Gong Xi Fa Cai

x-posted from LJ January 26:

...wishing you to be prosperous in the new year...

calm
hard work
resolve
tenacity
prosperity through fortitude

Welcome to the Year of the Ox

Don't know 'bout ya'll, but I plan on working my arse off this year...I will make the ox proud.

Still learning about my new life...some things about sharing a living space are so much easier...some things are quite challenging. But not at all in the ways I expected...
The biggest struggle for me is erecting boundaries...as in, retaining my own personal rhythms rather than simply melting into the flow that existed here before we moved in. But then again, maybe that isn't important at all...maybe my rhythms can use some adjustment...A huge blessing is that our two families jive really well and I know we will all be enriched by the experience. Most importantly, we all genuinely like each other and are building friendships, learning and sharing, creating...it's a beautiful thing. We have many similar goals and will all benefit from the mutual support.

Today, I get back into my spinning...the studio is still not ready to be heated, but it's fine for the wool to be frozen...I grab what I need and bring it up to the house for now...there are many events to prepare for...Stitches West, the SF Quilt Show...as well as finally updating my own shop so it doesn't look quite so ridiculously bare when I apply to upcoming shows.

The moving process is starting to slow down, although we still have a lot to do at the house. We are hoping a potential renter becomes more than just potential after coming to see the place this weekend. That would certainly give us more impetus (as if we needed it) to finish up over there, and take a great weight of worry off our backs. It was not the right place for us, but it is a beautiful old farmhouse and I would hate for it not to be lived in and loved by someone who can appreciate it and care for it.

Here's to a productive Monday...off to the wheel!

Madness!

x-posted from LJ January 20:

I've been so disoriented with this move, I had to be reminded more than once of what was happening today...

Yes, I am that self-centered right now. It's kind of hard not to be when there are monumental changes happening in my own tiny life. I wanted to get really excited and celebrate and all that...but...today was a school day for the little guy, which meant I had to take advantage of that time to make a run to the old house to feed the chickens and grab what I could (the chickens are still living there, 40 minutes away, until we finish building a coop for them over here. Funny, they seem happier and healthier than ever...), get back here, unload stuff, maybe unpack some of it, maybe store some of it, and then it was my night to cook dinner for the household, which I enjoy, but by the end of the day lately I feel I've run a marathon and wrestled with a dinosaur. Crafting, writing, thinking is not happening much until we get a bit more settled. Anyway, most every day is ridiculously over-scheduled....except now that we have a communal situation going, I am on cooking-duty for eight people two nights a week instead of three people every night of the week. I find it delightful and hope we continue the theme of community suppers even after we move into the cabin this summer. It's so much more satisfying somehow, to cook for a larger group of people occasionally than smaller meals all the time.

So, dino-wrestling aside, I know this is the perfect thing for us right now. Our housemates are amazing and fabulous people and we jive in a million ways. I just think a week-long nap is in order, and the Magical Moving Faeries can finish things up for us while I sleep. Is that really too much to ask?

In the midst of my current chaos, I finished something!
The Little Guy's sweater...finally:

He's already got it pretty well covered with bits of food and other oddments of fascinating texture and color, so I'm glad I was able to sneak a few pictures when it was fresh.

The pendulum swings...

Hyper-motivated.
Totally unmotivated.
It's a confusing, unsettling combo.

Neeeeeeeeeed studio.

Still...

...Moving.
It is dragging on and on.

...Broken.
The bulky flyer assembly on my spinning wheel. Mr. Lendrum, however, is a very kind man, was "flabbergasted" at my troubles with the wheel and insists I send him the sad parts for his perusal.

...Tired.
Did I mention the moving is dragging on an on? I wish I could fit all my belongings in a covered wagon and be done with it. Instead of using the pack it all up and rent a truck method, we've been limping along carload by carload. It will still be at least a week before I get my studio stuff moved over. It is killing me slowly to have a thousand new ideas and none of my crafty supplies nor the space in which to play. I did, however, bring my non-broken wheel parts and will be able to spin small, fine yarns in the meantime. Methinks it might be a nice departure.

...Dreaming and Scheming.
Plans for the biz.
Plans for my life.

...*yawning*
Good night.

Travel Log

x-posted from LJ 12/30/08:

I took short notes on my journey from Burlington today.

JFK Airport = totally effing strange...especially these funny-squishy-60s-style-not-quite-beanbag-chair-thingies by the big windows

Six-toed cat being walked/dragged on a leash...an orange fluffball on deep blue carpet...rolls in sunbeam...tug, tug

Totally wigged-out dogs! everywhere!

Tense people, cursing people, relaxed people, laughing people

Speaking slowly, softly to herself, shallow breath...

Missing missing missing

Arms crossed, I'm watching you

Must get out of squishy-strange-chair-thingie...Saved By the Bell re-runs make me want to do something awful

An i-pod vending machine...are you kidding me?

Can't sit down to wait for my plane...people think their baggage needs a chair to sit on

So glad I forgot my COAT

Confounded by Rubik's Cube

Valve that controls the temperature in the cabin is BROKEN. Great.

I'm COLD

Might as well be snowing in here.

Why, oh why, am I knitting a sweater on size 5 needles?

Amputation (feels like)...miss my boys.

Pulling up to gate and the Rubik's Cube is just as far from solved


Anyway, made it to California. Wish I were in Vermont.

Points

x-posted from LJ 12/23/08:

...are all I've got time for this morn between all the runnings around of the last few and the next few days...

-Excitement: I'm looking at a studio space in town on Friday. I think I will be so much more focused and productive if I have a space away from home, animals, children, husband (read: distractions). As much as I love them all, I never get to take full advantage of work-time when I have it. I am also more than 100% sure that the extra time I will be able to spend on new ideas will create enough income to more than justify paying for a workspace away from home. Plus, I have the added benefit of having Open Studio hours and participating in Gallery Walk each month, plus shows in the downstairs gallery of the building. Bonus party: a meditation space on the top floor. Wish me luck!

-Our solstice plans were all skewed due to weather...we are now celebrating more Christmas than we had planned on, but oh well. It's all one big holiday week for us, anyway, although C has to work through Christmas Eve evening. Bah and humbug.

-Kiddo opened up a suitcase the other day and called it his "Water Bottle Shop." He was a "seller" and his wares were milk and water. I'm not sure the buyer's purchase actually included any sort of bottle, which was the best part. Oh, and pretty much everything in his "shop" was $50. Sure am banking on some super-duper mineral-rich water at that price!

-I really enjoyed being snowed in. I even really enjoyed shoveling myself back out again. I would prefer that the Pacific Northwest trade me their upcoming snow for our upcoming sleet, as I would rather ride out another snow storm than deal with ice on the roads again. Although, it's a damn good excuse to stay in, knit and drink cocoa.