Dog!

I love my big dog Lucy. Just wanted to share that.

Lazarus went to his first day of preschool this morning, and although he had some anxious moments, he seemed to have a really good time. The teacher was obviously overwhelmed, as I would be were I facing 17 three-year-olds -- 13 boys and four girls (two crying hysterically) -- and my aide hadn't bothered to show up. Gad. My mom and I stayed through breakfast, as did a few other moms and two dads, and at least one mom stayed the whole morning even after a substitute aide showed up.

I didn't cry. Well, I cried last night, because of course I had to start looking at Laz's baby pictures (oh, look how tiny he was! oh, he'll never be that small and tender again!) but also because I still (and will probably always) have some anxiety over his developmental delays. His verbal and cognitive skills seem fine -- definitely a different drummer thing going on, but what could we expect given the boy's heritage -- but his motor skills are way behind, and it's more obvious when he's with other kids who run, jump, dash up steps, and otherwise cavort unfettered. The pediatric specialist we saw in Albuquerque earlier this month did mention the possibility (though impossible to pinpoint or confirm) that something happened during those last few weeks of pregnancy when his heartrate was going irregular, especially after the doc induced labor and things got really dicey. But he came out alright -- I'll always wonder, but he's here, with me, and he's a marvelous boy, and God knows I'm thankful for that.

Anyhoo. Time for bed. Which means I'll be up for another hour at least. Maybe I'll go downstairs and work on a quilt while Lucy nudges my arm and slobbers on my toes.

Shifting obsessions

Since I'm not working right now (I took a break from one client during the Denver aftermath of chaos and depression and am now waiting on another client to deliver a project for which I'll have to drop everything else), I have time and energy for my projects. Granted, two toddlers (Maggie now has fall-on-the-floor-and-flail tantrums, so I guess her babyhood is just about over) run me ragged much of the time, but I manage to snag time here and there for my own pursuits.

I seem to have three main obsessions -- quilting, knitting, and gardening -- and whether I pursue one or another seems to depend mostly on mood. I haven't wanted to knit, for example, since we were in Denver, probably because of the sunshine and heat (who wants to think of winter, let alone sit with a lapful of wool or mohair, on a warm sunny day?). I'm also finally getting the hang of the quilting thing, making it a far more productive and rewarding obsession than it was before, and on days I do feel frustrated or thwarted with that, I have plenty to do in the garden.

It once seemed pointless to garden in August -- whatever you have by then is all you're going to have by first frost -- but this year I feel, I don't know, empowered by my (very few) successes (gorgeous, sweet red onions! fat, sparky carrots! bushels of basil!) and determined to get in a good fall crop of greens that could, if properly managed, last well into winter. And late summer/early fall is the best time to plant most perennials, so of course I must forge ahead.... Under the guise of taking my mom on a trip to see the arts and culture of Santa Fe next week, I will be making a pilgrimage to not one but two native plant specialists, where I can scarcely imagine the beauty and possibilities that await....

Until then, I'll be planting my mesclun, micro greens, and rainbow chard, giving thanks for the afternoon rains, and scavenging for framing wood and glass panes to make myself some cold frames.

Just thinking of frost, I can feel the urge to knit welling up inside.... Of course Maggie's sweaters from last year don't fit anymore, including this little one, so I'll be needing to get busy soon so she and Laz can be cozy again this winter. I have yarn already, and don't know whether to start with a sassy wool/fluff-trimmed cardigan and hat for Maggie or a cabled pullover for Lazarus using the deep turquoise alpaca/mohair I got from the local fiber mill. Or... well, safe to say, I'm never bored these days....

For God's sake, George, you look like a putz to even some of your supporters (some of whom seem to be vying hard for the title of King Putz). Are you really too chicken-shit to meet directly with someone who disagrees with you and might ask you a hard question or two?

Oh, wait, I just woke up. Back to reality, folks, and you keep on enjoying your vacation, Mr. "President."

It's done!

Last night I finished this:




I'm so proud of myself -- just for finally finishing something. This is my second quilt project, and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I hope to hang it today. So I guess my post-Denver convalescence is over.

In other news, um, well, I don't have any at the moment. Oh, I do want to get some pictures of the work Antonio has been doing on our store. He's just about finished laying the brick in one of the rooms, and I need to get a picture before he moves all our crap in there so he can get started on the main room in front.

Well, that's it -- four loads of laundry need hanging out, so I need to go.