Tuesday, April 28, 2009
And Still Waiting...
This morning is apparantly an exercise in both futility and paitence:I have been trying to call home for the past hour and a half to talk to my dear Neenie. The closest I have gotten is the busy signal. Hmm... This waiting is starting to get on my nerves. Can I have a turn to talk to my sister too please?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Life is Waiting...
This morning I was struck by how much I am actually waiting for these days. I am waiting for Brigham to be ready for potty training (with bated breath), waiting/trying for my work to be published, waiting for tomorrow so that I can call my sister Janine who comes home from her mission today (YAY!), waiting for that darn rototiller to be fixed so that I can start my garden,waiting to see if the school will renew Jason's teaching contract for next year and waiting to hear back from our hopefully new landlords about viewing the townhouses across the street.
It doesn't seem to matter what is going on in life, you're always waiting for something. This used to drive me nuts. As a general rule I hate uncertainty, but last summer I resolved to at least not stress about it anymore. Considering the alternative-going stark raving mad-trying to keep my cool seemed much more appealing.
The thing is that if a great part of my life will be waiting for something, I don't want to be waiting around to be happy. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking "Oh, after this happens then life will really begin. Until then I just have to survive and sit tight." It's like spending you're life asking the annoying road trip question of "Are we there yet?" while not enjoying the ride that's taking you there.
My Dad is a good example of this. Road trips with him can be interesting because he will often pull over to stop and do something (unless he wants to make good time to the mountains so he can go skiing!). I hated this as a kid, because I would often just want to get there, but Dad's spontanious side trips would often lead to fun; picking huge blackberries off the side of the highway, exploring an orange orchard, or hiking a short mountain trail. Those made for fun memories later on.
I guess that this is more deep than my usual posts on here, but heck! Life is calling, what are ya gonna do while you're waiting?
It doesn't seem to matter what is going on in life, you're always waiting for something. This used to drive me nuts. As a general rule I hate uncertainty, but last summer I resolved to at least not stress about it anymore. Considering the alternative-going stark raving mad-trying to keep my cool seemed much more appealing.
The thing is that if a great part of my life will be waiting for something, I don't want to be waiting around to be happy. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking "Oh, after this happens then life will really begin. Until then I just have to survive and sit tight." It's like spending you're life asking the annoying road trip question of "Are we there yet?" while not enjoying the ride that's taking you there.
My Dad is a good example of this. Road trips with him can be interesting because he will often pull over to stop and do something (unless he wants to make good time to the mountains so he can go skiing!). I hated this as a kid, because I would often just want to get there, but Dad's spontanious side trips would often lead to fun; picking huge blackberries off the side of the highway, exploring an orange orchard, or hiking a short mountain trail. Those made for fun memories later on.
I guess that this is more deep than my usual posts on here, but heck! Life is calling, what are ya gonna do while you're waiting?
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Book of the Week
Everyone can use a good read. That's the great thing about recommendations-it helps you sort out the good from the not so good. Personally, most books I love have been suggested or given to me as gifts. Not all, but a sizeable percentage. Thus, my biased and passionate book list continues!
Letters All Over:
Mar Dunn's debut novel "Ella Minnow Pea" has become one of my very favorite novels. Recommended to me by my cousin Mikyla (who is even more fanatical about books than me, if that is possible) since havind read it the first time, I have suggested it to all and sundry. It is truly a fabulous book, written in the oft neglected epistolatory style (all in letters). The story takes place in the tiny island of Nollop, named for the man who wrote the sentence "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." It's famous as it is the shortest sentence that contains every letter in the alphabet. Nollopians have a keen interest in emulating the esteemed Nollop and life is tranquil until letters from the memoralized phrase on the statue begin to fall off. The island council begins to ban said letters forthwith. This leads to interesting situations and interesting correspondence as the story progresses. Ella Minnow Pea, our heroine, leads the rebellion to restore sanity once again.
This is a book that makes you think, laugh and appreciate the expressive power of the English language. Extodinarily well written.
Points for anyone who can write a sentence with all twenty-six letters as well as Mark Dunn!
