Meeting Liam…

Tags

cats, halloween, liam, lucy

Friday afternoon, my mom, grandma, and I got to go visit Liam!

He’s such a sweet baby and he has the most soft & fun hair I’ve ever seen! I know this isn’t the best photo ever, but you can see some nice professional-looking ones here.

Here he is with his Poppy eating (Robb aka Daddy, was taking a break on the couch).

Makes me want one!

*****Update on Lucy***********

Lucy has been doing very well.  I had to start changing her bandages and I did a bang-up job the first time.  She looked like an elf with too large of stockings….

My mom suggested using baby booties over the cotton batting, just as a way to keep the bandages on and clean.  This, of course, necessitated a shopping trip.  We dragged Grandma around to thrift stores and rummage sales.  We found some cute pink bunnies…and I think she likes them…

Here’s a close up…

These ones didn’t stay on too well, but they sure are cute!  We got some real toddler socks and they seem to work best.  They are pink stripes…very cute! We got back Thursday for another check up, but  the pads looks to be healing pretty well.

We’re been preparing for my second favorite holiday around here…here’s a quick look at some possibilitiles this year…

In honor of our vacations in Maine, the best place ever…

The dogs rather liked this costume!

Panda thought he might be a lobster this year…he’s also considering a chicken (all the better to sneak up on the real chickens) and and owl (to scare the real chickens).

Given I teach this year on Halloween, I’m not too sure about dressing up during the day.  But I’m definitely going to convince Jon we need to go out somewhere, if only to dress up in some amazing costume! What amazing costume, I don’t know yet.  Usually, by this time of year, I have it all figured out.  Any thoughts?

I love FLOR!

Tags

FLOR, library project, lucy

As part of the library project make-over, I was looking for a rug to put under the thrift store roller chair I found, so it wouldn’t muck-up the new paint job.

I could NOT find any rugs I like – at least, ones that weren’t the cost of weekend vacation somewhere…

So, I remembered seeing something in Dwell about this company FLOR. They make modular carpet tiles (19.6″x19.6″) that can be pieced together.

I look long & hard, and decided to give it a try!  They have tiles sorted by foot traffic and I went with medium, for my roller chair and the cats.  I chose Fedora…in two colors – walnut & taupe, just to jazz it up a bit.

I think it looks pretty good!  Super easy to install – they have this nifty little dots you just attach to the undersides of the tiles – and pesto – a small carpet.

A carpet that is very soft underfoot & my chair rolls easily…

I have a bad photo that highlights why my slipcover for my chair needs to be longer (to hide the ugly legs), so I’m NOT going to post it just yet.  You’ll have to use a bit of imagination, until I can fix the slipcover…which is another interesting project I had never done before. It also it mostly ok…just needs a slight tweak.

Anyways – check out the amazing FLOR…I want to do my office at work in this.  Lots of great colors to pull from for slipcovers & accessories…and I don’t mean that office that may still require an exorcism..my other office.

Unfortunately, the amount of “area rug” I would need does cost a small weekend getaway…so for now, just looking…

****Update on Lucy:

She took her pain pills late last night (she had refused food before this) and again this morning.  After a very restless night, she did a small bit of walking around this morning – more so that she could keep both of us in sight at all times.  Tomorrow, we got back to the vet (fun!) for a bandage change & check up.  She wasn’t too excited about taking her meds today…even though I hid them in peanut butter.  I had to pretend to eat it myself before she decided it might be ok to eat…and only when Kitty was thinking about making a move on it, she finished it off.

My poor puppy…

Tags

hiking, lucy, pesto

It was suppose to be a nice day for a hike with her daddy and it ended up a trip to the vet & pain meds.

Somehow, on the Agua Calente trail, my little puppy tore almost all the pads on her feet.  Some of the pads were just cut & torn off.  We’ve done this trail many, many, many times before and never had any issues.

It was really quite scary.  Jon had to carry her down the trail back to the car.  He called me, thinking he just couldn’t carry her anymore and needed help.  I was home, harvesting my basil & making pesto! Talk about scary!

I raced off to  the trail to meet them, but Jon called so say they had made it to the car.  He ended up carrying her around his shoulders…so I called the vet to get us an appointment & called my trusty other vet – Trinka.

The vet got us in 1 hr later.  I had to carry her into the vet…

Her pads weren’t completely gone, but they had to trim some of them off & managed to bandaged the pad material back to the pad on her foot.

She’s all bandaged up now & on pain meds.  She hobbling around, when she manages to get up, which isn’t often.

But she’s still sitting by her daddy…

Poor little puppy!  She has to go back to the vet on Thursday to be checked out & have the bandages changed by the vet. After that, I can do it myself.

Random Musings…

Tags

babies, crafts, friends, library, random musings

Rut & Cruz can for a brief visit, made chaotic by Panda’s possible snake bite. Which turned out to be just a big munching by some other cat (lots of bite marks, scabs, and swelling, to the tune of $$$).  He’s doing much better now, though he keeps escaping lock down. I don’t think he likes the medicine…

Cruz is growing up so fast!  He’s quite cute, full of energy, and likes to throw rocks in the pond.  I ask you – where else can a boy thrown rocks? He rather enjoyed the wild life sightings – coyotes, fish, chickens (maybe not all wildlife, but animals other than the dog!)

Worked a bit more on that super secret project…wishing for more time to do creative stuff.  Like make baby gifts (there certainly doesn’t seem to be shortage of babies around here!),  finish the library project (floors & wall done, just need shelves & fabric for cushions & slipcovers), or making jams & pesto.  Still, life is going well & I cannot complain.

Found some lovely fabric – and need to find a local source for it. Think a quilt shop might carry it…just need to ask.

