So...it's absolutely crazy how fast time goes when you're in grad school, working, and doing an internship. It doesn't seem like almost 2 weeks since I last blogged.
Since then, I've gotten new couches! They're dark blue, and Riley seems to like them. I found a greenie hidden in them the other day, which means that they're "official." Riley likes to put bones and greenies down in the corners, and I usually find them when I'm looking for the remote control. Riley seems to like the couches (and my jacket), which is good. I like them a lot, too! They're really wide on the sitting part, so I can sit cross-legged with no problem. Not having to deal with the back cushions is *awesome* as well. My old couches have found a new home in a condo my dad is renting to some of his friends.

Knitting wise, things have gotten a little crazy. I "finished" the back, and moved on to the sides. I have quotes because although I did my bind off and everything, I'm going to go back and frog most of it. I didn't do the best job of measuring, and it ended up being longer than it should've been. In turn, this caused it to use up a whole lot of yarn. I intended to make it a little longer than the pattern said, but I've now realized that the pattern length will be fine, even though the sweater measured for my grandma was a couple of inches longer. Plus, this should hopefully keep me from having to buy too much more yarn. I'm going to finish the front panels before I go to the back, because the front goes faster. I'm not looking forward to winding the yarn into balls though. I'm asking for a ball winder for Christmas, so hopefully I won't have that problem for too much longer. =) I'm really hoping this sweater turns out looking nice instead of just like a big pink blob.

In internship news, I had to call DCS yesterday. It was my first time to make a report, so I guess I'm fully initiated into the school system now. Let me tell ya, I'll be perfectly fine if I never have to do that again.

I have recently rediscovered Lois and Clark, the New Adventures of Superman. I remember watching this show religiously when I was in middle schoolish, and still remember how excited I got during one season finale (I can't wait to see that episode again!). I had (*cough*have*cough*) a huge crush on Dean Cain, and now I'm catching humor that I probably missed when I was younger. I also don't think I've seen any of the first season, because I only saw the ones with the second person playing Jimmy, and these have the original guy. And yeah, I'm a dork, but that's ok. I'm just excited that I have something that I really enjoy to watch while I knit. I have two seasons right now, and I know more are out. I may not be a big movie watcher, but I really like watching TV shows on DVD.

In Riley news, his screening is getting closer. It is now officially under a month away. That's kinda scary, and I know this next month will fly by. I ordered some grooming stuff for him, and I *love* the Mars Coat King stripping knife. It was kinda expensive, but it's so worth it. I can get handfuls of hair off of him in just a few minutes, and he doesn't seem to mind it very much. He still tries to eat it when I'm working on his front legs, but his back legs twitch when I brush on his sides. I think he looks a lot better after just two days, because I was able to thin out his leg hair. Hopefully this will help keep leaves outside where they belong. I think Riley was bringing in a tree a week with all the leaves that got caught on his legs and belly.

So I guess that's about it. I'm thinking about going to Vandy homecoming tomorrow, depending on the weather. If it's cold and rainy, then it's not gonna happen. I'll probably spend the morning knitting and watching Lois and Clark, and walking the puppy. I've slacked off on my walking this week (because of the cold), and I really need to get back into it (and get some warmer clothes).

Weigh in comes up again on Monday. Total weight loss so far is 13.4 pounds. We'll see what Monday brings!

More knitting and puppies!

I just finished up with the 3rd ball of Grandmommie's sweater. It's still a big pink blob. I'm getting close to arm hole shaping, but I'm not there yet. I tried to take a pic with the tape measure on the sweater, but that wasn't exactly possible. My tape measure looks like a sheep, and Riley tries to eat it when he gets the chance. So I have the pencil again as a gauge of how big it is. Riley also refused to move when I was taking pics, so he modeled again.

Today I officially made my 10% goal at Weight Watchers I got a lovely keychain that's a lot better than what I was using, so I switched everything over. I'm really proud of myself. Yay me!

And last but not least, I'm getting new couches tomorrow. Tonight is the last night I'll have to deal with these saggy back cushions that take up half the couch. Tomorrow I'll have a fancy *matching* couch and loveseat, complete with attached back cushions. I can't wait!

Knitting and puppies!

I just finished the second ball of Grandmommie's sweater. It basically looks the same as it did yesterday, just longer. This is the part that'll be the hardest for me. I'm working on the back, and right now it's just basic knit and purl until it is 14-15 inches long. It's probably around 8 inches now (see pencil for size). It's a great TV knitting project though. I love the fact that I'm making a sweater. It's still a weird feeling, since this is only my 2nd sweater. Riley was hanging out on the couch, so I decided to make him model. He's nice and clean, since I gave him a bath tonight. He's still in the fluffy and kinda wet stage, so he looks like he has lots more fur than normal.


I have a video of Riley from when he was younger, and how he looks after a bath. I can't help but laugh every time I watch it. He might be older and bigger, but he still reacts the exact same way.
Riley after a bath

And here's a pic of the crazy guy after his bath tonight.

This is the hat that never ends...

