Monday, July 9, 2007

Time Flys

I just realized I hadn't posted in nearly a month! I completed my first garment project and have actually worn it, in public, on at least 3 separate occassions! Impressive, by my standards. I was so motivated that I have signed up for the Sock class and have started a new garment, a tank top this time. I am 2/3 of the way through the back already! I owe big thanks to Sophia from Anacapa Fine Yarns for assisting me on Thursday. I still don't read patterns all that well. No one told me I was learning a new language, syntax, and verb conjunctions when learning knitting! The language part still has me a bit stymied. I have however taught myself how to "backwards knit"...another version of perling. Now, first you must understand that as a rank amatuer I can just barely knit forwards, so to have taught myself this 'backwards knit' thing is pretty cool. The trick is remembering to do it every other row!

I have enjoyed reading Bea's, April's, Becky's, and Laura's blogs today. Obviously I spent my lunch time well!

See you all soon,
PC

Monday, June 11, 2007

I LOVE doing Angel Parties

I LOVE doing angel parties! I was fortunate enough to be able to do one last night with 6 amazing women. This party was in the evening on Sunday.

Let me first explain my weekend. Saturday I taught CPR & First Aid for about 20 people in Downey (about 80 miles from home). Sunday I taught PHP (Prevenative Health Practices for Child Care Providers) and CWS (Community Water Safety) in Downey. Then drove to the San Fernando Valley to pick up my Mom-n-Law, Dianne. She will be staying with us at the beach for a week. I stopped in Camarillo on the way to Ventura to drop off Trevor at his girlfriend's house, then home. I did a quick change and make-up touch up, then drove out to Ojai for the Angel Party.

My voice was a bit raspy, but I had great energy and LOVED the party.

If anyone wants to learn more about these fun parties, just email me!

ciao for now
Patricia

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Beware!

My baby, who is nearly 17 years old, has his drivers license and a vehicle! BEWARE!!!!!!!

Trevor is a pretty good driver for a 16 year old. He is now looking for employment. If any of you have any leads, please let me know. He is great with wood work, he has been a busser at Margarita Villa, he teaches CPR, First Aid, and PHP. He LOVES animals and would do well working with dogs. He refuses to work fast food. He is applying at VONS, and maybe even Joe's Crab Shack...really if any of you have anything, let me know.

On to other topics:

What an amazing couple of weeks! I have been with my new job for 8 weeks! I feel completely integrated into the company and LOVE the work. All of the people at work are simply wonderful! I feel so blessed to have found a place the hires talented, generous, dedicated people. I have heard when a company lacks in any area, or the company just 'stinks' that, "The fish rots from the head down." Well in this case the fish grows from the head down.

While I love this position, I am going to have to do something to keep up my energy level for this busy pace. I worked my usual week, worked with a client for a couple hours on Saturday morning, then Saturday afternoon drove to Fresno with a co-worker for a 2-day intensive training. Got back around 8:30 last night and will be going in a teeny bit late today. I feel whipped! So, I'm dragging a bit today, and still loving life. The trainees were talented and grateful, which makes working long weeks a lot easier. My mom was one of the trainees and we had blast doing girly time.

There is one funny story out of the weekend. We had made reservations at the Ramada Inn in Fresno. This hotel is in very close proximity to where we were doing the training. When I pulled up there were 2 cop cars and 1 armed security car blocking the pull through area. The entire parking lot was filled with very loud latino music. Since I don't speak spanish I don't know the songs...they were just really really loud. There were a number of people hanging around smoking in "formal" attire. Heather (my co-worker) & I just start laughing. WE are already so tired we're punchy. So we decide to stick together and get out of the car & go the the front desk to check in. There is a "professional" portrait studio set up in the lobby. Think of prom photo set ups, big green sheet as the back drop and two lights...the whole thing just looked so out of place.

We begin trying to check in. "Do you have a reservation?" "Yes, DNA Health Institute." "We don't accept reservations under business names, what is the name of your reservation." "Uh, Patricia Coash...C-O-A-S-H" "Miss CoHash, I don't see any reservation under your name." "Please try DNA" "I see a reservation under DNA, what is your name?" (OK, Not the brightest bulb in the bunch....) This goes on for 5 minutes, they have the rooms wrong (Ooo, BIG surprise!), we get our key packets and go to the car. The music is louder, a cop is meandering about outside and we go to the car to get Heather's luggage, her room is 5 doors away from the lobby (and the chaos).

