Filed under: Life
Am I really slacking this much on my blog? Wasn’t my last one going to pull me out of my posting slump?
I guess not. It’s not that there aren’t all kind of interesting things going on, actually, maybe it’s because there are too many things going on that I can’t seem to sit down and catalogue things anymore into tidy little posts. Also, while life has been full, it’s been full of things that I’m reticent to post about. Things that are too personal and therefore not blog worthy for me as I’m just not that kind of gal. I have no problem spilling the occasional gut, but somehow this month has been so, so full, and so heavy at the same time. I don’t think I’ve begun to process things off-line yet, so I’m not going to start putting them out here until I’ve had more time to chew on them.
Actually, most of my post interruption probably has to do with the fact that life is still in upheaval for us with the move and I’m still settling back down into my old rythm.
Here are some events of note, large and small, occurred and still to come, that I don’t feel like going into much detail on yet. Consider it a preview of things I may never get around to saying any more about.
- A visit to the Seattle Aquarium with Pat’s brother and some old friends last week.
- An upcoming trip to Portland and Bend (oh, how I’ve been yearning for travel!)
- A little house concert where I will be debuting my entirely un-mad piano skills on the old Wurlitzer
- The craft fair on Saturday
- (Gasp, sputter, choke) I think we’re buying that house
- An afternoon date with Pat and Theo for our 6th anniversary last Sunday
- Pat’s big interview yesterday
- The funeral last Saturday
- Practice, practice, practice the piano
- Theo is biting my every time he nurses and I’m not happy about it
Can you tell that I’m attempting to create some order out of my felt chaos by making a list? Tell me I’m not the only one who does that.
I’ll leave off with a batch of pictures from our Seattle outing. I will be back soon with more to say.
This is probably going to be a random and jam packed post since it’s been so long since my last real blog, but if I don’t get back on the wagon now, I might not ever get in the swing of blogging again.
~I’ve been thinking about that old “Waters of March” song lately. And contemplating the bizarre April snow we have these days.
~We’re mostly moved into our new house, but not very finished up at our old one. I love the setting up of life in a new space. And, I feel equally yucky about the clean up, sorting, and packing that is always required at the tail end of moving out.
~I’m trying not to feel the strain of a few looming deadlines: finishing a pile of stuffed animals for the craft fair on the 3rd, getting better at learning my piano parts for our little show at Kenny’s birthday on the 2nd, and being moved out by the 1st.
~I’m fighting the age old battle to attain balance in my life, but I may as well start including that into all my posts.
~We’re putting an offer in on a place this week, which is both wonderfully exciting and nauseatingly terrifying. Co-housing might just be the coolest, scariest, wackiest idea of all time.
All that is put in perspective by the somber news that my young nephew passed away yesterday. I’ve not written much about it through his nearly 2 year struggle with cancer because, due to a lot of reasons I’m not going to go into here, I haven’t felt like it’s been mine to tell. I don’t want be a voyeur to the pain of others, and I don’t want to cheapen it, either, by chit-chatting about something that isn’t hitting me as deeply or as hard as it is for other members of my family. I want to respect them by keeping it as their story.
Still, in the middle of it all, a twelve year old son is gone, and all the grief that can be imagined is there. I think my brother summed it up to me yesterday when he said that they are praising God and shaking their fists at the sky at the same time. I remember his words as we sat in the hospital with him, back at the beginning of all of this: “We don’t know why this is happening, but, if nothing else, I’m sitting here with my sister, talking. And that’s no small thing.” So, yesterday was a time of toasts, of sorrow, of apologies for long-hard hearts. Now is a time to look towards our future with hope, and with the tenderness, humility, and mercy that comes from a grief shared, and from a grief observed.
Filed under: Life
Just a brief check in to say that we are back online in our new place. I will have some time to reflect and post again once life settles a little more. For now, transition continues.
Filed under: Life
Ok, I’m taking some deep cleansing breaths:
We’re moving today.
I get all sentimental when it comes time to move, and I get a little crazy brained, too. Goodbye little green house! It’s been a wonderful 14 months.
And hello, Parkland. This is really happening.
Saturday night was incredible. I feel like the whole shared stage/round thing is spoiling me for any other kind of live art or music experience: I want to have it all now, no more plain old live music! I’m running short on time so maybe this post won’t actually capture the magic and sweetness of the night, but here goes.
Pat and I got a sitter for Titus and brought little Theo down to the SoTA building around 6 along with some food for our pre-show dinner with the artists. I found it strangely normal to be sitting in a little, florescent bulb lit teachers room sharing soup and hot bread with my sisters, Glory and Faith, other wonderful random friends, and Damien Jurado and the other artists of the night. As I age I grow less star struck, but I still find myself feeling like a silly goober in situations like that.
