As the World Twists and Turns

Once upon a time I wrote about knitting and yarn and the latest Yarn Harlot book. Now it seems like this blog has become my frustration outlet. I do apologize for that.

I was filling out a "Returning Student" admission form for college yesterday and had to go back through my blog to see what year it was when I last attended school. As I searched the entries I read a few, of course. I have lost myself somewhere in this whole twisted mess of insurance companies, doctors, lawyers, moving, jobs, etc. It is interesting how we can become so different in such a short amount of time. For example, I swear a lot more than I ever have--a definate sign of deep frustration for me. My temper is as short-fused as it was when I was a teenager--something that I have desperately worked on to control for years.

Some how HB and I have got to get this whole mess ironed out. It is really beginning to wear me out.

We made the decision, well the deciding part we already did like 9 months ago, to move back to Colorado. We have just had it. I don't know if it is the motel atmosphere that has ruined our entire Wyoming experience or if it's "just Wyoming". Either way, we can't leave here soon enough for me. I plan to go back to college and finish my degree while HB works on putting his life back together and getting some health care for a change. We already found a house and are just waiting to hear back from the owner. If everything falls into place, we will be "home" in three to four weeks. I guess we'll just go back to where we were two and a half years ago and start over.

Nothing new on the knitting front. I did finish my Lazy Leaves socks for Sockamania, swing by there and check them out. They are the ones that I was enjoying knitting so much with the wooden needles. I was almost sad to be done with them. I enjoyed each and every stich! Don't know who they will be for, but they joined the other dozen pairs that I have made and not given away. Maybe everyone in the family will get socks for Christmas this year. I don't know how some of them will feel about that, but at the rate money is going and with me attending school again they will be lucky to get anything at all.

I will try to stop posting all of my drama and go back to fun stuff. I just need to eliminate some of the drama and start DOING some of the fun stuff again!

Keep knitting!

Misc.

I am sitting here at work, bored for a change. The store is cleaned up and the empty spaces are slowly refilling. I had to let all of our seasonal help go--something I have been dreading since I hired them all on. I had the best crew ever! It was very difficult to decide who to keep and who to let go. There were a few who made it easier by volunteering to go first, but others it was not so easy and I would have liked to keep them all. I won't be here next year, but I made sure to note on their exit interview the ones that should definately be hired back next year should they want to come back.

I miss my knitting. I was shopping around Etsy the other day looking at all the knitted clothing that people have for sale. There are some wonderful projects out there. I keep wanting to knit some sweaters for the family and me for winter, but I just can't find the time--not to mention I keep telling myself NO NEW PROJECTS! until the ones that are laying all over the house are done.

I am considering going back to school to finish what I started a couple of years ago. It is the only way I can see to get us out of the mess we are in here. I guess I will go back and read over my blog and remind myself what it was like to go to school to make sure that it is something I really want to do. I am sure that a magic wand would fix things much faster but since mine is missing I will have to do things the long and difficult way instead--oh wait that is how I do everything, I must enjoy it.

My boss is supposed to be here next week for inventory. I am not looking forward to it. Some of the kids that were here last year have been filling my head with horror stories about how terrible he behaves during inventory. I have witnessed him act like a 2-year-old myself. I am trying to convince myself to relax, not stress, and not quit this job before he gets here--I am not very convincing.

Well, I guess I will go home. HoneyBunny is having an especially difficult day today so I told him I would be home early. I hate the motel (living there)! but I have to go home sometime.

TTYL.

Back to Normal

I have never been so happy to see a holiday end! I am so glad that the 4th of July is over! I actually had Sunday--all day Sunday--off. I slept in, went to church, and layed around the house the entire day. It's amazing how much better I feel after having a day off. My mood has improved and I feel like I might actually continue to live.

A huge shock came the day after my last post...Well I must digress a little first. We have been gearing up to go to court for HoneyBunny's Worker's Comp case for months now. However, just over a week ago, the paralegal called and said that a document from HB's current treating physician still had not come in and as a result we were dead in the water. We went and saw the doctor, he signed all of the papers and faxed them in while we were there and ordered a bunch of work to have done--a new MRI, x-rays, blood work--which HB and I were completely positive that the WC insurance company would totally deny. After all the last thing they would want going into court is a whole bunch of condemning evidence against them. So we left feeling that we were still in the sinking ship. However, THE NEXT MORNING--I kid you not!--the doctor's office called to let HB know that everything was authorized. It was a good thing HB was laying down or he might have fainted. I know when he called to tell me I couldn't quit laughing histerically. Never, EVER, NEVER!!! in the 5+ years we have been dealing with these people has he received authorization for ANYTHING in less than three months. I mean, even if he was going to be changing medications it was an act of congress to get it paid for. So to have a new MRI, blood work, and x-rays authorized within 24 hours of the request in light of the pending court hearing........Well let's just say that my faith in miracles being a very real possiblity has been strengthened! I still can't believe it!

