Sidetracked

I had good intentions...really I did. I wanted to finish telling you about the 2-3 days of crazypantsness that my family (in particularly my mom and I) experienced. But then life went on in it's usual craziness (which is different than crazypants craziness) and, honestly, I forgot about what happened. I know there was a pit bull that almost attacked us on a walk (I did a lot of yelling in that incident) and another incident that I can't recall...maybe it was the carpet cleaner breaking, or blowing a fuse while we cleaned the carpets, or...well, who knows...

So, yes, I forgot my story...let's just all move along now, shall we?

This weekend my best friend scored some awesome tickets to the UGA vs. Troy game.

View of the field from our seats.

The two of us plus my friend's brother and a mutual friend of theirs, enjoyed watching UGA romp Troy all afternoon. The final score was 66-0. I have never seen a total shutout before. In fact, I'm not sure that Mark Richt (UGA's current head coach) has ever allowed a shutout before. I don't think he likes to run the score up on teams like that. It's not really "nice" to run your opponent into the ground just because you can and Richt is about integrity. The crazy thing was, I don't think UGA was trying to run up the score. I just think Troy was having some serious issues getting it together on the field.

Regardless, it was a fun day and a win is a win. I'll take it.

Halftime with the Redcoat Band.

Megan and I on a little side trip to the upper decks.

Story Time: Part I

I know I have been away for awhile. I have been training a co-worker who just joined my department, carefully monitoring my recovering cat, and, to top it all off, we got slammed with an insurance audit about 4 weeks earlier than anticipated. September was off to a great start!

The last few days have been a comedy of errors and I feel that they warrant a little story telling. So gather round children, tonight I bring the first tale.

Yesterday, my parents had planned to grill out for dinner. However, my dad wasn't feeling well. As soon as I got home he fired up the grill and went to bed. First, I must tell you how we got the grill started: my dad cranked the propane tank up until it was full open. He then stood there trying to strike a match for a good 2-3 minutes. As soon as he stuck the match into the grate a blaze whooshed up and nearly singed his eyebrows and some low hanging tree branches. Then he closed the lid and went to bed.

I go inside and my mom comes home. I set to pattying out the hamburgers and my mom decides to throw the chicken on the grill. She steps outside and proceeds to yell, "Oh my gosh! The grill is on fire!" I look out the door and there are flames coming out from under the lid and from under the bottom of the grill. And they are flaming in the direction of the propane tank. I yell, "Get the fire extinguisher!" and mom and I take off running in opposite directions.

I head for the garage because I just happened to notice we had a fire extinguisher out there when I was getting trash bags from the cabinet last weekend. My mom has placed a large box in front but I use my Herculean, adrenaline-fueled strength to shove it out of the way. In the meantime my mom has run to the basement and is yelling, "Where is it?!?!" because she can't find the extinguisher down there. She does manage to find it and comes barreling up the steps as I'm tearing back through the den, ripping the extinguisher from the box. We're both pulling the pins and throwing them on the nearest surface and arrive at the grill about 10 seconds apart.

At this point I'm trying to aim and spray my extinguisher but there is a mounting bracket attached to the back that is making it impossible for me to spray the darn thing. My mom does not have this hindrance and manages to spray the flames and put out the fire before anything explodes or the deck catches fire.

We then proceed to stand there panting and going, "Is it out?" "I need to turn off the propane. Is it safe to go over there?" "Why is the grill still smoking? Is it still on fire?!?" After 5 minutes of debating my mom goes inside, gets an oven mitt, comes out and shuts off the propane. She then yells, "The food!" and has to rush back inside to make sure the dog isn't eating raw meat off the counter. After another few minutes (in which I was standing on the back deck still very concerned that something was about to blow up) my mom comes outside and opens the lid of the grill. A whiff of smoke slithers out but the fire was really and truly vanquished.

Mom and go back inside to cook dinner (on the stove and the George Foreman grill) and my dad eventually pokes his head out of the bedroom (remember, he was in bed this *whole time*). My mom tells him, "Oh, in case you're wondering, we just put out a fire on the grill. It was coming out the sides and the bottom." My dad kind of shrugs and says, "Yeah, that's happened before. I think there's something wrong with the connecting line. You just have to turn the propane off and then turn it on real low." Then dude eats a hot dog and goes back to bed.

Mom and I stand there a little stunned...does a "bad connection line" sound like a good thing when we're talking about propane and fire?!?! Does this mean the grill could have exploded in a fiery blaze before?!?! Why do we still have this death trap still near our home?!?!

Needless to say our little fire extinguisher episode was the final nail in the coffin for the grill. Looks like we'll be grill shopping soon...

Socks, Socks, Socks

I haven't posted lately about what I've been knitting but it can be summed up in one word: socks.

For some reason I was hit with the desire to knit socks and the obsession has been going strong for about two months. In that time I have knit 6 pairs and there is another pair started already. Granted, these are small socks, intended for little people, but still...6 pairs in two months.

At least his yearning for socks has resulted in some of my HUGE stash of sock yarn being used up.

The first 3 pairs I made were with some rainbow hued sock yarn (Zauberball if you're interested).

This is the first pair I made. I'm calling them the "Hot and Cold Socks" since they look so different (they really are from the same ball of yarn).

These are the  second and third pair I made (sorry it's sideways...I could fix it but I'm lazy). They are made with roughly the same stitch count but the second pair is a little longer and leaner. For someone with narrow feet I guess.

