Should I Stay Or Should I Go

I probably get asked once or twice a month if we're going to stay here. Usually it's when I'm talking about the house David is renovating or griping about what every part of my home remains unfinished, people will ask questions and then always say, "so, are you going to stay there?". I honestly cannot answer that now. We were going to stay forever in the last house and we were so serious we actually painted the walls colors other than light yellow and beige (FYI if you're selling your house light nondescript colors are recommended). But then the prices shot sky high so the For Sale sign magically appeared and we hit the road again. We had already bought this place for WAY more than we usually pay for anything so I think we were halfassed ready to skedaddle anyhow, we just needed that little push. 

If you ask me which house I wish I HAD stayed in it would either be the first house we bought in WV or the one in MaidsvilleWV. The first house on Arbogast Lane was the coolest one we've ever owned, 3 story modern with balconies on every floor and a river rock floor on the second story. We had rocks in the yard that were easily 10 feet tall and I have to say that was one of the most fun places we have ever lived.  The one in Maidsville - that was more of an emotional favorite. We were happy there, Jackson was home, Pearl was alive, people visited all the time to that house. David and Jackson hunted the game lands with their trusty dog, my job was still good and we spent most weekends either romping around the 6 acres, playing in the pool or hanging out at the bookstore. We sold it after Jackson left and moved to the Poconos for two years. I cried every week because I missed WV so much, it was an ache that never left. 

When we moved back we found the house in Gerards Fort, close enough to WV to keep the homesickness at bay, near the gamelands and the perfect size. And now we are here - I'm still a little on the fence at times, but overall I love it. We have the 6 acres again for me to explore with the dogs and it's just the right size. Right now I've been grousing because the house is on hold until the flip house is done and on the market. I know! But I can still grouse. As to whether this is it - if you ask me today, it is yes, but who knows down the road a bit. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. 

Just Finish It!

One of the most dreaded objects in the knitting universe is a UFO (Un-Finished Object). That's when you start a shawl, then get side tracked by a sock, you start another shawl and then are hunting around the house for enough yarn to make a sweater because you have the knitting retreat coming up next week in which the whole weekend pretty much revolves around making a sweater with set in sleeves. And then you have google What Are Set In Sleeves and then start rooting around again in both the basement and the internet because you're not quite sure if you have a pattern for that. You have a pattern for every other frigging thing in the universe, don't you? But not a sweater. Or you DID find a pattern but now the yarn you found there isn't enough of. Drinking only complicates matters and it is also how you end up with neon pink yarn so don't even go there. 

This morning I dug out all the unfinished projects just to get an idea of what needs to be finished - especially since I'll be adding a sweater to not be finished next week. I have 4 knitting bags going so now I'll have to find a 5th one to house the sweater I have no yarn or pattern for. The top two pictures are of the never ending Day Lily shawl - that got away  from me and is currently completely out of control. That picture is BEFORE I block it so you can figure it will be at least a third bigger than it is now. I have no choice but to finish it out since only have about 8 inches of border left. The good thing is once it's blocked the pattern will be amazing and I can use it for a table cloth for  a round table - it's made of mercanized cotton (from Peru if anyone is interested) and with a white cloth under it will look beautiful.

Then I have the two started shawls from the knitting classes. I had the finished projects done, but needed started for demonstration purposes. The Girasole is only on it's first pattern round so I could actually just pull it out - but I love this color and the pattern so it can hang out for awhile until I finish the Day Lily - which I will finish even if I die in the process. which I might. You know some people when you talk about dying are always like How Can You Say That, but all I can think is how can you not? Do you really think it's not ever going to happen to you? And I will tell you there have been days in the past few months if I dropped dead on the spot I would not have objected  - I'll hold the barrel steady for you. 

This is the almost done Easy Peasy Shawl 2.0 which I am using for the knitting group - one thing you learn about joining a group is not to bring anything more complicated than this. Everyone starts talking and it's impossible to count a row, especially with lacework so we all have our "group" projects to take for knit nights, we bring in anything complicated we need advice on or if it's done to show it off. 

This sock! This green sock! I think I started it on my way back from Seattle - it's just a plain green sock which is perfect for travel. Socks are complicated enough to be interesting, but not so complicated that you can't put them down when you need to. I'll probably finish the heel at home after I'm done with the Day Lily and then use that for knitting group once I'm done with the other shawl. So, now I have them all sussed out - I just need to find time to finish them. 

