A new skill !!!

I felted. All of you who know me have lived through this for the past several weeks either in person, in email or on Ravelry. I was afraid to felt because the thought of taking lovely, non-washable yarn, making it into something and then deliberately destroying the fiber was incomprehensible to me. So I made the bag and then it sat on my nightstand for several days. A friend finally sent me a message that basically said "Oh for goodness sake, Bonnie.... PUT THE DARN BAG INTO THE MACHINE." Of course, she's a sweetheart so she said it much more nicely.

Bag went into the washing machine in a pillowcase. Went through 2 cycles and came out BEAUTIFULLY. The only difficult part was actually threading the shrunken I cord through the holes in the bag. Picture of finished project is above.

Other picture is of Melissa (oldest kid) with the bag. I had put it in the car in case I needed to go right from work to Thursday night's knitting group. She saw, she took. I brought a picture to knitting group! Since she reads this blog regularly, I am stating for the record that (1) the new blue/green bag I am working on is for ME; (2) Aunt Kim's bag gets done next; and (3) Melissa's matching cell phone case that I am designing now will need to wait until all these baby gifts are done and distributed! Love you, Brat.

Felting is FUN!!!!

Working for the Weekend

ok... I'm officially old when I am using Loverboy songs as blog entry titles -- it may even be more geeky than all my musical songs.

The previous week has been exhausting. It started off SO hot (and really did NOT cool down as much as I would have liked it to) and SO busy and SO stressful. But, to quote Gloria Gaynor, I will (and did) survive. Luckily, Montgomery County is one of the few counties left in America that still has a vacation day for Flag Day (we LOVE Flag Day!) so it was a short week since the holiday was given on the 13th to make up for the actual Saturday date.

Thursday night was the bar association's annual Clam Bake -- a GREAT event (if such a thing can be said about a function with all lawyers and judges) with good food, nice conversation and a 5 hour open bar. Even surprising myself, I only had 2 drinks because it was pretty hot and (even though hubby would have come over to get me), I didn't feel like being hungover Friday. Had a great knitting conversation with an attorney with whom I haven't always had the greatest relationship with -- probably more my fault than her fault because I don't enjoy Family Law and I tend to get a little nasty when I'm doing it -- not only does she knit, but she knits BEAUTIFULLY. I also got to tell other crafters about Worldwide Knit In Public Day (today) so I spread the word and encouraged more people to be public yarn addicts.

I spent Friday with two of the kids. Jenny and I went to GOP HQ to help out for a couple of hours and then Chip and I went to lunch and to finish Father's Day and birthday shopping for my wonderful man (whose birthday is Tuesday when I'll be at a bar association dinner). Last night, I vegged! I was supposed to be at a Beef-n-Beer for a PA House representative candidate, but the older boys were out, we had no sitter and I just could not spend another night away from my husband -- one of us was out every night this week. Since Mark couldn't go, I skipped the event.

I put the time to good use though. I finished (end weaving) on the felted bag. I finished AND wove in the ends on the pedicure socks for ME. I wove in ends on the blanket for Ryan's kindergarten teacher from last year (since he only has 2 more days of school). I cast on a baby hat. I knit and wove ends until about 1:30 a.m.

The week ended ok based on how it started, but I wouldn't want to end this week without paying tribute to the late Tim Russert of NBC News. When Mark called me on his way home and told me the news of Mr. Russert's passing (since I usually come home and watch Hardball on MSNBC, he didn't want me to find out), I felt physical pain. Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows that I am a political junkie -- and despite my affiliation with the Republican Party, I consider myself to be willing to listen to ideas and to know the truth rather than the spin. I watch and listen to both liberal and conservative radio and TV, but Russert (along with George Stephanopolis of ABC) always helped me put my own beliefs into perspective. I didn't always agree with Mr. Russert, but his dedication and patriotism and old-fashioned values have always impressed me. I truly don't know who will fill his shoes as people sort through the decision to be made this election cycle -- there is no one I trust to ask the hard questions now that this giant has gone to be with the angels.

Finally (and I know this is a ramble), I want to say a big THANK YOU to all of the employees at the Spring House Clemens (it was NEVER a Giant to me) and the branch of my bank and to wish them luck in their future endeavors. At 6 p.m. tonight, the grocery store will close after 35 years of local, community-based retailing to the people of Ambler, Lower Whitpain and Lower Gwynedd. My son will be on the clock until the doors are locked. When Clemens opened in 1973, my parents and I were among the first customers in the store. Today, with the shelves mostly empty and the corporate honchos pulling the remaining items out, I shopped at Clemens for the final time. It made me miss my late father terribly. It made me realize that my once close-knit community has become incredibly suburban. But most importantly, it was the end of an era where customer service and friendly employees were the norm rather than the exception.

