Time of Transition

Transitions are always strange. Not necessarily bad or good, but a change always requires a little time. Although I have had some big changes in my life recently, those are not the changes I am talking about. I mean the change from summer to fall. Although this year it seams like we skipped the summer (and possibly the fall, also) that I am accustomed to and went from spring to winter. Halloween just flew by, like I would imagine a witch on her broomstick would fly around...well, wherever she wanted. Dan and I dressed up and passed out candy to the neighborhood children. But then, as soon as I was getting used to the skeletons and blood, black cats and carved pumpkins, I had to take them down and replace them with autumn leaves and turkeys.

Don't get me wrong, I love fall. I mean, my favorite color is orange!!! I think it is the feeling that I am falling behind. I worry that I am a day late in decorating, behind in my cleaning, and nowhere near ready for Thanksgiving (just around the corner) or Christmas (following close behind). It doesn't help that wherever I go, all the stores have completely skipped over Thanksgiving and gone right into Christmas. All the decorations are snowflakes and christmas trees, not fall-toned leaves and turkeys. The merchandise is gismos and gadgets on wish lists for stocking stuffers, or pre-wrapped gift baskets in sparkly red and green adorned with golden bows and silver snowflakes. Perhaps that is why I feel like I am playing catch up. Around me, the sights, sells, and feeling of the real world says I should be cherishing the turning of the leaves, the crisp chill in the air, and the crunch of my booted feet on the newly frosted grass in the early morning. I should accept that it is dark when I wake up in the morning, and dark by the time we are sitting down for dinner. I should smile that I can break out my collection of scarves and sweaters, and wear them without also having to wear multiple layers and a puffy, down coat on top. But despite what feels natural, stores and tv and advertisements are telling me that I am behind. That good, responsible people are already putting gifts on layaway. That if you haven't picked out your Christmas menu, you are a poor hostess. That Frosty the Snowman should already be living in our front yard. With all these mixed signals, how could I not feel distressed in the transition.

So, I am making a conscious decision. I am deciding to NOT skip fall, to be thankful for Thanksgiving, and to adore autumn. After all, nothing beats the beauty of a golden harvest moon or a spectacular orange colored sky at sunset or a night of snuggling next to a roaring fire. For me, that is the true beauty of this season.

Just one of those days...

So today has been just one of those days. Not exceptionally good or bad, just another day with stuff that has to get done. It has been threatening to rain all day. The sky is an overcast gray, filled with clouds, but just a sprinkle here are there has actually fallen. It is dark and ominous outside, charged with that feeling that something is about to happen, but you aren't sure exactly when. The wind is gusting and the wind chimes on the back porch are clanking, giving their chaotic warning. The storm threatens. It lurks. The hammock swings in circles over itself. Over and over and over again. I am drawn like a magnet to the sky. Just watching, waiting for what will happen. I know it will rain, so there is no suspense, but the question is when. It is as though I can't concentrate on anything else until my question is answered. When? I have many things I should be working on. Tasks to be completed. Some mundane, some exciting, some creative. But I can't seem to stop staring out the window, wondering when I will hear the first drop of rain? When? I know I should go and do something, but I find myself here, still, transfixed by the gray-black clouds rolling in. And I wait. For the rain. For the moment of "when".

Fish Identification

So I was diligently working on a great new scrapbook. Dan and I love to scuba dive, and we take photos during our dives, but for some reason (I guess since we are still learning the complicated art of underwater photography) most of our pictures are left out of my vacation scrapbooks. I guess I never thought them to be "good enough" for me to spend so much time scrapbooking. But that changed when I went to Michael's with my Mom. In their clearance bins they had a chipboard album shaped like a fish. That gave me a great idea. I am going to make an underwater mini-album of the fish we see on each dive trip. That way I am not committing to 12x12 pages in my scrapbook (unless it is a really great picture), but we can have an album with our own fish pictures. I keep really good records in our dive logs of all the fish we see (or at least all that I can remember), but I think this will really add to the memories. Since it is a small album, it doesn't matter that the pictures aren't the best, but now they don't just sit on my computer, without being used.

But now, I am faced with the difficult task of going through all my dive pictures and deciding which is the best picture of each specific fish so we have a good representation of each one. Also, I have pulled out my Hawaii's Fished book and am trying to find specific names for each fish. I can tell you that a fish is a butterfly fish or a parrotfish, but I need to know what type it is, a threadfin butterflyfish vs a lined butterflyfish vs a raccoon butterflyfish. So my relaxing afternoon of scrapbooking has turned into me with my nose in a book. Well, to those who know me, that should come as no surprise. Back to work.

It's Raining, it's pouring...

It has been raining all day. When I woke up this morning, Honey didn't want to get out of bed, and to be perfectly honest, I didn't either. I don't know what it is about gloomy, rainy, overcast days, but they make me want to pull the blanket up to my chin, snuggle with Honey, and read a book. I read a couple more chapters of The Sun Also Rises. I loved it. Then, I turned on the TV to a marathon of one of my new favorite shows, The Scariest Places on Earth. I watched a couple of episodes. It was great to feel so safe and comfy in my bed while I watched something that at times scares me.

Well, I couldn't stay in bed all day, so I finally got up and started work on some scrapbooking. I am trying to get a whole Tear Bear album completed (each page is a month, and I am trying to get two years done). Then I got sidetracked and started working on organizing some of my supplies. I can't seem to concentrate when things are out of order. I still have a lot more work to do, but I have a good start on several activities.

The rain keeps falling, lulling me back to bed, and it is so hard to fight the urge. Hearing the raindrops on the skylights of the house, I can't help but yawn, even though I shouldn't be tired. So maybe I will stop for a nap before I continue with my work. But then again, laundry waits for no woman. I am off to move things to the dryer.

A little about me.

I am a 25-year old bride-to-be. I am planning a long distance wedding to the man of my dreams. I am originally from Kansas City, but now I live in Ohio. Throughout my life I have had the good fortune to live some pretty amazing experiences. So many people have touched my life, and for a long time, my mother has encouraged me to start a blog so I can keep in touch and keep people updated with where I am and what I am doing. I had to start sometime, so why not start now?

I love scrapbooking, traveling, reading, scuba diving, ballroom dancing, golf, knitting, weaving, and spending time with my family. I am fluent in 6 languages and am always interested in learning more. I have a wonderful dog named Honey. She is a Weimaraner and keeps me very busy. I am an only child and am very close to both my parents, but Dan, my fiancee, has a big family, so I have the best of both worlds.

At this moment, I am in the middle of numerous projects. I am, as always, planning my wedding. I am also scrapbooking. I just finished a mini-album of my 25th birthday trip to Hawaii!!! It is so cute, if I do say so myself. I also take classes at my favorite scrapbook store. I take 3 classes a month and am totally addicted! I am also in the middle of two knitting projects, a cool scarf for my Beautiful Mommy, and two polar bear hats for the twins of a friend of mine. Right now I am also finishing up planning a trip for two weeks to Spain and Portugal!!! I am reading Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises. It is wonderful. I read a couple hours each day and I get totally carried away with his writing.

So, right now, I am in Ohio, getting ready to go to the gym (getting into shape for the wedding) and then to the Swamp Romp, a cajun inspired music fest. I just hope it doesn't rain on my parade!!