Adirondack Dress in Autumn
17 years ago
Dec 6, 2008
Dec 5, 2008
Changes towards Simplicity
There are a lot of little changes that are going on in my life right now. The good sort. We've spent quite a few years just trying to "get through" pretty much since we left Durango, but now we have found a place we would like to call home and finally all the ideas of someday are becoming today. For years after we first met we talked and lived very simply, but grad school and moving has complicated life a lot. Often it was easier to let the simple lifestyle get away from us because of time and money constraints... well mainly the time and stress.
But lately I've been feeling (and we did both come to this thought quite separately the conversation was so connecting) that really we need to go back to all those ideas that we have put to some day. So often it feels easier to take what is handed to you prepackaged or prearranged when actually once you start the habits of simplicity they take so much less effort. It is the starting that take the most psychological effort.
So as this year winds down and I look towards the return of the sun I want to welcome it inspired to return to simplicity. I have visions of peacefulness washing over our household by midsummer. Even now as I begin the process of simplifying I can see this difference, more gets done, communication is smoother, creativity returns. But this is just a start there is so many facets to living simply that we have to return to that the process is almost like building a home, thankfully we already have the foundation built.
One Good thing One Creative Thing Day 16, 17, 18
Day 16
One Good Thing: The joy of going to the library with Alder, as I am getting better at choosing books that he'll like. Realizing how to use these same skills to avoid conflict situations and find more activities that we can both enjoy (more on this later).
One Creative Thing: Stayed up way too late making paper houses to hang in Alder's room.
Day 17
One Good Thing: As someone who usually tries to get out of the house as fast as possible (I have always had a hard time staying home when it's light out) but we stayed home until late afternoon, cooking and doing various projects together and separate.
One Creative Thing: Lots of creating going on this year, except for one hand me down gift we are making every gift this year. Cut out one pair of pajamas with Alder's help. Went to Thursday knitting and started one hat, stayed up way too late (yeah the sun was coming up) finishing one hat and getting most of the way through the next one.
One Good Thing: The joy of going to the library with Alder, as I am getting better at choosing books that he'll like. Realizing how to use these same skills to avoid conflict situations and find more activities that we can both enjoy (more on this later).
One Creative Thing: Stayed up way too late making paper houses to hang in Alder's room.
Day 17
One Good Thing: As someone who usually tries to get out of the house as fast as possible (I have always had a hard time staying home when it's light out) but we stayed home until late afternoon, cooking and doing various projects together and separate.
One Creative Thing: Lots of creating going on this year, except for one hand me down gift we are making every gift this year. Cut out one pair of pajamas with Alder's help. Went to Thursday knitting and started one hat, stayed up way too late (yeah the sun was coming up) finishing one hat and getting most of the way through the next one.
Day 18
One Good Thing: Reading American Bloomsbury by Susan Cheever, lots of pausing around town to read between dropping Alder off and going to work, ah bliss.
One Creative Thing: Umm seeing how I stayed up to daylight I'm going to carry over last nights knitting, needless to say reading and working are all I'm doing today.
Dec 3, 2008
Dec 2, 2008
One Good Thing One Creative Thing Day 14 & 15
Day 14
One Good Thing: Went sledding at kindercircle this morning, despite feeling awkward while I was there Alder and I had fun sledding down the hill.
One Creative Thing: I got back from errands and decided I should definitely start making this apartment a home, actually I was spurred into this idea the day before during the scary drive home past all the accidents. I am not a winter driver which means that we will be spending a lot more time in our house for the next few months.
I showed Alder all the fabrics that we had enough to make his curtains out of and let him choose. While he played 'boat' I ironed and pinned one curtain (they are ridiculously long).
Day 15
One Good Thing: The library had a copy of American Bloomsbury, a book I have wanted to read for a long time, since I heard and interview with the author when the book came out.
One Creative Thing: Kevin and I hardly ever get any time alone together so we have started a journal in which we respond to essays and poems together. One of us will read one and react and then the other will read the same article and write our own thoughts. We are starting with some Wendell Berry essays from The Way of Ignorance and What are People For? This morning I began my first response, unfortunately my writing was cut short by the people at the table behind me talking very loudly and distracting me from my writing.
One Good Thing: Went sledding at kindercircle this morning, despite feeling awkward while I was there Alder and I had fun sledding down the hill.
One Creative Thing: I got back from errands and decided I should definitely start making this apartment a home, actually I was spurred into this idea the day before during the scary drive home past all the accidents. I am not a winter driver which means that we will be spending a lot more time in our house for the next few months.
