Is it hot enough for ya?  I'm already tired of hearing that and it's only been a few days of our first "official heat wave" of the summer (don't let them fool you, summer doesn't start around here for another 3 weeks).  It has been hot and we're not acclimated yet so people are suffering.  We are being stalwart and not installing the a/c even though the temps are in the 90's (32C) and the humidity is high.  We do however have fans blowing at us so as long as we don't move around too much, it's ok.  So, twist my arm really hard and make me sit still and knit.

We took an impromptu picnic Friday night to escape the heat.  Just tuna sandwiches and mac salad and some strawberries.  It was lovely.  I finished a pair of socks and gave them to Pk when he admired them.   They're Felicity in the Goth color by knitpicks.  El calls it the "bribe yarn" since she bought it for me when she asked me to make her a pair if socks.  It's really nice to work with and makes a nice fabric on size 2.25 needles.    I wasn't sure what I'd wear them with and Pk said "I'll wear them with anything" so they went off to live in his sock drawer.  He wore them to work today and showed them off.

Saturday, I cleaned and did laundry and knit and then Sunday we went to the park for another picnic.  This time Kate and I took our wheels.  A wedding party pulled up to take photos (and parked in the handicapped lot but that's a rant for another day).  One of the men came over and asked questions about the spinning wheel.  (Can you see the train stickers on the side that faces me?)  He said, "I saw something and didn't know what it was so I had to come over and ask".  A man after my own heart.  I explained what it was and he said "oh, like Sleeping Beauty?" and I agreed yes, just like that. 

Before you know it, the photographer askes if he can take a photo of the bridal couple with the wheel.  I said of course and Daisy got to be in someone's wedding photos.  I tried to stay out of the way but it was cool.  And a little odd. 

We had dinner with my brother and his family.  Maggie (who is 11) said she had a new best friend.  When I asked who?  She pulled out a book by James Patterson called Maximum Ride (a really cool book).  I know that now she's old enough for the Sanna books so I'm going to get her a copy.  I hope she likes them as much as I do.

I'm the one on the right in case you can't tell.

The funeral for Michael is tomorrow.  We were supposed to go to the viewing tonight but Pk walked the 11 blocks from his office to mine in socks/shoes not made for city walking and got a blister on the ball of his foot.  Since going to the funeral home would involve more walking, we opted to come home and I'll go tomorrow morning instead.  I wanted to share an original Mikey Wild with you.

One of the last times he came in to see the doctor, he brought his drawing pad and drew a portrait of the doctor and me.  Pk bought me a frame over the weekend and now it's hanging on the wall of my office.  Everything on the wall (except my clock) is handmade.  I love surrounding myself with the love and care that went into handmade goods in my office.  It gives off a good vibe.

You know what's also cool?  Your grown children asking you to go somewhere with them.  It makes me feel like we're making the transition from parent/child/disciplinarian to parent/child/friend.  It's way cool.  Kate asked if we wanted to go to the lake on Sunday.  Once again, twist my arm and make me sit in the sun and knit and swim.  Life is tough, I tellya.

Other than that, it was a quiet weekend.  Too hot to do much.  We are planning to attend our nephew's wedding on June 11 in Baltimore.  We'll go down early and Pk wants to visit the aquarium.  We'll spend the night and come home after the wedding brunch on Sunday.  I am trying to finish my kal shawl but am afraid it won't be done in time.  The last clue has too many beads and I'm slow enough on the nonbeaded parts.  I have another shawl that I can wear instead.  And it's just way too hot for a lap full of alpaca/silk.

I hope you are all well and happy and your day is filled with handmade goodness.

Good Friday Morning!  The sun has been out for the last few days and you can see the difference in people's moods.  I can feel the difference in mine. Sunshine is natural seratonin!

It's Memorial Day weekend here.  It means a long weekend for most people and a lot of people head down to the beach for the day or the weekend.  It's supposed to be a sunny, hot weekend so the beaches should be crowded.

