Loving Ballet Class

I returned to ballet class today, after being off a week.  Thanksgiving occurred and I ate so much.  It is hard to go to ballet, in a leotard, after overindulging the entire weekend.  But it was a very enjoyable class.  Very difficult too.  Every week, slowly, I feel like I am regaining facility in my dancing.  

Ballet is always humbling though.  Today we did a most confusing petit allegro.  We also did a combination that included a turn à la second (turning with one leg extended out to the side).  I was pretty bad!  But I love it anyway.  This studio has old tin ceilings and a live piano player.  It is another dimension to get lost in, easy to forget life's concerns for one and a quarter hours.  

Preparing for the Winter (In a Most Unromantic Way)

Normally when one thinks of a blog post about preparing for winter, the thought that would come to mind is of lovingly storing up food, knitting warm socks, making warm pies and cocoa.  All with a serene countenance and, of course, in a lovely romantic sort of dress - with a frilly apron.

Not in this house!!

Our winter prep is of a more utilitarian nature: namely rehanging the ancient basement door that has been letting in so much cold air it is like its own air conditioning unit.  This is a problem for me doing laundry, and our poor kitties whose cat box is downwind of the draft - Brrrr!.  The door is rather ugly and peppered with small gouges from BB guns from previous owner's children.  But the big problem was that the door was ill-fitting, did not close properly, and had air leakage and drafts constantly.

So Paul removed the door this weekend (probably the last "warm" weekend here in the Chicago area).  He found proper wood in his stash, got new hinges and a handle from the hardware.  He refitted the door and added pieces so that when the door is shut with applied insulation strips it will be a tight (and draft-free) fit.  I did the usual lady thing when a man is working: holding sticks of wood, holding parts in place while Paul marked things or drilled holes, making "helpful" suggestions, ordering pizza, and taking annoying photos.   The work is mostly done.  All that is left now is to add the insulation strips, fill the BB holes, prime, and paint it.

Here are two in-progress shots, more to come once the door is painted:

In other non-romantic news, in between holding things in place for Paul, I did a lot of basement uncluttering, packed up and sent off a large load of give-aways to Salvation Army.  Then I sorted things into new spaces, cleaned a bit.  I still have a lot more of that to do.  Maybe I'll get to the cocoa and knitting one of these days.

What I Have Been Up To Lately

There has been a lot going on in my life lately, which is why I have not posted in a while.

• School - I am finishing another class towards my BSN completion program. Three classes left to go, which will be available to take in summer. 
• Work - The clinic I work in will be closed in a month, very sad. Then my new job, back in the NICU, starts. 
• Family - The big news here is that Robert is having surgery, extensive inner ear surgery (Google Tympanomastoidectomy and Ossiculoplasty if you care to see details).  In fact, this is happening this very second - we are four hours in. Praying he will be out of surgery and restored to health soon!
• Home - Lots of winter indoor projects on the list.  Poor Paul!
• Health - I am dealing with chronic issues, medication changes and adjustments that are not pleasant.

But I am feeling blessed in spite of the challenges. 

Chocolate Outing in Chicago

We took a little trip to downtown Chicago to go to the annual Chocolate and Dessert Show at Navy Pier.  We had a wonderful time!  Wonderful sights and tastes.  Here are the highlights:

Free samples!

One of our favorite booths, the Four Brothers Chocolates.  In particular, their Drinking Chocolate was divine.  Of course we brought some home with us.  

There was a beautiful wedding cake display.

And even a chocolate shoe and chocolate lipstick.

Trump Towers served the most delicious hot chocolate with frozen vanilla chips.  Seriously, it was like a drug.  We drank it sitting down, savoring, it brought us to a different place in time and space.  

Vanilla beans!  We bought a "Vanilla Kit" where you prepare the beans by scraping out the innards, adding alcohol, and letting it sit for many weeks until you have your own homemade vanilla extract.  

I particularly liked this little fairy made out of confectionery.  She reminds me so much of Robert's girlfriend, Sierra!  (I hope she did not mind me making the comparison - it was meant as a compliment!)

Here we are, all happy from indulging!

