15 Minutes of Fame and Over-work-ed-ness

After a long weekend (of painting, moving a friend, seeing old friends, cleaning, knitting, and doing work-work), I am back at work. I have decided a need a clone. I need someone to organize and work with the volunteers, someone to plan and prepare the programs and supplies, someone to answer the phone, someone to write and maintain the grants, and someone to work on the operation and maintenance of the Center. So that gets to what...five clones...which leaves me time to knit and garden and do fun stuff.

Anywho, to add a little more...I mean...to give myself additional OPPORTUNITIES, I have been nominated to the KCKA board (we'll see if I get on) and my friend Jan Brock and I had a spread in the Wichita Eagle on our women's hiking business, Cottonwood Adventures. It looks like I best get back in shape. The last bit of my chocolate bar is still dissolving in my mouth...and now...wait for it....I am on a diet. Damn.

So...if you are chicky looking for a Kansas backpacking trip in October...give me a shout.

Also - here is the link to the Wichita Eagle story (the pictures don't come through, but they also convinced me of a diet in my near future).

Muckin' Around

Friday was crazy busy - at work I had lots of great volunteers helping out with some of the stream maintenance. Vaughn Weaver's interns (Erin and Ashley) worked on one of the water falls for close to eight hours trying to repair the places where the water had undercut the rocks. It definitely looks like some of the big limestone slabs have slipped and shifted over the since they were installed four years ago. If they finally slip off their base, I'm not sure how will get them back up. Anyway - the girls and I hit wal-mart and picked up more rock, gravel and sand for the repairs.

When we got back to the WATER Center, Chris Collins showed up to return the kayaks that he borrowed for the float last Wednesday. It was great to have the interns there to help carry all the boats back upstairs. Chris and I agreed that we need to come up with a new storage systems now that the boats are getting used more.

At 1 pm by teen volunteers (Michelle, Anthony and Sebastian) came in. Michelle and Anthony worked on preparing supplies for one of the kids groups coming next week. Sebastian got in the stream and started gathering up all the aquatic planting baskets for the youth volunteers that would be coming in.

The goal for "Youth Volunteer Day" was to work on the aquatic habitat structures in the creek/stream. Eight kids, ages four through twelve came in and got on their rubber boots. We jumped in the stream and started transplanting watercress into the fountains, helping with the waterfall repair and moving logs around to create better fish homes.

3:00...little kids gone
4:00...teens gone
5:00...interns gone

Whew...no wonder I don't get my office work done!

Twist!

I ventured over to Twist, the new yarn shop, yesterday over my lunch break. (www.twistyarnshop.com) Wait...backup. I went to the bank and withdrew some cash, then I ventured over to the new yarn shop. Oooooooo.....so many temptations! I picked up a Twist logo bag and a prezzie for a friend. I was totally amazed by the awesome "yarn hammocks" that owner Shelley had designed - she so should patent them! After work I went back to knit and chat with some of the KIPpers. He, he, he...its so great to see other people as giddy about yarn as I am. I had forgotten how fun it was to talk gear with knitters.

Rejuvination

Thanks to everyone who has harassed me about my blog post being a year old...it is shameful.

Here is a start of a new round of posts:
Float of the Flying Fish
Chris Collins (http://www.wichitapaddler.org/) and I put together an evening float on the Little Arkansas River. Last night, a dozen of us met at the fire station at 21st and Coolidge to put in. The heat of the day was already dissipating and the shaded banks made the float even more refreshing.
Immediately after putting in, our flotilla saw the strangest sight - one that repeated itself throughout the float. Jumping Shad! The water was like popcorn in a popper - fish jumping out of the water and scattering in every direction. Some even jumped over the bow of our boats. The resident herons and egrets were thrilled as we "herded" the fish in their directions.
Lia Keller took some gorgeous pictures of the trip...see them on http://baskinginbliss.blogspot.com/ and http://knitandfit.blogspot.com/