My Office - Day 7

My business card holder is very, very, very special to me.  It isn't actually meant to be a business card holder, as you can tell since the cards are in there sideways but as with most personal items found in my office, it comes with a story.

I had a much beloved boss at a previous job and she used to keep this on her desk with her business cards in it.  I always thought it was so pretty and so feminine - just like her and it just fit her personality so well.

She left to move back closer to her hometown and I was helping her pack her office up.  She said she wanted me to have anything in the room to remember her by.  The first thing I thought of was her business card holder which she gladly gave to me.  She said that it actually came from a former (much beloved) boss of hers...so I told her that I couldn't accept it and she insisted that she wanted me to have it.  She said he had kept this on his desk for years and it was actually meant to hold cigarettes (which he did keep in it - back in the 80s/early 90s, you could actually smoke in your office believe it or not).

He had given it to her when he left.  I still was kept saying that I couldn't take something that was special to her and she still insisted saying that she wanted it to be special to me...and it is!!

I look at it everyday and I think of her.  Sadly, I lost contact with her over the past couple of years (she isn't replying to the email I have for her and when I call her phone it is just a generic message that I don't think is her number anymore) - I hope all is okay with her, she was a great boss and mentor and I learned a lot from her.  She is also just a great person!

Funny Friday - Knee Problems

My Office - Day 6

I don't really know what you call these things - Pin Frames??  I'm not sure - they are tiny little pins/nails and you press it and get a shape - in this case, my hand....

What makes this so special that I am giving it a blog entry?  It was my brother's!  It makes me think of him and my sister-in-law.  He always kept is sitting beside his recliner at home.  After he passed and I was helping my sister-in-law pack the house, she gave it to me.  I know it is just a novelty but when I look at it, I think of my brother.  I know he touched it and played with it many times.  It is nice to have something of his sitting in my office that I can look at every day.

W.I.P. Wednesday

Here is my KAL Sock Progress - I finished week 4 and today week 5 will be released.  I am amazed that I have made it this far without getting frustrated or just plain giving up.

I am also amazed that I am all caught up with the rest of the KAL members, since I was a week late starting due to getting the supplies a week after the KAL started.

I was so nervous about using DPNs - this section (the gusset of the sock) was the part I was most concerned about because it looks so difficult and I admit, it was the most challenging of all the parts so far but Marly Bird made it so easy. I just followed along with her instructions step by step and made it though without any problems at all.  She is a great instructor!!

I suspect the next 2 sections will be a breeze since I think I've made it through the trickiest part of making socks.

Now I want to make a pair using real sock yarn (this project uses worsted weight wool, and I love the yarn but want to try the fun self striping sock yarns)

#marlybird #chicsheep

My Office - Day 5

My friend and co-worker, Tammy, gave us all little stuffed animals. They used to belong to her kids and she was downsizing a bit...she gave me Terk!  Tarzan is one of my favorite Disney movies so Terk was a perfect choice for me (voice in the Disney film by Rosie O'Donnell).

Tammy still works at our company but is in a different division (movin' on up!) and so I don't see her as often as I'd like but whenever I look at Terk sitting on my shelf, it reminds me of Tammy and her wonderful sense of humor!

My Office - Day 4

I am not a coffee drinker but I love hot tea

I have a couple of mugs and get a lot of joy drinking out of them.

One of them is my Little Red Riding Hood Mug - so cute!!  The Big Bad Wolf is holding a red umbrella over her head and the umbrella is removable and is actually a lid to help keep your tea warm while you are not sipping it.  This is great for a busy office worker, trust me!

The other mug is a more recent purchase.  My favorite show is Grey's Anatomy.  I have watched it from Day 1 and will watch it until the very end - I still love it ! It is one of the shows that I look forward to each and every week.  The fictional hospital in the show is called Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Here is what the back of the Red Riding Hood mug looks like.  Super duper cute, right? (Note, it includes the strainer inside)

I think I paid $6.99 for this mug and I recently looked it up and it is going for $3,000!!!  Wow! Guess I made a good investment in this little mug, huh?

Funny Friday

My Office - Day 3

I have a couple of pieces of art in my office and I love them both (otherwise I would have them, right?)

The first one has a kind of funny story to it.  About 20 years ago, my sister started working at a new company and in their office space, was this painting.  It is hand painted but someone named "Hill"

I believe it was there when they moved into the office space and no one at her company liked it AT ALL...they disliked it so much they put it in an empty office and it was just propped up on the floor against a wall (turned facing the wall). 

When I went to see my sister's new office, she was giving me the tour and I saw this and picked it up.  I said "Why is this beautiful painting sitting here - it should be hanging up for all to see".  She said "You LIKE that?"  I said "Yes", she said "Well, you can have it!!"

