Brrrrrrr!

Oh my is it ever cold!  Clear and cold.  Below freezing.  My windows were all frosted this morning but I turned on the defroster fans and let it blow while I walked Tinkerbell and made a cup of coffee.  And I was super early to the  transit center again.  I just missed that early bus.  I hate having to sit in the car for 15 minutes but there ya go.  Nothing for it.  The traffic will be back to  normal next week, for sure.

This cold clear weather is supposed to stay around for the rest of the week and then the clouds will move back in and it'll warm up a bit.  I noticed that the mountains are all covered in snow, finally.  After last year I am sure the ski resorts are quite happy about all of the snow, but the passes were pretty jammed up for the holiday.  Even the train got stuck.

It was pretty quiet around here yesterday but I've got a few things going on today so hopefully it won't drag too terribly.  Then I'm taking tomorrow off and Friday is the 1st.  We're having a little open hour on Friday so I've got to get that Christmas tree down tomorrow.  Oh, and I'm going to make a pot of ham hocks and greens.  Yummmmm

I didn't work on that stole last night.  I'm still unsure on whether I should take out the first repeat and start over, because I did think I had an extra stitch and just knit two together instead of moving the markers.  Silly me (grrrrrr).  It's only one stitch though and if I follow the chart instead of the written instructions and move my markers I think it'll be fine and not noticeable.  I'll finish this next repeat and see how I feel about it then.

Why oh why?

I am sure I've ranted about this before - but it deserves another go in my opinion.  It concerns knitting patterns and stitch markers.  Can you guess?  Why don't the people writing the patterns make a point of telling you that the markers will move?  How hard is that?  The project I started on Sunday is Desert Dunes.  It is a stole on a bias, it turns out.  There are written instructions and charted instructions.  Nowhere in the directions or pattern notes does it say anything about that fact and that ones markers will move.  And, in fact, the written instructions do not take into consideration that one would put markers around the repeats as charted.  It just really really irks me.  Can you tell?

Yesterday was pretty boring.  I did get out at lunchtime for a walk up to Petco.  It's cold out but dry.  I've got a meeting today at 10 o'clock and that's probably going to be it.  But I do have to come in on Wednesday.  Noon knitting to look forward to and that's about it. 

The traffic was so super light this morning that I got to the transit center one minute before the early bus leaves.  Of course, I couldn't make it so I sat in the truck in the warmth and played word games and listened to my book.  Oh heavens, how am I going to make it through these next 8 months?

This super quiet time

The week between Christmas and New Year is always so quiet here at work.  Usually I just take it off, but I have to save up vacation time for my two weeks in Europe plus I want to have a few days to spare in February or early March in case my sister wants to have some time so .... I am taking Thursday off and Friday is a holiday, but these three days are going to be brutally boring.

My Christmas holiday was pretty nice.  I ended up working from home Wednesday since I got stranded because of a vehicle issue.  I had a few things to take care of, so it wasn't a total waste.  On Thursday we spent the day tidying up and I cooked my very first prime rib for Christmas Eve dinner.  It ended up perfect!  I was nervous.

Christmas was low key.  No football.  We had a nice morning at home, then off to Bob and Josie's for a big family white elephant gift exchange and dinner.  We were home early, watched a movie and into bed early as well.  Then I woke up around midnight and I couldn't get back to sleep.  And then Tinkerbell got had a gurgling stomach and I was up with her three times.  The day after Christmas we had two football games - bowl games that both UW and WSU won.  And I cooked a small turkey.  That was nice to finally get my turkey dinner.

I was quite antsy with nothing to knit on so Sunday I wound the camel I had gotten from the Luxe box and knit on the stole pattern that came with it all day Sunday while I watched football.  And watched the Seahawks get their butts handed to them by the Rams AT HOME!  Oh it was a terrible and disappointing game.  Yes, they're still in the playoffs but it was still not a fun game to watch.

The weather is cold and it's going to be getting colder this coming week.  We got a bit of sleet yesterday but no snow.  Snow in the mountains.  No snow down here.  I am disappointed.

The back roads

Google maps has gotten so much better.  One thing I love about it is that it takes me through the back roads, rather than defaulting to the freeway.  I had to run an errand yesterday and if I hadn't used Google Maps I would have gotten on the freeway to head home, but instead I put in my address and got a lovely drive home on roads I've never traveled.  It was a shame that the weather was so bad because I couldn't really enjoy the scenery as much as I would have liked, but it was fun nevertheless.

And no traffic this morning!  I had time to stop at Starbucks and get an eggnog latte.  A free one, since I had my 12 coffee bonus.  It doesn't get much better than that.

Today we are celebrating Sandra's retirement with a lunch at Ivar's.  Then I've got to scoot home because I've got the first of my new 5 o'clock meetings.  Not my favorite thing in the world, especially since this meeting is supposed to be just going through questions to ferret out objectives.  Not at all fun and really, not too much note taking.

Last night I put a really cute tassel on the hat I made Sunday.  I need to figure out my next project although I think I might hold off a week because the new Yarnbox plus Artyarns is coming and the yarn is absolutely gorgeous!  I just hope the pattern is nice as well.

Christmas knitting

I just can't help myself.  I have to knit hats and scarves and little things at Christmas time even if I don't have anyone to give them to.  The gorgeous cashmere ribbed scarf is done and it looks really nice.  And he'll use it.  I finished it up yesterday and it was still Seahawks game time so I started, and finished, a cute little hat.  I'm going to make a tassel for it tonight.  Then what?

The Seahawks were awesome and are in the playoffs.  They still have two really rough games coming up to finish off the regular season, but the playoff spot is guaranteed.  We had doubts coming into the season.  It was dicey.  I am so glad they're in though.  It stretches out the season.  I am not looking forward to February.  April?  Oh yes.

The weather is just terrible and we'll be getting some snow later this week, right in time for Christmas.  That I won't mind.  It's the first three days of this week that are going to be tough.  I have to leave at 2 today for an appointment in Everett.  Tomorrow we've got a luncheon for Sandra's retirement and then I've got to scoot home because I've got a 5 pm meeting.  Wednesday there is nothing going on except noon knitting.  Maybe it'll snow.

Luxury yarn

All during the 2 hours and 45 minutes meeting last night -- yes, you read that right.  Started at 5 and ended at 7:45.  Ridiculous but there you go.  At least it was the last one.  I am hoping the MSK group, which is now my new evening meeting starting next Tuesday, will hold itself to one hour.  Anyway, all during the meeting last night I was working furiously on that ribbed scarf.  Cashmere and, to stretch the middle out a bit since I only have three skeins of Jade Sapphire, I used some of the Techno I got in my first Yarnbox Luxe.  Oh is that every nice yarn.  Alpaca and silk and merino fluff blown into a tube.  Light as air and soft as ... well, super soft.  This scarf is going to be SO nice.  I have almost decided on my next project.  Almost.

That late meeting made the evening quite short.  We had onion soup and shared my leftover sandwich from Wednesday, then I sat down to watch a bit of TV and knit and before I knew it, it was 9:30 and I was dog tired.  I didn't get a very good sleep though.  I woke at 2:30 and had a hard time getting back to sleep.  Too much on my mind and I was a little congested.  Am I sick of this cold?  Ya think?  It's only been 7 weeks.

I got the gifts sent off to California yesterday.  I need to infuse a bottle of tequila to add to my white elephant gift.  I guess I'd better get that done tomorrow.  It's takes a good three days to get the right amount of heat.  And I have to wrap Ben's gifts and that's it.  Of course, I am waiting for one to come in the mail and I would like to buy a little something else ..... we'll see.

Thursday that feels like Friday

Don't you just HATE that?  I think it's because the woman who is off on Fridays is not here this morning.  Of course she's not.  She is getting ready to retire and she hardly ever comes in.  But she was here yesterday and so ....  But no, it's only Thursday.  My short day because of my late meeting.  That late meeting is going to be changing to Friday mornings in January, which means I'll have two days a week when I have to catch that darned early bus in to work.  And the late meeting will be moved to either Monday or Tuesday.  I've got to nail that down today.

Oh and it is dark and cold.  Next Monday is the solstice, first day of winter.  Then in a few weeks we'll start getting a bit more light.  I'm going to get to work on our spring trip too, in January.  The itinerary is done and the plane fare paid for.  I just need to get someplace to stay in Rome and Monterrosso and Paris.  I think we'll go to the same place in Monterrosso.  Then I'm not sure about Rome and Paris.  Fun, huh?

Life without the blanket is pretty simple.  I've got that pair of socks back on track and I do that at noon knitting.  And at home I'm half way through Ben's simple ribbed scarf.  I've got to decide on my next project.  Shall I do that lace fronted cardigan?  I think I will.

It's awfully quiet around here.  I could just go to sleep.

A picture of the blanket

Well here it is, finally. It is 60 inches tall and 48 wide.  And it is heavy.  It took 15 skeins of Fez and four of the magenta, which is Manos del Uraguay Wool Classica.  So yeah, it does have some heft to it.  But it's also super soft, because of the camel content in the Fez and very warm.  My first, and probably last, blanket.  And now I'm working on a simple ribbed scarf for bed, using the Jade Sapphire cashmere I traded for, and adding in some yarn from last year's December Luxe box .... I can't remember the name, but it's also super soft.  It's going to be a very nice scarf - simple rib pattern but with exceptional yarn.

So yesterday I worked from home with a trip to the dentist in between.  What I found out was that the tooth I thought had been the main event was in fact not.  It was the smaller tooth with the gaping hole.  She had filled it but when she filled it she scooped out the inside to make the bite right, instead of just scraping like Dr. Fukuda does.  She did it a bit too much leaving a jagged hole that fills with food.  And Dr. Fukuda says it really should have been crowned rather than re-filled.  It's not very stable since the filling was large.  What can we do?  Well, she can't just add more filling because it won't stick.  She could perhaps bond some resin on there and the worst case is that it would fall off.  She is having the receptionist try to re-submit the original request to the insurance company to see if can be changed to a crown.  We will have to wait.

