Nola arrived yesterday morning, and we’ve been having much fun — I’ve never watched a My Little Pony movie before (although my daughters had a few of the 1st-Generation toys), and we did that last night, courtesy of Netflix. I’m now much more conversant with Destinies, and have acquired a veritable Rolodex of names: Sparkle Sunset (boo, hiss! she’s bad), Twilight Sparkle (wins the day with her leadership and goodness), Fluttershy, Spike the Dragon, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash. Quick, can you define Allicorn? This Nana can, now. . . .
We’ve had some colouring time, some puppy play time (she’s Rosie, which means she doesn/t/can’t have to answer any questions from Nana or Granddad for as long as she can maintain her canine identity — which is a surprisingly long time, woof, woof!), some hot chocolate time, and now she and Granddad have biked to the boat, and will pick up groceries in town. I’m pretty sure they will also stop in for (yes, another) hot chocolate — it’s become a tradition for the two of them. They’ve left me behind with my marking (doesn’t seem fair, does it?!), but I thought I’d sneak in a quick post first to keep up my own wee (nascent) tradition of a Sunday review.
Looking back, I see that I started the week colourfully, with a Spinach Pomegranate Salad, recipe and all.
Wednesday, I heaved a big contented sigh looking at my living-room illuminated by the morning sun, an abundance. . . .
On Thursday, I rounded up some Casual Work Outfits I’ve enjoyed lately — and I had fun comparing them with earlier OOTDs using some of the same elements in different ways.
and then on Friday, I shoehorned all kinds of random goodness into one crazy post: crayons, rainbow knitting, new shoes, not-strawberries, and a movie about Love and Marriage at a certain age. . .
Looking a bit further back, I’m still haunted by the urban vignette I described here, of someone who defines comfort and contentment much differently than I do — or who simply finds it much more elusive. Carrying this image around, I appreciate my good fortune even more sharply. . .
Such good fortune. . . .
Many of us are enjoying a long weekend, a very welcome blessing as the year turns so determinedly into the darker months. Last weekend’s setting the clock back thrust us somewhat harshly into those shorter days and longer nights. . . I hope you’re adjusting to the change, slowing down, digging out the books and board games and knitting and whatever else you do to fill the longer evenings. I’d love to know what routines you change, what traditions encourage you to embrace the coming of winter (of course, those of you in the Southern Hemisphere can regale and confound me with your entrancing reversals of the process) — Comments always so very welcome!
I always like the darker nights, and lighter mornings, being an early to rise sort. But I find as I get older I miss summer in its passing more and more. However, this weekend I'm with my daughter, and of course I feel the sun shines from her skin:).
It's true for me as well . . . more than the other seasons, I see a limited number of summers left for me and can't help being conscious of the loss as each one drops behind me. . . . enjoy your daughter's luminosity!
Greetings from the Southern Hemisphere. Although we are now officially in late spring, we are finally getting early spring weather – rain, rain, rain. But it is much needed by the garden (and the farmers) so I will not complain. Besides, I'm better dressing for cooler weather than a Sydney summer. On Friday I fly to Kota Kinabalu (Borneo); not a holiday, but a family visit necessitated by medical issues. I'm trying to look at it as a jaunt anyway, as I write lists, prepare meals to put in the freezer, deal with work …
You knew I was thinking of you …I must admit I love having a "friend" who can report to me the weather from the other half!
I hope you do manage to fit some "jaunt"-worthy activities into your time in Kota Kinabalu. Take care.
Is it not remarkable how a small moment, an observation, a chance encounter can stay with us and affect our perception for weeks, and even far beyond? I too have thought of that moment as I have encountered more homeless persons camping in sch spaces as the weather turns cold here.
It's true, especially one that holds so much affect, especially at this turning time of the year . . .
I'm so glad to hear you've been having such a great weekend with Nola. Hot chocolate and puppy time sounds just wonderful! I so wish we had had a long weekend here. With this cold, I really could have used the extra rest of a holiday Monday, but instead it was a 12 hour work day for me. Hopefully, the later part of the week will bring more dark evening time spent with books instead of prepping classes and grading papers.
Not much chance, right? It's prep-and-grade all the way through mid-December now. . . .and then panic-and-prep over next term's syllabi which I haven't put together yet!