Weekend Photos

Yes, it's time for garden shots.  And Boomer lazing in the yard shots. 

41 years ago today

41 years ago today, I was probably sitting in my 3rd grade classroom, not knowing that the most important person in my life was entering the world.  Today is A's birthday.  He is just the most wonderful thing that every happened to me.  I love him very much.  I love his eyes, I love his hugs, I love his kisses, I love his hair, I love his butt, I love his smile.  I love to hold his hand when we walk.  I love to just sit in the living room together, not doing anything in particular.  I love to work beside him in the yard.  I love to travel with him.  He's just the best.  Happy Birthday honey!!

Happiness is...

...flowers in bloom and a soft place to lay your head. 

Back on the diet train

I fell off.  How badly, I don't know.  I haven't looked at the scale in a while. I told A that we both need to get our acts together, set a goal to be in shape for our friend's wedding in the DR in September.  That certainly is plenty of time.  But I need to do something more immediate.  I'm dealing with a limited wardrobe because of just 5 or so pounds.  I really want to lose 10 - but even getting rid of 5 will open up my options wardrobe-wise, so I really need to get on it.  I also need to get back to my C25K program.  I was up to running for 25 minutes.  Then my latest cold while in San Antonio set me back.  I settled for walk 5, run 10, walk 5, run 10.  I think that's still pretty good.  My goal is to run a 5K before turning 50.  I don't think that the distance will be a problem, I can get there, but I want to get faster.  We'll see how it goes.

Pictures on a weekend

I was playing with my filters a couple of weeks ago.  So - you are being treated (or subjected) to a series of photos of the same subject - one of my azaleas - with different lenses and filters.  And, as always, a shot of Boomer.

to plan or not to plan

I got to thinking about planning your life when I learned that someone I knew was having her third child.  It's none of my business, but I have to admit that the first thing that came to mind was "I wonder if this was a surprise or did they plan this."  Followed by "if she planned this - what was she thinking?"  Now - I thought that because of my knowledge of her family situation and her work situation.  My primary concern was her having a 3rd child considering things that may happen with her work and, if they do happen, her family situation is not ideal for handling the circumstance.  Again, none of it is really any of my business - but it got me thinking about planning your life and how much should you plan?  There's a saying that goes something like "life is what happens while you're busy making plans".  We really do have the capability to do family planning in ways that they didn't in years past.  Of course, we don't have quite the capabilities that some people think we do!  Planning when not to have a family by preventing is much easier to do than planning conception.  I think that some people end up regretting having planned and waited.  If you're doing that - determining when it is the right time has got to be the hardest.  If you wait for it all to fall into place - well - that just might never happen.  I don't think there is ever a "perfect" time.  Money, siblings, work, day care, housing, cars - too many things can make it a bad time.  Had my parents waited for the right time, I may not exist.  They had just moved in with my father's mother.  Picture this living situation - my father's sister and her husband lived in the first floor apartment with their two children.  We shared the second and third floor with my grandmother.  Her bedroom was on the second floor.  My father converted the attic into two bedrooms - one for him and Mom and one for the three of us kids.  Certainly not an ideal situation - but they decided the timing was right.  Weird, I know.  And for this woman - given what she does for a living, the timing may never be good for her to plan her 3rd child.  If she had waited for a resolution to what she faces at work, it may have ended up being too late for her to have more children.  I won't deny that it worries me what may happen to that little family, but really -  you could have the perfect circumstances to expand your family and tomorrow, your spouse gets hit by a bus on the way home from work and then, not so perfect after all.  So, I say just do it.  Do what comes naturally and let life happen.  If you want more kids, do it.  If you want to take that job, go for it.  Don't be stupid and overextend yourself, but if opportunity arises, think real long and hard before you pass it up waiting for the "right" time.  That right time may never come.

Friday Photos

Happiness is...

....a white dog with brindle, green and purple patches.  What?  Green and purple?  Yup.  The green I'm assuming is from him rolling around in the grass, which he will do.  But it's on the top of his head - kind of weird.  The purple I'm not quite sure about.  That appeared this morning.  In the mornings, if it's nice out, we tend to leave the back door open and just let him wander around the back door doing whatever it is he does.  This morning, he came in, sat next to me, waiting for me to finish my breakfast and get him his breakfast.  As he sat there, I noticed this spot, which at first looked pinkish and I thought was his skin - fearing he had injured himself.  Nope.  It was a purple spot.  Who knows what he was rolling in, but my puppy dog now has green and purple spots alongside his beautiful brindle patches.

If you can't say something nice....

