Sunday, May 29, 2011

Between Situations Part II

It's been a busy week. Mostly piddling around with a variety of householder administrative tasks not to mention a few chores between long periods of rest. We just don't realize how tired we are most times until we stop and don't have to do all the things we usually do. Friday, went in for a great orientation at the new job. Lots of interesting challenges. I use the word challenges to mean real problems that will require thought and consideration before arriving at a suggested approach to implement. Not in the pop speak way that something might be difficult or unpleasant to do.

The weather has gone from damp spring to end of June in a hurry. My sister's Facebook page said it all one day this week: Today's expected peak 90F; Today's expected mood: cranky
So now instead of the rustle of leaves and birdsong, I have the drone of the AC. Although I have to give it to the birds, they are holding their own until about 10:00am.

I also realized this week I need to stock up on sunblock. Walking to and from work most days will mean I'll be outside more than usual. Amazing it's not June 1 and I already have tan lines from my watch. But on the mornings when the temp is higher than 70, I will take the bus. I don't mind coming home hot, sticky and sweaty but I don't want to arrive at work that way.

I also bought two more Betmar sun hats: one green; one yellow

When I went out for lunch on Friday, I was spoiled for choice. After seven years in the West End with ever diminishing financially reasonable food choices, the world was my oyster or there were lots of oysters in my world. So I went to Burger King since I hadn't been to a Burger King in the last six months. It was dreadful. I'd been used to bringing my lunch. Won't be doing that too often.

Finally sorted through all my "office stuff". Still have piccys and other things to hang. Sorted through and disposed of shoes I haven't worn in almost a decade. Will put away the last of the sweaters and other items left out to get me through the cool days. Don't foresee many of those now. I tackled and rearranged the front closet. Lots of cat toys.

Speaking of cat toys. There used to be a great pet store on U street, which closed a few years ago. I have never been able to find the little glitter balls that I used to buy there for Toupie. A patient search and they turned up on Amazon as a craft items. The ones I ordered were way to small and a swallowing hazard, but I found that by sewing three to five of them together, they match the size of the ones I used to buy. Toupie is currently in toy heaven.

Speaking of the puss, he did something this week that he has never done before or since. He loves it when the toilet flushes. Something about the swirling water just mesmerizes him. One afternoon this week after watching the water disappear, he jumped on the seat and bending over he furiously attacked the incoming water with both paws, splashing it on his face--and everywhere else. After I stopped laughing and he stopped his splashing frenzy, I flushed again. Again he jumped up and went at the incoming water hammer and tongs this time making a real mess on the floor. I lowered the seat and began to mop up. The puss walked out of the bathroom and through the closet vocalizing the entire time.

This was in gmail today and when I read the survey question, grammatical bells started clanging in my head. Who is a relative pronoun, in this case being used in the interrogative, which means it can be used as a noun head. However, I think it would have been less jarring to use the more formal: For whom do you knit or since charity, one of the options, is an entity, not a person, I knit for and the the options might have been a better way to to phrase the survey question. Whew, finally got that off my chest.

I'm still knitting the shawl and the second Brewster sock. I disciplined myself this week not to just sit and knit. One of the things I learned in orientation is that the building is a bit chilly in winter. Hallelujah! I can wear real wool and not sweat at my desk like I'm in the Kalahari at noon. Also a reason to start on a pair of jazzy colourwork legwarmers.

Speaking of knitting, Knit Picks raised the price of solid colour Palette more than 59%. Like a lot of other Palette fans, a gradual price rise over a few years would have been absorbable. Now my go to yarn will be for designated projects mostly. There are other outlets for better quality yarn at sale prices that Palette will be competing with; whereas at 1.99 a skein it was no brainer to choose Palette. Shame really.

I've chosen a new futon to purchase. I won't purchase until later this summer, maybe July, because I want to do major furniture rearranging which with my dodgy shoulder and neck will take a few weekends. But this new model goes from bed to couch in one step.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Between Situations

What a mad week. Last night I realized I hadn't felt this emotionally drained since my mother's funeral. At least then, all three pairs of my glasses weren't tear stained at the same time. The day was complicated by having my eyes dialated at the opthamologist's in the morning leaving me wearing my shades most of the day.

I truly did get the best farewell ever from the colleagues in Field Programs who rewrote the lyrics to So Long, Farewell from the Sound of Music, came to my desk and sang--in key, no less (some untapped talent there). Much better than an office leaving party. I went to out to lunch everyday last week--a first for me--sit down lunches no less. But it was so much fun.

What's not fun is how much I accumulated in seven years. A lot of it was gifts and other little memorabilia from field staff or staff who traveled. Only one box of shoes. I still need to return for my plant, which is in good hands until it can be retrieved.

We don't realize the habits we pick up until the moment comes when we don't need them. Woke up this morning and first thing went through the itineraries in my head of everyone who is traveling, where they should be today, etc., and then bam!: the sudden realization that its not my problem any more. Like everything else these last three weeks, it was bittersweet. The last seven years has given me a lot, and I am happy to be going on to a new challenge, but a part of me will always be Panda.