And I'd better get on the stick with my Christmas shopping!!

I finished the blanket!!

Oh joy, it is done!  I finally finished it up yesterday while I was watching the Seahawks.  All of the ends are woven in.  I do need to take pictures.  It was too dark and I wasn't in the mood last night.  I will for sure tonight.  It is quite lovely and very warm and now what am I going to knit?  I have a scarf in mind for Ben.  Something quick and easy.

On Friday I went to the dentist to have a filling replaced.  I didn't realize until later when my tongue got its feeling back that the dentist, a substitute since my regular one was sick, had removed the filling from TWO teeth and only filled in one of them!  I am SUPER pissed off about this. 

Work is crazy this morning but hopefully I can work from home tomorrow so I'll be able to get into the dentist on a moment's notice and get this thing fixed up.

What else?  I still have all my Christmas shopping to do.  Nice, huh?  Actually I've got one thing in the mail and otherwise I have got to get on the ball.  But the house is decorated.  That's what counts, yes?

My last holiday party

Yesterday was the departmental holiday party, and my last one.  I only wish it had been a better one.  There are so many people out of town right now and I wasn't really feeling hungry.  None of the food tasted good to me.  Maybe because this cold and cough is still hanging around.  It's going to make it challenging for my dental appointment this afternoon, not being able to cough.  Ah well, it's Friday.

After the meeting last night it was a simple dinner and football and knitting.  I am plowing my way through the last few inches of the blanket.  That thing is SO heavy!  Gorgeous though, if I do say so myself.

What's on this weekend?  Chores, mostly.  The yard and roof are full of fallen branches, some quite large.  The house is full of pine needles from the Christmas tree and from outside.  No matter how well you wipe your feet, they just stick.  And Tink brings them in as well.  And at some point I'm going to have to find time to Christmas shop.  Maybe next week lunchtimes.

All fixed!

Oh hooray!  Monika fixed the mistake in my blanket and I am back on track!  It is so nice to have another pair of knitting eyes to look at things.  She sees it differently than I do.  I saw this blob of a mess and she looks for a minute and then says -- "Well, it's really on four stitches that need to be fixed".  Sure enough, when I thought of it that way it made way more sense and wasn't nearly as daunting.  The stitches are a bit loose but they're even out with time and a little gentle blocking.  So I worked on it for about two hours last night.  I can do more after my meeting tonight and even more tomorrow.  I've got a dentist appointment at 2:30 though so I might not feel like doing much of anything after that ordeal.

Today is our annual office holiday party.  My last one.  I can barely wrap my head around that, but I'm going to try.  (Can you see the grin on my face?)

I got a nasty shock this morning.  I got to the parking lot, got parked and then, as usual, put my headphones into my iPhone and, since my book is done, I put on TunedIn Radio to listen to Brock and Saulk.  Uhh ... but my headphones weren't working!  The sound was still coming out of the iPhone speakers rather than through the headphones.  Usually if you plug in the headphones, even if they aren't working, the sound does not come through the phone speakers.  I'm going to have to do a little sleuthing this morning.  I was using them last night in bed with my iPad so .... perhaps a problem with the phone?  My NEW iPhone 6S?  I sure hope not.

Talk about luck .....

As I have said, I am quite keen to finish up my beautiful blanket so I can get on to a new project.  I was working away last night and found a mistake.  A BAD mistake that I can't ignore.  It looks like a few rows back I was knitting away on the wrong side but I did a right side row.  Just for one repeat.  I do that every now and again but I normally catch it and tink it back.  I guess I missed that one and it is glaring and there are two extra stitches in the repeat because of the yarn overs I did when I made the mistake.  Oh I was so disgusted with myself.  I put it down rather than try to fix it and sent a text to Monika, who is just brilliant at fixing mistakes.  I have it with me today along with an assortment of tools.  Hopefully it won't be too tough to fix.

Here's a mystery -- I got an email from my ex-boss who is in Hawaii attending a meeting.  This meeting runs every other year and for a few years  ... gosh 8? I've been doing the program and either get to go to the meeting or get paid.  So he sent me an email from the meeting saying that everyone was asking where I was and telling him what a nice program we have again this year.  Hmmmm .... he hadn't said a thing to me about the meeting so I just figured it wasn't happening.  I sent him a message back saying how strange that was since I hadn't done the program this year.  And then he mailed backing saying it was strange indeed since my name was displayed prominently in the program, and he wondered who cashed my check.  Someone must have just used my template and cut out the middleman.  But letting me take credit?  I'd rather have the trip, or the money at least.

Tomorrow is our annual holiday party and it will be my last holiday party here.  You know what I did for fun yesterday?  l looked on line at my benefits estimator and my social security estimator.  It always makes me happy. 

True to my word

There are always so many little chores to take care of when I get home -- walking Tink and playing fetch with her, tidying up the kitchen, laundry .... etc. etc.  But as soon as I was able, I sat down with my blanket and started knitting.  Every night this week - every night!  I really want to get it finished up this weekend.  If I can do a couple of hours every night and then a big push Saturday and Sunday I should be able to finish.  It's not going to be very exciting, until I get to the part where I'm binding off.

We are two weeks away from the solstice and it is SO dark, especially on a cloudy day.  Yesterday was again a rainy day and it was like evening.  I had to walk up to the grocery store for a couple of items for dinner and I got pretty wet even though I had an umbrella.  I played Christmas songs on my phone, even though I knew it would probably make me sad.  It did a little bit.  Bittersweet.  I think we need that now and again, don't you?  I tend to get into a safe mode, not putting my feelings out there very far.  But I'm going to be making some very big changes coming up here in about nine months and I'm going to push my boundaries a little bit.  Just to like limber up, you know? 

Working on that Christmas spirit

We got up and out fairly early on Saturday, and headed in to town for a day of Christmas shopping and generally just having some holiday fun.  It was pouring rain.  No, POURING rain for pretty much the entire day.  Luckily there was a room available so we were able to check in at 10 o'clock and head down to the Public Market.  We did a pretty thorough sweep through there and I found my sister's birthday present.  After a nice lunch at Pike Place Brewery we headed to DiLaurenti's and got a few things for one of the white elephant gifts.  In retrospect I think it was a bad idea, we should have done more shopping along 1st, but instead we dropped our packages off at the hotel and went down to Pioneer Square.  That was a bust.  There weren't nearly as many shops as I had thought there would be - well it's been a while since I've been down there.  We got through all of them down there and headed back up town but I really didn't feel like going to the big mall area - it was nearly 4 and getting dark and raining like crazy.  So we headed back to the hotel and watched football and had an early dinner and watched movies in the room.  It was relaxing and fun.  There's good football this time of year.

Sunday we did the grocery shopping on the way home, then went out and got the Christmas tree.  The Seahawks game was recording so we got all of the running around done and then settled in and watched them just beat the tar out of the Vikings.  Pretty great game.  We couldn't pick Tink up until 3:30 so we finished decorating the outside of the house, got the tree up and decorated.  Whew -- that's a lot of work on a weekend considering we walked all day Saturday.  But was I done?  Heck no!  I knit and knit on that blanket while I was watching football and finished up the last magenta stripe and now I am on the very last grey one!  Whoohoo.  I am going to keep at it this week and finish that thing up.  I am SO done with it.  It is beautiful though, I'll be the first to say so.  And oh so soft.

A little Christmas this weekend

This is how boring my life is -- I'm actually excited about going into Seattle tomorrow to shop and stay in a hotel.  The Christmas decorations will all be up and it should be quite festive.  I'm looking forward to walking around and shopping at the market, but I know it's going to be crowded.  Granted, it won't be as crowded as it would be later in the month, so this is really the perfect time for me.  And if it gets to be too much?  Well, we'll just stop for a nice little drinkie and calm down and get back to it.  It should be a lot of fun, actually.

Yesterday was another super busy day and I had two late meetings, so I took off from here around 1 so that I could get my manicure out of the way, since I don't have time to do it on Saturday.  I got home about 45 minutes before the first meeting, so I had time to give Tinkie a nice walk and play ball with her for a while.  Her hip is better - she's not limping as much.  She is SO keen to play though and I don't want her charging the full length of the house, so I keep the ball on the rug.  She seems content with that.

First meeting 4:30 to 5:30 but I had to bail on that one so that I could start the second meeting which went from 5 to 7:15.  OMG!!  Then I had a quick shower and made a little pizza and watched the end of one of the most exciting Thursday Night Football games ever.  Usually those games are bad but wow, Green Bay and Aaron Rogers .... he threw a 63 yard Hail Mary and his guy caught it!  Crazy.

A pleasant surprise

Because my blanket is way too big to haul in to work on noon knitting days, I took the pair of socks I had started a year ago with me, thinking that I had to now pick up the gusset stitches, which is a hassle doing it two at a time on two circulars.  Ah, but I found that I had already done that!  Hoorah!  I just counted out the center stitches and put in my markers and started on the gusset decreases.  What a relief.  And I was as good as my word and picked up the blanket once I got home and got to work on that.  I'm a good third of the way through the last magenta stripe.  I probably won't get much done on it tonight.  Since we're going to Seattle on Saturday for Christmas shopping I had to move my manicure to this afternoon.  Then I've not only got my regular 5 pm meeting, but also a meeting starting at 4:30.  I'll be lucky to get home by 3:30 and probably more like 4.  That's time to give Tink a walk and get myself situation and then ... meetings.