Wacky Weather:
I've loved the book "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi Barrett since I was a kid, so when I heard that a movie of it is due to come out soon I had my hopes. Yuck! Saw the preview and forget it! I was so appalled at what what I was afforded a glimpse of that it left me clutching my copy of the bok wondering what on Earth possessed the producers to butcher the story like that! Come with me and enjoy the real story of the town of Chewandswallow.
In the land of Chewandswallow all the food falls from the sky. Wind blowing in hamburgers, snow of mashed potatoes and magnificent Jellos setting in the West. But when the weather take s turn for the worst, the town's inhabitants must rely on their wits to survive the tomato tornadoes, ice cream avalanche and other edible disasters. I know that I often rave about illustrations, but the ones in this tall tale flesh out the story in a way that the text could not; baseball games cancelled on account of pie, a squirrel with a fried egg landing on its' head, nad much much more.
Enough talking about it, I'm going to go read this one to my kids!
Letters All Over:
Mar Dunn's debut novel "Ella Minnow Pea" has become one of my very favorite novels. Recommended to me by my cousin Mikyla (who is even more fanatical about books than me, if that is possible) since havind read it the first time, I have suggested it to all and sundry. It is truly a fabulous book, written in the oft neglected epistolatory style (all in letters). The story takes place in the tiny island of Nollop, named for the man who wrote the sentence "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." It's famous as it is the shortest sentence that contains every letter in the alphabet. Nollopians have a keen interest in emulating the esteemed Nollop and life is tranquil until letters from the memoralized phrase on the statue begin to fall off. The island council begins to ban said letters forthwith. This leads to interesting situations and interesting correspondence as the story progresses. Ella Minnow Pea, our heroine, leads the rebellion to restore sanity once again.
This is a book that makes you think, laugh and appreciate the expressive power of the English language. Extodinarily well written.
Points for anyone who can write a sentence with all twenty-six letters as well as Mark Dunn!
Wacky Weather:
I've loved the book "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi Barrett since I was a kid, so when I heard that a movie of it is due to come out soon I had my hopes. Yuck! Saw the preview and forget it! I was so appalled at what what I was afforded a glimpse of that it left me clutching my copy of the bok wondering what on Earth possessed the producers to butcher the story like that! Come with me and enjoy the real story of the town of Chewandswallow.
In the land of Chewandswallow all the food falls from the sky. Wind blowing in hamburgers, snow of mashed potatoes and magnificent Jellos setting in the West. But when the weather take s turn for the worst, the town's inhabitants must rely on their wits to survive the tomato tornadoes, ice cream avalanche and other edible disasters. I know that I often rave about illustrations, but the ones in this tall tale flesh out the story in a way that the text could not; baseball games cancelled on account of pie, a squirrel with a fried egg landing on its' head, nad much much more.
Enough talking about it, I'm going to go read this one to my kids!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Come One! Come All! Knitters Unite!
Before moving up to Slave Lake, I used to joke that we were being sent into exile (hey, the climate has stiking similarities to that of Siberia). Once we moved up here though, it didn't take long to fall in love with our new town. However, if there is one element that makes me feel like an exile, it comes to my knitting. Just bear with me and I'll explain...
I seem to be the only knitter below fifty withing a 100 km radius (and the only other knitter I've found is over fifty). I miss my knitting group, the local yarn store and all of my knitting buddies. The only place in town with knitting supplies is Wal-Mart, where the quality and selection leaves much to be desired. Now whenever we go into town I don't just get supplies for our food storage-I have to stock up on knit storage too. I seriously need to gain some converts to the craft up here, for as A.A.Milne so eloquently put it "it's so much friendlier with two", although I'd take more than that with great pleasure.
Why the obsession with yarn you may ask? Why am I so keen to convert all and sundry to it? For your reading pleasure I supply the following reasons:
-Knitting is the perfect hobby for those of us with small kids, it's quiet (for during naptime) and doesn't take up vast quantites of space (porvided you ignore the yarn stash). There's a reason why I don't scrapbook anymore- it's because the kids get into everything, but with my knitting, my project fits neatly onto my lap.
