Snow Turkeys!

Happy Thanksgiving!



It's been snowing here, so my family holiday has been postponed until Sunday. Webster and I are trying to stay warm and knitting and writing.

P.S. if you know my real name, you might be able to find it in that book up there... : ) One of the reasons I couldn't blog for a while- it was so hard to keep the secret!!!

My favorite part of the day:

Watching the sunrise over the water.





Also, (obviously for those of you who aren't reading this in a reader), I've changed my design, and I am so happy about it.

I love the rain. One of the best things about being home is the rain. I know that there was rain on the Island and in Georgia, but it's not the same kind of rain- and there is something amazing about a blustery fall day.

It's apparently the end of the quarter, because I've cast on about four new projects since Thursday. And I have ideas for several more. Evidently I knit when I'm stressed. There are a few hats in the works that I will hopefully be able to share soon.

Happy daylight savings time, everyone!!

Still Alive.

Although barely, it seems sometimes... It's funny easy it is to forget how hard grad school it.

It's also funny how much of a difference a really great support system makes- which is one of the reasons I haven't needed to blog so much lately, between being so close to my family and the Boyfriend- I've just been too happy and contented to feel the need to blog!



Webster got into a fight with a pomegranate seed the other night, and it looked like he was all bloody for days afterwards. It was hilarious.

Another reason for my contentedness: The view from my new apartment.



Ah, beautiful sunsets over the water.

Also, I've been knitting, although not nearly as much as usual.

Pineapple Upside Down Hat (test-knit):



Papers are going to be due soon- blogging may be part of my strategy to write more. We'll see. I hope everyone is having an amazing fall- I know I am!

My life, coming true.

This has been the best week ever. I'm exhausted and stressed, but it's all good stress and it's all awesome things.

This is what happens when your dreams start to come true!

First of all - my little man is doing well. In fact, here he is enjoying a pile of yarn in my house!



The boyfriend is also amazing, although he is younger-cousin sitting this week, so I haven't seen to much of him.

On to the good news:

I'd been wanting to move to the South side of my town- it's where I grew up, it's where the yarn shop is that I work at, it's where my new school is, it's where the Boyfriend lives and works... you get the idea. When I moved back home, I moved to the North end of town because it was cheaper and I needed a place fast.

Last week I realized that, with school starting in the fall, it didn't make much sense at all for me to continue my full-time position with the construction company in the next county over. Too much time commuting, too many work hours and too much stress. Plus, the shop owners were willing to give me a raise, increase my hours (from 5 per week- not difficult!), and contribute to a health insurance program. Sweet deal, right? So I started looking for a new apartment and began to dread telling my current bosses that I was leaving.

So I started combing Craigslist, and on Monday I went to look at The.Perfect.Apartment. Its on the south end of town, right across the street from one of my favorite parks. It's got a view of the ocean, a cute walkway and it's an adorably charming old building with tilty floors. It's perfect.
I get the keys tomorrow.

Also on monday, one of my favorite authors (academically) was in town giving a book talk. And I heard from one of my old students from Georgia- which nearly made me cry.

So- this all happened on Monday, and that would have been plenty of wonderful things for one week. I was getting so excited about moving, preparing to start school again and beginning a new stage in my life.

Then, I got an email from my school. They're offering me a full graduate assistantship.

What does that mean? It means that they're going to pay all but 10% of my tuition. It means that they're going to give me a stipend. It means that I will have health care... all in exchange for teaching, grading and/or researching. Completely amazing. This is what I want- I want to work in higher ed, I want to teach... this is step number one. My life- the things that I want for my life- are all coming true.

I'm still kind of in shock. It's completely unexpected as a first year student at this school- which is like all schools experiencing severe budget cuts. Now- I get to go to school, get paid for it, and play with yarn for fun... My life is about to be completely awesome.

Amazing.

I have the most amazing boyfriend ever.

My birthday isn't until December- but he's already got my present picked out...

You see, every year in this neck of the woods there's this knitting conference. My very Norwegian self has really wanted to go, but due to funding restrictions I wasn't able to. I mentioned the event about a week ago in passing- and yesterday he hands me the registration sheet and tells me to pick my class...

Who should I pick? Nancy Bush and Estonian Lace? Evelyn Clark and Shetland Lace? What's a lucky girl to do?

The best part isn't even the fact that I get to take an amazing class from an amazing knitter. The best part is how absolutely excited he was that he was able to do something for me to make me happy. He's not trying to buy me (like others that we've seen...), he's legitimately trying to make me happy. And I think that is pretty darn awesome.

In other news- am I the only one that seems to be stocking up for the winter, stash-wise? My stash seems to be growing at a pretty alarming rate. I keep telling myself that it's all for Christmas presents, but I am beginning to realize that I am going to start getting creative with yarn storage options...

I'm still open to blog nickname suggestions for this amazing boy. I got nothing, and I refuse to call him "the civilian." Anyone?

Eek! I'm going to be in the same place at the same time as Nancy Bush and Evelyn Clark! So excited!!

Why do I bother?

I think there is some sort of cosmic force that attracts Webster to my knitting. Especially when its blocking. I'm really glad that I didn't spend an hour trying to pick all the cat hair out of my Brandywine before I blocked it:



Because he moved in as soon as I was done with the pins.



What a goof. Yes, I let him stay on the shawl- he looked so comfy!

Aww...

I can sum up the past month or so with one picture...



A heart cupcake- cupcake made by yours truly and frosting heart added by my favorite civilian just for me.