Irrational

Everyone has something they hate for no good reason. I think it's the rare (or decietful) person who admits only one.

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I have a couple. One is mating socks. I loathe mating socks. I once numbered each pair of my white sweat socks in permanent marker just to make mating them easier. I don't know why the sock-mating rankles so, but it does. I found it wasn't so bad if the socks were obviously meant to be paired, so I have a lot of interesting socks. Taupe with big butterflies. Acid green, orange, & purple knee socks. Etc, etc. The man does his own laundry (I know!), mates his own socks (totally!), & irons his own clothing (no wonder I proposed, eh?). I haven't trained Amoryn to do her laundry yet, but I almost enjoy mating Am's socks, because really, how can you hate a sock that is meant to cover a foot that is three inches long? The cuteness is irresistible.

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Lovely bobbin photo borrowed from http://crackersandhoney.com/category/sewing/

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Another thing that I loathe unabashedly is winding bobbins for the sewing machine. I hates it. I have always hated it. It seems like such a waste of time. I know that's irrational, because, well, you can't sew without a bobbin thread, thus winding them is integral to the whole process, but still. I'd rather re-thread the serger (with five cones of thread!) than wind a bobbin.

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These days, it's even worse that usual. The bobbin winder dealy* on my sewing machine is starting to strip out a little. It's not really a surprise, given that my beloved sewing machine is actually a Singer circa 1956. It does aggravate my hatred of bobbin winding though.

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And bobbles. Bobbles in knitting are a very bad thing as far as I'm concerned. End of story. I cannot envision a project where I would willingly knit a bobble. All right, maybe as a nose for a little stuffed toy, maybe. Maybe. But other than that? Nooo.

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I wonder if there's some kind of connection between them all - bobbles, bobbins, bobbysocks? Nah, not likely. Or I'd hate bobby pins.

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All right. There's no real conclusion to this, I'm just done ranting about socks & bobbins & bobbles, the end. Go & enjoy a nice sunny day.

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*Technical term.

Ah, sweet.

Two of the bestest things in my life. I'm not counting the beer.
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Yesterday was the five year anniversary of meeting the man. I remember calling Sar to confess that I was meeting an Internet Stranger, & that she was to call the cops if Anything Strange Happened. I think it's too late to call them, now. Ha ha ha.
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It does seem a little strange*, being married, and having a daughter, & being happy. I think it's the consistent happiness - maybe joyful contentment is a better word? - anyways, the goodness is what seems a little strange*. When I look at back at how life was before**, I remember an overwhelming feeling of struggling. Part of it was getting my feet under me for a work & financial standpoint, part of it was the incredibly awful men*** I dated, and I think part of it was just looking for my niche, searching for a way to fit into the life I wanted. Deciding what kind of life I wanted.
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I never really could figure out what kind of a vision I had for my overall life - but I realized that I wanted a partner, someone who would love me, & that I could be proud of, & laugh with. Someone that my friends & parents liked, that liked them too. I wanted someone kind & gentle & brave. Maybe it's be nice if they were taller than me & devastating manly, but whatevs, I was flexible on that.
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So it's still surreal that the Internet Godfairy delivered up to me the man! Amply qualified in the above conditions, plus many other features (likes to cook, gardens, adores me, etc.). We went back to Kensington, where we first met, this time with child in tow. We had a lovely supper. We had a nice toddle down the street. All the bums (well, both the bums) said sweet things about our staggering girl. Then we came home & I put Am down & the man hilled the potatoes & blow-torched the weeds****, & I spun some yarn, sitting in my rocker, watching TLC, and I just felt great about life.

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It does look like Am is thinking about it, though.

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In the continuing feeling great about life bit, the babysitter called this morning on her way over. "We're just at Second Cup, do you want anything?" Yes. And I adore you & your stepmom who drops you off on her way. Totally fantastico!
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Oh. Wait. The whole reason I have a babysitter this morning is so that I can get some Eng Office stuff done. Right. Um. I gotta go.
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*-In a nice way - like an awesome new pair of shoes you know you're going to love & they're not going to give you blisters, but your feet still don't know them yet. That kind of strange. Not ...strange... (see *** below)
**-I would abbreviate Before the Man as BM, but, well. Some of you work in health care & I KNOW what a BM is.
***-Okay, maybe some weren't truly wretched, but still. A couple were truly outstanding. And now, three whole exboyfriends all live in Small Town X! All my exes live in Small Town X... Luckily, none of them really like yarn or ice cream or know the T_______'s, which are the only reasons I go to Small Town X. And no, only one of them was there while I was dating them. They just moved there. Makes me wonder if there's some kind of weird gravitational force there.
****-Really. That's another whole post though. It'll need photos.

Check it out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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All right, so. Guess what. I have a plan. A crafty* plan. I'm launching a little business for myself. And one of the first 'outside world' steps is complete - I've got a website!
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It's called Dollybird Workshop, after Amoryn, of course (thank goodness I don't call her my little pork chop, eh?). You'll notice a new link over to the right in the sidebar, and a new header & caption on this blog.
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The website is far from complete - I've really just set the rack up outside, now I have to set the ideas out in the sun to warm up & unfold. Still, it's a very important step that I'm very pleased with. Wander over, look through, & let me know what you think!**
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http://www.dollybirdworkshop.com/
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*Crafty, in both senses of the word.**Other than "Gee, Kourtney, there's not a lot really in there, is there?"

