last day
brand new day
When Callum was a baby, he had considerable trouble with transitions. He cried leaving the house to go to swim class. He cried leaving swim class to come home. He cried when we got out of the car to go into the house. I finally learned to help him with this by waving bye-bye to everything we left. "Bye-Bye, house." "Bye-Bye, swim class." "Bye-Bye, car."
He still struggles with these transitions. Taking down the Christmas tree was hard for him this year. He mostly helped by staying up in his room, getting dressed...for hours. And so I'm working to help him here too. I told him that for me, part of what made having the tree so special was that we had it for a limited time. Saying good-bye to the tree doesn't make having had it any less special. It makes us look forward to next Christmas even more.
And now the time has come to say good-bye to another friend. We're putting the Blue Rain Room to bed. Not the blog, but the name. (Don't panic, mom.) It's time. When I started this blog nearly four years ago, I was full up on crafting blogs and trying my wings at knitting and sewing. The Blue Rain Room was the name from whence all those things sprung. Thing change, she shrugs. I still knit and I still sew (a very little), but if you've been reading along at all, you'll know that this blog has stepped away and become different from those things. More.
It's the best gift I can give my family, to try to capture these moments as we rub along together, so it seems time to move the blog out of that room and let it take its proper place. The one where I take pictures, and I write about my life.
The phyiscal Blue Rain Room still exists, of course. It's my office now. Filled still, with yarn and fabric, it also houses my laptop and grammar books and a space heater. I write there every day. I write every day. I may not write for me every day (yet), but I do write every day, and I think I might be the luckiest person in the world.
So "Bye-Bye, dear Blue Rain Room." Thank you for all the gifts you've given me each and every day.
Hello, www.stillpluslife.com
It's still for the photos I take, and life for this enchanting life I am lucky to lead. I plan on doing some more tweaking than to just the name. Dust off the cobwebs and maybe switch up the look a bit (If I can do it without having to reformat every single picture I've taken over the past four years.). And there'll be some more things to look at too. A greater emphasis on photos. But at the heart of it all the Blue Rain Room is still here. The link will even work for awhile, but I suggest you get used to using the new one. I'm going to try to.
It's a brand new year and a brand new day.
eleven for 2011 (shockingly similar)
1. write for myself every day
2. step it up with the photography
3. find my way back to yoga
4. add more glamor
5. shake some dust off my karma
6. read more with Callum
7. open my heart
8. hone my self-discipline
9. be more brave
10. nurture all my relationships
11. do SOMETHING big
the best present we could have asked for
Sunday Morning, 7 a.m.
It couldn't have worked out more perfectly. The weather folk had been hinting at it all week, but suspiciously. Uncertain. In a don't-get-your-hopes-up-for-a-white-Christmas kind of way. Have I mentioned that I'm a weather nut? I've been watching that forecast. But it was shifty. Some days looked like the weekend would bring us snow, others looked like nothing. In the south, you can never trust a snow forecast. By Friday, things didn't look so good for us. No real snow coming, but that's okay because Christmas is pretty special in its own right.
Still, Alfie is here, and what do we do better than plan ahead and shop for food? We added some snacks to our Christmas dinner shopping, all the while making jokes about how my grandmother used to always worry, "What if it snows?"
Christmas was wonderful, and I'm sure I'll have more to say about that in a couple of days. By Christmas morning, it looked like like we might get a few inches overnight into Sunday. I got brave enough to check the forecast (didn't want to get disappointed), and with each peek, we got more excited. The sky looked leaden, the temperature dropped. Around three we got excited when we saw some flurries.
They lasted for about two minutes.
But we brought in more wood for the fireplace and added more layers and made the dogs go out again, knowing they weren't going to want to after the snow came.
We settled into watch some football and caught the evening news and the weather.
More flurries!
This time serious business. Our weather man called it a "shot across the bow." Not the real storm! We settled into watch a surprisingly competitive Arizona/Dallas game. Every few minutes someone got up to check on the status of the snow. The porch is getting wet! Really coming down now! I can't tell if the grass is white or not, but the road is wet. Alfie made us wait through the whole 3rd quarter without looking out the window. That was hard, but good because when we got up we'd really made some progress.
I slept with my curtains open that night. Whenever I woke up, I could see the streetlight on our street, and even if it wasn't snowing, I felt certain. Certain that we'd see more. That this was it. Our winter gift.