We avoid the shore on holiday weekends.  It's so crowded and the traffic is unbearable.  We have no plans for the weekend other than to try to have a picnic by the river on Sunday.  Em and Pk are spending Saturday together just hanging out.  I'll get the laundry and stuff done early so I can spend the weekend working on my kal shawl.  We're going to a wedding in June and I'd like to wear it but I'm afraid I won't get it done in time.  It's growing with each row so it takes longer (and we all know how fast I knit!).  But I live in hope.

Our weather has gotten very summery in the last few days.  Hot and  humid.  It feels especially hard to take since we aren't acclimated to it yet.  Everything is done slowly.  The weather people (who are not known for their understatement) have been saying "Heat Wave!!!!"  I want to remind them that it's that time of year.

I have so much paperwork to get done today.  The last few weeks I've had a bit of trouble concentrating and focusing on work so I've let some stuff slide. The hightened stress shows in the patches of eczema and psoriasis that are cropping up on my arms and legs.  (just in time for shorts and sleeveless shirts)  It's not like me to be behind in my paperwork.  I usually stay on top of things here at work.  I have one (hopefully) short meeting this morning and then all day, I will be chained to the computer cranking out treatment plans. 

Make you jealous?  I'll bet it does.

Whatever your plans for the weekend, holiday or otherwise, I hope it's a restful, refreshing one.  I hope you make time to settle yourself into something that makes you happy.

Have a good Friday!

Mikey Wild died this morning.   

I knew it was a matter of days.  They moved him into a hospice over the weekend and his mom said he was just hanging on.

"He fought so hard."  His mom is amazing.  She's supportive and loving and felt like she was "chosen" to raise someone special like Mike. 

 I called her this afternoon to express my sorrow and offer any help I could.  We had a good laugh as we remembered her stubborn, goofy, lovable, totally wonderful son.  I felt so priviledged to have known him for 17years.  I thought I'd share this video with you.  This is pure Mikey.  And this song keeps running through my head,

"If you believe in forever,
then life is just a one night stand.
If there's a rock and roll heaven,
then you know they've got a helluva band"
(righteous brothers)

Except that I'd change it to Punk Heaven 'cause that's where Mikey is now.  He loved music, art (I have an original Mikey Wild hanging on my office wall and I also have a portrait that he did of me on one of the last times I saw him) and Vincent Price.  I like imagining him getting to finally meet his idol and them walking down the street comparing notes.

Good bye my friend.  I'll miss you.

Well, since I'm here, writing, the world has not ended.  I did try to call my client on Sunday morning after Pk and I had breakfast but she didn't answer.  This is not unusual.  She often doesn't answer the phone.  I'll keep trying when I get back to work this week.

The words for this weekend were things like, re-do, re-trench, re-plan. 

We'll start with Friday.  Pk made it through the colonoscopy.  Afterward, he admitted that the worst part was drinking the aptly named drink (Moviprep).  He was hungry by Friday afternoon since his procedure wasn't until 1:30 and he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast since Thursday morning.  I bought him popsicles and he had juice and flavored waters but nothing solid.  The doctor reported nothing unusual and he thought it all looked good.  I once again wondered how and why someone decides that they want to perform colonoscopys for a living.  Not for me.

Saturday we were planning to go shopping and do the usual stuff but the day was so nice.  The first time the sun had come out in almost a week so we just couldn't bring ourselves to do chores.  We spent the day doing things we enjoyed.  I finished spinning some roving that I had gotten a while ago.  It's bfl/silk mixture and it came out beautifully.  I'm not sure how much I ended up with, it's 100 g and probably close to fingering so I hope it's enough for a pair of socks. 

And I only had a small bit left on one bobbin!  No waste.  That's some of Pk's wood stash.  He spent his day working on making me a small lap table for the computer.  It'll make watching videos and movies in the summer easier since the warm laptop will not have to sit on my lap. 

Mostly, we just enjoyed being outside.

Sunday, we went to the diner for breakfast and then to the grocery store.  We were tired and I was fighting one of the worst headaches I've had in a long time.  Nothing seemed to touch it and I wondered if I had a virus or other bug because I've had some intestinal distress and been sleepy for two days. (of course, the hypochondric in me is sure I had meningitis since the headache encircled my entire head). 

