2022 Happy To Be Here

Again I paced through the house to get my steps in before I went to sleep. I hope getting my steps done will be easier once the weather warms some. It is the last day of February so spring is right around the corner.  Happy things from today are: Keziah and I finally got the contract signed for the studio and started paying. There was a delay on the other end and they got it to Keziah at the beginning of their vacation. Today was the first business day since they got back from vacation. Aesop, our dog, decided to take his bone for a walk today too.  He only put it down a few times and I had him pick it back up and he carried it home. It is day 57 of the A&S challenge and I wove again. I’m still working on fixing the tension, but I think it is looking better. ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year , Joan Borysenko. And Tracking & The Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign ,

 Every day since August 13, 2020 I have reached my 10,000 steps a day goal.  At 10 PM I was still just over halfway there, but I pushed on and reached the goal.  There was much pacing and jogging in place, but I did it.  I'm even more tired, but I am also happy and relieved that the goal was reached.  Other happy things from today: At the studio today Keziah worked on a very orange hood.  The result is spectacular. Sun setting through icicles.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     For day 56 of the A&S challenge I worked on Gideon's tunic and helped print some more masks for the event.  It was a productie time and friends came to help too! ☮ Currently reading:  Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spi

 It was a quiet week while the rest of the family were on vacation.  It was a fairly quiet day today while the rest of the family recovered from the jet lag.  It was quiet until they commented on how quiet it was.  That is when I started yelling, "What?  You want it loud?  I can be loud!  Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!! Loud!!  Is that better?!!"  I even stomped my feet for emphasis. 😂  It is good that they are home.  Other happy things for today: My phone and Facebook memories remind me that two years ago I was with Bel and Folke in Texas where we visited Big Bend and then New Mexico where we went to Carlsbad Caverns.  I miss them.  I'm thankful for the memories and the happiness I had that vacation week.   Things in the greenhouse seem to be going well.  I rearranged the plants by which ones seem to be growing and which ones don't.  There is now a shelf and a half of each, good and not so good.  This will make it easier for me to rea

 The first time I went to California was for Christmas in 1985.  My now ex-husband and I went to spend a week with his family.  It was also the first time I touched the Pacific Ocean, the first time I went swimming on Christmas day, the first Christmas that it was warm enough to swim, and the first time I ever picked a fresh lemon and ate it within five minutes.  It was also the sweetest lemon I have EVER had.  Tonight my daughter gifted me with an orange that she picked while visiting California this week.  It was sweet, juicy, and delicious.  Even the texture was more appealing than any grocery store orange I have had. Other happy things from today: There was a snow storm today.  Aesop and I went for a short walk this morning with the snow all around.  Snow would accumulate on Aesop and he would look like a freshly powdered dog and then he would shake it off.  Freshly powdered dog. It was a long drive to Boston in the snow but the family is safe and BACK! When I went out to shovel b

There is a storm coming in the very early hours tomorrow.   Because of this the flight that the family would have taken home from California was canceled.  Keziah, Zed, and Gideon as well as their friends that they traveled with, are all well and have found a place to stay tonight.  Sometimes it is really good to know people all over the place.  They have a flight in the morning that supposedly doesn't arrive back in Boston until after the storm.  I'm happy that they are all currently safe.  Other happy things for today: Aesop is back home a day early!  The choices would have been to pick him up today or wait until Saturday.  I didn't want to wait until Saturday.  He is home and has been sleeping almost the entire time he's been back.  I think he had an exciting few days. Before a storm there are sometimes things that need to happen, I think I remembered to do them.  I parked the cars where they are easy to plow around and I pulled up the trash cans from the street... t

 This morning I did what I said I wasn't going to do anymore and I left work after only two hours.  They had me assigned to busy work and I couldn't stop thinking about the things I could be doing at home.  When I say at home though, I really mean the studio.  I didn't go straight to the studio, I did a few things at home first.  I spent at least 8 hours at the studio and forgot to eat lunch!  Happy things for today are: At the studio I finished the tunic I have been making for a friend.  No picture because I forgot and it doesn't look different, I just reinforced some seams and tried to make sure all the threads were cut. I worked on the tunic for Gideon.  It is almost done.  I'm supposed to leave the neck for when Keziah can size it up on Gideon.  I also left the clavi unfinished in the back because I needed to get home to get ready for work tonight. Another thing I worked on at the studio was a pair of earrings.  I've had the parts for quite a while.  I work

