Saturday's Musings

It's raining out.

For a change.

Just kidding.

It's been raining forever.

Puts me in a bad mood.

Also makes it very hard to get yard work done.

I did manage to get a few things done the other day.

The day the compost site was closed.

Here's a little story from that day:

I'd been working in the yard on a Tuesday; quite an unusual event for me. Especially this year. Anyway, I was in the house taking a break when I heard the doorbell ring. I wondered as I went upstairs to answer the door if one of my neighbors had noticed I was about. I opened the door wide. There were two young women. Not neighbors. I stood back reflexively. Kind of the way you'd stand back from someone you weren't sure about, safety-wise. The conversation went something like this:

Soxanne: Yes?

Two young women who look like Mormons except I've never seen Mormon women at the door before: (pause) Are there any Spanish speakers here?

S: (hesitates a moment) No, not today!

TYWWLLMEINSMWATDB: Oh, we're looking for Spanish speaking people.

S: Well, good luck with that...

TYWWLLMEINSMWATDB: Thank you.

Really, they should have been on the other end of town. When I asked one of my neighbors about it later she said no one had been at her door looking for Spanish speakers. Kinda makes you wonder. I suppose they look in the phone book before they go hunting for their special demographic.

So why do you think they were looking for Spanish speakers? (No right answer here, I didn't ask and they didn't tell).

I'm going to skip re-sealing the deck and dismantle it instead. We'll be able to use the wood to make ourselves a boat. If we can get the door open to go outside; it's sticking big time. I suppose it's just so bloated from the humidity it will just explode one of these days.

All Decked Out

Turns out you can make a hat and booties for a July baby and there's a chance he can wear them in September before he's outgrown them:
How about this for a caption: "Does this hat and booties set make my butt look big?"

The Life of Leisure

Today was the first day in my newfound life of leisure that was sunny and good to work outdoors. I attacked the shrubs on The Estate as they are in a dismal state of neglect after the Summer That Wasn't. We also had a blowout storm last night and there were many branches about as a result.

I got everything loaded up and went to the compost site.
Which is closed on Tuesdays.

On a brighter note, Girl-child and I went for breakfast last Sunday and it was quite tasty. She was a gracious guest given the fact that I was in a gloomy mood that morning.
On the knitting front, I finished Girl-child's Mardi Gras socks, which I think were not photographed until now:
I also finished the first Loksins - something that Yarn Harlot made some time ago and I had in my queue. The yarn was purchased in London last March.
I believe the color is closer to the second picture, although the pattern shows up nicely above.

Can't say why, but I started a Citron shawl. At this point it looks more like a lettuce leaf, imho, but perhaps that will change when it's done and blocked.

Best of Intentions

Today is the first day of my new Life of Leisure; no office hours scheduled, Pato's off to Chile to celebrate the bicentennial and Boy-child is at Girl-child's place in Prospect Park.

I was going to work in the yard

Not happening

Pato's parting gift to me was his cold

Thanks, dear

I have "celebrated" by staying in my nightgown all morning

All I've done are things a person does on a sick day

I watched Ellen

I love Ellen

Seriously, if I were gay I'd be all over her

I watched The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice

This has got to be one of the tackiest movie series ever made

Ever

I re-did the heel of the sock that I messed up last weekend

I've been reading The Lost City of Z

Fabulous book

Mary Kingsley meets Redmond O'Hanlon meets Javier Reverte

Fantastic book

I took a bath with a fizz-ball I had stashed away

A good scout is always prepared

I was prepared

It's raining out

I wouldn't have done yard work today anyway

Of course, there's plenty to do inside

Not having done anything all summer

Maybe next week

Exit Interview Excerpts

Head of U Libraries HR: So, did you work at Magrath all five years?

What Soxanne Wanted To Say: Are you kidding me? You don’t even know where I have been working? Did you not look at my file before I came up here?

