Raining. Hubby taking the California Bar Exam this week. Good knitting progress. Cool Olympics. Making arrangements to sell Florida condo. Making plans to drive cross-country. Looking forward to Stitches West. Wishing I lived closer to dad. Glad I live in California. Realizing how big this house is when I'm the only one in it. Miss KW; even the excitement of Stitches doesn't change that.
Wow, that sounds sadder than I actually am. I'm fine, really. Just don't like rain and don't like KW being so far away; makes me melancholish. Think I'll go watch some Olympics.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Travelin' Fools
After all the travel we did last year, I thought for sure we'd cut back quite a bit this year. Apparently, that's not going to be the case.
Last month, we went on the lovely cruise to the Western Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. We're home this month (KW will be taking the California Bar exam Feb. 23, 24, and 25 so we didn't want to go too far afield), and will be up in Healdsburg the first weekend in March, then off to Honolulu around mid-month (friends booked a home-exchange deal and invited us to join - yes! yes!).
We'll be home again for April, then in May, we'll fly to Florida and drive my aunt's car back home. We'll be doing a 'fairly' direct shot... I say 'fairly' because we'll stop in Texas to visit KW's son, at the Grand Canyon (onnacounta I've never been), in Las Vegas for a night or two (an early anniversary trip), then in Oxnard to visit KW's parentals. We need to be back by May 22, though, because that weekend is another knitting retreat, this time in Discovery Bay.
Nothing on the books yet for June, July, August, or September (it's early yet - I'm sure we can find SOMEplace to go), then in October it's off to the Eastern Caribbean (Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Maarten) on Carnival's new Dream. We've also been talking about taking another holiday cruise for Christmas/New Year's; still a possibility.
A gazillion thanks to RP for making all this even remotely possible.
Last month, we went on the lovely cruise to the Western Caribbean on Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. We're home this month (KW will be taking the California Bar exam Feb. 23, 24, and 25 so we didn't want to go too far afield), and will be up in Healdsburg the first weekend in March, then off to Honolulu around mid-month (friends booked a home-exchange deal and invited us to join - yes! yes!).
We'll be home again for April, then in May, we'll fly to Florida and drive my aunt's car back home. We'll be doing a 'fairly' direct shot... I say 'fairly' because we'll stop in Texas to visit KW's son, at the Grand Canyon (onnacounta I've never been), in Las Vegas for a night or two (an early anniversary trip), then in Oxnard to visit KW's parentals. We need to be back by May 22, though, because that weekend is another knitting retreat, this time in Discovery Bay.
Nothing on the books yet for June, July, August, or September (it's early yet - I'm sure we can find SOMEplace to go), then in October it's off to the Eastern Caribbean (Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Maarten) on Carnival's new Dream. We've also been talking about taking another holiday cruise for Christmas/New Year's; still a possibility.
A gazillion thanks to RP for making all this even remotely possible.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Proud to be Canadien
Oh wait, I'm not. Sure wish I were; that Opening Ceremony was so cool. And I totally nailed who the torch-lighter would be - who else but The Great One??
I opted to not participate in neither the Knitting Olympics nor the Ravelympics. Don't really know why... although I seem to be in a finishing mood and - gasp - didn't feel like casting on anything right now. Weird, I know. I'll go lie down and maybe the feeling will pass. (Yes, I know I could have picked a WIP to finish, but I didn't have anything that would fit well in the 17 days.) Next time.
In other news, probate on my aunt's estate closed last week. We had the final phone conversation with the lawyer this morning. My brother and I now own half of a Florida condo, and dad hasn't decided yet if he wants to move into it. Tick-tock, tick-tock; if he doesn't want to, we're going to have to get it on the real estate market tout de suite before all the Snowbirds take off for their northern climes.
DH and I are now plotting our cross-country drive, likely some time in May. Yay! I'll finally get to see the Grand Canyon!
Wow; it's later than I thought. Thanks, NBC, for making those of us on the Left Coast watch the Opening Ceremonies on tape delay. WTH? Was that really necessary??
I opted to not participate in neither the Knitting Olympics nor the Ravelympics. Don't really know why... although I seem to be in a finishing mood and - gasp - didn't feel like casting on anything right now. Weird, I know. I'll go lie down and maybe the feeling will pass. (Yes, I know I could have picked a WIP to finish, but I didn't have anything that would fit well in the 17 days.) Next time.
