Lots of stuff to show you!

I've been so busy knitting the Sari Lace shawl that I haven't had much time to blog lately. But today I finished it, and I have so much to tell you! I'll start with showing you the finished shawl:

This was such a fun knit, and if I hadn't had to knit so incredibly intense on it, it would probably have been a perfect knit. It is knitted from side to side, which I've never done before, and I LOVE it! I'm definitely going to make one for myself too, although not right away. I really hope Thomas' grandmother likes it.

I've also managed to land myself a new job! I went to Mjölby (a smaller community about 25 minutes from Linköping) this past Monday for an interview about the summer job I applied for. The job was supposed to be four weeks in July and August, plus one week of training (I need to learn to draw blood from patients - gulp!), but I guess I made a very good impression because when the boss called me back yesterday she asked if I could work 12 weeks for them, starting next Tuesday (on the 11th)! I of course accepted, so now I'm going to work for six weeks, then have four weeks off, and then come back for six more weeks at the end of summer. I couldn't have asked for a better shedule, as my weeks off coincides with Thomas' weeks off as well! I'm so happy I could dance! And I can't tell you how good it feels to actually be excited about work, I haven't felt like that for way too long. So for this summer at least I'll be working at a primary care center lab in Mjölby and some at a similar site in Mantorp (which is located between Linköping and Mjölby).

This Tuesday I also had a meeting with my new work coach (who's appointed by the unemployment office to help me find a new job), and while I was there the stomach specialist doctor called me to tell me that they had a vacant spot due to a cancellation this coming Saturday. So now I'll get that time spot instead, finally! My stomach is better than it was, but it still isn't entirely well, so that is good. I'm in complete panic about this meeting though, as they want to make an endoscopy exam on me. That is, they're going to stick a tube with a camera on it into my stomach, via the throat. Yikes! This is one exam that really terrifies me, probably completely unneccessary, but it does. As Thomas will be in England on Saturday, my sister is going with me. My mother actually offered to come here and go with me, but I felt that as I turn 30 in two weeks, maybe I shouldn't bring my mother to the doctor? I'm happy my sister goes with me, and if the doctors agree to give me the sedative that I want, I think she can stay outside. I don't think it's very nice to see me trying to swallow the tube...

Anyhow, I'm glad that it's getting done finally, and hopefully they can find out what's wrong with me. I'm also glad I got the appointment on such short notice, so I don't have to worry myself sick for too many days :)

Yesterday afternoon I went and visited Anna for a few hours, and it was so much fun! She's a pre-school teacher, and she started her first job this January, about the same time as I got sick, so we haven't had much time to hang out lately. It was just super cozy to just sit with her on the couch for a few hours, knitting and chatting! We have known each other for less than a year, but she has really become a close friend of mine very fast. Our mutual friend Lovisa was also there for a little while, and although I don't know her as well as I know Anna (yet), I REALLY like her a lot. She is a bit quirky, but in a perfect way, and just the nicest and most open person you could imagine. I'm so happy that knitting brought me new friends as well as being a fun hobby!

And today the package I ordered from England a couple of days ago arrived. I can't believe how fast that shipping was! It contained two skeins of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn, in colourway Aslan, so now I can knit myself a pair of socks from this yarn! 

It also contained seven bits of fabric for our upcoming shop:

All of these fabrics will become project bags of some sort. Although the top two are my sister's favourite, so she might make something for herself out of at least some of it. She sewed up a box tote yesterday (I think), and this one is perfect in size, model and overall performance. I of course forgot to take a photo of it, but I'll show it to you the next time. I'm so impressed at how much Sanna's sewing skills has improved just these past few weeks! The shop is going to be awesome! Although it might take a bit longer for it to actually come about, now that I've gotten a job.

Now I think I'm going to pick up my Haruni shawl again, it's been neglected for way too long!

/ Jenny