Poor Sis

Sis is sick.  Way sicker than she's been in a long time.  It started with the sniffles, and then of course, got worse.  She started throwing up, and everything was bad.  The doctor diagnosed her with bronchitis and sinusitis.  But unfortunately, she was also still throwing up.  Because she couldn't keep anything down, she got really dehydrated.  With the sickness, and the dehydration, and the throwing up, there came a migraine.  But she couldn't do anything to combat the migraine because of all the other things.  

We ended up in the emergency room Thursday night because the pain was so very bad.

After an insanely long wait, during which she was crying and begging me to take her home, she was finally seen by the doctor.  Two hours, a half a liter of saline, some anti-nausea meds, and something for the pain later, and it was like she was a brand new person.  The pain was gone, and she was tired, but acting like herself again.  

She's getting better every day.  Still very sick, but she's better than she was two days ago. 

Which is why the relatives are still arriving today instead of cancelling their trip.  

So yes, house is going to be invaded again.  But with Sis sick, it's going to fall to me to pick up the Sis slack.  So, you know, socializing.  But fortunately, everyone is pretty able to entertain themselves so I don't have to chase after anyone or keep them occupied.  

It's still too cold, but I'm dealing as best I can.  

Knitting on a scarf right now, because now that the interesting part of the hat is done, it's sort of boring.  I'm trying to decide if I want to put some sort of patterning in or not.  Until I decide, it's sitting on the table and waiting.  When I get my new needles (I ordered a very exciting set of interchangeable needles from Addi and I can't freaking wait to get them!) it'll be the thing I work on.  One of the needles I have on the hat right now I don't like, so that, and trying to decide on pattern, is my excuse for leaving it as it is.  Since the needles may be arriving as early as next week, I'll have to make some decisions soon.  Until then, it can sit and I can work on the scarf.

It's not anything complicated, just a simple basket weave pattern, but the yarn changes color and that's always fun.  As I go along, I keep thinking, oh, I'll just do it until the next color comes up.   But at least it gives it a little flavor.  lol.  I didn't buy enough yarn, sadly.  But I just today got an email from my LYS saying that their big birthday sale is going on tomorrow, so I figure I'll pop over there and get some more, and 20% off to boot!  That's a good thing.

Here's wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!

Too Cold and Other Stuff

I thought I was pretty inured to the cold.  I've lived here my entire life, it's always been like this, I thought I was used to it.  But this below zero weather?  Yeah, I've had enough. It's too dang cold.  Can I have my 20s back please?  

Brub is being sworn in today, and he'll officially be a lawyer.  I have to go to work, so sadly I won't get to watch, but Tato and Mum are going and Tato agreed to take pictures if he could.  It's a big deal, and I'm proud of Brub.  

I've implemented a time budget!  Can you believe it?  Finally!  lol.  Okay, so it's still a little, shall we say, flexible.  I think it needs to be because you know what happens when I make plans.  But I've got all the important things in there, the things I need and want to do.  And largely it consists of: when I get home from work I do X on a certain day.  It's been working for a few days.  So I'm going to keep at it.  Today, being Wednesday, means that when I get home, I write.  

Now the computer is near the window, and that makes things a big chilly, but I will deal.  I have my fingerless mitts, slippers, and a wrap.  So I think I'll be able to work.  As long as my brain doesn't freeze, that is.

Mondays means writing or reading, depending on what needs to get done.  Tuesdays are reserved for reading/reviewing.  Wednesdays I write.  Thursdays I yarn (and will be continuing work on my hat).  Fridays are more of a free day, in which I will do one of the three depending on either what needs to get done or what I feel like doing.  Saturdays there's sister time, but after that (or before) there is reading and/or writing.  And on Sundays is another free sort of day, where I read, write and/or yarn, again depending on what needs to get done and what I feel like.  So far, it's been working pretty well, though this past Saturday and Sunday got switched.  I'm going to try very hard to continue on this way.  