-It can be both relaxing or intellectually stimulating, depending on your mood. I always take either a sock or a dishcloth around in my purse for playdates or at the park, because I can still watch my kids and accomplish something. For a challenge, I do sweaters or something in knit lace at home.
-Knitting is part of my weight-loss/weight-preventive plan. Knitting in the evenings keeps me from snacking (a very bad habit of mine) or from craving something to nibble when watching TV. My high school drama teacher always had elaborate sweaters that she'd made when she quit smoking.
-Customized clothes and gifts! I can make a gorgeous something or other for myself to specifically fit me. My hand-knit sweaters are longer in the torso so I don't inadvertantly expose my navel, and ask Ben about his beloved dinosaur mitts.
-Homemade items are nicer and more comfortable. No debate. Try on a pair of hand-knit socks and believe me, it's hard to go back.
-It can be a social activity which can be done beyond the confines of your home. For some reason, knitting is a great ice breaker even for non-knitters. When I go out with yarn, people inevitably come up to ask what I'm doing and usually stick around to talk. Then there's the knitting community: fellow knitter=new friend.
-It's practical. I can make stuff that keeps me and loved ones clothed and warm. It's a cool feeling.
-Knitting is just plain fun and addictive!
So...Who wants to go to the yarnstore with me?
I seem to be the only knitter below fifty withing a 100 km radius (and the only other knitter I've found is over fifty). I miss my knitting group, the local yarn store and all of my knitting buddies. The only place in town with knitting supplies is Wal-Mart, where the quality and selection leaves much to be desired. Now whenever we go into town I don't just get supplies for our food storage-I have to stock up on knit storage too. I seriously need to gain some converts to the craft up here, for as A.A.Milne so eloquently put it "it's so much friendlier with two", although I'd take more than that with great pleasure.
Why the obsession with yarn you may ask? Why am I so keen to convert all and sundry to it? For your reading pleasure I supply the following reasons:
-Knitting is the perfect hobby for those of us with small kids, it's quiet (for during naptime) and doesn't take up vast quantites of space (porvided you ignore the yarn stash). There's a reason why I don't scrapbook anymore- it's because the kids get into everything, but with my knitting, my project fits neatly onto my lap.
-It can be both relaxing or intellectually stimulating, depending on your mood. I always take either a sock or a dishcloth around in my purse for playdates or at the park, because I can still watch my kids and accomplish something. For a challenge, I do sweaters or something in knit lace at home.
-Knitting is part of my weight-loss/weight-preventive plan. Knitting in the evenings keeps me from snacking (a very bad habit of mine) or from craving something to nibble when watching TV. My high school drama teacher always had elaborate sweaters that she'd made when she quit smoking.
-Customized clothes and gifts! I can make a gorgeous something or other for myself to specifically fit me. My hand-knit sweaters are longer in the torso so I don't inadvertantly expose my navel, and ask Ben about his beloved dinosaur mitts.
-Homemade items are nicer and more comfortable. No debate. Try on a pair of hand-knit socks and believe me, it's hard to go back.
-It can be a social activity which can be done beyond the confines of your home. For some reason, knitting is a great ice breaker even for non-knitters. When I go out with yarn, people inevitably come up to ask what I'm doing and usually stick around to talk. Then there's the knitting community: fellow knitter=new friend.
-It's practical. I can make stuff that keeps me and loved ones clothed and warm. It's a cool feeling.
-Knitting is just plain fun and addictive!
So...Who wants to go to the yarnstore with me?
