Stuff going on

I keep meaning to blog about what's going on, but when it comes time, I just don't get around to it.  Sorry, folks.

When I went to leave work last Friday, I discovered that I had a flat tire.  I think I could change a tire if I had to, but I've never actually done it, so I'm nervous about it.  Like the tire might fall off half way home or something.  I tried calling CAA (like AAA), but because of the weather and shortage of CAA workers, I was going to be waiting at least eight hours.  So I sent XM a text msg telling him that I had a flat tire, but at least I was still at work.  I didn't want to ask him for help, but I didn't want to try to do this myself.  Thankfully, he did offer to help, so I accepted.  He drove over and changed my tire for me.  After he was finished, we chatted for a bit.  Chatted is a nice way of putting it.  I asked him how he was doing and he said mostly okay.  He asked me how I was doing and I started to cry.  As I told him, it's still really hard to see him.  It's so strange to me that here's this person who was such a big part of my life, and we still live in the same city, but we never see each other and never talk to each other.  This was the first time in three months that I'd seen or talked to XM.  I told him that I really appreciated him coming to help me.  He said, "I told you I'd always help you out."  I said, "I know, but it's not like you have any actual obligation to me now."  He replied, "That doesn't matter."  I'm glad that he said that, to know that he will still help me if I need it, but seeing him Friday just reinforced the fact that I'm better off not being in touch with him much at this point.  It's just too hard and too painful.  

Saturday morning I called the tire store where I'd been before and they said they could get a new tire for me, but it wouldn't be at that store until Monday.  No biggie, right?  Monday morning I went to leave to go to work... and I got stuck in the snow.  It's been warmer for the past week, so instead of harder, packed down snow, it's a bunch of mush.  I couldn't go forward or backward and I was blocking the alley where we all have to drive to park in these condos.  I was stuck for probably 45 minutes before three of my lovely neighbors were able to help push me out.  Really did not start out my Monday on a good note.  I cried on the way to work and tried to pull myself together before I walked in, but when our receptionist asked me if I was okay - because I was pretty late at this point - I just shook my head and started crying again.  Sheesh, I am such a wus!  She and one of the other ladies there hugged me and were so sweet about it.  Really, I work with great people.

So, since then I've just been parking on the street so I wouldn't get stuck again.  Except that tonight when I came home there was a sign at the entrance to my neighborhood about them doing some sort of street cleaning and so we couldn't park on the street.  So I pulled on into the alley and part way into my spot... and got stuck.  @#$^*(*&$!!!!!!!  I tried to dig myself out and go back and forth and Peachie was just not moving.  So I called my upstairs neighbors for help.  I didn't know what else to do.  Fortunately, they did come out and help.  Lorne pulled my car into my spot and then he chopped up the packed down snow so I could shovel it out of the way.  I'm not sure he was all that happy about helping me, but at least he did.  I'm thinking I'm going to bake cookies or something as a way to say thanks.  I think I'm going to go back to parking on the street, although it's supposed to get cold again over the weekend.  The only good news is that, according to everyone here, this is the most snow Edmonton has gotten in about forty years, so at least I won't typically have to deal with this.  Sound familiar to anyone else about this winter?  lol

Tonight when I got stuck, I had been coming home from a special appointment.  I had my first counselling appointment today after work.  I found a place just a couple minutes from work, which means that it's only about 15 minutes from home too, which is great.  I think the appointment went well.  I like the woman I met with.  I'm guessing she's not too much older than I am, but I'm not always good at guessing ages.  For any of you who've gone to counselling, you know that the first meeting (or first two, maybe) are mostly just a "fact finding missing" since the therapist is starting completely from scratch.  So Kathy - the therapist - was mostly just asking questions to get the background of everything and find out what had gone on with XM and me.  At the end, though, she stated that she thinks I'm strong and resourceful.  I have to admit that it was a boost for someone who doesn't know me to make that statement.  I definitely think I'll see her again, although probably not any more often that once a month or so.  I'm just really glad that it went well.

