Roses for our anniversary

Nick and I had a very quiet anniversary celebration.  It was nice, though.  He surprised me with a bouquet of pink roses when I got home from work.  (Please excuse the crummy cell-phone picture of them; I assure you, they were beautiful despite what the picture might show.)  We exchanged paper-themed gifts.  I got him a nice card and a (paper) giftcard.  (Well, and a stuffed monkey–but obviously that wasn’t paper. It was just too cute to resist.)  He got me a business card holder, post-it’s, printer paper (ha ha), and a gorgeous calendar and stationary set with art-deco type artwork on it.

We had dinner at Prime 108, which is a fantastic restaurant in downtown Nashville located inside Union Station.  Our friend Alan is a chef there, so we always know the food will be great.  It was no disappointment on our anniversary either, and we were floored when Alan came out to check on us at the end of the meal and wished us a happy anniversary from he and his wife Erica and took care of our bill for us.  I actually teared up.  We’re blessed with the most amazing friends.

We also got lots of beautiful cards and gifts from family.  I need to gather them all up and tuck them in a scrapbook when I have some time.

… and things are, as always, busy!  Nick flew back to Erie on Thursday for a visit.  I dropped him off around 5:30 a.m. at the airport.  He made it back to Erie safe and sound and he’s going backpacking with his father for the weekend.  I hope they have good weather and lots of fun.

Gracie sits on my lap while I knit.

I stayed home with the dog and cat this trip.  It’s my first time being “alone” since we moved to Nashville, and it feels sort of strange.  I don’t mind it, but it’s just different.  Thankfully I have the pets to keep me company so the house isn’t completely empty and silent.

I’ve been busy working on soaps.  I have quite a few melt and pour (”M&P”) type soaps made up, and this weekend I’m going to attempt making my first cold-process soaps.  That means getting out the lye–yipes!  No worries, though, I’m taking LOTS of cautions (goggles, gloves, long-sleeves, etc.).  No lye burns for me, thanks.  If you want to read more about what I’m doing with my soap making, check my soap blog.

Melanie at the Parthenon

Oh!  We had company last week too.  My best friend Melanie, who was the maid of honor in our wedding, came to visit for the weekend!  We did a little sight-seeing while she was here and I taught her to knit!  We hung out at the knit shop quite a bit and she got to meet all my friends there.  We also went out for Thai food and Melanie and Nick rode go-carts afterward.  We had a pretty fun visit.  Nick and I are trying to coax she and Chrissy to move down here, but they’re not going for it.  (Bah-humbug!)

Anyway, I think that’s all the news for now.  Hopefully when Nick gets back from his trip, he’ll have some photos or something to post here.  I keep trying to get him to post–we’ll see if it works!

Happy first anniversary, Nick.

I think I’ve mentioned here that I’ve started teaching some knitting classes at my local yarn shop.  It’s fun and I’m beginning to feel more confident in my teaching, designing, and knitting abilities.  I recently helped a friend at the shop come up with a “Charlie Brown” sweater (I’m knitting one along with her and I just started knitting the sleeves onto mine) and I also designed a sock that I’m going to be teaching a class on later this month.

As if that’s not enough, I’ve also been helping some friends and contacts with some web design and development.  I recently helped a friend launch his new Internet talk-radio network, and I’m really excited to see how that grows.

AND…

I’m starting a home-based business, and it’s probably not what you’re expecting!  Not knitting, not anything computer-related.  Nope.  I’ve started making soap.

For the most part, up to this point, I haven’t technically been making soap.  I’ve been using premade melt and pour (MP) soap, adding color and fragrance, and pouring it into decorative molds.  However, I also recently got all the supplies and equipment I need to start doing cold process (CP) soaps “from scratch”.  These soaps are all-natural, and in most cases are all vegetable-based (vegan-friendly).  Unlike soaps you buy at the store, they do not contain any petroleum by-products.  They’re safer and gentler on your skin and kinder to the environment.  I’ve also started developing different fragrance blends that will be unique to my line of soaps, so that’s another fun selling-point.

Anyway, it pretty much happened by accident: I wanted to make some cute soaps for Christmas gifts this year.  I’ve been really big on the idea of making a lot of handmade things for the holidays, and I thought that soapmaking would be something I could try in addition to my knitting.  I quickly found out that it was really, really fun!  When I showed what I’d done to some friends, they were interested in purchasing some from me to give away as gifts too.  My initial thought at that point was that I should probably check into some of the legalities of selling things like this (taxes and such) just in case — ’cause I’m that type of girl and “Murphy’s Law” always applies to me.

So I started doing research on the Internet and I wound up making an appointment with the local small business development center.  They were incredibly helpful in walking me through the steps, and now I’m in the process of writing a business-plan and financial documents.  Though I’m not seeking any loans to finance this little venture, they still advise taking these steps to “get things in perspective” and focus your efforts.  My eyes were really opened and now I’m even more excited about this opportunity than I was initially.

