Big Day Today!

Today was good and bad…first the bad, I’ve felt a cold coming on for a few days and today I’ve got a sore throat and fever 😦 I came home from work early because I was too tired and logy.

The good…Adam and I finally started house hunting today! We saw four different places, and the last one was everything we’re looking for. I was expecting to take a long time to hunt and find a place that’s just right, but I can’t imagine finding something better than this place in our price range. Its amazing – 3BR, 2BA, huge kitchen and pantry, living/dining room, den, utility/laundry room, and a gorgeous back yard with tropical landscaping and an inground pool! The house is full of windows and light, ceramic tile floors in the hall/kitchen/living room, carpet in the master BR, pergo in the other two bedrooms….it backs up to a conservation area so we have no rear neighbors and lots of foliage! The only down side to it is that its in a really nice area which = high taxes, but Adam and I are working through the budget and it looks like we’re going to be able to put in an offer! We’re just waiting for an insurance quote and some questions to be answered from the homeowner. As far as we can tell it doesn’t need any repairs or anything – which would really help with the finances! The only thing I’m not crazy about is that the kitchen countertop is laminate…and turqouise. But its in good condition and it works, so we wouldn’t rush to change that.

I’m excited about the house…and a little scared about making such a big decision so fast. I really didn’t want to find such a great place the first day because I wanted to be sure the place we found was the best. I’m pretty satisfied that this place is right for us, and I don’t think I’ll feel like I missed out by not continuing to look. Its not a done deal yet and I know nothing is guaranteed, but I’ve got a great feeling about this place. We walked in and just knew…I think all we said for about ten minutes was “wow”. We’ll see what happens. Tomorrow we’re taking Adam’s mom to see it to get another opinion and to get a better look, and I’ll try to take some pictures. Who knows? We might have a new place by New Year’s!

Life on the High Seas

So today we went to test drive…a boat! Adam’s dad has been thinking about getting one for a while, so the two of them are looking at getting one. Its a 24 foot SeaRay 240, and its really nice…seats six or seven up top, and there’s a cabin down below that can sleep 4. We took the test drive in Tampa Bay, and I got to try driving 🙂 The place they’re looking to buy from does group trips to local islands, down the coast, and even to the keys! It would even be nice just to take the boat out into the gulf and enjoy the fresh air and being on the water.

Off to the dentist for a filling (hopefully the last one!) then for a massage 🙂

Afterthought

OK this has nothing to do with Thanksgiving (more like Christmas actually) but I think I’m in love…has anyone seen Victorian Lace Today? I bought A Gathering of Lace after mom got tired of me stealing (I mean borrowing) her copy and I think I could knit lace for the rest of my life. It makes me want to hurry up and finish my WIPs so I can start more lace! I’ve never made a rectangular wrap/stole and I have about 2000 yards of fine laceweight/cashmere yumminess that is calling my name.

So back to the Telemark Ski Sweater…the body pattern is just so BORING!

Happy Thanksgiving

A special “on the road” edition of the blog, brought to you courtesy of free WiFi from the Rally gas stations. I’m at work (double time and a half almost makes up for missing thanksgiving dinner but in no way comes near to making up for not being home in NY). Adam’s mom made a turkey, chocolate pudding pie, and other assorted yummy things, but I’ll have to wait until tomorrow (or more likely, 2am when I get home from work) to enjoy them.

I’ve been a little down lately, thinking about the holidays and knowing I won’t be home for them (well except for the BEST holiday of the season – my BIRTHDAY in two weeks!). It shouldn’t be such a big deal since I’m always working anyway, but it was always nice to swing by Grandma’s house with the ambulance or stop by Mom’s on Christmas morning before I left for work. Being in Florida it hardly feels like the holiday season anyway – its 65 degrees and sunny, and palm trees don’t quite give me the holiday spirit. Adam and I both work Christmas Day but we don’t leave until noon, so we can do a “Christmas morning” thing at home, and I’m bringing Christmas to Rochester a few weeks early when I visit so be prepared!

I didn’t want this post to get depressing – its sad that i won’t be home, but today I’m trying to think of all the things I’m thankful for instead of whining about the things that aren’t so good. And really – I’ve got it pretty good. I have a wonderful family who have been nothing but supportive of me with the move this year, even though I know they would rather have me there. I have a great relationship with a wonderful man who puts up with me on a day-to-day basis even though I know thats not always easy. I have a good job, a roof over my head, and enough to eat. AND I have a plane ticket home in less than two weeks 🙂

Oh yeah…and a cute cuddly cat

Big day!

Today was the big day…I got my braces on! I’ll spare you all the details (if you want to read more, check out my dental blog). Here’s my new smile:

It’ll take a little getting used to, but its still exciting 🙂

I was at the yarn store the other day and found out – they have a SPINNING section! I never knew that! Needless to say, I walked out with more than I planned on buying. I got myself a hand spindle (1.7 oz, canarywood, handmade by a local guy) and 4 oz of yummy fiber to practice with. I’m really proud – I can spin pretty thin with the hand spindle! It takes a lot longer but I’m really happy with what I’m getting. Check it out:

I’ve got today and tomorrow off to adjust to the braces, so the plan is to spin up enough of the new wool for a skein and see how it comes out. I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but I’m still plugging away on the celtic knot shawl – I’m on row 34 of 106 on the outside, and each row is around 850 stitches. It’ll be done….eventually.

