whooooosh

My Dad just turned 81 (Congratulations, Daddy!) and reminded me again that the older we get, the fast time goes. Which puts me in mind of this little Dr Seuss ditty:

How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon? 

Anyway, it’s been a jam-packed, mostly wonderful, month. If a very fast one. I started a new project I was sure I’d have done in no time – but no time is exactly what I’ve had. This is Little Sampler by The Goode Huswife. I did it years ago in blues for Annemarie, over-one and very wee. This one is huge. I’ll use it as a seed pocket.

I’ve been trying to greenify my thumbs and other fingers with gardening endeavors. My friend Tigger just finished consuming his garden bounty from last year – I want that to be me next year!

The kids have, as always, been busy with a zillion things: sports, concerts, clubs, and much more. It’s not uncommon to hit the ground running at 2:40 when the school bus drops them off and not catch my breath till 7:30 or 8 in the evening. I don’t know how it affects them, but it exhausts me! LOL. Here are a few shots of the younger kids enjoying this and that, here and there.

There’s been a lot of farm activity, with the births of chicks, ducks, goslings, and bunnies. It being a farm, there have also been some sad losses. We are looking forward to the birth of some baby goats later this summer, as it appears both Annie and Eve are pregnant! Muffin left us to join her new home, and we will be welcoming a new buck to the farm in a week or so.

There has been a great deal of beauty in small things – special moments with the children, trying new things, mastering skills, connecting with friends, acts of gentleness and kindness – and over all, Mother Nature treats us daily to a spectacular feast of the senses if only we look around us.

I’ve been reading. Right now I’m reading The Wind-Up bird Chronicle by Murakami (and have the third volume of 1Q84 ready to read) and In One Person by John Irving. I just finished The Wind in the Keyhole by Stephen King and will soon be re-reading The Shining. Stacked up and ready to read are Affliction by Russell Banks, Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell, and Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I’ve been listening to lots of music, too, mostly thanks to my Pandora connection, but I also bought Affairs of the Heart by Canadian artist Marjan Mosetich – it’s sublime.

Niek’s been traveling much of this month in Europe for his job, and next month I’ll begin a new job in the mental health field. With Arden ready for school, it’s time I can get back out in the world again and will do so with a new job and grad school plans. First we’ll enjoy the sweet months of summer together, though – I’m only working one day a week till school resumes after the summer holidays.

I have no idea how much time I’ll find to get online, but I won’t be far away. Thank you for your friendship – I’m looking forward to sharing more soon.

sunday morning

I loved that song by the Velvet Underground when I was a freshman in university. Over here, it’s Sunday morning, sunny, and absolutely lovely. After breakfast, I got busy with the repotting of plants for Rowen’s classroom – my ‘homework’ for the autumn break. Here are some happy plants, soaking up the sun after their little trauma. (Two of them are actually mine – I had some dirt left over.)

We had a fun breakfast. With Max away this weekend, we set Arden’s little recliner up at Max’s spot and Arden enjoyed eating with us. He especially liked sampling whatever was on Rowen’s plate! LOL!

Yesterday was the SNG party and I celebrated by doing primitive-style stitching all day (well, all day that I could stitch…). Here is Believe by Primitive Stitchin’ (purchased from the Pattern Mart). I changed the layout to make it more of an ornament shape (it is designed as a long rectangle) and stitched it over one on 18 count Platinum Cork linen using my choice of floss. It’s smaller than the palm of my hand, even withe the fringe. I also started a schoolgirl sampler, but only made it as far as the border so I won’t bore you with a picture of that.

I did dig out my one and only piece of Halloween stitching – before Becky’s exchange, Su’s seasonal exchange,  and Mylene’s giveaway – and many of you will recognize this old, old freebie from BOAF. Before you ask, I gave my copy away already and stupidly forgot to keep a scan or anything for myself. (Thumping forehead.) It’s such a simple pattern, I think I can stitch another from this, though. LOL.

The real world resumes for us tomorrow. Even if I can’t keep the relaxation and contentment I’ve enjoyed this week, I will be able to look back on it with happiness. I hope your upcoming week will be a great one!

that’s all folks!

Porky said it best, don’t you agree?

So, ‘what’s all?‘ you may be wondering. Stashing, that’s what. I’ve been waiting almost two months for this last order to arrive from SB&B and it’s finally here. I knew it would be my last splurge and it’s well worth it. I have promised my DH that I’ll stitch out of my stash for … well, a long time. And what would wrest such a promise from me? Well, it’s not 100% a done-deal, but by this time next week we will hopefully be the owners of a piece of land just outside of Machias, Maine. Hurray! And not just any piece, mind you, but one that’s steeped in historical lore and graced by Mother Nature’s beauty. I wish I had pictures to share of the actual location, but there are currently tenants on the property and I don’t want to invade their privacy. This is a long-term deal – we wouldn’t be able to move for YEARS yet to come, but I cannot begin to convey the song in my heart that comes of knowing I’ll once again have roots in my beloved Maine. Life is pretty funny – when I was 18 I couldn’t leave fast enough, and here I am almost 20 years later and can’t wait to be home again. The little jokes we play on ourselves.

The thrill of owning property aside, it is also somewhat of a relief to be ‘confined’ to stitching from my stash. I have so many gorgeous patterns and projects to delve into. I’ve felt so impatient to start so many of them, but then something else will catch my eye that I just have to have and my project pile grows … as does my frustration at not being able to stitch them all fast enough. Now I can just settle down into what I have and simply enjoy it. Sort of like middle-age, come to think of it. LOL.