Knitting
I have finally conquered one of my knitting monstrosities. I have no idea why this hat became a monstrosity, but it did. I've been wearing it for most of the night because I'm so glad it's done. The yarn is Cascade 220. It's more purple in person. The flash on my camera tends to wash things out. (And yes, I am wearing clothes in that pic. It just happens to be a camisole, and my hair just happens to be long enough and in the right place so you can't see the straps. Oh well.)
I have also re-started on Grandmommie's sweater using a different yarn. This time I'm using GOA, which is a German yarn. Pretty cool, since my last name's German. The yarn is 50% cotton, 50% acrylic. Now, I usually tend to stay away from the "a" word (being a yarn snob and all), but this sweater needs to have minimal care since Grandmommie lives in a nursing home. This yarn can be washed in the washing machine if it needs to be, which is a plus. It also was on major sale back when Threaded Bliss was having their crazy 2 year anniversary sale. I got a bag of 10 balls for a little under $40. It's squishy, and feels good to work with. It's also fat, and seems to be knitting up quickly. I hope to document the sweater ball by ball. I started and finished the first one today. It's going to be my watching TV knitting for the most part, since a lot of it is just plain stockinette. I really hope I can have it finished by Christmas!

School
School is still good and crazy. I totally slept through (or forgot to set) my alarm last week, which was bad. I really like what I'm doing, so that's good. I also saw a pay scale last week, which made me really excited. It's more than I expected, and if all goes well then I could be making real money at a real job next August!

Kitty
So on Sept. 28 I came home and heard a meowing outside my door. Instead of coming in and making dinner like I planned, I spent the night trying to figure out what to do about a skittish orange kitty that was outside my door. The cat wouldn't come up to me, and would kinda run away if I moved too much. It did come up to me and rub its head on my finger, which made me happy. I finally decided that I would try and get it to come inside (while Scott and Riley waited in my room), have my dad come get it, and see if he could keep it for a few days. Long story short, I finally got the kitty inside and then into the cat carrier. It was really hungry, so I gave it some cottage cheese (and cat food, once my dad brought some). I was hoping to find a home for it, but I was told that the kitty took off when the door was open (one of my dad's renters was keeping it). It's too bad I didn't get to find a home, but I'm hoping someone else finds it and gives it a home. I did what I could. I was convinced it was a girl, but I really have no idea (which is why I was calling the kitty "it").

Other
In other news, Riley is still his crazy self. He's sitting on the couch behind me right now (I'm sitting on the floor) and periodically sticks his nose in my ear. He likes to "help" when I knit, too. This usually consists of him lying right in the middle of my lap (where my yarn is) or lying right by my legs. It's really funny, because he twitches if the yarn or a needle touches him while he's sleeping. This happens fairly often, too. I need to see if I can get a pic of him when he's being my knitting buddy.
In Weight Watchers news, I've lost 12 pounds. I have my next weigh in on Monday, and I'm hoping that I've lost another pound. I'm really close to my 10% mark, which is the first really big WW goal. But if I don't get it this week, there's always next! I'm really glad I decided to do this. I feel so much better physically and mentally after losng that 12 pounds. Only 16 more to go!

Procrastination...

I have a test tomorrow, and I probably should be studying...but the open book/open notes stipulation is making it hard to be motivated. Before I say any more, I have to do this...

omgKurtAngle!!!1!!11!one

Ok. Now that that's out of my system, I'll get on with the updates.

Fuji Picture
When I was in Japan, my private lesson teacher gave me a calendar that had a woodblock type print of fuji on the top, and the days of the year on the bottom. I've kept it rolled up since I got home, and finally decided to have it framed. I cannot believe how much it costs to frame things...but I guess the picture *is* really big, and they do a preservation thing to keep it looking nice for forever, so I guess it's worth it. It's straight on my wall, so I must not be very good at taking a straight picture. It's got a green suede mat under it, so you can see the papery edges. The frame is a reddish wood, and really fits with the theme of the picture. I'm really happy with it.

Knitting
I've been doing as much knitting as possible lately, because it helps my introvert issues. I really don't feel recharged after the weekend unless I have time to just sit and chill. Knitting helps with the chill time. I've been working on the kimono for my cousin's baby boy, who's due in January. I really like the cute baseball buttons that I found to put on it. I think the kimono's looking a little weird (at least not like all the others I've seen) but I think I can make it work. I may put the buttons a little further over so there's more room in the neck. I also started working on the "matching" scarf for Scott's mom. I say "matching" because it's the same colors, but I'm using a different stitch and using longer sections of each color. I really didn't want to change colors every two inches because of all the ends that I'd have to weave in. The scarf should go quickly, so I should be able to get on with other projects.

Riley
Riley is just as precious as ever. As a matter of fact, I'm not totally sure where he is right now. I should probably go find him and make sure he's not causing trouble.
Ok, he's been located. He was chilling out by the door, and being a good boy. This pic is a self-portrait I took a few weeks ago. Riley looks better than I do, but I was really surprised that I was able to get one with him looking at the camera.

