She Walked Away

Quick Update

Homework avoidance behavior.

Finished last week:

I'm far from a yarn snob. This is made with 100% acrylic yarn. Let's be practical. I have two BIG dogs and two cats. This needs to be machine washable.

Started and finished today (although I have to fix some problems):

Modge Podge and beautiful Kaffe Fassett cotton fabric on my 12-panel door.

I didn't anticipate the fabric shrinking away from the edges as it dried. I worked to stretch it with a kitchen scraper, but I have some edges that need attention now that it has dried.

I may also apply a sealer coat to make cleaning easier - but to be honest, cleaning is rarely a priority for me.

I'll live with it a while and decide what to do later. The door needs painting anyway, so I may be able to trick the eye with paint.

For now, I think I'll do some homework.

Shopping at Home

I have so much to do I can't do anything! I was about to head out to the fabric store when I realized that I have fabric tucked away all over my house that I haven't looked at for years!

I was shopping for kitschy doo-dads on eBay when I realized that I have the kitschy-est house anywhere.

So today I will be shopping at home. It kills two birds with one stone. I'll have something listed on eBay by the end of the day, and I will avoid buying even more supplies for as-yet-undetermined projects. I am working on a specific project, but I need to test application methods to decide what works best. I'll post images when I get it worked out.

I'll post images of my most recently completed granny square afghan soon, too. I was so excited to finish it that I forgot to post anything. I also have to get over the notion that it's too pretty to use.

I need professional help.

Suddenly Super Slammed!

So I DID get the adjunct faculty position I noted in the previous post. I'm very excited, but frankly I am too busy to dwell on it for too long.

Teaching a Foundations class should be a relatively straight-forward thing. It's not. I was given documentation and syllabi from two different instructors about 10 minutes before walking into a classroom with a full roster of students.

I also have my own coursework to complete. This is a lesson in organization and discipline. I'm just chipping away at it as best I can.

In the meantime, the weather has been all over the place. Snow and ice less than a week ago, and this morning it was 57 degrees F, then rain, thunder, howling winds and tornado warnings. This evening the howling winds remain, but it is dry and 33 degrees F.

I am also checking in on my friends' 15 year old Labrador Retriever and three cats while they are on vacation. AND, little Ms. Parker has had some tummy trouble. It seems under control after one week of restricted diet and veterinary care. The real hero? Pureed pumpkin. She's feeling better and all the critters in the house are enjoying the fiber and regularity the pumpkin provides. That's all I have to say about that.

Maybe I will start a garden on the kitchen floor - goodness knows the dogs have tracked in enough dirt to grow asparagus.

 

Looking Up

The other night we enjoyed a Halo Moon. It was magnificent. While the unseasonably warm weather is so pleasant and inviting, it makes me a bit uncomfortable. Looking up at that Halo Moon, nearly 11:00 pm and 45 degrees outside, my mind didn't wander.

Today, as my first official day of the semester ends, I am getting ready to take Parker for her first obedience class. She should do well - it's me that might need an inproportionate amount of assistance.

As I was getting prepared for her class, I received a message from a collegue who may be in a position to offer me an class at my alma mater as an adjunct instructor in their foundations program. It may be only one class, but it would be a thrill for me. I hope it comes together.

Things are looking up.

 

 

 

Looking Up

The other night we enjoyed a Halo Moon. It was magnificent. While the unseasonably warm weather is so pleasant and inviting, it makes me a bit uncomfortable. Looking up at that Halo Moon, nearly 11:00 pm and 45 degrees outside, my mind didn't wander.

Today, as my first official day of the semester ends, I am getting ready to take Parker for her first obedience class. She should do well - it's me that might need an inproportionate amount of assistance.

As I was getting prepared for her class, I received a message from a collegue who may be in a position to offer me an class at my alma mater as an adjunct instructor in their foundations program. It may be only one class, but it would be a thrill for me. I hope it comes together.

Things are looking up.

 

 

 

Planning and Preparation

My final semester of graduate school officially begins on Monday. I would like to think I am ready.

I am upgrading my internet speed tomorrow, as all of my classes are online. I haven't had any trouble with my current connection in that regard, but I do think it best to be safe rather than sorry.

Yesterday I took Miss Parker to be evaluated for a group training class. This dog is VERY smart. She is thankfully getting so comfortable at this point that some sort of job is in order for her. She has let me know how strong her herding instinct is by herding Wilson - something which mild-mannered Wilson could do without. Thankfully, Parker responds to the slightest disappointment in my tone, so correcting her before she really freaks Wilson out is fairly simple.

We are going to a small clicker training class with other dogs. I have not tried clicker training before, but I love the concept - especially for Parker. The socialization will be the best thing, I think, as Parker seems even more tuned in to me even after her ride in the car and evaluation around other dogs. If things go as well as I expect them to, Wilson will go next. He's so aloof, yet well-behaved, that he and I would benefit from the routine if nothing else.

Wish me luck. I have applied for several jobs. The purpose of taking no face-to-face classes this semester is to allow for interviewing. I am hopeful to be employed before graduation.