I’ve been working on my mailart for the upcoming tutorial on Focus on Finishing in a couple of weeks and this is my progress to date. It’s stitched over one on a 28 count Silkweaver Solo linen. The design is from the April/May 2005 issue of De fil en aiguille, which I purchased from Violarium - talk about excellent customer service and fast shipping! I bought the magazine awhile ago to make something for Rowen. Which I will do – eventually!

On a less happy note, I did not pass my re-exam in Chinese health/religion theory. I just found out yesterday and I’m still trying to decide what to do. It’s a huge disappointment, and I’ve gone around feeling like my brains must’ve leaked out my ears at some point without my noticing. The department head is checking out my options for me and will get back to me this week.

And because I can’t close with glum news, here’s a picture of Rowen the Princess in her finery. Isn’t she something?!

(All pictures are clickable for a larger image.)

you guys are the greatest friends!!!

Oh my gosh, you guys!! You’re the BEST! Thanks so much for coming along with me today!

 I don’t know how we all fit through the door together this morning, but we were there early (which equals ‘on time’ for me - LOL) and we did not make a horse’s patootie out of ourselves. We actually managed to ask some good questions and make some useful observations. We didn’t make any diagnoses, but fortunately that wasn’t required (my biggest fear). The practitioner is a helpful man who was very generous with his time and knowledge, and I’m sure that when I go back next Friday, I’ll learn lots more. It does make for a long day – slightly more than 12 hours with the travel time – and I have school tomorrow…. I picture Sunday being a day spent in a near vegetative state!

Before I go, I have to say that I did find my exchange project exactly where it was supposed to be and got some stitching done on it yesterday. Phew!

time …

Given time, all things are possible … check out this very unlikely duo. I can’t say they are really best friends, but they certainly do get along well – due mainly to Rigby’s extremely high pain threshold and level of tolerance. LOL!

Hopefully, given enough time, I will also catch up on my coursework. Today was our midterm and although I would be surprised if I passed, I didn’t do as badly as I feared. There’s a re-exam later in the winter and … well, I just have to do well on that one.

 Time has also brought such amazing changes about in the kids. Every once in awhile as a parent, you get this sort of shocking ice-bath of realization that your kids have shot ahead in their development, growth, etc. and you’re looking at these amazing beings who may have come from you but are (or are rapidly becoming) very independent humans. Nicky has only one week left of adjustment days at school and then he’ll begin for real. He loves it, and the prickly behavior we noticed at the beginning of this adjustment phase has begun to taper off as he gets used to new rules and ways of doing things. Rowen goes from being a total lap monkey to being this incredibly self-possessed, startlingly acute observer/participant in everything going on around her. She had the doctor hopping through hoops the other day with her questions and comments. And Max is daily metamorphosing into a confident, outgoing, cheerful boy. Our parent-teacher conference on Thursday was full of positives – what a long way he’s come!

Of course there are changes brought on by time that aren’t nearly as endearing. Like calories and weight – my body seems to be under the impression that it needs to pack on the pounds for a winter hibernation or something and no amount of exercise seems to be able to pry that padding loose. Luckily, my freckles are too heavy for anyone to notice the crow’s feet and smile lines. LOL! I suppose eventually people will think they are age spots instead of freckles though, which isn’t a really happy thought. Or maybe they’ll get even closer together than they are now, and everyone will just think I have a really incredible tan.

 This weekend is going to be devoted to guilt-free stitching. I am pretty close to finishing my Valentine’s Exchange – after the dog gave me a serious fright by meeting me at the door, carrying the stitched linen in his mouth. Apparently his Labrador side took over, and thankfully he has a very ‘soft mouth’ as they call it. No serious damage done. I also have a few other deadline pieces that I will clean up so I can begin the fun Quaker sampler round robin and the next phase of our ongoing neighborhood round robin. I hope this weekend affords you plenty of fun stitchy time, too! Or lazing about, as our Spin the Cat has perfected.

i need a keeper – know where i can get one cheap?

I’m just going over a few loose ends to tighten up my agenda – you know, make sure I haven’t overlooked any deadlines. You can’t imagine the look on my face or the feeling in the pit of my stomach when I realized that I was supposed to have class last week and I didn’t go! I have it jotted down as beginning next weekend …. And I’m already so far behind that I stand little chance of passing the midterm. I’ve been holding the panic at bay by reminding myself that there is a second-chance exam in the spring and that I knew this may happen because I’d have two kids at home till February. Nicky starts school full time next month, and my study time should increase by a considerable amount. But still, it just makes me feel nauseous to realize I blew off a class without even realizing it.

(Artwork lifted from here.)

On a happier note, we took the kids to the Technical Museum in Delft earlier today and they had a blast. Max took part in a workshop that explained how compasses work, and then the kids all made their own compass from scratch. To complete the exercise and receive a diploma, they had to use their compasses on a sort of treasure hunt through the museum. He had a lot of fun, and I think he actually took the compass to bed. LOL! Nicky and Rowen, meanwhile, tested the sturdiness of the various elements composing the hands-on part of the museum. We managed to get out without breaking anything and with only 4 or 5 warnings from the security guard. He was just over-zealous; I thought the kids were really remarkably good. We celebrated with a cup of hot cocoa with mountains of whipped cream before coming home.

 Tomorrow is an incredibly hectic work day that I’ve been trying not to think about. Sort of an ostrich head-in-the-sand approach. Work has kind of sucked lately anyway, ever since our manager left the company. Niek and I both stayed on because we really liked his style of management, and now … well, neither of us may be there by this time next year. We’ll see where the wind blows.

Su’s house is finished and if I have time I’ll post a picture to the neighborhood blog later tonight. I still have the landscaping to do before I mail it on to Rachael, who is eager to start working on it.