2013

I'd like to make a promise and say I'll write more before the year is out, but knowing myself, I'm just not going to do that.  It won't happen.

To tell you the truth, I'm writing a novel in my head every night before I go to sleep.  I was never a big fiction writer until after college... interesting how that happened.  I miss writing.  I need to sit down and do it more, but I have so much else going on that I feel I can't justify the time, which is sort of silly to me.

Anyway, December is good here because it's not as cold as Utah, but we've still had some snow.  Enough that my generally seasonally-confused self can finally recognize that it's Christmas time and soon it will be January.

Most days, I spend my time with my girls and making various things while they play together and need me occasionally.  I rearrange things, I talk to my dogs, I talk to my girls, I look out the window, I get the mail.  Most days, I don't go anywhere because we're sharing my car right now.  I'm ok with that--my days are pretty simple, and if I said I hope for more, I'd be lying. 

This is the season of my life.  I have such an urge to create, make, do, be more, be better, come up with new things, and sometimes, it hurts.  Most times, it's the norm.  I don't mind because if it means I get to spend time with my sweet and helpful little Ruby and fire-y yet calm little Emmy, I will certainly take it.  They are just my world spinning.

Ruby is killing me with sweetness lately.  She's so helpful at picking up her toys, and every morning, we watch Sesame Street.  She understands that Emmy HAS to sit on my lap because Emmy is a mama's girl more deeply in the mornings, but to compensate, she'll lean her head against my arm.  She's beginning to repeat words I say, like AMEN! or "Emma" for Emmy--she doesn't ever end things in "y. "Puppy" is "puppa" and "daddy" is "dada," etc.  She loves to give kisses and loves to kiss her snuggie (blanket).  She blows kisses and waves to everyone and is VERY social.  Loves her dada and her puppies.

Emmy, on the other hand, is a tough cookie.  She climbs on top of our table on the regular and generally gets into trouble climbing things, trying to climb things, getting into things.  She has this squeak-laugh that just about does me in; it's funny, though, because you can try so hard to get her to laugh and you'll get NOTHING.  You have to earn it with Emerson.  But when she loves you, she LOVES you. She loves talking to plants on our walks and talking to me in jumbled talk, which both she and Ruby do.  I really think they have their own twin language, because it's all nonsense to anyone else who hears it.  Yet, there's a lot of head-nodding that goes on between the two of them when it happens.  Anyway, Emmy is a tender little girl.  She puckers her lips all the time for kisses and says "hiya" regularly, which I LOVE.  She spots and talks about puppies everywhere we go, and she'll say "a puppy?" Over and over again, even when I haven't seen one anywhere.  I'll look and finally spot the dog (a ways away) she's talking about--she's hilarious.

Ruby above, Emmy below.

This year has been the best of the best and the worst of the worst, all rolled into one.  Confusing, hard, soul-searching and heartbreaking... it's been one of those years that's just been everything.  I'm glad to say I lived it. 

Things, or something like that, about today

I have some good news, and I have some bad news.

The good news is that it snowed last night.  I don't completely hate snow!  Also, I enjoy the Christmas-y feelings it gives me.  The truth is, I don't hate snow... I hate driving in it.  A completely huge difference... right?

The bad news is that Bert ran away this morning, came back, and then he had to eat his breakfast in his cage because HE. IS. A. BAD. DOG.  (Sometimes.  He's learning.)

And then while I got ready, Bagheera sat, quietly, and I remember what it was like to have one dog.  It was like the heavens opened and angels sang about what a miracle it is to have one dog who is brilliantly obedient...... but then I remembered Bert and his little brown eyes, and subsequently forgot all about it.

Bert is an awesome lap-warmer.

My dogs, resting their heads on the same pillow.  So cute I could squish them both.

Also.  I have something seriously wrong with my right-side ribs.  So that's also bad news.  Life is really punching me in the throat this last month-or-so, health-wise.  I think I coughed a crack right into my ribs. (I don't really know what's going on, but it hurts when I breathe and cough and generally move.)

So, that's my average Wednesday.  Oh, and I'd also like to point out that I had to go look for Bert this morning in my sleeping shorts, my black wellies, and my pink pea coat.  And, oh, you know, my hair which stuck straight up (and when I saw my reflection I thought I didn't know I could look like such a fine cockatoo).

