I think about writing a post like this almost every month, but I haven't actually done it since February! What?? Taking my cue from Bonny, here we go for December…

Anticipating… a trip to Milwaukee tomorrow afternoon to pick up Maddy & Viv!!

I CANNOT WAIT!!

Cooking/Eating… we did really well with Thanksgiving & leftovers! Rusty made a great turkey soup (he's been doing soup so well, he's now the default soup maker). We also inadvertently enjoyed one last delivery of Plated! I'd received notification that they were ending subscription deliveries and considered having one more delivery — it was my first meal delivery service and has always been my favorite. In order to see all the menu selections, I had to click on the "unskip" for the week… I didn't actually see anything that I was dying to try, so clicked away. Next thing you know, I had an email a few days later about my upcoming delivery! I'd forgotten to re-click "unskip." Oh well, they sent some good chicken dishes (we are just about poultry'd out around here). Now their meals are available in stores — but currently none close to me.

Enjoying… a brighter living room! We've lived in this house for over 30 years and, for most of those years, I've had off-white ruffly/lacy curtains. It's an old house, I have old stuff & antiques, and they fit (more or less)… but they were looking tired and dated (in other words, I was sick of them). It was long past time for some updating and brightening! Last year, I replaced the curtains in the adjoining "front room" with simpler white sheers, and did the same in the "living room" a few weeks ago. The color is the same but the curtains in each room have a different/complementary woven design. Kate sent this photo one morning last week — so much light!!! Even in the dark hours, those white curtains make everything look brighter. I'm getting ready to retire/replace/update some of the stuff on the walls, too. (I have a nice, light gray canvas cover for my circa 1985 "tulip" sofa but it was in the wash. I wouldn't mind replacing the sofa, too, but it has such good bones!)

Excited about… our local Christmas parade tonight! Turns out the big kids don't want to be in the parade, so Ali will drop them off and we'll walk down to see it. New this year, a "sensory sensitive section" on the parade route where the sirens and horns will be silenced and the music will be quieter. I think we might go see another small parade on Saturday night so Viv can experience the joy!

Knitting… I haven't started anything new since I finished Junah's mitts. I have a few ideas rolling around in my head, but… see "Sewing."

Looking forward to… a springtime vacation! It's not until March, but we firmed up plans and booked it last week… I like having things like this to look forward to! We'll be returning to Todos Santos. It's been five years since we were there together (for our 30th anniversary), though Rusty's been there for work a couple of times since. He'll be working a bit on this trip, too, with a special gallery event in the works… but not working too much! I found a great Airbnb super close to the beach… and I'm already feeling better about winter (and the light begins to return in less than three weeks!).

Organizing… is on my to-do list! I really need to get a grip on the gift situation.

Planning… Christmas dinner… we're thinking Beef Wellington! I made one with my mom several years ago and it turned out great.

Sewing… my worktable (my entire workroom) is a complete disaster so there hasn't been much happening in there. I have a couple of small sewing projects that I'd like to do for Christmas, though.

Wondering… What's up with you right now!?

 

It's been ages since I've done this!

Anticipating… Sunday night and the OSCARS! But first, tomorrow is Day 2 of the Best Picture Festival: The Favourite, Vice, Black Panther, and Bohemian Rhapsody, along with the Animated Shorts.

Celebrating… the approaching end of February — less than a week to go!

Excited about… March! I am so ready.

Itching to… put some catch-up book work behind me, and I'm getting close!

Looking forward to… VACATION!!

Three weeks from today we'll be exploring Costa de Morte along the Galician coast in Spain — the "Atlantic Northwest."

I have my International Driving Permit, our Airbnb is booked, and I am ready!!

Needing… to get some footwear suitable for traipsing around the "Atlantic Northwest." I'm really in need of some waterproof/hiking shoes. We're going to be traveling very light, and footwear is always the most challenging part of that situation.

Planning… "DYE" days. I've only missed one calendar date so far!

Sewing… Nothing, really, at the moment — at least not actively. I have dreams, though. I might bring a small Alabama Chanin project on vacation for Annie & me, and possibly for a friend of hers.

Watching… Soundbreaking. I happened upon E4 by chance once night on PBS as I was actually turning off the TV but was immediately hooked and stayed up to watch it all!

"Music has been a constant in human history, an intermingling of voice and instrument that for all its local variation and increasing sophistication nevertheless endured in more or less the same form for centuries. Then came recording––and music was forever transformed. Soundbreaking, an eight-part event television series, traces this ongoing sonic revolution, and explores the nexus of cutting-edge technology and human artistry that has created the soundtrack of our lives."

