Eventful Summer

I apologize for the significant hiatus I took from the blog this summer. I have been insanely busy with work, travel, knitting and, well, life.

Work
As you know, I'm an Organization Strategist who works with companies on organizational design and culture issues. I often work with companies who are merging, but most recently I have been working with two nonprofit organizations going through a merger. I have to say that this is by far the most meaningful work I have been paid to do - and we're not done yet!

Travel
Needless to say, I travel a great deal as a result of being a consultant. I also love to travel for pleasure as well. Sometimes, I'm able to combine business and pleasure travel, and that makes it even better!

This summer, I've spent a great deal of time in Washington, DC, and I was even joined by the Witty One and the Diva for several days in July. The Diva LOVED DC so much that one of her classmates asked her mom to take her there for Fall Break since the Diva said it was such a fantastic trip. (The classmate's mom called us to say thanks for raising the bar on her kid's expectation for a long weekend!)




For pleasure, the Witty One and I took a swanky 7-day cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage with the Diva's Fairy Godfathers. We had a wonderful time, and we are eager to take another cruise with them. (Dana was my partner-in-crime when we were in dock. Bill and the Witty One got quite exasperated with our single-minded focus on shopping!) I cannot possibly articulate how stunning the scenery is there. You should check out my Flickr travel set to see the stunning shots the Witty One took with his snazzy new camera.

Knitting
Oh yeah, I've knitted and knitted and knitted. I've also succumbed to the delightful black hole that is Ravelry. If you are a knitter or a crocheter, you must get thee to Ravelry. Do the video tour, and you will see why. Still can't understand the attraction? Email me or leave a comment. I will be more than happy to drone on and on about the wonderful resource that Casey and Jess have brought to life.



Life
The Diva started 1st grade in August, and she is loving it. I missed the meet-your-classmates event, but I hear that the Diva made quite an impression. Each child was asked to talk about the thing he/she loved the most. The majority of the little girls said "horses", but the Diva had to be different. She boldly announced to her new classmates, "I love math!" The Witty One said that all adult eyes turned to him with expressions of shock and awe, and all he could say was "What can I say? She does."

A few weeks ago, I taught the Diva how to play chess. She picked it up in about 10 minutes! I believe I should fear her. She's scary smart.

Alas, still no plants in our garden. It was too bloody hot here in Atlanta this summer. Since Mike the Wonder Landscaper guarantees the survival of every plant he puts in the ground, we agreed that it would be a waste of plant material and money for him to plant anything during the heat of the summer. He and his crew are due to start planting next week. Finally.

Many of you know of the challenges faced by my BFF Steph. For those who don't, the quick summary is that BFF Steph was diagnosed with breast cancer in August. Two weeks later, her mom was also diagnosed with breast cancer. BFF Steph's cancer was caught very early, so she has an excellent prognosis. Grandogma's is very far along, and she is struggling to maintain and gain weight and energy. The good news is that both BFF Steph and her hubby, the Dogfather, are nurses. They are taking fabulous care of Grandogma, so she's improving everyday.

What's Next?
More work, travel, knitting and life, I'm sure. Oh, and I'll have to blog about my experience waiting to hear the Yarn Harlot this past Wednesday. It was quite the experience!

Cheers,
Deb in Atlanta