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

This past week just seemed like one big shit show.

Stupid shit like multiple trips with multiple hours logged at AT&T store (3 mornings of my life and still, STILL, they have not fixed the problem!!!!) Long doctors appointments, crazy people all over the news.. It just was not the best week, you know?

It wasn't all bad. Barb and I got out for a nice hike in the woods, I cleaned up my studio and got a good handle on reclaiming clay. Painted some hearts, read books, drank a lot of coffee, and I finally took the Christmas tree down. I always get a little sad because I love the tree but I alway love how the house feels so big (even though the tree was not that big) once it is down. Oh and the needles… They were EVERYWHERE! I think I vacuumed 5 different times yesterday and still I was finding needles and probably will be finding them until sometime next Christmas.

Then the mr had been on a big remodeling job so he had been gone all day every day so we haven’t seen much of each other which had been kind of sucky. But I think that that job is almost over and we can run away. HAHA, but maybe for real? Anyway…

We are going to start out the week right. Today the only real plan is for the mr and I to spend the day together and go for good hike. Not sure yet where, but it is going to away, like a good while away. We both just need to get out of here, be around some trees, drink lots of coffee, and not deal with anything for a little while.

Stuff from the internet from the week.

-Stressed? Try screaming. Noted.

-This Is How Long You Should Keep Your Holiday Decorations Up, According to Dolly Parton. That is a long time but whatever floats your boat.

-Get out of your head and “Listen to a Random Forest”

-21 Truly Upsetting Vintage Recipes. Why was everything molded?

-Why Is it So Hard to Design a Good Can Opener? I have had few can openers in my day and not all are good. Some really hurt the wrist while others just plan old suck.

-Viennetta, the Fanciest Dessert of the ’90s, Is Back. Like, OMG! I remember these and wanted one so bad but were not a fancy cake family, we were a ice cream sandwich family..

-So awesome. These New LEGO Sets Are Perfect for People Who Can’t Keep Plants Alive

- You're Not Crazy: There IS a Difference Between Morton's and Diamond Crystal. There are so many different salts and it can really screw up a dish if you are not careful.

-The stairs, the arches, the bath tub.. Love this house!

A couple of pictures from the week.

-C

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

To the last week of the year. Can you even? It’s like all the things happened and at the same time, nothing. Almost like a time warp that I still have yet to wrap my head but I think I am done trying and am just going to move forward from here. A new year. 2021! It’s gonna be good!

The week started off a little hectic. I was finishing up pottery things and dropping of pots all over town. Then grocery shopping ….I had a few things I needed to pick up to get through the week and when I Went out it was a freaking shit show. I think it was more crazy this year cause people were stocking up to spend times at home (quarantining) so yeah, it traumatized me a bit. Then Barb came over and we baked like mad women. So many cookies and muffins and we made them tiny so it looked like a million cookies! After that is was basically just trying to wrap my head around the fact that is is the end of the year, that Christmas was a days away, and that all the snow melted. That pissed me off more then anything.

Then it was Christmas which was weird but good. First off, it was SO freaking HOT. I think it go to like 65 degrees. There was no snow, lots of rain, and it was just not good. My morning run turned into a mud run and I looked like I fell into the pond. But what are you gonna do? I embraced it and wore sandals for the day and walked around the neighborhood taking selfies with all the lawn blowup Christmas things and sent them to my siblings… IT was freaking hilarious. So up until couple weeks ago the family was not going to see each other but I had the greatest idea to all meet at a big parking lot on Christmas. Because it was so freaking darn hot out, we ended up at a park, no jackets or hats, all huddled under a awning because it was kind of raining. But whatever, we made it work and for what it was, it was fantastic. I brought all the cookies to share, we exchanged secret Santa gifts, and the littles ran around burning off their sugar highs. Again, it was weird, and nothing like our usual Christmases but kind of exactly the same. It was the first time we all have been together since like March so it was great. And next Christmas everyone will come back to my house and trash it and I will be missing a park Christmas! HA! Oh, and before I forget HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CAMERON who didn't want to get out of bed to come so I didn’t get to see him..anyways.

Christmas night the mr and I went home, exchanged our stockings (he made me the best most beautiful huge cutting board that I am going to have hard time using cause it is so pretty) and I made him a ceramic slice of pizza and got him old man vitamins that are in the form of candy so he will take them. Then I basically passed out and that was that.

Then Saturday we went and said hi to Anthony because it was his birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY Anthony!) and then I spent the rest of the day in a foggy weirdness that was the day after Christmas.

