keep on keeping on

What's New?
This may sound a little silly, but hear me out. I had to go shopping this past weekend for 'work' pants. Pants shopping is usually a multiple-hour ordeal that often leaves me in tears without finding a single pair that fit. So you can imagine my level of excitement over the prospect of looking for new pants.

I wanted some basic, inexpensive Docker-type pants. I'm a science teacher, after all. I'm not about to buy expensive pants that will surely get some chemical or another spilled on them the first day I wear them. Murphy's Law, and all that.

So I went to JCPenny, since I already had some store credit from a return I'd done a million years ago (I hate shopping for clothes, so I pretty much only do it once a year). No Docker-type pants to be found. Bummer.

Then I went to Sears (my other two options were Macy's and Nordstroms), hoping they'd have Docker-type pants. When I walked in I remembered that they have a Lands End section. I went straight to that section, found their Docker-type pants and took them into the fitting room. I'd grabbed two sizes (remember, I only shop once a year, so who knows what size I wear), and tried them on. One of them fit perfectly! No giant waist, no tight thighs. They were also on sale. I couldn't believe my luck! I left the store with two pairs of those pants, happy as a clam, feeling like I won the cosmic pants-shopping lottery.

Currently Reading

• Truth Like the Sun by Jim Lynch - I read his book The Highest Tide earlier this year and loved it. This one also takes place in Western Washington, although it's a different subject-matter.
• Second Nature: a Gardener's Education by Michael Pollan

On the Needles
I've made an executive decision to shelve my purple striped sweater for now and start something new. My heart is just not in it right now. I imagine I'll pick it up again in the fall when the weather starts to turn cold again. For now I'll use up some of my scraps to make some hats or something else small while I dream up my next big project.

Looking Forward To

1. weekend lunch with two dear friends
2. Spring Break!

a totem

 

What's New?

Joe and I have recently become members of the EMP/Sci-Fi museum. This past weekend we went to check out their Icons of Science Fiction exhibit, and were treated to a beautiful, sunny Spring day. Outside the EMP building I noticed this totem, which I hadn't seen before. Now, I don't visit the Seattle Center very often, so it was entirely possible that I had overlooked it, but I had a feeling it was new. Sure enough, it is the  totem memorial to a local native wood-carver who was tragically killed a couple years ago. It was installed a little over a year ago (which tells you how often I visit the Seattle Center). Here is a picture of it standing in front of the bizarre EMP building.

Currently Reading

• Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
• Second Nature: A Gardener's Education by Michael Pollan

On the Needles
Sleeves, sleeves, sleeves. My purple and grey striped sweater still needs sleeves. This has just not been a good week for knitting. Also, the sun has been out much more than usual, the temperature is slowly rising, and so I'm not feeling the push to finish a long-sleeved wool sweater that I won't wear until Autumn.

Looking Forward To

1. more sunny, Spring days
2. taking a week off for Spring Break

science & sunshine

What's New?
This past week has been one of those weeks. A doozy. A week that thankfully went by quickly, but also wore me out. The highlight of my week was taking a group of girls to the Expanding Your Horizons conference at the local community college. It's so refreshing to see so many young girls excited about science and math. On top of that, it turned out to be a beautiful day, full of rare Seattle sunshine.

Speaking of weather...we've had such cold and inconsistent weather that I am nervous about planting my seedlings outside. They are growing quite well in their little newspaper pots, but some are getting a little leggy. I hope to take some photos of them this weekend, as I decide whether or not they are ready for the raised beds.

Currently Reading

• I finished The American Way of Eating early this week. I was so impressed with the amount that I learned from that book, and I'm certain I will not think of food the same way again. I highly recommend this book.
• I've picked up Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent after setting it down for awhile, and I'm enjoying learning more than I ever have about Darwin's voyage, his strengths and weaknesses, and his transformation from a staunch creationist to the architect of the major foundation of modern biology.

On the Needles

Did I mention that this week has been a doozy? I don't think I've picked up my sweater once. I'm just where I left off at the end of last week: halfway through with the first sleeve. I'm on the homestretch, though, and should finish soon.

Looking Forward To:

1. using my new EMP/Sci-Fi Museum membership

How's March treating you?

better late...

What's New?

I've decided to take on a student-teacher for the spring quarter. This will be my first time as a mentor teacher in my seven years of teaching, and I hope I do a good job. One thing that has kept me very busy this week, on top of my already busy schedule, has been cleaning and re-arranging. I've worked very hard to make my classroom a more inviting space for both my students and my student-teacher. I cleaned up a few "junk piles" and made room for another teacher desk. I swapped out an awkward table for a better model that now holds my document camera and laptop. I think my room looks pretty awesome now. I didn't take many before pictures, so you'll have to settle for these.

