Sad News

I just found out a knitter friend of mine past away yesterday from colon cancer yesterday. She was diagnosed after having emergency surgery to remove her appendix and was pretty quiet about things at first. I remember sitting in the LYS on a knit-in night and hearing Nancy talk to another knitter, their conversation caught my attention when I heard Nancy mention cancer. I had noticed Nancy didn't seem well but no one seemed to know much.

A few months ago, my comadre told me that she had heard that treatment wasn't working and that Nancy was on pain management. Nancy made every effort to come to knit-ins (better efforts than I do and I'm healthy) and put on a smile while she was there. But you knew she was in pain and struggling.

The first time I met Nancy was probably in 2004 when CB took me to my first knit-in. I had been working on a first attempt at a blanket for my cousin's new daughter and made some horrible mistakes. Nancy sat down, analyzed it and told me that it was best to start over. She said not to worry that it happened to everyone and we pulled out the needles and started ripping back. I felt like I was a horrible, novice knitter, but had realized I was among friends.

The last time I saw Nancy was maybe a month ago. She came to a knit-in that I was at (with my comadre of course) and she looked tired and weak. We all sat around, knitted and it almost felt like Nancy was there to say good-bye. When we left I went over to Nancy, she told me to take care of myself, I told her the same and stroked her hair (which was quite thin) and squeezed her shoulder. CB and I walked out in tears and just gave each other a huge hug! CB saw her one other time, a day she brought Katharine to the shop, it was Nancy's first time meeting this beautiful little girl.

Nancy and her best friend Laurel would crack CB and I up. They were like an older version of the two of us. One blonde, one brunette. Both full of life. One married with a family, one single but with a family of friends that truly cared for her. Nancy's family didn't live in the area so her friends were her family. I can only imagine what Laurel is going through.

Nancy was supportive of everyone, knitting and otherwise. One night I was in a horrible spot and mood. Nancy asked me if I was okay and I said no. Her response was it was okay not to be okay and to go with the mood. She just got it sometimes. She would ask CB how I was doing after that and was happy to hear that I dusted myself off and am so happy and at peace now. What amazing woman...and I didn't even mention what a fantastic knitter she was!!!

I can only hope that Nancy now has the peace that she so deserves. I will miss her terribly and I know I'm not the only one. Be well dear friend...be well...

Woo hoo!!!

Need to share a few woo hoo moments...

1. Monday got a call from the vet, the urine sample they took from Lupe almost 2 weeks prior did not grow any cultures. Her UTI is officially cleared up!!!

2. Found out last night that I have been slated to be on the board of my Junior League...in charge of membership. This is only my 2nd year with the league and they already want me on the board. The new president-elect is my mentor this year and she so rocks! It will be a great experience and I really like all the other board members. It just needs to be voted on by the general membership which will probably happen in the next month or so.

3. Just took my certification exam for IACCM (www.iaccm.com which is an international commercial contract managers association) and I got a 97% on it. I have been studying for a couple of weeks and probably overstudied...we had 2 hours to complete the exam, I did it in 15 minutes. Done with my self assessment (which my boss has to approve) and just have a case study example I have to do. I think the case study will be the hardest part.

4. Going to see a friend that I have seen in over 6 months tonight. Excited to reconnect with her and see what she has been up to. She's also had a 2nd nose surgery since I've seen her, can't wait to see how amazing she looks!

5. Might have sold my snowboard, boots and bindings. One person wants to buy the board, the other the boots and bindings. Extra cash is ALWAYS good!

So, woo hoo to me!!! I may even do a little dance!

Post holiday Monday

I made it through the Christmas holiday...enough said...

Yesterday I went to visit a friend from work, her husband and their 5 day old baby daughter. She was absolutely beautiful. Now, I am the type that doesn't think all babies are cute. In fact, I have seen some very funny babies in my life. Skylar is not one of them. It was nice to sit and talk with them for a couple of hours. And then wonderful to get back home to my place and spend some time doing things I wanted to...playing cow, stingray, ball with Lupe...you know, the important stuff.

So, its Monday now and things are VERY quiet at work. I'm supposed to make it through until Thursday? Yikes! I'm hoping to get my hair cut today, but my friend that cuts my hair has a son at home, so not sure if I'm going to be able to get it done this week. Sigh!

I hope Santa was good to you all! Taking a couple of days to reflect on the year and look forward towards the next :)

A couple of shout outs!

To my comadre and her husband for celebrating their anniversary yesterday! Love you guys! You are truly the best and I would be a blubbering fool without you!

To my friend Ashley on her 26th birthday today! A girly girl through and through with a huge heart and member of my "drag queen" duo.