In other news, probate on my aunt's estate closed last week. We had the final phone conversation with the lawyer this morning. My brother and I now own half of a Florida condo, and dad hasn't decided yet if he wants to move into it. Tick-tock, tick-tock; if he doesn't want to, we're going to have to get it on the real estate market tout de suite before all the Snowbirds take off for their northern climes.
DH and I are now plotting our cross-country drive, likely some time in May. Yay! I'll finally get to see the Grand Canyon!
Wow; it's later than I thought. Thanks, NBC, for making those of us on the Left Coast watch the Opening Ceremonies on tape delay. WTH? Was that really necessary??
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Western Caribbean Cruise
Yes, we did go, and we are back. As a souvenir, I returned with a nasty cold and cough, which I'm still fighting (although it is getting better, thanks). Here are some snaps.
Dad and Ann's reaction when they saw us on the ship.
Our cabin. (We splurged a bit because we wanted a balcony. It's what Royal Caribbean calls a "Junior Suite." Sweet, indeed...)
KW demonstrates what you can do a lot of on a cruise. Doesn't he look just like an angel??
The marker in Key West designating the southernmost point in the continental U.S. (No, we have no idea who those people are. There was a line to take your picture next to the marker. We didn't want to wait, so we both took a shot of the same unknown people!)
The Key West yarn shop that got away. They were closed the day we were in port (Sunday), although there were people sitting inside (talking, not knitting) who ignored my charade of "please open?"
What a day at sea looks like when you're in the Caribbean (not when you're cruising between L.A. and Ensenada!).
That's about it for Cozumel. (Oh, okay, not really. We walked the 3 miles from the dock to the main part of town. It was a lovely walk along Front Street, which is right along the ocean.)
Me and the butt end of our ship, Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. She really is a lovely ship.
Dad and Ann's reaction when they saw us on the ship.
Our cabin. (We splurged a bit because we wanted a balcony. It's what Royal Caribbean calls a "Junior Suite." Sweet, indeed...)
KW demonstrates what you can do a lot of on a cruise. Doesn't he look just like an angel??
The marker in Key West designating the southernmost point in the continental U.S. (No, we have no idea who those people are. There was a line to take your picture next to the marker. We didn't want to wait, so we both took a shot of the same unknown people!)
The Key West yarn shop that got away. They were closed the day we were in port (Sunday), although there were people sitting inside (talking, not knitting) who ignored my charade of "please open?"
What a day at sea looks like when you're in the Caribbean (not when you're cruising between L.A. and Ensenada!).
That's about it for Cozumel. (Oh, okay, not really. We walked the 3 miles from the dock to the main part of town. It was a lovely walk along Front Street, which is right along the ocean.)
Me and the butt end of our ship, Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. She really is a lovely ship.
So that's where we were and what we were doing. Sort of. We weren't as good taking pictures this time as we were on previous trips. But we did have a wonderful time, and we got to spend time with Dad and Ann.
Next cruise in October!
Friday, January 15, 2010
A Week!
A week to go. I've already started putting some clothes aside. Oh, and the cruise lounge-chair "reserved" hats I got. And the travel journal. I don't normally have a problem packing. Five days = five undies, five bras, five pair of socks, 3 or 4 pants, 5 or 6 tops, and my ditty bag. If I think I'll need to get gussied up, I see which pair of 'fancy' pants I still fit into and toss them in, too, with a 'fancy' top and knee-high nylons. (Even on a cruise, I don't plan for gussy.)
No, what usually takes me a long time to pack is my knitting. Especially when a flight is on the books, and double especially when the flight is a long one, like Tampa. What do I bring on the plane? What won't get stopped by TSA? If they do want the needles, can I pull them out without dropping every stitch 5 rows? I usually bring socks, but I'm always leery about them, because the needles are more pointy than, say, needles for worsted weight yarns. I haven't gotten stopped yet, but after the Dec 25 attempt, I'm afeared TSA may be more picky. I suppose I could bring Sensational Shirttail - but that's a heavy wool sweater. How likely will I be to knit on it once I'm in Florida and on the boat?