When I woke up before seven, the wind was blowing and the snow was coming down in spades.And it snowed all day.
In the ways that never happen, the forecast amounts of snow increased throughout the morning; 4-6 inches, 5-8 inches, up to a foot of snow!
Around eleven there seemed to be a lull, so we took a walk.
It snowed all day long. Callum and Neel tried to go sledding without much success. Too blowy still and too much snow coming down. So we snuggled in and watched from the window. Every tree limb, every surface, coated in white.
In the end, they're saying we got about 13 inches, but we're measuring a bit deeper in our yard. The third biggest snowstorm in our little city's history. The roads are still snow covered, the medical school is closed today, and there's nothing to do but settle in and enjoy it. We'll try sledding later this afternoon. Conditions should be perfect by then.
It was the best Christmas present ever. The anticipation everything I could have asked for...and the realization everything too. How often does that happen? The only thing, the only thing that would have made it better would be another system headed our way three or four days from now.
ice skating morning
Our local mall has opened an ice skating rink for the holiday season, and Callum went with some friends on Friday. Despite several falls, a suspected concussion and some achey muscles, he couldn't wait to get back.
We got there early, before they even opened and unexpectedly met up with some friends. It was a perfect day to be out. Not too cold and sunny, and even watching the Zamboni was a treat.
Another treat was a Zamboni Photo-Op!
The nice man let Neel sit on the Zamboni too!
I was not physically brave as a child, and I appreciate so much that Callum has bravery in spades. He's willing to try anything, and leaps headlong into it, seeking to master the skill.
All three kids were incredibly brave, and the transformation they made in just a couple of hours was remarkable. Not just our kids, but everybody there. Even the ones clutching the wall for dear life eventually made their way around the rink fall-free. An impressive feat on the feet.
After skating, lunch at the boulangerie (la boulangerie!).
Callum double fisted soup. Warming up from the inside out.
tell it to the board
It looked a near thing for a while this morning. A no-snow snow day, possibly. School was called, as it sometimes is here, on the threat of snow. (And before you get all weird and self-righteous, please remember that this is the Tidewater, people. We're not quite equipped for winter around here.)
But finally, finally it started snowing. It's been so cold, that we've got instant gratification with immediate sticking to rooftops, fire pits and roads.
I love this little chalkboard. I stole the idea from Pottery Barn and hung it by the door. It tells all of our pertinent thoughts. Early Dismissal, Don't forget swim stuff, football scores, how many days til Christmas and lately, our heart's desire. Let it snow.
Is it too much to hope for a white Christmas?
first fall
It won't last. It can't possibly. But here in the Tidewater, we'll take what we can get.
la boulangerie
So Violet has developed a fascination with all things French lately. She's speaking with a French accent and has been begging for a beret for Christmas. And she's always asking, "Aller à la boulangerie pour le déjeuner, maman?"
Sadly, when we went to a sweet French bistro for lunch with my mom last weekend, it was without her. Elle était très triste.
If you get to Williamsburg, Virginia anytime soon (which I highly recommend), check out the Blue Talon Bistro. My friend Megan introduced me to this wonderful spot, and I go back everytime we head up there. I've never had dinner there, only lunch, and only lunch has always been wonderful.
My camera wasn't cooperating, so I didn't get many pictures. It's simple food. I had a meatloaf sandwich, and my mom had a burger. Neel ordered this wonderful appetizer called brandade that was heavenly, creamy goodness, and I must try to recreate it. But I really think Callum came out the winner with his French Onion Soup (but, of course!) and Parisian Hot Chocolate with homemade marshmallows. It was warm and thick and everything a mug of melted chocolate should be. Fortunately Callum needed help to tackle it!
And I mean hot chocolate, not cocoa. Hello hot chocolate. We'll be back.
clash
Well, it certainly doesn't feel like Christmas around here. It's creepy windy and warm this morning with a line of thunderstorms moving through, just in time for the school run. Of course. I'll take it though if the compensation is the beautiful sight we saw as we were leaving Callum's school yesterday.
A strong cold front waits behind all this weird weather, and that'll really get me in the mood. I have a load of work weighing me down, but all I want to do is decorate!
back to life
Oh gosh we had such a nice visit with my mom. Perfect chill Thanksgiving, and I still think it was my best turkey ever. It's funny about Thanksgiving, at least cooking the "big meal." Going in, it always feels like such a big production. So many sides to juggle, and who cooks turkey often enough to feel completely comfortable doing it?