.....don't say anything at all.  My mom says that all the time.  I try to follow it.  So today, I'm going to follow it as best I can.  The man who defeated my father in his last run for First Selectman (mayor) of our town passed away this week.  Had my father been a lesser man, a man without a high level of integrity, a man who didn't insist on running on his outstanding record, but instead told some sad, but unfortunate truths about his opponent, then my father would have won re-election easily.  Instead, he lost by a slim margin.  My father was gracious in defeat.  Sadly, winners are not always gracious.  Their wives even less so.  If my father had won re-election, then perhaps when he died suddenly two weeks later, perhaps his opponent and his wife would not have put on a distasteful display on at my father's funeral.  The town would not have suffered through two years of embarassing leadership and smudging of ethical lines.  My mother would have been spared the pain caused by two people trying to justify their actions and glorify their position.

So, back to my mother's credo.  I don't need to really say anything bad about him.  He said it himself some years ago when accused of an ethical violation and someone suggested that he was either stupid or dishonest.  His own words were "I would rather be called dishonest than stupid."  Allrighty then.

Friday Photos

Not my photo - but pertinent for today.  Coming soon, to a patio near me....

I am excited to be getting a patio set.  It's being delivered this morning.  We can have guests comfortably for an outdoor meal.  It will match a coffee and side table we already have, so we could set up a little seating area with some of the chairs.  Now all we have to do is get an umbrella.

Happiness is....

....sometimes nothing in particular.  It's work going well, flowers growing, simple dinners with loved ones, a nice walk, a good run.  Or, it can be realizing that your lot in life is pretty good.  So - some good things from the past week, just randomly....

• my boss supporting me on something important
• learning how to turn a heel knitting socks
• having an indoor job on a rainy day
• ordering new patio furniture
• cooking dinner for myself
• a good workout
• eating something new (tres leches cake) and liking it
• playing with the dog in the yard

DEAD!

I was watching TV on a non-major network.  A came up and told me to switch to the news, that Bin Laden was dead.  American forces had killed him. I felt like celebrating.  Is that horrible?  This morning, I still feel like celebrating, but it's tempered with tears for those he killed.  I'll be flying my flag today.

Why I would like being a princess

If you are a princess, whenever you have an occasion where you need to look good - which is always - someone comes and does your hair for you.  Think about always looking as good as just after your cut and color!  And you can get your makeup and nails done as well.  Your clothes are always professionally tailored to fit you and your body's quirks.  You have access to the latest fashions.  If you want to go see a show, you can always get tickets.  You don't have to cook or clean unless you want to do it.  You probably don't even have to make your own bed.  Wait to see the doctor?  Not you.  Want to go on vacation - private jet. 
The downside - it's got to be kind of a boring life otherwise.  Yeah, lots of perks - but your job is cutting ribbons and shaking hands?  How do you keep your brain from atrophying?  How do you keep smiling all the time, despite some of the idiots you are dealing with?  And better not get any spinach stuck in your teeth or it's going to be all over the tabloids.  God forbid you get a wedgie!  Can you imagine? 
But that hair styling thing - damn that would be a nice perk.

Stealing an Education

I read an article in a state newspaper today about a mother who has been arrested for larceny.  Her crime is stealing an education for her son.  It sounds horrifying, doesn't it!  But, what she did is illegal.  She lives in Bridgeport, CT which is a poor city.  She gave a false address so that her son could attend school in Norwalk, CT which is a richer city about 30 minutes away.  (And strangely, there are a couple of richer communities in between the two cities that she could have chosen, with probably better schools, but apparently she was familiar with Norwalk.)

A bit of background - in Connecticut, there is no county government.  School systems are part of the town.  There are a number of regional school districts where two or more towns have chosen to combine all or some of their schools, but the majority of towns have their own school system.  This can result in great disparities between the spending on education and also the quality of the education.  Note that I don't think that there is a complete connection between the level of spending and the quality of education.  One of the problems related to the quality of education is the population.  The home life and parental involvement plays a role in the quality of the education.   With that as a factor, I don't think that even money can equalize the quality of education across district lines.  In Connecticut, there is a grant provided to all school districts called the Equalized Cost Sharing (ECS) grant.  Theoretically it's supposed to somewhat equalize the spending on education.  In reality, it doesn't.  The school district in the town I work for gets a paltry amount in the ECS grant.  Being a wealthy town, sometimes I wonder why we get it at all, but there are almost always some kind of "hold harmless" or "guaranteed minimums" in grants.  And the reality is that if our town wants to spend more than Bridgeport on education, it's a lot easier for the taxpayers to foot the bill.  So, is it fair that students in this town get more money spent on them than in Bridgeport?  People move to specific towns for the quality of education.  Sometimes they even move to specific areas of a town to get to a specific elementary school or high school, based on the perception of the quality of the education compared to the other options.  Isn't that their right?  How do you tell a parent here that they shouldn't spend as much as they want on education because Bridgeport can't spend the same.  Should Bridgeport children be allowed to come to our schools?  What do you tell the taxpayer here then, who is paying a big nut for his house and his taxes and does so to provide his child a better education?  But shouldn't all children have the same opportunities?  It really is a difficult issue.  I have no answers for it, only questions.
Back to the mother who got arrested.  I think arresting her was extreme, but I don't know all the circumstances.  Usually they just kick the kid out of school.  Maybe the fraud in that district is such that they felt they needed to really lower the boom on people.  I don't know.  I do know that she committed a crime and I understand why she did it, but that doesn't make it right.