What else?  It's raining.  And it looks like it's going to rain for the rest of the month.  I want winter this year!  Winter!!!  Snow!!!

Yay! Noon knitting

The blanket is now way too large to drag in to work on Noon Knitting days.  I have a pair of socks I started .... what? A year ago?  They've been sitting in my office.  I got to the heel turn, finished that and now they have been waiting for the gussets.  Today I'll have to figure that out and get it going.  I do my socks toe up on two circular needles and I have to look up how to turn the heels and how to do the gussets every time I make a pair.  It's been quite a while though.

Again last night I ignored the blanket even though it was sitting right there on the table, watching me.  Tonight I will pick it up for sure and get going on another few rows of the last magenta stripe.  Since we're going to Seattle Saturday to shop and spend the night I won't be doing much on the weekend.  On Sunday, sure, while football is on.  But Saturday nothing.  I want to make a couple of gifts but I am not going to touch another project (except for my socks here at work) until that darned blanket is finished.

I had a meeting yesterday regarding teaching commitments.  Next September is going to be absolute chaos.  I really want to stop working in September but it's not going to be easy.  Maybe I can work something out so that I don't have to come in every day.  The commute is just terrible.  If I could work from home I might be able to stand it for a couple more months.

Just like last year

Oh I do so hope we have a winter this year!  I know that sounds crazy coming from me, but last winter was just so weird.  Well it looks like it's happening again.  It was freezing cold for most of November and then here's December and it's warming up, and clouding up and rain is predicted for the rest of the week.  At least if you get a little snow it changes the scenery.  Now it's just bare trees and grey skies.  Oh and if it snows then I can't come to work, so it's got that going for it as well. 

I had a quick visit to the dentist yesterday morning for my six month cleaning and so I was in the office for only an hour or so before I headed out to the bus.  On the way back from the dentist I spoke to my nephew and we decided to meet for lunch.  So I got back to the office at 11:45, stayed for 30 minutes and headed out for lunch.  Now that's the kind of morning I like to have.  It made the day zip by.

After all of that good work I did on the blanket on the weekend, I didn't pick it up at all last night, but gave myself a break and after I got my hair dried I just watched a couple of stupid things on TV and went to bed at a decent time to read.  I slept like a rock!  And I needed it because I was very very tired yesterday.  I'm starting out the day pretty sleepy too, but I've got lots of work to do so hopefully I'll perk up.  I've got a 10 o'clock meeting that I've got to be on my game for.

Thanksgiving done and now .....

Wow, what a fantastic weekend!  First of all it was four days .... my favorite type of weekend.  And then there was the football.  The Huskies won the Apple Cup, the Seahawks beat the Steelers AND my fantasy team finally finally finally kicked some serious ass.  Although it's way too late for it to mean anything AND not only is Marshawn Lynch out for who knows how long, but Jimmy Graham had a season ending knee injury in yesterday's game.  Which is a tragedy.  Poor guy.

Not only did we have a nice Thanksgiving dinner but Saturday night we had a poker party and another good meal.  I lost at cards this time though.  Sometimes you just don't get the cards.  There's nothing you can do about that.

I knit and knit and knit on the blanket and now I'm doing the last magenta stripe and then one more grey one and I'm done!  I cannot wait!  This is going to be a seriously warm blankie.  Soft too.  There are so many other things I want to be working on but this first.

It was very cold all weekend and only 21 degrees this morning, but Ben really wanted to get the lights up, or at least started, so that's what we did yesterday.  It's not done but we got a good start, outlining the privacy screen in the front and the little fence, and three trees along the side of the house and two in the back.  Oh, and the porch rail.  All that's left is around the garage door.  We're not outlining the roof since all of the hooks were removed when the house was painted in the summer and neither one of us is keen on getting up on that high high ladder.

It's going to be a tough week.  A tough month.  I'm not looking forward to it.

Gigantic moon

The moon yesterday was just incredible!  It was HUGE!  My bus was late going home and so it was fully up by the time I got on the road to home.  I had to stop at the grocery store to get things for the vegetable dishes I'm bringing to Thanksgiving.  I'm doing roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon, which was a big hit last year, and the always yummy green bean casserole.  The grocery store was madness, but I am sure it's going to be even worse today so I really had to stop even though I was late.  I didn't get home until 5:30 and boy was Tinkerbell happy to see me!  Poor thing.  I tried to give her a decent walk but it was so bloody cold out there!  And dark, of course.

So it was a quiet evening and no, I didn't pick up the blanket.  Today though I will for sure.  I didn't bring it to noon knitting because I don't think we're going to have noon knitting.  Everyone is leaving early.  I don't have much going on today.  Hopefully I can be out of here by 1 or even earlier.

Work was a nightmare yesterday.  I am SO through.  If I wasn't going to retire in September I would honestly be looking for another job.  This is absolutely zero fun.  I don't like wasting valuable time doing something I dislike.  Nobody does.

Better and better

Okay, so not yet perfect.  I did have a bit of a coughing fit around midnight or 12:30, but otherwise not so bad.  I could have slept a bit more ..... always.

I left work around 10:30 or 11 yesterday.  I was tired and I had gotten everything done that I needed to do.  I missed an afternoon meeting but I needed a nap more.  I stopped at O'Reilly's on the way home and bought a new windshield wiper.  They installed it for me.  Glad I did too because it is raining this morning.  Thank goodness it warmed up a little bit or it would be snow!

I am still (STILL!) not feeling like knitting but I was looking over at that blanket last night, reproaching me I am sure, and I will pick it up tonight.  It just needs some good attention and I can have it finished in a week or two.  Then I can start doing some fun stuff - maybe some fingerless mitts and hats for Christmas.

I am on for making Brussels sprouts with bacon and the always popular green been casserole for our Thanksgiving dinner.  So today I've got to dig out that recipe (from the internet) and get my list of ingredients down.  I will stop at the store on the way home tonight so that I don't have to deal with that mess tomorrow. 

I have a little work that needs my attention.  Off I go.

It lives

Oh my goodness -- have I ever been sick!  It's been over two years since I've had a bout like this.  I got a cold, it went to my chest and then .... asthma out of control.  I spent all last week in bed.  ALL last week.  I'm at work today only because I simply must come in to do a few things.  I think I'll probably be out of here by noon, if I make it even that long.

Here's one of the terrible things about being sick -- I can't knit.  I just can't for some reason.  So my blanket has been sitting untouched for over a week.  I got sick on the 13th -- that is the first day I took off.  I knew I needed to see the doctor, after having gone through this 2 1/2 years ago, so I called for an appointment but my doctor didn't have anything until the following Friday, so I made an appointment for Monday evening with another doctor at the practice, but by Sunday, after two terrible nights when I couldn't sleep and coughed until I turned myself inside out, I went to the urgent care in the morning.  No infection, which is good, but the doctor gave me a course of steriods and said I would feel better in four or five days.  Well I do feel a bit better but not as good as I figured I would at this point.  Ah well, I'll do my meeting this morning and get all of my odds and ends done and call it good for the day.

On the way in today I lost a windshield wiper.  Not just the blade but the entire assembly!  Don't ask me how I did that -- it was stupidity, pure and simple.  So I'll have to take care of that as well because it may rain (or snow!) this afternoon.

Ah well -- now it's time for the first meeting of the day.

I wanted to sleep in ...

Yesterday was Veteran's Day and we got the day off.  If was of course looking forward to rolling over after Ben's departure and sleeping for another couple of hours.  However, I had remembered to turn my alarm off but I hadn't remembered to turn the volume off on my phone so, when the Do Not Disturb feature ends at 7 am email alerts, etc. start up again.  So I woke up just after 7 and that was it.  I lolled around in bed for another hour, but then gave it up and got up to start my day.

I had a little breakfast and gave Tink a nice walk and then dug in.  I got the laundry going, made a trip to Trader Joe's, and then the house cleaned, leaving me the rest of the day (until 4 o'clock) to work on the blanket.  I was nearly done with magenta strip three (out of four) but I had to wind another couple of balls of the yarn because I didn't have quite enough to finish it, then I have to have another ball for the last stripe and some for tassels.  After I got my hair done and the dinner going I settled in, finished up the magenta and started in with the fourth (of six) grey stripe.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Twenty-two more inches.

Yes it was a drag to get up this morning.  Mid-week holidays suck.  So many people are taking today and tomorrow off as well.  Except the students.  And it's quiet around here.  And I wish I could take a nap.  Well, it's my half day here because of my late meeting, so I'll get a nap this afternoon.

A mind of her own

My new iPhone still has some surprises for me.  One of the things I haven't been able to get the hang of is hitting my morning alarm for a "snooze".  I keep accidentally turning it off.  This morning I did that and then promptly fell back asleep.  I woke up nine minutes later than my typical time - usually I hit the snooze once and get up at 6:09 but this morning it was 6:18.  I jumped out of bed and got moving and was ready to take Tinkie out at our normal time.  She usually waits for me in the hall but this morning she was down in the living room by the French doors to the deck.  She wasn't interested in the normal walk up and down the cul-de-sac.  She just wanted to be out in the back, sniffing for critters.  Exactly the opposite of what she wanted when I got home yesterday.  Then she wanted to go charging up and down the streets, making me run.  But this morning it was fine to just go out, take care of a little business and back inside.  So I was on the road at my normal time.

I came that close to winning my match up this week.  Less than 1.5 points!  I outscored more than half the teams.  This is, truly, the worst fantasy football season I've had in all the years I've played.  The worst by far.  Oh well, maybe next year I'll have the opposite luck!

