It's vacation, and I am home! Those are two wonderful bits of information that I'm just starting to encompass. Saturday I actually slept till 8:30 am--a first in a long, long time--and tomorrow I plan to clean the house in the first of my "I am the cleaning lady" sweeps for the summer. BOTH will be good signs that summer vacation is here and I'm settling in.
The week I was gone was, of course, my first week of vacation, and it featured lots of good stuff, including my twentieth reunion of the MAT group I graduated with, a five day stretch with my dearest friend and her family, and then a dinner, overnight, and trip to Boston with my sister and her family and a quick visit with my brother and his. It was wild to spend so much time with so many different people who are important to me--all in a week. I think I'm still absorbing it, but I know it made me very happy! Riding home on the Concord Coach from Boston gave me five hours to reflect and be silent. . . good recovery time from visiting central!
And I have mostly cleaned my study, and I have written most of my thank you notes, and I am poised for doing some more concrete stuff--like the aforementioned deep clean #1 tomorrow. I hope today to also get some unpacking/laundry putting away done (which should be coupled with winnowing out my drawers, which sorely need that), and then maybe work on draft #1 for the annual appeal letter for the library. The first paragraph will be the hardest, I know--but it's still hard to get that done.
The weather is certainly a boon to doing boring inside stuff: it has been grey, humid and damp for about two weeks. CT/MA has had more rain and longer greyness (they did not have the lovely week we did from June 15 - 18), so I am trying not to despair or complain, BUT. . . it's been a spell. I'm hoping to show my maturity by 1. continuing to work out and be active, especially by using my bike for most reasonable in-town commuting; 2. jumping on those inside jobs that I won't want to do when the sun finally shows up; 3. looking for FUN inside things to do that I'd want to do regardless, and 4. not whining. We'll see how it all unfolds. The hardest is not being able to hang out laundry, since winnowing and tidying both require considerable dirty laundry, whether changed sheets or used dust rags. BUT. That will come.
So: tomorrow I drop my car off to get the weird squeak looked at and the alignment dealt with.
Also, tomorrow Marie and I go to the Schoodic Fiber Arts show to look at knitting!
Today, I may make french bread and might try to write about teaching and why it's so hard. Also: annual appeal letter! DRAFT ONE!
Today, I might finish ONE of the Cursed socks. On sock #2, I finally figured out the heel, which led to undoing sock #1 TWO MORE TIMES, so it lives as having been frogged at least partially SEVEN TIMES. May that remain a record for me! Otherwise, it/they look like the end might be in sight. I hope.
I did finish the second book of the vacation: Barbara Pym's An Unsuitable Attachment. It blows my mind that she wrote it in the seventies: I still have a vivid 1930's feeling about her stuff. I liked that it ended happily, but it was a nonevent, pretty much, for me.
Book One was Maeve Binchy's Echoes, which was not good. Trite, stilted, boring. I speed read a bit of it, then left it at Julie's for her mom, to see what she thinks of it as we both (usually) like Binchy.
Book Three, I think, will be Thirty Nine Steps, which I gave Elder, who did not read it, lost it, and now has found it. We'll see how I like it!
A nap is calling me, but I think I need to put on some good music and head for our bedroom for some serious winnowing out. THEN, paragraph one of the appeal letter. Anyone out there want to just make a contribution of some hefty spare cash to the Ellsworth Public Library and save me this agony? Half a million? Please?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
June 16: Nice Moment
Things are still pretty crazy around here. Note to self: in the future, try to not leave for a week 2 hours after school lets out. Just. . . don't.