School
Ok, so here's where I need reader input. I have a decision to make about school, and I'm not totally sure where I want to go. I'll try to make it as clear as possible.
OPTION 1
This is the option that I am currently on. This option would mean that I would graduate with a community counseling degree in May. My third year of the program would be completing the one remaining class for the school counseling program, as well as doing a school internship. If everything works out, this internship would be an Interim-A position, which means that I'm actually working and getting a paycheck even though I'm in the process of finishing up requirements for licensure. I would finish the school track in May of 2008 with my school counseling license. This would also give me the 60 hours required to get my LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) in the future if I so desire.
OPTION 2
This is the new option that was suggested today. This option would allow me to switch from my current community track to the school track, and take the school internship class (as opposed to the community one I'm in now) next semester. I would "graduate" in May with a school counseling degree, then take the final required class in the summer. I would be certified when I completed the requirements in the summer and pass the Praxis (I'd have to take the Praxis in both scenarios, it's just a matter of when I take it). On this track I could possibly get an Interim-A position (if I haven't gotten my license), or be ready to have a real school counseling position next fall. I would not have a community degree, but all that would be required to finish (should I desire to do so) would be the year-long internship (and maybe 1 class).
CONCLUSION
So, one option will have me in school until 2008. One will have me done in Mayish. One will give me two options for licensure/job opportunities. I basically have to decide if I want to spend the 3 years now and get two options, or spend two years for one option and maybe go back for the 3rd year later if I want to. The hold up is that I don't know if I want to give up the possibility of working in an agency. And, with an interim position, I'd basically have a job. The only bad thing is that I would still have to do tapes and work and give money to Vanderbilt. Thoughts? Or was that way too confusing?

Weekend
This past weekend was pretty fun. Friday Scott and I went out to eat with Julie and Jana, which was fun. Saturday Scott and I spent the morning cleaning, which is never fun. My house looks lots better though, which is always nice. I got one of those Swiffer picker-upper things, and I'm actually really impressed with it. Riley brings in a lot of leaves and such on his legs, and I really don't want to vacuum everyday. This is a nice way to pick up the leaves without hauling out the vacuum. Saturday night Scott and I went to the Vandy vs. TSU game. The ended up delaying kickoff for 45 minutes due to rain. By the time the game actually started the rain had stopped, but by then Scott and I had already sat in it for about 30 min. It actually ended up not being too bad, especially because it stopped. It was a fun game, and Vandy won. I also found a fleece jacket that I want, if I can get them to order my size. Sunday Scott and I went to Julie's house for the PPV and the huge TNA announcement. We were all excited, and we'll see what happens with all that stuff.

Other
So I think that's about all that I have for now. I really want to update more often, but it's so hard with classes and being busy. I'm really enjoying my internship and everything I'm doing, but a little slower schedule would be nice. But then, that'll come next semester. =)

Grr...

So I just got a phone call from one of those pre-paid calling card number things. At 3:30am. I heard it ringing, and would've answered it (just in case) if I'd gotten there in time. Luckily I didn't make it, because what I was reading online is that it's people harrassing you or trying to get info or something. I'm slightly freaked out about it, because it's the middle of the night. I'm also ridiculously irritated, because I'm now wide awake (although groggy). I wasn't sleeping so well anyway, and I really didn't need this. Oh well. Hopefully it won't happen again.

Step 1. Pass Screening

So, Riley officially is scheduled for his Delta Dog screening. His appointment is November 19 at 10:30. Knowing me, I will be crazy nervous, and probably won't sleep the night before. Basically, the Delta Society is a society of people/animals who are helping promote Animal Assisted Therapy.

Delta Society® Mission

* Improving human health through service and therapy animals.

Delta Society Goals

* Expand awareness of the positive effect animals can have on human health and development.
* Remove barriers that prevent involvement of animals in everyday life.
* Expand the therapeutic and service role of animals in human health, service, and education.

I found the Nashville group/ associated with the Delta Society. I filled out the form, and bam...Riley has a screening. If he passes, then in January we'll begin the 10 week long program to prepare the two of us for the test required for our certification. I'm really excited about this possibility, and hope that all goes well. Scott and I have really started working on "come when called," because that's an area where Riley's kinda lacking. He thinks he can come when he wants to, not when we want him to. He's done well so far, and I'm sure we'll have it down by November.

I've been knitting a lot on weekends, and already finished Scott's mom's Christmas present. I shipped off a present package yesterday, and I'll hopefully post a pic of that after the recipients indicate that they've received it.

Right now Scott's playing the Lego Star Wars game. It's awesome. It has a two player mode, too, which I like. Not many games now days have a good two player mode. I think I'm going to go knit and watch Scott play. I have pics I need to upload, but the camera's in the car. Maybe later this week I'll get around to it. Oh, and I've officially lost 10 pounds! Yay me!

I will be laboring on labor day

So today is labor day. Woohoo. I still have to go to class, so I'm not as thrilled about the day as others may be.
I just got back from walking Riley, and figured I should update. We actually didn't get too much walking done, because we were stopped by 3 people to chat. Now, I enjoyed it (as did Riley), it just took longer than normal to go less distance than normal. While we were out it got hot, so we decided to come in and finish the walk later tonight.
So this weekend was a shopping extravaganza. Because of the sales, I was able to get a whole bunch of clothes that were discounted. I got lots of stuff for internship, and some everyday stuff as well. I actually found dress pants that fit really well. I was shocked. I bought a brown pair and a black pair, and would've gotten a gray pair if they'd had my size. I'm really glad I was able to get new stuff, because I only had a few days worth of nice clothes. I also got new shoes, which I'm really excited about. I have such a hard time finding shoes to fit, but this weekend I got 3 new pair! They were all flip-flop type, but a little nicer so I can wear them to internship.
I have pics that I need to post, but I haven't gotten around to adding them to the computer. I knitted a lot this weekend, and got started on Scott's mom's hat. I ended up having to start over after knitting about an inch and a half. Oh well. When I started over I did a different ribbing, which I like better anyway. Pictures will come on that later.
Now, I think it's time to eat, shower, and make sure I didn't have anything due for class today. Then maybe I'll knit some more and try not to stress about how busy my weeks are.

Sad...

