28 January 2008

What I did over the weekend

This is what I did with my Saturday morning/afternoon:

I felt the need to reorganize my stash-all of it! Most of my stash is contained in two Rubber Maid containers that I keep hidden in the closet in my office. I documented the stash for Ravelry and am still working on updating my list there.

What I realized by doing all of this...I have lots of yarn. I've decided that I will not purchase any more until May at MD Sheep & Wool Festival. That shouldn't be too difficult since my Spring semester starts tomorrow (Tuesday) and I have a feeling that this course will keep me on my toes. In order to help me with this goal, I borrowed Krafty1's idea of the Bucket List-keep 7-8 projects in a bucket (basket for me) and work only on those. When they are all complete, add 7-8 more projects and so on...

I hope that I can keep to this...so far so good!

I'm it!

I've been tagged by Clara-Runner.

Here are the rules:

-Link to the person who tagged you.
-Leave a comment on their blog so that their readers can visit yours.
-Post the rules on your blog.
-Share the seven (7) most famous or infamous people you have met. Or go with the original 7 weird things about yourself.
-Tag 7 random people at the end of your post.
-Include links to their blogs.
-Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I'm gonna have to go with the seven weird things about myself, because I have not met many famous/infamous people.

1. I love the color blue! I don't know when or why it happened, but blue is definitely my comfort color. My dishes are blue, most of my clothes are blue, the walls in my former basement were blue (light and dark), the curtains in our new living room are blue, the overhead pen that I write with is blue...I think it's become an obsession! (Ironically, I do not care for writing with pens with blue ink. hmmm....)

2. I abhor making/talking on the phone. I rarely call my students' parents on the phone (only if they call me first-I'd rather email them). I don't even like to answer the phone. (Thank God Jason usually does!) This even goes as far as making doctor's appointments...I always wait until the last minute with those.

3. I love to read cheesy romance novels. They are quick reads-I can get through one in an afternoon, if there are no interruptions. Plus, they're an escape from reality. Who really wants Fabio to sweep them off their feet???

4. I am overly organized. Everything has its own place and if it's not where it should be it makes me frustrated and then I have to hunt for the object until it is found!

5. I don't like my foods to touch on my plate. Ewwww...

6. I fall asleep in the car in minutes (only if I'm not driving). Ever since I was little, being in the car puts me to sleep, even if I'm not sleepy! Yet again, thank God Jason likes to drive or we'd never get anywhere!

7. I love knowing Spanish, but don't like to speak with native speakers of Spanish. I think this is because I don't want to be judged on how I speak or what errors I make, being the perfectionistic Virgo that I am.

Here are the people I have randomly tagged. If you have some time, check them out!
The Nikiverse
One Fine Day
Linda's Knitting
Knitea
Somebunny's Love
Krafty1
AndriaGirlie

23 January 2008

Update on Cruise

I have been asked to finish telling about the cruise (with the holidays and parents visiting, who can remember anything???)...

After the visit to the infirmary, the rest of the cruise was pretty laid back-reading, spending time with our parents, eating, sleeping and just enjoying the boat and the views. There was one tiny little problem-our cabin made a creaking noise that got louder anytime the boat picked up speed! We didn't really notice it until we missed the first port (Key West) when Captain Albert put the boat into super warp speed (or whatever the most you can do with one propeller). The noise was so awful that it didn't let me sleep one night (there might have also been the gallbladder problem too). Jason complained on at least three different occasions-to our cabin steward and to the hotel manager. There didn't seem to be any rush to fix the problem. So, on our return, Jason wrote a 6 page letter to Holland America telling the corporate office about The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. We finally got a response from them in today's mail. They were glad that our experience was mainly a good one (which it was) and that on a future cruise (which we already put a deposit on) we will have some extra shipboard credit (equal to the credit that we already received on board the ship due to missing two ports). Sometimes it does pay to know HOW to complain...just wish I was good at it :-(

16 January 2008

Update on Restaurant Fiasco

Jason emailed the company of said restaurant and complained. Yesterday (1-15-08), we received $30 in gift certificates for the restaurant. (That's more than we spent.) I'm not sure that we'll go back to the one with lousy service, but we now have a free dinner!

Jason is GREAT at complaining to various companies whose service has not been up to par. He always manages to be polite and gets something for his trouble. We're still waiting to hear from Holland America about our Turkey Day cruise... I'll post about that IF we ever hear anything.

Isn't this a blog about knitting???

Yes, I know. The blog is lacking in knitting content. There really is no excuse other than work and that I've been knitting!

