Today was the annual office in service day. Blood Borne Pathogens, Right to Know, Investments, and administrators talking way too much. :) I had to give a technology update. I was allotted 15 minutes and by the time it was my turn it was already 5 minutes into the lunch time! Yep, I was dead last. I talked real fast, repeated my extension about a zillion times and then the only questions was..."what is your extension?". That got a laugh.

I tried laying in the hammock, but it just wasn't doing it for me. I kept thinking of all the things I wanted to do this weekend. So I tried to spot clean the carpet, again, took my old heavy looking chairs out to the carport, brought in the wicker chairs, vacumned, did laundry, and gave Sadie and I a bath. I plan to haul the 2 chairs w/cushions and the footstool I had in the living room to the curb this weekend. Hopefully, someone will pick them up and take them home. If not the trash guy will get them on Tuesday.

I am avoiding my knitting. I am having trouble with my sock mojo. Socks are no fun anymore. I am discouraged enough to avoid all knitting. Even spinning. This is not good! I emailed my instructor and she helped me over the hump, but still no mojo. She told me to get my beachbump up to her workshop on Friday and get back to that happy sock place! beachbump is my login ID on Ravelry, the online fiber community I have embraced. So I am seriously thinking of heading to Gaylord tomorrow for a "sock shot".

While cleaning the carpet, I kicked Sadie and Mister outside. The fumes were nasty. I might add, that it didn't do that great of a job either. I may be renting the rug doctor after all. Anyway, I peeked outside the door at one point and noticed Sadie on the top step and Mister one step below. I quietly grabbed the camera, turned it on and snuck out the front door to take this photo. I am entitling it, "My Step-kids". Catchy, eh?

The denial is over, the leaves are changing in my back yard. A small maple tree is slightly yellow with red tips. I need to get the back room ready for craft projects over the winter.

I see some relatives haven't been updating their blogs lately....hmmm

More photos

Ogemaw County Fair 2008
Originally uploaded by teri_dougherty

I was so busy at work today - it felt GOOD!

I ran errands after work - library, pharmacy, hardware store

I took Sadie into the hardware with me to buy more spray paint. By accident I noticed there were three different prices on the same brand and color paint. $2.99, 3.29, and 3.99. Guess which ones I bought? I bought 2 cans for the wicker chairs. I will have to pick up more paint to finish the drawers. I would like to have both projects completed by the end of this weekend. That would give me time to get them in the house and situated.

Here is another photo from the past. As I mentioned before, I was having trouble with my camera - more precisely, the rechargeable batteries were going bad. That is fixed now, but it is amazing how fast you fall out of the habit of taking photos. LC Guy is camera shy, but maybe I can get some pics of "the girls" and Bill, the pony to share with all of you.

Michigan Fiber Fest Stash

Not recent, but I haven't posted any photos lately and I wanted to give everyone a visual.

I found out tonight I am using needles 2 sizes too big for my latest non-sock project.

I am totally stumped on the socks and had to email my instructor for help. I may have to go back to Gaylord to work this one out!

No painting today, there wasn't enough time.

I am on Day 5 of Grandma's 8 Day Sweet Pickles!

Sunday/Monday

Sunday was more painting. I slept in, then Sadie and I went to Home Depot. I bought a new trash can and another cheapie for recycling. LC Guy is super neat and organized and has, well, inspired me to get organized. I gave up on neat, but organized would be good. :) Sadie received lots of attention at HD, as always. She didn't handle it as well as in the past and it made me realize that while hanging out in the hammock all summer, I let her socialization practice go entirely. I will have to make a note to take her out more in public.

Anyway, 6 cans of spay paint later, I have apple green drawers! I need two more colors for the recessed handles and inside the drawers. I had enough primer leftover to haul my wicker chairs out of the shed and prep them for painting. I am thinking of using them in place of the chairs I have in front of the picture window now. The wicker chairs are a bit higher and may be better for spinning - and won't collect as much pet hair!

