Idle Hands

There has been precious little knitting round these parts.  But I have not been entirely idle.

• there's the j-o-b, or technically two of them.  We're now at the point where there's one job during the week, and another on the weekend.  Lovin it. NOT.
• there was the part where Rhys' sister came to visit (the picture is when she and I shared wasabi shumai--whoo! That's my MIL's finger, btw) and I took the kids to Mystic aquarium and we had an AWESOME time.  Great place in the summer--I think it would be kind of limited in the winter, though, for those in range.

• there was the part when we packed up our entire house (except the kitchen, but including the basement) and moved into 3 rooms of our house.

• there was also the part where a giant backhoe came to our house and replaced the sewer line  (which had a charming habit of periodically deciding that *out* was not its only direction, and liked to spill our own raw sewage into the basement, which, I'm here to tell you, is a charming feature in a sewer line, (again) NOT).  We're looking forward to not experiencing that springtime ritual again.
• a giant freakin loan has been taken out, and a giant freakin check was deposited into our bank account, which will soon become a giant freakin money suck out of our bank account and into the builders' bank account, and strangely we're eager for this process to begin in earnest (see above with the moving into three rooms, note for the record that the mamas will be on a futon couch in the *dining room* until further notice).
• let's pause now for a moment to breathe deeply with me, find our roots down through the charkas, here, as a group, and say, collectively "motherfucker, bloody hell, that's a lot of shit you got going on!"  Because we wouldn't be wrong about that part.
• On the upside, it means more sleeping space for Cummington next year, just saying.
• Sadly, it means my fantasies of a party for the Fiber Twist will not come true this year.  Next year, people, we'll be roasting marshmallows over our new fireplace (!!!) while comparing purchases, okay?  This is what keeps me going.
• I also have fantasies of re-establishing the old solstice party, though it's not entirely clear that construction will be complete by Yuletide (kill me now, won't you?).
• But yeah, all you five people still reading here are invited, 'kay?
• There are socks, but they're not done.  There's spinning, and I haven't sent the wheel off to Marcy yet either, yet I'm not spinning much either.
• I'm seriously trying not to become one of those people who can talk of nothing but her home renovation.  And on one level, I think I might be successful: there are people in my life who have heard almost nothing about it, and I have no interest in reviewing the great Oak vs. Maple Debate with the vast majority of people in my life (verdict: maple, somewhat to my chagrin; don't ask).  I mean, if you're not living here, how could you possibly care, right?  Yet I have been captive to a few friends' renovations (not you, and not you either, and not you, except mom, maybe you a little, but since you're my mom you get a pass), and I really don't want to bore people with the minutiae of my renovation.  Yet, my life will, for the next few months, consist primarily of the following scintillating topics:

               - the main job, which I pretty much can't blog about except to say that I have attained what appears to be the pinnacle of my career as measured by syllables and punctuation, sporting, as I do as of July 1, not one but TWO ampersands, and a twenty-one syllable title.  Envy me.  I know you do.

                - the old job, in which I must work weekends to make exciting (!) SPSS tables, in addition to the SPSS tables I'll be making at the main job (I will note for the record here, as a follow-up to my last, scintillating statistical software-related post--because I know what keeps readers coming back!--that SPSS tables is worth learning if anyone but you reads your tables.)  Email me for more info if this is relevant to your life.  n=3, I know.

                - the renovation, and all the ways I'm enslaving myself to a salary and a regular job.  You know, the good stuff.

