Monday, July 19, 2010

Where, Oh, Where ...

... have I been for almost four months?  Well, life took me by the hand, sat me down and said, "Get organized."  So I did.  Chaos of work and real life was making me a crazy person, so I worked on changing a few things.

Regarding work, after making some big changes to our school, our principal resigned to return to a high school classroom.  Interesting, huh?  Then, because he and the IB program left (short version of a long story), the woman who got my job left.  With some help from a few supporters at my school and at the administrative level, I got my job back!  I know!  How exciting!  So, instead of being in a first grade classroom, I'll continue to work with kindergarten through second grade during mornings, and I'll be coaching (yes, you're reading it correctly) other teachers in the afternoons.  I'm not certain I'm mature enough to handle the afternoon part of my job, but other people think I am (golly, they've been fooled), so I'll do my best.  We have a new principal who seems to be level-headed and has a plan, so we'll see what happens next.  I'm hesitantly optimistic about school, which is such a change for me!

During our summer vacation, I've been spending loads of time with this little cutie.
Hasn't he become a tub?  Mother's milk has made Keagan a very big boy.  He'll be four months old tomorrow and he's weighing in at over 14 pounds.  All he wants to do is eat.  That's his job until crawling begins ... if he can lift himself.  Right now he's working on sitting up by himself.  Other than feeling like a milk truck, Nikki is doing well.  Her husband, Grady, has taken a better-paying job so she can stay home with Keags.  I can't get enough of his smiles and giggles.

On the therapeutic activities front, I finally finished stitching Sarah Esh, so here's her not-so-great picture.  How sad that my photography skills haven't improved during my absence.  Oh well.  She's not framed yet, but she's ready to join other A&E samplers when I get something else stitched.  Right now, thanks to a bloggy friend (you know who you are and I love you even though I've neglected you), I'm working on The Yellow House Sampler by Sheepish Designs.

A skill I have acquired while absent is sock knitting.  I know!  I knit socks!  Looky here ...
Shocking, isn't it?  Or should I say socking?  That's my first pair of socks, and I'm at work on a second pair.  In fact, the first sock is finished and I've started the second.  I'll show you a picture in another post.  This summer I've learned that knitting is much easier to manage than stitching is while traveling.  Well, for me it is.  So there's been more knitting than stitching going on.  I've also completed a felted bag for a friend in Maine and a felted bowl.  Wanna see?

As you can see, I haven't lost my obsession for felting.  Hey, it keeps me off the streets and out of the bars.  Sorry to say, I'm just as slow at knitting as I am at stitching!

So much has happened since I've spent more than a few moments in blogland.  Poor Merlin, my old man cat, had to be put down a day after my last post.  All of you pet lovers know how that is.  Dad's been doing ok, by the way.  He struggles, like we all do, but he's working at finding his way through the world without Mom.  During some of my chaos removal, I left the man I hung around with behind. That was hard, but it brought along an opportunity to meet a cool, calm, collected and extremely kind man. My mom always used to tell me that thing about one door closing and another one opening. I really hadn't believed it until now. So we'll see. It's nice to have someone to spend time with besides family.  And he puts up with my hideous golf game!

I hope that those of you who've read here before will start to read here again.  I'll be catching up with what you've been doing and I hope to comment here and there.  I've missed you all more than you know.  The Sisterhood of the Rose is alive and about to move on.  I'll explain where we are with that in my next post.  With any luck, four months won't pass before you hear from me again.

Whatever you do, make some fun!

31 comments:

valerie said...

It's so good to hear from you Doris and glad to hear you're going well. Good luck with the job change and the new guy. Love the socks and the little felted bowl!

Karen said...

{{Doris}}! Welcome back! I'm glad to read that things are going well for you, although I'm sorry to hear about Merlin. I know how tough that is, even when you know it's the right decision. Your stitching and the socks look great!

Gillie said...

So glad about the job! Welcome back!

Laurie in Iowa said...

