Take Your Kid to Work Day

Yesterday was Take-Your-Kid-to-Work-Day at Colin's high school. Colin was happy because both of his parents work from home! He spent the morning with me and the afternoon with Doug. Colin interviewed me, and I gave out my work title as homemaker and freelance writer. He helped me clean up the upstairs of the house so that my working area was tidy and comfortable for me.

We had a long conversation about the activities that fill out my mornings of working as a writer. When I said that writing my blog was sometimes part of my work, he retorted that blogging is not writing. By reply, I read him an excellent article on Witch Hazel in Trish's "My Merino Mantra" blog. He agreed that it certainly was writing and that he would expect to read that article in a gardening magazine (or one on herbal remedies). We did a free-writing exercise together and shared what we had written. He had many questions about how I get articles ready for contests or to send to publishers. He asked me to read him the article I am working at selling now that the contest work is done. He responded emotionally to the article and we talked about that. I showed him the website of a magazine that I think will be a good market. We found the submission guidelines, etc. He was so engaged that he got excited when he discovered that this magazine is a perfect market for my piece.

"You're going to send it there, aren't you mom?!" He urged.

It was a fun morning for both of us.

Colin spent the afternoon with Doug, and they looked pretty busy. Colin interviewed Doug and helped him get his home office set up. They were switching furniture around a lot. At one point, Colin was busy dismantling my desk. Later, I walked by Doug's office and overheard him explaining principles of basic programming to Colin.

The guys moved my desk upstairs. Now that Doug has claimed the downstairs for his office, we're going to turn our hardly used living room into a library of sorts. My desk gets to sit in the middle of our front window where I can look out and see the changing leaves.



On another subject:Slippers That Suck

Remember these? I liked them a lot, but that teal colour never felted properly, and now look what's happened after only a month of wear!!



All the other colours felted well. I'm ticked at that teal. My last pair of these slippers lasted for nearly a year. I'm trying a new pattern from that Knit 1 Felt 2 book. These ones are knit on big needles with worsted weight yarn. Perfect for that huge hank of Charisma from Webs. I liked knitting with the Charisma, it's such a sturdy wooly wool, and this colourway is packed with rich dark wintery colours.



The slipper is knitted like a short sock on large needles and then felted. The first one turned out great, so I'll go ahead and make a second one, and probably a second pair in Patons SWS. I like that striped pattern and might try it with my Highland Wool sometime.