Category: Golightly Living

In the wee small hours of Friday night/Saturday morning, I joined a few others in stoking the flames of the fire kiln at the studio where I took a class this winter.  It was kind of wonderful to be out in the cold, stars fierce in their brightness, a brook bubbling just beyond where we worked.  Wonderful in the truest meaning of the word: full of wonder.  I learned quite a bit, but I also had a lot of quiet time as I fed the fire to think about the breadth of history of pottery.  I have no illusions about the quality of my pots that made it to the wood kiln.  They are the work of a beginner and will look like it.  But just as I feel connected to a deep history when I knit and spin and when I write a story, throwing clay and then tending the fire that makes the clay functional gave me connection and helped to root me on this earth.  Next Saturday the kiln will be opened, and I’ll have five vessels (if they survive the firing) to remind me of this experience. 

Last night was kind of wonderful in a different way.  Neal and I went to the Calvin Theater to see Lucinda Williams and her band.  Her voice is rough and dreamy and rich, and her lyrics are the same.

How lame is it when you don’t even want to do the things that usually work well for procrastination?  I don’t really feel like working on any of my writing projects, and usually I clean house when that happens.  Something about the smell of Murphy’s Oil and the look of tidy tables and counters makes it easier for me to return to the writing with more zest.  It’s noon already, and I’ve only managed some half-hearted picking up. 

Maybe I’m just in an "meh" state of mind.  Last night at the Tobacco Valley SnB group, I couldn’t concentrate on anything.  I knit a little on Neal’s sock, then spun a bit, then worked on Bejeweled.  Nothing was rocking my world.  Is it because I’ve got Granny on the brain?  I spent a lot of energy being diligent about finishing UFOs last year, so I’m trying not to start too many new projects, but I may just have to admit to myself that, at least in this part of my life, I don’t like monogamy.  Is this what everyone means when they talk about lost knitting mojo?

Thanks for the good wishes on being observed.  My students were fantastic; they were chatty and smart, which made everything much easier.  I still have to have the follow-up meeting with the department chair, but it’s a relief to have it done for another semester.

Anyone else suffering from a wee ennui?  How are you shaking it?

If you’re too sick to celebrate, does your birthday still count?  I’m not trying to get out of an extra year–I love every year more than the one before.  But, golly, gee whiz.  Neal had big plans to take me on a fun-filled day out.  Instead, I’m on day two of full bed rest.  Seriously.  Yesterday I cancelled classes for the first time in the seven years I’ve been a teacher.  I couldn’t even stand up for more than a few minutes.  I’m a bit better today, but just a bit.  Not well enough to knit, though.  Are you welling a tear for me yet?

I guess the upside is an extension of birthday festivities, right?  And.  I know there’s a Whoopie Pie waiting for me for dessert in the fridge.

This weekend we de-decorated the house.  I enjoy having the festive things around the house, but I like a more spartan look better.  Not that I could really call our home spartan; Neal’s a collector, and I have a pile of books and fiber taking up space.  When I moved from a large apartment to a much smaller one, though, I learned how to pare down to the most necessary objects.  What did William Morris say?  "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or do not believe to be beautiful."  Slowly I’ve been taking my things out of storage.  Some are like old friends, welcomed back to my life and rich with memories.  Others, I wonder why I let them take up space, even storage space, in my life.  It feels good to find new homes for those things.

The artificial tree that I borrowed from my sister is on its way back to our parents’ house.  I’m appreciative of the loan, even though I didn’t like the looks of the tree.  By the way, that does not mean that the person loaning it to me displeased me, but rather that the tree wasn’t real, and that displeased me.  Is it the job or duty of siblings to please each other?  I never try, so maybe I’m a bad sibling.  I just strive to be myself.  If siblings don’t like it, as my neice would say, so sad, too bad.  But I’m just being cranky now, and there’s no need for that.

Tomorrow I go back on the treadmill.  Time to churn out a novel.

I commented after reading this that a lot of us must be on the same wavelength as Scout.  I’m ready to frog my hot pink Clapotis.  I love the pattern, but the truth is, I’m not in love with the yarn any more.  The other problem?  The one I tried to talk myself out of its being a problem?  Yeah.  In January 2006 I had a lesson in gauge and switched from knitting Continental to English style.  My work just looks nicer that way, although I’m still a slow knitter using English.  Well, my Clapotis was partially knit while I knit more loosely, and partially knit since my knitting has gotten tighter.  It looks like crap to have such radically different gauges in the same piece, and since I’m not digging the yarn:  out the door, baby!  I will knit a Clapotis, but it will be out of a different yarn. 

Now that UFO is off my chest, here are a few that have creeped in (or hung around) since UFO August:

• Neal’s 2005 Christmas socks
• MB’s 2005 Christmas socks (um, technically not UFO as they’re not started yet…)
• Shadow Shawl (gotta get my mojo back on that one…every time I pick it up, I’m a little confused about what I’m supposed to do)
• Surprise baby gift with an impending deadline
• Repair Neal’s Christmas 2006 hat (yup, knit it too short)
• Jaywalker #2 (um, yeah.  I began them last year.)

So I guess that isn’t the worst list in the year.  Here are my knitting goals for 2007:

• Finish the above UFO list
• Hourglass sweater
• Klaralund (or something else with that pile of Noro Silk Garden)
• Simple Knitted Bodice
• Wedding Shawl (spin and knit)
• Craft all holiday gifts
• Anemoi mittens

I have the yarn for pretty much everything on that list, so there’s no good reason not to knit from my stash for most of 2007.

