Work is eating my life...

So, I usually try not to talk about my work here. This place is basically a very tiny town, and my job is kinda unique here, so it doesn't feel like the place to chatter or vent about my job anymore. But, thankfully, my job no longer falls into the category of Horrible Jobs, so I don't have quite so much to vent about here. Well, at least job-wise.

At the same time, though, my job is crazy-busy right now - definitely a big part of why posting has been so infrequent the past two weeks. We've had some big projects going on the past few months, and it's all finally coming to an end, so this week and last have been running around like headless chickens as things come together. You know how those big projects are - you get to the end of them, and have to finish up a couple dozen details that by their nature had to wait til the end anyway, and then there are things you simply didn't notice until the end, and so forth. I'm really looking forward to next week when things are finally back to normal (as normal as they ever are at my job!)

So, yes, hopefully things will calm down a bit next week, and I'll have energy in the evening again to chatter and keep ya'll up to date with my adventures here in the middle of nowhere :) This is just a little note to let you know I haven't been swallowed up by the desert (at least not yet!)

Long time no knitting!

Well, really not. Just long time no knitting news!

On the needles currently:

Yes, the baby blanket of eternity is still going on. And I now announce to all friends and family, unless you're an immediate sibling having children (a few years down the road, I know, but still) you are getting booties and sweaters for your little ones!! No more baby blankets unless specially commissioned! They take TOO FRICKIN' LONG! I've done 2 now, and they just drag on and on... Why do tiny babies need blankets that feel like they're so big?!?! So yes, baby booties and hats and sweaters and toys - small stuff, I'll gladly make for you! Just no blankets, please?

Anyhoo, also on the needles, a yoga mat carrier. I got a new yoga mat recently, as Joey had chewed holes in my old one. Apparently yoga mats are the same nice yummy gummy plastic as TV remote buttons and pen grips - don't know why, but bunnies love 'em. So, the old mat was discarded when we moved, and I've finally picked up another for myself. Bright pink too, which is unusual for me, but is bright and cheery, matches the block and strap that I picked up as well (not as flexible as I used to be) and also matches one of the cotton yarns that I have tons of. The bag patterns started as the Om bag from SnB Nation (thank you Ravelry!) but really evolved into my own pattern, I've changed so much about it! I guess you could say that Om was just the inspiration for it. The bag is just a spiral lace pattern, a modification of Odessa, but I like it. If I get motivated enough I'll write it up :) The bag itself is done now, but I've still lots of I-cord to to for the closure and such. Almost done though - I-cord goes quickly!

D is for...

Dake!

This is my teddy bear. I've had him since I was very small (my second Christmas, I think, so I wasn't even 2 yet) It's amazing how kids will bond with some toys. I don't know what it was about this bear, but he was my special stuffie. Still is, too! Still sits on my bed, though I don't sleep with him as much now (the whole being married thing). Does get pulled out when Zach has late night duty, or if I've got to travel on my own for work - basically if I have to fall asleep on my own. I have grown up since being a kid, though - I can fall asleep without him when I'm on my own at night, but I certainly fall asleep much more easily if Dake is there.

The name? He's made by Dakin, so being a creative 1 1/2 year old when I got him, he became Dake.

And his stylish outfit came later. We were in England in '96 as a family, and of course Dake had come too. I had been laughing that I would find an England sweatshirt for Dake as a souvenir. And guess what? We stumbled upon the English Teddy Bear Company during the last couple days we were there, and did exactly that! Well, not a sweatshirt, but a cricketer's sweater vest. Still says "England" across it! Also picked up this little vest and bowtie ensemble, and another bow tie to match his sweater vest :) I have a very fashionable, well-traveled bear, after all!

And now for something completely random :)

So, I have gotten into swaps through Ravelry and Flickr recently. For those unfamiliar, it's just as it sounds - within a group, you fill out a little questionnaire of likes, dislikes, etc. and then you are exchanged with someone within the group, and you guys send each other packages. With the groups on Ravelry, obviously yarn is included, and then stuff that works with whatever group it is. I've done swaps with bunny groups, a running group, and so on. It has become a loophole in the not-buying-yarn-for-myself plan (yay!), and it's something exciting to receive in the mail. (even bigger yay!) And you get all sorts of goodies from all over! I've now had swaps from Italy (twice, actually), Alaska, and Minnesota, among others. It's very exciting, particularly when you live in the middle of nowhere!

