today

So today was Phase I of "The Confrontation." A meeting with a senior manager of the apartment complex since we were getting nowhere with our direct complex manager. We got some answers...some things still are unanswered. We were informed of some adjustments to our upcoming lease renewal to allow us the option to break our lease when this problem is over if we decide to...since we can't move til it is over...and they are going to increase thier level of communication, etc....

Oh....and they won't be raising our rent.

Now to see what Phase II brings....

So glad to have that meeting over with though. When I am anxious, nervous or angry I feel it in my gut. I get so nauseous. Yuck. So after the meeting I went on the treadmill for a bit, made myself dinner and am now waiting for clothes in the dryer. Thanks so much to everyone who has left little kind thoughts. I know I'm vague on here about the problem we have been having and it is hard to really explain but I truly appreciate the kind words of encouragement. They mean a lot.

I hope this is all over soon. We are going on month 4 soon. 6 if you count the few months before we had an issue. I just want to live like a normal person again!

But...on to better and bigger things. I got tagged by my blog friend Toni :) For this one you need to:

Go to the photos folder on your computer.
Go to the seventh folder of
photos.
Go to the seventh photo.
Put the seventh photo on your blog
along with a description.
Invite seven friends to join.


Cary would love that his old friend "Ginger" is featured on my blog today! This is an old photo he has of his childhood dog. She was literally like his mom. His pal. For Christmas a few years ago I had scanned in his old picture and cropped and fixed it up a little. I had it printed out and framed for him. So now (when our apartment is normal) Ginger and my old dog Maddy sit on our entertainment center. Our little shrine to our furry friends who our playing up in dog heaven together!

So now, I'm tagging: Everyone! Anyone reading who wants to give this a try!

I have not been good about updating at all lately. I think it's related to the saying, "If you have nothing nice to say don't say anything." To make a long story short, Cary and I are taking the next steps and actions that are apparantly needed to get our apartment leasing office to comply and communicate effectively on our long-time issues. We are at the end of our rope.

So....now that that is out of the way. Everything else has been kind of blah....

Have done some knitting. Finished my 2nd (regular sized) pair of Fetching gloves on Friday. (sorry the picture is so fuzzy - it is pouring rain out today so I'm limited to the crappy light in the kitchen)




Finished another dishcloth ...not liking this one as much as the pink one I did last week. I don't like the choppiness of the Sugar&Cream yarn's color changes. In general...not my favorite yarn. I might get some today at my LYS to hold me over until I get the yarn for my sweater. These are fun to make and useful.


Ordered some pretty aqua yarn to start knitting a spring/summer sweater. This will be my first big project and I can't wait to start!

I really need to take some time to catch up on my online friends world's (blogs)! I have been out of the loop. Trying to stay focused, desparately trying to stay positive and waiting for spring and change around here.

Have a good Sunday....

full, fun weekend

Fun weekend so far!

Much needed...

• Ate lots of crap (McD's and Wendy's in one day and a Grande Java Chip Iced Frappuccino..mmmm)
• Shopped with my sister, bought over-priced makeup at Sephora, and an outfit, etc. Spent too much money but had so much fun.
• Knitted (photo is of a lace dishcloth I started & finished this weekend!)
• Saw "Love you Man" with Cary. Very funny!
• and now I'm getting some chores done...laundry, etc.
• Now I'm cooking some ribs and potato salad for sunday dinner before Cary goes off to work..and I'll be off for a visit to my parent's and a knitting group at the yarn store. I'm off!

Hope everyone had a nice weekend!

choose my attitude

Bar Harbor, Maine -summer 2007

I don't have many words today. Just an old picture.

Wishing I could feel happier...and not let things overwhelm me so often. I wish I was back in this picture today....wishing I could just focus on the good people in my world and the things I enjoy instead of letting the rest of the junk take up so much of my time, mind and happiness. It/they don't deserve that. The troubles will still be there regardless of whether I choose to let them get to me or if I choose to be happy.

I might as well choose a positive attitude.

Easier said then done some days.

I wish I could listen to my own advice.

monday gratitudes

Monday Gratitudes...

1. getting to sleep in today even though it's a later night at the college later


2. the Irish Freckle Bread I made...hmmm...


3. the sun is out


4. a new knitting magazine to look at..and a few scrapbooking ones I haven't looked at yet.


