Workin' on a Sunday

Since we were skiing in Mammoth on Monday and Tuesday I'm making up time at work on a Sunday afternoon. I'm exhausted and my house is a hideous wreck, but the trip was great. It was probably the last time we'll get to go skiing until next winter since a trip to the southern hemisphere is out of the question (though we did look at flights to Buenos Aires since it's a short hop from there to Las Lenas...). Even if we had the money I don't think I could get the additional time off work since we're already going to Myrtle Beach for a week in June and I'll be taking a few days to go see my dad's side of the family in July up in Tahoe.

We did have car trouble on the way home; we have been plagued by vehicular challenges this winter when we drive to go skiing! The alternator was problematic and we got (briefly) stranded in Kramer Junction (a truck stop on the 395). Fortunately we got a jump and made it home, but Luke had a panicked moment where he asked if we would make it home! Poor kid; the first time we drove to go skiing this year we get in a wreck and the car gets totaled. This time we get stranded. I bet next winter he'll request that we only go skiing in places to which we can fly since there was no such trouble in Jackson!

Skiing was fabulous, even if the conditions were definitely "spring". Luke had some trouble when we first took him mid-mountain; it was still a green run but it was a bit more difficult than the beginner section where he'd been. By the end of the second day we had him happily going mid-mountain and we even took him down a blue run. Granted it was the easiest blue run on the mountain, but still! Progress!

I got in a little late today because I took a detour to buy a piano. A friend's husband sells pianos and he gave me a fabulous deal on a used piano. I think it was this one (that or the 245; I'll know for sure tomorrow when it is delivered). I haven't played in years but I used to be fairly good. I can't wait to play again!

I went to a stitching get-together yesterday up at Sue's house. It was great fun; I never can believe how quickly the time passes at these things! I rode up with Nancy and we took our boys with us. They were great and played with Debi's daughter which meant I actually got some stitching done in brief bits between looking at everyone's work.

I haven't been walking at all since we've been home. This week has been so busy between recovering from the trip, soccer, and church activities. I'll be working some late hours this week to try and make up for the trip but I don't mind. Except for the drama at church life is good right now!

Checking In

How many times can I use “I’m still here” as an introduction to my blog entry? There is just so much going on right now. Work is busy which I don’t mind. Well, except for the fact that we are leaving Sunday after church to spend two days skiing in Mammoth. Yes, Mammoth, where there was an avalanche earlier this week and some ski patrol members died in a geothermic vent at the beginning of the month. I won’t be going off the top of the mountain or even going up past mid-mountain so I’m not too worried about it. I’m really excited that I get to go skiing once last time before the end of the season. There’s a chance of snow Friday and Saturday so I’m hoping for some cold temperatures!

On the stitching front I finished Tulip Time again, this time as designed. I intend to put it in the recommended frame and bring it to work once I find some fusible interfacing. I’m back to Chatelaine’s Alpine Seasons. I’ve been working on it again for the past 8-10 days; parts 6-9 are going to take forever. I’m not even half done with part 6.

Easter was wonderful for the most part; I had forgotten how much I loved singing in the choir. I will never be a soloist but I am so thankful to have a good enough voice to sing in the choir. I have also decided to buy a piano in the near future. I’ve been waiting until I could buy a “real house” but I’m tired of waiting. It won’t be a big fancy piano but I’ll find a decent upright. I have played piano since I was nine and I can’t wait to start back up again.

There has been a lot of turmoil at church recently as this group of people on some board have gone to the Bishop (I didn’t even know there was a Bishop in the Methodist Church, but apparently that’s how it’s structured) to get our pastor moved. He is wonderful and charismatic and this all happened behind the congregation’s back against our wishes. It’s such a mess. This sort of thing is a big part of why I took my time finding a new church home. I hate this crap. I am so devastated that the Sr. Pastor and his wife will be moving. They are both wonderful people who have made me, and everyone I know, feel so welcome there. I knew that there would be spiritual warfare in my life when I made the choice to go back to church but I didn’t foresee it happening so quickly. Anyway this has consumed a lot of my emotion energy and I just feel drained. I’m not planning to leave the church but I’m going to do what I can to effect change. I guess a lot of people have been content to sit back and not get involved so hopefully this will spur them to participate in the church somehow. I don’t feel comfortable getting involved in church leadership yet since I’m so new but I’m involved in as many ways as I can be and I don’t rule it out down the road.

