Workin'. Sorta.

There's come to be a running joke in our house that by the time the market rolls around in early November, my hands will be so gnarled and arthritic from incessant crocheting that if anyone wants to buy an item I will have to wrap it up with my toes and have them place the money between my teeth.


I did manage to step away long enough this weekend to have a lovely visit with one of my BFFs, Kerri, and her cute kiddo. I wish I'd gotten some pictures, but it's hard to balance a camera when you have a glass of wine in one hand and a honkin' slab of flourless chocolate cake in the other. And the girl brought me homemade apple butter. Bless her.


Thanks for all of your generous congrats about my job. I decided to take down the post I wrote last Friday because even though I don't like to be my own worst censor, I do try to be conscientious of the energy contained in a post. I was feeling crabby and funky when I wrote that, so I kicked it to the curb. But I did save your kind words - y'all are just the nicest.

Sweet Souls

I can imagine that most people who write blogs started doing so primarily for themselves. Started simple, no particular audience, just a desire to experience the subtle psychic change that comes about when you decide to document your life. At least, that's why I did it. So I could not have imagined, in just a few short months, the incredible community of readers and bloggers with whom I am now involved.

Your lovely, tender, thoughtful comments were just what I needed at the end of last week. Little buoys of hope and connection, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart - the vulnerable, dark, insecure place now illuminated by your radiance.

I love being a part of your lives, and treasure this gentle exchange of little mercies.

xoxo,
j.

Chores

One of my favorite blogs is I Hate Laundry, which I was attracted to initially because of its title. I don't think it's appropriate to say that I hate laundry. Perhaps it's more appropriate to say that I loathe it. I've tried all sorts of things to get me to relish (or at least tolerate) the experience: a new washer (nope), a Martha-would-be-proud makeover of our laundry room (nope), a menagerie of detergents and dryer sheets (nope).

I hate doing laundry. But here's a caveat: I love to iron my pillowcases. And I do. Everytime I wash them, with lavender-scented spray. I'm often a little embarrassed to admit that I do this, less others would assume that my household is, in any other even little way, subject to maintenance of this extravagance.


Ironically, I hate to iron just about anything else (except dinner napkins) and I literally cannot recall the last time any item of my clothing was kissed with an iron's fiery weight, but ironing my pillowcases and slipping into sleep upon slick, smooth pillows is a little bit heavenly.

Now for some wrinkles I am really into:

On The Bandwagon

I feel a bit about blogging as I do about popular TV shows - I never seem to get into them until they are in syndication. But I am feeling so motivated by some of my favorite blogs that I wanted to give it a shot. I assume that a first paragraph of a blog is most likely the hardest to write, just like with a term paper. Only, with a term paper, of course, you can go back and write the first paragraph last. Bear with me.

Yesterday was mother's day, and I have to say, this year even more than the last, I feel as if I'd earned it. I was awakened by Pete throwing Andrew in the bed to cuddle and then invited to a breakfast of popovers and insanely-priced butter and organic preserves.

Later we trekked it into Raleigh to do some flea-marketing. When we lived in DC, I thought the Georgetown flea market could not be topped. I stand corrected. The Raleigh one is absolutely fabulous and for $24 I amassed the menagerie you see before you:



Pete took a shot of this scary little dog.


We came back to the house, visited with neighbors, and after Andrew was in bed treated ourselves to what we call "Sideways" night - a dinner of (cheap) wine, cheese, bread, etc. And usually the movie. We didn't rent the movie this year because, wonder of wonders, it was supposed to be on TV. at 7 pm. I checked. not 5 pm. so we missed the film. but the evening was a big hit anyway, making ourselves sick on cheese and delicious farmer's market finds.


Really a perfect day in the midst of what has been a very difficult year.