I cleaned the carport and used my new rubbermaid containers to put my painting and gardening stuff together on shelving. I put stuff in the shed that was just cluttering up the carport. I did not sweep it out because it was still wet from the rain and I have to figure out what I am going to do to prevent future flooding. Any ideas are welcome. I have played with putting in a dry well kind of thing in the past. This week I am considering digging a trench for the railroad ties I have so that they are raised up about 2-3 inches. I like to think that would still allow my car to drive over them year round. However, I would have to warn the snowplow guy! Right now he drops his blade in the carport and drags it backwards! The blade catching on the RR ties would be disastrous!

Why did I mention snowplowing! Argh! Ever since Kristi pointed out the leaves turning while I was down there, I am seeing it more often. Of course, LC Guy has caught onto my total denial and keeps pointing them out whenever he sees them too. I really can't take another 7 month winter!

*In keeping with Teri's denial the following is an abrupt subject change*

Tonight is Knit night. It is the first time we are meeting since the fiber festival. I have to go pack all my goodies to show to everyone. I am off to enjoy the rest of this warm sunny day!

PS: I had another "present" left outside my door yesterday morning...a mouse. Ack!

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Dang, I meant to rest this weekend, but so far that really hasn't happened.

LC Guy came by on Thursday. Come to find out he is a Princess Bride fan, like myself, so we watched the movie and competed reciting all the lines before or during the actors reciting them! Amazingly, he knew more lines than I do.

Friday we had dinner had his place. I got some veggies from Margaret/Lowell's garden and he grilled the steaks over mesquite. The best steak I have had in a long time. It was like butter and I ate about 10 ounces. A lot for me! But I had worked up an appetite. We had gone blackberry picking and played with the sheep all day. My vet assistant training is coming in handy too. I would hold the goopy medicine and rags while he wrestled the sheep onto her butt. I watched and learned that they become docile when set on their rump. There is not a lot of dignity is the position for them. :) Then we were able to medicate her feet. Then we put on bridles and pet them to get both of them used to being handled. They are not used to me yet and are more skittish with me. Yes, this is my idea of a good time! And I am learning a lot about sheep and LC Guy in the process.

Sadie loves the farm too. We tried tying her up, but she is part Houdini, and when I looked out to check on her there was just an empty rope. She was frolicking in the pasture with the pony! She is also very fascinated with the sheep, but she can not get into their enclosure. They look at her and stomp their front feet and baa. Sadie is also being spoiled by LC Guy. He buys her treats, rawhide, toys, and feeds her meat during dinner. He even bought her a little tent at a rummage sale so she would have some shade in the yard where we had her tied (for a short time anyway). Naturally, she is taking to him quickly, despite her fear of men.

Today my friend Jennifer called. We normally have 3 hour conversations, but we haven't talked all summer. Then I found out she had a red car and I said when did you get that? Two years ago! We both were floored that we hadn't seen each other in 2 year! She was laid off the same day I was and has been looking for work out of state. She has a good prospect in South Carolina and I said we had to get together before she left. We did talk for over 3 hours...All through the thunderstorm and until 5:45pm.

Then I cleaned and sanded the sets of drawers that have been in my car port for several weeks. Finally! LC Guy is a neat freak and I told him he inspired me (he laughed) to clean up my carport. So I sorted my recycling, took some things out to the shed, and put together several bags of garbage for Monday's trash day. I couldn't sweep the carport because the carport floor was soaked from the stormed earlier.

Tomorrow I am going to home depot for spray paint and I am going to look for a new rug to cover the hole in my carpet. Next weekend, I am going to rent a carpet cleaner...the rug and the cleaner are cheaper than new carpet!

Well, I am tired just writing about all the activity of the past few days. I haven't done any knitting so I am going to see if I can muster the motivation to pick up my needles.

Tuesday

I am slowly acclimating to being back at work. I am tired out though! I made the mistake of saying that I wasn't used to being vertical for so many hours and my co-workers had fun with that statement. Of course, I was referring to missing my hammock!

So today I headed straight home to crawl into the hammock. Ahh.

I added some pictures to my fiber festival post.

