Temps can be the pits

Notice, first of all, that I said "CAN BE." I have been a temp, and always gotten rave reviews from the people I worked with/for. However, the temp that worked here while I was gone is a professional temp - meaning that she hires herself out, not works through an agency. You would think that that would mean she would be a good choice, right? NOT!!! I got back and I had no paper clips, no staples, no labels. My scissors were replaced with some AWFUL ones that looked like the kind the teacher had in grade school.

HELLO!!!!

Now, today I place an order at Staples (the place I do all of our office supply shopping). Since I do all of our shopping there, we get rewards checks quarterly. Apparently, while I was gone, we got a $47 reward check. That is about half off our order! How come while I happen to be looking for something else in my drawer, I happen upon this check????? Of course, it expires in 9 days. So, since I just got a call from a lady last week announcing that she was our rep and should we ever have any questions that I could call her directly to get personal service. I emailed and called her at 3:00 our time (Pacific Time). She, however, leaves the office at 5:00 her time (Eastern Time). Which means I missed her by an hour.

GRRRR!!!!

Just to let you know, this might not be much of a knitting blog in the coming months. I seem to have no knitting time anymore! I have projects on the needles that I do a row or two of here and there, but that isn't really worth posting about. I can no longer knit during my breaks or lunch because I have been (Warning: TMI on its way) pumping breast milk for Ayanna during my breaks and lunches. I used to have time on the bus, but lately I haven't found a seat on the bus, and my trips have been dramatically shorter due to picking up/dropping off Ayanna and then getting in the car.

Like I said, I have projects on the needles, but...

Vest for Malik
Sock for step-dad
sock for me
(notice in both of those cases, I said sock, and not socks)
dress for Ayanna
Dale sweater for Ayanna
vest for Marcus
sweater-from-hell that still doesn't want to be ripped
blanket for Ayanna
I won't mention Mariah since I haven't touched it in MONTHS

Wish me luck!

Good thoughts, please

My friend (read friend to mean a fellow knitblogger from Portland, that I have met, but don't really know) was in an accident a week and a half ago. Please send good wishes LeAnne's way! Her friend and LYSO, Alice, wants everyone to know that:

If any of you want to send anything to LeAnne, you can send it care of Tangle Knitting Studio, 440 1st Street, Lake Oswego, OR 97034. I know she will be knitting up a storm of socks over the next few weeks, so what is your favorite sock yarn? She is an amazing woman and I am lucky to have her for my friend and knitting buddy.

peace

Titles are not my forte'

There has got to be a good title for this post, but I ain't coming up with it!

Any ideas? Put them in the comments.

Anyway, I was soooo excited that I was able to rip all that sweater out. I got maybe over two skeins. However!!! I still have two more pieces of sweater that need to be ripped. I can't get them to go anywhere!!! Mind you, this sweater is an EASY(!) top down cardigan. It was suggested that I knit this as my second project. I didn't want to, because I like baby steps, and I didn't feel I was ready - I didn't even know how to purl. This poor yarn has been ripped and reknit so many times! It is an easy pattern to me now - YEARS LATER! I know it was easy to the lady who suggested it to me, because she has been knitting maybe in excess of 50 years, but she no longer has any concept of easy knitting. Easy is a relative term, people, please remember that!

Anyway, it is a good thing I am stubborn, becuase otherwise this sweater would never be done. I put one piece in a bigger bag and back in the freezer so I may be able to rip tonight! I could be working on unkniking the two skeins I have sitting on the ironing board, but I need the right bin to do that in - the one I bought for that purpose is filled with magazines and patterns!

SOMEDAY!!!

St. Pat's

Title???

Yesterday was an eventful day. Marcus and I went to see a lawyer so he could adopt the boys. I made a couple of bad choices in my youth that resulted in wonderful results. Legally, the boys have no father. 6-10 weeks from now, they will have one.

Also, all three kids got earrings last night. Ayanna got two - one in each, and each of the boys got one in their left ear. Marcus didn't have the "guts" to come - he hates when Ayanna crys.

I DID IT!!!!!!!

My Monday got exponentially better! I got home and FIXED MY SWEATER!! I put one piece in a ziploc bag and put it in the freezer. I left it there until after dinner, and then my DH and I pulled and pulled and pulled! I now have three very kinky pieces. Probably equal to two skeins! I have more to freeze and pull, but

I DID IT!!!

Keep in mind, please, that I have been having problems with this sweater for about 4 years - maybe close to 5, now. This was my second project. Maybe I can actually finish it this year! No, I am GOING to finish it this year!!! I am making a vow, now.

