OTN Tuesday

Sorry I skipped Finished Object Friday but guess what?  I had no finished objects.  I’m so close.  I have a thumb left and the [He's Driving Me Crazy] gloves for my BF will be done!  I’ve knitted 30 inches of the [He Made Me Dinner] scarve (only 15 more inches plus the edging to go).  Block the scarf, pick up and knit the ribbing on the armholes of the vest I’m knitting Critter and I can knock off three projects rather quickly.  Let’s hope I have some Finished Objects for Friday!

Just how addicted am I to coffee?

I am 71% Addicted to Coffee

JustSayHi - A Free Dating Website

Actually, I’m probably more than 71% addicted. Critter taught himself to make coffee for me when he was 4 years old. He saw it as a way to suck up to mommy. LOL.

OTN Tuesday

I finally got my Ravelry invite (I’m loving it.  Won’t be getting much work done today) and since I added this blog link to my profile I’m guessing I should add knitting content.  So, Tuesdays will be OTN (on the needle) Tuesdays and Fridays will be FO (finished objects) Friday (or posts about what hindered my progress).

So, OTN right now are:

1. [He's Driving Me Wild] Gloves from Never Knit Your Man a Sweater by Judith Durant. (for my BF for his birthday).
2. [He cooked me dinner, and it was good!] Diamond scarf from Never Knit Your Man a Sweater by Judith Durant. (for my BF for his birthday).
3. On Deck Pullover from Knit Picks.
4. Pull Over vest for my son (store bought pattern)
5. Cable sweater for me (store bought pattern).

I decided this year to knit Christmas gifts for my brother and his family and knit my boyfriend’s birthday and Christmas gifts.  What was I thinking?!?!?  I have my brother’s gift done, and my BF’s birthday gifts may be done by his birthday next week but unless my SIL and her kids gifts knit up quick I’m screwed.  Argh.  And now I have a new web site to play with?!?!  I guess I can give up sleeping.

Getting what I need

On my way home from work I talked to my boyfriend.  I asked him if he could take Critter to cub scouts two weeks from today so I could go to an Orthodox Christian Women meeting that is being held at our Church.  He said yes.  :)  He went with me to the den meeting tonight to see where it was and how things worked.  This is one of the many reasons I love him so much.  He’ll definitely know how much I appreciate what he’s doing for me.

Heads you win, tails I lose.

Situations like this find me stuck between single-motherhood and hard place.  Critter is in Cub Scouts and we won’t give that up for anything.  But, any other activity that I want to do ends up being on a Monday night.  So, once again my needs end up set aside for my son.

I am not angry at my son or even at the situation of being a single mother.  I’m just frustrated.  I’d like to be able to have a regular activity.  I’d love to rejoin a community band but all the local ones reherse on Mondays.  I’d like to join the Othodox Christian Women group but they meet on Mondays.  I have decided I will rejoin Yoga; classes are held at my place of work durning lunchtime.  My boss isn’t going to like that but you know what, it’s MY lunch hour and I can do what I please.

I feel as though someone turned off a switch and I find myself suddenly unable to deal with stress.  The smallest things are setting me off.  Don’t worry, fellow reader, I am doing something about it.  I just feel a bit defeated.  I’d done so well for so long dealing with life without outside help and I’m not sure what is different now.  There is nothing wrong with needing outside help though, something I wish I had learned a long time ago.  I definitely didn’t wait nearly as long to seek help this time and hopefully will be back on track very soon.

Friday night is date night

I love Friday evenings, especially when it’s my weekend with Critter.  Last year we would go to Leo’s Coney Island for dinner then watch a movie.  This evening, he wants to cook.  So, he’s making me Ham and Egg Hashbrowns and we’ll rent a movie - probably Fever Pitch.  Sometimes we play games.  Sometimes we even have Nana and Grandpa over.  As we get latter into Fall we’ll add having a fire in the fireplace to our Friday night date night.

We were going to go camping this weekend but with the State of Michigan government looking at having to shut down and the fact that we had reservations at a state park I decided I didn’t want to risk it.  So, we decided that a quiet weekend at home would be better.

Quiet?  Did I hear someone laugh maniacly when I said quiet?  Okay, it’s not going to be a completely quiet weekend but that almost never happens.  Saturday we need to order new frames and lenses for Critter and will probably do some grocery shopping.  Sunday is Church then some family time with Nana and Grandpa.  Oh ya, and homework.  Can’t forget the homework.

