packing my suitcase

Packing my suitcase because I have a new virtual home: twigg.ca.

Also, Mrs. Twigg’s Surprising Suitcase begins tomorrow at PTE!

Creepy Santa decoration of the year

week-ending

I always thought that weekends were made for people who worked paying jobs outside of the house. Even though, I don’t have to leave the house these days, I REALLY look forward to the weekend, it’s when the home comes alive.

Macy and I have a weekday rhythm of snuggles, naps, tummy-time, mom reading aloud from school book time, baths and a daily walk. All of that exists on the weekend, but we get to share it with Dave and Julia and the house seem to breathe differently. This weekend saw us hosting a small family gathering, featuring Dave’s mom as “frugal Santa.” She said Frugal Santa stopped by her place and left us all presents. We were all delighted to find delicious ginger-bread men and thrifted pottery mugs. The whole lot probably cost her $20. We got these ones:

Julia made the annual winter village on the mantle piece. Sadly, it has become quite coordinated and is proper scale. Last year she had about four Santas and some were bigger than the houses. I think I need to grab a thrift-store bag of decorations to add to the mix. I do like that most of the figures are missing parts, the one antlered reindeer is so treasured.

She has also placed a few vignettes of the evolution of Santa and Mrs. Claus around the house. This one is my favorite, (note that Mrs. Claus originated from an angel.)

december

It’s December, gotta get my knit on!

Firstly, I will write chapter one of thesis; which is progressing quite nicely. I have topic titles and character names.

Secondly, I will read a bunch more.

and reward myself with knitting breaks in between. Did you know I took a grade dive in my final year of my bachelor’s degree because I knit instead of read? Not this time, baby.

All this with a cute baby on my lap.

hey

Can you see me? Amongst all the unfolded linens and cluttered night table is me. I knitted and played a stupidly addictive puzzle game on facebook instead of doing thesis research, and today I got called on it. So, I cried and then Macy  cried all day and so I sewed her some pants out of a felted sweater and made cookies. I think she is finally sleeping and I was on the database doing scholarly research and  now I am excited. Lesson learned.

 

nice night

onion rings, gin and tonic, snuggles, bbc radio drama and finished knitting a sock

friday

I didn’t finish dad’s sock, so I sent him one with a note that said, “I know you have two feet, you’ll get the other next week”. The funny (not-so-funny) perhaps the right word is ironic thing about it is that he called yesterday to say he met with his foot doctor and he’s going to have another foot operation. They are taking a toe, not the foot.  This leaves him with 5 toes in total. 1 on one foot and now 4 on the other.  This is my normal.

The best thing about having a dad with missing toes (the original were from a train accident) is when he would walk the dog barefoot on the beach. Kids would run up and ask him if the dog was a biter, he would say, “look what he did to my foot” and kids would run away screaming. I loved it.

I told my dad this newest operation will make making socks more difficult. That is not true, it’s easier, less yarn.

Right now, as Macy naps I am working on his sock and boiling soap nuts in the kitchen. We use soap nut liquid for laundry and cleaning in these parts. After my shampoo runs out I am going to try and wash my hair with it too.

Happy Friday and weekend to you.

my hands

Dad’s birthday is tomorrow!

 

Also, on my mind is thinking about art appreciation series for infants. I visited the volunteers, staff and friends at the gallery yesterday and we got talking about when I go back to work. I want to start some tours that help parents understand how their child’s visual senses are developing. What better place, that an art gallery. But…what would you expect as a parent? Whose theories and which studies to follow? How much would you pay?

The past few days

I hardly completed anything I set out to do this weekend, I am getting more and more used to this.

This week I need to get to real work at the first chapter of my thesis. 5 weeks left.

I’ve been distracted by this girl, seriously…I cannot get enough of her.

I felt so chuffed with myself this week, because I made a fabric wrap to carry her in.  The fabric was so wide that I gave one to my friend and still have enough to re-cover my dining room chairs (who thought organic white cotton was good for chairs, especially a house with crafters, children and a lot of colorful soups?)

My wrap is 5 feet long, 17 inches wide and awesome. I chose a rather thick cotton jersey knit, perfect for the winter. Macy loves it.

While we did yard work yesterday, my neighbor popped over with a delicious pumpkin loaf and little booties. The booties were made by his teenage daughter in her design and textile course.  Cinderella perfect fit.

This weekend

To do:

- knit the matching sock for dad’s birthday present

- sleep

- make soup from scratch

- decide the intended audience for my new play

- snuggle, snuggle

- have a fire in the backyard