There's something about Carol Shields' books that I love so much. Perhaps it's because of the things she writes about in the books are things I like or am familiar - quilting, and sewing, gardening, literature, academia. I'm currently re-reading Happenstance where the wife, Brenda, goes to Philladelphia for a Craft Conference and shows off her quilts. Possibly, it's just a continuation of my current desire to get back into making things, but her writing also illuminates many of the things I am drawn to. The way she talks about the fabric and shapes of the pieces in her quilts, or the connection to her stitches. Apart from the crafty-talk, there's the way this woman examines past experiences, her doubts and confusion, her body, her desires... I feel like I'm coming home when I open one of her books.
Larry's Party is one of my favourite books as well, the way she writes about his connection to the landscape, and his mindful musings on his garden mazes. So beautiful. It's funny, but as I think right now, I don't often read books where the protaganist is male, but I love Larry (even though he's such a loser in so many ways), and I love Jack in the other half of Happenstance (kind of two novels in one). They are so vulnerable, so bewildered, and so tender while also being everything else. I love that. I love the "awakenings" that the characters have as well - they are so human, and so beautiful. It's often just a moment, or an understanding, usually something small, that triggers a wonderful awareness in the characters. Even though they continue with their lives, often continuing in much the same way, they are different, often happier. When I think back to the characters after I've put the books down, I can't help but smile and think of the tenderness of life, how confusing and disruptive and changing and painful and beautiful it all is.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Holy house!
Well, it turns out we have a bit of a holey house. Litterally, with holes in it, in addition to the temple-like qualities I think it has. We moved into the house last June, so this was our first winter in the house. I was in the bathroom the other day and looked to my right to see the latex paint we just painted a month ago, litterally sliding down the wall! There was a bubble of water behind it, and it was bubbling the paint, and moving slowly down. Cool to look at, not so cool to deal with. The water must be getting in under the outside window sill. In the basement, too, there is a hole where a cable comes into the basement. Who would drill a hole into their foundation? Shouldn't the cable come in above ground, then go down? Oh well, so there's water coming in there too. Neither leak is too big right now (not flooding the floor or anything), but with the very warm tempuratures and the snow all melting, it will keep leaking for a while.
I'm not too worried about the holiness, as it will give us the chance to do more basic house work, as soon as it warms up. We'll learn how to fix the foundation from the outside, and learn to caulk all the windows properly, and make everything tight and dry. My husband's a good diy drywaller, so the wall in the bathroom, although annoying to have to redo, will, I'm sure look great :)
We went to kung fu this morning, all decked out in our new white beginner sashes. For the first month or two, we were called "basics", with no sash at all. So now, we feel like we've made some progress and are starting to feel more comfortable with some of the easier moves. We've noticed a change in our bodies, as well. Not huge, like insta-hot-bods but definitely a progress in the amount of pushups (50 today!) or situps or anything. Also, I've noticed a difference in the strength of my punches too. We started taking the classes as a way to do an active activity together, so we were spending time doing something together, as well as getting fit. Both are working out great! I never thought I'd see my husband doing jumping jacks but there you go. His biseps are beefing up totally too, which is very hot :) Ok, I'll stop talking like a damsel with fluttering eyelids :)
I like the self-defence aspect of this type of kung-fu we're taking. It's basically a new-wave wing chung style (like Bruce Lee did) mixed with boxing and kick-boxing, and some basic aerobics and weight training (mostly using your own body weight). We do lots of stretchy warmups and breathing techniques and then spend most of the class learning combat techniques, and then spend the last 10 or so minutes on super intense pushing your self weight-training/aerobically style activities (called stations which you do for a couple of minutes at a time) like squats or pushups or situps or single leg stands, or medicine ball drills or ... Crazy, but fun - they blast the music and everyone pumps out there max. The school really pushes you while at the same time, doesn't over extend anyone past their capabilities. Nobody's counting to make sure you're keeping up. If you get tired, you stop, and then try again when you can. Everyone is open and friendly, anyone who knows more than the partner they have for that session ALWAYS helps out and teaches and encourages. It's quite a community.
