Well, my Monday wasn't a bad day but it was intense for a while. I know I've told you all that I work in a community mental health center. I am a Case Manager and I am the person that individuals have the most contact with when they come in to see the doctor or need any other kind of service. Sometimes that service is just to provide a shoulder to cry/lean on and sometimes that service is to help a doctor provide emergency care.

Yesterday we had a young woman who had made a serious suicide attempt the night before come in to see the doctor. We've worried about her for a while because she is resistant to treatment and very depressed. She once again refused to go into the hospital and refused the offered medications all while saying she didn't want to live anymore. Now, anyone who has been alive in this century knows that once someone says they want to kill themselves or others, they can be committed (302'd is what we call it). The doctor left the office to notify the authorities (police must be involved in an involuntary committment) and the young woman and I chatted. I knew what was happening and felt anxious about it. When the policemen came in, and of course they were large men, I saw her body stiffen. But she went along and we escorted her to our crisis center. I walked next to her with my hand on her back to offer some reassurance. We signed her in and then I called her mother. When it was over, I felt drained even though it wasn't really all that dramatic. There is something about making someone do something against their will that is exhausting to me. I know in my heart it was the right thing to do but I also firmly believe individuals (who are coherent and thinking clearly) should be able to determine what they want to do with their own lives. If she were not depressed and still decided she did not want to live, I would support her decision. I might not understand it, but I would support it. Tough situation all around.

I didn't know that Australia had compulsory voting. I can't imagine that. Our election turn out is abysmal at best but I know if someone suggested people be required to vote, that person would be run out of town on a rail. We loves us our freedom, here in these United States, even if we don't know what to do with it sometimes.

Tonight is Debate number 2. Obama is ahead in the polls and the campaign ads are getting a little edgier. Only 4 more weeks to go. These last four weeks always seem endless. Oh, and I was misinformed when I said yesterday that it was the last day to register. It was the last day in Pennsylvania. States can set their own deadlines. I didn't know. Sorry.

And lastly, my oldest daughter now has sapphire colored hair. She told me she was getting her hair done on her way home from work yesterday and silly me, I thought she was getting the last of the purple rinsed out from Otakon in August. Instead, she had it dyed a deep purple/blue. It's cut in a cute style and the color is pretty, it'll just take some getting used to. I raised me some independent thinkers. Pk is lamenting that he has two blonde daughters and neither one of them has blonde hair at the moment. Em is a redhead and El is a bluehead. Kate, my brown haired daughter is wearing her natural color, for the moment. Who knows how long that will last? If they want to experiment, I'm glad it's with their hair which will grow back.

Well, I'm off to check the phone messages and emails that have accumulated overnight and start my work day. Have a good one everyone.

It was a lovely weekend. With the sheep show and the flea market and the perfect weather. I almost don't mind that it's Monday and I am sitting at my desk listening to the phone ring. I don't answer before 8. I think some of my clients think I live here in this office.

Today is the deadline for registering to vote in the November election. Every 4 years someone says how important this election is and how we have to "get out the vote". I think every election is important because that is what a representational government is all about. So, if you live in the US, remind people around you that if they want to be part of the solution, they need to be registered to vote. Things just keep getting scarier economically and a change in leadership is sorely needed.

I didn't knit much this weekend. For some reason, I am having trouble following the sock pattern I'm using and have had to rip out rows several times because of my lack of counting skills. I have some baby socks wrapped up for the shower this week and the red bag is crossed off the to-do list and I put the Wildflowers shawl on the back burner to work on some knitting for others so I am concentrating on the socks. Fortunately, the bamboo is soft and pleasant to work with. I spun a bobbin full of the silk/baby camel and oh my god, it's the fluffiest and softest stuff I have ever touched. Of course, this means that bits of it fly all over and my nose was itchy for hours because I had bits of fluff all over. I am grateful for the individual who invented the rolls of sticky stuff that pick up fluff and lint!

I bought a toy for my desk on Saturday to add to the collection of wind up toys I keep there for my amusement. I bought an old metal wind up spaceman who walks and waves his arms menacingly. He joins the fuzzy bunny that hops, the monkey who jumps and does flips, the robot who does the twist, the crab who sidles, the egg who dances, the peep chick who runs across the floor and the airplane that turns somersaults. Just looking at them makes me smile and playing with them can be very therapeutic.

So, how's Monday treating you?

Today is another perfectly lovely fall day. The trees are just tinged with gold and red and the sun is playing peekaboo with us behind the clouds. PK and Elanor and I went to the flea market this morning so he could look for more old tools. He is as bad as any knitter when it comes to the tools for his hobby.