I thought Mister was a goner last night. Just as I was drifting off to sleep a blood curdling yowl pierced the night. Sadie fussed and I went to the door looking for the cat. It was a couple hours before I could go back to sleep. Guilt on the brain. But this morning, he was at the door when I let Sadie out. He had a few loose tufts of hair, but looked his usual dignified self. This afternoon when I was getting the hammock pad out I had remove a dead shrew from the deck. I was hoping to avoid the tendency for outdoor cats to bring home "presents".

Mom called looking for me today. I didn't realize I had been out of the loop so long. I am planning on stopping there tomorrow after the chiropractor. I pulled something in my back last Thursday when I was packing my car for the trip to Kristi's.

I am considering a massage and a facial as a treat for myself....definitely a massage. What do you think? Should I use some of my 4th grader money for a massage?

Monday

It was difficult, but I left Kristi's about 12:45 on Sunday to return home. I was tired and not looking forward to going back right away. LC Guy and I did not talk the entire weekend, but I texted him and he left me a message asking if I wanted to stop by on Sunday. My boss owes him a thank you, because that was my motivation!

I received a tour of the house and barn before dinner - yes, he made me an awesome dinner of pork chops and sweet corn. The chops were from a pig he raised last year and a farmer's corn down the road. Then I played vet assistant while we doctored Matilda's feet and Sadie went nuts wanting to herd the two sheep. She wasn't as enthusiastic about the pony.

At this time, I want to apologize for the lack of photos. I have been having some problems with my rechargeable batteries in my camera. Otherwise, you would have pictures of his animals...and him, too. Soon, I hope.

It was rough going back to work today. Oh well.

After work, I ran to HL to shop for all the things I did without or ran low on over the summer. Yikes and Ouch! It had to be done, I was living off granola and protein bars. I ordered a case of my protein powder too.

Oh, good news, I fit into my skinny pants this morning. I weighed myself at work it said I have lost 15 pounds since May. YaHoo!

Anyone want a cat?

Yep! I'm Here!

Actually, I am in Kalamazoo and up to my neck in fiber - not the stuff that makes you regular either. Here I am at the entrance to the Allegan Fairgrounds - Home for the Michigan Fiber Festival.

I am way behind in posting for the past several days, so here is the Reader's Digest version:

1. I met the LC guy. We hit it off immediately. We made plans to get together again on Sunday when I return. He is a gentleman, a lot of fun, and has the most gorgous green eyes. :)
2. Unemployment paid me for 6 weeks back benefits on Wednesday.
3. Dad won Best in Show and 1st place for the picture of Shadow (cat). He won first with the fish too. Cari and Jerry are going to pick up the pictures on Sunday at the fairgrounds. If I had removed the pictures we would have had to forfeit the ribbons (and the $4.50 prize money!)
4. I have spent 2 wonderful days learning more about spinning and yarn and all things fiber. Did you know you can get a single strand of silk one mile long from one silk cocoon? I met many Ravelry friends and had a great time. We had more time on Friday to talk to vendors and shop. Saturday was a zoo and we only stayed for the Ravelry get together and a ball of roving I wanted from the day before. Then we went to a Ravelry friend's studio and I bought A LOT of yarn and roving there.

I will answer any questions or go into more detail if you would like, when I return.

I start back at work on Monday too.

Saturday / Sunday

I slept late yesterday and took it easy in general. I am trying to finish my 2nd sock before I leave on Thursday morning.

Last night I talked to LC man on the phone for 2 hours and really enjoyed it. We rescheduled our first date until Monday afternoon. We are going to meet at the County Fair. I will need to be there in order to drop off my dad's pictures. He has a small hobby farm with some sheep and we thought we would both enjoy wandering around and looking at livestock, demonstrations and other exhibits. I suppose I could give you a few more juicy details on the guy...he is an attractive 31 year old ex-air force, named Mitch and he likes older women. Go me! LOL Maybe I will have a photo or two for the blog tomorrow.

I did find out that unless I wait until Sunday morning to pick up dad's pictures, he would have to forfeit any premiums (prize money) or ribbons. Naturally, I wash hoping for a ribbon. The grand prize money starts at about $4.00 so that isn't a big deal. The judging starts on Tuesday, so I will keep you posted.