Today the mr and I are starting on one of the Christmas presents he gave me… Shelving in the basement and in the linen closet!!! He set up all the tools, got the wood, we measured it all out, and now all that it needs is to be cut and put together! This is the best present ever!. (Every year I ask for shelves of some kind. It has turned into a thing) After that I Am sure I will spend the rest of the day organizing what is going on the shelves (a lot o f camping stuff) and cleaning up the mess that is sure to come from the mr going in and out the back door to cut wood. And I don’t even care cause SHELVES!

Internet from the week

-No New New Years' Resolutions. Are people even doing that anymore?

-This Foldable, $23K Tiny Cabin Pops Up in Less Than 3 Hours And it actually seems like legit.

-This is me Most people would be happy to never shake your hand again

-I just explained this to the littles the other day. What is a solstice? And other questions about the shortest day of the year, answered

-The Great Bicycle Boom of 2020. I couldn’t find a bike this summer and I even got my old shitty bike stolen so yeah, people are riding bikes which is pretty cool. (Stolen bike is not cool)

-The Absolute Best Way to Make Peanut Butter

-2020 In The Kitchen: The Year We Spent Making, Baking, Frying And Trying. It was all about the kitchen!

-A house that knows my soul. Lovely, Dark, and Deep: An 1800s Victorian House in Nebraska, Restored Down to the Doorknobs

-I need new shoes that are not running shoes or sandals and I miss my clogs. Maybe if these go on sale..

And a few pictures from the week..

Sunday Happy

I only wash my hair once (if that) a week so I go through a bottle like once every 18 months. This past week when I went to wash my hair I hadn’t really realized that I ran out of shampoo. I ended up having to use some of the mr’s. He uses Herbal Essences, the one in the see through pink bottle (If you know, you know.) So all week I have been getting wiffs of the smell and it keeps brining me back to 1995 which is crazy and weird and makes me feel old and that the world is now a sci fi movie but also is has been comforting in a way. I mean, at least the shampoo hasn't changed in like 25 years so there is that. And as for getting more shampoo I still haven’t refreshed it so it looks like I will be using the Herbal Essence again if I choose to wash my hair, just like when I was 12. HA

Oh the week. Well it came, it went and wow it is now almost Christmas. How? We got snow which thrilled me to no end. Both the mr and I were pretty busy doing the doings. I finished up some last minute special orders and was delivering mugs and the mr, well I am not exactly sure what he was doing, but he sure was out and about all week.

We also did dinners with Barb, finished up Christmas cards, went on a couple of light drives, and had a evening where the little came over for a couple (masked clad) hours and we finally put up some ornaments on the tree and put together cookie houses! Miley and Judah are now old enough where their houses actually look like houses. Coco o the other hand, well he wouldn’t decorate the cookies as a house, he just slathered on frosting and ate them.

Other then that, not much. I picked up last farm share for the year (I have to wait THREE weeks until next pick up. AGH!) Went through the closet and started to plan a way to get rid of EVERYTHING, and gave the mr a hair cut and an eyebrow trim. Gosh, we are just so exciting…..

Today the mr and I are on a mission to hand deliver all of our Christmas cards. We do this every year and it usually takes the day because we stop in a talk to everyone, but this year it probably won’t take too long since we won’t be hanging out with anyone. So we we will do that, then I will come home and make coffee and start a big pot of soup (thinking a good spices split pea). I have a stack of books to get to but I am in the middle of a knitting project so I am thinking I might park my butt on the couch and watch me a Christmas movie (Home Alone or Elf?) and drink all the coffee because I can tell it is going to be one of those day where more coffee is just not enough.

Some stuff from the internet to read if you wish.

-Dear Present Procrastinators: Ship That Holiday Gift, Now. OR another idea, shop local. I have even had people from other states buy pots from me to drop off to family that live locally here. So smart!

-Do you jerk when you are falling asleep? I do ALL THE TIME! Why Your Body Sometimes Jerks As You Fall Asleep. Defiantly because I am a monkey.

-I you live in Vermont, you have heard people talk about the flatlands for sure. Where Do The Terms 'Woodchuck' And 'Flatlander' Come From?

-Yeah I would live here. Yup yup yup.

-Sisters are the best, even when their the worst. The Secret To Success? Having A Big Sister

-Gingerbread House Goals! 14 Architectural Gingerbread Houses That Are Definitely Not Cookie-Cutter. But this one…. SO GOOD! The Prettiest Gingerbread House of 2020

-Take care to season your cast iron. We Seasoned Cast Iron Skillets with 5 Different Oils and Have a New Favorite

-A New way to travel across the US. On bike! Might just be a goal of mine!?!

-I need new running shoes, ones that are good and grippy for running is the woods and in snow. Do I dare These? Are they too bright?

A few pictures from the week, mostly taken with the mr’s or Barbs phone because my phone be broken!