Curl Up and (Die)t

So - the good news is I've lost 12 pounds. The bad news is this is probably the 4rth time I've lost 12 pounds with another 25 (or so) to go. Again. I was fine until I hit 50 and then my weight crept up. and up. and up. The hardest part is is it's so hard to lose and so insanely easy to gain. And dieting is work! No more drive thrus or premade foods - I make everything from scratch because it has less calories and less all around shit in it. I fit my exercise in early in the morning, lunch, after I get home but still it comes off a few ounces here, a few ounces there.

But I continue on, after all the only alternative is to simply give it up and get super fat which I'm just not ready for. I've been doing the Weight Watchers with my sister and her wife and that helps - it's good to have someone in the fox hole with you, isn't it? 

I suppose that's enough of that, Molly got her stitches out today - David was a bit annoyed because he had to make an appointment and the only one they had was mid-day of course. Molly didn't even get out of the car! The vet was like it will only take a second - and it did. David opened the back doors of the van, held her still and two seconds later she was stitch-free. Oh, well that chapter is over and done with. 

Run Around You

Since the beginning of this year I feel like I never stop moving - it's been one event after another. The end of January I tell people I went back to LI for lunch which is essentially true. My father and stepmother had been working on legally adopting her granddaughter Rhiannon -and there it was. I drove to my sister in laws and us and her sister traveled to LI to be in time for the adoption. It was really wonderful and like all happy events well attended. It was ten of us, the judge, lawyers and pile of interns - and I now have a 16 year old sister, how great is that! February was a bit less traveled but still hectic. We are opening a new office which is wonderful - I'll be the closest one and my travel will be 45 minutes, half! But that also means opening new clients, signing off new staff,etc.... busy but worth the effort

In mid-March I jetted off to Florida for a long weekend, I hadn't seen my mother or stepfather for 4 - 5? years. It was short but very fun. They live in a nice over 55 community - it was a short visit but I packed a lot into it and managed to get a lobster red sunburn. We went out to dinner, to a bird sanctuary, shopping and lunch.  The pelicans were all over, such weird birds. For Easter I headed out again, this time with David in tow, protesting as usual he was too busy, I should go by myself...... just get in the car for crying out loud! Since I'd done a bunch of early visits we left early Friday afternoon so we would only have a couple of hours drive in the morning. Yes, I found a yarn shop thank you for asking. I shopped while crabby pants waited in the car then off we went. My dad, stepmother, sister and my brother also showed up so it was a very nice family meal. David as usual had a very good time and was glad he went.

Then this weekend of course the knitting festival. I've been preparing for weeks, but I've also been studying for the CCRN, working, taking care of the house, yada yada yada so when I set off yesterday it was more stressful than anything. But the classes went well and then I went out to dinner with friends, a well deserved beer and then shopping the next day. I now have a couple of week and then I'm off again - this time 3 days rotation in a rehab facility and then I took Friday off. My plan is a quiet hotel with a pool, a good book some yarn and sleeping in . Being busy is fun, but I'm more than ready for some downtime.

Teach

When I agreed to teach at the Pittsburgh Creative Arts Festival, not much was going on - easy easy. As of about a month ago my battle cry has been I Just Want To Live Through April - not that it's bad, just wildly busy. I did manage to calm down at some points and found that preparing a little at at time helped so when the day finally arrived I was more or less prepared. So I didn't think this was a bad idea until I was halfway here, then had one of those wonderful What The Hell Was I Thinking moments followed by How Can I Get Out Of This as I was driving around the block for the fourth time desperately looking for the front of the hotel. But I'm tougher than that and in I went - and I was not alone. Some of my knitting friends signed up for my classes since they knew it was my first time (ever) teaching and they could help if it got overwhelming.

When we were looking for the classroom someone asked me if I was scared - and I said yes I was - but life is pretty boring if you don't scare yourself once in awhile, isn't it?

