Okay, so I'm a Dork. Big deal!

I am completely and totally in love with this yarn! ONLine Supersocke (from Germany) comes in so many self-striping colors I believe I could knit with it forever and never make the same pair twice! In fact, for my latest big idea - A single sock in each color to be worn as a mix-matched pair! What little girl (and, eh hem, adult woman) wouldn't totally love that?!?!?! I know I would! So I'm scouring the web trying to track down a good price for as many different colors of this group (known as Beach Color) as I can find and will start creating a set! I think it would just be the berries to make one adult- and one child-sized sock from each ball (probably two child-sized socks) and then have a matching set! C'mon! It's a brilliant idea! My mother's best friend is living in Germany right now and is on the hunt for a deal on the yarn - I don't know if I'll do better buying it here or having it "shipped" from there, but we'll work something out. I am absolutely exstatic about starting this project! I'll be the only member of my very own sock club! Yippee!!!

Update: I was able to track down a complete set of Beach Colors and the yarn should soon be on its way! An Ebay seller was gracious enough to combine her listings of individual balls into one "Buy It Now" so I'm getting them for about $9.50 ea including shipping. What a deal! Can't wait to get them started!

Sock lives again!

Due to an extremely long (and lovely) automobile ride from GA - Texas - GA I have completed Sock #1. The toe was quite tricky - still not sure if I really got rid of the so-called "donkey ears" but I've done my best and hope to improve on my skills with the mate. I'll have it cast on tonight and will have a pair before you know it!

The holiday was lovely! My niece is as cute as she could be, and just a joy to be around. She and her parents didn't seem to really appreciate the time and thought put into her gifts though, much to my chagrin. I guess all I can do is hope she appreciates them and remembers they were from me.

I wish I could say I'm done with gift-knitting but it looks like I have at least 2 more projects to finish for some people. My step dad has requested a grey scarf to go with his wool jacket and I'm working on a pair of socks for Tripp. They are Campfire Socks from Cider Moon and the yarn is Mountain Goat - Red Tail Hawk. So far I am very pleased - lovely fiber and easy pattern. I just hope he likes them or better yet - wears them!



As for the scarf. I'm still hunting for the right pattern. It must be simple but lovely - it is for a man afterall. Perhaps a small basketweave? And for the yarn - I want it to be soft and warm, so I'm thinking cashmere or mohair blends. Regardless I must come up with something soon and send it to him ASAP - the winter does not linger in The South!

Kaylee's First Christmas

I am so dang excited about my niece's first Christmas! I don't know if this is normal or what, but I've collected a few things for her that I think really stand for what I believe in as a caregiver - both as support for her and as a future parent myself. I thought I'd post a little gift preview for anyone interested! (You may click on any of the images to see where to buy!)

For her soon to be teeth, a lovely wooden teether from Haba - a German company.
I know she can't read yet, but I got her an exciting and colorful book to help her learn numbers, days of the week, and fruits! And so she can enjoy her very hungry caterpillar friend even before she's ready to read about his adventure, And of course, I knit her a lovely hat! I know, they live in Texas, why does she need a lovely hat? I'm not entirely sure yet, but I know she'll need it at some point and therefore, have it she must!

I can't believe it's been so long....
I'm working hard on a new scarf for my mom. [Spoiler Alert - Mother, if you're reading this, skip to the next paragraph! Don't you peek!] I decided that she deserved more than a simple garter stitch boucle I was able to whip up in ~5 hours. And this baby is taking much longer. I'm getting close to finishing the first ball of Manos del Uruguay 109 "Woodland" (YUM!) and I've got a second one to go. My So Called Scarf is so pretty and this yarn is so delicious - I can totally understand why people make many MANY versions of it! It's fun to knit and beautiful to look at. I feel like some kind of wonder-knitter when I look at the pattern, but it's so easy I feel bad taking the credit for the lovely piece it's become! Another glance at some fellow MSCSers reveals that mine is not half as lovely as most. I believe my problem may stem from my guage - I haven't noticed an issue previously, but I feel it may be having some effect on this scarf? Not sure, but looking forward to trying again in the future for a nicer finished piece.

The sock is on the shelf - at least until after Christmas. I want to work on it so bad, but I've got to get my gift-knitting finished before the gift-giving can commence. Once I finish Mom's scarf I'll just have one more family member (other than my dear husband for whom I will be knitting these after the holiday) to adorn with homemade goodness! Whatever do you knit a 25-year-old father of one who lives in TEXAS??? I've been racking my brain for something, anything! to make him. At this point I think it will be a lovely watch cap (the very one I knit his father) in Virginia Tech colors (orange and maroon); even if he never has reason to wear it in Texas, he does sometimes travel north and could use something so warm and cozy. I think it's as good as I can do. And what about his girlfriend, you ask? Well...I'm trying not to think about that...

Halfway through the tough part (I hope)!

So that's the sock. Still Sock #1, but I'm excited to finish it and start Sock #2. I'm a little hung up on the gusset though, as I knew I would be. I'm planning to visit the LYS to get a little direction on picking up those 15 stitches so I can keep going. As much as I love Amy over at Knitting Help.com, her video was not helpful so I'm still pretty lost. I think with a little hands on direction I should be good to go - and then I'll never need help (with my first gusset) again! Let's hope!


