a southern gal in the north

Aw

Until today I had been immune to Ford nostalgia, but this story, about how the late president became friends with the gay couple who renovated his childhood home, made me melt.

Alex Ross: The Rest Is Noise: Aw.

and resolutions?

sigh

One of my favorite blogs is BREED’EM AND WEEP.  The author writes with a style and pithiness which speaks to me – check her out.  Its about life in the Berkshires of two artistic parents and their charming adorable intelligent girls and The Mater who just moved to the same city (she has her own blog too!)

Today’s post provoked tears in my eyes- sometimes that blog shoots an arrow right into my soul.  The idea of giving up “WANTING” .  Its a powerful one – and somehow related to one of my latest issues – GRATITUDE.  and also the constant struggling to let go of “who i am supposed to be”  which has got to be the HARDEST thing in the world.

This past year has seen major changes – i left a situation that was VERY VERY bad and with it all the people (and some very bad ones) that had been my life for over 10 years – created a garden and made an old apt into a home and reconnected with my baby sister and her family – including my incredible nephew.

Its been a hard lonely year and November was one of those milestone birthdays too (and yes, i am still vain enough not to say which one). this new year i face with lots of questions and one promise to myself – to be true to my talents and dreams.

financially and professionally its very scary – but the other situation had made me first psychically ill and then physically ill and finally i listened to my body and my soul.  you can’t continue to be in an environment that is detrimental to your very being.

I think of this past year as jumping off a cliff – I am still gliding and not sure where I will rest eventually – as I float thru the air I am still far above the ground and only can discern the vaguest outlines of the land where I am headed – its clearer now than it was but still cloudy. 

onward…

Spent the morning and early afternoon baking the first two loaves

[because of my newest nephew Mr L’s arrival on Dec 23rd all my plans pre Christmas went right out the window and then I had a major sinus infection Thu-Sat).  so that brings us to shopping for baking goods on New Year’s Eve (NOT something i EVER want to repeat) and baking today…and tomorrow and…]

Here is one of them (delivered to my sister)

and opened.

It’s Orange Cranberry Walnut Bread.

And now I have to find more cranberries as the STORE was OUT (can’t even imagine why) – I had two bags squirrelled in the freezer thank goodness.  The other loaf baked today went to my landlord – who obligingly stopped by thus saving me a trip. 

The rest go to neighbors and the postman.  Its a great bread – I made one Saturday night to test it out as its a slightly different version than one I made years ago – but for finding the cranberries.  Ohh well, i may substitute blueberries instead or raspberries or strawberries? 

Anyway, spent the afternoon and evening at my sister’s house (she of the new baby) .  Mr W, the big brother, has been under the weather for the last few days – a little fever and not feeling good – so he was in his pyjamas all day.  But he was feeling well enough to play trains with me while we waited for dinner to cook – we had roasted chicken, black-eyed peas and rice and a spinach salad.    The newborn Mr L, slept thru most of this until, of course, Mr W’s bedtime and then it was feeding time.   I left around 9 as Mr W was still being visited in bed in turn by my sister and b-in-law.  Poor thing, its hard to be sick at almost-three-years-old.    Fingers crossed that he sleeps thru the night tonight as he didnt the last two nights. 

Feast your eyes on this face – beatific non?

As for knitting – I am finishing the LASTgift and then will be FINALLY mailing everything on WED now that the post office is closed Tuesday for President Ford’s Funeral.   Photos in the next few days.

Fireworks over the Sydney Opera House and Harbor. (NYTIMES).

May all your knitting be easy and may your stash be ever full!

Happy New Year!

Fireworks over the Sydney Opera House and harbor. (NYTIMES)

Best of Times, Worst of Times

Hyunah Yu
The South Korean-born soprano, 38, was studying molecular biology when a violent carjacking left her husband dead and her baby kidnapped. She recalls her overwhelming grief — and how a dramatic career change helped her come to terms with her loss

Hyunah Yu – Sunday Times – Times Online.

My nephew born in a hospital elevator on Saturday after just  THREE HOURS of LABOR!!!   He was due January 8th.  But all is well – 7 lbs and 20 inches.

Its been a crazy time since then helping out with the new baby and my almost-three-year-old nephew, the big brother.  No presents were delivered. No baking was done – Christmas Day passed with no celebrating – I was too exhausted!!

More shots of all the knitting gifts later.

Hope your Christmas was full of joy and peace!

wellll. at 930 am on Saturday the 23rd, my sister called SCREAMING into the phone that she was in labor (she was due on jan 8th)

i threw clothes on and went to her house – she and her husband drove like bats out of hell – her contractions were a MINUTE apart at that point and they made it to the hospital only to have the baby

IN THE ELEVATOR!

all by herself she CAUGHT.THE.BABY! and then the doors opened and they laid her on the floor and handed the dad the scissors to cut the umbilical cord. 

PRETTY AMAZING!

can’t beat that for beating out Christmas (they are jewish though so, it was my Christmas = oh well, anyway).

Mom and baby Lucien came home on the 25th – i was over at her house 12-15 hours each sat and sun – and spent monday exhaustedly lying and sleeping many hours on the sofa –

here are the things that DID NOT get done for Christmas:

1.  Final mailing of packages (as in none of my family got their HAND MADE presents).  (Sat)

2.  Baking for the neighbors and the mailman and UPS guy. (Sunday all day)

3.  Wrapping of presents. (sat morn)

4.  Decorating of Tree (sat night)

(my binlaw is jewish and she converted so they dont have any christmas stuff to do )

life is pretty upside down right now – it sure don’t feel like christmas BUT WHO CARES!??  look at this face!  I am in love!

I always do this – decide to make presents just several weeks ahead of christmas – and so again this year.  I am frantically knitting several pairs of gauntlets and caps (the Celtic Cap and some of my own design) .

back to knitting…