Cousins

You know those stories that you hear about a child that is put up for adoption and then said child grows up and searches to find their birth parents?  Today I went to a family gathering on my father's side that was to welcome one such grown up person and his family into ours.  His relation to me is first cousin twice removed (See chart below).  I don't remember knowing anything about this when it happened.  I'm not sure if my parents even knew, but they probably did.  I was introduced to one of the people at the party and in explaining how we were connected ended up going from my dad's side of the family to my mom's, because everyone knew my mom's mom.  She was the head cafeteria worker so if you went to school there back then, you knew my grandmother.  I was told I look like her.  That took me off guard a little, I wasn't expecting it.  I should have been.  Any way, the 'new' member of the family resembles his uncle that recently passed away.  Families being united is a happy for today.




Link to site I pulled this chart from.

Another happy is getting to play Minecraft this morning with Gideon, Texas family and friends.  Probably because of playing this morning I forgot to wear my pedometer today.  I didn't get out for a walk, so I guess it doesn't matter much.  I did get to talk with C about my car and a few other things though.  My rear brakes are bad.  I knew they were going, I expected it.  It turns out that the passenger side one isn't working.  The driver side is, but not in a good way.  There is a happy here too.  I was going to try and fix these myself, after taking pictures of the brake and learning these things, I know that it is beyond what I have the tools or knowledge for at this time. 

This is a rather old picture.  My grandmother is on the left with the blue sweatshirt, I am holding K and then my mom on the right.  Four generations.

I wish I could say how old K is in that picture...

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Short

Well, I didn't get as much done today as I had hoped, but some things are cleaner and the dress is a little closer to done.  Gideon competed this morning with Boy Scouts at a pinewood derby and made forth place.  I am happy for him and he had so much fun.  Another happy for today is that a member of our Barony competed in a Kingdom level SCA arts and sciences competition and made it into the finals.  Yay!

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Buttons

It is Friday and I want to say that I am going to have a very restful weekend.  My to do list is long, but it starts with sleep.  Then there are the normal things like laundry and the common SCA thing of sewing.  I also have an extended family thing on Sunday and a short scheduled time to play Minecraft with close family. 

K and I went to craft night and I tried to work on my dress.  My first try at pleats were too small so I will try again tomorrow.  My hands are dry and rough and kept catching on the fabric. Tomorrow I will wear gloves to help prevent this and tonight I will treat my hands with something.  Many buttons did get made though for her garb.  We made them with a little kit and gold fabric so they look like gold buttons.  This was more fun then I would have thought (probably because of the company) and is my happy for today.

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A good day-picture heavy

When I left for work this morning I think there was at least three different types of birds singing.  It is possible that they have been around all winter and I am only hearing them now because it is light out instead of dark, but I choose to believe that warmer weather is on the way.  This was my first happy for today.  After work I met up with a friend for a walk and enjoyed the not freezing weather.  We even had some ice cream.  I took a bunch of pictures and this was another happy. 

In the evening was fighting practice.  I did something new and learned some of the basics of foot work and sword holding of fencing from two very talented fencers.  Having watched the heavy list fighters and fencers so much, I guess I finally decided that it could be fun to do and not just fun to watch.  There was no armor to fit me there tonight.  It is highly unlikely that I will become a serious fencer but I'm stepping out of that comfort zone and will try it.  This is my yet another happy for today.

On the way home from practice I heard my first spring peepers of the year.  Hearing them was the icing on the cake of what was already a pretty good day.  Getting home I was surprised that the family was still awake and I got to see some of the gorgeous garb my daughter has been making for an upcoming event.  I'm hoping to help her with some of that this weekend.  These are even more things to be happy about.  😄

Serious Pothole. 

BUDS!!

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Random

Driving home from work So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright played from my song list.  I started thinking about when I was a kid and thought I might like to become an architect.  I chickened out.  Courage wasn't one of my strong points.  If I could go back to school for anything, I wonder if architecture is something I would choose.  If someone plopped down enough money to support me through a college degree, what would I choose?  I have no idea.

Spring weather meant that my friend and I went for a nice walk this afternoon-2.5 ish miles.  My legs are tired, in a good way.  Or I will at least tell myself that it is a good way.  I'm hoping for more walking tomorrow in my time between work and fighter practice. 

For today my happy is getting out for that walk.  I really needed it. 

Turning the sound off on the cat.  😄

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Short

Because I am again rather tired, here are some happy things for today:

• My taxes are started.  I didn't get very far, but they are started.
• I took a short walk with Gideon today to the pharmacy.  He was given $5 from his mom to buy some candy.  She had something specific she wanted for Easter candy.  He was very careful to not spend everything because whatever change there was would be saved for a new gaming system.  I had prescriptions to get and ended up with coupons.  Because of that, the candy was free and they are now $5 closer to the gaming system (which is apparently really expensive).
• We watched Babylon 5 tonight, finishing season 3.  Cliffhanger!  
• Z picked up some ice cream for me, cinnamon-swirl.  Yum.
• Showing my age on this one... being able to talk with my friend in Texas and hopefully give her a little pep talk before a networking mixer and not have to worry about how long we talk because the phone bill will be the same no matter how long we talk.  