I miss the days where being nice was expected rather than being looked upon as strange. I miss knowing everyone in my neighborhood (where we are going to the Block Party in a few minutes, but where we have had tremendous turnover recently). I miss the sense of stability that turning on the TV to a familiar face giving me the news of the day and where people say what they mean but do so kindly. I guess I'm as anachronistic as I was once called by a former friend, but the one thing this week has taught me is to stay true to what I believe in and let the rest of the world do as it pleases.

No good deed goes unpunished...

Yep... I'm an absolute geek for a musical. This title is from Wicked (where my FABULOUS daughter is taking me in October in NYC!) and is a song about how other people perceive your actions -- it's a truly fascinating song and I love to sing it in the car. Jenny prefers "Defying Gravity" and "Dancing Through Life", but once in awhile, I insist. She's 2 and I control the CD player ('cept it's hard to hear MY songs if she's throwing a fit).

Anyway... this title describes how I have been feeling for weeks and certainly since the Heat from the Fires of Hell set in on Saturday. I'm like a hamster on a freakin' wheel or the Energizer Bunny. Days pass and speed by and I suddenly look up and say "it's Friday?!" I am incapable of saying "no" to a volunteer task -- even when I know that the person asking hates me and will be mean to me for no reason other than that I get the volunteer task done. If I have food poisoning (or a stomach bug or WHATEVER that was last Wednesday) and I can't make a meeting, I feel guilt in the extreme because I have volunteered to do a job and it MUST get done. When people complain about being asked to do ONE or two things and respond "I can't commit," despite the fact that EVERYONE else does 10 times the work, I want to smack them -- I resist the urge, but I get furious. I have SO much work to do and files to review and briefs to write and clients to yell at for failing to communicate with me. Gas costs too much money and there is NO short term solution (despite what anyone from any political party tells you -- it's crap). People drive like complete maniacs. Did I mention I hate the heat?!

I equate sanity with knitting time and stay up late even if I have early court just to "give" myself some peace. Of course, I also knit in court (between the six hearings I did today), at restaurants, at the swim club and anywhere else I happen to be. I was so tired today after the hearings -- the heat wipes me out when it is anything much over 80; 114 heat index today was not tolerable -- and Jenny was still going to be napping. I went to Crafty Me Yarns and sat on the floor in my white suit, pulled out my Booga Bag and aimlessly knit and chatted with the owner for somewhere around an hour. I was finally and simply dysfunctional. The bag is going to be cool though!

"If I cannot succeed, Fiero, saving you, I promise no good deed will I ever doooooooo..... A-GAIN"

OK.... ready to go to bed now. Have more court in morning.

Memorial Day relaxation

The anticipation on Friday didn't begin to supercede the reality. For the first time in months, through a winter that included the loss of family and friends, through persistent illnesses (and accompanying steroids), through not loving my career as much as I used to...

Through it all is the anticipation of summertime and Beachcomber. Being with family and friends. Being able to be myself. Watching the kids thrive in the sunshine and fresh air. Even though I had work to do (swim team registration) and the water was SO cold in the big pool (which Jenny insisted she needed to go into), I feel human. I finished her pick socks. I worked on Ryan's green "Eagles" sweater. I talked with friends who understand it is normal to sit and fondle each other's yarn skeins, who understand that I simply cannot talk about the new case, who believe that being part of a community is crucial to children's develoment (i.e. if someone else sees my 7 year old getting in trouble, they don't wait to get me... they tell him to behave).

Tomorrow is my full free day at the club. No swim team registration, no duties. Just me, my family and some yarn!

Officially Summer !!!!!!!!!!

I live for the next three months despite my hatred of the heat and humidity.

I love the freedom to forward my office calls to my cell phone and to access my office laptop remotely from the grounds of my swim club -- usually without my clients' knowledge although some of them catch on. I love sitting under a big tree with sunshine peeking through the shade. I love the smell of chlorine on everything and the sound of small groups of people chattering, singing, scolding their kids for running on the pool deck or just watching them enjoy the environment. I love watching how much Ryan's (#4) swimming has improved over the winter (since hubby takes him to winter swimming). I love the slower pace and reduced stress that being at Beachcomber brings to me after a heinous winter and a horrific week.

