Excitement Aplenty--Too Much!

Such an exciting day at the office today.

First, there was a fire drill that wasn't a fire drill, but just a hot transformer of some sort in the conference room.

Then there was another fire drill that wasn't--it was just the test of the same transformer, and it didn't go well, I guess.

Then, they locked down the building. And they locked down the Police Department next door, and there was rumor of a shooter in the area, and everyone is flocking to the windows (they have a name--they are called TARGETS), to watch the State Troopers with rifles all around our building and theirs. They nabbed a couple of people and took them to the State Police building for questioning, but not before they stuck rifles in their faces and scared the bejesus out of them!

Then, the police called an all clear, while they were still searching the building. I left before they got to my floor, and stood outside with some of my office pals, who said that NO, the guy with a gun was INSIDE the building, and they were looking for him...so it was good that I got out when I did, I suppose.

I took a little walk to the pizza joint, sat down, shaking like a leaf, told everyone on Facebook, and then someone comes and says "No, it was a hoax."

Really? A hoax? They take my office buddy to the State Police building at gunpoint, and question her? On a hoax? I still don't believe it. As I've always said, the stuff you hear before the authorities get hold of it, is probably more true than what you read in the paper a few hours later.

And sure enough, Communications wrote us all an email that it was all contrived, and here's how it went down, and all this, but police don't stand outside their building with guns ready to shoot somebody if there's trouble for a 'maybe' thing.

When I got back to work, the troopers had gone inside, our doors were open, and I simply said "I don't feel safe here, anymore." There are lots of ways that a shooter could get into our building if he wanted to--not all doors are carded, and all they have to do is wait for someone to walk out, while they slip in. They have a guard only at the front of the building--the back and sides are, while not "completely" unprotected, it's enough that a bad guy could get in unperceived and take the elevator, and no one would ever know. None of us knows everyone, and with all the new positions in Information Technology--it's just not safe. Knowing this causes me to have concern about us all for tomorrow, when the State closes down for the holiday.

But if I happen to make it through tomorrow without incident, I'll be sure and blog so you all know that I lived through it.

Reindeer Hat

Here it is. I thought I had submitted it via my Android phone, but apparently, it didn't post.

I have to make another....
And another for next year....

It's going to be a long week before Friday finally comes.

They have added to my responsibilities at the office and I'm doing mostly what I was doing before the new boss came on the scene. I'm not sure what that means, other than more work, but it's keeping me busy, and making the days go by quickly. It's a short week this week, too, and after Thursday is over, I'm off on vacation until next year.

That makes it sound like a long time, but really, it's only 10 days.

Ten solid days of nothing but kicking back and relaxing.

Ten solid days to count on my fingers and toes.

And this hat to keep my brains between my ears. Merry Christmas, one and all!

Coming Apart at the Seams

Well, that's how it feels anyway. I'm on my lunch break, and the boss happens by. He's going to give me extra work to do, and I'm caught up with my regular stuff, which is just fine, but I figure he's going to give me a big job to do, and it's going to throw off my "plan".

I'm working on the reindeer hat. I got the ball for the hat done, and then realized I'd need some fiberfill before I can go any further.

Funny how that sort of thing happens. Just when you think you've got everything together for taking to the office, you forget the ONE thing that you REALLY NEED. Like the fiberfill. Or your cell phone, where all your phone numbers are stored, and then you can't call your dentist because your cellie is at home.

It's a real bummer when this sort of thing happens to me.

Now, yes, I can wait and buy more fiberfill at JoAnn's when I get there for my class tonight, but I HAVE fiberfill (a whole bag of it) at home, and really don't want to spend the extra for something that's just going to sit and collect dust in my room. All of this means NOT MUCH PROGRESS at all on the hat, and I was really hoping to have it done tonight so I could wear it to my knitting circle on Tuesday.

But now, that's just not going to happen.

And my brother, who is currently on Facebook, won't respond to me with his address so that I can send him and his wife their Christmas pressies. That irritates me, too. In fact, there are lots of things that irritate me these days. I suppose it could be hormonal.

Maybe I can find some stray fiberfill at JoAnn's tonight. I'll look around. In the meanwhile...

Hubby's Gloves and...