Happy Twosday!   The weather today stayed at the freezing temperature or above.  This meant that my winter jacket was really not necessary for work today, my fleece jacket was enough.  I wore it in and then left the winter jacket in the car at lunch break.  Eventually it started to rain, but I was home from work in the dry house by then.  Other happy things for today: This one may seem weird, but I remembered to clean the cat litter boxes today.  This is normally a Gideon chore.  With them vacationing it became a chore for me.  I feel bad that I forgot about them until now, but glad they are done.  I think the cats are happy about that too. Nanni. In looking at one of the geraniums today I have decided that that one at least, might make it.  There seems to be new growth.  It may be my imagination but the little leaves seem slightly larger than the other day. For day 51 of the A&S challenge I finished the latch hook part of the latch hook.  That isn't the end though, it needs to

 This morning I dropped off Aesop with his daycare/border.  He will be there until Friday.  With part of the family away and the rest of us with such odd hours we felt that he would spend less time in the crate and more time having fun then he would at home this week.  Aesop doesn't like to ride in the car but he is always so very happy when he reaches his destination.  Since he wasn't home to take care of I got a few errands done that I have been putting off.  Other things I am happy for today: The weather is unseasonably warm today.  This meant that the air carried smells of spring which is a scent I love.   I made time for a walk with my friend, Amy.  We met at a very muddy parking lot to walk along a rail trail.  The trail is paved and parts were dry and other, more shaded spots, were bumpy ice rinks.  We had no mishaps and had a nice walk. Day 50, the halfway point of the A&S challenge is done!  I worked on the latch hook.  Only three more rows and the latch hook part

 Why is it that when a day is nearing the end and we are weary that a common comment to say is, "It's been a long day."   And yet during that long day when things are busy one might say, "There is never enough time in a day."  Both of these days are the same length and yet one is long and the other isn't long enough.  However your day is going, I hope you find something to be happy for.  Some happy things from my day are: Previously I wrote about how a critter has been eating my geraniums.  It may just be wishful thinking, but I think at least one of the geraniums has some new leaves starting. Also in a previous blog I wrote about a warm day and how the water was running off and formed a small waterfall.  Today that waterfall is still. For day 49 of the A&S challenge I sewed more of the clavi for Gideon's tunic.  It was great to be able to spend time at the studio again today. ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Aff

 One of the things I was hoping to do while the majority of the family is away was to get the house a bit cleaner.  Today I got started in the kitchen.  The kitchen might be the only thing I end up working on.  I want to think that I suddenly have a bunch of time on my hands.  The truth is, I have less time because I need to walk the dog.  That is good, I am getting outside more and I like that.  Other happy things from today: While on one of the walks with Aesop today I picked up the SD card from the wildlife camera.  Along with the many deer there were two clips with a fox and one with a coyote.  I hope to load them onto the YouTube channel later. I love the views from out back. For day 48 of the A&S challenge I went to the studio and worked on a tunic for Gideon.  Keziah cut out the pieces before they went on vacation and I get to see how much I can sew while they are gone.   ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spiri

If yesterday the wind sang a song of spring, today the wind screamed winter.    Happy things for today: My first real order of business today was taking Aesop for a walk.  The warm weather from earlier in the week has created a lot of melting.  In the picture below, the water is running off and mostly missing the nearby drain.  The run-off waterfall is pretty though. Waterfall. Spending time with my protege.   Finding triple ginger cookies at Trader Joe's.   For day 47 of the A&S challenge I again worked on the latch hook.  Soon it will be finished and I will need another at home project. The vacationing part of the family has finally made it to California!! Aesop misses the rest of the family.   ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year , Joan Borysenko. Currently listening to: Too Like the Lightning, by Ada Palmer Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

