Never would I have believed on my 16th birthday that in 10 years…

…I would be 2 sizes and over 25lbs thinner than I was then and still dropping (Yeah, from a 16/18 and 200 to a 12 and 175…never woulda thunk).

…that I would be conventionally unemployed but happy (I was going to teach and love it and always do it…too bad I didnt really like conventional teaching).

…that my life would revolve around fish and boats (Um, no).

…that I would be living in the Pacific Northwest again (Born out here, raised in the mid-west, thought I wanted to live on the east coast)

…that I would have travelled and gotten as many stamps in my passport as I have now (London, yes, Singapore and China, no)

…that I would be engaged with a brand-new puppy (because I thought that I would be married and have a child or at least be pregnant).

…that I would be living with “parents” (I thought that I would have my own apartment, beautifully decorated of course!)

…that I wouldnt have a car (No roads will kinda negate the need for one)

…that I would live in a place with no roads and be generally cut off from general population (but I like the solitutde and lack of a rat-race)

…that I would be hunting and fishing and gathering the majority of my daily food (the Little House lifestyle always did appeal to me)

…that I would continue to read so voraciously that I would never consider living in a place without a steady book supply and have library cards to 4 different libraries in my wallet and belong to one what doesnt issue a card all at the same time (this one I should have guess though because even then I read all the time).

…that I would be learning to spin my own yarn (I didnt think that it was possible for ‘normal’ people for a long time, just for the people at Greenfield Village or other historic places…good think that I learned otherwise!)

…that I would be knitting at the level that I do (but considering my genetic background, it had to be there)

…that I would consume yarn so voraciously and desire new pretties so strongly (again, considering the family, it makes sense)

…that I would be so happy and content with where I am in life and where I think that I am going that I would consider myself quite fulfilled and satisfied that I really couldnt ask for anything more; that I would be healthy and strong and have a better self image now than I did then when I forced myself to think that my fat was OK; that I would be loved so much by so many people; that I would continue to be “a loner” but come to understand better the value it holds in never really feeling ‘alone’; that I would be engaged to someone who loves being a homebody too but who brings me out of my shell to socialise with his friends who are quickly becoming my friends too…

There is so much in my life that is normal now that I wouldnt have believed on that day. I still remember my party too…I had an ice-cream cake from Dairy Queen with Garfield on it and friends from school and church there and then the girls slept over. It was fantastic, Thanks again Mum and Jinny! I wouldnt have thought that my life would be so different from what I had loosly planned but I was open to anything and its gotten me here…

…10 years and a tonne of ‘life changes’ later, on my 26th Birthday, I am still open to anything and I know that I have the skills and fortitude to handle whatever comes forth. One would say I have ’sisu’…both literally and figurativly Happy Birthday Me!

SISU!Sisu and Tasha Please ignore the scary looking, very excited new fur-babies mommy! I obviously didnt fix my hair before the photo

Her name is Sisu (si- like you are saying “sit” without the ‘t’, su – like sue) It means Determination in Finnish and Intestinal fortitude (guts) in Norwegian. I think that any dog less than 4′ tall that has the breeding to go after a bear, has chased with adult dogs after a mountain lion and who plays in the backyard very close to an orchard with black bears and knows their scent and shown that she was on alert when they were there has both guts and determination. My sister gets the credit for this name, not because it was in her comments post with other names (Thanks Jinny!), but because she gave this name/word to me when she got married back in March 06. It was on a bumpersticker and I still have it. J and I had tossed up naming a boat Sisu but I claimed it for a dog. Better than for a child!

She is just what I wanted and I couldnt be happier with her. She is very friendly and interested in everything but not timid. Already she is great friends with Yeti (1 year) and while Chewie (8+ years) couldnt be bothered with her, Yeti keeps her playing and they rough and tumble all over the place. She likes walkies on the leash but free time to run and sniff on the flats already seems to be the winning choice. Sisu listens well and is mostly crate trained and, the joy for all parents, sleeps thru the night!

CONTEST UPDATE: I dont think that there will be lots of knitting today but thanks to everyone who has already posted a comment with their favourite patterns! Keep ‘em coming and on the 9th I will announce the winner of the contest! Remember, all you need to do is post a comment telling me your favourite pattern, free or not, and you could win 2 skeins of Online Sock yarn plus Pelican goodies!