Week Four

Sunday

Nothing too exciting.  Sleep.  Eat.  Work.  Eat.  Sleep.  The front and back of the Icicles Pullover are finished.  I have been working on the sleeves and have made absolutely no progress.  As written, the pattern sucks.  I don't know if it is the fault of the pattern writer or the magazine editor.  The pattern for the body is a multiple of 10 + 7 stitches.  The sleeve pattern starts with 32 stitches.  32 is not a multiple of 10 + 7.  27 is, 37 is, but 32 is not.  Starting with 27 stitches is too small and starting with 37 stitches is too large.  I know, I tried.  The sleeve patterns says to start with these 32 stitches and it tells you what to do with them for about four rows, then it tells you to continue in the stitch pattern as established.  The body stitch pattern is a 10-row repeat.  That I get, this sleeve business is unclear and ridiculous.  I might not say that I am an experienced stitcher, but that doesn't mean that I don't have experience stitching.  I have written patterns and I have used graph paper, colored pencils and computer programs to draw out colorwork and cables in knit patterns.  These sleeves are giving me a hard time.  It is time to put them away for a while and work on another dishrag.

Monday

Sleep.  Eat.  Work.  V has been watching the mailroom like a hawk since report cards are due any time now.  JH works tonight, so Pearl will probably sleep in the bed with me.

Tuesday

Still trying to figure put these sleeves, but not sure why.  I'm trying to draw crochet symbols on graph paper, but I am realizing that crochet is a lot different than knitting.  That was sarcasm, folks.  I have checked blogs and websites and it turns out that I am not the only one having problems with the sleeves.  Some have posted pictures of the finished project, but no one has posted details of how they fixed the sleeve problem.  I may need to send someone a direct message to get details.

Wednesday

Sleeping in on days off is nice.  So is doing laundry.  That's about all that got done today.

Ooh, I did have a funny conversation with V today, though.  About a week ago, we had an issue where V was downloading stuff to her iPod (tv shows mostly) that weren't free.  After about $40, iTunes said, "You need to pay us before you can download even a free app!"  Since she didn't have $40 to pay iTunes, she is working off the $40 by doing chores for me for as long as I want her to.  Also, the iPod was taken away for two weeks.  So today, after dinner (which I cooked), V was told to put away the extra food and to wash the dishes.  To which she fussed and was told that if she continued to fuss, then this chore wouldn't count towards the money that she owed me.  Dishes were done and afterward this is the conversation we had:

V: I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier about the dishes.

Me: Thank you, that was very nice.

V: I don't think this punishment is teaching me anything.  I don't think it is working.

Me: Well, what do you think would work better?

V: I don't know, but all these chores isn't working.

Me: Okay, then we will continue to do it my way until you can come up with something better that I like.

V: I hope you know that I flip you off and call you a b!#%* behind your back.

Me: I'm not surprised, I did the same thing to my mom when I was your age.  You are a teenager, I wouldn't expect anything less.  If you do it to my face, then we have a problem, until then, I'm not bothered.  Your kids will to the same thing to you.

V:  No they won't, I will treat my kids better.

Me:  Ok, sure.

V: You know what, I came in here to apologize and now you are giving me attitude.

Me: You tell me that you call me names and make rude gestures at me behind my back and I am the one giving attitude?  You can leave my room now, and close the door behind you.

V:  Best thing I've heard all night.

Teenagers are awesome!

Thursday

The funny thing about work is that I really, really don't feel like being there until I actually start working.  Then it isn't so bad.  I always expect the customers to be the worst, but then a regular comes in and asks how my weekend was.  That's always nice.  And my coworkers are pretty cool too.

Friday

This day started off on the right foot, but then tripped and fell flat on its face, hard.  Work was normal, Friday night busy.  Lots of people shopping with Friday paychecks and lots of kids walking over to the mall after school.  Yeah, work was fine.  The real excitement happened after work.