Welcome back. I enjoyed reading your chatty post. YGG... I'm so happy for you that you were able to step back and reevaluate. Congrats on the job and the new man in your life. I'm so sorry you lost your Merlin.

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

Congratulations on your job returning, a new man entering, spending quality time with your grandson (WHAT A CUTIE!!!) and on the superior Sarah Esh finish!!! Not to mention redoing some things in life. My grandpa always told me, "Whatever happens, happens for the best" seems like he and your Mama had a lot of good sense!

Jan said...

Dear Doris, I was just thinking of you the other day (honest) and wondering how you were! I was fairly confidant that what you were doing, do involve much of that scrumptious bundle of joy that arrived...that time can't be replaced, so am glad that it has! The rest? Sounds like things are coming along great for you...love your stitching finish and envious of your knitting finishes! One of these days, I am going to teach my lefthanded self how to knit...had one righthanded dear try to teach me and it just didn't work out!! Anyway, glad you are back, you have been missed! hugs!

Margaret said...

It's so good to see you blogging again, Doris! The little one is so adorable! I want to pinch his cheeks. Love your Sarah Esh! And sock knitting is something I just can't fathom. lol! Congrats on the job and the new guy. Hope both are good! Hope your father is doing ok too. Sorry about your Merlin. :(

Katrina said...

Doris, it's so nice to see a post from you!!!! You've been on my mind. Glad your work situation is better and congrats on the new man ;-).

I am so sorry about Merlin, I am sure you miss him.

Sarah Esh is gorgeous, can't wait to see your Sheepish piece and I love the socks and felted bowls.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, Doris! Happy to read things are looking up for you! Congratulations on your stitched finish as well as your knitting! That felted bowl is awesome looking!

Robin in Virginia

Deb said...

I am so glad to see you posting again Doris, but my goodness what a whirlwind of activities you've been going through the past four months. So sorry to hear about the one man and Merlin, but so happy to hear about the new man, and getting your job back, your A&E finish and your knitting and felting! And of course, that beautiful baby for you to hug. What a sweetheart!!

Chocolates4Breakfast (Terri ~ Boog) said...

I am so happy to hear from you, Doris! I swear, I looked at your blog only yesterday and thought, "I have to send her a note and see what's up." and about that time, my life interrupted. I know you may not believe that, but it's absolutely true!

Sounds like a lot of changes in your life - I'm so sorry about Merlin - I DO know how hard that is. Sounds like you're on track with school and your life. I'm glad to hear your dad is doing well. I'm sure that life without his bride is tough. For some reason your pics only showed a ? for me but the pic of the baby did show up on my sidebar so I can see that he is a chubster. My Matt was the same way! I can imagine your awesome socks!
I'm glad you found a new guy and I hope he makes you happy!

I'm SO glad you're back!!!

Von said...

I'm so excited you get your old job back, Doris!! And until school starts, you must spend as much time as possible with that adorable grandson of yours. :)

Loraine said...

So good to hear from you Doris! I love this little grand baby. So cute!
I'm also happy to hear you got your job back. What a relief!
Your stitching is great, and the socks are too fun!

Tammy said...

It was nice to hear from you, your stitching and knitting look great. Good luck with your new job opportunities, and have lots of fun with that cute grandson.

Annemarie said...

Holy moly, Doris, you don't do things by half, do you? I hope you manage to get your life back in order and that you will find peace of mind and body. So sorry to hear about Merlin...

{{{HUGS}}}

Siobhán said...

Doris!!! It is so good to see an update from you. I've been thinking of you! I'm so glad to see that all is well, for the most part. I'm so sorry about your cat. I know how hard that is--big hugs. Your Keagan is just tooooooo adorable! I'm glad to hear that things are going well on the job front and with your new guy. Stitching and socks are fantastic! I love the felting, too.

Maggie said...

How great to see you back!

Love the felting, the socks & the stitching, and how cute is your grandson!! :-)

So sorry to hear about your kitty, always tough when a much loved pet leaves us.