Today, it's better.  Just a vague echo.  We got up early to go to the Division of Motor Vehicles to register my car only to discover it's closed on Mondays.  We went to the bookstore and spent some time enjoying the smell of books and hot coffee.  I used the time to rip out a finished sock. 

Put this in the "Denial is not just a river in Egypt" file.  I finished a pair of socks but used different needles for the second sock.  It looked a bit bigger than the first one but I kept on knitting.  When I finished, I told myself that maybe they would be ok after I washed them.

Of course that didn't work.  Can you see the fact that there are two repeats difference in these socks?  Almost 2 1/2 inches different.  I like the colors so I was really disappointed.  I decided today would be the day that I would rip the large one out and reknit it.  I sat in the cafe of the bookstore and slowly picked out the kitchener stitched toe and then unravelled the entire sock.  I am 3 repeats into the leg again. I love working with this stuff.  It's some of the yarn Em gave me for my birthday. 

And now we're getting ready for going back to work tomorrow.  It'll be a short week and then another long weekend. Next weekend is Memorial Day here, the opening of the summer season.  I remember as a kid, we would swim on Memorial Day regardless of the temperatures.  At this point in my life, I'm a little more discriminating.  I am looking forward to the long hot days of summer. 

We're due for thunderstorms on and off all week.  It means that it may or may not rain but it probably not be nice weather.  I am glad that I got our summer clothes out and washed so when the temps climb into the humid 80 degree range, we'll be ready. 

I have a dentist appt this week to have a filling drilled out and replaced.  I saw the dentist last week for my checkup and a cleaning and I mentioned a sensitive spot.  She discovered the cracked filling and said it would have to be replaced.  I am not thrilled but it's better to deal with it before it gets any worse.  I seem to have a small mouth and she needs to use child sized appliances in my mouth.  Fortunately, my dentist is so good and kind.  She accepts the fact that I gag easily and doesn't lose her patience with me.  I still don't like it but she makes it easier.

There's also a regular doctor appointment, an eye doctor appt and I also need to make a gyn appt.  Thank goodness for insurance! 

I hope you are all having a good week.

Working in a mental health center, we have been inundated with people talking about the coming end of the world.  I would never make fun or light of someone else's beliefs so it's been a challenge to have meaningful dialogue.  My real concern is for a woman whom I admire who had pulled herself up from a homeless/on the street existence to a good life with children and a grandchild.  She wants to kill herself because she doesn't want to see the end of the world.  I asked her to just not do anything rash until after the 21st.  I promised to call her on Sunday morning to check in on her and her family.  She said, "you believe we'll be around on Sunday?" and I said "Yep.  I believe we'll be around.  And if it's truly the rapture, I believe you're one of the truly good people". 

Well, you could have knocked her over with a feather.  "I'm a good person?"  So, we had a discussion the upshot being that she agreed to hold off on any plans to end her life until after the 21st.  I told her to go ahead and hoard all the water, toilet paper and canned goods she needed to in order to maintain her feelings of safety but to hold off on the suicide. 

This has been the scope of so many of our conversations this week.  It's been a long while since so many people have had end-of-the-world thoughts.  It's important to remain respectful of other people's beliefs and I try hard to do so.

I am not a believer.  I don't believe in heaven or hell.  I think that this existence is the only one you get so you should make the most of it and live it to the fullest/best you can.  I believe in karma and I believe that you keep coming back to learn lessons you failed to learn in a previous life (not as a cow or a bug but as a person).  Eventually, you get to become one with the universe and a part of all creation.  I know this is simplistic but I am a truly simple person. 

I hope that I haven't offended any of you.  It's not my intention to denigrate anyone's beliefs or belief system.  My husband is a Catholic and still carries strong beliefs from childhood.  I tried to give my children enough information to make choices for themselves.  (I taught Sunday School in the Catholic church for a number of years and loved it.  Mostly I loved the spending time with small children bit). 

 

It's just been a bit odd.  This has all come out of nowhere.  I don't listen to the radio too often and then when I do, it's one or two stations, so I missed this whole build up.  Now, suddenly, there are buses with adverts on them and huge billboards and the word 'rapture' is on everyone's lips. 

 

And here we are, dealing with people who have issues with reality on a good day.  My standard answer has become, "I don't know what will happen,  but I believe you shouldn't do anything rash just yet".  It seems to be ok.