JH and V pick me up after shopping together at Old Navy.  This means they are both wired.  It is just something that they do to each other.  That's why I like to (have to) be a buffer between them.  It is late (after 10pm) but we hit a drive-thru before going home.  As soon as we pull into the complex, JH and V both notice that someone is parked in our spot.  There is no guest parking in our complex.  Everyone has assigned spots.  There are several signs posted that say that you will be towed if you don't have a parking tag.  JH has the tow company on speed dial.  He lets me out and pulls up right next to the truck in our spot and waits for the tow truck.

I go inside, change my clothes, eat dinner and look online for something to help me with this sleeve issue.  There is a font called StitchinCrochet that looks awesome.  For $3 I download it and try it in a Word and Excel program.  I'm not having much luck, but at least I am not being interrupted because JH and V are still waiting on the tow truck.

After more research, I find the woman that created the font has a tutorial for using it in Adobe Illustrator.  So, off to Adobe I go.  I download a free 30-day trial of Adobe Illustrator, but that takes about 30 minutes.

In the meantime, JH and V come back in a little defeated because the owner of the truck parked in our spot comes out to move his truck as the tow truck is pulling into the complex.  Sorry guys, now let's settle down for the evening.  It is definitely after 11pm at this time because V is asking me how late she can have her TV on and I said it needed to be off by midnight.  I'm on the computer and JH is on his iPod when he gets up to look out the window.  This is what happened next:

JH: (dressed only in boxer shorts) There is a man in the car!  Call 911!  (he runs out but not before grabbing his Louisville Slugger)

V hands me the phone after she dials 911.

I open the front door and see JH (boxer shorts) opening the car door and telling this guy to get out of the car.  Then I don't see anything because of the brick structure between me and my car.  I'm on the phone with the dispatcher telling her that someone is trying to steal my car and that my boyfriend is trying to get him out of the car.  Then I see this man at the trunk of my car and I see JH hit him with the baseball bat.  The man runs around the back of my car, then up between the car and a wall, and runs toward the corner of the complex.  JH follows with the bat.  At the corner, I hear popping and see JH duck behind another car.  The man runs away.  JH runs inside, puts on shoes and evidently grabs his car keys because the next time I go outside, the car is gone.  I had put on a sweatshirt and shoes and grabbed pants and a sweatshirt for JH.  When I see that he had taken the car, I realize that he must have gone after the guy and it was too cold for me to go after them on foot.

Back inside, V is freaking out and wanting to go help.  I'm trying to calm her down and trying to figure out what to do next.  We look out the window and I can see the reflection of police lights off the retaining wall.  I took JH's clothes and walked out toward the lights.  JH is standing in the street (boxer shorts) with a couple police officers giving a statement.  He gets dressed and we both give our statements.  It turns out that JH saw the guy pull a gun and that the popping noise I heard may have been the guy having trouble firing the gun.  JH and a police officer take off down the street because some other officers have stopped some men and want JH to see if he can ID the man in my car, but nope.  Forensics came out and there was a great full-hand print on the trunk, but the car was too dirty to get anything clean from it.  There was also conversation with the officer about staying inside and making the call to 911 instead of attacking the guy with the baseball bat, but JH is too much of an action guy to not get involved.  Let's just hope it doesn't happen again.

Lights were finally out around 2am.

Saturday

Having the opening shift on Saturdays after a closing shift on Fridays usually means that I try to get to bed early Friday night.  I sure do wish that could have happened this week.  Thankfully my coworkers agreed that some Cheesecake Factory cheesecake would be nice to take the edge off and the extra sugar would pick up where the Starbucks caffeine left off.  V came down to the plaza in the afternoon, so after work we indulged in some retail therapy as well.  No major spending, I had coupons that were going to expire at the end of the month and I didn't want them to go to waste.

January goes out with a bang.  February is a short month, but we have some fun things planned.  Let's hope the unplanned things are fun too.

