Done Unpacking

It only took a month and a week! Well at the end there, it was basically one box. That stupid "Crap, Crap, Crap" box was a toughy. It is hard to find places for all those odd items. In the kitchen I don't have enough drawers for a junk drawer so I have a crap shelf-open for all to see. Can't wait to get to Ikea and get a solution for that!


This is our box tally. The rule was when you broke down the box, you marked a tally. So we had 109 boxes, when I had guessed 63 and Mike 58. WOW!!! is right. That's a lot of boxes. And a lot of stuff. But I knew we had a lot of stuff.

So now I'm just enjoying being home on my days off and doing normal upkeep things. Like laundry, making bread and cleaning. Although, there are still apartment things to be done. But I think anyplace I live is always going to be a work in progress. Like today I turned one full length curtain into two half length curtains for the front windows. I love working on my sewing machine that sits out in my Sun Room...

This is my favorite room. Partially because it has all my stuff in it. But REALLY because it faces south and so gets sun ALL day, unlike the living room that is dark all day. The room that had my stuff in it before was dark all day and I never wanted to be in there and so was always trucking stuff out into the sunnier dining room. Not anymore.
Now I have a sunny room and so I can't wait to get my chores done so I can retreat to my room with a book on cd and my knitting.
The best part is looking at this crazy bunch of stuff and feeling inspired. Even if it looks a little chaotic, I love it. Especially the Tower-O-Yarn.

In Case You Were Wondering...

I do still knit.

Maybe not as much and too many things at once, hence little progress and fewer FO(finished objects). But more on the knitting later.

I had a very busy morning. Three hours of weeding, but these are JUMBO weeds so it was more like digging. Burr plants, rag weed and a few others. I just concentrated on the big ones, that was enough to work on.

And this is the mountain is what I ended up with.

Plus a sore back, dirty feet and burrs ALL OVER. Here is a bunch of them on my shoe. I was glad that I wore two layers on my bottom half, but the long sleeve t-shirt didn't give so much protection and I ended up with little scratches all over my arms.

I also transplanted some of the raspberry plants along one edge and from around the rhubarb plant to make the planter easier to get around. It doesn't look pretty, but in the spring I can plant black eye susans and other hardy big pretty plants to fill in the gaps. And maybe make a path so the berries on the inner part of the planter can be reached more easily.

Stanley had a GREAT time running around the yard. I think he would be happy to spend that much time out there everyday. I caught him eating dirt at one point, so I am going to keep an eye on him. Seems like that would give a guy a sore tummy.

And now I will spend the rest of my day inside knitting...

This is going to be a baby sweater. Commissioned by a friend for a friend. This will be a fast project, I love racing through these kinds of projects, it feels so good to watch it grow and complete.

Scarves can be fun to watch grow, but boy do they take a long time, especially lacy ones...I finally blocked this recently finished scarf, which I have been knitting on for awhile. I only realized it was finished when Shannon told me it was. Okay, but what will I do with the extra? Why not some lacy gloves? she said. DUH! The lace pattern was originally from the palm of a glove pattern...

I hope to have enough yarn to make them too. I love Interweave.

So these two patterns are taking priority and the two sweaters for myself a backseat. The one has hit a , do I have enough yarn to finish? road bump, so a break from that is welcome. The other is going fine, but I just started the second front panel and getting bored. Hopefully these two relatively shorter projects will help be reinvigorate. Time to knit...

Never to Late for Eating Outside

Well the number one benefit of not working in theatre is that I get to go to see theatre. Go figure. Went to Writer's Theatre opening of Picnic Thursday night. It was VERY strange for me. I couldn't relax the way I could at ATC. Still feels like I should be doing something when I am there, not just watching a show. And because of the Metra schedule I was not able to see my friends afterwards, which was very disappointing. But I was glad I got to go and see what they are doing.
Before I say anything about the play I must preface by saying I know nothing. I am not a theatre expert. I graduated with a degree is sound not theatre. I have only my opinion. Not any authority. I enjoy plays that I enjoy that is all.
The stats:
Picnic is by William Inge. It takes place on two porches and the yard inbetween them. 1950's starting labor day morning and ending the next morning.