Dad LOVED his hat!!! (Despite his face in this picture) I brought it with me for Thanksgiving because I wasn't sure I'd see him again before Christmas. He said the warm and cozy watch cap came just in time - He's recently re-located his 47-foot liveaboard sailboat to Sunny Florida. Perfect! At least he got to wear it this weekend while we fried turkeys at my aunt's house in Virginia...

I finished my brother's hat last night. I didn't take a picture yet, but I'll post one tomorrow. I had been worried it would be too small for him, but was encouraged this weekend to give it to him anyway, that it's sized just fine. I surely do hope so. I'll be seeing him in 4 weeks at our other brother's home in Texas. Not cold enough for a hat, but still. With any luck he'll get some good use out of it in VA. I guess I should hurry up and get to work on something for that brother, eh? And my sister-in-law. Eeek.


Last night, over a lovely dinner with my lovely husband, I was lead to mention at least 3 knitterly things in conversation. I've been away for a while, traveling and busy, and I've missed my daily dose of fiber and spent much of yesterday catching up on blogs and Raverly things. So it was on my mind. And I'd just like to say thank heaven for Stephanie Pearl-McPhee. She keeps it so real and also teaches so much. Her posts are inspirational and insightful and I love it. My husband has lived in Canada so he was even familiar with her post about The Royal and therefore could more greatly appreciate the bit about the angora bunnies. Even so, I feel as though mentioning knitting is silly and meaningless in our much bigger world. He talks about work, and because I'm bored to death at work, I talk about knitting. That's fair, right?

Still no action on the Etsy store. A friend from work said there's a strategy to getting items noticed and purchased more frequently. Perhaps after the holiday I'll be more on the ball and can try to generate more traffic in my store.

The end of the college football season draws nigh. Just today I spoke with one of my best friends about the relief we feel. Traveling 500+ miles every (or every other) weekend can really take its toll. This weekend we'll be heading down to Jacksonville for the ACC Championship, and will have almost an entire month before our next and final game of the 2007 season. I can't believe it's over. [sniffle] Let's go, HOKIES! Beat those Eagles!

And away we go!

That's right folks, the beginnings of a sock! The only complaint I have so far is the adjustment to my new Addi Turbos. Wow. These suckers are slicker 'n sh*t on a linoleum floor. And I'm not exaggerating. They're so fast I have trouble keeping my stitches on. Getting better, but still not 100% comfortable. It's hard to tell in the photo but I'm nervous they wouldn't actually fit a foot/leg the size of mine. I guess we'll find out soon enough. I've got a very small amount done, and I'm slacking off of my gift-knitting, so I don't know when we'll see anything that actually looks like a sock, but hey, at least it's something! The yarn is TOFUtsies #800, and I love it. I had a tough time choosing something I thought would be subtle enough with as little pink as possible. Other than the huge pink stripe, I'm pretty happy with the yarn. The quality seems quite good as well - the poor knitting is likely to cause the finished socks to wear thin quickly, but we'll see. That is, of course, if I end up with something wearable, eh?

On another needle, above you'll find the hat I started for my dear brother using yarn he chose. Trouble is, it's WAY to small for a boy...er...man of his size (over 6 feet). SO, it'll go into the pile with the other "youth" FOs I've started. Until I get my sizing and gauge figured out it looks like I'll be knitting for giants and midgets. I guess that's okay - giants and midgets need love too, right?

I'm heading up to Blacksburg, Virginia this weekend to see the Virginia Tech Hokies play the Florida State Criminoles, and I'm going to try to visit the new yarn shop, Mosaic, and maybe pick up some Hokie Yarn. Perhaps a scarf/hat combo would be appropriate for my brother...so what if he lives in Texas! On Sunday I'll be heading to Savannah, Georgia to enjoy a mini-vacation with my hubby. I've already scoped out the LYS' and plan to hit one, maybe two, before heading home on Tuesday. How excited am I?!?! The only drawback, of course, is that I'll most likely be driving the whole time - that's 14+ hours of knitting I won't be able to do. Bummer, dude. Is it "okay" to knit at a tailgate party? I'll let you know! Go HOKIES!!

I'm quite addicted to Ravelry. It's an internet-based community, similar to Facebook. Still in the Beta testing stage, the webmasters allow about 1,000 new members daily, and has a waiting list for the rest. I waited a month to get my invitation and since it arrived I've been online almost non-stop. Ravelery is the most amazing place for knitters to meet, and chat, and share their projects - finished and ongoing. Why would knitting, a seemingly private hobby, lend itself so well to such a virtual meetingplace? My mom and I were chatting just the other day about how counter-intuitive it is to find such a social atmosphere within the knitting community, but it's undeniable. Women (and men) enjoy knitting together (in real life) to share what they're working on, to have questions answered, to get ideas for future projects and to learn about different yarns. And that's just what Ravelry does, in the virtual world. We post what we're up to, and pictures of our yarn, and get inspiration from others as to what projects to tackle next, and what yarns to avoid. It's a great way to meet people all around the world, to plan get togethers and shop hops. It's a great idea and I'm so thankful to have such a pleasant distraction.

