Raya's Yarns

2006-11-30T18:40:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm still alive, LOL. Just had to change jobs (problem with the company, not with me), but I'm almost settled in.

Here's a recent photo of M at a picnic at UT. Her and S both love those sunglasses, LOL. And even in the winter, it's bright enough to need them here. And yes, that's another one of my hats...

2006-08-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Here's Little Bit posing, as usual. If he's not eating or sleeping, he's preening (vain thing), and it shows. "Ready for my close-up, Mr. Deville."

Another hat (Imagine that)

2006-08-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here's M in the blue hat I just finished yesterday, and immediately became "hers" (imagine that too, LOL). Now, it sure does look like it was made for her, and she likes blue a whole lot more than I do, LOL, so I guess it IS hers.

2006-07-29T11:25:00.000-07:00

OK, I couldn't resist putting this up. M's modeling my latest hat, this one crocheted without a pattern. I love it, though it's a little too cute for me. Funny, I had to start knitting to finally understand crochet, and I started crocheting as a 6 year old....

Catching up...

2006-03-16T20:22:00.000-08:00

Well, I've almost finished my probation at my job, I'll even be able to take a day off again soon. Hopefully, I'll get back to publishing on here...

Texas customs

2006-01-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

Over the last 13 years, I've learned to laugh at being called "Miss Robin". It seems to be peculiar to Texas; where I grew up, it was reserved for elderly women, and the first time someone addressed me that way, I was a little shocked. I sure hope I don't look like I'm in my 60s or older, LOL. But I then heard that person address a friend of hers in her early 20s the same way, and realized it has nothing to do with age here. I suspect Texans don't realize how startling it is to people from other parts of the country, though. My boss in particular tends to call me that (he's a very nice, mild-spoken Texan who is a pleasure to work for). Not long ago, we had a project manager come in from another area who was so surprised when my boss addressed me as Miss Robin, he asked about it, which startled my co-workers. They take it for granted and stared at him blankly. Culture shock, LOL.

After Christmas...

2005-12-29T20:29:00.000-08:00

I've been kind of busy, but I'm finally finding a little time to post. After some interesting "career" moments, the temp job I've been in for the last 2 1/2 months becomes permanent this weekend. It's not precisely what I'd have wanted, but it has the things I care most about - a pleasant work environment, work that keeps me interested and lets me learn a lot, close by, pays decent with good benefits, etc.

I got us Murder By Death for XMas, and it was a big hit with the kids. We had a really fun combined Christmas/Hannukah dinner with friends of ours. Then Monday morning, they all introduced me to Book People. OMG, that place is dangerous....

More later...

LB again

2005-10-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Here, LB is posing in all his glory. Like I said, he's vain. And yes, his feathers really do have that neon sheen.

Our love bird

2005-10-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo of our lovebird. He's very vain, but also very tame and well-loved, and we wouldn't know what to do without him.

My oldest daughter

2005-09-09T18:50:00.000-07:00

Here's M in our LR relaxing. She's a college Jr. and an activist (imagine me raising an activist...)

S with our friends' bouvier

2005-09-01T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here's one of my daughters with our friends' very large bouvier. He's really sweet and loves attention.

Sample yarns

2005-08-29T20:30:00.000-07:00

Here's a little of my spinning. The camera is cutting off the top of my photos, but you can see the edge of two of my spindles, and some yarns. The heavy white is a two ply merino, part of my on-going struggle to relearn to spin knitting yarns, after 12 years of spinning yarns and threads for weaving. The black is a 2 ply wool spun for weaving, and the fine white is a really scrumptious 2-ply pygora.

see Wire work jewelry

2005-08-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

I forgot one of my other hobbies, making jewelry. Here are a few examples of wire work that I've done for fun. I learned the style from a wonderful friend who makes her living producing one of a kind jewelry.

Introduction

2005-08-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Robin, more often known as Raisya, or Raya for short. I'm a happily divorced mom of two living in central Texas. I'm an avid spinner, weaver and knitter, and I love gardening, though I currently don't have a plot. I also love reading, swimming, games, computers and history. I have strong opinions about parenting, women's issues, individualism, and intangible values over materialism. You could call me a jack of all trades when it comes to paid work, I'm not afraid to try most things. I've sold clothes, waited tables, translated Russian, typed, office managed, owned a cleaning business, done inventory, worked in a game store, designed and made jewelry, troubleshot library book orders, been administrative support to a Ph.D. program, designed data bases, worked in a business development center, and an assistant in a printing business. I sometimes refer to myself as a gipsy as well, I've lived in Tennessee, Germany, Michigan and Texas, and have moved over 20 times.

To me, we're all here to enjoy life, revel in it, sing it, dance it, get down in the mud and wrestle in it, laughing all the time, loving and giving. Of course we need to work, but work can be a pleasure. When did work begin to equal pain, apathy, and despair? I've had few jobs that I didn't enjoy, and I never let myself be trapped in a bad one. No one should stay in a job that demands they numb their minds or give up the really important things in life, like family. What else are we working for?

Raya