Feeling Sheepish

Sometimes I crack myself up!

There's a place around here that sells fleece.  Actually, there are many. That sells many kinds.  Sheep, alpaca, rabbit, goat.  There are even bison and some yak lurking about, I have heard (or herd...). Haha!

But I am talking sheep and their wool, and one place in particular that sells extraordinarily clean and well-skirted fleece for a premium price.  They have a booth at different shows, markets, and such places where I have also been demonstrating spinning, taking classes, or just shopping. I have bought good fleece from them, and some of their "naughty" fleece, which is what they call the ones when the sheep have wriggled out of the coats they wear that keep the fleece so clean.  On occasion, they offer classes on scouring fleece, or talks on the breeds they raise, which are many, from rare Karakuls, long wools like Lincolns, Wensleydales, Teeswaters, and BFLs, and finally CVMs,

I have mentioned to the shepherd and her person in charge (PIC) if they ever need any help, I would volunteer my services.  I would love to learn how to properly skirt fleece.

Well. A couple weeks ago, the PIC called me and asked if I had some free time.  I was so excited. Especially after I found out that it was going to be a paying gig! At least starting out, I am working one day a week out at the farm skirting sheared fleece, and getting it prepped for sale.

What exactly is skirting a fleece, one might ask? It is removing the undesirable parts from the prime wool.  The really bad bits is removed in the shearing barn, so we don't have to deal with that. Also the "undesirable parts" are graded from stuff that goes on the floor to stuff that are made into bird balls (nesting material) to fleece that will go to the mill for yarn and/or roving (not prime for sale to handspinners).

After that is done, we pick out all the obvious vegetable matter (VM). The two of us just walk around the table picking out what we see. Because these sheep are coated, their fleece are very clean. If I would purchase a fleece from this shepherd, I would only have to wash the fleece to get out the lanolin, then comb or card, and spin. Of course, one pays a premium for this privilege!

The first day we only skirted CVMs (California Variegated Mutants). The second day we worked on Wensleydales and Teeswaters.  Some were crosses with BFLs (blue-face Leicesters). (Perhaps another day I will extol the virtues of the different breeds.)

I must say that the heady fumes of fleece might have overtaken me, but I repeated the mantra, "there will always be another fleece...there will always be another fleece..." along with "remember how much uncarded wool you have at home...remember how much unspun wool you have at home..." So far no fleece has made it home with me. So far. But it has been close.

See, It's Like This

About a month ago, I was told, 'the company was going in a different different direction, and the 28th (of February) would be my last day.'

One would think there would be ample opportunity to write posts, wouldn't one?

One would be correct, and yet, what does one say about it and remain even-handed? It takes time.  This is the second time I have been laid off...in February...at that place...by those people.

Today, I have bread baking, and cookies dough in the fridge...ready to eat.  I will exercise later, keeping the phone close by.  I had a couple of screening phone interviews last week, and thought I had a real chance for a call back from one.  Today is probably the outside of the timeframe, so it behooves me to stay busy. Busy keeps the mind from dwelling.

In the past month, I have gotten through the unemployment maze, organized my kitchen cabinets, cleaned my  own house, cleaned out my closet, and made a run to GoodWill as well as many more things off 'The List'.  I have more things to do.  There in the neighborhood garage sale in June, and the basement is calling.  As is the home inventory.

I have tried to look at the opportunity in this.  I am going to teach a class at an LYS in May, and have offered to knit some shop samples.  I am also considering offering some of my award winning handspun skills for sale in the dormant Etsy shop, but haven't made that progress.  I have been able to demo those spinning skills for the pre-school and kindergarten classes of the grandbebe girls, which I think was awesome to do.  In addition, the Sheep To Shawl team I have been asked to participate with has ramped up their organizational duties.

I have made myself a DIY lightbox to play with my fancy camera, too.  I would really be enjoying myself if this had happened on my terms, and the financial piece wasn't an uncertainty.

Going forward and onward and trying to see that it's all going to be just like it's suppose to be.

Working for a Living

Still here...still working....still not a permanent employee after almost four years.  Which is longer than I was a permanent employee at some most of the positions on my resume.  Including one of the stints I worked here before, and quickly closing in on the second.
Ah, irony!!!
After our recent yearly financial check-up, it seems that optimum security will be achieved if the Guy and I can contiue to contribute to The Retirement Accounts fully for another four years.  It also seems that can best be done with my continued employment, so rather than the freedom to believe that we could possibly do without my income, I am thusly obligated to continue.
Taking the long view.  Looking ahead.  Planning for the future.
Gritting through each damn day with no incentives, no growth opportunity, no raise, no bonus, but putting it out for for everyone else's...
And counting down the pay periods.
And building up my fabric/yarn/fiber IRAs.  You better believe it.  Oh, not it big giant ways, and always with an eye for the bargain, as that is my wont and need.  But it is also my little reward.

