Back from the weekend
We had a busy one. Trains and the California Science Center figured prominantly. We had a terrible time at the latter. It wasn't nearly as engaging as most other Science Museums I have been to. the Air and Space Gallery was particularly awful. They had shut down many of the exhibits and it was mostly an abandoned building. There was only one person working there at all and she was the greeter at the front. At least the trains kept the weekend from being a total loss. Now that was fun.
We are so pooped and, since it is supposed to be seriously hot here today (90F in April. That's just wrong.) we are staying home. It doesn't hurt that the apartment looks horrible and needs some major TLC. I will never understand how I can have it spotless on Friday evening and by Monday morning it looks like no one has ever even thought to clean up in here. It doesn't hurt that the carpet in here is totally gross because it is so darn cheap. We have had it professionally cleaned 4 times in the 2 1/2 years we have been here. It just gets gross again the next week. And we even get the truck mounted guys to come out. and of course we are way overcrowded in here, but we only have a few months left on that. As I've mentioned before, our lease is up in August and we are going to move then. 1BR is okay when you have a small baby, but now it is just too tiny. We stayed this long because we have been working to clear ourselves of debt. Our consumer debt will be gone as of June. Yay us. This last year is the one where it just got to be too hard. It was inconvenient before this, but it wasn't until DS turned 3 that it got really icky. I can't wait to have a 2nd BR so DS has his own space for his toys and bed and all that and we have space for a dining table inside the house (We currently have it on the balcony. One of the benefits of living in Southern CA I suppose. Very little rain and warm enough to eat outside most of the time.)
But of course, all that means time spent looking for a new place. And since we are pretty committed to living near the synagogue this time around, that limits our search radius. I trust that what is meant to be will be and we will find something appropriate when the time comes.
Monday, April 26
Thursday, April 22
Booktalk
I still haven't added a "What am I reading" and "What am I listening to" etc section, even though I want to, mostly because I don't want to mess with Design elements too much. It drives DH crazy. :)
Anyway, so we'll start with my current reading list. For the fans of Jewish fiction with an Orthodox bent, I am currently rereading The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis.
I lived in Memphis and was a part of the Orthodox community there for awhile, well as much as a college student and newly married who couldn't afford to live in the eruv could be. Anyway, it has a lot that is thinly veiled and some things are exact descriptions like the description of the purple and silver shul. I'll never forget the day I first walked into that shul. Plus, the story is just plain wonderful. Here's an excerpt from this one.
Also on my reading list is her next book - The Outside World.
I have it on hold at the library and hopefully it will show up this week. It is brand spanking new - out last month in hardback - and everything I have read about it has been overwhelmingly positive. Since I already know I love her style, I am looking forward to reading this one too. Here's an excerpt.
And then there is the book I just bought online and cannot wait to arrive: Lawrence Kelemen's To Kindle a Soul.
I've read excerpts in Natural Jewish Parenting and heard reviews by several people I know both IRL and online and I finally bought it. Yay!! And only just in time. He's coming to do a Shabbaton and Seminar at my local shul. I am so going! Oh wait. Maybe not. I'm going to be out of town. As DH just said, sucks to be me. D'oh. This happened when Rebbetzin Jungreis came too.
Okay, enough of that. There is no knitting news. I left the knitting in my trunk all day. But that's okay because Ezra and I had a really nice day. We took a long walk (well, I walked and he rode his tricycle) and played ball, bubbles, climbed on the play structure at the playground, drew with sidewalk chalk and generally had a nice time. We also redid the balcony and put our glass dining table back up out there so we can eat outside. We vacuumed the indoor/outdoor carpet reorganized some of the stuff out there and it is now a nice space again. We had dinner out there this evening (baked beans, polenta and steamed broccoli) It was wonderful. Oh, BTW, broccoli, organics and kashrut don't always go together very well. 4 large stalks of broccoli hit the trash during dinner preparations. Once aphids take hold in the broccoli florets there is no getting them out fully. Bummer.
