2022 Happy To Be Here

Right after I parked my car to go to work I got a notification from the company. They were offering voluntary time off. I decided that I would go to work, since I was there already. I went in and saw that there was hardly any work to do and I (and some others) didn't have an assignment. So I put my name onto a list for voluntary time off. I got an assignment and ten minutes later they replaced me and I was out the door. Other happy things from today: I was able to sleep for about three hours before getting up again for the day.  While the family slept, I got some weaving done. I'm very close to having the first of three champion's pieces done.  Crossed fencing swords. When the family was up we made cream of wheat and toast and all had breakfast together.  Since I was home and had slept I was able to go to a craft gathering at Joann's with Keziah and see friends. I embroidered three letter D's to put onto favors.   I also finished putting the backing on ...

We had an SCA event today to celebrate the Barony being 35. I think I did better with people than the last event, but I still need to work on it. We also chose our new Arts and Sciences Champion. It is always a difficult choice, but there can be only one. There were three entrants, so at least the options weren't overwhelming. There were also three judges, so at least I didn't need to have to make the decision on my own. These don't look like much in the picture. They are lovely beaded headdresses made to  resemble 15th century (I think) Italian. Tablet weaving. Embroidery. In case you are curious, the tablet woven person is the new A&S Champion. Other happy things from today: There is a guild, the Dabbler's Guild, within our Barony that had a lovely hands-on display. People could try a few different types of crafts including weaving, sprang, and kumihimo. The event was small but space was made for the fighters. I got to watch them for a few minutes. It is a...

Last night I got very little sleep. There was a lot of tossing and turning. So I'm going to make this short. Happy things from today: It is day 100 of the A&S challenge and I am done! I'm certain that I have done more A&S in the last 100 days than the previous ten years. I believe that having a studio will help me continue to do things, but I am ready to not have to craft on working days. I worked on the flower I outlined the other day. I'm kind of making it up as I go along. The forsythia are blooming. That means I can prune the roses. Not today though, today I go to bed early. ☮ 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 , by Paul Rezendes. Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

This morning I did some dishes before sitting down for breakfast. After eating I went to put my dirty dish into the sink and noticed way too much water on the floor for the dishes I had done. In fact, it was more like how much water there would be if someone had tried to bathe a German shepherd in the sink… or something leaking. And so my day of crafting, taxes, and walking with my friend was drowned. What could have been me just getting the parts became other errands as well. When I finally got the pieces put back together, it didn't all fit and I went back to the store.. Did you know that when pipes say they are 1.5 inches that is the size of the hole and has nothing to do with the outside size of the pipe where things actually go together? I did. Did I remember this? Of course not. The end result is that after another trip for another part it is working again. Yay me!! Clean up is for the rest of the family. Other happy things: Despite the time consuming plumbing...

According to DuoLingo I reached a 1200 day streak today. Although I get into the app and practice I don't always learn new words. I wish learning a second language came easier for me. Slow and steady I'm learning more. Other happy things for today: I was going to write about how I am behind on getting rid of things for Lent.  The goal was seven things a week.  Instead, I shuffled through a couple boxes and found five things to go with two books I found this morning and made the goal.  Phew! We brought more things to the studio and spent some time there.  It is still a bit of a mess, but it is coming together.  Keziah found a sign that we hung up on the wall to make the place seem more like ours.  Gideon did some crafting today too! For Christmas I bought new locks for the doors.  I installed one a few months ago.   The other two I installed today and I made sure all the keys are labeled.  Today marks two years since they signed pa...

Aesop, our dog, and I walked around the backyard for a few minutes. Aesop just wanted to sit. So I stood, listened, and watched. I was somehow able to block the street noise out for a few moments and hear the birds. There was one that sounded different. I've heard it before but today I wanted to place it. After some standing still and observations, I'm fairly certain that the sound came from a tufted titmouse. Aesop stayed mostly still while I made my observations, he was watching a different bird, the Robin. Other happy things for today: Another observation was the presence of buds on the trees in the distance. They are still quite small, but now they are noticeable. Keziah, Gideon, and I went to a local game store. Gideon used some birthday money to get a book about Dungeons and Dragons. I saw extensions of games that I have that I didn't know existed. It has been a while since I looked at games. It might be time for me to budget money and time for games...

Walking outside to go to the mailbox this afternoon I pleasantly inhaled the smell of rain. It hadn't started yet but the fragrance and the pressure change between the inside world and outside world were grounding for me. It was energizing and calming somehow at the same time.  Other happy things: Naps. Working overnight and then wanting to do things in the evening when I can, makes having naps important.  I'm happier when I have had some sleep. There was a small SCA tournament tonight hosted by a local SCA knight. It was fun to watch. As Baroness I keep trying to find ways to be more involved with the fighting without actually fighting.  Right now that mostly means being a presence in the community. For day 88 of the A&S challenge I was looking for something different to embroider and Keziah handed me a pin to use as a model.  I've pulled out parts to redo a few times and I still don't have it right.  ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer...