BUT today Younger and I walked over to the high school for his arts awards, but found that they are actually tomorrow. Ah well. It was a lovely golden evening and we had a nice walk. En route home, I treated us both to single scoop cones at Baskin-Robbins, and we were in line behind an attractive young couple. They were laughing and hugging and he was teasing her about being nice to him or else he'd make her walk to Bangor, and she said, "I'm sure this nice family would give me a ride!" We laughed and told her she was out of luck because we didn't even have our car with us. Clearly, though, they both wanted to talk about what a great day they'd had: she's lived in Bangor all her life but had never been to Bar Harbor, so he had promised her a trip for her birthday. He's in the Maine National Guard and had been "in the field" for a month, so they'd had to schedule this way in advance, and the fact that this was a gorgeous day was sheer luck. They told us about the stores they liked (she was very excited about the nail polish she'd bought that changes color in the sun!) and had clearly just had a terrific day and wanted to talk about it. It was nice to get to share in their joy--to be able to play along with it, and cheer for them. The whole situation just made me smile.
And the pralines'n'cream was delicious, too!
BUT today Younger and I walked over to the high school for his arts awards, but found that they are actually tomorrow. Ah well. It was a lovely golden evening and we had a nice walk. En route home, I treated us both to single scoop cones at Baskin-Robbins, and we were in line behind an attractive young couple. They were laughing and hugging and he was teasing her about being nice to him or else he'd make her walk to Bangor, and she said, "I'm sure this nice family would give me a ride!" We laughed and told her she was out of luck because we didn't even have our car with us. Clearly, though, they both wanted to talk about what a great day they'd had: she's lived in Bangor all her life but had never been to Bar Harbor, so he had promised her a trip for her birthday. He's in the Maine National Guard and had been "in the field" for a month, so they'd had to schedule this way in advance, and the fact that this was a gorgeous day was sheer luck. They told us about the stores they liked (she was very excited about the nail polish she'd bought that changes color in the sun!) and had clearly just had a terrific day and wanted to talk about it. It was nice to get to share in their joy--to be able to play along with it, and cheer for them. The whole situation just made me smile.
And the pralines'n'cream was delicious, too!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
June 11: Well, maybe some stress. . .
Ahhh. It's Thursday afternoon, and I love those, but I am still looking back on and forward to too little time doing stuff I like and want to do, and too much doing stuff I gotta do but don't wanna. So.
Fantasy stuff I could do:
--knit. Like all day, and maybe with friends. Get needles I like on my Feb. lady sweater, get the heel done on A's sock #2, maybe start the market bag I want to try.
--watch "Smoke Signals", the netflix I've had for weeks now. I've seen it before, but where has the time gone?
--garden. Period, amen. The list of what I could do is HUGE.
--read. I have three books I want to read NOW.
--sleep. Like from 10 pm to 8 am about five days in a row, and maybe take naps to boot.
--go out to lunch.
--clean the house. I mean, really dig in and clean the house deeply in an "all day sweaty huge piles of stuff to dispose of loud music deep down BONES clean the house" way. It's been so long that I am really wishing I could do this. Honest.
Reality stuff I have to do:
--go to Younger's medieval fair tonight.
--correct three piles of stuff that's come in over time and that I need to do.
--summarize grading for about 8 Solutions Fair projects that are complete.
--come up with a prompt, an exam topic, a prep-in-advance essay topic, and a poetry exam question.
--go to graduation.
--line up cards, etc, for Elder's friends who are graduating and for various students I have graduating who get cards.
--help kids tie up loose ends; recognize end of year!
Yikes! So. In about a week, I will be done with most of it. Till then. . . here I go.
Fantasy stuff I could do:
--knit. Like all day, and maybe with friends. Get needles I like on my Feb. lady sweater, get the heel done on A's sock #2, maybe start the market bag I want to try.
--watch "Smoke Signals", the netflix I've had for weeks now. I've seen it before, but where has the time gone?
--garden. Period, amen. The list of what I could do is HUGE.
--read. I have three books I want to read NOW.
--sleep. Like from 10 pm to 8 am about five days in a row, and maybe take naps to boot.
--go out to lunch.
--clean the house. I mean, really dig in and clean the house deeply in an "all day sweaty huge piles of stuff to dispose of loud music deep down BONES clean the house" way. It's been so long that I am really wishing I could do this. Honest.
Reality stuff I have to do:
--go to Younger's medieval fair tonight.
