Spring is finally here - in full force

Apple Blossoms - it is really too windy for pictures - but Spring is finally here!!
Not much knitting today - the garden is calling. Burning, triming, sweeping, weeding, mowing. Hurray I got a bunch done and lots more to go - but a big blister is in the way!

My Knit Picks yarn came yesterday - Chocolate!! I swatched for my Celtic sweater - 4 times so far...the XL is too big and the L isn't big enough - so trying to get the needle size to give me the correct gauge to fit. The recommended needle is an 8 and I think the result is too loose - I'm thinking that a 6 needle will work fine - but MUST make sure with more swatching. Boring!

I am liking my new job - have been working on Excel programming - lots of fun of course - it's been awhile since I've done this so am a little slow still - but have almost got it!! The setting is just so spectacular that the day goes by pretty fast. Although the drive is long - it's me time - and am enjoying that! My other part-time job pays for the gas to the full time job and gives me a little latte change - so all is well!!

I got my Sockapaloooza socks sent on Friday! They have a long ways to go! It was fun putting lots of Oregon Goodies in the box - lots of great postcards too.

Hope you all enjoy the weekend!

Not much knitting

I have been not been knitting much - but today while waiting with Molly in the doctor's office I did get some done on my latest socks - don't love waiting at the doctors! Molly has a slipped disk and of course this morning while everyone was rushing to get ready for work - out it went - try helping your 21 year old off the tiny bathroom floor while she is trying to hold still in extreme pain - now on all those fun sleepy meds. So instead of work I did the grocery shopping and mowed the lawn. Tomorrow is burn day so still have to do the trimming.
New job is great - the atmosphere is wonderful and the work will be challenging - if not intense at times. Have spent most of the time reinstalling all the software - hard drive crashed just before I started. It looks like Quickbooks missed a back-up so will have to recreate a day or two - but not much. Boss is gone all next week so will have time to explore stuff and figure out where I can have the most impact. I am a happy camper!
These are typical views......sorry the picture of the mountains isn't better....it is Mount Washington - it has another name but isn't proper for blogging!!

This big buddy and his mate and thier relatives are always near by. I haven't seen the Osprey yet - but I know they frequent the neighborhood - especially because there is a big fish hatchery just down the river. Bald Eagles hang out there too. This is opening weekend of fishing season and it is sort of bitter sweet for me - The Metolius River is a world known fly fishing river and my dad would always be here for opening day - with three of his best buddies - two are gone now and Dad is still in California -waiting for the good weather to come home for the summer.
Here I am spending every day on the Metolius. When we were kids we'd spend part of every summer here and always the long New Years weekend in the snow. My parents brought us over here to get away from the big partying in Portland - little did they know the trouble we got into in Camp Sherman! Stealing half empty drinks from our parents to make a concoction that we took up to the mountain the next day when we went skiing....OMG - how we survived I wonder. The risks we took!! But wonderful memories!

Am off to get Videos for evening knitting time!!
TTFN and Knit On!!

Too Bad

The Drive View........
The Post Office

More tomorrow - I forgot The Desk View - you'll all hate me!

First Day - 71 miles later

A long drive - but as I've said it is beautiful. Great time for NPR listening and just for myself time!
Job will be great - interesting, challenging and the real opportunity to make a difference! I am in for the long haul!
Thanks to all your supportive comments today - I really appreciate them - especially since I came home to an empty household because everyone else is now at work!!!
Also met a new knitter today - a part-time employee - so will have lots to share with her. Promised to teach her how to do socks - since I had my latest on I had to show them off!!
I think I decided on my next project - the Celtic sweater with Wool of the Andes - this way I can afford it now - I'm bored with socks for the moment - even though I cast on another pair last night...will show when it's worth the picture.
Hope everyone has a great week!!

Happy Socks

Happy Easter all!!
Finished these today - just in time to wear to new job tomorrow!!! Color isn't true at all - they are much darker!!! I'll update more after the first day jitters are over!!

One year ago today, my Mother, Ann, passed away from Breast Cancer. She was first diagnosed about 5 years earlier – but with surgery and chemo she survived well for three years until the cancer was found in her liver. Then she started a intensive chemo treatment that left her uncomfortable and limited in her activities. Ironically she was scheduled to have a cutting edge treatment where they inject her liver with radioactive beads that goes right to the cancer. But she was not healthy enough at the time and was unable to have the treatment. She died peacefully in a wonderful hospice facility that took care of all of us. It was a long journey for all of us.

