Knitting. Knitting. Knitting.

So, I have a confession to make. I have started knitting. Now my hobbies match my "old name" and my "old soul." I must be honest though, I absolutely and completely love it. It gives me something to keep my hands busy and my mind occupied, while doing something productive (as opposed to surfing the internet for hours on end). As long as I'm confessing, I might as well fess-up to how MUCH I have been knitting. In the past three weeks I have completed three dish cloths, a burp cloth, a dish towel, almost an entire scarf and am now starting on my second scarf. Just an fyi to all those non-knitters out there - this is an abundance of items completed for a beginner (which, in turn, means I have an OVER-ABUNDANCE of time on my hands). All of these items are Christmas presents, and it feels incredibly good to be able to finish them early (for once, this procrastinator is not procrastinating!!).

I actually have even joined a knitting club, and no, it's not what you would imagine. To be honest, it has saved me from severe lonely-itis over the last month. There are some older women in the club, but mostly it's "relatively" young professional women who enjoy the hobby. I have met some pretty interesting people and am really looking forward to getting to know them better. It will be nice to know people outside of school. I made that mistake when I moved to Phoenix - only having friends from work - and it bit me in the ass. I swore upon moving here that I would not make that mistake again. I have a feeling that given some time, I will make some good friends from the women in this group. One other personal advantage to this group is that if I don't know how to do something, I just bring it to the group and ASK someone. Everyone is more than willing to offer assistance!

92 degrees . . . in Chicago?

So today is about the 10th day that it has been over 90 degrees. I feel as if I'm being suffocated. Ugh. I thought I moved to Chicago to get AWAY from this? I'm not supposed to be hotter here than in Phoenix - something is just innately wrong. I CANNOT wait for fall . . . for more than one reason.

I'm starting to get bored. Desperately bored. I've explored the city, I've read, I've knitted, I've practiced and now I'm done. Done with being alone the ENTIRE day and done with having absolutely nothing to do. I know, I know, I shouldn't complain, but seriously. Forster's were not made to sit and do nothing for days and days on end; it's not in our DNA. I think the hardest part is that there's so many cool things to do, but I have no one to do them with! It's okay to do things alone the first month, but after about 30 days, it gets kind of old.

The girls are starting school today in Phoenix. Do I miss being there with them? No. I miss their friendships. There's not one single part of me that misses Phoenix or the school. The kids? Yes. My friends? Hell yes. But I know that this was the right move, and even though I am lonely now, it will all fade once school starts again.

Next week is my grandmother's 102nd birthday. Her, Aunt Ann and Aunt Sally are all up north right now (and have been since June). I'm going to go up to the cottage next week so that I can be around for her birthday - it may be the last one that we get to celebrate. We've been saying that for 10 years now, but really, how much longer will we be able to continue that phrase? She's 102 for goodness sake. I think about what her life must have been like, raising all those children, and I marvel at what an amazing woman she is. Honestly, she has constitution like you just don't see anymore. Here I am complaining about how boring things are, and when she was my age, she had 8 children already. I cannot even fathom having 8 children, let alone 10. Incredible.

Alright, time to get dressed and practice. It's too bloody hot and steamy to go outside . . . perhaps I'll finish another wash cloth today.