Finding Neutral

The depth and breadth of my own naiveté never ceases to amaze me.  I really thought that this week would be no big deal.  Turns out that even when I see the headlights, I sometimes fail to notice that I'm about to be hit by a truck.

Simply put, it's been a bugger of a week.  I was thinking late last night that I finally feel back on center and ready to tackle the jobs before me when it came to me that this was THURSDAY, and the jobs before me have actually been there since MONDAY.  It's taken that long to quit grinding my gears and begin at the beginning.

But I guess that's just the way it goes:   Not everything you do can be your very best, any more than every attempt can fail.  Knowing this does not keep me from being hit upside the head by it, however.

By way of self-reassurance, I will now enumerate the week's accomplishments (some of these belong to Phillip, whose week also chewed him up and spit him out):

1.  Finished AND POSTED Faery Ring pattern, at long last.  It feels like I have been working on it since Thanksgiving.  Which I have.  Marilyn King of Black Water Abbey Yarns, who was kind enough to provide the gorgeous yarn, also likes it, and has plans to spread a few copies around.  Yay.  (Get yours on my homepage, and tell a friend if you like it).

2.  Delivered the elder offspring to not one but two ice-skating lessons in one week, a new personal parenting best, which almost compensates for missing the fact that there was no school on Monday and leaving both children waiting for a bus destined never to arrive.

3.  Successfully attended first Cub Scout meeting with the younger offspring, on only the third attempt.  Offspring pronouncing it cool = Bonus Points for Dad, who also felt really bad about the bus thing.

There may have been other achievements, but I can't remember anymore.  I'm just so happy to see the back of the last few days. 

So even though it's Friday, I'm going to treat this day like it's a whole new beginning.  There's a birthday party to plan, about 23 loads of laundry to do, a bunch of bills to pay, and oh yeah, a WHOLE BOOK TO REWRITE (*me not panicking*).  I'm SO going to buy wine on the way home tonight.  And maybe some Qiviut yarn, too.

Book Of Days

I know that I am supposed to pause and reflect about the year that is about to close.  I should take the time to acknowledge each lesson learned, each new friend found and recognize closure to all things 2008.  But the truth is that I am just too stoked about the future right now to spend much precious energy looking back.

Nothing inspires me the same way as a new, blank calendar.  It's like holding the year and all its possibilities in my hand.  The pages and days are mine to fill:  What an awesome responsibility, and what an enormous freedom.  It's good to be reminded that every day is an empty box, with its own choices to be made, and that we each have the power to do it, 365 times a year.  In 2009, I'm hoping to do it well, with humility, grace, wisdom and wit.

Calendars are about planning, too.  More than just remembering who is supposed to be at the dentist next Thursday, they are about looking ahead and dwelling in the future.  Another of my hopes is that my enthusiasm for Tomorrow won't keep me from noticing the beautiful and fragile nature of Now.

And speaking of Now, I bet you noticed the provocative placement of the Faery Ring sleeve in today's photo.  I offer this glimpse as proof that I am still hard at work on it.  I had hoped to have it completely finished on New Years Day, so I could get my friend Jen to take pix of it when I see her.  I doubt I'll be able to pull it off, but you know me: Hope/Delusion springs eternal.  Either way, I promise it will be worth the wait - this sweater is completely wicked.  I am usually well and truly out of love with my designs by the time they reach this stage of completion.  Like all infatuations, my early project enthusiasm flames out, to be followed by the remaining 4 stages of sweater:

            1.        Infatuation
            2.        Passion
            3.        Complacency
            4.        Ennui
            5.        Acceptance

I'll expound on these later, but for now, just know that I am still somewhere way up between numbers 1 and 2, which is pretty rare for me when the finish line is in sight.  Wonder which will be first - 2009 or the Faery Ring?  Stay Tuned!

Snow-B-Que

"When life gives you snowbanks, Grill Steaks"

That is the new Huff family motto.  The old one was "Never stick anything sharper than a banana in your ear", but I think an occasion like this one calls for reassessment of the family mores.

The snow is supposed to be melting today, but we have yet to see it here at our house.  I don't know if it's caused by being cooped up with his family for a whole week, or if Phillip's drive to grill and eat steak is just residual survival stuff, but either way, I'm supportive.  Anything that makes the cooking of dinner someone else's job, I can totally get behind.
 

Yeah - he's a bit odd, but he's all mine.  Merry Christmas from the Huff House. 

May all your steaks be grilled up just right. 
And may all your Christmases be White.