GREAT BLOG NEWS!!!!!!

My sister came over last night with our anniversary present. It was from her and my brother.

Guess what it is!


You will never guess....





Keep thinking....




Ok - We got a DIGITAL CAMERA!!!

We don't have the softward hooked up, yet, so either tomorrow or next Tuesday, you will see real pics on here (FINALLY!!!)

Have you ever done this one?

So yesterday I did a good one while knitting on the Aran sweater. I couldn't find my cable needle, anywhere! I looked all in the couch, in my purse, under the table, in my pants pockets and my shirt, etc. Guess where I found it??? In my knitting! I had used it for a cable, put my stitches on the cable needle, and left them there. Had to tink back about 7 stitches to get my needle back and finish the cable I was in the middle of. I can't believe how much I am getting done on this cable project, while I have other projects just sitting around. This is for a birthday in September, so I really need to work on it, not like the other stuff, which either has no due date, or the due date has passed.

So, I saw that Yarn Harlot will be at Powells on August 3rd. I also heard a rumor that she will be at Abundant Yarn near the time of thier Grand Opening.

Happy Anniversary

to my DH. We have been married for two years. If this works, this is the e-card my sis sent me:

http://www.hallmark.com/ECardWeb/ECardPickupView.jsp?c=EG3781961400788&msgid=50293900&n=%5dqn%7bn%7cj&e=%7djtrum%7eooI%02x7lxv&BAE=3&mailID=BAE_ECARD&s=wop%3a%3b%409&p=Qjyy%03%29Jwwr%7fn%7b%7cj%7b%03%2a%29%29Lxwp%7bj%7d%7euj%7drxw%7c%29xw%29orwmrwp%29%7dqn%29ux%7fn%29xo%29%03x%7e%7b%29uron%29jwm%29wx%7d%29knrwp%29jo%7bjrm%29xo%29qjyyrwn%7c%7c%2a%29%291Yunj%7cn%29ox%7b%01j%7bm%29%7dqr%7c%29%7dx%29Vj%7bl%7e%7c%29ro%29qn%29qj%7c%29jw%29nvjru%29jmm%7bn%7c%7c7%29%29%5dqjwt%7c72%29%29Ux%7fn%29%03x%7e%29kx%7dq7&f=y


DH & I

Not that this is a good picture, but I don't have a pic of the wedding at work, and this is the only pic I have at work of the honeymoon.


Honeymoon 

And here is my DH all by hisself:


DH 

Cute kid story: DH and DS #1 were upstairs watching TV. DS #2 and I were watching TV downstairs. DS #2 was kinda wandering, then he came up to me and asked me if it was okay if he went upstairs, too, because he didn't want me to be lonley.

Annoyed

with myself. I have worked here for almost a year. My boss, while being a lovely person, is also way too particular for my taste. I don't know if I shared with you all my complaint about the way he criticized my choice in cups for the clients. "You only use this one for clients." Like it matters. The only difference between the two mugs, is that one fits perfectly on the saucer (which is mandatory) and the other doesn't. Sorry, I didn't know. Not only does filing need to be done, which I am sooo bad at, but it has to be done right. I understand this is not a hard request, but for some reason I am still having troubles. I don't know how much is my inability to get filing done, how much is him being a wierd-o, and how much is my Catholic guilt. However, I am quite sick of being in "trouble."

Speaking of which, my boss did give me a $50 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble. I bought
Knitting: History, Fashion, and Great Knitting Yarns
Baby Knits Two
Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles
At Knit's End
I got them on Friday. I think I may have gotten the gift card on Monday, but I kept forgetting to post about it.

I worked on the sweater this weekend. I got almost another repeat done. I need to make either five or six repeats of the center chart. I am almost done with the second on the back. I would like to have this done by September with another item done by September. We will see.


Halcyon Back #2

The mistakes I mentioned Friday are a bit more noticeable here. The scanner isn't quite as wide as the sweater, therefore the chart on the right side that is repeated on the left side is not seen. Please imagine it.

I have actual knitting content!

I am knitting on the Halcyon Aran. I like it. I don't love it, because I have to use 6 charts all at the same time. It is coming along, though. It is for my sister for her birthday. I am using KnitPicks Wool of the Andes.


Halcyon Back 

There are some minor errors in it, but since this is the bottom of the back, I don't really care. I bought a new magnet board in a bit of a bigger size, so I think the errors will stop - one can hope, anyway.

I also have a new love.

Loose tea. I got a couple of free samples from Adiago Teas, (I have a link on the left side, that is why I got it free) and I bought some Tazo Calm, and a tea pot. I didn't realize that Herbal tea wasn't really tea, but more potpouri. I am really enjoying it. I realize the irony in finding this love during summer, but it can't decide what season it is here, yet, so I will enjoy it whenever I can.

So, my DH works downtown with me, now. We went to lunch Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Today he calls me at lunch time and says he is going to lunch with a co-worker. I was a bit sad.

Have a good weekend.

