The official end of my summer vacation - I have a job!

I had a few calls and a few interviews over the summer, but nothing substantial. I was enjoying all the spare time, but the lack of $$ and the annoying things like filing unemployment each week and trying to find cheap health insurance were getting old fast. Then Scott had a great idea. Why not call Raymond and see if he knows anyone looking for a Technical Designer? I mean, all the childrenswear company owners know each other, so he might know somebody. I figured what could I lose?

He actually responded with a name and phone # for me. I called and left a message, but wasn't really expecting a call back.

Then I got a call back. Had one interview on a Thursday, a second one on Monday where they offered me the job and I started a week later. Same industry, same job, same building! I'm just one floor lower than I was before - hey, shorter commute!

Anyway, I've been here a month and a half, I really like it and everyone is really nice. Not quite the $$ I wanted, but better benefits - like getting out at 5:15 instead of 6:00. It makes a HUGE difference! And I have a former co-worker here as well.

So being laid off all summer had some positives:

- I got shit done!

- I started riding my bike every morning. The rides are shorter during the week now that I'm working again, but I make up for it on the weekends, like climbing up the great hill of suck on Call Hollow Road.

- It made me budget. I leave the credit cards at home now. And we cook at home more. I've also started a savings account because if this ever does happen again, I want to be ready.

What I did on my summer vacation - Part 5 - Hanging with friends

I have the best hairdresser in the world. Srsly. And it's not just because she's been my BFF since we were little hellions. She dyes my hair BLUE!!! It doesn't get much cooler than that.



So hair appointments are basically social visits. She does my hair for two hours, I go extract Scott from Harbor Freight, and then the four - or sometimes five, or six - of us go out to dinner, laugh our asses off, entertain the wait staff and annoy everyone else in the restaurant until the place closes.

What I did on my summer vacation part 4 - projects

Besides the garden, I finally finished pinstriping the halllway - yay! But I haven't taken any pics yet. Don't worry - I'll post pics when my little sports shrine is complete.

I also worked on some little decorative rocks for the garden:

Dawn from Spin City-NY started an Aeolian shawl spin-a-long/knit-a-long. I'm waaaay behind on it, but I did manage to get my swatches done:

The swatch on the left is shetland and the one on the right is ramboulliet. While I like the color of the rambo better, the yarn has too much recovery for a lace pattern - the pattern keeps getting lost as the fibers scrunch together. It would make some nice socks though.

I've actually finished spinning and plying all my shetland - the biiiiiiig garbage bag of shetland I bought at MDSW a few years ago. It's on a bobbin waiting to be skeined and have the yardage counted. I sure hope I have enough to knit the friggin thing!

I also managed to finish a lot of stuff from my WIP box. I'm now down to only 2 drop spindles with fiber still to be spun, a felted bag that I have to finish the i-cord handle for, and a jacket I'm knitting. Pics are on my Rav page.

What I did on my summer vacation Part 3 - Knoebel's

On July fourth we went to Knoebel's with Mom, my brother and his wife and my nephews, and my SIL's family. This place is the best kept secret in PA - it's a small, clean, fun amusement park with lots of rides, not too crowded, and you don't have a bunch of rude bussed-in kids with no manners who think it's their job to cut line all day. Kind of like Dorney was when we were little.

It was fun riding the rides with Drew - that kids has no fear. I felt bad though when I took him on the one ride he didn't like.

One of these summers we'll have to go for a weekend and get a cabin there.

What I did on my Summer Vacation - Part 2 - My Little Boy's Birthday!

My little fuzzbutt turned six on June 18! He shared a carrot and apple salad with the hot white chick who's always giving him the eye.





Can you stand the cute?

How I spent my summer vacation - Part 1

Yeah, it's been a while. Now that I have non-crashing internet access again, I'll post - but it will have to be in spurts - new job and all. Thus, the "Part 1".

So, as I said in my last post, I got laid off. Freelance gig with them ended when they closed their doors and the few people remaining merged with another company. I got the flu - for two weeks, car got hit by a deer. Fun stuff. But at least I got to work on the garden.

I planted snap peas, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, collard greens and cucumbers. And then the deer snacked. >:( Re-planted the tomatoes, peppers, collard greens and cucumbers. Plants are smaller than they should be at this point, but we'll see what happens. I also fixed the fence and bought a gallon of Deer-0ff. So now, only invited guests in the garden.

I also got to spend some time with the local wildlife:

More later in Part 2.

End of May - yay.

So, I'm officially unemployed one week as of today. But I'm back here in the office working for about half of what I should be making. Because it's money. And I need it. Besides - I can job hunt online at work.

The OMGwhenwillIhave$$comingin? is still scary, but I can get used to sleeping in, working when I want, and getting things done at home. The garden looks great, I found lots of new little critters in the pond, and stuff is getting done at home.

I'll be back here at work again Monday. After that who knows? Time to hit the pavement. But first, another three-day weekend. :)