miscellany

the rain sounds cold

It is raining. Or hailing. Or some other sort of frozen rainesque thing that is turning all the fallen slow to heavy wet slush. 

I should probably invest in some new boots.

For now I am hibernating, in the warmth with my tea and a pile of new books. 

I am slowly but surely getting into the swing of 2009. 

We got ourselves a Wii Fit for the holidays and started it up on January 1st. It’s nice to have a way to exercise that doesn’t involve going out into the slushy snow, and I like the format and routine. Perhaps it’s the kindergartener in me but I enjoy being able to stamp a date on the calendar and get credits for minutes. Simple rewards, gold stars for good behavior. They work, though. Everyone likes a star.

Back to reading and listening to the freezing rain cascading down the side of the building. Am mid-way through Kelly Link’s Pretty Monsters and have Tana French’s In The Woods to pick up when I’m finished. Am going to endeavor to read more this year, and keep better track of what I’m reading, too.

Now, if only kittens were sleepy or snuggly instead of running around like maniacs it would be a very cozy afternoon.

By erin, ago

happy & new

I have sparkling pinot noir and whiny kittens. We had sushi earlier and watched Baz Lurhmann’s Romeo & Juliet and now there is only a measly half an hour left of 2008.

2008 was a weird, tumultuous sort of year and I’m not entirely sure I liked it. It wasn’t that bad but it wasn’t all that fab, either. Ah well. Past is past.

And if the 2009 outlook tarot reading I just did is any indication, it is going to be a very, very interesting year.

Happy & New.

By erin, ago

winter

We have lots of snow! Later I am going to bake cookies and then tomorrow is Yule and there will be presents and candles and solstice. Well, solstice first, since I think technically that’s at 7am my time.

And then more cookies. And possibly martinis.

Merry merry. With snow and joy and peace and all that lovely stuff spread over top like icing.

By erin, ago

things you find when you’re not looking for anything

We went for a walk this morning because the weather is beautiful and the leaves are mostly fallen in piles of yellow and red and orange on the ground. It is bright and sunny but breezy, and we decided to walk longer than we usually do. Instead of stopping somewhere around Pickering Wharf we wandered further down Derby Street, past the House of Seven Gables and down near the Salem Ferry.

Why was I unaware that there is a house covered in magical statues and creatures and contraptions near the Salem Ferry?

It is marvelous. There are birds made from horseshoes and sea serpents fashioned from iron and rope. Creatures fashioned from driftwood and metal. I was very glad I had decided to bring my camera.

I love this city. There are more photos (and also photos of leaves and pumpkins) on my Flickr photostream.

By erin, ago

there will be time, there will be time

I have been meaning to post here for days and keep getting distracted. The time gets away from me, I get distracted by a hundred things. I wonder where the day went, and then the week. Tricksy time, going ever onward without stopping. Apologies. Here is a picture of birdies to make up for it.

Salem Hallowe’en was something, as usual. We wandered around downtown in late afternoon and then came home before it got too too busy. I sort of immediately fell into NaNoWriMo and forgot about a lot of other things (I still have stuff to put on Etsy that needs to be photographed) but that’s ok. Am just under 15k right now. I’ve been considering going for 75k instead of 50k but that might be too much for one month. Maybe.

Spent the last 24 hours or so going from anxious to bouncy to elated and there was far too much candy and wine involved. Kind of tired today, but still happy. Need to get back to novelling and other stuff but history unfolding in front of one’s eyes is a teensy bit distracting. I am sad about some of the state-by-state decisions, particularly in California, but the good outweighs the bad.

I love that Cute Overload is taking suggestions on what kind of puppy Sasha and Malia should get. I vote Corgi, myself.

I am happy and hopeful. I am enjoying writing my NaNovel. I like that outside my window everything is falling leaves and nicely gray skies. Warm fuzzies and tea.

By erin, ago