After I used up all the Zauberball I picked up two skeins of Knit Pick Stroll (one solid, one variegated) and made these. They are a 38 stitch waffle pattern used in a lot of charity knitting. These socks are pretty warm and thick. They'll go well in some boots or even just for hanging out on a cold day.

This is is pair I've currently started. They're actually almost to the heel turn but I didn't take a picture of that. The cuff is a linen stitch which gives it some nice texture. I have no idea what kind of yarn it is because I got this from someone who started some socks of their own and then decided they weren't really the sock knitting type. I'm using a pattern from a Cat Bordhi book: New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I also made two little learning socks from that book but forgot to take a picture of them (that would be the other 2 completed pairs). All the socks I've made will go to charity though I am contemplating making a pair for myself soon.

I am continuing to knit every day in order to keep my sanity (or what's left of it). So, even if I'm not sharing about it, chances are I'm making something.

Dear Facebook, We're Breaking Up

Sometimes I hate Facebook.

Let me be clear: there are some good things that have come out of joining Facebook. I have met friends the world over who I love and cherish. I have found support in times of great need. I have been able to pray for those who needed prayer. I have stayed connected with people that, without this medium, it would be nearly impossible.

And yet...

Sometimes I hate Facebook. There is a lot of misinterpreted, half-truths, and slanted stories that end up smattered over by news feed. Add in well-meaning but often misguided personal opinions and just plain out rants and I don't think I can handle it.

I have a problem with media in general. I think it elicits too much fear. One week we hear front page news that reeks of calamity and catastrophe. The next week the situation has stabilized or resolved and suddenly we never hear about it again. Yes, there are some things that we need to hear about. Social justice issues need a conduit for reaching the masses. But people need to realize that things like genocide, war, natural disasters, and epidemics have been going on for hundreds of years, often with more disastrous consequences than in this age. This doesn't mean that we should turn a blind eye, it means we need to stop sensationalizing it. We need to report facts and stop putting a spin on it. We need to extend the hand of hope and healing instead of the earful of scaremongering.

So, I'm breaking up with Facebook. I'm on a quest to reduce the amount of unnecessary anxiety in my life and Facebook falls into that category. I'm going to delete Facebook off my phone and limit my Facebook checking to once a day on my computer at home, if I have time. I hope that you all understand my choice. I will still be on Twitter and you can always email me. But Mark Zuckerberg...

You're on my short list...and I don't mean that in a good way.

The Year of Purging: Work Edition

Today was kind of a slow day at work. I was incredibly grateful since for the last month I have been working like a madman. Since I had the time, I was inspired to do some purging. After all, I have been (slowly but surely) purging things at home. Why not at work too? I know for a fact that there were papers in my bottom desk drawer that I have been there since I was an intern two years ago. I figured it was time to free up some of that space. Plus, the top of my desk was starting to spill over onto the desk adjacent.

My desk was looking something akin to Denis Nedry's.

I wish I had some after pictures. I sent at least 20 pounds of paper to the shredder and cleaned everything off the top of my desk except for some papers that needed immediate attention. I even made hanging file folders for the papers I wanted to keep and manilla folders for each of my current clients.

It's amazing how much better I feel without all that "stuff" junking up my space! It's definitely inspired me to keep up the cleaning.

Happy Cat, Tired Mother

Actually, better make that "exhausted mother."

Remember how I thought we had everything with Penelope figured out? Turns out we didn't. On Tuesday night my mom came up to feed her and noticed she was acting weird (licking her face and turning her head). Then she saw that there was blood on the plate of food. Wednesday morning I take Penelope to the vet's office (again) and I find out her sinus has ruptured and she is draining blood and pus FROM A HOLE ON HER FACE. Vet thinks she has an abscessed tooth. Surgery scheduled for that afternoon. Two teeth removed. Cat put on a soft food diet for a week. Today, she is purring, eating bunches, and has more energy than she has had in three weeks. Praise. The. Lord.

Chillin' with my kitty.

This whole experience has left me mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially drained. I think I'm entitled to a little lie down...right?

Third Time's a Charm

This morning I had to take Princess Penelope to the internal medicine specialist.

"I hate you."

As you may remember we have been trying to figure out Penelope's mysterious illness for almost a week now. Initially it was thought to be her kidneys. But her kidneys looked good. Then it was thought it was her liver. But her liver levels were fine. Today it was determined that it is likely her pancreas. Side note: She actually has a really gnarly looking cyst on her liver but the doc said it was actually ok.

Penelope had another ultrasound and an x-ray. She also had bloodwork sent off to determine 100% for sure it is the pancreas. The doctor said the pancreas was enlarged and that many of the symptoms (which are also similar to kidney and liver disease) can be caused by pancreatitis.  She thinks that it is a chronic issue that has been giving her fits in the past (and possibly causing her to lose to weight over the past 2 years). We will know by Tuesday for sure. We should also know how bad things are as well. The doctor put her on a daily pill (Lord help us) so the next challenge will be trying to get her to take that. On Tuesday we should know if anything else is needed (fluids, antibiotics, etc.).

Penelope has spent the rest of her day since coming home walking around, eating, and drinking some cat milk.

She's not 100% back to her old self but hopefully she will be feeling better in a few days.

Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers! Hopefully the worst is behind us and we can focus on managing the pain and other issues for many looooong years.