I still haven't added a "What am I reading" and "What am I listening to" etc section, even though I want to, mostly because I don't want to mess with Design elements too much. It drives DH crazy. :)
Anyway, so we'll start with my current reading list. For the fans of Jewish fiction with an Orthodox bent, I am currently rereading The Ladies Auxiliary by Tova Mirvis.
I lived in Memphis and was a part of the Orthodox community there for awhile, well as much as a college student and newly married who couldn't afford to live in the eruv could be. Anyway, it has a lot that is thinly veiled and some things are exact descriptions like the description of the purple and silver shul. I'll never forget the day I first walked into that shul. Plus, the story is just plain wonderful. Here's an excerpt from this one.
Also on my reading list is her next book - The Outside World.
I have it on hold at the library and hopefully it will show up this week. It is brand spanking new - out last month in hardback - and everything I have read about it has been overwhelmingly positive. Since I already know I love her style, I am looking forward to reading this one too. Here's an excerpt.
And then there is the book I just bought online and cannot wait to arrive: Lawrence Kelemen's To Kindle a Soul.
I've read excerpts in Natural Jewish Parenting and heard reviews by several people I know both IRL and online and I finally bought it. Yay!! And only just in time. He's coming to do a Shabbaton and Seminar at my local shul. I am so going! Oh wait. Maybe not. I'm going to be out of town. As DH just said, sucks to be me. D'oh. This happened when Rebbetzin Jungreis came too.
Okay, enough of that. There is no knitting news. I left the knitting in my trunk all day. But that's okay because Ezra and I had a really nice day. We took a long walk (well, I walked and he rode his tricycle) and played ball, bubbles, climbed on the play structure at the playground, drew with sidewalk chalk and generally had a nice time. We also redid the balcony and put our glass dining table back up out there so we can eat outside. We vacuumed the indoor/outdoor carpet reorganized some of the stuff out there and it is now a nice space again. We had dinner out there this evening (baked beans, polenta and steamed broccoli) It was wonderful. Oh, BTW, broccoli, organics and kashrut don't always go together very well. 4 large stalks of broccoli hit the trash during dinner preparations. Once aphids take hold in the broccoli florets there is no getting them out fully. Bummer.
Wednesday, April 21
Two posts in one week! Don't get used to this!
Who knows how long this energy will last? Or the free time to do it. Actually I only have free time this afternoon because DS decided that he would in no way at all want to go to the park for the scheduled playdate. And you know what? Since he's playing nicely and quietly and not getting into everything, he must be happy to be here this afternoon. Granted we did a lot this morning (Mommy and Me at the Chabad) so its no wonder that he could use the downtime. So we'll head off to the farm at around 5 to get our CSA basket and then go get Daddy and come home to a lovely dinner of butterfly pasta with Swiss chard.
I still need to update my website itself (maybe later?) but for now, I'll simply settle for getting a few posts up.
OH! I forgot to mention! My dad is getting remarried in July after having been a widower for 2 1/2 years. I'm really happy for him and Karen, his fiance, seems like a great choice. She's a little like my mom in looks, but totally different in most every other way, but she is warm and personable and I think will be very good for my dad. She is also a widow who, coincidentally, lost her husband just a little before Dad lost Mom. So they can understand each other in that respect as well. Welcome to the family Karen!
And last, in knitting news, I've made good progress on the French Market Bag I hit my goal of finishing the base by Wednesday and now it is just stockinette in the round for quite awhile. Some good solid mindless knitting. Too bad I don't have a TV show to obsess over. Although I do have a couple of Netflix movies here that might be interesting. Oh and 2 weeks worth of 24 to sit through with DH.
