Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Yup, I did.

Our overnight at the Kalahari Resort was fun. Sort of. We went to the water park after we checked in. We went straight to the first slide - an all-enclosed winding tube. I was second down. It took a minute or two for my brain to catch up with me eyes when I got down. Am I standing or laying down? Next slide - another enclosed tube. And it took even longer for me to recover - I could feel my brain trying to figure out which way was up. A little rest, then Karl and I tried a "raft" slide - only partially enclosed. That was it. I was done. I was seasick! I sat for a while, but the noise of the rushing water and the strong chlorine smell, it was too much. Luckily, we were all hungry, so we dried off and went for dinner. The rest of the bunch went to the theme park, but I stayed behind and tried to regain my "land legs." I was worried, because I had already shelled out twenty bucks for a surfing lesson the next morning!

I did manage to recover enough for my surf lesson. It was at 7:30am, before the park was open, so Karl couldn't come in to watch. Which is too bad, because I'm sure I looked ridiculous for the first half an hour. I couldn't get the hang of standing up, so we switched to the bodyboard. I did catch on to that, but WOW! It was hard work. I was the only person who had signed up, so I spent the entire hour on the wave. By the end, I was wiped out, but happy. I could jump in, go back & forth, pop up and kneel, and go back & forth while kneeling. I didn't want to learn the roll, because I was pretty sure I'd lose my swimsuit bottoms if I tried it!

After a short break back at the room - we all went back to the water park. Katrina and Audrey (the BFF) went straight to the slides. We found a table next to the wave pool, and all I did was LOOK at the waves and I was immediately dizzy and nauseous! I spent the next couple of hours sitting, not looking at the water. I didn't want to waste my surf lesson, so I got in line for the surf wave. Karl and the girls came to watch, even though Katrina swore she wasn't going to watch because she was sure I would lose my pants. Well, my arms were so tired from the morning lesson, I could barely pull myself up onto my knees. I did get a "Good Job!" from one of the little kids waiting in line after my 2nd run.


After that the girls were done with the water park and it was lunch time, so we changed clothes and went back to the amusement park. I could barely lift my arms by this time, so I did not attempt the ropes course. I did try the climbing wall, but didn't get very far. I was still seasick, so I didn't ride the Ferris Wheel (Karl rode it alone). Mostly, I just sat and tried not to be green. I was not looking forward to the drive home. (I made it without incident)

I did play Laser Tag. I lost.

This was all the higher I could get - I'm the one in pink.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Victory!


I'm taunting him, just like he taunted me! Have you ever heard a squirrel growl?

We took him to an undisclosed location for release, and as soon as I opened the trap, he shot straight out and didn't hit the ground for at least five feet! Then straight off into the woods.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The deed is done.

It reminds me of a juicy blackberry
  

I'm sure you'll all be thrilled to know I have chosen my two sweater patterns, and have already started on the first one. I'm beginning with the cardigan, and it's nearly impossible to describe the color of the yarn (even the photo doesn't do it justice - sort of a purpley/goldish/bluish), so here's a photo:


And the pattern? Well, after much deliberation, I have settled on this:
Obviously, this is not me. Photo from the web
It's knit from the top down, which is a new technique for me. I started last night, and I'm already past the first buttonhole! 

Not too much knitting will get done this weekend though, because this is the weekend we're taking Katrina (and her BFF) to the Kalahari for some water park fun. Hilarity will ensue as I surf the Flowrider, tackle the climbing wall, and lose at laser tag.

Once again, not me.
I'm sure there will be plenty of photos of my pasty white Wisconsin winter skin to show you next week.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Decisions, Decisions...

  You wouldn't think it would be so difficult to choose a pattern for a sweater. How many can there be to choose from? Well it depends on what type of sweater: a pullover, adult sized, in the type of yarn I want to use has 5172 patterns listed on Ravelry. A Cardigan, same size, same yarn - 3708. I want to make one of each. How do I possibly narrow it down? Well, I kind of have an idea of the shape I want, and I know I want cables on the pullover. 
 After hours and hours of looking, I have narrowed it down to three pullovers, and five or six cardigans. Each with their pros and cons. I won't bore you with all the photos here.  (If you'd like to put in your 2¢ worth, email me, and I'll send you the photo links.) I still picture myself with my old, top-heavy shape, so I don't really know what's going to look good on me and what's going to make me look like I'm wearing a potato sack.

