Wading into the shallow after the deep

First a few photos. Top is the unfinished cover of my travel journal for London that I am working on. I'm basically getting the book ready for our trip (3 weeks-we leave the 23rd of February and tomorrow is February. So excited) s0 I can keep a travel journal while we are there. I did one in Ireland and I was happy with the results. Its also great for looking back when you go to journal all the photos from the trip. Its got great info, the big things, the little things, the items and moments that make up a day to day adventure. Its great to look back and remeber those little details like flooding the bathroom when the shower curtain isn't tight or the maid walking in on you because you forgot to hang the do not disturb sign. Maybe not the deepest moments in life, but certainly part of life.
Second photo is some flowers I am crocheting. I taught myself to crochet a few weeks back and I have been making some flowers to link together into a scarf. I'm getting there making enough flowers...only I'm a bit slower since my fingers swell up with hives at night. Can't crochet very well then
You know, I've come to the conclusion that there are days when being myself is really good. When I like feeling unique and different-like I don't quite belong but I belong enough and belonging enough is excellent. That it gives you a positive edge in life. That I have a valuable part to play. That I'm not just this mothering-care giving person. That I don't let my insecurities and poor self image get in the way.
And there are days when I feel like the major outcast, that I don't fit in any place, and I hate that. Days I don't like how I see myself- true or not true, my distorted self image pulls me down. Its me being too hard on myself. You'd think at that point in my life I would know how to avoid those feelings and get around them. Detour them. But, as it is, not possible. I still have those days when I need to deal with those left out feelings-those over sensitive moments, and don't do a very good job handling them. Like last Sunday when my hives were horrible. But today, I feel good. A bit hivey tonight, but I'm working on it. Hot tubbing or showering later in the day to get rid of histamine loaded sweat. These flax seeds I was told about seem to be helping. I being cautiously optimistic because I know any moment I could got back into itchy, splotchy red miserable hives. Chronic hives- one of the challenges in life that make me unique and sometimes feeling like an oddball because lets face it, people besides me have chronic hives but they're not that common. I know I am very blessed, and we all have to deal with things because life isn't about everything being easy or perfect...but somedays, its just so much harder to deal with that. Sometimes I feel like everyone gets what they work for but me. Somedays I just see what's missing. I need reminding what I do have somedays.
Rambling words. Rambling on. Rambling, rambling, rambling as thoughts pass through my brain.

Breakfast for dinner

For some reason, I can't upload my image of my eggs in a bowl. Too bad! Its a great photo-blue bowl, yellow yolks. After the photo was taken I would Scramble those and add some cheese and a bit of 5 layer dip from Trader Joe's (salsa, black beans, avacado, sour cream and a bit more cheese). Yummy.

OR...Make homemade waffles and Fix up those waffles with raspberry sauce from Stonewall Kitchen and whipped cream. Yummy. Seeing I'm home alone tonight I went for the waffles (I could add a bit of ground flax seed to them- see if that controls hormone flushes and my hives).

YUMMY! YUMMY! YUMMY! Breakfast for dinner is a fantastic thing to do on a chilly and windy winter night!

My quilt-finally finished

Its finished! Its on my bed. This is my quilt that I made. First ever quilt- and I admit its a bit on the rough side- not all these perfect sized squares, but I love it. I think maybe some horizontal strips would have been nice, but I still love it. Its my quilt. Looks great on my bed.

Finished the quilt Sunday, and finished some Valentine's for a swap I'm participating in. Will post those later when Feb 14th is in sight. Unfortunately still have these hives- tonight my bottom lip is all puffed up as is under my left eye. Look like I was punched a few times. I really don't like having these hives. I just puff up and look like a raspberry at anytime. Never seem to know. With chronic hives like this they don't even know what causes it- and I certainly can't be certain- or why they go away after awhile.

So read another book in my pink spotted state- my next bookclub book- The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalien (I hope I spelled that right- if not, sorry Chris). Enjoyed it, though I figured out the end before I got there. Not to give myself too much credit, I was close to the end when I figured it out.

