The exercise:
On this final day of 2014, write about: finding my/the/your way.
Had a nice time at the early evening new year's eve party with other parents of young kids, now we're back home in our warm'ish house. It takes a long time to warm this place up when the overnight temperatures drop so low. The cold gets into the walls, it seems.
Hanging around tomorrow before having dinner with Kat's parents and brother, then we're heading back to Kaleden tomorrow night. Thankfully that place warms up much faster, what with all the baseboard heaters.
Wishing you all the best in 2015 in whatever undertakings you... undertake.
I should go to bed.
Mine:
The woods are filled with noises
Made by creatures out of sight,
And gnarled tree roots grab ankles
In the deepest black of night.
I stumble on with only
Rare pauses to catch my breath,
For I know that each shadow
Just might be concealing death.
Scratches cover my body
And I feel like hunted prey;
It's all part of the process,
For I am finding my way.
Tuesday December 30th, 2014
The exercise:
Write two haiku about: orange(s).
My first poem was inspired by a dear high school friend, who remains little changed in this regard to this day.
Gradually getting settled in here. It helps a lot to have figured out where most of the things I use regularly are located. Max is definitely more comfortable too, though he has moments where all he wants to do is go to Grandma and Papa's house.
Thankfully we'll be taking him for a visit tomorrow afternoon.
Mine:
You claim your peel's shaped
like an elephant, but your
smirk says something else
* * *
Orange trees consumed
by orange flames; now all that
remains is pure black
Write two haiku about: orange(s).
My first poem was inspired by a dear high school friend, who remains little changed in this regard to this day.
Gradually getting settled in here. It helps a lot to have figured out where most of the things I use regularly are located. Max is definitely more comfortable too, though he has moments where all he wants to do is go to Grandma and Papa's house.
Thankfully we'll be taking him for a visit tomorrow afternoon.
Mine:
You claim your peel's shaped
like an elephant, but your
smirk says something else
* * *
Orange trees consumed
by orange flames; now all that
remains is pure black
Monday December 29th, 2014
The exercise:
Write about: the house sitter.
Because, well...
Mine:
We started packing our things last night and finished this morning. Once (almost) everything was squeezed into the car we hit the road, headed for Kaleden.
We'll be house sitting here until early or mid-March (depending on whether or not we make a trip to Vancouver and Vancouver Island during Kat's spring break from teaching). It's only about a 40 minute drive from Osoyoos, so we'll be going back regularly to visit friends and to make sure Kat's parents still get some quality Max time in.
And to collect the things we couldn't fit in the car this morning.
So why did we agree to do it? A variety of reasons, but I'll mention the top three here.
Number one: this puts us a five minute drive away from OK Falls, home of Kat's teaching position. That cuts over half an hour off her commute this winter, a time when the roads are not always the greatest. So that's pretty important.
Number two: it also puts us about five minutes away from Penticton, with all it has to offer. Osoyoos tends to get pretty quiet during the winter months and with fewer outdoor options due to colder weather, it can be a pretty difficult place to live. Penticton also gets quieter, but its larger population means there are more things still on offer. And it'll be nice to be closer to friends in the area, as well as the larger stores that call the city home.
Number three: space. This is an inside time of year. That means no using the deck to double our living space. That means stuffing ourselves and our rather active toddler into our home. The house in Kaleden is normally home to two parents and two young children and has much, much more space. I'd say more than double but I suck at estimating that sort of thing. Regardless, it will make spending time indoors a lot more pleasant this winter.
On the down side it means Max's grandparents are not a five minute walk away. So he'll see a lot less of them the next two and a half months, and we won't be able to take advantage of all that free babysitting. We'll definitely be making an effort to see them, hopefully at least once a week.
The next time isn't particularly distant, as we're heading back on Wednesday for a New Year's Eve party at our bakery friends home, spending the night at our house, and then sticking around for New Year's Day dinner with Kat's parents and her brother.