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Cat Hat

Most of the day at work I was tired and when work was done I seemed to wake up.  Not sure what that was about.  Hopefully I will not have a problem falling asleep once this is written.  At work the students have been learning about Natural Selection and one of the activities they could do today, if other work was completed, is this game.  Last year I think I found that game easier than this year.  Or maybe I just paid more attention to my choices last year.

My friend and I watched Spider-man Homecoming tonight.  This is the first one that I have seen before, that she had not.  We have four more to see and then will go see the Captain Marvel movie that is in theaters now.  

Heather, the cat, was very happy to see me today.  She was wanting my attentions before my jacket was even off.  She even followed me down to my room when I put my bag downstairs.  My happy for today is the picture my friend took which kind of looks like I am wearing Heather as a hat.  😜

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Sunday

On Friday I made a long list of things I wanted to do today.  I haven't looked at the list since.  Other things did get done.  There was sewing and a rather long and productive meeting with our Baronial Chiefs of Staff.  Laundry also got done, well, some is hanging to dry and the rest in the dryer, but it is clean.  I didn't get my car cleaned out or my taxes done or my prescription filled or whatever else was on the list.  There might be a gorgeous new gown started for me that K is making, I am helping when I can.  There is a different long list that was made by our chiefs of staff that will ideally mean that we will have retainers for events more often and other things that will get done or we will be reminded of or whatever.  These are good things and are happy things for today.

Also, there may be the tiniest of buds starting to grow on trees-signs of spring are a happy thing.

Today I hit day 100 in Duolingo, this is also a happy thing for today.

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The Ball and Investiture-Picture heavy

After the event my daughter told me that I seem to have fit better in my coronet today.  Like that it didn't quite look so much like playing dress up.   A friend gave me a small leather coronet to wear when the large one isn't convenient-like if I want to dance.   Having a coronet fly off a head when dancing could be... bad.  Along with an investiture, today's event was a ball, and so of course had dancing.  I only got one dance in and K did one as well.  I hope that those who stayed later got as much dancing as they could.

It was a day filled with happy things:

• Watching the previous Baron and Baroness step down and greeting the new Baroness in.
• Territorial Baronages get a front row seat at court so K and I could see and hear most everything going on.
• Seeing Gideon as he laughed and played with friends.
• The current Prince and Princess will soon be King and Queen, they are both learning and growing with their parts and I believe will continue to do well.
• Their current Majesties will be stepping down soon.  I have enjoyed their reign and will miss them.  

 Being Invested and Court Pictures

Hey!  That is me.  Photo courtesy of K. 

Dance! 

With Musicians. 

Gideon playing with friends. 

Twins caught a ride! 

More Court. 

With the kids getting ready to chase the toy box down.

The scroll is on stained glass.  WOW. 

And hopefully a little over a minute of video of a dance.

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Long Friday.

When I think back at jobs I have had and what the weekend meant, I think it is different for me with this job.  Not that I didn't look forward to weekends and the rest from work, but this is the only job that I have had where I am working with so many of the same people every day.  These people are seventh graders and that is not the best age.  So the break from them somehow has a different meaning for me.  Like I really need it.  Some days it seems like working at a department store at Christmastime and everyone has a question.  So I am happy for the weekend.

After school I went for a walk with a friend from work.  It was sprinkling and a bit cold and windy as we walked around one half of the building.  Continuing around it would be less cold and windy as the school building acted as a shield.  The fresh air was nice though and this too is a happy for today.

A nap happened when I eventually got home after a doctor appointment.  When my alarm went off I reset it and slept some more.  I was very disoriented waking up, thinking it was morning and wondering why I set the alarm so early for a Saturday.  Then realizing I am going to Rhode Island on Saturday and that I hadn't got ready yet and, oh, wait, it's still Friday!  Wow... anyhow, nap time is another happy for today-even though the waking up part was weird.

Friday there is a craft night and I wasn't sure I wanted to go.  I sent a text to K and she let me know there was someone there who wanted to talk with me so I jumped in the car and drove the two miles, such a distance 😉, to see what they wanted.  When I got there the person who wanted to talk to me handed me some hand drawn note cards.  They gave me some last week as well, beautiful work, to give away to people being invested as Baron and/or Baroness or as other gifts.  Last week we all joked about how I don't receive gifts well, I am not used to being handed things on not special occasions and so every time she sees me, she wants to have something to give to me.  This is a worthwhile goal and one I wish I could mimic.  Being able to give gifts, even small ones to people often would be grand.  Alas, I was not blessed with the gift giving talent, I struggle with the smallest of ideas.  Perhaps that is why it is so surprising and special when things are given to me.  Receiving these cards to give away and the story behind it are another happy for today.

One last happy is getting a hug from Gideon when I saw him today.  I've been visiting my friend all week and I think he was happy to see me.  💗

May your weekend be a restful gift.

The cards from tonight.

She is so talented! 

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