A book review of sorts - "Those Who Save Us"

I read this book while returning from Las Vegas.  It's one that was hard to put down.  It's the kind that when you are reading it, and someone wants to talk to you, it's really hard to fight the urge to say "leave me alone I'm reading" even if that person is the one you love most in the world.  It's that good.  The book is primarily about two women - a mother and daughter.  The mother is a German women and she gave birth to the daughter during WWII.  The book goes back and forth between what was going on with the mother during WWII and the daughter's life in the late 1990s.  You understand the mother more and more as you learn about her life.  And when it moves back to the daughter in the 1990s, you want her to learn about the mother's life.  You keep waiting for her to learn things.  And she does.  And all is good, but not all is neatly wrapped up.  That, I found disappointing.  At the end, I still had some questions about things that happened after the mother married and moved with her daughter to the US.  I wanted to ask some Was this ever resolved... and Did she ever do this...? I don't want to give anything away, so go read it.  It really is good.  I just wanted things wrapped up a little neater at the end.  And maybe the fact that they aren't is part of what made it a good book - still left some for the imagination maybe? 

Friday Photos on Saturday

Boomer standing watch over the backyard, some flowers, more Boomer and a market bag I knit.

I forgot the best part!

I have been cleared of being a terrorist!  Happened on the way to Vegas.  Yup.  I got picked at random going through security to have my hands tested.  Apparently at my airport, on that day anyway, the person picked in the 8 am hour gets his/her hands tested.  Mine came up positive.  The TSA agent at first blamed glycerin in hand cream.  Boy was he wrong.  The second test said it was dynamite.  Dynamite.   Do you believe that?  I tested positive for dynamite on my hands.  So next, they test my purse and carry-on bag.  Purse is cleared.  The bag tests positive.  Oh shit!  What now.  A is sitting nearby laughing.  I think he's texting people too - telling them what's going on - enjoying it really.  I'm not worried as I know I'm not a terrorist, but wondering why the heck I'm testing positive for dynamite.  BTW - at this point, A does not know what is going on, only that I'm getting tested.  So, now they put me behind the black curtain!  I've got to be patted down.  The female agent puts on gloves, tests the gloves to be sure they have nothing on them before the pat down.  As a quick aside - I sure wish I had the contract to provide the TSA with gloves because they sure go through a lot of them.  I think at least 4 pair were used in my search.  So anyway, she does the pat down, then tests the gloves again and this time I came up clean.  I'm cleared and can go get on the plane.  A and I go into the waiting area now and sit.  I tell him that I tested positive for dynamite and express my amazement at how that happened.  Turns out - it's all his fault.  He has been sent off to various schools by the FDNY as part of his training.  There was Live Agent School and Radiation School and yes - you guessed it - Bomb School.  When he left that school to come home, he had been warned to carefully clean whatever he was wearing and carrying on to the plane.  We think that some residue got on his duffel bag which was checked luggage and at home had been sitting near my carry-on bag that morning.  I had moved it aside, likely then getting the traces of dynamite on my hands and into the bag.  Can you freakin' believe it!

Viva Las Vegas

The saying is "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"  right?  After what I saw this weekend, I can understand why some people would feel that way.  Then there's the saying "it takes all kinds" well, in Vegas, I think I saw all kinds!  What a place!  There were the theme hotel/casinos - like Caesar's Palace - and then ones that looked normal.  For theme appearance - New York New York had to be the best!  Paris was cool, but still - NY NY!  Then - there are the others like Excalibur, which looked like a Jersey Shore version of Disneyland.  We stayed at the Mirage - lovely.  I would like to try Mandalay Bay just for it's pool!  And the Bellagio - OMG.  The fountains were fabulous.  Then there's the flower room in the atrium.  I wish I had taken some pictures of it.  I think one of the things that fascinated me the most was the girls that looked to be in their early 20s in the sky high heels and the dresses that just barely covered their butts.  I'm not making that up.   I would look at them and wonder - what do they do if they need to sit down?  Maybe they use double sided tape or something.  Anyway, we saw 3 shows while there.  2 were Cirque du Soleil - an Elvis one and a Beatles one.  Both fabulous in their own way.  We also saw Ray Romano.  Hilarious!  Eye watering laughter.  Snorting even.  And we gambled.  I won!  I learned how to play craps and won some money.  One thing that was hard to get used to was the smoke - everywhere and anywhere.  Some places worse than others.  It really is like an oasis in the desert.  Leaving and going back to the airport - you leave the strip - and it's a different world.  And not so pretty.  But boy - that strip!  Wow!