Next week's post should be on time, thanks for understanding this week.

xoxoxo

to the sisters and maybe mom

this week's post isn't ready.  sorry.  I'm exhausted, falling asleep w/ the tv on and can't even get up to shower tonight.  SO MUCH has happened (at least recently), you won't even believe, but I really can't get into it and do it justice right now.  I know you will understand.

Love you

Week Three

Sunday

Took a personal day from work and gave the hours to someone that I know would appreciate it.  Turned out to pretty much be a craptastic day at home though.  Okay, okay, let's be glass-half-full and focus on the housework that got done and the nice crock pot of split pea soup that was made.  Let's not focus on the constant struggle between two Scorpios and the lack of acceptance of things that cannot be immediately changed.

Oh, and we did stop by Noah's Bagels for breakfast.  Everyone picked their favorite and I even picked up a bagel box to go.  We spread the bagel love out for a few days. 

Monday

Work was...typical.  Lots of families with the extra day off from work and school.  I had the mid-shift, so I didn't have to open or close.  That was nice.  I finished the back of the Icicles Pullover and just started the front.  Stopped at BevMo on my way home.  Thank you Smirnoff Tuscan Lemonade for being just what I needed.  Drunk crocheted another dishcloth.  Seriously, I like to keep busy, even when I'm drinking and I didn't want to risk messing up my sweater.  This dishcloth is easy, only takes two hours and now I know that I can't mess it up even with alcohol.  I'm looking forward to crochet time on the sweater on my days off since I spent Sunday cleaning.

Tuesday

Icicles Pullover coming along.  Spent the day in robe and slippers, very nice.  Highly recommend it.  V starts finals this week but doesn't seem to be stressed.  I recall feeling stressed during finals.  Not a lot to document for today because not a lot happened.

Wednesday

Actually got out of the house to run some errands.  Grocery, pantyhose for work, etc.  Tried the Mongolian Barbecue at the mall today.  Yum!  I could eat there again.  And probably will.  It is National Popcorn Day.  Celebrated by eating some of my Garrett Popcorn.  It is also Paula Deen's birthday.  Celebrated by eating some butter...just kidding.  We did see a display of some of her stuff at Target and we did pay homage to the great Paula.  And I bought a Food Network magazine with the promise of a recipe of Paula's favorite dessert.

Thursday

As I have mentioned before, a major holiday is coming up for our shop...Valentine's Day.  A lot of customers wanting to buy a lot of candy in a short period of time.  V-Day is probably our biggest-shortest holiday.  We try to do as much prep for the holiday as possible, well in advance of the holiday.  That's what I did at work today.  I had 8 hours to prep, and I started early, around 7:30am.  Hey, the sooner I start, the sooner I'm done.  Basically, I got a lot of 1/2# boxes folded, cupped many pounds of samples and bagged many pounds of candy into cute plastic bags with hearts on them.  Add to that a surprise visit from our boss, who was pleased with my work and verbally acknowledged a request for time off to visit Vegas in April...I'd say it was a good day.

After work, I stopped Sally's in an attempt to use my 15% total purchase coupon.  I got a new set of nail wheels to test new colors on and a new nail treatment.  This one is from Orly and is called Nailtrition.  It has a little bit of a pink shimmer, which is nicer than just a plain clear treatment because I usually like some kind of color on my nails.  The instructions for this say to apply 1-2 coats everyday for a week, take it off and do it again for another week.  Let at least another week pass by before you do it again.  I have high hopes for this because it is marketed specifically for nails damaged by acrylics.  I didn't use my coupon because I wouldn't have saved that much and I have until the end of the month to use it.

Friday

Work...longest day EVER! Seriously, I didn't think it was ever going to end.  However, it did and I got to go home and go to sleep.  But not before I applied my first two coats of Nailtrition.  So far, so good because it didn't chip at all during this first day!