Wondering… What's up in your world?

Wishing… you a Happy Weekend!!

Well, after we take one last 31-second (or so) look at July, here's what's happening in August…

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Anticipating… another weekend with Maddy in the house! She's returned after two weeks incommunicado while paddling & camping in the Apostle Islands, and will be home this evening in time for supper.

Celebrating… Addison's 11th birthday next week! Can you believe it??

Excited about… pre-ordering Katrina Rodabaugh's Mending Matters: Stitch, Patch, and Repair Your Favorite Denim & More. I've been following Katrina on IG for quite a while and have no doubt that this is going to be some book!

Inspired by… I'm not super into online groups or forums, but I was invited a while ago to a group on FB called "The School of Making Stitchalong," started/moderated by employees of Alabama Chanin/The School of Making, and it's a pretty lively group of talented & creative people!

Itching… to rearrange my workroom. Despite what I just wrote about online groups, I've also been following "Sewing Room Ideas" and, while some many of those people are way more hard-core than me (gigantic rooms, thousands of dollars in machines of various types, enough fabric/thread to start a shop), there are lots of practical tips for storage, organizing, and maximizing space. (I don't know what these people did before IKEA!) There are also enough real posts to make me feel right at home & not alone. Heh.

Knitting… I have continued to suffer from tendonitis, though feel that it's truly, slowly, improving overall — finally! I've begun doing some specific exercises (thanks to Kim asking the question on FB and also some helpful YouTube videos) and they are helping. I've also been paying much more attention to my posture & position while knitting and, thankfully, the pace of Kirsten's 2018 TTL Mystery Shawl has been very relaxed with the clues released over a period of six weeks. Anyway, all that to say that I am knitting and have kept up, for the most part, so the finish is… still a little ways off but in sight!

Looking forward to… going to a baseball game with Junah next week!

Needing… to pack up the stuff I'd moved out to the garage and get it ready for Auntie Camp!

Planning… this year, we'll be tie-dyeing t-shirts again, and making macramé plant hangers and/or doing some simple weaving. And it might be Sister Camp, as well!

Reading/Pages… The Best Cook in the World: Tales From my Momma's Table by Rick Bragg. I just read about how to make hog jowls and collard greens. Yep.

Reading/Audio… Calypso by David Sedaris.

Sewing… I plan to sew those in-seam pockets in my FAME dress over the weekend. And possibly start another dress! The sew/vac repair shop across the street from Ali's coffee shop has another location where they sell fabric & machines — Baby Lock is the brand they carry — and I stopped by on Tuesday night to take a look. There are one or two contenders from the four or five in my price range. Holy cow.

Watching… did you catch the premiere of Making It hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman?? I enjoyed it, am glad I don't have to judge, and didn't expect to cry.

Wondering… What's up in your world?

In other words, what's happening this spring/summer! What began as a normal "what's happening right now" post became a fairly detailed and very helpful list of What I Know Right Now. Also, a couple of hopes & dreams… things I'd like to accomplish.

MAY

Macro May… and Macramé! I think "macramé" almost every time I say "Macro May," but now I'm actually developing a plan to do some! I've always loved making those knots and now it's cool again — inspiring, even. I have an idea to make window coverings for our bedroom.

My first bicycle event of the season is this Sunday — a 20-mile ride to benefit a local charter school. I am doing it alone. I'd rather not do it alone, but it's that or not at all… and I really have to JUST DO IT!

We're picking up Maddy in a week (squee!), and spending a day or so in/around Chicago before heading back…

And then it's Mothers Day!

Maddy takes off for her summer camp job just about two weeks later. Thankfully, the camp job is way closer than her vineyard job (haha), and I'm hopeful for a couple of summertime visits.

On the very last day of May, I'm heading to NYC again!

There are also a couple of "unclaimed" 3-day weekends in May due to work schedule/holiday, and overall I plan to:

• Finish Malina's quilt (I'm putting my head down and aiming for a finish this weekend)
• Start indigo plants (also must be done this weekend)
• Prep for rummage sale
• Sew something(s) — a dress and/or top for the girls and/or me
• Dye something(s)!

JUNE

Kate has curated a show, CONVEYOR, for Greenpoint Open Studios and I'll be joining her there for a few days. She will be busy much of the time with set up, so I'll be on my own for a bit. I plan to meet up with a friend or two, and maybe even take in a show.

Shortly after that, and after Kate returns from NYC (she's driving), I head to Chicago again to deliver her to the airport to see her off as she departs for a month in the UK.

Another possible bicycle event – to benefit a local fire department!

