Geez, Buchanan, It's About Time!
So five months after my last post (counting on fingers) I figure it's about time I said a word or two about a thing or two.
I was elected to our local school board last November. I am now in my 13th non-consecutive year as a school trustee, having served 3 years in the early 80s (when I was still a child ;-), and 9 years in the 90s (as a teen ;-). I've been back on the board since being officially sworn in (or at) for five months, and it's certainly nothing like past boards to which I've been elected. Transparency is paid lip-service (if that), and the board has killed off two vital committees which insured some level of accountability to our electors.
I am trying to change that, and will continue to be a festering thorn until the board does the right thing. I promised that I would be the voice for those who are not heard, and I intend to keep that promise.
The week of the civic election last November, an old friend showed up, unannounced, on our doorstep, and offered me a job. Now I had been mostly-retired, semi-underemployed and really trying to stay that way. Then BOOM, within a few days, not only did I have full time work, but also the seat on the school board.
Life has gone from one extreme to the other in our house. Gone are the wonderful hours and hours spent outside, tending the garden, maintaining the pond, sitting on the deck knitting, and they've been replaced by full time work and a lot of meetings! However, I must admit, I am enjoying the improvement in our household income.
Out With The Old
I said goodbye to my faithful steed of 17 years. My 1991 Chev Blazer S10 had 410,000 km on it, and was still running very well, but the last couple of months I simply wasn't feeling as good about driving it as I had for the previous 17 years. BC has a "Scrap-It" program (check out the website, it's pretty cool!). They bought my old truck from me for $2500, much more than I would have received on a trade-in or selling it privately.
In With The New
And the old girl has been replaced with a 2005 Toyota Matrix. I like it for all the politically correct reasons, but I miss my Blazer terribly. It sat on the Toyota dealership's lot for nearly a month before the Scrap-It program came and picked it up, and many times I was tempted to run in and say "no, I made a mistake, I want my truck back!". Of course, that didn't happen, and now I'm sure my old friend is a compressed block of metal that will be turned into something else. As much as I am happy we had the money for the new car, I just can't seem to shake the feeling that I shouldn't have gotten rid of the truck (yet).
However, I'm thrilled with the mileage of the Matrix, and the sound system (boom boom boom ... heheh) and with the fact that I am driving a vehicle that is safe for my 45 minute commutes to and from work, and to get me to school board functions, in and out of town, with a degree of certainty that it won't break down on me.
On the knitting front: I have completed two shawls, a stole and two scarves to sell. Originally I was going to sell them in my Etsy store (don't bother trying to find it because it's got nothing for sale!) but I have enough interest locally that I can actually sell them for a good price and know the recipients.
I am currently knitting a slightly altered version of the Icelandic Lace Shawl,
shown here on the right. Mine will be of mohair blended yarns, and quite a bit bigger, and different colours, but following the same general pattern. Once it's finished, it'll be for sale, too.
By selling my knitting, I can justify my obsessive need to shop for new yarns. I buy, as many of you know, mainly from thrift stores, and have been incredibly lucky in that way. I literally have thousands of dollars worth of yarn in my stash, and have only paid pennies on the dollar for them. I'm glad to be using some of my stash, and that people are happy to buy my knitted garments!
And, I just finished knitting a b!tch of a pattern from Mary Maxim. It's a very cute sweater for a little girl (I'll get pics up later), but the pattern was poorly written. This is only my second MM pattern, and the first one was as poorly written as this. However, I was knitting for a friend's daughter, and am getting fresh prawns in trade. An excellent deal all around!
So off to bed. I am in Kelowna, BC, as I write, attending the 105th Annual General Meeting of the BC School Trustees Association. I'll be here until Sunday, when I will then drive east again to Wasa Lake, where I'm meeting my dad and his wife, then on to Lethbridge, Alberta, to visit with family and friends, and to attend the Annual General Meeting of Blankets for Canada, of which I am National Vice President.
And yes, I'm loving my laptop, a post-election gift from my wonderful guy, who is at home for two weeks, being papa to our five cats and the dog, and all the fish in the pond!