The round is sort of a gigantic family and friend party, the kind you couldn’t possibly fit into anyone’s house so you have it on a stage, but it’s somehow still small and intimate feeling at 150 people. As with most Tacoma functions I found that I knew probably 80% of the people who came.
Here are some photos which hopefully help convey the vibe of the night:
There was fantastic music performed by Damien Jurado, Jenna of Troubletown, and Andrew McNeely of Oh Voices. There was Slam poetry by Angela Dy. There was a little series of skits performed by some SoTA students. There was live painting by Zachary Marvick and Glory Cancro. There were a trio of folks, Nick Butler, Holly and Holly’s husband (sorry, I don’t remember your name) who did an amazing job at what appeared to be a really difficult and uncomfortable performace: being Glory’s models as she did a clay and color body painting thing on them.
And, last but not least, I wore my new hat as I left for the night. Within moments (yeah, I know, it was like in a movie and I’m not exaggerating) I was surrounded by a small crowd of people proclaiming what a cool hat I had on. That was all I needed to transform into a hat person.
The end.
Hey, look at me! I am “stuffed toys”, right up there by the stationary. It’s about time Tacoma started up it’s own wing of the hip craftiness movement that seems to have overtaken all of us ladies who are remotely inclined to such things. Without the power of the internet, actually, I wouldn’t have know just how much amazing stuff is being done out there. Without Etsy I wouldn’t have known how much of that amazing stuff I could buy.
Actually, I just made my very first ever Etsy purchase: a hat. I know what you’re thinking: “Grace isn’t a hat person!” Yes, but what if I could find a hat to change all that? If there is a hat out there that could do it for me, this is it:
It’s called the “Annie” and it looks like it makes her so…happy. It’s made by another mom out there in the Etsy world. I do plan to begin selling some of my things on there as well one of these days, but at this point in my life, I’m still experimenting with whether or not it’s even remotely practical for me to tackle things that involve “accomplishment” and “quality”. For now I’m plugging away at my deadline for this local craft show.
Oh, and please come! Be one of those cool people who support hand made things and their makers!
Filed under: Life
Sometimes I’m not sure what all to squish into one post: do I try and capture a whole day, a cohesive theme, or just a snapshot of an event? Am I feeling introspective or just trying to get a small flashbulb moment down on “paper” so I don’t lose it? If I had all the time in the world I think this blog could be really cool. I’d come across as witty and well read with lots of obscure remarks and quotes in foreign languages…but then I’d be annoying. Really, life is flying by at a speedy clip and so I’m just going to jot down here what I can, when I can, and call it good. And a genuine reflection of my life these days.
Saturday was a whirlwind day for us filled with fun and friends, and a ton of driving. I really don’t hit the freeways much these days, so when I do, it sort of sticks out in my mind. I flew out of the house, late already, as Pat walked in the door from work and headed off to this little monthly crafty-lady gathering at Corina Bakery down town that I thoroughly enjoyed. There is something so nice about being around that much yarn and knitting needles.
Then, swiftly returning home to grab a shower, swoop up the kids and Pat, we all headed North. First, since we were early, we made a quick stop on Capitol Hill for a walk through the park, a visit to Vivace (our favorite coffee place in Seattle) a couple pounds of green coffee beans for roasting later, and a listen to the brass band in the sunshine.
Next, we were off to our little friend’s first birthday (twice in as many months now, Grummers? what’s gotten in to us?!?). A party’s worth of tasty food, cupcakes, noisy kid fun, and good grown-up talking later, we woke up little Theo from his partied-out nap in time to head back home, into the arms of our awaiting babysitters. (Thanks, Ben and Shelly!)
Back in the car, through the snow (!) to Seattle, again, for:
- one REI visit for some bike experimenting,
- one semi-lost excursion into the heart of downtown in search of elusive parking and a restaurant that didn’t have an hour long wait,
- and one brief but lovely meal with friends (I guess that’s three times in two months, then, Grummers) including a nice cucumber, mint, and lime martini and a bizzare appetizer: calamari soup served with a fork and plate
…finished in time to race back home in a happily exhausted daze to relieve our friends and sleep at last. Hey, look at that! I did manage to fit my whole day into one post after all. And, as you know, I just can’t seem to pare down and select less pictures for my posts: I always want too many, so here they are.
Filed under: Life
Titus, inspired by his uncle Aaron, has been getting reconnected with his musical side. I love the body language in these pictures, the timelessness of the image of a guy and his guitar.
Filed under: Life
I’ll be back soon with a real post, but if you haven’t already, head over to Youtube for a hilarious prank. You’ll figure it out, and you may even laugh as much as I am.
