Basket-o-gourds...

Taken at the Pawpaw Festival...seems like I probably should post a picture of pawpaws...but, oh well ;) I'm excited about it being almost fall and hoping that the weather will cool down some.

Things have been pretty normal here. I've been busy making toddler socks (but after this last one I should be finished for awhile). The next project? Socks for me, I think. I've been to two different knitting groups here. One that meets at the library once a month and another that meets at the Spinning Turtle in Nelsonville (about 15 minutes away) every Thursday. Had a good time at both, and I'm hoping they'll inspire me to get out of my knitting rut (=toddler socks).

Awww...too much cuteness

Back from ND

A picture of North Dakota from the air...

I just spent the last week in Fargo, ND getting some software training for work. It was a really good trip for a bunch of reasons, like 1) my parents only live 3 hours from there so they came up and I got to spend last Sunday with them, 2) I'd never been to North Dakota before so it's another state to add to my "States I've Been to" list, and 3) it was a really good training--I have pages and pages and pages of notes AND I feel much more confident about the program (yay! No more feeling like I want to kick my computer down the hall!)

Anyway, it's really good to be back. The weather's cooled off here which is wooooonderfullll...yesterday was beautiful, this morning's been beautiful AND we haven't had to run our air conditioner (hooray!). Yesterday, after I got home we took a quick hike in Selles Park, which is here in Athens and WAY WAY bigger than I ever knew. I'm also really excited because today we're going to the Paw Paw Festival...you can read all about it here. Pretty much, it's a festival that's all about the Paw Paw fruit...it's green, it's called "poor man's banana" and grows wild around here...we'll be able to try all sorts of foods that are made with Paw Paws, listen to bands, and be outside enjoying the weather =)

All about the new jobs...

Yep I'm still here...figured it was time for an update. Things are still busy here but calming down a bit...

I just finished my third week at WOUB where I'm the Membership Coordinator. So when someone wants to become a member of WOUB public radio or public television, I take care of putting their information in, mailing them their thank you gift, mailing invoices and bill notices, etc. It's been really great because everyone there has been so nice, and I love public radio and television, and I walk down the halls and see and talk to people that I hear on the radio (this still blows my mind...my clock radio wakes me up with WOUB and I'll be in bed listening and think, "oh, that's so-and-so") I also have a tv in my office...my own tv...which also blows my mind a little...I usually have it on WOUB kids...so throughout the day, I'll have Reading Rainbow, Between the Lions, Sesame Street, etc. playing in my office (muted if I'm busy or listening to the radio--which is usually the WOUB AM "adult alternative" station which I can stream off their website...which I highly recommend). It's pretty fun.

John also got a new job!! He'll be working at Lui-Lui's , which is an awesome restaurant that's also really close to our house...He's got to work his way up to it, but by Fall, he'll be making oven-fired pizzas and sushi! I'm hoping he can bring some leftovers home for me ;)

=)

Love the new place! Love being back in Athens! Love the new job!

Sorry so long since the last post...I've been really busy with new job, unpacking (still) and doing tons of fun stuff. Things are really good here...I've been riding my bike to work and whew, turns out I'm a little out of shape...who knew? ;) but it's fun and makes me feel like a total bad ass (and saves me from having to park far away and walk up a TON of stairs to get to the office).

With John here, I've eaten better than I have in years (and it's nice to be able to see him all the time, instead of every three weeks). It's also fun having Callie around...taking her on walks, going to the dog park (so fun!), and just watching her hop around in the backyard.

=)

Puppy Play Date

Callie had too much fun playing with Rogue while Brenna and Robin visited!

Moving Pictures: Installment #1

What a mess! This is my apartment when it was almost all packed up.



Half of the amazing moving team...Peter and John take a break once the truck is packed with all my stuff (whew!). Not pictured is John's Mom who also did a bunch of packing, cleaning, and dog wrangling (Callie wasn't so happy when we put her in her crate so we could move all my stuff out).



Me, John, and Callie all ready to go! More pictures to come...

I'm here!!

So I'm all moved into my house in Athens and it is wooooonderfuuuullll! =) I'll post some pictures soon...but right now most of the rooms are messy and full of boxes ;)

I'm also so excited because Brenna and Robin are visiting on their way to New Jersey...and Callie (John's dog) and Rogue (Bren and Robin's dog) are best puppy pals...they've been playing and playing and playing all day long (and now they're conked out on the couches ;) ) I'm going to have to get a picture of them together because it is too, too cute.