Glad your dad seems to be coping in what must still be a difficult time. Congrats on the job and the new man;-) YGG!!

Have a great week x

mainely stitching said...

Has it really been four months? Good heavens, time flies! It's great to hear from you, especially since everything (except losing Merlin) has been going so well. I'm delighted to hear that your job is back on track - what an odd combination of events, huh?

And I LOVE those socks! :)

Brigitte said...

Welcome back, Doris, it was such a nice surprise to see your post in my reader.
You had some very nice finishes lately. And this little cutie is quite simply adorable.
I loved to read about your new positive feeling about school. This happens rarely nowadays, and I'm still looking for it, lol.

Sally said...

Good to see you back Doris. Your stitching is lovely and Keagn is so cute!

Sorry to hear about Merlin.

staci said...

Hello Stranger! It's wonderful to hear what you've been up to...I've been thinking of you often and been meaning to email.

Sounds like quite a few changes for you, but it sounds like things are for the better. Best of luck with your new-old job.

Congrats on your socks...they are simply awesome! I'm so glad that you're hooked, lol ;) And that Keagan...adorable just doesn't even begin to describe his cute-sweet-baby-cheeks!!!

Ellen said...

It's great to hear from you, missed your postings. Love your socks, I am no good at knitting.
Enjoy your grandson, your new job and your new man.

Hugs,

Valerie said...

Glad to see you back, Doris! I know what you mean about life and chaos...when chaos reigns it is not a good situation! However, it sounds like things are looking up for you and I hope that they continue to do so! Happy Stitching!

Jennifer said...

Glad you're back Doris! Love the pic of your sweetheart Keagan and wonderful news about your new man . I am so sorry to hear about Merlin.
I thought about you a lot this week as we had two stopovers in Denver . Looked you up in the phone book but there are many with your last name.Will write about our trip this week on the blog , it was planned quickly with not a lot of time for extra things while there but a good time anyhow. Great also to hear the wonderful news about your job. Funny how things work out.
Have fun!xoxo

omashee aka Barb said...

Oh Doris! I was just checking your blog the other day & wondering how you were. Thought you had become sooo enamored with Keagan that you'd forgotten us!!! So pleased to hear your life is going well. Congrats on the job! Love your knitting & felting & Sarah Esh! Oh Ho, a new man! Glad to see you back in blogland. Looking forward to catching up

Pam said...

Hey Doris! It's so nice to see you back in blog land. Your little grandson is the most adorable thing, and I can't believe that he's four months old already. That went fast. Glad to hear that you got to go back to your old position and that there is a new guy in your life. I love your knitting. I think that the bowl is the cutest thing!

Unknown said...

Great to see you are back!

Jeanne said...

Lots of news for sure Doris. What a darling photo of your little Keagan :). I am sorry you lost your pet - been there and know how awful it is. Great job on your sampler finish and the socks - I can only knit a dishrag - just straight rows ha ha. I am impressed with all you knitters. Congrats!

Anonymous said...

Doris, it's so good to read your post. I've been on a blogging break most of the summer also and am so far behind on reading. The baby is so adorable! I know you are just squeezing him so much. Glad your dad is getting into a somewhat routine; I'm sure it's hard. Love your knitting and stitching...looks great!
Take care; hope the school year is a good one!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad to hear from you Doris ! I truly am. I was wondering where you had been hiding, although I somehow supected that a certain grandson had a lot to do with your disappearance...
Good about the job. Somebody has just been hired to take mine over, and reading your post does give me a lot of hope, if you see what I mean.
I look forward to read more in the near future.
Val (just back from a Spanish holiday)

Kellie said...

Hi Doris, so nice to see you posting again. Glad to hear all of your good news. Congratulations on the new job and new principal. Glad you are feeling optimistic about it. Congrats on the new man too. :)

Sorry to hear about your loss of Merlin. It's hard to lose our furry family members.

Sarah Esh looks fabulous!

I hope your school year gets off to a great start!