Ok, I admit it, I've been slacking this week. This time of the year I always feel weird. I feel scattered and pulled too thin, such as butter scraped over too much bread. Yes, yes, that is a line stolen from Lord of the Rings. My life has gotten quite busy lately. It would be even busier if I actually got that job I applied for at the Needle Nook, and yet I'm thinking that I didn't get it. In some ways that's a relief. I think perhaps at this time I'm not meant to be here. Hrmmm..... I didn't mean to say "here". I have a horrible habit of having several lines of thoughts at the same time, even when I'm typing one such line. However, I was concentrating solely on this so perhaps it was a subconscious thought that arose. I meant to say that it no longer feels "right" to work there. Lately I have joined a homeschool group, so I've started attending functions with them. And there is also my Pagan Soul Group and my Full Moon Circle. I'm at a crossroads and I feel something is about happen.

Carey is actively trying to convince me to go back to school. I'm not so sure about that one. Yes, I should take advantage of my GI Bill, and yet at the same time this is such a huge undertaking and it's scary. I never meant to go back to school and I would rather do a correspondence course. I hate meeting new people, but perhaps this would be good for me. It may force me even further out of my shell, and help me find myself. Carey has set it up for the kidlets to be watched on Thursday morning and I'm to meet him on the campus to attend a class with him; the professor that teaches it is also a member of our Church, so perhaps Carey chose that one with the idea that I'd be the most comfortable. I think he's trying to show me that college is as different from highschool as night and day and can actually be fun, so I guess we'll see.

Lately I have already found myself out and about much more than even a year ago and I find I'm quite starting to enjoy myself, again. The wall that I built in the early part of 2005 when I was activated and I came to terms with the knowledge that I would be away from my family for so long is starting to crumble.

So, with that in mind and the knowledge that there is still so much to do, here's a nice list of the last week's activities. I really must stop this. :D

1. Deedee has been calling Daddy princess.
2. We went to the annual UU / Muslim picnic and enjoyed ourselves very much. I got to know one of my Muslim neighbors in the process.
3. Carey's maternal grandparents surprised us for a visit and we spent a nice afternoon with them. They gave us two new treasures for Carey: a copy of Peter Rabbit in German and a German primer. Both are quite old. I'll get scans up of them soon.
4. I went to a quilt tying at a Mormon church with two of my neighbors and quite enjoyed myself. There were five of us working on that quilt and we managed to complete it in the two hours we were there. I managed to find out the status of Hannah, a little one born much too early a few months ago to some neighbors that moved across town. Born at only 26 weeks gestation, Hannah's faced quite a fight but she's finally gotten to come home! You can see pictures of her here. I have a small candle lit for her.
5. The candles lit on my altar are becoming quit varied: Surrounding a white candle is a blue one for James symbolizing a safe journey; a green one symbolizing a need for help in our finances; a beautiful pink one for healing and energy to little Hannah; another deeper pink one sending healing and energy to my friend Beth whom suffered an erupted appendix last week; a gold one for myself symbolizing the ever growing and changing path that I am on; a yellow one for Carey's scholastic endeavors; and a black one newly lit for Carey's great aunt, whom passed away yesterday morning.
6. I have heard from my little traveler! James is doing well and is quite happy. He left Saskatchewan yesterday on a road leading to Kenosha, WI and my paternal grandparents, whom he's never met. I'll get pics posted later.
7. I had a very profound experience with a bee that I actually held in my hand for some time before it finally journeyed on.
8. I had my monthly Pagan Soul group meeting. We discussed the service we are leading at the UU on the 23, which also happens to be the equinox. I am in charge of the altar. The altar for our ritual this past Sunday was very simple and beautiful, fully symbolizing the harvest with a pile of fresh vegge in the middle of the table, pinon nuts scattered around the candles, and beautiful harvest colored flowers. I am using it as a model for the altar I'll be designing soon.
9. Kitty is becoming more and more proficient each day with using the toilet and while I still have to pay a lot of attention to her in case of accidents, it's nice not worrying about diapers unless we go out. I am in the process of designing underwear for her since nothing is made this small. A friend suggested I should buy her some doll undies, LOL.
10. I have been revamping my homeschool blog, Forest Cottage.
11. I have been designing James' fall schedule and I have a whole list of fun activities planned.
12. Deedee's coat is coming along. It has been ripped out several times and I have finally settled on an 8 row stripe in stockinette stitch and the same color pattern I mentioned earlier. Deedee loves watching me working on it and informs everyone she sees that it's "Deedee's coat" so I guess that means she likes it.
13. My friend Patti and I ran away for a few hours on Monday. We enjoyed a simple lunch together and then went shopping.
14. My dog Max bit someone. He's a big baby. He looks like a black lab, until you get a look at his facial structure which points to great dane, explaining his huge size. However, the woman that he big says he chased her down and attacked her and yet I wonder what really happened. Max is very gentle, and he also has hip dysplasia which has him in a lot of pain all the time. She might have tried to pet him and gotten a sore spot. I still wonder about her description of him chasing her down, since it's very painful for him to run. He can only run in an odd bunny hop shuffle since neither hip can work independently.
15. The kids have had lots of fun playing Peekaboo. LOL Charles asks to "hide" at least once a day and very soon will have all the children cackling with the excitement of it. Even Kitty gets in on it.
16. A bunch of children outside were screaming so loudly in their play that they attracted the attention of a passing cruiser. The cops enquired around, sure that they had heard a domestic dispute. Neither would believe that it was only children.
17. I drove my friend Patti to an appointment. That was an adeventure in itself. First, truck two cars ahead of us broke down at a light, and we were stuck there for some time. And when we did reach our destination, it took us forever to find a parking spot.