Happy Easter.

Pk and Elanor and I have just finished breakfast (omelets and babka-not my best babak, it's a bit dry).  We of course listened to Jesus Christ Superstar and now Godspell is on the player.  It's our tradition.

Yesterday, I made the beans and a birthday cake for Emily.  It's a Pina Colada cake recipe that my grandmother used to make for Easter.  It's better than I remembered. 

I realized that I haven't been updating here as often as I would like.  Partly it's due to my ipad.  Since it came into my life, I don't pay nearly enough attention to the laptop and I can't post on my ipad (or maybe I can but I haven't figured out how to yet).  I read books on it and watch videos and read the newspaper and keep up with other blogs but can't update my own. 

So, here's what's been going on for the past week and a half.

There has been knitting.  My sweater is just a few inches and a button band away from being finished.  Pk is working on the buttons for me.  I am working on my Ringwraith stole and I love the subtle colors that come out.  It takes some concentration and there are no return purl rows.  I only work on it when I am listening to a book and not watching anything.

Kylie came to visit our area and we had dinner at the diner (that's her with Elanor).  After a meal of burgers and fries and PIE (huge wedges) we took her to of all places, Walmart.  In my defense, she asked.

We have a Super Walmart and when you walk in the door, it's an overwhelming sight.  Kylie was a bit overwhelmed at all the Easter products but managed to get the Reese's eggs she was looking for.

And everyday it snowed.  This is the parking lot one morning last week.  This day (I think it was Thursday), it snowed enough to cover the grass.  In March.  In Spring.  We were still wearing heavy coats and mittens.  Fortunately, today is warmer and tomorrow will be really warm (61!) but rainy.  We are not getting complacent though since snowflakes show up in the forecast for later in the week.  Winter just won't let go.



Cake for Em's birthday which is Tuesday.  We'll celebrate it today.  She asked for handmade gifts (and kitchen aprons) and we have all been working hard to give her what she asked for.  I think she'll be pleased.

She asked for a coconut cake and this is what I made.  I like the Peeps best.  I have a fondness for them that is unreasonable since they are nothing but sugar. 

Em and Kate are fixing Easter dinner and we will be heading up to Em's in about an hour and a half so maybe I should get off the computer and get into the shower.

So, Happy Easter!  After we give Em her handmade gifts, I'll show them to you.  We seem to be a very crafty family.  I hope Spring is treating you a bit better than it is treating us.  (although I will not complain since I know it can be worse!)

not my flowers,

My work computer has been wonky for the past 6, no, 8 months (since before August but they replaced it in August with a new one since I seem to have done something to cause a BSOD on my other one).

It shut down while I was in the middle of writing treatment plans or searching for a group topic or reading a blog.  Just any time it damn well felt like it really.  It would reboot itself but I lost work in the meantime.  It did nothing to endear itself to me.

I dutifully called the HELP desk and they would "create a ticket" and then call me.  I would describe the problem, "it's shutting down and rebooting in the middle of my work and oh, it sounds like there's a tiny dying moose inside the box". 

That last part I'm sure got me an asterix by my name that says "she's a nutcase, just humor her".  BUT, it did sound like a tiny moose was either in the throes of death or looking for a female tiny moose to mate with.

After several months of nice, young men (and it's ALWAYS young men) coming over and telling me that there's nothing wrong because the infernal machine worked quietly and perfectly for them, I was at the end of my rope.  I was tired of being verbally patted on the head as if I had no idea of what I was talking about.

(I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I live with a computer geek who has built many machines and fixed many many more.  You absorb some info through osmosis and I am naturally curious so I ask questions.  I do know some stuff.)

I suspected something was wrong with one of the thermal sensors that shuts down the machine when something is too warm.  And then Monday, one young man came and took the box away for "reimaging" because my Windows was probably "corrupt".  He would not even consider my theory.  "There is no hardware problem here."

He brought it back on Wednesday telling me it was all cleaned up and ready to go.  And it did go.  For about an hour when I heard an "pink!pop!" and got a black screen.  Heavy sigh.

I called the HELP desk again and told them not to close my ticket since the machine was out again.  And I told them I know they probably have me down as a nutcase (which they denied) but I really hadn't done anything but try to look up appointments (and replace my wall paper with the photo of Pk in the plane).

Nice young man comes over and spends an hour running diagnostics over and over and finally opens the case and starts poking around.  Lo and behold, the fan on the video card is not working (which causes it to duh, overheat and double duh, shut down).  HARDWARE problem. 

He tells me I need a new video card and he might have one.  In the meantime, I can restart the computer as often as I need to and get some work done.  He came back within a half hour and I have a new video card.  A silently running video card (I might miss the moose).

However, they cannot update the browsers or the software since it all has to play together and they're not ready to update our Electronic Medical Records program yet.  So, I am stuck with a really old browser that doesn't play well with internet sights like blogger.  BUT MY COMPUTER DOESN'T SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF WORKING!!!! This cannot be overemphasized.  So much less frustration.

