Waiting for the first...

That's when my world will take a deep breath in... and let it out slowly, releasing a whole lot of tension... at least that is the plan/hope/desire. Given that it is "break month", I'm sure everything will according to what little plan I truly do have.

On the first of August, I will have officially stepped down from all of the staff roles I have in a silly little game that I love. I am so torn with the decision but I know it is the right one. I need to find a better balance in my life and that is one of the areas where I evaluated for joy and found it was not as high as it used to be... don't get me wrong, I still love the game very much but I think I need to step away from the responsibilities of it all and just play for a while.

People think being on staff for it is just willy nilly fun - and it can be - but the reality is that it is a LOT of work. Those who are truly dedicated to their positions can put in as many hours as a full time job - an awesome job but a job all the same - and I don't have the time to be as dedicated as I want to be so I thought it best to let someone else have a go.

I'm also going to be traveling, relatively speaking, next term. Things in the current house aren't as they used to be - which is neither good nor bad - but sometimes, in order to rekindle the joy for something, you have to let it go. So I'm going to let go of Slytherin House and see where the wind takes me. I have been focusing a lot of energies on Gryffindor but they have been eaten alive with the whole Pokémon GO! movement, and I just can't get in to that. I tried to get comfy in Ravenclaw but it's a work in progress. I have wandered back down into Hufflepuff but most of my friends have traveled on to other houses as well.

I think I may tell Sir Hat to put me where he sees fit - something that will reignite my crafting mojo and love of the game. A change of pace is in order so maybe he knows best... or I could just tell him to put me in Gryffindor and leave it at that. I'm a rising B7, which means I have been a diligent student in good standing since May 2012 - though I did play as a NQFY so the reality is I've been around since January of 2012.

I can go anywhere but the question remains... where do I want to go?

I can see the light!

I can seriously see the light at the end of the moving tunnel. There are a few kinks that need to be worked out (like how I did not move anything to hold our movie collection!) but overall, it's coming together nicely.

Last week was a very exciting one for us... and since it's Sunday, why not start up one of my favorite themes - Sunday Snaps! Here we go...

It's summer so it rains every afternoon...

Literally, every afternoon... but some days we get gorgeous rainbows too!

I was able to buy Pokey his first ever brand new car... and he absolutely adores it. Look at that face.

To say thanks, he bought me a new SUV! I just love him - and my new wheels!

We found some really great local eateries. It's like a foodies paradise here. This place was amazing. Kafe Kokopelli, try it!

I got a new shirt and it couldn't be more true... lol.

Tinkerbell really wasn't much help but she is okay with that...

and today, I finished organizing and unpacking my office. The house is 95% done. Just need Hobbit to finish her room.

As soon as that happens, I'll go and do the follow up to the initial empty house video and share how I've filled it all out. Hopefully it won't be too much longer... but for now, I'm quite pleased with how things have been going.

I hope your week was wonderful. What have you been up to?

Because he deserves it

He's done everything for us - I want to do this for him.

Today we are headed to the Toyota dealership and are praying hard. You see, my husband's AC went out in his car about two years ago. Normally, in normal states where summer is only 3-4 months long, it wouldn't be a big deal. Initially, he didn't think it was a big deal. We lived on the coast, the breezes were plentiful and his drive was 10 minutes to work. Now, we are further inland, there are no Gulf breezes to be found and his drive is 17 minutes... and really flipping hot. By the time he gets home in the evenings, he is dripping wet - and he was born here in Florida!

So, yesterday we went to the Nissan dealership because they had a promotion that sounded interesting. Now keep in mind, I am the negotiator in these things because I walk in and lay it all bare - this is what we're trading in, we aren't putting anything down, and I want the payments between here and here. He hates car shopping but he needs a new one so you will deal with me. He will drive it and decide if he likes it but otherwise, you will deal with me. What can you do for us? - and see what happens. I hate being jerked around and my husband thinks all sales people are out to stick it to you. This is the one place where my social anxiety doesn't seem to kick in because I have my husband with me and he always tells me little things like "you are so good at this" etc which gives me confidence... and my daddy taught me how to buy a car so I am not afraid to just get up and walk away.

He's the goofy center of our little universe.