To my friend Ryann on her 27th birthday tomorrow! A kindred spirit and a wise soul and member of my "drag queen" duo.

To my friend Mary Beth and her beautiful little girl Sarah for apple and raspberry picking fun on Saturday! Mary Beth is a joy to work with, someone I look up to and her and her husband helped me out when things were not good.

To my friend Maria for chilling together at a baseball game yesterday! She is my girly, my concert buddy and my connection to anything vampire related...most importantly, she is my girly, nuf' said.

To my friend Julie who I will be seeing later this week when she and her son fly in from CA! One of my oldest friend (duration, not age) who inspires me daily with her strength and resolve...not just in her battle with cancer, but since I've known her.

Reminds me that I surround myself with wonderful people who are honest, true, and loyal (some of the most important things to me).

A follow up to previous post

Yesterday was the reunion/pool party with the Big Moose group. I was wicked nervous leaving and driving over...but I had an amazing time! I hadn't seen everyone in over a year and it was almost like that year never happened. Good food, good friends and good times...what more can you ask for? Still smiling as I think about everyone today. I learned that I do have some awesome friends eventhough I met them through others...the bonds that we formed are real and lasting and that's just amazing.

Short post, sorry, lots of stories, but they can be shared in person. Happy Monday all!!!

1 down, 45 to go...

Saturday I finally hiked a high peak in the Adirondacks! It has taken me 15 years of living in the area to finally do it, but glad I waited! Dan, Maria, Jim and I tackled Giant Mountain which is in Keene, NY (about 30 minutes outside of Lake Placid). FYI, Giant Mountain’s elevation is over 46oo feet!!! It was a beautiful sunny day and there weren't many people at the top when we got there. G oing down, we passed almost 100 heading up. We could see to Whiteface, Mt. Marcy and Lake Champlain. I made tentative plans to hike a high peak 3 years ago, but never went through with them. Instead, my first high peak was with great friends on a fantastic day...think the hiking bug may have officially bitten me, although my quads are too happy with that thought... :)

Here's a quick summary of the day...

4:30 am - alarm goes off
4:55 am - walk Lupe
5:05 am - leave apartment
5:25 am - arrive at Dan & Maria's (5 minutes late)
5:35 am - Dan, Maria, Jim and I are on the road
7:25 am - arrive at trailhead in Keene, NY
7:30 am - hit the trail
10:45 am - arrive at summit (what an AWESOME view)
11:20 am - after lunch, head back down the trail
2:25 pm - reach trailhead again

Here are pictures as proof that I actually did this.

Maria and I signing at the trailhead

The gang (Dan, Jim, Me and Maria)

Maria, Jim and I considering the rockslide we need to climb

Me at the summit...awesome view of some of the other highpeaks

Maria and I at the top (the mountain all the way to the right is Whiteface in Lake Placid)

Closing doors...

Don't they say that when a door shuts for you, another opens somewhere else? My question is, how do you find the door that has opened and how to secure the closed one to stay shut?

I realized today that sometime we think we make an impact on people's lives and we really don't. Its a painful thing to come to grips with and its bothering me today.

On a brighter note, today is my oldest friend's birthday. I met Jill when I was going into kindergarten and she was entering first grade. Her family moved to my street and my mom sent my brother and I over with brownies (or were they cookies?). Jay and I were too scared and shy to go over, so my mom had to walk us over. Over the years we had our spats and we grew apart, but Jill was my best friend growing up and she means a lot to me.

Tomorrow is my review and Jay's interview. We are both anxious about things, but its February 24th. We both believe that things happen for a reason. Why would both of these things be scheduled tomorrow if she wasn't looking down at us and didn't have good news coming our way?

Keeping my fingers crossed for both of us. We both could use some good news!!!

Friends...

I've come to the realization that there are those people in your life that no matter what are there for you. Your friends. Friends can be family members, friends can be co-workers, friends can be people you grew up with, friends can be random people who have been thrown into your life at some point. Now we all have those more casual friends that are fun but that's not who I'm talking about.

I'm talking about the people who tell you things that they share with few people in life. The people who tell you things they may know because they care about you. The people that you don't see every day but when you get in touch with them it was like you never spent time apart. The people who laugh at the good and stupid and who cry at the sad and hurtful. The ones that would tell you had a piece of food in your teeth or your fly was down. The people that share happy memories with you which make you both smile.

I know I have a bunch of people like this in my life and for that I am truly blessed and greatful. If you are reading this and understand what I mean and maybe why I writing this, then you are most likely one of those people in my life. So I thank you for being you and one of my "people".