 What a day!  I worked a full shift which means I got out of work around 11:50 this morning.  For some reason I was very tired today.  I hoped to get to sleep early, but I also knew that we were expecting company.  Words are sometimes hard, so here is a list of happy things for today: My cousin's daughter (my 'niece') flew in from Idaho and came for a short visit.  It had been at least five years since we had seen her and seeing her today was wonderful.  My niece, Keziah and I went out for a late lunch.  We were going to go out for ice cream but then... When we got home Gideon was in a panic, Aesop, our dog, was gone.  While Gideon was in the bathroom the back door had been blown open by the wind.  We all went on a search for Aesop.  My niece helped for a little while but then had to leave.  Soon after she left, Zed and Gideon found Aesop playing in the backyard of a pair of poodles.  The owner of the poodles said that Ae...

Taking our dog, Aesop, out in the morning can be very peaceful. We just wander around the yard a little and I look around for prints in the dirt and notice how tall the trees are. Other happy things for today: More crocuses have pushed themselves through the soil and mulch to open up to the sun. After looking at the various crocuses and beginnings of tulip leaves breaking through I turned and got the mail. There was a small package for me containing my booklet to keep track of mileage walked during the month of April. This challenge is to encourage people to get out and walk, possibly in medieval garb, as much as possible.   The afternoon and evening was spent helping my friend do her taxes. We snuck a walk in as a break and followed it up with pizza and pleasant conversation for dinner. Her cat, Heather, had taken over the loveseat. I stayed late. On the drive home I pulled over for a quick nap. Sitting at the rest area in my car I pulled out my embroidery so I could h...

On work days I have four alarms that go off.  The first one has three math problems for me to do or the alarm will get loud again.  The second one is like a snooze to the first, with no math; it is when I get out of bed.  The third alarm is a check in so I know whether or not I am on track.  The last alarm gives me five minutes to collect my stuff and head out the door.  The last alarm is exactly one hour after the second alarm.   I give myself a lot of time to get ready.  This morning I was ready to go except for breakfast but my third alarm hadn't gone off yet.  Thinking that I must be ahead of schedule I looked at my watch to see that I was actually very late.  Somehow I slept through the second and third alarm and got up with the fourth one, not realizing it was the fourth one.  I quickly got onto the work app and sent the message that I would be an hour late.  The end result of all of this is that I was better rested than ...

 Last fall I planted a bunch of things in the driveway triangle.  Today some of the crocuses are blooming.  I planted a lot more than what I see, I'm hopeful that more will sprout as the days and nights get warmer.   I'm pretty sure there are also some tulips coming up and some other things as well.   Other happy things for today: Pets.  The cats loved the cat grass--maybe too much.  Next time I may cut some off for them instead of letting them graze.   It is day 79 of the A&S challenge and I did some embroidery.  I'm not sure it is coming out quite as I had hoped, until it is done, I guess I won't know.   ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations, and Affirmations to Nurture Your Spirit Every Day of the Year , Joan Borysenko. And The Middle Ages: A Graphic History , by Eleanor Janega and Neil Max Emmanuel. Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

 Happy spring!  I spent most of the day inside doing exchequer (treasurer) things.  The good news there is that I finished everything I could with the information I had.  Other happy things for today: I did get out for some short walks.  On one of them I checked out the triangle area at the end of the driveway.  Last fall I planted nips, tubers and bulbs there.  Some of these are starting to sprout!   a The basil I planted is sprouting.   Day 77 of the A&S challenge is done.  Along with helping Keziah I did a little bit of embroidery.   ☮ 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 , by Paul Rezendes. Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

 After work I checked on a few things including the greenhouse.  The cat grass is looking good. Even better, some of the marigold seeds I planted are sprouting!   I used seeds from three different places: harvested from a plant in 2020, harvested from a plant that didn't make it in 2021, and harvested from the giant marigold that grew in with the blueberries and strawberries in 2021.  It is the latter that the seeds are sprouting.   Other things I am happy for today: Leaving for work the almost full moon helped to light my way to the car.  When I went outside for break the clouds had started to gently float in front of the moon.   Embroidery won my attention for the A&S challenge.  That marks day 74 as completed.  Well, I didn't quite embroider the full fifteen minutes so I will be watching something on YouTube after I finish writing. Happy St. Patrick's Day!! ☮ Currently reading: Pocketful of Miracles: Prayer, Meditations,...