It's Tuesday of vacation, and a lovely, sun drenched chilly morning. . . I am ensconced in "Silas's chair" by the window, and am just feeling like documenting a little! Ten updates over the seven months since I last posted:
1. Lyle is ecstatically settled at Skidmore--he got straight A's in his first semester, plus a dose of mono and a great time on the swim team. He has found a niche that challenges him and supports him at once. We are delighted.
2. Andy is 1/2way through his sabbatical, working away on "instructional technologies," with most of his coursework being on line. He fills his time with odd jobs, working out, and picking up a lot of the house hold work. Yay!
3. I am knitting more than ever before, really. . . have just started the Honey Cowl of Madelinetosh Yarns fame, and made Zinnia mittens for Julie for Christmas, only about a month late! Having a bit more money to invest in really nice yarn makes a difference in the pleasure level, for sure.
4. Just got back from a weekend in Portland (3rd Annual!) with Julie: this was maybe the best one yet, since we planned a trip to Reid State Park in the middle so that we had a great outing. The weather was spectacular, and the food was great. Nice to be home again, with the week lying out before me.
5. Feel like I am growing up in my leadership: the "this sounds fun" Library Trustee position has suddenly become more of a task, as . . . well, in the interest of being professional I'll just say that we're tackling more difficult questions, and keeping us focused and moving forward has become more difficult and more important at the same time. Department headship at school is also time-consuming but valuable, so I am flexing muscles that I haven't: dealing with conflict, attending meetings, etc. Whew.
6. Have ordered the DVDs of both seasons I and II of "Downtown Abbey". Too many raves to avoid this one, esp when they turned up for sale in the Daedalus catalog. If I never want to watch them again, I'll give them to the Library. Otherwise: knitting fodder, and we keep discovering how much fun it is to watch stuff as a family! On the big screen! Instead of separately, plugged in. . . can you tell that's a hobby horse of mine?
7. Tonight is Shrove Tuesday, the pancake dinner at church (after which I will go to the Trustee meeting . . . full of sisterly love and ready to go!), which means that Lent begins on Wednesday. Haven't decided what I will give up or take up for this Lent. I had thought about trying to do 2 minute meditations in the morning. . . but I tend to do better with a written meditation. Hmmm.
8. Nate, Nate, Nate. . . What fun to get to see that boy blossom. He is busy, he is talented, he is a goofball. I'm so glad we've had this extra time with just him at home.
9. Running! I've been able to do it about 2x/week for the last six months or so with no major issues! Not sure if this is the result of a year on glucosamine/chron. about 4x week, the knee exercises that I've been doing fairly regularly, or what, but I am loving it! Lori and I are planning to run the Flattop 5 K, but I'd be happy if I could just keep doing my bi-weekly 3 miles!
10. Things just seem settled and good. I had a probably hormonally-inspired rocky stretch around Christmas, distinguished by my first-ever round of really bad itchy skin/hives/skin bumps/weirdness, but once I got my head wrapped around the fact that it would probably flare up then die back down, I treated the symptoms and dealt. Again, I find that lack of light, stress (even good stress), and hormones (which seem to do something spectacularly different about once every 4 months or so) usually results in a measurable blip on my radar. But. Things seem to have settled right now.
Off to read and to do pattern row #2 on my honey cowl in Madelinetosh's "tart"!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Thursday, July 21, 2011
July 21: Curtains for Curtains (I hope)
It's hot already--due to be a humid, nasty one, so my plans of finishing the curtains, going for a walk for exercise and then adding a cross-and-back swim topped off by some school work seem to be right on track.
The Curtain Project has been going well: I love the material and the only place I got stymied was on mitering the corners: I finally went with a plain square corner. Bah humbug--they're GUEST ROOM CURTAINS. Sheesh. Otherwise, my standards have been high and I think things look good. I used some quilting techniques to keep things (I hope) square and straight, and I'm looking forward to a good final iron and the Big Reveal! The tabs are all done (thanks to Nate who was able to turn them inside out at great speed)and I just need to sew them onto the top hem. That might be a struggle, as there will be a lot of layers of fabric involved, but I trust my loyal Pfaff!