I showed Alder all the fabrics that we had enough to make his curtains out of and let him choose. While he played 'boat' I ironed and pinned one curtain (they are ridiculously long).
Day 15
One Good Thing: The library had a copy of American Bloomsbury, a book I have wanted to read for a long time, since I heard and interview with the author when the book came out.
One Creative Thing: Kevin and I hardly ever get any time alone together so we have started a journal in which we respond to essays and poems together. One of us will read one and react and then the other will read the same article and write our own thoughts. We are starting with some Wendell Berry essays from The Way of Ignorance and What are People For? This morning I began my first response, unfortunately my writing was cut short by the people at the table behind me talking very loudly and distracting me from my writing.
Dec 1, 2008
One Good Thing One Creative Thing 9-13 lots of links
Day 9
One Good Thing: A little time to myself as I drive to this amazing bakery for rolls and to get this book for my father's birthday.
One Creative Thing: Finished Hat, umm it ended up being for Alder instead of Kevin. I'll post pictures tomorrow and explain about the coloring and thickness.
Day 10
One Good Thing: Spending time with my family. A wonderful meal with everything spare ribs (a family tradition), Barbecued Turkey, Green Chile Corn Pudding, two Stuffings, four pies and one pumpkin cheesecake. Staying up late with cousins and playing bad music from our childhoods for each other. Oh and drinking lots of wine.
One Creative Thing: Weaving in all the ends of Alder's sweater so he could wear it for dinner. (picture tomorrow).
Day 11
One Good Thing: Meandering Car ride with a cousin and Alder discovering new back-ways, bookstores, and yarn stores. Reading this book and watching this movie. In the catagory of so bad it's funny was this movie that was on TV after the intensity of Downfall, it was both funny and painful to watch this...trust me I did not put it on, and I turned it off after I saw who played the mother.
One Creative Thing: Created hat patterns for two of my cousins.
Day 12
One Good Thing: Kevin and I actually went out with my cousins (the young ones...like anyone under 40). Grandma and "Dad" watched Alder. We drove into town and saw this movie. It was a tough one but worth seeing.
One Creative Thing: Honestly I got up drove home an hour to go to work, worked until 6pm drove an hour back had dinner and went to the movies.
Day 13
One Good Thing: Made it home alive. It sounds like a pitiful answer but after passing 6 accidents over 18 miles of highway and taking an hour to go the last 5 miles from the state border to exit one I was just so happy to be home and alive. It total has kicked me into gear for getting the house all nest-able for the winter. I do not like winter driving so I need to like where I live.
One Creative Thing: Sort of creative, I emptied the final two boxes of studio stuff.
One Good Thing: A little time to myself as I drive to this amazing bakery for rolls and to get this book for my father's birthday.
One Creative Thing: Finished Hat, umm it ended up being for Alder instead of Kevin. I'll post pictures tomorrow and explain about the coloring and thickness.
Day 10
One Good Thing: Spending time with my family. A wonderful meal with everything spare ribs (a family tradition), Barbecued Turkey, Green Chile Corn Pudding, two Stuffings, four pies and one pumpkin cheesecake. Staying up late with cousins and playing bad music from our childhoods for each other. Oh and drinking lots of wine.
One Creative Thing: Weaving in all the ends of Alder's sweater so he could wear it for dinner. (picture tomorrow).
Day 11
One Good Thing: Meandering Car ride with a cousin and Alder discovering new back-ways, bookstores, and yarn stores. Reading this book and watching this movie. In the catagory of so bad it's funny was this movie that was on TV after the intensity of Downfall, it was both funny and painful to watch this...trust me I did not put it on, and I turned it off after I saw who played the mother.
One Creative Thing: Created hat patterns for two of my cousins.
Day 12
One Good Thing: Kevin and I actually went out with my cousins (the young ones...like anyone under 40). Grandma and "Dad" watched Alder. We drove into town and saw this movie. It was a tough one but worth seeing.
One Creative Thing: Honestly I got up drove home an hour to go to work, worked until 6pm drove an hour back had dinner and went to the movies.
Day 13
One Good Thing: Made it home alive. It sounds like a pitiful answer but after passing 6 accidents over 18 miles of highway and taking an hour to go the last 5 miles from the state border to exit one I was just so happy to be home and alive. It total has kicked me into gear for getting the house all nest-able for the winter. I do not like winter driving so I need to like where I live.
One Creative Thing: Sort of creative, I emptied the final two boxes of studio stuff.
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