Weekend Update

So much to tell, and so little time! Let's begin:

The new job: It's fabulous. I love them and they love me. It sounds facetious, I know, but it's true. Never has my ego been stroked so much. I've worked at Cultured Purls for two days and they're already talking about teaching me to close up the store. They look at me in amazement, like they can't believe what a gem they've found, and I stand in complete amazement that I've found the perfect job. It's a match made in heaven. I know, I know--I've only worked there two days. I can't fully explain it, but this was meant to be. Anyone reading this who knows me at all, knows that I'm a glass-half-empty-kind-of-gal. NOTHING in my life is ever meant to be....

Venue, Zizia, and Happy Delusions: I am freaking out. I am slowly and steadily moving into a nervous breakdown (see, the happiness can't even last a paragraph). I actually did sell something at Happy Delusions and in January a more prominent spot is opening up for me, so that's something. At Venue I've already sold 7 hats for the month of December. That is about my quota for the average month. Unable to bask in my success, I immediately start to think HOW AM I GOING TO REPLACE ALL OF THOSE HATS WITH ALL I HAVE TO DO?! It's as if a red flashing buzzer is going off and the only way to turn it off is to replenish my stock. And Anna keeps calling me with special orders. Those damn viking hats. I never should have introduced them. They are a total and complete success at both stores and are in constant demand. One is fun to make. 6 of them are a royal pain.

Special orders: part of the reason for the freaking out. Christmas is 15 days away. I have the power to make or break someone's Christmas by the knitting of a baby hat. I also want to make Harry Potter book scarves for the boys for Christmas. I still have 4 special orders to complete by Christmas. Eek!

The search for the Wii: ok ok, I haven't actually posted about this yet, but you should know it partially responsible for the freaking out. Mike and I decided we would like to give the boys a Wii for Christmas. What Mike and I should have done is purchased it last July. Because now everyone, and I do mean everyone, is giving a Wii for Christmas. Mike routinely stops in at Fred Meyer, Best Buy, Gamestop, Fryes, Target...anyplace selling electronics has had a visit from Mike and has had the pleasure of telling him that he just missed the last one in stock by mere minutes. I was at Costco today and saw several people clutching them to their chests as if they were sneaking their newborn baby out of war torn Baghdad. It goes without saying that I was not one of the lucky few. We do have a plan B and, in my mind I'm already there. But Mike is determined to get one of these things before Christmas Eve. Apparently Target will have a bunch of them early on the morning of the 16th. Mike says he is planning to go there at 6:00 a.m. that morning to wait in line. This is a man who wouldn't get out of bed that early if it were on fire, so this should be good.

My vacuum: still broken. About once a week I borrow Shirley's extra vacuum for a couple of days. It's a 20 year old Hoover which works better than my 4 year old piece of crap Kenmore did when it was brand new. Since I still have a boatload of Christmas presents to buy, I haven't had the extra $100 ($200? $300? $400?) to spend on a new vacuum. But I'm getting tired of carrying Shirley's vacuum around the neighborhood, so I believe that is what I will be spending my first paycheck on.

Clark and Ellen/Todd and Margo: their holiday show is in full production. The other day they sent notices around the neighborhood, explaining this is their gift to all of us and to expect a little more traffic. On their notice they explained that the light show will be held between 7 and 9, Thursdays through Sundays, from December 1 to December 23rd. Which is interesting because the light show goes 7 days a week, from about 5:30 until 11. Honestly, I don't care what their "hours" are, but they have this thing going all night, every night, so I don't know why they're telling all of us their schedule. Also, what's with the 24th and 25th? Are they saying there will be no light show on Christmas Eve and Christmas night? The entire reason for the existence of the light show? Adam and Meghan came over last night for a viewing. Apparently my description did not do the show justice. Frankly, they were horrified. And I could tell the completely random blinking pattern was really getting to Adam.

Mike put our lights up today. Ryan is really disappointed. He wants to know why we can't have giant blow up monstrosities. I think he's too young for the term "no way in hell..."

I don't work again until Saturday. I wonder how many hats I can get done between now and then?