Adios for now!
I was elected to our local school board last November. I am now in my 13th non-consecutive year as a school trustee, having served 3 years in the early 80s (when I was still a child ;-), and 9 years in the 90s (as a teen ;-). I've been back on the board since being officially sworn in (or at) for five months, and it's certainly nothing like past boards to which I've been elected. Transparency is paid lip-service (if that), and the board has killed off two vital committees which insured some level of accountability to our electors.
I am trying to change that, and will continue to be a festering thorn until the board does the right thing. I promised that I would be the voice for those who are not heard, and I intend to keep that promise.
The week of the civic election last November, an old friend showed up, unannounced, on our doorstep, and offered me a job. Now I had been mostly-retired, semi-underemployed and really trying to stay that way. Then BOOM, within a few days, not only did I have full time work, but also the seat on the school board.
Life has gone from one extreme to the other in our house. Gone are the wonderful hours and hours spent outside, tending the garden, maintaining the pond, sitting on the deck knitting, and they've been replaced by full time work and a lot of meetings! However, I must admit, I am enjoying the improvement in our household income.
Out With The Old
I said goodbye to my faithful steed of 17 years. My 1991 Chev Blazer S10 had 410,000 km on it, and was still running very well, but the last couple of months I simply wasn't feeling as good about driving it as I had for the previous 17 years. BC has a "Scrap-It" program (check out the website, it's pretty cool!). They bought my old truck from me for $2500, much more than I would have received on a trade-in or selling it privately.
In With The New
And the old girl has been replaced with a 2005 Toyota Matrix. I like it for all the politically correct reasons, but I miss my Blazer terribly. It sat on the Toyota dealership's lot for nearly a month before the Scrap-It program came and picked it up, and many times I was tempted to run in and say "no, I made a mistake, I want my truck back!". Of course, that didn't happen, and now I'm sure my old friend is a compressed block of metal that will be turned into something else. As much as I am happy we had the money for the new car, I just can't seem to shake the feeling that I shouldn't have gotten rid of the truck (yet).
However, I'm thrilled with the mileage of the Matrix, and the sound system (boom boom boom ... heheh) and with the fact that I am driving a vehicle that is safe for my 45 minute commutes to and from work, and to get me to school board functions, in and out of town, with a degree of certainty that it won't break down on me.
On the knitting front: I have completed two shawls, a stole and two scarves to sell. Originally I was going to sell them in my Etsy store (don't bother trying to find it because it's got nothing for sale!) but I have enough interest locally that I can actually sell them for a good price and know the recipients.
I am currently knitting a slightly altered version of the Icelandic Lace Shawl,
shown here on the right. Mine will be of mohair blended yarns, and quite a bit bigger, and different colours, but following the same general pattern. Once it's finished, it'll be for sale, too.By selling my knitting, I can justify my obsessive need to shop for new yarns. I buy, as many of you know, mainly from thrift stores, and have been incredibly lucky in that way. I literally have thousands of dollars worth of yarn in my stash, and have only paid pennies on the dollar for them. I'm glad to be using some of my stash, and that people are happy to buy my knitted garments!
And, I just finished knitting a b!tch of a pattern from Mary Maxim. It's a very cute sweater for a little girl (I'll get pics up later), but the pattern was poorly written. This is only my second MM pattern, and the first one was as poorly written as this. However, I was knitting for a friend's daughter, and am getting fresh prawns in trade. An excellent deal all around!
So off to bed. I am in Kelowna, BC, as I write, attending the 105th Annual General Meeting of the BC School Trustees Association. I'll be here until Sunday, when I will then drive east again to Wasa Lake, where I'm meeting my dad and his wife, then on to Lethbridge, Alberta, to visit with family and friends, and to attend the Annual General Meeting of Blankets for Canada, of which I am National Vice President.
And yes, I'm loving my laptop, a post-election gift from my wonderful guy, who is at home for two weeks, being papa to our five cats and the dog, and all the fish in the pond!
Adios for now!
posted by Rosemarie Buchanan @ 5:28 p.m.
0 comments