5. it is almost Spring


6. a beautiful weekend


7. my mom's St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage to look forward to tomorrow.


8. coffee


9. funny television


10. a place to live


11. money to pay bills


12. only a little over 1 month of classes left for the year


13. my health


14. internet....
    

Here's what I've been up to...

Another Premie Hat for charity...casted on last night.

The first glove of another pair of Fetching. This time I will make them the size I intended with the yarn I just used to make a "mini" pair accidentally :)

I MISS SCRAPBOOKING! I love knitting and doing the ATC's....but I want to take out all my scrapbooking papers...have all my embellishments organized on my desk...look through my photos. I miss it. I really wish we can get past this apt extermination crap because I NEED TO SCRAPBOOK! This isn't very full of gratitude I know. But a few of my gratitudes were in an attempt to feel better about this situation...it works most of the time. But sometimes I get fed up with it.

Well...back to doing whatever I can do to distract and get ready to head out to work. I hope to catch up with blogs tonight and tomorrow!

update

I have been a bad updater. So many things going on this week. My mind is in a million places. Good and frustrating. But whose isn't?

Anyway...here are the 2nd pair of Fetching Gloves as promised.

They didn't come out as I wanted. On my 1st pair, I adapted the pattern a little and added a cable (extra rows) at the wrist and knuckle. Well...I intended to do the same with this pair. So when I finished the first glove I couldn't figure out why it was so small. Actually it was about the size it would have been had I followed the pattern exactly...except with all cables. Then...

I realized I left out a whole line of the pattern. 18 rows to be exact! I had put my knitting down one night and when I picked it up the next day I missed that row!

Ooops!


So I made the second glove to match. Now on to my 3rd pair with this same yarn in the length I wanted! I do love the yarn's changing colors...

I also finished this cute little Premie hat this week for a charity my LYS is supporting...



I photographed it next to an apple for size comparison. It is so little! Amazing.

I also finished a few more of the 52Q ATC's I had been working on...this batch has just straight journaling on the back so I just photographed the fronts of the cards...

Week #7: What would you do if you knew you could not fail? (Acrylics, Somerset Studio clip art butterfly, Sharpie, brown ink)

Week #8: What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud? (watercolor pencils, white out, black pen, Stamp It square & rectangle stamps, Memory Box bird stamps, black ink)

Week #9:What was the last brave thing I did? (letter stamps, watercolor pencils, Somerset Studio buttefly clipart)

Well I'm off (hopefully) soon on a "date day" with Cary.

Happy Friday!

a day for just me

Fisherman at the Wheel - Gloucester, MA

Before I share about my day I have to share something pretty cool. My hometown...or I should say a landmark in my hometown... will be featured on the Massachusetts version of the Quarter to be released later this year.

As for the rest of my day...

Today was for me. I took my time. Went where I wanted - when I wanted. Selfish I know. But so worth it.

I slept in. 9:00am. That's late for me! Took my tme getting ready and headed out. I frequent a coffee shop in my hometown and they have a "frequent shopper" card. After 10 coffees you get one free. Today was my free day. I splurged....with the beautiful 60' day I had my 1st official iced drink since last summer. A large Iced Mocha Latte...worth the 8000 calories that were probably in it.

Then I went to the mall...the "grown-up" mall... as my dad calls it. We have 2 malls in our area. One is the "kiddie mall" my dad says. That one has the cheaper stores, teens hanging out, not as nice all around. The "grown-up" mall on the other hand is luxury! I browsed around Sephora, H&M, Macy's, took in the wonderful scents coming out of Williams & Sonoma....

I enjoyed myself.

I used up a small giftcard my work gave me on some new, cute PJ's. I also got a basic white Spring jacket. I also got these spring-like tanks at the Gap to wear under some sweaters I have....



and these cute bracelets from Macy's. I loved the ribbon "packaging."




I browsed around C.O. Bigelow and ended up with Bigelow Mentha Lip Tint - Pink.

Lastly, I stopped at Michael's to use my 40% off coupon on some cake watercolors. I got a small Moleskin watercolor book yesterday and really want to use it for a journal. But I want some portable watercolors to bring with me to work and wherever. I have some watercolors in tubes packed up in my stuff but they are not accessible right now and in general aren't as portable. I love this little set...