Saturday

First stop, the animal shelter to get Pearl her rabies and distemper shots and license.  The shelter has an open vaccination clinic on Saturdays that starts at 9am.  We got there a little after nine and there was already a line.  I had to be at work at 11, so we immediately came up with a contingency plan.  If by 10:15 we still weren't seen by the vet, then JH would take me to work and V would take care of Pearl with the vet.  It worked out and we were done by just after 10 (Pearl did a great job, a real trooper).  I do need to say, though, people need to clean THEMSELVES up a little before going to take care of their pets' needs.  Ladies, and I use that term loosely, clean the eye makeup from the night before off your face and make sure your hair extensions are neat, not ratty.  Thank you.

Nice work day, really nice.  I didn't get day two of Nailtrition on until late, but there wasn't much noticeable chipping despite technically two days of work.  That makes me really happy.  When I was using the NailTekII, I was seeing growth, but not without lots of chipping at the ends every day.  And it was very noticeable with a colored polish.  I wasn't disappointed in the NailTek II because I expect chipping at the ends of my nails because they are so weak.  We'll see what happens at the end of this first week (next Friday).  I have about 1/4 inch left to grow out, maybe less.

The Icicles Pullover is making great strides to completion.  The front is finished and work on the sleeves has begun.  The pattern is marked as "experienced" level and it comes from a magazine.  A problem I have experienced first hand as well as read about from both pattern designers and users is that magazine editors don't always knit or crochet, so when they want to edit a pattern for length, they sometimes take out or reword something important.  In my case, that makes this pattern a little more "experienced".  Nothing I can't handle.  I am too close to finish to stop now.  I just need to chart out the sleeves row-by-row so they make sense to me.

This week wasn't a very good apple week, or walking for that matter.  I couldn't manage to get too far past 5K steps per day.  No beating myself up about it, though, just try better next week.

Much love to my sisters,

Until next week,

xoxoxo

Week Two

Sunday

Nothing too exciting to report.  Cold weather, work and knitting.  I did get to work with one of my favorite people today, Spiky Hair Lady.  V gave her that name about six years ago, and it has stuck.  Thanks for a great day, SPL!

Monday

Mondays are the best day for me to end my week on.  Generally, Mondays are slow retail days and cold weather Mondays at an outdoor mall are especially slow.  It ends up being a nice way to end the week.

JH works most nights.  When he does, Pearl spends the night in bed with me.  She sleeps in our room during the week because she is somewhat of a night owl and V needs her beauty sleep for school.  So anyway, when JH is home, Pearl sleeps up on my set of drawers, but when he is at work, she sleeps in the bed with me.  She really likes to stretch out on the bed.  And it is hard to photograph a black cat, but I'll keep working on it.

Tuesday

Week two of the NailTek II treatment on my nails starts today.  My nails are definitely growing, but I still have just under half of the damaged-used-to-be-under-acrylic nail to grow out.  Any length that I have past the quick is so soft and weak that it just bends under any little pressure.  This causes the polish to chip at the ends, especially after a day at work.  I think if I can load up on the nail treatment on my days off, then my nails might be strong enough to handle the work week with minimal chipping.  That's what I'm going to try this week.  I have other nail treatment options, but I want to give this one at least 6-8 weeks to see how I like it.

V's "Maniac Legwarmers" are finished today!  So now the question is...what do I make next?  I've decided to let the random number generator at random.org decide!  My project queue on Ravelry is about 8 pages long :).  However, the projects that I actually have the yarn for only number to 48.  The first four are projects that have already been started...and put aside for whatever reason.  The other 44 are projects that I have yarn and patterns packaged together just waiting for me.  So the random number generator (thanks V for clicking the button) comes up with number 8, the Icicles Pullover.  It is a crochet project and I look forward to starting it tonight!