Another hat. Made half at JoAnn's in class, and the rest at home. I think it took a total of 5 hours.

The recipient of the hat...remains a secret...a Christmas present to someone far away.

My son's Christmas Present is safely in the car, boxed and ready for Tuesday. I'll take a pic of him. He is going to be SO surprised.

And then I will post it here...so stay tuned!

In the meanwhile, I leave you with a pic of the gloves and hat...

A Cardigan for Christmas

He wants himself a cardigan for Christmas...
Only proper cardigans will do.
He wants it knit by me
And plainly I can see
There's only twenty days to knit, impossible decree!

But he wants a simple cardigan for Christmas
One that doesn't sag or bag or zip.
With buttons on the band
And sleeves that reach his hand
And covers up his belly, keeps him warm and right to plan.

So I started shopping stores, and more and more and mores
And not one simple cardigan to find.
I looked into goodwill, and got my searching fill
And 'tis quite plain, I'm right as rain, and flipped out of my mind.

Cus he wants a simple Cardigan for Christmas
And a Cardigan is just all that will do!

The Elegant Universe

I'm going to try to read a book, but not just any book. Being a total nimrod about physics in general and astro-physics in particular, I thought it might be a fun time to read a book by Brian Greene called "The Elegant Universe", which is about a number of theories, starting with some of Einstein's stuff, of which I only know E=Mc2, which I couldn't begin to elaborate on--other than E=Energy, M=Mass, c=hmmm....foggy foggy dew? and the 2 is supposed to be squared, but I couldn't figure out how to make it move up a notch on blogger using html code....that's how stupid I am.

Well, really, I'm not stupid about everything, just about SOME things. I'm pretty smart about lots of stuff--just ask my boss. Or my therapist. Or my MOM.

Okay, hush.

Anyway, I was so impressed by the series on PBS that I decided to get the man's book and try to read it, if not understand it, and see if it takes me into realms of my imagination (as things scientific always do). I thought, if I can just get past the first page, maybe I could get past the second.

So far, I've read 2 credits. I don't remember what they said, but they sounded positive, smart and enlightening. I thought perhaps this book might cater to the ignoramusses of our day (that's usually me, but you may join me if you like--you'll be in good company, trust me), and therefore be a nice readable book that I might put down after 24 pages and say "Whew! That was a BITE!" as if my mouth wasn't full enough already.

And then..

"What does it MEAN?"

But I'm willing to give it a go, and let you know if I make it past the first 24 pages. If I do, it means I wasn't as stupid as I thought. Maybe simplistic is a better word.

So I'm home from my first day at work this week, and holy cow, am I beat. I'm only 3 days behind in my work, and I've got 3 special projects going at the office. It was pretty good getting away at lunch time, and even though I got a lot accomplished (including 34 voicemails), I don't feel like I was quite up to par on getting things done. Since it's going to be at least 20 minutes or more before supper, I have a little bit of time, either to read, knit, blog, catch up on Ravelry...whatever. I decided to blog.

You lucky devil, you!

I received my first Christmas card today, from my friend Ray. That man is such a character. I get cards practically year around from him, some just because he wants to keep in touch. It was a nice card, and I'll have to return the gesture. I don't usually do Christmas cards, but he makes such a concerted effort, that I feel it wouldn't be right if I didn't respond. He can get really blue when snow flies.

I suppose now, I'll go check Ravelry. It's been a nice update.

Sick Days Off

Well, I decided to take another sick day. Still not quite on top of things with this sinus infection, but getting better. Taking 2 pills out of that Z-pack really knocked the legs right out from under it. But I coughed, wheezed, sneezed, dripped and snuffled my way all through yesterday. Today, things seem much improved, thanks to the addition of chicken noodle soup and mandarin oranges from a can.

However, outdoors, it is cold and wet, and by the end of the day they are saying that nasty four-letter word again. I am eating my oatmeal, thinking about taking my next doses of morning medication, so that I can get myself on the mend faster.

I need to go to the increase evenly site to figure out how to do some increases for the stealth project which is darn near done, and I might actually finish it today. That means I would be able to start on a couple of other things, and well, that just gets me all excited. I'm not sure what's coming next, but you can be sure it will be exciting.

So off to that website.