 It is still early but there were some signs of spring I noticed today.  The first was when I was walking back into work after having the half hour break.  It was around 6 AM and the sky showed the slightest signs of starting to get light in the east.  The smell of spring was in the air today too.  The temperature was up to at least 59 degrees (in Boston) and the wind sang a song of spring.   Excuse the dust. Other happy things from today: Keziah and Zed have been planning a surprise vacation for Gideon for months.  He learned that it was happening on his birthday at the beginning of February.  He learned that they were going to California and he knew that there were friends involved.  Who the friends were was supposed to be revealed at the airport.  While driving to the airport Keziah handed Gideon her phone for a quick crossword puzzle.  While he was playing that, a message came through which revealed the other vacation family.  So they almost kept the secret until the airport.  He w

 Walking outside to go to work tonight I was pleased to see the almost full moon shining down.  It was clear and shone like a beacon.  Other things I am happy for today: Work wasn't busy so a few of us got to odd jobs like moving things around to organize them.  It was a nice break from the front lines. Cats being cute. After work I had to run some errands.  Keziah and Gideon were with me and Keziah mentioned that the Shamrock shakes were back at McDonald's.  So, yes, I went there for lunch and a shamrock shake.  They taste better than I remember. Things in the greenhouse did not seem to freeze last night.  Yay!  I put more plants that aren't doing well in there, hopefully they will improve. It is Weaving Wednesday.  I almost forgot and worked on the latch hook instead.  I'm sure the picture looks much the same as last week, more is done though.  It is starting to get easier for me to do.  I think my weaver's brain is starting to work again.  Day 45 of the A&S c

It has been another long day.  After work I decided to take care of most of the little things that I like to do daily.   There were so many errors that I made on DuoLingo; I kept falling asleep and submitting answers like, 'Por que alkkkkkkkkk,' and things like that.  😄  Eventually I did get through a lesson.  Happy things for today: Before I left for work I checked the temperature in the greenhouse.  It was around 40 degrees in the greenhouse and single digits outside.  This is with a plant heat pad and some planters with water in them to help with humidity and nothing else.  I'm hopeful. Because I am hopeful and because something is eating my plants in the cellar, I moved some of them into the greenhouse today.  I had two geraniums that were looking very good and the rodent that has moved into the cellar prefers them to the bait in the traps.  So my geraniums are bare.  Maybe they will come back without a predator having them for a meal. There are now two heat pads and

 Once again I have stayed up too late.  I had a fairly productive afternoon.  It is what my happy things for today revolve around.  I forgot to take a before picture, but I did take an in the middle picture. That is a small part of the mess I had made over the last few months on the front porch.  It got cleaned up.  Then, when the room was still mostly empty I set up a little greenhouse in the corner.  I'm hoping for plants to be in there in the next few days.  More progress pictures: The greenhouse!  If I want, I can fit two there, side by side. Slowly adding things back in. There are four rocking chairs back in. One is not usable because of the container full of  random gardening supplies. The room still needs work, but it is way more usable now than it was.   I also completed day 43 of the A&S challenge with the latch hook.  Soon I will need to find something else to do at home for the challenge. ❤ ☮ ❤ Currently reading:  Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affir

 Our local SCA meeting was this afternoon.  It is the time of year when officers are given the opportunity to stay or step down from their positions.  I was very happy with all the decisions made.  These volunteers work hard at what they do.  I am very thankful to those who have served and those who are just starting to serve the Barony.  Other happy things for today: Keziah picked me up a smoothie and as it started to warm designs like small distant clouds could be seen. At the studio today we worked on stamping masks to use at the upcoming event in March.  Because of the pandemic everyone needs to preregister by February 17, 2022.  With no at-the-door sales, we will know how many people will be attending ahead of time.  We need to buy more masks.   This is just the beginning of the mask making. Me, preparing the stamp. Photo by Lady Tessa. When we had stamped all the masks we had I asked Keziah if she had any other stamps.  She did and I got creative on my jeans.  I am still amazed