Not much time to contemplate right now; the first of the month is always a bit of chaos & angst at work, compounded this time with missing staff & my quickly approaching vacation (yeah me!), so I will just offer up a few bullets of arbitrary observations:
öThe blouse was finished late Saturday evening; I wasn’t thrilled with the fit of the sleeves & around the abdomen (must get more serious about losing this weight), so I nearly abandoned the whole thing as a lost cause. But stubbornness & frugality won the day; I rigged, adjusted, & slapped on the buttonholes, & viola- a presentable garment. I got a couple of compliments- which I graciously accepted without pointing out the glaring flaws- & was much more comfortable in the long run. Turns out we were hopping busy at Ravenswood, despite the warm temperatures- I gave three full tours myself & didn’t have time to knock the croquet ball around with the ladies.
öI’m finally wrapping up the church quilt; all that is left is slip-stitching the binding & I think I will forward that on to the other ladies to complete. The only time I have to work on it is in the evening, & as the fabric is dark green, being stitched with black thread, I’m getting a headache trying to see clearly; I think one of the stay-home ladies would have an easier time working in daylight. I’m also donating a nearly completed quilt I made 10 years ago (it just needs binding- can you tell I don’t really like that part?); it was a Stash Challenge quilt I made originally for Jessica- she didn’t like my color choices & showed no interest in having it. It has been sitting in my fabric closet, aggravating me every time I see it, so I decided to donate it to the cause- someone will love it & Women’s Ministries will gain the profits.
öThe emails & phone calls have been flying fast & furious of late amongst my extended family- my brother D’s wedding is a week from Saturday & everyone seems to be in panic mode. Having been through more than my share of this pre-nuptial insanity, I have been fully sympathetic, but refused to be sucked into the chaos. Until this weekend. When D called me- for the very first time in his life (yes, I am serious- my siblings do not call me- we only talk if we happen to meet at our parents’ house)- & asked me to sing at his wedding. In two weeks. Okay, that came from left field; but this is my little brother, getting married for the first time at age 39, so against my first impulse to run in the opposite direction, I say “Yes, if you really want me to- what did you have in mind?” Among effusive (for him) thanks, he says he’ll email me the song list- pick out a couple I think I can do & it will be fine. Okaaay. I wonder silently whether bride-to-be W knows anything about this, but I guess that’s not my problem. The long & short of the story is: I’ll be singing “Over the Rainbow” & “Devoted to You” accompanied by electric/acoustic guitar (youngest brother B), mandolin (youngest sister’s “man” E from Kauai), & ukulele (step-dad’s sister’s boyfriend M). Yep. Ukulele. And we’ll only have one rehearsal- the night before, once everyone arrives in Whistler. Oy. Have I mentioned my family is insane? Well, maybe not insane; maybe more unconventional with a twist of peculiar. Poor W- she has no idea what she’s signed on for.
Five more work days & I am so out of here; this has been a hard-won vacation, & I plan on enjoying myself, despite my nutty relatives. For the next 9 days, every evening but one has a commitment, & that one will be spent packing & coaching the guys on their duties while I’m away.
Unlike dear Jane & her ever-lovin’ Homer, I am not a “fly by the seat of your pants” traveler; I have a one-inch thick folder (started when D & W announced their engagement & subsequent Canadian wedding) with- in order: passport receipt/paperwork, flight itinerary, car rental receipt, directions from Vancouver airport to hotel #1, reservation confirmation to hotel #1, directions from hotel #1 to bed & breakfast in Whistler (no confirmation receipt on this one- Mother is paying for this, so I’ll just have to trust she’s got it in hand, or sleep in my car), directions from bed & breakfast in Whistler to wedding venue, directions from bed & breakfast to hotel #2 in Vancouver, reservation confirmation to hotel #2, directions from hotel #2 to Tsawwassen, confirmation receipts for ferry rides between Tsawwassen & Victoria, directions from ferry building to bed & breakfast in Victoria, & a list (with directions, times, cost, etc) of 3 things that are “must see” & 3 that are “would really like to see if there is time”. And this is one of my more relaxed trips- I don’t have to factor in the guys interests & wants, so I’m positively cavalier about my timetables & activities. Well, accept for the flight & ferry reservations; oh- and the rehearsal & wedding of course. Maybe if I did more traveling, I could just “go with the flow” like my friends & siblings do; then again, I’m an accounting geek-daughter of an Eagle Scout/engineer & bi-polar interior decorator- my very nature is to err on the side of caution & allow for any contingencies. Add to that the fact that I’m taking this trip all on my own (for the first time in my life!) & will have no one to blame but myself if I get lost or miss a travel connection. Yep, that’s me, Mrs. Serene herself- the living embodiment of stress-free nonchalance.
Prayers accepted.
2 comments:
Oh, I sooo wish I was going to see you on this trip! :0( It sounds like you have everything planned out, though - have fun!
Have a GREAT time. You really do deserve it.
The balloon shots are stunning. Nice work!
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