Fruit and Circles

You Are an Apple

You are strong, powerful, and even a bit stubborn at times.You have enough strength to help those around you in trouble.You are adventurous and charming. Many people are drawn to you.You love life, and you enjoy traveling the world. You enjoy fine food, art, and culture.People have accused you of being a snob, but that’s not accurate.You do enjoy the best things in life. Unlike snobs, you truly appreciate quality… not just pretend to.

What Type of Fruit Are You?

Another quiz that’s true enough…  I found it on Nichole’s blog. 

Now, for the circles.  It’s about my circles of friends and colleagues.  Through the course of events recently, I’ve been reminded that even though I try to avoid society’s “filters” I do look at people through my own jaded eyes.  For whatever reason, some people seem to be beyond fault to me, and when they do act like the humans that we all are, I’m caught off-guard.  That’s all I’m going to say about that, other than to be grateful that I’m visibly flawed, so no one is ever likely to put me on such a pedestal.  It would be a LONG, quick fall, to be sure.

On the flip side of the coin, I’ve learned recently that for YEARS, I’ve misjudged someone, unfairly so.  Since I don’t know who really reads this, no details, but it’s refreshing to be reminded that most of us really do have good hearts, even if our baggage seems to present otherwise.  Lessons learned, I hope.  People aren’t always what/who they seem, and if we don’t have the opportunity to really get to know them, then it’s very wrong to pigeon-hole them too.  So, while I hope the misjudged hasn’t a clue what I really thought all along, above is my humble apology…

In another circle reference, last night was a full-circle moment.  My father was the first chief and one of the founders of our little fire company, which is no longer just volunteer.  At our annual meeting, many awards are given out, and a few years ago, the Firefighter of the Year award was named after my departed father.   Last night, a man my father watched grow up presented my husband and a neighbor/friend of ours with the first ever dual award for their remarkable, probably life-saving efforts at a very bad car wreck, where it turned out the driver they saved was a good friend’s older brother.  

The Knight normally isn’t into recognition, but he candidly confessed a couple of years ago when he won the Chief’s Award, that he had REALLY wanted Daddy’s award.  Because our fathers were so close, the Knight grew up knowing and admiring the man who didn’t live long enough to be his father inlaw.  While trophies and plaques from years past languish in and under all sorts of things around the house, this one - and the under-appreciated Chief’s Award - are going on the photo wall in the great room. 

ETA - BAD, BAD WordPress!  No matter what I try - including coding it myself - I can’t get line breaks between paragraphs!

Monday Headlines

Y’all do realize I rarely read blogs on the weekends, right?  There are a host of reasons, from being busy, to a weird glitch with my laptop where Reader doesn’t load properly, EVER…

So, here I am at work, with dogs finally napping, no billing to do, and all caught up on my reading.  There’s a lot going on, so let me bring you up to speed.

Nancy is having her 300th post contest.  Be sure to tell her I sent you.  I’m also supposed to share a knitting or crocheting tip.  I don’t know that I have one, really.  Oh!  Duh…  When using a chart, I like to use the Post It flags to mark my spot when I set the project down.  (That is, when I secure it safely beyond Sissy’s reach…)  They’re inexpensive, portable, and terrifically re-usable.

Robin’s also having a contest, to guess the yardage of her wonderful recently dyed yarn. 

My awesome Sockapalooza downstream is raising money for a great cause.  Pop over and give her your support, will you? 

The first email I read this morning was from Firefly.   She sent me to THIS site for some entertainment.  The results were surprising.  It’s called the Birthday Calculator, and everything you didn’t know about your date of birth is there.

For instance, I was born on a Tuesday, and mostly likely conceived on a Tuesday.  I already knew my Chinese Zodiac critter was the rooster, which I learned AFTER I’d fallen for the bird.  What shocked me this morning is that

Your Native American Zodiac sign is Woodpecker; your plant is Wild Rose.

That’s interesting because the first bird I recall being really interested in was a woodpecker, and wild roses bloomed outside my childhood window.  I loved those flowers, and the rose is still one of my favorite flowers.  Is there something to this?  Let me know if you have any fitting results! 

Also, check out this awesome sock pattern.  It’s for a great cause.  Thanks to Stacey for pointing it out!

For those hearing about our wildfires, here’s an update from the VA Emergency Operations Center, or rather, my cliff notes version.  Six homes have been lost to the fires.  The Governor has declared a state of emergency.  Over 115,000 homes or businesses are without power, and it was in the teens last night.  Ten different counties still have fires not marked under control, with more than one fire in several of those places. 

This ain’t California.  We don’t do wildfires like this.  Sure, every year there’s one or two remarkable brush fires (and the two terms aren’t really interchangeable; brush is well… brush, the low stuff near the ground) and that’s about it.  We just started our fire season, so this is pretty scary, to be taxing our resources state-wide.  Once you get beyond the urban centers - Northern VA, Richmond and Virginia Beach areas - there are no career firefighters to speak of.  Guess where these fires are happening, folks?!  The fires aren’t in the urban areas.  That means the volunteer systems, assisted by the Forestry Department, are spread THIN. 

Come on rain, sleet or snow, whatever’s due in tonight. 

Black Tuesday

I remember clearly in junior high school stating that Tuesdays were my Mondays, meaning that they were routinely rotten, awful days.  Here we go again.

While I was in the shower this morning, the Knight answered the phone to find out of town brother inlaw explaining that his in town wife - my sister - had been in a wreck.  The long and the short of it is that she’s fine, but her SUV very well may be totaled.  She swerved to avoid a deer, coming straight at her driver’s door.