The Natural Dyes Class

Organic Dye Scarves June 08, originally uploaded by Kourtney_R.

(L-R: All on silk: something root with rust, um, some kind of bark & rust, madder, madder, & um, logwood. I think.)
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It was interesting. It was surprisingly technical. I got some very pretty results & a trip to the crapyard out of it. And although I learned a lot & found myself very carried away by the instructor's enthusiasm, I doubt that I will ever set up the natural dye pots in my kitchen.
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This is because I am a junky for color, & for fast results. Premordanting, dying, postmordanting, repeat? For not certain results? When I have a toddler & regular meals to try & work around? Not so likely.
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I think I'm going to try the acid dyes some more - that's what the next post'll likley be about!

Look!

Enough hair for a barrette! Jul 08, originally uploaded by Kourtney_R.

July's pics are up, & Amoryn has enough hair for a barrette!
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(And sometimes, she has enough patience to even wear the barrette for a couple minutes.)

On our way...

Making miles! June 08, originally uploaded by Kourtney_R.

I've got the photos from Apr, May & June uploaded into Flickr!
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Now there's only July.
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And the big surprise.
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Stay tuned!

Wait For It!

So! I swears, I am going to be uploading new photos onto Flickr.
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And I have something else exciting up my sleeve too.
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(No. I am not pregnant. Why is that what everybody guesses? Amoryn is the only start we're planning to shine in our sky & scatter toast crumbs & happiness everywhere. The end.)
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And you, my fine fabulous friend, will be finding out aaaaaaall about it by the end of today. Or maybe tomorrow. By the end of the weekend, I swear.
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For now, however, Am & I are off to a Stampede Luncheon. My cowboy boots are giving me blisters & Am's are too big for her to wear, so don't anticipate any cheezy cowgirl photos, ok?

Stagger to the Left...

...and stagger to the right...

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My dad enjoys Mel Brooks movies - or, more precisely, the humor that you find in Mel Brook's movies. Especially those circa "Blazing Saddles". Of course, in Blazing Saddles, I was introduced to the genius of Madeline Kahn.

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I clearly remember a pirate movie where Madeline is following a treasure map, trying to find the secret location. "Stagger to the left.... stagger to the wight... crawl... crawl...". After some googling, I've only found one picture of Madeline dressed up as I remember her character in "Yellowbeard" (see above).

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This is clearly a long & convoluted thought that must be going someplace, right? It should, shouldn't it? You know, when you try & find an image from the internet that references "stagger to the left" & "yellowbeard", this is one of the results:

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Random, no? I mena, bully for Grahm & John & their Siamese cats & all, but still. Random.

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All right, I'll get to the point.... I don't have any photos yet, but as of yesterday, Amoryn is walking! Or, staggering. She veers to the left pretty strongly... but she's taking steps all on her own! And since I've spent more time than I anticpated hunting through Google images, it's time to go & wake the little darling up!

The Swing Of Things

...And I almost mean that literally. Earlier today I very seriously flirted with buying a three person free standing swing that folds into a hammock. After much mulling, input from my associate L., & a realization of how big the jeep is, how strong I am, & the fact that I didn't pack tiedowns, I changed my plan of attack.
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I got an umbrella for the upper deck, & an umbrella stand. I got a nifty zero gravity chair for the upper deck or the lower deck, or maybe the lake. And I got a little rattan two-seater swing that will hang from the upper deck. And some citronella mosquito bane stuff. And all for $60 less than the three person swing! I am content with all of it, or will be, once I get the man to hang the swing. (He is "In Charge" of screwing eyebolts into the deck. That is "Not My Job".) (There are very few things that are "Not My Job", so I feel okay about that. I don't need to "Do Everything", I just need to know who to get to do the things I "Don't Want To Do".) (In some cases - like changing manifolds in the Jeep - "Things I Don't Want To Do" coincide with "Things I Don't Know How To Do", & "Things That Completely Baffle Me".) As far as packing all of that into the Jeep, along with the stuff from the last CanTire run, & Am in her carseat, L. was my willing & able assistant. I think we were rather a side show for the people in the parking lot. Maybe it cheered up their day... they didn't get to the Stampede parade, but they did get to watch two women wrestle an amazing amount of stuff into a car.
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We then zoomed home, I put Am down for her nap, & I rearranged the decks. I'm starting to feel more normal - I think the everyday routine helps. So does working in the yard, working with yarn, & hugs from Amoryn.
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Things that don't help? My hitherto unsuspected method of dealing with grief - my subconscious opens up it's biggest, baddest cans of Bad Dreams. Nightmares make them sound a little too friendly, you know? Mares are nice creatures. These are bad dreams. Epic, ugly, horrible bad dreams. The kind that can haunt a person all day, into the next day, even. Oh well. I guess if my current gig ever falls apart, I could try to get a job screenwriting for Hollywood. Also, housework. I know housework counts as part of the regular routine, but I doubt vacuuming up the cathair that the three cats deposit will ever been a positive feeling. Bah. Anybody want a nice cat? Maybe two? Declawed?
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Aaaaand speaking of my current gig, today, it's "Mom", so I'd better go & get my darlin' girl up from her nap. More later, with maybe some pics of my latest dye project!