Let me just check my Daybook...

Monday, April 28th

Outside my Window

...I see the cats “roaming in the gloaming” of twilight- Daisy is laying on the patio, soaking the warmth from the bricks into her old bones, Poppy is exploring the perimeter of the beds, smelling each green thing, & Dahlia has flattened herself into the grass, waiting to pounce on an unsuspecting bug.

I am thinking...about all the activities of the weekend- the heat & sounds of the Highland Games in Sacramento, the beauty & variety of Filoli Estates.

I am thankful for...the gift of a big hat & the miracle of sunscreen (SPF 30) ; I was outside all weekend, wandering in the hot sun, & not a single sunburn!

From the kitchen...the scent of tea brewing for a pitcher of sweet tea- black tea with lemon peel & spearmint

I am creating...two little knitted washcloths for a surprise baby shower later this week.

I am going...to the Michael Buble concert in Sacramento on Sunday, a gift for myself

I am wearing...a pale yellow challis skirt with large coral roses & green leaves, a coral colored polo, & spring green knitted low-rise socks

I am reading... The Grey Mask by Patricia Wentworth, & finishing up Enchanted April by Elizabeth Von Arnim

I am hoping...that the weather will be kind during Chris’ sojourn in Denver, & that no crisis will extend his stay beyond the two weeks

I am hearing...the sounds of the television show Chris is sleeping through, Sam taking his evening shower, & Beatrice the Lovebird singing her “Goodnight Aria” to her cousins outside the window.

Around the house...everyone is shedding clothing to get comfortable- it got rather warm today & it’s hard to sleep in a stuffy room; I think I’ll turn on the A/C for a bit.

One of my favorite things...clean sheets on a freshly made bed

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...commemorate the 45^th anniversary of my entrance to the world today; finish the second washcloth & put together another row on the Church quilt; Thursday is the National Day of Prayer & our choir is performing at the banquet.

Here are some picture thought I am sharing for you...

Please drop by Peggy’s blog, “The Simple Woman”, to join (or just read along) the other ladies as they take a snapshot of their day & focus on the simple things.

I think the band was "Kansas"

Spring fever has landed around the Garden this past week, which is my only excuse for neglecting this page. Well, that & the antihistamine hangover that has led me to my bed by 8:30 every evening. While I do suffer from seasonal allergies, this is not the season that bothers me- I have more problems in the late summer & early fall, when the grains are harvested. No, this time of year it is the nemesis of every diligent homemaker & neat freak that drives me to the bottle- dust.

One of the notable features of my area of California is the preponderance of wind, euphemistically called “Delta Breezes” by local forecasters. It was an adjustment at first, having to really think about my car’s spatial relationships to other vehicles (the wind can snatch a door right out of your hand), training myself & the children to wear sunglasses everyday (much more attractive then goggles), & learning to gauge the proper weight & placement of yard furniture to increase your chances of keeping it on your patio (or at least finding it still in your own neighborhood). The first major concession I had to make was my hair; I had worn it in a pre-Raphaelite style, nearly waist length & full of mousse-coated curls. It took only about a month to admit the truth- unless my hair was braided tightly, within 20 minutes of leaving the house, my hairdo went from “Belle Dame Sans Merci”

 

 

to “Rosanna Rosanna Dana”,

 

 

and so off it came.

I admit that when I overhear complaints from newcomers about the wind, my empathy is heavily woven with amusement & aggravation- I mean, really, what did they expect when the view of the hills to the west includes legions of windmills, every shape & size, spread 15 or 20 miles in either direction? It’s rather like complaining about the noise when you buy a house next to the airport or the pungent smell when you live next to a pig farm- it comes with the territory, so why bleat on about it?

Anyway, the return of warmer temperatures has been followed by an increase in the force of local winds, which in turn has churned up an abundance of dust liberally mixed with acacia pollen. I briefly considered wearing a mask for protection, but after seeing our local nutcase (not P.C. I know, but there’s no other way to describe her) shuffling along the sidewalk lugging her tote bag, wearing her cardigan, sensible shoes, & a surgical mask- well, I just couldn’t bring myself to mirror her style choices any further.



I did not make it back to yoga this past week; as a matter of fact, it will probably be a while before I can attempt it again. I guess I injured my arm a bit more severely than I thought- no bones were broken, but it appears that all the bruising I had was from some torn muscles, which are taking their sweet time healing.