• I'm just hoping there will be a little knitting between now and then.  And of course, you know, the nervous breakdown, which Henry, Rhys, and I seem to be pacing each other on (Eleanor being the world's most flexible and easygoing child person).
• No promises.
• As an aside, is this actually my government? Okay, a) we're sorry, still, world, truly.  Apologies.  Also, I'm someone who has actually donated embryos to research, personally, like, yes, me, and my personal gametes.  As I mentioned to you in prior letters Mr. Bush, on a variety of topics, I shall repeat myself when I say MY BODY MY CHOICE.  Motherfucker.  I think I left off the "motherfucker" part in the letter to the white house, though.  Because I, unlike some other people (see first link above), have a concept of propriety.  In some contexts.  Shut up.
• Lee Ann is okay.  We IM'd a couple nights ago (I was like "whoa, this is actually *her*!) and she's just as Lee Ann as she ever was.  When they went spelunking inside her skull, they didn't take any of the Lee Ann-ness out.  She's theorizing they did something to amplify it, and she might not be wrong.  Spiff better stock up on chocolate is all I'm saying.
• In other net-connection news, I've had lovely meetups with Wooly Headed Ruth and Kat with a K over the last couple of weeks.  I ran into the manager of Webs at the pastry shop (don't ask) the other day, and she said most of their traffic these days comes from people stopping by on their way to somewhere else on vacation.  Apparently I'm not the only one who plans yarn stores in their itineraries.  I only got one ball of sock yarn, and I haven't even cast it on yet.   I may not be entirely well.  I'll try to keep in touch, but if I don't, just figure I'm too busy watching them tear down my house and writing large checks for the privilege.

Comments

[Rabbitch]

Hey, you never IM with ~me~. Stuck-up, that's what you are. Jes' plain stuck up. Think of the next five months in the dining room on the futon as your penance.

I'll shut up now, shall I? Yes indeed.

[Kathy]

Glad to hear from you! New manta -- it *will* be spacious, beautiful and worth it. Repeat.

[Rachel H]

motherfucker, bloody hell, that's a lot of shit you got going on!

21 syllables, eh? Geez. I feel unworthy now. My job title's only got seven. And not a single ampersand.

Keep breathing, dearheart. Go with that mantra Kathy suggested. And really, you'll be happier with the maple. Really. :o)

[Sara]

Gotta love maple. It's way less "yellow" than oak. You'll love it.

Crap Cate - that's a lot of stuff! For the record, you didn't let on about the half of it last night on the phone ;) Admittedly, we couldn't hear each other well, but I'm just sayin'...

Visits welcome. With or without SPSS tables while you're visiting. I'd even think "with" would be fun. 'Cuz I'm like that.

[Lee Ann]

I think you should have left the MOTHERFUCKER part in. It enhances the flow of the text so well.

(I will refrain from saying anything like "and we are all about the flow," given your current yard situation...)

I have not slept in three days and my staples are starting to stick out as if they have sprung from some odd little vein of metal in my head. I'm very frightnening. If you need help making sure that builder stays on schedule, you just let me know, honey.

[Carole]

Ummmm, hon? You sound a little stressed. Just saying'.
But, Solstice Festivals and Fiber Festival Sleep overs and Marshmallow roasting in the new house? I'm so there.

[Katy]

Wow. Just--wow.
You definitely need to find some time to knit. (And drink.)
I used spss(x) while doing my undergrad thesis (gender roles in picture books). It pretty much sucked in 1991, and I'm assuming it's not much better? I hope it won't be monopolizing your weekends forever.
And leave some ampersands for the rest of us, eh?

[Carrie]

Try to squeeze a little out of that big honking check to take a weekend or two away from the house (whether you have anywhere to go our not). Just to go somewhere there are no hammers. (Well, nail guns, which are louder.)
My DH is a contractor. Our house is always like that.
Maybe Eleanor can watch for signs of meltdown and slip some kiddie valiums in your morning coffees/juice.
And for me? Maple, all the way. (I knew you were holding that decision, waiting for me to chime in.) Actually, I think I like hickory better. But really, as it's your house and all, WTF do you care what I think? ;-)
Good luck.

[Chris]

Wishing you much luck and speed on your house project - after completing our in Feb. I know what you're going through - fortunatly we didn't have to move out of our rooms as originally planned, but it was a major disruption just the same - I'll say I don't mind reading about it!

[margene]

The house will be so worth it in the end. Good luck juggling everything...which you do so well anyway. You have a lot going on. Sorry, couldn't help. Wish I lived closer...I would be so there. Take care!

[Norma]

Holy.Crap. ! I feel like a huge slacker now. Looking forward to the marshmallows.

[Cara]

Wow. Just wow. And thank you. You make my life seem a little bit calm. ;-)

[Laurie]

It'll be worth it. Someday. And that day WILL come. Really. Honest. Workin' yet?