After all this I went to my parent's for a visit. Had some pizza with them and a cake my mom baked. Mmmm. I love visiting them. Made plans for later this week with my sister and headed home. A nice day to escape from my mess of an apartment, get out in the beautiful weather and just relax.

Tomorrow I'll share my second pair of fingerless Fetching gloves. Messed up a little with my pattern but my changes make them still work. I have one glove done...one to go. When I finish this pair I'll make a second pair with this yarn that will actually be the length I had intended...I'll explain tomorrow ;)

Happy Saturday!

letting go

I don't know why I take on other people's "stuff" so easily. Can others relate? It has to end. Today. I need to practice "letting go" this weekend. Yesterday I felt a little down about the apartment crap. Nothing new. It just gets to me some days and I feel like it will never end. Cary also left for his Guard weekend today. So I'm a little down. And junk with people in my life that I won't get into.

Letting Go.

I have decided to have a weekend where I do what I want to do. Some treats. A dessert. Maybe a new outfit or something from Sephora. Some time knitting. Some time with my family. Some time finishing my 52Q ATC's. Some time helping my dad with a cool, life story project of his. A scrapbook of sorts he is doing about his time in the Navy. He needs some scanner help.

That is the stuff that is important. Self-care. Family. Time. I don't want to focus on the junk.

Hoping to post some pictures this weekend. We are supposed to have beautiful weather here this weekend....50's. Which compared to last Monday is amazing!

Happy Friday!

finished

I finished my first pair of fetching gloves. And I bought this yarn today to start another pair...

Maybe for me....maybe for my sister...we'll see!

I'm trying to keep myself busy and stay positive. Work was long today and this apartment is still so very discouraging. I miss scrapbooking, decorating and enjoying my surroundings when I'm at home. Knitting is giving me a distraction and an outlet.

I just realized that Spring Break is next week. Which means I have Monday and Friday off. I thought I had another week to wait. That was a nice suprise. Cary and I decided not to go to NH for a night. We just don't want to risk spending the money with our bills and the economy the way it is. So we are looking for a low-key, close-to-home option for the Friday of my break. We really need to do something fun together...

Well...off to catch up on some things and finish my laundry.

Good night!

the weekend

So I was in the mood to get a few treats on the way home from work friday after a verrrry long week. I found myself some Converse in my color. Aqua. Love them! My sister will be proud - she's always been into Chucks. I also got a pair of jeans and a bright white t-shirt at Target. I wear white t's all the time. And a cute blue-green fun scarf. And some cute earrings. All for not too much money. I love Target.

Yesterday made some of Cary's mom's special recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies. Some for him and some to take over my friend's house. Mmmm. Guess who else will be eating these while she is snowed in today?!

Last night was my monthly Girl's Night. We had dinner cooked by one of the girls and lots of talking and catching up. I was tired and not feeling so well but managed to stay awake through Sex & The City: The Movie...which I saw in the theatre and loved.

I got a pile of blank Strathmore ATC's in the mail that I ordered from Dick Blick. I was running out of the one little assorted pack I had and my LSS didn't have any left. Now I will be set for the rest of the year and the 52Q group. Here are a few others I have worked on in the past few weeks. Some are complete and some I haven't done the journaling on yet. I am not quite up-to-date but getting there...I really do like this project. It's a nice chance to do a little artwork eac week and really think about an important topic. It is very similar to things I incorporate into my work as an Art Therapist only this time it's for me.

Week #4: When I look into my eyes I see....

Front: StampIt square stamp. Denami Design circle of dots stamp. SEI swirl stamp. Various letter stamps. Black pen. Watercolor pencils. Water brush.

Back: Denami Design circle of dots stamp. Autumn Leaves journaling circle stamp. Black pen.

Week # 5: Today I Feel....

front: Date stamp. Close to my Heart date journaling stamp. River City letter stamp. Black pen. Watercolor pencils. Water brush.

back: Watercolor pencils. Water brush. Black pen.

Week #6: If I could do it all again...

front: various letter stamps. Denami Design circle of dots stamp. Hand-drawn flower with black pen, Watercolor pencils and water brush.

I haven't journaled on the back of this one yet.

Later today I might work on #7 and #8 and be right on track...as I sit here and wait for a SNOWSTORM! Cross your fingers that tomorrow will be a snowday for the college...day and evening classes since I teach tomorrow evening...

Also hoping to finish my2nd glove to finish out the pair...

Happy Sunday!