My work, she is too good...

*SIGH*

So I'm having to do some work on Jill's blue cotehardie- despite checking the fit with a sloper, the sleeves did not work. Too short and a little too small in the forearm. And she wanted bigger gores in the skirt. No prob, sez I. But I spoke too soon. Yes prob. Have you ever tried taking apart something that was built to last? It took hours just to get the sleeves off- because I'd sewn them on by hand and then over on the machine, and then blind-stitched the lining in the armseye. @#$%^&*! Putting in extra gores is just tedious, but redoing the sleeves is not.

The cats are around here somewhere, just don't know where at the moment. Shadow was upstairs for awhile- he seems to think that the ironing table is a good place to hang out, and I'm trying to disabuse him of this notion. Kitties and irons don't mix. Seems he's been there a bit though, given the amount of cat hair on the pair of pants I left there for hemming (And the house-elves have not hemmed them for me. What gives?) I saw Susitna in the living room earlier this evening. Haven't seen Zoe. _Heard_ her though...

Watched _Prisoner of Azkaban_ again while sewing. I think that the score to it is the finest John Williams work I've ever heard, and that's saying a lot. Damn fine music, and so apropos to the action. The movie is good too. I think that there are parts of _Goblet of Fire_ that are completely breathtaking (the scene in the graveyard, for one), but on an overall, POA is best so far. We'll have to see how _Order of the Phoenix_ comes out- the trailers are really WOWOW!

Thinking about going to the demo Saturday. No clue what to wear. My usual choice for something like that is something absolutely kick-ass, but none of that part of the wardrobe fits right now. I may end up doing a trying-on party tomorrow.

I missed putting out the trash Weds night. Bother. But the cats have food and water, and the house is still standing, so I guess that's something...

I miss my sweetie. A chronic ache that hangs on me all day. Bother again. Hopefully this time next year I can bother him in person every day. Heh. Bother bother bother... ;-)

She's leaving, on a jet plane...

So I took Wanda to the airport this morning. She's off for two weeks in Germany. SHe said they may even make a side trip into Poland too. In the meantime, I'm here with the kitties. Plenty to do- I have a pile of sewing waiting for me, lots of writing, and I really need to dig in and thoroughly clean my room. I also need to get Wanda's truck down to DEQ/DMV and get her tags. (Also need to do that for Zippy, though she doesn't expire until June.) And Shadow needs shots updated, etc.

Got two new books today- one on English castles, and another on the impact of the Norman Conquest. Just flipping through they look pretty good.

Headache has been really bad the past few days. I'm hoping to feel better soon, so I can get all of this stuff done. Sad thing is I won't see James for another couple of weeks. Boo. :-(

I might run out to an event Saturday- 'the event formerly know as Kreigstriber' is on at Pacific University in Forest Grove. If the weather is ok. I'm really not interested in getting rained on.

Speaking of rain, Wanda discovered the other day that the moisture has gotten to the roof on my pavilion and the fabric has shattered. So I get to replace the roof. Great. Oh well- we were thinking of making it a little taller anyway. So some time this week I need to get down to RCT and see about roof fabric.

But now, I'm going to go take a long, hot bubble bath!

Oy Oy Oy!

It's been that sort of week...

James came up Thursday night- got here while we still had a houseful of Project Night. Aleyn and Helena were here, and a new couple from Aten- Liot and Winter. Sweet people, and I think they will fit in well once they're done being shell-shocked. :-)

Friday we went to Larry's dad's funeral, and then over to the wake at his mom's. (After we got lost getting there...) Got to see lots of old family photos- plenty of blackmail material on Larry. :-) In the evening we grabbed a bite to eat and then went to the cathedral to hear the new Presiding Bishop speak. She's GOOD.

And then we got a pint of ice cream (Haagen Daaz 'Baileys Irish Cream') and curled up together to eat it. Yum. All it needed was caramel. (But my hips _don't_ need it...)

We went to breakfast Saturday morning with Wanda and Linda (Karl was at the Tool Show with Ralphie) and I had a strawberry waffle. James indulged in buckwheat pancakes (they look grey- not very appetizing, but he likes them). We took a long walk when we got back to the house, then he left for Ashland. (Boo.) And I went down for a nap. And napped. Read a little, and napped some more.

