So much to do, so little time

As I boarded Delta's flight out of San Diego yesterday, I had a plan to use my 4 hours in captivity catching up on all of your blog posts I've missed.  I never got to it and today there are 286 posts I haven't read.  Oy. Goodness knows I didn't have time while I ran all over San Diego finding first an apartment, then moving in, waiting for ATT-Uverse, buying furniture, buying essentials like food, cleaning supplies, uniforms and doing the backflips the DMV makes one do when moving to another state.  You get the picture--we had full dance cards daily.  The problem with my plan to catch up when in the air is that while planes do have wifi now, it's not that good.  In total frustration, I gave up.  Instead I read, The Last Man, by, Vince Flynn, while knitting a square on the roll.  I have each square down to about 3 to 4 hours now.  Still, it'll take a good 200 hours of work to make enough for a blanket.

I cried about 4 times yesterday.  Once in the airport, twice on the plane, and once when my husband met me at the gate when I landed (he works in the airport so he can meet me there).  When I think about it, for all of my blathering on to others about how important it is to embrace change, I'm not at that good about doing it myself.  I don't plan to do anything about this little character issue, except to accept that this is who I am and find a healthy way to channel the anxiety this creates.

He's moved on and I either accept and find ways to accumulate frequent flyer miles or sit around moping.  Kicking, screaming and tantrums really won't work to fix the way I feel on the inside.

While we didn't really have an opportunity to site-see, we did take time to go for a drive or two along the coast.   He's living on the edge of La Jolla, just a few miles from the beach, so we drove there and to Pacific Beach for an early dinner.  That was right before that front moved through that ultimately became the storm that hit the midsection and dumped all that snow.

This photo was not eye level.  It was taken looking down from a second story perch.  Those waves were high and there were many surfers braving the chilly ocean temperatures.

 The waves were impressive as the front approached, though we didn't really see them at their peak.  The rain that followed conveniently did so during the night and was equally impressive.  We did make it to Coronado for lunch one day.  The weather was glorious, if not a little cool.  Still, even though it was chilly, the sun was shining, which is more than I can say for Detroit.  Old Town San Diego and The Gas Lamp will have to wait for our next visit in August when we visit for his graduation from the academy.

I hope you're all well and I promise, I plan on catching up today.

FYI, we flew over that front that's headed this way.  Let me just say for those in the path:  get thee to the grocer and also make sure there's fuel for the snowblower.

From the road's end

My son and I took off late on Wednesday and arrived in San Diego today only slightly worse for the wear. We checked into our hotel after an afternoon of apartment hunting, and now I find myself wondering if I'm going to be able to bear the loud mouthed teenager in the pool all night long. It's around 80 degrees here and will be cooler tomorrow. With luck, the loud mouth will be out of the pool soon, isn't in an adjacent room tonight and will find the high temp of 65 degrees tomorrow to be too cold for the pool.

Tomorrow we will resume apartment hunting, though it's all obscenely expensive and we should just get it over with and make a decision. There is one strong contender.  It's a wee little apartment and I'm deep in shock over what you don't get for the money here, but it's in a nice area within walking distance of shops, restaurants and is near the ocean.

Posting from my iPad could be fussy, but I thought you'd like to know where we've been. We drove from Michigan, through Illinois & Indiana and have seen parts of The Mother Road in Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico.  We have run over tumbleweed, seen more trains than we could count, and ate the best chicken fried steak in a Route 66 diner in Oklahoma.  I had my doubts when the waitress brought me a plate of beige food covered in white gravy, but take my word, it was delicious. I think it was called Clayton's, or some such thing. I will also forever dream of the fresh potato chips I inhaled in a steakhouse in Amarillo. They were sublime. Last night we had dinner in Sedona after a white knuckled rim drive down a mountain and while it was delicious, I was too exhausted to really appreciate the food.

Pictures later, as I really don't have the energy to fight with this device, and I left my laptop behind.  Hope you're all well. I might have a chance to catch up a bit tomorrow.

Any way the wind blows

I'm a little winter weary, though I'm not complaining. We do need the snow for our summer crops.  I just wish it would fall all at once and be done with it.  Instead we're getting those little Alberta Clippers that blow through town leaving a few inches of snow in their wake.  One. Right. After. The. Other.  Every other day brings a couple of fresh inches of snow that seems to have an affinity for beginning right during the morning rush, or if that's not possible, then the evening rush hour.  It's so convenient!  Not!

The beach is sounding particularly good to me right now.

But one should always take care when wishing right?  A beach will indeed be in my near future as Brian will be leaving Michigan sooner than later.  The bad thing is we'll be traveling by car 2, 700 miles to get there (35 hours of driving).  I think the recruiter's mind is finally made up and hopefully he won't change it again.  At least I hope not as I'm booking my return flight tonight.  It's non-refundable and costing a king's ransom since it's such short notice.  If I want refundable, it would cost me an extra $645, which is kind of crazy.  And while I'm on the subject of airway robbery, why is a one way trip home $400, but a round trip is $437?  I'm perplexed.

We'll leave the middle of next week so he has time to take care of business, like getting a California driver's license and plates for his car, uniforms, a place to live and furniture to sit and sleep on.

I'm taking stock, trying to stay calm and considering what knitting I'll need for this long, long ride.

Socks.
The never ending sweater.
My Downton Abbey gauntlets
My Squares on the Roll blanket
Something different in case I'm bored with the above.

And lots and lots of tissues.  Tears will be involved with this adventure.  We haven't left yet and I'm already feeling verklempt.

Where I actually talk about knitting

Well I'm not on the road to California quite yet.  While we thought we'd have to leave sometime soon, he isn't due to start his new job now until May.  That means our grueling road trip can wait until April, and we can make the journey during tornado season instead of the snowy one.  Hmmm.  Somehow I think I prefer slippery conditions to traversing Tornado Alley, Oklahoma.  How do people live with that every year?