I believe that it's an age thing, not being put on permanent.  That is a difficult thing to come which to come to grips. There have been times that my sex has brought me lower paychecks, and it was said to be due to experience.  And I found myself helpless to fight that.  But angry nonetheless.  Now I feel that there are hungrier, cheaper, younger bucks that are eager, and I find myself too tired for the fight.
Again, I find myself a bit ragey at being put on the back burner. Punks. I helped fight the fight that gave them their damn smart phones!  There's a chain of thought there, but I stopped my HRT in November and it's a little hard for me to connect the dots.  Something about breaking ground in a non-traditional field for women, learning Windows 3.1 when people thought computers were 'hard', and in general...looking forward and being willing, dammit!
Trying to keep the positives in the fore front.  Trying not to whine.  It's a paycheck, not a bad one, and the best I can do right now.  After all...I do not have retail, service industry, or admin experience.  My options are limited.  So I keep on keeping on as long as they will keep me on.

TGIF

I woke early early early Thursday morning, stretched, rolled over, and before going back to sleep, thought, I am soooo glad it's Friday.

Only it wasn't.  It was Thursday.  It's was a very long week, work-wise.  Very busy. Very wearing and tiring. I am really too old for that much effort.  (Unless it's effort that I choose to put forth.  Like for my new crafty, creative studio space....I liked putting forth that effort....)

And on the home front, there have been a few details with the 'new room' that have occupied me and a meeting of which I was 'in charge'. I don't like being in charge so much. (Unless it is being in charge of something I like...like picking where we might go for ice cream.  I would like to be in charge of that, for instance...)

All this, coming off a weekend where I had put forth a mighty effort already.

So I am glad it's le weekend!  And there will be no moving of furniture this weekend, of that one can be sure.

The weather is cooperating, and there will be outdoor adventures.  Already, the Mother's Day plants are in the ground.  There will be fresh tomatoes again this year.

And yesterday, these opened up.  The first tall beardeds of the season.

Silverado

Ruth Raymond Blue

And a group of Wide Blue Eyes in full bloom...just because.

The week did have it's high-lights.

Little By Little

Pix from the show.

It's the only way I can absorb them myself.  Plus it's fun for me to relive the day. We had so much fun, sore feet notwithstanding.

I 'captured' a drip hitting the water in this one. (Clicky to see rilly rilly big.)

We decided that the callas weren't really 'frozen' in these containers.  Not sure how it was finagled, but we don't think they were really frozen in there.  really....

It seems my employment future may only be certain for a few more months.  After that, it's anyone's guess.  Maybe that's all anyone has.

I am tired of it.  Not tired of the job, or my worker peeps, but tired of having to be employed.

I made it one more year, at least.  And some months.

Now to figuring out my next move.

Weather is suppose to be decent this weekend.  Maybe the next move is just to enjoy that.

EOY Approaching

No. Seriously. It does. How about 4 weeks away?

And for me it raises more questions than beyond the obvious.

What will the horizon hold regarding the job front? When I took this job last spring, there was the possibility that it would be temp (without benefits) at least through the end of the year, and there was the carrot held out that maybe, just maybe, the budget would include a full time position for 2010.

My current conversations indicate the work will continue at least maintaining the status quo, which is not an entirely disgruntling thing. In fact, I find many pleasing aspects to that development.

• While the resume is dusted off, and updated (always crisp! always fresh!), it won’t need to be distributed.
• My commute remains local. 
• I don’t have to learn about new peeps and their idiosyncrasies (and them mine!).
• Maintaining current camaraderie. I have great peeps.
• I am really liking it here, the space, the job, the respect, the challenge, and what I offer them.

It’s win-win!

But…I want to be a reeeeaaaaal employee! There is something there, something in the back of my mind that tells me I am less than the other 'real' employees, that I don’t really count as much on some level.

What is it that I am suppose to be learning here?

Whatever it is? I wish I would hurry up and learn it…so I could be made a Real Employee!

Work

After a full week back at work…after some vaycay…but first the family business…and before that the med stuff…Memorial Day (which wasn’t my fault!)…well anyway...a full week in quite a while.

