Freedom and Accomplishments

Starting last weekend my husband flagrantly spoiled me in quite a few ways. First, I have been doing laundry and hanging it and stacking it for weeks. I love to do laundry, (and dishes, no really!), but I hate to put the clothes (and or dishes) away, and got to the overwhelming place where I wasn't allowing myself to do anything until that got done. My husband hung the clothes. It was wonderful and freeing!

Then Sunday we went to the "big city" and sat in a Barnes and Noble,(my virgin visit), drinking coffee, eating fancy sandwiches and pastries and reading books. They had a special on classics and I saw Willa Cather's O Pioneers! I fell in love! I spent the day reading the book, while my husband did dishes and cooked a meal. It was wonderful - yes, the whole experience.

Since then I have felt freed up. I have read more, written, drawn, had breakfast with some Writer's Group ladies, found out my piece on Lutheran Women would be in the Church Newsletter, worked on the pinwheel quilt for a friend and watched a tatting video.


I have had this video for ages and never watched it all the way through. So much information in one short video. I have found a new, more efficient and faster way to hold my fingers and will be learning mock picots and rings, split rings and bridges, padded and petal tatting. The most exciting though is that I found a pattern for Hens and Chickens lace - right under my nose. (See above picture)

Today he was supposed to go to training in the "big city" again, (went yesterday, 1/2 day). I was supposed to accompany him, meeting up with a friend and spending time in a knitting shop. The threat of weather early in the week changed my plans, the actual weather changed his today. We spent the day together fixing a large breakfast, browsing the net, watching the weather, letting out the pups a thousand times, reading, listening to historical music and working and doing some more needlework, respectively - basic honeymoon behavior for the most part.

I think I could get used to feeling like a spoiled female!

Remembering Florida - Flagler Beach

Since there is 5 inches of snow on the ground it seems like a good time to remember Florida!

The day after Christmas my husband and I left early to see him mother, in Palm Coast. Getting started was only a little harder than getting prepared. As those of you who read my blog know, I cook for the puppies. I cooked 16 crockpots of puppy food, and froze such, for Rita, who came to pet sit all 10 furries. All bow to Rita!

The trip down was beset with a lot of hard rain and was very tedious until Georgia. We stayed overnite outside of Savannah and the next morning back out on the road.
We reached the ocean by A1A about 12,and my mother in laws by 1. The ocean and sunshine were beautiful! I have not been to the warm side of the ocean since a girl.

Our time there was very relaxed. Two 1/2 days we spent lying around and all three of us reading. We went to the beach the first full day, on the pier one day, ate at a snack shack, and drank coffee 2 days across from the beach. We ate most every meal with my mother in law, and found the best Greek Yogurt at the grocery. The Coffee House was a special treat - Java Joint - great coffee, bagels for breakfast, view across from the ocean, great servers and owner, and delightfully dog friendly!

My mother in law is a wonderful hostess and a great lady. She had lots of great stories to tell and times to catch up on. We spent time with 2 of her girlfriends also. One had us over for a simple, yet elegant meal, while we showed them our wedding DVD. I love a pretty table! And the art work and handiwork were beautiful and interesting.

Our last nite there the ladies came over for a pizza party and hawaiian popcorn - what a treat. The next morning the ride home was sad as the farther north we got, the colder it became.

As much as I missed our babies - and yes, I talked to the sitter twice a day! I have to admit - I sure enjoyed spending private time with my husband!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will take more of that anytime!

This weekend my husband and I got a VCR/DVD player and we have spent the weekend showing each other some fav VCR movies, etc.

My man is an expert on movies so I always have a little trepidation showing him some of my favs. Sea People with Hume Croyn. I have wanted him to see it since early dating and was so glad he liked it. Still a little worried about Practical Magic, is it too much a chick flick?

He showed me the original movie that brought about the musical Chicago. It was a scream - really liked it! Then there was 2 episodes of The Private Life of Plants and David Carradine's Chi Kung. Well rounded aren't we - or easily entertained. Either way it ended up fun for both of us.