Otherwise saw Juno over the weekend- enjoyed that movie. Was worried it would be a teen movie (so much like work for me), but it wasn't. It just starred a teen but was a real life movie. Did some more scrap pages from Ireland, Dublin is done and am now doing a journal of our visits south of Dublin- not much done but a bit. At work we started new classes yesterday- so now I am getting to know lots of new faces.

Always an adventure, isn't it?

Feeling icky

I feel so icky right now- and my hives are horrible, as they have been since Tuesday. Chronic uticaria- what a name. I hate them. I've had many episodes like this during my life...and they're always bad. My joints ache. My skin is soooooo itchy. My fingers are swollen. I have red spots. Its an autoimmune response. I feel so alone with them too, because no body I know has them- except my poor daughter. I think they're hormonal based...but sometimes you never know.
UGH!

If I am ever NOT a teacher

I did another day at Leadership Teacher today- we went to a biotech company in Portsmouth-right up my alley. Did enjoy my day. But what I'm leading to is not me working at a biotech company (because I am a bioartgal geek who does NOT like to work in a lab) but if I ever not teach and can have my day or more importantly my mornings to myself. Here's some things I would do.
1- Have nice breakfasts- as its my favorite meal and I usually eat 1/2 a dry bagel, a drinkable yogurt and a mug of herbal tea in the car. I love breakfast. I read this blog- http://simplybreakfast.blogspot.com/index.html Simply Breakfast, and there are photos of some yummy looking food. Some day when I don't have to run out at 6 a.m.
2- Exercise in the morning. An early morning walk, or a workout on the elliptical. I am just beat by the end of the work day and it usually doesn't happen. I walk in the morning all summer- and I love to greet the day while its still cool and fresh-or usually is.
3-Read before I get out of bed, or go back to bed after I exercise and read. I love to read in the morning. I get so much reading done, especially if its quiet.
Anyhow, don't know when this might happen...I'm far away from retirement, not rich...just an average gal. I don't mind working, really, just my mornings would be wonderful.

Another movie and more hives

Another film from Ireland. Dave and I watched it last night. Not a bad movie, I liked it. There were things in the film that made me say WHY? Like drinking pregnant gals. I guess I need to take it as it is rather than expecting it to be totally my logic. You can check it out. Maybe its my sense of humor and maybe its the time-since it was a 1980's film and things have changed, at least here. But check it out.
More hives.. UGH!!!! They're in my joints tonight, I ache all over. No ambition to do anything, not even art. Now you know something's wrong with me

As good as the first time

When I first saw this movie YEARS ago, I really liked it. And the music too- I have had the CD for years. This time- I really liked to movie too. Sometimes when you reread a book or rewatch a movie from a different place in life, you don't care as much for it. But not true for this film. Recommended!
Anyhow- finish my Dublin journal today. Went out shopping this morning with Katie and got a few small items at TJ MAxx and Target. Saw some cool new stamps by Autumn Leaves and Inkadinkado on eBay. Also heard Ma Vinci has some cool new stamps going on sale really soon too. Had a fun day in Nashua Saturday and ran into a former student- she recognized me and she graduated in 1990. Wow. Made me feel young since she could still recognize me- even though its been 18 years since she graduated. I was like 30 at that point. Started making Valentines for the swap I signed up for.
Pats are going to the superbowl. Amazing, they haven't lost 1 game yet this season. A superbowl victory in 2 weeks could make it a perfect season- how amazing is that?
Relaxed, enjoyed my 3 day weekend. Exams at school this week- think I will make it a jeans day everyday this week. Thursday I have leadersgip teacher at Lonza Biologics. Friday is teacher workday. Wow- at this rate this week will fly by.