It works well in the regard that I can view it as rewards as well.  If I'm in the mood to yarn, but I need to read or write instead, then I tell myself, get through this, get your stuff done, and then you can yarn on this day.  I'm finding it to be a good motivation.  

So that's the report from my corner.  I'm freezing, but I'm doing okay.

How about you all?  Things going well with you?

Happy New Year

I'm always a fan of the phrase, "Start the way you aim to go."  So we're starting this year off with a post.  And I'm going to try to be better about it than I have in the past few months!

Also with that idiom in mind, I'll be spending the day (once I finish this post) writing and cleaning, with maybe some yarning thrown in at the end.  

I got way too drunk way too fast last night.  It was supposed to be all of us doing that, but somehow I was the only one that ended up toasted.  Ah well.  I ended up in bed about 11, and for a little bit it was touch and go as to whether all the junk food I ate was going to play well with all the wine I drank.  Fortunately, it was all good, I fell asleep, and was dead to the world as the clock rolled over into a new year.  I wasn't upset about it.  New year was going to happen whether I was awake to see it or not.  

But I spent the evening with my family, and it was good.  We played some games and ate a lot of food and just generally had a fantastic time.  

So I rang in the new year completely asleep.  But I woke up this morning feeling good and focused and ready to work.  And that, right there, is a good place to be.

Happy December!

It's December!

I love December!

Even though, for the moment, the snow has melted away, it's crisp and cold and soon it will start falling again.  I have almost all of the decorations up.  The tree is lighted and waiting for ornaments.  And all of that just brings me great cheer.

I have a couple of packages ready to go that I'll be dropping in the mail this week.  Hoping they get to their destinations on time.  Okay, I'm only worried about the one as it has a long way to go and a particular deadline.  But it will arrive in time, as long as I get my bum to the post office.

I've broken out the Christmas movies to watch while I yarn.  I spent the weekend with some animated classics, and I'll be moving into cheesy holiday romances this week.  I'm looking forward to it immensely.  I have a few great stories waiting to be read as well.  

This past Sunday, we had beautiful weather for our drive to Massachusetts to see my nephew and celebrate his fist birthday!  His actual birthday is Friday.  He's such a joy and a love, and though we drove ten hours (there and back) for a three hour party, it was worth it to see him.  And fortunately, it wasn't as bad as some of our other trips have been.  It wasn't great, no, but seeing that baby and getting loves was a very good thing.  We're actually hoping there will be a trip in this direction in the coming weeks so we can show him off to our family here.  Fingers crossed.

Happy December everyone!  Soak in the Christmas cheer!

Take time today to remember all you are thankful for!

A Goal

Yesterday, on my day off, I woke up at pretty much the regular time.  Turned off my alarm and the dozed for a bit.  Woke up for real about a half an hour later, and then just kind of lazed in bed for a while.  That, right there, was glorious.

When I didn't have to make an effort to throw back the blankets, I got up and got coffee.  Then, with my coffee in hand, I sat at my computer. Two hours later, I'd had two cups of coffee and a cup of tea, and had written 2k words.  

I wish that was my every day.

It was wonderful to just stay in my jammies and still be productive.  

I wrote until about 11:30.  I had taken the day off so that I could go to Sis's doctor's appointment with her because she didn't want to go alone.  (There was a thing, she's fine, it was just a little nervous-making and she needed some support)  After the appointment, we went out to lunch.  Then I wrote a bit more, and took a wee nap (way shorter than usual).

Can I just say again I wish that was my every day?

Well, that's the dream anyway.  I don't know if I can make it an actual reality, but it's a goal.  I'd love not to have to cram the writing in on nights and weekends, around all the other stuff that I need to accomplish.  That would be awesome.  Make writing the daytime thing, yarn and errands around that.

Someday, eventually.  I'm working towards it.  

Yay Brubby!

After three grueling years of hard study, after graduating magna cum laude and number 7 in his class, after worrying and fretting and working his butt off three months ago, the results have finally arrived.

Brubby passed the bar exam!  

There's a few more steps before he's officially admitted to the bar, but there's no worries about that.

