!o.o! Schedules !o.o!

Per last post, “officially” on summer break and well….. it has been “insane!”  Will go into that here in a bit.  My original intention to post once a week…  :?  well, time flies *cough*      lol, especially when one is having fun!    In between reconstructing a web page for a social network site I help out with… [ P.A.L. Page ], trying to learn CSS, playing in a tournament, being a dog sitter, trying to find job resumes/history (would like a part time job…  :?), refilling the tea, and….. well the list is and will go on, has been rearranged, revamped imploded… “?” (lost count, many time! Ahaahaaaa)  “Time” it seems has gotten away from me, yet again!  PLUS our family, bless us everyone!, is undergoing another “emergency” or as some are lo.oking at it, another “test.”  (will go there later! )  So my once a week post attempt got a tab bit side tracked…. hopefully “Saturdays” will be a good day to do this… or whenever? eheeheeee only time will tell 


Since the last post, weather wise, Oklahoma has had NO shortage of interesting atmospheric wonders happening.    From aggressive snowballs falling from the sky, to really “windy” days, to the suffocating humidity, OK’s weather constantly changes and always fascinates me!  lol!    An update on Kat’s friend, who lost her childhood friend in the May tornado, her three children survived, thank goodness and last I hear one of the boys was still in intensive care.  The two boys were tossed up into trees, and their grandfather and a passerby got them out.  Their little sister was near them, at the base of the tree where they were found.  Their mother, unfortunately did not survive the toss… they lived in a mobile home.  (A dangerous combo in “windy” conditions)  The community where they lived surrounded them with love, generosity and TLC!  They put on an event to help raise money for the lil ones care, as initially all three were in I.C.U. for a few days, it is a miracle they survived… period!  Blessings go out to them and theirs. 

Not long after that, not quite two weeks and well… my heart got to race a bit.  Mom had gone off to Idaho to visit my brother and his wife for a lil “vacation.”  Was so glad she finally made plans to “get out of Dodge” for a bit.  Sunday, May 16th, Kathryne was already at work and as I started to putter around, got that “feeling” climbing over me… the “OK weather is gonna get dicey feeling.    So I flipped on the T.V. and it was on a weather alert, so I knew it was going to be an interesting afternoon.  End result, Kat’s car looked like it was driven through a golf driving range, her front windshield looked like it had a base ball bat taken to it, her back windshield was shattered (the only thing keeping it in tack was the tinting) both side mirrors obliterated, standing water and hail balls were in the back floor board and seat, head lights and tail lights were broken, and the frame was grossly pitted.  When I saw her drive up… my jaw dropped to the pavement, almost literally!  I hugged her really tight whispering “Thank You Dear Beloved Creator for keeping my kidd safe during this storm!” over and over!  Thankfully her schedule was different and she was indoors at the time, helplessly watching as her car got pummeled!  The rain and hail came down so fast, it was just below need deep water for a bit, the new got a shot of her wading in it as she looked at her car after the onslaught!  Talk about feeling helpless!  All I could do was send out there… “Please take care of the kidd and protect her and those around her.”  Wish I had pictures to post, it was incredible.  So… with the evening forecast pending with more sever weather, we took card board, plastic trash bags and duck tape to minimize more water… which, come to find out, we did not need to do, as the insurance company sent out a tow truck the next day to gather her car.  Kat was a bit beside herself… I cannot imagine why… for the life of me :?  Seriously?!?  Lol, because she was heading out of town Wednesday for her vacation!  We found out just before she came home that her car would be totaled… so she is carless at the moment.  Would rather have that than the alternative!
  When I drove her to work one day, the devastation in that area was astounding!  So the hidden blessings surrounding that day are so welcomed and we are extremely grateful for!



