Friday, November 27, 2015
Black Friday is more like fantastic Friday
I've just had a rather self-indulgent 2 days. Last night we went to Target to get their deal on a new IPad for me. I had the original version and it's about 5-6 years old. I can't upgrade the OS so I can't get many apps that are available. Safari keeps shutting down and the battery doesn't keep a charge very long .... So my Christmas gift is sitting in the gift pile. I am very excited!
Today I shopped Talbots black Friday sale (I love their clothes for work) and got 2 pair of lined wool slacks and an adorable winter sweater for about $200. That's a great deal and I am very happy with my selections.
Tomorrow we will go out on the boat (probably for the last time this year) and today we will put Christmas lights out and not freeze! It's about 55 degrees outside - a gorgeous fall day. I am savoring all the good things this weekend, the best of which was having my family together and healthy for a great meal yesterday.
I have a migraine right now but considering everything else, even that isn't so bad. ;-). I plan to sit and knit on something simple for a while, until the migraine meds kick in. Have a good day, all.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Feeling Thankful
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
I feel thankful for a lot of every day things every day. :-). I learned to do that initially when DH was given his eye diagnosis/prognosis. And again when I was diagnosed with cancer. Thanksgiving is the designated day to speak of those things, though, so here I go.
I am thankful for my family, health, love, a job I like, a husband who is wonderful. I am thankful for sunny days and for the rain that comes in between those sunny days. (the cloudy days I can do without) Those things I am thankful for without much effort. I live in a country that allows and encourages freedoms. I can (within limits) choose my job, my clothes, what to say. I have a house, running water, heat and cooling and more than enough food.
I am thankful for the armed forces who protect my rights and my country. I am not at all thankful for the current government. It seems to be more important to stand up for the party than to actually compromise and get things done. I rarely comment on politics or religion but this one day I have to say that I would be very thankful if the politicians would work together and accomplish what they are supposed to do.
I am also thankful for my knitting and spinning and for the friends that I have made through those hobbies. knitting and spinning give me joy. Giving knitted garments to others makes me happy. It's great to have a hobby that makes things that others value.
Thank you all for coming here. Have a wonderful weekend and I hope your Thanksgiving day was as great as mine was.
I feel thankful for a lot of every day things every day. :-). I learned to do that initially when DH was given his eye diagnosis/prognosis. And again when I was diagnosed with cancer. Thanksgiving is the designated day to speak of those things, though, so here I go.
I am thankful for my family, health, love, a job I like, a husband who is wonderful. I am thankful for sunny days and for the rain that comes in between those sunny days. (the cloudy days I can do without) Those things I am thankful for without much effort. I live in a country that allows and encourages freedoms. I can (within limits) choose my job, my clothes, what to say. I have a house, running water, heat and cooling and more than enough food.
I am thankful for the armed forces who protect my rights and my country. I am not at all thankful for the current government. It seems to be more important to stand up for the party than to actually compromise and get things done. I rarely comment on politics or religion but this one day I have to say that I would be very thankful if the politicians would work together and accomplish what they are supposed to do.
I am also thankful for my knitting and spinning and for the friends that I have made through those hobbies. knitting and spinning give me joy. Giving knitted garments to others makes me happy. It's great to have a hobby that makes things that others value.
Thank you all for coming here. Have a wonderful weekend and I hope your Thanksgiving day was as great as mine was.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Saturday but no boating
Whew! This week seemed to be so long and yet I can't believe I haven't blogged in several days.
I worked the rest of the week after my stomach virus or whatever it was. It was quite busy and I wasn't at my peak performance level. I did my best and I think I'll make good headway before Thanksgiving.
We were planning/hoping to go out on the boat today. The forecast as of yesterday afternoon was for winds 5-10, waves 1 foot or less. We woke up this morning to waves 10-15 and with the temps in the mid to low 40's, that wasn't exciting. We both really want to get out on the boat 1 more time before we put it away to hibernate through the winter. The new plan is that I will work tomorrow and take off a day during the week. Staffing is down and everyone just wants to treat patients and get home, so I think this will work out fine. Tuesday and Wednesday both have favorable wind forecasts. Fingers crossed.
