Our minivan made it to 300,000 miles amidst ever-increasing signs of imminent expiration. Mom loaned us her minivan for the week, long enough to get ours into the shop and receive a diagnosis of haemorrhaging oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, broken power steering fluid pump, and dying transmission. With that diagnosis, I popped onto Craigslist, found a newer minivan (2 whole years newer!) than our derelict, and two days later we were the owners of a minivan with half the mileage of the faithful white one which serve us faithfully for so many years.
Safely ensconced in a functioning minivan (mom's), Filia and I trekked up to the Cities with great caution on a skating rink of ice for some yearly check-ups. Neither of the doctors we saw were happy with what the imaging showed, so rather than come home with the traditional bill of good health, we left with orders for more imaging, a visit with a local specialist, and a repeat appointment. We stopped at a yarn shop to console ourselves and spend a gift certificate, and totally broke with tradition by eating at LeeAnn Chin instead of Arby's. The roads were fine on our way home.
The bookcase ... was installed! I couldn't be happier with it. I've got a spot for the computer, and can work in comfort, surrounded by all the lovely resources that were in stacks upstairs. I have space for more knitting books, and am lacking space for theology books, and language books... the arrangement will no doubt flex over the years as I dust and think of new ways to organize them, and as our interests ebb and flow.
I began a new part-time, from-home job as a data administrator. And I'm keeping busy with TKGA work. January was a wee bit barren for knitting projects, so I floundered around a bit. The gloves I hoped to make with my gift certificate purchase didn't work out - a gauge/pattern mis-match - so I have repurposed the yarn into a mitten. It doesn't photograph well, colorwise. And it is now hibernating while I knit away on a cardigan. One and a half sleeves to go!
To celebrate, I shall go knit.
