Ordinary Time

When I visit my mom we often go to a book store (because isn't that what everyone does?) and she often buys me a book. Today was our book store day and I am now the proud owner of this. That would be the final book in the Thursday Next series for which I have been eagerly awaiting. For years. I am both excited and a little nervous to read it. Will it live up to the rest of the series? Will it be a satisfying ending? Oh, I hope so! You'll be sure to read about my thoughts here when I finish it. I have about 150 pages left in the book I'm currently reading and then I will be starting this one. 

I woke up this morning for the first time in two years not dreading to listen to the news. It was a good feeling. We're not out of the woods yet, but I'm taking today to revel in something positive happening in our country. I wore blue today in honor of this feeling of hope.  Tomorrow I fly out to Arizona to spend a long weekend with my mom. I'm not sure what my blogging status will be, but if I don't show up, that's why. Since I'll be heading back to summer for a few days, I'll share some autumn pictures that K. took. 

I realized yesterday that I have been navigating feelings of dread for the past several days, and it all has to do with our rapist-in-chief and the cronies who support him. Will the results of the midterms be enough to save our democracy? This is what I've been trying not to think about. While initial returns are looking positive, the night is young. I also have an overactive imagination and could easily spiral into all sorts of unpleasant narratives when the wannabe dictator doesn't want to give up his power. This is why I realized this morning that I had to pull out the big guns to keep my brain calm while doing things such as mucking the barn. It was time for Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series. I was thrilled that I could check it out immediately on Libby. It is just the right combination of plot and interesting characters that don't take themselves terribly seriously. There is also the added benefit that I've read them so many times that it takes no effort ...

I just finished reading Reinventing Wool: how a natural fiber survived the synthetic revolution by Melissa M. Little. Ms. Little focuses on the story of wool as a textile fiber and how it (barely) survived the 1950's when synthetic materials were marketed as the better and more modern fabric choice. I found it both interesting and infuriating. First, the 1950's just have a lot to answer for. It was an era of chemists playing with chemicals that were then unleashed on the world with no thought that their new discoveries would ultimately be deadly. One of the chapters highlights how a moth repellent spray was created that housewives could spray on their woolen garments and all insects would be killed. It was effective because DDT was a major ingredient. The whole chapter was a bit terrifying. The other thing that was hard to read about was the implicit mysogony in the advertising. (I'm sure it was not only in the advertising, but this is what was in the book.) One of the more...

How we celebrate Halloween continues to change as everyone gets older. The past several years we've made a trip to a cool, local candy store to fulfill the candy portion of the holiday since no one had interest in trick-or-treating. Then we chose movies to have a movie marathon while we enjoyed the candy plus take out. It is a fun way to observe the holiday.  This year? This year was trickier because of various children's jobs. Y. was totally out for Halloween evening, L. was done at 5:00 which meant a layer starting time, and G. was done at 8:00 so would join us partway through. J. celebrated by driving. Driving children to work. Picking up take out. Picking up children from work. We did get to the candy store, but that was yesterday morning which was the only window where no one was working.  There were children in the store choosing candy, I promise. For our single movie, Coraline was finally settled upon. And why this movie? No one had seen it before and it was made by the...

I'll dive right in. It is finally starting to actually feel like autumn and the leaves are turning. In one of G.'s classes recently, they had to take a survey on their technology usage growing up. I'm more than a little proud that G. scored as an unusual combination of 90's child and Internet child.  The path that J. built last weekend used up nearly all the bricks that we had. We still have need of more pavers, though. That's why I jumped on a freecycle offering of a significant amount of them. We collected them today; it took a couple of trips. We had a fence builder out to give an estimate on the additional fencing we need. I'm a little nervous about how much it's going to be. Ducks are funny. They like to stay out late floating in the pond, long after the chickens put themselves to bed. The trouble is that once it's dark, they can't find the pen door and we need to go out and shine a flashlight on it so they can go to bed. Tonight, while J. and I...