Sunday Happy

The week went by in a blur. I worked a lot in my studio, worked at the other studio, did things that needed to be done, ate food, slept some. Nothing to eventful. We did go for a couple of good snowy hikes earlier in the week which were very much needed. Also I finally pulled out the comforter after the mr told me he was freezing to death at night. And I have officially had my brand new phone for 2 weeks, sitting in it’s pretty little white box on my desk, without opening it and switching put my SIM card. Ask me why and I could not tell you. All I know is that its getting ridiculous.

Today I am spending the morning glazing mugs at the studio and hopefully after that the mr and I are going to go pack our lunches and go for a snowshoeing adventure IF the snow is shoeshoe-able. If not, we will just hike into the woods with our regular feet. And when I get home, I am, I MUST, open my new freaking phone. I will reward myself with spending the rest of the day drinking coffee and reading.

Internet for you pleasure.

-So ok, I am on a weird “wanting a new couch for the upstairs room” kick. I could never spend anywhere near this much money on a couch, but I am lusting after it. Caitlin by The Everygirl. This website… Building your own couch. So good.

-This Quaint Eco Cabin is Essentially a Birdhouse For Humans. Into this. Not sure if the mr would like it though.

-Are you a resolution person? I am not, but I get why people do it. And this year, like so many past years, many a resolution goes out the window But guess what? It’s all good so don’t even worry about it. Broken New Year's Resolutions Already? It's OK To Give Yourself A Break

-'Why Do I Spend Weeks Avoiding Tasks That Will Take Me 10 Minutes to Do?' Like me not opening and using my new phone.

-A baked sweet potato is street food.. Why hasn't that caught on here?!? Just here making my own but gonna try this method. For a ‘Proper Proper Proper’ Baked Sweet Potato, Freeze It First

-A Los Angeles Nonprofit Is Supporting Prison Abolition Through a Community Ceramics Practice. Awesomeness!

-Yes, let take it (when it is safe!) LET’S TAKE A TRIP TO CHÂTEAU DE DIRAC.

-Behold the world’s tallest trees. Trees in general are amazing but when you get into old growth and stands of redwoods… truly is the most breathtaking. Touches the soul.

-Not good news but need to know news. CDC Warns New U.K. Coronavirus Variant Is Spreading Fast In The U.S. So stay away from people and wear you masks yo!

-But some good news. The Cat Who Came Back: Patches, Believed Killed In Mudslide, Shows Up 3 Years Later

The few photos I took on the mr’s phone which brings me to the number one reason to open my new phone. TO be able to take pictures again!

Sunday Happy

Well we did it, made it to a new year. And now here we go!

The week between Christmas and New Years is always a weird one. I think I need to start treating the time as time off and not time I need to feel crazy and try and do as much shit as I can. So next year I’ll do that. Anyway it was a busy but good The mr and I did a lot of house projects like shelf building in the basement and linen closet and cleaning light fixtures .The mr started a new bathroom remodel job and I have been setting myself up to get a bunch of pots done in the next few weeks (All the hearts for Valentines Day!) all the while trying not to bug out much over that fact that with a new year comes new taxes. Why the heck can’t I stop thinking about them!?! I really just want to get that shit done and out of my head sooner then later. I am trying to be organized and think ahead like a good, responsible adult. BLAH. But what I did do which only took like a year was, we FINALLY bought new phones! It got to the point that the mr’s phone completely broke and he was interacting with people through his email on the iPad. So I did it, just bought them. He immediately stuck his sim into it and has been rocking it out. Me, well mine is still wrapped in plastic in the box because I am lame like that. Plus I am waiting for the case to come in the mail. But mostly I don’t care enough yet. (Although it will be nice to use the camera. The camera on my phone now is busted and won’t focus. if you can tell.)

Besides all of that we also had the littles over for a little birthday party for Judah (HAPPY 11th BIRTHDAY!). He and the mr played with his new tools, engaged In some games of chess with Coco while Miley completely ignored us all and I made French fries, salad, and an ice cream cake. His mother brought the sushi (I don’t mess around with raw fish)! And we finished it all off with some wiggle dancing with Barb because what is a party without some wiggle dancing?