Now after the kidd’s ordeal… Mom’s visit was going well in Idaho, but during her time there my sister-in-law fell ill and had to be taken to the emergency room.  Her health has been declining rapidly over the last 3-5 months, which mom was aware of before she went, and knew it might be an “interesting” visit.  Mom came home… but made the decision to return to Idaho to help with my sister-in-law, upon my brother’s request.  As we discussed these events that were unfolding, she decided to go and stay for six weeks.  She really felt the “call” to go help and try to do her best, and help my sister-in-law.  Fully understanding this, as I experienced the same thing when Dad got sick, I supported her decision, but had concerns.  Mom has “care-giving” in her blood, and she is an excellent caregiver… BUT… she has a tendency to throw herself into that position so much she forgets to take care of her and will get run down to the point she cannot function.  (my concern… via firsthand experience!)  So she was here long enough to get laundry done, take care of some things and then she headed back.  Fortunately, with me being here, her dogs would not have to be boarded and thus… my “official” but “unofficial” job of the dog sitter continued or, started or….. well go ahead, pick one!  :)   She had been there… if I remember a lil over a week and they had started talking about trying to find her additional help… possibly here in Oklahoma, in Tulsa.  On the 19th of May, my email produced a new flight itinerary and an email with “I’m coming home” in it, with an “I’ll explain later.” note.  Mom got home on Saturday, May 29th, with my brother and his wife leaving via car on May 31st to arrive in Oklahoma on June 1st.  They would pile back into a car on June 2nd, with my Mom included and head to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she would stay for at least three weeks, if not more. 

During all of this, I finished school… (previous post) which included finals, etc… completed FAFSA for the fall, watered dogs, took a lil brain break and played games on sites avoided while in school, tried to reconstruct a web page, fed dogs,  cracked open a book or two on CSS, started a tournament, broke up the occasional “dog fights,” fed kid here and there,  got the web page somewhat reconstructed, fed dogs again, found a nifty CSS generator, watered the dogs, started the tutorial for the CSS generator, read more in the CSS books, played Yooyu Ball (tournament am in… YES! am a “closet” Neopian! -.- and proud of it!  Haha!) fed the dogs again… funny they need that daily!  0.0  Considered rearranging my site… imploding it completely and “reconstructing it” (changing content… etc.,)  watered dogs sum more, played with them too! Kept thinking need to update this blog… fed dogs AGAIN! -.-  Took on another project, that hopefully might pan into a “job” that I can work on while in school and would greatly help me with “hands on experience”…  fed dogs again, resupplied the tea, wondering if the weather is going to get “dicey” later today? Trying to pick out a yarn color to knit my sis-in-law a pair of socks (sent her a pair and she requested another pair *smiley hugs*) am enjoying my summer “break” and thankful that did not consider taking summer classes, as there would be noooooooooo way I could have crammed in a semesters worth of studies into one summer with all that is “not” going on?  *phew*  gut instincts do serve me well!!!  ahaahaaaa!  Greatful dogs are taking a nap right now! (we have added an additional one… to my “dog sitting” my brother and sis-in-law brought there lil poochie)  so, are my days full?  hmmmm I was thinking a couple of weeks ago I might run out of things to do… :?  Yeah right!  Not!  lol or lmao better yet… ROFLroflROFL, probably not a good idea, too much dog hair on carpet!  *grimace!*  

Nutshell links:  hahaha  here are some of the things mentioned in above links that am doing or working on…

Web page working on for the guild I am in on Neopets:  P.A.L. Page
This page has undergone a few transitions, this being the most recent. The coding is CSS, which I am in the process of learning and the gal that made this... well... am studying her coding.  I did "tweek" the page a bit, added a 4th collum and am working on rebuilding the smilies.  Got this far before the tournament started and will get it finished before school starts in the fall.  My "ultimate goal is to work up original CSS coding... well it is a goal.
If you would like to join go here:  [dolphin_dreamzsz ] and look me up!  Most likely I will be playing YYB (Yooyu Ball) and will see your message (Neomail)

Project working on:  [ link to follow ]  it is in the “developing” stages right now.  (working up coding)  Will put up a before and after link eventually.

New site found that am having fun on, come join me and Darnel:

!o.o!  OH!  Did manage to get some lil biddy smilies made up!!!  Intergrating them in the post... well not working out  :?  hmmmmmmmm... going to have to "play" with them.  Here are a couple...

Time Flies

     My intention to write before now, it seems, has alluded me.  Posting once a week was a goal, but my studies have been more demanding than initially perceived.  All of the information that I am being subject to has been a neat experience.  Even my "dreaded" Basic Writing class is not so ominous any more.  Understanding the English grammar and being able to make sense of it will always be beyond my grasp.  What I have come to terms with is that I will have to do a lot of memorizing to get through it and leave the understanding of its concepts to the English deities that be.  My other subjects are much less frustrating and afford more reassurances.  History is fun and am learning much about the early stages and development of our country.  Not the elementary or secondary education versions.  The computer and algebra class experiences are fun and challenging, and I look forward to the lessons.  Weird?  Maybe to some, but not to me.  Admittedly, I am a geek and am proud of it.  I am not a "brainiac" one, but still one just the same.  All in all though, the summer break will be here soon enough.