I went backwards in my knitting this week. I bound off the back of Bob's sweater and found that its too short between the arm opening and shoulder and too long over all if I just add length at the top. Bob told me not to rip but I really want this sweater to fit him well so off to the frog pond I went. Front and back are ripped back to 1 inch below where I originally started the arm opening and I am knitting away. Hopefully I'll remember to do the neck shaping in the right place this time. The short rows on the back seemed to help the back of the sweater lay flat and even so I will repeat those. I haven't knitted on much of anything else this week so I can catch up fast. I had hoped to have this sweater finished by the end of the month. that won't be possible now but I want it to be wearable as soon as possible.
I'm sorry there aren't pictures. I still haven't been able to find a way to add photos from my phone. I have done what the instructions say to do to enable access to my phone pictures but it only gives me access to a few older ones. sigh. I keep trying to find a way.
I hope to go to work early tomorrow and be home in time to watch the Ravens game, get out on the boat this week, get to Target on Thanksgiving night to buy my Christmas present I pad, choose a tree and put the outside decorations out. Hopefully circumstances will allow for that and not throw a wrench in the works. I will, however, be thankful for my health, my family, my job and most especially my husband no matter what else happens.
I am thankful for those things most of the time but I want to acknowledge more openly those joys on Thanksgiving day. The losses elsewhere due to wars, disagreements and poverty reinforce my thankfulness. Please express your thankfulness for the people in your lives to them especially during this time of year. Don't take a chance that someone will be taken from you and you didn't tell them when you could.
I worked the rest of the week after my stomach virus or whatever it was. It was quite busy and I wasn't at my peak performance level. I did my best and I think I'll make good headway before Thanksgiving.
We were planning/hoping to go out on the boat today. The forecast as of yesterday afternoon was for winds 5-10, waves 1 foot or less. We woke up this morning to waves 10-15 and with the temps in the mid to low 40's, that wasn't exciting. We both really want to get out on the boat 1 more time before we put it away to hibernate through the winter. The new plan is that I will work tomorrow and take off a day during the week. Staffing is down and everyone just wants to treat patients and get home, so I think this will work out fine. Tuesday and Wednesday both have favorable wind forecasts. Fingers crossed.
I went backwards in my knitting this week. I bound off the back of Bob's sweater and found that its too short between the arm opening and shoulder and too long over all if I just add length at the top. Bob told me not to rip but I really want this sweater to fit him well so off to the frog pond I went. Front and back are ripped back to 1 inch below where I originally started the arm opening and I am knitting away. Hopefully I'll remember to do the neck shaping in the right place this time. The short rows on the back seemed to help the back of the sweater lay flat and even so I will repeat those. I haven't knitted on much of anything else this week so I can catch up fast. I had hoped to have this sweater finished by the end of the month. that won't be possible now but I want it to be wearable as soon as possible.
I'm sorry there aren't pictures. I still haven't been able to find a way to add photos from my phone. I have done what the instructions say to do to enable access to my phone pictures but it only gives me access to a few older ones. sigh. I keep trying to find a way.
I hope to go to work early tomorrow and be home in time to watch the Ravens game, get out on the boat this week, get to Target on Thanksgiving night to buy my Christmas present I pad, choose a tree and put the outside decorations out. Hopefully circumstances will allow for that and not throw a wrench in the works. I will, however, be thankful for my health, my family, my job and most especially my husband no matter what else happens.
I am thankful for those things most of the time but I want to acknowledge more openly those joys on Thanksgiving day. The losses elsewhere due to wars, disagreements and poverty reinforce my thankfulness. Please express your thankfulness for the people in your lives to them especially during this time of year. Don't take a chance that someone will be taken from you and you didn't tell them when you could.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Monday, November 16, 2015
Monday Morning
I love my husband. Really I do. This morning, however, I could have cheerfully strangled him. At a little after 4:00am he woke up, made a very loud noise, got out of bed and proceeded to make the bed - with me in it! He then went to the bathroom, out to the kitchen (where I presume he found out what time it was), came back to the bedroom and climbed into bed. After I was completely awake, he went back to sleep! Grrrrr......