This Production
It would have been very dull for me sound wise, not because the design was bad, it's just a realistic show that requires very little. Both the sound and the lights were seamless with the enviroment and therefore enjoyable. Lights were beautiful.
Costumes were great, a great time period for clothes and they were fun to look at.
Honestly the acting was touch and go. But these things can be hard to pinpoint. The text can really throw actors curve balls, especially with such a dated script. And I also should say that the play was turned into a screenplay and I didn't much like the movie or the acting in the movie, so who knows. I have never considered myself much of a judge of these things. I probably just don't like the play.
But there was one part of this production I was truly thankful to have experienced. The set. AMAZING!!! It better win some sort of award. It was beautiful. Jack McGaw reimagined the space. They added a bank of seats upstage and took out a row of seats dowstage and built two porches. Tree branches float and canopy over the stage and seats. Just beautiful. Transforming. Totally happy to sit in that space, everyperson in that audience is a part of the playing space, of the enviroment, of the STAGE. A great experience.
So overall pleasant. There were some high points especially the overall design of the show. And I should say that individual performances I liked too. The mother and the school teacher and her beau stood out for me. So If you are at all curious and enjoy a good set, check it out.

http://www.writerstheatre.org/

Time seems to be getting away from me. My best friend since third grade is getting married on October 31st (halloween has always been her FAVORITE). I need to start preparing for Erin's wedding in earnest. Dresses to fit, reservations to make and tickets to buy. October is almost here and I have a feeling it will come and go as quickly as September. And yet the house is still not as far along/as homey as I would like it to be. Will it ever be?

Please come over and see. I need more opinions. More advice. And maybe a little reassurance.

This week I must get my Sun Room in order. Things must fit in there stored somehow or they must GO! I will be tough on syself and my stuff. Then I will feel better. Then I can begin curtains.

In the meantime I plan to try and squeeze every last drop out of this lovely late summer early fall that is surrounding us. Hold on with both hands.

Especially while picking these late season raspberries from the bushes in our yard. What a great thing, to take the dog out in the morning and pick berries while he runs around. I have to work fast on the ones that are close to the ground because Stanley has developed a taste for them and he will try to chew them off the branch. So, to satiate him I give him the overripe and otherwise less pretty ones. Except for having to pick seeds out of my teeth afterwards, it is perfect.

Today was a Doosey

My First Opera

Shannon says it was a good intro. It was a solid 3.5 hours.

Well I cannot actually say it was my first opera, I worked on an opera for Lite Opera Works of Evanston. But they were miked and it was not even close to the scale of this.

This was amazing. I think I like it more the more I think about it.

The only thing that was keeping me from being truly moved during the performance was that I didn't understand what they were singing.

There were sub-titles, so I got the whole story, no confusion there. But the subtitles were at the top of the procenium, and I was close enough that I couldn't read them and see waht was happening on the stage.

But I wouldn't have changed my seats, about half-way back the main floor. Far enough back to get good sound developement, but close enough to get the power of the ensemble. Also far enough back to get most of the big picture. So I think my seat was perfect, but I REALLY look forward to seeing Porgy and Bess (PPPPLLLLEEEAAASE Shannon!!!) and understanding without the subtitles and therefore really turning myself over to the story and the music.

Now that I think about it, although it was VERY entertaining and VERY beautiful, the story didn't really have a lot at stake. Well these two people happiness and lives, but there just wasn't that tension. That heart tug. That something that makes you really root for the character and feel what they feel. That may change with a different opera.

I look forward to seeing more operas and having a real knowledgable (although probably always an amatuers) opionion about them. Hear that Shannon? You converted me!

Truly the scale and power of the production is what I had hoped to get from broadway tours and missed. Ahh the power of the human voice in full (virtually) unadulterated glory.

So I went from there to letterpress printing training afterhours at the Chicago Ave Paper Source. It was two hours of talking about all the myriad of invitation and stationary possibiblities.

It was wonderful. It was overwhelming. It makes me what to make something.

I felt like I will never know it all and want to know it all RIGHT NOW. Like everything in my life I need to learn patience. I am not good at waiting, even for my brain. Especially for my brain.

And everything at Paper Source is wonderful. And their letterpress is no exception. The designs, colors and the ways to realize the customers dreams. The possibilities make you excited to work with someone on creating something.

I always leave work with this urge to make something and the frustration of neither having a project or an idea.

So now I am home, it is late and my brain is spinning with the sensory overload of my wonderful day. I hope I can recover enought to appreciate Picnic tomarrow at Writers Theatre. I've got all day.

Almost Done Unpacking

Life is full of new things that cannot be easily contained or expressed.

This is the store I am working at!

The new job is going well. It is retail and I am not sure yet whether it can make me happy. I find it hard to think about the bottom line and feel encouranged by the sell message. But then when I am with a customer, I do believe in the Paper Source products and I do genuinely want to make sure they have everything thing they need. I had trouble at first starting a dialogue with customers, but just asking someone what they are working on instantly opens them up and I find I can actually help them find what they need and get more ideas. And yet there are somedays when it seems like I have no answer for the majority of the questions being asked of me. THAT is frustrating. I give myself to the end of the year to get settled and figure out if this is a stepping stone or a path.

Oh and the fun products are very dangerous. I can't wait to try out more and share the results.



Meanwhile at home...

Everyday we have made progress or changes to our new apartment. We have gotten to the point where there are a few little things left, but I am starting to feel comfortable. We even had a friend over for dinner last night. (thanks for the good time and company Shannon!) And I didn't freak out that the house isn't perfect yet. Mike was very proud. But there ARE so many things to be happy about.

