Odd Sights

I work in a retail outlet mall. Maybe you'd see someone knitting as they waited on a bench for a shopper. But today, I saw a shopper knitting. She was wandering around the store, looking at things to buy, all the while knitting the scarf she was wearing. It made me laugh, as I've just masted talking and knitting, but this girl had walking and knitting down pat.

Anniversaries

It was 6 years ago yesterday that I rolled my car over. I realized that as I was out driving and crossed a point just a half mile from where it happened. I haven't been back by that spot many times since it happened, maybe three or four - guess thats what happens when you move out of state 6 months later. I haven't really thought about it much over the years... but I did think about it tonight, and all thats happen over the course of those six years. Damn, this time of year is full of reflection...

I guess the biggest thought was that I'm so grateful I walked away from the car unhurt. It happened so quick, but I had guardians watching over me that day.

What a long day

I've been back and forth to the city a couple times already this week. And another trip scheduled for next week, tentatively. I just hope that the weather is a bit nicer for my next trip. Driving in the rain is very draining, and combined with the traffic on the trip home this afternoon, I'm feeling completely drained. I'm really glad to have the couch to crash out on.

I of course chose the wrong book for my over tired self though tonight. I find that reading a depressing story when you are already tired and having a touch of the end of the year blues is a horrible idea. Seems like I always end up with the depressing tomes when I'm already there though. Wonder why that is...

I've been doing a bit of reflecting on the past year - more about that in a post before the new year - and trying to figure out plans to celebrate the passing of 2007 into 2008. New Year's has to be one of the most over rated holidays in my book though. And this year, I'm at a loss as to what my plans will be. Right now it looks like I'll be spending the night home with my parents. Which, is kind of sad. Shouldn't I have some hot date? Or great party to be invited to? I suppose its better than my night last year, which was spent listening to Bill Medley's (of Righteous Brother's fame) children sing. Bill was sick... so sent his kids instead. I worked til 4 or 5 am. A great way to welcome in the new year - watching other people get drunk and enjoy the champange. It seems that everyone close by here in Massachusetts is scattered on vacations, or moving to new homes (which are 22 flight hours away), or working insane hours. Perhaps something in the city will appear.

I'll be making another trip back to New York on Wednesday. The staffing agency wants to rework my resume and meet with me again then. Which is more forward motion than any other job situation I've been in thus far. Send good wishes and cross all fingers for me. I'm needing to get out of here and into my own space.

Merry Christmas to all...

It's strange being home for the holidays. Its been four years since I was able to spend the Christmas with my family, and being back, while fabulous, is also a bit disconcerting. The new traditions I had made my own are changed back into the old family ones. Ones which will never change. In part, they are a comfort, to know that the same meal will always be served and the schedule will remain the same for the day. Yet, I'd like to infuse some of my life into the old home life that is here. My brother vehemently opposed that though - him being the more home body of the two of us, and definitely the more attached to the tradition. It might be nice to have something new for dinner though... Just my take at least.

I'm looking forward to seeing what surprises are under the tree though.

And now for sleep. Its been a busy few days, with long retail hours, and a bit of travel.

... and to all a good night.

Knitted gifts, FINISHED

In the past few days, I've managed to finish up two knitting projects. One has been 90% done since October - just needing the fringe added on, but the other I've been working on for about the last 6 weeks.

And here are my masterpieces....



Now to work on my scarf. It turns out that it was really a blessing in disguise that I messed up the initial gift scarf. My sister in law bought a new coat last weekend, and the colors of the original scarf never would have matched. Somehow, I must have known what each of us was going to purchase before we even saw them.

Its been a good day - I have an interview on Wednesday in the city, which means I get to meet up with some friends and do some knitting with the group. Hopefully this one will yield more results than the last few... Ideally, I'd love to start the new year, with a new job, in a new city, in a new apartment. All new seems like a good way to start 2008.

Done

Raspberry Thumbprints
Ginger Crinkles
Chocolate Wafers
Amaretto Truffles
Mocha Caramel Truffles
Chocolate Truffles
Caramel - turned into Pecan and Cashew Turtles
Marshmallows
Toffee, with and without nuts

I think I'm done baking finally... maybe?

(I was going to include pics of my finished products, but it seems I didn't take the right photos... oopps!)