The rest of today will be spent making nuts and bolts and granola to take to Kristi's. The granola makes a great traveling meal for me. I have a finite budget for the trip, so I will have to restructure my priorities. Good news. The MEAP Week organizer called me this morning and said I should be paid on Friday, so hopefully I can pay some bills. The emergency fund is getting too low for my comfort/peace of mind.

No word from unemployment yet, I have to certify in the morning between 9:00 and 10am and from there I will head to the fair!

Aahhh. I am home safe and mentally sound. And yes, so are my students. I love doing this program, but I am going to have to take another look at my curriculum. The kids are getting smarter every year!

Twisted Sister asked what I was going to do with all my spare time without PT and while unemployed again. SLEEP! Well, that is the immediate plan.

• Sunday, I may be meeting LC guy for ice cream.
• Monday, I have to go to the fair, call and certify my unemployment, and
• Tuesday, I will be working at the bookstore.
• Wednesday, I am going to the AuSable-Manistee Weaver's Guild meeting. It will be the last time I will be able to attend because they meet on Wednesdays, during the day. I may be obtaining a spinning wheel that day too. I offered to "babysit" the wheel while the woman was out of town for 6 months. :) Then I have to pick up dad's pictures at the fair.
• Thursday, I am going to stay at Kristi's in K-zoo. We are signed up for classes at a local fiber festival.
• On Sunday, I will have to come home and get ready for going back to work.

Where did the time go? I was just saying this to my parents today. It flew by! I had tons of ambitious plans (writing a book, studying new web skills) and didn't get to any of it. I am okay with that. I was able to visit with family, go to PT and get well, and the biggie - rest and recharge. I didn't realize how stressed and burnt out I was by June. I have really enjoyed having this summer off and I feel good.

Now if I can just stay that way!

I graduated!

Yes, today I graduated. I was discharged from PT! They call it graduating. Think of all that extra time I will have now...LOL Think of all the eye candy I will miss. After working out in 80+ degrees twice this week, I don't care, I am free! Of course I have homework and I will need to continue stretching exercises. Don't hesitate to remind me to do them, I am still a few degrees short on my range of motion.

The kids were impossible this morning. I was feeling great and optimistic and then I hit the wall. They didn't hear anything, get anything, or want to get anything. I was despairing, frustrated and thought it was me! But even the best students were basketcases this morning. Finally, right after lunch, I marched them outside and turned them loose in a meadow. They looked at me and all I said was "run". Boy did they! They were all playing tag, running around barefoot and laughing. After awhile, we went for a walk around campus and returned with clearer minds. In 20 minutes we covered what we had tried all morning to cover. What a relief. Tomorrow is open house day and we needed to have our work done by the end of today. Our open house is at 9:30am.

The cat fell out of the hammock today when Sadie jumped in. That was funny. It was sunny and thundering all afternoon. That was funny, too.

That about sums up the day. Funny. Not "haha" funny, but "strange" funny. The kind of day you learn from and the kind of day that keeps life interesting.

Hump Day

I can't keep up with Sooz and Traci anymore. They are blogging maniacs. I can safely say, they have the hang of it now.

I am exhausted. I could barely get out of bed this morning and I went to bed early last night. More than the kids, I think it is the heat and the pain that is getting to me. My feet, ankles and knees feel like I am walking on pins. Too many hours standing. It might be a fiber mylalgia thing. I ran out of medicine yesterday and the pharmacy had to order it so I had to go without.

Things are going smoothly with the new guy. He is in Lake City, has a hobby farm (sheep! I am sheering them in my mind already, and a pony) on 39 acres. He was in the air force and we share a love of travel, animals, and willingness to try new stuff. We have talked online every night and plan on getting together in a couple weeks when my schedule allows. Now that sounds funny. Me having a schedule! I am booked solid until Saturday, Aug. 23. That's okay, it is summer. I don't do anything in the winter. (see previous postings Nov 2007 - April 2008) LOL

Time for me to take a break. I have 5 knitting books to look at from the library today. Wee!

Here's a photo of the 3 of us in the hammock yesterday after Sadie and I had been in the lake (I smelled better than she did).