The whole class has been really good for me. It's pushed me to feel and do and acknowledge things I didn't know about myself. Like how far my body will support me, how little some muscles have been worked throughout my life, how flexible I am in some ways, and rigid in others, how excited I am about progressing and feeling my body getting stronger and stronger, how much an actual warrior I really am, and how I've never let that side of myself show. Well, that's not true as I think I've always been pretty "fiesty" but I mean in a centred and controlled way, from a place that comes from inner strength as well as muscular strength.
In other news, the house is cleaning up nicely. I know I've been talking about cleaning it for ages now, but since we spent two hours in the car each day commuting, and have lots of after work activites, there isn't that much time for housework. The main floor is definitely shaping up. Oh! Our new couch was delivered yesterday. Omigod it's like sitting on a block of creamy butta. So creamy and soft and comfy. Definitely a thing of beauty.
Have a great weekend!!
I'm not too worried about the holiness, as it will give us the chance to do more basic house work, as soon as it warms up. We'll learn how to fix the foundation from the outside, and learn to caulk all the windows properly, and make everything tight and dry. My husband's a good diy drywaller, so the wall in the bathroom, although annoying to have to redo, will, I'm sure look great :)
We went to kung fu this morning, all decked out in our new white beginner sashes. For the first month or two, we were called "basics", with no sash at all. So now, we feel like we've made some progress and are starting to feel more comfortable with some of the easier moves. We've noticed a change in our bodies, as well. Not huge, like insta-hot-bods but definitely a progress in the amount of pushups (50 today!) or situps or anything. Also, I've noticed a difference in the strength of my punches too. We started taking the classes as a way to do an active activity together, so we were spending time doing something together, as well as getting fit. Both are working out great! I never thought I'd see my husband doing jumping jacks but there you go. His biseps are beefing up totally too, which is very hot :) Ok, I'll stop talking like a damsel with fluttering eyelids :)
I like the self-defence aspect of this type of kung-fu we're taking. It's basically a new-wave wing chung style (like Bruce Lee did) mixed with boxing and kick-boxing, and some basic aerobics and weight training (mostly using your own body weight). We do lots of stretchy warmups and breathing techniques and then spend most of the class learning combat techniques, and then spend the last 10 or so minutes on super intense pushing your self weight-training/aerobically style activities (called stations which you do for a couple of minutes at a time) like squats or pushups or situps or single leg stands, or medicine ball drills or ... Crazy, but fun - they blast the music and everyone pumps out there max. The school really pushes you while at the same time, doesn't over extend anyone past their capabilities. Nobody's counting to make sure you're keeping up. If you get tired, you stop, and then try again when you can. Everyone is open and friendly, anyone who knows more than the partner they have for that session ALWAYS helps out and teaches and encourages. It's quite a community.
The whole class has been really good for me. It's pushed me to feel and do and acknowledge things I didn't know about myself. Like how far my body will support me, how little some muscles have been worked throughout my life, how flexible I am in some ways, and rigid in others, how excited I am about progressing and feeling my body getting stronger and stronger, how much an actual warrior I really am, and how I've never let that side of myself show. Well, that's not true as I think I've always been pretty "fiesty" but I mean in a centred and controlled way, from a place that comes from inner strength as well as muscular strength.
In other news, the house is cleaning up nicely. I know I've been talking about cleaning it for ages now, but since we spent two hours in the car each day commuting, and have lots of after work activites, there isn't that much time for housework. The main floor is definitely shaping up. Oh! Our new couch was delivered yesterday. Omigod it's like sitting on a block of creamy butta. So creamy and soft and comfy. Definitely a thing of beauty.
Have a great weekend!!