Such an exciting life, I know. Be moderately interesting after Tuesday- Wanda leaves for Germany, and it will be just little ol' me with the kitties. Heh. I see kitty torture in my future. ;-) (And that means you, Shadow!) I think it is my lot in life to hassle furry things and rub tummies. :-) At least that's what the cats tell me...

Happy Hump Day!

Ok, in just a few minutes it'll be Thursday, but still- one day closer to the weekend!

James will be up sometime Thursday, and Friday night we're off to hear the new Presiding Bishop at the cathedral downtown. Should be interesting- I've never done anything like it. Friday morning though, we're probably going to the memorial service for Larry's dad. It's the least I can do for Larry when he's been through so much.

In other news...

Wanda hasn't whacked someone at work... yet. I get the idea that she's come close a couple of times. She's counting the hours now until Friday, then she's On Vacation. She flies out the 24th. She *really* needs this vacation, and she'd darn well better have a good time!

We were out at Bera and Alail's for dinner last night. Ham. Yum! :-D Nice evening. I came home with some fabric to make stuff for Bera (part of my wedding gift to them). And we got to visit the kitties. Rupert left a couple of good scratches in my hand, but Khyber was quite happy to sit on my lap and drool for a bit.

I'm hungry for more of that ham, but we havent any here. Boo.

Well, time to crawl into my bed with a copy of _Chamber of Secrets_ (I'm re-reading the series). Hey, only three months until the last installment! Woo-hoo!

I get by with a little help from my friends...

Yes, I am back, and no, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...

Last week was sort of a combo of too busy and not busy enough. I spent a large part of the week sleeping off the trip to Ashland. And I spent a lot of time watching 'Robot Chicken' via You Tube. (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Robot+chicken&search=Search for samples). Way too juvenile and way too funny. I think the 'Darth Vader calls the Emperor' is one of the funniest. Anyway, a good lagh feels really good- even if I have to suppress it to keep from waking Wanda...

James was up for the weekend. Saturday was the 'History Day' state competition. I was judging the Junior Group Documentaries- basically 6th graders making videos. Had one about John McLoughlin, an Oregon Founding Father of sorts. It was ok. There was one about the Korean War orphans that was absolutely terrific. Full marks across the board. And the last one was about the last of the Samurai. It was pretty creative- nearly all the boys acting out samurai scenes in costumes, with voice-over, and then the two of them doing a 'fireside chat' at the end. They had serious bibliography problems though- they cited themselves as sources, and they even listed the horse they used in a couple of scenes. They seem to have been confused between credits and sources...

Brunch was good- we stayed way too late, talking more about Linda's questions about religions and spirituality. James is the active churchgoer and got to talk a lot. The whole conversation was really interesting, and I'd bet that the waitresses were a bit confused at some of the dramatic shifts :-)

And Larry's dad passed away Friday morning. It wasn't unexpected, and I suspect it is actually a relief for Larry and his family, but it's got to be rough nonetheless. I'm hoping to get in touch with him sometime in the next day or two

This week I think will be a lot of sewing, trying to catch up backlogue. I may make some new clothes for myself while I'm at it. Wanda and I are planning to have dinner with Bera and Alail on Tuesday, and Thursday James will be back up- the new Presiding Bishop will be at the cathedral Friday evening and he has tickets. Should be pretty interesting.

And I may even allow myself a Burgerville shake this week. I can do penance with black beans and brown rice to make up for it. :-)

If it's Tourist Season, why can't you shoot them?

I had to ask that of James when I got in to Ashland the other day. The Tourists were everywhere, and none of them can read street signs or pavement markings. The couple that got me though, stepped off the curb, and then stood and argued over which direction to go- while standing there in front of Zippy. I understand this is typical behavior...

I drove down Friday evening, slept most of Saturday, recovering from the drive. We went to the Vigil service Saturday evening, and afterward picked up ice cream, which we ate watching SNL. Went to church Sunday (the ivory and moss green outfit worked really well), and had nibbles at the coffee hour after. I napped for a couple of hours after we got back, and left about 3. I stopped in Springfield and took Lydia and David out to eat, and drove the rest of the way home. It started raining in Springfield and poured the rest of the way. Even with the wipers on fast, I was having trouble seeing. I hate weather like that to drive in.

I haven't recovered though- still tiredtiredtired, and sleeping a lot.

The good news is though- I weighed myself at my appt with Anna, and I lost 12 pounds in a month! So while I'm going to relax the diet a bit, I'm going to keep most of the Lenten diet, because it obviously works! I'd be pleased as punch if I could get into a 12 again...