Before:

After: 

Currently Reading

• The American Way of Eating: Undercover at Walmart, Applebee's, Farm Fields and the Dinner Table by Tracie McMillan

On the Needles
My striped Idlewood sweater is now getting sleeves! The body is off the needles, I've tried it on, and I'm working hard on the sleeves. I think I'll have enough yarn to do full-length sleeves, but we'll see.

Looking Forward To

1. the beginning of Spring
2. Joe's new job

What are you looking forward to?

week two

What's New?
I started seeds this week! I made seed pots out of newspaper for the first time, which was much easier than I had previously thought. I re-purposed an old under-bed storage bin and used strips of cardboard to keep the newspaper pots upright. My bin ended up holding 8 rows of 6, so I've got quite a few starts. Now I just need to keep the cats away until they are hardy enough to be transplanted outside. Oh, and clean out the raised beds (something I should have done last autumn, and I'm now kicking myself).

My nephew and I have become pen-pals. He's 5, lives across the country, and is a great reader and writer. He also loves checking the mail. So I've decided that in 2013 I'm sending him something in the mail once a month. In January I attempted to send him a box of books from an online retailer, but the box got lost in the mail. In February he got a Valentine. Now that it's March I'm sending him the Bob Books I tried to send him in January, and hopefully some St. Patrick's Day goodies, although I've been rather disappointed in the selection this year.

Currently Reading

• Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent by Lyanda Lynn Haupt (local West Seattle author!)
• The American Way of Eating by Tracie McMillan

On the Needles
Still working on my purple and grey striped Idlewood sweater. I'm currently working on the bottom ribbed hem. When that's finished it's time for sleeves, although I'm a little worried I'll run out of purple for the sleeves. Maybe they will be solid grey? We'll see. I hope to be finished by next week.

Looking Forward To

1. bridesmaid dress shopping with friends
2. meeting a prospective student-teacher

What's new in your life?

fresh start

What’s New?

Well, it's been nearly 4 months since I've posted anything on here, and it's time to get back in the saddle (so to speak). I've realized recently that I'd rather post meaningful things here to help myself document my life than waste time checking social network sites (that shall remain un-named, although you can probably guess). I'd like to quit social networking, but I'm not quite ready. I think that if I'm able to keep up regular posts on here, that will help ease my transition. Who knows? But I'm ready to give it a shot.

I've learned that I need to set realistic, yet smallish, goals for myself, and I need to tell others about them if I hope to accomplish them. So, dear internet, here is my goal for this space: an update of some sort once per week. It doesn't even have to be the same day of the week (although I imagine that might help). It might include pictures (I'd like it to), but that's not a requirement. I used to only post if I had interesting/pretty pictures to share. I haven't been taking many pictures lately (rainy, grey Seattle winter + go to work in the dark and get home in the dark), and I've used that as an excuse to not post anything at all.

Currently Reading

• The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins (a "thinky" book)
• Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers (a YA novel)
• Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent by Lyanda Lynn Haupt (local West Seattle author)

On the Needles

After finishing both my purple Shalom sweater and my grey Idlewood sweater I found myself with leftover yarn from both projects. Combined, it's enough for another sweater. I made both projects out of the same type of yarn (Cascade Soft Spun), in colors that are both considered "heathered" so I think they'll look nice together. I'm working on a striped Idlewood variation (smaller ribbed yoke, long sleeves) using roughly 4" stripes of each yarn.

Looking Forward To:

1. starting seeds
2. cooking for others

What are you working on right now?

October

I (almost) finished Joe's birthday present in time. I still need to add the words 'Avengers Assemble' to the bottom, and Captain America's 'A' and then it'll be finished.

The beginning of October was very sunny and dry, and the cats enjoyed watching squirrels out the window.

The trees around the corner showed magnificent color. Unfortunately all those leaves have come off in the recent storm.

I started a square for a quilt project to honor the memory of a college friend. It's the most complicated quilt square I've ever attempted, but I'm determined to give it one hundred percent.

Our haul from a small family farm. All but three of these are intended as food. In fact, we've already eaten one of them. I love the colors of carnival squash.

Even though I have no photographic proof, I've been knitting up a storm. Soon I'll be able to wear five hand-knit sweaters. Five! I almost can't believe it.

One other thing I have to mention: my five-year-old nephew called me on the phone the other day. Just because. It's by far my favorite thing that's happened this autumn.