Dae - my father inlaw - is a strong, silent man.  He NEVER calls me at home unless it’s an emergency.  So, when he direct connected me (we’re part of the Sprint-Nextel world) and simply said “Call me at home” I knew it was serious.  I feel lower than whale dung.  My surrogate grandfather passed away this morning, and I hadn’t seen him in over a year.  His wife lost a very short battle to cancer a few years ago, and I’d promised to be better about visiting.  I was, but only because I hadn’t seen them at all to speak of in the decade prior to her illness. 

Dae and I are going to prepare a little remembrance page to post at the firehouse as he was a founding member of our station, so I’ll share that here too, complete with a photo of the great man.  Both of my biological grandfathers had died before I was born, and my only step-grandfather died when I was six, so “Channie” (pronounced Ch-ann-EE) and his wife were great stand-ins.  He was a perfect grandfather figure.  He was a farm manager on a big race horse estate, and I had the run of the place.  He was warm, funny, and I can’t believe there will be no more hugs and laughter.  

Now, I have to go call my poor sister, as if her day wasn’t bad enough. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m thankful that so many  have already participated in my contest.  I’m thinking Cass has already earned a prize, as I think about half of the contestants were sent from her blog!  Mooch, smooch babe, and keep ‘em coming!  (And please, give her a run for the money!!)

Also, if you want to leave a link to your charity, that’s cool too.  I really do read each comment, and while I’m familiar with most of the charities mentioned, there are some that are new to me, or that I could use more information about.  Part of the reason for this contest is to remind us all how many great causes there are out there, and if you’re motivated to give, so much the better.

I think it’s only fair I mention my favorites.  Anne and I had a discussion about not for profit organizations vs. charities.  I don’t really see a difference, but she does.  I also respect the businesses that turn a profit and still make the world a better place, but that’s a WHOLE, different story. 

Before mentioning my favorites, I’d like to share a concept I’m more than a little fond of when it comes to talking about a cause.  I like “heart and hand” causes, meaning that it not only tugs at your heartstrings, but you’re willing to put your TIME where your mouth is.  It’s great to write a check, but in our busy world, if you’re committed enough to give time, I’m really impressed.  I do realize that some of the bigger organizations aren’t readily available to willing volunteer hands, and some require so much training that it is almost impossible to really donate your time, but if you’ve never given a couple of hours to work for a charity, please consider it.  It is exceptionally rewarding, particularly if you are able to work directly with the lives your charity touches.

So, if *I* had to limit myself to one cause, it would be my Junior League of Charlottesville.   For pete’s sake, we’re not white-gloved snobs.  It’s a group that allows me to work with about twenty non-profits each year, in some fashion or another.  My favorites, under the JLC umbrella?  The Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, particularly Women Build, I Have a Dream Foundation and Service Dogs of Virginia, just to name a few.  We really are changing lives in central Virginia.

An exceptionally close second, only because I’m not sure Anne would call it a charity, is our fire company.  The Knight and I give over a two hundred hours monthly to that place, and while it is a bittersweet time in the station’s history as we welcome our first paid firefighters, I know we are sticking to our mission and doing what we must to continue to serve the community as best we can.  When you can step back and remove the “I” from your vision, it’s a powerful thing.  (Just the same, wish us luck, will ya?)

Finally, if you’ve been patient and made it through my soapbox post, here’s your Dogs on Thursday eye candy.  He’s not spoiled; he’s pampered.  That’s how Mugsy and MJ now spend their afternoon from Bold and the Beautiful through the end of As the World Turns, unless a crew or a customer comes in, in which case, our greeter rises from his throne and does his thing.  If you’ve read my blog at all in the last week or so, you know how thankful I am that he’s still doing his thing, cough and blood-shot eyes aside.

Next post, maybe we’ll return to knitting content, but folks, it’s approaching holiday time, and what I can share here is rather limited!  ;) 

Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans, and Happy Little Friday to all!

Rockin’ and Igging

Okay, nominate me once and I thank you, get busy, and forget to nominate others. Nominate me twice, and I take action. Thank you Nicole! She’s on vacation at the moment, but if I put this off again, I might forget again. I am just old enough to find silly delight in being called a

So thanks again, my long-lost twin and Paula, who nominated me first. So, my nominees, and why I picked ‘em:

Betty-Jean - Because getting to know her is fun!

Holly - Because she’s truly a good, kind person and she makes me remember to count my blessings.

Martina - Without her, Anne wouldn’t knit, which would mean that I wouldn’t knit OR blog. Just like her little sister, she’s a kind, funny, inspiring woman.

So, there ya’ go. Rockin’ down, igging to go.

Anne is busting my chops, right in the midst of blogland, about “igging.” If she hasn’t heard it before, it’s only because we type more than we talk. Igging is in the dictionary, here in my part of the world. So, my defense/explanation will also be tossed out right in the midst of blogland, so that anyone else who cares (or has the discipline to keep reading) can understand.

Many of you realize that our volunteer firehouse isn’t just a hobby for us, or even simply the non-profit where we spend a lot of our time. The folks there are truly like family to us, especially since the Knight and I both grew up in and around said station. Well, a family friend was the chief a while back, and he is famous for just ignoring people who are clearly talking to him. One of the characters around the station shouted at the chief’s back, “Well just ig me then!” and igging was born. It might have origins elsewhere, but that’s how it found its way into our vocabulary. Said chief emeritus is a close family friend, and my father inlaw (and the Knight once in a while) is know to “ig” too, so the word gets used a lot. I still can’t believe Anne didn’t hear it while she was here.