Almost forgot, and since it is amusing, I wanted to add it: DH's office has to be out of their current space by next Friday because a new tenant has rented the space. (they never renewed their lease because they have been saying they would move for some time now.) And they have nowhere to go as of yet. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh? We're wondering if there will be a point at which Michael will be telecommuting for a little while or if they will all move into his boss's living room. Did I mention his boss's wife is in her last trimester of pregnancy with their 2nd (their 1st is about 2 1/4 years old)? They've got a lot on their plate about now. I hope the company doesn't move into their living room. :D
Of course all the places they are looking at are farther away from us then his office currently is which could add an additional 10-15 minutes of commute time (going from 8.5 miles to 15 miles or more) and possibly necessitate freeway travel. That is going to make sharing one car extremely difficult. So much so that I don't think we will be able to do it. And we've been sharing one car for 6 years now. I don't really want to think about that, because a new car isn't in the budget right now, so we will have to get a beater car. And if we get a beater car, then we'll get stuck in car inertia, so I'll never get a new car and continue to be kicked in the ribs and kidney through my car seat by my 3 year old. That child (who obviously I love dearly, BTW) cannot keep his feet down at home or in the car for love nor money. Drives me nuts. Drives DH even more nuts.
Who knows how long this energy will last? Or the free time to do it. Actually I only have free time this afternoon because DS decided that he would in no way at all want to go to the park for the scheduled playdate. And you know what? Since he's playing nicely and quietly and not getting into everything, he must be happy to be here this afternoon. Granted we did a lot this morning (Mommy and Me at the Chabad) so its no wonder that he could use the downtime. So we'll head off to the farm at around 5 to get our CSA basket and then go get Daddy and come home to a lovely dinner of butterfly pasta with Swiss chard.
I still need to update my website itself (maybe later?) but for now, I'll simply settle for getting a few posts up.
OH! I forgot to mention! My dad is getting remarried in July after having been a widower for 2 1/2 years. I'm really happy for him and Karen, his fiance, seems like a great choice. She's a little like my mom in looks, but totally different in most every other way, but she is warm and personable and I think will be very good for my dad. She is also a widow who, coincidentally, lost her husband just a little before Dad lost Mom. So they can understand each other in that respect as well. Welcome to the family Karen!
And last, in knitting news, I've made good progress on the French Market Bag I hit my goal of finishing the base by Wednesday and now it is just stockinette in the round for quite awhile. Some good solid mindless knitting. Too bad I don't have a TV show to obsess over. Although I do have a couple of Netflix movies here that might be interesting. Oh and 2 weeks worth of 24 to sit through with DH.
Almost forgot, and since it is amusing, I wanted to add it: DH's office has to be out of their current space by next Friday because a new tenant has rented the space. (they never renewed their lease because they have been saying they would move for some time now.) And they have nowhere to go as of yet. Nothing like waiting until the last minute, huh? We're wondering if there will be a point at which Michael will be telecommuting for a little while or if they will all move into his boss's living room. Did I mention his boss's wife is in her last trimester of pregnancy with their 2nd (their 1st is about 2 1/4 years old)? They've got a lot on their plate about now. I hope the company doesn't move into their living room. :D
Of course all the places they are looking at are farther away from us then his office currently is which could add an additional 10-15 minutes of commute time (going from 8.5 miles to 15 miles or more) and possibly necessitate freeway travel. That is going to make sharing one car extremely difficult. So much so that I don't think we will be able to do it. And we've been sharing one car for 6 years now. I don't really want to think about that, because a new car isn't in the budget right now, so we will have to get a beater car. And if we get a beater car, then we'll get stuck in car inertia, so I'll never get a new car and continue to be kicked in the ribs and kidney through my car seat by my 3 year old. That child (who obviously I love dearly, BTW) cannot keep his feet down at home or in the car for love nor money. Drives me nuts. Drives DH even more nuts.
Monday, April 19
Good Gravy, I just can't seem to get anything typed anymore!
