Summer in Rio Rancho

Summer is finally hitting Rio Rancho. Tomorrow we are expecting to hit 90. I love it - sunny almost everyday, nice breezes and great views. The pepper plants are producing little baby chilis, we have tomatoes forming, and all attempts at cucumbers and basil have failed. We've planted yet more cucumber seeds - if this set fails, I'm going to the farmers market, buying pickling cucumbers and leaving them in the pots for John to find.

John took this photo with the digital camera just out back on the patio. It was an incredibly vibrant double rainbow in an otherwise dark sky. The rainbow was so bright it looked fake. Truly an amazing sight.

John and I spend afternoons and weekend mornings in the front garden on the swing. I've filled the garden with succulents, cactuses, Johnny Jump-Ups, 3 different variations of Lavender, Rosemary, Thyme, Strawberry plants and much more. It's really turned into the oasis I'd dreamt of. My silly little collection of bird houses and feeders hang from the large center tree as do my mirror suncatchers and a small set of chimes. Breezes come in, hummingbirds visit my feeders, and otherwise you'd never know you were within throwing range of 3 Wal-Marts. It's a great place to just let the day fall away. The dogs come out and hang out in th garden with us regarless of whether its coffee Sunday morning or beer Friday night.

We've purchased two more adirondack chairs for the back patio and replaced a broken backboard on one of the exisiting ones. I need to paint a protective coat on the new ones. They could use a little sanding too. The original ones need sanding too, as well as a fresh coat of paint. I envision painting them in Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) styling but I question my ability to convert what is in my head to painted furniture.

I'm blessed that John allows me to do my wacky painting and decorating. I've recently painted a new mailbox for the house - the old one was small and falling off its post. My new mailbox is large enough for magazines to lay flat on the bottom, and bright enough to eliminate confusion about which driveway is ours.

Sam and I put our handprints on the back end of the mailbox and dated it. I've UV protected the whole thing to prevent fade. It will be interesting to see how much just his hand will have grown by the end of the summer.

Sam is growing so fast. Kindergarten is over and he's got a summer booked full of trips and vacations. John had him on the 50 riding around in the back yard a week ago. He loved it. John let him control the throttle for a while - Sam drives like his mom - all or nothing.

Afterward, we padded up my helmet to fit Sam and John took him for a short ride around the neighborhood on the back of the XR. Sam did great - he held on tight the whole ride and didn't shift around except to look around. He looked so small on the back of that big dual sport. Sam loved it. I can't wait to get a bike and be able to take him out on rides with us.

I've left my job at the cement plant. My businesses were begining to suffer from lack of attention and I'm back to working them full time. I've determined it's time to put everything into my companies and stop messing around with unfulfilling positions in the public. Yes, working for someone else has its benefits, but in the end, I'm doing what makes me happy - I think that is the biggest benefit any job could offer.

I'm still actively saving for a motorcycle. More than likely I'll adjust my wishlist and purchase a used bike rather than getting a loan. I'd rather own it outright and crash it, then total something that's not paid for yet.

Tempus Fugit!

Time goes faster and faster the older I get. Suddenly knitting on the sofa while it was too cold to go out gave way to catching the last rays of sun on the back patio - exhausted from work.

I've been working at the cement plant in the administrative office for more than a month now. I'd forgotten what it was like to work in an office I didn't manage. The company is growing and in a constant state of change, so everyday is new and somehow brings the unexpected. All in all, I'm enjoying the challenge. There are several customers, and even a couple of employees that speak ONLY Spanish, so I'm studying up. My accent is awful (SURPRISE!) but I'm able to answer the phone and get people headed in the right direction, if only by deciphering and pointing or transferring the call to the right person.

I'm rethinking my future motorcycle purchase. I'm looking at a different bike now - more of a dual sport so that I can ride offroad too. I'm eager to make a decision and the purchase so that this can become my primary vehicle. Gas prices are already climbing.

Tomorrow night John goes to Race School and hopefully will be hitting the track for races Sunday. I'm eager to see him get back to what he loves.

I've bought a family pass to the local "Bio Park" which includes our Zoo, Aquarium, and Botanical Gardens. I figure by the time summer is over, Sam will never want to see another zoo for the rest of his life.