She was an especially well loved woman – with an incredibly large group of friends – a few that she’d had since kindergarten! They were the ‘naughty nine’! When she married my dad and moved to Portland her circle widened to include my dad’s childhood friends. They were married for over fifty years! (This picture is from the 50th Anniversary Party) This huge group of friends is an amazing thing to me – a huge group of people. I do not see this phenomenon today – we are all so mobile we don’t seem to make these long lasting relationships.

I also believe that it was my mother’s personality that fostered these relationships – she really was a good friend to all. A great listener, a supporter of many causes – especially those involving less fortunate children. She was a nurse who spent years volunteering at the hospital – including making weekly batches of cookies for the cute young interns! Many of whom she adopted for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

She created beautiful needlepoint and made every new baby that she knew beautiful cross stitch quilts – I bet over 100 of them over the years. I have an unfinished one that someday I will complete for my daughters to pass on. She taught me how to knit when I was a teenager and I use her needles everyday – they are my favorite double points.

I’d like to share this poem that was read at her family service.

Let Evening Come

Jane Kenyon

Let the light of late afternoon
Shine through chinks in the barn, moving
Up the bales as the sun moves down.

Let the cricket take up chafing
As the woman takes up her needles
And her yarn. Let evening come.

Let the dew collect on the hoe abandoned
In long grass. Let the starts appear
And the moon disclose her silver horn.

Let the fox go back to its sandy den.
Let the wind die down. Let the shed
Go black inside.Let evening come.

To the bottle in the ditch, to the scoop
In the oats, to air in the lung
Let evening come.

Let it come, as it will, and don’t
Be afraid. God does not leave us
Comfortless, so let evening come.

I miss her and am honored to have been part of her life!!

Mittens and New Job!

Caryn's Mittens as promised - I know she'll like them!!

OK – new job starts week after this – yippee! I’m going to be the Assistant to two guys who have been in business separately for years – both very successful. They are business consultants – you know budgeting, staff management, business plans, acquisitions, mergers, marketing, capital…..one guy has been in the local market and the other has big international clients so has been overseas a lot the last few years. They are joining forces and hope to concentrate more on our local area – but also more regionally. They are great friends, have wonderful families (mostly grown up), they are a lot of fun and very professional. I’ve worked for them together (one recommended the other to consult at a previous job I held) and I’ve worked for one separately on a part-time project. So I know them both relatively well and am very comfortable with them – although this may be a little intimidating at first until I get settled in. Central Oregon is pretty casual business wise and I’ll be calling clients by Mrs….or Mr….. – this will be a change for me, but one which I grew up with. I still call my parents friends Mr. and Mrs. – and get scolded for it every time!

The one downside of this job is the drive – 45 minutes one way. A long way for me – but through the best part of Central Oregon. I won’t be able to run out and pickup Marianne from school and stuff like that – but we are car shopping now. How did I luck out – I now will be working two jobs located in the most beautiful places in Oregon – Camp Sherman on the Metolius and Smith Rocks on the Crooked River – it makes me dizzy!

The other downside is health insurance – I’ve got to pick it up myself (I’m the only employee) – which I have to investigate next week. I’m really healthy (I’m going for a mammogram Monday) – but as I get older Health Insurance becomes more important. I bet I haven’t been to the Doctor twice in the last five years! I could do the COBRA deal with my current insurance – but it’s too expensive – would eat up a big portion of the extra I’m going to be earning – so am shopping for high deductible, low premium!

All in all it is a wonderful opportunity. Two great bosses who I really enjoy, interesting and challenging work for which I will be compensated for by those who will appreciate my efforts. Lots of humor. The opportunity to earn more for clients I personally do work for….. And I still will have my other job that I love! OMG!!!

The other downside is less knitting time because I’ll be driving…so I’ve got to get an Ipod or check out books on tape at the library!

I actually have to keep pinching myself – I’ve waited a long time for the perfect job and this is probably it and my last chance!!