 

Is this a big deal where you are?  Or is this a local phenomenon?  I purposely haven't followed it on the computer (although I plan on talking about it in group this afternoon, so I'll have to wade through it this morning) so I may be a bit behind the curve.

 

 

 

Well, it's been a week and I have no idea where the time went.  We've not been too busy but life, as usual, marches forward at a quick pace.

Last week, I was anticipating the start of our Fiber Craft group.  In preparation for that, I made another trip to the craft store to get 2 different needlepoint kits because one of my clients told me she would like to learn.  I got kits that came with everything and have printed canvases so it would be easy.  She didn't show up.  It's a good thing I like needlepoint once in a while.

We had crochet materials and knitting materials and were prepared to talk embroidery and needlepoint and sewing and any other fiber related craft (except maybe latchhooking.  It's been so long, I forget how to do it).  And two people showed up.  I don't know why I allowed my expectations to get so high.  Maybe because a number of people came up to me and said they were coming.  After the initial disappointment, we sat and I taught someone to do chain stitch and single crochet.  She was quite amazed that she didn't pick it up immediately.  "But it looks so easy!".  I explained that I have been crocheting most of my life and have all kinds of muscle memory and she will develop it as well if she practices.  We'll see.  Some people give up if they don't get something right away.  And we'll be back this week.

Friday, I had a class in Aggressive Patient Management.  I teach this class with 3 coworkers, all male.  One is about my age and two are considerably younger.  We (the old folks) generally allow the young guys do the take down.  However, my old guy partner and one of the young guys had to leave early leaving me to take down the other young guy.

I can do this.  I understand the mechanics (I have been a trainer for several years) but my knees protest in a big way since they get to bear the brunt of the take down.  This is why we recruited young guys in the first place.  I took Brian down and as we're laying on the floor and explaining why this is a good hold (meaning he can't get up and it's not hurting anyone), I'm thinking, "I'm too old for this".  I usually feel this training in my muscles since I let one of the guys (who is bigger than I am) restrain me so I can show how to break a hold (like a choke hold or a grab) and I can show that it really does work.  This results in bruises on my arms and sore muscles.  This week I was so sore.  Every muscle ached.  It was time for much ibuprofen and a hot shower.

Today, I feel fine (except for not sleeping well last night and having a slightly sore ankle) so it's all good.

I signed up for a yarn and tea club with The Unique Sheep.  I have heard nothing but good things about these women and their product and let me say, they did not disappoint.  I'd show you a photo but for some reason, my computer here at work is rejecting the photo on my iphone (I think it's the new WebSense filters they recently installed).  My first installment came on Thursday and it's beautiful. The yarn is a fingering weight, cashmere/merino/nylon so it would make lovely, decadent socks, in a light purple/silver/white color range.  It matches the tea which is Marquise Grey. It's like Earl Grey with lavender.  It smells wonderful.  And they sent along a Unique Sheep mug. 

We had a home-y weekend with chores and things around the house.  The weather was spotty with clouds and humidity and occasional thunderstorms.  Kate and Patrick came for dinner so Pk and Kate could discuss their upcoming hike on the Batona Trail which runs through the Wharton Tract (a part of the Pinelands here in South Jersey.  It's a unique ecosystem and really beautiful).  They're planning to hike the entire trail sometime in the early fall but need to see how well they can do on short day/overnight hikes first.  Patrick and I get to provide transportation into and out of the woods.  And we get to sleep in our beds and not on the cold, hard ground.  We get the better end of the deal!

Today, I start working with a new doctor.  He's an unknown quantity and I'm not sure how much experience he has with the Developmental Disabilites population so this could be interesting and challenging.  Some doctors don't like it when you try to give them information.  I've been doing this for years and while I didn't go to medical school, I've picked up some info over the years.

We have a short week and a long weekend.  Pk has his baseline colonoscopy this Friday.  We're taking off for that and then we've taken off Monday as well.  Long weekend for us and three short weeks in a row.  Gotta love it.

Well, that's all the news from our neck of the woods.  What's new with you?

"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."

