My 9yo and I do a bit where if one of the cats is scurrying off on an Important Mission, we ask if they’re late for work. “Can’t talk, got a board meeting in 5 and my presentation isn’t finished!”— Gwendolen as she races across the room and flings herself headfirst into the (closed) window

Weaving sale!!! I’m offering every piece at a discount. If you’d like to claim one, please comment “Sold!” under the piece and we’ll go from there! Every sale helps put a dent in my bills! Can piece will include price, estimated shipping cost, and dimensions of the piece. Every share also helps!!

Lessons haven’t started yet but I went skating with 9yo today! Didn’t take my phone on the ice so you’ll just have to trust that I did skate 😂 I used the “skate helper” box because my balance was awful without it but as soon as I got going WITH it, it all came back and skating felt natural!

Shelfie time!! I went ahead and reorganized all my books. Now Lewis and Tolkien and L’Engle get pride of place at the top and all my old evangelical stuff is headed…out. I’m Annoyed that I had to do this today but I’m so happy with the result!

I’d been meaning to organize my bookshelves, but maybe in a slightly less chaotic manner

Y’all, I decided to sign up for adult beginner skating lessons. 9yo is gonna be taking a second session after this one is over, and the adult class is at the same time as his lessons. Remember how last year I was in two walking boots?? I’ve been working on getting stronger to be able to skate—

This is the 4th anniversary of the day I started weaving. I’m currently working on my most daunting piece yet—one from this scene in The Two Towers. I don’t feel like I’m good enough to capture Eowyn, but I’ve learned so much since my very first piece (third photo)—maybe, maybe I can do it.

I finished this sweet little cottage the other day. It makes me think of summer! This one is available—6” wide by 10” long, $65 + shipping.

When @atinsman.bsky.social reached out about commissioning a piece for Erin, I was THRILLED. To weave a piece for a dear friend, a Blue Ridge Mountains piece at that? Of the mountains of my heart that have become more dear to me since moving away, even more dear since Erin now loves them too?? 😭😭 ➡️

NY resolution: get back on ice skates. Taking my 9yo & his friend skating today and I am DYING that I can’t join him. Today both Achilles are acting up and I don’t think I’m strong enough to skate without injury. But SOON. I’ll do all my PT exercises every day if it means I can skate with my son!

Our church gave out Star Words today—cards with different words on them to guide our year, the way the Star guided the Magi. The word I got was INNOVATE. Initially, I scowled, because that sounds very LinkedIn 😂 but I’m now thinking of it as Doing Things In A New Way, and I CAN make sense of that!

I’m very pleased to introduce you to my new butler, Miss Gwenny Penny. She’s a little new to the job and still getting the hang of things, like what to do with her hands, not staring creepily into space, things of that nature.

“Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin’s sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last.” “Arise, arise, Riders of Théoden! Fell deeds awake: fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!”

Teaching 9yo to make my family recipe apple pie!

“It’s right behind me, isn’t it.”

This may be both the tastiest and the most complicated meal I’ve ever made, and I’m tremendously proud of it! Braised beef short ribs Creamy Parmesan polenta Green beans almondine Sister Schubert rolls …and cranberry-orange custard pie coming soon! My parents LOVED it, which was a delight!

Not me wondering why I haven’t even gotten a shipping notification for one of my mom’s presents and then discovering a friendly “Complete Your Order” button when I visit the product website 🤦‍♀️

Merry Christmas, dear friends! Here’s me and 9yo with a nice Christmas picture and then one photobombed by his new Derpy stuffie (his idea 😂).

9yo got to open one present early, so he’s building a LEGO parrot right now. The kitties got their present tonight too and they’re having a lot of fun! This has been such a good day.

MEANWHILE!!! Look at these babies!!! Marjorie VOLUNTARILY came over and settled down TOUCHING Gwendolen. Absolutely unprecedented behavior as she normally either actively swats at her or ignores her. This is the sweetest Christmas present 🥹

9yo is with his dad most of the 24th and 25th, so we’re making today & tomorrow morning our festive time together! (He’ll come spend time with me and my parents on Christmas Day for presents and food.) I’m cooking all day for Christmas dinner, but we’ve got movies & hot chocolate on the docket too!

I stayed up late reading The Ministry of Time (I’m about halfway through!) and on, the delight and relief of getting absolutely lost in a book!! I needed that. Thanks to @erinjoy.bsky.social for talking it up a while ago. It was a Christmas present for myself and I am thrilled with it so far!!