Some Christmas knitting that I couldn't post about because the recipient (my hubby) reads my blog...I made him 2 Iowa Dish/Washcloths.
I have also finished a pair of socks (Pine Cone Socks) for my mom:
And a pair of socks for one of my MsIL (yes, I have two!!):I've also been working on a pair of socks for me...no pictures of those yet. I'm using the Jaywalker pattern from Grumperina in Austerman Step in a blue/gray colorway. I thought the gray stripe was awfully thick until today. I was looking at the gray section and saw that there are THREE different shades of gray in the one stripe-dark gray, light gray and a greenish gray. All of this noticing took place under florescent lighting-gotta love it?

09 January 2008

New Year, New Semester...New Job???

I've mentioned before that I hope to graduate from McDaniel College with a Masters degree in School Library Media in December. I had a meeting yesterday with the coordinator of Media Specialists in Howard County and learned that I should start filling out transfer forms so that I can be a Media Specialist while I finish my internship in the fall. Oh my...

I have to fill out a transfer form for every school that I would be interested in working at regardless if there is an opening. If I fail to fill out a form for a school and there is an opening, I will NOT be considered for the position. There are 12 high schools and 18 middle schools (I only want to work in a secondary school.) in Howard County.

I went to the principal's secretary this morning to get the forms. Of course, the principal was there when I asked for the forms. Uh oh. He asked me if there was anything that we needed to discuss. I explained that I do not really want to leave The Lake, but that I am nearing the end of my Masters program and have always wanted to be a Media Specialist. If I could stay at The Lake, I would. I have been there for 6 years, but it feels like I've taught there for my entire career (15 years)! It feels like home...

I've filled out 7 forms already, used up the ink in one pen (it was already nearing its end) and my hand is cramping. There are only 20 more forms to go...

***All forms have been filled out, turned in and now, the waiting begins. (1-15-08)

03 January 2008

What is happening???

This evening, Jason and I were out and about at the mall and had dinner at a restaurant that shall remain nameless. Once we were seated, it took a server 10 minutes to even ask us what we wanted to drink. (This server had been by our table three times prior to asking us this.) Then he went through the motions of being polite and asking if we were ready to order. Of course we are! Once our food was brought out to us, the server never came over to ask how everything was and then waited forever to bring us our check. We were going to pay by credit card, had it out and waiting, our server walked by our table three more times and we decided to pay cash. The poor server didn't realize that he cost himself a tip. We left exactly the amount of money that we were supposed to and left. Said server did get in a "Have a good night" as we were leaving.

The above scenario seems to be happening more and more often when we go out to eat. We were remarking as we left the establishment that we get better service at places like Pei Wei-a "fast-food" version of PF Chang's (where you place your order at the counter and wait staff brings steaming hot food to your table in less than 10 minutes).

We have complained and talked with management, but the level of service continues to decline. Any thoughts???

02 January 2008

My New Favorite Olympic Sport

I have always always always made fun of Curling because I just didn't understand pushing a rock along the ice and then sweeping the ice to keep it going. Well, during the last Winter Games, I really got into watching the Curling matches. I figured, I should understand what the sport is about and then make a judgment. The other day, I was going through the guide on the TV and came across this...




I had so much fun watching the USA team vs. the Swedish team for an hour and a half! It was a nice, quiet, relaxing way to spend a little bit of time. I will be sure to watch Team USA in the next Winter Games!!!

01 January 2008

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone!

For a change this year, I was actually AWAKE to ring in the new year...Jason and I just stayed home and watched a couple of movies that we had wanted to see.

I have been lack in showing knitting lately...not for lack of, but just too busy to post! Here are some of the presents that I made...
This is a facecloth called "Grrrr". I found the pattern on knitty.com. It's too cute and easy to make once you figure out how to make the loops!

I made many a dishcloth as well for presents, but I really enjoyed making this one. It's a blue heron! The recipient of this dishcloth loves anything to do with the beach-lighthouses and birds too!
My dear hubby was kind enough to model the last minute gift of a scarf. It was last minute because I wasn't sure that my original gift would arrive in time to give to the recipient, so I ran to my LYS the Sunday before Christmas, bought the yarn (Manos del Uruguay in colorway #36), came home and started knitting. The pattern is "My So-Called Scarf" and is easy to make. (Have you noticed a theme???)

That was all of my Christmas knitting for 2007. If I plan on doing any for 2008, I need to get started NOW because I hope to be graduating from grad school in December 2008!