Harper's Arrival Day

One of the best parts about where I live is, the area where I live.  The beauty in this state is one of the things I appreciate about it most.  Driving to the event today the roads swayed along beside the small rivers and streams.  There were mountains in the distance, old towns with brick mills and so much green.   The event site is on a lake.  I haven't walked down there yet but I hope to find the time tomorrow.  It will be a busy day though.

I was able to get some weaving done, still a ways to go though.  It was mostly a day of packing and unpacking and setting things up.  This evening included conversations with people coming by the cabin to visit.  The cabin my friends and I are in has a front porch.  It makes it very convenient to entertain.

My happy things for today include the views and the friends.  A big thank you to all the people who helped get the pavilions set up.

The internet at the site is sketchy at the site.  Pictures will wait until I have time and can sit by their wifi.

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View

Once again my plans for the afternoon were thwarted.  This time by getting things ready for the event this weekend that I didn't expect to have to do.  So still productive, but not weaving.  I've still been weaving, just not as long as I hoped.  If I stay up for about another hour or so I can finish the second band and have just one more to complete for the weekend.  There won't be much time, but I will do what I can.

There is this road that comes into town from the south and from the top of a hill the city can be seen below.  It is quite picturesque... or would be with a nice camera.  I took pictures of it with my phone today while K was driving home.  Turns out there is a house for sale there, at the spot where I fell in love with the view.  So if I win the lottery (lol) I could buy a beautiful house on a hill for half a million dollars.  😂

Happy things for today include going to work ( I guess I have missed it), the drive to work (yes, I did miss that, a little), the view from the hill (pictures below), and calls from friends.

There is a city in the distance... really.

I blew a picture up some.

There are hills too. 

And I played with my Bitmoji.

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Another short post

After work I ran an errand.  I got home, took care of a few things, found that we needed groceries and went out again.  Dinner time and then I helped K turn some sheep into bunnies.  What all this means is that I still have weaving to do before I go to sleep and it is 9 PM.  My afternoon was supposed to be weaving and it didn't happen.  But...

The bunnies that used to be sheep -- so cute, and my happy for today.  These are for a children's game over the weekend. 

🐑      🐰

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Back to Work-short post

The three days this week at work are all professional development.  The day went much better for me than I had anticipated.  It kind of helped me get out of the slump I most recently went into.  One of the classes today was the first of a series that we will have all year.  It is about behavior management.  I am looking forward to these classes.  When other things in my life slow down a little (if?) I plan to do some research on this on my own. 

After work I went walking with another para.  The result of walking is that I felt even more exhausted when I got home.  It was a lovely day to be outside.

My happy things for today:

• Purple houses (although, it may be an art school?).
• Useful classes.
• I expect to be in the seventh grade again!
• Walking.
• Z made dinner tonight, some kind of soup, that was really good.

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Last Day Off

This morning I spent way too much time trying to find and buy a small five subject notebook.  I know they existed last year and the year before, but no luck finding one this year.  I have settled for a small three subject notebook instead.  It will either work or I will get another when I need it.  Could I have ordered one online?  Probably.  Would it be here before I leave for work in the morning?  No, not at this point.

Tomorrow I go back to work so I should be getting to sleep early.  That didn't happen though, I wove instead.  K is going to help me with the background part of the weaving so I made a point of getting through a design so that she can do the background before I get home from work tomorrow.  Help with the weaving is a happy for today. 

Another happy is trying to fix the window in my car.  The window is still a trash bag, but I enjoyed taking the door apart and learning about it.

Llama socks.

Inside of my car door.

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Rest Day?

For some reason I spent most of the day in a bit of a slump.  It may have been because I knew that I had to go to a wake this afternoon for a cousin that passed away last week.  It was most likely lots of little things though that led up to today.  The weaving that I had hoped would happen today did not.  A good part of my day was spent doing a detailed search for the title to my car.  It was not found.  What was found will begin my happy list for today:

• Found-my coloring book and colored pencils.
• Found-my bag full of embroidery floss.
• Choice I made-silence my phone.
• Choice I made-to attend a wake and avoid the viewing.
• Conversations with family and friends today that have helped me feel a little better-I was in a bit of a slump today.  
• Choice I made-that despite using my bed to sort through papers and things today my bed will be cleaned off when I go to sleep tonight. 

Sunset.

