super slackers

OK, it's almost been a week since I last posted and nothing is happening on the Monika and Catherine post end either. It's because we're all frantically crafting (or attending class, like Catherine). But expect some posts soon. We're celebrating our early Christmas on this coming Sunday, so we'll be free to reveal all the crafts and goings on directly after.

In the meantime, here's a little picture from the Museum. The sculpture, The Navigators, is by Brad Rude and it is more excellent in real life than in pictures, I assure you.

Doldrums

I've been kind of in the dumps for a couple weeks...except I don't call it the dumps, I call it the Doldrums. But I was determined to accomplish something on Sunday, and I was determined that accomplishing something would propel me from the Doldrums into whatever the opposite of the Doldrums might be. Some other seafaring reference? Maybe something to do with the Gulf Stream... 


Anyway, I cleaned my vacuum and then vacuumed the hell out of the apartment. I took care of the dishes and cleaned the bathroom. And then I hand-washed exactly 90 vintage handkerchiefs, strung them up to dry in my living room (this had to be done in batches), and ironed them all. It took HOURS. 

But it was a good opportunity to test drive the vintage handkerchief garland I will be making at some point. 

And then I had an egg sandwich and watched The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. 

Ugh!

Yeah, the blog title is driving me crazy to the max. I want to use a picture (because the plain background is boring snore), but they all turn out GIANT, and I can't seem to find any way to edit them down. Do any of you dear readers know a remedy? Or do any of you not hate the giant picture? Because I'm pretty sure I hate its giantness.


I'm going to leave it up for a day. Tell me if it makes you want to puke your guts out. Or if you have a suggestion. I'm very open to suggestions. That goes for you too, sisters.


In other news: it's so very sunny in Spokane this afternoon and warmer than it has been in quite a while. I have a couple windows open, and Matilda is running from the bedroom to the office checking out the various bird gatherings and squirrel goings-on and lounging in the fresh air and sunshine. She's having a grand old time.


Also, in my newly arrived Bust magazine I found this ad:

What? How is it that? Who... I don't... I can't... I have no idea what to make of this. Please explain, Universe.

Sunday, Sunday

I slept really late today. Really. Like to the point where I didn't know if I needed to start my day with breakfast or lunch. (Matilda had brunch.) That's what happens when you stay up late, especially when time suddenly jumps ahead on you. Still, all is well--today is the one day this week when I can sleep in, so kudos to me.


The plan was to spend my post-Bonnie & Clyde late night watching a good horror movie, but I couldn't really decide what I wanted, and also I have a tendency to allow myself to get really freaked out--off the deep end freaked out, like checking-in-the-closets, re-locking-the-doors-and-windows, staring-out-the-darkened-window-waiting-for-movement freaked out (with a sleepy cat beside me). So, I didn't end up watching a horror movie. Probably for the best because I ended up dreaming about being stuck in an abandoned school and having evil spirits try to take possession of my body while I slept. (Yup, dreaming about sleeping.) Furthering the dream terror was the dream fact the evil spirits took the form of several types of large worms, which attempted to burrow into my flesh. And just how to escape when the stairwell is crumbling away?


Yeah.


You might remember how utterly paranoid I am about anything burrowing into my body and incubating. Not cool. It wasn't exactly a restful night. So the super-daylight was welcome when I finally roused myself.


Hey, does that count as an entry in my Washington State Department of Dreams Dream Log? I think it does. One down. Only a million to go.


Since I've been thinking about the Milwaukee trip, I thought I'd add a couple photos taken at the Milwaukee Art Museum. I was sort of obsessed with hands that day.

This hand belongs to Alexander van der Capellen, 1626  as painted by Pieter Claesz. Soutman.

This hand belongs to Cardinal Antonio Sersale, 1750 as painted by Francesco de Mura.

These hands belong to Dr. Karl Schwarz, 1916 as painted by Lovis Corinth.

This hand belongs to Moses, 1648 (obviously, he didn't sit for this portrait).
Painted by Phillippe de Champaigne. 

These hands belong to St. Catherine and they mean business, the Lord's business.

Sleepy Monday

Oh man, the staying up late has finally caught up with me. I'm sleepy, sleepy, sleepy. And my brain just isn't operating at a level where it can bring everything together for a decent post, so today will function as a catch-all for everything that I meant to do something with last week but didn't. See? I can't even bring a sentence together.
I need a holiday cookie: stat.

New shoes

Henry VIII ornament

I made these onion rings last week.

And this delicious turkey burger.

I think I'll eat that cookie while watching Jurassic Park.
It seems like the best possible course of action, don't you agree?

miscellaneous blather

What to post? What to post? I have a couple Christmas-related things ready (or ready-ish), but I've decided I absolutely cannot get into that business until December begins. So, I'm left with succulents (which I still need to get together), the Washington State Department of Dreams (the state department dedicated to cataloguing and preserving dreams, of course) Dream Log (which is something I came up with like a year ago and haven't done anything about), and the here and there projects I have going (many top secret). So, I watched an episode of The X-Files, ate some leftover spinach lasagna, and decided I'm just too sleepy to accomplish much tonight. (I started nodding off a work today, by the way. Why is my office so very warm? Oh, and boring?)

So, I settled on some items from my collection which seem particularly fall-ish. You know, for visual interest.

These acorn caps were collected in Catherine's yard.

Doesn't this little seed pod look like a cluster of mouths? Like mouths belonging to the beasts from Tremors and
 Tremors 2: Aftershocks. I just impressed the hell out of you, didn't I?

I found this at Finch Arboretum in Spokane.

Also from Finch Arboretum. It goes quite well with my bee collection. Send me your bees!
No, seriously, send me your bees.

And since the meat and potatoes of the blog (that's the text, right?) has already sort of wandered away from anything resembling a theme, I'll just say that last night I did a little writing of the real variety (at least, I hope so {and not to, in any way, diminish the writing we do here, on the blog, that you're reading or not reading right now}). This may explain why I'm all sleepy-time tea tonight.


I'm also trying to decide exactly how much Garth Brooks should be on the party playlist. (Remember? Mom's 60th birthday party is in the all-important planning stage.) Right now, we're at zero Garth Brooks. I'm thinking we should have more than that. Anyone want to weigh in on the perfect music for a party with guests ranging from 25-65 years old (or maybe 70! I honestly don't know.) and that may or may not include dancing at some point? Heavy on the R. Kelly, or no? Please let me know before it's too late.