Another Irish film

A stack of cheap movies arrived in the mail yesterday. As mentioned- to get through the winter and the lack of anything much on tv- bought some used/cheap new films from Amazon sellers. Oldies and international films- and many of them-just by chance as I realized- Irish films.
This is one of them- ONCE-its a fairly new film-the DVD was just released last month. Anyhow- great music, story seemed to start a bit slow for me but I was hooked by the end- and the music-there is a lot of- was fantastic. I also loved that it was set in Dublin and there were some familar places from a visit we made last spring. Recommended!
So its the weekend- a long one for me! I like that. Today we are going to Nashua to go to Costco and Trader Joe's- I love both of thos stores though I end up spending too much money even though I go saying I won't do that. The rest of the weekend is pretty open- big Pats game tomorrow, have Valentine's to make for a swap I'm part of, still need to sew flowers on my quilt to finish it, working on a scarf I'm crocheting (my new skill), movies to watch. Its suppose to get COLD, so sounds like I've got plenty of indoor things to keep me busy. looking forward to just chilling too- but weekends are meant to be a bit of both- plus I am cleaning like crazy since my hives were so bad this past week- like washing some curtains and blankets...
All in all- am looking forward to this weekend.
Enjoy yours!

What's in a name?

OK, so I made a comment to a couple of friends today about how my name isn't really who I am. My name is Erika. I said in my mind Erika is someone sophisticated, worldly- hardly me. But no, they say that is me. And I think they're joking. They weren't. I'm not sophicated, I wear jeans and sweaters and clogs, I'm overweight (my depression today-big time), I'm middle-aged. Just blah. I live in a small NH town in the woods. I'm more comfortable with 16 years old than a lot of adults. I'm even more comfortable with dogs and cats. Mentally, I'm good. I am smart. I have some talents. I suck at handling money. I like to be alone at times and I withdraw from people I know at times. I would have been great in the 1950's but I'm not great at the 2008's- sort of. I would have been a horrible wife in the 1950's who wouldn't let her husband be first. I am into being a partner-equally for the most part because I'm stubborn and hard headed. I am not old fashioned. My mother was very critical of me growing up and I'm now SOOOOO critical of myself. But, I am not sophicated in my mind. I've been places but I don't think I'm worldly. Can you tell I love myself but don't really have a great self-view at the same time? I see myself as this dumpy, frumpy, odd duck. I feel that way too. I never feel much like I fit in except with dave and Katie. Never felt like I fit in with my family growing up. Still don't. And then to have friends say they see you as worldly and sophisticated.
How does the world see me versus how I see myself?
Maybe I've got some view blinders. Maybe some view issues. I do wear glasses, but maybe they need a new prescription. Maybe I need to like myself more.
You think?
I'm still really depressed about my weight at the drs yesterday. I hate how its impossible for me to lose anything.
Ok, that's my thought or two.
Still shaking my head.

Irish movies

So I have been buying a few cheap DVDs to amuse myself during this cold indoor season. Seems most of them- just by chance- are films made in Ireland. This is a film I had tucked away-bought it many years ago and haven't watched in in ages-but I watched it last night and I RECOMMEND it! Its a great comedy-clever and not the usual. General gist, Dad turns into a rat and the family tries to figure out what to do with him. Stay tuned for more asI get a chance to watch the other DVDs I have collected.

For other news, had a drs appointment today- my blood pressure is down- that's good, but my weight is up-which is bad. Weight is such an evil thing...its just a constant battle. I've stopped baking as much as I used to because I can't eat it without bulging more than I already do, and I've practically given up on desserts, and even food...arggggggggg! Hate being short and small boned! Weight makes me sad and depressed. Diets don't work. Cooking dinner after working all day and commuting 90 minutes round trip and eating at 7 pm doesn't work either! What's a gal to do?

Yes, a couple more pages

Decided I needed to post a couple more scrap book pages from our Dublin visit!

Finished!!!!