So that’s what I’ve been up to. I’m happy to say I’ve been walking a lot more regularly with Nancy (nkuelbs for those of you on Legacy or in an exchange/round robin). We usually do 4 miles at a minimum and I love it! It goes so much faster when you have someone interesting to walk with. Being able to talk about stitching doesn’t hurt either. I’m now up to 292 miles on my “way to Rivendell”. I’ve passed the halfway point at last!

I’ll try to share pictures of the two Tulip Time finishes and I’ll take a picture of Alpine Seasons once I get some more done on part 6. I am hoping to get a fair bit of stitching done on Sunday since we’ll be in the car for several hours on our way to Mammoth. I haven’t decided yet if I’ll just work on Alpine or start something a little more portable. Either way I hope to have something to show for it when I get home!

I'm still here...

I’ve had so many different things I have wanted to write about lately but between vacation and craziness at work I’ve been unable to make the time to do so. I’ve barely even stitched since I’ve been home, though I did finish Just Nan’s Tulip Time (a modified version) for Laura’s quilt. I started it unaltered for myself but have barely put any stitches in at all. In fact most of my stitching on the first one was accomplished at the airport or on the plane during vacation.

Jackson, Wyoming was amazing. I can’t think of the last time I went somewhere and instantly fell in love with a place to the point that I looked at property and wished I could somehow eek out a living. Unfortunately the prices are at least as bad as San Diego and industry is, well, slim at best. It was the first time I’ve seriously thought about leaving California. I love living in California and of course I enjoy the temperate climate here. I just never really thought seriously about moving and, although I don’t foresee it happening in the near future, I have a different outlook on the subject now.

It was a wonderful vacation, though too short. Luke and I skied for three consecutive days and it’s amazing how well he progressed. I think with one more trip his skill will surpass mine, although that doesn’t say much. I did take a class where we went down blue runs at Jackson Hole but I had some difficulty at Grand Targhee (where we went the third day) since it was snowy and poorly marked and their idea of blue is different from anything I’ve seen! Wonderful snow, though. We drove through Idaho to get there, going over the Teton Pass. Luke had a rough time on the drive and we had to stop at a gas station to get him some cold water and a bathroom break so I get to officially add Idaho to the list of states I’ve visited, though it was a brief visit.

We have decided to take one last ski trip before the season ends. We had discussed the possibility of going up to Big Bear with some friends but in light of the 75” of snow Mammoth has received this week we’ve decided to go there instead. We’re going up Sunday the 23rd (after church), skiing Monday and Tuesday, and driving back Tuesday night. I’ll be tired Wednesday but it will be worth it.

On a completely different note I drove on a preschool field trip this morning; Luke’s class sang songs at a local retirement home. It always makes me sad to go there, and a little frightened. I know I’ll get old eventually barring any sort of catastrophe, and I don’t mind the idea of getting old and looking different or having limited mobility (as long as I can still stitch!). The thing that scares me is the idea of losing my mental capacity. It doesn’t run in my family on either side, thank goodness, but it is such a frightening prospect that I can barely think about it. I also feel so sad that the people there seem so lonely and it makes me miss my grandmother who I don’t get to see very often. We should really make more of an effort to get up and see her even if it is a horrid drive.

Well I suppose I’ve taken longer than I should to write this. I’m really busy and will be through at least the end of April (more likely through the end of May). It’s better to be busy than bored, though. At least I no longer feel like I’m sitting around waiting for things to happen in my life. I’ve felt that way for so long and, ever since I joined the church and got involved, I haven’t felt that way. It isn’t just the church though that’s a big part of it. Luke has a lot of activities and I’ve made some good stitching friends with whom I meet regularly. Life is just good right now. Sure I’d like to have a bigger house and another child but I’m trying to be happy with what I have and live my life rather than sitting around waiting for things to happen and it certainly seems to be a better approach.