These are two pictures of the eclipse from our yard. Thank goodness for digital screens on cameras.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Annular Eclipse
These are two pictures of the eclipse from our yard. Thank goodness for digital screens on cameras.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
The best of both worlds
Today I came across this article about musicians performing on cruise ships. The example they used was Kid Rock headlining on a Carnival cruise to the Bahamas. The part that floored me was about how, on this cruise, the passengers drank "more than three times the amount of alcohol than a typical Carnival voyage" which, if you've ever been on a Carnival cruise to the Caribbean (and I have), is already a lot of alcohol for the typical person. Different demographic.
Schedule? What schedule?
Last night Hubby and I talked about what today's schedule would be. The kids have been asking him to take them to Chuck E. Cheese, and they've been behaving so his plan was to take them first thing in the morning (they open at nine on Sundays here), come back for lunch, then Princess goes down for a nap, and we grownups go shopping for hiking boots (because we're hiking next week) and booster seats (because Princess threw up and completely ruined graduated from the carseat).
Well, in the morning I remembered that Bub still had a make-up spelling/vocab/handwriting test to do (he missed three words on Friday so we're doing it again), and I'd also neglected to remember the night before that he has piano lessons every Sunday morning.
So.
It is now ten thirty. They are not quite out the door. Because we did the spelling/vocab test, then spent more than an hour on piano because Hubby encouraged Bub to compose his own song and then write it out. Bub was excited about his song and writing it down got him to work on fine motor skills, so I can't complain except for the fact that we are off schedule now!
But really, no matter how much you set a schedule, doesn't it always change? Hubby is planning on staying there for lunch now and to bring them back in time for nap. And then we'll shop for hiking boots and booster seats. And maybe food-grade coconut oil. That stuff is useful for all sorts of stuff.
Well, in the morning I remembered that Bub still had a make-up spelling/vocab/handwriting test to do (he missed three words on Friday so we're doing it again), and I'd also neglected to remember the night before that he has piano lessons every Sunday morning.
So.
It is now ten thirty. They are not quite out the door. Because we did the spelling/vocab test, then spent more than an hour on piano because Hubby encouraged Bub to compose his own song and then write it out. Bub was excited about his song and writing it down got him to work on fine motor skills, so I can't complain except for the fact that we are off schedule now!
But really, no matter how much you set a schedule, doesn't it always change? Hubby is planning on staying there for lunch now and to bring them back in time for nap. And then we'll shop for hiking boots and booster seats. And maybe food-grade coconut oil. That stuff is useful for all sorts of stuff.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Catching up
Kids were sick, but amazingly, my school work still got done. Bub had a double ear infection and bronchitis; Princess had an allergic reaction to the virus (I'm not a biologist or doctor, I only repeat what I'm told) which resulted in a week-long rash we were unable to get rid of, despite copious amounts of Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream. And then she started getting sick too. Luckily, that's all over.
I've started knitting a hat for Hubby, it's actually yarn I was saving for myself, Misti Alpaca Suri & Silk in Red Rover, but apparently we're going to Alaska (for vacation, not moving) and I'd accidentally shrank his last alpaca hat, and the rest of my yarn is wool, so he got this skein. It's a basic ribbed cap, but started from the top-down. It took me awhile to figure out the increases while continuing the ribbing, but I did it. Now it's monotonous ribbing until it's long enough, and hopefully I don't run out of yarn. Here are a few cell phone pictures of the hat so far:
There's some pooling, as you can see, but hopefully nothing too obvious. Okay, it's obvious, but Hubby probably won't care as long as his head stays warm.
I've started knitting a hat for Hubby, it's actually yarn I was saving for myself, Misti Alpaca Suri & Silk in Red Rover, but apparently we're going to Alaska (for vacation, not moving) and I'd accidentally shrank his last alpaca hat, and the rest of my yarn is wool, so he got this skein. It's a basic ribbed cap, but started from the top-down. It took me awhile to figure out the increases while continuing the ribbing, but I did it. Now it's monotonous ribbing until it's long enough, and hopefully I don't run out of yarn. Here are a few cell phone pictures of the hat so far:
There's some pooling, as you can see, but hopefully nothing too obvious. Okay, it's obvious, but Hubby probably won't care as long as his head stays warm.
Everyday Outfit
Birkenstock shoes
$130 - nordstrom.com
So this is basically my everyday Mommy outfit (of things I could find on Polyvore). That isn't the actual jacket I own, but it's close. Same for the other pieces. I wanted to also make a "dressed-up, this is what I'd wear if I had the time and money and inclination to dress in a dressier way" but there's so much stuff out there, and well. There are so many considerations. There are a lot of reasons as to why I'm not stylish:
1-I get cold easily. So there are a lot of jackets and layers, and not a lot of "cute" revealing items.
2-I want protection from the sun. I burn easily, so if I don't protect myself, I burn at night.
3-I prefer to be comfortable. So there goes "stylish".
I actually think Lululemon is the next Juicy. Years ago everyone had a Juicy Couture suit (okay, so I didn't, but that's because I thought that much money for terry cloth was insane, I didn't have the money, and I'm against having to wear special underwear on an everyday basis) or a knock-off, and now everyone seems to wear Lululemon yoga pants or a derivative.
So there you go. Not that anyone asked. But that's what I wear.
$130 - nordstrom.com
So this is basically my everyday Mommy outfit (of things I could find on Polyvore). That isn't the actual jacket I own, but it's close. Same for the other pieces. I wanted to also make a "dressed-up, this is what I'd wear if I had the time and money and inclination to dress in a dressier way" but there's so much stuff out there, and well. There are so many considerations. There are a lot of reasons as to why I'm not stylish:
1-I get cold easily. So there are a lot of jackets and layers, and not a lot of "cute" revealing items.
2-I want protection from the sun. I burn easily, so if I don't protect myself, I burn at night.
3-I prefer to be comfortable. So there goes "stylish".
I actually think Lululemon is the next Juicy. Years ago everyone had a Juicy Couture suit (okay, so I didn't, but that's because I thought that much money for terry cloth was insane, I didn't have the money, and I'm against having to wear special underwear on an everyday basis) or a knock-off, and now everyone seems to wear Lululemon yoga pants or a derivative.
So there you go. Not that anyone asked. But that's what I wear.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Jack White, I think I love you
Last week I bought Jack White's new album, Blunderbuss, and it is fantastic. I don't buy a lot of CDs anymore, what with iTunes, but I thought it would be worthwhile with Blunderbuss and it's been a real treat. My favorite song on the album is "Love Interruption," even though it lacks a bridge and the critics have mostly been singing the praises of "Blunderbuss" and "Take Me With You When You Go." The album feels so lush, compared with the White Stripes' stripped down sound, especially the piano on "Hypocritical Kiss" and the bluesiness (is it the blues?) of "I Guess I Should Go To Sleep."
One sign that I've been listening to it too much: Bub has started singing the first verse of "Love Interruption," which is not exactly appropriate for children, but has started a conversation about metaphors (a teaching moment!), which has been helpful. After all, love cannot literally stick a knife in you and twist it all around, or murder your mother, or cover your ears and not let you hear a sound. This might make more sense if you actually listened to the song.
One sign that I've been listening to it too much: Bub has started singing the first verse of "Love Interruption," which is not exactly appropriate for children, but has started a conversation about metaphors (a teaching moment!), which has been helpful. After all, love cannot literally stick a knife in you and twist it all around, or murder your mother, or cover your ears and not let you hear a sound. This might make more sense if you actually listened to the song.
FO- Purple People Eater socks (formally Skews)
These started off as Skew socks, but after completing the heel, I found it to be much too tight, so I frogged it and started regular socks. This is my own, personal favorite sock (un)recipe: a short-row toe, followed by a reinforced (heel stitch) Riverbed architecture, reinforced heel, short leg, and ribbing. As far as I know, it's my own semi-original creation.
They fit fantastically and I'm so happy to have a new pair of socks!
They fit fantastically and I'm so happy to have a new pair of socks!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
A little behind the curve
Last night I (finally) watched "The Notebook." I chose last night because Hubby was working late and I prefer to not subject myself to his commentary on romance movies. While I thought the acting was fine, Rachel McAdams' outfits visually interesting and the outdoor scenes beautiful, I hated the movie. It gave me a bad, icky feeling and I felt depressed. I'm not really the romance movie-type. Hubby came home a third of the way in and watched, on-and-off again, with me (I think he was still working).