I started on the French Market bag and I hope to have the contrasting bottom completed before the week is out. Actually hopefully it will be done before Wednesday. I've already knitted enough that I have moved it to the circular. Did I mention I much prefer dpns? I know many people think it is "like knitting with a porcupine" but I think the needles on the circulars are too short. But I do like my addi naturas though. If you need to use a circular... Maybe after I have knitted a whole bag on them I will get into the groove of the circular thing.
Now that Passover is done for the year, perhaps it will be easier to sit down and do things, we'll see. I'm starting to try to declutter, but when you are married to a packrat that is no easy matter. Moving is in our near future since our 1BR apartment is officially outgrown, so no matter what happens, come August and the expiration of our lease, we will be heading on to at least a 2BR place. So As things are put away, I'm trying to pack them up for moving (For example, when Passover was finished, instead of just folding up the box flaps, they got taped securely with packing tape and the dishes wrapped more carefully then if they were just going to sit in a closet for another year. Another example - kid's clothes and "winter" clothes.)
Oh, and the camping bug has bitten. We visited some friends at their campsite this past weekend (It was near enough to drive for just a short visit.) and, even though it was rainy and chilly, I really loved it. We used to camp for weeks at a time when I was a kid and I miss it. I don't know how my husband would do though. I have mentioned that it is sometimes like being married to the Princess and the Pea and I'm not joking. He enjoyed the last time we camped (many years ago) but he was much younger and we only were there 2 nights. He never had to take a shower or anything out of doors or at the camp showers. I think that a camper would be just about a necessity for him. What's more, we have a number of friends who have a camping "group" and organize many group trips throughout the season and it would be a blast to join them.
Oh and I am so glad that The Apprentice is over. It has been SO LONG since I was addicted to a TV show and I somehow got sucked in. No more! You hear that Mark Burnett and Donald Trump? My only TV will be Arrested Development from here on out, and even that will be on an "Oh is that on? I like that show a lot." basis. Not that I have to worry. Since it is so intelligent and funny it is bound to be cancelled. Happy week!
I started on the French Market bag and I hope to have the contrasting bottom completed before the week is out. Actually hopefully it will be done before Wednesday. I've already knitted enough that I have moved it to the circular. Did I mention I much prefer dpns? I know many people think it is "like knitting with a porcupine" but I think the needles on the circulars are too short. But I do like my addi naturas though. If you need to use a circular... Maybe after I have knitted a whole bag on them I will get into the groove of the circular thing.
Now that Passover is done for the year, perhaps it will be easier to sit down and do things, we'll see. I'm starting to try to declutter, but when you are married to a packrat that is no easy matter. Moving is in our near future since our 1BR apartment is officially outgrown, so no matter what happens, come August and the expiration of our lease, we will be heading on to at least a 2BR place. So As things are put away, I'm trying to pack them up for moving (For example, when Passover was finished, instead of just folding up the box flaps, they got taped securely with packing tape and the dishes wrapped more carefully then if they were just going to sit in a closet for another year. Another example - kid's clothes and "winter" clothes.)
Oh, and the camping bug has bitten. We visited some friends at their campsite this past weekend (It was near enough to drive for just a short visit.) and, even though it was rainy and chilly, I really loved it. We used to camp for weeks at a time when I was a kid and I miss it. I don't know how my husband would do though. I have mentioned that it is sometimes like being married to the Princess and the Pea and I'm not joking. He enjoyed the last time we camped (many years ago) but he was much younger and we only were there 2 nights. He never had to take a shower or anything out of doors or at the camp showers. I think that a camper would be just about a necessity for him. What's more, we have a number of friends who have a camping "group" and organize many group trips throughout the season and it would be a blast to join them.
Oh and I am so glad that The Apprentice is over. It has been SO LONG since I was addicted to a TV show and I somehow got sucked in. No more! You hear that Mark Burnett and Donald Trump? My only TV will be Arrested Development from here on out, and even that will be on an "Oh is that on? I like that show a lot." basis. Not that I have to worry. Since it is so intelligent and funny it is bound to be cancelled. Happy week!
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