--correct three piles of stuff that's come in over time and that I need to do.
--summarize grading for about 8 Solutions Fair projects that are complete.
--come up with a prompt, an exam topic, a prep-in-advance essay topic, and a poetry exam question.
--go to graduation.
--line up cards, etc, for Elder's friends who are graduating and for various students I have graduating who get cards.
--help kids tie up loose ends; recognize end of year!
Yikes! So. In about a week, I will be done with most of it. Till then. . . here I go.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
May 30: Random Rain. . .
We are in a wet, green tunnel in Ellsworth Maine right now. . . The weather keeps backing up the time or date of the Big Clear, but rumor is we should get some sun today. We shall see. I feel sorry for the track coaches of the world!
I am not competing in anything this weekend! Last Monday Younger and I ran the Memorial Mile, and we BOTH chopped nearly a minute and a quarter off our last years' times. . . . Pic to follow. . .
I won my age group! Shocking! Much fun, and my foot continues to feel pretty darn good. Yesssssss.
Today Younger, three friends, and I go to the long-awaited reopening of our local two-show movie theater to see UP. We've planned this for months, and were planning to go to Bar Harbor to see it, so we're delighted to do the local thing and stay around here, saving time and gas and supporting ELLSWORTH! It's an earlyish show so I may have time to do some knitting tonight afterwards as well. That Feb. Lady Sweater languishes, and my socks for BH aren't ezzackly flying off the needles, either! Busy stretch.
I am craving vegetables in my diet. . . my dream menu for dinner tonight is: curried squash soup, ravioli with carmelized vegs, feta, and asparagus, and a fruit pie. Needless to say I would have to make all of those things occur, and. . . not sure if that will happen! BUT I do plan to stop by the farmer's market and see what local goodness they've got on offer, despite the wet! I'd also like to put in a good weeding session at the church jungle--I mean garden! The lily of the valley and the speedier weeds are taking huge advantage of the weather, and tho this week marks the height of the l. of v.'s appeal, since it's blossoming, I'd love to reduce it to islands of green rather than a huge sea of it. The PLAN was that I would run first, then weed while sweaty already, but that might not happen.
I'm facing about a week of craziness, since the ninth grade class my colleagues and I debuted this year has its major public presentation on Thursday, and then on Friday I head to Pilgrim Lodge for the women's retreat, and I have to take the boys to Brewer for the ortho. Monday, have a hair cut Tuesday, and have Mission on Wed. . . . so next Sunday night will be a peaceful place to be. HOWEVER: my life is full, happy, rich, rewarding, full of loving people and good fortune, and there's a lot of teaching fulfillment coming up as I/we see our kids show off what they've practiced and learned. So. Stress: ha! It's challenge and reward.
Off to eat yogurt and fruit for b'fast. Step one!
I am not competing in anything this weekend! Last Monday Younger and I ran the Memorial Mile, and we BOTH chopped nearly a minute and a quarter off our last years' times. . . . Pic to follow. . .
I won my age group! Shocking! Much fun, and my foot continues to feel pretty darn good. Yesssssss.
Today Younger, three friends, and I go to the long-awaited reopening of our local two-show movie theater to see UP. We've planned this for months, and were planning to go to Bar Harbor to see it, so we're delighted to do the local thing and stay around here, saving time and gas and supporting ELLSWORTH! It's an earlyish show so I may have time to do some knitting tonight afterwards as well. That Feb. Lady Sweater languishes, and my socks for BH aren't ezzackly flying off the needles, either! Busy stretch.
I am craving vegetables in my diet. . . my dream menu for dinner tonight is: curried squash soup, ravioli with carmelized vegs, feta, and asparagus, and a fruit pie. Needless to say I would have to make all of those things occur, and. . . not sure if that will happen! BUT I do plan to stop by the farmer's market and see what local goodness they've got on offer, despite the wet! I'd also like to put in a good weeding session at the church jungle--I mean garden! The lily of the valley and the speedier weeds are taking huge advantage of the weather, and tho this week marks the height of the l. of v.'s appeal, since it's blossoming, I'd love to reduce it to islands of green rather than a huge sea of it. The PLAN was that I would run first, then weed while sweaty already, but that might not happen.
