out of the frying pan

So, I got back from a week vacay with DH and kids in Bethany Beach, DE. We love it there and have been there for a visit for the past 13 years, usually for a week. This year I was ready to bail after three days of rain. We were able to make it to the beach three days, but we really pushed the outer limits of what is a beach day.

DH went from DE to CA, leaving me to drive the three kiddies home. The fact that we made three stops in the first hour tells you something about the ride. The dryer in our rental broke the last night, so I had to travel across three states lugging a giant plastic bag of damp clothes. Finally back in CT, and I started the new job today. I am still debugging my childcare situation. I am a little overwhelmed with the people, personalities and case load at the new school but I am sure I will get up to speed fast.

As for knitting, I completed one and 2/3 of a pair of monkey socks with some hand dyed yarn for my 11 year old daughter. This doesn't reflect the amount of knitting I did because I frogged the first sock when it was complete because I didn't like the ways the heel was turned. Some how my gauge changed but only on the heel and I decided I hated it after I finished my decreases for the toe. So rip it went. Hopefully I will finish tonight and post it tomorrow.

Update

I ended up with two offers, and took a part time job in a therapeutic children's school. Now I am rushing to line up all my duckies. I hired a before school sitter, and the kids are registered for after school programs. My wardrobe sucks but I can't afford new work clothes yet. I guess that will have to wait for some paychecks to come in.

I have two weeks before my son is done with his "phase" in to preschool, so I will be doing some serious begging to get at least four days of coverage for him. Its a good thing he's cute! I am really excited about the job, my Connecticut social work license was finally approved, which required 2x a week phone calls to licensing people for several months. Bet they are happy to not hear from me every Tuesday and Friday. Sunday we go to the beach for a week. I am planning my vacation knitting (one sock, one BJS for my niece). If I get desperate, there is a knit shop in Bethany Beach. When we get back, I start work. Whew, it makes me tired thinking about it!

Ptoy, ptoy, ptoy

So Jews have this weird superstition that to avoid bringing bad luck by talking about something good, you spit three times on the ground. As time went on and my peeps got house proud we instead started to make this weird noise to simulate spitting. What does this have to do with knitting? Well I am having a darn good week. I had my Stitch and Bitch group over for a pot luck, yarn swap and s'more roast. We had fun, people went home with yarn different from what they came with. I know the photo sucks but we had fun.

Thursday I had a job interview that went really well, and when I called one of my references to let her know she would be getting a call about me I ended up with a job offer from the place that I worked at for 4 months this year! And my transfer of my social work license from Illinois to Connecticut (which has been stalled in bureaucracy since February) was finally approved.

Then I came home today and found my sockapalooza socks had arrived. And they are awesome, made out of Collinette Jitterbug which is one yarn I do not own. They are a perfect fit. And they are from the adorable 17 year old knitter from Finland that I originally thought I was knitting for. So as to not piss fate off, I will say it was a heck of a good week, ptoy, ptoy ptoy!

Is 11 the clusterf**ck birthday?

I thought I was crazy to invite 24 kids to celebrate my daughter's birthday. I KNEW it was crazy to plan to tie-dye with all those kids. I had no idea that things could get even crazier. With 20 kids actively engaged in preparing thier clothes for dyeing, my three year old son came up to me crying, something about bugs in or near the food. He was giving me the bad finger, which I then realized was about five times normal size. (My mom later asked if it was as big as the foam fingers at the ball park) Then I saw the swam of wasps or hornets or some angry insect, and there were several kids crying. I looked at the swarm and figured out that this was not good. The end was that the 20 girls who were at the dyeing area were okay, but there were four people stung - each getting about two bites. No one who was stung was allergic. Benedryl was drunk by all who needed it and I sprayed the hell out of the nest or hive or whatever it was. No one will forget this party! I tried but even several glasses of wine could not wipe away the memory of this.

In knitting, I am on my second sidewinder and hoping I will manage the increases with more finesse, or at least less tight!