The Garfield Project

At least the current one.  As part of my internship, I will be helping at there Candlelight event, doing hearth cooking demonstrations.  I need to be in costume for the period of the museum's interpretation 1841 to 1853.  I have a dress sample from them to work from and a pattern, they also gave me material to work with.  The material is in no way what they were telling me it needed to be and does not correspond to my own research.  The pattern is period correct, but very much an old fashioned pattern and written from studying a dress.  The dress sample has a lot of alterations from the pattern that remove the authenticity, but do help to aide in understanding the construction.    After I finish the one with their material, I plan to make a corset and a second dress.  I also want to help them but writing the directions out and marking the pattern out for people sized people. 

Monday musings...

Joining Nadja at Patch o Dirt Farm this morning...

Right Now... it's 9:57.  The boys are at school.  Mouse is 7 today!  The girls are still asleep - we had a big weekend but this is weird.  the dishes are going.  Jim is working after taking vacation last week.  The house is quiet.

This Weekend... was crazy busy.  Friday, Beaver had two friends over to celebrate, belatedly, his birthday.  I had a ton of work for my class.  Normally the readings take a few hours and the work takes between 1-3, this week I read for 4 days straight.  Knit like crazy while reading too. 

Saturday morning was the parents meeting for the US Junior Scale Modeling Team.  We met at a authentic french cafe about 30 minutes from my house.  I suspect being so frazzled by finding a place to park that you order anything is authentic all busy cities.  I should have taken a picture of the pastry case.  I had a Praline Dacquosie and it was good, however, as I make all the parts that go into it at home, I should have ordered something I did not know how to make.  The upside is I am making it right at home.   The meeting went well, Nathaniel is not doing well enough at school to meet the team requirements, but they believe in him and have offered to help as needed.  Just have to pull his grades up and restore his self confidence.

Saturday afternoon, I had crafting circle at my house.  Two dear old friend's and their kids came.  We had a lovely visit, which is good as one really needs her life back (leaving an abusive relationship) Then we had game night (everyone plays board games) and two more friends came, these guys we used to see all the time and I have missed dearly.  Hopefully we will see more on them in the future. 

Sunday I skipped church as I still had so much work to do.  Felt bad but Mouse's birthday started at 3 and my homework was due at 5.  I finished, cake, party prep, and homework at 3:45.  He had a great time. 

I got all but 4 things I set out to do this weekend done.  One I finished after everyone left for the night.

Some plans for the week...  Try to clean out one kitchen drawer, at least one, if I get crazy one a day.  Mid-term I missed while out west for the funeral.  Christmas crafting, lots of Christmas crafting.  Talk to adviser about next semester. Costuming project for Garfield Farm Museum.

If I find some time for myself, I would like to...  figure out the project Gutenberg thing for my nook so I can read more cheaply.


I am grateful for... my seven year old.  My husband.  Sleepy cuddles. 

Some prayerful intentions this week... several friends need some prayers.  I want to focus on being in the moment more, living this time not what happened a year ago or is going to happen next, and not being so focused on getting this thing done, then the next thing done.  More on being. 

Some things that make me smile...  Sleeping children with their heads under the blanket but their toes sticking out, just begging to be tickled.

Yarn Along - Beaver's gloves take two.

Joining Ginny at Small Things in the yarn along again today.  I am looking forward to seeing what everyone is working on and reading.

Could not decide which photo worked best so here are all three.  I finished a scarf in Peruvian wool that I bought nearly 12 years ago - before I could knit.  I never made anything with it, so this year I decided to make up a scarf and it would be a nice Christmas present.  Well it will make at least two.  This one is for my cousin Jessica.  I took this project west with me and the night of Grandma's wake, Jess wanted to open the bottle of wine she brought with her while we played cards.  No corkscrew.  Hotel couldn't help.  Mom suggested pounding a key into the cork with a shoe, which we tried.  Then she said "if you had a knitting needle...."  if I have a knitting needle????  I grab mine, which was a circular size 10 with this scarf on it.  I jammed it in and said "Nonnie (pet name for grandma) we need the wine!"  Pop, wine spurting everywhere, cork inside the bottle, house keys still looped on my sister's hands, knitting needle and scarf in mine.  We had a good time hanging out and I thought Jessica would love to have the scarf.  As I have enough for a second one cousin Sean who was also in on this will get one, and I will have to come up with a small something out of the leftovers for my sister and me.

I re-cast on the gloves which are very late for Beaver's birthday.  They are going well, and the right size this time.  Should have done a gauge the first time.  I did ignore the pattern a bit as the cuff was suppose to be garter stitch and I didn't like it so stockinette it was.  He seems to like them and I think I will have enough to do up a matching hat or scarf, for Christmas.

I am between books right now.  The plaid case is the cover I made for my nook.  Really enjoying much more than I expected.  I have read The Evil Inside by Heather Graham, Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club by Gil Moneil so far.

Keeping it real...

That's a box of un-matched socks, the counter and table are dirty too.

actually these look better than the floor did.

Reading Tricia at Crunchy Catholic Momma  has me thinking about priorities.  I have prioritized craft projects and having fun with the kids, and posting here (and quite a few other things) over cleaning.  I do clean quite often but it is more important to me to have fun with the kids, cuddle, sew, knit, read, are you getting the idea.  I get a lot done but don't ever want anyone to think they can't do something because they are comparing themselves to me and imagining that my life or house is perfect.  So here it is keeping it real Tuesdays, were we take a picture of something in our house that  needs attention, if you were coming to my house right now, I'd be madly scrambling to clean this quick before you arrived.  Oh and while writing this as fast as I can so can can sneak in a shower I really need, I am making bread for dinner and pizza for lunch.  I will be later than I wanted for visiting with a friend and have people coming tonight.  (I did sweep after taking this shot, but didn't get to mopping it.  I prioritized smelling good over unsticky floor.)

a long while in pictures.