My brother, the lawyer.  

I'm a proud sister right now. 

Sister Time!

So, Sis and I had extra sister time this past weekend.  Started with dinner out on Friday night, just because.  Then Saturday we hit the craft store and then had lunch out.  It was really good food.  Both times.  

While at the craft store, Sis bought a ginormous crochet hook.  The biggest they make.  And really fat yarn.  And then, she crocheted a wrap while I crocheted on a blanket and we watched West Wing.

 Comparison of one strand of the fat yarn, next to a single strand of regular, standard medium weight yarn.  Huge right?  Ginormous.  But that's okay, because it works up really quick.

 See how big this freaking hook is?  Do you remember my really big knitting needles?  It's about the same size, roughly an inch in diameter.  And you can see how it all works up, how big the stitches are.  How quickly you can make a 36" by 25" wrap.

And this?  This is the wrap.  Which is so warm and cozy it's ridiculous. And also mine.  Did I mention that part?  No?  Well it is!  She made it just for me!  Technically, she gave it to me as my birthday present, and said she did better than I did (yes, she did.  It only took her six and a half months, instead of the 11 months it took me for the first time, and the 10 it took me the second time)  And it's mine, and Sis made it for me.  For me!  Some actually yarned for me!

Surviving and The Wait

You'll all be happy to know that I survived the weekend.  Mostly, the girls were all over Sis and that gave me ample opportunity to hide.  Not that I was invited along anyway, and mostly I didn't want to be, so it was okay.  I would have liked to be invited to the book store, but since I don't have any extra money to spend right this moment anyway, I let the hurt go on that pretty quickly.  It was good to see them, and the little one (she's ten) told me I should write about finding a young man finding a skeleton in the woods.  When he doesn't know what to do, he buries it, only for it to come to life and come after him.  She's got quite and imagination...I think she could be an author herself someday.

I have today off of work as well.  Yesterday was glorious, and I was so very lazy, so that was good.  Today, I'm drinking my coffee of deliciousness, and waiting for the next disappointing clue for the CAL to go live.  Then I'll work that up quickly and add it to my scarf.  After that, I intend to write.  I think I've got a bit of mojo back, and the beginnings of a long novella in my brain.  I'm not quite sure where it's going to go yet, there's still some plot points I need to work out, but I feel good about it.  We shall see, hm?

I am already dreading going back to work tomorrow, but I'm trying very hard not to let it spoil my day. I'm going to do good and enjoyable things instead, and make the day last as long as I possibly can.  In a couple of weeks, I have another two days off, and that is something to look forward to as well.

But in the meantime, I'm waiting for that next clue (which is frustrating) and then I'll get on with other things.  I have a couple episodes of Treehouse Masters to watch as well.  I'll do that with the yarning.  I really do love that show.  :)

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable week thus far!

Bad News, Good News

So Sis and I have had sister time a lot lately.   Usually that involves a meal out and then hanging out together, yarning and watching TV, or maybe a little shopping.  We've only been doing it for a few months, since early summer, with any sort of regularity, but I've really come to rely on it.  

My sister time is getting usurped this weekend.  And though there's a very good reason, I find myself resentful.  I'm trying not to be, I really am, but I sort of can't help it.

The cousin and her girls are coming in, and the cousin is heading off to visiting with the ailing father of a friend, and leaving the girls with us.  Taking over my house, demanding attention, being...ridiculous.  And they'll be attached to Sis like barnacles.  

Now this last bit is good, because that means I can leave them to their own devices and just do my own thing.  This always makes me happy.  You know I like to be left alone.  But it's bad because I don't get my grounding sister time.  Or if we attempt sister time, then it's two sets of sisters, one of whom is 10 and well...she lives in her own world and while she's adorable, she's also irritating.  Mostly because she demands attention in a way that is more befitting a four year old.  

*heavy sigh*

Okay, I'm aware I'm totally being petulant and not at all acting my age myself.  I'm just disappointed and that makes me revert.  I just need to build a bridge and get over it.