We get tomorrow off and I will get to sleep in, which I plan on doing.  And then I think I'll get all of the housework done I would normally do on the weekend, plus the laundry.  Then when I get home Sunday night I won't have to worry about any of that stuff.  We have a big football game Sunday night.  The Seahawks are playing Arizona on Sunday Night Football.  It's a huge game for both teams.   And since they're on at 5:30 that means we'll be able to take our time coming back from Anacortes, get the grocery shopping done and then just be able to settle in and enjoy (I hope) the game.  The last one with the Cowboys was just so nerve wracking, it was hard to enjoy.

Better and better

Tink is getting better!  I still don't let her jump because when she does, she limps around for a while afterwards.  And I haven't let her chase her ball.  She is just really hard to keep still though and I'm going to have to relent at some point.  Her medicine is finished tonight.  That of course will be the real test.  If she stays the same after she is done with the pills.  I want her to be fit for the weekend so she can go for walks on the beach.  She loves that.  All the more if she can fine something stinky to roll in. 

Well I did not have a very good Saturday morning, that's for sure.  It was all my fault - I should have gone with my instincts and followed Ben up to the dealership rather than go in the car and then be told when we dropped it off that the service would take three hours!  Three hours!!  There's nothing to do up there!  Usually it only takes an hour so we go have breakfast and dawdle a bit and then the car is done.  But that's not the 40k service.  So we had a slow breakfast and then we walked up the street a mile and a half to the Costco, just for something to do.  However, it was raining AND we had no umbrellas nor did I have a hat.  I had a shawl that I put over my head, but it didn't help much.  And my shoes are leather and the water just soaked right through the soles.  I was in a very bad mood.  But I got home and got the dinner going and we ended up having a fun time that night.

Sunday I slept in and after a quick trip to the mall, spent the rest of the day watching the Red Zone and working on the blanket.  I am now on the third (of four) magenta stripes.  When that is done I will have two more grey stripes with a stripe of magenta in the middle.  So that's 18 inches of grey and like maybe six more inches of magenta.  Or seven.  I want to be done with it!!

It's going to be a weird week.  We have Wednesday off for Veteran's Day and I've got nothing much going on here.  A meeting this afternoon, a student and a meeting tomorrow .... boring.  Oh I am SO ready to be done with this.

Lights in November

Our neighbors up the street have their Christmas lights up on the house already AND lit!!  They did it November 1.  I think that's a little crazy but .... whatever.  I like house decorations, but I think it's better to wait at least until December 1, don't you?

Yesterday was absolutely insane here.  We had a huge four hour lab in the afternoon and found out in the morning, as I was getting the stuff together for the lab, that one of our faculty members wasn't going to make it, since he's come down with the terrible cold going around.  So it was run, run, run trying to find rooms to accommodate half again as many people as normal, plus re-doing the signs, contacting the students -- oh, and cutting out 50 two-piece dural sinus models.  I was more than ready to hop it as soon as lab got underway. 

Tink's hip seems to be improving little by little, although she is having a hard time not playing.  She found one of her balls yesterday and kept trying to get me to throw it.  I feel so sorry for her!  It's not like I can explain to her that I'm  not being mean, but that it is for her own good.  Maybe by the end of the weekend she'll be able to play a little ball.

It's not going to be a very restful weekend since we've got to be up to the Lynnwood Volvo dealership at 8:30 tomorrow morning to get the car serviced.  Then people for dinner Saturday night.  Sunday is a bye week for the Seahawks so hopefully we can just veg around the house and get a nice rest in.  The following weekend we're going to Anacortes.  The good news is that I get Wednesday off for Veteran's Day.  So I will get a rest at least.

I made the plane reservations for our April/May trip.  I've got to do my math so I will have enough vacation days AND be able to take some time off for a little trip with my sister this winter.  I can check on that this morning.

Decided

Right -- it is decided.  We're going to go to Italy after France.  I don't think we'll spend the entire seven days at the gite in Burgundy.  Maybe five days there, a couple in Rome and a few in some town on the Cinque Terre, then back to Paris and home.  Only two weeks this time. 

Netflix has "Black Books" now and so last night I knit on the blanket and watched a few episodes.  I did watch the series before, but it was a few years ago.  I don't mind having a second look.

It has gotten quite cold at night -- well, even in the days.  No frost on the vehicle windows yet, but it won't be long.  And I know now why I can't see .... the head lights are pointed UP!  They don't shine on the road.  They're going to have to be refocused this weekend.

Yesterday again was quite busy but today is going to be quiet and I'm going to head out early so I can get my hair done before we go out this evening.  Wednesday is the medical student day at clinic or whatever and I'm all set for class Thursday.  No meetings except noon knitting.  It's a good catch up day unless one is already caught up!

Five months and three weeks!

Oh hurrah!  The gite is booked for April 23 through 30.  Now I can start planning the rest of our trip.  First we've got to decide if we're going to Italy before the gite or after.  Then I can start planning the trip. 

It was a busy weekend and yesterday was a crazy Monday.  I didn't have a second to breathe until noon.  Today will be busy as well, but not quite as bad as yesterday. 

The weekend was a bit weird because I had been feeling off all week and really wanted nothing to do but stay in bed.  We were supposed to go out for Halloween but really, I just wasn't up to it.  I watched football and it was good!  The Huskies beat Arizona and the Cougars coug-ed it against Stanford.  Both were good games all the way through.  On Sunday I made a pot of red beans and rice and we had Ben's family over to discuss the holidays and watch the Seahawks.  Oh that game was SO tough to watch.  We won, but wow ... a nail biter.

It is nice to have a little more light in the mornings for Tink's walk.  She is doing a little bit better.  It is difficult to keep her from frisking around.  She really really wants to chase the ball.  But not until the end of the week and only if she's not limping.

The blanket is coming right along.  I worked on it quite a bit on the weekend and now I need to make myself pick it up during the week as well.  I want it done!  I have so many other projects I want to work on and I don't dare start another project until this one is done because it is so huge.

Yesterday a woman was mean to me on the bus and it colored my whole day!  Why are people SO mean to strangers?  I just don't get it. 

Soup weather

It's not particular cold yet, but totally soup weather.  Yesterday was my late meeting day, so I got home earlier than normal.  After trying to interest Tink in a walk - not very successfully - I wound some yarn for Monika, since she doesn't have a swift and ball winder.  And then I got my first potato leek soup of the season ready for the pot.  My meeting went until a little after 7, so we didn't get to eat until nearly 7:30, but it was well worth the wait.  And I've got enough left over to freeze and have for another meal.  Yum!

I hope to have a quiet weekend, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.  I have to get Tink to the groomer at 9 Saturday morning, then a manicure and pedicure sometime in the morning and perhaps a trip to Triplehorn in the evening, although at this point I think I'd rather stay home and watch Husky football.

Sunday will be laundry and football, the Seahawks playing the afternoon game.  They're playing the Cowboys, who don't have their quarterback and are using a not-so-good backup.  We should beat them and if we want to have any chance at the playoff, had better beat them.  Fingers crossed.  And Sunday I should be able to get some good work done on that blanket.  I have a little more than half to go and I'm already pretty bored with it, although it is going to be SUCH a nice blanket.  The camel hair .... soooooooo soft.

My wanderlust is killing me.  I still don't have the dates for our spring trip and I am quite keen to start planning, if only to keep my mind off the next two months which, despite the holidays, are going to be grueling and hard and no extra days off for vacation since I have to save up for spring. 

My new iPhone is awesome and I almost have it set the way I want it.  I do love those moving photos and the 3D touch -- pretty cool.  Not to mention the color.  Oh and my favorite feature - the fingerprint ID.  That is very handy.

The "fun" of getting a new iPhone

After seeing several iPhone 6s phones I broke down and ordered myself an iPhone 6s, the rose gold color.  I knew from package tracking that it was going to be on the doorstep when I got home yesterday and I was quite anxious to get going.  I got the idea (erroneous as it turns out) that I would need to switch SIM cards from my old phone to my new phone, so I got on the AT&T chat line and initiated that process.  Unfortunately I didn't actually realize that my phone would be inactivated and I quite frankly am now thinking that the guy I was chatting with didn't know what he was doing.  I asked him quite clearly if, when he was done, I could go home, pop the old SIM card into the new iPhone and be ready to move things from the Cloud and he said yes.  Long story short - that is not the case.  Not only that, but I couldn't download the latest backup because the software wasn't the latest version, the one I had on my old iPhone.  So far though, the only thing I find that I can't do is download the book I am currently listening to.  It doesn't show up in the library.  I think that might be because it is residing on my old iPhone.  So I'll finish listening to that, then wipe the iPhone 5 and sell it on eBay.  But what a hassle getting a new phone turns out to be!  I forget because I do it so infrequently.  Oh!  And my voicemail is gone.  I need to find out how to get to it because someone left me a message yesterday.  Probably Tink's vet.

So that was my night last night - fiddling with the phone.  I get SO frustrated.  And I forgot to turn the heat off before I went to bed so I woke up gasping.  Ah well -- small price to pay for a pink iPhone, don't you think?

Slowly slowly

It looks like the medicine is helping Tinkerbell a bit.  She is using the leg a little bit more and she's in better spirits.  She was rather down on Sunday but last night after having the pills for two days, she was more alert and definitely wanted to play and nearly jumped off the couch.  She would have, but I grabbed her before she did.  She was lively on her morning walk as well.  Mostly I want to avoid surgery, so I hope this will work.

Noon knitting today and I dragged the blanket in with me.  I am about one inch from the half way mark.  I just brought it in a big bag.  There's no way I can get it into my knitting bag at this point.  Now I've got to figure out where we're going to meet though, because I never got a response yesterday about our usual meeting room. 

It looks as if we're going to a Halloween party this Saturday.  I don't really care for Halloween parties in general, but this one is at the Triplehorn and is starting early so I'll give it a try.  I just hope the music is good.  It's all over the place up there - sometimes a crappy band, sometimes a good one.  It's a DJ for Saturday.  Fingers crossed it's dance-able.

