Jessica B.

What’s Jessy going to do while [Alex] is at Basic?

firrantello — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 01:22:00 +0000

[Crossposted from Alex's Air Force blog]

I think I get this question more than any other. The Air Force (for reasons that should be obvious) will not let me move with Alex during Basic. So from March to May, I’m at our house in [edit: home]. After Basic, if Technical School is over a certain number of months (3 maybe?) I am allowed to move with Alex, but only after that time limit. However, because he is getting transferred between two locations for Technical School, I would be moving from [edit: home] to Arizona in August or so, then with him to Florida shortly after that, then after he receives his first base posting after Technical School is done (December-ish), I would be moving 3 times in about 6 months.

One of my jobs is with the [edit: festival job], which is in September. I have all ready committed to being part of this festival again this year. Our house lease was signed in October while we were still waiting on Alex to go to MEPS, so I have that to consider as well. I’m fairly confident our landlord will let me go month to month after October until we have a definite time frame/location for Alex’s first base posting.

In the meantime, after May, I should have my military ID and be allowed base access. From what the recruiter has told us, we expect it to not be a big deal if I choose to visit Alex during Technical School (his training schedule allowing). Also, once at Technical School, it sounds like Alex should have regular internet access and cell phone use, so we’ll be able to take care of a lot of stuff that way.

All in all, what I’m going to do while Alex is at Basic is manage. I’m still intending to keep both my jobs, so my day to day shouldn’t change much.

Filed under: Real Life Tagged: USAF

Christmas 2011

firrantello — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:05:34 +0000

This is the big batch: this is the commissions! Unfortunately, I got really horrible photos as I was trying to get them all tagged with washing instructions and in ziplocks to mail them later in the day. Unfortunately, you’ll have to use your imagination a bit with these.

You all saw a WIP photo of this. It’s a scarf called Palindrome. Very cool reversible cables.

This is based off Juneau Fair Isle Hat in the shaping and earflaps. It’s too big ultimately. Well, bigger than I like. I think the recipient probably won’t care.

Next is Wurm. I like it. I needed more yarn to make it slouchier. I like the band. Though again, it’s too big around. It’ll fit, but definitely only as a slouch/tam hat, not actually up as a beanie.

My favorite. I’m debating making myself one of these sometime. Fit wonderfully, fun to knit, as long as you pay attention to the pattern since there are several different cables and almost all move/cross on different rows.
This pattern is ¡Simpatico!

Last up is Dandelion Beret which actually has NO cables in it! This was a pretty knit. Again, TOO BIG (do you see the trend?). I followed the pattern instruction to make the slouchier pattern and it’s HUGE. Lovely, but huge.

All these were knit with Knitpicks yarns.

Filed under: Knitting Tagged: christmas, colour:pink, colour:purple, colour:variegated, colour:yellow, FO, hat, scarf

Christmas 2011

firrantello — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:58:39 +0000

Two of the same pattern. Sharon’s is in brown and green, Teresa’s brown/green & blue/purple, with a light blue edge.

Pattern: Chastain Park Shawl
Yarns: Noro Kogarashi (mostly)

Thoughts: This is my new go to pattern. Seriously. I’ve knit 3, people LOVE them and they look fantastic.

Filed under: Knitting Tagged: christmas, colour:variegated, FO, scarf

Five Day Challenge – #5

firrantello — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:50:27 +0000

Day One. One thing you want right now
Day Two. Two people you want to be with right now
Day Three. Three of your favorite songs ever
Day Four. Four of your favorite memories

Day Five. Five things you would like to do before you die

Get another cat. Get a dog. Get another tattoo. Read a great book. Find that *one* go to recipe for potluck parties/dinners.

What? It never had to be huge goals!

source

Filed under: Five Day Challenge

Five Day Challenge – #4

firrantello — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 17:47:27 +0000

Day One. One thing you want right now
Day Two. Two people you want to be with right now
Day Three. Three of your favorite songs ever

Day Four. Four of your favorite memories

. Playing with Erin and Michael and Andrew and David in elementary school on the swingset (sometimes joined by Jessica and Patrick too)
. Cracking up at Eleanor yelling for everyone to shut up at our wedding reception and Jacob’s reaction to it
. Snuggling on the couch with Ginger kitty
.Drunken Halloween party in college. Alternately, drunken dress up party in college.

Day Five. Five things you would like to do before you die

source

Filed under: Five Day Challenge, Real Life

Five Day Challenge – #3

firrantello — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:44:00 +0000

Day One. One thing you want right now
Day Two. Two people you want to be with right now

Day Three. Three of your favorite songs ever

Johnny Tar – Gaelic Storm
Für Elise – Beethoven
Tamarack Pines – George Winston

Maybe. Certainly ones I always like.

Day Four. Four of your favorite memories

Day Five. Five things you would like to do before you die

source

Filed under: Five Day Challenge

Five Day Challenge – #2

firrantello — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:41:55 +0000

Day One. One thing you want right now

Day Two. Two people you want to be with right now

Alex. Audrey. Or Karen. But definitely Alex <3

Day Three. Three of your favorite songs ever

Day Four. Four of your favorite memories

Day Five. Five things you would like to do before you die

source

Filed under: Five Day Challenge

Five Day Challenge – #1

firrantello — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:40:54 +0000

Day One. One thing you want right now

Go put on socks! Haha. Seriously? I’m going to go read. Want? A latte.

Day Two. Two people you want to be with right now

Day Three. Three of your favorite songs ever

Day Four. Four of your favorite memories

Day Five. Five things you would like to do before you die

source

Filed under: Five Day Challenge

Air Force – Job Offer

firrantello — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:35:55 +0000

Alex got a job offer a few weeks ago. Communications Signals Intelligence Production (1N2X1). Basically, he gets to play with incoming data and make lots of reports on it.

His deployment date to Basic is March 13 (2012). Basic is 8.5 weeks and he enlists as an E3 (Airman First Class) because of his college credits. So by the end of May or so, he’ll graduate. Basic is in Texas. Following that, he goes straight into Tech School for roughly 210 days (roughly 7 months). Approximately 3 will be in Texas, and 3 in Florida. By the end of 2012, or early 2013, we should have his first base posting and I can move in with him. Actually, I believe that I can move in partway through Tech School, but it would mean 3 moves in a year… and everyone has recommended against that. While he’s at Basic, I can’t be in touch with him other than by snail mail. Once he’s at Tech School, I can visit, call, email, whatever. So really, the first will be absolutely the hardest simply because I go from living with my husband to ZERO contact with him for 2 months.

But that’s where we stand currently.

Filed under: Real Life Tagged: USAF

Christmas 2011 – Beth’s Scarf

firrantello — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:56:30 +0000

I did a fair amount of Christmas knitting. I can share some with descriptions and some should wait until after the holiday. But here’s one I can share!

This is my boss/coworker Beth’s scarf. She snapped this for me a few days after she unwrapped it

Pattern: Windchill
Yarn: Noro Kogarashi

Thoughts: I wouldn’t do this pattern again, but it was great for her. I found the pattern to be less defined than in the model photos on Ravelry.

Filed under: Knitting Tagged: christmas, colour:variegated, scarf