Came home from work and set about reading. Had 75 pages of my 973ish page book Pillars of the Earth left. And I finished it!! Enjoyed it too. Problem with long books is they take forever to get through when school's in session. Been reading this since around Thanksgiving, with a break to read Water for Elephants which was December book club's book.
Now I can get to my other reading. Today found a discarded copy in the school library of Maeve Binchy's novel Tara Road. Don't think I've read that one, and haven't read any Maeve Binchy in a long long time. Should be a quick read, but hopefully enjoyable since I have now been to Dublin where the book is set. I like to read a book about a place I can somehow relate too- not that I use that as a rule to pick books because its great to expand your mind and get to be other people in other places- those unfamilar. Anyhow, before I get too deep or too confusing, I liked her other books; they're light reading, nothing to work my brain too hard-especially since exams are next week.
Read on!

My Top 100 List

Oh, a snow day. Since you can't count on having one, its always a pleasant surprise when it arrives(even the 4:30 a.m. call to say no school is GREAT). And, it makes for a mellow day, though I am going to go out and start filling the drawers on the little rolling cabinet Barbara gave me for Christmas.
So last night with the help of my family- since they remember movies I like I may not be thinking of- I came up with my top 100-well, I got to 87 as of right now. I also grouped some-like the first 3 StarsWars from the 70's-80's, since they go together in my mind. Here it is. I will say it is not in any particular order except how it came to mind or got mentioned, and some of these are movies I loved as a child (and still hold a place in my heart) and some are very recent. Some are great films, some are silly, but they are movies I really like and would place in my top 100. I'm also sure there will be some changes with time. There's also movies I like but didn't include in my top 100 like the first 2 Spiderman films or the French film 8 Women. Don't think this included TV shows or TV movies like masterpiece theatre- but maybe.
Here I go:
1-Casablanca
2-Gone with the wind
3-African queen
4-Stars wars episodes 4,5,6
5-Indiana Jones 1,2,3
6-The Ninth Gate
7-Sweeney Todd
8-The Graduate
9-The gods must be crazy
10-The hitchhiker’s guide to the universe/galaxy
11-Johnny English-hey. its fun
12-The Flame Trees of Thika
13-Amadeus
14-Immortal Beloved
15-The red violin
16-A Star is born- 1970’s version
17-Wizard of Oz
18-The Fog- 1970’s version
19—Little Miss Sunshine
20-Amelie
21-Out of Africa
22-Little Women (1980’s or early 1990’s version)
23-The Jungle Book by Disney
24-Mary Poppins (my first movie in the theatre too)
25- When Harry Met Sally
26-Bread and Tulips
27-the Commitments
28-the Bourne Trilogy
29-the Lord of the Rings trilogy
30-the Sound of Music
31-Whale Rider
32-Billy Elliot
33-the Full Monty
34-Dangerous Liassons (how do you spell that word?)
35-Gattaca/Outbreak-my biology girl speaking
36-the Truth about Cats and Dogs
37-When Peggy Sue got married
38-pirates of the Caribbean trilogy
39-Erin Brokovich
40-Contact
41-the Mummy, the Mummy Returns, the Scorpion King
42-the Big Chill
43-finding nemo
44-it’s a Wonderful Life
45-the return of the Pink Panther-1970’s
46-The Naked Gun-first one
47-Some Like it Hot
48-Captain Ron- a family favorite
49-Shirley Valentine
50-3 weddings and a funeral
51- Bridget Jones’ diary-1 and 2-1 is better though
52-the Prestige and the Illusionist- love a little Victorian magic
53-Cold Mountain
54-Camelot-1960s one
55- Austin powers-1,2 and 3
56-X files movie
57-Evolution (for a real silly mood)( or a view of David Duchoveny-is that how you spell his last name)
58-Van Helsing
59 -Young Frankenstein
60-Jurassic Park-only the first one
61-Nightmare before Christmas
62-Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
63-Mr. Blanding buys his dreamhouse
64-Butch Cassidy and the sundance kid
65-Something about Mary
66-Babe
67-West Side story
68-National Treasure-first one
69-the Jerk
70-Miss Congeniality-Katie said this one. I might take it off, though its a good flick
71-Legally Blonde-got to love the girl power and the pink here
72-Grease-ok, 1978, my high school graduation year, some teenage flashbacks, but I like it
73-Harry Potter (especially the latest#5)-another Katie mention, but the 5th one is good
74-the old Parent trap with Haley Mills
75-Beauty and the Beast
76-the Little Mermaid
77-the old 1960’s original Love Bug
78-Hunt for Red October and Das Boot- not a big war movie person, but these are good, and they have the Dave factor built in- Das Boot is an excellent mind sticking film
79-on Golden Pond-got to love NH
80-Back to the Future trilogy
81-a Fish called Wanda
82-Guess who’s Coming to Dinner
83-Pollyanna (1960 version) liked it as a kid and shall forever be in my heart for that
84-Bedknobs and Broomsticks-never saw this as a kid but when Katie was one, and I like it a lot 85-cannonball run/weekend at bernie’s-back to my teen time at the movie's and a great early 20's for me
86-American Beauty
87-My Cousin Vinny
and add as I'm thinking here
88-Vanilla sky- not a Tom Cruise fan but I like that film
89-Chocolate
90-Frida
91- a good James Bond movie- like the last one from 2006- Bond's a hunk but the name???Casino Royale I think
92-My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great feel good flick