A view from on high.  Finally we took a long awaited ride on the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel - we have been waiting literally years to do this.  Tyler and I were a little freaked out - it went so high in the sky.

It was a happy day, filled with sights, sounds, tastes, and experiences.  I am so glad we went there.  

Life, Shaken AND Stirred

There is peril in becoming too comfortable in one's life.  I had a vision of working my job in the pediatric clinic for the rest of my career, helping my children and grandson (and future grandchildren) as best as I could, gardening, harping, costuming, and so forth.  But life has a funny way of, every now and then, throwing this over.  What is the expression?  "We plan, God laughs".

In less than one month, the following has occurred:

• I received the news on Friday, September 13th that the public aid clinic I work in at the hospital is closing doors forever at the end of the year, meaning I was out of a job at that time.
• I interviewed for a job in the same hospital on my old unit, found out I got it, will start in January with orientation, then go to night shift once orientation is over.  (Option to put my name on list for day or PM shift as they become available, but I will be on the bottom of that list).  
• Paul, Julie, and I needed to meet with the principal at Tyler's school to discuss bullying by another child against Tyler.  After a nerve-wracking weekend, worrying about if the principal would take our concerns seriously and take action, we met Monday morning - it was a good meeting, and I feel hopeful the situation will be resolved.
• Other family concerns, prayers that resolution of that is truly going to happen.
• A minor car accident, my fault, a combination of being deep in thought regarding above, and a killer migraine.  No one hurt, minor damage to both vehicles.  
• And the above mentioned migraine, three days worth, killer pain, Imitrex only helping somewhat.  I haven't been able to keep food down until this morning.  In the worst of the pain, I did wonder, "Why must I have this on top of everything else?".

I really do long for serenity.  I have read all sorts of things online about coming through the storm due to needed change.  I just wonder why now?  It feels rather dark now.  I think once the pain from the migraine is completely gone, I will play my harp and see if music will soothe this troubled soul.

Lady Audley's Secret

For my friend Colleen's Victorian Book Club (a quarterly meeting of eight ladies who meet to read and discuss Victorian literature), I was inspired to portray a character in the book we read, Lady Audley's Secret.  I did not want to be the main character (read the book to find out why!), rather, I was inspired by her step-daughter, Alicia.  Alicia was a very sympathetic character, as her father's second wife seemed to drive a rift between her and her father.  The fact that she was also a horsewoman fit right in with what was going on in my present day life, Tyler's horseback riding lessons.  Originally I planned on making a true reproduction riding habit bodice, but the pattern was delayed in shipping, and I didn't have much time to begin with.  So I decided to put together a faux riding ensemble that would capture the spirit of Alicia.

I have my Beatrix Jacket (made from the Sense & Sensibility pattern) and a modern black skirt that, when worn with a widening petticoat, looks somewhat authentic.  I had boots that looked like riding boots, a hat that just might look like a riding hat, and I bought a cheap riding crop (because, as you know, a good horsewoman must always be prepared for a ride!).  But I did not have a blouse that would work, and I wanted a new reticule.  I went blouse shopping and found this blouse, which does not look at all Victorian in the picture, but I rolled down and buttoned the sleeves, buttoned the buttons all the way up, added a brooch, and also sewed a little lace on the cuffs.  Voilà, a faux Victorian blouse!  For my reticule, I used this pattern, and just happened to find two different dotty fabrics at Vogue Fabrics that went with the blouse, which went together beautifully, making an adorable drawstring purse. 

Here I am, in all my faux glory, as Alicia:

Lady Alicia, her crop at the ready

Close-up 

The fabric of the dotty blouse

And the little dotty reticule

At the Renaissance Faire

A few weeks ago we traveled up to go to the Renaissance Faire in Bristol.  It was very colorful and interesting.  Tyler loved it because he saw someone dressed like "Link", his favorite video character, and we got him a small wooden sword with a sheath.  Kristin was in her element on one of the rides, the Pirate Assault Catapult, combining trampoline and bungee jumping.  Fun!   

Tyler shooting the "po 'n' arrow".

Up...

...and over!