I've not been knitting a lot lately, or at least it hasn't seemed like a lot, but maybe it really is.  I'm participating in the Ravelry KAL in the Jimmy Beans Wool group.  We're knitting gauntlets for the Downton Abbey knit along.  We're halfway through season 3 of Downton Abbey and halfway through the project.  I have one mitt to show for it and I'm hoping I took good enough notes.  I knit as directed for the arm, but once I got to the wrist, I thought it too loose and made decreases to fit my hand.  I did not use the Lorna's Laces specially died yarn, but chose instead some Madelinetosh Pashmina from the stash.  It's beautiful, and if I may say so myself, a little better suited to lace.  The striped Downton Abbey yarn seemed a little busy.

I'm also still working on that never ending sweater from late last year.  Every day, I knit a repeat of the cabled hem.  It's boring, monotonous, mundane, but, oh, it's pretty and clever.  Someday I'll finish.  Just in time for warm weather, I'm sure.

In the middle of all of that, the remnants of some Blue Moon Fiber Arts BFL sport yarn in Ravenscroft was calling my name.  I had 80 grams left after knitting a shawl, but just let it sit until it spoke to me.  That was Monday night.  I read a recent Yarn Harlot post about her knitting her daughter a Wurm hat.  I have one myself already and it's my go-to hat all winter long.  It felt right.  That's what that yarn wanted to be.  I cast on with abandon and prayed there would be enough.  I'm two repeats away from casting off and I have 24 grams of yarn left.  Wish me luck.  I'll be heartbroken if there isn't enough.

That's it from Detroit where once again, it's snowing. Shocking, I know.  It's been warm, cold, rainy, blustery, snowy,windy and bitterly cold here, all in the span of a week.  Since that rodent in Pennsylvania did not see his shadow,  maybe we will get a reprieve from this whacky winter weather soon.  I'll not hold my breath.

Careful what you pray for

Someone in my family had good news this week.  After a two year search, and a gazillion interviews, our son has landed the job of his dreams.  In southern California. I know.  I'm sad.

A road trip is called for!  By February 1st, we will pack what's reasonable to carry into a Ford Focus--after the golf clubs, that won't be much--and we'll head first south, and then west.  I hope he packs hankies. I don't think we can handle the more direct route through the mountains in the heart of winter, so we'll follow the trail of The Mother Road.  Route 66. I'm already looking for diners along the route that we simply can't miss, and landmarks we shouldn't.

I can't quite believe I'm doing another cross country trip by car in less than 6 months.  At least I get to fly home at the end of this one. Though I'm sure I won't want to leave him there.

Oh, hell.  I can't think about that...

Nope.  Can't go there yet.  I'd rather focus on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and an amazing soundtrack.

When life isn't fair

Of all the things one can catch, I can think of many that are better than what I caught this week.  I mean catching fireflies is fun, so is catching the right mate. Catching your plane on time can take you away to places exotic, warm and beautiful.

Catching the flu?  Not so great.

Despite my best efforts at avoidance, like getting vaccinated, eating well, being clean and washing my hands all of the time, I have contracted influenza.  Everything hurts, including my hair follicles and I have a persistent fever that despite taking ibuprofen in prescription strength, hasn't budged from 101 degrees.  I am the third person in my home who has been brought low by the flu, even though we all had our vaccines.  I'm sure we're dealing with a strain that wasn't in the shot.  We were each one miserable.

This all started Thursday and it's not too late for me to get Tamiflu...if I could only stand upright long enough to get up, get dressed, go to urgent care and let someone stick a swab down my nose.  Dying sounds preferable to all of that.

What a miserable little virus!

When negatives make a positive

I'm making one self indulgent and empowering resolution this year.  I'm not talking about my expanding waist size, or other physical problems I may have.   Last year, my attempts to let go and be a forgiving human being were fairly successful.  Of course I endeavored to forgive just one person, so maybe that's why it worked out so well.  I didn't take on the Universe.  Just one annoying occupant and for the most part, the moment I let her go in my mind, I've barely given her a thought.

This year, my sole resolution is to embrace the word, no.

No.

Usually thought of as something negative, the word, no,  can be a positive if you learn how to use it to your benefit and as a complete sentence.  Can you work today?  No.  How about the next 4 days in a row because I was incredibly shortsighted and didn't plan for a dearth of nurses even though I'm the one who gave them all that time off?  No.  All by itself, it's an answer that requires no further adjectives, verbs or nouns.  Not, no, I'm busy. Or tired. Or sick. Or overwhelmed.  Just, No. I will grant you that the only way it's positive is if I count it as thus.  For instance, months ago, I set my schedule and worked full time ahead of the holiday so I could afford to take the entire week off between Christmas and New Year's Day.  When my boss begged me to work extra this week, I capitulated, allowed myself to be cajoled, and worked an additional 20 hours I'd not planned to work while she went on vacation.  Who's the fool?  Me.  Today I'm exhausted and feel completely empty after a marathon stretch of days triaging the problems of the sick.  Changing from full time to contingent this past year was to benefit me, not others, but I'm allowing myself to feel pressured to say yes all of the  time.  Well, not anymore.  As of this moment forward, if it doesn't fit into my schedule, I will allow myself to say NO to my heart's content.  If this decision is thought to be selfish, well, so be it.  If I don't see to my own well being and sanity, who will?

While I fully realize that this can be perceived as a negative at a time I'm supposed to be positive and looking forward, I kind of think that making time for myself is positive, and learning to use the word, NO,  liberally,  is a good way to start my year.

Happy New Year, my friends.  And if you have any advice on how to say no whilst making it sound like a positive thing, I'm all ears!