My Christmas Wish List

I caught a piece of a made for tv movie last night as I was falling off to sleep. The main character had written down her Christmas wish list, and was receiving each of her items as the movie progressed. So here it is, my wish list for this holiday season.... What are you hoping to find under your tree or in your stocking? Or perhaps under your menorah?

Dear Santa:

This year I'd like the following:

A JOB! (that pays me well, and is in New York City)
A fabulous apartment (ok, so it doesn't have to be fabulous, just no mice, in a safe area, and that I can make feel like home)
My stuff from Vegas
My American Express bill to mysteriously start shrinking
Cookbooks with glossy pictures of the food and lessons on new techniques
New knitting toys (yarn, needles, and a measuring tape that isn't industrial sized - I'm not going to be making anything that is 25 feet long.... at least I sure hope not!)
Sweaters and other warm weather clothes to survive these cold winter days

I've moved around a lot this year... so I hope you can find me. Especially for that first one!

PS - I've been a very good girl! (or is that a very good girl??)

White Christmas Garanteed

Winter is here with a vengence. I think the temperature dial was reading 21 for most of my drive home. And they (the always accurate weather forecasters) are promising that we will wake up to even more snow. I left the desert why? Ok, so I don't really mind it. I'm rather liking seeing all the snow again. I'm dreading driving to work tomorrow, and fearing that the roads in this rural corner of the world will just be impassible (I need the money, as Sunday's are time and half, and I took last Sunday off). Perhaps I should be fearing the drive home too. I could go for a day curled under a blanket, perhaps in front of the fire my dad is sure to build, and finishing up the scarf projects, but that won't help the American Express bill shrink at all.

And now to sleep, and dream of sugar plums... What is a sugar plum? Tomorrow is sign ups for the cocoa swap (YAY!). I'm excited about participating in my first swap - I always liked the idea of having a pen pal when growing up, but never really had one. Now, a grownup version, complete with hot chocolate. A perfect treat!

SNOW

Its been snowing here since just before noon. I think somewhere around 10 inches have fallen. I guess its a great welcome back to the east coast. It took almost two hours to do a quick two errands, distancing about 15 miles total. Parking is going to be hellish at work this weekend, especially as they are promising another big storm arriving on Sunday. I can't wait to sell my car and be in NYC where I won't have to worry about parking on how I'm going to get to work, cause the subway is mostly underground and doesn't have to deal with the snow fall.

But a good day to curl up with my knitting though. I'm almost done with the second skein of yarn for my sister in laws scarf. I'm debating if I'm going to make it longer or not though. I think it needs a bit more than it has so far though. I did run into an interesting problem that took me a few rows to figure out. There was a break in the middle of the skein of yarn, so I had to break and rejoin my knitting. The row after that I knew there was something wrong, but I couldn't figure out what I had done. All of my stitches were on the needles backwards. So I swapped them all around as I knitted across. And some I got lazy and just knitted into the back. The same thing happened on the next knit row though. Completely baffling me. Turn out I was winding my purled stitches around the needles the wrong way. Glad I figured it out, but it confused me for a few rows.

I've also started to attach the fringe to my other gift scarf. I can't believe its less than 2 weeks til Christmas. I'm in such a different place than I thought I would be at this point. I thought I'd have a full time, well paying job. I thought I'd have a place of my own in NYC. I thought I'd have my stuff moved out from Vegas - yet again, the moving companies continue to either ignore my calls and emails or give me quotes that are so high they are ridiculous. I am slightly more in the Christmas spirt today - deciding to make some Christmas goodies and send them out to people. I have a lot of baking to do on Monday and Tuesday now. (hopefully there will be mouth watering pictures to share - and one day, a site and maybe even a coffee shop that sells my creations) And praying that the United States Post Office can deliver on its promises of two day deliveries, cause I can't afford the Fed Ex rates.

And now for CSI and perhaps some a hot beverage.

Progress

With two weeks til Christmas, I really need to get working on the present scarf. I made some decent progress tonight - probably added another foot to the length. Its looking really good, but every few rows I have this issue with my stitches slipping off the needles at the ends of the rows. It is a royal pain, especially because it happens just as I cross the first set of cable stitches. I end up having to back track to the start of the row. Luckily, its usually only three or four stitches into the row, but.. With luck, I'll have this project done before the start of next week.