     The time has flown by but not without its advantages.  Knitting has been my main study break activity and has produced wonderful results.  During the "Ravelimpics" I started my first pair of socks and have been knitting pairs of them ever since.  Knitting has become a source for inspiration as well.  When I get a writer's block or stuck on an assignment knitting a few rows usually helps remove the block.  During the summer hopefully I will be able to work with "color working" to add dimension to my projects.  So far I have completed 'Simplicity', a pattern from Janel Laidman's 'The Eclectic Sole' book, making two pairs of socks.  Currently working on the 'Niagara' pattern.  I tried to do a sock pattern a little deeper into the book, but "frogged" it till my chart reading and alt stitch skills improve.  The way her book is set up is good for learning different knit stitching techniques gradually.



     Well, back to the books for now.  :)

Dandelions, Homework, Knitting, a TV Show and time for.....??? BaZinga!

0_oh My Heavenly Daze! as I sip through yet another cup of coffee…

I am not quite sure how it happens, but it seems like by the time Sunday rolls around, a “Homework Crunch” or “Sunday Slam” is going on! In planning the week out, tackling assignments, tests, essays and projects, all seems and appears to be going well, then “WHAM!” the Sunday Slam starts to happen. How?!? *scratches head here a bit… let’s take in to account 10-12 hours spent daily on homework one would think I would have all work completed by Friday! If you figure 2-3 hours study time needed for each credit hour plus a given “+” 2 more for homework “x” four classes, that equates to… *whips out sci-tech calculator… ahaahaaaa just kidding…. 20 or so hours should about do it, right? So in two days all homework should be done?!? Let us examine my Algebra…

Last week my “logged in” hours of study were well over 10 hours, but that did not include the book study, nor the online work. (includes homework, quizzes and tests) Let’s add 5 hours to that, worked with fractions (how fun!) for a total of 15 hours… Right there are my two days of “All homework should be done!” Guess what it is not! Do I waste time? Dawdle a bit here and there? Take a “breather” and knit a lil? Why of course, here and there, but not to the point of being ridiculous! So where does the time go? Well there is reading time, research time, writing time, compiling time, posting on discussion threads time, working on paper time, homework, tests, labs, and stare at computer hoping the answers will just pop out at me time. (yeah the brain fizzles at times. Now how could THAT happen?!!!?) Working on assignments that don’t exist too, I forgot that part, eats up time too… for instance: [see below]

DANDELIONS! Yep it’s about friggin DANDELIONS! Part one of five of the assignments in my Basic Writing/English class, is to write a story about being a part of a Dandelion. It is a “free writing” exercise where we can “have fun” and get the creative juices flowing. Woot! :D It is also to include a thesis sentence, What happens to you, to your family, where do we end up, what is the flight like, what are your emotions? In reading the assignment, was either reading too fast through it, or was really tired, or….. well there are many “or’s” one can factor in, but I flat out did not see that this was supposed to be just a sentence submission, I focused on and did an entire short story/essay. My approach was to be fantasy and be a fluffy plume pod from the Dandelion that would eventually leave her “Great Mother”. As I worked on this story, it was fun as my little Dandelion world and universe unfolded. I tried to capture the wonder of being whisked up in a warm spring breeze off to start a new life away from my Momma Dandelion. So being proud that I had accomplished this feat and didn’t kick or scream too much on this assignment I was beaming with eagerness to submit it. To complete the assignment we had to post on our discussion board our work……….. ( pausing here for effect……………………more pause……………. still more……………. okay enough all ready!) Yep I posted the entire story! Others had posted a paragraph or two of their stories, after my post someone else posted their story. Underneath that submission was the comment/question… “…but I believe all we were suppose to post were our thesis.” To me a thesis is more than just a sentence, it’s the entire enchilada, burrito grande… the whole dang doughnut… etc., AND when you read the instructions, it could be taken a couple of different ways. Lol Well I sure did, right or wrong, I was wondering if I did “over kill”, but ya know… I spent “TIME” on it! So lesson learned, as if I don’t already, I reread, and reread, and reread over the assignments, and will add a couple of more rereads in there now. Funny, I guess, not quite sure what the intention was behind the post, it doesn’t matter… the assignment was completed… with a tad bit more! :D What is even more funny, I had the feeling, she may have “tattled” and sent an email off to the instructor, with her “discovery” of the infraction of some of her classmates. Was I surprised in a follow up post to someone commenting on her comment that the instructor emailed her that it was acceptable is people submitted a paragraph or two! Wow! Cracks me up! So our class has an assignment police! ROFL for sure!

