Nascar - ICK!

They're in town again, and you can already see the effects. I didn't think it would start until Thursday, but it's already started. Busy, busy, busy! We are the last truck stop on the way to PIR (phoenix international raceway), so we get hit super bad. The trucks that bring in the cars are parked in our lot, and at Danny's across the street. Then we have the regular drivers complaining that they can't find a spot, and that Nascar sucks. Duh. The fans have already started pouring in as well. Lots of big expensive RV's parked in our RV lot with national travelers in them. It means good money, but boy-oh-boy do we get busy.

Last fall when they came, I ended up standing in the middle of the dining room crying. Begging people to either eat the buffet or starve. The dishwasher had to come out to help bus my tables and pour drinks. I had about 19 tables in my station, every one of them full and a line going out the door. I'm not sure what the other girls were going thru, I only had time to pay attention to my station, rofl.

Kinda looking forward to it, if I end up making some decent cash...we shall see. *fingers crossed*. Other than that, I'm soooooooo not looking forward to the next 4 days. UGH. At least I'm off tomorrow...but then I have a 3 day stretch of the loverly race spew that will be coming our way...*sigh*

Yay Insurance!!!

Here's my insurance story: We don't have any. I'm getting ready to mail in stuff to try and get Joey on Kidscare - hopefully we qualify.

I have insurance offered thru work, and with the flex dollars, it would cost me nothing. But only for myself, not including my family. I'd end up mailing THEM a payment each month because my checks aren't enough to cover the premiums. Even if I did get it, there is a $1500 deductible before it will cover anything - that includes doctors visits. So basically, if I went to the doctor, I'd have to pay the full doctor amount for a billion times before the insurance kicked in and started paying it's portion - not really worth it IMO. Only if I had a tragic mishap or something, would it be worth it.

But they just sent us a thing today with low-cost insurance. It doesn't cover a ton of stuff, but will be good for doctors visits. Only $33 a paycheck (again, this is just for myself), $50 deductible for out-patient care, and only a $10 copay for docs. Plus prescription coverage. So, I'm gonna go for it and get it.

I haven't been to a doctor in ages, since I quit my last job. I was supposed to have a follow up visit with a lung guy, and my cardiolgist but my last job wouldn't let me take time off to go in - so I haven't been since. I gots me scar tissue on my lungs and a heart condition, so it's important that I go. I'm also pushing the big 30 mark, so I'll need to get me a booby squishin' too.

Remind me to call tomorrow, wouldja? Thanks :)

Another hobby...????

I'm trying to learn to knit. I suck at it. I can cast on stitches like nobody's business, but after that, I suck ass. Rosemary dared me. Rosemary is my hero and is cool so I'll do anything to copy her (insert "single white female" montage here). Yes, I stalk her...when I remember to anyway.

I'd been kinda sorta wanting to knit. I tried to learn about 7 or 8 years ago but just could not for the life of me *get it*. She told me about a book that would help me - Stitch N' Bitch. I happened upon a Borders yesterday and went in. I looked for the book, and found the last one on the shelf. I put it under my arm and walked around a bit, pondering on whether or not I should really jump in and try it.

I wandered over to the magazine section and started browsing the craft 'zines. Scrapbooking, paper crafting, crochet...knitting. Hmmm...knitting. Then I look over to another scrap magazine that was next to a knitting one. Irony? Yes, because on that magazine's cover was her name - Rosemary Waits. Right there on the cover, staring back at me. Right next to a knitting magazine. Fate? I think so. So I bought the book.

Then I hit a Joanns where I picked up a set of inexpensive plastic knitting needles. I didn't have a ton of $$, and didn't want to splurge on the good stuff until I knew I could do it.

I got home with my book in hand, and sat on the porch. I began reading. The first of the book is a direct story from the author. About why she knits, how she learned, how her family was very into knitting. It was very good. Then I got to the instructional part. I brought out a skein of verigated Red Heart yarn (yeah, the cheap stuff, what of it?) and my cheap plastic needles - size 10.

Within minutes I was able to cast on stitches. Then I'm lost. I thought I was knitting rows, but they looked like crap. So I started over, and over and over and over. I just can't seem to get it! I don't know what I'm doing wrong, or if it's the fault of the cheap plastic needles. UGH.

I put down my practice work and went back to work on the crochet afghan that I'm making for my friend's baby. That already took longer than it should have, and I was determined to finish it. I ended up calling it done at about 11pm last night, because I ran out of yarn. Then I picked up my needles again. I thought I was getting the hang of it, and then at about 1am, I somehow dropped about 10 stitches. Son of a WITCH! UGH. Time to call it a night. So I'm trying again. I will keep trying and trying and trying until I get it. I know I can't be that dense. I can crochet like a fiend. I had absolutely no problem learning that, and taught myself WITHOUT a book - Surely I can teach myself to knit WITH a book, 'eh?

I want to make myself a scarf and a sweater. As a crocheter, I see a lot of patterns that I'd love to make - and I could - if only they were crochet patterns. But no, they're knit patterns. Therefore, I have resigned myself. By this time next month, I will be a good knitter. I will knit a lot. I will knit everything. I will one day, like Rose, be able to knit socks.