After meditation, I got up to face the bags and boxes of things I have toted from the office the last three weeks. Managed to empty one box and two bags. Lots of picture hanging to be done but when faced with that stack, I thought "oh lets take a nap", which I promptly did until a little after 12:30.

I have been craving/needing more coiless saftey pins for my knitting. A trip to Looped Yarn Works (always my undoing). I emerged with one of their tote bags (forgot to bring the shopping bag I set aside), Rowan 48 @40% off and a skein of Berroco Sox also at 40% off. I'm inching ever closer to getting my big discount there. I know the yarn I will buy; just not sure what I will make with it.

I bought a new laptop this week. It arrived on Friday night. It's huge. Well huge compared to what I'm used to. I had seen a mini laptop and was really interested but I've had the experience of having to tote an external cd/dvd drive and don't want to go there again. I was tired and unable to focus on the night I made the purchase, but I knew what I wanted in a machine and what I could spent. It took only six minutes in online chat to get the specs right and make the purchase. The laptop arrived two days later.

I didn't purchase a mouse, however, so Staples was my second shopping stop this afternoon. I thought about a digital mouse, but opted for one that connects through a USB port. I know me. I'd move the wireless mouse or stick in a pocket and then spend minutes to hours looking for it. Then off to Target to look at picture hanging paraphenalia.

Knitting
Still working on the shawl for the KAL. The Cumulus yarn got hopelessly tangled and I lost patience trying to untangle it, so I wound a hank of KP Soot, which I was going to use in the shawl anyway when he Cumulus ran out, and continued to knit. My KP order came for the skirt I'm going to knit. But all knitting is on hiatus, except at bedtime, until I get everything else sorted

I am happy the weather has stopped being damp; it took the wash days to dry this week. It also means I can do some photography tomorrow as a break from chores.

Didn't watch any films this week but did attend the 14th Annual Spirit of Democracy Awards of The National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. A lovely and inspiring evening.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

The 411 on Toupie or U r Not My Mom







This is the tinked photo






This is the original








This is the best of the bad photos of this plant.






You U R Not My Mom










Proof of life photo of my badly behaved darling





Well apparently the little puss was really a bad actor in by absence. First, he wouldn't let my sister in the door. A neighbor became very interested and concerned and offered to help. My sister had to use her tote bag to push Toupie back so she could enter the apartment. Toupie growled most of the time she was here to feed and water him.

Toupie then humped up his back and began dancing back and forth on the floor. I've seen him do the humpy thing but never seen him actually go into the dance. As my sister stepped into the apartment, Toupie continued the humpy back and started dancing all over the bed. When she went to the kitchen to give him more water, he blocked her exit from the kitchen. He blocked her from getting into the bathroom and FINALLY when he realized she was leaving, he became nice.




































But she is such a kind auntie, despite the rude and hostile reception, she is willing to come to feed and water Toupie daily in future when I'm away.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Photo Editing

Mahonia Nutt. Barberry


Made changes to this photo in Picassa to highlight the ant.



Lightened this photo.





























Posted by Picasa

Pie Are Squared





Knit Picks Shimmer Cumulus ColourwayPosted by Picasa




Unfortunately this colourway is discontinued. The first time I saw Elizabeth Zimmerann's Pie As Square shawl, I wanted to make it. So for the May/June Knit Picks Lovers Ravelry KAL, I have started it. I'm considering doing stockingnette after the next increase row just to vary the knitting.

As you can see, it's hard to take a puss-free piccy around here.






Friday, May 13, 2011

It's May














Since I lasted posted, I have accepted a new position. I leave my current employer at the end of next week and then two weeks off, Memorial Day and off to my new job on June 1. So work has been eclectically busy. It's finishing up and organizing; getting a temp replacement, etc. In between, I had a horrid neck-up virus that left me with tintinitus in my right ear for about a week. Took some homeopathic pills that seemed to do the trick.

I've been knitting sporatically. I'm still working on the second Brewster Contemporary Sock ribbing. I started a Pie are Square Shawl for the May shawl KAL. I joined the colourwork KAL but haven't started a project yet. I've decided the three garments I will knit during the summer in addition to my sweater sampler.

I saw a really good WWII flick. Two Thousand Women w/Flora Robson. Admittedly a bit of a propaganda puff piece about interned women in France, but the storytelling was solid--not a character or situation was wasted.

I'm continuing to plow through John Powers' History of Tibetan Buddhism as well as readings for the Joy in Everyday Life class.

Spent two and half days this week on retreat with my new employer and my new colleagues at a Catholic retreat location north of Baltimore. No tvs; no radios only alarm clocks in a area of farmland that is seeing some development. It was such a nice break. Our conference room overlooked woodland and 3 of the 4 walls were windows so there was a ton of natural light and warmth. It was so quiet at night that some had difficulty falling asleep. I had no problem.

We had dinner at Baldwin Station. If you're in Baltimore it's worth the drive. The meal was outstanding. The desserts were amazing and homemade. The single malt selection in the bar almost made me swoon.

One of the nice things about the retreat was the opportunity I had to take photos. I was able to apply some of the techniques I'd learned from my photography book.