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Saturday chat
Well, it's Saturday morning, and I haven't slept much all night because of a cold I got from work. At least that's where I assume I got it, since none of my family members have it - well, not yet ;) 9 times out of 10 when I get a cold, it's my body saying "please slow down!" and yes, I've been a very busy bee recently, and my body just wants to sit down and have a lazy weekend. Trouble is, it's my husband's birthday soon, so I jam packed today with activities, and we've got a fun day planned. Also the house is in a tumble. We've been painting lots of rooms, and so much of the furniture is in piles in the middle of each room. So tomorrow, yes, I will be relaxing, but I will start putting the house back together. So still lots of things to do around here, but I'll slow down a little, and make sure to have some tea and keep hydrated too. And maybe take a nap here and there!
We are heading out to the Interior Design show this afternoon. You're all like wha? The design show is part of his birthday activities? yup. I really don't know how I got so lucky as to end up with a guy that would rather go shopping for a couch than hang out with the boys watching a sports game. I'm sure this leads to many assumptions about him, but really! He's very manly! He races cars! He plays the drums! It's just that he only emigrated to Canada as a ten year old, and he never grew up playing sports at school, so it was never a part of his life. It's so funny that over the breakfast table he can be looking at his favourite magazine, Grassroots Motorsports, and then put it down and pick up his next favourite, Met Home. :) The Design show should be fantastic, it looks like there will be lots of contemporary design companies in town there.
So, after the Design show, we're heading out to go go-carting! Woohoo! There's an indoor place where the carts go really quite fast, and it's a load of fun. I'm not sure I could pick another activitiy that is more disparate than the design show! hahah. After the fast cars, we are meeting up with friends and family for a big loud dinner downtown at a southern-style seafood place, which should be a load of fun too.
As I mentioned, we've been doing a lot of painting around the house. We recently did several rooms in the house and once the house is all put back together I will take pictures and post them. I think we even have enough "before" pictures from when we were buying the house last year to do some good before-and-after shots.
I'm usually a pretty crafty person, and am always either sewing, or gluing, or cutting, or constructing some pretty thing. Since we started looking for a new house, selling the old, buying the new, moving and unpacking last year, I haven't done a single thing. I set up my craft room months ago, but without the rest of the house looking more like I wanted it to, my energy wasn't into crafts. I'm looking forward to being able to come home from work, relax, and head up to my craft room for an evening of sewing and playing with paper. I know, I know, I could do it now! But my virgo self does not work like that. EVERYTHING needs to be organized before I start something. God I hope this doesn't mean I have to redesign the landscape as well, before I can make my next little journal! Although virgo, and love things to be pretty and organized, I've also spent my whole life pulling back and forth between an "organized" life and and "chaotic" life. Even though I like things in their place, I can live with a very high level of chaos before it bothers me. I am able to ignore the chaos in some cases, but in others, it sends me into fits of need for clean. Aah the conflicts of life ;)
Since my office isn't set up, my "real" computer isn't set up, so I'm just using the laptop we have. This means I don't have access to my "favourite links" for all the blogs I love. I've read tons of blogs over the last few years, and still go back once in a while to some of them. However, recently, I'm spending much more time away from the computer and so have only been reading a few really good ones. Many of my new favourites are crafty blogs. My absolute most favourite one right now is Rosy Little Things. Alicia owns the cutest little shop in Portland, and writes about her business and her favourite crafty things. She's very inspiring to me - she left her job years ago and remembered that as a child she used to sew and design things. While on sick leave, she started sewing again, and loved it so much that she never went back, and opened up a studio instead! Now she loves being a shop lady in her own store, and sells all sorts of cute things, as well as the things she creates. The aesthetics of her shop and handmade goodies and blog are so cute, and actually, really quite different than a lot of the things I have in my own home. But they remind me of things I used to love as a kid, and they are bringing out the girly side of me which has been neglected over time. And they remind me too of spending time in the south of france when I was younger, for some reason. Anyway, I love this shop too cuz I think Alicia is the bees knees. I bought a handbag from her a couple of years ago, and spoke with her on the phone and she was so nice. Then I got an email from her about a year later, saying she was seeing a new dentist with my same last name (pretty unique name), and wanted to know if we were related! Now that's knowing your client list! I'm not related to her dentist, but I still think she's a cutie-patootie. She's also inspiring me to finally get the house back in order, and start making some fun crafty stuff.