A cool list

Was searching blogs this morning- you know- going to a blog, clicking on a blog listed on that web site, going to another blog, clicking on another blog, when I came to a blog called dioramarama. Copied this list from her blog- which is from AFI- their list of 100 best movies.
Let's see how many I have seen and how many I've missed and should see.
bold-I have seen

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. The Godfather (1972)-saw parts I know, but maybe not all of it
3.Casablanca (1942)
4. Raging Bull (1980)
5. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
6. Gone With The Wind (1939)
7. Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
8. Schindler's List (1993)
9. Vertigo (1958)
10. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
11. City Lights (1931)
12. The Searchers (1956)
13. Star Wars (1977)
14. Psycho (1960)
15. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)-I think I've seen this
16. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
17. The Graduate (1967)
18. The General (1927)
19. On The Waterfront (1954)
20. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
21. Chinatown (1974)- I think I saw this??? Is it the nuclear meltdown one-no, that's another one?
22. Some Like It Hot (1959)
23. The Grapes Of Wrath (1940)
24. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
25. To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
26. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
27. High Noon (1952)-I've seen tons of westerns, not sure if this was one
28. All About Eve (1950)-really want to see this one but never have
29. Double Indemnity (1944)
30. Apocalypse Now (1979)
31. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
32. The Godfather Part II (1974)
33. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
34. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
35. Annie Hall (1977)
36. The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
37. The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
38. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (1948)-again, not certain
39. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
40. The Sound Of Music (1965)
41. King Kong (1933)
42. Bonnie And Clyde (1967)
43. Midnight Cowboy (1969)-need to see
44. The Philadelphia Story (1940)-need to see
45. Shane (1953)-never heard of this
46. It Happened One Night (1934)
47. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
48. Rear Window (1954)
49. Intolerance (1916)
50. The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001)
51. West Side Story (1961)
52. Taxi Driver (1976)
53. The Deer Hunter (1978)
54. M*A*S*H (1970)5
5. North By Northwest (1959)
56. Jaws (1975)
57. Rocky (1976)
58. The Gold Rush (1925)
59. Nashville (1975)
60. Duck Soup (1933)
61. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
62. American Graffiti (1973)
63. Cabaret (1972)
64. Network (1976) This is the one I was thinking of instead of Chinatown
65. The African Queen (1951)6
6. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
67. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966)-want to see
68. Unforgiven (1992)
69. Tootsie (1982)
70. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
71. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
72. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
73. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
74. The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
75. In The Heat Of The Night (1967)
76. Forrest Gump (1994)
77. All The President's Men (1976)
78. Modern Times (1936)
79. The Wild Bunch (1969)
80. The Apartment (1960)
81. Spartacus (1960)
82. Sunrise (1927)
83. Titanic (1997)
84. Easy Rider (1969)8
85. A Night At The Opera (1935)
86. Platoon (1986)-saw bits of this, but it bothered me a lot
87. 12 Angry Men (1957)
88. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
89. The Sixth Sense (1999)
90. Swing Time (1936)
91. Sophie's Choice (1982) read the book though
92. Goodfellas (1990)
93. The French Connection (1971)-maybe saw this
94. Pulp Fiction (1994)
95. The Last Picture Show (1971)
96. Do The Right Thing (1989)
97. Blade Runner (1982)
98. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
99. Toy Story (1995)
100. Ben-Hur (1959)