It could be worse

I got Tink an appointment with the vet at 2:40 yesterday afternoon.  She doesn't think the tendons around her knee are completely torn but they are definitely the problem.  On x-ray we could see that there is some arthritis in her hip joint and her legs look just fine.  So she gave me some pills for inflammation and pain and I'm to keep her quiet - as in no charging around playing with her ball and walks only on a leash and sedately.  We have to carry her up and down the stairs.  I started the pills last night and already this morning I see a bit of improvement.  She was putting a bit of weight on the right leg whereas yesterday she was absolutely not. 

It was foggy and cold this morning.  I have changed from fingerless mitts to my pink gloves, at least for my morning doggie walk and bus ride.  It is supposed to be sunny today after the fog lifts but then rainy for the foreseeable future.  I just hate driving in the pitch black though so I'm looking forward to the little bit of relief we'll get from that in early November.

I ordered my new iPhone 6s yesterday!  Not the big one, just the regular sized one.  I want a phone I can still put in my pocket.  I chose rose gold and ordered a clear case for it.  It's going to be cool.  Can't wait!

Poor Tinkie

Friday when I got home I noticed that Tinkerbell was limping.  It had happened before, maybe last month, and within a day or so she was fine.  She does dash up and down the hallway, chasing her ball.  It is quite possible she just pulled a muscle.  But this was worse.  And despite dosing her with baby aspirin on Saturday and Sunday she was not any better.  My guess is that she has hurt her ACL.  Mickey tore his and it seems like the same type of thing.  Westies don't generally have the problem with degenerative hips like other dogs tend to do.  I wanted to wait and see on Saturday but now I've got to call the vet this morning and get her in as soon as possible.  I did some reading and perhaps we can avoid surgery and give a brace a try, at least for a while.  Some people have gotten good results with that approach.

Saturday I had a hair appointment and we had people coming over for pizza and cards, so that day was quite busy.  But Sunday -- all I had to do was grocery shop and then I spent the rest of the day watching football and knitting.  The dinner was cooking on its own.  Hours of Red Zone and several inches done on the blanket.  I am just three inches away from half way done!  I would like to work on it during the week too.  I haven't been very diligent there.

It's raining and supposed to rain most of the next two weeks.  But we will be turning the clocks back in a few days so at least the mornings will be a bit lighter for a few weeks.  It is pitch black when I leave now days. 

Is everybody happy now?

It was over an hour after the game started that I was able to sit down and start the recording.  My fantasy app had alerted me that Marshawn Lynch had made a touchdown -- no I did NOT mean to look at it!  Ah well, it was good news.  The short story is that the Seahawks played really well and crushed San Francisco.  Finally.  The entire city of sports fans has heaved a long sigh of relief.  We are not cooked yet.

I had a really super lunch with an old friend yesterday afternoon before heading home.  It look me about half the time to drive home as it did to drive in to work.  I am glad I don't do it very often. 

The football game was too exciting for me to knit but I really have to buckle down this weekend and get some serious work done on that blanket.  I don't want to be knitting on it all winter!  I am getting bored already.  I need something interesting and I've got lots of yarn and wonderful patterns to go with it.  I am quite keen on starting the cardigan with but lace drapey fronts.  And I've got camel yarn and a stole pattern also ready to go.  And some lovely green yarn that I'd like to use to make another Venomous Tentacular.  *sigh* So many great projects and simply not enough spare time.  Maybe I'll start knitting during all of these ridiculous meetings.

Thursday night football

I drove in today and it took me for-freaking-ever!  I don't like to get on the freeway, so I drive around and they are working on 522.  It took me over an hour but I have a lunch appointment at University Village and then I go home early on Thursday (because of my late meeting) and it's very difficult to get a bus from U Village to Redmond Transit Center, so I drove.  It's just too bad about my meeting. I'll have the game recording but I know Ben is going to want to start it as soon as he gets home and ... well I'll be on the computer.  Maybe they will stop early tonight.  Maybe.

I'm nervous about the football game.  Silly, I know, but it's a big game.  A lot of consequences if they lose another one.  For either team actually, so I hope it's San Francisco.  They deserve it.

I got to hand off one of my meetings yesterday - and I am SO happy!  It was the one I hated the most.  You know how some people's voices just grate .....

What about the weekend?  I don't know.  Since the Seahawks are playing tonight I don't feel like I need to be tied to the TV.  I can keep up with my fantasy stats on my phone.  I'd like to help get the gutters cleaned out.  Get to Costco.  Maybe have a nice dog walk if the weather permits.  Ah, but it's only Thursday.

Oh this world we live in!!

I suppose I shouldn't really let these things bother me, but I do!  Yesterday was flu shot day here at Health Sciences and I went down after my second meeting to stand in line and get my shot.  There is a man who goes around the line making sure your insurance paperwork is filled out completely and correctly.  He got to me, went over my form, and then at the top drew an M and an F.  Then he turned the clipboard around so that it was facing me and asked me to circle the correct letter - male or female.  I looked at him and laughed.  I might have even snorted and rolled my eyes.  Seriously.  He said, "I can't ask and I can't assume."  Oh. My. God.  And this ladies and gentlemen is what our society has become.  And why oh why does it make any difference in the world for a flu shot??  Oh it makes me angry to think about it even this morning.  Grrrrrr ...

My afternoon was much less stressful than the morning and I had a good dinner to look forward to.  Frank and Shannon are moving to Utah to their new home tomorrow and this was our last dinner together.  We went to Chan's which is my ultimate favorite old fashioned type Chinese restaurant.  But we got there early and therefore were home before 7:30.  But I didn't feel like watching TV or knitting, so I had a nice shower and got into bed to play with my iPad.  I ended up re-watching some episodes of Saxondale.  I am, in fact, re-watching the entire series.  Hilarious.

Today is noon knitting and I've brought my blanket.  I don't know how much longer I'll be able to do that.  It is getting to be about 1/3 done.  I've finished two of five 9" grey sections and I'm nearly done with the second of four 4" sections.  I need to keep plugging along. I am seriously wanting to start another project but I don't dare.

Sports radio is all about the Seahawks and if they are cooked or not.  The game Thursday, tomorrow, against San Francisco is HUGE.  And it's in San Francisco.  *ahem* HUGE!!

Fires

It is the worst way to start the day.  No I take that back, an early meeting is the worst way, but having a bunch of fires to put out is a close second.  And then a meeting and another, back to back.  Oh I am indeed earning my money this year.

I won my fantasy game, as I knew I would.  I only beat the other really lame guy so it's not such a huge victory.  But I am not last any more -- hopefully.  I haven't looked.  It does have to do with accumulated points too.  I should have a better week next week.  I should.

Well ... gotta run back to the real world.

Ugly ugly ugly

The good news is that I am winning my fantasy match up.  The bad news is that not only did the Huskies lose against the Ducks (and I love a $10 bet) but the Seahawks lost at home against the Panthers, again giving up a significant lead in the 4th quarter.  It was awful!  Terrible.  We had to turn off the TV after that game.  No more football yesterday.  This week is a short week for them, playing the Thursday night game against San Francisco who have been worse than us this year.  I might not be able to watch that game.

Otherwise my weekend was fantastic.  Kate and Andy and I went to visit John at Hood Canal.  The weather was nice as in it rained only at night.  We had a terrific hike in the woods on Saturday and I not only baked a pie, but made a pot roast as well.  I did come home with a couple of bites - and I'm not entirely sure if they're mosquito or spider bites.  I don't really want to think too much about it.

Ben was home when I got home, after more than a week in Phoenix.  Next up he's off to Las Vegas.  Hopefully not for a few weeks though.  It's awfully lonesome all alone out there, even though I do get to eat what I want and watch stupid TV.  It's hardly worth it.

It is going to be a busy busy week for me.  I was happy that the 8 am meeting was cancelled today.  I hate having to get up and catch that early bus on Monday mornings just to listen to a meeting for 30 minutes.  It's hardly worth it.

Soothing Noon Knitting

Wednesday mornings before noon knitting I have a meeting.  It is one of the most dysfunctional groups and I inherited it.  I come out of those meetings feeling like every hair on my head is standing straight up!  I think it's the least favorite hour of my week and that's saying a lot because that means it's worse than my commute. 

Noon knitting then was just like falling into a big pillow.  Warm and comforting and soothing.  If I didn't have to take minutes, knitting in those meetings would be just the thing. 

It is getting cooler and I felt like roasted vegetables for dinner last night.  A perfect dish for a cool evening.  I had some Brussel's sprouts and a yam and peppers and an onion .... a couple of little red potatoes and fresh herbs from the garden.  Then I put some Italian chicken sausages on top and it was great.  I watched Inside the NFL and despite having to see the Seahawks lose again .... it was fun.  It's a big football weekend coming up.  The Huskies are playing the Ducks and are favorites to win (!) and Carolina is coming to play the Seahawks and they are also unbeaten, like the Bengals.  It's a very big game.  I have to make sure I'm home from Hood Canal in time for the game.

It's late meeting night tonight, so I am leaving work early.  Those meeting are now going until 7 pm.  That is crazy.  And for those folks in Montana and Wyoming it's 8 when it finishes.  That is a long long day.

The spring trip!

Woohoo!  We're getting closer to setting a date for the spring trip.  Once all of the scheduling difficulties at my friend's pub have been sorted we'll have our dates.  Oh boy, and then the fun comes.  We are talking about six months down the line though ... so back to reality for me.

Somehow I thought it was later in the week yesterday but it was only Tuesday.  This week is dragging along but at least it's noon knitting today.  I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to bring that blanket in with me.  I guess as long as it fits into my bag I can bring it, but it won't be for much longer.