Breathe, Relax. Knit

So I tried again last night, and it only took two COs and I have the beginnings of a sock! I borrowed a hint from a friend and cast on my stitches over TWO needles at the same time, allowing for a much more flexible and loose CO. THEN, I got back on YouTube and watched Cat Bordhi's video about starting on two circulars and I was joined; away I go-ed. My husband was encouraging me, and wishing he could help, and I could tell he was relieved that I finally got the dang thing going. I don't know if it will end up looking like a sock, or fit, or what, but it's going and I couldn't be happier!

Oy Vey

Please forgive me in advance for this slightly childish rant.

The "Super Simple Socks" are not so at all and I'm afraid I'm in over my head. The switch to Addi Turbos may have something to do with it - coming from Clover circs, it's like knitting on spit. Seriously. I understand that's the point - projects are done lickety split. But it's hard, gosh darn it, and it's causing me such consternation I wonder if I've gotten ahead of myself by attempting socks on 2 circulars before ever attempting socks at all. I didn't think it would make much of a difference as far as techniques go - you have to start somewhere, right? So who really knows. I'll be trying again tonight - we have our knitterly lunch hour at work tomorrow, and a co-worker is attempting socks on two circs too; I feel like I should have something started before "knitting" with the group. Perhaps some ravelers have some useful advice...

Ravelry, LYS, Shop Hop...

So many knitterly things happened this week.

I'd have to say the most anticipated was that my Ravelry invitation finally arrived! What a beautiful distraction it has become; not a whole lot getting done in my "real" life. (So what??) I haven't really begun taking photos of projects or my stash, but that's what Sundays are for.

I joined a couple groups and added one for my LYS - Main Street Yarns & Fibers in Watkinsville, GA. I stopped by the shop on my way home after creating the group and the gals there were excited to meet me and joined the group as soon as they could. I have to say I was proud to create a (virtual) place for area yarn-aholics to hang out. I hope it will serve as a place for us to go to learn what's happening in the shop and who's hanging out (in person) where.

The Metro Atlanta Shop Hop begins next week. I thought it started this weekend and was looking forward to visiting some shops in Atlanta tomorrow, but it's not for another week. Big deal, right? Wrong. I'm heading to Blacksburg, Virginia to see the Virginia Tech Hokies play the Florida State Criminols, and I will be leaving Friday after work and heading straight to Savannah on Sunday after the game to spend a few days with my husband at a conference. I will not be back until Tuesday and then I'm heading back to VA for another game Friday. Long story short - I don't know if I'll be able to visit ANY SHOPS during the hop! How ticked am I??? I'll see what I can do, but:

My Knit Picks order arrived! The only thing I've been able to use successfully is the gadget bag. The yarn is lovely but the sock pattern I was so eagerly awaiting is toe-up and uses a provisional cast-on, a skill that is proving to be quite elusive. I may need to head to MSY&F tomorrow for a quick demonstration, or to pick up a stitch dictionary. I was sure Knitting Help and Knit Picks' Knitting Room would be all I needed, but I'm just not getting it... I'm just so excited to start socks, I wonder if I'm in over my head? I've turned a few pages back in Cat Bordhi's book, and plan to start with the Simple Sock in Three Sizes instead of the Cable Top Sock, so I'll be picking up some yarn at the lys as well. TOFUtsies? We'll see. Meanwhile the ribbed hat in Lion Homespun I was making for my brother has turned out a little too small. Another children's FO. Sheesh.

Zig Zag Prototype Hat Complete

I've completed my first orginial pattern. And something just ain't right. Not quite long enough and too scrunchy at the crown. I'll need to fiddle some more with the Zig Zag Baby Hat pattern before starting it. In the mean time, I think I'll visit the LYS tomorrow for some inspiration (perhaps start the blanket I've been dreaming of?) and wait for my Knit Picks order to arrive. With any luck I'll be starting my first socks next weekend!

Currently Underway

Before I finalized the pattern for the Zig Zag Baby Hat, I started with my current WIP. At first it was, "Hey, I'll try this, I've gotta start somewhere," but now it's more like, "What the hell am I doing?" and, "I hope it's finished someday and actually looks like a hat someone can wear..." Yeah, it's that bad. I had a nifty little pattern to work from, and after 2 repeats of the zigging and zagging, it's definitely too big for a baby or child, and too short for an adult. So I'll be throwing in one more zig and then we'll have another look at it. If it seems like something I can wear from there, we'll start our decreases (now off by 10 rows, sheesh). I've also decided the the color isn't quite right - too much variation to really appreciate the pattern. And oh yeah, I started it thinking I would purl the background and knit the pattern, but turns out I'm just knitting an inside-out hat. Interesting. I am still excited at all the great stuff I'm learning!

Completed Projects!

Drumroll, please! After much anticipation, I have finally photographed all my completed projects and am prepared to post them here. In an effort to maintain an accurate timeline, I will post most recent to first.