             

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A Good Day

Goals were set but not quite reached.  The first band is woven and the second one is about a quarter of the way done.  At this point there is quite a bit of back ache that I am having while weaving.  Getting up and walking around helps, but I am not weaving while I am walking.  The day was spent with friends crafting and going for walks.  Since these are three of my favorite things to do, I think it is safe to say that it was a good day.  So three happy things are friends, weaving and walking.  Adding to that happy list are llama socks, waterfalls, caterpillars, breakfast for dinner, nature and dams.

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My Last Summer Friday

The goal I set for today has not yet been reached.  I had hoped to finish the Archery Champion band I am weaving.  I stopped because I needed a rest and I thought it was almost midnight.  I still need the break, but it is just eleven, so not quite midnight?  I have 3.5 inches to call this one done.  Most of the day tomorrow I will be crafting with friends and will be weaving more then.  I'm really hoping to get half way through the next band.  So much to do and so many distractions!

Most of today was spent at a friend's studio where I planned to weave.  I did, but the position I was in when I first got there was not the best for weaving and my back started bothering me.  Eventually I found a place to work comfortably, but not as much got completed as could have.  But hey, here are my happy things for today:

• The first band is mostly done, even though not as far as I wanted.
• I walked to the studio and back so I got some exercise today.
• While weaving, I listened to an audio book.  Multi-tasking!
• Ben and Jerry's Salted Caramel Core Ice Cream.
• Singing.  

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Happy Thursday!

This morning I got ready for my chiropractor appointment early and did a much more detailed search for the scissors and magnetic ruler I lost yesterday.  Eventually both were retrieved from under the furniture but it wasn't easy.  The furniture goes almost to the floor so no pets larger than a mouse will fit under.  This is great for not losing cat toys, shoes or puppies but not that great when things slip between the cracks.  I'm happy that they are found.

Other than the chiropractor and some errands most of my day was spent weaving.  I am between 2/3 and 3/4 finished with the first of three bands I am doing as Baroness Champions Awards.  I've decided that when I weave I need to have some paper and something to write with nearby.  It is possible that weaving is getting some creative juices going again.  I wanted to write a poem.  A while back I used to come up with a little rhyme a couple times a week.  Lately, not at all.  And when I say lately I think it has been about two years or so.  Having the urge for writing a poem, even if I am not good at it, is something I want to encourage for myself.  I think poetry is something I could add to my self-care, and this makes me happy.

My step count for today is a around 7500 steps.  My ideal is over 10000 a day, but through an insurance thing I have I only need 8000 steps a day as the incentive to get healthy.  I was all set to go outside and walk and when I stepped out there was a rustling in the brush.  Eventually a skunk wandered out.   This is an "I m so happy that I didn't get sprayed" happy for today. 

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Black holes

Last week when I was warping the loom I managed to lose a pair of my friend's scissors.  I thought I was being careful.  I had them, I used them, I warped some more, and they were not to be found when time to cut the next thread.  Today while sitting in the same chair, weaving,  I managed to lose a magnetic ruler, belonging to the same friend, that I thought was stuck to a magnetic board.  I looked and the ruler and the scissors have now both been swallowed by the same chair.  I guess this is why I shouldn't have nice things.

It was a day mostly full of weaving.  We went for a couple of walks too.  I am approximately half way through the first of three bands I am making.  This is my happy for today.  There is quite a bit more to do if I am going to have these finished by next weekend.  That may be an unattainable goal, especially where I am going back to work next week.  It is still the goal I am working towards.

Today also marks the 250th day of using Duolingo.  I started working on Italian as well as Spanish a month or so ago but I have decided that keeping to one language at a time may be best.  Adios!

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Show Time-Lot's of pictures

Because watching Dennis balance a broom on his nose is fun… okay, he didn’t do that this time, but the ceiling was low so he couldn’t.  Kimberly still fits through a tennis racket though, and that too, is fun. Today K, Gideon and I went to a show by Activated Story Theater and we were not disappointed.  Physical comedy, music, audience participation, and some ASL are some of the things incorporated into the stories they perform.  I have known these people for over 20 years and have always enjoyed their dynamic productions.

K had some friends meet us for the show and they all loved it too.  Another friend of the performers that I knew about 15 years ago or so was also there.  After the show most of us went to lunch and then there may have been some Pokemon Go and Harry Potter Wizards Unite play while we continued to visit.  I am hoping to get together with them again before they go along with their travels around the country.  