A little frustration with my scale

It's not moving.  If anything, it's been looking up a little.  I don't get it.  I'm doing cardio, watching what I eat.  Maybe not getting enough water?  Maybe a little too much salt?  I really wanted to be down another pound before going to Vegas, but that doesn't look like it's happening.  I think I'll have to watch it a bit while I'm out there - not indulge as much as I would have liked.  Then come home and get right back on the wagon. 

Happiness is....

....another budget done.  All that's left for me now is the printing.  Yay! 
Other happy notes - daffodils, hyacinths and forsythia all in bloom.  Soon it will be tulips. 

Recommendations Please!

A & I are taking a mini-vacation.  I have a few books on my Kindle for airplane and poolside reading, but could always use a couple more.  So, I'm looking for recommendations!  I tend towards a couple of specific types.  For non-fiction historical books - I like the Revolutionary War period and WWII.  I haven't read much about the Civil War period, but I am open to it.  For fiction - I like mysteries, medical or legal.   Those are my tendencies, but I am open to breaking out of my ruts.  I've read a few books - "Orange is the New Black" and "The Help" among them - based on the recommendations of others and enjoyed them.  So feel free to expand my boundaries. 

Dipping a toe into handknit socks

I took a class on Saturday to learn how to knit socks on two circular needles.  I think I'm going to really like this.  I wanted to learn how to knit socks because there are so many pretty patterns and pretty sock yarns out there.  I had started a sock previously, but it was really slow going - probably because I hadn't found the right method for me.  I was using the magic loop method, then tried using a 9" circular.  Neither one really got me in a groove.  I think I found the groove with two circulars.  And the technique will translate to other small diameter circular knitting projects - like sleeves, mittens or the last few rounds of hats.  In other knitting news, the lace capelet is done, ends woven in.  Now it just needs a little blocking and it will be ready to go.  I plan to steam block it, so I may get to that tonight.  I'm almost done with my market bag, now just waiting for goat day to start up for the season and I'll be off to the farmers' market with my own bag.  I could see me making some more of these out of cotton scraps for myself or in pretty colors as gifts.

or not

So the boss's wife brought their 2 month old baby in today.  He's very cute.  As we stood around and talked, one of my co-workers said "Oh K, to remember those days" referring to having an infant.  I said "I would have liked to have had those days."  What The Fuck!  She knows damn well that it's not just that I don't have kids, but that I couldn't have kids.  WTF!  It hasn't put me in as big a hole as I was yesterday - but still.  What The Fuck!  I thank those of you who sent me virtual hugs yesterday.  I'm looking forward to the real live hugs I will get from A tonight when he gets home from work.  They are great medicine for my wounded soul.

It's starting out a better day today...

What did I wake to this morning?  A furry face with a wet nose staring at me.  Then a doggie kiss saying "must do business Mom".  The cuteness just melts my heart.  Then, I get dressed for work and put on some khakis I haven't worn in a while and there's money in my pocket.  $3.10.  Definitely shaping up to be a better day than yesterday.

It's going to be one of those days

So today started learning about PETA's dumbass contest.  Now, the former chairman of the board I work with just stopped in my office.  I haven't seen him in a while.  So what does he say "Any kids yet?"  The tears came right up.  I told him "I can't."  I wasn't going into details.  I am proud of myself for being blunt.  He of course suggested adoption.    I again was blunt "We can't afford adoption."  He then told me that his second child is adopted and noted that it was expensive and an ordeal.  I think I'm doing well, that the pain is blunted, not so close to the surface, but then - today happens and right now - I'm fighting to keep my office door open, to not break down in tears at my desk.  Please let something good happen today.

Dear PETA, Infertility is not a joke

Check out this link. 
http://www.peta.org/features/win-a-vasectomy-from-peta.aspx

In "honor" of National Infertility Awareness Week, PETA is having a contest to win a vasectomy.  I'm so disgusted, I have no words.

Happiness is...

...like you have to ask?  Did you not read yesterday's post?  U!C!O!N!N! UCONN! UCONN! UCONN!  NCAA Men's Champions!  WOOFREAKINHOO!!  Back before the season started, I was just hoping they would make the NCAAs.  And they WON IT!  What a run!  What a fabulous run!  And how do you not just love Kemba Walker.  Beautiful player.  Graduating in 3 years.  Hard worker.  Leader.  Awesome.

A Thing of Beauty?

No, it wasn't - but that doesn't matter - UCONN is the NCAA Men's Champion!  The first half was one of the ugliest halves of basketball I've seen.  In the 2nd half, UCONN turned it on.  Butler didn't.  It's a shame that a team as good as Butler went out that way.  I think that UCONN just didn't want to lose.  They may not have been the best team over the season, but come tournament time, they just weren't willing to lose.  And now - 3rd time as NCAA champs.  UCONN! UCONN! UCONN!

Photos!

Got the new PC - so I'm loading up some photos.  These are just some knitting projects.

And Boomer.