We get into the room and I swear this is the absolute TRUTH! There is wall paper to the wainscoat level and again as trim at the top of the walls. The "decor" is early 1930's cabin-esque with 1980's accents! Oh baby hold me back. There is a plastic POT plant on the shelf...I sh!t you not...a plastic one. Considering the badly patched walls and ceiling, the stained carpet, moldy floor in the bathroon, a tub the size of a kitchen sink, a sink the size of a small cooking pot, and the cacophonous decor, the PLASTIC pot plant is a really mean tease! Seriously, if you are going to offend that many of my senses at once, make the plant real so I can smoke it and not care how hideous the room is. At this point Heather is hysterically laughing and nearly crying at the same time. She takes a picture of said pot plant on her digital camera for proof. Then we notice the remaining 'decor'....black and white photos of long dead people from the 1800's. Heather is sure the room, the hotel, and possibly the entire city is haunted and we leave. We don't even try my room, which is a quarter mile hike!

We drive to the Courtyard by Marriott and BEG them to let us get rooms. No rooms, "Didn't you know that it's Fresno State's graduation weekend?" GREAT! The very nice woman calls a few other hotels. Finally we find 1 non-smoking and 3 smoking rooms at the Four Points Sheraton! We drive over there.....Longer story shorter, we get 4 Kings, all non-smoking! Yeah! We call the boss...well actually we have called the boss about 27 times, his phone didn't have reception... He calls us, "What the F(*K? Who booked the Ramada?" I ask him if he has check in yet. "I just pulled up to fu$^^)(g party central." "Leave NOW, check us all out and get over to the Four Points Sheraton, STAT!" It's now 12:15 am. All 5 of us are at the Four Points. We have clean rooms, with running water, and surprisingly NO dead people on the walls, or fake pot plants. The only down side is that there are no REAL pot plants either!" Mom & I fall asleep about 1:30 am stilll laughing/crying over the whole thing.


Oh, I have started a new garment...I even figured out how to take the pattern from printed word to actual stitches!! This is a BIG accomplishment for me. I have had very little time for knitting lately, but will keep stitching away.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

One of THOSE days

Today felt like a "monday." You know, one of those Mondays that just never seems to quit. The kind of day where each challenge is compounded. Well, that was my day. The gentlemen in my office were kind enough to start putting my new desk together for me on Monday. They had the bulk of it done by quitting time, so I got in early today to set up my computer. A simple task really, just move the CPU, re-plug everthing and turn it on. Not rocket science, not even new to me. I have done this dozens of times. After 90 minutes and couple of bald spots one of the gentlemen at work comes in and figures out my dyslexia extends to plugging in moniters backwards. Did you know that you could even do it backwards? Well, now I do. Besides, how many moniters have 3 cords? Oh I miss my MAC! Then the rest of the desk needed to be put together, and documents needed polishing, phone calls needed to be made & returned, data compiled, plans made, emails...many emails, etc...

So, computer is back up and I am working full steam ahead. Then more hiccups! The worst part is when the stone came out of my wedding ring! A couple moments (hours ) of panic later, and Newman, the company mascot leads me to it. My ring is now on its way to the jewler for a serious FIX. I am so grateful to have found the stone though, that makes the day all okay.

There were so many other little things that just kept adding up...like I said, One of THOSE days!

So when I get home to relax to a netflix evening I find myself ripping out the same new project for the 22nd time. Yes, I have counted! So I decide to tackle it a different way. I'll show all the knitters on Thursday.

This Friday is my baby's Prom! I have to pick up the corsage, get to the valley for an appointment and back, and then back to Ventura to pick up Trevor and get him to Camarillo, pick up his date, Jessica, then back to Ventura. After prom, we will take Jessica home and SLEEP in on Saturday!

I am off now

Sunday, May 6, 2007

It is finished!

It is finished! My first knitted garment is complete. And, it fits! Bonus!!!! My deep thanks to all the knitters at Anacapa Fine Yarns (nice plug for your shop Lois~) for their support. April, thanks for the recommendation to lay the garment flat for seaming. That tip made a BIG difference. I will wear my garment on Thursday so all can admire (or at least not snicker too loudly.)

I have been at my new job now for over a month and I can officially say, "I love it!" There is a LOT to do and the environment is wonderful. I will even get to travel more, which is something I have been wanting for years now. So, if you are looking for The BEST in skin care, check out dnaskin.com. That is where I work, and it really is the BEST in skin care.

This weekend, the weather has been perfect! Slight breeze mid-70's, clear skies. So, I am going off to enjoy this perfect weather.

Namaste

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Opening blog!

This is my first foray into this new medium...the Blog. I always thought that a blog was the mess I made of my yarn when not paying attention. Little did I know that it's actually a form of communication!

For my dear knitting friends, "Hello!" I am still trying to complete my "First Garment." With some luck, I should be sewing up the sides on Thursday night! I look forward to all your assistance. My next project is going to be a top knit in the round, so any pattern suggestions would be much appreciated.

For my fellow ATP(R)s, "Hello!" I am so sorry I missed the So Cal reunion on Sunday. I pray that it was a joyous occassion. I would love to schedule another one in the near future.

For my family & extended family, "Hello!" How is everyone? Please keep in touch! I am loving my new job!

For everyone else, "Hey." I love to meet new people, chat about virtually everything, and love to share stories about my family, husband, life, and joys.