I don't know what was wrong with me yesterday but I wasn't hungry for lunch.  I didn't eat, which is very strange.  I hadn't had dinner Monday night so I was hungry when I got in and I had a little breakfast but lunch?  Not interested.  I did have a bit of dinner last night and managed to stay up after nine.  Tink was right ready for bed at 8 o'clock though so I was in there with her reading for an hour or so.  She is so funny.  When it's bedtime it's bedtime.  Her inner clock is amazing.

The heat came on this morning before I got up so that means it's getting colder, finally.  We are supposed to get into the 70s again Friday but I suspect that's the last of that temperature we'll see for a while.  Soon I'm going to have to start covering my windshield at night.  It has been quite nice this week driving the Volvo to the Transit Center because the Volvo lives in the garage. 

The mysterious plant

Directly outside of my office door, on the right, is a large cabinet.  Somebody left a houseplant on top of that cabinet.  I hope they plan on taking care of it, because I'm not a houseplant type of person and I am certainly not going to take care of it.  I love flowers, but a plant is just another thing to take care of and I have enough of that in my life, thank you. 

Do nothing Monday was completely do nothing.  I watched two movies and had smoked salmon and crackers for dinner.  It doesn't get much more do nothing than that, does it?  I didn't even watch the football game and good thing too, because my guy didn't get a single point.  I sure hope I do better this week.  It's embarrassing!!

It is now too dark to wear sunglasses on the bus.  I like having my protection, as it were.  At least I can wear my headphones no matter what.  Of course, I've got to have something to plug them in to ...... but even if I didn't I guess I could put the end into my pocket and nobody would be the wiser.

I'm crabby. 

Oh my goodness

Is there a correlation between how terrible my fantasy football team is and how bad the Seahawks are playing?  They were up 24 to 7 and ended up losing to the Bengals on the road!  In overtime!  Terrible.  And my fantasy team -- not only was Marshawn out with injuries but Alshon Jeffries as well PLUS a bunch of other good guys on a bye and Peyton Manning ..... done son.  I am going to have to bench him.  Pathetic.  I have never ever in all my fantasy time had such a sucky team.

On a positive note, I got tons done on the blanket this weekend.  I have finished the second of 5 gray bands and I am working on the second of four magenta ones.  It is so beautiful and it's going to be very soft and warm.

Saturday it poured down rain most of the day and I didn't do much else but get my manicure and do some grocery shopping.  Tinkerbell wasn't interested in a walk so I gave her a bath, which she needed.  Sunday it was beautiful and sunny and we went to Cottage Lake park and had a nice long walk before football.  I made some soup on Saturday and reheated it for dinner yesterday.  It was yummy but would have been better with a ham hock, but they were all out at the store.  I guess I wasn't the only one wanting to make soup on a rainy day!

I think the best part of the weekend was watching Wazzu beat up on the Ducks.  In double overtime.  That was fun.

It's going to be a long long week.

The Huskies!

Oh my goodness, what a game!  The Huskies beat USC -- and their former coach!  And I was worried about it being a blow out.  The meeting went until after 7, then I had to walk Tink and get my dinner together so I was glad it was recording.  I skipped over the commercials and got to real time.  It was SO much fun. And I got to knit as well. 

Knitting is going to be tops on my list this weekend, along with doggie walks when it's not raining.  I want to make some decent progress on the blanket.  My only concern is hurting my hands, so I've got to make sure to take breaks and stretch them.

How happy am I that it's Friday?  I can't even say.  I've been busy and stressed and without any other people in the office suite, which I just hate.  I understand that if nobody else is here that people are going to ask me questions but I still hate it.  Oh well -- tick tock.

Sky high

My stress levels are sky high again.  I should just keep my knitting with me.  Noon knitting helped a lot yesterday.  Today though ..... I keep sighing and that's not good.  At least I didn't have another nightmare last night.  And I'll be sleeping soundly for the next 10 days because Ben's gone on a business trip.  Although I'm going to be very lonely.

I was very tired again yesterday.  It was all I could do to keep myself from putting my head down on my desk and taking a nap. I suppose because of all the stress and the rain rain rain and so I didn't do much of anything when I finally got home.  A shower, cleaned up the kitchen and baked a potato to have with leftovers.  It was quite yummy and then it was early to bed.  Tonight I've got the Husky/USC game after my late meeting.  I'll set it to record.  I hope it's not a blow out.

I got the ArtYarns Yarnbox yesterday and thank goodness I didn't get the brown or the green.  The yarn is super soft - cashmere and merino - and two complimentary colors of lavender.  Really beautiful.  I have so much yarn and so many projects I want to do but really, I MUST keep on with the blanket or I'll never finish it.  I am hoping I can get some good progress on it while Ben's gone.

The neighbors get a chicken coop

Our neighborhood has quite a few homes on acre lots and one cul-de-sac or normal sized lots.  On one of those, the corner one, the people have built a chicken coop and stocked it with fowl.  That of course include the rooster.  Thank goodness we are around the bend in the road and we can't hear that thing crowing, but imagine how their close neighbors feel.  I would be SO mad.

It's raining today so the traffic was bad, but I managed to catch my bus.  I have another busy day, of course, since that's the norm.  The support staff are nowhere to be found though, which ticks me off.  I have meetings today and I can't be handling packages.  Plus which I really don't know what to do about them ......  I sure hope the Administrator plans on showing up today.

I was awfully crabby yesterday and my mood isn't much better today.  I am burnt out and my vacation isn't until April ... how long is that?  Seven months?  Terrible!  I'll have to come up with something before then.Seriously.

INSANE burger

It was an absolutely gorgeous weekend.  Of course since we were throwing yet another party, Saturday was spent mostly just cleaning and cooking and cooking and cleaning and not much enjoyment of the outdoors.  But Sunday, especially since the Seahawks played last night, was another story.  We got the rest of the tidying up done early, got the shopping done as well and as soon as the groceries were all stowed away we got Tinkerbell, popped the top on the Volvo and headed out to enjoy the weather.  Oh well, I set the Red Zone to record, of course.  Can't go an entire Sunday without any football. 

We decided to drive to Duval to have lunch outside and then walk a little bit around the town.  It's about the same distance from our place to Duval as it is to Woodinville and I like the quaintness of Duval better.  Plus there is a great pub where we can sit outside with Tink and enjoy some nice beer and some decent food.  On their specials menu on Sunday they had a King Burger which the wait staff were all quite keen on.  We were feeling adventurous so we decided to share one.  And what a mouthful it was!  A hamburger, bacon, and then a little peanut butter and sliced bananas.  I know it sounds crazy, but it was quite tasty.  I mean, I wouldn't have wanted an entire one, but half was quite a treat. 

In the afternoon we watched a lot of Red Zone.  Most of my fantasy players were playing except for the Seahawks players.  Marshawn was questionable and ended up not playing last night so, surprise surprise, I lost yet again.I am last.  This is the WORST year I've ever had.  It's still fun though.  And it's early days yet.  I haven't given up.

Yesterday I had a retreat - an entire day of meeting.  I was so tired as well because I had a  nightmare Sunday night and woke up at 4 am and couldn't go back to sleep.  I was a zombie by the evening.  I did watch the game, but I couldn't even knit, I was that out of it.  I slept great, thank goodness and I feel human today.

My late Thursday

I am starting to really like Thursdays.  I do that have the late meeting from 5 o'clock until 6:30 or so.  But I get to leave work early and yesterday I had time for a little lay down with Tink.  I was SO tired!  I sure hope I can get caught up with my sleep this weekend.

The Thursday night football game was a real nail biter.  They're usually not that good but the Ravens took it finally in overtime, mostly because of the Steelers' terrible kicker, Josh Scobee.  He's so bad that the Steelers have been going for two point conversions rather than give him a chance to kick the extra point.  Wow

The Seahawks are on Monday night so my weekend is going to be incomplete, fantasy-wise.  My star RB, Marshawn Lynch, is still a game time call.  I can't believe my luck, really.  Last year I lose my first pick and this year my best RB.  It's good I paid my fee up front because it really hurts to have to come up with that money after losing!

Filling in a few more blanks

Planning is something I really really enjoy.  Planning a trip is one of my most favorite things.  I saw pictures of the house we will be staying in Burgundy, but what to do in the second half of the trip?  Ah .... I think I have it.  A couple days in Rome to hit the high spots - Colosseum and the Vatican - and then the rest of the week back at the Cinque Terre, but this time we'll visit all of the towns.  I don't know now whether this will be before or after the week in Burgundy.  I do know for sure that Rome will be in the middle.  I don't really care for Rome but I think it's some place Ben should see and he'd probably really enjoy it.  And relaxing on both ends.  A perfect trip.

Here it is October already!  And still we are having beautiful and warm weather.  Not hot, but a beautiful Indian summer.  It's going to be quite a shock to the system when it starts getting colder.  It's already very dark in the morning and I need a flashlight to walk Tinkie.  We almost sneaked up on a rabbit the other morning, it's that dark outside.

My blanket is growing and I've got to find some new knitting needles to transfer it.  I am using my Denise needles and the long 52" cord, but as this blanket grows it is going to be getting increasingly heavy and I just know from past disasters that those needles are bound to come apart from the cord.  It's something about the way I lift and shift the project from my lap that does it.  I'm aware of it but even if I'm very very careful I know it's going to happen.  So that is right up there on my list.

We have a busy weekend.  We're throwing another party Saturday but only for 10.  It's kind of another going away party for Ben's cousin and his wife, moving to Utah at the end of the month.  Cards and dinner.  That means early to rise Saturday, lots of running around, cooking of food and cleaning of house.  I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing but football and knitting on Sunday.