No Photo Friday....again

This time the problem is that I have no computer to upload them!  I bit the bullet and finally bought a new computer recently.  It arrived at my local Staples on Sunday.  So, I bought the old one in for them to transfer the files.  It's still there.  First they had trouble, couldn't get my old one to work with their display, so I had to bring down the funky display cord connector from my old PC.  That was Tuesday evening.  And so I sit.  And so I wait.  I could use A's laptop, but honestly, just too much of a pain to set it up, etc.  I'm hoping it will be ready today. 
My big dilemma for today (note I am using the apparently correct 2m spelling of that word instead of dilemna) is do I go to the gym after work.  I'm going to a jewelry party tonight at a neighbor's.  I will have time to come home, eat and shower after running - so that's not an issue.  The thing is - I kind of like what I'm wearing right now.  If I change into workout clothes, I'm worried about getting makeup on the neck of the lovely cream colored turtleneck I am wearing, which would mean no wearing it to the jewelry party tonight.  It's not as if I don't have other wardrobe options for the evening - but I just saw myself in the bathroom mirror and think - I'm looking pretty good.  So - will I go to the gym tomorrow if I don't go tonight?  Or at least go for a run in the neighborhood?  And if my computer is ready - I don't think I have time to go to the gym, pick up the PC, eat, shower, etc before the party.  Oh - the decisions of a Friday!  :)

Randomness

• Traffic sucked this morning.  I'm almost always 10 minutes or so late for work.  But thanks to traffic, it was a full 30 minutes today.
• Why do people go the speed limit or less, but then just do a polite pause (if that) at stop signs? 
• Bit of a problem with payroll to start the day at work, but we've dealt with it.  Now just waiting to see if our employee-most-likely-to-go-postal will give us a hard time over it.
• Last night at the gym, I was walking to the treadmill to wipe it down after my run and saw the woman on the treadmill next to me from behind.  She had a rather generous behind and it was moving in multiple directions at once.  Besides the slight fascination with how much it was moving, I thought with horror "Oh My God!  What do I look like from behind!"  Scary thought!
• My loser neighbors continue to be just that.  How I wish they would move.
• Last day of light duty for A today.  Yay for me!  No more 5 am wakeups!!
• I'm almost done with what is perhaps the most ambitious knitting project I have taken on to date.  It is a lace capelet knit in two pieces - the center panel and a border.  Tonight, I will be picking up 448 stitches along the border, then doing a three needle bindoff to join it to the center panel. It will be gorgeous.  Pictures will follow.
• I've started the log cabin for the niece or nephew to be.  I think it will be beautiful, colorful anyway.  I plan to do six or eight log cabin blocks, then join them.
• Two weeks to Vegas baby!  Never been - looking forward to it.  Must go through closet and see what fits so I can get packed.
• I've been without my home computer since Sunday afternoon.  I'm having Facebook Bejeweled withdrawal!

Happiness is...

.....being down 5 pounds.  Yay me.  I'm finally sticking to the diet plan.  I would like to lose a bit more before A and I head to Vegas in 2 1/2 weeks.  We'll see.  I'm on week 3 of the Couch to 5K program.  It's not bad.  A friend told me that week 4 is hard because it's a big jump in how long you run.  So, we'll see how it goes.  I would really like to get up to the point where I can actually run a 5k.  A may even start doing it!  That would be fun.

Feeling Valued....or not

I'm still not feeling good after what happened here at work yesterday.  I'm feeling like I am not valued here.  Clearly, I am not as valued as NS.  I got a real reminder yesterday that I am a public servant, emphasis on the word servant.  Sometimes it really sucks to be reminded that, no matter how high up in the organization you may be, you are still just a peon - which really should be "pee on".  The discussion I had with A last night when I got home was not pleasant.  There was a lot of shouting.  I don't like it when he does things like go after NS and his ilk.  It's a very unattractive side of him.  But I really didn't like being put in the position to ask him to give up his right of free speech to protect my job.  And yeah, the HR director can come in to my office and tell me I'm not in trouble all she wants, but it sure felt like I was in trouble.  It felt like my job was in jeopardy if my husband didn't lay off NS and his buddies.  I should have asked the boss "What if A doesn't lay off?  What then?  Are you going to fire me?"  That would have put him in a spot.  Maybe a spot he needed to be put in to realize that he should never have gotten involved.  He should have told NS that it had nothing to do with my place of employment, that it was between NS & A.  This boss is does not rank up there with the ones I've had the most respect for and now I have less.  And now he's made me feel like I am not valued.  And that has consequences.  Right now, I feel no loyalty to this community, other than what I am paid to have.  I've even looked at other employment opportunities and am seriously considering sending my resume to a nearby employer. And what are they gaining from all this?  NS feels safe?  Good.  His department had asked A to teach a class.  Well, that's not happening.  Not if A is being told he needs to stay away from them, have nothing to do with them.  And he told his best friend what happened yesterday, so guess who else isn't teaching a class for them.  If it weren't for A's involvement, that department would have caused us to spend $500,000 more for a piece of equipment than was necessary.  That department has no qualms about spending money that is not theirs - but let's protect their sensitive egos from big bad A and let's do it by leaning on his wife.  My boss has empowered a bunch of schmoes by what he did and he's tied my hands.  How now am I supposed to deal with them when they want to waste money or put us at risk with poor procedures?
It sucks to have to deal with this.  And I'm hoping that in a bit of time, I'll be feeling better about things.  I really hope so because right now, I'm stuck here.  I can look at other jobs, but with my salary and the pension, I'm really kind of stuck here.