~The Buddha

You know I like these things that come in my email.  I don't always agree with them and some don't resonate at all.  And sometimes my mind makes weird, random connections.  Like today.

Today (Pk's last day of class) I was on the train.  By the time we got to the third stop, the seats were all full.  There were still 4 stops to go on the Jersey side of the river and it was getting full.  I don't know why people insist on crowding near the doors, but they do.  It makes it difficult for new people to get on and find a place to stand and it makes it almost impossible for people to get off.

This morning, the aisles filled up and the doorways looked like a subway in New York City at rushhour.  It's not normally like that this early in the morning.  The first stop over the bridge is the big one.  Probably a full third of the train's passengers get off there.  Imagine the chaos as all these people try to squeeze through the crowd at the door.  Yep, it was ugly.

I overheard some one say in a nasty sounding voice, "If you would get out of the way....."  instead of "Excuse me".  Then I overheard the phrase "chivalry is dead".  And I wonder where that came from.  I thought about chivalry while I walked down the street.  Is that what we want?  Do we want that age to come back?  I don't. 

I don't want to go back to being someone's property without any rights of my own.  I'll take the rudeness and all that goes with modern day life, thank you.  I'd like us to move onto another age where we "do unto others" and realize that we are all connected here on the planet.  What I do has ripples and effects others.  I can affect the mood of someone else by my actions.  And I can be effected by others. 

We're all in this together

In other news, I have been crocheting some wash cloths at lunchtime in preparation for the knitting/crocheting group on Thursday.  I figured if people want to start out making something small but useful, a wash rag is an easy one.  The cotton I bought is soft and easy to work with.  I should probably knit one as well but that takes longer.  I always forget how fast crochet really is.  I'm using a plastic hook for the first time and I love it.  It gives and bends a bit making for less strain on my hands.  I'm hoping the group will be successful.  We've tried before and it starts off well but life gets in the way.

One of my all time favorite clients died and the viewing is tomorrow.  He had Down's Syndrome and developed Alzheimer's at the end.  He used to tell me we were going to get married.  When I asked him what about the husband I had already, he always waved his arm and said, "he can go away".  He loved chocolate pudding and playing volleyball (or what passed for volleyball in his world).  I'm going to take some of his friends from the day program to the viewing.  Another tough one.

I learned today that if you buy allergy medications and leave it in the closet, it doesn't do any good.  I am sneezing and my eyes are watering and my throat is scratchy.  The pines have loosed their pollen and every surface in our world here is covered with green/yellow pollen.  So, you know what the air is like.  Em told me that Allegra worked for her and since nothing else works for me, (well, except for benadryl but that puts me to sleep) I thought I'd try it.  And then I left it in the closet. 

I hope your day is a good one.  Mine is proving to be interesting to say the least.

You never know when you get out of bed, what the day will bring when you live in our house.  For example. Today is Saturday.  You know, chore day.  On the schedule was laundry, shopping, house cleaning.  The usual.

There's that word WAS.  I was awakened by one of my neighbors and his whiny lawn equipment at 8:10 in the morning.  On a Saturday.  This was just wrong.  It was a glorious morning but I was allowing myself to sleep in just a little.

Then I remembered that today was Maryland Sheep and Wool.  I had a brief thought that it might be fun to go.  I mentioned it to Peter Kevin who said, "let's go".  I called Kate but she had to work.  I called Em but she had plans she couldn't change.

So, we set off, just the two of us, on an adventure.  Most of our best adventures start out this way.  Someone says "let's" and the other one says "ok".  I thought I'd share our day in photos.

First thing to note, You can take a photo almost anywhere along Rte 95 in NJ, PA, DE, MD and they all look the same.  Yep.  The construction companies all use the same sound baffle material and seem to plant the same trees/bushes.  So, I'll spare you that and show you the support towers of the Commodore Barry Bridge from NJ to DE.

Can you see what a beautiful day it is?  We stopped at a convenience store for a cardboard cooler (we forgot ours) and some ice for water and tea and got some snacks and hit the road.