This is the Twisted Rib Watch Cap. Click here for the pattern. I used Wool-Ease Worsted Weight in Forest Green Heather. My second project on circs, it took me FOREVER to cast on 116 stitches without losing count and the Twisted Knit Stitch was a surprising hurdle to me - but I persevered and now it seems too easy. Many thanks to Mr. Wooden Vase for his modeling acumen.

Next we have the Boucle Rolled Brim Hat. I purchased the yarn first and then found the pattern here. The yarn is Lion Boucle in Parfait - perfect for my baby niece. This hat was my first project on circular needles and required the use of double pointed needles which I had to learn on the go. (So what if I was finishing it up at work - I was on a roll!) Thank you to my childhood friend, Baby Tangerine, for all her efforts on this project. Her sacrifices were greatly appreciated.

And for my mother we have a lovely scarf using Lion Brand's Homespun in Barley and the oh-so-simple Garter Stitch. The "pattern" was on the packaging and required knitting with both ends of the yarn at the same time, adding to its "chunky" appearance. It was a last-minute project as I headed out of town for a football game. Thanks to US 19 needles, it was a breeze! I feel bad for giving my mother something so simple, so I'll be working madly to try to come up with something "better" for her. Perhaps if my new sock book arrives in time I will make her a pair! We'll see.

And finally, or rather, first, we have a delightful little number I completed without pattern or plan. When I decided to give knitting a second go, I was surprised to find an entire ball of yarn in my craft box, undoubtedly left over for "sizing" someone's high school class right to fit my finger. Oh the things we do for love. Anyway, I was pleased to find such a large quantity and not knowing what on earth I was really doing, I cast on 20 stitches and began practicing a 2x2 rib pattern. Off and running, without a care in the world, excited to be at it again, I knitted and purled my way to one incredibly long, horribly skinny scarf. In navy blue. I used up all the yarn and decided, as it was my first completed project, it would become a child's scarf. Or a toy for the cats. We'll see. Here it is, in all its glory. My first completed knitting project [Pats herself on the back]. Thanks again to Baby Tangerine without whom none of this would be possible.

So there you have it folks. You're all caught up. Please check the links for more completed projects as they are added to my Picasa album.

Sock Races

It's time to learn. After visiting Knit Picks and falling victim to their yarn clearance, I've ordered a few balls and a pattern/how to book.

Socks Soar on Two Circular Needlesby Cat Bordhi

"This technique from Cat will change your sock knitting life. If you're tired of double-pointeds, try two circulars! You'll be amazed how fast it is with so many fewer "intersections". Cat takes you step by step through the process, helping you make sense of which needle is which and how to build the sock anatomy on two circulars. An added benefit of this method is that you can try your sock on at any time to make sure your gauge is correct and that it fits. If you use this method in public, you will get lots of curious glances and questions - spread the love of knitting! Once mastered for socks, you can easily use this technique for any project of small circumference like mittens, gloves, hats and neck bands."

What's funny is that I've never actually knitted a sock, ever, on double pointeds or otherwise. In fact, I've only used dpns 2 times to finish my beginner hats. But it sounds like fun, and I want to badly to learn socks, so I'm going to give it a try. I've purchased the yarn (on sale!) and will try this sock:I can't wait! I've also purchased a few other balls of various things, hoping to get my stash populated. I'll post pics of everything when it arrives.

You can see that I've gone a little crazy with blog rings and links. I really put them on there for me - so I'll have quick access to the places I like to hang out - they will definitely aid my browsing and shopping habit. I just hope the rings accept me! I want them to like me! I want to be cool!

I've still not posted pictures of my FOs! I'm just not sure how to photograph them, and I don't want them to look bad. They're nothing fancy, but they were my first projects; they're important to me. I anticipate a very busy blog-updating weekend so stay tuned.

My first pattern!

Okay, if you're bored, curious or daring, I invite you to try out a pattern I designed for this hat.The picture is a little hard to see, so I'm really only guessing at what it should look like. I found a better picture than the one I had originally posted, so I was able to see some things a little better. The pattern is only complicated because every single row is different, so I've written it out completely and included an image. The decreases follow the Twisted Rib Watch Cap pattern I used for my Dad's hat, so I just hope they work for this one. If you do check it out, please feel free to make comments - I'm new so I need all the help I can get! I'll post pics as I get it going.

Is it bad to work on your blog at work? I'm constantly reading blogs and visiting online stores, and I can't help but think about knitting all day. So a constructive use of that time, I've decided, is keeping my blog up to date. I've recently joined a few blog rings, and they all say you have to post all the time...so I'm trying! If only I had my camera and my knitting - I could post my current and completed projects!

First purchase!

So what if it's my mom's best friend! She's an avid knitter currently living in Germany - maybe she'll show them off to her new knitting friends and next thing you know, I'll be world-wide!

Also - I need to figure out how to join a knitblog ring. It's on the To Do List for the week...

I'm online!

The Etsy account is setup! I got 7 sets of stitch markers up before my camera battery died. There are three more to come. Please stop by and peruse the selection!

If you post it... Does that make it an official Knitting Blog?

I've been going back and forth for a week about posting knitting chit chat here, on this otherwise un-specific blog. I spose today's the day I launch myself into the official knit-blogosphere. Here I come!

