Ah Sundays. Dad's home and Mom can do the important things like organizing her flickr photos, thinking thoughts, and sipping coffee while it's still hot.

Bliss I tell you, Bliss!

A quiet evening at home reading, writing, drinking Barbara, and listening to jazz.

While several of our amazing friends help us move today, I'll let this video take us all out...

Well, I've returned to snowy  Maple Valley after a 3 week hiatus wherein I gallivanted all along the West Coast.  After spending two glorious weeks with my niece Clara (and her parents, they're pretty great too, I guess), the saint flew down to join me in driving our new car back to Seattle from San Diego.   We expected horrible snow showers and icy conditions, but the weather couldn't have been better.  A peaceful trip indeed.

Thankfully we have friends and family all along the way so we didn't have to make the 23-hour drive in one straight shot.  We had such enjoyable times visiting people; I'm counting right now and we visited 7 homes and 30 people (12 of them kids) 6 dogs, and 4 cats.

So you can imagine that this introverted lady is soaking up the quiet familiarity of her home like the solitude-sponge she is.

After the 10-hour stint from Redding to Seattle yesterday, I arrived home sleepy and thankful.  I rested in the hottest of scalding baths, lighted a candle, and ate a tortilla with butter (I often eat while in the tub, it's so luxurious!).  I noticed that I was indeed spent in word count and thought-process, full well knowing that when required to extrovert myself, the fatigue manifests itself both in cerebral function and physical fatigue.  It feels like I've just ran a 10-mile race.

Now I've returned and am eager to catch up with those here in my home; also knowing that I will need some time to recapture my social stamina and here's the great part about all of this that hit me while I was in the bath...

I was hit with my limits and let down into rest, knowing that I could not call or see a single soul for a few days and two good feelings took over where before those feelings would have been self-deprecating and full of toxic bile.  I used to berate myself for my own limits, but in the last few years of care and growth, I noticed that I liked myself not only in spite of these frustrating limitations, but even because of them.  No one can be Candace like I can.  The other wonderful feeling is receiving words from friends that remind me to take my time settling in, to call only when I am ready, to reemerge on my own time.  So, I shall. 

And the magic keeps coming in the form of flurrying snow falling upon my country home.  What perfect timing.

Perhaps tonight I shall decorate the house with my Christmas baubles...

~crm

This morning, I was dressed and ready for my day by 10am.  This is a huge thing for me if I am staying home...not only is it impossible for me to wake up quickly, but I love to live in my pjs all morning, wander around aimlessly, and read random bits of country newspapers.    But today, I was ambitious.  I had baking to do (postponed from my actual baking day which incidentally was also POWER OUTAGE DAY this week) and plenty of work around the house.  Namely, a coat-tree to spray paint.

But alas, the universe (at barometric pressure) had other plans.

(ZOINKS!!! Damn that barometric pressure)

I realize that it's Monday night and I am just now getting to it, but Joel and I had quite the busy weekend. I spend all day Friday making a dress, Saturday exploring a possible new home, grocery shopping, then attending an anniversary party, and Sunday celebrating my family birthday with a long drive to Suntop Mountain, a fried chicken dinner (my favorite!), and homemade ice-cream pie. Perhaps by now you are cluing into the fact that my mo-in-law is wonder woman.

I topped off Sunday night with finally meeting a dear, dear pen-pal, with whom I've been spending this week. You'll see those pictures soon...

But to tide you over...

Making the dress...

Entire album here:

Entire album here:

Jenn and Candace Family Birthday Drive

Entire (mini) album here: