This, That & The Other Things

Eskimo Spirit Masks-made by local artists from caribou hide/fur, trimmed w/ caribou, seal, and other fur scraps. Just a small part of the native art collection. I'm putting together a special post for later displaying my native doll collection, but this is just the teaser to start with.

generally speaking
1. Well...it's still freakin' cold. Why do we get so surprized here when it dips to ten below (or colder) and hangs out like that for a few days? Yesterday morning it was -22.....painfully cold....can't eat in the sunroom cold (due to cold radiating in from the windows)....keep the fireplaces burning cold....go to bed in sweats and socks cold....flannel sheets and jammies don't cut it cold...extra quilt (or 2) on the bed cold....snot freezing on your nose hair cold......dogs just look at you like you're insane for wanting them to pee outside cold......dress and look like you're 40 lbs heavier hold. Freakin' cold.

2. Red scarf 1 & 2 completed and mailed off! (Trish...I just sent them directly to RSP...instead of burdening you...you have enough on your plate!)

3. Peapod needs 1 sleeve and the top edging...hopefully done this weekend.

4. Set some new goals....100 balls/100 days....trying for major stash reduction because, I think, just like with wardrobes, we get seduced by something that looks nice, shiny, soft, just like we think we want....then get it home...it doesn't quite fit right, feel right, wrong style, doesn't go with what we wanted it too...so we decide instead of returning it....well..it's good stuff..it's paid for...I'll surely figure out something else to do with it....and then a few years go by...it's never used...get tired of looking at it....time to get rid of it. Scarf lengths will be made into scarves and hats/mittens.....other fiber baby appopriate will be baby projects......sweater quantities ....if I'm not gonna use them...will be banished from chez midwife. Actually I've ended up donating 2 large Nordstrom bags of yarn to the stash at the treatment program for our clients to use. I can't tell you how good it feels to walk in at night and see a half dozen women in recovery sitting around the living room knitting and crocheting instead of trash talking/arguing/having babydaddy drama etc. Oh yeah, and my point...100 balls/100 days started Sunday...And I have knitted up 4 balls so far...yay me!

5. In addition to 100 balls/100 days...I'm working on my 100 miles...started on Sunday...and am up to 7 (hooray!)...not much I know yet...but girlfriend's gotta start slow to prevent injuries...remember...Loooong ago (OK...up until about 6-7 years ago) I ran daily...I ran 5K races, 10K races, 1/2 marathons.......i was a total running freak....but grad school sucked up my running time...and when I'd have a spurt of energy and all, I'd get right out there and knock off 2-3 miles...and then have sore knees, hips, etc. and not do anything for a week or month or more...then joined the gym...3 separate times (OK so I'm a slow learner sometimes) would go for a month or two or three then get side tracked and basically waste the rest of the year...so this year DH and I decided instead of big spendy gifts for each other....we'd get a family present for ourselves. We got ourselves an elliptical trainer! YES! My favorite piece of gym equipment. No hip/knee trauma....and you get an upper body workout too. We picked it up Sunday (cuz it went on major sale and we saved $600 from pre holiday price...hooray for saving money! DH put it together whilst I put away the Christmas decorations...and we've both been on it at least 1-2 x daily (15-20 minutes a whack). I can already feel it toning my thighs and butt. I love me some good sweaty exercise!

5. In work related happenings...I have a presentation today to give to the North American Association of Social Workers (Alaska Chapter) for their continuing education series....on my pet project...buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid addiction. We are launching our pilot project with this treatment option this month and have health, psych, and social work professionals beating down the phone lines and doors wanting more info for their practices. I've given this presentation numerous times but always change it around depending on the target audience. Still debating whether to put a powerpoint together for this today...nothing like procrastination eh? And I'm on call at hospital this evening/night so probably won't post again til weekend. (need my beauty sleep you know!)

6. Lastly....finished the best darn book I've read in 6 months the other day. Seriously...I read A LOT. and this one I read in one sitting...til about 3am. It was THAT good. (NO IT"S NOT SUPERNATURAL SEX TRASH!) It's called "Water for Elephants" by (i think) Susan Gruen. Read it. You'll like it.