First of all, I've been knitting, as you know, for a few weeks. In that time I've completed two scarves and two hats. I'm not completely pleased with the latest hat - it's supposed to be for my dad but I'm afraid it's a tad (haha) to small. I could be wrong; I plan to have my husband try it on for show. I also have a couple plumpkins that would do the trick. I just hope it's big enough.

Secondly, I'm distracted from my gift-knitting trying to develop a pattern for a child's hat I found while surfing the web months ago. I've searched and searched for a suitable pattern, and have resorted instead to drawing up my own. Only problem is - I have no clue what I'm doing. I've only ever used two patterns (the hats) and they were "Knit a lot and then decrease a few times." This hat appears to be a little harder. Obviously, what attracted me to the hat is the neato zig zag pattern. Trouble is, I can't be sure exactly how it's done - this is the only picture and it's as big as I can make it while maintaining any clarity. I've decided it's a knitted zig over a purled background, and that's all I've got so far. Point is, I'm going from scratch. I can't even be sure I've chosen the right yarn! I mean, I barely know the difference in weights, so I'm not venturing into the world of nice yarn just yet. I'm getting my goods from Michaels. It feels like I'm having an affair on my LYS, but I just don't want to spend any real money until I'm sure I know what I'm doing. Does that make me a yarn slut? Getting it cheap and easy? I guess it might, but that's all I have for now. Until I'm churning out socks and sweaters and gifts this'll just have to do.

Also, in news, I've made some fabulous stitch markers that I plan to peddle on Etsy. I'll post a link to my store as soon as I've set it up. Of course pictures of them and completed projects are soon coming. I've been out of town every weekend for months so I'm incredibly delinquent in downloading, sorting and posting photos from the camera. I'll be busy with that this weekend.

On a non-knitting note, I've recently been contacted or reached out to a few friends from high school. (The miracles of Facebook and MySpace!) It's invigorating remembering times spent as a youngin'. Many people are exactly where I left them - some are still living at home. Why do some people move on and grow up and others don't? I attended two high schools, one in Virginia and one in Alaska. I'm surprised to find that many of my friends from VA are still at home while many of my AK classmates are explorers. The people I associated with in VA didn't go to college. The people in AK did, for the most part, and many out of state (a necessity if you want a diverse experience). Why? Why was one group so drastically different from the others? Am I not the same person? Anyway, just asking.

Officially a Knitter!

It only took a few minutes on the web to remember the basics and I was off and running. Luckily I had a skein of old yarn (I think I bought it in highschool?) lying around so I grabbed it and started practicing. Next think I knew, I was looking at a long, skinny, childsized scarf. But at least it's a finished project - officially my first! I immediately ran out to the fabric store and picked up some more yarn, new needles, and began my second project - yup, another scarf. This one is really pretty and I'm planning to give it to my mom for Christmas - I know she'll love it. My third is an adorable boucle hat for my baby neice - I just hope it fits! I've now started my fourth project, another hat, but this one is much bigger (116 stitches vs. 42!) and has a tricky new stitch I had to learn. I'm feeling really good about it - it looks great so far! This one's for my dad, a tightly knit twisted rib watch cap, as requested. I hope it works out - and fits! If not, I can make a bigger one and give this one to a youth? Pictures of my finished projects are coming soon!
I've lived in Athens for two and a half years. I had some great friends at my previous job but since then haven't been able to meet too many people. So I've been lonely and trying to come up with ways to meet people and make friends. The desire for companionship was half of my inspiration for starting to knit (again). And it worked! I emailed a co-worker last week and inquired about a knitting group. She told me there were quite a few ladies around that knit, and that they were planning to get together Wednesday night and have a Knit Night. I was thrilled and immediately confirmed I'd be there! So there we were, six women, sitting around, chatting, knitting, sharing tips, projects, and inspiration. It was just what I was looking for. I couldn't be more thrilled. I look forward to many more evenings with the lovely ladies of our knitting group!

What is a hobby anyway?

I flitter around from one passion to another like a leaf fallen from a tree.

One moment I fantasize about learning to kayak and paddling the great waterways of the US and the world. The next day I swear I'll pull out my guitar, have it re-strung, and really learn it this time. Next thing you know I'm scouring knitting websites for patterns, knitting bags and trinkets. I love to hike, I love to read, I love to spend time with my dogs.

But when the day is done, I barely have energy to cook dinner and then I'm crashed on the couch by 9:30 in front of Hannity and Colmes.

I walk my dogs at least 2 miles every morning but it's too hot to walk or throw the ball in the evening - still in the 90's until after 8:00. Playing guitar causes painful blisters then calluses that discourage me from practicing. I've never had a lesson in proper knitting so my hands get cramped and tired. I have a business plan 3/4 finished but lack the funds (save my father's gracious seed money) to make it a reality and with the looming threat of motherhood I'm afraid I'll never make my business dreams reality. I need to get to the gym and I need to return to my yoga practice.