Learned more about the source through this wonderful book – Midwest Modern by Amy Butler.  I have always liked her fabric & patterns (found a great dress pattern in Portland when visiting Anjte & Jess) and this is such a lovely book to look at and get ideas from.

I will post some photos of the library/study soon.  The floor paint turned out well.  We will definitely use the stain again for the other bedrooms.  The furniture seems to be in place – just need to pull it together.

It’s offical!

Tags

friends, ladd & robb's baby, liam

Ladd & Robb offically become Daddies yesterday! Here’s a link to see a photo.

So I jumped the gun a bit the other day when it wasn’t offical, but I knew it would all work out!

William Corey Keith – Liam for short.

What a cutie! Cannot wait to meet their little guy!

OMG!

Tags

friends, new baby

Ladd and Robb are daddies – they’re in NYC picking up their son right now!

I cannot belive how quickly this amazing things has happened!  I am so overjoyed for them…

And just think, yet another wonderful little one to make cute stuff for!  Cannot wait for photos guys!  Congratulations!

Webcams…

Tags

A-M, web cam

I think webcams are amazing!  Everyone should get one and use skype and call me. Skype is great!  Free phone and video calls over the internet!  Why use the phone or cells anymore?  Except that wifi coverage isn’t everywhere, but still!  And when the power cuts out, well, that probably would limit their use as well…but how often does that happen? Or just use solar power!

I think we need to upgrade to VOIP even and only have one cell phone.

Really. And I’m not a tech-y person…and I have been converted.  It was super easy to install and get working.

Isn’t it cute?

More people need to get one…so far I can only chat with Anne-Marie, which is great for seeing the baby bump! Just think of the possibilities!

Get one today!

September Dreaming…

Tags

autumn plans, crafts, house, library project

Such a lovely weekend, relaxing and doing not much of anything.  The other morning the air was crisp and cool, with clouds occasionally blocking the sun.  It was almost like autumn had arrived…which it won’t here in the desert for at least another month.  But the sun rises a bit later every morning and sets a bit earlier.  I even wore a light sweater this morning on my walk. Cool breezes can be found…when it’s not going to be 100 degrees, like it will be by Friday.

I love autumn.  I love the foods that come into season then: squashes, pumpkins, hearty meals & stews in my Le Creuset cookware.   I love Halloween & Thanksgiving.  I love planning those long, leisurely meals that end  in front of the fireplace, knitting or just sitting.  Time seems to move a bit slower.

It makes me miss Maine…

Well, hard to dream of those times right now, though we get glimpses of autumn trying to slide through the waning summer heat wave that’s picking up again.  Which is good – it reminds us to finish picking the basil plants in order to make enough pesto to get through the winter.  It reminds us to make plans to put away some of the lovely summer fruits we’ve been enjoying- either in jams or gelato (which does not seem to last long at our house, for some reason).

oh well, we can dream of wearing sweaters and sitting in front of the fireplace. But for now, it’s on to the list of things I must plan to accomplish prior to autumn (or at least some of them by October).

1. Finish concrete floor project & super secret project (tie - both are equally important – one is driving my insanity level up, up, and away…)
2. Make summer jams.
3. Paint library walls and move bookcases and pile of books back.
4. Finish knitting my orange scarf started in Maine…almost done.
5. Plant the gazillions of plants in pots in the courtyard.

So, on that note, I better get moving!

East Coast Trip

Tags

vacation

Sorry it’s taken so long to get the photos of our trip up! It was a busy first week of school…which went pretty well. I have about 37 students and I think it will be a good semester. Time will only tell…

So, first stop on our world-wind trip was Boston. We visited Jon’s family. We took a boat harbor boat tour around some islands – which was great fun. It drizzled a bit, but not too much rain. Matt (Jon’s nephew) joined us and Hank.

The next day, Hank, Matt, and I explored Newberry Street! We had a grad time walking around, shopping, people-watching, and even drinking tea!

We headed up the coast via Amtrak to Portland to spend some time with Antje and Jess. Blueberry picking was on the agenda…and we picked some 22 quarts! It didn’t help that we had the blueberry czar with us…so we made freezer jams, yummy blueberry polenta cakes modified from here, and blueberry breakfast bars…in addition to as many blueberries as we could eat!

Then it was off to Chebeague Island, via the mail boat. It took a bit of time, but the views were amazing. The island was beautiful. Again, even though there was a bit of rain, we had to explore. Walking along the edges of island, biking around, crossing over to Little Chebeague during low tide…and then back at the inn, sipping champagne, watching the sun set…lovely. Unbelievable lovely. And there was even an island cat…at the Chowder Shack…the cat whisperer made yet another conquest!

Heading back south, we made a stop to see Jon’s friend John – and all five of his adorable children (and his brother’s three as well). The water was a bit cool, but we had fun making an urbanized sand castle city, complete with drawbridges and feathers and looking for pretty rocks. We had to leave before the day ended, to get to CT to my niece, before the rain hit.

Sedona is lovely – such a sweet kid. We explored downtown Norwich and celebrated Josh’s great news in Mystic. Made some yummy seafood and a good time was had by all.

And we were off…to Fairhaven, MA to see Memere and Aunt Diane. We went to the water fires in Providence, after spending some quality time with Reno, Sugar and the gang.

The next day was the big party – Memere’s 90^th! Lots of fun, to see family and friends (many I’ve never met before) celebrating Memere Irene. Her friends were line danced (many of them well over 75) and many of the kids joined in as well. I bet I scared Matt for life by making him dance with me – he learned to waltz! Which I bet he has already forgotten…

And then we said goodbye to the east coast, heading home to the start of the semester and in dire need of some downtime! Funny, you think vacations are supposed to be relaxing…it was a great trip, but it went by so quickly.

Next time, I think we will plan on renting some place up in Maine for an extended period of time…and make everyone come to us!