What Soxanne Said: (uncomfortable pause) Um. No. Actually, I worked a weekly shift at Magrath for some of that time but I was at EFW and the branches

HoULHR: Right, that’s what I meant! You were in St Paul the whole time?

WSWtS: Liar!

WSS: Yes.

(Bad start. Really bad start) Blah blah blah blah

HoULHR: I hear you already started your new job. What are you doing there?

WSS: I’m doing a lot of Information Literacy and Library instruction as well as reference.

HoULHR: And how did you get interested in that?

WSS: I did volunteer work at Franklin Learning Center and discovered I really liked teaching and working with adults. 70% of the students there are Somali women, and while the student population at my new job is not the same demographic, it is a population that does not normally have the opportunity to go to college. They are hard working and highly motivated.

HoULHR: Oh, I did volunteer work with Southeast Asians for a while. What rewarding work that is! We have so much to learn from the immigrant population … blah blah blah (goes into politically correct speech)…

WSWtS: OMG! Do I have to listen to you go on about your greatness and how wonderful it is to work with The Little People?

WSS: Yes. Well, you know, I’m married to an immigrant.

HoULHR: Oh! You know all about it then!

Blah, blah blah ….

HoULHR: You know your boss thinks you’re wonderful and that you did great work here. Would you ever consider coming back to work at the University Libraries?

WSWtS: I hope not.

WSS: Maybe if the job paid what the work was worth.

(HoULHR blames central University HR for this and does not seem to see herself as potential advocate for library employees. I would also assume that if I had been a different demographic from my predecessor I would have never been paid 15% less than she was paid - whether because of political correctness or a potential lawsuit we'll never know).

HoULHR: So, what was your favorite project that you worked on during your time here?

WSS: Working with the rare collection.

HoULHR: Oh! Is there a rare collection over there?!?

WSWtS: So not only do you know nothing of me, you don’t know anything about the libraries in St Paul!?!?

WSS: Yes, actually, there are two Collections of Distinction headed for the Google project …. (goes on to outline the St Paul rare collections)….

Summer to Autumn Knitting

I really did finish this, and I took pictures too. Can't find the FO pics though, so you'll have to imagine it without the needles:
I am very pleased with it and will probably try another pattern by the same person - no seaming involved, all done in one piece.
I feel like I've turned a corner with this sweater - something I was able to do without assistance, I like the outcome and it was interesting to knit.

In the meantime, I've taken this out of Girl-child's hands and am attempting to finish it. It's time for a fitting:
It may be a little long so there may be some ripping back, or if not then only the (short) sleeves have to be done.
The pink is Cerisara from Bonnie Burns' Chic Knits. I think I'll try Keelin next. The teal is Wrenna from French Girl Knits. I can't remember ever working on size 17 needles before; it was fast but unforgiving. The pattern was so-so (probably not a good first lace pattern for Girl-child).

Lists

Time to start my list of "Things to do now that I'm part time and trying to catch up from The Summer That Wasn't"

Here goes:

• Sleep
• Clean
• Knit more
• Read more
• Re-seal the deck
• Go to the Goodwill
• Yardwork
  

Amazingly, I have been able to sleep until 8:00 on several occasions; can't remember when that happened last. I started to purge my desk the other day and that was a good start on the cleaning even if it produced nothing for the Goodwill. I have taken over a sweater that was making Girl-child dislike knitting. I started The Elegance of the Hedgehog and decided against it so I've switched to The Lost City of Z.

A good start. Oh, and today I am getting my hair cut - something I have been unable to schedule all summer.

Small things mean so much. Getting a big thing done would be good too, but for now small will be just fine.

Stay tuned for photos as well as excerpts from the most surreal exit interview ever.

Smart Car

Check out the "tea cozy" for a Smart Car - turned it into a roller skate, of sorts:

The full article can be found here. Apparently they were looking for activities to bring young designers and older crafty folks together.

Thanks, Pato, for finding the NPR story.