Anyhoo, the point of the post: the Cuppa Tea swap from Ravelry recently, meaning tea goodies! And with the lovely yarn and teas, she sent me the COOLEST thing! A reusable tea tag!

Well, at least that's the best I can describe it. It's a little metal clip and chain set-up, so you can attach it to tea bags that don't have a tag of their own (like the Celestial Seasonings I'm currently on a kick with). You don't have to use spoons to scoop out the tea bag when it's done steeping, or get your fingers hot or anything - so cool!

It comes in a little set with a tea bag rest, both with little lemon slices on it - so cute! Yes, I know, silly little kitchen things, but I love 'em!

And now excuse me, my kettle's boiling :)

C is for...

Coyote!

One of the few wild animals that actually survives out here, the coyote is sort of an unofficial mascot for post. For example, at the welcome center at the main gate onto post, and in front of the hospital too, there are coyote statues (the one above is the one from the main gate). As far as mascots go, guess it'd have to be either the coyote, the crow, or the desert tortoise - that's really all you see around here.

Interesting little superstition I learned when a friend transferred recently - if you want to never be stationed here again, blow a kiss to the coyote as you leave, then don't look at it again, even in the rear view mirror. Otherwise you're doomed to another tour here. All of us at her farewell lunch were laughing that we'll make SURE to not look at that coyote as we leave!

'Course actually living with the coyotes around here is a little more mundane. Part of your move-in paperwork includes warnings about making sure garbage cans are completely shut, since the coyotes will get into them, and to not approach, feed, etc the coyotes (the standard warning about feeding wild animals) and the interesting warning about keeping an eye on pets under 50 lbs. Apparently cats and small dogs are easy targets for the coyotes if they're left out if the yards or slip out or so on - something I never really thought about. Good thing our fuzzy ones are indoor pets!

So, yes, the coyote. Big, mangy-looking dogs that roam post. Won't be able to look at them ever again without thinking of this place.

(If you want cute coyote pictures and stories, check out The Daily Coyote, for pictures of Charlie and his friends - some gorgeous photos, she does a great job!)

B is for...

Bracelet!

Well, this could be M is for Motivation, too :)

At the expo in Phoenix, one of the booths was a jewelry booth. Standard running charms and such, but she also had a series of charms for different major races - a piano for Big Sur, the Golden Gate Bridge for San Francisco, a saguaro for the Phoenix race, several state outlines, that sort of thing. As I'm gearing myself up for the R&R in San Diego in May, I'm trying to find little ways to keep my motivation up, to not blow off training runs, that sort of thing :) I took this lady's idea and made it an Italian Charm bracelet instead - less clattery and not so heavy on my wrist y'know? I've got a charm for each of the half marathons and full marathons that I've run (just the race, not each time I've run it - only one Shamrock, for example, even though I've run that half twice). Right now I don't have many charms on it - a Shamrock (VB Shamrock 1/2 Marathon), a bear (Dismal Swamp Stomp 1/2 Marathon) and a saguaro with "Arizona" (AZ R&R 1/2 Marathon). I also have a little pair of crossed guitars with "Rock & Roll" on it - a reminder of the race I'm gearing up for! I'm looking for something for the VB R&R - flip flops, a beach ball, something beachy. And I've already got one picked out for the half in March over at Lake Meade & the Hoover Dam.

Any jewelry I wear I fiddle with - wedding ring, watch, necklaces, etc - that's part of why I wear so little jewelry! So, wearing the bracelet all the time, I'll sit and fiddle with it during the day, so it'll keep it at the forefront that I have to do a training run that day! See? B for Bracelet, M for Motivation :)

Ridiculous amounts of cute

No real content today, just a warm-and-fuzzy (literally) story from the BBC.

Here's the story. (That's a lot of fish!)
And now she has a roommate.

Never actually seen a baby otter before this... so cute!!