Will I Have Enough?

So this is what I have been working on. One of the magazines you gave me, Jaime, had a step-by-step interloc pattern in it that I am following. It looks pretty nice, I think. The only problem is that I may run out of yarn. I think you gave me this yarn, too, Jaime. Do you remember where you got it or what kind it is? Maybe I could hunt down some more. I don't think it had a tag or anything with it because it was in the ball like that. If it's not long enough to be a scarf I could always just make it some sort of hanging tapestry or table runner, or maybe see what happens if I felt it.

Things are good for me now. I am so busy. My Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays I have class all day until 4:30 with no breaks, so by the time Wednesday night knitting club comes around I am ready to just turn my mind off. I am a Teaching Assistant for a class called Physical Geology, a basic lab science class for non-majors. I teach the labs, and I think it's going to be really fun and a good experience. This week we're talking about energy associated with sediment transport and how it depends on sediment size and environment. It's cool because on the bluffs of the Mississippi, you can see three layers which are all sedimentary rock that covers parts of SE Minnesota-- the St. Croix Sandstone, the Glenwood Shale, and the Platteville Limestone.

I'm also going to be learning a lot about Minnesota geology in one of my classes, Glacial Geology. I'm excited because we have a field trip every week during our lab period, which from 1:30-4:30 Friday afternoon. This time would suck a lot, if it weren't for the fact that we actually got to get outside and look at rocks, every single week! This week we went to look at the Glacial till that covers the St. Croix Sandstone throughout a lot of SE Minnesota.

Anyway, I'm also really excited about knitting. It is in Loring Park, which is a long 20 minute bike ride from where I live in Seward neighborhood. So, I'm a little worried about the haul over there this winter. But, I really like it. There are two girls there, Anna and Brooke, who are marvelous. Both grad students, (Brooke is actually a geology grad student, crazy...) and both really fun, down-to-earth, and easy to talk to. It's cool that I'm making some really good new friends through knitting! I think next week we're meeting at the Bad Waitress, a little cafe with a wine bar, and have some wine while knitting. A little more excitement than the Dunn Brothers we usually meet at. And, more relaxing than coffee.

And.... speaking of bicycles... I got a different one a couple weeks ago. I bought it secondhand and it's I think from the 80's, a Panasonic. It's shiny and red and matches my helmet, and it's soooo much nicer than my old, cheap, rusty mountain bike I was riding. If I would have fixed up my old bike, it probably would have cost more than this one cost. And, it flies....

Another new thing-- I moved! And I love it. I moved into a house (see photo!) that three of my best friends used to live in, but they all moved out (one to Kenya and one to Ecuador for a semester, oy....and one across campus) and I am living here with the two guys they lived with, and two new girls who are also just great. They are all really laid back, and everyone is a little older so we all already sort of have our friends, but also everyone is really friendly and wants to be friends... It's really great. Plus, the house is just really cute. The landlords, a family with a 3 year old boy and a first grader (Milo and Marta) live on the main level and we have the 2nd and 3rd floors. The only problem is its a bit drafty, and it's been colder in here lately than it has been outside. Other than that, it's hardwood floors and this nice dark woodwork, and we have this great little back balcony that makes me feel like I should smoke or something because it's perfect to go out there at night and just ponder for a bit. And, theres a sun room on the front with big windows and lots of plants. My room is little but it's painted this light citrus-y green that goes really well with all my decor (blue, green, and rust colored) So, I'm really happy. Plus, it's in a great neighborhood. It's quiet, with really pretty houses with really pretty huge gardens. Its really close to the river, about a 10 minute ride to campus, and close to the Greenway, this bike path that goes to from Southeast Mpls to southwest Mpls and to a lot of great places (like my friend Joelle's house). It's a LOT nicer than swerving through traffic.

Ok. That just about sums up everything going on in my life right now. Its' fall, its cool and crisp and gorgeous. I thought it was still supposed to be warm out, but it's cool and crisp. If this means we get Winter a month early, too, then I'm going to be upset, but for now I'm just enjoying it. My friend Joelle and I went to the farmers market yesterday and bought a bunch of vegetables including a spaghetti squash and made dinner last night. Yum. Next weekend a bunch of us are going camping about an hour south of the cities which will be cool because I haven't really been south of the cities a lot in Minnesota. And right now I'm going to go bike to a coffeeshop and focus on some good old calculus. One last semester. I can do it, I can do it, I can do it........ Maybe.