Wednesday
JH and I went out to IKEA for a Swedish Meatball lunch and a little shopping.  I ended up getting an ottoman to match my knitting chair.  Now that we have Pearl, she likes to sit on my lap while I knit or crochet.  I love it (I'm such an old lady) but when she falls asleep, she'll stretch out and her head hangs off my lap.  Since I have the ottoman now, I can put my feet up and Pearl can stretch out as far as she wants!
Crocheting the Icicles Pullover is moving right along.  The yarn is a bamboo/wool blend that feels very soft, not at all scratchy and should be warm as well.  I hope to be up to the armhole shaping on the back by the end of this week.

Thursday
Back to work.  It is only January 13, but we are already prepping for Valentine's Day.  By the looks of Target, CVS and Walmart, we are late!  Our customers have been asking for Valentine's candy for about a week now.  It feels like they are trying to rush the year away.
Ugh! My cell phone is suffering.  V tried calling me from home...my phone rang, but when I answered, I could hear nothing on the other end.  When I tried calling her back, my phone didn't even ring on my end.  V could hear me fine, I could text and go online, but couldn't hear a thing.  JH took the phone in to be checked out and luckily it is still under warranty.  Only $10 and MetroPCS will do all the work to get a new phone from Samsung in a few days!  So, Sister T, I'm afraid I won't be able to hear your "daily phone calls to get mentioned on the blog" for a few days.

Friday
Finally some warmer weather!  We made it into the 60s today!  I brought a sweatshirt but didn't even need to use it.  Work was busy, but the day was dreadfully slow.  The holiday weekend brings out a lot of kids that have Monday off.  Teenage girls are so loud when they are in groups (again, I am an old lady).  That's why I only have one!
I get home late on Friday nights.  JH picks me up from work and drops me off at home before going on to work himself.  Tonight, the homestead is quiet and dark.  V is already asleep.  I don't even see Pearl before I get settled in the bedroom.  I leave the bedroom door open, just in case Pearl wants to come in since she usually sleeps  in here with me.  About an hour and a half go by before I even see her.  She comes in, looks at me, picks up her fishing pole toy by the dangling part and walks out.  No "hey, how was your day", just picking up her toys.  I wonder if V could learn a lesson!

Saturday
My hump day.  If I can make it through today, it is downhill from here to the weekend.  Not a bad work day overall.  We celebrated a coworker's birthday today, which meant cupcakes...yum!  V hopped on a bus and came out to see me, that is always a nice treat.  We went to CVS and Safeway after work and parked in a spot right between the two stores.  As we are getting out to go to CVS, a couple come up and ask if we have jumper cables.  Well, I do and if he knows how to use them, then he is welcome to use them!  So after our good deed for the day, it seems that "Kyle" works at Noah's Bagels and if we stop by sometime tomorrow between 10 and 5, he'll hook us up.
Good deals at CVS.  I got stocked up on multivitamins and Biotin (supports metabolism, healthy hair and nails).  I also bought one of those 7-day pill cases.  You the ones with S M T W T F S on each lidded section (because I am an old lady).  I never can remember to take daily pills without an alarm (noon) and all of them in one place.  Hopefully this will help.

Overall, I find it hard to eat an apple on days that I am not at work.  It seems the structure of work helps me eat an apple.  No really long walks this week, but I am still getting in between 4K and 6K steps a day.

See you next week!

Week One

Sunday

Scheduled overtime at work, although I don't think it was intentional.  V goes back to school tomorrow and I don't think she is looking forward to it.  I am :)

Monday

Everyone should be required to work retail.  I'm just saying.  It would make for a better consumer public.  Thank goodness its Monday.  It feels like its been longer than a 5-day work week.

Tuesday

I'm knitting purple legwarmers for V, by request.  I got one of them finished and she tried it on.  She tried it on along with a pink sweatband, cut-up green sweatshirt and black-and-white booty shorts.  She then proceeded to do the dance from "Flashdance" (80's movie).  You know the one, in the studio, with the song "Maniac".  That's my girl!  

