Starting Over

Well it has been quite some time since my last post and that is because I have been without the internet for a while.  I guess I never realized how important this form of technology was until I didn't have it.  I had to return the cable boxes and modems before the move and I made a date for return without the thought of how I will stay in touch through cyber space.  I was able to get my hot spot on my phone turned on- the only problem with that is that I had terrible reception with the hot spot in the country where I lived so it really was useless.  My only touch with the outside world came when I went to the knit shop with my computer or went to my friends who gave me access to the web.  So now I am officially transplanted in Austin, TX.  Time to start over in a new city.  It has been a journey just dealing with all the stuff that goes with moving.  I do have to say that it has gone so smoothly I almost can't believe it.  From the trip here with my son and the girls (my two goldendoodles) to the utilities all getting hooked up at the appropriate times (esp. the cable guy), to the movers showing up and unloading in perfect time to the unpacking-- it is all working in perfect harmony.  The interesting thing about this is I wonder to myself- why is this time different?  Why is this move so easy in many respects compared to other moves?  I am not saying that it has all been a piece of cake and yet it hasn't been so bad either.  After 3 days in the house I am at least 75% unpacked and organized, which is unheard of.  I am grateful for the transition happening so smoothly.  I love my new house.  It's going to be perfect for us.  We were so blessed to find a brand new home.  The only things that really bugs me about the house are that It has no linen closet and no drawers in the bathroom vanities and no medicine cabinets either--who does that?  No worries though.  You may not know that I am the queen of improvising, so far I have managed to turn some shelves in the master closet into a linen closet and today I head out to bed bath and beyond for some drawers for the bathrooms.  Problem solved.

I imagine the biggest problem of the whole trip was my ankles.  I know it sounds silly and I am here to tell you that they have given me some problems.  Before I left KY my friends forced me to go to the Dr. to get them checked out.  So I did and do you know what he told me?  I was too fat and needed to lose some weight.  Color me surprised!  He said it wasn't my heart or my kidneys (whew) it was simple, the amount of weight I carry is putting pressure on my veins which is causing the constriction that is causing my swelling etc. etc. etc.  He said lose 10 or 20 pds and you will see it go away.  He makes it sound so simple.  The thing is, I actually think he gets how difficult it is--he himself is a very overweight man and he was probably one of the most non-judgemental Drs. I have ever met.  Sure he told it like it was and yet he also had compassion in his voice because he understands.  He gave me permission to do the drive with the caution to watch the salts and to walk every few hours (which I did).  Even with his advice my ankles were the worst they have ever been by the time I arrived.  It has taken several days for the swelling to come down.  It is slowly, but surely.  Today is the official day that I kick of my raw campaign.  I have gone back and forth as to whether to start before or after the fourth of July.  In the end that has just been another excuse to put off what I say that I really want to do.  I haven't found the scale as of yet so that I can get a true starting weight and I guess that the numbers don't really matter.  They are just a guide that helps me know if I am on task or not.  The truth is that if I am eating properly then a scale doesn't matter at all.  Hubby and son are joining in the healthy food changes that the household is undertaking.  Pretty cool that we are all going to be on the same page.  I have the vita mix ready for green smoothies in the morning.  Here I am starting all over with my eating regimen once again.  Why is it that I am starting over again?  Interesting to think about--because I have been at a comfortable weight for my body in the past and then emotions crept in and I began eating to bury or stuff the feelings that I apparently didn't want to deal with.  I know all of this in my intellect and yet the emotions seem to over power me and food comes in to save the day!  Well not this time.  I am working through emotions as they come.  Here's to my Health!!!  I am sure that we will have an opportunity to walk through some of the emotions to come.

Now is time for confessions of a yarn a holic.  Yes, it is true that I am on a fiber fast.  When I agreed to do this my friend Elizabeth and I set up some rules to follow that would be our guide to having money for the Rhinebeck trip Oct. 2013.  We did give ourselves some grace.  We have allowed ourselves to continue to be a part of some of the groups we love through the Unique Sheep.  If you haven't tried their yarn then you are missing out BIG TIME.  It is fun and beautiful and yummy and well I could go on and on about them--you just need to try them out!!!  You will love it!  So we are both continuing in their KAL's and clubs and that is pretty much all that we allowed ourselves with the exception of gifts.    However, I rec'd some money for a going away present and for my birthday with the stipulation that I buy something only for me and something I really wanted.  Well..... I really wanted yarn.  For my birthday on Thurs. I went into one of the yarn shops here in Austin after we arrived--just to look mind you.  How was I supposed to know that they would have this new yarn that I had never seen before?  It called to me--you know how when you see something and it just calls to you and it says "buy me, take me home, I will be something beautiful for you"?  I know that you have heard fiber calling to you that way--come on, don't deny it.  So this new yarn that I had never seen before from Hazel Knits in the base called entice and the colorway jam session came home with me for my birthday.  I continue to pet it every day and it is giving me some ideas of what it wants to be.  I haven't quite decided on a pattern--though.  This was a great purchase and yet I still had birthday $ in my pocket so I decided to hide it in my wallet for just the perfect time.  Can you believe that only 3 days later I found myself in yet another knit shop and before I knew it I had found the perfect yarn for a shawl and it was 20% off--Really?  That is a no brainer--what knitter can avoid a 20% off sale?  And just before I was ready to leave the store I spotted it near the cash register--A skein of yarn for the fourth of July.  It was called patriot and it was red, white and blue with silver sparkles all over it.  You know at that moment  it was all over.  I had to have it.  I want you to know that I did try to talk myself out of buying it.  Especially since it would leave me almost out of my birthday money and then what?  How could I buy yarn without a gift cert. or money that was supposed to be for my yarn?  I guess it's time to start over and get back into the fast.  No more ways to justify buying yarn.  I think I have enough money left to buy one or two skeins and then that is it.  My yarn buying days are over---UGH!  Elizabeth is there any way I can have a reprieve for the yarn crawl coming in Oct.?  Or do I have to save this $ until Oct. and hope that I can find something to fit the amount of $ I have left?  Why am I making such a big deal about it?  I have more yarn than I really need.  Why do I want more?  I don't just have yarn--I have amazing and beautiful yarns.  I think that in the morning when I get my "hard" work done I will sit and make a list of the projects that I have in my queue and perhaps that will help me to stay motivated to knit from my stash and NOT buy anymore yarn until next year per the plan.  It's funny to me though how I am having such issues with this.  I know that it is not true what they say--she who dies with the most yarn wins.  It can't be true--what fun would that be?  How about just enjoying the yarns that I already have and have fun creating with them. I think that is the plan!  Play with what I have for a while before acquiring more.

So for this Monday it is a day for starting over.  I am in a new space and place in a new city and life is starting over with a new chapter.  Can't wait to see how it unfolds.........OOOOHHH the phone is ringing................................