Until then, we're going to try to get everyone used to living in a new home. Kat and I have been in our place for almost four years now, so it's an adjustment. Max has only ever known our place, so I imagine his will be a bit bigger.
Write about: the house sitter.
Because, well...
Mine:
We started packing our things last night and finished this morning. Once (almost) everything was squeezed into the car we hit the road, headed for Kaleden.
We'll be house sitting here until early or mid-March (depending on whether or not we make a trip to Vancouver and Vancouver Island during Kat's spring break from teaching). It's only about a 40 minute drive from Osoyoos, so we'll be going back regularly to visit friends and to make sure Kat's parents still get some quality Max time in.
And to collect the things we couldn't fit in the car this morning.
So why did we agree to do it? A variety of reasons, but I'll mention the top three here.
Number one: this puts us a five minute drive away from OK Falls, home of Kat's teaching position. That cuts over half an hour off her commute this winter, a time when the roads are not always the greatest. So that's pretty important.
Number two: it also puts us about five minutes away from Penticton, with all it has to offer. Osoyoos tends to get pretty quiet during the winter months and with fewer outdoor options due to colder weather, it can be a pretty difficult place to live. Penticton also gets quieter, but its larger population means there are more things still on offer. And it'll be nice to be closer to friends in the area, as well as the larger stores that call the city home.
Number three: space. This is an inside time of year. That means no using the deck to double our living space. That means stuffing ourselves and our rather active toddler into our home. The house in Kaleden is normally home to two parents and two young children and has much, much more space. I'd say more than double but I suck at estimating that sort of thing. Regardless, it will make spending time indoors a lot more pleasant this winter.
On the down side it means Max's grandparents are not a five minute walk away. So he'll see a lot less of them the next two and a half months, and we won't be able to take advantage of all that free babysitting. We'll definitely be making an effort to see them, hopefully at least once a week.
The next time isn't particularly distant, as we're heading back on Wednesday for a New Year's Eve party at our bakery friends home, spending the night at our house, and then sticking around for New Year's Day dinner with Kat's parents and her brother.
Until then, we're going to try to get everyone used to living in a new home. Kat and I have been in our place for almost four years now, so it's an adjustment. Max has only ever known our place, so I imagine his will be a bit bigger.
Sunday December 28th, 2014
The exercise:
Write about: the tired man.
Not inspired by myself, by the way. Read on to discover the actual source, if you're interested.
Max's cousin and aunt are going back north tomorrow, but we're hopeful that they'll be back to stay come March. They have an offer on their place but it doesn't close until January 5th, so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed until then.
In the meantime, my sister who is living in Calgary is coming for a visit at the end of January, which means Max will get to hang out with another aunt fairly soon.
Also: thank goodness for Skype.
Mine:
Our favorite coffee house here in Osoyoos has a rotating art collection, displaying various local artists for a short period before moving on to whoever is next in line. I've had a photographer friend and a painter friend both have runs there, which is pretty cool.
Anyway. On a recent visit there were quite a few paintings on the walls of actors in famous roles. A few of Bill Murray from The Life Aquatic, I remember an Adrien Brody, though I can't recall in which role. And, getting back to the point of this, one of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
I can't find the exact pose he was captured in, but it was something like this. Mouth open and looking crazy are the key distinctions here.
I thought Max would find it upsetting or scary or... unpleasant. Turned out, I didn't have anything to worry about when he noticed it for the first time.
"That man tired," he said, standing up on his chair to reach for it. "Go home, go sleep."
I decided that interpretation was just fine, thank you very much. So I might have encouraged it a little bit. Every time he pointed it out. Which was multiple times over the course of two, maybe three visits.
"Yes, Max. That man is yawning, he should go get some sleep."
Then last week we arrived and the next artist in line was on display. I didn't even notice at first. Max, of course, did.
"Where the tired man go?"
"Oh, he's gone, isn't he? I guess he was just here for a little visit."
"Where the tired man go? I find him."
