I Love My Job!

Have I told you the news???? I'm now working at the Yarn and Fiber Company in Windham, NH. And, you know what? I LOOOOOOOVVVVE it!!!

Cyndi...the fabulous and "boss from heaven" Cyndi...helped me learn the cash register and credit card machine on Wednesday (the last time I used one, I was 18 and working in a gun store) and showed me all around the shop. (The mock shopping spree she did so I could try out the routine was very funny.....)

The shop, of course, is fantastic...with all my favorite yarns and patterns. It's just the right combination of faint music, the smell of yarn and fiber, big table with comfy chairs and....best of all...the friendliest people. Truly. They go out of their way to help you with anything and answer any questions you have.

Nancy, one of my coworkers on Saturday, has been super helpful...showing me how to stock online orders and been very supportive and wonderful. Hannah is a sweetheart and, please don't let her pretty and youthful face fool you...she knows yarn, patterns and knitting...so make sure you don't overlook her when she says, "Do you need help with something?" She is my lifesaving angel on Saturdays when I make a mistake on the cash register, have no idea where something is or have an avalanche of Rowan Kidsilk Haze drop on top of me for the fifth time. (I swear, that stuff is possessed!) I've only met a couple of other people who work there....Jerry (Cyndi's fiance) is hilarious and a whiz at the sock knitting machine I'm sure everyone else will be great, too.

On my first night, I hosted the very first "Yarn and Fiber Co. Knitting Group" and it was a great success. What a fun night....we, of course, knit...fondled the yarn, had dinner, fondled more, knit more and laughed and talked. I was blessed by the arrival of the Manchvegas Knitters....or more specifically....Lovely Laurin, Sexy Jackie, Hot Heather, Blogless Koigu Donna and Super Hands Sarah...(massage therapist, people!) Wanna see?

(L-R: Donna, Heather, Jackie, Sarah's forehead and Laurin)


(Laurin, I know you are going to kill me for showing the pic, but I just had to because it was so funny....and also 'cause you shared that narsty pic of me on your blog...even? LOL!)

And, I learned on Saturday that Donna (Chris' Mom, not Koigu Donna) tried to come to the shop, but went to the wrong place...so technically, she was there, too. Thanks, everyone, for being so supportive and hanging out with me on my first day!

I can't tell you how lucky I feel for having a job that I love with awesome people and one that is not too far from home. If you are ever in the area on a Friday night or Saturday, please come visit me! (oh, and buy stuff....)

On the knitting front, I haven't worked on the Sahara since last week, but will be working on it all this week. I've designed a new pattern, which I will be showing in the next blog and posting on Ravelry as well. I think you're going to like it. I hope!

On the spinning front, I am finishing up plying with my green Holly EQQ fiber (came out soo nice!) and am going to start my Sereknity batt...Smouldering Embers. Pics on the next post probably.

On the podcast front, I am finally, finally going to get the podcast out, so if you have unsubscribed or whatever, make sure to resubscribe to my podcast on iTunes. It seems to work better if you unsubscribe and then resubscribe every 6 months or something. Not sure why. It's only been, what, y-e-a-r-s?????

And a belated Happy Birthday to GiGi!!! Here's the cupcake I knit for her...what a fun project...



I will leave you with a pic of Ben wearing his new Ben10 costume for Halloween...he's been wearing it almost every single day for a week. Hopefully, it will still be in existence by Oct. 31st.



P.S. Don't forget to visit the Yarn and Fiber Company website!!! Happy Knitting! Did I tell you that I love my new job??

Burnt Out

The last few weeks have been much more than I have been able to handle. I've continued having daily migraines and/or regular headaches and, despite the awesome power of Sarah's massages (oh, man, she has magic in her fingers!), I'm still pretty tense. Sadly, even my daily yoga is not doing as much as I hope it would.

I feel like I'm behind on life. If only I could press a button and stop time for a few days. Or weeks.... Then, I'd be able to catch up on all the things I should be doing and finishing. Anyone else ever felt like that?

I've given up trying to get the podcast out until next month. This month has just too many things I need to accomplish and, though the podcast is pretty much done, it's no good if I don't record it and publish it to the web. I think if I give myself permission to delay the podcast until all my major August events are over, I will do a better job and have MUCH less stress.

I have made SOME PROGRESS on a couple of things:

- My mom's lace shawl is down to the short end (only 9 repeats) and I'll be working on that tonight until late-very late. I don't want to say that I hope to finish it because that will only cause me NOT to finish it. (Believe me...I know how statements like that always work against me...sigh.)

-Tim's first sock (using the KP Felici in Clay) is 3/4 done and I'm using this to bring around with me for some simple, mindless knitting...though I must say that I probably should have kept MORE of my mind on it because I knit the sock with 1 1/2 heel flaps....don't ask me how....just accept it and we'll pretend it was intentional...k?

I have made NO PROGRESS on a couple of things:

-Ben's sweater is still unfinished, though I have both arms finished and attatched to the body and will start on the final yoke-ing stage after the shawl is done.

-All of my other UFOs are still waiting patiently for me in their respective knitting bags or spinning baskets. (Thank god yarn and fiber can't mouth off!!!)

In other news, it was Ben's 1st day of Preschool last Monday and he actually did really well. I, on the other hand, cried all the way home that day and felt horrible without him. When I picked him up, he said, "Mommy, I cried for you!" and I crumbled all over again. It was horrible. This could be another reason for my feelings of stress....

But, here is he all dressed up and ready for school. Isn't he a cutie?



He picked this backpack out all by himself.




And here he is after school (Tim is in the background) looking pretty grumpy.



He's been doing so well potty training and I feel like he's growing up so quickly all at once. My baby boy!!!!

On Wednesday night, we celebrated both Sarah (The Fantastic Massage Therapist) and Lora's birthdays after knitting. It was a truly fun evening with lots of laughs, gifts and yummy cake....mmmmmm.....

Sonya, Lora's friend from her Kentucky knitting group sent her the most wonderful birthday gift. (It was actually a surprise and she mailed it to me and I brought it along to the group here on bday night.) She used my Radiance Lace Headband pattern (The "Amanda", named after Blogless Amanda) to create a large scarf/mini shawl out of it! I believe that she used a bulky or heavy worsted weight (extra soft) yarn and size 11 needles. We were all totally impressed and loved it so much that Lora didn't get to wear it at all that night...it was passed from Jackie to Mike to me to Heather and more. So lovely and warm!

Here is the birthday girl, Lora, wearing the Amanda Shawl:



And sexy Heather showing off the shawl AND her busty assests:



The pic that I wanted to show of Sarah came out so dark (as well as most of the other ones) that I'll just have to wait and take another one of her using her new drop spindle/fiber and becoming a newbie spinner! Bring it to Wed, Sarah!!

Happy Birthday to both Lora and Sarah!

A bit of sharing ahead....proceed with caution or turn back quickly!

[Before I go, I'll share a little TMI with you....since you've probably been waiting for some for, like, a week or more, right?? LOL! Last night was the first time Ian and I went skinny dipping in our pool! Jackie had mentioned it a few times but I didn't think I'd REALLY ever do it. Ian dragged me in last night and it was actually fun...for the little time we spent in it....I think it was a bit TOO exciting for both of us and we quickly got out to "dry"....if you know what I mean.....Oh, seeing Ian dive off the diving board in his "birthday suit" (let me just say it....buck *ss naked) was thrilling!]

Okay....Must go and get reaquainted with all the blogs that I missed the past week......happy knitting!