I'm getting ready to do some knitting. I have a migraine (again) so I am not going to attempt to work on Bobs sweater or my conflagration scarf. I would surely mess up the shoulder shaping or have to rip back the scarf. I'm going to do some nice, simple garter stitch. Lilli Pilli gets some time tonight. Hopefully my migraine will ease enough that I can do my stretches and planks.
My head is hurting and trying to figure out how to add photos to this blog post is beyond me. Have a good night and remember to hug someone you love today. Savor every minute and be kind to someone.
I'm getting ready to do some knitting. I have a migraine (again) so I am not going to attempt to work on Bobs sweater or my conflagration scarf. I would surely mess up the shoulder shaping or have to rip back the scarf. I'm going to do some nice, simple garter stitch. Lilli Pilli gets some time tonight. Hopefully my migraine will ease enough that I can do my stretches and planks.
My head is hurting and trying to figure out how to add photos to this blog post is beyond me. Have a good night and remember to hug someone you love today. Savor every minute and be kind to someone.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Sunday
Sunday. Sunday's are a mixed bag for me. I love the day full of football. I love being off. I can't entirely keep going back to work tomorrow out of my head so I'm always just a little sad. Since I have made my recent commitment to be more active and do more things with Bob, I try to be pretty productive in the morning, then take it easy in the afternoon to watch football. Today was a bit weird, though. We are cleaning the basement (a finished basement) out since eldest son has moved out. It needs a very thorough cleaning. He didn't do much cleaning in the last year and he is a smoker. Ugh. I have been moving furniture and vacuuming, then I plan to wash down the walls to get rid of cigarette dirt and smell. Fine plan but today I couldn't find the mop. I know we had a mop. Bob and I scoured the house, the yard, the sheds.... No mop. Plans foiled for today. We'll get a new mop tomorrow after work. I'll clean the walls and Bob will paint. Turns out eldest son had "borrowed" the mop. We weren't going crazy after all.
The Ravens disappointed us again. Sigh.
I spun on my wheel last night and today. :-) it feels good to spin again. A few more days of spinning and I'll be back in the habit again. I have the spinning wheel in the living room right now, so I just have to sit down and spin. I plan to set up the wheel in our spare room and hope that won't make me less likely to spin. I don't usually spin while watching TV, and I hope to set up a music source and good lighting and spin each day. I have my fiber and yarn displayed in that room on a shelf unit Bob made for me a while ago. I love it and can change what's on display very easily depending on my mood or needs. :-)
I did my stretches each day and added planks each day. I'll keep up with this plan for about 2 weeks before I add anything new. That will take me through Thanksgiving without changes but I should be well established in my routine by then and less likely to miss out on my exercise. I can feel the weight I added while on vacation - not much, but about 5 lbs. I plan to slowly work that off but no "dieting". I will try to increase activity and cut out a few snacks to do it.
The sunshine was so nice today. It felt great while I was outside hanging clothes on the line to dry and chatting with Mom on the phone. The forecast was for higher winds than we prefer to have on the water, but it turns out that the forecast was wrong. I really want to get out with Bob one more day. Maybe next weekend ....
I watched a friends children yesterday so they could go see a movie and be a couple instead of mom and dad. We had fun with crafts and pizza and watching a movie. I love having them visit. My kids are way past the age of that kind of thing and they don't appear to be providing grandchildren to me. So I borrow some from time to time. :-)
On a more serious note, my heart goes out to all who are affected by the cowardly attacks on the people of Paris. I stay away from politics on public forums but this is about people. Innocent people being terrorized by people who have no consideration for others. I have nothing but contempt for those who do this type of thing. My thoughts are with those of you who have lost family, friends, peace of mind.
The Ravens disappointed us again. Sigh.
I spun on my wheel last night and today. :-) it feels good to spin again. A few more days of spinning and I'll be back in the habit again. I have the spinning wheel in the living room right now, so I just have to sit down and spin. I plan to set up the wheel in our spare room and hope that won't make me less likely to spin. I don't usually spin while watching TV, and I hope to set up a music source and good lighting and spin each day. I have my fiber and yarn displayed in that room on a shelf unit Bob made for me a while ago. I love it and can change what's on display very easily depending on my mood or needs. :-)
I did my stretches each day and added planks each day. I'll keep up with this plan for about 2 weeks before I add anything new. That will take me through Thanksgiving without changes but I should be well established in my routine by then and less likely to miss out on my exercise. I can feel the weight I added while on vacation - not much, but about 5 lbs. I plan to slowly work that off but no "dieting". I will try to increase activity and cut out a few snacks to do it.