The local farmers market starts up again and Ali will man the Coffee Camper; I imagine I'll have a few Saturday mornings with Gin & Jün.

There is an entire week in the middle of the month when I'll be working every day (I usually work four long days and LOVE my mid-week day off).

CSA deliveries begin mid-month and I'm really looking forward to that!

I am planning to get to work finishing the mosaic tables that Rusty & I built a year ago (detail of dilapidated & rotting original shown above).

And also continue prep for the rummage sale.

JULY

I will be going to Chicago for my monthly visit to pick up Kate at the airport.

There's a rummage sale in the works!

And Kate's maybe gonna re-paint my kitchen walls sometime in July. Before she moves to Denver!

Ann & family arrive from Spain for their summer visit (July 14-August 21), and that means Auntie Camp on the horizon! We're just beginning to sync calendars & make plans, so I don't know exactly when — it's actually more like to happen in August. That means INDIGO. Maybe tie dye again? Weaving? I'd like to involve Junah, and maybe the kids of one of my coworkers (they've all met before).

And also a possible bicycle ride.

AUGUST

Shhhhhh. At this point, August is a pretty clean slate, other than probably Auntie Camp, Addy's birthday, and his family's return to Spain shortly thereafter. This will very likely fill in a bit — and may include another trip to (where else?) Chicago!! Annie has hinted at it… because, you know, it will have been a whole month since I was there!

SEPTEMBER

September is looking quite free & open! There is another possible bicycling event and I might tie that into a long weekend away with Rusty.

 

Just like last summer, this one will certainly have distractions and last-minute changes/additions. I'm hoping to find a better rhythm this year and not veer too far off (of my very loose) course.

Anticipating… A new grandbaby arriving on the scene in something like 23 days!! Will Gin & Jün welcome a new little sister or brother? Ali says that she has no clue…

Celebrating… MARCH! February, like January, flew right by (not usually the case with February)! That fun little interlude with my sis in Nashville in the middle of the month certainly helped.

Enjoying… noticeably longer days! Spring is still a ways off, but we're also enjoying some warm-ish days here & there.

Itching… for garden fresh veggies! I just signed up for a CSA share for the first time in a few years, and planting started last weekend!! This farm is new to me, though I did attend a dinner there a few years ago. It's the extras/options that swayed me… we're able to say NO, from the get-go, if there are things we really don't want to find in our box. Ever. We'll have the ability to swap things out and/or add items, based on availability. And there's a mushroom option! We'll get a 'shroom share every other week.

Knitting… I'm still working on my Parallelogram Scarf! It's slow going, but it's going! It's Knit Night tonight, so progress will be made…

Swatching… I swatched for the Lunar Phase MKAL, swapping the original blue-green for a lighter one that gives a little more contrast.

I think "orange" will still be the pop color, but tested a dark red and pale gray, too. There are a bunch more photos on my project page.

Needing… to buckle down and Do.The.Taxes. I finished & filed Maddy's the other day, had a meeting with Ali's tax prep person last night & have a "homework" list, and need to keep the ball rolling so I'm not complaining about this for too long!

Speaking of Maddy, she messaged me yesterday to say that she "got the Oregon winery job!!" When she returns from NZ, she'll be working the summer at camp and, hopefully, supplementing with a bit of waitressing, then heading out west! What's that about a rolling stone…?

Planning… Easter dinner already! Well, just beginning to think about that (realizing that it'll have to be made)… mostly, I'm figuring out logistics for the watching/recording/re-watching of Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert! I cannot WAIT!

Reading… (pages) Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Listening… to Sing, Unburied, Sing.

Sewing… not quite #dailystitching, but stitching nonetheless! Crafting time is pretty limited on any given day, and tends to be knitting or sewing; rarely both, though it sometimes happens.

I can't even imagine how much little crafting time I'd have if I actually did housework…

Watching… Day 2 of the Best Picture Festival is on Saturday!! On deck:

• Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
• Darkest Hour
• Dunkirk
• The Shape of Water

I've already seen Billboards and loved it, especially Frances McDormand (always a fan) and Sam Rockwell, and it's the first time I actually liked Woody Harrelson in a movie. I'm looking forward to Darkest Hour and re-watching Dunkirk right after; historical context and all that. I've been iffy about The Shape of Water, but I've heard that it's pretty good.  🙂

Admiring… Kate's brand new, just launched today, redesigned and gorgeous yngspc.com website!! She worked with Vickie Vainionpaa @ Brave New Creative in Montreal on everything from logo & rebranding to web design & development — quite the process !

Wondering… what's up in your world this March 1st??