OK, so I'm not toally up on their movies. Maybe I should write my own list- top 100 movies I love. If we get a snow day tomorrow and I don't get any more ambition than I have now- scrapped all afternoon and did laundry, but no cleaning out my 2 cabinets I need to put things in, no finishing my quilt...still hope to get more book read but feel like I might be getting sick too. I ache everywhere-ugh. Thought my great walk on a ncie afternoon would really perk me up, but no, it didn't.

This weekend...the list of things to do-and those we DID

1-Let's start with a few more Dublin pages. Today did a bit of scrapping, working on pictures from Dublin still- doing Christchurch and St. Paul's Cathedrals. Will post as I finish them.

2-Big Pats game tonight-play off fever. They made it through the regular season with no losses, it would be a shame if they lost tonight. Keep your fingers crossed. It will be a late game since it starts at 8.

3-Want to finish my book- The Pillars of the Earth. Have about 200 pages left (out of the 900+), and want to know what's going to happen. Plus I am ready for a new book- something fast.

4-Today was my mother-in-laws 74th birthday. We all went to the Texas Roadhouse for lunch- waited forever for our tables (they only have tables big enough for 6 people and we needed 2 tables) but then they gave us free appetizers- we filled up so much on those and our 22 ounce beers that most of dinner made it home for lunch tomorrow. Was fun though- Barbara even sat on the saddle. She really enjoyed that, and it is her birthday. making her happy on her special day is a good thing.

5-Tomorrow am going to sew some crocheted flowers on my quilt. Bought the flowers off eBay and I needed them since I can't sew through all three layers of the quilt in the mid-sections with my sewing machine. I did machine stitch the 3 layers together around the borders back over Christmas break, but want to hold the whole thing tight. Am excited about doing that and putting it on my bed- FINALLY.

6-They are saying snow storm Sunday night into Monday. Wonder what that means for driving and school Monday. Today was another gorgeous day- we've had a week of nice weather. Today was sunny and in the low 40's- I can happily live with that!

7-Think I will start crocheting my flower scarf during the game tonight. Just learned to crochet last weekend- so hopefully it will go ok.

8-Otherwise, want to relax and sleep in some more. That was sooo nice about this morning. Got up at 8:15 when Harley dog woke me up. I love to sleep in when you can't get out in the morning. In the summer I love to get up and walk early in the day, before it too hot. But now, sleep works for me.

GO PATS.

yeah, yeah Friday and more Ireland

I love this page a lot!

3 great pages! I love these.

Friday-damp and rainy- but its FRIDAY so who cares!
Finally I can sleep in tomorrow- this time of year is soo hard to get up at 4:45 a.m. I love sleeping in a bit later- or a lot later.

Went to my favorite craftstore today too. Spent too much money- but haven't been since November- so I guess that's ok. Got a set of Fancy Pants acrylic stamps-Fresh Mod. Didn't like them when I saw them online but in person, they are awesome. Also got a 7gypsies AC card holder- was kind of pricy I thought- but I think it will make a great art project. Maybe words- an ATC for each- or even for some family photos I haven't scrapped since all I ever scrap is trip photos (not all I guess, but mostly). Need to keep it fresh and do some other types of art anyhow.