(Victorious?) Pics to come!
The Curtain Project has been going well: I love the material and the only place I got stymied was on mitering the corners: I finally went with a plain square corner. Bah humbug--they're GUEST ROOM CURTAINS. Sheesh. Otherwise, my standards have been high and I think things look good. I used some quilting techniques to keep things (I hope) square and straight, and I'm looking forward to a good final iron and the Big Reveal! The tabs are all done (thanks to Nate who was able to turn them inside out at great speed)and I just need to sew them onto the top hem. That might be a struggle, as there will be a lot of layers of fabric involved, but I trust my loyal Pfaff!
(Victorious?) Pics to come!
Monday, July 18, 2011
July 18: MONDAY!
Well. My addiction to leisurely mornings does complicate the rest of my life, since after a slow and indulgent morning, even one that starts at seven am, the day flies by! On my list for the day:
picking up/cleaning house
mailing C's nightie--got to post a pic of that too--And here it is:
food shopping with a menu in hand
picking up N's repaired bike, which requires mounting the bike rack on my car
a run, I think. . . maybe a swim, but probably a run
some work on either the curtains OR the dress, take 1
a Lib. Trustees meeting at 7.
WHEW! That should do it. We had a lovely weekend, featuring hot, sunny, breezy weather and lots of swimming in the river and in Green Lake, an inaugural paddle in the new-from-Mom double kayak which lasted longer than we'd expected and resulted in my first sunburn in a long time!, a great Nate b'day dinner/cake/celebration, a wonderful church picnic at Gil and Ruth's with tons of swimming, a long lovely nap, and some productive knitting AND sewing. So! Onwards!
Oh: while I'm posting: here's why sewing is so suddenly on my list again. This is a shot of my "outdoor sewing room":
It's a lovely place to be, even tho it does require complete breakdown each evening. Still. . . it's inspiring, and I hope will result in the curtains for the study at least, and maybe a dress as well!
ETA: So, at 4 pm when it's hot and steamy and I'm about to knock off ANY useful work except making dinner and attending that Library meeting, I will say: 1. I read some of a new Donna Leon, part of the Wonder Box of Books from Julie; 2. I found TWO new veggie recipes and shopped for them so we have enough food for THREE DINNERS in the house at this moment (this is big for me so far this summer); 3. I arranged to have three of Lyle's pictures framed for about $200, which I think is pretty reasonable; 4. I went for a 12 min walk and a 25 min run!; 5. I cut out all the remaining "contrast" bits of the dress pattern, and am about to go do some measurements for the curtains so I'll be ready to go tomorrow with cutting that fabric! So: despite a leisurely start to the day, I've done pretty well!
picking up/cleaning house
mailing C's nightie--got to post a pic of that too--And here it is:
food shopping with a menu in hand
picking up N's repaired bike, which requires mounting the bike rack on my car
a run, I think. . . maybe a swim, but probably a run
some work on either the curtains OR the dress, take 1
a Lib. Trustees meeting at 7.
WHEW! That should do it. We had a lovely weekend, featuring hot, sunny, breezy weather and lots of swimming in the river and in Green Lake, an inaugural paddle in the new-from-Mom double kayak which lasted longer than we'd expected and resulted in my first sunburn in a long time!, a great Nate b'day dinner/cake/celebration, a wonderful church picnic at Gil and Ruth's with tons of swimming, a long lovely nap, and some productive knitting AND sewing. So! Onwards!
Oh: while I'm posting: here's why sewing is so suddenly on my list again. This is a shot of my "outdoor sewing room":
It's a lovely place to be, even tho it does require complete breakdown each evening. Still. . . it's inspiring, and I hope will result in the curtains for the study at least, and maybe a dress as well!