I am not a huge giver of a shit when it comes to New Years so NYE we just did whatever. I did try to watch a movie with the mr, but I just ended up falling asleep and was in bed by 930. New Years Day we took the day and went for a nice long drive out to the NEK and just spent time not doing. That was nice.

And then it was Saturday and it snowed and I was happy. Like really happy. I was even so happy to shovel out the driveway and smiled while I scrapped the ice of the car windshield because I really just like a cold snowy winter. You know? And then I started on my cleaning binge, took little breaks of snow time walks, went into the woods with the mr and Barb so they could get some snow time, and started packing up the Christmas decorations. It is all down except for the tree. All the ornaments are packed away but I left the lights up. One or two more days. I just love having a light wrapped tree in the house! (It is finally starting to drop needles so it won’t last long)

Today is day 2 of a weekend cleaning binge. First off though, me and Barb are going to go for a nice snowy hike and then maybe hit up a grocery store for food. But after that I am thinking today is the day I clear out my closet and just get rid of everything! (I really don’t have a lot of clothes but I stopped folding things and just started shoving things into the shelves few months back and now it looks a hot mess and I have basically not changed from the same 3 outfits for the past couple months). I need to remember what clothes I have and maybe even wear some of them! That and I might finally pull out the winter comforter but don’t tell the mr! I don’t want him to get his hopes up just incase I change my mind. (I hate the heavy comforter but he LOVES IT and I am trying to be nice.)

And that is it.

Happy New Year!

Internet from the week.

-Wow, what a trip to do this. Should I? Nope, It enough for me to just look at random pictures of myself and think how freaking young I was. The Photographer Who Set Out to Watch Herself Age.

-10 Things Nobody Tells You About Clutter (and How to Get Rid of It). Clutter sucks ad that we all know.

-I am not one for trends but I am on board with most of these. 21 Kitchen Design Trends We Predict Will Be Huge for 2021

-Liking this, especially the see through roof part. This Prefab Cabin Is Like Three Houses In One

-The only real way to detox your body. Water, but read for yourself.

-I have learned over there years that taking the time to organize and pack things nicely really is huge for when it comes time to pull it out again next year…. And ALWAYS wrap your lights! ORGANIZE AND STORE YOUR CHRISTMAS DECOR LIKE A PRO!

-The Weirdest Lies We Told as Children. I used to tell people my Dad was the drummer in the Beatles. More a misunderstanding then a lie though because he looked like George Harrison, played the drums in a band, and they covered a few Beatles songs..

-So cool.Sleeping Whales: Photographer Reveals What Whales Look Like When They Snooze

-Elementary School Kids Design the Christmas Lights in This Scottish Town. All towns should have their kids d this. I love it so much.

-Yurts, Igloos And Pop-Up Domes: How Safe Is 'Outside' Restaurant Dining This Winter?. I wonder. It seems like people thing if they eat inside of an outside structure, that it is not inside? The logic confuses me a bit.

And some pictures from the week.

-C

Sunday Happy

Where did all the snow go? It was so lovely for a good part of the week and then bam, woke up and it was gone. And way to freaking warm. BOOOO. That was even worse then no snow. It just needs to snow and stay put and stop being warm. I hate global warming. So. Much.

The week was good, if not a bit hectic. Started off with the mr and I going over to the loft and having Christmas craft time and decorated her tree. I brought her all of my old ornaments and we made yarn garland and listen to Christmas music and it was just the best. And now Gigi has a brand new tree full of all the toys she could possible want to climb and destroy. She was chewing on the lights even before they were on the tree so yeah, not worries at all…

After that it was a good few days of me being busy busy, trying to finishing up some pots and dropping pieces off to people who bought them. I am getting ready for the last little push before Christmas and am trying to not let it stress me out.

Thursday, December 10th. One of my favorite days of the year because it is the day the mr was born. HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOVE! Because of COVID we didn’t do his traditional grilled cheese party which was sad (next year its on!) but we did have a lovely day. He woke up to strong man and a balloon (plus all his favorite breakfast things). Then after a lazy morning we drove to a little mountain and climbed it in the snow. After that he went off to do some plant stuff while I made a cake and lasagna. Barb and him then came home and we had dinner, cake to the tune of KPOP singers singing happy birthday in Korean, and ended the day watching Home Alone and me falling asleep on the couch. All in all, I think he had a good day.