I'm facing about a week of craziness, since the ninth grade class my colleagues and I debuted this year has its major public presentation on Thursday, and then on Friday I head to Pilgrim Lodge for the women's retreat, and I have to take the boys to Brewer for the ortho. Monday, have a hair cut Tuesday, and have Mission on Wed. . . . so next Sunday night will be a peaceful place to be. HOWEVER: my life is full, happy, rich, rewarding, full of loving people and good fortune, and there's a lot of teaching fulfillment coming up as I/we see our kids show off what they've practiced and learned. So. Stress: ha! It's challenge and reward.
Off to eat yogurt and fruit for b'fast. Step one!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
May 17: Post-Mini-Triathlon
Well, yay! Yesterday I completed my first mini-tri (also known as a "sprint" triathlon, but since there was no sprinting involved in it at all for me, I prefer "mini"--tho even that didn't feel right at about .5 mile into the run!). It was a great day for a triathlon, tho the wind picked up a bit as the day went on. I was really nervous, having never done a competitive swim or bike ever in my life, but, as part of my mind knew, the usual camaraderie of family-oriented sports events came out and all was fine. As it was, I was very proud of my swim (I actually beat my lane-partner, who happens to be my neighbor!) and I cooked on the bike--since I was in the last "wave" of swimmers, there weren't a lot of people behind me to pass me (nice!) and I actually passed a lot of other people (8? 10?) on the bike course. It was definitely the strongest ride I'd done--practice paid off. However, when I started the run. . . . oof. It all hit. Maybe I didn't stretch enough, in between, maybe I had gone too hard, maybe I was just tired (ya think?), but the run was wooden and stiff. The last 1/2 mile I was able to speed up a bit past a "I hit the wall!" plod, but it was definitely the slowest and hardest part of my events.
Still. . . I did it, kept moving the whole time, met some fun people, participated in a group thing, raised some money for the Y, and am pretty darn proud of myself!
BH and I went out to lunch, then came home and I slept for TWO HOURS! That felt great!
And now my life has that "opened out" feeling one gets when something big is done. . . and I have tons of plans for the emotional/worrying/physical energy I've been putting into training, starting with a good food shop today after church and then some major school planning. Look out, World: here I come!
Still. . . I did it, kept moving the whole time, met some fun people, participated in a group thing, raised some money for the Y, and am pretty darn proud of myself!
BH and I went out to lunch, then came home and I slept for TWO HOURS! That felt great!
And now my life has that "opened out" feeling one gets when something big is done. . . and I have tons of plans for the emotional/worrying/physical energy I've been putting into training, starting with a good food shop today after church and then some major school planning. Look out, World: here I come!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
May 10: Can Knitting Be Cursed?
I have been working on a pair of socks for BH, my biggest sock supporter. They're nothing spectacular, no funky pattern since the yarn is pretty out there (brown base with a varigated green/yellow/blue/white intermittent pattern, no regular striping), no unusual details. Knit toe up so I can be sure to make the feet long enough and then compromise on the leg length. Supposed to be my portable project as I forge onwards with the Feb. Lady Sweater. Fine.
Time one: too big. Even on BH's big ol' size 13s, there was extra. Okay, tear it out. Here it is before Frogging #1. Looks innocent and doable (if big), huh? HUH? Just. wait.
Time two. Better. I think this will work (smaller needles). Fine, fine, up to heel. Wanted to do the eye of partridge with the short row heel. Yikes: big weird pucker. Pondered. Frogged heel.
Time three: held off on e of p for about 6 rows to allow the heel to establish itself BEFORE getting tighter. Still a little pucker. Not enamored of this heel. Didn't I do it once before, fine? On maybe my third pair of socks? Frogged heel, lead in and turning. It's my sock. I get to.