ETA: So, at 4 pm when it's hot and steamy and I'm about to knock off ANY useful work except making dinner and attending that Library meeting, I will say: 1. I read some of a new Donna Leon, part of the Wonder Box of Books from Julie; 2. I found TWO new veggie recipes and shopped for them so we have enough food for THREE DINNERS in the house at this moment (this is big for me so far this summer); 3. I arranged to have three of Lyle's pictures framed for about $200, which I think is pretty reasonable; 4. I went for a 12 min walk and a 25 min run!; 5. I cut out all the remaining "contrast" bits of the dress pattern, and am about to go do some measurements for the curtains so I'll be ready to go tomorrow with cutting that fabric! So: despite a leisurely start to the day, I've done pretty well!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
July 16: Happy N's B'day!
Well, Nate is now 15! His wonderful Grand Camp friends have been making much of him and steak tips are marinating in the fridge. On Thurs/Fri night/morning they all went to see the last HP movie, getting home around 2, and Andy also flew back from his LV conference on the same night, so last night they both went to bed by 9. Today is a quiet, still, sunny, going-to-be-hot morning, and I thought I'd post, partly to help me grasp the summer, which seems to be slipping blithely away!
I have certainly been ENJOYING the summer--since it arrived around July 1, really--before then it was truly a fleece and bonfire summer, grey and chilly. That is done! But I'm also a doer and I've got a list of things I wanna DO, so here they are:
--I have finished Andy's Christmas socks (he got the yarn and a promissory note; there was no time limit) and a bonus pair of booties that I started at the Retreat when the orange yarn was too stringy for adult socks. Pic to follow.
--I have made three batches of strawberry jam, tho we were foiled in our attempts to pick our own berries.
--I have cleaned Silas's room within an inch of its life in preparation for its reincarnation as MY room again.
--I have finished Caroline's b'day nightie. I discovered that I can set up sewing on the back deck, thereby enjoying the lovely weather AND sewing, so that turned me on to all kinds of sewing dreams. . . see PENDING below!
--I have finished all 782 pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Suzanna Clarke, and also read a very inspiring AP Lit. teacher's guide.
PENDING I have
--two dress patterns I hope to play with and make a few dresses from;
--7 yards of lovely decorator fabric from Marden's for curtains in the study as a preference to repainting the room;
--done one sleeve cap on Nimbus (which fits PERFECTLY in the body, yay yay)--too loose and bunchy; dug around for advice and then done a second--a little too few stitches so there are a few gaps and some pulling, and therefore I have plans to take out cap #1 and redo it with about 48 stitches so it is JUST RIGHT and then ditto that for cap #2 (whereupon I have a hunch I will have run out of yarn and need to track down more!). . .
--AND my b'day cashmere, which needs to be made into a hat for ME and I'd also like to make some Norwegian mittens! So!
Upcoming are Dad's 80th b'day celebration in Casco with the family, several curriculum work days (money, money, money!), Aunt Joan's 80th in PA with Ann and Mom, and then Julie's week up here too. So there will not be too many uninterrupted work stretches, but that's okay. I am enjoying being Crafty McCrafterson, so here I go. Gotta love summer!
I have certainly been ENJOYING the summer--since it arrived around July 1, really--before then it was truly a fleece and bonfire summer, grey and chilly. That is done! But I'm also a doer and I've got a list of things I wanna DO, so here they are:
--I have finished Andy's Christmas socks (he got the yarn and a promissory note; there was no time limit) and a bonus pair of booties that I started at the Retreat when the orange yarn was too stringy for adult socks. Pic to follow.
--I have made three batches of strawberry jam, tho we were foiled in our attempts to pick our own berries.
--I have cleaned Silas's room within an inch of its life in preparation for its reincarnation as MY room again.
--I have finished Caroline's b'day nightie. I discovered that I can set up sewing on the back deck, thereby enjoying the lovely weather AND sewing, so that turned me on to all kinds of sewing dreams. . . see PENDING below!
--I have finished all 782 pages of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, by Suzanna Clarke, and also read a very inspiring AP Lit. teacher's guide.