I was thrilled!  I guess beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.  I loved the colors and the scene - it makes me feel like I am in Greece or Italy walking along the edge of the Mediterranean Sea.

I promptly took it to work and hung it up (in my former office) and when I moved to my current job, it came with me.  I love looking at it...it is calming and pretty and whoever painted it is very talented (at least in my eyes).  I wish I knew who it was so I could tell them how much joy their painting has brought to me over the years.

(Just so you know, in general, I love paintings/pictures with boats)

The other piece of art is very special to me because a former co-worker painted it for me.  He is quiet talented and gave some of his original paintings to a few select co-workers and we are all lucky to have them (he has since retired - good for him!)

Most of his paintings are of mountains, forests and streams - but mine is the only one that is a bit different from his usual style.  He knew, from my other painting (above) that I like the water...so he painted this beautiful stormy lighthouse for me.  Whenever I look at it, I think of the time and love he put in this painting and of course, I think of him.

I added the frame myself.  I think the art is beautiful.

W.I.P. Wednesday

I mentioned last week that I decided to participate in a Knit-a-Long (KAL) and knit my first pair of socks.

I was about a week behind everyone because I found out about the KAL the day it started so had to wait for my supplies to arrive (the yarn isn't available in stores and had to be ordered on-line)

Anyway, due to a rainy weekend, I stayed in pretty much all weekend and I got caught up to everyone else. 

I am officially half-way through knitting my first pair of socks...I think they look pretty good so far.  Today the 4th part (of 6) is released and it is the gusset - which I feel will be the most challenging but I've made it so far so I have confidence I can do it!

#chicsheep #marleybird

 Part 2 - The Legs

Part 3 - The Heels

My Office - Day 2

Around my workplace, most of the guest chairs in all the offices are the same (because the previous boss liked consistency) - Generally, I am the same and like consistency.  However, there is one thing that is different in my office from the others...my guest chairs.

There are a couple of reasons for this.

1) I like these chairs a lot...they are just the right size - my feet touch the floor perfectly, the width is comfortable and the back is high and supportive.

2) They remind me of my former boss (CFO).

My former Chief Finance Officer was a great guy, he felt like a brother to me and I just thought the world of him.  He used to be the Budget Manager but was  promoted when his predecessor left to go to another agency.

Eventually, he decided to make the office his own and got some new furniture. He asked if I wanted the guest chairs that were in his office and of course I said yes!  They are beautiful and comfortable and they remind me of him.

When we all got new (consistent) guest chairs, I asked to keep these and was able to....whenever I look at them, I think of my former CFO and my friend (who has since moved on to other things) and it makes me smile.

I miss him a lot but I still have a memento to remind me of him.

Blog Series - My Office

I spend a great deal of time in my office - as I am sure most office people do.  It believe, in general, people that work full time, spend more waking hours at work than they do at home.

So...I decided to start a little blog series called..."My Office"

Each day I will post about something in my office - basically what makes my office special to me.

Here is a wide shot of my office just so you get the idea of it.  Before I got this desk, I had my old desk turned the other way with my back to the window.  When I got this new furniture about a year or so ago, my friend/co-worker helped me re-arrange it so it would look the best, provide the most space and allow me to look out the window AND see the door of my office.  I like this set up.

Come back each day for a little peek inside for the week or two for a little peek inside.

Note: I am on the 14th floor, but technically it is the 13th floor since our office doesn't have a "Floor 13" as most office buildings do not. My office overlooks the parking lot but I am near a small airport so I also see planes coming in all day.

If can also see the King & Queen Buildings from my office window.

(click to enlarge photo)

Funny Friday

W.I.P. Wednesday

Well...I am a day late in posting this but hey, there are no rules when it comes to blogging, right?

Yesterday was busy and I never got around to posting so...here goes...

About a week ago, I received an email from Red Heart that they were going to have a "My First Socks" Knit-a-Long (KAL).

I don't especially want to be a sock knitter because I don't wear typical socks due to having lymphedema and normal socks (and shoes) don't fit me - I have to special order them.

Even thought I won't wear these socks (I will gift them), I wanted to learn the technique and I especially wanted to learn how to knit with Double Pointed Needles (DPN) and learn how to knit in  the round.   There are many projects I have passed on simply because I didn't know how to use DPNs or knit in the round so I though this would be a good way to learn.

Marly Bird is teaching us sock knitting newbies how to knit socks (in 6 parts / 6 weeks).  She is a fantastic teacher!! Her methods make it so easy and do-able.

I was a little late getting started because I found out about the KAL on the day it started and I didn't have my supplies.  The yarn used it this project (Chic Sheep) is not available in stores (yet) so I had to order online and wait about 4 days for it to arrive so I am about a week behind everyone else, but that is okay.  Hopefully I can catch up.