My classes, thankfully were small - the first one was 8 people, the second one only 3 but I was fine with it. And it went fine! I only needed a little help and all of my evaluations were good - no one threw anything at me which I always consider a bonus and I managed to get through a total of 6 hours of teaching without throwing up or crying - all in all a good day! Two of my friends are also here and we went out to dinner last night and then will be going to the festival to shop. I stayed overnight since by the time I got done it was 7:30 so I'm glad I didn't have to drive home. What I get paid for teaching will cover part of this - depending on how much I buy today. Over all - I'm glad I did it - when I first decided to take on this challenge a local yarn shop owner gave me a 5 minute speech on how I SHOULDN'T do this - pretty much told me I had no business trying to teach and I would fall on my face, etc.....it was pretty scathing and to tell you the truth I no longer frequent that shop. The whole thing was mean spirited and that's putting it lightly. But there were many more people on my side - my knitting group with all of their advice and experience and Kathy from Kathy's Kreations who gave me an hour class on how to give a class - and I'm glad I went ahead and took the chance because now I can say I did it!!

Foraging

Last week I had to work late which is not a huge deal - it happens. David called me during the day to tell me when I got home I couldn't go in the kitchen because he had tiled and he didn't think we could walk on it til tomorrow. Hmm. So, I got done with work around 8pm and figured I'd go to one of the fast food places that are all over where I work. Now, being a vegetarian makes it a little more difficult, but not impossible - Mickey D's is out though, even if it is not meat, it's boiled in meat flavored oil. I went to Taco Bell because I figured I could just get a bean and cheese taco,burrito, a bean and cheese something. I ordered, was handed a paper bag and off I headed to the turnpike.

I took a bite and then spit it out, apparently someone thought I said "beef" and acted accordingly. I sometimes wonder if I ate meat if I would like it - you know it's been over 25 years since I ate meat? And the answer to that question is 

No. Still do not like it and could not even swallow that crap. Eww. So, I stuffed it back in the bag and then headed towards home. When I got near New Stanton I saw a Sheetz not to far off the turnpike so I popped off - you can always get a yogurt or something  fast there .......

Except when every frigging person that lives in New Stanton is at Sheetz, Christ Almighty! You had to see it to believe it, the line worked it's way to the back, and this on a Monday night! I just left, even if I had been able to get near something I would have been there forever. There was a Wendy's across the road and no one on line (since everyone was at Sheetz!!) I ended up getting , I kid you not - a baked potato. Have you ever tried to eat a baked potato while driving 80 miles an hour down the turnpike? It's do-able but not recommended. So if anyone ever wonders why I bring my lunch to work every day of the week - this would be why!

Forgive Me As I Tresspass Against You.

When I worked as a visit nurse I did a fair amount of trespassing - I LOVE to take pictures and have owned a digital camera pretty much since they came on the market. I'll take 20 pictures of one thing to get just the right angle or the best light. Working in West Virginia was an awesome place to take pictures, since I traveled all over it was not a big deal to pull over for 5 minutes to take a few. I often spent my lunch in the graveyards, WV has no end of the most Gothic, ornate gravestones.  It also has no end of abandoned houses and buildings, I often  wondered what happened to the people that lived there - did they still own the property? Or did the houses fall into such disrepair they simply walked away?

I've been getting more clients down near me so I actually got a little trespassing in last week! You really can't do that in Pittsburgh, too many people and I'm always afraid it is not as abandoned as I think - the chances of squatters are a lot higher in the city. So had to work this weekend and on the way back stopped at a couple I've had my eye on. One was a beautiful brick home that is a real shame. The windows are out and as you can see from the pictures, anything worth saving was destroyed by asshats. I did not go upstairs or in the basement as I had no phone service in that area. If I don't have a phone I am very careful - if I go through the floor no one knows where I am and unless someone spots my car I'm on my own.  

And then there is this lovely old church - I took a few pictures and then tried the back door - one of the things I've learned from flipping houses is a LOT of back doors are left open, (ALOT!). I did a very quick run and was disappointed for my trouble. Looking at the outside I was all Pews and Alters, what I got was plastic green bucket chairs and folding tables. Oh well! I wasn't supposed to be in there anyhow. The outside was way funner than the inside, but if you don't look you don't know and now I don't have to wonder when I drive by.  I have taken a few pictures of some graves but lately it's just been drive thru, I have to say very few bone yards in Pennsylvania can hold a candle to the ones in WV. But if you don't look you don't know and half of the fun is looking!