I had treated myself to a nice long soak in the tub the other night, complete with some sweet smelling bath salts & my new read along book; when I went to push myself out of the water, my left arm folded like a cheap lawn chair & the resulting bath water tidal wave drenched poor Dahlia, who was laying next to the tub, waiting for me to come out & play.

I suppose I ought to go back to the doctor for some follow-up treatment, but can’t seem to motivate myself quite that far- more time off work is not something I need right now.



Sam’s yard sale success was minimal; his concept of visible signage needed some adjustment, as well as his assumption that since everyone sleeps in on Saturday mornings, a 10:00 am start would be sufficient. Our agreement was that we would supply the stuff & the change, he would provide all the labor & supervision, & we would share the proceeds 50/50; his cut was a grand total of $17.50 & he was okay with that, but wants to try again next week. He had some good ideas, like having hot coffee & donuts available for sale (the kids in the neighborhood bought them all) & his color-coded pricing system, so with an earlier start & a bit more work on his displays (the wind was pretty vicious that day, so we were chasing things down all afternoon), he should do well.



Evenings are being devoted to getting the yard & garden into order; Chris is leaving for a minimum two-week stay in Denver next week. We’ve been trying to get all the plants we want this Spring put in, supports installed, sprinkler heads replaced, lawns fed & weeded, & the vegetable bed drip lines rerouted, so I can handle the majority of the upkeep- preferably one handed- while he’s away. One project I would love to have done is converting the former rabbit cage stand into a raised planter box for herbs; when we were last at Filoli Gardens, I saw these wonderful miniature Victorian knot gardens, done in raised boxes, which mirrored the full-sized ones nearby. I saw something similar in the recent Better Homes & Garden magazine, complete with tiny furniture, greenhouses, trellises & such- now I’d like to give it a try (though maybe not quite that elaborate)

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I will be back later this week with another peek at my Daybook~ I have some ambitious plans for the next week or so. Hope you all are well & I’ll do my best to drop by for a visit.

A glance at my Daybook

For Today, April 14, 2008

Outside My Window...Trees bending in the wind, silhouetted against a bright blue sky
I am thinking...about my little vegetable plot, the plants waiting to go in the ground, & the goodness I hope to harvest this summer
I am thankful for...God’s provision- we owe some tax money to the state & the side job my husband did this weekend covered the whole of the debt.
From the kitchen...Salmon filets, rice pilaf, & a seedless watermelon are waiting for the first cook to arrive home
I am creating...a tangled mess by frogging (for the third time) the beret I’ve been working on since January; first it was too small-more like a beanie; then the crown shaping went wonky & the cables were skewed; now it’s way too big & slouchy *sigh*
I am going...take a short walk this evening, to test out my new shoes on my suffering foot (plantar fasciitis)
I am reading... “The Enchanted April” by Elizabeth Von Arnim, “The Moving Finger” by Agatha Christie, & “Simple Abundance” by Sarah Ban Breathnach
I am hoping...to get caught up on my work at the office, since looming deadlines disturb my peace of mind.
I am hearing...Bach’s “Suite #4 in D Major” playing over my computer speakers
Around the house...there are too many little piles of paper & clutter; we have all become lax about keeping things tidy
One of my favorite things...the rumbling, contented purr & crooked, gap-tooth smile of my littlest feline flower, Dahlia
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Venture back to yoga on Wednesday evening- I have to test out my left arm at some point; pull out some things for an impromptu garage sale this Saturday- the boy needs to raise some funds for a convention & the community-wide Spring Cleaning pick-up will be a week from Thursday; work on the very neglected quilt for the Women’s Ministries auction- I haven’t had the pieces out of the bag since November
Here is picture thought I am sharing...

My Silly little Dahlia- I wish you could see her funny little smile

Please drop by Peggy’s blog, “The Simple Woman”, to join (or just read along) the other ladies as they take a snapshot of their day & focus on the simple things.

Friday Funnies 4

see more crazy cat pics

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The return of....

Cat Haiku

(author unknown)

Terrible battle.
I fought for hours. Come and see!
What's a 'tax return'

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Yes, it's that time again; my forms are signed & ready- but I keep the check until Tuesday, by golly!