NS is a weanie

I'm sticking with initials because that's my habit, but this time, it's also a little paranoid self-preservation as well.  I'm also even changing his initials slightly to protect the innocent - which is me.  I need to get this out,but I don't want it getting back to the fucking weanie.  NS is a weanie.  He may have a penis (the balls are in doubt) but he is not a man.  NS is a volunteer firefighter where I work and a paid firefighter elsewhere.  He and my husband don't see eye to eye.  NS was sitting in the audience at a meeting a month or so ago, waiting his turn.  He was chatting with other members of his volunteer department and saying how much we say because we don't have a paid department.  That is true.  He was also saying how much his department costs.  Probably also true.  He was going on and on about it.  After the meeting, I mention this to my husband.  Being a true union guy, A was a bit pissed.  Apparently it's a big no-no to promote volunteer departments at the expense of a paid department.  So, A sends NS an e-mail saying "you shouldn't do that and btw, my wife knows people in your union and if you pissed her off enough, she might call them."  Well, guess that didn't go over too well with NS.  It didn't really go over too well with me either.  I've asked A in the past not to rile these guys up - seriously they think they are hot stuff, but they aren't that great and yes, they save us money - but they waste money, so we should really be saving more.  But, whatever.  I can ask A to stay away from them but I can't control him.  So - anyway - weanie NS can't deal with A himself.  Can't call him out, can't face - NS is just not a man.  So - what does NS do?  He calls my boss.  I get called into the boss's office and get asked to control my husband.  NS feels "threatened" by me.  And A doesn't really get that he's at fault here.  He didn't need to call NS out on what he said.  But he feels superior to him.  He is superior to him.  But NS will never recognize that - so what's the point of trying to beat it into him!  And now - I'm sure NS feels all full of himself that he brough me in line because he went to my boss and had me talked to.  Happy Fucking Monday.

Photos as Promised

Here is Colleen's Shetland Triangle.  Both blocked and blocking.  I'll take more when it's dry.  And just so you don't think I posted pictures and didn't include Boomer - take a close look at the second picture - you can see a couple of Boomer hairs made it into the finished product.  Love my dog, but every knitting project ends up with some of his hair on it and it can be a real pain to pull it all out. 

Friday, but no photos?

I promise - photos coming soon.  Maybe tomorrow.  I'm working my butt off on a Shetland Triangle Shawl for a friend of mine.  If you go back to around Sept or Oct of 2009, you'll see the light blue one I made for myself.  This past fall, I wore mine to a fundraiser for the son of my friend.  He was born with a condition that caused one side of his skull to not grow properly.  He was also born without a right ear.  He needs periodic surgery for his skull and recently had surgery to give him an ear.  Much of the cost is outside their insurance coverage, hence the fundraiser.  So - that night when I wore my shawl, my friend said "Oh, I like that.  I want one."  She's been through a lot of crap, including the money raised at that fundraiser being stolen, and she always keeps a real good outlook.  So I wanted to do something nice for her - hence the knitting.  I should have started this back then, but didn't.  I thought about it again when I realized we are going to another fundraiser for her son on Sunday. So, last week, I got some yarn and got cracking.  I am into my 9th and last repeat, then need to do the edging rows. I expect to have it done sometime Saturday afternoon, and will then block it - and take pictures.  Given our good heat and maybe help from a fan, I expect it to be dry and ready to gift on Sunday afternoon.  And may I add - her son is just one of the most amazing kids.  He can have his moments like any kid - but that's the thing - he's got this condition and issues - but he's just a typical 9 year old kid. 

Schweddy Balls

Did I mention Schweddy Balls once upon a time?  Those would be the red velvet cake balls I've made?  To die for!  Over the Christmas holidays, my sister made a version of cake balls with Oreos.  So, for our neighborhood's tailgate party at the local St Patrick's Day parade, I made some Oreo Schweddy Balls.  I used Mint Oreos - did not know they made those until I saw them in the store!  Crush up the Oreos, mix them with an 8 oz package of Cream cheese, softened.  Then you roll the mix into balls. Then you melt chocolate and dip the balls into the chocolate and let cool.  I let the mix chill a bit before rolling them into balls and then again before dipping them - makes them easier to work with.  So good.  So very, very good.  And quite a bit easier than the red velvet version - but that red cake makes those so special.  Anyway - I highly recommend Schweddy Balls.  They are worth the effort.

