pandasmom

pandasmom
2 of my kids and me

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

So, I haven't posted in a really long time! I have been so busy - work, training new people, a few days in hospital from an unknown virus, and more work. Now it's time for the holidays - Thanksgiving tomorrow, and Christmas will be here before you know it! I am knitting when I can, and Knit Group is a priority for me!!
I am working on socks for my boss, and I think mittens for the kids. So I have a lot to do before Christmas. Also, we are getting busier at work and that contributes to the stress.
And then there is a blanket for our new little girl who is coming in January. Hopefully it will be finished before she gets here!
Later~

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

July is ending ...

already, and it has been a month of mixed emotions, lots of work, and goodbyes.

Work is consuming a lot of time. I have the greatest boss in the whole world, and she is helping me get the AL audits done. We have been working it this way for the last year, and she is a wonder!!
And then the stomach flu hit - her first and then me. I hate stomach flu!! I am feeling better and will work today. The last 2 days were shaky - I didn't dare leave the house!! So it's back to the grind!!

And we lost Nan two weeks ago. My head knows that she is healed and she is whole and that she is with Jesus. But my heart hurts! I still want to call her and talk, but she isn't there to talk to. I want to go get her paperwork and take it to the pharmacy, but there is no paperwork to pick up!! It is still surreal to me, but I am hoping for closure tomorrow ~ Pat and I are going to clean out her office. I guess that is what it is going to take for me to really accept her passing. I just thank God for having had her in my life. She taught me a lot ~ not just about work but about how to live your life.

I am knitting a sun top for Arabela. It is a quick knit and I think it will be so cute!! I have the back done and it didn't really take long at all. It is a Lion Brand pattern, and it is so easy. It called for cotton ease, but I used peaches 'n creme - of course.

Later~~

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

July

and it's already July 8th. Boy! Is this year flying by or what! And it is action packed in my little corner of the world. DIL is 13 weeks, and beginning to have the early pregnancy "pooch". I love it! This is beginning to make it all really real! Yesterday, I found out that another friend is pregnant as well, and is due a week after ours. Does that count as extra knitting time? I hope so. I wanted to do blankets for my pregnant friends, but there are so many of them and so little time. I have started knitting burp pads, an easy pattern I found on Ravelry, and will possibly do a hat and booties for them all. Of course, our new little one will be getting a "blankie" from grandma!! I have fallen in love with the Log Cabin pattern from Mason Dixon - one with acrylic leftovers (mostly Vanna's Choice) and one in baby colors. Maybe the baby one will go to one of the pregnant friends!!
Also knitting Pedicure socks, a pattern I got when I bought the stretchy Paton's Kroy Sock yarn. Lovbe the way it is knotting up, but stretchy yarn is unusual to work with, to say the least. I just finished a picture cloth that I started in May! Now that's bad - too long for a dishcloth!!
Also still have 3 potato chip scarves otn, but they have been put away until cooler weather.
Work continues to take up most of my time. My company announced a pay decrease that will last until January, No raises until January (yes, this was my month!), and more business coming on August 1. Really makes no sense to me, but I am so grateful to havbe a job that I am not saying a word. However, for them to say "we are cutting you pay for 6 months, and, oh yeah - here is more work for you" is kinda like an oxymoron. Oh well, who am I to say!
A serious yarn diet here!!
Later ~

Saturday, June 27, 2009

WWKIP Day


I am uploading a picture of our WWKIP day that appeared in the local paper. I am so glad it was so well attended. We had a lot of fun!

More later!!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

My Sister Friend

I know that it has been a while since I have been here. Lots going on at work and I have been so busy! Not a lot of knitting going on except for a few cloths and started a Manicure Sock using Paton's Croy Sock Yarn - the stretchy one. I am watching Ara today so no knitting group this morning.
WWKIP day was a great success and the weather co-operated too! We had about 30 people and it was a lot of fun. Glad we didn't try to do it today! It is just too hot!!

I want to tell you about my friend, Nan.