I'm having my ears lowered after work, then need to collect the photos I plan on working with tomorrow; Sunday is the docenting gig, a bit of garden maintenance, & boxing up the goodies for my latest swap partner on Ravelry.  I'll probably be MIA until mid-week or so (I am soooo behind at work!)

Hope you all have a lovely, restful weekend

Confessions of a Not-So-Superwoman

Thank you all for the solicitous & sympathetic wishes sent my way this past week; I am healing- slower than I would like, but probably quicker than is warranted, given the type of injury & my inability to remember for the umpteenth time that I cannot move my arm “like that” just yet. The bruising has faded considerably- instead of resembling a psychedelic Easter egg, my arm now looks like it just needs a good scrubbing after working in the garden. My normal range of motion was roughly 150°, & a day after falling it was about 50°; I can now bend it about 95° without pain, though lifting things is still a challenge.

Being a functional invalid has its perks as well as some disadvantages- & not just for me. Sam finally passed his written driver’s test (it took 3 tries & he ended up missing the max allowed- kept second guessing himself), so he is now the proud holder of a California Learner’s Permit. This is a new experience for me (someday, I’ll tell you about Jessica’s “shortcut” to her license- I have yet to drive in a car with her :-p), but those of you who have traveled this road will be familiar with the drill: anytime we need to go somewhere, anytime I pick up my keys to unlock the shed, anytime time I even walk by the basket containing my keys or near the front door, he jumps up & cries “I’ll drive!” Fortunately for Sam, I am perfectly content for him to be my chauffer- I learned quickly that reaching back to put on my seatbelt is one of those automatic movements that makes my elbow scream.

Here are a few of the things I’ve learned during my tenure as a one-armed woman:

 

1.  There are many concerned, well-meaning, nosy people in my life

2.  Yes, I can get tired of talking about myself (at least in regards to being injured)

3.  I am responsible for entirely too much lifting & toting in my very white collar job

4.  Getting dressed employs more flexibility, muscle groups, & force than expected

5.  Putting an Ace bandage on your own arm is virtually impossible

6.  When the doctor says I shouldn’t lift anything over 5 pounds, he is correct (as witnessed by the lump on Dahlia’s head)

7.  Cats make very efficient (& forgiving) heating pads

8.  There is a limit to the number of items my husband will return for on one trip up or down the stairs (three)

9.     My son is very secure in his masculinity- he carried my pink & white backpack, with the huge “American Princess” patch on it, all over DC without batting an eye

 

Pampering is all well & good, but I am ready to get my routine back to normal; this is my weekend at Ravenswood (I still owe you all the second installment *sigh*) & I've been invited to an all-day scrapbook crop event on Saturday (I’ve got to make a dent in that stack of pictures). Independence is calling!

For the "Monty Python" Fans

 

see more crazy cat pics

 

 

see more crazy cat pics

 

see more crazy cat pics

Grey, round, about the size of a golfball...

Oh, my!

Has it really been a week since I last posted?

It hasn’t been due to vacation or general laziness, really.

No, this is the real culprit:

 

  

 

Pretty, isn’t it? Chris has taken to calling me TC- for Technicolor K. You know what else? I didn't even hit my elbow when I fell; I stepped on the rock & pitched forward, landing on one knee & my hands- my face was protected because I had my sling backpack in front of me (I was trying to fish out my camera). I didn't even hit that hard, but it was just enough to pop out the left elbow.  

When Chris went to the desk to get an ice bag, the staff leaped into action, arranging for a doctor to come to the hotel & sending up a huge basket of fruit, Rondele cheese, crackers, & a bottle of Shiraz. The doctor said my elbow most likely wasn’t broken, but only x-rays would tell for certain; since I didn’t want to spend several hours at an emergency room “just in case”, he wrapped it well, left a prescription for pain medication & instructions to see my personal physician when I got home.

Fortunately, a little incident like being mugged by a rock didn’t keep us from enjoying the rest of our stay in DC. We did drive over to the Jefferson & FDR Memorials that evening, walking around taking some evening shots, then went for BBQ & ice cream.