I was the tiniest bit stressed out on Tuesday because I'd never left my meal planning that late in the game, and I made our family do work at dinner as soon as Mom arrived. We carved out a list and did the shopping on Wednesday, and Thursday actually felt like a breeze. I remember looking around the kitchen and thinking, that's it? Okay, we're ready to go. That was easy. AND I made homemade cranberry sauce! Who knew how easy that would be?
We braved the mall and went shopping on Black Friday (while Neel and Callum went to HP #7, Part 1), and that was loads of fun. Williamsburg on Saturday, and by Sunday we were outing-outed. Beat. I think we spent the day just one step up from jammies. Nice.
Mom left yesterday, and it feels good to be back in a routine. Back to the rhythm of work and school. I love this time of year. I brought all the decorations down from the third floor, Neel put on the lights on the tree outside, and we'll get our tree this weekend. I'm ready for Christmas music on in the house.
Except I think I have a cold. Chicken noodle soup and Zicam time.
thanksgiving
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
in which she speaks of gratitude
straight up
Oh, it's a busy week. My mom comes today. Hooray for Ama! There're shows to be shown and food to be cooked. And hey! Food to be eaten. I think I'll take a little break from blogging and just enjoy my life. I'll leave you with some scenes from this beautiful fall and some of the things I feel grateful for. (Hint: there's a lot. I won't list them all. This is just a start.)
tree and tree, our crepe myrtle and rebecca and evans' japanese maple
1. I'm grateful that my mom will be here in time to see some of the glorious fall color we've had.
2. I'm grateful for my work life. I'm challenged by it, and I'm really enjoying it.
3. I'm grateful for Callum's school.
4. I'm grateful for Callum and the young man he's becoming.
5. I'm grateful for my camera.
6. I'm grateful for Thanksgiving.
7. I'm grateful for Thanksgiving dinner.
8. I'm grateful for the good friends who have taken good care of me and my family this year.
9. I'm grateful for three little dogs who sleep in the sunlight in the room next to mine while I work.
10. I'm grateful for my headache medication.
11. I'm grateful for a sense of humor.
12. I'm grateful for Neel's sense of humor.
13. I'm grateful for marriage.
14. I'm so grateful for my marriage.
15. I believe in marriage.
16. Everyone should have the right to be married.
17. I'm grateful for my new storm door (photos coming soon).
18. I'm grateful that we have more of an awareness of pediatric migraines than was available when I was a kid.
19. I'm grateful for my home. My house, my town, my life.
20. I'm grateful for this blog and all who come here to read it.
brunch (love)
I think I mentioned last week that we were planning to have some friends over for brunch on Sunday.
I love brunch. What's not to love? The food is good, the drink is good. There is a relaxed ease that doesn't always come at dinner parties. We hosted this time, and any time someone would say, "Please don't go to too much trouble." I'd say, "As soon as I finish flinging out this ballroom wing." But I find the process of setting the table and getting out Neel's mother's lovely dishes so wonderful and meditative. It's nice and easy to get ready for a Sunday of food and friends.
Of course there's always the Bloody Mary too.
Everybody brought a dish to share, and I'm sorry, but I don't have a picture of the pumpkin bread that was such a hit. I got the recipe on epicurious.com if you're at all interested. We had a potato gratin (thanks, Ina!) and a wonderful egg dish along with the most amazing bowl of fresh fruit.
I was initially concerned that I'd overdone it on the bacon and made too much, but as it turned out we managed to plow through that plate quite nicely until there was nothing left but crumbs.
The kids all know each other. Most of them went to school together at one point and haven't seen each other in awhile. It was in the house and out of the house. In the house and back out again. All afternoon. We had a perfect fall day.
Brunch captured their attention for a bit, as did the webcam, which is where they are in these photos. They're good kids. All of them. Where else can you find a group of kids that range from second through seventh grade who can all have fun together? What a delight.
