Stephieface

When I was 23ish, I discovered that I was allergic to bees when a wasp flew down the back of my shirt and proceded to sting me several times. I didn’t know then that you find out if you are allergic to bees on the second sting, and after having been stung once as a child… this terrible occurance would in fact have been Sting #2. 20 minutes after the stinging I was being taken to the hospital where the nurses chided me for not owning an epi pen and not being more careful (how could I when I didn’t know until moments before?).

So I’ve taken great care since then to avoid bees, and their asses.

About a year and a half ago, Sam was stung by a wasp on a walk down the hill (at the old house) and I immediately ran him to the hospital there in South Side. I worried because I was allergic, and it was there that I learned that its the second sting that tells you.

So, I’ve been waiting with dread for the day that Sam gets stung a second time, knowing that it will happen at the most inconvienient of times (when I’d have no car) or I’d be in the most inconvienient place.

I didn’t have to wait for long.

First there was the whole to do when Sam came in screaming that he was stung, and after searching for a sting and not finding one while trying to talk through his tears. We learned later that he was bit by a bumblebee, so no issue there. Yesterday though, he came in screaming that he was stung, we checked where he said it was… and lo and behold he was stung. Luckily, our friend Ben was visiting so he checked the internets for signs and such while I wrangled the screaming crying Sam.

We did discover that Sam is not allergic to bees, yet we did discover something else.

Why.

We discovered why he was getting stung.

Apparently, after a conversation with the Mister about bees and stings, the Mister relayed to Sam about how if Mommy gets stung she has to go to the hospital because the sting could make her really really sick. Since that day, when Sam was outside and saw a bee he would step on it or kill it in some other fashion so they couldn’t sting me… even though I was in the house… because he didn’t want me to go to the hospital.

God bless his little heart… his awesome little bee murdering heart.

You know, I have waited ages so that I could use that as a title… seriously.

Anywho, still working on the horn factory…

… here are some in various stages of getting painted. To the bottom left there you see my jeweler’s scale so I can see how much each set weighs. We haven’t hit an ounce yet on any of them… and this is good generally when you are gluing stuff to your head… lighter means they’ll stick better.

Generally though I’ve been working on those. I finished up a sharf (a shawl/scarf) before the Ravelympics are slated to start so that I am knit project free for the beginning (I’m in the Sock Put event). The sharf was super easy. Size 10 needles, JoAnns Sensations Rainbow Boucle yarn (in a since discontinued blue colorway…. though I may make another in the grey/pink colorway) and a simple pattern of:

R1: Knit

R2: K1, P to last stitch, K1

I was nervous to use the yarn, since I had heard less than glowing reviews about it from people I know, but I soldiered on and found I actually really like it. I didn’t have any problems past the CO row (disregard the tank top).

The color changes are looooong, as you can kind of see in the second picture. In a smaller project I would be really annoyed. The sharf is about 10 inches wide and almost 6 feet long, so the color changes go really nice with it. I may make more for the shop… but I’m not overcommiting myself just yet.

On the shop front, I made a new banner and avatar for it…

I figure that I needed a shop spokesperson and this little chicky I made works just fine, when she behaves that is…

So that’s where everything is right now.

Today I received a text message from my sister informing me that its been over a week since I last posted.

As I chuckle, I check, and she is right. I actually had no idea it had been that long since I last posted, and its not like I’ve been super busy and couldn’t make it to the computer.

I’ve just been finishing up a sock swap for the Discworld group on Ravelry, and working on some projects and patches. I’ve been trying to build up some stock to sell in the shop again since its been painfully empty since when we were planning to move initially… back in Feb (we just moved in June). I’ve been working with Danny since he’s trying to walk, but he’s so scared he won’t let go of things… like the table or my leg. I’ve also been chasing after TJ, since he got his face covered in poison ivy yesterday, to get him to quit scratching.

None of these things is super overwhelming… there’s just enough that I keep forgetting to post. The “I keep meaning to’s” developing into “just never get to’s”.

I’ve also been battling with the neighborhood raccoons trying to get in my trash, one of whom is a peeping Tom. I know this because his fat raccoon ass keeps crushing the lid of my trashcan in as he tries to peep/break into my house through the window.

I did remember that I haven’t updated you guys on something. Remember on July 4th when someone shot through my window?  The very next week about 10 or so cop cars pull around a house on the street behind me for a few hours- the only house in the direction from which the bullet could have come from.  So, that’s good. As well, the township is planning to install more cameras in to my neighborhood, which is awesome… though I would prefer more street lights on my no street light having street before cameras. They don’t even have to be big ones, they can be those little almost decorative ones that you see in some yards… just something more than what we have currently.

On the working out front, I’m feeling really good and sticking with things. I don’t drink pop at all anymore if I can help it, and am starting to phase out non water drinks (its slow going though, I do love me some iced tea). I do get jealous of the Mister occasionally. We have no scale, and that’s awesome… I won’t feel pressured by numbers. However, he has a scale for paper and such at his work and weighs himself often on it. So he knows that he’s lost 7lbs… where I have no clue if I’ve lost anything at all. That can be a little frustrating. Then again, this past weekend, the Mister and I (and our friends Russ and Brad) were all camping out in the woods (sans childrens) and I easily had the most energy of everyone there. I went to bed as the sun was coming up (I was working on a sock), slept for two hours, got up before everyone and started getting breakfast ready. I hiked more than everyone, walked all over the gosh darned place, and found myself unable to sit still and feeling good.