Time four: New heel pattern. LIked pic, let's go. Oops. Following pattern and learning "w & t" technique while hurrying to get done and waiting for sister's arrival so we can go out to dinner. . . . not so good. Frogged heel.
Time five: NEARLY frogged heel over weird numbers and knitting wraps into their matching stitches--I think I did it right on one side, wrong on the other, but I held it together. Then I casually counted to be sure there were 38 stitches. Nope: 26. TWENTY SIX. I had gleefully continued making my ssks and p2 togs over the gaps, creating my gorgeous eye of partridge heel stripes for a LOT too long. So. I. FROGGED. AGAIN.
Then I went to bed, having rescued the stitches on a size 0 needle but without the heart to really situate everything and get it going again. Honestly. This "portable project" may do me in forever--or, as the kids say, "for-freakin'-ever."
And. . . the deer ate all but two of my tulips in the garden out front. VERY carefully. Vermin.
Time one: too big. Even on BH's big ol' size 13s, there was extra. Okay, tear it out. Here it is before Frogging #1. Looks innocent and doable (if big), huh? HUH? Just. wait.
Time two. Better. I think this will work (smaller needles). Fine, fine, up to heel. Wanted to do the eye of partridge with the short row heel. Yikes: big weird pucker. Pondered. Frogged heel.
Time three: held off on e of p for about 6 rows to allow the heel to establish itself BEFORE getting tighter. Still a little pucker. Not enamored of this heel. Didn't I do it once before, fine? On maybe my third pair of socks? Frogged heel, lead in and turning. It's my sock. I get to.
Time four: New heel pattern. LIked pic, let's go. Oops. Following pattern and learning "w & t" technique while hurrying to get done and waiting for sister's arrival so we can go out to dinner. . . . not so good. Frogged heel.
Time five: NEARLY frogged heel over weird numbers and knitting wraps into their matching stitches--I think I did it right on one side, wrong on the other, but I held it together. Then I casually counted to be sure there were 38 stitches. Nope: 26. TWENTY SIX. I had gleefully continued making my ssks and p2 togs over the gaps, creating my gorgeous eye of partridge heel stripes for a LOT too long. So. I. FROGGED. AGAIN.
Then I went to bed, having rescued the stitches on a size 0 needle but without the heart to really situate everything and get it going again. Honestly. This "portable project" may do me in forever--or, as the kids say, "for-freakin'-ever."
And. . . the deer ate all but two of my tulips in the garden out front. VERY carefully. Vermin.
Friday, May 8, 2009
May 8: How did THAT Happen?
I've been thinking about posts and posting, but somehow they never happened. Partly, my free time has been very limited, and I am very aware of how The Computer gobbles up one's time. I can't decide if I like the phrase "a timesuck" or not, but that last syllable, "suck", certainly captures in sloppy, glottal onomatopoeia the way a free hour ("I can knit! I can relax! I can read a chapter or two of my hedgehog book or the bio of Harper Lee or that wonderful novel I'm rereading!") can disappear ("Well, I updated my Facebook page and read about two reality tv stars I've never seen on a tv I would never watch."). So, I have been limiting my "screen time," as we call it 'round here.
But I want to share a few pics because they are LOVELY. And then I am going to head out and hang up laundry load #3 for the afternoon. FRIDAY afternoon, too. THEN I plan to KNIT.
Take that, Computers.
Here's my last Fall's contribution to beauty at our house. We can even smell the hyacinths in the back yard!
And here's the small window of niceness I created during my precious, beloved, welcome personal day (NONE of which I wasted "on screen," I am glad to say!) in my little front garden:
SO HAPPY!
But I want to share a few pics because they are LOVELY. And then I am going to head out and hang up laundry load #3 for the afternoon. FRIDAY afternoon, too. THEN I plan to KNIT.
Take that, Computers.
Here's my last Fall's contribution to beauty at our house. We can even smell the hyacinths in the back yard!
And here's the small window of niceness I created during my precious, beloved, welcome personal day (NONE of which I wasted "on screen," I am glad to say!) in my little front garden:
SO HAPPY!
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