One of my favorite features is the wall-o-closet in the bedroom.

Theres lots of space for our clothes and my shoes, and when I am done looking at clothes, I pull the curtains shut.

The kitchen has really come together, those empty shelves from a previous post are now full. I occassionally move stuff around to try and optimize my space, but I love the openess and space.
We are still working on the office and the sun room, although the flor tiles we put in sure look great with mike's stuff...
So for now I am trying to be patient about our progress and feel good about one more box unpacked and one more shelf organized. Yes we still have boxes left, about 10. Stay tuned to find out how many we ended up having...

Rainy but Relaxing

It rained on and off during our weekend trip to Wisconsin. Our first night brought a constant drizzle and a drop in temperature. So we got our first glimpse of our hotel through a rain splattered windshield.

The Silver Star Inn is far out in the countryside of Spring Green, Wisconsin. It is a lovely ten room inn, a retreat in the wilderness. Thank goodness the way was well-marked by signs becuase even after two days Mike would still almost miss the turns. I loved the log-cabin architecture, but never did ask how old the building is.

But the best part by far were the excelent breakfasts. So good I didn't remember to take a picture until it was almost gone. Cinnamon waffles with bacon one day and herbed scrambled eggs with ham and potatoes the next. yum. We spent our down time here playing games, like these dominos at breakfast and YATZHEE, which was a first for Mike. I think it is going to become "his" game because he beat me three out of four. And got mulitple yatzhees one game. Good thing I'm not a sore loser.

There are a few things to occupy your time in the area, one notable we din NOT get to this time is Frank Llyod Wright's Taliesan. What we saw from a distance was beautiful, but the tour is very expensive, so another time.

I was very glad to get a break from the rain and take out a canoe on Friday morning. Mike called the big puffy clouds "Simpson's Clouds." And they did resemble the cartoon drawings from the opening sequence. I love being in a canoe, so quiet and a great view. I paddle for a while and then let Mike and the current take over and just relax. The Wisconsin river was so smooth, you would almost think it wasn't moving at all. But even without paddling, the canoe would zip along in the current. It was over too soon.
We even had a African Queen moment when we were so close to our destination, but got stuck up on a sand bar, so Mike had to get out and push, of course he only got wet to the ankles.

But the highlight of the weekend was our evening at American Players Theatre. I enjoyed going early with our cobbled together picnic and just enjoying the atmosphere. And all those people, so festive. But before long the rain was back. We braved the slow but steady downpour. Soaked to the bone by the end, but glad the show was not cancelled altogether. It was so great to see "Midsummer Night's Dream" for my first time live and to see my friends being the iconic characters. Marcus said his Puck, and the whole show, didn't have quite the pace it usually did, but I enjoyed it regardless. It was SO FUNNY! What a fun way to spend a summer. I am jealous. Thanks guys.

Moving is a Process

Well I sure will miss living up in the trees and looking down on people. One thing that was very apparent when we moved in here was how exposed we are on the first floor. It also took HALF the time for the movers to move us in. So goodbye old aparment, I leave this plant, left for us when we moved in, for the next set of tenants.

There were a couple things we did before moving in, I painted the bedroom and the dining room imperceptably differant colors. Why is that so frustrating? The chip looks so different, but you get it done, and can't tell, well except that it looks cleaner and fresher. Anyway, so I spent a day painting and then Mike and I put in the FLOR tiles over the linolium in the office.

I have to say the stuff is a dream, vacuums easy, looks and feels GREAT, and the chair rolls over it like harwood. Plus it was made from 80% post-consumer fibers, and can be sent back to them for recycling when we're done with it. This was our big pre-move purchase, even at $2.60/sq foot it adds up. After moving it it was chaos. Sorry about the dark photo, all I have for right after move in. There were tons of boxes, Mike and I bet how many, I say 63 he says 58. So we are keeping tally, only when you break down a box.

There were so many things we couldn't figure out until after moving in, like these shelves in the kitchen, used to be one big shelf. It took me a few sketches to come up with a satifactory plan, then Mike cut them and I painted. Then wait for them to cure before filling...
The bedroom involed some work too, the three foot wide closet would hardly be sufficient, so we are turning this whole wall into a closet. Then a curtain in front to hide it.
There is so much more, cable and phone install, getting internet and then wireless working, office shelves and kitchen table, basement and armoir into bar. So many things we are getting done. We have made a lot of progress from the photos here, unpacked 40 boxes so far and yet, I still get frustrated. It's day five and we still have a lot to do. I have to tell myself it's a process. It will take time.

But we have to take down time too. So glad of our favorite feature, the yard.

Stanley sure is too, we can take a break, step outside and give him some well deserved excercise.

Perfect for frisbee.

We will be heading out of town to two days, to American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Hopefully it will be rejuivinating and I won't be wishing I was here unpacking...