Ok, time to wake up my boy and start our day-o-birthday-fun! I'll have to remember to pack some kleenex and Halls though... Have a great weekend!
We are heading out to the Interior Design show this afternoon. You're all like wha? The design show is part of his birthday activities? yup. I really don't know how I got so lucky as to end up with a guy that would rather go shopping for a couch than hang out with the boys watching a sports game. I'm sure this leads to many assumptions about him, but really! He's very manly! He races cars! He plays the drums! It's just that he only emigrated to Canada as a ten year old, and he never grew up playing sports at school, so it was never a part of his life. It's so funny that over the breakfast table he can be looking at his favourite magazine, Grassroots Motorsports, and then put it down and pick up his next favourite, Met Home. :) The Design show should be fantastic, it looks like there will be lots of contemporary design companies in town there.
So, after the Design show, we're heading out to go go-carting! Woohoo! There's an indoor place where the carts go really quite fast, and it's a load of fun. I'm not sure I could pick another activitiy that is more disparate than the design show! hahah. After the fast cars, we are meeting up with friends and family for a big loud dinner downtown at a southern-style seafood place, which should be a load of fun too.
As I mentioned, we've been doing a lot of painting around the house. We recently did several rooms in the house and once the house is all put back together I will take pictures and post them. I think we even have enough "before" pictures from when we were buying the house last year to do some good before-and-after shots.
I'm usually a pretty crafty person, and am always either sewing, or gluing, or cutting, or constructing some pretty thing. Since we started looking for a new house, selling the old, buying the new, moving and unpacking last year, I haven't done a single thing. I set up my craft room months ago, but without the rest of the house looking more like I wanted it to, my energy wasn't into crafts. I'm looking forward to being able to come home from work, relax, and head up to my craft room for an evening of sewing and playing with paper. I know, I know, I could do it now! But my virgo self does not work like that. EVERYTHING needs to be organized before I start something. God I hope this doesn't mean I have to redesign the landscape as well, before I can make my next little journal! Although virgo, and love things to be pretty and organized, I've also spent my whole life pulling back and forth between an "organized" life and and "chaotic" life. Even though I like things in their place, I can live with a very high level of chaos before it bothers me. I am able to ignore the chaos in some cases, but in others, it sends me into fits of need for clean. Aah the conflicts of life ;)
Since my office isn't set up, my "real" computer isn't set up, so I'm just using the laptop we have. This means I don't have access to my "favourite links" for all the blogs I love. I've read tons of blogs over the last few years, and still go back once in a while to some of them. However, recently, I'm spending much more time away from the computer and so have only been reading a few really good ones. Many of my new favourites are crafty blogs. My absolute most favourite one right now is Rosy Little Things. Alicia owns the cutest little shop in Portland, and writes about her business and her favourite crafty things. She's very inspiring to me - she left her job years ago and remembered that as a child she used to sew and design things. While on sick leave, she started sewing again, and loved it so much that she never went back, and opened up a studio instead! Now she loves being a shop lady in her own store, and sells all sorts of cute things, as well as the things she creates. The aesthetics of her shop and handmade goodies and blog are so cute, and actually, really quite different than a lot of the things I have in my own home. But they remind me of things I used to love as a kid, and they are bringing out the girly side of me which has been neglected over time. And they remind me too of spending time in the south of france when I was younger, for some reason. Anyway, I love this shop too cuz I think Alicia is the bees knees. I bought a handbag from her a couple of years ago, and spoke with her on the phone and she was so nice. Then I got an email from her about a year later, saying she was seeing a new dentist with my same last name (pretty unique name), and wanted to know if we were related! Now that's knowing your client list! I'm not related to her dentist, but I still think she's a cutie-patootie. She's also inspiring me to finally get the house back in order, and start making some fun crafty stuff.
Ok, time to wake up my boy and start our day-o-birthday-fun! I'll have to remember to pack some kleenex and Halls though... Have a great weekend!
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