All the Updates

I am so grateful for the friendships I've cultivated over the years. I'm not great at cultivation, but it seems that even my little efforts yield lovely things. It matters so much to me that others want to know how I'm doing. I always hope I'll remember to ask about you. If I don't, please remind me.

Here are updates on some of the things:

Travel: I have a greatly anticipated 5-day trip to see a friend at the end of the month, but no business travel till January. My last trip was a conference in Texas in which I did a new job of social media photography and posting. It was fun, but there was nothing in the way of sightseeing or exploring. The highlights were the people I worked with and seeing Ashlee, who used to live here. Ashlee and I didn't get a picture together, but it was a dreamy Sunday evening spent talking with her. In other upcoming travel, Eric, Sara and I may go to Utah for Christmas, but nothing is set yet. So, if you're thinking that I'm out of town in the next couple of months, chances are good that I'm not, so let's have lunch.

My Mom: If you didn't know, she's battling cancer and doing it brilliantly. She's had several chemo and radiation treatments, and the side effects are showing up. She's lost her hair and sometimes wears a wig. She is tired and sometimes feels rotten after a treatment. Her appetite is waning as the taste of food becomes unpleasant, so she's losing weight.  She still has her sense of humor and I love her for that. Being able to joke with her about scary and unpleasant things is so powerful and positive. The tumors are shrinking and surgery is still on the horizon after the treatments are done. Overall, the news is good for the circumstances. I still hate that I'm so far away, but hate is not a positive emotion, so I work hard to be grateful for all the good things.

Evan the Missionary: He is in the 4th week of his Missionary Training Center experience in Provo, Utah, and says he's having success with Spanish as well as learning to teach interested people about our church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He writes clever letters filled with a sense of fun as well as deep conviction about what he's doing. He will head to Argentina on October 20. I may get to briefly speak to him on the day he flies down there, but nothing is guaranteed. I continue to be largely un-concerned about him and remain blessed with my ability to send missionaries off without pining for them. I love what he is doing and would not for a moment have him be at home instead of where he is.

Here's the latest. This is in front of the Provo, Utah Mormon temple, which is across the street from the training center. 

Me: Ha. I feel like I talk about myself ALL THE TIME, so I hate to even mention it, but I'm doing okay. I ran a half marathon a month ago and made a new friend. She's good at cultivating, so we've texted many times and run together again once and she invited me to come and play. It's thrilling to get to know someone new who I genuinely like so much.

N and I at the end of the race.

Work is busy and sometimes boring, but I'm grateful to have it. Most days I get up at 5:15 on the dot without an alarm. I move slowly in the mornings, so you'd think with all that time I'd get so much done. Not so much. I read my scriptures and meditate. Sometimes I do some yoga, but running or weights early in the morning are just not my favorite. It hurts until my body warms up. I also can't knit in the early mornings because my hands are numb. Sooo, usually I write, though because I write so many other places, this blog gets neglected. I have my knitting blog that needs a post per week, plus my business website that also gets a post per week. It usually takes me days of work to complete those posts with photos, links, research and references. Lately though, even the typing and photo editing are tingly, so yes, I'm getting myself to the doctor.  I generally sit at the computer from about 7am -11am, editing photos, knitting, designing knits, researching, answering questions for students and subscribers, and dealing with money.

My latest design, in progress, checking for fit on its intended recipient (my iPad). 

If I have other plans, no big deal. I do my work some other time. It's why I work at home. After I take a midday break, I usually do housework and laundry in the early afternoon, then figure out dinner, then back to the computer for the afternoon/evening. Some days I don't have that much to do, but most days I have at least that first 4 hours of solid work. If I don't have a huge work day, I'll walk or run at some point, or do some weight training.

We are working through an enormous apple harvest and I have one batch left of apple pie filling to make, plus I want to make a fresh apple pie. I'm also working on clearing out my house. It's a thing. I have lived here for 22 years and frankly, the storage of junk that has happened just by default and laziness is getting me down. As in actually depressed when I think about it too much. So, that is an official daily task and I'm making some noticeable progress.

During all the minutes in between all that stuff, I make a point of getting out and doing things with other people, including watching kids for my friends, having lunch, teaching people to knit, trying to help other people and generally avoiding the melancholy and inertia that are always hanging about my shoulders. For reals. I'd literally never leave my quilt-cave if I didn't make myself. I will happily leave it for things like this though:

My favorite MoMo just hanging out on my legs. I love times like this. 

My lovely friend shows off her first knitted project. 

So there you have it. My present day. How is yours?

The Moon and Venus just before sunrise this morning. A good way to begin.