But here's the good news!  I have a couple of days off from work, Monday and Tuesday, which means I have a long weekend and I'm looking forward to that immensely.  Now I'm leery of making any sort of plans.  But there's a couple of things I want to do: treat myself to breakfast from McDonald's.  Read a couple of books I haven't gotten to yet.  Write and yarn.  Drink coffee in my pajamas.  You know, the usual lazing around stuff.  

Everyone have a lovely weekend!

The Hole

So, fall is here.  Which is awesome.  I love this weather, I love this time of year.  It's just the perfect season.  I love the reprieve from the heat and humidity of the summer.  (Spring arriving after the cold of winter is a close second)  And as the days, and especially the nights, get chillier, it's time to break out the warmer wear.  That I especially love.

Last night, it was pretty dang chilly.  I had my fingerless mitts on.  I wore them when I ate dinner because it's too early to turn the heat on, even though it was about 40 degrees.  And then I noticed it.  A hole.  Near the edge of my right mitt.  

Oh No!!

At first, I thought the seam had come apart, which would have been good because I could have fixed that.  But nooooo.  Of course not.  It must have gotten caught on something, because one of the stitches broke.  And knitting, well, it unravels from top to bottom.  So the stitch above it was coming loose as well.  Dammit all to hell!  I wracked my brain, trying to remember if I had any of the yarn left in order to darn the hole closed.  But I couldn't remember, and I wanted it fixed quickly so that it didn't unravel anymore.

Enter Sis to save the day!

I don't sew.  I especially don't sew with a sewing machine.  But Sis?  Sis is a master at the sewing machine.  She took my mitt, and she stitched underneath and above the hole so that even though it's still there, a wee bit, it will not unravel.  It is secure.  And my mitts live longer.  And that makes me happy.  

The Birthday Post

It's the fabulous Tato's birthday today!  Huzzah!

He's my brother, and I love him a lot.  Out of all my siblings, he and I are the most alike.  Yes, it's true, he annoys the piss out of me sometimes...but he's the younger brother and I'm pretty sure that's in his job description. 

We're getting together late tonight when he gets out of work for cake and prezzies.  And then tomorrow, as he doesn't have to work, we're all going out for dinner at one of his favorite restaurants.  

It's all about Tato day!  Yay!

Happy Birthday, brother mine. 

Ren Faire Recap

So yesterday kind of got away from me, what with the napping and all (*G*) and it wasn't until later in the evening that I realized I hadn't put up my Renaissance Faire recap post.  *shakes head*

We got a tiny bit lost on the way there, because the directions were shitty and we thought we were looking for a landmark that we weren't going to see because we came in from a slightly different direction.  Thankfully the GPS on the phone sorted us out and we were good to go.  We arrived only two minutes late.  Now really, there is no "late" because it's an all day affair and people come and go as they please but...

Anyway, we wandered.  We ate.  We saw all sorts of stuff.  Like the caber toss, and the pipe and drum band.  The queen and her court.  Pretty people in pretty clothes and talented artisans at work.  I spent too much money but most of it was on Tato for his birthday later this week.  But the rest was on me.  :)

It was a gorgeous day, and we had a really great time just wandering.  Sis and Toby were ready to go before I was, but we meandered slowly back toward the front gate, and Toby bought a hat, and then they were really ready to go so I conceded.  It ended up that it was a good thing, because we hadn't been gone more than twenty minutes before the sky opened up and let loose a deluge.  We would have gotten soaked.  And I'm sure a great many people did.

The only sad part was that the plot bunnies didn't seem to be out playing on Saturday at all.  I got nothing, or nearly nothing.  It's a rare occurrence, and it was a bit disappointing. But if I'm honest, as I look back on it now, there are few things I could work with...

But it was great, we had a fantastic time,  and I'm so glad we went.  I'd love to go again before it closed for the summer, but I just can't afford it.  *sad face*  Oh well, there's always next year!

Waiting

I hate waiting.  I'm not good at it at all.  And I'm just waiting for Saturday, when I get to dress up and go to the Renaissance Festival with Sis.  I go to work and I come home.  I yarn and read and write.  