Anyway, the Nissan dealership, after swearing they could do what we wanted and it was no problem at all, came back with numbers that were over $200 more than what I stated - so we got up and walked away. After 4.5 hours, Pokey was so over it and so on the ride home - because we took both cars - I called the Toyota dealership because they have a loyalty program. He bought his car there from the used lot and I got mine there too. His is a Chevy though and mine is a Toyota. So I called, to see what was up with it and let the girl know that my husband - in all of his 46 years - has never owned a new car and I really wanted to do this for him. I explained what we just went through and how frustrated he was at the moment. She told me to go and fill out a pre approved credit application online when we got home, text her that I had it done, and she would check with her manager to make sure it was doable. I did what I was told and she called me back, telling me she could do it without a challenge and the payments would be right inside my range (only slightly higher than my lowest number too!).

Well, I made an appointment today and I'm taking him down there at 11. It won't be odd for us to go to the Toyota dealership because I told him that my breaks were squeaking and I wanted them looked at. I told him that I called on the way home and we had an appointment on Sunday at 11. He doesn't know that I can get him a new Toyota and the reason my car is going too is because if he wants something besides a Camry, Corolla, or RAV4 then I'll trade in my car too because since my car is a Toyota, I can get anything from the lot.

His only requirement is AC... mine is that he finally gets a new car and one that he likes, not a compromise, because he deserves it.

It's getting there...

My living room has an awesome fireplace. I absolutely love it.

Slowly but surely, it's getting there. We moved 8 days ago and my house still isn't fully unpacked. This irks me to no end because I know my mother would be done by now. She's a guru when it comes to moving. She boxes it all up, hauls it across the country, unboxes and even bakes something within three days. I wish I could be more like her.

I have a laundry list of reasons I could blame it on - my knee, my job, lack of funds to do certain things - but the reality is, I just run out of steam. I unpack a room and I like to bask in the glory of it's completeness. If I move my head just right, I won't see those other boxes in that other room that need to be unpacked.

My craft nook is just the coziest place in the planet, isn't it!

Right now, my living room is done. So is the craft nook and the kitchen. Those are 100% complete - sans new blinds but we're doing that across the whole house so I am not counting that. The dining room has a few stray items in it that shouldn't be there, as does our bedroom. The office... well... that is just a hot mess but I will get to it next weekend when I have time. The bathrooms are both done - complete with new carpets, towels, and shower curtain in the guest bath.

I am sure it will all get done at some point - but unfortunately, it won't happen with just my wishing it so. I really do wish it worked that way... or maybe a cute little nosey twitch followed by some "dinky dinky dink" music... or folding my arms across my chest one at a time and flipping my ponytail over my head followed by a "dooooing" noise... how about a bit of wingardium leviosa?

Oh well. It's getting there. Slowly but surely, it's getting there.

New Beginnings!

So many new and exciting things are afoot at the PMM household - new house, new job description, new school. It's just been crazypants. If you follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook then you are pretty well caught up.

I do believe with this new role - the one thing that I couldn't post on any of those accounts - I will have more time to get back to writing. I have missed it terribly but the QA position just honestly sucked the life right out of me. By the time my day was done, I wanted to do nothing but sit in my chair and knit. I didn't want to talk or do much of anything. I'm actually looking forward to starting my new position when I go back to work on Wednesday. I am assuming I have training during those first few days but we'll see - I honestly haven't been told anything before I left on PTO on Thursday afternoon.

The move had gone pretty well, all things considered. They brought a truck that was too small to fit all our things! I can't tell you how thankful I was to have spent the week prior hauling boxes over here. I can't imagine what would have been left if we hadn't done it. All of the big heavy furniture was carried over yesterday so there is just odds and ends left at the old house. Pokey is over there now gathering it up and cleaning for the key return on Tuesday.

I honestly should be unpacking but Buddy and Tinkerbell are both underfoot so I took a few moments to just sit with them and help calm them down... so since I was sitting, I really wanted to dust things off in here. I've missed this space so much!!

While I was gone, I did finish a few things...

I free-flow designed a cowl that Hobbit promptly claimed for herself...

I designed this capelet, which was inspired by one Claire Fraser wears in Outlander during the Boar Hunting episode...

And I finished my second ever full pair of socks! Hobbit claimed these too... little stinker.

I've got to get to finishing that baby blanket I've been working on during the move. Pokey needs it for next Saturday afternoon to attend his boss' baby shower that his coworkers are throwing. He's already agreed to an IOU and a store bought something if I'm not done by this Friday... thank goodness.

Okay, time to get back to unpacking. I'll pop in soon with photos of the new place or maybe a video tour!