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Book of the Week
My head is full of gardening thoughts today, as I I got tons of seeds for my garden today. Now all I need to do is actually make the plot... Anyhow, still find time to read. I never understand when people say they have no time to read-yet can sit mindlessly in front of the television for hours. You make time for what you love, and for me reading is almost as essential as breathing. Here's this week's picks:
Murder and the Monk:
Do not miss out on these! Cadfael books by Ellis Peters are great.My Grandma Redd has exquisite taste when it comes to books, she's converted me to many a good read. Cadfael is one of them. I just love a good mystery, and the books by Ellis Peters is not to be missed. Set in Medieval England during the civil war, and Cadfael (former crusader turned monk) has a talent for solving murders. The first one in the series "One Corpse Too Many" has him discover an extra body after a mass execution, leaving him to solve the perfect crime: for where is the perfect spot for a murderer to hide his crime and conceal the body? With all the other ones of course. The nice thing about this series is that while it is fun to read through it sequentially, you don't have to to enjoy the story.
Babies on Board:
"The Baby's Catalogue" by Janet and Allen Ahlberg is an all-time family favorite around our house, although I originally knew it from admist the family library when I was growing up. This is one of those books that I can happily read to my boys innumerable times (and trust me, I have). The books illustrates five babies going throughout their day, from the various breakfast, accidents and other adventures that any baby and their family can relate to. This is a simple book as there is actually no text, but the pictures tell the story, and I haven't found a kid yet who can resist the charm of this one. Ben loves to "read" the book on his own. My friend Eva liked it so much, I had to get her a copy of her own. No baby should be without this one.
Happy reading everybody!
Murder and the Monk:
Do not miss out on these! Cadfael books by Ellis Peters are great.My Grandma Redd has exquisite taste when it comes to books, she's converted me to many a good read. Cadfael is one of them. I just love a good mystery, and the books by Ellis Peters is not to be missed. Set in Medieval England during the civil war, and Cadfael (former crusader turned monk) has a talent for solving murders. The first one in the series "One Corpse Too Many" has him discover an extra body after a mass execution, leaving him to solve the perfect crime: for where is the perfect spot for a murderer to hide his crime and conceal the body? With all the other ones of course. The nice thing about this series is that while it is fun to read through it sequentially, you don't have to to enjoy the story.
Babies on Board:
"The Baby's Catalogue" by Janet and Allen Ahlberg is an all-time family favorite around our house, although I originally knew it from admist the family library when I was growing up. This is one of those books that I can happily read to my boys innumerable times (and trust me, I have). The books illustrates five babies going throughout their day, from the various breakfast, accidents and other adventures that any baby and their family can relate to. This is a simple book as there is actually no text, but the pictures tell the story, and I haven't found a kid yet who can resist the charm of this one. Ben loves to "read" the book on his own. My friend Eva liked it so much, I had to get her a copy of her own. No baby should be without this one.
Happy reading everybody!
Monday, April 13, 2009
You Know You Live in a Small Branch When...
Amidst all the usual celebrations for Easter, we had one busy day yesterday. The branch here is small, but it shrank to an even smaller size over the holiday, leaving the rest of us to pick up the pieces. It was a Thompson takeover at church yesterday. We already have more than one calling each; Jason is the first councillor in the branch presidency and the clerk, I am the second one in Primary, plus the Primary music leader and sacrament pianist and conductor.Let me see, what was on the to do list yesterday:
-Jason left early to do clerk stuff (he is still learning the ropes)
-I attempt to get the kids ready on time just as they crash from the sugar high (thank you Easter Bunny)
-As only member of the presidency there, Jason conducts the meeting
-chorister MIA so I lead the music
-I give my talk
-Jason gives his talk
- I scramble madly after sacrament for a primary lesson when three of the four primary teachers go MIA, and no substitutes (!)
-Jason teaches the Young Men lesson (subbing)
-I teach singing time
-then sharing time to a group of bored, sugared out kids
-Jason stays late after church for more clerk stuff
-I collapse at home, hoping to recover
Needless to say, it was a relief to finally get home. Then all I had to to was make Easter dinner. After church, even tackling preparations for a large meal seemed like a piece of cake!
Upcoming in my next post:Thompson Revenge as I have a share a few choice words with those primary teachers!
-Jason left early to do clerk stuff (he is still learning the ropes)
-I attempt to get the kids ready on time just as they crash from the sugar high (thank you Easter Bunny)
-As only member of the presidency there, Jason conducts the meeting
-chorister MIA so I lead the music
-I give my talk
-Jason gives his talk
- I scramble madly after sacrament for a primary lesson when three of the four primary teachers go MIA, and no substitutes (!)