At 12 noon tomorrow, the grounds open. At 1 p.m., the pool opens. It's going to be sunny and warm and not hot. The pool will be freezing cold since it has rained every day this week and I will absolutely go in the pool. My game plan is so simple -- just for once. Jenny has swim lesson (at the YMCA indoor pool which will not be ice cold) at 11:45 a.m., we'll come home after that and I'll head to the pool because I don't know how to say no and agreed to coordinate swim team registration. From 3 p.m. on (both Saturday and Sunday and ALL day on Monday), my time is my own for the next few days.

Jenny will need to be chased and prevented from eating sand or climbing on the "wheel of death" (merry-go-round), but that's part of what makes summer special. Ryan is easy -- he never remembers from year to year how chilly the water is -- he plans to take his "deep water test" and disappear with his friends into the trees; coming out now and then to ask for food from the snack bar. We'll have chicken marinating in the fridge (and then in the cooler) with a side of the best Caesar Salad on the planet (which serves all of us -- it's HUGE). Fresh fruit for snacks and everyone shares with everyone and watches out for everyone.

Thank God... my Peaceful Place opens in a few short hours.

And the drama begins...

I am currently trying to function after a LONG day and anxiety rush yesterday. I have a new client who is accused of some pretty bad stuff. Any of you in the Philly area probably saw partial shots of me on the news --all stations. I spent a day in the pouring rain getting bail set and paid and then being chased by tv cameras to the point that I almost ran them over with my minivan (I really DID show tremendous restraint in NOT doing so) as I took my client from district court to the police station for processing after bail was posted. I made the mistake of watching the news and just got mad at the DA (and she's a friend of mine and doing her job, but I still got mad), madder at the press and wondering if maybe I shouldn't have run them over with my minivan!

When I finally got home, there were press calls to return (just to say no comment – it’s WAY too early to comment) and then realized that I had left something I needed to work at home today (no babysitter) so I went back to my office at about 7:30 p.m., got home about 8 and wanted to knit. I looked at my knitting and crocheting projects and sort of shrugged my shoulders and said “eh… not interested.” All day I was thinking that I wished I had at least brought a sock to work on during the "hurry up and wait" process and then when I DID have the chance to knit, I quite literally couldn't hold needles or a crochet hook.

I woke up this morning coughing and feeling chilled (hmmmm… maybe because I was in and out of a damp, chilly rain all day???). I have loads of work here with me, but may just cuddle with the toddler and knit after getting seven year old on the bus in a few minutes. I’ll work while she naps later.

The Princess Birthday

I promised myself (and hubby) that I wouldn't go TOO crazy on Jenny's birthday this year. She's only two and we didn't want to do a big mob scene of a party since she really doesn't like big crowds (which even our immediate family was last night). My oldest daughter, Melissa, and I went shopping before knitting group (and Melissa learned to knit Thursday night!!!!!!) and it truly didn't seem as if I was buying THAT much stuff and I didn't spend a tremendous amount of money.

We all know where that lengthy explanation is going. There is a picture above of the presents on the coffee table before Jenny unwrapped them on Friday night -- not including presents from Melissa and Mike and our close family friends who came over last night. She went batty! Loves her bathtub and cradle for her babies; she actually gave her Baby Arielle a bath, bottle and tucked her in. She particularly loves her tiara, necklaces and cell phone from Chip and Melissa and her tea set that I picked out. She is a GIRLY girl and it was just too much fun shopping for her. My husband thinks this year was bad???? Next year, she can have Barbies!!

I also finished her purple sweater (picture above of that too) at 11:51 p.m. on the night before her birthday. The sweater is actually for the Fall so it is supposed to be a little big -- it was made by combining the Incredible Top-Down Raglan pattern and a men's sweater pattern from Knitting to Go. Basically, it's a percentage top-down sweater. I also made Jenny 1 1/2 socks from handspun and dyed yarn I got in a yarn swap -- very cute although not machine washable which means she won't wear them much.

I plan to be a complete veggie today -- have a rough day tomorrow and am working on a short week since my sitter is unavailable for three days and then it's Memorial Day weekend. I also need to finish up the registration stuff for swim team, but can't do so until practice times are set so that's starting to be a LITTLE stressful just because I would like it to be finished. Next weekend will be ALL about the club opening and swim team registration and then I travel the week after that.

Gracious.... my life IS a bit busy!!!!!