I guess the yoga and pilates is doing me good! (this is my favorite pose so far)

About a month and a half ago, I was tired. The main thing I was tired of was my body. I wasn’t too keen on it anymore. It was like that sweater you got, and then wore a bunch, but then it got lost in the back of the closet and when you cleaned one day you found it. And as it hung there on the hanger, you started to see how stretched out and worn it was, how the color had faded. And while you still loved how comfortable the sweater felt; looks-wise … not so much. Then you start debating if you should keep the sweater or donate it to goodwill.

While I can’t very well donate my body to Goodwill (though I would be totally willing to donate the pooch, part of my hips and ass, and some of my thighs) I can do something about it. And do something I have… I have quartered my food portions, I’ve been drinking more water, I’ve been exercising 100% more than I was (meaning I wasn’t at all… and now I am), and I’m eating healthier foods.

I still fit in to the same pants as I was wearing before, and they don’t seem to be any bigger. But I’m generally feeling better than I was before- so that’s good. As well, since we don’t own an scale, I have no idea how many or if I’ve lost any pounds. I figure that even though I can’t see how many pounds I’ve lost, I also won’t see how many pounds I didn’t lose. I’ve watched the Biggest Loser and I know that women drop weight in teeny tiny amounts (4lbs vs a man’s 11lbs) and that it can be discouraging. So we’ll just play it by pant size and energy. If I feel awesome, what’s my weight matter?

I know that, while dating the Mister, at my skinniest I was 140lbs and a size 12… and I was super happy. I’m not aiming for a supermodel physique, I don’t think I could carry off the 6′3″ and 98lbs thing very well… especially since I’m 5′4″. I just don’t want to be the size I am, I would like to be the size I was… and the size I was is not a scary number- its pretty average and normal and not crazy at all. It was real, and non sickly- and that’s where I want to be.

Now, a good portion of the jobs I’ve held in life (that isn’t wife and mother) were working the return desk of whatever store I happened to be employed at. This could mean a few things:

I’m very stubborn

I follow store policies well

I’m willing to do jobs that other won’t

I’m as nutty as a Peanut Butter Walnut muffin

I’m a masochist

And, whatever the reason, when it comes to me having to use the return desk I’m pretty much an exemplary customer with the most patience, the most calm. I know that the person behind the desk does not have it out for me, nor are they trying to spite me for sh*!$ and giggles- they are just doing their jobs. However, I can get angry at corporations and their silly return policies… especially policies that hold me and my money hostage at their store. This I don’t like. While I understand the need that stores have to do whatever it is they can to keep you there to spend your money, I don’t like being forced to.

I am the sort of person who if I see a shirt at place “A” for $35, and a shirt at place “B” for $21, and they are both the same shirt (maybe not the same brand) I will buy shirt “B” because its cheaper and I have an extremely small budget that I must stretch somehow beyond its normal capacities. So, given the option of spending $10 for 2 at one place and $11 for 4 at another… I’ll go with the other.

This kind of thing can be frustrating when you need to make a return, you have everything you are supposed to (boxes unopened, receipts, well within the return period) and are only given store credit. Especially frustrating when you don’t really shop at said store often at all, and what you want is cheaper elsewhere. Sure, you can make your return- but you can only spend the money here. Sure, we know you don’t shop here ever- we don’t care, you gave us your money once and we aren’t giving it back… ever… no matter what… nanny nanny poo poo. So that my options become, spend it here or else you don’t get to spend it at all.

As well, with the use of gift cards in returns… if you save your store credit for some rainy day when you might actually have need of money that you can only spend at this one store, you had better hope its within sometimes 6 months or so of having put it on the card. Because at some places, 6 months or so of non usage of the gift card and they start charging fees to your gift card to “upkeep” the gift card you didn’t want in the first place. Check the back, seriously… read that small print, I know it was on the CompUSA ones while I worked there ($2.99 after six months of non use, then once a month until it was used for a purchase or the balance was $0).

Now, I can understand if the packaging is missing, there’s no receipt, its after the return policy guidelines why a store would do this, because they are trying to help you as a customer… sure you aren’t getting cash back, but hey you got something and that’s better than nothing right (see what good guys we are? spend more money here in the future… k?)? However, when you have all the needed items and you’re still not allowed to get your money back… well… that’s just a hostage situation, where’s Bruce Willis when you need him?

Some people have asked why I don’t write as much as before, and the honest truth is that the Mister has a new schedule at work where he is off for four days and works three (for 12+ hours). With all of this new Mister time, I don’t get to post as often because I’m hanging with the Mister.

Another reason why I don’t post as much….

…is a nice little injury I received being a dip wad. I have an open chunk taken out of the side of my hand, and a nice flappy chunk taken out of my finger…. taken by an evil curtain rod. So, in addition to it looking like I’m being very proper with everything I do (pinky out PB&Js, pinky out teethbrushing, pinky out garbage detail), anything that involves a teensy bit of motion from my pinky is now extremely hard to do. This post has taken well over an hour just from going back and fixing mistakes The Pinky made. Evil curtain rod.