Out with the old, in with the new

NEW:

Job:
now that contract is signed I can reveal that I will start working for Lush!
I will be a store manager in their 7th store here in this country!
I'm excited and nervous and thrilled and did I mention nervous?!?!

I'm a very happy customer for six years, ever since Dublin became the first store we went into. I still remember that I discovered Karma there, a range I'm still hooked on today. Hippie much, hu?
The first shampoo was Daddy-O, I still have the bottle, emptied and refilled many times since then, it's on my sink for the times I have to quickly wash my "wuffle" and fringe.
We always joked that one day I would work for them - and that one day has now come!

Yes, I will have to work weekends, but will have other days off.
Yes, Christmas is going to be mad and I will experience it from both sides...I'm just glad my family is not much into the whole shopping and gift frenzy.

Glasses:
since I will be wearing black most of the time I wanted something bold.
What is bolder than red glasses?



Living room:
no pictures, but we have re-arranged the furniture in our living quarter! Nothing new was bought, we only cleaned up and pushed and pulled wooden bookshelves and drawers through the room.
It looks amazing.
Next week, the kitchen will get new wallpaper (after an unfortunate incident with an exploding calamaris it's a necessity), I will then show you my witchy kitchen ;-)

Wait, there is more:
My sister will also come to visit for a week. She hasn't been here since my wedding 10 years ago and has never seen this place.

My Mom is going to have surgery next Wednesday, she is the proud owner of a peripheral vascular disease. She has ignored it for a long time (she is a smoker, diagnosed a diabetic for more than a year, was obese before the diabetis and lost the weight because she didn't seek treatment at first when she started to loose weight rapidly and also suffers from high cholesterol ever since her gall bladder was removed many years ago). She will now have to undergo a dilatation surgery on both legs, otherwise will face amputation in the long run.
The surgery itself is risky enough - because, yes, you guessed it - her lungs aren't the best either anymore...
She is still in absolutel denial about the risks of smoking and gets angry when you mention it. With my Dad being a heart patient and also still a heavy smoker I settled in the angry realization that they both won't live long if they don't change into a more healthy pattern.
Folks - think twice before you light up the next one! As the only non-smoker in my family it's very frustrating to stand by and see family suffer in denial.
We will all die some day, but until then I would prefer to see them and be myself as fit and agile as possible.
Ok, rant over. I don't think I ever got so up, close and personal before, sigh.

Not to end on this rather sad note:
I'm participating in my first swap ever!
Ravelry Caffeine Addicts group organized an Autumn themed swap and I signed up.
So end of the month I will go yarn buying for my partner, a young lady in WI, USA. She has the most amazing birthday date!
I'm not going to say anything about the handmade item ;-)

Now I'm going to enjoy a cup of Summer Mint tea (mix from a local shop, delicious) and get some work done!