I am still shaking my head over that one. The court hearing is postphoned indefinately at this point until we can collect all of the new documentation. WC insurance company also let our attorney know that should HB want to settle they would be willing to be more than generous, including all back pay, future medical expenses, all current medical expense needs--surgeries etc--, medications for life EVERYTHING. Tempting! We will have to carefully consider that. There is an awful lot of life left for HB and medical expenses to care for him could be in the hundreds of thousands if not more. So, we'll see. Both of us would like to be free to seek some alternative treatments for him, be free from the insurance companies constant B.S. they insist on putting us all through, and free from all the lawyer crap! Just getting rid of the politics of this whole thing would improve HB's health dramatically.

Anyway, a word to all those on the "ship of broken dreams" we're all in this together! Let's keep our hope alive that someday we will all find a life raft and be able to abandon ship. I know that the HUGE turn of events that have taken place in just the last few days for us has certainly renewed my hope. May each of you receive blessings in your trials that will keep your hope alive also.

In the mean time....Keep Knitting!!

Injustice Strikes Again

I would like to think that my family and I are not the only people in the world that receive more than their share of the worlds injustices. Not that I want other people to suffer in constant misery as we do, I just need to know we aren't alone.

Are we?

(SNORT!) Huh! What? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I am so tired today! Whatever day "today" is. Working 7 days a week is starting to really take it's toll on me. It could be Saturday and I wouldn't know it. It is difficult to tell what day it is when you do exactly the same thing day in, day out. I do know that I have no motivation this afternoon--it doesn't help that it is about 80 degrees in my office either. If I could find a comfy place to lay my head on my desk I would love to take a nap. Unfortunately, the desk is covered with a computer, printer, signs, pens, papers, pamphlets, etc. I should be creating next weeks schedule but right now my brain can't think that far ahead.

On top of that I am so homesick for Colorado!! I made the serious mistake of going to the city newspaper for the place we moved from and reading all the local news. Then I went and looked through the "Best Photo's of 2008" for the area. Beautiful views of Colorado National Monument, the Uncompaghre plateau, Grand Mesa, the valley.........I just sat here swallowing hard and fighting back the tears.

It is so hard to look back and say, "We REALLY should have thought this decision through better." I had such high hopes that moving here would be good for us and instead I don't think that a worse decision could have been made. HoneyBunny's health problems have increased to the point that I am at a loss as to what to do. So, the main reason for moving here--to get him better--is the most obvious mistake in the decision. I feel like I am living in a nightmare.

Of course the more tired I am the worse EVERYTHING is, the more depressed I get, the more hopeless I feel, the more irritable I am, the more unhappy I am, etc. In fact, I am quickly approaching the "I don't recommend talking to/bothering her" stage.

I talked to my friend in Colorado over the weekend and she thinks that my biggest problem is that I haven't had time to do ANY knitting. She said that once the 4th of July is over and I can quit working 60-70 hour weeks I will be able to do some knitting again. That will help me feel much better.

It does sound like a lovely idea.....that last sock project I started puts me right into heaven. A beautiful shifting shade of green and some absolutely divine needles from Lanturn Moon. There is something really special about those needles! They are the ebony wooden needles. I am not a fan of wooden needles, never have been, because they are so slow and the yarn sticks to them. Not these! They are smooth as glass with amazingly sharp point tips. And the feel.......wow! I don't WANT to knit fast. Knitting with these needles is like eating really good chocolate mousse--you want to eat tiny spoonfuls and smooth it around in your mouth really slow so that you can enjoy every single moment of every single bite. It's a euphoric moment that you don't want to end------ever.

Ok, I realize that sounds incredibly silly, but I am really tired, chocolate mousse sounds really good, and I really miss my knitting.

I am still alive

This is what happens when you get a full-time "plus" job. I haven't had two seconds to do anything for.......well, since my last post.

A day or two after my last post I got a job offer to be the store manager for a fireworks store. Here in Wyoming fireworks is big business and the stores stay open year round. The store is brand new. The original store burnt to the ground last August. I have heard that it was quite the event. Some kids decided they needed a distraction while they robbed some stores in town. They broke in, poured gasoline up and down the aisles then lit a match. The kid who did that barely made it out before the fumes, fireworks, and gasoline exploded. The building burned for days.