Ultimately, I'm not a very good feminist. (I know, way to jump around, right? Bear with me here.) I had a roommate once in college (isn't that when we're supposed to be all radical?) who chastised me for daydreaming with another girlfriend about the day when we'd be all grown up and at "the beach house" together. Our kids would be playing in the sand, our husbands on the porch drinking beers, and we'd be chatting in the kitchen, making everyone ham (it had to be ham) sandwiches. She saw that as a sign of my supression: me in the kitchen/he on the porch with the beer. I don't know about supression. Sounds pretty nice to me.
And then on Sunday, after the plates were cleared, the kids headed back out to toss the corn hole bags at each other and discuss the newest Harry Potter trailer, while the guys sat around the table sampling Old Smokey. Tracy, Debbie(Cate), and I moved into the kitchen. In between, "Is that your new lipstick?" and "Is it weird that my hip hurts this much?" we did the dishes and got them out of the way. Suddenly Tracy said, "You guys, we're married!" I knew exactly what she meant. Debbie(Cate) chimed in saying that just the other day she'd walked up to her husband in a store saying, "We have two kids." Like, oh my God, we have two kids. How did this happen? Here we are. As women, we know we all love each other. But also, we're married. Our husbands like each other too. They're sitting around the table together! We're grown up! We're all grown up, and here we are having brunch.
I couldn't help thinking back to that conversation, all those years ago. Had I even met Neel yet? It had to be a long time ago. Over twenty years. The men around the table, talking talking. The women in the kitchen, cleaning and talking talking. My old roommate didn't know the wonder of what she could be missing out on. Who is suppressed here? On any given night, Neel is the one breaking glassware in our sink as he does the dinner dishes. This was just three families gathered together. Gathered happily. It was perfect. The whole day was perfect. I was just where I wanted to be.
Here comes...
Category Five Hurricane Callum.
100% Scarier than any costume we've ever had.
1,000% more effective.
sunset
Neel drew our attention to the sunset last night, and I had to run right out with my camera. This shot is looking back, at the the light reflected in the living room windows of our house. It was an interesting evening, as far as the weather's concerned, in what's been an odd fall. Muggy and stormy last night. Bands of rain would move through, followed by clear starry skies. Sometime around two a.m. we had storms, heavy with lightening and thunder. And here it's nearly Halloween! As I write this morning, it's mostly clear, but wispy gray clouds are scutting across the sky, seeking an escape to somewhere. Should be warm today and downright hot tomorrow.
I'm ready for the real fall. I may have mentioned this before.
That little bug I mentioned last week has turned into a full-on sinus infection, so I'm glad to be working from home today.
Blogging may be light this week as I try to kick this thing, but I'll be back with more pictures of that gorgeous sky.
dinner out (homage to habit)
Our tradition is to go to dinner whenever he's here. I love how the tablescape represents that and each of us.
For more of Habit, check out www.habitblog.com
he came bearing gifts
So my dad came this weekend, and he brought Neel a present for finishing his grant that was due this month. How about them apples?
Lately Neel has been making much fun of my home state of Tennessee. He's been encouraging Callum to join in on the fun as they joke about what a hillbilly, backward place the Volunteer State can be.
But I disagree. Selling moonshine in liquor stores? I happen to think that Tennesse is quite enlightened.
because it's never too early
and since Target has their Christmas lights out next to the Halloween candy, I bring you my Christmas list.
First the books:
I have this yen for beautifully-photographed books about places we've been. I already have a gorgeous coffee table book about Greece, and while there are tons of books about New York, who can pass up Stieglitz? And while I haven't been to Paris (yet), this guy Eugene Atget is really intriguing to me, and I'd love to dig into his stuff a bit more before we go. (I feel certain that Neel is going to whisk us away for our anniversary, right honey?!)
Kitchen stuff is essential, but sometimes hard to purchase for ones self.
My crepe pan bit the dust, and this one from is only $25 from Crate and Barrel. Also from Crate and Barrel is the 12 qt. stainless steel stock pot. I have a soup pot, but I find it's just not quite big enough. Same goes for the Dutch Oven, this one from Williams Sonoma. Mine is not quite big enough, and besides, I love the lemongrass.
My photography bug needs satisfying sometimes, and there are a couple items out there that could do it, I think.
The Shutter Sisters do amazing work, and I think their book could be really inspring. And although I'm torn about it, part of me is dying to try a holga. You'll never know unless you try.
And because every Christmas list needs at least one totally frivilous item on it, I'll leave you with this.
from Sundance.
I wear a 39.