"No, sweetheart, he's not here. Maybe he went home. Or he's in a different store."
Max was having none of it. He was already climbing down from his chair, ready to scour the coffee shop for the missing painting. But first he had to double check the exact spot on the wall where it had been hanging. Which was right beside a table occupied by two women.
"Where the tired man go?" Max demanded of them.
Several times.
I was honestly laughing too hard to explain what was going on to them. I can only imagine what they thought of it all.
Write about: the tired man.
Not inspired by myself, by the way. Read on to discover the actual source, if you're interested.
Max's cousin and aunt are going back north tomorrow, but we're hopeful that they'll be back to stay come March. They have an offer on their place but it doesn't close until January 5th, so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed until then.
In the meantime, my sister who is living in Calgary is coming for a visit at the end of January, which means Max will get to hang out with another aunt fairly soon.
Also: thank goodness for Skype.
Mine:
Our favorite coffee house here in Osoyoos has a rotating art collection, displaying various local artists for a short period before moving on to whoever is next in line. I've had a photographer friend and a painter friend both have runs there, which is pretty cool.
Anyway. On a recent visit there were quite a few paintings on the walls of actors in famous roles. A few of Bill Murray from The Life Aquatic, I remember an Adrien Brody, though I can't recall in which role. And, getting back to the point of this, one of Heath Ledger as the Joker.
I can't find the exact pose he was captured in, but it was something like this. Mouth open and looking crazy are the key distinctions here.
I thought Max would find it upsetting or scary or... unpleasant. Turned out, I didn't have anything to worry about when he noticed it for the first time.
"That man tired," he said, standing up on his chair to reach for it. "Go home, go sleep."
I decided that interpretation was just fine, thank you very much. So I might have encouraged it a little bit. Every time he pointed it out. Which was multiple times over the course of two, maybe three visits.
"Yes, Max. That man is yawning, he should go get some sleep."
Then last week we arrived and the next artist in line was on display. I didn't even notice at first. Max, of course, did.
"Where the tired man go?"
"Oh, he's gone, isn't he? I guess he was just here for a little visit."
"Where the tired man go? I find him."
"No, sweetheart, he's not here. Maybe he went home. Or he's in a different store."
Max was having none of it. He was already climbing down from his chair, ready to scour the coffee shop for the missing painting. But first he had to double check the exact spot on the wall where it had been hanging. Which was right beside a table occupied by two women.
"Where the tired man go?" Max demanded of them.
Several times.
I was honestly laughing too hard to explain what was going on to them. I can only imagine what they thought of it all.
Saturday December 27th, 2014
The exercise:
Write a four line poem that has something to do with: unqualified.
The parents left Max and Natalie with their grandparents and went for a nice long walk this afternoon. It was good to go at an adult pace and have adult conversations. The fresh air was appreciated as well, even if it was a gray, chilly day.
I have such a backlog of pictures on my phone that I want to share. I'll have to at least get them onto the computer tomorrow.
Mine:
When I think of her beauty
My mind becomes swamped!
Although, there is - No, no, no!
How quickly they forget the prompt.
Write a four line poem that has something to do with: unqualified.
The parents left Max and Natalie with their grandparents and went for a nice long walk this afternoon. It was good to go at an adult pace and have adult conversations. The fresh air was appreciated as well, even if it was a gray, chilly day.
I have such a backlog of pictures on my phone that I want to share. I'll have to at least get them onto the computer tomorrow.
Mine:
When I think of her beauty
My mind becomes swamped!
Although, there is - No, no, no!
How quickly they forget the prompt.
Friday December 26th, 2014
The exercise:
Write four lines of prose about: Mrs. Claus.
While Natalie's parents were off looking at potential homes in the area, we took her and Max to the model railroad museum with my parents this morning. It was a lot of fun at first but they got a little too caught up, which is a problem in a place that doesn't want running or jumping around.