I have to say how I am loving my new old job. Still.

The productiveness, the challenge, the people, the atmosphere…it’s all good. Getting my confidence back, and feeling like a chemist again, like I know a little bit, like I can contribute, like I am learning again! That’s a really good part, too.

Especially the getting paid part. Seriously.

Stay tuned to see what the next month brings.

Will it be more of the same? May very well be…

Will she get to be a real employee? Wouldn’t that be something…but we are under no illusions. ‘Real’ employees get laid off…or not paid…security is fiction...

Will she become Wonderful Guy’s kept woman? Well, now, wouldn’t that be something.

I am just really enjoying for however long it lasts.

Another really fun part? I don’t think any of them know my secret identity as the blogger Iron Needles! Haha! I can talk about them! And they won’t know!

I did find out there is another knitter lurking about.

New Digs

Today at work I moved into an office. Only because there are so many of the darn things empty, and there are so few of us, and the grand-bosses think we should be 'consolidated', as it were.

So yeah. My first office, and for those reasons. But still...an office...with a door ('come on in, and shut the door, please.' I have always wanted to say that!) and a window (with a view of the neighboring building and lovely chainlink fence...but sunshine!) and a bit of privacy.

I would like to think that things here can hold on, that something can be pulled out of the bag of tricks, but the bag is looking might flat. It's a hard place to be. You know, moving into an office, for whatever reason, is a bit exciting, and yet, there is this pall, because I know that once these offices were filled. And how long am I, or any of us going to be here?

So while I am not going to bring in artwork, curtains, or a lamp, I think a plant might be appropriate.

This will be a three-day weekend for Wonderful Guy and myself. He has the holiday. I am taking my floating holiday. Always something I take earlier rather than later. We don't have big plans, but our weather is suppose to be pleasant. We have missed the bitter cold the midwest has suffered with. So I suspect we will be doing something outside. I am feeling up to some exercise!

Tomorrow I will be drawing for my Bloggery Contest. There is still time to join in the fun if you haven't yet!

A Monday...

When cranking up the Singing Singer this last time, I chanced to note that the manual was for the 400 series. After verifying my Singer was a Rocketeer ('the greatest sewing machine ever built'....built, mind you!) and, therefore of the 500 series, I determined I needed a more apropos manual.

So off I went to the Singer Sewing Company website and ordered me up one. Yes I did.

And it came today.

There will be no stopping me now! Actually, there has never been no stopping me when I have set my mind to something. The question has always been what ever have I set my mind to, and whatever for?!

I quote, 'you will know it's excitingly different...You'll marvel at its truly remarkable sewing and almost unbelievable ease of operation (well, yes, as a matter of fact...30+ years without a manual! Pretty easy, I must say!)...the amazing services it performs (perhaps somewhere in the manual it will tell me that my Rocketeer cleans bathrooms!), the convenience features never before built into one machine... And remember...it's made entirely in America!'

Onward.

I am making peanut butter cookies tonight to take to Galaxie Guy in Vegas. We are going to exchange Christmas with Dearest Sister and Galaxie Guy, and peanut butter cookies is what I do for Galaxie Guy. So that little bit of effort has been ramped up into the Vacation Mode. That's okay. I like Galaxie Guy, I like peanut butter cookies, and I like not having to ship them this year. The recipe I use is old-fashioned, full of peanut butter and margerine, sugar, and white flour. Not so healthy, and very tasty indeed.

I won an ebay auction today for an acrylic stamp block, getting it for about 60% (including shipping) what I would have paid normally. I love winning an auction!

I have yardage in the washer, in preparation for cutting out three garments for Christmas gifts. I hope to have that little chore done before leaving on Friday. The cutting out, that is, not the sewing up. The sewing up if for doing on our return from vaycay. I am looking forward to sewing. (I may even do some fancy stitching. Watch out!)

What else...I have been knitting. I have knitted a pea coat, a sweater, a bag, and am working on a skirt. Oh yes I have! I have completed a scarf. I have started mittens, an unnamed object, and Wonderful Guy's alpaca socks are 75% complete, more or less. Wait 'til you see the photos. Be patient. I can't show them to you just yet. I am also readying my travel knitting. A scarf to match the mittens, dishclothes, the WIPs, and I am not sure what else.

And I am really glad that I had lots to be positive about today, and that I am practiced in being grateful, because we learned this morning that Friday my company filed Chapter 11.