John and I are container gardening this summer. Unfortuately we've recently had snow and frost (Easter - same as back east but not as bad)and some high winds so I have a dozen plus 12" terracotta pots on the living room floor. We put them out on the weekends when we are home and the weather permits. So far the only "deaths" were some prematurely transplanted Basil plants, and one Anaheim Pepper plant which Stinky ate whole because he couldn't wait long enough for it to produce peppers. And he would have gotten away with it if it weren't for his green teeth, spicy breath, and attraction to the remaining pepper plant.

That's life from Sue Circle. Don't think we aren't calling for any reason other than exhaustion and time zones.

Love to All!

PS - Chica has hit the "Ewok" stage - she looks like a skinny bear. When I have a chance I'll post another picture. She looks so dfferent at each stage of hair growth.

Catching Up...

Spring has sprung and the days are busy!

I've taken a full time job with a cement company in Rio Rancho, so I'm doing my web work early mornings, nights and weekends. So far so good.

We've started vegetables, done a little landscaping, added junipers to the back yard and flowers and bulbs to the front. Sam helped dig holes and tuck in plants and seedlings. We had a lot of fun working in the front garden together.

John and I have taken a couple of short trips. It's still chilly yet to go too far into the mountains. The picture to the left is Cabezon Peak - a volcanic upburst. We have many volcanic structures like this in the area. They always make me think of Devil's Tower, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and mashed potatoes - thank you Speilberg.

We hit the bike store yesterday. I'm seriously looking at a new Kawasaki Ninja 500R. I miss my bike desperately, and driving even more so. I fell in love with the latest model immediately - it's a gorgeous Yellow!

(Warning... "Chick Think" Ahead!) Sadly, it clashes with my current helmet and summer jacket (both are light yellow, not this rich shade, and don't even match each other). It's time for a new helmet anyway, but a new jacket, perhaps maroon to match the detail, would be nice too. I'll need to match the maroon to nail polish as well... I'm totally kidding with that one folks!

My biggest hope is that Sam is finally tall enough to reach the foot pegs. I'd LOVE to be able to take him with me on rides this summer. It may be another year yet, but I'm looking forward to that time.

Before & After - I had to share!

I had to share this... We have Chica trimmed from time to time - otherwise her hair just gets so scraggly and dirty from running in the yard. Yesterday was a trim day. I took her down to PetSmart and ordered her usual grooming. Here is a before and after that will help you understand why we laugh at her for 2 or 3 days after her haircut. It's like a totally different dog.

Around the House

John and I have been making lots of little changes around the house. Most recently, we painted the light fixture above the sink and used some antique wrought iron drawer pulls we found at Jackalope to make cup hooks for the wonderful rooster mugs my aunt sent for Christmas.

Believe it or not - my sink really is dish free and my counters are clear.

John also took an old over-the-door towel hook and modified it into a wall rack for the master bath. I'm currently working on a wall rack for a collection of beautiful ink bottles my sister sent for my birthday. We also have plans to create a coat rack for the entryway out of yet more wrought iron hooks we found at Jackalope.

You'd never guess the weather has been too frigid to go riding...

Knitting Socks

It's a new year and I'm still knitting away. Thought you might enjoy seeing some of my finished works.... well - almost. The three on the right are hoping I'll reach down behind the dryer and find them friends. The reality is, I need to stop trying new patterns and finish some sets.

Left to Right: Jess's Striped Socks - 100% mercerized cotton, Jess's Varigated Socks - varigated acrylic, Sam's Flame Socks - Lion Brand Microspun 100% acrylic, Jess's Magic Socks - Lion Brand SuperWash Wool Magic Stripe, and finally Jess's Beaded Rib Socks - Lion Brand Microspun 100% acrylic.

The GREAT BIG WONDERFUL basket pictured on the left was one of my Christmas gifts from John. I LOVE it. It's perfect for all my yarns, and is within arms reach when I sit on the sofa knitting.

I've created another "pattern book" similar to the one I'm making for my other knit projects, but exclusively for socks. I made pre-printed pages with spaces to document all measurements, yarn yardage & type, gauge, needles, stitch counts for the various parts of the sock, and of course the pattern name and recipient. There is also space for a yarn sample, notes, and a grid for pattern stick charting. I have a small sock diagram for additional design notes, and to color in with any patterns I design. There is space for a photo of the completed socks. I bound it all with a comb binding (ahh, office products can craft!) and viola! Now I just flip to the sock I want more of and knit away - or grab a skein, needles, and a pencil and design away!

It's so great to have socks that finally fit my big paddle feet!