It's the old small talk!
450 seventh grade girls gathered before the sun came up to attend a statewide middle school conference because science, technology, engineering, and math should not be considered “non-traditional” career choices for women.
50 of those girls are from St. Louis.
Meredith is one of them. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
The new couches arrived today just in time for a canine snooze.
I’ve never had a leather couch. I’ve never had a reclining couch. I’ve never had a couch that held a special compartment for drinks and things.
Me: That box thing will be perfect for my knitting projects!
Meredith: I think it’s made for remote controls, but if you want to be all “Me First!” about it, I guess you can shove your knitting in there.
(Meredith’s sense of humor is often exactly what I need. Here is another example, because I know you’re craving one.)
Me: Did you see that? She called out for the raspberry shaved ice twice and when no one responded, she pitched it!
Meredith: Well, you know they’re not going to put up with any BS at a place called Bahama Buck’s.
Unrelated: I think the next shirt I make will go a little something like this.
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The neighbors down the street have a tree that looks like this (because this is their tree) and I really have no idea what it is, but I love it. When I pass it during my walks I always say, “You’re a very pretty tree.” because we all need encouragement to keep doing nice things.
I have a friend who has the strange ability to read my mind and I could sing songs to you all evening about her, but I also want to keep her all to myself. Yesterday morning I spent quite a bit of time reading about mala beads. I think they’re lovely, I like the thought of having a tool for focusing on good intentions, and I’ve been a little stressed out lately so anything that gives my fingers something to do is just what the doctor ordered (although the doctor didn’t really order it). ((Clichés are rattlesnakes.))
Last night I met my friend for tea. She reached into her bag and handed these jasper mala beads to me. She had no idea that I had been doing research. Magical.
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This is what happened on the morning of the first day of spring.
(So many people were angry about the snow. “SNOW?! It’s SPRING!” Also, “SNOWWTF?!” To me, it felt like one last hurrah and five hours later it was completely gone, so settle down, Ruffles!)
Jeff was the reader at church this morning and because Palm Sunday was one of his favorite Sundays when he was growing up, I loved that he was able to hit the podium and share his gift. (Not only can he read, but he can READ!!!) ((When we were dating, he would call my voicemail at work and read essays to me. I would often wake up in the middle of the night and check my voicemail just so I could hear his voice sharing the latest installments. Goopy love.))
Today’s theme was Advocacy and I’m so glad I was there to take some notes.
Also, this was spotted in the coat room.
I do love our church. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
Although I meant to knit, spin, and read, I spent most of the day being lazy with the cats.
Jeff rallied us at 6:00 for dinner and a little surprise couch shopping. (Although I love our current couch, it has been ripped up by long-gone cats, the cushion seams are busted, and it smells like a lifetime devoted to wet dogs and kids who vomit.)
We went with this because a red couch seems like a good idea.
Afterwards, we celebrated by eating shaved ice because I think eating shaved ice after buying a couch is a thing.
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Today I learned that there is nothing wrong with the occasional kolache. (Yesterday at this time I didn’t know what a kolache was. It’s so important to keep learning.) For lunch, I enjoyed an egg and cheese kolache and a spinach and mushroom kolache and now I want to try to make sweet potato pecan kolaches and blackberry apple kolaches and blueberry peach kolaches. (Every time I type the word kolache my computer burps up a red underline to tell me that I’m dreaming.)
I finished my Norrland hat and I’m super proud of it.
(Both colors of yarn have silver woven in, so the hat is super sparkly. There is a slight chance of snow on Sunday.)
Finally, I made another shirt because I can’t seem to stop making shirts.
My freelance project should be here in two weeks. Can you tell that I turn into a nervous ball of creative energy when I’m waiting for a project? It’s not pleasant, but it’s certainly productive. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
You guys: This Lent thing. Do you know what I’m saying?
I was just in BED because my allergies (they really ARE allergies) are making me cranky and then I was like, “Well, hell. NaBloPoLenta!” So here I am. Back downstairs. In my pajamas with a weird honey pumpkin masque all over my face. (I’m saying masque instead of mask only because I’m very fancy.)