In Memory of Steve Irwin, "The Crocodile Hunter"

Feb. 22, 1962-Sept. 4, 2006

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/04/australia.irwin/index.html

I'm an intern, but unfortunately there's no George O'Malley...

Today was my second day of internship. I'll do a quick recap of the days.
Day 1 (Yesterday)--I acutally got up earlier than I needed to so I could walk Riley. By "walk" I mean 30 minutes, not a potty walk. I was really proud of myself. I headed off to school, and realized that traffic on I-24 is crap. It took me 19 minutes to drive what usually takes me 5 or less. I really hate that road, because people are all weaving and trying to get good position and such. I just try to stay in the right lane and get past it all. Once I got past the downtown split off, the road was absolutely clear. Not too much happened during the day. I basically followed Tara around and learned a bit about what goes on. Right now they've got lots of schedule stuff, so I can't do much to help with that. I also sharpened pencils that are used for their standardized tests. I met with one student, and that might be a potential client (woo!). I was late to class due to traffic. Boo. Oh, I also wore new shoes that gave me 3 blisters in the matter of a few hours. I switched to flip flops, and probably won't wear those shoes again.
Day 2 (Today)--Today I tried to get up and walk Riley, but it didn't happen. I had a training meeting at 8am, so I had to get up a little earlier than "normal" (what will be come normal) anyway. The training class was pretty pointless for me. I thought it would be more general about what counselors do and such, but it wasn't. ost of it was geared towards computer stuff, and requirements for being in one class or another, etc. Basically, it was a lot of stuff that I won't be doing during my internship. So, I left during the break. I did meet someone that knew my cousin Stan, and used to go to church with my aunt and uncle (Rebecca, that's you). So I headed out to school and spent about 2 hours working on getting TCAP scores into the 6th grade files. There are a lot of 6th graders at this school. After lunch I shredded papers, watched as Tara went through new student files, and sharpened more pencils. A student came in right before I left, so I got to observe that, too. I wasn't late to class today, because I found a different way to get to Vandy. Hurray.
So things seem to be going well at internship. It's slow right now, but that's to be expected during the first few weeks. I have high hopes that it will be a really good experience. Let's hope I'm right!

Retreat!

So, the retreat went really well. I'm so glad, because a lot of us spent a lot of time planning it and trying to make it better than last year's. I had a few food issues (namely my hot pocket getting wet in the cooler) but I did really well considering. And the pie? It was soooo good. I knew it would be though. The best part is that it's pretty rich, so one piece was all I wanted anyway, and there was no temptation for other sugar stuff. I had 3 people ask me for the recipe, and they had no idea it was a Weight Watchers recipe. It's definitely going to be my new "Hey, I need to take something to a party" food. It's so easy, and way good. I was really excited people asked for the recipe, because I'm not a big cooking/kitchen person.
Anyway, on Thursday we left early to get everything set up. We spent time eating lunch, and talking in our mentor/mentee groups. We spent the day in Sewanee, which was pretty neat. We went to a little coffee shop called the Blue Chair. I got a Pinky Flamingo Smoothie, which had lemonade, strawberries, and frozen yogurt in it. The best part about it had to be the straw. =) We also found out that the Blue Chair sponsors a place called the Blue Monarch, which helpes abused women and their children. The women there learn how to make the pastries that were sold in the shop, and other things for job placements. It was really neat that we were helping support that group.
Yesterday was my first day to go by my internship site. Communication between the Vandy people hasn't been the best, so I decided to just call up the school and hope I could get in touch with Tara (my on-site supervisor). When I talked to her (around noon), she said that a meeting had already been set up for us at 2pm that day. I was *really* glad I called, because no one got the message to me that this meeting was set up. The good part was that she was already planning on meeting with me, and the time worked. I really like the two counselors there, and I think it's going to be a really good fit for all of us. She hasn't supervised anyone in awhile, but it won't be hard for her to be better than my last supervisor. I haven't seen much of the school, but they have a nice counseling office, and even have a room where I can do my individual sessions. We'll see how things go, but at this point I'm excited about being there. I like this feeling, especially considering I dreaded going to my practicum last semester. After hearing what they do, I think I'll probably end up in a school as opposed to a community agency. I was really disappointed that Daystar wasn't taking interns, but now I really think it worked out for the best. I'd still love to be connected with them in some way down the road (maybe summer sessions or something), but I think job wise I'll be happier in a school. This also means that I am definitely doing the extra semester at Vandy. I'll still graduate with my community track in May, and then I'll finish up the school track in December. I'm starting now to cross my fingers for a paid internship for that fall (or maybe an early job placement that will count as internship...that would be awesome). At this point I'm just really excited that I have more of a direction on what I really want to do. Hopefully this internship will cement that in my head.
Tonight I'm going to babysit for baby Sam again. He's a really cute kid and is easy to sit for, so I'm excited. It'll be nice to have that extra money, and it'll give me a chance to get some knitting done (because he'll go to sleep early).
I guess that's it for now. School's going to get crazy pretty soon. My DSM class is going to be a lot of work, and I have a big paper in there that'll be 30% of my grade. I still need to get the syllabi from two other classes, but hopefully those assignments will stagger a little. I just need to make it through this semester.

First Day o' Class!

