And So the Piles Grow...

Well, some of them. The other piles I was dealing with this morning (the ones of snow?) as I walked the dogs about 0600, just melt into little humps of slick as snot ice then get covered with a new dusting of snow so you can truly bust your bum on them. Actually, it's more my knees that hurt from them as I slip and slide across them, then make contact with dry pavement that stops my slippery progression dead. I realized this morning as the tendons in my right knee that already has a chunk of metal in it protested from one such slide, that perhaps the nightly walk of the dogs is what has been keeping me awake with dull knee pain. Alas, the dogs still need walked so I will cope with it.

A heated bed does little for a cold nose as a lazy cat refuses to assist in the packing.

And it is snowing slightly again this morning. Maybe it's more of a sifting of dry light snow, than really snowing. Snowing for me imply's a good big snow with fat wet flakes. This is more of the small little flakes that gently float down. Actually, being Wyoming they get driven into your exposed facial skin by a biting wind, but this morning was actually quite calm. Lately we've been warming up just enough, that it gets the street wet as we start a snow, then the sun goes down, the streets freeze and all hell breaks loose. Really Wyoming? You are still a quasi northern state and it's winter, maybe you can remember how to drive in winter conditions?

Speaking of lazy...

This last week I have realized that the current job is maybe not my cup of tea. I know, I rarely speak of work, but I will tell you all that I do 911 dispatch/call taking. Now, imagine the above described road conditions, and the calls I get. I am not always a people person, and I am truly not a dumb ass people person. So, this job has stressed me, and I have to  remind myself on a daily basis that just because someone lacks common sense or is just as dumb as rock, doesn't mean they don't get emergency services. Long term, the job isn't for me, and we should all think our lucky stars that I can't reach through a phone and actually smack people. Short term, it was a wonderful work experience, I learned more in a few months than I thought possible (keep in mind Ihave been a full time college student in my past), and challenged every mental skill I think I have dealing with situations. This coming Thursday is my last day as we prep to move, and I am truly going to miss the team I have been welcomed into this last fall and winter.

And then there are those that stress about bags/boxes being packed. Little does he know.

So, let's discuss moving. We are heading to Grand Rapids Michigan in the next 3 weeks or so. I have had a lot of people ask me, "Oh, are you okay with that?" Let me just say, I grew up in Alaska, and still think of it as home. I am sad that I'm not going back just yet, but life is what it is. As for Michigan? As I told someone yesterday, "Gee, it has actual rain, non man-made bodies of water, and things called 'rivers' that actually flow, and not just sometimes, but year round, and actual green growing plants. I think I'll deal with it." In all actuality, being from south central Alaska, Michigan is closer to what I'm used to climate wise than here in Casper. I will just have to find a way to deal with the humidity and wet heat.

And then there's the old hats

Now, with all that said, I will say I don't hate Casper. It's been a great place to live over the last 6 years. If not for the climate, than definitely so for the family we've made for ourselves here. I have made wonderful friends here, and I truly hope to stay in contact with you all. In fact, please shoot me your mail addresses so I can update you when we have a permanent address of our own. Well, as permanent as we get. And I'm sure come some 100 degree 90% humidity day, I will crave a dry Wyoming wind to cool the sweat from my... well, I'm a whole body sweater. But on a daily basis, I will not miss the wind, let me tell you.

Our move date got moved up from the end of February/Beginning of March to more middle February, as such things tend to happen in life. This is one of the reasons I put in my notice as soon as we had an actual green light and knew where we were going. But the Guy was asked if he could be there sooner, and now that we found a place for us and the dogs to crash there's no reason not to make this happen a little faster. Let's just hope Mother Natures timing will agree with ours and we can slip out between storms. Most likely scenario? We'll get slapped with one bitch of a midwest blizzard. We'll deal.

But today, today we're just packing. Slowly but surely as the kids nap and moan and groan that they don't know what we're doing and they wish we would pay more attention to them, the piles in the house grow. For those of you who have moved more than across town, or state for those of you in the East where it's practically the same as across town, you know the piles.

These are one type of pile. The, don't need before we move, box it up and call it good kind. Books often fall into this category.

And then there's the, I haven't used this in years, it can go away piles. There are a couple different kinds of these piles though. There are the trash or I hate you burn it piles, then there are the good will piles, the gas money for the move sell piles, and the I know who could use this I'll give it to them before we leave piles.

And lastly, are the piles in progress as you weed belongings into these piles. These are the messy ones. You can see, I try to get the piles nice and neat. Packed all away before moving them out of the house. They're labeled set to go for easy moving day coping. I hate it when people have asked you to helm them move and when you show up, most of their stuff is in clothes hampers/baskets (truly, how many hampers does one household need?) trash bags, and tied up sheets. Or best yet, when one of The Guy's family members asked for our help and we showed up, they had the U-Haul at the other end of the building and NOTHING packed. Seriously. Nothing. That was fun.

Knowing that this process was coming, I concentrated on getting my February socks done so I didn't have to worry about falling behind on the 12 months/12 socks challenge one of my fellow Fiber Skeinks set for our group. Yes, before you ask, I will stress about the socks not getting done. Don't laugh, you have your own brand of crazy too.

They are God Awful Ugly, and the pattern didn't show up well. Below you can just make out the spiraling patter that is mired in each sock. The left one goes to the left, the right on e to the right. I hated this yarn in the skein, much less to knit it but I know someone who will love them.

I finished up the last little fiddly work on them last night and Betsy, I took some purposeful picture that I hoped didn't look like they were taken from under a bathroom stall door for you... Just for you. Next month I will take some that look exactly like a bathroom stall. Just for you.

Because I did start next months. I couldn't let it go. I had to get them at least not he needles so I would have an end of the day project to relax as I let me spine decompress before bed. Then there's that Mystery Knit Along that starts on Valentine's Day I let Cindy talk me into. What was I thinking? I have no will power against the cast on voice. At least I try to plan it a bit. I cast on the 1st three socks purposely with 3 largest pairs I have to make for other people for the year. That way the next ones are for the kids, which saves me only a little knitting time, but still. They'll feel smaller. The next set will be the smallest in a fun watermelon yarn I have for my niece. When we get settled in and I can un pack the books I'll fiddle with some new heels. I just have a pattern in my head I tend to use for socks. Nothing fancy, but seems to fit well and people appreciate them.

Okay, I need to get back to packing. I hear The Guy putting together boxes out there.