Meredith had her braces removed today and her teeth look amazing and you’re just going to have to take my word for it because she no longer wants to be exploited at Fluid Pudding.
Harper had her parent/teacher conference this evening and it went really well and I would post her grades, but she no longer wants to be exploited at Fluid Pudding.
Unless I start going on adventures soon, this is going to turn into (even more of) a cat and dog blog.
Tempe dropped by this afternoon for some hard core t-shirt making, some perfectly ripe avocado cheddar sandwich eating, and some friendly diagnostic services. Because of her knowledge and connections I am now convinced that I have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, which is called SIBO by the cool kids who proliferate bacteria faster than you can type the phrase “rhythm nation bacteria proliferation.”
Do you ever do the thing where you’re like, “Maybe my gallbladder is bad!” and then “Maybe I’m having phantom appendix pain!” and then “Could my one remaining ovary be working its way toward the center making me sort of like a three-legged dog?” Confession: That’s what I’ve been doing since December which is why I’m ALSO being all “YOGAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!”
It’s 9:33 at night. Harper and Jeff are trying to catch a bug. Meredith is searching for a permission slip that’s due tomorrow. The dogs think they need corn chips. The cats are resting so they can go to Crazy Town at approximately 3am.
I hope your Thursday was a good one. Mine was a good one.
Do I need a shirt that says Swanky? ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
Because the tree count is high and I’m allergic to every single tree (I’m not exaggerating), today has been devoted to a lot of this:
And even more of this:
I’ll be back tomorrow. NaBloPoLenta!
EDITED TO ADD: I just researched the tree count, and it’s not high at all! I believe this is a cold and NOT allergies! This changes everything! (This changes nothing.)
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This is what I know: If I were to be elected President of the United States, I would probably do a really shitty job. Like, REALLY shitty. I can be talked into giving money to just about anyone, and I don’t even MAKE that much money. I want to knit hats for good-hearted people who are actively dreaming and searching out better opportunities. I think everyone should be given their own umbrella and if you don’t WANT an umbrella you should receive a voucher to cash in for a warm monthly dinner. I don’t want anyone to go into serious debt just because their appendix blew up and they had to have it taken out. Only people who can take care of dogs can have dogs. I want to be the president who cures cancer. I want to encourage regular neighborhood get-togethers (introverts get a pass). I want to take some guns away and offer incentives to people who step up and get involved with community service. I want to see a major decline in the prison population. I want every child to feel loved and encouraged and well-rested and never hungry. I want to enforce Meatless Mondays. Someday we’ll find it, the rainbow connection—the lovers, the dreamers, and me.
Yes. I voted for Bernie Sanders today.
And, yes. I know there’s a fairly good chance that he won’t be our candidate. I had to vote with my heart.
It’s such a charged time for us. Overly charged. For the first time in my life I truly have no idea what will be happening a year from now. (Actually, I suppose it’s safe to say that I never have an idea in regard to the happenings of next year. I’m not a wizard! I’ve never felt this ruffled about the future before.)
WHOOSH! I have to change the subject because wetlrkdafogiyaehrtkajnawp9hy8. (That was me banging my big forehead against the keyboard.)
We have essential oil winners!
RzDrms won the lavender!
Sherry won the orange!
Kathy G won the lemongrass!
Thank you all so much for dropping by and participating in the giveaway, and thank you to Better Essentials for the oils! (Don’t forget to check out the Better Essentials website!) ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
Do you remember when I chose my words for 2016?
This morning I felt an urgent need to put those words on a t-shirt. So I did.
I then met Tempe for a much needed sushi/coffee/knitting adventure before returning home to this t-shirt in my mailbox.
Also, I did some laundry, I cleaned up a bit, I practiced some yoga, I wandered around the neighborhood with Jeff, and I’m currently getting ready to settle down with some chamomile tea and a book. It’s time for a freelance gig, but until it arrives I’m going to keep on doing what I’m doing.
I’ll be drawing names after I vote tomorrow! You still have time! ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>