Category Archives: Words Words Words

Random Thoughts

I so desperately miss writing. Writing as my day job, I mean. Having a notebook next to the bed so I can jot things down as I fall asleep isn’t the same. I miss growing a story, I miss taking an idea and developing it through a chapter of NF, I miss being ambushed by a scene or story that has to be written right now, and I miss the feeling of being drained but happy with the number of words I set down during a work session. I even miss growling about how badly the writing’s going, because even then there’s some writing of substance happening. And I even miss this.

And before anyone helpfully hops in with ideas, please understand that I’m not in need of solutions to give myself writing time. My life is different right now, and I understand that; I knew what I was signing up for when I had the baby. I’m glad to have this journal in which to record thoughts and comments and the daily swing of things; that’s my writing right now. I’m just nostalgic for the huge part of my life that writing fiction and non-fic for publication used to occupy.

We had to take Liam’s mobile down yesterday because he’s perfected standing up in the crib. It’s got a funky bend in it that turns it into a base-with-light-and-music-mobile thing, though, so we’ve got it standing on his dresser now like a lamp.

It was nice to go to bed last night with part of the day and my mood salvaged. We finally got most of the coven together to make the coven incense, and it’s divine. The whole house smells fantastic. This is the project we began at Imbolc, pinpointing the three main things our coven works for (protection, healing, and spiritual growth) and then brainstorming ingredients to reflect those things. We tested them one by one to sense energy and scent, and blended three trial batches with slight variations for everyone to test at home on their own and report back. In the end we have thirteen components plus our signature ingredient (real maple syrup!), and last night they all blended beautifully. It went a long way towards soothing the badness of the day away. That’s a sign of success, in my opinion. If the energy released by burning this incense (or simply smelling the mix!) grounds while simultaneously uplifting the spirit, then it’s accomplished a lot of its goal. Now I just need to use it in ritual to get a sense of how it functions there.

Gnash

Yup. It’s official: the day classifies as Bad. Not from any one thing, just lots of little things.

And still miles to go before we sleep.

Argh!

The feeds pick up the reposting of all my old journal entries, which I’ve just started to do.

There’s got to be a way to suppress feeds. I’ll just have to wade through piles of forums posts and support documentation to find it, though. So I’ll stop adding old entries for the moment.

::headdesk::

In the meantime, those of you who read via a feed will just have to pay attention to the date stamp on each “new” entry.

You know, this started out as such a good day, and has grown steadily less good. Gnash.

There Is No Fast

Three hundred and sixty five days ago, Mousme picked up a pair of drumsticks for the very first time. And the rest, as they say, is history.

So, happy anniversary to the Rocking Thing! And to the rest of the band as well, for committing music together for the first time one year ago.

Gig!

This is just a reminder to local friends that on the evening of Saturday April 22, Random Colour and Invisible take the stage once again to present an evening of very eclectic music played by the enthusiastic (and surprisingly talented!) amateurs.

Random Colour will present a programme of eclectic covers, followed by a short break, and then Invisible will present a longer programme of covers and originals. It’s all a lot of fun, and we’d like to share that fun with you. There is no official cover charge for the evening; the bands pay for the rental of the Paradoxe ourselves in order to host this private evening of musical mayhem for our friends. However, the donation jar we set out last time to help cover the cost of renting the space for the night was so successful that we’ll almost certainly be doing it again. It’s not a club with a bar, so if you want something to eat or drink, alcoholic or not, bring it yourself. There’s a fridge available too.

Doors open at 20:00; no one will be admitted before that time, as the bands have sound checks and warmups to handle. Random Colour will take the stage at 20:30 and the fun will begin!

If you’d like directions or more info, send me an email.

See you there!

Home Again

We’re back! We had a lovely weekend, but the drive is just so incredibly draining for all three of us. Liam’s not a fan of it either, particularly since he’s teething again. The poor kid has his first real teething rash on his cheeks.

When we got home the place felt so wonderful. (Thanks for taking care of it, Tal!) Liam ran around (well, his version of it) and touched everything, toys and furniture and walls; you could just see him saying, “This is mine! This is mine too! This is all my stuff!” Maggie and Nix came right up to him and rubbed against him or let him pet them oh so gently, and he was thrilled to see them, because my parents’ cats are more of the “I’ll sit over here and watch you from a safe distance” or “I’m hiding under the bed till you’re gone” types. And after a moderately belated dinner and a bath, he went right to sleep and slept through till quarter to seven this morning, thank goodness; we were worried that he’d wake up every couple of hours. But he didn’t, and he’s in a wonderful mood today.

We came home with more chocolate than I know what to do with. Well, I do know what to do with it: put it in my sweets tin in my office where it will lurk, waiting for the time when I need it. And it’s all really good chocolate too. Liam got clothes in his Easter basket, although there is one chocolate bunny I will have to eat for him that was presented to him by a fan.

I’m so impressed by how Liam ate while we were away. For dinners, he pretty much shared what we were eating. For example, that first night he had osso bucco and polenta with us, and Sunday night he shared our Easter dinner of roast beef, roasted carrots and potatoes with gravy, plus his own personal hors d’oeuvre of apples and squash sprinkled with cinnamon. He’s discovered the joys of couscous as well. (He did not, however, share the brownies, or the pie, or the chocolate macadamia nut cookies. He did share his grandparents’ Cheerios and a couple of slivers of my fresh strawberries, though.)

We have wonderful pictures of Liam at the farm, and at the warplane heritage museum too. I’ll post them at some point when I have time. This week is already two days gone, and the schedule for the next six days is already set.

Not Dead — On The Contrary

Ah, Easter weekend, where we drive through thunderstorms to eat gourmet food, enjoy wonderful company, and generally exhale in a huge tension release. Naps all round! CBC on the television! Evil delicious snacks on the counter!

(Seriously. There’s a pound of butter in the Tupperware container of brownies alone.)

Liam has enjoyed osso bucco and polenta with everyone else our first night here. He was asleep by the time we got to the spaghetti bolognese last night, though, and thank goodness for that because he was so off his schedule on Thursday that he didn’t go to bed until nine, and woke up at 1.30 to play and didn’t go back to sleep till 4.45. Argh. But he travelled in the car wonderfully, and the only real dent in the plan was that he refused to eat the beef stew I’d made him for lunch, so all he had was lots and lots of fruit for lunch and his snack, along with some water and rice rusks.

On yesterday’s walk we saw a rabbit, and Liam is fascinated by the three big Maine Coon cats here (or rather, by the two who will stay in the room if he’s there; Cordelia’s playing the prima donna and not showing her pretty little face during the day). The stairs interest him, but he hasn’t taken a shot at them yet.

Today we’re going to a local farm to look at animals! It was misty and drizzly yesterday, but today is gloriously sunny, so we’re looking forward to that.

It feels good to be here. Even though Liam’s thrown off for a whole day after travelling, it’s worth it. I hope everyone else is having as enjoyable an Easter weekend as we are.