I thought when we moved to a new home life would settle out and I'd have a better idea of my schedule and my daily responsibilities. Yet I feel like every other day I'm stopping at the grocery store for something and sitting in traffic and being exhausted at 6:30, neglecting my dogs and cats. I'm frustrated that I sit at work all day with only 1-2 hours of actual work every 2-3 days - I feel like I'm wasting my life away in front of this computer. I believe I'm becoming dumber. Even if I am getting paid I feel like I'm doing myself a disservice.

Should I bring a book to work? What about a knitting project of some scrapbooking? I could work on the business plan.

I will bring a book tomorrow and I will not scan the web for meaningless drivel. Today is the first day of a new outlook on this job. I'm here to work when there is work to be done. I will be here for only a short while (less than 2 years) and then my life's responsibilities will change drastically. Perhaps I should prepare for that today instead of wasting all these hours. I never would have thought I would feel this way about a job that pays more than twice what I made last year and the year before - Combined. But this too shall pass.

Dog Daze

These are two of the loves of my life. I am touched by every moment they share with me. When I'm away from home, I long for them. They have changed me.

Today I read a book that was written by a dog. Well, not actually by the dog, but she was the inspiration. I purchased the book 2 years ago, and as I am currently unpacking my office, I sat for a moment to re-read it.

Author Dean Koontz had a golden retriever named Trixie. She was a retired service dog, and she was quite a girl. In 2004 he published a book all about her. It's made up of lovely photos and silly "dog speak" and it's touching, especially to people familiar with goldens. After reading it today I thought I'd look them up, to see how Trixie was doing. Sadly I found that Trixie was laid to rest on June 30, euthanized due to a catastrophic battle with cancer, at the age of 11. Reading her "words" and seeing her lovely face, made me think of my own golden girl, just five years old, and I was moved to tears. How do they do that to us? They're only dogs. And if I'm this attached to a furry friend I was given as a gift, what will I be like when I actually give birth to a human? I'm excited and anxious.

If you'd like to read about Dean and Trixie Koontz

If you'd like to read about Canine Companions for Independence

Names

Some people may think otherwise, but I don't see any harm in choosing names for unborn children years in advance. Coming up with just the right name is a difficult thing to do, and I believe it deserves a great deal of attention and consideration. I myself have gone through many names. I've let some of them go due to lack of approval (my mother for the name of my father's 1st girlfriend after their divorce), and changes in trends and fads - as I constantly try to be as un-trendy as possible. I believe I (my husband has yet to hear them) have finally come up with the perfect set of names that will allow us to be relaxed and comfortable in naming the child as soon as he or she makes his or her first appearance. I do not anticipate learning the sex of our child until the big day, so I plan to keep the names a secret from my family and friends. I have not divulged the existence of this blog to them as of yet, and therefore feel quite comfortable sharing the names here, in complete anonymity.

The first names were chosen for their sophistication as well as nickname-ability. My children will be well-mannered and intelligent, but they will also enjoy as much fun as my husband and I can muster up for them. I love names with many syllables, and prefer nicknames with more than one syllable as well. My husband has only mentioned one name to me in 4 years, and as it came out on a particularly memorable night (New Year's Eve 2005), it has remained in my mind ever since. I don't think he knows I remember, but I hope he still likes the name! Middle names are quite a different story. A few of the middle names are significant to our families and others are still open for debate. We plan to have just 2 children, so I've come up with 2 boys and 2 girls names, and the order in which they will be used. Here they are:

If we have a boy first, his name will be ******** Spiers.

Our first daughter will be named ****** Grace.

If the second child is a boy, his name will be ****** [ ].

If we have two daughters, the second will be named Caroline [ ].

For boy middle names I prefer Charles or Raymond, but my husband has never approved of them. Without them, I truly am at a loss. For Caroline, I really love Elaine, but I'm afraid Caroline Elaine might be weird, though beautiful. Maybe Caroline Rose? But I fear that combination is just too Southern. I guess I'm not ready to have a second child yet!

If for some reason we decide to have three, I suppose we'll have to come up with more names!

Edited 10/19/07: As this blog is near to going public the names of the innocent have been removed to protect their identities. And mommy-name-stealing.

We're In!

You wouldn't believe me if I told you how crazy this week has been. The buyers for our home were insane, inconsiderate, a**holes. It was unreal. In fact, though we signed the paperwork Tuesday and have actually moved in to our new home, their loan still has not been funded!!! I don't know what that means for us, as far as liability, but my husband says were in the clear so I'm just going to forget about them and focus on our new home!

It's an amazing house; two stories, 3/4 acre yard (fenced in back), with a gourmet kitchen and fantastic screened-in porch, as well as many other exciting features. We moved to this town a little over 2 years ago, and began looking for a home in October of 2004. We were forced to buy a home that needed lots of work in a neighborhood we didn't like, because pickin's were slim. But we've never stopped looking, so when this house came along we literally jumped at it! My husband contacted the sellers immediately and we began negotiating even before we'd secured the sale of our own home. Our crazy buyers finally signed an offer and we were off and running. Now we're in our new home and couldn't be happier! The dogs are a little sad because our yard is almost 1/3 what it used to be, but were on a safer street, and much closer to both of our jobs. I am certain they will grow to love it as much as we do.