Anyway, so my store is the new one standing on the same foundation as the old one. It's nice, but it has been so crazy putting it together, hiring employees, travelling to Cheyenne for a training seminar, pricing, inventory, etc, etc. I worked for three weeks, 10 and 12 hours days, without a day off. It was exhausting! I am still working about 45 hours a week. However, I found out today that beginning next week I will be back to working 7 days a week until after the fourth of July. Oh goody! (lots of heavy sarcasim inflected here).

Knitting? No knitting, no yarn, NO FUN! All these great new patterns I had just picked up to occupy my hours of babysitting the motel are sitting collecting dust on the shelf. BOO HOO HOO! I keep staring at them, looking through the books over a quick breakfast, and wishing I had more time for them.

How about you, all of my cyber friends? Are you knitting?

Look What I Can Do!

I am capable of self control! After my last post/confessional, I buckled down and told myself, "Self! It is time to get some of these projects completed!" (What really happened was my husband brought home several new knitting magazines and books for me from Washington with some GREAT projects in them that I can't wait to start, but know I won't let myself start until some of the WIP disaster is cleaned up).

So, I managed to finish this plain pair of socks that have been kicking around for a month or so. They aren't anything fancy, but HEY! they are done! and checked off my list.Next was my Sockamania sock project for April. They are fancy and I love them! So will my BFF. They are for her birthday--in December. Checked off!
Next, and I just finished this today, is THE scarlet, silk scarf. I L-O-V-E it! And it's mine mine mine! I will post the pattern for it later this week on here so you can make one for YOU!
Here it is on me, and a nice close-up of the lace detail. The yarn is so wonderful and soft! I do believe that this yarn is the nicest silk yarn I have ever found. Gorgeous color and top quality!
And finally, I finished these earlier this month but haven't posted the picture of them yet. They were supposed to be the February Sockamania sock project, but with all of my other projects it took me until this month to finish them.
See! I can be dedicated. I am not just a "Starter", I am also a "Finisher"! Now, I am off to go finish another pair of socks that have been "almost finished" for a month or so. Nothing new can be started yet! I have that pair to finish, a tall pair of men's socks to finish, a "thigh-high" pair I started in December to finish, the Sockamania March pair to finish, this really cute "Christmas-ie" pair to finish, the "Tiger's Eye" scarf to finish, etc., etc., etc................................Oh man! I may never get to start anything new at this rate!

Monday's Reflection

I am sure that I am not the only Knitter out there who has done this.

The kido's left for school this morning and as I walked back into the house I looked around and noticed that every surface of my living room had at least one partially knit project lying on it. I recall working on three different projects yesterday afternoon and evening--which were all laying across the couch, four projects and all of their patterns completely cover the end table, three projects in two bags in front of the couch, four more projects stuck between the couch and the end table--not counting the two spinning projects also stuck there, three more projects protruding from the decorative "pickling crock" in the corner, etc. etc. etc.

Well, imagine how embarrassed I was to suddenly realize that I have been on a "new project" bender for the last few weeks. I began to organize some of the mess and uncovered several other UFO's dating all the way back to last summer before we moved. Oh the shame! I don't know how this could have happened. I am usually pretty good at keeping my WIP's to a minimum and only one or two UFO's.

I think I know how I got all of my current WIP's--it was that clandestine trip to one of THE nicest yarn shops I have ever been to in my life (and it's right over the mountain from me!!). They have the most amazing selection of the finest yarns produced today. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! So of course I bought yarn!!! I promised myself I would not start any projects with it though until my current projects were completely finished. But that naughty, scarlet colored 100% silk that is so soft and divine kept whispering to me all night long. (Yes, I have my "special" yarn stash located in my bedroom) We are talking about a yarn that is so wonderful you want it to be with you even when you go to the post office, you dream about it at night, and check on it (touch and pet it) everytime you walk through the room. I couldn't help myself--apparently!--I had to cast on that "Lacey Hearts" scarf. It is THE perfect yarn for the project.

Just as soon as I got about 1/4th of the way through it the other fingering weight silk blend yarn began to seduce me. "You still haven't found the perfect pattern for me yet. You know how I look like tigers eye when the suns rays shine down on me. Don't you love me? Don't you want to touch me? You took out that little scarlet number right away, now what about me?" The next thing I knew a "Tigers Eye" lace scarf pattern was laying on my printer and the yarn was wound into a center pull ball and 30 stitches were cast on. Sooooo lovely to look at, so soft to touch! Can't wait to wear it!!!!!

