Have A Good Weekend

Image via vogueflowers.com

What I'm Reading

I knew I needed a good cry last night, so I started Here If You Need Me, and it did not disappoint. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it and only the strong hint that the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM from the Mister kept me from finishing it. Her sweet memories of her husband and the reasons she loved him made me remember all of the ways that I am blessed. As a member of a faith community that's a little bit outside of the mainstream, her emphasis on hearing people's stories and actions that speak louder than words gave my spirit a little boost.

Finished

I finished The Godmother last night. It ended as I expected, (and wanted) it to. Not terribly profound, but it was entertaining.

I've run out of library books and won't have time to get more until this weekend. However, I'm on track for the 52 book challenge so I think I can read magazines for a few days until my schedule opens up again.

Crafting and Cooking

I finished this tote bag a couple of weeks ago:

And I hosted a birthday party on Saturday night:

I used Ina's recipe for chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting and they were a HUGE hit. Yummy!

What I'm Reading

Tomorrow, Graham Swift

Could this book have wandered around any more? I don’t think so! It was an appealing story line and had nice suspense, but the meandering and diverting was enough to make me crazy. I skimmed the last sixty pages just to get to the end.

Now I’m working on The Godmother, by Carrie Adams. Little bit too much drama (at times this book has been a bit unbelievable) but overall I can really identify with the main character.

Loss

A decision has been made that has left me reeling. I am devastated, and while everyone else in the family seems to be moving on, moving forward, I feel stuck. Left behind. There's this ache in my chest that's been there for three months and doesn't ever move or get better. I keep wondering what would have happened if a different decision had been made here, or different words had been said there, but I have also known deep inside for a long time that this was the outcome we were headed for. This wave has been building, finally smashing into me, washing over me, and I am barely able to keep my head above water.

In the interest of good mental health and recovery, I've been trying to take good care of myself. Getting regular sleep and exercise, writing, sewing, spending time with people who will listen and care. The Mister has been a huge help, so has Henrietta. This weekend was one of the last hurdles of the transition into our new family life, so I'm hoping now to move forward with the rest of the family. To start swimming instead of treading water.

Image via geishaboy500

New Machine

I bought my sewing machine last fall for $20 off Craig's List. Spent another $25 in replacement parts and a reproduction of the original owner's manual. It works well, but as my skills improve I've realized it's got some major flaws. My next machine must include:

• zipper foot
• buttonhole attachment
• a good light
• free arm