Friday, February 17, 2012

It's Feed the Squirrel Friday!

He doesn't even run when you come in the room. He just sits there and mocks you.

See the evil in his eyes?
Several failed attempts. I must not be setting the trap correctly, because we went through a heck of a lot of peanut butter today. OK, maybe only a couple of tablespoons, but you know what I mean. I'm going to get some professional advice and try again next week. The store is closed Sunday through Tuesday, and I don't want to have him trapped for that long, so I cleaned up and closed the trap.

Battle Royale

  I am once again engaged in an epic battle against nature.

  There is a squirrel (hopefully only one) living in the ceiling at Giggles. He is a bold and cunning beast. So far, the score is Squirrel - 2, Becky - 0. Two different live traps, two different days, and he gets a free peanut butter sandwich for dinner. 

  Trap #1 - the "squirrel sized" - I heard him scurrying about, trying to reach the sandwich. I heard the trap rattling a bit, then what I thought was the door closing, so I opened the door to the back room, and there he was, sandwich in his mouth, trap overturned. The little f***er had dumped the bait right out of the trap! He sat there, mocking me. I swear he gave me the finger before he turned and jumped back into the ceiling.
  Trap #2 - Big Bertha, the coon size - I knew he couldn't upturn it, but I wasn't 100% sure he'd be heavy enough to set it off. I positioned sandwich #2 as best I could, and crossed my fingers. Squirrels are greedy, so I thought he'd come back for seconds right away. But no, he waited a full 24 hours before coming back for another free meal. I was at home, Megan was on squirrel watch. She heard him, and caught a glimpse of him scurrying back "upstairs." No squirrel obscenities for Megan though. He must save that for me.

  I have a new plan for today. I can't reveal it, because he may be a regular reader of my blog, and I don't want to tip him off.
He may think he has the upper hand (paw?), but I am more determined, smarter, and I have opposable thumbs.

Monday, February 6, 2012

Wait. What?

  I'm still armpit deep in flowers, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Katrina summed it up when she said yesterday morning "When is the last day you didn't work?" - and I couldn't remember! But that's a discussion for another day.
  When she said that, she was still mostly asleep, it was 7:15 am and I was leaving for work. I promised to call her at lunchtime, since we hadn't seen each other for more than 5 minutes in the last 36 hours. I actually forgot to call during my lunch break, so I called during our afternoon snack break. 
  I asked what she had done during the day. She said "Dad took me to the mall." I made her repeat it, and yes, she actually said that Karl had taken her to the mall, and that it was HIS idea! I was suspicious. She explained that she has been saving her money for a specific t-shirt, and she was going to order it online, but Karl said he would take her to the store at the mall so she didn't have to pay the shipping. OK, that makes sense, and sounds like something Karl would say. Then she went on. "And we went to Bath & Body Works because Dad wanted to get something." Oh? Well, it is almost Valentine's Day, but he never gets me anything for "that made-up holiday". I pried a little - "What did he have to get? Some aftershave or something?" "No, something for Jamie at work.". What? Whoa! Jamie is a dude. A big, hairy dude.
Unfortunately, break time was over, and I could not ask any other questions.
  So, I had the rest of the afternoon to digest this little information nugget. Do I need to have a "special talk" with my husband? Will I be free to pursue hot men in lycra? Will they believe I am only 29?

I still don't have all the details, but I was disappointed to find out that he was buying some scented hand sanitizer as a joke. 

No hot cyclists for me.
Bummer.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Here!

I'm just checking in. I'm still alive. Day one of flowers went well, the day flew by! Only two rose-thorn punctures (ow!), and no vase spillage. Today it's work at Giggles all day, then straight on to the Happy Dance with the Ladies.
Lots of coffee on tap!!