Drunken with silk fumes, I found myself casting on for two more pairs (in addition to the four pairs that I have been working on) of socks--one with some GORGEOUS yarn from Lornas Laces (and who can resist her yarn?!!!) and the other with a beautiful charcoal yarn (because Father's Day is just around the corner).

With all of this going on, I got a yarn order in for a customer on Saturday that contained an extra "sample" yarn--Oooooo pretty........................soft..................................fluffy alpaca!!! Then an order of some close out yarns (I got 440 yards of sock yarn for $3.25!!!!!!!!) showed up today. Realizing that I have a friends birthday coming up next week I started looking through a summer lace issue of some knitting magazine I picked up somewhere while still under the influence of those silk fumes. Then it all hit me. WHAT AM I DOING!!! Am I really considering casting on ANOTHER project--a lace project that I am thinking I will have done in a week!!!!!

I went outside for a breath of fresh air, at this point, to hopefully clear my head a little. Now that I am feeling better I am going to attempt to resist the temptation to knit something for my friend and just send a card and flowers. Then turn my attention to organizing this disaster.

NO NEW PROJECTS FOR ME THANKS! I HAVE PLENTY TO DO ALREADY!

PS: If you have found yourself in a similar predicament stay away from Ravely!!! I get in trouble everytime I sign in! I find some GREAT pattern and the next thing I know I have cast on for it!!!!

PSS: I will post WIP and hopefully FO pictures next time--HoneyBunny took the camera with him on his trip.

Prom 2009

The Daughter's first prom! Isn't she lovely.

It's all about the dress, the shoes, and the hairstyle:




Her and her boyfriend (they were both so nervous they about couldn't put the flowers on each other):



And away they went in his black carriage pulled by 260+ horses for a magical evening.............................................

Knittin' Myself Silly

I really hope that I am not the only Knitter out there that worries about this...............

Each time we go anywhere in the car I take my knitting. Occasionally we go somewhere that my knitting needs to stay behind in the car. For some reason I hide my knitting in the car or in the trunk. Why? Well, I don't want it to get stolen. No matter how much HoneyBunny assures me that no one is going to break into our vehicle to steal my knitting I still worry. He has assured me that if they were to steal anything it would be our stereo system, items from our emergency bag, etc. "Ya but what if they really like the yarn? You know how nice this yarn is!" His reply, "Trust me, no one is going to steal it." How does he know? There could be some homeless or desperate yarnaholic out there somewhere just looking for their next fix. I am glad he is so understanding and patient with me because my daughter thinks I am nuts!

So I have to know, do you hide your yarn or knitting in fear that it might get stolen out of your car or house? I can't be the only one that would be relieved to find that the burglers only took the television and stereo but didn't touch my yarn stash.

Ok, with that said, now for my latest knitting adventures.......and I must say that living in "Crazy Town USA" promotes A LOT of knitting!





I knit all of that in the last week and a half. I am not joking! All of them are my own designs. I especially like the dishcloths!! and that last brown sock with the tan details! No, the family is walking around in clean clothes and have eaten at least two meals a day. I don't know how I did it. I didn't knit Saturday because The Daughter and I went to Salt Lake to go look at prom dresses and yarn stores. I didn't knit Sunday because I thought my hands probably could use a break. Somehow I managed to knit all of that in that short amount of time. It was fun!!!!

And yes, I am sure I have just about knit myself silly at this point. Oh, well. At least I am enjoying my days a little more.

Anytime!

Anytime.........I just keep telling myself that things are going to get better and things are going to start going good anytime.

I am having a really difficult day. It actually started Sunday at church--kind of an odd place for a bad day to start I know. I hate it when I am faced with the reality that some people are loved and special and I am not (or so the people around you act). I have been brooding over this fact for a couple of days. Then my son decided to try to go to boy scouts here again. It was just as bad as it was a month ago--the last time he went and swore he would never go again. THAT WAS IT!! I had taken all I was going to take from this town of mentally incompetent, male chauvinist pigs!! and empty headed, brow beaten, ignorant women. I marched down to the church and the scout leader and I had a talk. Well, actually, I was talking mostly to the brick wall, because he obviously was not listening, and he was talking to a woman (who has 100 times the IQ he is used to addressing) as if she was one of the stupid women he is used to dealing with. He is so lucky I grew out of my habit of kicking/punching boys who think they are better than girls simply because their dad said so! After several attempts to get Neanderthal Man to understand the point of the conversation I gathered my children and walked out, without saying good-bye or anything. I hope he gets abducted by a legion of Amazons and has to spend the rest of his days as a lowly servant to them!!!

