Category: Golightly Living

Thanks, everyone, for your good wishes for my sister.  I e-mailed her and suggested that she read the comments, and I’m sure she’ll be grateful.  I told her that Knitter-vibe is a powerful thing.

In the heat of New England July, Neal and I went with our friends (whom we affectionately call "the French") to see my darling Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors last night.  The play is so funny, and the actors did a good job with it.  There’s little I like better in life than a picnic and Shakespeare in the summer.  What’s your favorite summer fun?

More than once I’ve read on blogs the writer’s musings about what is appropriate blog material.  I started my first blog, Wearing Black in New Mexico in part to join a Secret Pal swap, and in part to keep my friends and family in the east apprised of my life in the west.  I’ve written about some personal things, but there is, of course, a lot that doesn’t go up here.  It’s irritating when people don’t understand that writers (I’d argue that all artists) have a persona.  I have a teaching persona (Alex Mundy meets Annie Sullivan, at least so I fancy), too, which from time to time I explain to my students.

I don’t really get into writing about family stuff too much here.  It’s not appropriate for me. It’s not normally a part of my blogging persona.  Today, though, I need the karma/good wishes/prayers of anyone who is willing to give a moment of time.  I just got back home from a visit with my sister.  A few weeks ago I wrote about how my sister, M, had gone through a medical procedure that seemed to be as good as we could expect.  Well, it wasn’t.  My sister had a tumor removed, and it was encapsulated, which was reason for relief.  After it was biopsied, though, it was found to have Stage 3 cancer in it.  Bye, bye relief.  Hello chemo and radiation.  M.’s treatments start in another week, and I hope you’ll send a thought out between now and then that she’ll be ok.  I’m an optimistic person; I believe she will be, but no harm in having some good, healthy energy heading her way, right?

Thanks, guys. 

How happy am I about this?  I called Daniel Craig my "luvah" at SnB yesterday, and the gap in interests was obvious.  I may not "get" everything the gamer gang talks about, and clearly they don’t get my SintheC refrences…but we’ll always have the knitting in common!

If you’re in the CT/MA area and are also a MS3-er, Laura at Creative Fibers is keeping the shop open for group lacing (sounds kinda hot, no?) from 6-9 p.m. every Friday in July.  I’ll be there, and so will lots of other cool chicas.  Now if only there were going to be cosmos!

I grew up in New England, surrounded by markers from the Revolutionary War.  While in New York, there seemed to be a G.W.-slept-here house on every corner.  Out west I learned about a totally different time in our nation’s history, too often less than glorious. 

I love her, though.  As Aunt Di used to say, "Are you a good girl?  But sometimes, do you do bad things?"  Yeah, that’s the U.S.  A good girl.  A great girl, I’d argue, even if sometimes she does bad things, and I’m blessed to live here.

Happy Fourth!  Enjoy the festivities, enjoy the food, enjoy the firecrackers.  Mostly, though, enjoy the freedom.

My high hopes of making it through life sans cavities have been dashed.  I had the most thorough dental exam of my life–my first in years as I’ve been without insurance and on a grad student budget for so long–and I have the starts of several cavities.  My new dentist has a nifty toothbrush-sized camera connected to a computer, and he was able to show me the offending areas.  Dr. Kagan, the dentist of my youth, warned me when I was in my early 20s that I would, indeed, one day have cavities as teeth simply wear down, and now his prediction has come true.  So it goes.

Yesterday I finished the leg of Monkey 2 and began the heel flap.  I didn’t knit on Monkey over the weekend as I was trying to get my MS3 off the ground.  Turns out I don’t like my yarn or beads, but I’ve replaced both and will cast on this evening.  I’ve got some catching up to do before the next clue arrives on Friday!

The "baby" in this post’s title?  Well, now you know how I refer to myself in my head.  Not all of the time, but usually in regard to my physical well being.  I’m the youngest child in my family, and the youngest cousin of my generation on both sides.  My gramp’s nickname for me was "Baby Army," and since he’s no longer around to call me that, I say it to myself.  Do you have little tricks to keep the people you miss with you?

Time to write today’s pages.  It’s too glorious to be inside, but my work in the morning will free up the afternoon, when I’ll menu plan for tomorrow’s picnic.

Not just knitting goals, either.

1.  Write 60 pp of dissertation.

2.  Finish Sockapalooooza sock #2 (I’m on repeat 6 of 6 for the leg; I have to turn the heel and knit 5 repeats for the foot).

3.  Keep up with Mystery Stole 3 clues.

4.  Knit Chickami for Tour de France KAL.

5.  Spin shawl yarn for Tour de Fleece.

6.  Revamp 101 syllabus.

7.  Set up filing system.

8.  Fold fabric and put up in book case.

9.  Implement new fitness regime (kayak 2x/week, get bike fixed & bike 2x/week, up length of dog walks).

10. Read Vanity Fair.

I’ll also be planning a party for later in the month.  We’re having a bbq to celebrate our marriage with our friends.  We kept the wedding small (Neal’s wish) with the understanding that we’d have a bash in the summer…now it’s time for me to get that bash organized!

I’m off to the dentist.  Here’s hoping I get a good report.  I’m 38 and still cavity-free, and I’d like to keep it that way!

Wow!  You all have some funny pet stories!  Blog-free Kim and I are going to pick our favorites and narrow down to a winner, but I suspect there will be multiple prizes awarded!  Thanks for giving her some encouragement to join in the bloggy fun.  She made me blush with the sweet things she said about me, and I assure you that I learn just as much–if not more–from her.

I had a really good weekend in New Mexico, and as soon as I get the pictures onto my computer, I’ll share some with you.  Highlights included spending time with my pal Dana, a visit with some of my Abq SnB girlies, and a drive to Santa Fe. 

I caught a little cold on one of the flights, but I’ve made a point to take things easy today.  I’m going to walk the dogs, pop some aspirin, spin some yarn, and then head to the Tobacco Valley SnB.  Nice mellow night, right?

No links, no pictures.  I’m lame in my posting today, but I’ll make it up to you tomorrow with a picture of me on a pretend pony.  It’s going to be worth the wait, right girls?   

I just have a minute to post before getting in the shower.  My mom is coming over so I can bring her in the woods and show her some of the lady’s slippers that are blooming.  Yesterday Neal and I took the kayaks out for the first paddle of the season.  While on the water we saw a kingfisher, a heron, a duckling, and two beavers.  Best of all, it was a lot cooler on the water.

Scout was sweet and sent me an invite to Ravelry.  She gave me a nudging to use Flickr, too, so I’ve been taking some time to upload pictures.  Ravelry is rocking my world; it’s an organizer’s wet dream.  When I get home this afternoon, I’ll figure out how to make the nifty little collages in Flickr and post some wedding pictures here–blogless Sara gave me a disc on Sunday, and there are at least two more on their way. 

So what does a girl knit after a lace stole has consumed her for six weeks?  I’ve started Adele from the current Rowan magazine.  More details and some random pictures later.

It’s her birthday, it’s her birthday. 

I met Mona through the Albuquerque SnB, and she’s one of the reasons I miss NM a lot.  Mona’s got style and wit and strong sense of the right thing to do in sticky situations-she’s helped me to think more clearly on several occasions.  She’s frickin’ hilarious, too.  If her laugh doesn’t make you laugh, I’d suggest checking your pulse.

G’on over and give her your good wishes, ok?