Monday

Hopefully this will be short, I am wiped out.

Hot and humid today as predicted. I was sweating and miserable by 9:30am. It was 88 degrees at 3pm and 79 at 8:30pm.

My classroom did not have the software necessary for me to teach the class. So we moved to another building. No big deal. But the kids got to me today like no other time. Can you believe that parents send their kids off with a cup of coffee and no breakfast or snacks? A cup of coffee for a 4th grader! It had to be more than a cup too. That kid NEVER shut up, even when I was talking AND even when I was yelling at him he kept typing and wouldn't look at me. He sat right up in front of me. I lost it. I moved him to a remote computer and the rest of the day went smoothly and thankfully, I recovered my good humor.

Knitting group is always my favorite "get away". I always feel better hanging out with "the girls", even if I just sit back and listen to the different conversations. I seem to be back on track with the sock now too.

My only goal for the rest of the evening is to get through "The Closer" at 10pm. I am not optimistic! :)

Sunny Sunday

Sunday started out lazy. Coffee on the deck, perfect day, feet up, and playing solitaire on my palm pilot.

It started out cool also. Not sure when it will be cool again. We are supposed to have lots of heat and thunder storms this week. Of course we will. It always happens on MEAP Week. I have no air conditioning in my classroom - only the halls are air conditioned in our building. We keep our doors open and set up fans to blow in the cooler air. The kids are wilting by lunch - me too. Then we have the longest walk to make to our building. I don't have an umbrella anymore, I left it at the dock diving! Hopefully, I can impart my enthusiasm and love of the topic to the kids and none of that weather stuff will be an issue.

I went off to work around 3pm. I needed to make copies and grab supplies for tomorrow. Naturally I took Sadie. She ran down the trail and we walked for awhile before going into the office. She got a workout and was panting pretty heavy. When I was done, she was ready for another run so I let her run down the hill and through the scratchy purple flowers (weeds).

After that we went to Cari's to help her with her computer. Cari is online now! She has an email also. I don't want to put it here, so email me and I will forward it to you.

Today's teaser: I have been in contact with a new man I met through the online personals. I will keep you posted.

The Hammock is Getting Crowded

Mister is in hog heaven. He is in and out all day long. Between Mister and Sadie, I may have to put in a revolving door. He hasn't gotten lost or run away. He actually sticks pretty close to the house. He lays under a chair on the deck, sits in the carport, or chews grass in the yard. Sometimes he just sits on the back steps flipping his tail contentedly. He only comes in to use the litter box (darn it), take a nap, or get some kibble. I have been keeping him in at night though.

Yesterday and today he sat in the hammock with Sadie and I. It is getting crowded. Naturally, he wants to park on my chest in 80 degree heat. Sadie seems like she is not enjoying this new development. Now she has to share me outside too?

I went out to the college today for the student orientation for next weeks class. I am getting too relaxed! I have decided to trash my old lesson plan and try something new. Winging it. I have used the materials less and less in the years after I developed it. The kids are getting smarter every year. The material has to go. I will develop the material the night before based on the progress we make in class. Now I am familiar with the material and the program so I can be more flexible.

When I was talking to the computer classes today, I recalled an incident that happened my first year teaching this program. A student was running in the hall and hit the wall and broke his nose. (too much sugar) That "kid" graduated last June!

I am at a stall on the 2nd sock. I did something wrong and I was knitting backwards all afternoon in the hammock. My fingers were cramping up and I was losing my patience. I decided to rip it out and back to a point where I think I can start again....about 1.5 inches. Not major, but sometimes I have trouble getting the project back on the needles correctly. Fortunately, I learned a way to do it correctly last winter from Katie when I needed to make my red sweater longer. I will pull those instructions out before I do anything drastic.

I will need to go into work tomorrow (Sunday) to pick up some supplies for class on Monday. I plan to take Sadie and go for a walk. She loved it on Friday when I took her out behind the building to run on the hill. There are these scraggly weeds with purple flowers everywhere and they are getting kinda high where they are not mowing. She would run in these weeds and make happy noises. It took me a while to figure out they were scratching her belly and legs. She loves a good scratching!