I love the weekends

I love weekends – I feel so productive! The days I work I’m at work for (at least) 12 hours, commuting for two, and I need eight hours of sleep to function…which leaves two hours to eat, see Adam, and do whatever else needs to be done. Its so nice to have a day like today – get up, spend have time to go online and catch up with blogs and message boards, and just sit. Today’s accomplishments: went to Tires Plus to get a nail out of my tire (luckily Adam saw it before it went flat), three loads of laundry, cleaned the bathroom, picked up in the living room, put boxes away in the garage…and its only 6pm. And thanks to my work hours I’ll be up until at least 2am, so that means LOTS of knitting time and a good movie 🙂 I’m thinking Love Actually, since its almost the holidays (but since its my favorite movie, I don’t need much excuse!).

Here’s a little photo love…I got my niddy noddy and promptly wound up two skeins. There’s something about skeins that look so much nicer than balls of yarn. I know I’ll have to wind it back into balls to knit it, but thats okay. Each skein is about 45 yards of worsted/bulky weight handspun corrierdale, camel colored.

Even though I’m only a temporary resident in this house, I’m nesting like crazy! Cooking, baking, cleaning…the gardening urge finally got the better of me, so I gave in and bought some starter herbs and a planter (that way, I can bring them with me!) I planted coriander, sage, oregano, and basil, and they’re doing really well! Chris made a delicious homemade pesto, and now I’m craving it. If this plant grows anything like his did, I’ll be eating it in no time! All I need is a food processor.

Tomorrow should be gorgeous – 70’s and sunny and finally not so humid, so I’m planning to go on for a walk and check out some nearby parks. Lots of pictures (as long as my batteries charge)!

Not my idea of a fun way to spend my day off

This morning I went to the dentist’s to get some fillings…yes thats right, more fillings. I had a lot of them done last year when I finally got dental insurance, and I thought I had taken pretty good care of my teeth since then. Apparently not. I had to get three fillings done today, with the potential for one more. Well sure enough, I needed the fourth one as well. Whoopedee doo. Luckily I opted for the nitrous oxide to keep me from running out the door (lets just say I’m not a fan of dental work), and things went pretty well; all four took less than an hour. Then my hygenist says (as I’m coming out of the nitrous haze) “Do you want to schedule your next filling?” NEXT? Isn’t four enough? Apparently there was another one that I didn’t know about. Sooo…I go back in three weeks to get that one done too. Excellent. The good news is, apparently she can do it when I’m in braces, so I can get them on before my filling if I’m given the option. I don’t want to delay the braces any more than I already have, so this is good news.

OK enough dentist stuff. I’ll keep it in the other blog from now on 🙂 Since all I’ve done all day is go to the dentist and sit around waiting to get feeling back in my face, I figured it makes my “daily news”. In other news…my new wool comes tomorrow! And a nice shiny new niddy-noddy, so I can make real skeins of yarn. Yay 🙂 I have two days off this weekend, so I’ll be busy skeining (is that a word?) all my balls of handspun. I’m still working on the telemark sweater, it just hasn’t gotten any mention here because (oops) I knit one of the patterns way back near the beginning too tight, and had to rip back four inches of body pattern to fix it. I’m now back to where I was, so I should have progress pics soon. I would like to have it done for when i go home in a month, BUT as there are sleeves and body to knit and steeks to do (and steeks scare the bejeebers out of me) I may get as far as I can and bring it home so I can have moral support for that part.

Two more days until my weekend!

Zen

I spent two hours spinning in front of the TV last night. In front of, because not much watching went on. I forgot how hypnotic it can be! It was kind of funny – every time I stopped and thought about what I was doing, the yarn would thicken or i’d get a bobble. Other than that it was acually pretty thin and even. Still worsted-weight when plied, though. Mom – is that because of the type of wool/preparation I’m using (its the camel corrierdale we bought in Oswego), or do I just need more practice spinning thinner? I would love to (eventually) spin laceweight, but it’ll be years at this rate. I went online and bought a pound of white shetland wool last night (and a niddy noddy so I can make “real” skeins), but I’m afraid to spin it because I want it to be nice and even. We’ll have to have spinning time when I’m home next month so I can see how I’m doing….I’m looking for a fiber guild around here but no luck so far. Its frustrating not having someone who knows what they’re doing that I can ask. I’ll try to post pictures but its just not the same. Oh well – The yarn I’m making is perfect for snuggly winter hats! Maybe some mittens from the slightly thinner yarn.

Going home for a visit

I got approved for vacation and bought my plane tickets so I guess its official…I’m flying up to Rochester for a visit in December! I’ll be in town from Wednesday 12/6 to Saturday 12/9 – so I’ll be home for my birthday! I figured since I’m missing Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’d come in the middle and celebrate all three at once 🙂 Now that I actually bought the tickets I’m so excited…I can’t wait to see everyone!

Butterflies

My orthodontist appointment is at 10:45 in the morning…and full-on nervousness has set in.  I’ve spent all day online looking up information, reading other people’s stories, and basically – I’m ready to go.  I’m not nervous for what he’s going to say, I’m just ready to get GOING already!  Patience is definitely NOT my middle name.  We had only three groups of trick-or-treaters (and one was a horde of middle-schoolers, most of whom weren’t even in costume) so we have all this candy sitting here staring at me.  I did spin a little earlier which helped some, but I keep popping up thinking of things to do.  Oh well, at least the house is clean now 🙂