Category: Golightly Living

Dudes!  I just check my picks–I’m #1 in my pool!!!  Yowza!  I’m keeping my fingers crossed.  It would be a real triumph for this ignorant-about-sports-unless-it’s-UCONN-Huskies girl to win, no?

Is there a spa day in my future?  If I win this pool, there is!

I thought I’d pop on and say hi before I get ready for school. 

Knock wood, I’m making good progress on my dissertation.  You can see for yourself on my Treadmill Journal.  It’s fascinating reading, I assure you!

I have been knitting, believe it or not.  I try to knock off writing at about 9:00.  I traipse down the hall to the living room, ask Maddie to move over (she’s quite accommodating about it), and I work on my Shetland Triangle while watching the Tudors.  At times, the writing in the show is a bit didactic, but I can forgive it because, really?  Has there ever been a hotter Henry VIII?  Neal’s loving it, too.  History Channel with sex, he calls it. 

Two days left on my big push.  I can’t wait to clean my house next weekend.  Seriously.  I’d take a picture of my office, but it’s too embarrassing right now, and the laundry?  When will someone invent a folding-and-putting-away machine? 

Finally, my internet connection has been wonky this week.  If I haven’t e-mailed you back, most likely that’s why.  Thanks for the comments, though!  I really appreciate them.

Watching the men’s UCONN Huskies is one of my favorite past times.  I love to see them play basketball, even when they’re having a game like they are right now.  I hope they can pull it out today as I’ve got them in my bracket.

Last night I had a little bracket triumph–I got EVERY pick right.  16 out of 16, baby.  It’s fallen apart a bit today, but for a girl who doesn’t know a whole lot about sports, it was a big triumph.

In case you’re wondering, I’ve got Kansas going all the way.  How about you?

When I’m cranky or my temper bubbles, Neal often closes his eyes, rocks side to side, and says in a sweet voice, "go to your happy place.  Go to your happy place."  Inevitably, I giggle, but it does help me to picture my happy place when I’m down.  Since I was such a cranky ass last night, I thought I’d share my happy place with you today.

In New Mexico, when I felt bummed about the lack of green and water, I’d think of the beaver pond.  It’s about a half mile walk in the woods.  Beavers dammed up the brook a few years ago, and the area flooded over.  Some reverse engineering from the neighbors enabled the brook to flow again, but Neal and I still call it the beaver pond. 

When the weather warms up, Maddie likes little better (she’ll always like food better) than to  go for a swim, but Tilly never goes in the water.

Earlier in March, Margene-the-birthday-girl asked for readers to tell a story about their special place.  I didn’t participate because I had a hard time deciding which of my special places to share.  Having gone to my happy place with me, will you tell me about yours? 

I’ve had it in my mind to join the 101 in 1001 crew since I first read about it in the fall, but I didn’t want to start on January 1, mainly because I didn’t have a list completed.  Instead, I thought I’d make the start day my birthday (yesterday), my personal New Year’s day.  I posted a link to my list in the sidebar if you’re interested.  I used the clever date calendar to find out what my end date would be, and get a load of this:  it’s my oldest sister’s birthday, 2010!

Last year’s birthday was a wash; this year’s goes in my Top Ten, joining my 21st (remember the Paul McCartney concert, KK?), my 26th (in Vatican City!) and 33rd (perfect Manhattan day).  Neal ruptured a disc in early January, so the poor guy has been on a slow, harrowing path to recovery.  To do my part, I’ve been taking the early morning walk–no fun in the cold, but I’m glad to make life easier for my lovey.  My birthday started with Neal’s taking the girls out for me–I got to stay snuggled in the bed for the longest time in ages.  After a laid back morning of opening cards and a couple of presents, we headed off to one of our favorite antique stores, hitting an estate sale along the way.  Many goodies were purchased, including a fabulous complete Austen from the 30s and a lovely copy of this photo. 

To add to the festivities, my UCONN Huskies were on, and they played a great game.  The team is starting to really come together after last year’s terrible season.  After the game I took the girls on their afternoon walk in the snow, then I hunkered down with my sister’s gifts–tea in a new mug and lots of fiber magazines.   One of my  sweet neighbors stopped by with her  "heart  pounding" cookies for me (I believe that’s how Blog-free Kim refers to these amazing treats).  How lucky am I?

The evening ended with Indian food at our local joint and a few more gifts to unwrap.  I’ll have pictures of my new books to share, along with an amazing PIF that landed in my mailbox. 

I’ve been registered as an Independent since my earliest voting days, way back in the late 80s.  Last fall, though, I changed my registration, just so I could vote in the 2008 Primary tomorrow.  I’m not much for talking politics; I’m not interested in the politics of others, frankly.  I know what I want and expect from my government, and I take appropriate actions for me, including writing letters when I’m so moved, and voting, always.  I like to educate myself about the candidates, of course, but political rhetoric usually ends up irritating me.

I have high hopes for tomorrow.  I have high hopes for the election in November.  If you’re in one of the states that makes up Super Tuesday, I hope you’re moved to vote.  I don’t much care how you vote, but we’ve got this right to vote, and I fear that not enough of us do it.  We already know the power of the knitters…let’s see it at work tomorrow!

Yay, voting!

