Dang It

So, we're celebrating Izzy's birthday tomorrow.  There's movie and then dinner and then back to their place for prezzie's and hanging out.  Except...I'm not going to be done with her present.  

I sort of screwed the pooch on that one.  It's all my fault.  I didn't yarn as much as I should have on the week that I had off--kept having that "there's plenty of time, I'll get to it later" mentality.  So, now I have to show up tomorrow with a promise of a future present.

I think it's worth the wait.  And I know Izzy's totally low key and would be happy to have it whenever.  Plus, that means her birthday gets to happen again, sorta, on a different day.  And that's always fun.  So it'll all work out in the end.

At least it won't be like Sis's birthday present and be ten months late.  Which, yes, okay...better than the year before.  But no, I'll get it finish it up after the holidays and then gift it to her and she will be well pleased.  Of all the presents I've made for birthdays this year, I've managed to get 5 out of the 7 done on time.  One, I even got done way early AND managed to get it mailed so that it arrived in plenty of time.  Which is only like 71% but it's still totally a passing average.

But still, I feel badly about it.  It's one thing to make Sis wait--especially because she insisted on the hugeness of it--it's another entirely to make someone else wait.  But there's nothing to be done about it now.  Unless I can somehow squeeze an extra 24 hours in and not have to eat, sleep, or pee, that is.  Considering I'm not a Time Lord, I'm going to just have to suck up the embarassedness (yeah, I totally made that word up) of it and just admit defeat.  

I'm pretty sure she'll forgive me once she sees the finished product.    

Invisible

You ever feel like you're invisible?  Like you don't matter to the world at large and they can't even see you?  Like everyone who matters to you seems forget you exist for a while?  And then it sort of becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and you do sort of become invisible?

Sometimes, I feel like that.  

Or worse, someone you care about is hurting, and you have no idea how to make it better.  In actuality, you can't make it better because it doesn't work that way.  You try anyway but it doesn't help.  And it's like you're invisible to that person.  Like they can't see you at all.  Like they don't even remember you're there.

Sometimes, I feel like that, too.

But it's all right, actually.  I'll go on being invisible.  But I'll be here.  And when those people remember I am, when that person needs me, I'll become visible again.  And it'll all be good.  

Home Again

My nephew is just beautiful, thank God!  I was afraid that he wouldn't be and I hate it when I have to be all "Oh, isn't you're baby just so cute?!" when they aren't.  It would have sucked worse considering it's my brother's kid.  But he's adorable and so sweet and snuggly.  It was so good to meet him.

Back to work today...which I'm not looking forward to at all.  I really enjoyed my vacation, of course, and after a week of doing nothing, I'm certainly not looking forward to getting back to the rat race.  But I will and hopefully, it'll all settle in nicely.  

I'm going to have to work like mad to get Izzy's present finished by Saturday.  Remind me again why I do this to myself?  Yeah, I'm not sure either.  Somehow, it felt more important to read and write and nap this last week than get anything substantial done on her shawl.  And now I'll have to crochet like mad to get it done in time.  Because I'm fairly certain she suspects what it is and I don't want to disappoint.  I see some long nights in my future this week.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend and that the week ahead goes well!

Hello Nephew!

Off to Massachusetts to see my nephew!

Well, I will be in a few hours and it's a long trip for just one night, but there's no way we can't go give our love to that new bundle of joy. With parents like his, I have no doubt that he'll be in Mensa, surpass his father in how many languages he speaks (Brub is tri-lingual and can get by in at least two others) and do amazing things.  

Promise, I'm not biased! :)

Enjoy your weekend everyone!  See you on the flip side!

Lazy

I can't even begin to tell you just how lazy I've been this week.  It has been utterly glorious!  I've read way more than I should...and wrote a bit...and hardly yarned.  But mostly, I just hung out and did absolutely nothing.  It's been wonderful.  It really has.

I don't even want to think about having to go back to work.

In other news, my nephew has arrived!  Yesterday, at about 5 P.M. and after an emergency C-section (because his arm was blocking his exit) he finally came into the world.  Mother and baby are doing excellently.  He's 7 lbs 6 oz and 20 and a half inches long.  He has a head of dark hair and is utterly adorable.  He actually looks a heck of a lot like Sis and Tato when they were born.  No doubt that kid is related to us.  Brub is over the moon and already in love with his son, which is how it should be.  

So that's all the news I have to report.  Everyone have a lovely weekend!

The Week Ahead

Wow.  Big day yesterday.  And I'm still sort of riding high.

I have the week off and I'm super happy about it.  I didn't actually manage to sleep in, which is okay, but I'm drinking my coffee in my pajamas and that feels like a luxury.  

Sis decided to make some Christmas decorations for her desk at work.  She's actually figuring out and crocheting them herself.  I'm incredibly proud.  She's not one to figure out how things work and though she's been asking my opinion on what and how, I'm just telling her what I think and she's figuring it all out on her own.  We raided my yarn stash so she could get all the colors she needs.  She said it was like going shopping.  I had to grin.  

I have to make a trip to the post office at some point today.  And also make banana bread (because the bananas are overly ripe and need to be turned into bread) but other than that, I have to get yarning.  Izzy's birthday is in a couple of weeks and I haven't made much progress on her shawl.  Needs to get finished, especially because I know she suspects what it is.  Which is fine, but I need to get on it!  I've only got one repeat done.  But I'm making it it with a slightly heavier yarn and a bigger hook than the pattern calls for so I don't think I'll have to do as many repeats as the pattern calls for to get a full sized shawl.  

Really, that's my plan for the week, pretty much.  Spend the whole time in various version of comfy clothes, yarn, write, read.  Maybe do a little cleaning.  A bit of decorating. I might end up having to spend some time babysitting my goddaughter but that would be a treat too.  All in all, just planning on relaxing and taking it easy. 

Hope everyone enjoys their week as well!

Release Day!

Jackson Bennett and Ryan Hennigan met and fell in love while Ryan worked on Jack's family's Christmas tree farm.  Back then, Jack broke his own heart by convincing Ryan to leave to pursue his future.  Ryan went, but only after they made a pact to reunite after Ryan graduated from college.  Now, five years later, it's time, but Jack is convinced that Ryan won't show--and when he does, Jack is certain Ryan can't possibly want to stay.  Ryan, however, has no intention of being anywhere other than in Jack's arms.  But he faces a hurdle he never expected: proving to Jack they can have each other without having to sacrifice their dreams.  

So, um, yeah.  I wrote a short story and it's part of the Dreamspinner Press Advent Anthology--Heartwarming.  That's the delicious cover by Paul Richmond.  And the blurb.  If you're interested, you can buy it here from Dreamspinner.  

**Or, if you prefer Amazon.  Or, if you live in the UK, this one.**