I guess the only thing left to do is unpack and get pregnant! I have already started making plans for the baby's room, setting it up now as a guest room that will be easy to convert to a bedroom next year. I'm much more excited about having a baby than I thought I would be. I thought I would be scared, or nervous, but honestly I'm ecstatic. I haven't really talked with anyone in my family about our baby plans, but a few friends have commented that they too are excited about the idea of a little "neice" or "nephew," so it's all starting to become real.

On to more substantial topics. I have a grave concern for the welfare and safety of our country regarding the infiltration of Islamic idealists. Ibrahim Hooper, the head spokesperson of CAIR (Council on America-Islamic Relations), has said, "I wouldn't want to create the impression that I wouldn't like the government of the United States to be Islamic sometime in the future...But I'm not going to do anything violent to promote that. I'm going to do it through education." Education? As far as I've seen, the only so-called "education" that CAIR has had any part in has been LITIGATION. Suing those folks, and that place, for not having Muslim-friendly this or that. CAIR, and other Islam-pushing groups, have used "separate but equal" to the point of forcing our government (primarily state, which is of course, funded by YOU and ME) to construct foot baths, change classroom schedules and cafeteria menus in order to prevent a Muslim from being offended. Excuse me, but whatever happened to the First Amendment?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

Don't misunderstand me, I am not one of the many mis-informed who believes the First Amendment equals the "separation of church and state." That, if you'll read it again, is not what the First Amendment states. It says the government will not ESTABLISH a state religion. The thing is, when the government pays for things for a specific religious group, that's EXACTLY what it's doing. Allowing a courthouse to display a Christian sculpture that was donated by a church, or allowing high school kids to meet after class for Bible study is not the same thing as using tax-payer money to establish Muslim-only areas, Muslim-friendly menus and other Sharia law-based regulations. Creating a prayer room at a manufacturing plant is one thing, creating a separate Muslim-only prayer room is unacceptable.

If you don't think CAIR and others are trying every day, little by little, to push and push their way into our legal system, than you are dangerously mistaken. Believe me, if such a thing were to happen at my workplace, or my child's school, I'd be gone in a heartbeat. It is not acceptable and should be watched more carefully. For our Country's sake.

Getting Ready

We're having a baby! Well, not anytime soon, but let's just say the beginning's are upon us. We're going to start trying next spring, so I'm off The Pill and have cut back on drinking. I'll wait until closer to time for a full detox; most likely in January and then monthly until we get pregnant.

With much excitement, I have already started doing some research on the varied professionals' advice on what to do and what not to do. I have made a few decisions but many things are still up in the air. I plan to use cloth diapers rather than disposables to save space in the landfills. We have discussed exploring Elimination Communication - an ancient practice of learning the elimination habits of your child in order to prevent the use of diapers completely. One of the exciting aspects of EC is that the child eventually uses the toilet much earlier than the modern American practice of teaching a child to eliminate in their pants for 2-4 years and then trying to convince them they should now use the toilet instead. Also called Infant Potty Training, it is a lot of work, but the outcome seems wonderful! I've visited a few message boards and families really love EC, so I'm very excited to try it, I just hope my family is open to it!

Breast-Feeding, Co-Sleeping, Baby-Wearing, Home-Schooling. There are so many things to consider. I only hope we have the sense to keep the child grounded and well-adjusted.

After a while

I've been away, and I regret it. Life is everchanging and recently I'm struggling to keep up.

My husband and I are selling our home. It's been a long hard struggle, but we finally have an offer on the table which should hold and we should be out in 17 days. I am excited and stressed. We plan to stay in this town for up to 5 more years, and finding a home that will fulfill our needs and benefit us financially has been nearly impossible. Fortunately, just when we thought we would never find anything that met our strict requirements, we found 4! If it's not one thing it's another.

We were finally able to make an offer and have a contract on our next home! We're making arrangements for the move and for the new furniture we have to buy. Before long we'll be sending our change-of-address. Terribly exciting!

Everything is Political

I did not intend to use this platform as a place to him and haw about politics, but this particular subject has become so distorted by the media that our general public has lost all useful information, and our conservative friends have become so bitter towards the so-called environmentalists that I am afraid destruction is our only solution. Additionally, as a U.S. presidential debate is warming up, the faithful servants of that government have lost all interest in learning the facts and are only too excited to throw us full-force into a socialist regime, and I cannot possibly keep my mouth shut any longer. For weeks I've come across bits and pieces here and there that make my blood boil, and have refused to soil the good intentions of this blog. But I am sorry. I cannot, in good conscience, allow my fellow human's bad acts go un-commented upon any longer. My close friends and colleagues have grown quite tired of my impassioned discourse, and are now refusing to mention even slightly controversial topics in my presence. Perhaps it is better that I indulge my obsession here, in the anonymity of the world wide web and leave my friends at peace. Of course, if the subject is as pressing as it must be to instigate a truly passionate tirade, does it not deserve to be addressed publicly?

