The Joys of Travel

Really, I can’t make this stuff up.

• Storm in Chicago delayed us landing in Chicago.
• Crew boarded plane bound for Calgary and after 30 minutes got off and said needed new aircraft. (Turns out that the original plane had been hit by lightening TWICE and the computer was wonky.)
• No equivalent plane on ground at O’Hare, but one identified en route.
• New plane diverted to Lansing during storm in Chicago so it is waiting to take off in Lansing.
• Storm that had been in Chicago now in Lansing.
• Two hours later, Lansing plane takes off and comes to Chicago.
• We board and wait in line (drag racing) with bigger aircraft hoping to get off ground. (Two lines of 5 deep aircraft each inching forward trying to beat the leader of the other line.)
• Then we learn that new storm to west of O’Hare so air traffic control decides to switch runways from E/W to N/S.
• At last, first in line to take off, and we sit and sit and sit.
• Pilot announces that bird hit engine of previous plane taking off.
• Maintenance sweep of runway to remove deceased bird.
• Finally, 4 hours later we take off for Calgary.

Yeah, travel is so glamorous.

Harlot and Community

I went to hear the Yarn Harlot speak on Wednesday night, and I had a ball! Not only is she flippin' funny, I had a blast talking and meeting the other knitters there.

For those of you who know me well, it is not surprising that I would either see someone I know or meet someone who knows someone I know. Well, that happened in spades.

While waiting to enter the theater, I sat, listened to Stash and Burn on my iPod, sipped a latte, and knitted. A lady came in and looked as if she couldn't find her friends. Being me, I took off my headphones and offered her a seat at my two-person table. It turns out that she was (well, is) Whit Robbins, the founder of the Atlanta Knitting Guild. She and I had a lovely chat about knitting, and I encouraged her to sign up for Ravelry.

Whit introduced me to Elaine who sat on my right in the theater. Elaine and I struck up a conversation. She works at Georgia Tech in the Biology department, and her research is focused on this wonder cancer drug that they are trying to get through FDA approval. I told her that I was a graduate of Georgia Tech back in the day, and I learned that her daughter, who went to MIT, was good friends with a couple of my Chem E classmates at Tech! She knew all the scoop on these long lost buddies and brought me up to speed on their lives.

I didn't know the couple on my left, but they were really friendly. Wayne and Brittany were both wearing Knit Witch t-shirts to advertise Brittany's knitting and crochet resources website. Brittany exclaimed that I needed to check out the Weenie Warmer pattern she has on her site. (Warning! This pattern page is not suitable for work!) When I finally checked it out the next morning, I got to see way more of Wayne then I had seen (or wanted to see!) the night before. Furthermore, Brittany asked about the cute headscarf I was knitting for Grandogma, and I told her I'd found the pattern by Jennifer Fleur via Ravelry. Brittany not only knows Jen, but she pointed her out on the row behind us! I waved the scarf at Jen. Too funny.

The Yarn Harlot was as funny and delightful as you would expect. If you don't know about her, just know that she is wickedly insightful and funny.

After the speech, we waited our turn for the book signing. Crafty Kristin and I plopped ourselves down on the sofa at Knitch and knitted away. Another Kristin sat between us, and we chatted away with her and her two buddies. Time flew by! (Though I do believe Crafty Kristin and I were swooning from lack of dinner!!!)

We finally got our chance to meet the Harlot and get our books signed. The Harlot seemed impressed that I had purchased books to give as Christmas presents (spoiler alert!), and she said "Merry Christmas!" as I walked away.

I wish to thank Kim, her amazing staff at Knitch, the Yarn Harlot, and all of my new friends for creating a great event! I had a blast, and I want to go to Knitch for Sunday afternoon knit-ins now!

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

Blank Canvas

I almost called this post "Leveling", however the Witty One believes "Blank Canvas" is a better choice. As you can see in the photos below, Mike-the-Wonder-Landscaper's talented team has provided a blank canvas from which we can paint the masterpiece which will become our garden.

Front Garden Canvas:

Back Garden Canvas:

In the next week, the irrigation contractor will install our inground sprinkler system. With xeriscaping as a goal, we had decided to install a drip irrigation system throughout. However, Mike advised us to use the inground system since he has experienced many, many, many challenges with drip irrigation systems clogging and malfunctioning. Apparently, the maintenance required to manage the drip irrigation system completely outweighs the advantages of such a system.

Once the irrigation system is in place, Mike and his Wonder Team will install some plants. Since we are entering the hottest time of the year in Atlanta, we will delay many of the plantings until after the heat wave breaks.

In other news, the Witty One and I will be joining the Diva's Fairy Godfathers on an Alaskan cruise in August. This Georgia girl has an odd affinity for all things Pacific Northwest (hence the reason I married an Oregon boy?), so I'm absolutely giddy at the prospect of experiencing a teeny-tiny bit of Alaska. If you have recommendations on sites to see or yarn shops to browse, please leave a comment.

Until next time, Happy Weekend!

Cheers,
Deb in Atlanta

Hardscape Complete!

Before: The patio could not accommodate all of the Diva's guests.

After: We may comfortably resume entertaining al fresco.

Mike, the Wonder-Landscaper, plans to start planting this week. Wahoo!

So, Franklin Has This Idea

Simply brilliant.

You really must read about Franklin's big idea. Since the Witty One, the Diva and I are planning a trip to Chicago this summer, I threw my hat in the ring. I love that this project will celebrate commonality and diversity at the same time. This juxtaposition is the heart of the work I do on a daily basis as an organizational strategy consultant.

Knitting friends, find a way to participate. We need to continue to represent!

Cheers,
Deb in Atlanta

Hardscape

Step 1. Build hardscape. Check!

Wahoo! We love our new walkway and porch! The Diva has been diligently sweeping the porch everyday. I am curious how long her passion for porch-sweeping will last. Any guesses?

Plants will begin arriving after Memorial Day.

Have a great week!

Cheers,

Deb in Atlanta