And that is it. Not much else other then us trying to finish and get the last of the Christmas cards made and out in the mail. That and I bit a hole in my tongue (it was brutal) and have developed a very curious, if not concerning squeak in my big toe. Feels and sounds like walking on snow…. Yup. And that is that. Just busy busy and maybe a little boring. And old? Haha, a little.

Today involves a mad dash to the studio to glaze the for the last time before Christmas. After that, the mr and I are going to go for a drive/hike somewhere and then maybe come home and finally put the decorations on the tree. We have been slacking hard on tree decoctions this year. The rest of the house looks A+, but there is something so magical about a tree with just lights so I haven’t felt the need to decorate it. But I finally want to so tonight, we will, maybe.

Internet things from the week.

-The Danger of Assuming That Family Time Is Dispensable. Because it is not. Damn, I miss my family, but we need keep each other safe. And think of how awesome the next safe family gathering will be… We might even all be nice to each other or a while. HA, yeah right.

-Welcome to Our Museum of Smells. Do you have a specific smell? I have so many but top of my head is nag champa incense.. The mr had stuffed a giant box in his closet in his dorm room so all his closes smell like it. Now I associate that smell to him. That a saw dust. Ha.

-Handy when you are shit out _____. A Quick Guide to Ingredient Substitutions

-Canada’s little known Emerald Isle. As so as I read this, I starting planning a trip. (Next year maybe?)

-Utah Wanted All the Tourists. Then It Got Them. I have defiantly noticed how many more people are everywhere outside when just last year there was nobody. And I do worry about all the parks, state and national. It can be a lot of wear and tear and then you have the assholes who trash the places… Don’t be an asshole.

-I’m So Over Brands. And sexy Colonial Sanders.. WTF?

-More info on outdoor socialization How To Retain Your Heat And Stay Upbeat While Socializing In Winter

-Simple and beautiful and I want to live here. A Young Couple’s DIY, Totally Off-the-Grid Cabin in the New Hampshire Woods

-Drake Is About to Launch a Candle Company. Of course he is.

-Oh how I loved the Ikea catalogs..Sad but it’s ok, its better for the environment. 'Emotional But Rational': Ikea Discontinues Its Long-Running Catalog

Pictures from the week.

-C



Sunday Happy

It’s the last week of October folks. And this time next week it will be one hour earlier then it is now. I am already playing that game in my head with myself saying it is this time but will be that time. Getting mentally ready. And I know most people hate it, hate that it going to get dark out at like 430 but me, I am excited. I like having more sunlight earlier when I am awake and as for darker earlier, it just makes our after dinner walks that much more interesting. You can see inside peoples houses in the dark so much better.😳(Don’t pretend you don’t look too.)

The week began at Gifford Woods. After getting checked in and switching our campsite 3 times (for optimal light and a good chopping block )the mr and I hiked a long hike, he did some fishing (and actually caught one), I read, we made fire, we ate soup. All the good stuff. Then we went to bed with the knowledge that there was a bear roaming about. We woke up with no bear sittings (sad but probably good) and headed on back to town.

And it was Barbs 21 st birthday. So we had dinner with her and the boys at my moms, sang her songs, gave her shit, did the cake thing, and sent her on her way to go be 21.

After that it was back to it. Basically all the same stuff with some of this and that and a new, very expensive heater replacement at one of the apartments. (OUFF!) Then Barb came over for her second birthday dinner with the littles. Pie instead of cake, Coco shaking his booty, Miley harassing the mr about when he is gong to dye her hair, and Judah, well he was just being cool like a cool kid.

And that is pretty much it.

It’s Sunday and this is it, the last camping of the year. I would be lying if I said that I am not sad, but it’s ok, I don’t think I could handle the mr camping in the winter, he does not like to be cold. And honestly, we spend just as much time running around in the woods in the winter, we just come back to our warm bed at night so it’s not like we don’t still run away all the time. Anyway, heading out early, going to soak it in as much of the day away as possible, do a good hike, the mr is gonna fish, I’ll read and look at rocks by the river, and we will eat hot soup by the fire. Maybe as a last hurrah we will see a moose or a bear. I have no real control over that but wouldn’t that be awesome?

