07/23/2008
For your distraction....
Things are, shall we say, a bit stressful right now. I am trying to work on my thesis. It is the last thing I have to finish for my degree. There has been a strong shift by little one from breastfeeding to formula (though she is now 6lbs 15oz as of today). She still has at least one doctor appointment a week right now. And there is a thing going on with my family. Oh, and I still haven't bothered to get the cord for my computer so I can use it. There is knitting going on and I have pictures on my camera. But I must get the cord for my computer so I can get the pictures onto my computer; blah, blah, blah-one big cycle. Until then, here are some pictures of little one for you to enjoy. And she is smiling and making little noises now.
10:53 Posted in Family , Little One , School | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
10/06/2007
Yeah..........
for thiefing wifi from the neighborhood!!!!! Though not always a reliable connection, I use what I have available. So in the interest of getting caught up with blogging and posting, I am going to start off with some pictures of an amazingly cute niece. When I left, she was smiling and laughing and becoming ticklish. She still looks like her Mommy did, but with dark hair instead of blonde. And as time goes on, and when I get internet connection, I will post more. Then has been some knitting and such going on. Plus the whole being a student thing. There is a picture of my niece with her Mommy and a picture of my niece and I together.
04:20 Posted in Family | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
06/21/2007
Rollercoaster
It has been one of those days, all...week..........long. I don't know why, there is really no reason for it. I am a bit frustrated because I have been looking online for an apartment in Leeds. I have had two responses from letting agents and neither one has worked out. I am trying to stay hopeful and remind myself that I still have 2.5 months before heading off. That is plenty of time to get a place to live sorted out. Right? Also I tried to order some yarn, but one of the colors I wanted was sold out. The color I asked as a replacement was sold out. Things happen. Life will get better. And how can I stay in this mood when I have this one to look forward meeting one day. She already got to talk to my dad on the phone. As the Auntie, I am very biased, but I think my niece is quite gorgeous and down right beautiful. 
I didn't realize being the Aunt would be so emotional. But the first picture of her is my absolute favorite so far. In the last picture, she is sitting with her Auntie Joanna. Little Miss Phoenix doesn't look like a 6lb 13 oz, 1 day old baby. At least not to me.
14:54 Posted in Family , Friends | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
06/19/2007
I hate being popular........
or also About Damn Time. My niece made her grand appearance today about 6:30am. My sister named her Phoenix Ophelia. Phoenix is 6lbs 13oz and 18 inches. She was only 3 days late, which is a record in this family. I had the audacity to be a whole three weeks late. I have been told she has a head of dark blonde curly hair. Both mommy and baby are doing well. But it has been nothing but phone calls since about 10:30 last night when my sister left for the hospital. I am just the popular type of person. I talked to my sister this morning and she sounded well and was happy. Will post pictures as soon as I get some.
08:05 Posted in Family | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
06/18/2007
Hey Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember these? I found them in some of my boxes of stuff. When I was younger, my Dad worked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. I don't remember all the details, just that because my Dad worked there, I got the chance to ride on the USS Iowa for a day. Apparently I liked gun turret 2 the best (that is the one that blew up) and my Dad got me this shirt as a souvenir. The other shirt was from the shop at the shipyard my dad worked at. I still remember the one time that family day was held and I got to walk through my Dad's shop. Yes, my Dad's shop. He worked there and so it was his. It was bigger than anything I could have imagined as well.
11:17 Posted in Family | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
06/16/2007
Anticipation
The anticipation is more than I expected. My sister is due to have my niece today. First babies are late as a general rule. And the mouse is probably going to take after her mother and auntie and be late. She is going to leave me waiting for her appearance and then show up after I am finally fed up with waiting.
In the meantime, I got a birthday present from my friend Miyuki. She went to Japan about a month ago and got me some candy from Japan. She also got me some nail polish, a nail file, and a cuticle trimmer. The pen she got me is so cute that I am waiting to use it. Just want to enjoy the beauty of it for a while. 
I am continuing with the baby knitting. I made one sweater as a 4T and one is 18 months. The bigger one is the 18 month size. It is so hard to know how baby clothes are going to be when finished. It is very frustrating at times. I am going to take out the cast on edge of the blue one and add another inch to the bottom. It does need that. The pink one is going to be too big, thankfully little ones grow and quickly.
This is my travel bag and has been to more countries than the monkey. (Points to anyone who can notice the difference in the monkey from the Ocean City pictures) But the bag needs to be updated. I just need to find the time to add to the bag. This is what I have to sew on before heading to England.
And I have converted another one. My best friend is knitting now. She is casting on, knitting, and binding off. I didn't get a picture of her knitting...yet. But here are two of her squares. I am very excited about her. She is knitting squares right now. But her first project is going to be a blanket for her son. She is going to use cotton and sew the squares together. I am very excited for her. She has the yarn picked out and is waiting until she feels more comfortable with her knitting.