In between the course work for each class, I do take mini study breaks mostly so can transition between subjects. I am finding if I knit five rows here and there my productivity is much better, and my focus is sharpened. Finding out where the time goes though is puzzling me. This week I have been working on 2-3 classes a day, instead of focusing on just one class per day. The progression through the assignments has been better. Anywoooosen… Earlier I was contemplating the irony of all of this… time, time to gain an education certificate that says “I am a graduate of… and am well versed in knowledge in… and am able to…” that will enable me to squeeze out a meager living, hopefully more than meager, as a glorified code monkey or engineer of the idea that will facilitate code monkeys so that I might be the top totem code monkey, well more like 3rd down from the top of the totem? Oh yeah! Almost forgot, I do squeeze in a “Bazinga!” here and there!!! :D See Sheldon’s ball pit scene from The Big Bang Theory! Enjoy! This show is a whooot!

Nalbinding, and School, and Knitting 0_oh! MY!

Nalbinding, and School, and Knitting, 0_oh! MY!!! :D

A very buzzzy week indeed it has been. In between studying my breaks consist of doing something with fiber of some sort. In all this, decided to try to knit again and am pleasantly surprised I can!!! When I tried to knit years ago, was sooo hyper tense that the stitches would not come off of the knitting needles! :( So I concentrated on crochetting. There are so many nice knitting patterns that was really wanting to try it again. I learned Nalbinding to try to "go around" knitting, making items this way and alter the patterns a bit to use Nalbinding. Working the stitches are a joy and have picked up four different types of Nalbinding stitches and am looking forward to learn more.

While learning the ancient art of Nalbinding we have had some rather extreme weather here which put a real chill in the air. My Mom's hands really take a beating as far as getting very cold so I thought i would try to make a pair of fingerless gloves for her. Have always like them... Chitty Chitty Bang, Bang! the movie is were developed my interest & lotta like for them... "Granda" singin his "P.O.S.H." song! **grins** :D So whipped out a pair for her, no pattern, but just experimented. Got the idea after doing up my sons gloves. Well while working on hers and investigating Ravelry's patterns for fingerless gloves, saw many nice knitted ones and decided to give it a try.

In the mean time had sent away for some knitting needles as "EVENTUALLY" will make a Gnome... so like Gnomes! :P figured i would "practice" on the fingerless gloves! Because it had been so long since the initial learning to knit, started to look at basic knitting instructions and for a simple pattern that would get me reacquainted with casting on, the basic stitches, cables, binding off... etc. Found this site Knitting Help that has been a really good source. Holding the yarn was proving to be a real challenge for me. I had seen a remarkable video with a lady knitting really fast, which amazed me. Noticed that her technique was "different" from what could remember, holding the thread with my right hand. I just could not get a good rhythm going. In watching the tutorial videos, noticed that there was "Continental" or "German" style of knitting. Took to it like a duck to water, it felt more comfortable.

Soooo yada, yada, blah, blah, blah, later... got the fingerless gloves done and am "hooked" ;) eheeheeee on knitting! already have projects in line AND if don't have enough to do, joined the Ravelympics! Am a proud member of Team uKNIT and will be participating in the Bobsled, Mitten Moguls and Sock Hockey events! lol! figured while taking a much needed break from my Basic Writing tourture, need to make it count! ahaahaaaa! [so not doing well in that class! :( ugggh!] English, especially grammar is NOT my forte. IT does not make sense to me, at all!!! well we will leave this subject and back to fiber!!! :D well almost, need to get back to homework for now!

soooooo_0 be back later to complete! :D