I've started using NailTek II to get my nails back into shape.  I wore gel acrylics for about 9 months of 2010.  I enjoyed them, but decided around Thanksgiving that I didn't want to spend money that way.  I read about NailTek II and found it cheap at Marshalls. I use it as a base coat and top coat, then reapply a top coat every day.  The color I have on this week is China Glaze Shower Together.  I don't get the name, but it is a nice dark teal cream.

Wednesday

Forget expensive cat toys.  Pearl is easily entertained by the plastic ring from the gallon milk jug (I almost capitalized "milk" because it is that important in our house).  Chores are done.  Knitting continues.  I wanted to bake something today but I'm not feeling inspired.  JH and I had a nice date day.  Not date night, because it was lunch and a little shopping.  The food was a little crappy, but we had a free appetizer coupon and the meal was paid for by a gift card that was a gift, so it was a nice date day.

Thursday

And so begins my work week.  Actually, it turns out that Shower Together is the same color as a Papermate blue ink pen.  Thanks to the customer that pointed that out to me.  Note to self: don't wear nail polish the same color as the pens at work.

Friday

V is taking her first trip to the mall on the bus by herself today.  Actually she's with friends, but without adult supervision.  All went well, she made it home to call me (from the home phone, as proof that she made it) by 9:15pm.

JH works tonight, so Pearl deemed me worthy of some snuggling.  Lots of purring, snuggling, kitty kisses...quickly followed by claws and teeth!...then more purring, snuggling, kitty kisses...claws and teeth!  We all have proof of Pearl's love: my legs, V's arms, JH's hands.

Saturday

Nothing exciting to report.  Work, breakfast for dinner, changed out ink pen nails.  I'm tired of the Bay Area having freaking 40 degree weather.  If I wanted this, I would have stayed in Missouri.  It looks like it will start to get better around the time of my days off, but that's when its supposed to start raining.  Great.

Overall, lots of walking and knitting and I only forgot about the apple on Wednesday.  Braeburns are nice, but now I'm on Galas.

I'd like to give a shout out to my two followers...my sisters.  Love you guys, you are the greatest.

Until next week

xoxoxo

Prelude

I just noticed that the first day of 2011 is on the last day of the week.

I have been contemplating a posting schedule that will work best for me.  I like the option of scheduling a post to be published and I think that is the way I will go.  Each Saturday a new post will be published.  I will have added bits of my week to the post (hopefully) so that there will be a nice, long recap for everyone to enjoy :)

Since this first post happens at the stroke of midnight, on the first day of the year, I should have some resolutions posted.  I tend to be a positive person; a glass half full kind of girl.  I think I work better with "can do" and "will do" than "can't" or "won't".  I've decided to make goals instead of resolutions.

I came up with the first one on New Year's Eve eve:

1. Eat an apple a day.

It isn't too vague (I will eat healthier) or too restrictive (No more refined sugar) and I think it is easily attainable (as long as I don't forget to buy apples).

That led to number two:

2.  Save money towards a specific goal

     a) a new car

     b) a nice family vacation

I want the vacation, but I really need the new car.  My current car is 20 years old and has recently hit 250,000 miles.  Old Blue won't last forever and I thank her everyday she starts up to get me to work.  Once I've saved for the car, I will save for the vacation.  One is incentive for the other.

3.  Walk 10,000 steps a day.

I've done this before, so I know I can do it again regularly.  I have a nice pedometer and I wear it while I am at work.  I work retail so I move around quite a bit.  Also, I work in an outdoor mall, so the opportunity to walk is there.  In the last week, I have been averaging about 5000 steps a day.  In order to hit 10,000, I need to walk either before or after work and I need to get out on my breaks and lunch and walk.

I think I will stick with those three goals for 2011.  I can always add to this list once these goals have been achieved.

I have high hopes for this project and, most of all, I look forward to seeing this blog a year from now.

Happy New Year!

Lynette