Today is also C’s 25th birthday.  I recorded Gideon reading a card that came in the mail for C and sent that to them as a birthday greeting.  Last year we were able to go to Texas and visit, this year that didn’t happen. We were together in July, but it doesn’t take long for me to miss my kids.  

Spending time with friends, seeing a show, having the technology to instantly send a video 2000 miles away are some of my happy things for today.

Broom balancing

Going through a tennis racket 

Almost through. 

Gideon got to perform! (green mask) 

Post show checking out the book. 

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Just a few happy things for today

K and I have been meaning to start on a journey of self discovery together using Open Master's.  The kit was delivered to her months and months ago and it has been difficult to make the time together to start.  Today we sat down together and did the first step.  It was 90 minutes of soul searching.  In the end, neither of us had that aha! moment we were hoping for.  Of course, this is only the beginning, more needs to be done and we each will have our own path to follow.  Although I felt emotionally drained after this first exercise, I am happy that my daughter and I are working on this together and can help guide each other.  We even gave each other homework.

Summer is almost over and this afternoon I was able to get together with a coworker and go for a walk.  She had me choose the spot and I didn't do a very good job picking it.  There is a trail I have wanted to try and we did.  It just wasn't as long or as nice as I had hoped.  It was a nice little jaunt though to places that we hadn't been before.  It was good to catch up with her and we made plans to walk after work next week.  Wow, I go back to work next week!  Walking with my work friend is another happy thing for today.

Tonight I went out to dinner with Z and Gideon.  K went out to a sewing night.  There was live music and we talked about the differences between Pokemon the card game and Pokemon Go, the phone app.  Gideon decided that he likes the card game and the strategies and layers that it contains more then the phone app.  At least that is my take on the conversation.  While we had dinner I also had a chat with a friend who is hoping to make some special tokens for me.  I'm loving the design.  Dinner out and all these things are also happy things from my day.

Somehow with all these happy things I didn't manage to get any pictures.  On my walk home from dinner when I tried my camera failed.  Not sure what that is about. 

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My bed.

Last night I stayed up late and played Minecraft with my friend in Texas.  It was fun but I didn't get to sleep until around one in the morning.  Somehow, this morning I was able to sleep until ten.  This was unusual for me.  I expected to be awake by seven.  Eight if I was really lucky.  Not that I didn't wake up at random times, but I fell back to sleep each time.  It has been a long time since I have been able to sleep the amount of time recommended.  Not that I haven't tried, my alarm has been off most of the summer.  I wish I knew what was different though. 

Today, I cleaned my room some and did laundry.  One of the goals was to get my bed cleaned off.  I have been considering that part of my sleeping problem is that I always have miscellaneous stuff on the part of the bed I don't sleep on.  My room isn't very large and one of the problems with downsizing is that there is still all this stuff to get rid of.  All the stuff that needs to be sorted and a decision needs to be made as to what to do with.  During that time the stuff one has is used and moved around and there is more stuff that comes in-like mail.  Any how, the bed is cleaned off.  Whether it helps me sleep tonight or not, I don't know.  I do know that a cleared off bed with clean sheets and a good night sleep are my happy things for today.  I am choosing to not set my alarm for morning just to see if I can sleep in some.  I was going to start getting into a work morning routine, but that can wait a day or two. 

The bed, with room to stretch my legs.

The beautiful quilt was made by my sister-in-law.

Of course, right after taking that picture my little table and laptop went onto the bed so I could write.  😜

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Thunder

The rain is loudly beating all the dust away outside my window.  In my periphery are occasional flashes followed by the low rumble of thunder as the storm moves through.  If it is still raining when I turn out the lights, I hope it helps me sleep. 

My happy things for today include more weaving, a walk with Gideon and K, and the sound of rain.

I've done about 1.5 more inches since this picture.

Walking by the capitol. 

Crossing the river. 

Just water running at a park. 

Pennsic, August 10th, pictures from the trip back.

We had to sign a scroll earlier and didn't bring a calligraphy pen.

I thought back to my training when I worked for a limner, walked to the treeline,

found that reed and cut it for use as a dipping pen. 

The Bush. 

Bye Pennsic! 

The dark blue below the skyline is Lake Erie. 

From a pedestrian bridge over the highway. 

 Sunset.

I believe this ends any catch up pictures for Pennsic.

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