Other resolutions for different aspects of my life are mulling around the ol’ brain.  But I think I’m off to bed now.  It’s starting to depress me to be in a room with a football game on.  Not exactly a kick off to the new year in my book, but that’s what I get for not being in a festive spirit.

See you next year!

I just submitted the grades for my classes.  What a relief to have those done!  I had to call on my oldest sister for a little Excel help.  She sure made it go more quickly for me.

Thanks to everyone for the happy Christmas wishes–I hope you all enjoyed your winter holidays, too!  It was fabu to be in a room with the 17 other members of my immediate family–parents, sibs, their spouses, thier kids.  My dad spent the summer renovating the back porch so that we could all fit in one room for the holiday, and his hard work was worth it. 

My knitted gifts were well recieved, although I have to rip back the hat I made for Neal; I made it too short. 

As often happens, I got sick right after the holiday.  When I was finishing up my undergraduate degree and travelling south for the holiday, I inevitably spent some part of my break in bed nursing my bad lungs.  I’m fortunate that Neal has a good bedside manner.  He bullied me into resting on the couch with the dogs while he cleaned up the chaos that is our office/spare bedroom.  Yesterday, feeling much better, I set up my desk (we switched.  He has my little library desk, and now I have his huge antique attorney table.  I may even be able to set up my sewing machine on it!).  I have high hopes for a productive New Year, and I believe that begins with organization.

Which leads me to the Organized Elf.  Now that there is a smidge of breathing space between me and the holidays, I’m ready to go full force into this project.  If you want to join me, leave an e-mail saying so.  In the next two weeks, I’ll get the blog finalized and give access to it to participants.  There are nifty spreadsheets and lots of tips and ideas on the way, so c’mon, join me!

That nasty cold prevented my trip to Smith to look at the gardens, but we’re off tomorrow morning to check out our ceremony site.  Here’s hoping for a sunny Friday!

For the first time in 25 years, my entire family (I’m the youngest of five) will be together on Christmas Day.  The far-flung siblings and their kids are trickling in.  My oldest sister arrived Thursday night, and my brother from TN gets in today.  I’m so full of anticipation to see the 18 of us at one table.  It’s a rare event, and I plan to savor every moment of it.

I hope your holiday weekend is full of joyful moments. 

Merry Christmas!

xx

I’ve got six bags of goodies ready to be distributed to such people as the neighbors who sneak homemade dog treats to Maddie and Tilly, the woman who runs the copy room where I work (hey, when I go there just before class and ask for 60 copies, she always does it, and I want that good will to continue), the administrative assistant in the English department, the mailman…and two other lucky people.  We made chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks, and I’m just crazy about how they look.

Last night when Neal brought the boxes of his holiday stuff down from the attic, I was heartened to find some of the missing ornaments.  I’ll take pictures soon.  There are still some treasures missing, but my ex told me that his mom just gave him a bag of our ornaments that I guess had been mixed in with hers.  There is hope.  There is always hope.

I ate about six small cookies today, and my brain is just aching from the sugar.  It’s not that I live sugar free, but since I moved back east, I’ve been making a real effort to eat a healthier diet.  Living on my own I found it all too easy to eat food that was fast to prepare, but not so tasty or healthy.  One of the changes I’ve made has been to cut out my beloved cookies…no more triple ginger cookies at the Flying Star on a Tuesday night.  I sampled every type of cookie we made, and now I feel exhausted, hungover, sorry for having indulged.  I take these bad feelings as a good thing, though, as a reminder that Neal’s goal of having me reach for fruit instead of cookies is closer than ever to being achieved.

My sister and her kids arrive in 49 hours.  I cannot wait to see them.  Can. not. wait. 

Tomorrow night’s task: write out Christmas cards. 

Maybe it’s the holidays, maybe it’s the contentment of knowing Neal and I will be married next year, but I’m feeling happy and enjoying the things of my childhood.  I asked my mom about the red-white-and-blue pin.  She doesn’t remember it, but I think she may when I show her the green pin I purchased last week.

Anyhow.  What’ got me so happy now is the new Kate Gilbert pattern for her Lise socks.  Tell me they are not the most adorable things you’ve ever seen; I cannot wait to cast on for a pair, pom-pom and all!  Don’t you just want to prance about with those inside your serious boots?  Now that’s the way to dress for work.

I’m also basking in what may be my most very favorite movie:  Mary Poppins.  Every song, one after the other, is familiar to me.  One song, in particular, evokes so many memories.  My grandfather was a chimney sweep, and he loved to hear us sing "Chim-Chiminee".  Whenever I hear it or sing it myself, I think of him, of his blue workshirts, of being quiet in the house so he could sleep after a long night’s work (he was also a steam cleaner, which meant he was working in restaurants after they closed), of the smell of him when he came home from a job.  On his gravestone my gramps had a chimney sweep carved, along with this little poem: "Say a prayer and touch the sweep, and you will have good luck all week."  He had a great sense of humor and used to say that this way he’d always have people praying over his grave. 

So if you have a fireplace, when you get it cleaned next, be sure to shake hands with your sweep, say a little prayer, and luck is sure to follow.