Happy weekend everyone!

Thursday-only?

Ok, so its Thursday evening- and this week was going fast until yesterday-which slammed into a brick wall and now I feel like I can't get up and walk away from it. Tuesday was our first in the nation primary and a gorgeous day. Yesterday we had a half day of kids and afternoon "meetings", I was so exhausted ( too many total brain switches and a difficult person to deal with), I got home at put my pjs on by 4 in the afternoon. The night kind of followed what you would expect from someone in pjs by 4-asleep by 8:15. Today we had a powerful assembly at school- about school violence- and I am wiped. Never mind how it affected me, but then dealing with affected kids all afternoon. Plus my 16 year old is looking for permanent grounding with her attitude to me...I know she doesn't know how wiped I am BUT...yelling when trying to get homework help is not acceptable. Nor is mocking. Guess tonight I'm on my own since Dave is off to a meeting down the Cape and won't be home until late. Think I'll make me a burger (mmmm) and then retreat to do some scrapping, watching last night's Project Runway and then retreat to me room and try to read a bit.

Posting a few of my latest scrap pages, from my Dublin journal. Who else do you know that makes massive books of many of the photos taken on a trip to try to preserve a memory? I take soooooooooooo many photos. Probably don't need to scrap so many- which if I did that I could maybe catch up. But these are some favs- I still need to practice taking photos of those pages though.

January Thaw

63 degrees on my car thermometer when I got out of work today!

Spring thaw!

I love it!

2 cool photos

Yes, a second post, but its a quiet night and I'm still in relaxing mode, but not in totally doing nothing mode. Had breakfast for supper (French toast and crusty bread), waiting for the dryer to stop so the laundry can get put away, and we have the Amazing Race on CBS once football ends and 60 minutes is over. Legs are tired from my snowshoe workout, have read quite a bit today, watched Waitress, which enjoyed on DVD as much as I did when I saw it in the theatre.

Love these cool shadow photos from my dining room.

Taught myself basic crochet this afternoon- yeah. Need to get some non fuzzy yearn though- all I have is some funky scarf yarn, except the skeins for my Kaffe Fassett sweater which I don't want to use up- but tomorrow will stop and get some. Want to make this cool flower scarf from the Happy Hooker.

5 day week ahead- eeks. But its suppose to be on the warm side, and it'll be closer and closer to our London trip.

Enjoy it all.

Recounting and relaxing

Today- my morning workout- major big one since we have over 3 feet on snow on the ground- but is in the high 30's today and was a blast- me and Harley trucking through the woods behind the house. Got to do laundry and should run to the grocery store...and maybe stop arguing with Katie-think that's her news year's resolution- lets fight with Mom.
Yesterday went to North Conway with Deb and Barbara (my in-laws) shopping while Dave and dave and the girls went skiing at Shawnee Peak. Didn't buy much but did find a cute pair of flats in J Jill for about $26. Had never driven up through FRyeburg Maine but did so yesterday-, was pretty with the snow still so white, the snow banks so high and some snow still on the trees and roofs. Fun was had by all as they say.
This was Friday night on the way to Deb and Dave's house in Gorham, Maine for our early winter adventure. Actually we weren't in Ellsworth but Sanford, but I couldn't find another logo on-line. Its the same pizza anyhow- memories from my college days in Orono at the University of Maine- double dough, pepperoni and oni (with the pull apart crust-its just 2 layered doughs). And tonights was especially good- right up there with the prime rib at the Grand Canyon. MMMMMMMMM.