I’ve started Monkey Bubble Soaps online where I’ll be selling my soaps (right now you can go there to sign up for the e-mail newsletter and be notified when the shop opens).  I’m also planning to get to a few local craft fairs and such.

I don’t expect this to be a career or even a significant source of income.  I’m just hoping it will be something fun that will also earn us a little extra money that we can squirrel away for a rainy day.  Plus, I also see it as an interesting and fun learning experience.  My ultimate goal later in my life is to own my own business (though not a soap-business) and I see this as a baby-step toward that.  There’s less initial investment so I’m not taking on that much risk, but at the same time I’m learning about all the processes involved in creating and maintaining a business.  It’s fascinating, honestly, and everyday I work on this (along with all my knitting projects, freelance work, etc.) I feel even more energized and just plain alive.  It’s an exciting time in our lives — there’s so much opportunity and I really feel like I’m finally wrapping my arms around it and embracing it rather than letting it slip past me.

Also… I had good news a couple days ago: I got a raise at work!  Of course, more money is always nice (especially in tuff economic times like this), but it also was a great affirmation that they’re happy with my work.  It’s just all-around been an awesome past few weeks!

Nick’s parents came to visit us for the holiday weekend.  They arrived on Thursday and stayed till Monday morning.  We had a heck of a time — busy, busy, busy and FUN!

We checked out a lot of the bars and clubs on 2nd Avenue and Broadway in downtown Nashville.  (Even though we’ve lived here over a year and a half, I’d never gone!)  We got to hear lots of great music.  Nick and his dad shot some pool.  Just good times.

We also went golfing — or rather, Nick and his parents golfed, and I just went along for the ride.  (Heh.)  It was nice getting to spend some time in the fresh air, though it was really HOT.

There’s lots of pictures from their visit here.

Nick bought Shenanigans for me (along with his “brother” Shady) as a Christmas gift back in 2002.  Shady passed away several years ago of lymphoma cancer.  Shenanigans, though, lived to be quite a ripe old age.  Neither ferret was young when we got them, ‘Nanners had been with us for six years, so I’m guessing he was around 10 years old.

I was really very attached to Shenanigans.  He always had a very different personality than Shady, or the ferret I adopted 2 years ago (Bink).  ‘Nanners always had this endearing “grumpy old man” sort of personality.  He was happy to do his own thing most of the time, but when he grew bored he also loved to be cuddled.  He was my baby.  Shady and Bink always favored Nick, but ‘Nanners and I bonded.

I sort of knew he was getting to be an old man.  In the last year or so, he had really slowed down a lot.  He also started to lose some weight.  (Though he’d always been rather overweight, so that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.)  The last few days he’d been very sluggish and I had an appointment to take him to the vet this afternoon.  Unfortunately it was too late.  I’m glad I spent the last few evenings cuddling him in my arms and saying my “goodbyes”.  I hope he knows how much we loved him and enjoyed his time with us.

I’m also glad, in a way, that it didn’t come down to taking him to the vet and having a long, drawn-out treatment.  When Shady had lymphoma, I spent the last week of his life force-feeding him medicines.  It was miserable and after that experience I decided I wouldn’t do that again; it would have been kinder to have him put to sleep.  I’m thankful that I didn’t have to make that call with Shenanigans.

Later this afternoon a very kind gentleman from South Central Pet Services is coming to pick up Shenanigan’s body.  I’ve decided to have him cremeated and have his remains put in a nice wooden urn.  He was so special to me, I couldn’t bear the thought of burying him at our apartment complex and then leaving him behind when we move.

So tonight will be difficult.  Getting through work today has been tuff, trying not to cry — I don’t want to have to explain that I’m crying over a ferret.  Most people don’t “get” that ferrets are more like dogs or cats, not a goldfish you just flush.  I’m truly heartbroken over my little man being gone.  I just want go go home and hold Bink-baby close.  (And our dog and our cat too.)

Goodbye, sweet Shenanigans.  Mommy loves you so much.

(Photos © Erica Bickel)

I got to see so many of my friends and family members while I was home.  It was really great.  In particular, I got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents, which was the real reason for my trip — I just felt like I needed to see them.

As I’m typing this, my mom is on her way here to Nashville.  She left (driving) this morning and should be here around 9:30 p.m. tonight!  I’m so excited.  It made it much easier to say goodbye last weekend, knowing that she’d be here this week!  We’re going to the AQS quilt show tomorrow at the Opryland Hotel.  I’m also thinking if she’s interested that I might bring her in to my work and into the capitol building and stuff.  I think she might like that.

Next weekend Nick’s parents will be staying with us, and the weekend after that my friend Melanie may be flying in to stay with us too… so we have a steady stream of loved ones visiting over the next week, which is great.  The house isn’t exactly as orderly and neat as I’d like it to be for company, but oh well, they’re family.  They may as well know now that I’m no June Cleaver.  ;)  (Though I do try.)

Hopefully I’ll get my butt in gear and get some new pictures posted soon.  Really.  I promise!

