it's been awhile

Spring came & went. So did Expo. My hours at work went back to normal. Headed to Outdoor Retailer in SLC next week. Part of me can't wait, part of me doesn't want to go at all. It's all the same shit, different day. Work will never change until I can find something new with a chance for growth both personal and professional.

I'm back to knitting, a little bit. I'm sewing the heck out of little girl skirts, knitting breaks it up. Apple Pie Craft Fair is less than a month away and I've signed up for a booth again. Let's hope I don't lose money yet again. 90% of what I'm selling are skirts.

Summer is flying by, like usual. Someday I'll be able to take it off and enjoy it instead of cramming more than possible into each sunny day I don't have to work. This is the reason my house is a disaster area. I should be cleaning instead of writing, but whatever. Oh, to be 25 again with no cares in the world except why my cocktail glass is empty.

My irises were beautiful, until the rain beat the hell out of them. The bee balm is stunning this year. I may actually have edible tomatoes before the frost hits. I'm not holding my breath, though.

I start teaching part-time at BubbaLou's school this fall in exchange for tuition. It works out to about $10/hour, but it's worth it to keep BL at the same school. I'm hoping this will turn into something full time with a decent paycheck. Again, I'm not holding my breath.

Argh. I only seem to post when I'm feeling "off." I guess my journal has gone online. I need to find a babysitter and rediscover my life and the man in it.

Missing

Between working full-time, a million birthday parties, and Thanksgiving, I've been busy. BubbaLou recently turned 3, so a party was required. 8 (maybe 50?) small children running around my house. Their parents, some Aunts, Uncles, cousins, friends...I had a party with 25 or so people (4 days before Thanksgiving.) I just love a challenge, and birthday cake. Red velvet with the most amazing frosting in the whole wide world. I could eat it by itself in a bowl, and I'm not really a frosting girl. Just give me the cake.

Bubba's favorite gift, a REAL, pink guitar. I can't tell you how many renditions of
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" I've heard.

I've also been busy on the sewing front. Here's a scarf I just completed with some extra fabric from a quilt I'm doing for the couch. It's a super-soft flannel in beautiful holiday prints. A little whimsical without being childish. The quilt and scarf have exposed seams on one side that get clipped and then fray in the wash, making a little fringe around all the blocks. I saw the quilt in progress at the local quilt shop and even though it's a little too "country," I thought it was pretty and it gave me a good excuse to buy the flannel I had seen on my last visit. Yes, I need an excuse to buy fabric. This is a taste of what 336 quilt square blocks looks like. I think I actually cut out closer to 400, but only needed 336. My kitchen looked like it was covered in a film of fuzz after I was done. Well worth it, though. I just think these colors are so soft and pretty. And it will be nice to have something seasonal on the couch to snuggle up in.

I do not need an excuse to buy yarn. In fact, my local shop was having a coupon sale...how convenient. I bought some wonderful washable wool for a new hat for my Dad, and some bulky, 100% silk yarn in a beautiful, shimmery silver. Perfect for a holiday scarf. Taa-daa. As if I've got nothing better to do.

The holiday baking season has begun, after all. And my darlin' Sy gave me the three BIG King Arthur Flour cookbooks for my birthday. I told him I might as well just paste the pages to my thighs. These cookbooks have centerfolds, for crying out loud. I wanted to lick the pages, it's baker porn.

Abbie, do you want some more pumpkin whoppie pies? I can't be the only one eating this stuff.