Here are some pictures marking

Here are some pictures marking the last week or so. Nick brought Olivia down for us to see her yesterday. We hadn't seen her in two weeks. I also have a picture of my new haircut which both Paul and Hali say looks like the same one I had in high school when I met Paul. We had snow last Saturday, hopefully the last of the season. It didn't amount to much here, but it did in KC. Finally we, (I) have named my bird. Meet Dexter. His name will not change again, although after the naming process was over I did hear the name Gizmo and thought that would have been great but indeed already it had taken me too long to decide. And finally, my new machine, the intimidator, until it embroidered Olivia's name and then I was in love. The two of us are looking forward to many happy hours and projects together. Who knew what I was missing?!

Spring is here!

When the white geese show up I know spring is on the way. They usually pick one field as their home and stay for a week or two. The last two years it's been the field at the end of the road and they've been too far away to get a good picture. This year they've moved up the hill and they are right next to the road. I really have spring fever!

VTS 01 1

http://youtube.com/v/eardkCBtg6g

Video diary

Video diary, pictures from the week: Ryane and I found some felted cotton that reminded me of the cotton farms in Texas. We each bought some and I put it in a vase with pussy willow and white rock from Ryane's yard and then set out the Valentine books around the vase. I made new flannel pillow cases to replace the Christmas pillow cases for the couch. Laying with the pillows is the hat I'm knitting. There's a picture of the sleeve of my Tshirt and the tulips that I have on the coffee table.

Here are some pictures from

Here are some pictures from this week. Olivia's blanket is finished, she used it for a cape, and pictures of Hali and Bret's new apartment. Hali made the slipcover for the sofa with her new sewing machine she got for Christmas.

Changing landscape

Two weeks ago a storm blew through with 80 mph winds. A family up the road lost their barn, another lost their carport, and the trampoline across the street from us ended up in our woods. But the place of damage that affects me the most is the cemetery. I can't get over the change in the landscape. Every time I walk or drive by it strikes me all over again. In the back of the cemetery where these elderly tall pines stood the graves are over a hundred years old. The trees once blocked the view to the farm fields behind the cemetery. Nothing is permanent, not even the land.

A New Year

Today is the last day of my holiday break, January 4th, 2009. To say it was wonderful would be an understatement. Having this time allowed me to pretend I was retired, something I long for. I had time to do the things I want to do. And then there were things that came up that made it memorable. Like the Christmas gift that led to rearrangement of the living room which led to rediscovering the home vhs movies from when the kids were small. We've been slowly making our way through what was an entire cupboard full, watching them and labeling them. One night we were sitting and watching as the tape went from one scene to the next, but this time when it jumped to the next day of film the scene was my grandmother's house. The moment caught me so off guard that I whispered the words out loud. "It's my grandmother's house." I have so many dreams about that house, and nightmares. But then, there he was. David sitting in the rocking chair in front of the picture window playing with Lori. It knocked the wind out of me. I started to cry. Here he was, alive, frozen in time. I'm used to seeing pictures of my brothers since their deaths but I've not seen either of them on film. And then that was it, just a few blessed moments. In that whole segment there wasn't a shot of my grandmother or my father either. I was concentrating on all of the children. The lesson here is to mark the moments with everyone, not just the growing and changing children. So starting now I will become a better historian, documenting our lives so we have a way to look back on the days we lived and know how we lived them. Here we go-2009! Let it be a happy one! Happy New Year!