Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Paying It Forward

I don't get hooked into that many TV shows.  Never have.  But if I do get hooked, back off.  

When the children were little, they heard the same thing each Wednesday night: "Time for 'West Wing' --- see you in an hour."

Briton is now watching "The West Wing."  

So I am, too.

LOVE THIS SHOW.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

"Mom! She's Copying Me!"

A while ago, I said I was following my twin by taking up a project she had already finished. Well, here is my version (so far) of Wingspan:

This is hers:

It's a fun, very easy knit --- I'd love to make several, but am afraid to have too many of something so unique, you know?

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Control

A few years ago, a friend of mine asked me what my son wanted to do, career-wise.  I told her he wanted to be an actor.  Her reply was, "And you're going to let him do that?"

The question made me feel simultaneously surprised and sad.  Surprised that she thought I would (or should) have dominion over my son's job choice, and sad for the three children she has who were obviously heading where MOM wanted them to go.

As much as I adore my children, as aware as I am that I gave birth to them and raised them, I have never, ever thought of them as "mine."  They've never been my possessions.  They've never been mine to pour into a mold of my own making.  They've always been people.  Two very different people.  I doubt either would have bent to my will.

My daughter has begun to get tattoos.  She has one on her wrist, and yesterday she had text and flowers inked across her back.  She also has sketches and ideas for --- this is strictly a rough guess --- half a dozen more.  

I have a tattoo, which gives me a wee bit of legitimacy when discussing the topic.  I don't want her marked from neck to toes.  I don't want her doing something now, at 19, that she, at even 25, might deeply regret.  And yet, these aren't my decisions to make.  I've explained my position to her, and she has listened, and that's really as far as I can go.  It's her body and it's her money.

Wonder what my friend would think of this development?


Monday, May 21, 2012

Gut-punched over the death of Robin Gibb.  As I said earlier, the Bee Gees are my musical life.  My heart aches for Barry, the only one left.


Friday, May 18, 2012

Girls

Daughter has serious "Avengers" fever.
This afternoon, she went to see it for the 5th time.  And when she isn't watching it, or one of the heroes' individual movies, she's talking about it.

Wow.

Have a little sister project started, and am already wondering if I'll be able to finish it.  I'm knitting it with yarn I balled up for something else, so the label (and yardage) are long gone.  Hope I can get it done.  There'll be photos when I'm farther along --- don't worry, though.  Mine is in a different color from hers, so you'll be able to tell us apart.

;)

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Labels, Titles, IDs and The Like

Though I have been a mother for almost 24 years now, I've never felt that "Mother's Day" was for me.  I can't explain it, and I realize that from out there it makes little, if any, sense, but in here, it's clear as day.  Mother's Day was for my Mama.  That's all.  I suppose that's how I'll always feel.  Especially today, my first one without her.

My children are always so eager to please on this day.  They tell me over and over that it's my day, that they'll do anything or go anywhere that I want to go.  All the decisions are mine.  And I can never come up with anything.  Ever.  For 23+ years!  Is it because of not feeling I have a claim to the day?  Or is it being a real mom, and trying to think of things to do, places to go that the children will enjoy/won't fight over?  I'm guessing enormous parts of being a mom are wanting your children to be happy, and, not to be overlooked, keeping the peace.  Even at the cost of your own entertainment/comfort/preferences.

All that said, today's Google doodle brought me to tears:
Two little ones and a simple flower.  Happy Mother's Day.

Friday, May 11, 2012

This May Be An Age Thing

But when did people stop being quiet at the movies?  Did I miss some edict which lessened the degree of common courtesy one shows in public?


And the thing is, I don't even go to that many movies!  But when I do go, there are people just yakking away like they own the place.  Well, kiddos, you don't.


My one rule for my children --- all of their lives --- when we went out in public was, "Act like you've been somewhere before."

Some folks need remediation.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

The discerning and erudite Bridget participated in a "Ten on Tuesday" yesterday that I found irresistible. So, though it's Wednesday, here we go:

Ten Favorite Comedy Movies
1.  "Duck Soup"
2.  "Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby"
3.  "The Philadelphia Story"
4.  "Horse Feathers"
5.  "A Day At The Races" (Despite a racist musical number late in the film)
6.  "Bringing Up Baby"
7.  "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead"
8.  "Arsenic and Old Lace"
9.  "The Sting"
10.  "The Birdcage"

You?

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Round-Up

It isn't that things aren't happening in my life right now, because they are.  But there isn't anything really lyrical or poetic about them, so I don't write.

Having Hannah here has made me appreciate living alone.  I ADORE Hannah --- would do, go, say anything/anywhere for her.  But her things are all over the house.  And we seem to always want the big TV at the same time.  And when she watches a movie, she doesn't (usually) want me in the room with her. I get so lonely sometimes here by myself, but I also get very protective of my time when I'm used to it being my own, and it suddenly isn't.

My reading pace has fallen off a cliff.  I got through Lloyd Jones' Mr. Pip in a breeze;  it is easily the best of the novels I've read so far.  I'm back to non-fiction now for "K": Mike Kim's Escaping North Korea.  Scary, scary stuff.

Knitting is hit or miss.  I've begun and then ripped out at least a dozen things because they simply weren't going well.  I did make a pair of toddler socks I quite like:
and a shawlette/bandana whose self-striping couldn't have been more perfectly placed:

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Saturday, Such As It Is

Nice to be finished with all my Saturday errands before 10 AM, especially as it's already a muggy 80+ degrees out there.

Grief over Gable still hangs in the house.  I've been watching the animals carefully, as they almost always take these things the hardest.  Madeleine seems to be acting the most differently, which is kind of weird, since she knew Gable a shorter time than anyone (except Riley, of course.)  For some reason, I expect Lily to show the most obvious, the worst signs, but she seems alright so far.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Some Days Are Much Tougher Than Others

The nightmare trip to Nashville finally ended, but not before my finding more evidence of mice even more everywhere.  I just cannot figure how they got in.  There are steep, steep stairs both from the garage into the kitchen and from the first floor to the second.  These must have been some in-shape rodents.

Back here, I found Gable severely weak and in pain.  I was taking him to the vet to get checked out;  he died in the car on the way.  I was holding him in my lap, so I was with him, but it's still a fairly crushing blow.  He'd been with us a long time.  But he's never been the same after we had Jessie put down.  He adored her.



Hannah is back for the summer.  Or for part of it.  She and a friend have got to find a house to live in in Atlanta;  they're aiming to move in in late June/early July.  Looks like she'll be living out of boxes and bags until then.

I finished several little knitting projects while I was in Nashville.  Since I've been back, I've made a "monster," who needs finishing, but the right inspiration just isn't hitting me.  Maybe a scarf.  I made a pair of toddler socks and a washcloth yesterday, and got a good start on a teddy bear.  When all your patterns and all your yarn is at your disposal, it makes a significant difference.


One

One video.