My precious friend and co-worker, Nan Whitley is dying. She has cancer in her pancreas, lungs, liver, and bones. She was diagnosed last July 21st, and has fought the fight. Nan has always been a fighter~I told her that she was like a bulldog ~ always digging!! But she taught me a lot, not only about work, but about being a strong Christian woman and a true servant. Nan was always helping others. She worked through her church, but also had some extra food at home that she gave to others. And she blessed so many families during the holidays. I remember her excitement one year as she had 2 small bicycles that had been donated to the children of the family she was helping that year. She would not have been more excited if it were her own children getting the bikes! She was always helping others, and worked 60 to 70 hours a week. And she had a gentility about her that was amazing ~ she is a true example of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. Nan kept her home in order and always had a home cooked meal for her family at the end of the day.

Nan is one in a million and she is my dear friend. I will miss her so badly!

But I know that she is going to see Jesus and she will be whole and no longer in pain. And I thank God for her being my "sister friend". Nan is only 54.

Please keep her husband of 30 + years, and her 3 children in your prayers. As you can imagine. they are all devastated.

Thanks for letting me vent!! Later ~

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

and a week later...

Need to update the knit meter because I have been doing some major knitting this month.
We now have 5 new residents! Ballerina had kittens Friday morning early ~ in my file cabinet!!
There are 3 black ones and 2 light orangey ones. They now reside in a cat carrier in my room. She has been a great mom so far. She is always feeding them!

Monday, May 11, 2009

May, Mother's Day, and other surprises

And here it is~almost the middle of May. Time is flying~guess 'cause I am older.
OTN - same as before plus dishcloths. My cloth stash has been depleted so I am trying to build it back up. Plus I am in a swap with some ladies from the Snellville area. So I am working on dishcloths whenever I can. Trying to get as many knitted as I can. Good warm weather knitting.

Mothers Day was absolutely the best I have ever had!!

A tulip plant and sweet card were waiting on me when I got up. Went to church, grilled steak, potatoes, and corn on my new grill. Got yarn as a present from Andy, Cassie, and the girls.
And the absolute BESTEST MOST WONDERFUL news ever on Mother's Day.

I AM GOING TO BE GRANDMA AGAIN !!!!!!!!


Just a little something I wanted to mention!!

Later ~



Wednesday, April 22, 2009

April continues....

Ok - lets try this again - without kitty help!!
Ara is now 1 and she is just so darn cute! Her birthday party was fun - she loved the cake. (Compliments of granma)

She called me granma for the first time Saturday (yes, she is young, but I have witnesses! Remember, she is absolutely brilliant!!), and I almost cried!!

Knitting 3 potato chip scarves, must finish a sock, a table runner, and a dishcloth. I have 2 friends who are pregnant and due in November, and I am thinking baby blankets made from dishcloths, but I have plenty of time to think on that one (or 2!) I love knitting dishcloths in summer because they are quick and easy and good summer knitting.

Must mention Greek Easter at the Lawson's last Sunday. We were privileged to be able to go help prepare the food on Saturday and then go eat it on Sunday. Lots of fun! Thanks to Jamie and Jerry for the hospitality, the great food, and the good company!!
Later ~

Friday, April 10, 2009

Ara is 1 and it's almost Easter!!

Ara turned 1 yesterday! What a wonderful blessing she is to us all! I thank God daily for my family! We are having a party tomorrow night at Andy's house.

And today is Good Friday - When I think of what Jesus did for me, I am awed and overcome by emotion that cannot be explained. To think that if I had been the only one that would have been saved by His Death, He still would have gone to the Cross! What an incredible God we serve! I am so thankful to Him for being in my life, and I will love Him forever! I am also so grateful for all of my Christian brothers and sisters, and the influence that they have on my life!

Just remember - it's not all about a bunny!

Later~~

Friday, April 3, 2009

Friday ~YES!!