So today was my first day back to school. I had my internship class, and it met at 9am. This was really weird feeling, because all my other classes have been in the afternoon. It was nice though, because I had the rest of the day to run around. Scott and I went to lunch at Shoney's, and I searched for "The Perfect Planner." Amazingly enough, I think I actually found it. I'm picky in that I want to have a decent monthly view (so I can put my stars on the days I have stuff to do) *and* a weekly view with appointment times. This was much harder than you'd think. I love the monthly planner I have, but I'm about to start seeing clients. I'm going to need to write down their times, as well as any other parent meetings/supervision/school meetings that might occur at internship. So until 2007, I'll be using two planners...one for school and one for internship. The only problem with "The Perfect Planner" is that it doesn't start until 2007. But, it does have all the monthly views right in a row. That way, if I need to know what I'm doing in August and Spetember, I just turn the page. I don't have to go searching through the weekly view pages to find September. It has handy little plastic markers that go on the month and week that is current. Yeah, I realize I'm a total dork for writing this huge paragraph about my planner (and posting pics) but it's so hard for me to find the right one that I'm way excited about it. And, get this...it even has pretty colors. Usually I have to sacrifice aesthetic value for function, but not this time! Franklin Covey, you have a customer for life if you keep making planners like this.

Aside from planner excitement, I made a chocolate peanut butter pie tonight. Oh. My. Goodness. It is so good. I haven't even eaten the pie, just tasted the filling that I licked off the bowl (and spoon and beater things). It's a Weight Watchers recipe, and is only 4 points for 1/8 of a pie (for those that have no clue about WW, 4 points for decent size dessert that tastes this good is amazing). So I'm going to take the pie, along with a pudding cup, to the retreat tomorrow. I know there's going to be a lot of cookies and brownies and sweet stuff, so I'm really happy to know that there's something I can eat. I'm also taking all my own food so I don't have to worry about trying to figure out how much I'm eating and all that stuff. I'm really hoping the retreat will go well. We've planned the heck out of it in hopes that it'll be way better and more organized than last year's. Last year was so badly organized that it wouldn't take much to make it better, but still. We want it to be awesome for the 1st year students. The students I've met so far seem really nice, and I can't wait to get to know them better.

I don't have much else to say, except that I have a wonderful boyfriend. I came home from our retreat meeting irritated because Scott didn't answer his phone. I got more irritated when I realized that my recipe needed a mixer, which I didn't have. I was getting frustrated with the thought of sitting there by cookies and wanting one soooo bad. Anyway, he said, "Put your shoes on. You go to Kroger and get the stuff, and I'll go to Target and get the mixer. I'll get you a blender too, so you can make those smoothies." It made me happy that he was willing to go to Target (which is about half-way home for him) and get me a mixer at 8:30pm just so I could make a pie. =) If anyone wants the recipe, leave me a comment (with e-mail) or e-mail me and I'll get it to you.

Look at my handsome boy...

After Riley went to Miss Kitty's on Thursday, this is the stance he decided to take when I got the camera. Obviously he wasn't in the mood.
This has got to be one of my new all time favorite pictures. This was taken on my bed, because I couldn't go to sleep because of groomer irritation. He does look better than he did in the pics I posted before the groom, but he still has hair in his eyes. But hey, it let me get a cute pic!
This is another one that was taken on my bed. I think he wanted me to leave him alone so he could sleep.

And *this* is my handsome boy after the groomer fixed him up today. Unfortunately he got into his water before I could take his picture, but I got him before he rubbed his head everywhere. As soon as I snapped this picture he jumped up and started pushing his head on the floor and rolling around like a crazy dog. He looks really nice. Rita (the groomer) trimmed his head for free, since I wasn't happy with it. I also had her touch up his back with the stripping. I think I've about decided that I'm going to get his back stripped, and just scissor his head (and maybe legs). Because all the hair on Riley's head is soft (and therefore old), it would all have to be pulled out in order for a new wiry coat to grow in. While it doesn't bother him on his back, that doesn't sound like it'd be too fun on his head. Also, he'd be pretty naked for awhile. I do think I'm going to try and get some little fingertip things and try to do his legs (and maybe some of his head) myself. Maybe if I can strip enough to keep him non-scraggly then I can get his new coat to grow. I guess we'll see. Either way, he's a good looking little boy. =)

Dogster!

Tonight I created a dogster page. Basically, it's like myspace for dogs. To get to Riley's (and friend, me, too!) you can either click on the link on the sidebar (in the future), or just go HERE.
This week's actually been pretty busy. I got new jeans, so my mom hemmed those for me this weekend. Yay for new (smaller!) clothes! I took Riley to get a bath on Wednesday and groomed on Thursday. The grooming didn't go so well. Two of the things I asked for weren't done when I picked him up, but I was charged for them. They did them both in about a second once I pointed it out. I went back on Friday and complained, because he still had hair in his eyes. That's the reason I took him there in the first place, and I really wanted them to at least do a decent job. The good thing is that I got half my money back, and the grooming manager will fix Riley on Monday. His eyes are uneven, as well as his ears. Now, I'm not a groomer, but come on. It should be obvious when something's totally lopsided. I'm hoping Julie's groomer handstrips, and that it'll be cheaper than going to Miss Kitty's. I'd go somewhere else, if I knew anywhere else in the area that did stripping. I just don't think it's good business when the owner is stressed and nervous all day because they don't know if things will be done right when they pick their dog up.