Stuff

I work in a law office. We had a very pleasant afternoon yesterday. That is a lie. Around 2:00 we got a call from an opposing party who is represented by counsel who wanted to speak to the attorney. Now, some of you may not know this, but if you don't you should. If you are party a, and you have an attorney, party b's attorney is not allowed to speak to you, s/he could get disbarred. This rule is not just to have the attorney get in trouble for speaking you, it is also not because the attorney I work for is stonewalling and doesn't want to talk to you. It is in the disciplinary rules.

The "gentleman" who called yesterday "KNEW THE LAW" and was sure that Michael (my boss) was just being an ass. So, of course, he took it out on me. He was yelling at me, and I could not even get a word in edgewise.

He called about 2:00. He had a doctor's appointment at 5:00. Which means (after we got the lawyer issue taken care of) we had to scurry to get a maybe 5 hour project done in less than 3 hours. We made it, but why do people do this. It would be one thing if this was our client demanding this from us, but this man isn't even paying us. (Our client will, but not the point.)

I have been a receptionist for awhile now, so I realize this is standard protocol, but it still annoys me. I get yelled at, and my boss doesn't even take that issue up with the person. I would really appreciate it if my boss had gotten on the phone with this sweet man, and told him where to go and how to get there.

So, changing the subject, this morning I was listening to a local radio station, and they were discussing AFI's 100 list of Movie Quotes. My name is Jenni, that means I will forever hear 867-5309 and "Jenny" said in someone's best impersonation of Forrest Gump. So, when they told listeners to call in, I called in to say "Run, Forrest, Run." So, I was on the radio this morning. It was an experience I had never had before. I wasn't too impressed, then, of course, the DJ (after he had disconnected me) told me to tell Forrest "Hi." I swear I will have alzheimer's and be in a home, and someone will ask me my phone number and I will say 867-5309 and I will wonder where Forrest is. For the record, I have never even seen the movie.

I have knitting news, sort of. I started a sweater from Black Water Abbey Yarns.


halcyon aran pullover

I can't for the life of me finish anything. I don't even have a lot of drive to knit. What is wrong with me, someone please?

Good news and bad news

My DH started a new job today. That is the good news. The bad news is our morning. His shift (for his 2 week training period) is 7-3:45. My shift is 8:30 - 5. Being that school is out for the summer, daycare is involved. After much figuring it out, we decided that my DH's niece will watch the boys. She lives with her three brothers at their mom's house in Milwaukie for only $30 a week. Such a deal.

So, this morning, I took my husband to work downtown (a 10 mile drive), then drove out to Milwaukie to drop the boys off (another 5 miles). Then I had to drive toward downtown (4 miles), but drop the car off and get on a bus (travel time to work 14 minutes), cause parking downtown is way too expensive, and my employer pays for my bus pass. This whole trip took us a little over an hour. At 11:15-ish, my DH will come pick up my bus pass. After he gets off work he will take the bus to pick up the car and then the boys. He will then come pick me up. This is our schedule for the next two weeks. After this, he will get his schedule, and we will tweak this as needed. The worst part of this for me, is my knitting during my commute time just went from an hour a day, to like 10 minutes. The worst part for my DH, is he is pretty sure he isn’t gonna like his job, but is taking it for a paycheck, he is still looking for something better.

A silver lining

It was already a good thing that my MIL's life was taken on Saturday. I don't mean that in a negative way, but she was in so much pain, and had been for so long, that it was time. The funeral was yesterday. My FIL was there. My DH has been not interested in talking to or about his dad for a long time. My DH tried during our wedding two years ago, but it didn't work. My FIL left, instead of staying. Yesterday after the funeral, my DH asked my FIL where he was staying (he lives about five hours away). FIL said he was going to go find a place. My DH volunteered a twin sized bed in our house. I was so happy for them. They (we) talked for a couple of hours last night before we all went to bed. They talked for a couple of hours this morning. Hopefully, this will mean a good truce.

Lots of stuff

Well, here we go. It was a bit of a long weekend. We went to the Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade on Saturday. I knew it was Knit in Public day, so I dutifully brought along my knitting (although I would have brought it, anyway, as I am a regular KIPer). It was pretty much a crazy weather day. It would rain, then stop, for a min it was sunny and warm, then it rained again. Therefore, I only knitted maybe a row in public, because I didn't really want it to rain on my knitting. The parade was fun, dispite the rain. After we went to the carnival. It was a good thing we decided to check out the Coast Guard ships first, because it decided to POUR while were on one of the boats - inside! So we hung out in there until it cleared. Then we went on some rides. I got a frozen chocolate banana, Malik got an elephant ear. DeAndre' met with a friend and left to spend the night.

We got some bad news Saturday early at midnight. The midnight Saturday that is really Friday night. My MIL died. It was actually good news. She was really bad for six months. Couldn't do anything for herself. My DH was really close to her. But he saw her deteriorate every day, so I think that he grieved for six months, and that is why he is not grieving now. He is a bit upset with himself for not grieving.

