five things friday :: november 1

#fivethingsfriday
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thing 1: it’s a new month, so i took a new route today, exploring roads that were new to me. husband says it makes our brains grow. and i’d like to think he’s right. at the very least, i saw some fall colors and this church, which looked pretty despite the drab, grey day.
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thing 2: new episodes of queer eye! in japan! it makes husband being stuck late at work on a friday night more bearable. #imnotcryingyourecrying #teamyokosakuma
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thing 3: when husband said he would be late and foiled my plans of a dinner out, i decided to make myself some soup. husband isn’t a fan of soup (one of his few faults), but i figured i could just please me, since he wasn’t home. and please me i did -i roasted two eggplants, a whole cauliflower and a head of garlic in the oven. they were drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds and herb salt. meanwhile, i sautéed three leeks in butter and bit of my homemade herb salt and thawed out a container of herbed chicken broth I had in the freezer (thank you past me). once the veggies were roasted, i popped them into the broth, along with the buttery leeks and blitzed it all up with my immersion blender. i had planned to add a bit of cream, but it was so rich, smoky (thank you, eggplant) and delicious that it didn’t even need it.
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thing 4: learning new things these days. it’s stretching my brain in the best ways. it is as much a physical process as a mental one.
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thing 5: i’ve been thinking this week about The Muse - who it is, where it is, how to make it appear. i suspect it’s really just about hard work and regular practice -whether it’s an artistic muse or a writing muse. the muse might actually just be discipline and practice. #revolutionary #impracticing

five things friday :: september 6

thing 1: landing at an airport (i’m looking at you, CPH) where the ground crew is on strike after 15 hours of traveling (two flights) is not to be recommended. it took ages to get a gate and even longer for the bags to come. if it weren’t for the #garrettspopcorn i bought in chicago, i might not have made it.

thing 2: it’s sobering when the find my friends app tells you that you are 8,658 km from your only child.

thing 3: you know she’s going to be fine because she’s amazing like that.

thing 4: the way that travel gives you time to ponder all sorts of ideas - writing projects, weaving projects, tidying projects, art projects, house projects.

thing 5: being ready for a new season - not only fall, but of life. 🎃

five things friday :: august 30

thing 1: the child moved into her new apartment today. her very first one. it was big. and wonderful. and a little bit scary (for her mother). they grow up, these people we make. and it’s rather awe inspiring to witness.

thing 2: you can talk all you want to your dead parents but they never listen. or answer. i suppose they think turnabout is fair play.

thing 3: heat takes a lot more out of you than you realize. stay hydrated. 💦

thing 4: we have a bit more road trip 🚗 ahead of us and despite all the driving so far, i’m looking forward to it. especially because i’m going to meet an old bloggy friend - @herthirdeye - in person for the first time!

thing 5: laundry never ends. just when you think it’s all done and you’re caught up, you realize those people are all. wearing. clothes. 😳 and even if they’re not, they probably just stepped out of the shower and so that towel will need to be washed! 😬

five things friday :: august 23

thing 1: experiences. i recommend them over things. though things can be nice too (hello there sparkly gold #uggs slippers). third #tattoo this year, all three with the best daughter. all three awesome experiences. can’t wait for the next one.

thing 2: old friends. returning to exactly where you left off. cat love, it’s called. at least in my world. and it makes me happy.

thing 3: grief comes in its own time and in ways you hadn’t imagined. it’s best to just try to BE in it. but that’s hard. and i’m not sure i know how. just scratching at it a little bit is difficult and scary. and sometimes people should just get out of the way.

thing 4: stay hydrated. when it’s 115F/46C and 9% humidity, you dry out faster than you think.

thing 5: take an extra week.


with thanks to @lolovevetattoos for the photo. 😘

five things friday :: early august edition

on instagram, there's this #fivethingsfriday thing and instead of typing it all out on my phone, at the mercy of autocorrect, i have decided to move it over here.

thing 1:  i had freya spayed this week. she has been our primary mama kitty for several years now, but i finally decided that there are enough kittens in the world and she has worked hard enough as a mama. it was time for her to relax. but i still feel a little wistful about it. she made lovely babies - including paws mcgraw, her sweet daughter who i have kept (see thing 2), and who also was spayed on monday. it's a fine line between enjoying kittens and becoming a crazy cat lady. i know i did the right thing, but it does feel a little bit bittersweet.

thing 2: paws mcgraw - she's everything you want in a cat - curious, funny, active, dexterous (she opens doors), snuggly, talkative and out to steal any stray pony tail holder you leave lying around (or tucked up safely inside a zipped pouch). i love her so much. she's not molly or frieda, she's all her own, but she's in the same category as they are. some cats are just special.

thing 3:  arizona. next week, sabin and i are flying to the US. we will spend the week in south dakota and then drive her new used car (a toyota, of course) to arizona so she can begin her gap year before starting at arizona state next year. i am both happy and anxious. it's the next step for her and her bravery in taking it is everything i hoped and prepared for as a parent, but it's also a really big step. but at least it means we get to visit arizona regularly! and i'm very much looking forward to our road trip.

thing 4:  the way things have of falling into place, even in a time of great change and flux and turmoil and even when they seem like they can't possibly fall into place. my inner fatalist presbyterian thinks it all happens exactly as it's supposed to, even though it doesn't always make sense initially or on the surface of things. so much goodness ahead.

thing 5:  pondering my next tattoo. we have an appointment in tempe at black sails with the lovely lolo. i'm getting a typewriter this time, with a bit of color - to remember mom by and to remind myself to write on a regular basis. 

#fivethingsfriday

1. why didn’t i write a book to my child from when she was born? of course, it wouldn’t have been this luminous, beautiful thing that knausgaard wrote. but it would have been my beautiful thing. for my beautiful child.

2. this dark, dreary, rainy part of the year is hard to get through. but candles and comfy socks and cats make it more bearable. all seasons have their time.

3. jane the virgin. what a series! so charming and full of hope amidst the drama. and we need hope amidst the drama these days.

4. life can change in an instant. hold on for the ride. so tight.

5. other people can never really understand your life. no one is in it like you are. this is both terrifying and beautiful.

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these seem much longer on instagram.