I finished reading the book on the plague- _The Great Mortality_, by John Kelly. VERY good. I recommend it. He even gets into the microbiology, the sex lives of rats, paths of infection, all sorts of cool stuff.

And now, as I'm yawning again, I'm going to take a nap.

"Or the horse may talk!..."

Well, I have a new outfit. I still look like a barge, but at least I will be a well-dressed barge. I ended up ditching the jacket pattern entirely- it didn't fit in all sorts of bad ways, mostly because my body isn't a normal shape right now. So I just drafted something of my own- made a tunic top and a matching long skirt, and a sash. I'll wear my burnout velvet scarf along with. And that will have to do.

Be interesting to see what ends up in the Friday news dump tomorrow. With the various hearings coming up, and the recess appointment Bush made the other day, and the ongoing Gonzales/Rove/Cheney/etc crap, there might be something interesting. Pity I'll be driving when it happens. :-P

And I'm off to bed. Have an appt with Anna in the morning, and I still have to pack. And sleep would be a very good thing...

Slip-slidin' away...

Does anyone besides me even remember that song? I haven't heard it in ages...

I mentioned it because I must admit that I feel like I'm sliding a bit. I think the funk from last week has hit a biochemical button or something, because the depression has really set in. I'm seeing Anna on Friday, so I'm on it, but I still feel like crap. I had really wanted to go to Jesse's funeral today, and I just couldn't make myself do it. Instead I got myself a bowl of cereal and sat in front of the computer. How's that for compassionate, eh?

I miss my kids. I worry about Annie, who is doing ok but she's so far away. I worry about Stephen, who hasn't quite figured out life yet, though keeping a job is a really good start. I worry a lot about Lydia, who seems to be too terrified of life to jump in. And I get sick just wondering how I would feel to lose any of them. And this of course is not a pleasant thought to have...

And I had a really bizarre dream about James last night- somehow I'd gone back in time, about 15 years. Except he was younger and I was as I am now. And it was one of those deals where you can't do anything to alter history or something will go *pop*. I had to keep to myself, which was... painful. Why is it that I'm always dreaming about *not having*? I don't get it.

I still have to get my new clothes done, so that is the plan for tomorrow. Hurrah for new clothes! And I still need to redo a hat. Hmm... how much orange can I get away with? :-D

6'6" with the hair...

Wanda and I went to the old Bagdad Theater in the Hawthorne district, and saw John and Teresa Kerry there this evening (on purpose- it was a ticketed event). They're out promoting their new book on the environment (can't let Al take all of the press there ;-)) and we each got a copy as part of the ticket price.Was really pretty neat. John even slipped in a couple of good digs on the current administration (calling them Neanderthals- Wanda said that's an insult to Neanderthals worldwide!). Ahhh... it felt so good to sit in a theater full of like-minded folk. Haven't felt like that since the last Harry Potter opening! (Ha- that even made it in- John said he'd been tempted to call his book 'Harry Potter and the Environment' to pump sales).

In other news, I spent most of the week/weekend with James, instead of blogging (can't imagine why...). Friday night we went to Powell's, and I had to force myself to be good, only spent about $20. Saturday we went to the defender's tourney in Mountain's Edge. Nice little shire event, low key. I had to make a new gown, since everything I own is not fitting at the moment, but it turned out pretty well. Went to brunch with the gang Sunday. Was very interesting- Linda has been reading this book "A History of God", which has left her with more questions than it answered. She says that she can't understand why educated, thinking folks like us would believe in a being like she's been reading about. (The Old Testament God is especially cranky, in her estimation. I agree.) So it seems like there will be more conversations as she reads more...

I've not been feeling well at all the past few days. Not sleeping especially well, or at least, requiring a lot more sleep than I'd think I should. I even curled up on the floor in a corner at the event and napped for a bit- I could not stop yawning and stay awake. Sunday after James left I went back to bed, slept several hours, got up for a bit and went back to bed. Much the same today- I got up for a short time in the morning, then went back to bed. Woke up at three. Somehow I imagine this is not a good thing.

Annie got her stuff from Connecticut, and is busy trying to unpack while not having any furniture as of yet. I need to pack up some stuff and send it to her...

The rest of this week I need to devote to sewing- need to get work done on Jill's gown, and I need to get my Easter outfit done. If I have to be heavy, I can at least look nice. That's the plan at least.

In the meantime, more sleep would seem to be in order...