Yesterday, I had a doctor's appointment. We took the boys, and they got to hear the heartbeat. I asked them later if they thought it was wierd or cool. One said wierd and the other said cool.

TGIF

My DH bought me an anniversary present yesterday. It is similar to this, but better and less expensive. It is really hard for me to sit on bleachers watching baseball games with no back support. Now, I don't have to.

My home page is Excite.com. Every day they have a fortune. These aren't the greatest fortunes, because they aren't personalized for me, and they are in some sort of cycle, because sometimes I see the same one more than once. This is the second time I have seen this one:

Daily Fortune

Your fortune for today...

Try a new hobby. Knitting is fun!

Sockapooloza

So I was reading various blogs yesterday, and found out that Jenifer had joined sockapalooza 2. I wanted to join, too. So I clicked on the link on her post. That took me to Wanda's. Her entry took me to Alison's where I could join. I did.

Also, after reading Jenifer's post I decided to join http://www.flylady.net/. I'm not sure about this site, yet.

If my post looks wierd, it is because my computer is on the fritz for some reason.

Even though LeAnn attempted to send me bad karma, my DH had the grill all set up when I got home yesterday. He said we have to wait until the weekend to actually try it out.

New Grill

The other day I mentioned that we might get a digital camera for our anniversary (which is still 3 weeks away). Apparently, my dad had other plans. He has a key to our house because I believe someone should have an extra key in case of emergencies. So yesterday, we were at a baseball game and my husband got a call on his cell phone that said that he was getting a call from home. I was sitting right next to him, so it couldn't have been me, plus both boys were with me. He was a bit confused and concerned. It was my dad informing us that when we get home, we have something waiting for us for our anniversary. When we got home, there was a HUGE box that contained this grill:


Grill

It is now in pieces all over our floor. We were also gifted with two huge bags of charcoal. This grill is a smoker and grill. Apparently, my dad has been wanting to get us a grill for two years.

The first thing out of my DH's mouth were "I'm not cleaning this." He has wanted a grill in the backyard since we moved in.

Change of subject - my son is great. I am making his socks, when I realize that father's day is fast approaching, and I want to finish two different pairs before then. I asked him this morning if it would be alright if he got his socks after father's day. He had no problem saying sure. I might make him some special socks. I really wanted to be able to finish his socks in time for him to wear them to school before school got out next Tuesday.

Names

I have no knitting content, today. I am stalled on Malik's sock, since it was a bad sock and was cast on with about 8 too few stitches. I have no interest, whatsoever, in finishing Dad's sweater, which is due tomorrow. I might wrap it unfinished, and give it to him to see if he likes it, something is gnawing at me that he won't like the color. That and the pattern which I don't really enjoy. Plus, I am reading A Good Yarn by Debbie Macomber, and it is due at the library today. I have only a couple of more chapters, left, so I will probably finish it today, but it might not make it home until tomorrow - which will cost me 25 cents. I can't knit and read. Especially on the MAX.

In baby news, it just occured to me that I don't think I have announced our names. For a girl it will be Ayanna Rose Brown (Ayanna is pronounced I-anna - although I am not good at spelling out things so people can say them) and if it is a boy it will (sort of) be named after my DH. Fletcher Marcus William Brown IV. My husband's name is really Fletcher Brown IV, but he goes by Marcus and William is my step-dad's name, my brother's middle name, and my grandfather's name, so that is to include all those people.

Rose Festival

We have something in Portland called the Rose Festival. It is a lot of fun, there is a “fun center” - rides, and food and vendors, etc. There are THREE parades. The meat of it lasts 11 days. Yesterday was the official kick off. The first thing that happens, is a queen is crowned. All the possibles are senior girls from the local high schools. The high schools all have a court and the student body chooses a queen from their school who goes on to the Portland court. Traditionally, as Portland is pretty much a white town, the girls have all been white. Last night was the crowning. There were 14 girls. 4 were white, 3 were black, 3 were some kind of Hispanic, and 4 were some kind of Asian (no disrespect intended, I don't know the differences, I know one was from Thailand, and one was from China). This has been probably the most diverse court in the history of the Rose Festival, I was sooo proud. Why, then, was I surprised when I white, Irish girl from a Catholic School was voted queen? This is still Portland, after all. I am still bummed. I did a bit of research. The coronation has been every year since 1907. By looking at pictures of the queens since then, I have some statistics for you (2002-2003 were missing). There have been no queens who looked Hispanic, two queens who looked Asian, and 4 queens who looked black. HELLO! Out of almost 100 girls! WTF?!?! I understand the ones early on. There was probably a law or something. The first non-white queen was in 1970 (Asian). That is thirty-five years ago. And out of those 35 girls (not counting the two missing ones), only 6 were non-white! We have a long way to go!!!

Knitting news - yesterday I finished off the heel of my son's sock. I did a row or two of stockinette, and had him try them on. I don't know what happened (I had a feeling), but I had cast on only 44 instead of 52 stitches for the leg. It wouldn't go over his foot. I had to pull the whole thing out, and start again. :(!!!