I’m helping my dad get presents for my mom this year. I’m going to frame a few photos for her, but other than the small kitchen items she asked for, I’m stumped. What have y’all gotten your moms that they really enjoyed? Reference: she’s 78, cooks a lot, sings in the church choir, is from Vermont.

Y’all. I did it. I finished the busy season of BY FAR my busiest year at this job. I did it while grieving and sick and exhausted. And I did GOOD work, despite all that. I am SO RELIEVED and so so proud of myself!!

Bucket list item achieved!! Last night I had the immense privilege of saying words my friend had never heard from anyone else before: “You know, Viggo actually broke his toe when he kicked that helmet.”

Is she half asleep or did she just run headfirst into a brick wall?

No one has ever been more “innocent” than Marjorie, who FROZE long enough for me to get SEVERAL PHOTOS after catching her rolling around with this ball of yarn

Elegant lady loaf

Yes, Gwendolen, what I really wanted just now, as I rest in my kitchen chair and wait for the soup to simmer, was for you to drop your SOPPING WET MOUSE TOY down my back. What a fun, cheerful gift!!!! (Gwen seems to be unrepentant)

Light and High Beauty the piece I couldn’t have made until right now but that I absolutely NEEDED to make

I’m really bummed that instead of baking several pies (my usual Thanksgiving contribution, and often some sort of Brussels sprouts and/or roasted maple green beans/bacon situation), I’m barely able to get out of bed due to pain and fatigue. I love baking and cooking but I literally can’t right now.

Marjorie still can’t stand Gwen but maybe they are reaching an uneasy truce?? These were taken within five minutes of each other and still no face-smacks have been given!

I’m moving into the “my kid wants to stay up later than I do” phase and I am not ready! I’m a night owl! I’m not like a REGULAR mom, I’m—oh no

Sad babbie must play fetch or else she will simply perish

People talk about BlueSky folks not getting jokes but friends, I am hear to share that those lovely folks exist on Threads too

Anybody else get annoyed at your 4th grade classmates for calling the teacher Mrs. when she wasn’t married, or was I just an incredibly pedantic child? I’d like to think I’m now SO MUCH FUN at parties but honestly…the pedantry hasn’t died

Her little face 🥹🥹🥹

This early-winter landscape is finally done! I’m so excited about how the “dead” winter grasses look like they’re catching the sunrise light. Available! DM to purchase. 16” wide by 18” long, on an 18” dowel.

The big daily task for many trauma survivors that goes unacknowledged by others in their sphere is how to realistically manage thoughts & feelings, while coping w/ physical fatigue, pain, & other limitations not even their own health care providers adequately understand or treat.

This whole thread brought me so much hope today.

Last night I tried to do my air-dry wavy-hair routine and failed miserably—too much product/the wrong brush/everything that can go wrong, did, which has basically been the story of my week. I thought I’d wake up to gross stringy hair, but in the ONE kindness from the universe today, my hair is fine!

What’s fun is bringing home a frozen Butter Braid from work (gift from boss), forgetting it in my work bag overnight, then discovering 5 minutes before it’s time to go to the office that the dough has exploded out of the package and glopped onto my laptop, charger, and the inside of my leather bag.

Today is tough. My chronic pain is going nuts but it’s busy season at work with an SAT and an ACT coming up in a few weeks, so I HAVE to go today (at 4 CST). Who wants to be my cheerleader? I will compensate you in advance with this video of Gwendolen being adorably chatty!

I sat down after my cooking marathon feeling like now I should do some weaving, since I’m feeling better—but NOPE. Creativity is TAPPED OUT for the night. Because cooking is creative too.

Creating-- art, music, food, whatever-- can be such a powerful trauma recovery tool because it requires us to step outside of the roles & expectations of others. It requires us to go off autopilot & connect w/ our True Self, which is what gets devalued & buried by trauma.

Tonight I’m making my annual pumpkin cream pasta: roasted butternut squash and apples, shredded chicken (I buy pre-cooked and pre-shredded because Ya Girl Is Tired), and onions cooked for a long time and then deglazed with white wine + pumpkin puree + heavy cream + ricotta for the sauce.

Just nine seconds of a tuxedo cat washing her hands 🥹

This little piece got forgotten under a pile but it turns out I’m almost done with it! A few more details on the cottage—and maybe a tree! What do y’all think? Tree to the right of the cottage, or leave it empty?

Marjorie is NOT the cuddly one, but she’s intuitive. She knows when I’m not doing well. Right now she’s purring against my stomach, which happens to be hurting a lot. Sweet baby.

i used to think the lyric was ‘i wanna rock and roll all night / and part of every day’ and i remember thinking, honestly that sounds reasonable