So, now what? Do I just never go to church again? There is no way I am going to get my son to go. The men who are the scout leaders are also the boys youth group leaders--one of which thinks that it is his job "to turn these boys into men". OVER MY DEAD BODY WILL THAT MAN TURN MY SON INTO SOMEONE LIKE HIM!!!! MAKE NO MISTAKE!!

I think I will pack up and go back to Earth where the real people live, or at least the morons are still out-numbered enough that you don't notice them as much.

As if all of this isn't enough, HoneyBunny was told, again, Monday that his back is not repairable. In other words he has a "failed back". He keeps falling down because he will suddenly not have any feeling in his legs. He has fallen twice here at the motel in the hallway and once at Walmart in just the last three weeks. Aside from being scary, it is terribly demeaning and embarrassing for him. Each time he hurts himself also, either his ankle or his knee. Today he fell again and rug burned his arm really bad. I don't know what to do. It's awful. Maybe if we had a boat-load of money the doctors would be more motivated to help him. Moving here to the armpit of America was not a good idea--no doctors, no specialists, etc. that's for sure!

I just want to go home. Can I?

Look! More Pretties!

I spent an entire day last week playing with my yarn and dye. I just finished getting them all listed in my etsy store. I thought they were so pretty I would share them with you! If you see something you really like, rush over to my etsy store and get the skein for yourself. A lot of my hand dyed yarns are a "One of a Kind" so you won't find another just like it anywhere. I love to play with the colors so none of them are the "true" colors that I started with.

Superwash sock yarn in "Navajo" and "Flowers in the Forest".

Merino and Alpaca blend fingering weight yarn in "Girly Girl" and "Sunny Skies". This yarn would be PERFECT for all of those scandinavian mittens. I have skeins in "Natural" that you could combine with these colorful ones. It would be gorgeous!

These are the first skeins of Laceweight that I have added to my store. "Aztec Gold" and "Glacier". Great colors don't you think!?

I had a huge mess when I got done. HoneyBunny took one look around and he's like, "Havin' a good time? Will we get to eat dinner tonight?"

I ordered pizza.

Oooo! Ahhhh!

And here, for your fiber/yarn viewing pleasure, are my latest adventures:

This is my latest yarn off of the spinning wheel. A luscious blend of satin angora, wool, and bombyx silk. I LOVE IT! And "NO!" Julia you can't have it! (She has bought some of this from me in the past and knows how amazing this yarn is). I have one more skein to finish and then I have to find the right pattern so that I can make something for me out of it. This first skein came up to about 320 yards of sport weight sized yarn. I can't wait to wear it!

This is some LOVELY fingering weight, merino/bamboo blend yarn that I found at a yarn shop the other day along with...............................................

This delicious kid mohair/silk blend yarn and..................................

This yarn.

Aren't they all just wonderful!! I can't wait to knit it all up! That beautiful blue mohair blend is going to become this, and the other two skeins will become socks. The Daughter especially likes the Tofutsies so I am sure she will end up with some socks from it.

I have pretty much recovered from my "Spring Fever" for now. It snowed 6 inches in the last two days and dropped down to 21 below zero. Somehow that just seemed to take the wind right out of my sails. So I am back to loving winter and feeling like a bear all snuggled up warm and safe from the ice and cold. We are supposed to see more snow the next few days.

And now I am off to create my latest idea. I thought of it the other night as I was trying to go to sleep. If it turns out well I will post pictures here and list them for sale in my etsy store. Stay tuned................................................................................

I Feel it Coming

I don't know what it is, but about this time of year I get a "bee in my bonnet". "What?" you say. Well if you look back through my blog every year at this time I start getting........hmmm trying to find a way to describe it..........wander lust? I start feeling like it's time to migrate. Spring is coming so it's time to start thinking about moving, building a nest in a new tree, beginning a garden on a new patch of soil.

I blame it on my mother and ancestors from that side of my family. They were a wild and nomadic bunch! I have native americans, gypsies, and pioneers in my past. The way I was raised didn't help much either. I spent the first eighteen years of my life hunting, hiking, water skiing, motorcyle riding (dirt bikes on trails), scuba diving, rock hunting, camping, snow skiing, etc, etc, etc. Even when we did come home (? to the house that wasn't attached to the boat or truck, or wasn't the tent) I didn't spend much time in it. We always lived out away from the population. So I spent my time outside hiking in my back yard, building indian dwellings, cooking over the fire, etc. (side note here: One of my indian dwellings was "discovered" by park rangers and now features a lovely sign that tells all about the anasazi people that built it. LOL!)