=D

Wow...

http://www.style-files.com/2006/12/09/christien-meindertmas-giant-knitwork/

that's some hardcore knitting...

On a totally different note, I think I heard the Indian version of "The Thong Song" today...craziness

The few, the proud...

...the plants that haven't died yet ;)

The packing is going pretty well...quicker than I expected (well...I say that now...let's see how I feel on Friday) ;)

Goodbye, Farewell, Auf wiedersehen, Adieu

So it's really getting close to moving time...I'm excited, and then I'm sad (for reasons, see below), and then I feel like complaining at length about the evils of packing and moving...

Thankfully, I have some wonderful friends who've made sure that I felt loved before I left. There was the cookout on Saturday night with my friends from church, and then my coworkers took me out to Outback Steakhouse for dinner tonight. They were all so sweet and I hate to leave them. I've started a campaign to get all the cool, nice people to move to Ohio with me...but I'm not sure how far that one will get ;)

And, in other important news, I finished the Deathly Hallows on Saturday...loved it. Won't say anymore.

<3

IT'S HERE!

Waiting waiting waiting...

for my Harry Potter book to get here...

Whew...

Well, all the really hard stuff we had to do for the county fair is over (taking exhibits, getting them judged etc.) so just a few more days of that left! =)

I've been making a new baby sock pattern that I'm liking a lot...it's also good that it's a new pattern...I'm bad for getting stuck in a rut and making the same thing over and over. Unlike my sister, Erin, who tries all sorts of patterns and designs and is an awesome, incredible knitter. She also just started making baby socks...I'm trying to step it up a little bit so I can maybe keep up with her ;) My other sister, Brenna, is also awesome and incredible, but she doesn't knit baby socks, so I'll have to talk about her awesomeness in another post ;)

Still here...

the county fair is going...and I'm tired, but I'm home this early and it wasn't insanely hot, so I figure that makes for a good day (at least when it comes to the county fair)

I can't wait for this weekend (just 3 1/2 more days of work!!) and Harry Potter comes out (hooray!)

Fun links!

http://www.desktopblues.lichtlabor.ch/desktopblues0013.swf

Also funny...
http://glibandspiel.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-get-that-literary-guys-attention.html

Another wild week

But first, a picture I took this morning at the UK Arboretum



And now, the BIG news...I got a new job! Starting in August, I'll be working at Ohio University! Let the apartment searching, packing, and moving begin ;)

Such a busy weekend

In addition to knitting up a storm, I also got to go to the Estill Arts Council picnic (beautiful weather, good food, great people) and got a real tour of the county from two friends afterwards. So I was psyched to get to take some pictures! Here are my two favorites...



Random, pretty looking wildflower (anyone know what it is?)



The Fitchburg Furnace, an old iron furnace outside of town

Knitting!

Today has been filled with MTV (Made, My Super Sweet 16, and Engaged and Underage--all guilty pleasures ;)) and lots of knitting!

Here's my Razor Cami so far...yep, I agree that it looks reaaallly small (kind of more like a hat than a top...). But it's stretchy...so I'm hopeful...



An explanation for my non-knitter friends...the red yarns are my "lifelines" so if I mess up, I can pull out the knitting and start from that spot...as much as I like the KU colors, the red yarn won't be there when I (hopefully) wear the tank top (or give it to the nearest tiny 10 year old)

I think you should...

I can't say I'm a huge Snape fan, but really, he's got bad hair, he wasn't cool at wizarding school, and they've suspected him all along...how lame would it be if it turns out he is the evil traitor?? But who knows...I've been wrong before ( a few times ;) )

Anyway, I've been busy recently. My flowers are still surviving (minus the impatient, which has gone to that "big flower pot in the sky"). It's been pretty hot and dry here, and they are suffering a little bit because I don't water them everyday (or every other day...). Thank goodness for moisture control potting soil! Without it, I probably wouldn't have any plants at all!

I am still working on the Razor Cami...I've finished the bottom ribbing, and put in a lifeline, so if I screw it up in the lace (quite possible), I won't have to rip up the whole thing again.