Before, during and somewhat after the degree
I was bringing it…

first, the bread & butter…

then, the cocktails, hor’dourves, salad, etc.

I put myself through college by waiting tables. I worked at several different restaurants – starting with a Burger Chef! where I quickly rose up the ranks to become Night Manager (mainly because everyone else kept QUITTING) and just as quickly was Fired for giving the leftover food away to my friends once too often (I couldn’t BEAR to throw it away hey we were all Starving Students!)

In quick succession (I was getting the hang of quitting and movin’ on up), I worked at a Denny’s (biggest menu in the Universe!), a diner, an Italian Dinner Restaurant (another ginormous menu totally out of line) and then the piece de resistance (for me anyway), a German BrauHaus. YES! I wore a dirdnl (black)! It was a money maker, baby…

One charming Oktoberfest, I wore a circlet of beautiful silk flowers with ribbons streaming down my back mingling with my long red hair. KA-Ching!!!

I have always held to the belief that this path led me to become the woman I am today (see uberdork self-portrait above). To understand why, read THIS… and if I waited on you, come back here and tip me like I should’ve been tipped back in the day mit oh mitout dirdnl ;p

…Hat #1: this simple beanie is made using my pattern HERE and Cascade 220 held double – the teal blue is Color: 8229 and the orange Color: I have no idea! Lets call it Pumpkin! I substituted 1×1 ribbing for the garter stitch edge.

it’s B-A-A-A-C-K!
and I’m glad…

Even though the small amount of snow outside on the trees resembles nothing more than a cotton bush

I welcome it!

We’re back in the sweater saddle! Even though it has been below 40degrees, even though most people in North America would consider THAT Cold, even though I have been living in my Long Johns or something similar when indoors (around this time of the winter, I think your average Midwest person resembles a gnarly character in a High Plains movie, where we’re all stuck in the cabin unable to do our laundry) – it hasn’t seemed like Winter to me.

My wonderful neighbor added to this illusion by gifting me with a Cactus for Christmas. I added this lovely succulent to the mix.

Isn’t this a lovely Color? The Teal Tonals here make me sing with delight! I had a garden once that had a little warm micro-clime area on a south-facing wall. I loaded the bed up with silver-bluegreen perrenials and succulents. These are perhaps my favorite plants of all…

Oh. There’s yarn in the picture too! I am still on a little hat bender and we shall see what we shall see…