In addition to all of the outdoor sporting stuff, my mother also liked to move around a lot! About every six months or so she would convince my dad that she needed new surroundings. We wouldn't necessarily move to a new town--though we did that a few times also--but just to a different house. (I lived in seven different houses in a town who's population was only 1,300 people.) The years that we didn't move she would completely rearrange, repaint, and/or remodel the house we were living in.

Anyway, so every year as soon as New Years is over I start feeling like a little animal ready to come out of hibernation. It really is awful. It's like cabin fever, but more intense. I remember sitting in school in April watching the breeze blow the new leaves around on the trees thinking, "If I have to sit in here one more minute I am going to have a melt-down." I had and still have a terrible time being inside, especially if the sun is shining!

So, here I am today; standing in the lobby of the motel, looking out these huge windows that give a 180 degree view of outside, the sun is shining, and I am feeling the stirrings of a restless spirit.

The Good and The Bad

I'll start with the good stuff so if you don't want to listen to me whine about the bad you can just skip it at the end :)

GOOD STUFF!!

Yarn/knitting is always good stuff. Here are my latest two sock projects all done. The first pair are for the Sockamaina KAL. It was a previous monthly pattern but since January is "Make-up Month" I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to get them done. (Christmas had kind of interferred with them getting finished). I used Sockamania's "Get Fruity" pattern and Tofutsies yarn. Next time I make them I will use a solid color so that the pattern is visible since it kind of disappears into the varigation of this yarn. (I turned my foot backwards because the patterning on the back of the sock is completely different that the patterning on the front)

The second pair is made from the "Log Cabin Socks" pattern from "Handknit Holidays". GREAT PATTERN! No mistakes, works up super fast with worsted weight yarn....just a great pattern. I used some yarn that I had hand dyed a dark mossy forest green. However, as I approached the toe of the second sock, to my horror, I realized that I did not have enough yarn to finish it! Of course I had only dyed one skein--I don't need to emphasize the feelings here, all of you Knitter's know just what I mean! So after punishing the entire project for a few weeks for taking more yarn than it was supposed to I ripped back the toe of the first sock, knitted the second sock until both socks were the same length and the last tiny bit of yarn was used up, then finished both toes with a nice golden tan color that actually accented my yarn perfectly. And forgave the pattern for leaving me in a panic.

Here's something fun! My sister-in-law gave me this adorable apron for Christmas. Annie had bought one this past summer and I have wanted one since. This ain't your Grandma's apron! Made out of top quality fabrics, reversable and so cute I would wear it to town!

We ended up have a nice Christmas even though we were stuck at work for the entire holiday season. The kids got lots of fun great stuff. There was plenty of chocolate to go around (Santa was experiencing PMS when she was shopping I guess). Now with it all over.....all of the regular stuff is going on.

I think I am just tired. No one told me that getting old wears you out. I was watching a show last night about a couple that had six babies at once in addition to their two older daughters. They think that it's taxing to feed, change, and clothe them--JUST WAIT until they all become teenagers at once! I'd be selling them off I think. Farm them out to people who have no children or something! The drama, the grades, boys, girls, friends, peer pressure....need I say more? I don't remember why I wanted children at this point. I am definately tired!

For those of you considering getting your teenager/child a cell phone...DON'T DO IT!!!! It seems like such an innocent, good idea. It's not, don't be fooled, don't be sucked in. It is the source of evil--I am sure of it. My kids honestly will walk through molten lava then crawl over broken glass to keep from getting their phone taken away. They think that somehow their very life existence depends on the possession of their phone--like it is some kind of life support system.

The Motel Management life isn't any more fun than having a house full of teenagers either. I get really tired of rude people! I had no idea that the general population was so awful. I've spent so many years around Knitter's and fiber people I was beginning to think everyone was like us. NOT SO! What I wouldn't give to hang out with my own kind for a few days. I had a lady check in last night from an area in Washington that I know has a great yarn store. I mentioned the fact and she said that her mom knitted and liked that yarn store. I couldn't stop myself from gushing on and on about yarn, knitting, patterns, fiber, Knitters. I am sure the lady thought I was quite off my rocker--she was a Non-Knitter. I am getting desperate enough that I have actually considered taking out a "personal" ad. in the classifieds: "Desperately seeking male or female, any age, for knitting companionship. Must have large, out of control stash of yarn, more knitting needles and patterns than they could ever use in two lifetimes, a complete disregard for resisting wool/cashmere fumes, and a lack of conscience when they spend their entire months grocery money on yarn. Please respond soon....I am loosing my mind." I just told my husband that I was going to do this and he said, "DO IT!" He knows me so well it's scary.