Move it to the spring

I was thinking about the trip to France in January.  I got to thinking, if we move it to April or May we can stay two weeks (or more) rather than a quick in and out in January.  I contacted my friends who live in Paris to see if we could go with them to a gite.  They typically go away in April somewhere and this year it's to a place near Beaune.  So we'll do a week with them in Beaune and then a week in Italy somewhere.  The planning is nearly as fun as being there.  The anticipation.  I am SO happy!

It must be the students causing the incredible traffic.  Last night my bus never showed up and I ended up waiting 30 minutes to get the bus to the transit center.  Then it took me 45 minutes to drive from the transit center home!  I didn't get home until 5:40 and usually I'm there about 10 to five.  And this morning ... bumper to bumper all the way to the transit center.  The bus filled up at the transit center and after a couple more stops and people standing in the aisle right on top of each other he had to skip some stops.  Insane.  Thank goodness this is my last year.  I won't have to put up with that ever again.

It's another busy day.  Have I said how much nicer it is to be at work when I am so busy?  It definitely is.  And today is noon knitting as well.  Only one meeting today and two tomorrow and ... ta da ... none on Friday!

Traffic

Holy cow -- what a terrible morning.  The traffic is a mess.  I guess there was an accident and one freeway was closed.  Even though the accident was on I-5 it impacted my commute.  My bus was late and then the traffic was crawling across the bridge. 

Yesterday was a busy and early day.  Monday I have an 8 o'clock meeting so I have to catch the early bus so I can get settled in with a cup of tea before the meeting starts.  It was a long and boring meeting and I was so tired.  But the weather has been gorgeous ... still!  Blue skies and warm temperatures.  At noontime Kate and I walked up the Ave to have lunch with Sundsten.  That was a nice treat.  I think we will go visit him - the long promised girlie weekend we have been talking about.  Ben is going to be away on business and so it's a perfect time for us to take off for the weekend.  And October -- we'll be able to pick mushrooms!  This time I'm going to leave Tinkie home.  it's too hard to visit him with her because he has a cat and she just won't leave that cat alone!

Do nothing Monday lived up to its hype.  Ahhhh ... I had some left over soup and heated up some foccia and called it dinner.  I didn't need to watch the football game because neither I nor my opponent had anyone in the game.  And I lost.  But not quite so badly as last time.  I had over 100 points!  But Marshawn went out of the game early and he's injured.  We just don't know how badly yet.  That could be the death knell for my team.  Fingers crossed he's not badly injured.

I got lots and lots of knitting done on the blanket this weekend.  I finished up the first of five grey bands and started on the first of four magenta ones.  Oh ... it is going to be super soft and super warm and gorgeous!  But I've got 4/5ths left to go.  A long ways.

Thwarted!!

I just want a cup of coffee!  I was super efficient and quick this morning and decided to start my Friday off with a latte from Starbucks.  But when I got there there was only one barista and a line and I couldn't wait so off I went to the Transit Center.  I figured I would grab one at work on the way up to my office.  Nobody in line in front of me. Yay.  I got my order in, paid and ..... fire alarm!!  Geez!  So now I have to wait until the fire alarm is done so I can go down and pick up my coffee.  Sometimes you really have to work for it, ya know?

I left work early yesterday so I could get home and get organized before my 5 o'clock meeting.  That meeting went until nearly 7 pm.  What a long long day that makes.  And we are all so confused at every level with this new curriculum.  I had a dream that I was lost.  No wonder, eh?

I am hoping to make up a lot of points this weekend, since the Seahawks are playing the Bears at home and we have Kam Chancellor back.  My season is not over but I do need a win this weekend, for sure.

And that's about it for the weekend plans.  I want to knit and watch football and that's about it.  Maybe wind some yarn.  Boring?  Maybe.  Relaxing.  Oh yes.

I have GOT to plan a trip

Yes yes I know I just got back from a week in California.  I mean I need to plan a trip to France.  I would, of course, much prefer to go in November.  But I can't - again.  What I can do is go in January and incorporate MLK birthday holiday.  I know people think I'm crazy for going to Europe in January but honestly, it is SO much nicer to be there off season.  A few days in Paris, maybe an overnight to Epernay.  Well, now I can start planning.

So it's now officially autumn.  Well, as of yesterday.  We're still getting pretty nice weather but it's getting colder at night and it's downright cold in the house in the mornings.  I am ready for winter this year.  I am ready for some cold weather and fires in the fireplace.  And getting snowed in. 

Something is going on with Yahoo this morning.  The page won't load, my email won't load.  Odd - it loads up okay on my iPad.  Maybe I should re-start Firefox.

I got three rows done on my blanket at noon knitting yesterday.  Maybe tonight I'll wind up some of the magenta Wool Classico to have ready.  Before I start the stripes though I've got to figure out how I want to do it so it matches.  I know how many yards of Fez makes six inches and I want the blanket to be 60 inches long by 50 inches wide.  And I have enough Fez, the gray color, to make 45 inches.  So - just a little math and I'll know where to put the stripes and how large to make them.

I have my 5 o'clock meeting tonight so I'll be leaving work early.  I am glad the Thursday 4 o'clock meeting was moved to Wednesday mornings.  I will get home early enough to get Tink walked and settled before I have to concentrate and ignore her.  Maybe I'll have time to get a pot of chicken soup on.  Yummm 

A busy weekend and a few days working from home

The party Saturday was a success.  Lots of people, lots of food, only a little sprinkle of rain earlier in the day, and Tiki torches at night!  I woke up Sunday feeling terrible though.  And I don't get hung over, so what was going on?  Well, my throat had been sore for a few days and Sunday morning is was blazing.  I did a little cleaning, a lot of football watching and went to bed early.  I had an 8 am meeting Monday but at six I knew there was no way I was going to go to work, so I ended up working from home Monday and Tuesday.  I'm here today.  I don't feel 100% but I am sure I'm not contagious so .... and it's Noon Knitting day.

I got more good work done on the blanket this past weekend as I watched the Seahawks lose.  Again.  My fantasy team?  TANKED!!! I am last for the first time in years and I am not happy about it.  I hope to have a better week this week.  I got on the waiver wire and got a couple of new guys.  But the Seahawks starting 0 and 2!  Terrible.  Thank goodness Kam Chancellor is back this morning and we're playing the Bears at home  Sunday.  Hopefully things will turn around now.

I have lots and lots of work to do, of course.  And I just wish I could crawl under my desk and sleep.  Ah well ....

And the air turned blue

Our night stands have a very handy feature.  There is a panel at the back that flips up to reveal a plug, and there is a cut out to allow the cords to come out.  Perfect for plugging in your phone, iPad, etc.  I plug my iPhone in and lay it on the table and I plug my iPad in and put it into the drawer because there are other things on the table, like candles and a little dish for lip balm, etc.  So, this morning when my alarm went off I picked up my iPhone, the cord snagged my glass of cranberry juice on the table and tipped it right into the drawer on top of my iPad and various other things in the drawer.  I was SO mad at myself!  What a boneheaded move.  Poor little Tinkerbell was rudely awakened by my cursing and running around.  What a way to start the day, eh?  There's no place to go but up.

I went home yesterday after noon so that I could work late taking meeting minutes.  Part way through the first meeting my cursor turned into a two headed arrow and I couldn't save the document or do anything!  I was so frustrated.  It spontaneously fixed itself but not until I was part way through the second meeting.  So I've had to bring my laptop in with me this morning so I can sort out those meeting minutes.  Needless to say they're not going to be very coherent because I was trying to fix my computer.

Big doings this weekend what with the party on Saturday and football on Sunday.  I just hope I can get some sleep on Sunday morning.  If I don't the week is just going to suck.  Ideally I'd like to have a few hours to knit and watch football and do absolutely nothing else.  Let's plan on that, shall we?

Still sleepy

It's not quite so bad as yesterday, but I'm still so tired today.  I think I was asleep by 9 or 9:30.  Tink got me up around 2, but even so I must have had a solid 8 hours last night, and maybe a bit more.  I think the fact that I haven't been able to go to the gym for the past few weeks might have something to do with it.  Next week I should be able to get back on some kind of gym schedule.  Or I might have to resign my membership and start running again at lunchtime.  I'd like that but I'm not sure my foot would.  Yes, it's been nearly two years and that toe is still not quite right.  Perhaps I should address that issue.

I got a couple of rows done on the blanket at noon knitting, but I wasn't much interested last night.  My hand was a bit sore from all of the knitting I have been doing lately.  Plus the blanket uses a bit bigger needle than I'm used to -- a size 9.  That's not huge, but most of my project have been on 2's or 6's.  I am only a 10th of the way through that thing so I'd better suck it up, yeah?

Thursday night football -- I decided to sit Peyton Manning and go with Sam Bradford this week in hopes of making up for that loss.  Maybe Peyton is done.  I just thought he'd have one more good year in him.  We'll have to wait and see.  The Seahawks have another tough game this week as well, Sunday night at the Packers.  They are going to be out for revenge.  Plus we've still not got Cam Chancellor back. 

Today I go home at noon so that I can work from home in the afternoon and take minutes at the 4 o'clock and 5 o'clock meetings.  Maybe I can get a mani/pedi in there before I am back on the clock.  I sure can't do it Saturday, since we'll be getting ready for that party.  Too bad the salon isn't open on Sundays although Sundays are not easy during football season.  I might have to push it to next week if she can't fit me in at 1 o'clock today.

Sanity

Ahhh ..... finally I am feeling organized and on top of things.  It was a wild ride there for a while.  Now I am organized and, hopefully, I can keep things that way.  It is not fun having so many balls in the air.  I have a little bit of breathing room this week.