The rain is back so no gardening this weekend - quality knitting time instead. Maybe I can decide on which sweater - yea right!!

Happy weekend to all!

Book Club

Well I tried to post a picture of my finished fingerless mitts - but you know blogger!
Had my Book Club last night - lots of fun. Carol our hostess had been to China this summer so cooked Chinese - was really yummy!
Book for this month is Gonzalez and Daughter Trucking Co. by Maria Amparo Escandon. I zipped by Barnes and Noble to pick it up on my way home and also got Classic Knits for Real Women - oh I like both books! Which sweater do I do?
I seem to have a problem picking out my next project - I just need to go to a great LYS and check everything out!!!
6 more days of the yukky job - hurray!
Spring arrived today - Saw the Osprey with fish!!
Will try to post pictures again tomorrow!!

The winner is Organized!

I drew a name for the “Let’s get organized” project – and the winner turned out to be Rhonda – good thing because I would have sent her something just for effort. She has been organizing like mad – it’s looking good girl. You are now ready to dazzle us with knitting achievement!!! Rhonda - Send me your snail mail address and I’ll send you a custom row counter!!!

Jenn – I need a picture of the ‘wine bottle’ case – No wonder you’ve lost your sanity!!

This was fun to see how everyone keeps organized – like minds I guess – we’ve all got notebooks, all have containers ranging from lined wicker baskets to Rubbermaids. Ziplock bags are a big essential.

Blogs, Journals Excel and Delicious (is it that good?) keep all our records straight – the key here I’ve found is you have to keep it up to date!

This has been fun – we are an organized group!!

Grey's Anatomy Rocks!! Izzy is a speed demon!

Knitting Everywhere

I got up this morning - ready for a few moments of coffee, the news and knitting. Instead I found knitting everywhere!!
This little cherub had decided to have some fun with my basket.

Now it is all cleaned up and pretty for your viewing pleasure. This basket sits under the table next to my chair and currently contains four stash busting projects. Navy & Copper Nordic Mittens, Iris Fingerless mittens, Red, black etc Entrelac scarf, and Trekking socks. This picture actually shows the colors pretty well....
I am having fun with all of these - have never done Entrelac before - I like it. Maybe someday that beautiful scarf in Scarf Style?

On the organization front - You've got to read Rhonda's notes - she is totally into getting organized - of course it looks to me like she has a lot to organize. Good Job!!!

Now Julia on the other hand - had to bring things home - so she has another challenge - where do I put all this stuff!!! She keeps an Excel spreadsheet about yarn purchases - way too organized for me! I just don't have the time!

It looks to me like we all equip our knitting chairs with all the necessary tools - including wine and chocolate!! Our storage methods are varied - plastic boxes, baskets, drawers, shelves etc. Everyone seems to have a notebook or notebooks with info we collect. Rhonda (see above) keeps her book info in del.icio.us - great idea. Maybe we could use it to keep track of yarn purchases?

Julia makes book marks from yarn ball bands - I put them into my journal of knitting.

We all seem to be able to find the things we need - but Jenn has lost her sanity....
"Patterns are in a binder and are sorted by type - baby knits, sweaters, socks, scarves/shawls, and misc.
Mags and books are on top of two bookcases in the living room - divided into patterns and reference. I can't find my sanity yet.
I have a few ziploc bags full of left overs - I have a secret plan for them though." Yea right!!

Overall I'd say we are an organized group! Busy lives and lots of knitting!!

Speaking of - my life is going to be really busy with this new job - I'll have almost a 45 min communte each way - I know it isn't that far - but compared to 2 minutes it's far! Camp Sherman is on the Metolius River - one of the most beautiful spots in the State of Oregon - how did I get so lucky. I'll drive through the little town of Sisters every day - no LYS - can you believe it! But home of a huge quilt show.
The two guys that I'm going to work for are old friends - it will be fun, challenging and interesting - I am so honored to be a part of thier team. They are business consultants - with a growing local market and some international clients - so it will be interesting for sure. I've got a lot to learn but am up for the challenge. The best part is now I can get my sweater yarn!!! Not quite yet - but sooner than I had anticipated!!

This is a gardening weekend - have to get the free pickup stuff out to the street - rain or shine!!
Have a great weekend!! I'm going to!!