Knitting
I gave Scott's mom her knitted articles (washcloth/potholder/washrag) yesterday. She really liked them, which is good. My mom saw them, and all of a sudden wanted me to knit her some, too. =) When I told her about it I don't think she really understood what I meant until she saw it. They're actually really cute (I think), and easy and inexpensive. I'm going to try to make one or two to go in the houses my dad sells, as a little gift thing to the new owner. That just kinda depends on how much time I have and how fast he sells the houses.
On Thursday I went back to Threaded Bliss to get some different yarn for the VA Tech hat. The orange I bought wasn't nearly orange enough. Luckily, there was a color that's about as close as I'll get in the same yarn that I'd already bought, so I only had to buy one skein instead of two. I actually like the first orange I bought...it's more of a rusty red/orange fallish color. I'm sure I can find something to do with it.

Party!
Since the wrestling show was cancelled tonight, Scott and I invited Julie and Jana over to hang out. We went to eat at Applebee's, then came back and watched a movie. It was something about a mirror mask, and was based on a story by Neil Gaiman. I fell asleep in the middle (typical), but I caught the gist of it. It was pretty odd though. After the movie we played Cranium. That was way fun. Scott and I lost, partly because he couldn't guess my acting (even though it was incredible) and partly because I know nothing about pop culture. I had to act out the word magnetism, and somehow Scott ended up guessing "porno movie!" Yeah...definitely on different wavelengths there. (For those wondering, I was trying to get him to X-Men, and then to me sitting in the magnetic spinner thing. Obviously, it didn't work.) I definitely want to play that game again. It was a ton of fun.

Tomorrow
Not sure what's on the plan for tomorrow. It may be a lazy knitting/watching Season 4 of Charmed, or Scott and I might go to Hooters to watch the WWE pay-per-view with Julie and Jana. I'm good with either, although there might be a problem if there's a two item minimum at the PPV. There's really nothing at Hooters that I can eat, especially because I went out earlier this week (and because Monday is my day when I check how much I weigh, and I don't want to screw that up). I think I should probably work on door tags for the retreat so I won't be doing that on Wednesday night. It shouldn't be hard, but I just have to do it.
Now that it's almost 1:30am, I should probably head to bed. It got late before I even realized it. I'll try and post pics of Riley on Monday after he looks all better.

Knitting
Since my last post, I've actually finished a few things. I still haven't dealt with the brim from Coronet, although I probably should. My socks are also hanging out in the bag. I did finish the presents for Scott's mom. I also finished another ball band washcloth from the Mason-Dixon book. I'll post a pic of that one (and its inverse) a little later. I also bought yarn today to make Scott's mom's hat for Christmas. The colors are kinda muted for Tech colors (and this isn't exactly a very good color picture), but I think they'll work ok. It's *so* hard to try and match college colors. I hope this hat turns out the way it seems to look in my head. =)














Riley
Riley is a scraggly crazy boy. He got a bath and brushing today, and proceeded to roll all over the floor as soon as he got home. At least he wasn't outside in the mud. =) Tomorrow morning he'll be getting his head done at Miss Kitty's. It'll be nice to see his eyes again. These pictures are from yesterday, when his hair went everywhere after he rolled around on the floor growling. He makes me laugh so much.
School
I really can't believe that I have exactly one week until classes start. Wow. The good part is that I *do* have an internship! I'm going to be working at Goodlettsville Middle School in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. My mom actually went to high school in the building where the middle school is, so that's kinda cool. It's a little bit out of the way, but it's supposed to be a really good site. After my experience last semester when my supervisor couldn't even remember my name, a good supervisor would be a very nice thing. I don't know my schedule or exactly what I'll be doing yet, but I should be able to visit out there before classes start next Wednesday. Yay for finally having a placement! We're also planning lots for the retreat that'll be next Thursday night. I think it'll go well (or at least better than ours did).

Medical Stuff
So all my bloodwork came back normal last week. So, that means I can't blame my tiredness on the thyroid anymore. Riley and I are still walking a lot, and I'm doing pilates on the other days. I bought a new video and a mat today. The video was definitely harder than my other one, which is definitely good. So hopefully things will get better, especially since I'm going to be crazy busy.

I guess I'm going to go bind off the other washcloth and watch some TV. Oh, I bought Season 4 of Charmed today, so I plan on watching that soon. Scott's going to be in Illinois pretty much all of September, so (if I don't finish it before then) it'll keep me busy while he's gone. I wish I could go to Illinois too, but there's no way I will be able to get off work (I'm switching to Fridays) in time to go. *Maybe* if I get put in the earlier internship session I could work on Wednesdays. I don't know. I guess I'll just see how it works out. Either way, we'll live. Now, off to knit!

A little bit of everything

Knitting
Since my last update, I've been working on presents for Scott's mom, as well as Coronet from Knitty.

These are dishcloth things, and will *hopefully* match Scott's family's new kitchen. I haven't seen it yet, but supposedly it's brown and khaki colored. I actually didn't notice that there was a slight pattern thing going on in the towel until I took a picture of it. I still don't see it in the towel itself, unless I look at it in a picture. I worked on the cloth (in the back) while I was babysitting baby Sam last Friday.

Here's the brim of Coronet. I attempted to graft it together, but it looked all wonky. I then decided to look at the pattern (um, yeah, I was backwards) and realized that I'd knit one row too many. So...out came the graft (boo). Somehow I got a stitch screwed up, and one side only has 16 stitches while the other end has 17. I stumped Shelia at Threaded Bliss, so I'm just going to graft two stitches together to make it match. It's not in any rush though, considering how hot it is here. I don't think it's quite winter hat time.