-Jason teaches the Young Men lesson (subbing)
-I teach singing time
-then sharing time to a group of bored, sugared out kids
-Jason stays late after church for more clerk stuff
-I collapse at home, hoping to recover
Needless to say, it was a relief to finally get home. Then all I had to to was make Easter dinner. After church, even tackling preparations for a large meal seemed like a piece of cake!
Upcoming in my next post:Thompson Revenge as I have a share a few choice words with those primary teachers!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Book of the Week
Does anyone even read these ones? Oh well, I love blogging about favourite book, I can be quite evangelical about good books, because I love sharing a good thing. One of my visiting teachers once said that she needed to start bringing a notebook with her so that she could write down the titles I mentioned to her. Here's the titles for this week, whether you check them out or not.
Inspiring Heroics:
Oddly enough, I don't have my own copy of the book "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom. What's odd about it is how much I love this one-I read it every year or so, and I've really broken my old habit of rereading the same few titles ad nausem. Some books are worth reading over and over again, and this is one of them. "The Hiding Place" is the true story of a Dutch family who out of concience develop a resistance network to hide their Jewish countrymen during the Nazi occupation in WWII. This is not your typical survival, resistance story that you can find for a dime a dozen concerning this dark part of history. The occurences of their story are all too common, and many brave souls lived it: hide Jews at great personal risk, followed by betrayal and incarceration. What makes the ten Boom's story so special is their faith. Despite the hardships they endure, they continue to live the gospel joyfully. Miracles abound admist the horrors of the prison camp. The one sister Betsie, admist the privations sees it as a wonderful oppurtunity to teach their fellow inmates of Christ. She dreamed of teaching their lessons of applying Christ's teaching to their situation to others after the war. As she so eloquently put it "We can show them that there is no hole that He cannot rescue us, no horror so dark that He cannot save us. People will believe us, because we were here."
Rhyme Thyme:
I'm a sucker for stories with a rhythmic text. The lilt and beat of ti really appeal to kids, plus they're fun to read, especailly for hose tikes who one time through is never enough. "Jamberry" by Bruce Degan is one such book. It's an exuberant little tale, of a bear and a boy joyfully romping through a delighful world of berries. My boys just adore this one,they can recite it at the drop of a hat, and it's definently in the Thompson Family top picks for picturebooks. I just wish that I could find art prints of the illustrations of this one to hang on the walls (the blackberry express is my favourite). Lots of berry delight awaits!
"One berry, two berry pick me a blueberry,
Hatberry, shoe berry, in my canoeberry."
Inspiring Heroics:
Oddly enough, I don't have my own copy of the book "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom. What's odd about it is how much I love this one-I read it every year or so, and I've really broken my old habit of rereading the same few titles ad nausem. Some books are worth reading over and over again, and this is one of them. "The Hiding Place" is the true story of a Dutch family who out of concience develop a resistance network to hide their Jewish countrymen during the Nazi occupation in WWII. This is not your typical survival, resistance story that you can find for a dime a dozen concerning this dark part of history. The occurences of their story are all too common, and many brave souls lived it: hide Jews at great personal risk, followed by betrayal and incarceration. What makes the ten Boom's story so special is their faith. Despite the hardships they endure, they continue to live the gospel joyfully. Miracles abound admist the horrors of the prison camp. The one sister Betsie, admist the privations sees it as a wonderful oppurtunity to teach their fellow inmates of Christ. She dreamed of teaching their lessons of applying Christ's teaching to their situation to others after the war. As she so eloquently put it "We can show them that there is no hole that He cannot rescue us, no horror so dark that He cannot save us. People will believe us, because we were here."