I still cannot access my photos and import them since my browser is too old for blogger to play with anymore.  These are all someone else's flowers but they could, or rather should, be mine.  I say should because it is Spring here.  You wouldn't know it by the weather.  Yesterday I walked through snow thicker than I have all winter.  It didn't last and the sun is out today but the temps will not get much over 40 (4.4C) for the next week.  It's cold.  We have some crocuses but that's about it.

I also cannot show you the photo of Kylie having dinner at a NJ diner.  I started to do that last night at home but I was so tired from not sleeping all week (damn perimenopausal induced insomnia), I couldn't.  I'll share, I promise.

I also have made some good progress on my sweater.  The new color is much darker but texture wise, it's spot-on.  When I finish a certain handmade birthday gift, I can go back to it as long as the tendonitis in my hands doesn't act up.  It's a bit tingly today.

Pk and I are going to see Oz tonight and have dinner somewhere.  We should do the shopping but I think we deserve a date night.  I'll drop him off at the train tomorrow for his birthday date with Em and Jim and I'll do the shopping.   

So, that's my tale.  Otherwise things here are good.  Life in general is good.  I have no complaints, or none I'm willing to voice out loud.  I have a wonderful family, a roof over my head, food to eat, a hobby and supplies to engage in it with and work that gives me a sense of fulfillment.  I can't think of a single thing I need/want.

Happy Spring, Northern Hemisphere!  And Happy Fall, Southern Hemisphere!  I'm sure you're just as glad as we are to see the change of seasons.

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

~The Buddha

I had one of these moments this morning.  You know the ones?  Where you look up and the sky is the bluest of blues and goes on forever into infinity ("and beyond"!).  For some reason it touched my heart and made me laugh.  Every once in a while, things feel perfect.  There's nothing different today than yesterday.  I haven't slept well all week.  I blame DST but it could just as well be perimenopausal insomnia. 

For some reason, nothing mattered this morning.  It's a beautiful  morning and since I know a rain/snow storm is on its way, I think I enjoyed the sight of the blue sky even more.  I was walking along the train platform toward the love of my life and suddenly I had "the feeling" that all's right in my world.  I know it's a fleeting thing so I'm going to grab it and let the smile out all day. 

This could all be a product of the reduced amount of sleep but a smile is a smile and there are not enough of them in the world to suit my taste.  I'm going to give them away as though they were free today.

Part of my happy today is from the fact that Kylie is coming into town on Sunday and we're having dinner on Monday.  I am so looking forward to it.  We've definitely decided on the diner for dinner.  I just can't pass up a chance to show off our "cuisine".  It's hardly fancy and the tables don't have cloths and the napkins are paper but it's where we hang out when we want a meal that's good with no fuss.

Sometimes that's what's called for.  And they make a mean burger.....

Emily's birthday is coming up right after Easter.  She asked for an apron and "something handmade".  Pk is working up a terrific idea.  We're heading out early tomorrow morning to get him some tools (because all of his projects involve a new tool--just like new knitting projects needing a different size needle).  He has two weeks and will probably be cutting it close since this is a new thing for him but it will be so worth it.  I'll share photos after he gives it to Em.

When I was growing up, hand made gifts were not favored.  In fact they were scorned. (I have this vague memory of one of my aunts making fun of something my cousin made for her.  I remember the hurt it engendered.  It made an impression)  It pleases me to no end that my kids think things made by hand are things to be treasured. 

So, our weekend will be filled with making things since Pk has to start his project and I am in the middle of my handmade gift for Em. 

Did I mention I have a poetry group at work?  My clients asked for an enrichment type group and we decided on poetry.  It's up and down.  Some groups are amazing and creative and others fall flat.  But that's true of any group.  One of the interesting things we've done is write a group poem.  Ours was about happiness and we decided it smells like a birthday cake. 

What does happiness smell like to you?

This is what my poor crocuses woke up to on Friday morning.  There were just a few tiny blossoms and the inch of wet snow that fell just about buried them.  It wasn't enough snow to be much more than an inconvenience and it was wet and heavy.

And all gone by Saturday as the temps were up in the mid 50's.  Pk got to spend most of his days outside working on his tools and making smaller pieces of wood out of large pieces of wood.  In other words, he was enjoying himself. 

I spent the weekend relaxing and doing some chores.  Of course the grocery shopping and laundry got done, food and clean underwear being all important.  I spent a good bit of time working on some knitting and have almost finished one (out of 16) repeats on my Ringwraith shawl.  This doesn't give you a good shot of the stitches but the colors show up well.  I love this yarn.  It's got a bit of fuzziness from the mohair but it's not really fuzzy and it feels so soft to knit with. 

I love Sundays like I'm having today.  We got up (and then reset all the clocks since I forgot to do it last night and most of the "technology" sets itself) and had french toast and scrapple for brunch. 