School
Still no internship site. I cannot even really say more than that, because it royally ticks me off as well as stresses me out to think on it more. The good news is that I've decided that I'm going to double track. So, once this year is over, I'll have one extra semester where I'll finish up the school track of the program I'm in. I think this will be a really good decision, and will open more doors for potential jobs. I'm really hoping that I can find a paid internship for that extra semester, but that's kinda a stretch. They do come up though, so it might happen. I really can't believe I start classes in about two weeks. That's so crazy!

Shopping
On Saturday I decided that I'd take advantage of the tax-free weekend and buy some tennis shoes. Since I've started walking at night, I wanted some shoes that were actually more appropriate than my boot-type tennis shoes, old cheerleading shoes, or flip flops. I went to Green Hills and had to park about as far away as humanly possible. The good thing about the trip is that I was in and out in about 10 minutes. The women's shoes in my size (or as close as possible) weren't really my style, so that narrowed my choices down dramatically. I ended up getting some New Balance shoes that are gray with red accents. They were only $34.95, as opposed to the women's shoes which were about $100 more.

Riley
Riley and I have been walking about a mile and a half every night. It's not much, but that's about all I can stand before it gets either too humid or too dark. I refuse to walk after it gets too dark because the people in my complex drive like crazy people. I really don't like having to dive onto the grassy areas pulling the dog behind me because someone didn't bother to follow the speed limit. It's too scary to walk like that knowing that if I don't react fast enough, it could mean bad things for Riley. So, we walk at dusk and try not to sweat too much. I think he likes the walks, except he's tired afterwards. Tonight he decided that he wanted to roll in the grass of some of the houses we were passing. I was walking along, and all of a sudden I felt dead weight. When I looked back, Riley was flopped out on his back. Here's a pic of what Riley does in the grass, as well as what he does every time he sees people. This is the pose he took the other day, when Scott and I were watching TV (and obviously not paying enough attention to Riley).
This is the "You need to rub my belly right now" pose.

Random
This is my random picture of the day. This happened a few days ago when I was making popcorn (obviously). I've never had this happen, and it seemed quite odd. I think this occurred when the bag got pushed to the back of the microwave and didn't spin correctly. Still, I've never had the popcorn actually rip the bag open. This bag got thrown away and I made more. I also realized tonight that if I rub popcorn salt on Scott's face, Riley with try to lick it off. I enjoyed this for awhile. =) I've also found out recently that Riley likes apples (but not Granny Smith ones...must be too sour).

Plan for Tomorrow
Tomorrow I plan on knitting, as well as getting bloodwork done. Hopefully it'll show something about my thyroid, so we can decide what to do next. Tomorrow night Scott and I are going with our friends Julie and Jana to see Smackdown/ECW. It should be a fun show. I'm hoping Scott feels better tomorrow so he can actually enjoy the show.

Bad thing for the day...
One of my kids at daycare screamed for an hour. Today was the first day I've ever hated my job. But, one really bad day out of a year and a half isn't too bad. I'll take it. =)

Yarn sale!

Today started a little later than I would've liked. I've done a good job lately of getting up around 8:30ish, but today I couldn't seem to get out of bed. This morning I watched some shows on my TiVo (and yes, some of them were Matlock) and knitted on my dishrag. I've finished two different types of the patterns from the Mason-Dixon book.















I really like the ones with two colors, and they're really easy to make. I've decided that I'm going to use that technique to make placemats for my table. It looks kinda plain by itself (although it usually ends up covered with stuff), and this is some easy mindless knitting that will spruce it up. So...that means yarn shopping! Michaels was having a $1 sale on the Sugar and Cream yarn that is perfect for this project (cotton and washable!), so I stocked up.




These two color sets will be for the summer. I realize now that I probably should've put the striped ones in front, but oh well. I love how bright they are!



These two colorways will be used for winter. I found two different greens at Hobby Lobby that seem to fit these, as well as a really pretty purple/blue/pink skein. I only had 10 min at Hobby Lobby before they closed (who closes at 8pm?), so hopefully that'll all work out.

This is for Spring. I think I found more Spring type stuff at Hobby Lobby, but I wasn't so concerned in the few minutes I had to grab and go. Plus, spring's a ways away, so it can hold for a bit. I have no idea what I'll do for fall, which is coming up. I'd love some orangy-red stuff, but I didn't see anything like that. Maybe I can find some online. I also want to say that some of these look better in person than on the photos.

So, there's my obsessive yarn purchasing. I don't really feel bad though, because it was so inexpensive. Oh, and everyone's getting washcloths for Christmas. There are some cute mitered ones I'd like to try...

For those here from the Mason-Dixon KAL, welcome! I'm still new to the blogging thing. If you'd like to do some reciprocal blogging linkage, send me an e-mail at julieanneknits AT gmail DOT com. =)

Other Stuff for Today
Besides my excited yarn purchase, I went to visit my friend Jana at Hollywood Video. I bought 5 VHS tapes for around $8. I got a Cookie Monster songs tape, Dora the Explorer, Thomas the Train, and two Blue's Clues. This makes me ridiculously excited, because there are now new movies to watch at Daycare! Since it's been so hot lately, we run out of stuff to do inside. We usually kill a little time watching a movie when we can't go outside. I've seen Sesame Street Fiesta! about 100 times. I was hoping to find some Wiggles tapes, but unfortunately I didn't see any. The Wiggles are popular, and the kids sit still for a decent amount of time and sing the songs.