Rhyme Thyme:
I'm a sucker for stories with a rhythmic text. The lilt and beat of ti really appeal to kids, plus they're fun to read, especailly for hose tikes who one time through is never enough. "Jamberry" by Bruce Degan is one such book. It's an exuberant little tale, of a bear and a boy joyfully romping through a delighful world of berries. My boys just adore this one,they can recite it at the drop of a hat, and it's definently in the Thompson Family top picks for picturebooks. I just wish that I could find art prints of the illustrations of this one to hang on the walls (the blackberry express is my favourite). Lots of berry delight awaits!
"One berry, two berry pick me a blueberry,
Hatberry, shoe berry, in my canoeberry."
Monday, April 6, 2009
(Mis)Adventures in Knitting
I love knitting-wait, let me rephrase that- I'm addicted to knitting. The hobby started innocently enough; I wanted to make some cute knitwear for my first baby, and the rest is history. As friends and family can attest to, I seldom go anywhere without some project on the needles. I always keep a project in my purse, and whenever we go out of town my knitting bag invariably comes along too. Poor Jason has gotten exceedingly expert at averting meltdowns when I'm faced with a knitting disaster (offer chocolate, soothing words, repeat). Once, when Elena discovered that I drew her name for Christmas she said "Guess I'll be getting something knit then". She was right.
Anyways, for the past two weeks I've been successfully working on a spring cardigan. I love the pattern, and I splurged on some gorgeous yarn for it: merino wool and tussah silk blend in a lilac purple. I faced so many problems in starting this one, that if I didn't want this sweater so bad I would have given up in disgust in February. Acheiving the correct gauge proved elusive, I had to knit up no less then five tension swatches. After working on the first two rows on the first sleeve for an entire evening I was a raving lunatic (ask Jason, he was there). The needles were too blunt to easily pick up the stiches, so knit each one was a laborious process. No sooner were the stiches on the double-pointed needles then they happily slid off the other end! I decided to find some good circular needles next time I went into the city since Slave Lake doesn't have much to offer in the way of knitting supplies. For the next three weeks I was left without a single knitting project to work on, and having nothing to fuel the addiction I'm pretty sure that I went into withdrawal.
Finally, I arrived in Calgary and got what I needed. The sweater is taking shape at last, much to my delight. Except now I'm faced witn another problem: an excess of yarn. While the pattern required two skeins, after all the gauge swatches and snarled attempts I thought it prudent to get one extra skein, just in case. I needn't had bothered. Here I am, with the first sleeve and upper body complete all made from the first skein, but with lots more of the skein left! I'll have enouth for the other sleeve at least. I'll have to wait and see just how much I have left when I'm finished, but at the rate I'm going, I'll probably have enough to make two cardigans instead of one!
anyone fancy a handknit lilac cardigan?
Anyways, for the past two weeks I've been successfully working on a spring cardigan. I love the pattern, and I splurged on some gorgeous yarn for it: merino wool and tussah silk blend in a lilac purple. I faced so many problems in starting this one, that if I didn't want this sweater so bad I would have given up in disgust in February. Acheiving the correct gauge proved elusive, I had to knit up no less then five tension swatches. After working on the first two rows on the first sleeve for an entire evening I was a raving lunatic (ask Jason, he was there). The needles were too blunt to easily pick up the stiches, so knit each one was a laborious process. No sooner were the stiches on the double-pointed needles then they happily slid off the other end! I decided to find some good circular needles next time I went into the city since Slave Lake doesn't have much to offer in the way of knitting supplies. For the next three weeks I was left without a single knitting project to work on, and having nothing to fuel the addiction I'm pretty sure that I went into withdrawal.
Finally, I arrived in Calgary and got what I needed. The sweater is taking shape at last, much to my delight. Except now I'm faced witn another problem: an excess of yarn. While the pattern required two skeins, after all the gauge swatches and snarled attempts I thought it prudent to get one extra skein, just in case. I needn't had bothered. Here I am, with the first sleeve and upper body complete all made from the first skein, but with lots more of the skein left! I'll have enouth for the other sleeve at least. I'll have to wait and see just how much I have left when I'm finished, but at the rate I'm going, I'll probably have enough to make two cardigans instead of one!
anyone fancy a handknit lilac cardigan?
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