Oh and before I forget, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Some internet for your reading pleasure.

-A Rare Halloween Blue Moon in 2020. And it is daylight savings. Gonna be a crazy night!

This house. And the patchy, torn apart wall paper.. so good. Heading ‘Upstate’

-Are we living in a computer simulation? I don’t know. Probably. AAAAGH! But seriously, are we?

-Good to know. Is It Better to Bake in Glass or Metal?

-Veggie Burgers Can Be Called Burgers, European Parliament Says. I am sure this is pissing a lot of people off.

-Why living with and tending plants is good for you. So many reasons. I don’t know what I Would do without my plants!

-I agree. This Cozy A-Frame in the Woods Is One of the Dreamiest Cabins We’ve Ever Seen

-Cool AF mask. Zimarty Turns the Face Mask Into Wearable Architecture With zMask

-Pretty. Cloaked in Thick Smoke, Submerged Foliage Breaches the Water’s Surface in Mysterious Photographs

Pictures from the week.

Sunday Happy

Just the other night the mr and I were having the conversations about doing the heater checks in all the apartments, what the plans are going to be for the holidays, and all the end of the year things that need to be done before, well the end of the year. It was a weird conversation because were did the year even go? 2020 flying on by through a shit storm and we are not slowing down.

Another great week that began with more fantastic hiking and camping. We were at one of my favorite places, Groton Forest, ans lucky not a whole heck of a lot of people were there. Our hikes were beyond gorgeous,the air was cool, it was quiet and calm, and the sky was clear. Just a solid A+ camp.

Then we slept, woke up, broke down camp and came home. Every week we come home is hard. The mr and I could live in the woods forever! Life goals.

The rest of the week went as usual. The mr off doing all the work he always is doing plus talking to plumbers, plaining wood with Judah, selling (and sold) Barbs car, and was getting in as much fall scootering as he could before the thing needs to be stored away for winter. Me, same same. Studio stuff. Did some glazing, made more things, trying to get super ready for the holiday season and have a good stock of stuff to sell.

Not much really in the way fo eventfulness maybe besides me and Miley made a cake for shits and giggles then had dinner with Barb. Or that the mr and I filled out our ballets and I went and dropped them off at city hall. We also took the boys for a bike/walk. I picked up my second to last farm share for the summer (winter share starts in November) Oh, and I broke my freaking favorite eating fork. I have been eaten almost all my meals with this fork for like 10 years and it was truly a fantastic fork, perfect weight, perfect angle, perfect sharp tines. So that shook me. But I’ll be ok.

Today the mr and I are heading out for our second to last camp. Already sad about it but I am trying to not think about it too much. I want to just enjoy all the trees ans colors and go for a good hike and sit by a nice fire and go to sleep on the ground. All the good things.

Internet to read if you are so inclined.

-The mr and I had this conversation a few months back. It is pretty interesting to heat and see what others think too We Asked Americans How They Feel About The U.S. Flag. It Got Interesting.

-This Kitchen.. 2 different stoves and a wood fireplace!

-I am going to be one with the cracked teeth, I have jaw problems as it is ans I don’t remember the last time I have’t clenched my jaw. Oh wait, I think it was sometime in 2016. Sleepless Nights, Hair Loss And Cracked Teeth: Pandemic Stress Takes Its Toll

-Why social media makes you feel so old. So so old.

-I never put my vintage pyrex into the oven because I am always afraid of it exploding (it has happened before and has stayed with me) What You Really Need to Know About Exploding Glass Bakeware

-How to Survive 5 Extreme Weather Scenarios. We have been caught in some pretty extreme weather. I guess we are lucky to be alive. HA!

-Ad ode to the fork. The Rise of the Fork

-What’s the Weirdest Place You’ve Taken a Call Lately?. If you haven’t talked on the phone while you are on the toilet, well then, where are yo talking from?

-Chairs. PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT.

-Kill Your Gas Stove. I have come to terms with the fact that that next time I need a new stove or am building a new kitchen, no more gas. Induction it will be.

Pictures from the week

-C