I’ve started what I hope and pray is my last semester of graduate school.  As I toil away at my dissertation, I’m also taking the final literature class I need for my degree.  Part of the class requirements includes my recitation of 20-30 lines from Chaucer.  I’m adept at reading (and translating to modern English) him in Middle English as I took an undergrad independent study in order to learn this handy little skill.  The pronunciation part?  Not my forte.  Luckily I have a fair ear for accents, and Blog-free Kim is willing to revisit her undergrad Chaucer days to help me along.  Recordings from my professor and others that I’ve found online should help, too.

Yesterday morning after the early dog walk, I crawled back into the cozy bed with Neal.  We got to talking about what’s in store for me this semester, as well as what I plan to do with myself after graduation (knock wood, fingers crossed).  The idea of a Ph.D. or a law degree was mentioned, and while I love to learn, I’m just SO done with being a student.  At least for a while.  I long for free time to pursue other parts of my life and other interests.  A year from now, though?  I’ll probably be all "oh, how I miss school."  Remind me of that post when you hear that from me, will ya?

I’m only a week into the semester, and already I’m longing for May.  It’s right around the corner, right?

Did you have a good New Year’s Eve?  A fortuitous start to 2008?  I hope so.

Our little dinner party was a fun way to ride the cusp of the two years.  Good company, good food, good champagne.  There were even fireworks just after midnight. 

I started the year a bit lazily, although I made sure to take actions that were on my 2008 goals list.  Simple things, like taking a vitamin supplement.  Neal and I shook ourselves out of the stupor we were in for a trek in the woods.  About four inches of powder had fallen, and it made for a fabulous ski, even if I did turf it twice at the bottom of hills and once when I was being a wise guy, sticking out my ass for Neal to brush off the snow.   The first tumble was the most spectacular as I tried out my fledgling skills and failed to take a curve at the bottom of the hill.  Knee hit ice, and I have an impressive little bruise to show for it.

I just finished my Treadmilling, and I’m going to wind up some yarn for a scarf I want to make.  I’ve been nearing the end of the Forest Canopy shawl, and as I’ll be traveling this week, I figure I’ll take along a new project.  My WIP list (no longer UFOs.  They are not burdens, but joys) has gotten manageable, and I think I can make some serious progress on the new scarf.

Tomorrow afternoon I head to Nashville (well, technically Brentwood) to visit my oldest sister.  She  called this morning with  super exciting news, which makes me feel like this visit is perfectly timed.  I might try to hit one of the SnBs at Threaded Bliss Yarns–anyone in the Brentwood area going to be there on Thursday? 

In the meantime, though, I’m going to do some housework and get packed.  I tend to travel light, so it shouldn’t take long.  I’ll try to post while I’m away, but if not, I’ll catch you all next week!

As I prepare for my New Year’s Eve dinner party, I have plenty of time to reflect on 2007 and to hope for 2008.  This has been a fantastic year.  The biggest moment for me was when Neal and I declared ourselves married, but there have been so many wonderful times, from passing my comprehensive exam to selling my condo, and smaller things, too, like starting the Tobacco Valley Stitch and Bitch, knitting my finest piece to date, revisiting my love for biking, learning to cross-country ski, taking up running (if a weekly run, indeed, constitutes taking it up), celebrating my parents’ 50th anniversary with them, cheering on Neal as he took a new job, and making new friends while I nurtured other friendships. 

I’m happy with the writing I did this year, too.  I generated some new work as I revised older stuff.  I’m in the midst of the second revision of my dissertation (I’m hoping with fingers and toes crossed to defend in April).  While I could be even more dedicated to my writing practice, I’ve found out what works for me, and I do my best to follow that.  Once I graduate and move on to more permanent work, I’ll have to rethink my writing practice time, but it’s ingrained in me now, and I’m confident I’ll figure it out.

As I think about my hopes for 2008, I’ve made a list of goals.  Some are health and fitness related, some are geared toward spiritual growth.  There are writing and professional goals, and there are goals to help me feel happier in the kitchen.  I have gardening goals.  I have spinning goals (um, spin more!), and I have goals for knitting and embroidery and water coloring.  I plan to create a list of 101 things to accomplish in 1001 days, but I don’t feel that has to have a 1/1/08 start date.

I hope, as you  cross from 2007 to 2008, that you have  a quiet moment to reflect and to hope, too.  I  have a  good feeling for 2008.  It’s going to be a  fabulous year!

Happy New Year!!

This weekend felt like a mini-vacation, and I think it was the skiing what did that.  Blog-free Kim and Neal’s bf joined us for a shorter trek than we took on Friday.  I’ll admit to some serious cranky pants attitude when we were halfway up a steep hill and BF Kim mentioned that the point of going up was to come down. 

"I wish they’d effing told me that," I pouted and potty mouthed, with a few curses and yells as I struggled to the top.

Then we got up there.  I apologized for the expletives.  No one cared.  Neal went down the hill.  Kim and her faithful friend Clancy took it with grace and style. 

"You go next," Brian said.
"No, I don’t want to trip you up when I fall."
"Go.  I want the fastest run."
I stood at the top, told myself to maintain balance, and I flew.  Ok, so it wasn’t flying, but it sure felt like it.  I whooped my way down, and the rest of the trek home, I felt pretty damn pleased with myself.

I may need to take up down hill skiing.  Just saying.