2/16: Make Up for Sunday and stuff for Monday!

Yesterday Mom came, and I just didn't have time to blog, so I will make this a picture heavy entry and count it as making up for my dereliction yesterday.

Much vacationy stuff going on here, including some boredom on the boys' behalf. . . if it's not electronic it's hard to figure out what to do, yes?. . . . and some just starting to get going on some longtime projects for me. First of all, I cleaned the study:



This is the cluttery corner, but my desk was pretty bad, too. I cleared a spot and then got down to it, including sorting a LOT of knitting stuff, so now it's much much much more peaceful and inspiring:



I hope some good knitting can transpire in the futon now. . . oh, and some good correcting before the bitter end of vacation desperation as well!

I have been working on Jesse's sweater, and have a picture that reveals the interest such activity evokes in our household:



Once the snow melts, the cats will get out more and have more exercise and less focus on us, but right now, it's pretty intensive. One last pic to show their (occasional) peaceful mode:



I feel the desire to join them in such lolling about. It's vacation, after all!

2/14: WOW!

I have just made Cinnamon Swirl cookies, featured as the cookie of the month in Martha Stewart's Living for February. They are not easy to make--you do the dough, chill it, then make the cinnamon filling, roll them together, chill, then slice and bake--but my my my they are YUMMY! I am currently enjoying a high tea (which I am hoping can be a euphemism for "big" tea) featuring red tea and lots and lots of these little lovelies. A new fave--and the family hasn't even tried them yet!

Toenail painting, a long walk to the library with Younger, some knitting (and stupid-mistake-evading) on Jesse's sweater, cookies, some picking up. A good start to the time!

Feb. 13: STAYCATION!

My friends and family will undoubtedly get sick of that word, because I just encountered it in a magazine article and I love it! It's clever and sounds great and, better yet, it's exactly what we are having for the next nine days! Actually, it will be eight days because Sunday the 22 involves a trip out of the county (gasp) and down to Brunswick for BH's brother's 50th b'day. Good thing BH and I aren't that old. Oh wait. . . . we almost are!

Had fun picking out fabric for the Amy Butler Barcelona skirt I'll make on the 28th as a workshop at Sewing by the Sea, and resisted the urge to spend too much money/get fabric for two and stayed modestly optimistic but not crazy. Then BH and I picked up our repaired dog from the vet (Look, Mom, new ACL!) and tho he's shaved pink and has a yukky gash on his leg, it's nice to have him situated at home again. BIG check mark.

Thus starteth the staycation. Back to reading, with maybe a little dark chocolate to follow. Yum.

Feb. 13: Day Before (make up)

The happy chaos before a much-anticipated vacation means that I forgot to post yesterday TOO. So two today.

Yesterday was warm and rainy, feeling very Spring like and ohso welcome! Luckily, the rain was gentle and intermittent, so there wasn't the whole scale flooding that we sometimes get as a "be careful what you wish for" end to a cold spell. It certainly was nice to lie in bed and hear gentle tapping on the windows!

I do find I love the lead up to vacations: that sense of sustained anticipation, of being close enough to touch but not there yet, is fun and restorative, but not as fraught with the sense of time passing as vacation itself is. I am reveling in that--my planning seems to have worked out so that my classes also have a nice pace to them--and even had time to float the idea that all the faculty wear funky pj pants to school today, the last day, and the response was great.

So: on with the garden gnome pj pants, and out the door to the Last Day Before!

Note: apparently no picture of these wondrous garments exists. I hope to rectify the situation.

Feb. 12 make that 11!: Disconnected Thoughts

Good meeting this am to plan the Big Project in our joint class. Went well. As we all pointed out, we've come a LONG way from where we were when we started meeting as a team, back. . . well, about a year ago! Fun to see S. out to here with her baby too!

Due to rain tonight--not hard, and just to rain, not to freeze or sleet--and that is some welcome!

I am starting a vacation wishlist, and it includes

--neaten/organize study done on Monday
--finish Jesse's sweater working on it! Sleeve increases done!
--read a. lot. well. Started off strong, on a drag now.
--pedicure: self or fancy self! Saturday!
--sew with Audrey? YEP!
--tidy living room partly.

Wow. That looks like a week's worth, nearly. . . . !

This is an aimless post. I am going back to reading Summertime and The Lost Estate. Have ordered two of Barker's books that I haven't read for a vacation treat but since they're coming from the UK, I bet they'll get here a week after vacation. Ah well.

Feb. 11, B: In Praise of Small Town Government (ALSO: 10, not 11)

Just back from a school committee meeting to discuss how to arrange the classes next year to increase savings while dealing with an only partially-built k - 8 school building. The 8th graders have been kept up at the high school this year, in less than ideal surroundings, and I was very alarmed when I read that the school committee was proposing to send next year's 8th grade back up there to save money while finishing work on the new school. I wrote letters (respectful ones), made phone calls, rallied the troops. . .oh, I think I discussed this in my "oops" post of this morning! Anyway, I was nervous.

Well, the meeting ended up being a really positive experience, as they often are. I was impressed by the demeanor of the whole committee--they were very professional but not in a threatening way, they moved through their business rapidly and efficiently, and they encouraged people to leave after the items they cared about were done, thus making that uncomfortable moment of leaving okay. Not only did the committee commit (!) to keeping the grades together, but they were clear in their commitment to educational quality.

And, most of all, I was once again reminded of, and humbled by, the amount of work some people do for no pay, little thanks, and certainly no recognition. That room was pretty full tonight, but I bet that most meeting nights the room is pretty empty and they still carry on. Impressive. And, ultimately, incredibly American. Wow.

Feb. 11: Oops.Edited to add: OopsER: Feb. 10

Well, I missed posting yesterday: I have been considering the time-sucker aspects of the internet (and wireless internet, at that!) and yesterday was pretty deliberate about not letting myself browse for 45 minutes with no particular goal in mind. . . so after I finished doing some prep work I closed the laptop and didn't remember about a blog entry till I was in bed. So. I'll do two today, I guess.

Much percolating today--it's the busiest day of the week, and since it's the week before vacation, that feels big. Younger gets his braces on today; he and BH have taken the day to do it, then go to a movie and out to lunch. It helps to tie not-so-great milestones to fun ones, we think! In addition, tonight is the school committee meeting to decide how Ellsworth will deal with its continued school building project, and whether next year's 8th graders will be "penned" (my word) at the h.school again or whether they'll be able to enjoy the new construction for one year as part of the middle school. I am semi-proud of my community organizing skills as I wrote letters, made phone calls, and even followed up with reminder phone calls--but I am nervous about tonight and how to come across as concerned but balanced, passionate but not rabid. So. I've been practicing in the car a lot, and BH has said he'll come with me to the meeting. Still. It will be nice to get that over with!

And I guess school continues to be germ central, with numbers of kids out sick every day. Rumors fly, of course. So far I am taking my Airborne and watching for Friday. AND looking forward to some temperatures in the 30's!