It has been a long week! Andy had to go have an endoscopy (they put a tube down your throat and look at you esophagus) and I had to drive him becaus they knocked him out. (Note to self: remember everything he said ~ prospective blackmail material!) He went to surgeon yesterday afternoon and gets to go back to work Monday. Hopefully he will be back to normal soon.
Yesterday Amanda had 4 little girls here - she was babysitting 2 of them and 2 were grandcildren. Ara walked into the kitchen and sat down beside the cat food bowl. She reached into the bowl and pulled out some of the cat food (I am so glad they eat DRY food!) and threw it up into the air. By the time she was finished, there was cat food all over the kitchen floor, and she was still laughing! It was so funny! She has the same obsession with dog food at her house!!

This week I got our WWKIP event approved and published on the web. I am really excited about this. The Main Street Covington lady (Josephine Kelly rocks!) is so kind and she is excited about the event as well. So if you happen to be in or around Covington on June 13th, come on down to the square and knit with us!!

Still working on soks and scarf, trying to get up the nerve to start sweater!!

Later ~

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

And I have quit knitting because...

Gotcha!! No way ~ no How ~ not ever!! Happy April Fools Day!

Ara now has 12 teeth ~ fyi. (Just a side note!) Birthday next week - she will be one!!

Our knitting group has gotten a permit to assemble on the square in Covington on WWKIP day, which is June 13th. I am so excited! Main Street Covington's Josephine Kelly is publicizing the event in the Main Street Newsletter, and promoting it on the local cable anniuncement channel. This is so cool! A big thank you to Josephine! (I doubt that she reads my little blog so I will thank her in person soon!) She rocks!

Still working on KAL, socks, and another potato chip scarf. It is a fun knit, and I have given away the first one and have requests for 2 more after I finish this one.

So all I do is work, knit, and waste time on Facebook. Silly me!

Later~

Monday, March 16, 2009

Ara Walking ~


This is Ara - this is Ara walking at church yesterday. She is loving this new skill! She is really practicing a lot!! Isn't she cutest!! (Notice this is not a question - it is a statement - no discussion necessary!)
Knitting is a potato chip scarf, socks with Deborah Norville sock yarn (LOVE this yarn!!) and starting a mystery KAL with Rachel's knitting room on Yahoo today! Can't wait - salmon PnC is what I am using.
I am now in 2 knitting groups - Friday night and Saturday mornings. Yes, I know I have no life! This is all I so besides work and church and I love it! It relaxes me and I have something to show for it!
Later~~

Monday, March 9, 2009

Baby Ara

I know that this is a knitting blog, but I must note that today my precious baby granddaughter is 11 months old! She is such a joy to us all and we are so grateful to God that she is healthy and so beautiful. She has 9 teeth and we are thinking that she will be walking in the next few weeks - surely before her birthday! This picture was made before Christmas, but she is still a real cutie!!
I can't believe she is almost a year old.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

and we're back on line!!

finally! After 8 months we actually have cable and internet. Believe me, rabbit ears are not the way to go tv wise!! I can actually see the tv noe and have my beloved HGTV and Food Network back!!
On the knitting front, I am still knitting socks and working on a "potato chip scarf". It is a ruffly thing and I am using cotton (PnC Winterberry - of course!!). I think it will be really cute when it's done and I will probably post a picture on Ravelry when done. That will be easier now since we are online at home and DD can put it on the computer for me.
Later~~

Friday, February 6, 2009

Feb post

February is already here and I have not blogged in almost 2 months!! Shame on me but I have run my feet off at work and by the time I get home and watch a little tv (no internet at home yet!) all I can do is drop!! I have knit a lot of socks, had a grat Christmas, a trip to Ohio and saw a little snow, and back to work, work, work.
There is a Friday Night Knitting Group that I have found at Tattersalls and I am enjoying meeting some new people. Of course, Saturday mornings are still sacred between 10 and 12!! Everyone knows where I am then!!
I am working on socks (of course!!), a cowl, and a scarf for my DD. Cannot have less than 3 things OTN now can we!\
Grandkids are great !
Later~~

