Friday, July 14, 2006

better

I was a domestic goddess today, and vacuumed the house thoroughly. It's been raining most of the day, great wind-driven waves of fine mist, cheering me immeasurably. I'm sick of this damn dry weather. Isn't that a hoot? Not four months ago, my readers were treated to my incessant tirades of whining about the continuous deluge from the heavens and the Pali. Now the "oh no it's too dry" whingeing starts. I like my weather patterns balanced. Except for snow. Bring me lots of snow. Nah. No can.

Anyway, the floor is restored to its relative clean, the rugs have been given liberal applications of Arm n' Hammer Pet Fresh, and the great swath of Rainbo's moult has been cleared from the dining room. I even vacuumed Cricket, who was standing nearby. He was not amused, nor was he frightened, either. I suppose a dog who's flown across the Pacific isn't rattled by a bit o' vacuum cleaner noise.

While I'm challenged by the process of actually getting started, housecleaning always makes me feel better. I can think more clearly, now.

Knit night last night was restorative. I ripped One Skein Wonder right out, not being convinced that I was knitting the right size. The Lorna's Laces is too precious to waste on knitting the wrong size, besides, I wanted to add lace to the back of this shruglet, and needed to find a chart, since charting my own lace pattern is way beyond my ken. Lilikoi pointed me in the direction of a lace chart on Knitty, and so I think the 2nd go-round of this project might work. Except I forgot, in all my swatching, to have anyone measure me. Ahhh, well. Acornbud suggested that I count my stitches and consider version #1 a swatch before I ripped, and in doing so, discovered that my gauge was off to begin with! So I'm feeling renewed with zeal for actually re-doing One Skein Wonder. Cheered, even, which is unusual for me, as I don't like to re-do anything.

I've kind of worked through my unemployed funk of last week. There's only so long one can wallow in self-pity and self-loathing. I'm employed, re-hired by the school district as a sub, already, so that's automatic work (and believe me, there's plenty o' subbing to do) once the school year gets under way. I am going to go around to the schools in the area and just drum up business for myself next week, remind them that I am on their sub list, approved and available. I found out that the reported job openings for teachers are pretty much concentrated waaay out in Wainae area, right now, which is not a drive I want to make on a daily basis. So I'm going to put my energy into passing the last Praxis II test, and once that's done and scores reported, around early September, my Hawaii credential will kick in, and then I should be able to find a job in the district's later wave of hiring. It's not an ideal situation, but I am through angsting over what I can't influence. I'm paying the price, repeatedly, for bad decisions and professional arrogance last year, and I'm willing to accept that and just get on with it. The Universe seems to need to teach me a lesson about overconfidence, the importance of maintaining a sustained effort and making better long-term decisions, and I think I need to stop whining and listen.

This makes me feel infinitely better, this realization. Letting go of that heartfelt belief that I was going to get a job before school started (it might STILL happen) and then fretting over what and when it would be, was a great leap in lifting my recent depression. Yes, I'm still economically challenged. Yes I'm still gonna have to stretch my pennies hard til the money flows again. But it's better. There's a light at the end of the tunnel.

In other news, I took a nice walk with Acornbud last week, on the Judd trail. She lives near me, up the hill, actually, as do a couple of my other Aloha Knitters. I went out for yumilicious Moroccan food with Patrice one night. P played hookey one day and we went to Lowes, on a big citronella-buying mission, coming up with candles, tiki torches and mosquito coils, all meant to make our deck a useful part of the house again. I took a rather hard hike on the Wiliwilinui trail with Marie, who is going to start teaching Agility again. I will help her with her beginning class, and in exchange, she will let me train Ella on the course and equipment.

All this, and finishing the wonderfully addictive "Outlander" too! Salon.com has this amusing article about a man getting hooked on Diana Gabaldon's time-travel romance series.

I'm going to re-organize my sewing room before I settle in with "Dragonfly in Amber".

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed 'Outlander' but couldn't get into the sequels. Odd. Perhaps I should try again, eh?

You mentioned a house swap. Not now with both of us so strapped for $$$, but I'm thinking it's something to consider for the future. Best of both here, New England autumn spectacular and NYC just a hop-skippity-jump. Columbus Day weekend is usually the height of leaf season by me. So what's the weather/attractions in your part of the world (beyond the obvious, of course) around the 2nd week in October? ~LA

kbrow said...

Well, I live a couple miles up the hill from Honolulu, in an area that's almost always cooler than the main tourist area of Waikiki. It's very quiet here for what is technically considered a suburb. I'm a quickie drive from rather lush forest, and over the hill (15 minutes) from the most beautiful beach you EVER saw, in Kailua town.

The house is a rambling ranch type house, with a small (to you) rocky yard and it backs right up against very steep hillside. No varmints to speak of, unless the wild pigs come down the hill.

October will be pleasant, 70's to low 80's, and a little rainy (if my one year experience counts as accurate?) at night, sunny for the most part during the day. Mango season will be finished, and I think tourism kinda drops a bit, so it might be a little cheaper/quieter. The ocean is cooling, but still warm enough to swim comfortably.

Cheap flights to the Big Island (volcano!!) and Maui, and I think it'd be a great jumping off place for Australia, Japan, etc if you're allowed to think Big.

In December/January, we have migrating whales, easily seen from shore on extreme ends of the island.

Acornbud said...

Wow, you domestic goddess you! Nothing like a good clean and purge to get the "chi" flowing:) If I have a down moment I can think of that silly, bounding, undaunted Cricket and smile.

kbrow said...

Heh...Cricket has taken over my favorite chair. I wasted no time in putting a cover on it to protect its tan floral delicacy, but he pulled it off. Arrrgh...

Reya Mellicker said...

I love cleaning house when I have enough time and don't feel pressured. It clears my head like magic.

So glad you're feeling better, and that the weather is cooperating. The weather always predicts me - it's nice when I'm in alignment.

Anonymous said...

Good for you for being through angsting over what you can't influence. That's something I struggle with myself, and it's not as easy as it might sound... Hang in there!