Knitting Stuff

We got a foot of snow last weekend, so I did not leave the house to go anywhere and only went outside to shovel.  We've continued to get more snow over the last few days and more today and tomorrow, so it's a good weekend to stay home at least most of the time.  I'm only going out for a bit tomorrow afternoon.  The result?  I'm getting a lot of knitting done!  Last weekend I finished a baby alpaca scarf for myself.  It goes with my heavy winter coat.



The pictures don't really do it justice, because the yarn is really nice, really soft, and so very cozy.  Perfect for those super cold days!

A while back I also started my first actual clothing item, a tank top.  I figured I'd start with something that didn't have sleeves.  It's a fairly basic pattern with a lot of stockinette stitch, but I have learned how to do short rows for the bust shaping.

It looks a little oddly shaped because it wasn't laying quite right, but that's the front half of the top!  I've gotten a couple inches done on the back now, but it'll probably still be a little while before it's completely finished.

I've also started a scarf to give to Brother's girlfriend, who, you may remember, I met for the first time during my trip to Ohio back in October.  She said she wanted something in either lavender or periwinkle blue, as either of those colours would match little stripes in her winter coat.  But she didn't want a heavy, thick scarf.  I found some lovely yarn that's 80% baby alpaca and 20% silk - Baby Silk.  I'm using a simple basketweave pattern that was in the Vogue Stitchionary book that Mom gave me for my birthday.

I've still got most of the way to go on this scarf, but I really like it so far and I'm excited for BGF (Brother's girlfriend) to get it once it's finished!

I have connections

A couple weeks ago, my granddad's lawyer emailed the forms to Brother, our cousins, and me that we need to complete for Granddad's estate.  One of the pages has to be signed by a notary public and sent back to the lawyer.  I first checked with my bank to see if someone there could do it, but they couldn't.  So I started looking online for one.  As I'm looking, I'm finding that I'm going to have to pay at least $50 for a notary public!  For one page!  

Then, suddenly, it hit me - I know a lawyer!  One of the ladies that I knit with - and really like - at the yarn store, is a lawyer and she works for the Dept. of Justice!  So tonight I asked her if she's a notary public, which she is, and if she'd be willing to stamp a page for me, which she is.  Yay!  I'm so glad I don't have to pay money for this, and she really doesn't seem to mind or regard it as a big favour.  Although I think I'm still going to try to think of some nice little something to do for her, like maybe buy a skein of yarn she likes or something.  So next week she's going to bring her stamp and notarize the page for me.  I like having these connections.  :)

Happy New Year

It's the first day of 2011.  It's also nearly the fifth anniversary of when I started this blog - two days from now to be exact.  I can't believe I've been babbling about nothing for five years!

I'm trying to start this year off in a good frame of mind.  I've been really down and blah lately.  But I've been thinking the last couple days about the fact that my life is really pretty decent.  I have a lot of people in my life who care about me, including some people here in Edmonton that I'm developing friendships with, I have a job that I really like, and I have a hobby that I can't get enough of.  I think I'm even doing okay financially, although I'm not going to be rolling in the dough any time soon.  I mean, that's not a bad place to be in life, right?

I'm not really in touch with XM much at this point.  I just find that I'm angry any time I'm thinking about him or communicating with him.  Really angry.  It doesn't help that I keep asking him to fill out the paperwork now, instead of putting it off, and he doesn't want to bother right now.  Gee, thanks.  Our divorce can't be official until we've been separated for a year, but I'd really rather just get it all taken care of and filed so I don't have to deal with it any more.  And XM just doesn't care what I want.  Cue the anger.  So I'm really trying to just put it all out of my mind.  I'm trying to think about and deal with him as little as possible right now.  I think it's just better that way.

So here's a new year, and the deep hope and fervent prayer that 2011 is better than 2010.  Happy New Year, everyone!!