Monday, December 30, 2013

Giant nerd

I got a new set of bamboo knitting needles for Christmas. I also got a little cashola. What do those two things together mean? Yarn!

 I am about 2/3 of the way done with a baby blanket for my friend and her shower is next weekend. I will be glad when it is over. The yarn is beautiful. The pattern is interesting. I am just tired of making blankets!  I think as long as I make sure I remember to work on it everyday, I will be done in time. 

In time for what? My Downton Abbey mystery knit along. So in a week or so I should get a couple skeins of this in the mail. 
I worked hard at editing that picture. Don't judge. 

It is an alpaca silk blend. I can't wait to touch it. Anyway, during the new season of the show, Jimmy Beans Wool will release instructions on their blog with what to do everytime something happens on the show. In the end, I will have decoded the pattern and made something. It is supposed to be some kind of shawl but I have no idea what it will look like.  Justin is a little surprise at this level of knitting nerdity.


Thursday, December 19, 2013

Huddle up!

Alright team, huddle up! Things are about to get serious.  Oh wait.  I don't have a team.  It is just me!  Ahhhhhh!!!!!!!  As some of you may know, I like to live life as if I am floating down a river.  I like to lay back and enjoy the quiet parts, reading, knitting, doing nothing productive when nothing is going on.  And then we hit the rapids.  I like that too!  I like to paddle as long as I can.  I like the adventure of it.  I like the non-stop busy and to challenge myself in the area of how much can I take on.  I like all that as long as I know the rapids are just a section of the river.  Know what I mean, Vern?

I think around the holidays, life is a pretty big section of rapids for just about everybody.  We have school parties, Christmas performances, friend parties, family parties, work parties, decorating, shopping, and wrapping.  I went and had a baby in December so we get to add in celebrating the existence of my favorite little guy.  My work always gets crazy around the holidays.  People always want to serve others around the holidays which is awesome, but it makes for some tired elves.  In addition to regular work duties, we are coordinating parties that other people are throwing, gift wish lists, delivering gifts, etc.  I also do this while working part time while my kids are in school for the most part. And then they have the audacity to take two weeks off for winter break!

This is where I get to me calling for my team that I don't have.  In September I started planning and prepping for a budget modification proposal for the grant I work on.  It would allow me to house two more families and work a few more hours a week.  It was submitted finally, in November.  It was just approved today.  So.... that means the week before Christmas I add on 3 more hours a week of work.  The first 2 weeks in January I move in 5 new clients and do all the things that go along with that (which is a lot).  And it is also end of the quarter and halfway through our fiscal year. So I will be doing monthly, quarterly and semi annual reports at the same time.  Oh and the powers that be are also releasing the application to extend the grant at the same time.  Isn't it sometimes not convenient to have Christmas and New Years midweek?

In addition to all this fun, I got a second job!  It was a necessity and I was going to be looking elsewhere, but this amazing opportunity fell in my lap.  I am going to be watching my nephew three days a week.  I think it is seriously the best possible situation to still allow me to do kid school stuff and spend time with them and make some extra cash that is seriously needed.  (I don't enjoy the financial rapids section of life.) I am also very excited to get to form a close relationship with my nephew and get to hang with him. I will be working one way or another, full time +.  I am going to be the master juggler of responsibilities until I figure this whole thing out.  But I do get to sleep at night and that is nothing to scoff at.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Hello technology

I used to be a faithful poster. Then life happened. Then there were computer issues. Then I spent less time on the computer. Then I spent even less time on the computer. Then my phone took over the majority of my computer needs. Look at what happened! I got around to looking for an app that lets me post from my phone. Does this mean I will post all the time? Who knows. I have many apps that I never use. But chances are a lot better now that I can post while sitting in the car one of the many times I sit waiting. I don't promise fun. I don't promise intrigue. I don't even promise complete sentences.  But here I am.