That programming or whatever that SPAZ stuff is doesn't move me, but I'm happy to listen to renovation tales. Anything to help my ole fiberbud who will put me up next year after Cummington.

Does that mean I shouldn't finish the basement?

[Kat with a K]

Hey, I want to IM! :-P Good luck with everything. Can't wait 'til the Solstice party!

[--Deb]

Wow, that is QUITE a catch-up post! So, you've been just a little busy lately, huh?

And, the Mystic Aquarium? I've seen the outside countless times, as Mystic is our family-favorite halfway-point rest/lunch stop on the way to Martha's Vineyard, but I've never once gone inside. Crazy, huh? (Of course, since I've travelled with my dog the last several years, it's a little trickier. I think they frown on introducing dogs to the fish?)

[Liz]

Seriously, PLEASE let us (me?) know about the minutia of your renovation -- my family is on the verge of undertaking something similar. Having lived through two or three of them (five-person family in three rooms, none of which is a kitchen, with all our furniture), I know two things: (1) I must be insane to be contemplating this; and (2) Once done, it'll be the best thing I've ever done with/to the house, other than buying it in the first place.

Hang in there!

[Judy]

about the renovation..this too will pass
and the present government.. we can only hope so

[Diane H K in Greenfield]

Yeah, I'd like to hear about the destruction/construction minutiae too. We're contemplating an addition next year on this tiny, old farmhouse in order to get our work studios (husband's=painting studio, mine=computers and design studio) out of the house so that our impending sprog will actually have a room of her own and not grow up in the living room.

And, of course, at some point we need to build another barn because, well, just because. The tractor and hay supply have been living in a Cover-It shelter, and that's not good for the long term.

Hopefully, you may still be able to make it to the Fiber Twist? It's always good to get out of the house, especially an abbreviated house. I may not make it myself to the Twist--baby's due just a couple weeks before (Eek! Thank goodness I've got a great Planning Committee)--but we'll see. I heard that last year there was a general coming-together of local Twist attendees at the People's Pint, which is a terrific place to hang.

Hoped to run into you at Cummington--we've never formally met in person--but it didn't happen. Dang.

Good luck with the house stuff. I'm definitely interested in all the gory details.

-Diane H K
organizer, Franklin County Fiber Twist

[Ruth]

Wow. I never would have guessed that you had ALL of that going on when I saw you ... we talked about the renovation, sure, but all the rest ... must have been the soothing effect of pastry. I'm all about the soothing effect of pastry. And alcohol. Pastry and alcohol. That's my prescription.

I, for one, will be watching for news of your renovation with keen interest, as we're heading down the same road, and I'd like to know what we're in for. (For the record ... I like maple.)

[Helen]

Wow, you have been busy! No wonder we haven't heard much.

You got me thinking; I would be happy to host Blegger here after the Fibertwist. :)

[JoVE]

I read the whole thing. Can I come for the solstice?

Seriously, that is a lot of shit going on. I'm amazed any of you are sane, much less a 4 year old. Anywhere to store beer in that there 3 rooms. Seems it might be a necessity.

[Linda]

I also think you should have left the "motherfucker" in. Stem cell research can provide the cure that will save my son and millions of other lives. We have mapped the human genome and now research is slowed to a snails pace because of HIS views. I thought this was a democracy.

I will step down from my soap box now.

[Riin]

Wow. I wondered where you'd been. Make sure you take a little time each day to relax. Deep breaths. Remember to breathe. In. Out. In. Out.

I have to have two job titles for my day job because no one knows what the official one means. Damn bureaucracy.

[Jody]

Way more than five people might try to show up for that party, is all I'm saying.

I love renovation talk, by the way. More than knitting talk, even, and I like your knitting talk a fair amount.

Good luck with the whole nervous-breakdown thing.

[Justine]

I'm with Sara, holy Crap that's a lot going on, I must say I'm jealous of your 3 rooms, we wintered in in 1 but sans little people and that made it easier. Hang in there... I am sure the maple will be like the flooring issue - tile verses laminate... it will soon be just a memory