Took Loki, the Saint Bernard, for a bath at the local We Luv Pets. If you are in the area, Dolly is wonderful and Loki is planning on taking her on as his personal beautician. He smells so much better! (Sorry Loki!) And a nice blue sporting bandana. He feels like Puppy Fluff again. We love it!

Lutheran Women

Today we had a boil alert on our water. This normally wouldn't concern me, but we have 10 furry children and I worry for them. I also cook for the canine furries, and now that the puppy is 60 pds at least, I cook 2 crockpots a day of chicken stew.

I found myself wishing that I was at least partly ODC, since then the dishes would not be in the sink this morning, and the crockpots would be clean. I walk with forearm crutches, and boiling a big pot of water and navigating it to the sink, just did not have good prospects. So I went into what I like to consider "pioneer mode" and soon you will see the connection with Lutheran Women.

I started the process with a damp dishcloth, wiping out any residue I could. This washcloth was made by my cousin, we grew up in the same Lutheran Church, with German ingenuity. Then I took a wire scour and took off all I could dry. This was given to me by a Lutheran Woman when they so generously gave me a bridal shower in Ladies Aid, even at my advanced age of first wedding - 49! I poured vinegar in next, and back to work with the scouring pad. (If you read my blog, or know me at all, I use vinegar for everything, inside and out!) After this vinegar wash, which actually worked well, I dry washed again with a clean dishcloth. This one made by a Quilter at the same Lutheran Church. The towel I used after, hand hemmed by another Quilter. They are here, in acts of my everyday life. We are here for each other.

Quilters meet Thursdays at 10 a.m. and they are the most important group in the church, ask me. I don't like church, so quilting is my service. Women in my family have quilted at this church for nigh' on 200 years now. It will end with me. These ladies were the first I hooked up with when I came to town. The first I told when I got engaged. The first invited to my wedding, and I made each and every one my honorary "Maids of Honor". They said it would be a "Golden Girl Wedding". They were there when my Dad and then my Grandmother died. They are the closest group in my life. I have never felt need for a pastor in my hospital visits, but I could recognize instantly the footsteps in high heels of my friend Charlotte, Quilter and Ladies aid, as she came to visit me. No pastor can match a Quilter. We're here for each other.

When I was a little girl, our pew was all women. My great grandmother Sophia, mom Willa Ruth, my sister Mischka, grandmother Cookie, me and aunt Dorothy. Quilters, behind us, other aunts, cousins, cousin Helen at the organ. Literally my family filled pews here. Now it is only Helen and me. There is a sadness there, but we have lasted, we have survived and we have thrived. We are here for each other.

Today I went to the church to get a new Lutheran Devotional Book. The secretary, another Lutheran Woman in my life, brought it out to the car in bad weather. We have talked much of weathering the storms in our lives. We can bitch, let me tell ya'. This last year she had a few hurricanes, but the structure is still standing. She has listened to me too, during daily downpours. We're here.

When my grandmother died, one of these Lutheran woman found her records in German so she could be buried in the church. She and another promised that if all else failed, the women of the church themselves would bury her. She would have liked that. Today one of those women, the speaker of German and Historian, lost her dear mother in law. I counted money with her mother in law - she was fun, spoke her mind and had a sharp wit. Her daughter in law and I have cooked German food in the kitchen together. My husband and I went to the funeral home - because we are here for each other, Lutheran Women, it is a given.

I play bells, which makes me go to church sometimes. One Lutheran woman, hearing of my carpal tunnel two years ago, and that I might not be able to play anymore because my bells were too heavy, just turned around and handed me her small bells, problem solved, she said. What grace, if you have been in a bell choir, people don't give up their bells, they covet and hoard them. We are here for each other.

In one week I have seen us cry for each other, cheer each other on, bitch with each other, mourn and laugh. I'm sure other people have similar experiences with other groups, but this is mine. I hope you find yours. Lutheran Women - We are here for each other.

