real friend is hard to come by. She was right - if I think of who I consider a real friend they're all the people I've known for ever. When you graduate school it becomes very hard to find someone you can have that same level of trust and comfort with. Maybe as you become an adult and you become busier you just don't have the time to cultivate that type of friend. When I met Kim, Liz and Richard I remember spending hours and days in their company - if we weren't in each other's sight we were on the phone. We walked to town together, the beach, parties, slept over each other's houses in rotation, we were constantly in the company of each other in various and all configurations. If you really think about it our friendship has a massive base that you cannot duplicate - it's what gives us that comfortable feeling with each other, defenses down, no holds barred. Because I know even if they say something I don't like - the intent is not to hurt me or get me back for some real or imagined insult. Sometimes they've said things simply because they thought I needed to hear it - and I did. It makes me sad as an adult that I've been unable to find that kind of friend here - but maybe that's the way it is in real life. And maybe I don't need to - they are all still just a phone call or car ride away - can't ask for more than that.

The Beat Goes On

Christmas was quiet - I didn't mind though. I actually enjoyed the quiet and the ability to just sit and relax. We have so much coming up! Tommy arrived from West Virginia, his two dogs Gypsy and Sage along for the ride to visit with David and Pearl. Pearl was not sure of her guests at first - dog guests are a little ruder than people guests. They take your toys and eat your food, sometimes they even sit on your blanket - Pearl was a bit overwhelmed but is enjoying having them to horse around with. In the morning she dithers by the stairs to see if they're up. They went hunting yesterday despite the high winds and low temps and got one pheasant. Today promises to be a little less windy and a little warmer so hopefully Tommy will get a couple shots in too. We went out to dinner last night and it's great seeing Tom and catching up on all the news. The  weather has taken a winter turn of course - we didn't get the snow everyone else got but the wind was howling all day yesterday and the temp never got above 20. I had to drive to one of my clients that is over 50 miles - it was slow going due to the nervous nellies that seem to have to go out and then proceed to drive about 13 miles an hour. The road were fairly clear but that didn't stop them from being jerks. On the way back I stopped at the Gentle Arts in Honesdale and finally bought that Jordana Paige knitting bag - it was expensive but it's most likely the last bag I will buy and I did have Christmas money. I called David from the road to let them know I'd be home soon. Of course a snow plow appeared and we crawled our way towards home. He pulled over after about 5 miles to let us by and it was smooth sailing until the Nervous Nelly appeared. She drove 27 miles an hour except for curves, bends, downhills, uphills and anything else we considered a danger. She rode her brakes for 30 miles and straddled the center line so I couldn't get by. When we got close to home she made a right at the stop sign and I was tempted to follow her home and scream at her in her yard. But then I remembered I'm not from that side of the family and let it go. I just wish those people would stay home when it snows.  Tommy is leaving on Wednesday then Friday Jackson will be here - I have to call him today as he turns 21 today! Can you believe it? I cant! Adam will follow along on Tuesday and then off we go again. Who would have thought January would be this busy?

Stuckeys

I was sitting on the couch last night eating my pecan log I got at Stuckeys - we stopped there on the way back from Norfolk. I would say Stuckey's is overrated, but it's sort self-overrated. They invest a lot in big billboards announcing that you will soon be at Stuckeys! The first one told me I was exactly 48 miles from Stuckeys, Home Of The Pecan Log and Other Pecan Delights. The next sign let me know I could have my pick of over 100 Kountry Gifts for under a dollar. Next - only 20 miles!  Every sign extolled the virtues, pecans and bargains of Stuckey's - by the time we got there I could barely contain myself. David managed to contain himself quite well as Stuckey's was actually located in an overrated gas station and he was more interested in getting something to drink and use the bathroom than to scamper amongst the Kountry Klutter. And they did have Klutter Galore - plastic dogs and kittens, wind up Harley Davidson alarm clocks, Kute Kountry Wooden Signs and plenty of pecans. I bought a couple pecan logs, I wanted to buy enough to last me a nuclear winter but I knew that was not a good idea. I do not have enough self control to not eat them or to even save one in the event of a nuclear holocaust - I know I'll hog them down as fast as I can. I also bought a can of honey roasted peanuts which David ate, no Kounty Klutter as we have enough of the garden variety Klutter of our own. I have half a day of work today and David is working the swing shift so we finally put up the tree and got that decorated. Since the boys will be home after Christmas and David is working we're not really celebrating quite yet - for us Christmas is a day - and it will be the day we can be together. I can't wait! Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

What A Good Trip!

 We got up early yesterday to see Adam - he stayed over his friend Brit's house as apparently if you're stuck on a ship for 6 months you tend to avoid it like the plague when you hit land. So I picked him up around 8:30 - he smelled a bit like a brewery but   since his Aunts were responsible for supplying the beer what could ya do? He took his shower at our hotel room  and by that time the Aunts were up. They had been up late drinking with the captain, but we were on a Navy base so that is acceptable behavior. We went over to the Nex for breakfast, Adam was enjoying it as it's been overhauled since he left port. We had a great breakfast together and then set out to explore the NEX. I bought a few things and so did everyone else, I got some nice local wine to bring home. We stopped at John and Carleen's to hang out and say goodbye, then down to the ship for one final picture (Adam is ok as long as he doesn't have to board it) and after that it was getting late in the afternoon so we took Adam back to his friend's house and said goodbye. He returns to work today so we decided to head back to PA and that way we could get some stuff done around here. It  looked good on paper. Keep in mind we had gone to a big party, gotten up and driven almost 450 miles the next morning, then a full day, then another day, then back in the car for the 450 mile drive back. We were a little churlish to say the least. The pot blew the lid when David was mucking around with the radio and I yelled at him  - I was the one driving and I was tired with a headache. Then David gave me a lecture on how he had driven ALL the way down without complaining. I snapped back with a witty comment which David returned my volley and spiked the ball. My favorite part was when David claimed I had ruined the ENTIRE trip by yelling at him for touching the radio - I have no idea what we were thinking when we made this grand plan. We made it home late (we timed it beautifully so we could hit rush hour outside of Philly). I had debated not taking off today but I'm glad I did - we had a ton of stuff to do and I am tired. Pearl made out well in prison, the people that run the kennel show Vizla so that gives her a little bit of an "in" - the cats were OK of course but Vincent of course is stilled freaked out a bit. He is currently parked on my lap while I try to type over his little round head, he's purring like an engine, such a baby!