Clearly, I have been slacking the blogging department. Facebook has been my only outlet to the world for the last few months, which, as I reflect, is quite depressing. Hopefully, I can conjure up a bit more than a 15 word change in status.
To try to get you up to speed on the last 5 months seems exhausting, so let’s just begin with 2009.
I spent the first day of January in a van, very full of human bodies and their luggage, driving from Chicago to Philadelphia. There were some tricky riddles told, a lot of sleeping, a bit of crazy driving, and some super hold-your-breath-through-the-tunnel competitions. All in all, an excellent beginning to a new year (the last days of December in Chicago were a pretty splendid way to cap off 2008, too).
After such an illustrious (and tiring) beginning, I took a lot of naps. I also began getting back into ceramics, courtesy of an old art teacher, in her nice warm studio – since my barn studio is a bit frigid at present. Throwing a couple times per week, as well as the opportunity to work with some of the ceramics classes there, has been delightful.
I also have been doing some letter-writing, coupled with card-making. There may not be anything better than spending an afternoon sitting by the wood-stove, cutting and gluing, and writing to old friends. Except, of course, walking into town in the sunshine to mail said letters and swinging by the library to pick up new books.
Speaking of old hobbies, I’ve also taken up knitting again. I long considered myself a die-hard crocheter, but have had a change of heart, mostly due to an adorable mitten pattern. The mittens haven’t happened yet – but soon, soon!
February, so far, has brought the beginnings of Pennsylvania spring mud and a trip to Pittsburgh for the Jubilee conference. The last time I was in Pittsburgh was for the 2002 (?) Level 7 State Gymnastics Championships. My memories of that weekend are as follows: doing Mad-Libs with Dana all the way there (and eating twizzlers), having a broken toe and a few stress fractures in both ankles, and reading Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis.
Fortunately, this time around there were no broken bones or twizzler-consumption; suffice to say, it was an excellent weekend, and I came away quite stuffed with goodness and inspiration. There was a point at which we were hopelessly lost at 2 am, but that’s probably best left unmentioned.
So there you have it. Next time … next time, I promise to post something (relatively) soon with a bit more substance. I attribute much of my lack of bloggage to being a perfectionist; sometimes, or quite often, my personal expectations for consistent excellence and wit backfires mightily. Thus, I present sucky blog post #1 for 2009!
Things can only get better from here.
February 26, 2009 at 7:28 am |
Hey Elsbeth,
(not elf) sup? So after reading your most recent blog post I find it very funny that you have been writing letters and walking to the post office to mail them, because that is exactly the kind of thing I would find enjoyment in. There’s just something about the simplicity of it that makes me happy. Sometimes I seal letters with candle wax. Oldschool. In any case your year seems to have been eventful thus far, but we have not yet climbed or scrambled up any obstacle be it man made or delicately placed by the hand of our creator. This, my friend, must change. Godspeed. Continue blogging. It’s good for the soul, though, not nearly as satisfying as letter writing.