Happiness is...

....mnemonics - or at least the "Things to be Happy About" blog said so yesterday.  But it made me thing about mnemonics.  I used to use them to memorize.  I would make up my own sentences to remember lists.  Sister Math taught us some good ones for calculus in high school.  SOH CAH TOA!  Sounds like something you would hear in a foreign language film during a fight scene - but it's the formulas for Sine, Cosine and Tangent.    Another was All Seniors Take Calculus.  Going counter-clockwise around the grid, it told you which function was positive in which quadrant.  Then there's "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge"  (Or Does Fine) for the piano scales.  And a favorite that I think every college kid learns some version of "Liquor before beer, have no fear.  Beer before liquor, never been sicker."

The ABCs of me

I saw this meme on a blog I follow so I decided to do it.

A. Age: 49 for a little while longer


B. Bed size: Queen.

C. Chore you dislike: dusting – hate it.

D. Dogs: only those new to my blog do not know Boomer, aka the Boom Doggie – the cutest, funniest, most loving, pit mix going

E. Essential start to your day: Coffee!F. Favorite color: I don’t really have one. I have favorite colors for different things – like I’ve always wanted a yellow kitchen, but it’s not a color I wear. I like to wear jewel tones and black.

G. Gold or silver: Platinum 

H. Height: 5’6”

I. Instruments you play(ed): I did take piano lessons for a while as an adult, but I’m not sure that qualifies as playing.

J. Job title: Finance Director

K. Kids: None, though it wasn’t for lack of trying.

L. Live: Westchester County, New York State

M. Mom’s name: since I try to only do initials - RAC

N. Nicknames: Kate, Katie, when I was a kid Katiedid

O. Overnight hospital stays: only one, when I was little I was in the hospital for a biopsy of a growth in my mouth

P. Pet peeves: People who type or write the words a & lot together as though they are one word. Also people who get in the left lane and drive slow.

Q. Quote from a movie: Can’t think of any great ones right now except “Luke I am your father” and “Food Fight”.

R. Righty or lefty: Righty.

S. Siblings: One brother, two sisters.

T. Time you wake up: 6:15

U. Underwear: VS Body by Victoria

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Peas, beets, creamed corn. I will not eat cooked carrots, but will eat raw carrots. I’m not fond of green beans, but will eat them.

W.What makes you run late: What doesn’t! Let’s just say I’m late for work more often than I’m on time. But for other events, it’s not a problem.

X. X-rays you’ve had: lungs a few times, wrist and I think that’s it, .

Y. Yummy food you make: Schweddy balls

Z. Zoo animal favorites: I like most all of them – but hate the snake house.

Give me some room!

I'm filling out a form - do lots of that at work.  They need a telephone number.  There are pre-printed brackets for the area code that have only enough space for people who print teensy tiny.  Then tons of room for the other 7 numbers.  What's up with that?  I get things I have to sign that barely have enough room for my first name, let only the rest of it.  And space for e-mail addresses.  Thank heavens they changed our e-mail addresses or they wouldn't fit most of the blocks in which you have to write it.  Another favorite is where you have to fit both your name and title on a line barely big enough for one of them.  Who designs these things?

Top o' the mornin' to ye

And the rest of the day to meself!  One of my high school teachers (Fr Dolan about whom I posted a few months ago) used to say that.  Happy St Patrick's Day all!  9 years ago today, I met A for the very first time.  I had gone to the NYC St Patrick's Day parade with A's cousin and his cousin's girlfriend KM - both co-workers of mine.  A, being in the FDNY, was marching.  Our meeting was very brief, in a bar after the parade and consisted of him saying "Hi I'm A.  Can I get you a beer?"  That was pretty much it.  But, I remembered him well enough that when he visited Town Hall 4 months later and KM said "B's cousin is downstairs, why don't you go say hello"  I made up an excuse to go down to B's office.  And the rest is history.
So - speaking of history - did you know that St. Patrick was not Irish?  Not by birth anyway.  He was Roman, but born in Scotland.  He was kidnapped and taken to Ireland.  He eventually escaped, studied for the priesthood and returned to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity.  He used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity and is said to have banished snakes from Ireland.  St Patrick's Breastplate is a prayer I love - a little long, so bear with me.
"May the strength of God guide me this day, and may His power preserve me. May the wisdom of God instruct me; the eye of God watch over me; the ear of God hear me; the word of God give sweetness to my speech; the hand of God defend me; and may I follow the way of God.
Christ be with me, Christ before me, Christ be after me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right hand, Christ at my left, Christ in the fort, Christ in the chariot, Christ in the ship, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me.  Christ in every eye that see me. Christ in every ear that hears me."

Before I go, let me leave you with that Irish toast that everyone knows...

