TGIF

Oh my!  It has been a slammed morning.  Much more so than usual.  Speaking with a few co-workers this a.m. and it seems like everyone is in the same spot.  Tom, one of our Presidents, asked me what the hell is going on that it hasn't slowed down yet.  I have no idea - too busy answering the ever expanding number of e-mails I seem to be getting as well as various requests, updating spreadsheets and the like.  My preference is to be busy - makes for flying days, but these past few weeks have just been nuts.


Meanwhile I'm off the hook for a little knitting!  Too funny:  I had been planning to hopefully knit a hat for Colin for Christmas.  I had even decided to use some alpaca yarn I have in a pretty light brown and some white.  Yesterday Colin didn't work, so he was over watching a movie with Fletch when I got home and pointed out that he had worn a hat I had knit for him sometime in the past 2 years or so.  It was exactly what I was thinking of making for him and even in the same yarn.  I have no recollection of making that hat.  (My memory loss seems to be speeding up as well - lol)  Anyway, I thanked him for getting me off the hook with that knitting project.  He then said he would really like me to knit a blanket for him.  Hmmm...that sounds like a big project to me.  But, maybe, with bulky yarn or something.  I'll figure that one out AFTER the holidays.


Colin also brought over two presents to go in Fletcher's and my stockings:

These cracked me up.  Col always uses brown craft paper to wrap gifts and usually just writes the recipient's name on the package...this time he drew figures instead.  So, the first gifts are in the stockings.  Meanwhile, I have not wrapped anything...or finished shopping....


It's supposed to start snowing here any time now (it's about 12:30) and continue until at least 6 p.m. with 1-2" expected.  I need to stop at the store for beer and a little food on my way home.  We have friends coming for dinner tomorrow night and I need a couple more things for the meal we are planning.  I also need to clean the bathrooms, straighten up some things and wrap the gifts we have for our friends.  Oh yeah and I was hoping to get a pedicure and maybe a haircut.  Not all of that stuff is going to happen for sure.


Now 1:00 and the snow has started!!  Woo-Hoo.


Wishing you all the best weekend with no stress, only fun times.

Unraveled Wednesday - 12/13/17

Brrrrr!  It is cold outside today.  And a wicked wind chill.  So glad I am not planning to run out at lunch time today (too busy anyway...).


Fortunately there has not been any unraveling recently.  Unfortunately that is due to the fact that there has not been much knitting.  Like everyone else, I seem to be caught up in the rush of the holidays.  Last night I spent wrapping gifts and writing cards to those who live far enough away that we won't be seeing them over the holidays.  Those packages are now in my mail room at work and will go out tonight via UPS.  One thing checked off the list!  Progress my friends, progress.


On the reading front I'm only about 40% (according to my Kindle) of the way into "The Keeper of Lost Things."  It is not, for me, a fast paced read, but I am enjoying it.  When I crawl into bed at night and pick up my Kindle, I'm only able to read a chapter or two before my eyes start to close.  I've had a couple more come through on Overdrive, so I'd best get moving on reading a bit more.


On the other hand, there is someone else who appears to be reading a bit:

I LOVE this picture!  This is Talbot - one of Colin's and Mailing's cats.  Colin was reading the other day when Talbot jumped up and onto his book...apparently Colin was paying too much attention to his book and not enough to Talbot.


And it's pretzel day at work!  Philly soft pretzels were delivered just a little bit ago.


Hope everyone is having a good week!

Some Decorations

Good Morning!


It is grey and windy out today, but warmer - about 40.  We could see rain...or some snow flurries...later today.  the temps are supposed to drop and be much colder tomorrow.  Tis the season!


Last night was exciting - grocery shopping!  Yikes.  I will say, however, it was a great time to shop - the store was pretty deserted and we got through fairly quickly. 


The other day I mentioned that one of my favorite things to bring out in the winter is a birch log.  Fletch cut holes in the top for candles and we have it on our buffet every year.

The candles burned down quite a bit Sunday night...I need to put some new ones in (and I've had a heck of a time finding any tapers this year - everything seems to be candles in jars).  Growing up, we had a log like this in the center of our dining table all season long.  I love having dinner (or breakfast) by candlelight.


This year I have another new favorite "ornament."

This is the little sock that Kathy B knit and sent to me during the "anything but yarn swap" she set up.  I was afraid to use it on my key chain -- thinking my keys or something would ruin it, so it has been hanging out in my kitchen for the past several months (where I see it every day), and now it is on the tree (high enough that Tyg can't grab it).  Thank you Kathy!  I love it.  Kind of a lousy picture...taken early this a.m. when only the tree lights were on.


I'm hoping to run out mid-morning today to do some shopping (wine/champagne for my bosses and some stocking-stuffer things).  But now I need to go make a cup of tea - my office is freezing!


Hoping everyone is enjoying the season and not feeling too stressed out.  I haven't started baking yet and normally that would bother me...this year I'm thinking "whatever!"  I will get to it....eventually...

Where Did The Weekend Go?

Good Morning!


So, tell me, where did the weekend go?  Here I am back at work Monday morning and it seems like the weekend was a dream.


We ended up staying home on Saturday.  The snow started at our house around 9:30 or 10:00 and pretty much snowed all day.  We ended up with about 3.5".  Just enough to make the roads messy.  I had planned to bake cookies if we stayed home, but I never managed to get around to that.  I did a lot of laundry and had a delightful  nap instead.  There was some knitting - yay!


Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful but very cold.  I was in the kitchen all day cooking.  Colin and Mailing came for dinner and to decorate our tree.  In the morning I made a Cranberry Pie from Smitten Kitchen which was delicious.  By the time that was done it was time to start dinner.  I was making a 7 hour leg of lamb (really 5 hours).  Lamb is one of those dishes that I enjoy occasionally, but sometimes it's a little too gamey.  When the leg started cooking I thought I was going to be sick!  However, it ended up being one of the best ones I've ever made.  It was delicious with lots of caramelized onions, carrots, garlic, potatoes and tomatoes.  I also made a kale & Brussels sprouts salad.  And we had Compari Spritzers (thanks Mary for the recipe!).


This guy was ready for dinner:

Too funny.  He was anxious to have a taste, but got frustrated and went outside when he realized there was no place set at the table for him!


I missed it on Saturday, but Fletch said Tyg was out in the snow on his belly...sticking his nose into it and having a grand time.  Colin and Mailing took their indoor cats out on leashes and they enjoyed it for about 5 minutes and then were ready to come back inside.


This is promising to be another busy week.  I forgot to get any pictures of our tree - will try to do that soon. 


Happy Birthday to Colin who is 28 today!!

TGIF 12-8-17

Hello all,


Another slammed day at work.  One conference call done...another one to start in a couple of minutes.


It's COLD!  And we are supposed to get 2-4 inches of snow late tonight into tomorrow.  Woo-Hoo...except we are supposed to go down to Delaware tomorrow to visit my brother and sister-in-law.  If the snow does come, we will most likely postpone.


OK, gotta run.


Tyg says Happy Friday and Enjoy the Weekend!

Sprawled on the table - good thing I have more than one Christmas tablecloth!

Three on Thurssday

Hello All,

 

Thanks for all your comments on my tale of woe yesterday.  My first item for today's Three on Thursday is...Verizon...

 

1. Yesterday when I got home I poured a glass of wine and then picked up the phone and called Verizon.  And…I got GOOD customer service!!  The person who answered the phone actually spoke English (with a Long Island accent, but that’s one I understand – LOL).  My empty box to ship back the cable box had never been ordered, so he took care of ordering that making sure the box would be large enough to accommodate both the cable box and the old router.  The gentleman was very apologetic about everything and gave us a one-time credit since we had such trouble.  Now, of course, the box hasn’t arrived yet and probably won’t for 5 days (for which he again apologized), but I am hopeful that everything has been resolved.  I had more wine to celebrate!
2. Fletch went out yesterday and got our Christmas tree.  We plan to bring it into the house either Friday or Saturday morning…let it sit a bit and then put the lights on by Saturday night.  Colin and Mailing will be over Sunday for dinner and will help us put the ornaments on.  Monday (the 11^th) is Colin’s birthday and when he was little we always decorated our tree on his birthday, so I’m looking forward to this little bit of tradition.
3. Like Carole. I have started to think of one word for 2018.  I haven’t make a final decision yet, but have some ideas.  Is anyone else doing this?  I don’t join the workshop, but I have liked having one word to focus on during the year.

 

We are almost at the weekend!! 

Unraveled Wednesday 12-6-17

Hello All,

 

Here it is mid-week.  No knitting pictures (it is still secret knitting), but happy to report no yarn unraveling this week.

 

My patience, however, did unravel last night.  Fletch will be the first to tell you that I am not strong in the patience department and also that I do not suffer fools.  Let me say that Verizon seems to be lacking in the customer service department for moi.

 

We have had two TVs and two cable boxes for ever.  I almost never watch TV and when I do, it is with Fletch.  So (finally) we decided to get rid of a TV and get rid of the extra cable box.  Over the weekend I called Verizon and they promised to ship a box for us to return the equipment.  It won’t come off our bill until they receive it (and to the best of my knowledge there is no place locally to drop off equipment).  I also got our cable bill lowered a little bit.  Yesterday a box from Verizon arrived.  It was heavy!  It was a router.  We already have one.

 

After approximately 6-8 calls last night, here is what I learned:

 

• First call – wait time was over an hour
• 15 minutes later I tried again and the wait time was under 4 minutes
• Most of the people answering the phones at Verizon don’t speak English very clearly.  I had an extremely difficult time understanding most of them.
• We need to replace our router for faster speed…ok, but I don’t really think it’s necessary and I’m not good at that.  Fletch couldn’t figure it out last night…hopefully Colin can tonight.
• When I asked to speak to a supervisor I was first told by one person that they were not available but they could call me back – maybe in an hour or two.  The next time I asked to be transferred to a supervisor I was told they are not allowed to transfer me to anyone…they (the person who answers the phone) HAS to help me…but they were unable to….
• The box that the new router came in will not accommodate the cable box we need to send back (and remote for said cable box).  In addition, we will have to return the old router.
• I drank extra wine last night

 

Frustrated doesn’t begin to explain how I felt.  I’m ready to get rid of everything Verizon…but I’m afraid I’m not a fan of Comcast or Direct TV either.  So, we are kind of stuck (which I guess Verizon realizes).

 

I need to attempt to call them again tonight to at least get an empty box sent to us (with a return label this time – that would certainly help).

 

To ease my aching soul I ordered some yarn today.  I’ll show it to you when it arrives.  I think I deserve it.

 

Wish me luck (and patience, please).