I got a reprieve -- I don't have to find blue yarn for that blanket.  The maroon will work.  I think it'll look better that way.  I didn't work on it last night though.  There was too much going on regarding this party this weekend.  And it looks like we're going to luck out on the weather too!  The extended forecast shows 73 and partly sunny.  That'll work.

I am just so tired this morning and I had a good night's sleep too!  I think it's partly because it's darker in the mornings now.  And it's not going to be getting lighter for quite some time.  The good news is that I don't need my sleep mask.  The bad news is that I cannot wake up! 

Because we are serving do it yourself sandwiches at the party, I went up to the Ave yesterday to look for squeeze bottles for condiments.  The store had no bottles but I did find a Mason jar, which I have been looking for but could only find in packs of six.  I just need one.  Woohoo!  Now it'll be much easier to make the jalapeno infused tequila.  I have been just shoving the slices down the neck of the bottle and it is very difficult to get them out.  This will be much easier.

Crazy busy

I was so busy yesterday I didn't have a spare minute to post!  My first meeting was at 8 o'clock so I had to leave super early to catch the 7:11 bus.  I made it in time to get a cup of tea before I had to plug in and start recording the minutes.  Then it was one thing after another.  I am hoping that by the end of the day today I have my feet underneath me.  I feel like I've just been putting out fires as fast as I can since last week.  If I can just get organized things will be easier.

I figured out a good way to handle my Thursday dilemma.  I am going to leave work at noon on Thursday and work from home in the afternoon.  That way I can be home to get Tink walked and sorted out so that I can do my two meetings - 4 to 5 and 5 to 6-ish.  I have to take minutes for both of them and that's the only way I can make that work.

I lost my fantasy match up and I am very disappointed.  If only my quarterback had scored his points - and I took Peyton Manning, who was the last top tier QB left in the draft for me.  Like a few years ago when I took Tom Brady, another one who you expect to meet the goal each week, and he had a terrible year.  I sure hope it isn't going to be that way for Peyton.  All my other guys are so good!  I really was hoping this year I would be in the playoffs at least.  Well, early days.  Early days.

I got around to talking about the blanket I'm making.  I had two yarns picked out for the color - a green and a magenta.  Either of those two go with the decor and I own them.  But no.  It has to be blue.  *sigh*  I can't get Fez because it is a discontinued yarn so I don't yet know what I'm going to get.  I'll just have to shop.

As I suspected ....

I have a few standing meetings now with all of my new duties, and one of them is Thursdays at 5 o'clock.  *sigh*  Terrible time.  I was on that call until 6:30!  Thank goodness the football game was recording.  But truth be told, I got bored with it PDQ since it's the two teams I hate the most and I didn't have a fantasy stake.  My goal was to be in bed by 9:30 and I met that goal. 

Today I drove in to work because our new panting arrives and so Ben took the truck and I got the fancy car.  I decided to drive around rather than go to the transit center and take the bus or to drive the bridge to work.  Going around means going through Bothell and Kenmore on surface streets rather than the 520 Bridge.  I ride that freeway every morning and I know how stacked up it gets.  It's much more comfortable to drive around.  The traffic wasn't bad, I got to stop at Starbucks for a coffee and listen to my sports talk radio all the way in.  It only too 50 minutes.  And, bonus, tonight I can stop and pick up dinner from a BBQ place that I have been craving for weeks.  Win and win.  I think I'll leave the top up though.  I'd rather have the air conditioning.  It's going to be very hot today.

I hope we can get the painting up tomorrow.  Well, we have to get it done this weekend because we've got a party next Saturday.  It's going to be a work-y weekend with the addition of a Husky game on Saturday and the Seahawks season opener (on the road to the Rams) on Sunday morning.  Fingers crossed my fantasy team does well too.  I'm going to order Red Zone today.

Sore jaw

So I guess things are really heating up for me.  I woke up with a sore jaw this morning, which means I was clenching it last night.  My work load has gone from zero to 100 and I'm still trying to catch my breath.  It is exciting though and the days seem to zip right by. 

I did take my noon knitting time.  That is sacrosanct.  I got two rows done on the blanket and I probably could have gotten through another but my hands were a little bit sore because of all the work I had done on it during the weekend.  it is going to be a fabulous blankie.  And then when I got home I found my Luxe box!  Five skeins of camel yarn.  I was hoping for the gray but got the green instead.  I looked to see how the trading was going and it looks like most everybody who got the green wants to trade it for the gray so I will use my green.  The pattern that comes with it is for a nice stole/scarf thingie.  Hopefully we'll get a real winter and it'll be useful.

Football officially starts tonight with the two teams I hate the most playing each other.  I don't have any fantasy players on either of the teams so I don't know how long I'll be watching.  But it all counts now!

Responsibilities

For some time things have been rather slow here at work for me.  There are quite a few reasons why including the chairman preparing to step down and the new curriculum change over.  With some rather aggressive prodding on my part to get my colleagues in this department to advance my cause with the School of Medicine, I now have a bazillion new responsibilities.  Did I say a bazillion?  I might be exaggerating a bit, but not much.  I have four or five standing meetings each week, a retreat in October and I'm still trying to figure out what all else I am responsible for.  I have a meeting tomorrow with someone to nail it down.  I am not complaining but I am feeling a little overwhelmed at this point.  Just a little.

Yesterday morning I spent 3 hours at an HR seminar.  That was a dense three hours, I'll tell you.  It was exciting though and now I can make some better decisions about when I want to stop working.  Now would be fine .... but I can't do it now.  But I know when I can, and that's nice.

So -- I did finally finish up the Starry Nights shawl but I haven't blocked it.  I'm not that much in love with it.  I can't quite decide what to do next - I have some great projects in the wings and my Luxe box is on its way and it's camel yarn, so I might make that project.  But in the meantime, it got a little chilly this weekend and so I decided to start the blanket I've been promising to make.  I have some lovely Debbie Bliss Fez - merino and camel - that I started using to make a heavily cabled hoodie.  I frogged that I it is perfect for the blanket.  I am making my own pattern so first I swatched the pattern, which is alternating stripes of horseshoe lace and broken rib, then I measured and cast on and away we go!  I am really loving it and it goes pretty quickly, plus it's easy enough to be TV knitting.  I brought it in with me today for noon knitting.

It is warming up again and we're heading for the 80s for the weekend.  Summer is not done yet!  But I do notice it's dark in the morning.  I don't like that much. 

An artsy vacation

What fun we had on our vacation!  Lots of sunshine.  Lots of laughs.  Lots of food. 

We started out at Laguna Beach.  It was the final day of the Sawdust Festival, an annual arts festival, so the place was packed!  Lots of kids having a final hurrah before school starts and lots of people for the festival.  We had a cute beach house from AirBnb right at the top of the stairs to the beach.  Perfect.  We had a great dinner Saturday night and got to the festival early enough on Sunday that it wasn't too crowded.  And we nabbed a couple of awesome pieces - a beautiful cache pot and a cute little painting on wood with a gorgeous gold frame.  Lovely.

Monday it was back to LA via the PCH and then on Tuesday we headed out to Santa Barbara for a couple of days there.  We didn't really do much - walked around, I bought a cute little fringed bag, drank lots of wine and pretty much just relaxed.

The most fun part of the vacation for me was the live fantasy draft we had Friday night.  I got a really good team this year (fingers crossed) and the party was SO much fun!  We had all the guys there except for the two in Seattle since Omie and his cousin had come out from the east coast for Kris' wedding the previous weekend. 

Friday we stopped off at Emily Van Horn's studio to look at getting a big painting and oooooo ... I found a beauty. This is called Manana Mas and it's really big, but it'll fit over the bed.  She packed it up and sent it to us so we should have it Friday.  I cannot wait! 

I started a new knitting project this weekend, but it's going to have to wait because I've got to get ready to get out of the office for a 9 o'clock seminar.  I am going to be SUPER busy this next year. 

Vacation here we come

I can't say for sure how long it has been since I've been on vacation this week.  I think maybe 15 years, but more than 20.  Medical school starts the day after the September holiday and so I always have to be here.  Not this year though.  This year we don't start our portion until the 14th and so here I go - a September holiday!  We're leaving Saturday morning, coming back the following Saturday evening and then I'll have two whole days to get back into the groove before I have to go back to work.

There's lots for me to get done this morning.  I have to leave around 1 o'clock for an appointment downtown - which I hope doesn't take more than an hour or so.  I have tons of things to do at home before I leave but since the plane doesn't take off tomorrow until 1:30 I will have plenty of time.

Last night I got started on the picot bind off for the Starry Night.  It's rather time consuming but I do love how it looks and it will give the piece a little weight.  It's rather small so blocking aggressively is going to be what I'll have to do.  Even so I suspect it's going to be more of a kerchief than a shawl.

I've also got to do some serious studying for my fantasy draft.  I haven't done much but I'll print out all of my cheat sheets, take my magazine and keep up with things while we're gone. 

Now to work.

Enjoy it while it lasts

Well it looks like today is the last day of sunshine for a while.   A storm is moving in with rain and wind.  Is it not a perfect time to head south for a vacation?  Yes, yes it is!

I nearly finished the Starry Nights shawl yesterday at noon knitting.  I've got one and a half rows to go before I bind off.  I was going to finish it last night but I got caught up in dinner preparation and catching up on some shows so tonight is the night.  Ben's golfing so I'll have the entire evening to myself.  My only question then is should I wind up the Ancient Gryphon yarn when I finish the shawl?  Maybe I'll wait until I get back from California.

Work is busy busy busy.  It sure makes the day go by faster.  I heard yesterday that the SOM is now paying 25% of my salary and the department is over the moon.  I'm pretty happy too knowing that I am golden for this year.  I just have to make it through the year which is going to be a slog at times.  Ah well .... when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel it's a bit easier to withstand the slog.