Getting caught up with life and work

I've started a new job and so far it's going quite well. It's with the same company but at a different location and duties. I ended up with a much nicer raise than I thought I was going to get and it's resulted in a net increase in my yearly salary of about 7.5k. That's a nice jump because we've now got a mortgage payment to make, (YEAH!!!). We finally own our own place! We live on the bottom level of a 3 story building. Part of our unit is below the ground up to 10 inches below the window sills. This is great when it's hot as it helps keep the temperature down inside!

This is a kinda view into the side of the Condo park we live in. Note the wonderful trees and seasonal stream that runs through the property. We have a view of it from our dinning room and sliding glass doors. The arrows kinda point back in to the property where our unit is. You can't see our unit from the road so its quite private.

(The trees viewed through the windows are the same ones that have the arrows on them in the first picture. This view is from the dinning room and the sliding glass doors.) This is before we moved in.

Best of all, I have a garden!!! The previous owner had planted quite a few things and was kind enough to leave plenty of them for me. I've supplemented what was present with some Lavender, Dahlia, Rose, Yarrow, Poppy, and a Japanese Maple plant. I'm lucky enough to have a shade and sun garden. So I've also planted to really cool Hosta that have white stripes on the leaves.

I'm also fortunate in that it's a quite area and I can leave the window or sliding door open and hear birdsong! It's just so relaxing. I really can't believe just how lucky we were in finding it.

The challenge we're currently facing is picking colors to have on the walls. Everything is a nice shade of beige or white and well that's okay, if you want something a bit plain. We don't. At this time we've a lovely shade of orange that we're testing on the living room wall. As much as I like it, I can't seem to get over the idea of having that much orange in my living room. I keep thinking I should choose a shade with more red it in, then I do and it just doesn't seem right either. We haven't been able to agree on a theme or inspiration picture to choose colors from either. We have to get the walls painted this weekend as the 16Th is our housewarming. Cross your fingers and toes we can make a good decision.

On to fiber…I AM GOING TO BLACK SHEEP!! WHOO-HOO!!

I can barely contain myself! I get to go to Black Sheep and see all the lovely sheep/ goats /rabbits /alpacas! I've got an idea of what my budget should be for fiber goodness but right now I'm not sure. I really want to make sure whatever I buy is for a specific project. So, keeping that in mind. I really need to go through my pattern books and make a list of what I want to make and the yarn
requirements. That includes a skein that I'm sending to my Secret Pal in the UK as I've been a somewhat bad Pal. With all this moving and new job craziness I have to say the exchange went on the back burner. Now that things have mellowed I can actually take some time to finish the item I was making for her and get things to her in a timely fashion. I've also started a second item to send to her in the last package. I figure I'll have 12 hours of driving time to knit with so I should be able to get at least 2 hats and 2 pairs of fingerless gloves done.

My new project….. Drum roll please……

The Clapotis from Knitty.com!! Ta Da….

I've been waiting for an excuse to buy enough Silk Garden (244 A and 245 A, I've got 5 skeins of 244 and 6 skeins of 245) to make something other than a scarf or hat but couldn't decide on what to make. Seems a chance visit to my new LYS Nancy's Knits on my way home was a key factor. They had a sign up stating 20% off reg price items. However, when I asked the clerk, whom I believe to be Nancy, she said 30%, gee.. Whom am I to argue! I ended up with the only 5 skeins of 244 lot A they had. I figure that should be enough for a medium sized wrap. If not.. Well, I could always frog it then make a triangular shawl.

Of course I had to photograph them in all their yarny glory!!

My red alpaca sweater has gotton a lot of time latley as I was trying to hold back on any new purchases. I had put it aside because it wasn't turing out as I had imagined it would. Not to say it doesn't look lovely, but well…. Its just so darned big.. And I hate to really see myself as quite that large. I am though.. And I have to deal with it. So, I've picked it back up, knit the body to the length I think it should be, knitted 1 arm and have to finish the second. Since it's being knitted in the round, I've got neeldes in all three places right now. In the end, what was supposed to be a long/lean pull over, will turn into a 3/4 wide sleeved, simple st stitch, ribbed cardigan. It'll be my first progject with steeks too. Wish me luck! After it's steeked I'll and the final edging to the bottom/button band and cuffs.

On to Molly updates! The lucky girl is now 1 year old! It's amazing how time will fly! It was just yesterday she couldn't turn over.. Now she's nearly walking on her own! She birthday party will be this Sunday. I can't wait!!! She's such a special girl and I just love her to death!