Anyway...Here is my progress so far - week 1 completed (the cuff and learning to use DPNs) and week 2 (the leg) in progress.  I am knitting both socks at the same time because I don't want to have the 2nd sock syndrome (where you complete the first sock then don't ever get around to knitting the 2nd one).  This way, when the KAL is over, I will have 2 completed socks. 

 Wish me luck with my continuing challenge on knitting my first pair of socks.

Also...a friend's son is having a birthday this weekend and he wanted a hacky sack.  Apparently hacky sacs are not that easily found in retail stores so his parents ordered some for him but the order won't be here in time for his birthday.  When I googled them, I saw that most were crocheted and thought...heck..I can make one of those so I made this in less than an hour last  night.  It turned out pretty good I thought.  I used the recommended Lentils for the filling but they are too small so I think if I make another one, I will use a little bit bigger bean (maybe black beans).  Anyway...I was happy with it and I hope he is too. 

Funny Friday

 

Note: I can NEVER do it!!

Visual Trick

I remember seeing this many, many, many years ago printed on a piece of paper.  I saw it floating around on a friend's Facebook page and thought I would share it here.

Do as instructed - what do you see?

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Weeks 11-13

I hadn't really planned on combining prompts but I got a bit behind when I went out of due to a death in the family.  My mom's youngest sister passed away very unexpectedly - we are all still a bit in shock.  Her health was not great but still, she was the youngest of 6 girls and we just didn't expect her to pass.

So...in order to catch up, I decided to combine a few weeks.

Week 11 - Lucky
I'm not sure of the luck of my ancestors but I thought it was lucky that during my genealogy research, I discovered that my best friend and I are related!  How awesome is that?

Our common ancestor is Joseph Milstead (1783-1803).  While I was researching my friend's tree, I happened upon that name and I thought - boy...that name sounds so familiar and I looked on my family tree and BOOM, there he was!  We are both direct descendants of his.  He is my 6th great grandfather and also her 6th great grandfather but through different children so I don't know exactly how many times removed and all that such is so we just say we are "distant cousins"

I just was giddy with excitement and felt so lucky to find out this connection.

Week 12 - Misfortune
When I think of Misfortune in terms of my family tree.  I immediately think of my maternal grandmother's first cousin.  Her name was Clarkie Frances Kelly Dykes.  She was born in 1908, married Daniel Boone Dykes in 1927 and they had 4 children.

Sadly, on 18 Jan 1936, when she was only 28 years old, her life ended, along with her entire family's.  She, her husband and all 4 of their children were killed by a tornado.  Here is an article about the terrible incident.

I was able to visit the cemetery where they are buried.  It was so sad to see this entire family all buried together with matching headstones that all have the same year of death inscribed on them.

Week 13 - The Old Homestead
This was hard for me to decide what to write about but ultimately I decided to write about my dad's family.

My paternal grandfather at one point, owned 120 acres of land in Westville, FL.  He was a young man when he passed (only 42) and he owed money still on some of it.  In order to save the land, my father offered to pay it off, in exchange for 40 acres.  My grandmother agreed so my grandmother was left with 80 acres and my dad had 40.  My grandmother lived in a very old wooden house with no indoor plumbing and only a fireplace for heat. My dad grew up in this house. It seemed fairly large to me on the inside but when you are little, everything seems pretty large.

I remember the front porch, which was the full width of the house.  There was a small back porch and room off the porch.  I remember listening to the rain when it hit the tin roof.  By the time I came along, the house did have electricity but we still had to use the outhouse (needless to say, it wasn't my favorite place to visit).

In the late 70s/early 80s, it was getting beyond repair so they tore it down and my dad bought a new mobile home to put in its place.  I was glad to have modern convinces and I am sure my grandmas was but I wish the old house didn't have to be torn down.  But it was a safety hazard and we didn't want critters setting up shop in there.

After my grandmother passed, each of her 4 children received 20 acres so my dad then had 60 acres.  There was a bit of issues regarding this 80 acre divide but I will save that story for another time.

Years before my grandma passed, the mobile home was moved to be near my aunt so my aunt could take better care of her (after her death, my aunt & uncle moved out of their old wood house with the tin roof and moved into that mobile home and my uncle still lives there to this day).

Many years ago, when 911 was implemented and they had to get rid of route numbers in place of real street addresses, the road was named after my family - so that is pretty cool (even though it is a dirt road)

My cousin (the before mentioned aunt/uncle's oldest daughter), purchased a beautiful double wide mobile home and it now sits where the old homestead originally was.  It is nice that it is still in the family and probably (and hopefully) will be for generations.