The sunshine was so nice today. It felt great while I was outside hanging clothes on the line to dry and chatting with Mom on the phone. The forecast was for higher winds than we prefer to have on the water, but it turns out that the forecast was wrong. I really want to get out with Bob one more day. Maybe next weekend ....
I watched a friends children yesterday so they could go see a movie and be a couple instead of mom and dad. We had fun with crafts and pizza and watching a movie. I love having them visit. My kids are way past the age of that kind of thing and they don't appear to be providing grandchildren to me. So I borrow some from time to time. :-)
On a more serious note, my heart goes out to all who are affected by the cowardly attacks on the people of Paris. I stay away from politics on public forums but this is about people. Innocent people being terrorized by people who have no consideration for others. I have nothing but contempt for those who do this type of thing. My thoughts are with those of you who have lost family, friends, peace of mind.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Starting anew
My previous blog disappeared. I knew I hadn't posted in a while but this had never happened before. Oh, well.
I am in a frame of mind that leads me to want to organize my life and pursuits of happiness more than they have been in the past. I am interested in committing myself to fewer things, with more forethought, and to staying committed. Along those lines I have started on the path to a healthier life and more fit body. I have chosen a few things to work on, gradually, with the idea that these will not be temporary changes but permanent life style changes. I don't mean to say that I have changed into a different person - that would never work. I am not that strong willed a person. ;-) I can, however, take charge of my life and my body and work towards improving both.
I plan to talk about my plans, successes and "set backs" here. some of this will be fiber related because fiber is very much forefront in my pursuit of happiness. Some of it will be health related and some will just be thoughts.
I'll start with my body and health. I had breast cancer, diagnosed 3 years ago next month. I went through chemo and radiation and surgery. I am now healthy and appreciating every day I have. That thought has shaped my attitude towards life, current events and my body. I have had periods when I have said (to myself) that I should just do what I want - I might not be here next year. I have also (less frequently) said that I should change my life around so that it is more centered on health maintenance. Neither of those views is really me, though. I have pretty much adopted a middle of the road philosophy. I do want to improve my health but I don't want to "diet". I will work on increasing my intake of healthier things like water and decrease the amount of soda that I ingest but I have no plans to switch totally. I have started doing stretches (2 weeks now of just about daily stretching) and added a plank program last night that I plan to continue. I have a bad back and need the core strengthening and flexibility. As I move further along this road I will probably modify my plan depending on how I feel (mentally and physically) but still working towards improved heath and comfort. I am following stretching and exercise plans from a website that I feel comfortable with.
I am working towards changing the way I spend my time. I have to work, so I do, but I am in a job that I like and feel good about what I am doing. I have changed the location of my work, thereby eliminating a minimum of 2 hours of driving per day. I am working on changing how I spend my "extra time" so that I feel that it is well used, not frittered away. I am limiting time spent on line, and spending more time doing things with or talking to my husband. We do more home projects together. We talk more. We enjoy being together. I am making sure I continue to allow for that time. Our house is ours alone for the first time. Both sons have moved out and I am relishing having our house to ourselves. I look forward to the "fish" part of my life - going out on the boat with my husband as often as we can manage, so he/we can fish and enjoy the great outdoors and the waters near us.
Time for fiber - that has been a part of my life for quite a while now. I need to be careful that it doesn't take over my time. It would be easy, but I need to keep it in it's compartment so that it doesn't exclude other valuable things. I also have to keep a rein on my fiber spending, and that has gotten better recently. I spent more money than I had planned when I went to the NY sheep and wool festival, also known as Rhinebeck. I love everything I bought, though, and plan to not buy any yarn (at all!!!) until at least May 2016. I have lots of yarn and I have lots of fiber. I plan to spend time this next year turing more of my fiber into yarn and then knitting that rather than buying so much. Bob is proud of my knitting and isn't trying to get me to stop. I just want to balance my life more.