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

December

And it's 9 days to Christmas - bah! Humbug! I can't wait until Christmas comes so I can see our family pictures taken a couple of weeks ago - me, amanda, andy, cassie, debbie, and all 4 of the grands! I am so excited - I have been wanting this done for oh so long, and my amanda has done it and it is my Christmas present - I better get the DVD player and movie I asked for too!!!
The on the 26th, the grandsons and I have a road trip to Ohio to see their dad and probably have another Christmas of sorts - of course, after driving 10 hours, I will have collapsed and died! I am looking forward to the trip to see my son and his "new" family, as well as getting to do some things I didn't last year (Knitter's Mercantile, here I come!!!) and repeating some others (Schmidts in German Village). So all in all I am hoping for a good holiday - the best part will be time off from work.
Arabela is 8 months old and has 6 teeth! She is cutest!!
Later ~ Gotta go knit!!

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Day After..

So election day has come and gone and I am so glad that I don't have to watch presidential ads anymore. I knew what the results were going to be, and I have to say that God is still in control and I have to trust HIM!!
Knitting socks ( of course!!) and a scarf and pocketbook slippers. 3 projects OTN!! This week has been pretty busy so not much knitting time so far - but it's only Tuesday.
I have bronchitis and still having to work. I spent the weekend in my jammies, sleeping, and on the sofa because I felt awful. Hopefully things are improving in the lung area. Back to the Dr. Friday. Last Friday it was kind of hard to take her seriously - she was dressed as a spider!! (Halloween, don't you know!)
Yesterday was a long day - drove to Columbus for work. Today I only have to go to Buckhead!!

Later~~

Saturday, November 1, 2008

November 1

So I have not posted in a long time and I have benn so busy. I have started on my 8th pair of socks and a scarf for DD for Christmas as well as slippers for family. Work has been really hectic and I am now sick with bronchitis. So go figure! Where does time go??
I love knitting socks. I have finished Nan's socks and started some striped socks in Mulberry. I am knitting a fillipi scarf with some really cool yarns that I got on sale - Paton's for 50 cents a skein. I hope to post it on Ravelry.

Grandbabies are great - Ara now has 4 teeth and she is getting so big! She has so much personality and I cannot believe that she will be 7 months old in 8 days.

Later~~~

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

I am back!

and hopefully will have my own internet soon. Ivana keeps at me to update the blog so here goes.
I CAN KNIT SOCKS!!! I am so excited about this - and if you are a member of my family and you are reading this, yes, you will be receiving socks for Christmas, so sned me your shoe size. Keeps me out of Walmart and the mall and in the yarn shops!!
Arabela has not one but 2 teeth - at the age of 5 months! She is absolutely brilliant - just like her grand mother! And beautiful too! Latest picture is on this blog!!!!
Also dealing with a tear in my meniscus - right knee - most painful! 6 weeks so far on crutches! YUK!!! Makes work interesting for sure.
And because of my co-worker and friend's diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, I have a doubled workload. So the last 6 weeks have been interesting - to say the least!!
So that's all for now - back to sock knitting!
Later~

Thursday, July 31, 2008

New Project

Because of the recent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer that my best friend has gotten, I have started knitting her a prayer shawl, which I hope will comfort her in some way. My heart is broken for her and her family, and she is constantly on my mind, so I think that knitting this will help me too!!
So no more little projects for a while (1 exception), because I must concentrate on her shawl. I am also knitting her a cloth called "Feathers of Hope". We all need hope! And I think that hers is pretty thin right now. She is a strong woman, and has always been the backbone of her family and friends. She has always helped others, and is having to take help now - which she does not like at all! She has been a great friend to me for almost 4 years, and I have learned a lot from her - in words and her actions.
If you believe, please say a prayer for Nan - and if you don't - shame on you!!

However, Saturday I am going to start a sock class with my knitting group. Margaret from Monroe will be our teacher and I am so excited about it. Watch out, Arabela, Gali, Ella, Elijah, and Evan - socks may come your way!!!

Work is going to be busier and busier because of Nan's illness. So I am sure my knitting time will be limited. But my main focus is on the shawl right now.

Later!