I’m also nervous — just about the flying part.  Up till yesterday, I was excited — picking out books and knitting projects to take with me to pass the time on the plane and during the layover in Detroit.  But now that I have boarding passes in-hand, the nervousness has hit and my stomach is in knots.  This will only be my second time flying, and though I did just fine the first time, it still freaks me out.  The only reason I’m flying at all is because I felt like I needed to go home for a little while, and Nick wasn’t able to come so I didn’t want to drive the 11+ hours alone.  Anywhere else though?  Forget it.  My need to go home just outweighed my dislike of flying.

I packed most of my things last night.  I’m flying Northwest and they allow for one checked bag for free, plus your carry on.  I’m just taking one suitcase, and even with a good amount of clothing packed, there’s still lots of room in case I do any shopping while I’m home.  Of course, I packed lots of yarn and knitting things in both my carry on and my checked luggage (I might need more knitting to do on the flight home, ya know!).  I think I packed enough yarn and patterns to knit 3 or 4 pairs of socks, which is highly unlikely — if I get through 2 pair, I’ll be surprised — but knitting is the one thing that calms my nerves.  Those security people at the airport better not try and take my knitting needles away or I’ll be a wreck… (I did pack a book in case, though.)

Anyway, tomorrow night I’ll be having dinner at my parents’ house.  My mom is making stuffed shells.  My mother- and father-in-law, and my grandparents will all be there.  It should be nice.  After spending the better part of the day in airports, I’m not entirely sure how coherent I’ll be, but I’m sure they’ll understand.  Oh!  And I’ll get to see my good old Kodi-dogger too.

I’m going to make an effort to take lots of pictures.  I’m just packing my little point-and-shoot camera, not my fancy dSLR.  But I’ll try to take enough pictures with family and friends so that I can post a nice little photo album of the trip in the photo gallery when I get back.

Wish me luck and think good thoughts for my flights tomorrow, please!  (No turbulence! *fingers crossed*)  See ya’ll soon!

My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother have always been talented when it came to canning things and making jellies and jams.  I grew up watching them make it, but till now I’d never had any interest in trying it myself.

I discovered wild blackberries growing in the field next to our apartment.  The bushes were just loaded with berries, and over the last week they’ve ripened from bright red to a rich, dark purplish-black.

I had no idea how to go about making these berries into jam.  I knew I needed to get jars, and some sort of “stuff” (Sure-Jell fruit pectin, it turns out) to make it thicken.  Thank goodness for the Internet, and mom’s phone number on speed-dial!

I made a small batch — eight half-pints worth — and it actually appears to have set up  properly!  I’m hoping to get a chance to make homemade biscuits this weekend because there are few things tastier than warm biscuits with sweet, fresh jam on them.  Mmmm!

Now I’m thinking about making some blackberry pie, if I can collect enough berries.  I’m also thinking about trying to get some strawberries to make jam with too!

I was supposed to have four gals in my class, but only two made it.  (The other ones had family and health-related problems and couldn’t make the first class.)  My two students did very, very well and are both finishing up their socks.

Pat (the owner of my local yarn shop) already booked me to teach this class again.  She said that the girls who missed the first class want to take it, and she thinks there will be others also.  I’m also teaching other sock knitting classes, a shawl/wrap class, and a free workshop/Q&A session on using Ravelry.com (a popular knitting-related website).  So now I’m teaching classes almost every Monday evening and two classes (one in the morning, one in the afternoon) on Saturdays!

I almost feel guilty getting paid to do this.  I even told Pat as much.  I really enjoy knitting, and I enjoy helping people learn to knit.  It’s getting paid to do something I really love.  And even if I weren’t teaching, I’d probably be at the knit shop for sit-’n-knit anyway, so I might as well be helping out!

I’ve really met so many wonderful friends through the knit shop.  I don’t think I’d have ever gotten over my homesickness without them.  They’ve become my “Tennessee-family”.

Speaking of homesickness, I’m going home next month!  Actually, I’ll be leaving a month from today - on August 8th.  I’ll be flying from Nashville to Detroit, then into Erie.  Nick has to work, so I’ll be flying home by myself.  Hopefully we’ll be able to make another trip in the autumn so he can go too.

I’ll be spending the week visiting with family.  My grandparents have both recently had some health problems, and I just felt like I really need to be home right now with them.  Unfortunately, I can’t stay, but at least I can visit for a while and spend as much time as possible with them.

Nick was promoted at work!  He’s now running the install-bay and in charge of car electronics.  He also earned his MECP Advanced certification and is currently studying for his Master certification as well.

As for me… I’ve been asked by my local yarn shop to start teaching some knitting classes!  I’m really excited about that.  I’m teaching a class on how to knit two socks at the same time on two circular needles.  I wrote up a pattern for a pair of plain baby socks to do for that class.  Then I’m also teaching a class on knitting a pair of simple lace adult-size socks.  The sock in the picture is the sock we’ll be doing in that class.  It’s the “Monkey” pattern designed by Cookie A.

My first class is next Monday night.  I’m nervous and excited!