He found some large cast iron clamps and some other bits (something called a "pig sticker" chisel) and El bought some soft material with butterflies that we are going to make into some pj's. I found a 15" cast iron frying pan for 10 dollars and a footed cake stand in depression glass (pink) and a Nancy Bush sock book. It's Folk Socks and while the patterns themselves aren't anything new and different, the history in the book is interesting. I also got a pattern book for argyle socks for men and knee socks that Kate has developed a fondness for. Pk mentioned that he would like some argyle socks. (Why didn't he ask for something difficult?) It was a good day all around.

I finished the red felt bag last night but have been having a hard time photographing it. I hope the recipient likes it. It came out pretty well and I found the perfect closure at the sheep show. It's a load off my mind to have it finished.

Here's a shot of the finished Saucy socks. The pattern is a really subtle cable. I love it and want to make a pair for me but I'll have to go up a few needle sizes or figure out how to add some stitches in between the pattern. The yarn is from A Piece of Vermont and is one of the skeins labelled "imperfect". I don't know where the imperfections are because it's beautiful. The photo is dead on color wise. You can see the shades of green and how it shifts without any pooling. I love it. My aunt Elsie has very thin feet and ankles and I think she will really like them. My aunt Joan loves the handknit socks I gave her. Neither has ever had any handknits because my grandmother did not knit. She worked until the day she had a stroke and was stuck in a wheelchair.

This is the beginning of the Reims stockings . The pattern was made available from the Art Walk club. The yarn is from A Piece of Vermont and is a bamboo/wool blend. You can see the sheen in the yarn. The pattern is interesting and I like the scalloped edge. I changed the nubbs a little because I didn't like the large ones that the pattern called for. These give the points enough definition without being too much.

I found out that my beloved Netlibrary is no longer available to me. My library has switched audiobook providers and I have to learn a new system or do without my recorded books. I think it is safe to say that at this time, I am a recorded book addict. ("Hello, my name is Donna Lee and I am addicted to audiobooks"). I renewed my library card today and am off to see if I can work the website. I was going to roast a chicken for dinner but the chicken is still frozen. Too frozen to try to defrost in a short time. So, it's pizza for dinner (twist my arm really hard and make me not have to cook).

Have a lovely Sunday afternoon everyone!

This morning we (Pk and I) and went to the Garden State Sheep Breeder's Show. It was great! It was small, only three pavillions but I saw something I have not even heard of before. Jacob sheep. They were hard to get a photo of and were making a lot of noise. I don't think they are docile and sweet like sheep are supposed to be. They look like devil sheep.

Can you see the horns? There are 4 of them. And these sheep have mean and scary eyes. I can't imagine trying to shear them. They have beautiful brown and white mottled coats and the yarn is coarse, kinda feels like romney. They were behind a fence and I couldn't get close enough without being in the danger zone!

They were judging them today and they were some impressive sheep. We also saw some "baby doll" sheep. Little guys that Pk said reminded him of Ewoks. They are so cute but wouldn't stand still for a photo. They were trying to see what was in the pen next to them and bleating to beat the band. He got information on how to raise them and I think he likes the idea of not having to mow the back lawn all summer.

There was a man who does wood working and Pk got to talk shop with someone. I also found some women spinning on Louet wheels and stopped to admire how easy they made it look. One offered to let me sit and spin at her wheel. At first I refused, I didn't want to mess up her lovely yarn but she insisted telling me I really couldn't hurt it. So, I sat down, took off my shoe and spun. And it was so easy. The wheel felt like it was spinning all by itself. Pk did a rather close inspection and decided he could make it fairly easily, more easily than the Ashford. So, he is off making plans.

It inspired me to buy some of this beautiful blue merino hand dyed roving. It's such a pretty blend of colors and very soft. And, boy is this woman a good salesperson. I mentioned that buying wool is such a tactile thing and I much prefer to buy it in person so I can touch it. She said she agreed and then told me to "get my fingers ready" and opened a bag to reveal this. It is possibly the softest thing I have ever felt. It's baby camel and silk. Now, if she had told me what it was, I probably wouldn't have purchased it because I have never spun silk and am slightly intimidated by it's slippery feel. But she let me touch it. And I was gone. It is so wonderful. Pk told me I should buy it and make something for myself. I'm thinking maybe of a scarf. I have 8 oz. of it so if I spin it well enough, I will have enough for a wonderful gift for myself.

It was a pleasant morning but now I have to clean the bedroom and bathroom and start the laundry. Potato soup and some Farl (a fried bread that we then put butter on top of-no cholesterol here!). The weather is definitely fall like and lovely. Just about perfect.

See you all tomorrow.

Number 3. Well, Bells, yesterday didn't go as well as I'd hoped. I did try to keep the complaining down but some grumpiness still slipped in. We had our annual compliance meeting and it's always good for a few grumps. It's all about Medicare fraud and how we might have to pay back money (ALWAYS a bad thing) if we aren't writing good progress notes. Now, I do not perform billable service. None of my notes are paid for so it doesn't really matter from a fiscal standpoint what I write. From a personal standpoint, I write as clearly and concisely as I can because my name is on the document. That is important to me. Other than that, I did fairly well in the "being the person I want to be" department. Today is another day. I'll try again.