This is not to mention last week, when I took the dogs out one morning in my fluffy pink robe, my wellies, and a towel on my head--to the community lawn area.  The same neighbors keep seeing me like this every morning and all I can do nowadays is shrug and pretend I don't see them.  If I can't see them, they can't see me.................. right?

Good things.

Last night, I made pancakes and substituted in some things and added vanilla. They were actually pretty good. Impressive for a person who doesn't have a clue about cooking, eh?

I'm getting back my film from the Film is Not Dead workshop this week. I might post some here, but I might also post some here. I am indescribably excited to see how it all turned out.

I got an antique radio this weekend. It's refurbished, gutted, and has sliding doors. Oh, it's also a really cool teal color, and I'm going to put some of my photo stuff and art stuff in it. It makes my heart happy while I think about it all day.

Lastly, it's snowing outside right now. Although it's only October, I kind of like it. I'm trying to do what Thoreau tells me to do: “Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”

Yep. Good week.

It was a nice day yesterday

for most of the day, until it started snowing. But wow... what a stark contrast to today.

It's snowing. Again. I woke up to an inch or so of snow on the ground today.

Oh well. Photos from yesterday [the sky was so beautiful!]:

This house reminds me a lot of some of my childhood memories, though this isn't a place that holds any for me, besides drives past it in recent years. I like the little architectural details on it.

I chose to convert them to black and white because I think they look so classic like that... plus, I am crazy about bright clouds and dark skies. It's always been one of my favorite things about black and white photography since I've shot with film. [And if you like it too, you can look up Minor White--he shot many photos like this... see one here. Though he used a filter that makes the ground white as well.]

In other news, I think I'm going crazy. I can't sleep very well at night lately, and it's affecting my housband too. He didn't sleep well last night because I was tossing and turning, pulling the covers away [which I do every night anyway]. I can't rest well because even my dreams are stressful... I just don't know what to do about it anymore. Any [serious] tips?

This last one's not black and white. I like it anyway.

Signed,

Captain Obvious

Back

The weekend was a good one. I stayed home yesterday, and I realized how much I love home. I didn't leave once, and I wasn't sad about that at all. It's made me realize, also, how much I'll love staying at home once we have kids. It's my choice--I've always wanted to stay home with my kids, though my husband would be fine with me working if that's what I decide I want. I'm a definite home-body, and I've always chosen staying home over going out. Therefore, the future is very exciting to me. Home it is, then.

Friday, we went out of town and ended up in Salt Lake sort of unexpectedly. [It's a long story.] I picked the place to eat, and though my brotherman a.k.a. my housband didn't really like it [he was expecting something much, much different], I thought it was charming.

Behold, the Beehive Tea Room:

I love the green and black checkered floors. So quirky! Reminds me of Amelie, always a plus. There were teacups, lanterns, and little nooks; it was the perfect amount of kitsch [in a good way] and quirk.

Since it was a little chilly out, I ordered this sweet hot chocolate. I get hot chocolate almost every time we go out when it's cold, and this was probably one of the best cups I've had in a very long time.

A detail shot on the way out.

Lastly, a building on the way back to our car:

It was a good weekend; I also took photos of my niece, but I'll have to save those for later. While I stayed in yesterday, it snowed and snowed [and snowed]. I had to dig my car out with a shovel under the foot of snow which buried it this morning.

This roof had no snow on it before Sunday night/yesterday:

It doesn't look like a lot, but it kind of is for this point in the year. But it's okay. Like I said, winter can't break me now. It's sunny out!

Plus, I stayed in yesterday and enjoyed [hopefully] one last snow day. I made cookies while I cleaned up our already deep-cleaned house [which we scrubbed Saturday], and I was cozy on the couch with word searches while my favorite candles burned. All in all, a really good day, and a nice start to the week.

Spring is coming soon. Mark my words.

Also:

I think this is pretty funny:

[Click to enlarge]

Some photos from this evening...

These are the sort of photos you get when you have 25-second exposures.

Confession

I like the snow. That's right, I said it: I like the snow. So shoot me.