In the mean time, here goes nothing:
I think it is important that we all take a step back and consider the motivation behind the Global Warming Movement. When one takes a moment to reflect upon the facts and the background of the parties involved, it becomes quite clear that we, as humans, are being carefully lead astray. We are being told that the advancement of technology and industry are the direct (and ONLY) causes of catastrophic weather phenomena. We are being told that despite the advances in medicine and science that have allowed us to live longer and fuller lives, what we really need to do is "return to our roots" and abandon our cars and our air conditioning and live like our peasant ancestors. One third of the Earth's population lives in poverty, disease and death that could be healed or prevented with electricity, but instead we allow our "leaders" and environmental activists to establish solar power in remote villages because it is deemed "Earth-Friendly," regardless of its efficiency. Never mind that only a minuscule fraction of the wealthy population of the world has even considered implementing such a costly and poor-performing power source in their own homes. And never mind that many of these un-industrialized nations have fuel lying just beneath the surface of their lands.

What will it take to awaken ourselves to the reality that is the Radical Environmental Movement? When will people realize that what we are being sold as the truth is nothing more than a re-alignment of Communist sympathizers from one Anti-Capitalist movement to another?

Do the research and turn off your television. The truth is out there.

New Life

I visited the little girl today! She's a beautiful little baby, round and warm, cuddly and cooing the whole time we were there. Mom seems well; confident and tired. Dad is excited to help and share in the new responsibilities, and the tired family seems ready to tackle this exciting life change. Mom and Dad will have many weeks off from work to adjust to their new addition, something they both look forward to and deserve. We are all excited to be a part of this new change.

After the visit my mother asked me if seeing them made me want to have a child. My husband and I are planning to have a family, and to get started in the next few years. And while my friend's experience has certainly made the whole thing that much more real for me, I don't feel any pressure or increased desire after seeing them. I feel confident; prepared both emotionally and psychologically. Our time will come and I'm in no hurry.

If I Could

new life makes losing life easier to understand

I actually do remember the first time I heard Jack Johnson's 2005 album, In Between Dreams. Many of the lyrics spoke so strongly to my life at the time, I felt like I could relate directly to each song. But it wasn't until this weekend that I realised just how closely to Track #10. It's a very simple song, only two verses, about the constant necessity of one life to pass away so that another can be born. The lyric creates in me an image of a scale seeking balance, adding and removing, giving and taking away.

Two weeks ago both of my grandmothers were admitted to hospitals on either end of the country. My mother, a certified medical transcriptionist and familiar with many things medical, flew 3,000 miles without hesitation to be with her mother; no idea of my grandmother's actual condition. And my father, who was already visiting his own mother, attempted to translate the intense medical jargon with little or no insight, all the while constantly emailing the rest of us to inform us as best he could of her condition. For the first few days, neither my mother, nor my father, now divorced, new of the other's mother's condition. Needless to say, it was a terrifying week. My brothers and I were forced to stay behind and wait for phone calls, never knowing what we might hear. Each woman's condition was utterly confusing (even to their doctors) and for a short time we had little or no information other than, "She's doing fine." At last the confusion and misinformation has finally given way to a practical understanding of each woman's condition, thanks in no small part to my husband's wealth of clinical knowledge, albeit veterinary rather than human. My mother's mother has a promising prognosis; her recent radiation therapy for cervical cancer was a success, and she is, at this time, cancer-free. She told me she expects to live "at least 5-10 more years, maybe even 15!" Unfortunately, the outlook is not so bright for my father's mother. A woman of great strength and pride, she has never been one for "drastic measures." Diagnosed with leukemia, her doctors have given her 6 months to 1 year to live. Chemotherapy could extend that time, and has the potential to force her cancer into remission, but the success rate in people of her age is so small, she has elected to decline the treatment. So in just a few weeks, my brothers and I will be descending upon her to tell her we love her and to begin the long process of saying goodbye to woman we have known and loved for so long.

One of my dearest friends, a former college roommate, is expecting her first child literally, any day now. She and her husband were married the summer after graduation and have been eagerly awaiting their little one's arrival with anticipation and excitement. Her skills as a mother were obvious to all of us from the very beginning of our friendship. She's smart and witty, and has a heart as big as anyone I've ever had the pleasure to know. I have no doubt that she and her husband will offer everything they have to this child, and will raise her to be an incredible and intelligent woman. Melissa is a wonderful, beautiful woman; the perfect example of what we future mommies strive to be, and I cannot wait to welcome her little girl into the world.

As one dear loved one prepares to leave my life, another is introduced. This is a year that may be marked by my grandmother's passing, but it will also be a year to welcome new life. I am determined to be mindful of both.

The People Want to Know

You've heard it all before, "I don't usually do this kind of thing..." But really, I really am new to this. I've had a profile on MySpace for about a year, and I can honestly say it's been addicting. And while I have taken to the keyboard a time or two to express a truly exciting or frustrating day or idea, I haven't relied on MySpace for much more than communication with family and old friends almost-forgotten. So I've turned now to a more private, more personal medium to express and explore my thoughts. In addition, I think a new life deserves a new look. So here you will find the latest on-goings in my somewhat interesting journey of life. Topics may range anywhere from life as a newlywed woman, the pros and cons of international relocation, life, death, taxes (no kidding), a possible small-business endeavor... Who knows where we'll end up. Stay tuned.