Well, I need some lunch and a few hours of personal time with my yarn.

Just wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Hope all of your holiday season is wonderful and full of love.

Best Wishes,

Tama

What a Knitter Wants

As Christmas approaches each year the questions begin. "What do you (the kids, the husband) want for Christmas?" The kids are getting more and more difficult to buy for. Gone are the days of $8 Barbies and $5 car sets. Now the kids are wanting Laptops ($650 to $2000), the latest video games ($40 to $300), and clothes ($40+). Christmas has gone from spending $200 to having to take out a second mortgage.

As a Knitter (notice I capitalized--it's like saying you're American--it's who you are!) I always want the same thing. Sure it's nice to get dishes, jewelry, etc. But what I really want is YARN! and knitting books. As silly as this may seem to you Non-Knitters out there, it's true. The funny thing is, if you buy me yarn there is a really good chance that when I am done with it it will have become a present for you.

See, you can't buy a Knitter sweaters, mittens, hats, socks, or a lovely cashmere scarf for Christmas. You won't offend us, but look at it this way--you just took all of the fun out of the present. I LLLOOOOOVVVEEEEE knitted items! Beautiful shawls, intricately cabled sweaters, angora mittens and scarves, socks made from 12 different colors of yarn all knit into wonderful Turkish designs, and who doesn't love anything cashmere! But for a Knitter it's not just the end product that we love, we love the process also. Sitting for hours looking for just the right pattern, winding the yarn into balls, then relishing every moment of that lovely yarn sliding through your hands as you work your magic on it. Then when the item is finished you can either wrap it up for someone else--who doesn't knit--or put it on and everytime someone comments on it you can say, "Ya, I made it." and they say, "WOW!"

Not sure what yarn or pattern book to buy for the Knitter on your list? Get on the internet and buy them a gift certificate!! KnitPicks has a fantastic selection of yarns, patterns, books, and accessories. They make it so easy to get a gift certificate that it shouldn't even be considered shopping. If you think that for one minute that your Knitter will be disappointed to just get a gift certificate for Christmas THINK AGAIN! They will be thrilled! Knitter's love money that has no other purpose for it other that to be spent on yarn!

KnitPicks isn't the only place that you can get gift certificates. Your local yarn stores offer them, and if you want to give them a certificate for something really special go to Etsy and find a yarn shop there! Etsy is a huge collection of individuals who have shops selling all sorts of hand made items and supplies to make your own. Fiber for spinning and all sorts of yarns, hand dyed and commercial, can be found there. Many of the stores offer gift certificates and if they don't you can e-mail them and ask them if you can get one from them. It's a fun place to shop! TRUST ME! Your Knitter will be thrilled.

HoneyBunny figured out several years ago that I will be happier with a big bag of yarn and knitting accessories than anything else he could get for me. Diamonds are ok, gold is fine, but yarn is divine!

So this year, "give the gift that keeps on giving" or give a gift that will become a gift for you. Give yarn! It's what a Knitter wants.

An Inconvenience

I received a forwarded e-mail the other day that has taken on a special meaning to me the last few weeks. It said:

"GOOD AFTERNOON!

Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil,

the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.

We apologize for the inconvenience...."

So that's what's wrong!!!! I have been wondering why I can't see my way out of here. If you are feeling the same, now you know why.

The Worst Day Ever

Ok, I am going to start with an apology. I promised myself I would quit whining about my problems, but if I don't do something I am going to explode!!!!! Here is how my day went:

1. A large group of high school boys and coaches checked in last night in addition to our regular Friday night guests. So we had three times the number of guests that we normally have. I called several days in advance to make sure that PLENTY of maids would be here this morning to clean. I even told myself that if it got to far out of hand that I would fill in.

2. We open the office/lobby at 7:30am and the maids are supposed be here ready to go at 8:00am. Back up for just a moment I forgot that at 4:30am the phone rings and one of the toilets in one of the rooms is plugged--later discover that not only is it plugged, but it has run over and the entire bathroom is a wadding pool. Needless to say, after not getting to bed last night until just before midnight then waking up to a huge mess my husband and I started the day VERY TIRED!