PENDING I have
--two dress patterns I hope to play with and make a few dresses from;
--7 yards of lovely decorator fabric from Marden's for curtains in the study as a preference to repainting the room;
--done one sleeve cap on Nimbus (which fits PERFECTLY in the body, yay yay)--too loose and bunchy; dug around for advice and then done a second--a little too few stitches so there are a few gaps and some pulling, and therefore I have plans to take out cap #1 and redo it with about 48 stitches so it is JUST RIGHT and then ditto that for cap #2 (whereupon I have a hunch I will have run out of yarn and need to track down more!). . .
--AND my b'day cashmere, which needs to be made into a hat for ME and I'd also like to make some Norwegian mittens! So!
Upcoming are Dad's 80th b'day celebration in Casco with the family, several curriculum work days (money, money, money!), Aunt Joan's 80th in PA with Ann and Mom, and then Julie's week up here too. So there will not be too many uninterrupted work stretches, but that's okay. I am enjoying being Crafty McCrafterson, so here I go. Gotta love summer!
Saturday, June 25, 2011
June 25: Thunderstormy Saturday AM
Andy is off to pick up our rental mini-van so we can take Silas to Portland in relative comfort. We HAVE a hike planned for this am (my favorite North Ridge of Cadillac) but at the moment, the rain we had this a.m. has turned into a bit of a thunderstorm and downpour number, so we'll see. I *do* cling to Gram's adage of "Rain before 7, stop before 11", and it's worked before, EVEN when I really, really wanted it to (like Field Day Friday this year!), so I won't give up.
However, in this quietly gloomy house, I need to clean up for Alissa, our wonderful cleaning person, so I need to spring into action--or maybe glide into action. More coffee, then cleaning up, I think!
However, in this quietly gloomy house, I need to clean up for Alissa, our wonderful cleaning person, so I need to spring into action--or maybe glide into action. More coffee, then cleaning up, I think!
Monday, June 20, 2011
June 21: NOT OUT OF SCHOOL YET
That's the downside to all those lovely snow days I wrote about. . . TWO Saturday school days and then in school till Wed. WOW.
But I am done correcting and nearly done my little "gotta dos" and big ones like interviewing English candidates and the like. And I feel like I am refinding myself, slowly, slowly.
I am thinking about cooking and baking.
I am thinking about making fancy drinks.
I am thinking about going out to dinner with my beloved husband in Bar Harbor, all dressed up.
I am thinking about spending pretty much a whole day reading for fun.
I am NOT thinking about taking Silas to Portland to drop him off to go to Denmark forever.
I am thinking about knitting more, soon: finishing Andy's second sock (I'm on the foot already!) and then the sleeves for MY nimbus from Julie.
I am thinking about summer vacation, and that's. pretty. good.
But I am done correcting and nearly done my little "gotta dos" and big ones like interviewing English candidates and the like. And I feel like I am refinding myself, slowly, slowly.
I am thinking about cooking and baking.
I am thinking about making fancy drinks.
I am thinking about going out to dinner with my beloved husband in Bar Harbor, all dressed up.
I am thinking about spending pretty much a whole day reading for fun.
I am NOT thinking about taking Silas to Portland to drop him off to go to Denmark forever.
I am thinking about knitting more, soon: finishing Andy's second sock (I'm on the foot already!) and then the sleeves for MY nimbus from Julie.
I am thinking about summer vacation, and that's. pretty. good.
Friday, April 1, 2011
WHOOPS: April 1
SNOW DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can I believe it? March was full of Fabulous Firsts--Teacher of the Year nomination and Day of Honor in Augusta, meeting the Governor (oy!), and taking a knitting class in Belfast, BUT March is always Crazy Time so I didn't post! On this Friday morning SNOW DAY I am posting!
And now I am going to correct five papers and then to work on Caroline's (ahem) Christmas (cough) or b'day (Jan. 5) (er) present nightgown. . . The shonda!
Can I believe it? March was full of Fabulous Firsts--Teacher of the Year nomination and Day of Honor in Augusta, meeting the Governor (oy!), and taking a knitting class in Belfast, BUT March is always Crazy Time so I didn't post! On this Friday morning SNOW DAY I am posting!
And now I am going to correct five papers and then to work on Caroline's (ahem) Christmas (cough) or b'day (Jan. 5) (er) present nightgown. . . The shonda!
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