Wednesday was an absolutely gorgeous day. I was up early again (having not slept particularly well) to get a spot in line for a tour of the Capital- this worked out much better than the previous day J; afterwards, we went to the National Botanic Garden (right across the street) & down the road to the Air & Space Museum for the rest of the afternoon. We had dinner at an Italian place near the hotel, and then settled in for a long soak & a movie on TV.

We headed home on Thursday; it was another long day, with 2 delayed flights- we arrived at the house after 1:00 am (3 ½ hours late), much to the surprise & delight of the cats. It was a struggle to get to sleep, since all three of them were up on the beds, trying to get as close as possible, & Dahlia kept waking me up by tickling my face with her whiskers.

I’ve seen my doctor & had x-rays- everything is fine, just ugly looking. We had a wonderfully lazy weekend; Sam spent the night with a friend & OD’d on video games, while Chris worked in the yard, mowing & planting, & I held down my recliner in the living room. Just in case you were wondering- yes, I can knit, albeit a little slowly & gingerly.

The guys went back to the grind this morning- I’ll be off a couple more days until the swelling goes down a bit more & I regain some range of motion. Although I’m right-handed, I found I use my left hand more than I thought- typing has been a challenge & there won’t be any lifting for a while- but I plan on going in Wednesday, if only to direct traffic while others fetch & carry for me.

Hmmm~ I think I could get use to that.

 

Organized Knitting Club-March Challenge

Over at Ravelry (see sidebar button), I’ve joined a group of crafters dedicated to bringing order into our lives, which dovetails well into my Simple Abundance journey. Each month, they issue a challenge to tackle some part of our chaos; this month I chose to deal with my workspace. I need to be very structured in my work routine (I am an accounting specialist for a financial institution, with numerous recurring deadlines) & have normally kept my desk area almost hermetically sealed. But after the “powers that be” decided to move our department to another location four miles away, I lost the majority of my storage & have been working out of boxes for 3 months, as well as trekking back & forth from another closet area for my binders & journals.

With the arrival of the large lateral file I requested 4 1/2 months ago, I was able to finally congregate all my files, binders, records, & personal items. This also allowed me to clear off the counter, which had become a dumping ground for assorted equipment & supplies. I picked up a small shelving unit for the paper supplies I need to keep handy, which are normally kept in another part of the office. All that is left is to find a pleasant looking basket- something reflecting my tastes- to hold the multitude of bags I carry everyday: lunch tote, knitting bag, mailbag.

My hope now is that when I return to work next week, I’ll find my area the way I left it, so I can begin dealing with the disarray in the break room. One question though- how in the world did I end up as office manager?

Greetings from Washington DC

Written earlier this week, obviously; will be back for an update :-)
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Hey kids~ I have a couple munutes to check in & hit the highlights.

Flight- Long, 5 hour delay in Detroit, but slept thru most of it.

What was left of Saturday- rainy- was the Zoo (so-so) & searching out the hotel (nice- Sheraton at cheap-o price :-)

Sunday- clear & cold- Easter Services at the National Cathedral (awe inspiring) & exploring Mt Vernon (beautiful)

Monday- overcast- Arlington National Cemetary (sobering & reverent) Library of Congress (beautiful artwork & BOOKS!) & the National Archives ( all the Charters of Freedom & the Magna Carta as a bonus)

Today- clear & comfotable- off early to try for Washington Monument Tickets; tripped & did a 3-point landing outside the Metro. Dislocated my elbow & jarred every cell in my body, but popped it back in place & soldiered on. WWII Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean & Vietnam War Memorials (Freedon is never Free) & then the Natural History Museum (saw the Hope Diamond- yum- but the place was a zoo!)

I'm now resting with some ice while the guys explore the underground mall; hoping to go by the Jefferson Monument & the White House after dark if my arm feels good enough to drive.

Time is up- blessings to all- talk to you soon.

Welcome Spring

Spring Greetings from meg’s garden

 

I pray you each find the hope & promise of the new season

Get out & dig in the dirt, even if it’s only a pot of herbs to put in your window for now

 

We are off this afternoon for a week in the Nation’s Capital. I am unsure of the availability of the Internet where we are staying, let alone the time to write any entries, so if you don’t hear from me, trust I will be back in Blogland real soon, with lots of things to share.

 

Have a blessed Easter; we will be celebrating Resurrection Sunday at the National Cathedral & I will be thinking of you.