Lady Gwenivere Traci

For the last week or so I have felt like I am living in the time of Mists of Avalon . While my husband goes off to slay dragons each day I am here, mostly here, in the castle tending to the hearth. Altho I am well aware of the impending if not present crisis with Wall Street etc my days are filled to the brim with everyday chores and trying to keep away the feeling of the "wolf at the door".

This week time was spend trying to beat the meat prices for my husband and the pups. Finally I procurred some for both. I had major discussions with the cleaning lady on the use of vinegar - I want, she doesn't - for all the floors, etc. I spent all of yesterday cooking vegetarian meals that can easily be eaten for rushed nights. And then there is the laundry issue, of cats mhmmming on the bed sheets.

The rest of my time is spent trying to find time to write, doing charity needlecraft and just figuring out supper. It is very easy to get involved in the immediacy of cold frames and winter gardening and tobogann making for seniors and children and not to realize that many things are falling down around me. To have good books to read, ample art supplies, enough yarn to cover the house and musical instruments galore and not see disaster. To spend my time holding furries and making sure everyone is paid attention to and is healthy - including my husband!

Now this the very chauvenistic traditional wife part of me - But isn't that the wife's job?

RE-ASSESSMENT

Today has been a day of clarity and re-assessment. It has felt so refreshing, although none of the decisions and "light bulb moments" are all that earth shattering.

I have been struggling with the transition from school to full time housewife and finding more than ample things to do around the house that has been neglected. I have actually had to curtail myself and only let myself do so much so I do not completely spend my day without acting on some intersts and fulfillments.

One event that has been taking a lot of time is that I have been working with 2 other women, (that are incredible), on the YCity Writer's Conference and we have put together a great conference. (See at http://ycitywritersforum.blogspot.com) This has taken a tremendous amount of time and over 500 emails back and forth and to others. I have never experienced putting everything together online before and it is exhilerating. Much to my surprise it has also bonded the 3 of us and let us know each other better, becoming closer. I would never have believed this could all happen online. It proves to me that communication can happen or cannot happen in any media, it is the willingness of the participants, that decides the results.

By working on the conference I have struggled to fulfill some other ideas I have wanted to daily implement. This has included working regularly with the dog training, writing daily on this blog, working on learning German and shorthand, writing some pieces, (one missed contest date), practicing some drawing techniques, and doing some music. The list itself seems pretty long doesn't it?

Recently by reading Jones' book, The Virginia Woolf Writers Workshop, I have re-looked at how I am implementing fulfilling acts in my life. I can quilt as my husband blogs. I can read instead of aimlessly wandering on the net, and do it outside where I can enjoy the puppies too. I can do needlecraft in various meetings I go to and jot down ideas in the handy Molskine books my husband got us. I can sing as I drive and do housework, and exercise outdoors, or inside when others are sleeping, so I am not taking away from others company, or do it in their midst for a good laugh.

The one area though that I have felt sorely neglected in is the need to grow things. I have not had a garden in two years and the cats think houseplants, mean snacktime. What has come to mind is high school Biology, Sr. Theresa Clair (T.C.), teaching us to use the tops of carrots for ferns, sweet potatos for vines, avocadoes for dark green, pineapple tops for the tropical - experiment! Last week even the aquarium guy offered some inspiration and suggested water plants in a bowl by the window. Also I have been collecting seeds from our fruits and vegetables lately, placing them in the top of the sprouter for safe keeping. The time has come!

This afternoon I filled a bowl with filtered water and dropped in water plant seeds. It is sitting on my kitchen window shelf next to my sprouter. I put fresh seeds in the sprouter on all 3 levels, living it up, so to speak! I have let water flow on the avocado and peach seeds, watered the Christmas Cactus, made a mental note to save the next carrot top when I make the net doggy stew, and put fresh pinapple and a sweet potato, with starts, on the next grocery list.

They are small acts, yes. But acts that let me live more fulfilled, able to do my daily tasks with more ease and enjoyment and give me breathing space to let in more on my agenda.

Who says we don't remember anything from high school Biology? T.C. would be proud!