Words, or, Until There's Sunshine

I have things to show you, I do! The past three days have been days of snow, clouds, and more snow: not particularly ideal photo-taking conditions, sadly. Peanut and I have enjoyed some lovely, snowy walks outside in our fuzzy baby-wearing fleece coat. I'm not sure she has entirely noticed the snow, even when it falls on her face - there may not be anything prettier than snow flakes caught in your baby's eyelashes - but I've enjoyed showing her her first winter.

So, since I don't have any pictures to show you of anything interesting I've finished lately, here's a meme currently circulating.

Things I've Done (In Bold)
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1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain--We call them the Gatineau mouintains, but really, they're more like large rocky hills.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris--Just the airport, unfortunately.
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables--Three tomatoes; those plants really didn't thrive.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill--I essentially called in tired and pregnant last winter a few times.
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise--Only down a few rivers.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person-- And from the larger Canadian side, too!
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied--Ha!
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing--Does indoor count?
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke--No Rae Bang, in Seoul!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud--
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies-- Goodness, this list is REALLY American! Girl Guide Cookies, yes.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a cheque--Thanks a lot, former roommate!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy--Oh yes. Bunny will live with me forever.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar--just roe in sushi...does that count?
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London--I'm ashamed to say I haven't even seen it in Ottawa!
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car--Leased, yes, bought, no.
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper--And on the local news; local performing company and all.
85. Read the entire Bible--I've come really, really close!!
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous--Kind of. I mopped the floor (literally, not metaphorically) around Monica Lewinsky once!
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby--And what a beautiful baby she is!!
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant --Nope, but I rode a camel at the Metro TO Zoo when I was little.

Afternoon, or, While we can

This hasn't been our best week ever. Peanut has been whiney (we suspect teeth may be imminent) and I've been feeling a certain malaise. I have come to the realisation that I know absolutely no one 'in real life' who has similar attitudes about parenting as The Man and I. Now, I know that it doesn't matter, and I really don't feel the need for any validation: he and I are quite happy with how we are going about things and how we are planning to proceed. Still, it would be nice to have at least one fellow-parent friend, whom I can see and visit and with whom to share tea who wouldn't laugh at our ideas about solid foods or expound upon the merits of letting babies cry it out. Yes, I do plan to move my child straight to finger foods once she is physically capable of feeding herself, thus delaying solids for longer than most North American parents, and no, I do not think it necessary to let my baby girl cry without comforting her. That's just how we feel, and I don't expect everyone - or many people at all, for that matter - to agree with us. I don't feel sorry for myself, nor angry or irate...but it would be nice to have one like-minded friend in the city. And I don't.

With that in mind, I decided to spend today alone with my little girls, not thinking or hearing about what other people do: just doing our own thing. With a pleasant afternoon like today, I thought it best to take advantage and enjoy a nice long walk with my favourite babies. Glynis, Wembley and I strolled along the canal for a few lovely hours. There isn't much left of the autumn foliage, but it was very pretty, nonetheless. Ducks were out in force - mallards are a hardy sort - and there were lots of fallen leaves for Wembley to enjoy sniffing. Glynis slept for most of our walk, which was as I'd hoped: she naps best when we walk.



Wembley inspecting the ducks in the canal and the path toward the downtown core.

A little autumn sunshine and my attempt at a self-portrait. Peanut is hidden in the wrap, fast asleep.

All in all, a very lovely day.

Starting, or, Biggest Ball of Yarn EVER

Alright, maybe not EVER, not in the history of yarn-balls, but still the very biggest I've ever wound or used. Believe me: Cascade Eco Wool is a big skein, and makes a very large ball of yarn. Definitely big enough to make me long for a swift and ball winder. This ball was wound all by hand, baby!

To demonstrate scale, I used an actual baby in the photos.


Mmm...tasty!