My mother drive us nuts picking up pamphlets and brochures and never reading them much less tossing them after.  We had to take this picture for her.

The girls made me a tea party before I went out west.

My mother riding the luggage cart back to her room after grandma's wake. 

My cousin dressing her daughter in the costume we all helped at making the night before the wake.  Lollipop did not want to wear this beautiful red riding hood cape, until her mom said but it's your coat.  On it went. 

This was supposed to be last weeks yarn along photo.  My mother in law got me a nook for my birthday.  I love it.

tiny little tree up north.  Dad & I took some nature shots before my aunt got there.

I really like the picture of person taking a picture shots.  I doubt he knows I took this.

Middle of Wisconsin driving by.  right after I put the camera away we drove past a field with at least 50 cranes, couldn't tell if they were sand hill or blue herons.

Monday Musings....

Back to routine if I can find some.

Right now... I am drinking cold tea, smelling dinner - roast chicken and veggies - and getting hungrier by the minute.  Badger is crashed out on the couch so I will not be sleeping tonight.  The other are playing legos nicely. 

This weekend... I went up north to the house up there with my dad, 6 hour drive, we stayed in a tiny little motel that is run by a very nice older gentleman.  We had a nice drive, dinner at Chili's and breakfast at the little cafe in St. Germain that has a wolf theme and awesome food.  Then we drove to the house, two large trees are blocking the drive.  My aunt and uncle met us there.  The house is worse, but given that it was poorly built, maintained worse and no one has lived in it or done anything to it in 7 years that is not surprising.  A Realtor looked at it in case they decide to sell - and stated firmly that the house is a lost the value is in the property - which my aunt needed to hear.  Dad is still hoping a miracle will solve his problems and he will be able to buy my aunt out without having to do any thing for achieve that.  We went through everything taking most of the items that would be ruined by staying or that people wanted and could get into their car.  Several steps forward and all civilly!  I did not get home until 11 but it was worth it to be productive. Sunday, I cuddled my family then went to the Garfield Farm Museum Volunteer dinner.  great time.  I got situated with my next two (or more) projects.  Will post about that later in detail.

Some plans for the week...  Visiting a dear friend at the woman's shelter she is living at.  I am so proud of her for leaving her abusive husband.  She did it months ago but only told me today.  She's offering me some advice on my newest sewing project for the museum.  I also need to do some basic housecleaning and finish up Mouse's birthday presents - I want to make him a sewing kit - his party is Sunday.  Because of the timing of my grandma's death Beaver is having a few friends to sleep over this Friday so hounding him to clean his room is also on the agenda.

If I find some time for myself, I'd like to... sleep as that is all the time I expect to find in the next few weeks.

I am grateful for... My husband, who sometimes manages to tell me what I need to hear even when I don't want too and who will never try to hurt me.  My kids for throwing themselves at cuddling mommie time.  My Dad, even when I am mad at him, he is a good man.  My friends for taking frantic venting phone calls from me.  My cousins for being there when I needed them most, even if there was on the phone. 

Some special prayerful intentions this week...  In addition to praying for friends and family, I am going to pray for calm and peace, for everyone to try to understand their feelings before speaking and before judging.

Something that makes me smile... Being home, just that.

Thanks Nadja at Patch of Dirt Farm for hosting the musings.

a world without

Have not written in a while, too heartbroken and angry.  I did not want to write in anger.  I did not know what to write. 

Grandma has been gone since the 25th.  Day before my birthday.  I took Mom out west for the hardest and worst trip of my life.  I got the chance to spend a lot of time getting to know my cousins better.  Nothing like being in a house filled with anger and stress to help you bond. 

I am now praying for my aunt, that she get the help she needs, counseling, medicine, clergy all three. 
I am praying for my Uncle to survive this mess as the strong gentle man I know he is. 
I am praying for their marriage. 
I am praying for my cousin who because he lives there has been my aunt's confidant in too much. 
I am praying my mother learns to take responsibility for her health care and gets organized. 

I am praying for myself to learn that the most important familial obligations are the ones who live under my roof and to learn to say no and mean it when my parents want me to do something or put me into a situation where they want everything but are unwilling to do even the most basic things to help themselves.  I love all of them, but they are grown ups and I have other people to care for and worry about that are not. I want to help my family, but they need so much and it is always so stressful and anger filled and never enough. Last time I went out west my Uncle made an offhand comment about how I am an obedient daughter.  I told him I was not, but I think he is right, I am the dutiful daughter and I realize that the stress is breaking me.  I am really having a hard time with all of this and I can feel myself slowly slide into depression.  I can not do that again.  I will not allow myself to get back to a place where I really could not see the light.  I owe my children a good and happy life.  My husband deserves my hand in his, my efforts working to our goals and family.

This time while awful has brought a lot of introspection. My children are coloring pictures to sent to my grandpa. 

I am glad I went, Grandma was sent off with a prayer shawl, the rug I knit her, a sweater in yellow she knit, a ball of whit yarn with a project on the needles, and an extra ball of soft red and needles, at the last minute grandpa slipped in her favorite sandals (grandma was always worried about getting to heaven barefoot). We included a postcard of her hometown that shows the building the entire extended family went to after her mother's and sisters' funerals. 

Now I just have to figure out how to live in a world without her.