I then pulled out the strap material I bought and fixed the straps on my bag for work.  I bought some extra strength thread and a strong needle and it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.  I cut off the pleather part and hand sewed the new piece on.  It could be a bit neater but overall, I'm pleased with my fix.  I think I've extended the life of the bag by quite a bit.

And I bought enough material to fix Kate's bag as well. 

Since I had the sewing basket out, I did the mending that I have been planning to do for a while.  I fixed some of Pk's work shirts.  He has a tendency to tear them and so I do the best I can to put them back together.  One poor jacket is starting to resemble Frankenstein's monster with all its black mattress stitching. 

I then put an apple pie in the oven and started the dough for Focaccia for dinner.  We're having Wedding soup and Focaccia for dinner with apple pie for desert.  The house smells all cinnamon-y and delicious and I have a feeling of accomplishment.  I am now going to chop onions and garlic for the bread and then knit until it's time to put dinner together.

 The windows are open and you can tell that Spring is definitely around the corner.  If next weekend is like this, the curtains can come down and the windows can get washed and the baseboards and walls.  And then we can start thinking Gardens. 

I really missed the snow this winter but at this point, it's hopeless so I am going to turn my face toward the sun and start planning for the warm(er) weather.

Dr K is coming next week and I can't wait!  We're trying to figure out where we should go for dinner on Monday.  Kate is voting for a NJ diner.  They are unique to our area and the food is decent.  You can get almost anything at a diner. 

It's 4:30 already and time to check the dough.  I can smell it so it must be rising away.  I hope y'all are having (or have had) a good day as well.

Pk and I were wondering last night when DST starts this year and it turns out it's next Sunday.  Already!  I am of the opinion that it's really not necessary to do this each year and I really wish we'd just leave time alone.  It throws me off for about a week until my body gets used to the different light levels. 

Today I feel good for the first time in a while.  "Good" is a relative term since I am crampy as hell and headachy but my brain is clear and my mood is upbeat.  Last week I had one of the worst cases of PMS I have ever had.  Sore breasts and bloated and fuzzy headed and just miserable.  I spent another resting weekend and today I feel pretty good.

My head is clear and I feel like smiling and when the ibuprofen kicks in and the cramps go away, I'll be hunky dory. 

Namaste emailed me to just contact them when I'm ready to use my store credit and they will take care of it for me.  I've got my eye on one of their Urban Hipster bags.  It kind of looks like an updated fanny pack kind of thing.  A small bag for trips when all you need is money, keys and tissues (and a small sock project).  It has a cross body strap and looks cute.

I started a new stole using Blue Moon Geisha in their Valkyrie color.  They did a whole line of colors overdyed with black.  It makes for deep, rich colors.  The yarn is mohair/silk/nylon and shines a bit but not too much.  The pattern is Ringwraith (one of the LOTR patterns) and I don't think my head was clear enough to follow the directions because I had to start over about a dozen times.

I had such trouble with simple directions!  Crossed stitches and small cables.  Nothing difficult.  It must have been the PMS.  I did learn to do a long tail cast on (which is very cool).  It's the first time I've actually used the recommended yarn for a pattern and I wanted to make sure I followed the directions to the letter this time.  Susan does such gorgeous patterns (like the Evenstar), I want to do this one justice. 

I have about 8 completed rows that I know are correct.  I finally put it away yesterday.  I ordered 2 skeins of the yarn which is listed as fingering but is fairly thin.  It would make lovely lacy socks and I may do that with the leftovers. 

Otherwise, things here are going on as they were.  We are involved in a program called Sanctuary here at work.  It's a citywide initiative.  I volunteered to be part of the core group of initiates (I know, I'm not supposed to volunteer for things but this is something I believe in).  Sanctuary will help us to take care of ourselves as well as our clients.  It also feels like a small bit of job security.  The idea is to provide support for each other as well as the people we serve.  Some people already do this but others need to be drawn slowly toward the light.  There are a lot of cynics here. 

The bulbs in my front yard are growing and growing.  I'm watching for the crocuses to stick up their heads and open their faces.  It was not a harsh winter here, just cold and wet.  Very wet.  I am glad for our new roof.  Despite the cold, wet winds, we were snug and dry. 

How are y'all?

Before I do anything else today I wanted to share this with you all.  I told you that I emailed Namaste and told them I was disappointed in the bag?  I didn't ask for anything from them, I just expressed my disappointment in their product.

I got an email from them yesterday apologizing for the product and letting me know they no longer carry that bag.  The offered me credit in their store (with free shipping) in replacement.

I've heard it said that if you give good customer service, your customer will tell 1 person but if you give bad service, your customer will tell 10 people.  Well, I'm telling as many people as I can.  I want to buck that trend.

Namaste has most excellent customer service.  And they make good bags, too, (the strap on this one notwithstanding).

I have figured out how to work with the strap and make the bag more durable.  I am definitely in a win/win situation here.