And what knitting to I pack? Small things would be nice, things that don't require a lot of concentration, since there are usually large amount of, ahem, adult beverages involved on a cruise. I have enough trouble counting to 10 without Jose' Cuervo's help; I don't even want to get into how hard it is AFTER he's 'helped' me... On the other hand, I don't want a mind-numbing thing to work on, either. Maybe it's time to break out the Landscape Shawl. I don't think the posse will ever get around to doing the knitalong for it; I may as well just start.
Or socks... I could start another pair of Crown Mountain socks... That yarn was soooo delicious to work with, I want the feel of it through my fingers again.
Well, there's time to decide. In the meantime, I have two students for my class at Bobbin's Nest Studio tomorrow. They're going to learn how to knit in the round - how exciting! I love teaching that class and the cable class. Easy things that look magical and complicated.
Oh, and I've got three six-word memoirs done:
"Moved to California on my own."
"Despite some bumps, life is good."
And my favorite, the one that really sums it up for me:
"Didn't take notes, can't remember shit." Oh yeah.
No, what usually takes me a long time to pack is my knitting. Especially when a flight is on the books, and double especially when the flight is a long one, like Tampa. What do I bring on the plane? What won't get stopped by TSA? If they do want the needles, can I pull them out without dropping every stitch 5 rows? I usually bring socks, but I'm always leery about them, because the needles are more pointy than, say, needles for worsted weight yarns. I haven't gotten stopped yet, but after the Dec 25 attempt, I'm afeared TSA may be more picky. I suppose I could bring Sensational Shirttail - but that's a heavy wool sweater. How likely will I be to knit on it once I'm in Florida and on the boat?
And what knitting to I pack? Small things would be nice, things that don't require a lot of concentration, since there are usually large amount of, ahem, adult beverages involved on a cruise. I have enough trouble counting to 10 without Jose' Cuervo's help; I don't even want to get into how hard it is AFTER he's 'helped' me... On the other hand, I don't want a mind-numbing thing to work on, either. Maybe it's time to break out the Landscape Shawl. I don't think the posse will ever get around to doing the knitalong for it; I may as well just start.
Or socks... I could start another pair of Crown Mountain socks... That yarn was soooo delicious to work with, I want the feel of it through my fingers again.
Well, there's time to decide. In the meantime, I have two students for my class at Bobbin's Nest Studio tomorrow. They're going to learn how to knit in the round - how exciting! I love teaching that class and the cable class. Easy things that look magical and complicated.
Oh, and I've got three six-word memoirs done:
"Moved to California on my own."
"Despite some bumps, life is good."
And my favorite, the one that really sums it up for me:
"Didn't take notes, can't remember shit." Oh yeah.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Revising Goals (Yes, already)
As I was going through last year's purchases (yes, I keep old receipts and use Quicken to run spending reports; shut up), I decided on another goal for the year: To spend less at Stitches West in 2010 than I did in 2009. I pulled the receipts but haven't yet tallied them up, but I think they're in the $200-$250 range, thanks to two (count 'em, TWO) Namaste bags that I purchased. (Which I don't use and will probably sell. Any offers?)
I'm thinking that staying under that number won't be a problem this year, since I've successfully resisted buying a lot of anything in the past 4 or 5 months. Bobbin's Nest got a chunk from me at their pre-inventory sale (oooh.... Wool Candy....), and I bought 2 skeins of Wildfoote sock yarn off of Knitterliness at the knitting gathering on Dec 19, but that doesn't really count. The rest of my yarn acquisition through the later part of the year came from gifts; my actual yarn spending has been quite suppressed.
As it should be. I made everyone's holiday cowls from stash yarn, and didn't really make a dent in any pile.
Another goal that should be relatively easy (I'll go off on a tangent about goals later): Setting up a regular writing schedule. This one should fall into my lap. During National Novel Writing Month last year, the two Nicoles who joined me at Booksmart on Wednesday nights for NaNo write-ins both said they were interested in finding a regular writing group. Rather than finding one, I said, why don't we just make one? So, we're in the process of figuring what night will fit our respective schedules. I have the old writing sheets from the Barnes & Noble group I used to visit before we moved to Morgan Hill. They should last us at least a couple of months.
I'm not having a lot of success in my first set of goals so far. It's too easy to fall back into a satiric and sarcastic speaking style - it's almost like that's in my blood. I guess that's why it's a mindfulness practice. And I think I'll be practicing constantly.
