torthúil
Friday 26 April 2024
Going off camera
Monday 25 March 2024
Toward springtime: an improvised lyrical dance
- The cat guests moved on and I cleaned furiously and gleefully for most of a day. I have never lived with animals before and I’m not keen to do so again, at least not in this house. The cats were cute and one was friendly. They also made our small, somewhat shabby and cluttered space feel even smaller, more shabby and more cluttered. It wasn’t exactly the direction I want to go in.
- Ukrainian dance festival: 3 dances performed, one silver medal (AJ) and two gold medals (me and Dani). The judge this time marked quite strictly. Dani’s group was missing three dancers out of seven but did extremely well anyway. My adult group* was on point and we were told that we looked “pre-professional.” You bet all us ladies had an extra spring in our step after hearing that. AJ was not happy about her silver. Even though several groups received silver she saw that as a loss. It’s part of the experience though and she has worked through it. After all, if everyone gets a gold medal all the time regardless it doesn’t mean a lot. Her group of energetic girls will be hungry for gold next festival.
- After all that dancing I got to relax in a salon chair for a hair appointment.
- The weekend after festival, Mr Turtle and I dropped the kids off with their grandparents and drove west toward the Rockies. Our destination was a tiny log cabin nestled on a mountain, wreathed with mist and surrounded by tall pines and snowbanks. It was lovely, and we will savour the glow for a while.
The view from our cabin window - my interpretation |
- Being in the mountains always gives me different thoughts. Although there is change there like everywhere else, it feels more eternal than being in a people-made space. I may put together a woodsy-blog later.
Found quote and art inspired by the Christmas lights on the cabin. This is something like my 5th attempt at drawing lights. |
- We returned to spring break and I can’t wait to spend a solid two or three days getting caught up on laundry and housework. Hahahaha. But actually, yes. It’s quite lovely to not feel rushed.
- AJ’s Nana gave her a sewing machine and spent some serious time showing her how to use it during their sleepover. AJ is now creating some simple projects independently. She is also expressing some more interesting in learning crochet.
- Current crochet projects: a little green dragon for AJ’s best friend. And the poncho for AJ that I’ve been working away at for a while.
Thursday 21 March 2024
Slow Burn - at winter’s end
- I went to yoga, twice;
- Dance group photo day (dress-up time!);
- Birthday parties to attend (2);
- Teachers’ convention, where my theme was the Slow Down movement;
- Met up for the second time with a friend from high school/university days, who has lived in Europe since 2003;
- Weekend extra dance rehearsals (attended 2, missed 1);
- Bingo volunteering;
- Cat sitting 2 cats;
- Informal music concert for AJ (she sang “Colours of the Wind” from Pocahontas)
- Hand-hemmed 12 scarves for my dance group (this was my self-regulation activity)
I don’t understand everything I do. I could give you reasons, but they as likely to be made up as they are to be true. Not because I want to be untruthful, but because sometimes my own motivations are a mystery. I don’t own a sewing machine, but I could have found one and the hems would probably been ok hemmed on a machine.
Saturday 3 February 2024
Amigurumi and more
Front view |
Detail: poppy headdress |
Back view |
I started this project in December and finished it the first week of January. As I worked on my girl I had plenty of time to think about the significance of why I took on this project. I usually begin crochet projects on a whim. I wouldn't say I think much about it at all. I get an idea, then I search Etsy for a pattern, and then if I find one I like I can't wait to get started. The spontaneity of it is partly why I enjoy it. I can just decide to create something and make it happen. It's a kind of superpower. But of course, once I commit to a project it feels different. Time, effort and focus are required, and that means sacrifice. As I worked on the doll, I realized that it was at least partly a symbolic statement of what the dance organization has come to mean to our family, as well as a statement about how important it is for me to be accepted and acknowledged as a member of this group. As such, I of course had some butterflies about how the doll would be received, if she would attract attention at the silent auction, and so on.
Ballerina bears |
Sunday 28 January 2024
365 official
I’m officially past the 365 day mark! Definitely in menopause!
Monday 1 January 2024
Happy New Year!
I'm having a good time slowly adding bits to my New Year's Post on torthúil explores. Feeling grateful for all the people who inspire me to push the limits of what I can articulate.
Monday 18 December 2023
November/December redux
Oof, here we are, winding down 2023.
I wanted November to be quiet. It mostly was. We all got sick with a nasty respiratory something mid-month. Other than that....
We have been very busy with activities, especially dancing. I waxed nostalgic today about my childhood memories; you can read that here. Sometimes I get the urge to record things before they have slipped out of my consciousness and other people's, and my memories of my first ballet teacher feel like they are right on the edge of such a loss. "Madame" has her place in history, but it feels like it won't outlast the people with living memories of her. Also that is why this will be a short entry. I feel like I have to write something before the end of 2023 but I already used up most of the creative energy.
December has been pretty simple, and should continue that way. The girls had their school Christmas concerts last week. Very cute. I did not video record them; I just watched and enjoyed the moment. We had a short visit from USA - mother-in-law this past weekend. Next weekend we are going to see The Nutcracker with our friends. I am looking forward to that. Other than that, no plans other than Christmas Day dinner with family, and whatever happens on my birthday the day after.
I think all the Christmas presents are bought. The cards are written, but have yet to be put into the post. Sometime this week. But apparently nobody else is any quicker than me, because we have only received two cards. Oh well. I am sending them anyway. I've sent Christmas cards for at least 20 years. Even though it's a lot of work, choosing not to send cards would involve making a decision and that feels like more work.
No travel. I am grateful for opportunities to travel, but also grateful to....not.
I am trying very hard to slow down this month and not pack every day with as many things as I can do until it bulges. Less bulgy days! I think I'm succeeding.
Some things are worth doing. I have a fitness membership (somewhat underused lately) and I had a birthday coupon this month. I invited a friend I don't see too often to come do something with me. She chose meditation. We did that last Friday. Sometimes I do something with/for a friend and it feels like I've really made a difference to them. It's a glorious warm feeling, plus the meditation was very well-timed.
We are missing the girls' last dance class because AJ has caught a minor (I hope) gastrointestinal something. But luckily I had my crocheted gift projects for the teachers done last week, so it doesn't matter much. Also, I wish kids' activities would end at the beginning of December. There's just so many other things to do; it would be nice if we had one less place to go on weeknights, and didn't have to worry about (not) practicing piano. My stepdance teacher (who teaches only adults) ended classes at the end of November. Brilliant. I love stepdancing but you know what, it's just nice to do less in December.
Oh well. It's not up to me and we made the choice for the kids to be involved in lots of stuff. It's still a good choice.
So far, this December is a helluva lot better than last year, which completely went off the rails. I don't even want to talk about it: writing out all the things that went wrong would give them too much energy, and I refuse to do that. But suffice it to say I have really good motivation to focus on health and mindfulness this year.
Crochet happiness:
One of the keychain shoes I made for the girls' and my dance teachers (unfortunately only photographed one of the them) This pattern is my own invention, and it's very easy once I figure out how to understand my own written instructions.
My interest this year is amigurumi.
My ambitious project: a Ukrainian doll that will be a donation to January's silent auction (if it turns out: so far so good)
Next, I plan on making two ballerina bears for AJ and Dani, which are a somewhat simpler pattern, but still really cute.
My "going to bed" project, for myself: easy, comfortable and repetitive. Dark green triangular shawl.