3. Anyway, back to the maid disaster--At 7:52 the MOTHER of two of the girls that were supposed to come in called and said that they forgot they had other plans this morning. I begin to worry.

4. At 8:00 the MOTHER of the head maid calls and says that her daughter just woke up (this woman is in her 30's!) and will be late. I am beginning to panic.

5. At 8:15 I realize that the lady we hired and trained last week is not going to show. Now I am just plain pissed off!!!

6. The Daughter, who thank goodness hadn't made any other plans for her day, graciously agreed to start stripping rooms by herself--she is such a wonderful daughter make no mistake!

7. I throw myself together (for cleaning) and join her in getting the rooms changed.

8. I had to go down to the office about 30 minutes into the previous event to take care of something when a mentally challenged/disturbed woman and her obviously helpless caretaker decide to burst into the lobby. The woman was yelling, "Who's here?" over and over and her caretaker couldn't get her to be quiet or leave. As I frantically tried to think of what to do this woman came around the front desk and marched herself into MY living quarters--still yelling and hitting her caretaker. I am sorry, I lost it!!!! I told the caretaker to get her the hell out of my house. Then I found my husband and told him to get the womans family on the phone and
GET DOWN HERE NOW! In the mean time the woman heads for my bedroom, I freak out and slam my bedroom door and lock myself in there until HoneyBunny says that the woman and caretaker went out our back door. I promptly close and lock it also as to prevent any re-entry!
Don't know what became of the two of them, but when her father showed up he didn't even apologize for the incident and simply brushed it off with, "Oh well, that's just what happens every once in a while." EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If it ever happens again I will simply call 911 and freak out on her father!

9. No it's not over yet. In fact it isn't even 9:00am yet! Finally the head maid shows up. She must have sensed the tension in the air because she didn't even say "hi" she just went to work. Unfortunately no one else ever showed up to help.

10. Shortly after the head maid showed up I had to return to my regular job--manager--and start trying to fix the disaster from last night. Two rooms had dogs in them that the guests lied about and didn't pay for. So I have to be the bad guy and charge their credit cards for having pets in the room.

11. Husband and I get into a HUGE fight over what I can't even remember--we were both so tired it was inevitable. He leaves for a while.

12. I sit on my pity pot and feel guilty for not helping clean rooms for a while.

13. At 3:00pm there are only four rooms that are completely finished. Why it's taking so long, I don't know!!!! But the head maid says that she has to leave because her baby is sick.

14. The Daughter, my son, and I clean 9 rooms in two hours and left the rest of the rooms for tomorrow. Maybe we'll be really slow and not rent any rooms tonight? Ya right!

Ok, so there you have it. My day all the way up until 5:30pm. I can't wait to see how the evening turns out.

Oops! An Update

I didn't realize I hadn't written for so long until my dear friend called the other day and said, "What's up? You haven't written on your blog in a long time! Is everything ok?" I explained that I have been so busy knitting that I haven't taken the time to write.

It seems like every year as it gets close to Christmas that I write less and less frequent. All of my free time is spent baking and knitting so writing takes a back seat.

So what have I been knitting?

SOCKS!

This pattern is called "Little Flowers". It was the August (I think) pattern for Sockamania. I had them almost done when "THE MOVE" happened. Of course, in the mean time I started several other knitting projects and three more Sockamania patterns came out.

I finished these two days ago. The yarn is some that I swapped for with Hege. I made a plain pair quite a while ago, but wanted something different for this pair. I started and ripped out four or five different pattern ideas until I said, "That's it! I am just going to start knitting and whatever comes to me is what they will be!" I knew I had to knit them from the toe up because I only had so much yarn left and I wanted to make sure I had enough to make a pair. So here is what turned out. I knit a regular foot with a "Ripples" pattern top. I had plenty of yarn and they turned out nice.

In addition to these two projects, I have knit several Christmas gifts. I will post pictures of them after Christmas though since I don't want to spoil the surprises. Suffice it to say that I have knit five gifts in the last two weeks. See! That's why I haven't been writting on my blog.

Thanksgiving was.......hmmmm.....ok I guess. Managing a motel and living there at the same time means that just because it's the holiday doesn't mean you get the day off. Which makes it difficult to cook dinner and keep up with the phone and front desk at the same time. Christmas will be the same.

Speaking of Christmas, I have been decorating the motel! I have a lot of space to decorate and allthe time to do it so I've been having some fun.

Fun Stuff!!! I love the holidays!