Happy Birthday!

We are celebrating my dear, sweet, amazing husband's birthday today. Happy Birthday C.!

I am so glad you were born all of those years ago today so that you could grow up and marry me and we could share this happy life. More than that I am so happy that you are in the world - you make so many people happy and we're all better because you are in our lives. You're kind and honest and funny and talented and the best guy I know.

It's all about my sweetie today - so this is all the news that's fit to knit.

Calm after some storms

It's a beautiful day today after several days of storms here in the Hudson Valley. I'm so thankful for a day like today and am feeling like I can make all kinds of good things happen. I have a lot of work ahead of me and it all starts in about twenty minutes. There's loads of work and I'm so thankful for that; though it is interfering with my personal life at times.

Tomorrow is C.'s birthday and I'm looking forward to celebrating another year of the best husband on earth. We had a quiet weekend (where I procured a gift for him) and watched mother nature's rage via thunderstorm. We never lost power here (thank goodness!).

I don't have a lot to report, I've been working a ton, knitting very little and hanging in there. I've been buried in books the last few days (I read three between last Saturday and this Friday) and we made a trip to Barnes and Noble yesterday. I mentioned in earlier posts that I'm working on changing my life. Changing your life is hard work and I've hung onto a lot of guilt and damage over the years. Forgiving yourself and others takes some doing, but when you let it go you feel so much better. I don't know that anyone can see the difference in me, but I feel it in myself and that's really the most important thing.

For now, this is all the news that's fit to knit.

Book Learning

The night before last I was having a right good pity party for myself and I've been working really hard on changing that behavior in my life so I turned to something that almost always makes me feel better: reading. I escaped into a novel that was new to me and written by author Beverly Lewis. I was drawn to pick up her books out of the Barnes and Noble clearance section because the cover of her first book said that she was writing about Lacaster County, PA.; a place that I'm pretty familiar with.

There's no hiding the fact that I'm from Pittsburgh; either I'm screaming it about me or something about me is screaming it for me. It flumoxes New Yorkers when I carelessly say the word iron (which if I don't watch it often comes out "arh-n") or if I accicently ask what kind of pop they have at a restaraunt instead of saying soda. What you might not know about me is that I spent a few years living in Harrisburg, PA which is just down the road from Lancaster County. Some people refer to this area of PA as "Amish Country" and it's true as there are many Amish settlements in the area. It really is an experience to be late to a meeting in Lancaster and get stuck behind an Amish buggy on a main road. It's a clashing of cultures - you in your car trying not to have road rage in your rush to get where you're going and their absolute bafflement of why you're so worked up and why you think you need to get anywhere that fast or that stressed out.

So when I saw the books on the clearance rack I scooped them up in an impulse buy and when the world was getting to me the other night, I escaped into theirs. I love that about books and I was fascinated about the Amish life and "living plain". I'm glad that God put me right where I am and that might of been the hidden lesson in this book. To tell the truth, I'm hoping my copy was missing a few chapters at the end because she left us with a lot of questions This post is less about the book and more about the experience of leaving behind the world I was in and the mood I was in to find myself in the rolling hills of Lancaster County in an Amish buggy trying to understand why shunnings happen. It was fascinating and it was fun and it reminded me why I was addicted to all of those Lit classes in college.

For now, this is all the news that's fit to knit.

PS - Updated to let you know that I've found out that there are two more books in my series; I'll get those answers I want!

March birthday in July

For my birthday in March my wonderful husband gave me tickets to see Amos Lee in concert at the Tarrytown Music Hall. The concert finally came around and we went last night. The evening started off a bit stressful when the check engine light on the car came on. We're scheduled for a very expensive repair on Monday already...how does that old saying go? When it rains, get out your checkbook?

Amos was amazing and his opening act, a guy by the name of Mutlu (I don't believe this is a nickname), was terrific. We even bought both of his albums as we left the show. It was soul and it was folk and Amos was funny and engaging. I love that the Music Hall holds about 500 people - it's intimate without feeling empty. You feel like you're really there with the performer and can really just immerse yourself in the evening. It was great. A big kiss to my dear, sweet C. he really knows how to knock it out of the park with a good birthday present! He wrapped up the evening with a high class meal of chicken nuggets at chez Mc.D's. Ahhhhh.

For now, we're beating the heat! And that's all the news that's fit to knit.

Back to Blogging

If anyone on earth is still reading this blog...I'm back. I needed that break from March. I've been doing a lot of work on my life when it comes to who I am and I think when you're working on growing and changing yourself, it takes some quiet time. And no kidding, we've had a rotten start to this year. It's July and we're still hoping that things will get better. We've lost a lot of dear friends and loved ones this year.

C. and I are very hopeful people though - we've got our heads up and we believe that the blessing are coming our way. It's been so good for me to return to the basics in my life. Finding quiet time, finding time to study the bible and not only talk with God, but spend some real time everyday listening for God. I had been very far away from that for a long time. It feels good to be reconnecting. It's like I've found peace again. I've found a life free of worry and the anxiety that had been choking me.

The summer had been busy with visiting family. My father in law continues his battle against cancer and my mother in law continues to handle the whole situation with grace. We spent the July 4th holiday with my family in Pittsburgh and I was reminded how much I love that city. It was so great to hang out with my family. We spent the whole trip on my brother's deck (which he's had wired for cable television so that we don't miss a second of the world cup or Wimbledon - he's a smart cookie, my brother). I realized that we spent every waking moment outside that I never needed to walk the dog. If Sadie needed to go she got her butt up off the deck and took care of business. It was fantastic. This trip has renewed my fever for wanting a house! I NEED a backyard! : )

So that's what's happening with me. Finished a pair of socks, cast on with Socks that Rock and am working a ton! Hope you've been doing well too.

For now, this is all the news that's fit to knit.