It only took us 2 hours to get there.  It was much easier than I had imagined and took far less time.  I spent some of my time in the car working on a sock.  This is Goth by Knitpicks and those colors are pretty true.  When El bought her skein of yarn for her socks, I said I liked this one so she bought it for me.  I'm using the small zippered bag that came with our printer (I think it held the ink cartridges) to double as a sock bag.  It's a perfect size and holds just one small project.  Very high techy looking.

Soon, we were standing way out in a field where we parked our car.  It was about 1 in the afternoon and the sun was bright but not hot.  See those tents in the distance?  That's the fairgrounds.  We walked but you could wait at designated spots for an antique tractor to pull you on a trailer.

Let me say that I was a mite apprehensive about this whole thing.  As you know, I am not a fan of crowds in any form and I had been told that this show would be crowded.  It was and it wasn't.    There were a lot of people but I never felt overwhelmed by the sheer numbers.  That's a good thing.  I had some anti-anxiety medicine just in case but never needed it.

There were men who played music and men who made brooms.  There were sheep made out of beeswax and sheep with Icelandic wool.  We saw a huge sign that said Feeder Lambs. 

Now, I know if I go to the pet store, I can find Feeder Goldfish.  They're just small goldfish that are used as food for larger fish.  So, I wondered what fed on Feeder Lambs?   Well, the answer is simple.  People.  I asked a young man what a Feeder Lamb was and he said they were meat lambs which weren't large enough yet to be slaughtered.  People buy them and take them home and fatten them up and then have them slaughtered.  I couldn't look them in the eyes after that. 

I was restrained in my purchases.  I have learned that I am not a stash person.  I'll buy sock yarn because I know that I'll use it but I don't buy sweater quantities of yarn.  I might buy some laceweight but there

didn't seem to be a lot of that around.  I bought enough roving to spin for a sweater for me.  It's border leicester and feels soft and lovely.  It's a rose brown color.  I want to make myself a simple cardigan.  I got some honey, jars for Pk and myself and some honey sticks for the girls.  We got the spices for spiced mead which we are going to make sometime soon.

I also bought a bar of Bay Rum scented handmade soap.  I love it when Pk shaves with that.  It smells so good.  I got a tshirt that says "Fleece on Earth" and some Wool Wax hand cream.  Very thick and lanolin based. 

We stayed for a little over 3 hours and it was really enough.  We didn't sit in on any classes and were getting tired.  There was a section of vendors that I think we missed but really, we didn't miss them.  I guess I'm not as much a consumer as I always thought I was.  After a while, everything starts to look the same and I just want to stop.  I am happy with the roving I bought and will get a great deal of pleasure out of it.  The honey will sweeten many pieces of toast/muffins/biscuits.  And I wll love the scent of my husband after he shaves.  I don't need yarn/wool on top of all that.

We drove home without incident and had some dinner at our favorite Chinese restaurant.  Pk is snoring here next to me on the bed.  He keeps telling me he isn't asleep but I can tell.  He's tired.  And so am I. 

I have laundry to do tomorrow and groceries to buy and put away and a kitchen to clean.  And then we're having dinner at Kate's.  It'll be a busy day so I think I need to put the technology away and go to bed.

Mother's Day is tomorrow.  It's been an odd day for me for a long time.  I love my children and really don't need a special day for them to tell me they love me.  I know they do.  Everyday.  I loved my mother and I think she loved me in her own way.  I'll think of her tomorrow and smile, just like any other day.

And I'll hope like hell the grocery store won't be too crowded......

Here we are at another Friday morning.  I am sitting at my desk with a pile of charts next to me almost 2 feet high.  They all need attention.  I also have about 18 treatment plans to write and really should get them done today since they were due in April.  I'm not usually behind in these but last month was a little rough and I let a few things slide.  I'll rectify that today.  Probably.  Hopefully.  I'm wearing my pink sneakers so anything is possible.  Maybe I'll be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. (or tall piles of charts!) 

Peter Kevin and I are planning to have Date Night tonight.  Dinner and a movie.  We're thinking about seeing Thor since it promises not to be intellectually challenging.  I like Date Night.  We spend a lot of time on the weekends making sure the things that need to get done actually do get done but we need to spend some time just being together and having some fun. 