I'm thinking that staying under that number won't be a problem this year, since I've successfully resisted buying a lot of anything in the past 4 or 5 months. Bobbin's Nest got a chunk from me at their pre-inventory sale (oooh.... Wool Candy....), and I bought 2 skeins of Wildfoote sock yarn off of Knitterliness at the knitting gathering on Dec 19, but that doesn't really count. The rest of my yarn acquisition through the later part of the year came from gifts; my actual yarn spending has been quite suppressed.
As it should be. I made everyone's holiday cowls from stash yarn, and didn't really make a dent in any pile.
Another goal that should be relatively easy (I'll go off on a tangent about goals later): Setting up a regular writing schedule. This one should fall into my lap. During National Novel Writing Month last year, the two Nicoles who joined me at Booksmart on Wednesday nights for NaNo write-ins both said they were interested in finding a regular writing group. Rather than finding one, I said, why don't we just make one? So, we're in the process of figuring what night will fit our respective schedules. I have the old writing sheets from the Barnes & Noble group I used to visit before we moved to Morgan Hill. They should last us at least a couple of months.
I'm not having a lot of success in my first set of goals so far. It's too easy to fall back into a satiric and sarcastic speaking style - it's almost like that's in my blood. I guess that's why it's a mindfulness practice. And I think I'll be practicing constantly.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Newness
2010 is here. A long time ago, I would calculate that I was going to be 44 when the year turned 2000.... and then I didn't think much about time or life after that, because 2000 seemed so... futuristic. But it really wasn't, it was just, well, 2000. And then it was 2001, and 2002, and 2003, and here we are at 2010.
I have some knitting goals this year (I don't like to consider them resolutions, since I never really resolve to do things... I'm better at setting goals). Like, "Try to focus on two or three projects instead of 92." Like, "For Pete's sake, will you finish a lace shawl or something?"Like "Keep new stash acquisition at a minimum." (Believe it or not, I actually did pretty good at this one in 2009 - I received more yarn as gifts than I purchased, and I knit more from stash than I had done in previous years.)
Personal goals are going to be mostly in my head. Like, stop comparing what I do and what I eat to everyone else. My body is going to react differently and I just need to accept that. Like trying to follow some kinder, gentler principles in my life: Right understanding, right aspiration, right effort, right speech (especially right speech), right conduct, right livelihood, right mindfulness, right concentration. Like starting things that I know I should start ("begin - the rest is easy").
2009 was a rough year. Earlier tonight, as I tried to write in my journal about things that happened throughout the year (which I try to do each New Year's Eve), all I could come up with was "Aunt Irene died." Everything else seemed secondary to that. Yes, we took some great trips, yes, there were some great events (knitting and otherwise), yes, much yarny goodness was there, and yes, DH and I are still here and still love each other very much. But I will always remember 2009 as being "the year Aunt Irene died," just as 1997 will always be "the year mom died."
So, I'm definitely with Yarn Harlot on this one... "2009 - don't let the door hit your arse on the way out."
Shalom. May you have a peaceful year.
I have some knitting goals this year (I don't like to consider them resolutions, since I never really resolve to do things... I'm better at setting goals). Like, "Try to focus on two or three projects instead of 92." Like, "For Pete's sake, will you finish a lace shawl or something?"Like "Keep new stash acquisition at a minimum." (Believe it or not, I actually did pretty good at this one in 2009 - I received more yarn as gifts than I purchased, and I knit more from stash than I had done in previous years.)
Personal goals are going to be mostly in my head. Like, stop comparing what I do and what I eat to everyone else. My body is going to react differently and I just need to accept that. Like trying to follow some kinder, gentler principles in my life: Right understanding, right aspiration, right effort, right speech (especially right speech), right conduct, right livelihood, right mindfulness, right concentration. Like starting things that I know I should start ("begin - the rest is easy").
2009 was a rough year. Earlier tonight, as I tried to write in my journal about things that happened throughout the year (which I try to do each New Year's Eve), all I could come up with was "Aunt Irene died." Everything else seemed secondary to that. Yes, we took some great trips, yes, there were some great events (knitting and otherwise), yes, much yarny goodness was there, and yes, DH and I are still here and still love each other very much. But I will always remember 2009 as being "the year Aunt Irene died," just as 1997 will always be "the year mom died."
So, I'm definitely with Yarn Harlot on this one... "2009 - don't let the door hit your arse on the way out."
Shalom. May you have a peaceful year.
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