girlfriend time.

...I have been so blessed that as both my daughters have grown up, we've become friends - enjoying spending time together, and, like girlfriends do, shopping and enjoying lunch out. sara and I had a great time yesterday - tried on all kinds of clothes, and shoes, and even a bit of makeup, and then lunch at favorite cafe intermezzo. (photos are on flickr - click for details)

maybe next year.

...with new york and paris this year, there isn't any way I could swing the sock summit. but looking at the list of teachers, wow. I just have to hope this first one is such a hit and there will be another one in 2010.

bookclub.

49/365 - february bookclub
Originally uploaded by mere2007

...feels like I need to start a flickr set for all my bookclub photos - love watching how the group is just a little different month by month. last night's meeting was fun (as it always is!) and the discussion about the reader even got a bit loud. generally, none of us felt even one drop of sympathy for hanna. and the boy moms, especially the boy teenager moms, definitely ewww! and it looks like we'll continue our WWII nazi theme. aileen selected skeletons at the feast (by the same chris bohjalian who wrote the double bind, that we read for january 2008) for our march meeting.

sunday.

...six miles in the park helped me get over the no-walk saturday. listening to lime and violet and this american life. and looking for signs of spring. the daffodils are starting to show, and cherry trees, but there aren't of those in the park. there are a lot of these red buds. [note to self, need to pickup a book to help me identify all the foliage - mom, any suggestions?]


I played with my new toy! but having only one little die - there's not that much I can do except wait for my stampin up order!

sara's first creation in the new dutch oven was a huge success. now I want her to try this bread. yummy!

first win!

45 - tournament win
Originally uploaded by mere2007

...feeling much better after a very late lunch out (shared fried calamari and caesar salad) and a lovely HOT shower. but so happy to report the first win for this year's varsity team! (l-r) sara, megan, alia, mackenzie, casey, devon, lauren, liz, holly and coach shack

love is grand.

...most definitely - happy valentines day!

(and it's especially lovely when your sweetie gives you roses!)

julie meyer.

...I was catching up on avie's blog this morning (aren't her wedding announcements gorgeous!) and found this post about Julie Meyer. First, I love her studio - that pile of fabric and the bernina machine, just what I envision for that hour and a half hour each day I'll spend sewing.

and these gloves from her etsy site are exactly what I need for that hour and a half of housekeeping!

just 15 more hours.

...one of my new flickr contacts from the 365 photo project left a comment on my first sara's february lady sweater photo - and it got me to thinking about what I would do if I had 24 more hours in each day:

1. sleeping - just 30 more minutes
2. walking - would love an hour every day
3. reading - an hour and a half. would like to catch up on the classics I missed with only three years of high school english and a college degree in applied mathematics + a few magazines so I can keep up with what's new
4. groceries & cooking - two hours. would love to prepare something fresh (and delicious!) for dinner every night. plus cookies and fresh bread. yummmmm.
5. knitting - another hour and a half. every day. I am definitely a process knitter, but I love the finished objects! and I love knitting for others and for me
6. friends & correspondence - two hours. keeping up and staying in touch. meeting for coffee (or wine) or a walk. talking.
7. crafting - just an hour each day. scrapbooking, stamping, learning more about the hybrid digital "stuff" I've started this past year
8. housekeeping - an hour and a half. I really enjoying taking the time to keep my home beautiful. spending time with the lovely things I've collected. making sure the kitchen sparkles. having clean (and ironed) clothes to wear
9. blogging - really, two hours a day. to take good pictures. develop good content. add links :-) (this includes an extra 30 minutes for me to keep up with the wonderful blogs I follow, plus finding a few new ones)
10. sewing/fabric - an hour and a half - what I want to learn next. quilting. crafting with fabric. and learning to sew for the grandchildren I hope to have someday.
11. hair + make-up - 30 minutes.

total=15 hours

and people wonder what I'll do when I retire! wow, I don't spend 15 hours at work every day! ...and there's time with marc, and watching sara's tennis, and eating that I haven't even factored in!

then I spent 15 minutes this evening taking this photo - so wanted to grab onto the first bit of spring fever (despite my brown sweater) ... and maybe that goes to blog time, or to crafting time, but really, I probably should've added another hour at least...just to enjoy it all.

sunday knitting.

...so fun to meet my friend shari for a little knitting, a lot of talking, and a some good coffee.

and now happy to report progress on sara's february lady sweater (finally!) with any luck, she'll definitely be able to wear it while it's still chilly - even if the weather this weekend was deceptively spring like!

upside down.

...so the photo-a-day project is already getting hard. really. like some days I just don't have anything photo-worthy. so you see my dinner (twice). or me (this will likely be a frequent feature). so today was great because I actually had FOUR photos from which to choose ... and that didn't even include the great dinner that marc made (and I didn't take a picture of that!)

the park is usually full of photo opportunities. and part of the fun of my walk is finding them. today was especially good because the fountain in the front pond isn't running, and the pond has become a perfect mirror - the photo above for sure and this one:

and then stamp club this afternoon. paula, sharon and karen were so lovely to pose with smiles!

bringing me to my choice for the day. the mess that is stamp club.

complete fun!!

smile(s).

...I need one big-time after work today. disappointed in myself on both the home and work fronts. and when I logged on for my daily unwind time, there was an email from katie with a link to this, and photos, and the one above is my favorite. smile. big smile. (thanks, katie!) p.s. upcoming on the sidebar updated. more smiles!

make a wish

31/365 - make a wish
Originally uploaded by mere2007

...happy happy belated birthday, katie! and many many thanks to sara for the lovely dinner and beautiful dessert.