But I'm just waiting for Saturday and it sucks.  

In the meantime, the week is dragging by, and I can't believe it's only Wednesday.  It's that funny time thing again.  That thing time does by feeling like it's moving really slowly when you're looking forward to something.  I hate it.  And really, I swear, I suck at waiting.

But it'll get here, and I'll have a great time.  Take pictures and have plot bunnies and eat and revel and it'll be wonderful.  

I'm focusing on some other goals right now to try to take my mind off it.  We'l see if it works.  And I'll share the results.

But right now, I'm mostly just waiting.  

The Weekend

Kinda sorta missed a deadline.  Even though it really wasn't a bit deal at all, I still feel like crap about it.  I had it in my head it was due a certain day, and wasn't paying attention to the date part and well...yeah, I feel like a jerk even though it was unintentional.  Need to get my ducks in better order.  I sort of have this rough and flexible schedule about when I do things...but maybe I need to firm that up a bit.

The good news is that ultimately my weekend was incredibly productive.  I'm still only just over halfway done with my hat, but I did put a few rounds on that.  Worked on a scarf a bit too, just because the yarn feels so fantastic.  Had lunch out with Sis, which is coming to be much more of a regular thing...we just call it sister time and that's really nice.

And I wrote.  I've got that WIP just about ready to go.  It's so close, I can taste it.  I'm just not quite there yet.  Just a wee bit more.  

But I feel very accomplished, and that is a great feeling, so I'm very happy about that.  Now just to keep the momentum going!  And to get things taken care of before deadlines!

Good Times Ahead

Every summer, in a little town not to far away, there is a Renaissance Festival.  The "shire" comes alive with entertainers and vendors and he hillside is transformed into a wonderful flurry of activity and fun.  

Sis and I are headed there next weekend and I can't wait.

We have a fantastic time, just her and I.  We wander at a lazy pace, we see what we want to see, stop when we want to stop, and just enjoy ourselves.  It gets fairly crowded as the day moves on but weirdly, in this one instance, I don't get freaked by all the people.  That's not to say that I don't sometimes need a moment in the quiet, but that's easy to find if I need it.

Yeah, I'm one of those people that does the whole dress up thing.  I have a pretty dress, skirt, and top.  I do up my hairs. I feel pretty when I dress up.  I don't even mind that Sis decidedly does not dress up.  lol.

It's even shaping up to be nice weather, though since it's still 11 days out, that could change.  But as it looks now, it'll be not terribly hot and a bit cloudy, but no rain.  Just how I like it.

And oh, the plot bunnies that run rampant at the Ren Fest are always freaking thrilling to see.  I'll end up staring into space a lot as my mind works, but Sis will keep my feet on the path.

The theme that weekend is Highland Fling, and there will be extra Scottish bits about.  Music and highland games and other little bits that we're both looking forward to.

I'm very excited.  Positively giddy with anticipation.  I can't wait!

Glorious Day

So Sis and I were up and out a reasonable hour this morning.  Found the new location of yarn store without trouble, walked up to the front door to see Lucy (the bulldog) and the owner's son on the wee porch.  Lucy loves people and went nuts.  I gave her lots of pets and told her she was a sweet girl.  I called her by name, which the owner's son thought was funny.  "Oh, so you've been here before huh?"

It's got a different layout inside, but I even like it better.  Still a great little place and lots of new yarns.  I actually fell back on one of my favorites Rowan (I got the color Seasalter) and a couple of balls of Marmot by Berroco (in colorway Spinel).  It's all for me.  I swear up and down.  The Rowan will be made into a hat because I don't have one yet (crazy, because I've made a bunch of them) that's all slouchy so that if I have my hair all down my back or up in a bun, I can wear it no matter what.  And the other is super soft and lovely to the touch, so that's going to be a short scarf/neck warmer.  Also for me.  

