Fencing Camp

This is the one week where I get to prepare for the upcoming NAC. Alas, I am working most of the time. In addition, I seem to have come down with a cold and don't think it would be wise to make things worse. I can hardly breathe as it is and I don't want to have any more difficulties. I have been trying to keep up with work outs and such. Went for a run today with a friend who is training for a soccer team. It was great because I was pretty consistent throughout the run, but I decided it would be best to save my knees for the inevitable crazy work day in store...

Seriously...

Wednesdays suck. Old people discount day. I think most of them are alright, but there are a couple of people who just treat me like absolute crap. I can't hear anything to begin with, I'm sick, and there are eight million things that are happening in the section. I am so sorry that I didn't hear you the first time and asked you to repeat yourself, but you don't have to be rude!


I'm not sure how much of tomorrow I am planning on doing. I've been working pretty hard throughout the week, been doing my workouts, but definitely have been lacking the fencing practice... Ah well, the NAC will essentially be for fun anyway...

Now I need to start thinking about finding another job. I need to stay with the same company, but there aren't any positions available at the store that I'm currently at. I did find one at Vancouver, though. I might apply for it- something to discuss with the handsome lad.

Christmas Day and beyond

One of the best holidays ever! It was really nice to be able to enjoy the holiday with close friends and not have to deal with the drama.

In addition, one of the best moments of the holiday included a snake in a bag... except there was no snake. A friend of mine had gone to Cambodia for a couple of weeks and had brought back a bunch of lovely gifts for everyone. One of the gifts that most received was a bag. When the recipient had started to open the bag to see what was inside, her husband suggested that there was a snake. The recipient pulled back their hand as quickly as they could- as if there had been a real snake in the bag! (This would have been illogical, but it was just so amusing to see this over-the-top and irrational reaction that I couldn't stop laughing.) I suppose it was one of those moments that you had to be there.

In addition, today I officially finished my Kitsune mittens. They turned out really well, in my opinion. (I should be putting up pictures in the near future). The next project that I plan on doing is the Satine: floaty tunic from French Girl Knits. I love pretty much all of the projects in that book and it is my goal to knit pretty much all of them (there is only one that I don't like at all- the blue and white cardigan...)

Work has been going well, but I will be finished soon... I hope that I can stay on longer, though... It has been such a great experience and I am really not looking forward to having to look for another position...

Christmas Eve

This day was long, but a great experience... One of the best holidays that I've had in a looooong time. For a change, though, we decided to not going down to the 'burg. There is just so much family drama and I really wanted to avoid it. In any case, we had a lovely dinner with our friends (actually, at the moment, I am being rude and antisocial and I am not entertaining my guests... Simon and Aaron are playing the Xbox- Halo, of course...)

I figured that I would post a brief description of the day that I had. I got to work. It wasn't as horrible as I thought, I did get a bit frazzled. I apologized and was better the rest of the day. I think everyone was at the end of their patience. Lots of people being stupid and trying to get last minute food items the day before Christmas.

After that, to home I went. Prepared the rolls and Simon had already started the turkey. Here is what we had for dinner: Turkey, potato rolls (a tradition from my family and a good one at that), asparagus with hollandaise sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy (made from the drippings of the turkey and white wine), and some great pinot gris to accompany it. There was also a bottle of wine from Lodi, California. It was an absolute perfect accompianment to the dinner. Warm and mellow, smooth and dry... Hints of mocha, vanilla, and raspberry...

For dessert: Gateau maison. A delicious cake made essentially with butter, almond flour, and sugar. Not healthy in any sense of the word but so worth the extra poundage.

Tomorrow will involve cinnamon rolls, sticky rolls, late breakfast or lunch (I am sincerely looking forward to sleeping in) and being with the rest of my surrogate family.

The holidays

Are decidedly less interesting if you happen to work in a grocery store. I am so surprised how awful people can be to one another during this time. People seem to have forgotten the "goodwill towards others" and are more concerned about making sure that they get their stupid turkeys or hams... Yes, I understand the importance of this family meal, but you will get your turkey... Just not as quickly as you wanted. There are other people in front of you and there is only so much magic I can work at the moment. Other than that, folks seem to be relatively chill... You can certainly tell who has worked in a service position and who hasn't. On a diffrent note: knitting has been going well. I've almost finished the kitsune gloves and will be posting pictures shortly. I knit a hat for work and used the left over yarn to knit a baby hat (something I have never done, so I'm not sure the size is going to be alright)... Also, I got a substantial amount of yarn as a gift and have started to knit the Satine floaty tunic tank from French Girl Knits... I love pretty much all the patterns int that book. There is a fencing camp coming up and I am sad because I'm not sure I'll be able to participate...

Exhausted

This has been one of the most exhausting weeks I've had (even including the craziness that was Thanksgiving week...) I find it to be very difficult to try and maintain two jobs, chiropractor sessions, and fencing consistently. It feels like I am pulling 12 hour work days on an all-too- regular basis. I'm glad that this year is almost over, though.

It's been great having the mother-in-law here for a visit. She's so adorable!

I haven't had much time to knit (I've only got an inch on my second kitsune mitten) and I find that to be very frustrating. This weekend I'm working Friday, Saturday, Sunday... but that is pretty much it.

This is one of my more rambling posts- it's more like a stream of consciousness and it's kind of interesting to see how ideas flow one to the next.

Yesterday, I learned how to properly clean a crab. It was also one of the /most/ frustrating days I've had in a while (and, yes, that even includes fencing practice.) It was one of those moments where I realized that I am completely uneducated about what it is that I should be doing. I don't know all of the different procedures that are necessary. It feels like I am making things more difficult for my coworkers (and I hate that). I am learning a lot of new stuff and feel like I /could/ be more useful at some point, but right now I feel inept and useless...

The handsome lad doesn't understand. In any case, he doesn't really listen... or at least that's what it feels like. It would be nice to have an actual conversation instead of me feeling like I'm talking to a wall. Active listening is such a great thing to know how to do... the only problem is I know when other people aren't really doing it...

There I go- whining about nothing. How typical.

A post

Sometimes it is frustrating writing this blog. It is a bit relaxing and I feel like it has some therapeutic qualities, but it doesn't feel like I'm making any connections... except with what I assume to be Spambots from a eastern european country....

Des nouvelles

So, the mother-in-law is in town. It is both exciting and a little frightening (in the respect that I'm not a very good host and I have no idea what I should be doing with her)... So far, we've done a substantial amount of shopping, ventured to Salem to find her an anorak that was on sale (and also becoming horribly frustrated with the traffic and stupid way that Salem is set up...), and watching a fencing competition.

Today, the handsome lad is working at a camp at the club. So, I'm on my own today. I'm not sure if we are going to the art museum today or what. I really like to get an early start on things, but it doesn't seem like that is /ever/ going to happen this week or next (already pretty late in the day and we haven't done anything yet.) It's okay though. I do appreciate the lax rhythm that is created- it is definitely a change of pace from the constant pressure of life. I feel so busy all the time and it is exhausting. I suppose that is inevitable when you are trying to be competitive and are working a couple of jobs.

I think, if I can, I will try to knit a bit more. I finally finished one of the mittens and have actually cast on for the second mitten, but haven't had much opportunity to work on it. I should also try to take some photos to show the progress that has been made.

Other than the mittens, I haven't done much else. I would really like to figure out a project for the lovely recycled silk that I have (I'm thinking a cowl would be pretty neat in the yarn, but I'm not sure if there is enough...) If worse comes to worst, I will just have to create a pattern to really show off the beauty of the silk.