My son, the comedian

My boyfriend is sick.  He has diverticulitis.  He’s on heavy-duty antibiotics and may need to be admitted to the hospital.  Monday evening, I was explaining this to Critter.  He asked, “Is he going to die?”  He asked the question so matter-of-factly that it took me by surprise.  I responded that in all likelihood he would recover.  Then my son said, “Well, if he goes to the hospital and they can’t make him better he’ll die.”  I scrambled to put a good spin on this because while my boyfriend is ill, and it is somewhat serious, the changes of him dying are slim.  I tell my son, with all the conviction I could muster while trying not to laugh hysterically, that it wasn’t going to come to that.  His response?  “Well, if he dies can I go to the funeral?”.  At this point I gave up all pretense of seriousness and said that of course he could go to the funeral.

I have not sheltered my son from death.  It happens and to everyone.  Hopefully the person lives a long and healthy life but eventually everyone dies.  In our Church we mourn for our loss but celebrate that the departed are with Christ and God in Heaven.  Christopher has gone to funerals since his great-grandfather passed away when Critter was about 18 months old.  He’s witnessed the passing of people with many years behind them and he’s witnessed the passing of a 17 year old boy who died of leukemia.  This past weekend he did not attend the funeral of our fellow parrishioner who died at the age of 93 and I think he felt a bit left out and wanted to make sure he wouldn’t miss my boyfriend’s funeral.  While he has a health respect for death I think he sees funerals as a bit of a social event, something that he’s missed out on if he doesn’t attend.  I guess in a way funerals are social from the standpoint that the living gather to remember the dead and to help each other mourn.

I only hope we don’t have to attend another funeral for a very long time.

The wheel in the hamster cage goes round and round

Stop the world!  I want to get off!!

The past two weeks have been far busier than I’d planned or hoped.  What started out as a relaxing school year has turned into work hell which has spilled over to home.  Gone are my nice, leisurely mornings and by the time I get home I’m so exhausted that I can barely stay awake long enough to see that my son does his homework.  I love working but as my son gets older being a working mom is getting harder.  I think I’m beyond the point of saying “Oh, it’s not so hard” when people ask me how I do it being a single mom and all.  It’s hard and it’s getting harder.

I read somewhere that if you are a working mother you have three lives - work, mom and CEO of the household and that you can do two of three things well.  I am really finding that to be true.  If it weren’t for my amazing boyfriend my apartment would still be uncomfortably cluttered.  My main focus is being a mother.  If the dishes don’t get done that night then oh well.  But they have to get done eventually and unless I can stop coming home from work drop-dead exhausted they won’t.  I had a bought of vertigo last Sunday and this weekend had a bad migraine and was sick to my stomach for two days.  This can’t be good.

I just need the wheel in the hamster cage to stop for a few days… That really isn’t too much to ask, is it?

Fabulous Friday?

Well, today marks the day of a very long week.  Critter is slowly getting back to his old self but asked me this morning not to pressure him anymore.  When I asked him what he meant he clammed up.  My tenure as president of the local medical librarian association went unacknowledged at yesterday’s meeting and even though it wasn’t a personal slight I can’t help but take it personally.  Lastly, a fellow parishioner passed away yesterday and though she was 93 years young and lived a long life I’m still very sad.

The best thing about this week was I caved and told my boyfriend that I was knitting him a  scarf and gloves for his birthday so that I could knit them in front of him and actually have a snowball’s chance in hell of finishing them on time.

This week was the kind of week where I felt like I was just going through the motions and not really living it.  Perhaps that’s why I’m feeling so disconnected and discontent.  I have gotten a lot done but I haven’t really moved forward.    I’m not really sure how to fix  things.  I feel like what I really need is a week off from everything so I can take my time getting caught up and moving in a forward direction.  I don’t have that kind of time so I guess I’ll have to figure out how to do what I need to do in the time I have.

Yay, what an uplifting post.  Sorry.

Whiney Wednesday

Have you ever had one of those days were everything just seems to rub you the wrong way?  That’s how I feel today.  Fall allergies are kicking my ass and taking names and I’m exhausted.  Work has been busy and stressful the last 2 weeks.  Critter and I are still trying to get acclimated to the new routine of the new school year and my apartment is still a mess.  Last year my ex’s GF would pick Critter up on the days he was with his dad, which was very nice.  She’s not been doing that yet this year and it’s cutting down on my time.   Okay, I’m done whining.

I decided to knit Christmas gifts this year and am panicking because I’m not sure I have enough time.  I have too many projects on the needle.  I have one gift that needs to be done by October 10th (for a birthday) and am coming to the conclusion that I should tell the person what I’m doing so I can knit the gift while he’s with  me.  Not being able to knit the gift while he’s around is really cutting down on my time, especially since I can’t count on my lunch hour at work (don’t even ask - I said I was done whining).

Would you rather have a knitted gift on time but not a surprise, or a surprise but late?