Two exciting things happened yesterday. Number one is : I got a job interview!!! I haven't sent out any resumes lately, being determined to just do my job to the best of my ability and to keep my head down. So, I was surprised when the director of the Supported Education Program of the Southwestern NJ Mental Health Assoc. called me and asked me if I would like to come in for an interview. I'm not sure what the job is, I learned about it from Careerbuilders, so I'm not sure whether it'll be a good fit. I'm waiting for him to call me back and we can talk. It's nice to be wanted. The interview is set for Friday October 10 at 10. That's 10/10 at 10. Good numerology there. That's also my wedding anniversary so good vibes all around.

Number two is that PK won 100 dollars on lottery tickets. (Please don't ask how much money he has spent to win that 100 dollars). He was very excited. We never play except when the jackpot gets really high and we almost never win anything. Maybe a dollar here or there. Most of the fun comes out of dreaming what we would do with all the money should we win. We'll take the 100 dollars and spend it on something frivolous at the flea market on Sunday.

I finished the Saucy socks last night. They are pretty but hard to photograph because the pattern runs down the center of the foot and no one in my house has thin enough feet to wear them. I'm disappointed in that. The colors are pretty and the pattern is easy and looks complicated. I started another pair of gift socks in a bamboo/merino blend from Jessie's Piece of Vermont shop. I'm using a pattern that was developed for the Art Walk Sock Yarn club called the Reims stockings. It's lacy and pretty. I'll post some photos over the weekend when I am home and the camera is handy. This weekend is the Garden State Sheep Breeders Show and it's close to home so we are going to pop on over and check it out. I have never seen a sheep close up (I know, hard to believe, but true) and am looking forward to it. Perhaps there will be some stray wool just looking for a good home. Pk is afraid we will want to bring home a whole sheep but he's ok with that as long as he gets the chops!

I hope your Friday is peaceful.

ETA: I spoke to the man about the job and the salary cut is just too much. The job is entry level and for once, I am over qualified. I decided not to waste his time or mine. I'll just keep my eyes open for other opportunities.

Good morning! As I was reading BigCat's blog this morning (thank you Bells for helping me to find it!), I have been pondering upon what she said. ("Ponder might be too strong a word, it is only 8 am). "It's one thing to say it, it's another to live it". Kinda of like walking the walk not just talking the talk. I started thinking of all the people I know who actually live what they preach. I can think of one person off the top of my head. She's coworker who is a religious and a spiritual person. She also spends a good deal of time working with her church youth group and goes with them for a week each summer to build/rehabilitate houses for folks in need. And it's always a hot place, like Tennessee in July. She's an Intensive Case Manager which means she goes out into the community and to court with her clients, most of whom are homeless or in shelters. She just does this as a matter of course. I admire her. When I told her this, she brushed it aside and said "it's what I do".

I'm sure I could think of others in my life who live what they preach, and I'll bet you could, too. Today, I'm going to try to be the person I am in my mind's eye. You know that person, you have one too. Just for today, I am going to give kind answers to anyone who asks, I am going to be here in the moment and not trying to just get through the day until I can go home. I am going to do my work cheerfully and not complain. I was doing some research yesterday for my group and ran across a website that proclaimed that it is not always the situation that is "bad" or "good" but our perception of it and how we react to it that makes it that way. So, today I am going to accept my work situation as it is and work within it to the best of my ability. The no complaints part will be a little difficult because of long habit but just for today, I'm going to try. I can do almost anything for one day. I'll work on tomorrow when it comes.

Now, in my mind's eye, I am also tall, thin and willowy. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that one.

Happy Blogtoberfest! Unfamiliar with this? Me, too. I read about it on Bells' blog. I don't usually take part in any "one a day" events (unless you count my vitamins) but I think I'll try. Maybe it'll make me pay attention to what's going on around me as I look for something to write about. It's being hosted by bigcatsemporium so go check it out.

I've finished my clinics for the week (phew) and am now working on what to talk about in the Interpersonal Relations group I run this afternoon. In this morning's medication/wellness group we are going to talk about Epilepsy because the group asked so I looked up some info and am well armed for questions. Of course, someone will ask a question that I don't have a clue about. Fortunately I don't have a problem with saying "I don't know". Three of the best words in the English language!

Otherwise things are going well. I finally finished the antibiotic and so far, no pain. You can uncross your fingers now. I went out and bought new sewing scissors (mine grew legs and ran away from the sewing basket) and can now work on the red felt bag for my client. My family knows that the sewing scissors are off limits. I had the same pair for years (and they were still sharp) and now I have to get used to a new pair. If you are not a sewer, this may sound strange but think of it as losing your favorite circs.....

Happy Wednesday everyone and let the festivities begin!