There is a thin layer of ice over Jasmine's water dish on the back porch.
When the night sky is so clear it looks like thousands of birds have been pecking holes out of the black, and I can see the stars really well, I look at the stars and think that I am lucky to have seen this.
I like to look for clusters of stars and satellites and airplanes, but the first thing I always look for in the winter is Orion, the big bow-tie. In summer, it's the Big Dipper. It's nice to have something up there to say hi to.
This week was spent in a very sedentary fashion. I got some chores and errands done, but for the most part I just recharged, hanging out with Jas and Mom and knitting and crocheting all day. I am very proud of myself because I just knitted my first real hat, knitted in the round on homemade double-pointed needles (formerly colored pencils and dowels. I also have a set made from pick up sticks). It was really really technical and hard. I messed up a few times and had to unravel a few rows. It ended up too short, so I figured out how to pick up already bound-off stitches, knit some more, and that fixed it. Then I wove in all the loose ends, fixed a dropped stitch, wetted it and shaped it (that's called blocking), gently brushed it to give it a nice fuzzy halo, and it's now laying out almost dry. Also in the last couple weeks I figured out how to knit fair isle, and crocheted a few more hats. I cut an old green silk shirt into strips to make a crocheted hat for myself soon. I tried felting this little knitted bracelet for a Christmas present, but I ran out of time and gave up on that for a while.
Yesterday Mom and I saw the Lemony Snicket movie. I went in expecting to be disappointed. The books are just so clever and wicked and wonderful, and I didn't think a movie starring Jim Carrey and his elastic face would live up to the books. ( Cut in case you don't want to be spoiled )
Tomorrow it's back to work for me, which means I should really be in bed by now. But! Tomorrow I give my three week notice! I've decided that the 21st will be my last day at the Y, and it is definitely something to look forward to!
I think my outlook on things is finally changing. I think that even if I don't end up going to Norway with this particular family, things will not be so bad, and it will work out. Now I feel a lot more capable and comfortable with the process of finding an au pair job.
Later I will post a picture of the two children I will be caring for.
For now, my bed is calling to me. And Jas has to pee.
If she hasn't already.
I like to look for clusters of stars and satellites and airplanes, but the first thing I always look for in the winter is Orion, the big bow-tie. In summer, it's the Big Dipper. It's nice to have something up there to say hi to.
This week was spent in a very sedentary fashion. I got some chores and errands done, but for the most part I just recharged, hanging out with Jas and Mom and knitting and crocheting all day. I am very proud of myself because I just knitted my first real hat, knitted in the round on homemade double-pointed needles (formerly colored pencils and dowels. I also have a set made from pick up sticks). It was really really technical and hard. I messed up a few times and had to unravel a few rows. It ended up too short, so I figured out how to pick up already bound-off stitches, knit some more, and that fixed it. Then I wove in all the loose ends, fixed a dropped stitch, wetted it and shaped it (that's called blocking), gently brushed it to give it a nice fuzzy halo, and it's now laying out almost dry. Also in the last couple weeks I figured out how to knit fair isle, and crocheted a few more hats. I cut an old green silk shirt into strips to make a crocheted hat for myself soon. I tried felting this little knitted bracelet for a Christmas present, but I ran out of time and gave up on that for a while.
Yesterday Mom and I saw the Lemony Snicket movie. I went in expecting to be disappointed. The books are just so clever and wicked and wonderful, and I didn't think a movie starring Jim Carrey and his elastic face would live up to the books. ( Cut in case you don't want to be spoiled )
Tomorrow it's back to work for me, which means I should really be in bed by now. But! Tomorrow I give my three week notice! I've decided that the 21st will be my last day at the Y, and it is definitely something to look forward to!
I think my outlook on things is finally changing. I think that even if I don't end up going to Norway with this particular family, things will not be so bad, and it will work out. Now I feel a lot more capable and comfortable with the process of finding an au pair job.
Later I will post a picture of the two children I will be caring for.
For now, my bed is calling to me. And Jas has to pee.
If she hasn't already.