Ramblings on a very cold night

A colorful cloth book I made a couple of years ago but decided to once again try my luck with Sew Somerset. Its been mailed off, and I hope. It would be a great addition to my career list of publications. I also love this book because its bright and fun. I painetd muslin, stamped and stitched. Very different from many of my other projects and I think I should try a few more in this style. Put it on the to do list for 2008.
So far this year's been going along. The kids at school are ready to change classes (just a couple of more weeks). I'm ready too. Found out I am going to National Science teachers Convention in Boston in late March- we made our hotel reservations yesterday for a couple of nights. Should be fun and a nice change of late March pace. Maybe I can even find some time to visit the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum (hopefully I spelled it right too) while there since we're staying down near Fenway which is definately walking distance to that Museum or the MFA.
Also found out we're heading out for a little adventure tomorrow night- going to my sister-in-laws in Maine. Dave, Katie, her 2 cousins, and Dave R. are going skiing Saturday, and my sister-in-law Deb and my mother-in-law Barbara and I are going shopping. We'll be staying there tomorrow night and coming home Sat. night. Should be a fun change of pace, especially since vacation was pretty quiet (but that's exactly how I wanted it and we had a great time off).
Making an apple pie tonight and it smells so good asa its baking. I like these 3 day work weeks, though today kind of dragged and I came home pretty early-journaled, watched last nights Project Runway and then NAPPED. Nothing better.
Very cold tonight, but it will start warming up tomorrow.
And that's my ramblings for tonight.

Reflections!

This is today, though the flakes are falling fast and furious. Relaxing in a way, but after hitting the snowiest December in NH on record, not sure I'm ready for more of this. PLus we took down the tree and all the Christmas glitter and treasures today, which always leaves me with mixed feelings. A bit relieved to have less clutter in my house and a bit sad its all over. Tomorrow reality checks back in and its back to work. I'm praying for a delay so its not quite so LONG of a day.

Last night was quiet but that was ok- it didn't feel very New Years like. We went out and brought home Chinese food and then put on the Bourne Ultimatium DVD, before falling asleep and waking up to see the ball drop in Times Square. Pretty amazing its still Dick Clark's Rockin new Years Eve like back when I was a teenager.

Need to cheer myself up today, and not being really successful. Down deep I wish I was someone different and that's bothering me- which is a silly waste of emotional energy since I can't be anyone other than me and in real life one can't go back and change who you are. I wish I was more a devil may care person and I had more fearless a personality. I wish I thought more of myself than I do right now- stuck with that being everyone's maid, which is all I was rbought up to be, but if you asked my mother she wouldn't get it at all, and she's say that's who I was...and that's what I don't like. I've never really accepted myself, always fighting myself, and right now, with more snow falling and vacation wrapping up and being up last night with intestional hives, I'm a bit blue. I'll get over it.

On the lighter side, looking at last years Museum a Month goal, and here's how I did. (Me, the anal list writer at it now):

1. January-Harvard musuem of natural history
2. Feb-Credit Union Museum of America (don't ask-it was for a workshop I went to but where I got this great idea)
3. March-3 of them- Paris Fashion Week at the MFA, the NE Aquarium (field trip), and Museum of Science in Boston- the Darwin exhibit
4. April- field trip to Harvard Museum of Nat. History and all those places in Ireland (old castles,breweries, etc.)
5. May-The Peabody essex museum to see some of it and the box exhibit-why can't I think of the artists name- oh, its Joseph Cornell and a field trip to the museum of science
6. None in June
7. July-Lowell National Historic Park and some of the Freedom Trail and the duck boat in Boston
8. August- All the things we did in Philly on our weekend trip-Valley Forge, The Franklin Institute, the King Tut exhibit, Constitution Hall and the vicinity
9. September there was none
10. Ditto October
11. November I went to Seabrook-both the plant and the small museum
12. December I went to 3-oo-wee-The Napoleon exhibit at the MFA, the Millyard Museum in Manchester along with histrorical library and finally our field trip to Museum of science.

wow- I'm proud of that accomplishment and am up to do it again in 08, lets see what new things I can find- only 3 months last year without making my goal and some months doing more than 1, so happy that I did it. It was an enriching experience too, making me know so much more.

Anyhow, suppose I've gone on enough...the museum list cheered me up surprisingly. Oh lets hope 08 brings health, happiness and lots of adventures for me and for you too.