Month: May 2010

Music to feed you soul

Last week I downloaded Lou Rhodes’ new album ‘One Good Thing’ from iTunes. I loved her first album, not so much the second, but this one is definitely my favourite. It’s a return to the sparesness of the first, with more depth. I’m head over heels in love with it.

I like Lou Rhodes, yes I do. She is a person I’d love as a friend. She is a Buddhist who lives in the countryside in England. This album was informed by the suicide of her sister, and the breakdown of a serious long-term long-distance relationship. It is beautiful, it is gentle, and it is deeply touching.

Here she is doing an Elliot Smith cover…

On a totally trivial note, the local newsagency is a dangerous place to go. It is stuffed with gifts, and lovely, classy ones they are too, including gorgeous writing stationery, storage boxes and all manner of things that I drool over. I went in there today to buy my father a birthday present. I came out with only a Charles Rennie Mackintosh (art nouveau) inspired metal bookmark. I did very well 🙂

bits…

  • Never did find a blog design I was happy with. Finally got around to doing something about it and now have my very own-made something.
  • Autumn has arrived. Finally. And it is cold! My inner broken thermostat is breathing huge sighs of relief.
  • We have new neighbours next door, with three kids. I don’t see much of Liam anymore … he is always outside playing with the kids next door. Their place or ours. It’s a wonderful thing and I’m so so so happy to see him with other kids to play with finally.
  • Found something on my sd card when I put it in my computer tonight:
Embroidery for Arwen
beaded embroidery for Arwen Elizabeth. (Rena send pictures when you have it framed!)
  • Quote for the day:  “Since you would save none of me, I bury some of you. “–John Donne
  • Received some gorgeous things in the mail this week from my favourite etsy seller Relica Supplies, who sells gorgeous vintage finds for jewelry, particularly from the Art Nouveau period. Also scored a big, ‘mod’ pendant. I will post pictures once I have made something from them. Speaking of which, I made three beautiful bracelets for Mother’s Day and forgot to photograph them. A shame … I was very happy with them.
  • Ordered some great books that were on sale today: Crocheting with Wire (for beaded jewelry), some very different designer knitting/crocheting combo patterns, and a book on art journaling for healing.  Will definitely post pictures when I do some of these.
  • It’s been a hard, sad week. Natalie had her first chemo treatment this week (she has them three days running each cycle). The REALLY strange thing was, that it was on the anniversary of MY very first chemo treatment… Tuesday after Mothers Day. Natalie’s handling it well so far, no nausea. She did have a mild allergic reactions to one of the drugs on the first day, so they pumped her full of something and she promptly fell asleep in the middle of her lunch and treatment and slept the rest of the day and night. They have given her antihistamines beforehand for the last two infusions, and all seems fine now. She will be having surgery some time before the next cycle (which is only 2/3 weeks away!) to have a portacath put in. I have to admit I’m horrified that they are going to do surgery when she is undergoing chemo. *shudder*
  • And hence I am behind in my studies and have had to ask for extensions on two assignments due this weekend. I will be so glad when this semester is over. It’s been a hard slog, what with Natalie’s bad news, mammogram time for me, and all that goes with that. During the break between semesters I have plenty to do. A content management system website for somebody, try to finish typing that Electric Light book, and maybe look at redoing Heavy Water Experiments’ website, depending on how much time I have left after the other things. Maybe. Maybe not.
  • It HAS been hard to keep motivation up lately, and it’s no wonder really. I was warned this would happen, from the nurse from the chemo ward. It’s time to seriously get back into the meditation, big time,  and being gentle with myself. Lots of private journaling.
  • Time to snuggle down with a book. It’s past midnight, and my nose is cold!