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields and,
Until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

And another one just because...

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

Happiness is....

.... a dog who would go out and do his business in today's rainy weather.  If only I had one of those dogs!  Mine refused.  Got my day off to a rip roaring start!  I even put on the rain boots, rain coat and grabbed an umbrella and the leash so I could walk him around the yard.  Nope.  Hubby's response was "Well, that's his problem now."  Um.  Yeah.  Do you think that a dog gets the concept of "I failed to pee & poop when I had the chance, so now I have to hold it in until my peoples get home?"   I don't think so.  And I don't want to have to clean it up when he can't hold it.  So now, thanks to that adorable little bugger's aversion to rain, I have to go home on my lunch hour and hope that I can work some magic with him and get him to do his business.  It's a damn good thing he's cute.

One of the Great Mysteries of Life...

....is women's clothing sizes!  There is no consistency, no rhyme or reason.  Right now, I'm wearing a Calvin Klein suit, size 8 pants - and they are not tight.  I'm 10 lbs over what I consider my ideal weight.  Okay 12 lbs.  How the heck am I fitting into size 8 pants?  Friendly sizing, that's how.  I have size 10 pants that I can button, but they are so freaking uncomfortable - I feel like a sausage in them.  Different clothing companies have different sizing.  Ann Taylor has friendly sizing.  I would expect right now to be in a size 8 with them.  I know with other clothing companies, I would be struggling to be in size 12 right now.  I think that AT does it because you feel good about yourself if you are wearing an 8.  And think about it - when I'm thinner - should I be looking at an AT 6?  Well no, even with them, it would be a stretch for me to get in a 6.  You really, really have to know your size in every company's clothing lines.  I ten to buy a lot of AT because I know my size with them and their clothing is stylish and classic.  Size charts on line don't always help.  Based on my bust size, many companies say I should be in a large or a 14.  For some, that is true.  I bought some stuff online a few months ago and based on their charts, I bought a large.  Big mistake.  I'm a medium.  Easy returns, thankfully and now I know.  Now - shall I get started on bras?  I buy one brand usually because I know what my size is with them.  But if they don't have the style I need - it can be hell to find a bra that fits properly.  You and I could be the same size, but your girls sit closer together than mine, so what works for you just isn't happening for me.  I really need to go to one of those specialty shops in the City and get fitted by someone who knows what they are doing.  I don't believe the "fitters" in places like Victoria's Secret or Nordstroms really knows.
Based on my experience with disparity in sizes, I now understand how magazines will say "Oh, so and so is a size 6" when I'm looking and thinking "My ass she's a size 6."  Maybe she is - in the right clothing line.  I really do wish there was more standardization.  I could handle being a size 10 across the board.  That would be better than being an 8 here and a 12 there.  But shoot - even within the same line there can be issues.  I have 3 pairs of jeans, all bought at the same time, same waist size, same length.  One pair I can only wear when I'm at that ideal weight.  One pair is loose at the ideal weight, but still looks good and looks good through my current weight.  One pair is loose at my current weight, so I only wear that pair if wearing a top that doesn't tuck in or a sweater so you can't see the issues at the waistline.  And they are all the same size, bought the same day, washed and dried in the same manner.   One of the great mysteries of life!

Friday Photos

Here are pictures of the finished mittens.  They are cabled on the top, plain on the palm.  I'm very happy with them.  And of course, there are pictures of Boomer - doing one of his favorite things - lazing around on his bed.

Happiness is...

....beautiful, handknit mittens!  And of course, they were knit by me!  I finished them up last night.  I am very proud of myself.  Knitting a pair of mittens was a goal of mine.  I wasn't so concerned about the knitting in the round for the body of the mittens as I was about how knitting the thumb would work.  Turns out it worked just fine.  And as I knit these mittens and tried them on and looked at them after they were done, I thought of what I would do differently.  When looking at other peoples projects on Ravelry, I often see the "mods" (code word for modifications) they have done, but rarely do I think about making mine own beyond the really easy ones, mainly because I haven't felt skilled enough to do it.  But now, I do feel skilled enough to start venturing into making more mods as I knit something so that it fits my tastes and size better.  I plan to take pictures of the mittens tonight, so there should be some Friday photos!

Friday Photos

This is a baby surprise jacket I made for my boss's new baby - shown before seaming.

Same baby surprise jacket after seaming and buttons added.

A big smooshy cowl for me.

Boomer - doing what he does best - sleeping on his new bed.

Happiness is...

....a touch of spring!  It is going to be in the low 50s today.  YAY!  Tomorrow will be cold again, but I'm loving today.  And tonight, I get to see a friend that I only see once a year basically at our annual professional conference.  We served on the Executive Board together, but both our terms have ended.  He lives in Wisconsin, but has a meeting out here this week - so it's nice to have a chance to get together and chat.  I do miss my time on the board because I made good friends that I now only get to see once a year.