Afterwards, he went on and on about how that wasn't really what Alzheimer's was like ("The Notebook" was such a huge hit I don't feel the need to summarize the plot or list of characters but he thought it was preposterous that Allie didn't remember how she and her husband met because it was in her youth and in Alzheimer's, it's recent events you forget, not the ones from your youth) and how the entire premise of the movie was patently untenable and how could they have made an book, let alone a movie, out of something so unrealistic? Then I went on to tell him it was a hit movie and that his sister owns it, she's watched it so many times. He retreated, mumbling, and we did not speak of the movie again.
Other happenings. . .
A new Costco is opening up near us, family members are quite excited. My mother wants to check it out today (it's the grand opening, whatever that means) and Hubby is interested in visiting tonight when he gets home from work (hopefully earlier than he got home last night). Princess is not cooperating though, so we'll see if any of these plans come to fruition.
My Purple People Eater socks are almost done, I just need to finish the cuff ribbing and bind off, and then I'll have another pair of socks to wear. My (store-bought) exercise socks don't work very well for rowing; while I'm on the rowing machine, they start to slip and roll down in to the sock and I end up having to pull them back up. It's infuriating. I've found (of course!) that hand-knit socks are more comfortable to exercise in, so I'll be knitting even more socks. The only question is. . . which sock yarn next?
And my sweater, the cardigan with ribbing at the collar, button band, arms and waist. It's coming along nicely. I'm finally at the ribbing for the waist. Afterwards, I'll pick up stitches for the button band, and whatever I have left will be for the sleeves. I'm a bit worried that I'm going to run out, so my plan is hoping that I have enough before I get to the high ribbing, then possibly buying more yarn in the same color, but if it's a different dye lot, at least it's just the ribbing for the cuffs. Or will that look funny? I'm not sure yet but I guess we'll see.
Afterwards, he went on and on about how that wasn't really what Alzheimer's was like ("The Notebook" was such a huge hit I don't feel the need to summarize the plot or list of characters but he thought it was preposterous that Allie didn't remember how she and her husband met because it was in her youth and in Alzheimer's, it's recent events you forget, not the ones from your youth) and how the entire premise of the movie was patently untenable and how could they have made an book, let alone a movie, out of something so unrealistic? Then I went on to tell him it was a hit movie and that his sister owns it, she's watched it so many times. He retreated, mumbling, and we did not speak of the movie again.
Other happenings. . .
A new Costco is opening up near us, family members are quite excited. My mother wants to check it out today (it's the grand opening, whatever that means) and Hubby is interested in visiting tonight when he gets home from work (hopefully earlier than he got home last night). Princess is not cooperating though, so we'll see if any of these plans come to fruition.
My Purple People Eater socks are almost done, I just need to finish the cuff ribbing and bind off, and then I'll have another pair of socks to wear. My (store-bought) exercise socks don't work very well for rowing; while I'm on the rowing machine, they start to slip and roll down in to the sock and I end up having to pull them back up. It's infuriating. I've found (of course!) that hand-knit socks are more comfortable to exercise in, so I'll be knitting even more socks. The only question is. . . which sock yarn next?
And my sweater, the cardigan with ribbing at the collar, button band, arms and waist. It's coming along nicely. I'm finally at the ribbing for the waist. Afterwards, I'll pick up stitches for the button band, and whatever I have left will be for the sleeves. I'm a bit worried that I'm going to run out, so my plan is hoping that I have enough before I get to the high ribbing, then possibly buying more yarn in the same color, but if it's a different dye lot, at least it's just the ribbing for the cuffs. Or will that look funny? I'm not sure yet but I guess we'll see.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Visit to the petting zoo
We took the kids to a petting zoo recently, and had a really great time (the kids that is, of course the kids). They had a pen of rabbits and guinea pigs, another of miniature goats and freshly-shorn sheep, a baby (it's obviously not full-grown but it's kind of big, is it possible that it was just born a month or so ago?) pig, zonkeys (a zebra/donkey hybrid), a creepy-looking ostrich (it was missing its feathers on one side of its face), and horses, ponies and train rides.
So these are zonkeys:
and I forgot to mention the placid llama:
oh, and the turkeys:
and the goats, that were literally butting heads:
water tower that ran the water down for the "panning for gold":
and the unfriendly ostrich (at least that's what I think it was):
So these are zonkeys:
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