I also visited this cool yarn store near me. Although near me here is a bit of a journey. It seemed to be a good reward for surviving the annual exam all women dread. And seeing as it is just down the street from the doctors office... I refrained from buying anything, as I really want to finish some projects before I invest in any more. But I got a few ideas. I think up next is a felted bag -not sure if I'm going to go purse sized or knitting and tote bag size. Any one have any good pattern suggestions? The owners of the shop laughed at me, as I had my needles sticking out of my purse.

And it seems that every time I get down on the job search, there is that one little thing that happens that seems to make me hopeful yet again. Today it was the accidental omission of a resume from a cover letter. The cover letter must have caught the eye of the person who got it though, for they emailed asking me to reattach the resume. Now if only I could land some interviews... so I can wow them with my sparkling wit and personality.

I still can't seem to settle on a design for my page. I've changed it yet again! Change is good, right? I'm certainly trying to make enough of it in my life... at least here, I can see the results instantly.

I had one of those unexpectedly fabulous nights last night. One of my closest friends is moving to Guam for at least the next two years, and we had her farewell party yesterday. The party part was a bit odd - being family and odd college friends that I had only interacted with on occasion. The end of the evening is where all the fun came in, as a small group of us walked to a nearby chinese restaurant and indulged in drinks that were highly alcoholic, food that was tasty, and laughs that made us all cry. We had light saber fights, we drank wine, we watched a cheesy movie. It was an almost perfect way to spend an evening. It kind of sucks that just when I make it back to the east coast, my friend leaves for a place at is a 22 hour flight away. Excuses to plan for vacations.

And another reason I need a job, and soon. There is so much I need and want these days - clothes... right now, I need winter ones, but before long, I'll need new summer ones too. A new camera. Travels and my stuff from Vegas. Money certainly makes the world go round, and when you have none, you notice that more and more. In addition to the material wants of moving on, I long for the independence ones too. I want to wake up and not have to have a conversation with my morning loving parents. I want to be able to cook dinner and not have to take into consideration the dietary likes of others. I just want to be living in my life... and not feeling stalled in my life.

Its been a few days

I've been off and traveling. I've covered the major cities of the eastern seaboard this week. I've seen friends, I've driven in snow, I threw the first snowballs of the year (although I got yelled at for doing it...)

It was great to return to DC. It is such a beautiful city... even if it is a bit too political for me. Or perhaps, just too republican for me. We wandered around the city a bit... saw the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, which were first for me, as the building they were in was under renovation for the majority of the time I lived there.

 We braved the cold and wind coming off the tidal basin and wandered through the FDR Memorial. Which is one of my favorite spots in the city. It was a bit different with the cold and no lightening bugs.

It was great fun to relax, and go out for some drinks, and amazing food. And to see a show. I do miss being in theaters, and wish that I could just magically land some sort of management job. Alas, I don't have that kind of luck on my side. Spending time in NYC was the perfect way to end the few days out of town. I had the chance to meet up with the girls and get some work done on one of my scarfs. It was great to just have conversation while working on the project.

As I'm one to cram as many things as possible into a day, the day ended with a great couple of drinks and good conversation. And a decision that I had to make... I've questioned it ever since I made it, but I was able to say no. It was something I had to do, but was so hard to do. Wanting different things can't be controlled... But it doesn't take care of how much it hurts when it happens.

Hot Chocolate and Knitting... what a great combo!

What could be a better combination that a cup of hot chocolate and curling up with your latest knitting project?

Visit The Hot Cocoa Swap and they'll help you with your quest to obtain the zen evening of warm chocolate goodness and a fun new project. The swap sounds like a fun idea, and one I'm looking forward to taking part in.

So, for now, there is a contest, to get the word out about the swap... So mention the swap on your blog, and then tell them that I sent you there... And we'll both get entries into the contest. And then return on December 16th, and sign up to be part of the swap!

Hope everyone had good weekends. Mine was spent with the fun of work. And then driving in snow for the first time in four years. As remembered, that wasn't much fun.

I'm off for DC tomorrow. I can't wait to wander around my old home. Here's hoping the weather will be better in the morning when I start off.