When we had our Health and Wellness fair two weeks ago, I had a skein of handspun yarn on the table to show it off as a finished product.  One of my coworkers who reconnected with her crafty self after our Fair in October came and asked about it.  I explained it was yarn I spun and she asked if she could have it.

Now, I would never ask someone to give me their handspun.  I know how much work/love goes into each skein and wouldn't presume.  She, however, had no idea and pleaded with me.  "But I LOVE this one, it's so BEAUTIFUL".  I caved and gave it to her for a scarf for her daughter.  She came back to me yesterday and asked if I had any more of that color.  The scarf is a little short and she needs to make it longer. 

Of course, I went home last night and found the other skein and hung it on her office door knob this morning.  I have a bit of roving left in those colors but I think I'll blend it in with something else.  One part of me is flattered that someone likes my work.  The other part is amazed that it didn't occur to her that this might be important to me since I made it.  I was giving away other skeins of mill spun with hooks and needles and directions so maybe she didn't see the difference.  Just one of those things.

I got home from work yesterday and slept for 90 minutes.  We got up and had dinner and I went to bed at 10:30 and slept through the night.  Tired?  Not me. 

We are having a hard time being motivated here today.  Spring is all over the place right outside my window and I want to ditch all this paper and go sit in the park. 

But I like my paycheck so I'll slog through.  Happy Friday all!

Happy Star Wars Day!

May the Fourth be with you.  Always.

It's late Sunday afternoon here.  It was an unexpectedly lovely weekend.  The sun was out most of the time and the sound of lawnmowers and edgers and string trimmers was evident up and down our street.  Today, all of the front lawns look well manicured.  Even ours, which due to our lack of chemical assistance contains mostly weeds and crabgrass.  It's all green from the recent rains but it's not real grass.  We don't have a problem with that.  I happen to love dandelions and don't want Peter Kevin to pull them out. 

He leaves them alone but does dig up the onion grass which reminds me of Treasure Trolls.  Remember them?  They had the hair that stood straight up.  The onion grass stands straight up amid the other grass like substances.  It looks like we have a yard full of buried treasure trolls.

I spent yesterday doing laundry and cleaning the house and spinning.  I finished some roving that I got for Christmas.  It made a lovely skein of yarn.  I don't know how many yards I ended up with.  I'll run it through the yardage counter when I ball it up.  There is something hypnotizing about the spinning of the wheel.  I put some shiny train stickers on the side facing me so I get to watch the train run around and around as I spin.  A bit of whimsy.  Peter Kevin calls her Daisy Train. 

Today, I started to spin some more and finish up the striped socks for Elanor but I fell asleep in the chair.  It was wonderful to sit there.  The windows were open and I could smell freshly cut grass and the smell of the clothes in the dryer venting outside.  I love the smell of the laundry.  I think I slept for well over an hour. 

The memorial for Amanda was touching, lovely and memorable.  You know how large a multi purpose room is in an elementary school?  Well, the room in Mandy's school was full of chairs in rows and there wasn't an empty seat in the house.  In fact, we got there a little late and had to stand on the side.  There was a large crowd of folks wearing yellow shirts with bees on them.  They said
Be Motivated
Be Adventurous
Be Normal
Be Determined
Be Yourself. 

Evidently, Mandy had instituted the Bee program (which started with a small group of friends during a sleepover) and the school embraced it and every door and bulletin board has a Bee theme and a positive note.  What an impact she made.  It's made all the more amazing since she was so young.  What a lovely legacy she left.

We listened to the people with whom she spend most of her days tell their favorite Mandy stories.  There was laughter and tears, as it should be.  Pk and I and the girls and their young men all had dinner at our local diner where we could parse the event and share our own family stories.

Back to work tomorrow.  I'll have some catch up to do to make up for having time off last week but I can handle it.  I am starting to feel more like myself again and although I know there's more sadness on the horizon, I can handle it.

I hope you are all having a good weekend.  I'm letting Pk beat me in a word game (don't tell him, he thinks he's beating me fair and square) and it's my turn.  Actually, he plays strategically (how else do you get 30 points for putting one letter on the board?) and I play for good words.  I need to start paying more attention to where I'm putting my letters or I'll keep losing by a hundred points.  Not good for my ego.