I also spent a stupid amount of money on needles, but they are my favorite kind, Addi Turbo, and I needed the sizes so I got them.  I'm well pleased but I have to avoid some frivolous shopping for a while.

After shopping, we went to Target real quick so Sis could pick up some stuff.  And then we went to lunch.  Oh my god.  The food was so good and I ate way too much, and so did Sis and it was all "UUUUUUGGGGGHHHH!" when we were done but it was worth it.  

And then I came home and took a nap.  And that right there was seriously awesome.

But now I'm awake and even though I need to make things that are other, you know, like the BFF's other mitts, or even the shawl I started for myself and didn't finish (I'm frogging that and starting over) I'm going to sit down in a minute and make either the hat or the neck warmer.  Probably the hat.  Cause fun.  I'm going to find something to watch and spend the rest of the evening/night yarning.  It's going to be great.  

The Traverse

So my cousin and her kids showed up on Wednesday night because they were flying out of our airport early the next morning to go back to Colorado for a visit.  

They arrive, hugs and kisses all around, and then my sister says "Your cousin broke her car."

I cocked an eyebrow at Sis.   Sis gave a put upon sigh.  "She was turning onto our street and then, bam! Grinding and squealing."  

I just shook my head.  Couldn't be as bad as all that.  I said, "I'll take a listen when we move the cars around later."

Yep.  Grinding and squealing, and not just a little.  I walked back into the house and said to Sis,  "Your cousin broke her car."

Sis laughed.  "How bad?"

I just shook my head again.  "Bad enough that if she wants it to go to the dealer for repairs, we should have it towed.  It's probably just the ball bearings, which shouldn't have gone on a car that only has 18,000 miles on it, but if it's worse, I don't want to drive it."

So while the cousin is visiting relatives, Sis and I are having her car towed to the dealership so it can get fixed.  

The sad part?  It's a Chevy Traverse, and I absolutely love driving it, and I had permission to do so whenever I wanted while she was gone, except it's now out of commission so I don't get to.  *pout*

The good news?  If it's really just the ball bearings like I think it is, then it's a quick and relatively easy fix.  I'm just glad that I'm not the one to have to pay for it!

Survival of the Fittest

I guess I'm pretty fit because I survived.

Roughly 36 hours after I walked out the door to my home, I walked back in.  I have never been happier to be home in my life.  It felt like I'd been gone a week.

The weekend was pretty much as bad as I expected it to be.  There were some serious moments of hurt.  There were moments when I couldn't understand what we were doing there in the first place.  

But despite the bad and the hurt, there were some really good moments too...fleeting though they were.  And those are the ones that I'm going to hold on to.  Those are the ones that I'm going to remember.  They didn't make it completely worth it, but they go a long way to remembering why I went.  And that's the important part.  

Thanks for all the good wishes and positive vibes y'all sent my way. I needed them, and they helped.  

Dreading...

There's a trip this upcoming weekend.  My nephew is getting christened and...I'm not looking forward to it.  At all.

Do I want to see my nephew?  Oh hells yes.  Of course I do.  He's too damn cute and has the best smile on the face of the planet.  Six months old, and he's got my heart.  It's true.  

But the travel?  The whole big party where I will know practically no one?  Yeah.  Don't want to do that.  

Y'all know I'm not a social creature.  I prefer being in solitude.  I actually get anxiety when there's too big of a crowd.  Even when it's people I know and love.  When it's not?  That's way worse.  

There are other issues, too, that I'm not going to hash out in public, because that's just not cool and I'm not that person.

Suffice it to say that it's going to be a hell of a weekend.  And I'm going to be on the raggedy edge of frayed nerves the whole time. All the good of the weekend is already being outweighed by the bad.  I keep trying to think positively, but honestly, there just isn't much positive about it.  It's going to be hard.  My routine will be upset, there will be crowds, my anxiety will be high.  

I already have a list of the things I will take, to help reduce the stress though.  I'll have my laptop to write and my kindle to read and my yarn to knit and hopefully, it'll help keep me sane.  

For my brother and my nephew, I will endure.  Even though I dread it with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.