After yarn shopping but before video shopping, Riley and I went to the dog park. He ran around a good deal, so that made me happy. It sometimes seems like he has a hard time getting started running around and actually playing with the other dogs. Maybe he's more like me than I realized. =)

Plans for Tomorrow
Tomorrow will probably be a knitting day, just hanging out around the house. Scott was busy today, but he'll probably be over tomorrow. We have a deal where he plays his football game and I knit. It works out quite well.

Scary...

Tonight Scott and I were about a second away from being in major trouble. We were coming home from the show and were at the light from the interstate to Thompson/Briley. Our light turned green, Scott started to turn left, and a vehicle came flying down the road from Briley. They ran the light way after it had turned red, and were going crazy fast. Neither of us saw the truck until it was past us. Had Scott been a second faster, or the truck been a second slower, we would've hit on my side. It was really scary. The truck proceeded to run the next two lights on the street. It's too bad that we couldn't see his license plate. By the time we realized what had happened, he was too far away to see. But anyway, it's over, and everyone's safe. Nashville drivers are freaking crazy.

Lots o' Stuff

Since my last big post, a few momentous occasions have happened for me in the world of knitting. Firstly, I got to hear Kay and Ann of Mason-Dixon knitting speak at Threaded Bliss Yarns in Brentwood. I bought their book, and was fortunate enough to have it autographed by both Kay and Ann. This picture was taken in front of the Cascade 220 wall (aka. "The Perfect Yarn" wall).















About a week later, I got to hear Stephanie Pearl-McPhee speak. She was ridiculously funny. I presented her some Goo-Goo Clusters, which you can see as a bright glare in this picture




I also started (and have since completed) my first pair of socks. Here's a pic of my sock with the famous travelling sock. Mine is on the right.















Here's a picture of my first sock on my foot. Woo!
















Those socks were made with Arcania Wool (or something like that), and aren't really very comfy. I think my feet are a little too sensitive for a worsted weight sock. When I took it off, I could see all the purl bumps on the top of my foot. I'll keep these socks, since they were my first pair, but I probably won't wear them again. On to real sock yarn!

Let's see...I have a few pictures from the fourth of July, where I spent the day knitting on my second pair of socks. The yarn is Simple Stripes from Knitpicks, in a color that I think they're sold out of. My friend Urs sent me two skeins of this yarn in a package. Here are a few shots of the fireworks, including one of the sock enjoying the night.











































See that blob? That's the sock. The sock has been put on hold for a bit, due to a frustration that took an hour and a half to fix. It seems that one of my decreases came undone, and it was impossible to tell exactly where it was supposed to go. I had to pull out all the stitches I picked up, as well as take out the heel and some of the heel flap rows. I'm at the point of re-turning the heel, but I'm giving it a break for awhile.

Baby Riley
Riley is officially a year old! His birthday was on May 14th. He's a good boy. I took him to daycare yesterday, and he did really well around all the little kids. I was worried that he might be too excited and spastic around them, but he did a lot better than I expected him to. Here are some pictures from Riley's birthday.






Medical Update
I've been on my thyroid medicine for about a month now, and I'm not sure if I'm feeling an effect or not. I've had some good days, but I've also had some really bad ones (meaning I sleep most of the day). I've also attempted to change my schedule around so I wake up earlier and go to bed earlier. I function better staying up later, but unfortunately the rest of the world doesn't work like that. Riley and I have been getting up between 8 and 8:30 (*way* early for me) and walking. It's been pretty hot here, so some days it's harder to walk than others. We have a mile and a half circuit that we do if we don't get too hot. So anyway, I'm attempting to do some things for my health, and I guess we'll see if everything works out.

School
I finished my first year of grad school on July 1st. At this point I have a 3.787 GPA (without my last class factored in yet), which I'm pretty happy about. I have two classes I could've done better in, but oh well. I still don't have an internship site, and classes start back in a little under a month. Goodlettsville Middle School is our backup, so that's probably where I'll end up. It's amazing to me that we don't have more connections with children and adolescents in the Nashville area. The two options I've been given are Goodlettsville or a school out in Dickson. Dickson is 50 miles from me, so that's not very feasible with my schedule. The weird thing is that my mom went to high school where Goodlettsville Middle is now. I just hope (if that's where I end up) that they know how to use me and can give me some good experience.

I guess I'm all caught up for now. I need to run to the bank at some point today (I hate going to the bank), and then I have one of Scott's shows tonight. One of my favorite wrestlers is going to be there, so I'm excited about that. I plan to take my knitting, and hopefully will get some done during the more boring matches/intermissions. Next week is a work week, and I'll be there from 12-6 everyday. I might babysit on Friday, depending on how things work out. It's been years since I've done any babysitting though, and I'd have no clue how much to charge. If it's just one baby, it would be pretty easy and I should have time to knit when he sleeps. I like being with babies, so this could be fun. I guess I'll see on Monday if the times work and such.

I'm back!

So, I've decided to start posting on this blog (and others) again. It seems like everyone is connected by blogs now. I read knitting blogs on a daily basis, so why not write my own? I also would like to be able to look back later and see what was going on in my life when I posted. I have some pictures to upload, but I'll get to that later today/tonight. Right now I need to shower and get ready for Family Fun Night (which kinda fizzled, as only one person will be coming besides me and Scott). Scott bought us some games last week, so we can start having friends over and have stuff to do. In town? Want to come over and play games? Let me know. =)