In other news, while I have to wait until next week to mail in my visa application, I bought my plane ticket to England. I fly out on September 2nd so I have time to visit some friends before heading to the school and Leeds. I am excited and nervous all at the same time. And very impatient some day.
20:34 Posted in Family , Friends , Knitting | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
05/12/2007
The Mouse
I have been waiting a long time to post these pictures. At the same time, I know my sister reads my blog and I wanted what I knit for the Mouse (my niece) to be a surprise. But my sister stopped by yesterday and I have her the gift for Mouse. Please excuse the change in baby model. My usual model was napping. And they go with the sweater I knitted and posted before. 
I also was knitting the Lotus Blossom Tank from Interweave Knits. I knit it in purple and was sewing in the last of the yarn when my best friend asked me "How do you know if it will fit?" She had never seen me try it on, but saw me measuring it. I clipped the last bit of yarn, tossed it to her and told her to try it on and find out. Her face was priceless and it couldn't have been scripted better if we had tried. Here is a picture of her in the finished tank. 
11:01 Posted in Family , Knitting | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
04/18/2007
Babies, babies, everywhere
13:51 Posted in Family , Friends | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
04/02/2007
Back with Family
Got back to the states on a very uneventful airplane trip. I was able to see my dad, brother, two of my sisters and my mom at my brother's AIT graduation from Fort Knox, KY. It had been four years since I had seen my brother and he is so big now. It was good to see everyone though.
08:20 Posted in Family | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
01/24/2007
Frustrated..........
So after a few days in small, out of season towns, I have finally found an internet cafe. But I can't hook my camera up to the computers. No extra USB ports for me to use. Supposedly there is another one in the town and I will go look there after sending some emails off today. If not, tomorrow I am on the train to Vienna and I am sure there is an internet cafe there that I can use. I really want to get pictures up before I forget everything I want to say about them and the order I want to post them in. I write everything down in my journal and keep track of the pictures, but after teaching, the little ones have sucked the last of my memory out. Was in Telc, Czech Republic for a few days. But it is so small that everything, even the castle was closed for the season. It did feel good to have a day to do not much at all. Right now I am in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. Is is larger than Telc and home of the orginial Budweiser/Budvar beer. Went on the tour today and got to drink beer, good times.
Prague turned out to be really good. I meet up with some British guys and had fun drinking beer and talking movies with them. Hopefully in Vienna I will be able to meet up with some people I met in Krakow. They missed their train to Budapest the other night, so they won't be getting into Vienna until a few days later than expected. Hope to get a day or so with them. Then it is off to parts unknown again.
Really, am working on the pictures thing. Should have it sorted out in a few days.
In family news, my sister is due on June 17th, 14 days after my brother's birthday. And my brother graduated from basic and is now is scout school. I am very proud of him and my dad sent pictures as well. Here is a picture of my brother and my dad. 
09:55 Posted in Family , Travel | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
09/12/2006
My darling nephew
Here is a picture of my darling nephew and his parents. If you can't tell, are big Ohio State fans. Both of Brandon's parents graduated from Ohio State. 
Brandon is getting quite big, he weights over 10 lbs. already. Davi told me that when he was born, his feet were over 4 inches long. He is going to be one tall guy when he grows up!
11:00 Posted in Family | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
05/22/2006
Updates........
Got an email from Davi today and Rhi is going to have to be on bed rest for the next 14 weeks. Which is going to be really hard for Rhi, but I know she can do it. Went to see the Pimp tonight and he is feeling a little better. He at least looks more like his normal self tonight than he did last week or even last night. Tomorrow he finds out exactly what is going on and the doctors will have a better idea of what to do. Thank you all for the good thoughts and wishes. They are working so keep them coming.
Well, made it to Ilan just fine on Saturday after getting the ticket thing straightened out. Actually had to call one of my roommates to tell the lady at the train station to just give me the ticket, that I didn't need a seat. I got to Ilan about 1pm on Saturday. So that afternoon we went to the Ilan winery museum, the old Ilan city office building, and the Museum of Traditional Arts. The old city office is actually a Japanese house. Before KMT took over Taiwan (which was during the Cultural Revolution in China) Taiwan was occupied by Japan. So there are plenty of remnants of the Japanese occupation included houses. It had bamboo mat floors, sliding doors, garden, and plenty of other traditional Japanese elements. It was nice, just wish I had more time to look around.
Feeling rather blah and down in the mouth right now because of everything that is going on. So more on Ilan and more about knitting as life and work take a break. Actually feeling kind of homesick right now because I feel like I should be there for Davi and Rhi and instead I am here in Taiwan. As much as I love traveling and living overseas, it is moments like this when I wish I didn't have this particular addiction. (Traveling really is an addiction, an expensive one at that too. But I love it and can't believe how much is out there to see) Because of all of this, I have probably spent and excessive amount of time at the hospital with the Pimp. He is the only person I can check up on and it gives me some sense of control over uncontrollable situations. Even if it is a false sense of control and makes me feel like I am helping out.