Blog errors

I got excited. I thought I could fix some of the buttons on my site. I fixed some but then completely screwed up!! I guess it is still Monday, here. For all I know these problems may never fix. I haven't given up, but I can't guarantee anything. If all else fails, I will delete the issues in question.

Here is a pic to make me feel better.
















I used to suck my two middle fingers. She is doing it, too. That is her Daddy's shoulder on the left of the pic.

Crappy Monday

So, I figure if I vent about this now, I can get on with my life.

I am writing this at 10:05 am, and I can't believe how AWFUL this Monday is already.

I started out fine! Not only was I on time (for once) I was actually slightly ahead of schedule. I dropped off Ayanna, no worries. Then I take the boys to school for a before school activity (Chess Club) that they go to on Monday and Wednesday mornings. The mom who volunteers to run this is supposed to be there by 7:40 when it starts. Usually it is more like 7:45. Okay, no problem. Once she showed up at 8:00! Now, bear in mind that I take transit to work after this drop-off, so I like her to be there at 7:40. I have to be at work at 8:30. One time she called and said she was going to be late, so one of the staff of the school said he would monitor the children until she got there. Another time she called because her car wouldn't start, so the same staff member said he would fill-in, again. Today, she didn't even bother to call. At about 8:05 I finally told this same staff member that I couldn't stay because I had to leave to go to work. He had to find someone to supervise. He had stuff to do and would rather not fill-in. Well, he ended up doing it. By the time I got to leave, I was LATE!!! So much for taking transit, I guess I am parking downtown.

I get to the parking garage, drive up to get the ticket out of the machine. The machine decides it doesn't want to work for me. I don't get a ticket. I try to get out of the car, but I can't because I pulled up close to the machine so I could reach the ticket. FINALLY the man notices that something is going on, and comes over to help me. He makes the bar go up and tells me to just park and walk to the booth and he will give me a ticket.

Then I get to work. Last week I noticed my filing was getting out of hand. I decide I can't put it off anymore. Then my boss says "What are you working on?" "Trying to catch up on my filing." "No, do this." TODAY: "You're filing is a mess." "Ok, I will work on it now." I open the file drawers and start putting stuff in. "You need to keep those drawers closed when we have people coming in." HELLO!!! CAN I WIN AT ALL?!?!?!? First of all, how in heck am I supposed to file with the drawers closed, second of all, the client isn't coming in for an hour! Third of all, (the client is here, now) THE CLIENT DIDN'T EVEN COME BACK HERE!!!!!

There, now maybe I can get on with my life and this bad Monday vibe will leave me alone!

I WON!!!

In this post, I mentioned a contest I wanted to enter. I WON!! I got a $50 gift certificate to pick whatever I wanted. Here is what I picked. This cup, a kitchen timer, some salt & pepper shakers, this sign, and these cards: card, card, card. The cup is only a coffee cup, not a breakfast cup. The timer moos three times when time runs out!!!

A good week

Wednesday I picked up three things that I had been hanging on to for quite some time. All three had ends that needed to be woven in - only two ends per project (two are dishcloths, and the third is my DH's hat). I decided to finish them. I don't know why I thought it would take awhile, but it didn't. I finished in only a little while. So, I had to go get a different project to work on. Since my DH was asleep, I thought I would put some time in on his vest. It is a little more than 300 sts around in a black and red fair isle pattern. I finished 3½ rows.

I have been working on the second sock for my Step-dad. It just keeps growing - how nice. It seems like it grows in my bag.

Look what I just made: http://sites.bundleofjoys.com/arbrown/

Hello

I got a link to this map from this blog. As far as I can tell, it needs some work. Please check your area, and update as needed.

Yarn Harlot is making the same thing as me in what looks like the same colors. Read this post for more information. I am making the 24 month size. My version, as of today, looks like this:




















I think she is making the sleeve. I am currently working on the body. I am in the second row.

I made a lot of progress on this project last night while watching Rent - one of the best movies EVER!!! If you have not, yet - run - do not walk - to see this!

Goal update:
I didn't work on the baptism dress, at all. I didn't even make an appointment for pics.
I didn't work at all on Malik's vest
Finish the repeat I have already started on Voss. - I got this one done!
I cast on for the second of my step-dad's socks. This was originally going to be a father's day present last June. I finished the first sock, but never even cast on for the second. I am maybe an inch in right now.

Baptism pics volume 1

She was very upset that we disrupted her nap. The gown she was wearing was worn by my mother and her sister, and all four of us kids. It is over 60 years old. The boys weren't scheduled to be Alter Boys during this Mass, but the person who was scheduled to do it, didn't show up. This is the second time DeAndre' served. Malik does it monthly.