I recently got myself some penmanship workbooks. I say recently, but actually it was about 6 months ago, it's only recently that I settled myself down to the work of using them. I use my handwriting so very little these days that I felt it had really deteriorated and needed some working on. Seriously.
I am quite enjoy sitting at the table with my sharpened pencil practicing flowing lines, curves, etc. It is somewhat mindless and requires no thought per se . . . just dedication and determination. It's odd how easy it is to become lazy . . . and how much work it requires to be the opposite.
It reminds me somewhat of my tenth year of life. My school teacher for the fifth grade, Mrs Folk, had complained to my mother that she was no longer going to mark my work as my handwriting was deplorable, and so my mother had gone out and bought an exercise book of the Mac Lean method of hand writing for me and that . . . was that. I spent hours each day after school practicing until all of my letters flowed neatly and fluidly upon the paper.
Computing has made me slack. I hardly ever have to write anything by hand anymore . . . hence the deterioration. Encyclopedias have now become redundant . . . I do hope that the same is not said one day of handwriting. It is a skill, I think . . . and I am working on it.
I busied myself in my craft room with a needle and thread at the weekend for several hours.
This is the end result. Flora the Explorer. I quite enjoyed making her . . . again it is a mindless activity, one which requires not a lot of thought. The most difficult part was affixing her safety eyes. They are made in China . . . and the only good thing I can say about them is that as difficult as they were to apply . . . hopefully they will be as difficult to remove, making them truly safe. We shall see.
My sister said she looked a little sad . . . I prefer wistful. Perhaps she is thinking of all the adventures she will soon be taking . . .
At any rate if she dislikes a place she's arrived at . . . perhaps she can just click the heels of her little red shoes together and whisper her wish to go home. It worked for Dorothy!
I do so love red shoes. I would love a pair of red shoes . . . but then thinking on that thought . . . I wouldn't have anywhere to wear them, so . . . perhaps a pair of red slippers would be a better thing . . .
Do you remember when you were a child and folding laundry, washing dishes and other such chores were more of a game than a chore. The mind of a child is a beautiful thing is it not? With the brilliant capacity to turn humdrum into magic. My daughter posted this photo of my little granddaughter Maryn helping fold the laundry. She is getting so big. I hope that I will be able to see her at some point when I am at my mothers. I am bringing over her Birthday presents just in case. It's hard to believe she will soon be two.
Grandchildren are such wonderful little people. I am hoping that I will be able to see all of mine when I am home this time. This is Jonathan playing with his Lego. My sons always enjoyed Lego. We had a huge plastic box full of the stuff. It kept them busy for hours.
Although even that has become more complicated and amazing through the years. We've come a long way from simple houses etc. This is some type of "Bee" creature.
These three are getting so big now. That Josh (who will be 4 on the 9th) and Jon (7 in May) and little Jacob in front (he was 2 in November). I am hoping that I will be able to see them when I am home as well, God willing.
Hoping I get to see these little soup eaters as well . . . Gabriel (6) and Luke ( who will be 3 the end of January). They are all growing like weeds. So sweet . . . but all children are sweet, especially a Grandmother's grandchildren . . . at least that is my thoughts on the matter!
The hardest part of being away will be missing these two. I know Todd won't forget me . . . but I worry that Mitzie will. Her routine will be upset for sure whilst I am away. Todd had a completely different time schedule than I have . . . the applecart will be upset for sure!
We are hoping that my mother gets her appointment for her surgery this week. It's very odd that she has had to wait this long for it. It is terrible to know that something so insidious is growing inside of you and I can only imagine how difficult it is for her. I would want it out right away myself! May-hap this is a good sign that they feel it's not that urgent. I expect that I will be traveling in the next week or so at any rate.
I will miss all of you while I am away as well. I don't think I'll be able to get online at all, except for maybe on Facebook if I can manage to get to Tim Hortons with the i-pad and figure out how to get onto WiFi. The miracles of modern technology.
I am bringing my watercolors and writing exercise books with me so that I have something to do while I am there. I won't be taking care of my mother 100% of the time, although I expect that will keep me quite busy most of the time. I am grateful for the chance I have to do this for her.
I forgot my silver lining yesterday as I was so busy writing spiffin' conversation . . . which was great fun, but very distracting, and so I'll do my sliver lining now (as I am sure you are getting quite bored with my goings on.)
Dry and mild was the weekend . . . winter's silver lining, mild days that you don't have to put the heaters on . . . money saved. The birds in the garden sounded like it was spring. A beautiful sound . . . and the men were able to come and fix our fence! (Finally, it's only taken a year!) And the cough seems to be subsiding somewhat, another blessing. The antibiotics are all finished now so . . . here's hoping it's finally on the wane.
A thought to carry through the day . . .
“Pause for a moment and check where your own heart and thoughts are. Are you focused on the things that matter most? How you spend your quiet time may provide a valuable clue. Where do your thoughts go when the pressure of deadlines is gone? Are your thoughts and heart focused on those short-lived fleeting things that matter only in the moment or on things that matter most?”
~Dieter F Uchtdorf
Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . Chocolate Buttermilk Baked Donuts.
Delish!
Happy Day all!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments mean the world to me, and while I may not be able to address each one individually, each one is important to me and each one counts. Thanks so much!