What I don't think the Pimp understands is what a loop he has thrown my life for. I wasn't planning or even really wanting to have these feelings for someone while I was in Taiwan. Was going to wait to start with the whole relationship/dating thing until I get back to the States. But here he is and I have all these feelings and I am not sure what to do with them. A little background about when I lived in Scotland. There was this guy that was one of my house mates in Edinburgh. My feeling for him are as strong as my feeling for the Pimp. The difference is that I never told this guy how I felt because I thought that keeping him as my friend was better than telling him the truth and possibly losing him from my life forever. So this time around, I am trying to make a different set of mistakes, one of the main reason I told the Pimp how I feel about him. But I don't think he completely gets how strong my feelings are. Which is partly my fault because I have problems communicating effectively. And half the time I am not even sure how to read the Pimp or what to do or even what to say. At a complete loss, really. Like the past two nights. Last night we just talked and talked and he even walked me to the subway station. Today, another co-worker showed up and I felt like I was put on the back burner. Granted the Pimp and this co-worker have done plays and other stuff together, so obviously they know each other better. I just need to listen to my brain more and the rest of me less. At least attempting to type this all out has helped me to feel better.
09:51 Posted in Family , Friends , Life in Taiwan , me, me, and me | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
01/07/2006
Hi, my name is Erin and........
I live in my happy bubble of delusion and am also trying to function on 4 hours of drunk sleep. So excuse any horrible spelling and grammar errors. But first, knitting news. I finished the baby knitting for Miyuki and mailed it off yesterday. No pictures until I know she had gotten it, don't want to spoil the surprise. But I did remember to take pictures before I mailed it off.
Life has been a little quiet lately and I have been waiting for the next curve ball to come. And I think it has. You must first understand the communication dynamics in my family. Maybe it has something to do with us being spread all over the world. When something important happens, communication is never direct, there always has to be a messenger or two. Like when my sister Judith got married, she never told me, I found out when I called one day. Then I happen to mention to my sister Elizabeth one day when talk to her, but she didn't know either. Apparently, my sister Joanna had a seizure, don't know when though. I found out when I was told by my Dad. What I should do is call and talk to my sister about this. But I know that if I call, I will get pissed off about not being emailed about it. Just because I leave on the other side of the world....................fucking hell.
Ok, now on to last night. It started with me coming home and starting the night with a rum and coke. Last night was the Pimp's birthday. He invited some people over for food, wine and some Nighty Night episodes. I had a lovely time, but I still lack those ever so important small talk/conversation skills. Then we all headed over to KTV. Drunk, groping lady who use to work at the school is madly ___ with the Pimp. So the place we were at closed and we went to another KTV place. Mind you, the wine flowed with gusto, there was some whiskey involved (not a whiskey girl I learned) and more wine. The twist, I have a crush on the Pimp. This is the first interest I've had in a guy since I broke my engagement off 2.5 years ago. It took me a long time to untangle from that. And I feel like a 14 year old, with a crush. Even with all the alcohol, I didn't do or say anything stupid. But, in the end, I shared a cab with drunk, groping lady, because I am just that nice. Now, this is probably as close to telling the Pimp how I feel. I work with him and that is just bad karma all around. Two, he is getting ready to go back home this summer to England to study for six years, or some obscenely long time. And I will be going back to the U.S. And if living in Taiwan has taught me anything, it is that I need to be closer to my friends and family. Three, I am 95% sure I am not the type of girl he likes. I don't need self-induced rejection at this point in my life. So with those factors, I don't say anything to him, remain friends, and knit and fix his clothes for him. And in the end, it is probably for the best. That is what I keep telling myself. Delusion, my excuse for being a gutless wonder. Oh, well, to the yarn store in a little while.
00:57 Posted in Family , Knitting , me, me, and me | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this
08/27/2005
Happy Birthday to You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August is full of reason to celebrate. My dad's birthday is on Monday. I know, I know, this is early. But work gets in the way of my blogging. 
So you will have to deal with it. This year my dad will be 29, again. Since I am closer to 30 than 25 now, people are starting to get these funny looks on their faces when he tells them how old he is. I just don't understand.
My dad and I have matching tattoos. I have a black lizard on my left shoulder and he has a black lizard on his calf. He was with me when I got my first tattoo in fact. He is also another one of those people in my life who can understand my craziness. Like my need to cover my body in ink and my need to travel the world. My dad also want to be a cowboy when he grows up. He loves to tell jokes about bears in bars in Billings, Montana and about pandas. And every once in a while he still trys to stick my finger up his nose. I am a little faster than I use to be. Happy Birthday Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drink a pint of Guiness on me.
10:23 Posted in Family | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email this