One big way we do the balance and share things to go out on the boat together. He fishes, I knit. (and sometimes spin). I still bring the knitting but now I spend some time fishing, too.
I plan for us to do more together this coming winter - we can shovel snow together instead of him having to do it all. We can shop and plan meals together instead of me expecting him to do it all. I plan to continue to find things for us to do together without feeling like I am giving up too much of "me" time. We have been married for 38 years and I plan to stay married and happy for as many years as we have together.
I am particularly thankful today for what I have in my life because of the tragedy in France, but appreciation for my life has been an important part of my day for several years now. I will continue.
I am in a frame of mind that leads me to want to organize my life and pursuits of happiness more than they have been in the past. I am interested in committing myself to fewer things, with more forethought, and to staying committed. Along those lines I have started on the path to a healthier life and more fit body. I have chosen a few things to work on, gradually, with the idea that these will not be temporary changes but permanent life style changes. I don't mean to say that I have changed into a different person - that would never work. I am not that strong willed a person. ;-) I can, however, take charge of my life and my body and work towards improving both.
I plan to talk about my plans, successes and "set backs" here. some of this will be fiber related because fiber is very much forefront in my pursuit of happiness. Some of it will be health related and some will just be thoughts.
I'll start with my body and health. I had breast cancer, diagnosed 3 years ago next month. I went through chemo and radiation and surgery. I am now healthy and appreciating every day I have. That thought has shaped my attitude towards life, current events and my body. I have had periods when I have said (to myself) that I should just do what I want - I might not be here next year. I have also (less frequently) said that I should change my life around so that it is more centered on health maintenance. Neither of those views is really me, though. I have pretty much adopted a middle of the road philosophy. I do want to improve my health but I don't want to "diet". I will work on increasing my intake of healthier things like water and decrease the amount of soda that I ingest but I have no plans to switch totally. I have started doing stretches (2 weeks now of just about daily stretching) and added a plank program last night that I plan to continue. I have a bad back and need the core strengthening and flexibility. As I move further along this road I will probably modify my plan depending on how I feel (mentally and physically) but still working towards improved heath and comfort. I am following stretching and exercise plans from a website that I feel comfortable with.
I am working towards changing the way I spend my time. I have to work, so I do, but I am in a job that I like and feel good about what I am doing. I have changed the location of my work, thereby eliminating a minimum of 2 hours of driving per day. I am working on changing how I spend my "extra time" so that I feel that it is well used, not frittered away. I am limiting time spent on line, and spending more time doing things with or talking to my husband. We do more home projects together. We talk more. We enjoy being together. I am making sure I continue to allow for that time. Our house is ours alone for the first time. Both sons have moved out and I am relishing having our house to ourselves. I look forward to the "fish" part of my life - going out on the boat with my husband as often as we can manage, so he/we can fish and enjoy the great outdoors and the waters near us.
Time for fiber - that has been a part of my life for quite a while now. I need to be careful that it doesn't take over my time. It would be easy, but I need to keep it in it's compartment so that it doesn't exclude other valuable things. I also have to keep a rein on my fiber spending, and that has gotten better recently. I spent more money than I had planned when I went to the NY sheep and wool festival, also known as Rhinebeck. I love everything I bought, though, and plan to not buy any yarn (at all!!!) until at least May 2016. I have lots of yarn and I have lots of fiber. I plan to spend time this next year turing more of my fiber into yarn and then knitting that rather than buying so much. Bob is proud of my knitting and isn't trying to get me to stop. I just want to balance my life more.
One big way we do the balance and share things to go out on the boat together. He fishes, I knit. (and sometimes spin). I still bring the knitting but now I spend some time fishing, too.
I plan for us to do more together this coming winter - we can shovel snow together instead of him having to do it all. We can shop and plan meals together instead of me expecting him to do it all. I plan to continue to find things for us to do together without feeling like I am giving up too much of "me" time. We have been married for 38 years and I plan to stay married and happy for as many years as we have together.
I am particularly thankful today for what I have in my life because of the tragedy in France, but appreciation for my life has been an important part of my day for several years now. I will continue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)