Monday musings

Right Now... I am feeling like I am standing at the edge of a cliff I know I sign up to jump but maybe this was not such a great idea. I have a lot of commitments this semester.  More courses than I have taking in a long time, several babies at least, an internship, I am standing up is a dear friend's wedding (which will mean making my dress and as Butterfly is also in the wedding her's too) and graduating, and I was just asked to present my research in the state capital event for student research.  If this past week is anything to judge by I am solidly in the weeds.  The courses are interesting but very reading and work intensive.  I know I can get it all done, I am just in that moment of panic before the plunge! 

So I'll check on lunch - ham and bean soup - and have another sip of coffee and get at it.  Cross your fingers that the mail gets here with two of my textbooks so I can read their material before class tomorrow.

This Weekend... was pleasant if busy. Friday the kids had off and we were supposed to go to have dinner with my writer friend and her children, while Beaver had dinner with his father.  The weather was snowy steadily all day but not bad where we live. By the time I got to my parent's (about an hour south) the roads were so bad I called off the dinner with my friend breaking the hearts of 6 children.  Beaver's Dad was still going to try to get up to have their dinner, so Beaver got a surprise two day sleep over with my parents.  My Dad had work that he could use a teenager's (that is still very weird) help with, so it worked out for everyone.

Saturday, Resee (friend getting married) came over to work on wedding plans, we traced the jacket pattern for all the bridesmaids and had a nice lunch.  The wedding has a steam punk - think Victorian styling with a mad scientist bend - theme.  So the bridesmaid's dresses are actually a authentic dinner jacket, bustled over skirt, with a corset, chemise and under skirts, ensemble. I think it will be lovely, but a lot of work.  She is making some modifications to the style to suit her tastes and I am hoping they won't be too distracting from the proper dress so that I could actually use the dress again for museum interpretations. 

After that we hopped, into the car for a longish drive to my beautiful niece's late birthday party.  She had a wonderful day and all the kids enjoyed playing with their cousins.

Sunday, was coursework, coursework, coursework.  Two on-line quizzes, plus a bunch of reading.  While reading on-line, I got the blanket for Jim's cousin done.  That shower is this weekend so that is a relief.  I read and worked all day yesterday and still have a couple hundred pages to read for tomorrow.  The theory course I am taking introduced me to some very interesting Anthropology blogs too!

Some plans for this week... Start the next cousin's baby blanket.  coursework!! Work on a few little crafting gifts, dye some yarn, work on repairing my wheel, take apart studio so Jim can try to find the leak in the ceiling. My studio is under the main bathroom and I heard Beaver's shower last night dripping on the the ceiling tiles. Get more organized so I feel less overwhelmed. The girl's and I will be representing the Anthropological society at the student fair this Wednesday, hopefully, we will get a few more people interested in joining.  Mouse's parent teacher conferences are this week. As is the train organizational meeting for both boys. The train is done in sections and the boys each have a section - I think after this fair we will have enough sections to run a train in the basement so I should get on re-organizing it so we can set that up (luckily that won't be until July!)

If I manage to find some time for myself, I would like to... remember how I said I wanted to sew myself some skirts, it is still undone, I really would like to make a few.  Hopefully, I will get a chance.  Maybe, it might make more sense to say I would like to select a pattern and material this week (from my stash of course) and if I really get ambitious cut it out. 

I am grateful for... the internet, allowing me to meet new people, read the work of people living a world away, get great ideas for books to read and projects to make for lovely woman all over the world and keep in touch with my family as they slow spread across the country.

Some prayerful intentions for the week... I want to pray for strength, courage and protection, for all my friends.  I feel like some malignancy is hovering around, waiting and watching, it is making me more than uneasy and several friend's have commented on feeling similarly.  So I will pray for light and guidance. I think it is stemming from a friend leaving her abusive husband, I believe he is actively wishing ill to anyone he thinks might care for or help her. He is so angry.  A very long time ago we were friends, I hope he can let go of the anger he has allowed into his soul and finds a path to return to the person he was intended to be. This is not to say I think my friend should ever return to him.  I just, for the sake of our long dead friendship, wish him healing.

Something that makes me smile... two little girls coloring while I type this. My amazon order arriving with only one of the two texts, this is not sarcasm.   I got one that's great! 

Monday Musings is hosted by Nadja at Patch o' Dirt Farm, looking forward to see what everyone's plans for the week are!