We took them back downstairs to check out the gift shop but that quickly devolved into pulling everything off the shelves and playing with them. So we headed for home shortly after that.
From there it was a fairly relaxed day. Some finger painting at Kat's parents house (thankfully), running around in circles, and one last big dinner before my parents head for home tomorrow morning.
Natalie and Becky will be sticking around a little longer, one nice benefit of having their flight plans fall through. I'm glad, for Max's sake, that everyone isn't leaving at the same time.
Mine:
The biggest day of the year is in the books, over and done with, cross it off your list. Put your feet up and allow the frantic holiday to appear in your rear view. Have a drink or four and remind yourself that you do, in fact, know how to breathe normally.
Santa is home, safe and sound, and you don't need to worry about his safety out there in the frosty air, with all those airplanes and drones and lord knows what else, for another year.
Write four lines of prose about: Mrs. Claus.
While Natalie's parents were off looking at potential homes in the area, we took her and Max to the model railroad museum with my parents this morning. It was a lot of fun at first but they got a little too caught up, which is a problem in a place that doesn't want running or jumping around.
We took them back downstairs to check out the gift shop but that quickly devolved into pulling everything off the shelves and playing with them. So we headed for home shortly after that.
From there it was a fairly relaxed day. Some finger painting at Kat's parents house (thankfully), running around in circles, and one last big dinner before my parents head for home tomorrow morning.
Natalie and Becky will be sticking around a little longer, one nice benefit of having their flight plans fall through. I'm glad, for Max's sake, that everyone isn't leaving at the same time.
Mine:
The biggest day of the year is in the books, over and done with, cross it off your list. Put your feet up and allow the frantic holiday to appear in your rear view. Have a drink or four and remind yourself that you do, in fact, know how to breathe normally.
Santa is home, safe and sound, and you don't need to worry about his safety out there in the frosty air, with all those airplanes and drones and lord knows what else, for another year.
Thursday December 25th, 2014
The exercise:
Write about: one day.
Merry Christmas! I hope Santa was good to you and yours, and that your day was filled with laughter and love.
Max got quite the haul of stuff. I can't even remember it all right now. I'm not even sure I saw everything he received.
I do, however, know that if we hadn't taken away the mini basketball, soccer ball, and football that his Aunt Nicky gave him he'd have been quite happy completely ignoring the remaining presents.
Also: he's going to have a blast playing with the train set Kat's parents bought him.
I've got some cash and gift cards to spend, a CD to listen to, a couple books to read, and a laptop fan to replace the one that Max broke when he dragged it (and our laptop) off the couch a few weeks back. Probably some other things too, but it was a rather overwhelming gift opening session.
I should get this written up so that I can get to bed, because I need the rest tonight.
Mine:
One day each year
We leave behind
Our worry
And our fear.
We focus on
Family and friends,
And it starts
Before dawn.
And sure it might
Break down
And not last
Until night.
But for some amount
Of time it does
And, really, it's the
Thought that counts.
Write about: one day.
Merry Christmas! I hope Santa was good to you and yours, and that your day was filled with laughter and love.
Max got quite the haul of stuff. I can't even remember it all right now. I'm not even sure I saw everything he received.
I do, however, know that if we hadn't taken away the mini basketball, soccer ball, and football that his Aunt Nicky gave him he'd have been quite happy completely ignoring the remaining presents.
Also: he's going to have a blast playing with the train set Kat's parents bought him.
I've got some cash and gift cards to spend, a CD to listen to, a couple books to read, and a laptop fan to replace the one that Max broke when he dragged it (and our laptop) off the couch a few weeks back. Probably some other things too, but it was a rather overwhelming gift opening session.
I should get this written up so that I can get to bed, because I need the rest tonight.
Mine:
One day each year
We leave behind
Our worry
And our fear.
We focus on
Family and friends,
And it starts
Before dawn.
And sure it might
Break down
And not last
Until night.
But for some amount
Of time it does
And, really, it's the
Thought that counts.
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