What She Shovels

It’s not the First Saturday, but it was rescheduled because the first fell on a holiday weekend.

I was out sampling wines for the school’s wine tasting event until 2am last night and didn’t get to bed until 3. I set my alarm clock for 6am and was sewing by 6:30. Unfortunately, the fabric was only 17″ long, not 17.5″ so I didn’t have enough to finish, but I got as much done as I could.

The nice ladies at the shop counted it anyway, though!

Do you recognize this toy? We’re borrowing it from a friend and I’m trying to identify it.

With Click and Clack my usual weekend companions and the return of pumpkin to lattes and scones, it can only mean it’s time for Fall Hell (or Fall Swell if you’re not teaching) in the high school test prep business. I’ve been working an insane number of hours and an insane schedule: days up to 15 or 16 hours long and every evening from the middle of August until October 10th. One more week and then I can relax while high school seniors across the country pin their collegiate hopes and dreams on a 4 hour test that tests nothing of real importance. Ahem, I may be a little jaded (vocab word!).

It was looking a little unlikely I would get the block done this month until Nana came and kidnapped Gosling and Tweety. With Ken Burns’ fabulous new documentary in the backgeound and a grapefruit gimlet, I managed to eek it out tonight.

That sound? Well, the first is the sound of stunning people into silence with TWO posts on ONE day!

That second one, though, that definite THUNK? That’s Amy’s and Ashley’s jaws dropping as a result of this:

I worked on this this afternoon and got it sewn up tonight, before midnight, even! Now the trick will be to not lose it before the first Saturday in September.

Ashley had a birthday a few weeks ago and Amy has a birthday tomorrow, so the mystery picture from last night was of their birthday presents!

We went to breakfast and quilting this morning and they each got their quilter tool caddy and claim to love them.

I really should post more often than once a month. That daily posting thing I did at the beginning of the year was kind of nice. Maybe I’ll get around to doing that again.

In the meantime, it’s the night before (technically morning of, but we’ll ignore that for now) First Saturday, so it must be time to post my block!

Here she is.

That’s not all I’ve been doing tonight. Here’s a sneak peek, with the full reveal to come later tomorrow. See, I’m planning on posting again already!

A better picture when my camera has batteries. Oh, and it’s not 2am. Staying up until 2am isn’t worth the $5 it would cost in a normal month for the fabric of the next month’s block, nor the $10 it’ll cost me if I lose this bet with Amy and Ashley. However, when pride is on the line, the precious hours of sleep are TOTALLY worth it!

And how dumb am I for saying they had to be in by the 4th when the meeting isn’t even until the 11th?!?

*YAWN*

I just migrated my blog to my own site and backed up and imported old entries dating back 6 years. If I get inspired, I may even get the older ones. I still need to get pictures working properly, but I’m back on the bandwagon!

Just yesterday I had a thought to myself that despite it being the latter half of June, we hadn’t had any of those “woke up and it’s still hot and the day is just going to get hotter” kinda days that hallmark summers here in the Central Valley.

Well, that’s what I get for opening my big mouth, er, even if I was quiet. This morning it’s hot and stuffy in the house and I’m afraid to see what it’s like outside.

It’s been one year since I walked with some trepidation into the Surgery Center. I will never be the same, physically or mentally, but that’s not all a bad thing.

I still can’t walk normally without pain, I can’t climb stairs, I can’t run and chase my kids on the playground or down the street (for fun or for safety). My knee hurts every day, some days are better than others, but it will never again be “normal.” I have spent countless hours in physical therapy, at home and in an office, thousands of dollars on medical care, hundreds of hours in doctor’s offices and hospitals (and that’s just for the knee!), and nearly ten weeks in bed on IV antibiotics.

I missed a summer of swimming lessons, my daughter learning to crawl, and months of “normal” days with friends and family.

Why? Because someone couldn’t say “oops.” Because someone couldn’t say “Maybe you’re right.” “Maybe you need some help.” Or admit (even to himself) that he was wrong. I will never forget, and I may never forgive.

I have learned, however, to find some comfort in all of this. I have learned the depth and breadth of friendships I have and the support I and my family have. I have learned that people are willing to sacrifice a lot to help. People I’ve never met to come and help take care of my kids. People to wash my hair when I couldn’t get out of bed. People to give up vacations and travel bonuses to help out. People to travel long distances to take care of my basic needs as well as my family’s. I have learned that I am strong and resilient and can come back from an awful horrible set back stronger, more powerful, more aware and more alive. I am incredibly thankful and grateful to the therapists, nurses, doctors, friends, family and strangers who have given up so much and helped me overcome and slog through this horrendous year.

So on this anniversary of an event that snowballed to take so much from me and my family, screw you Dr Jackass. You do NOT have the power anymore. I will not keep quiet and take your anti-psychotic medication “to help [me] sleep.” I will not sit by and let you continue to hurt me because it fits in with your golf schedule or movie watching.

I would go back and change the outcome in a heartbeat, but until the DeLorean arrives in my driveway, I will take the lessons I’ve been taught to heart and enjoy every precious day.