a little sad underneath all the happy

My brother, Scott, flew back to Tucson this morning, and I am so sad.

I'm not complaining.  I've had visits from two of my brothers in less than a month so I am extremely grateful and happy.  I'm just a little sad underneath the happy. One of my greatest wishes is to stuff all my loved ones into a snow globe and never let them leave.  

I'm sure they are very happy that I cannot do this.  

Scott and I had a ridiculously good time.  We biked, ate donuts, climbed a wizened and lovable tree, hiked, and played lotsa games - even Quiddler. Sucker!

Pops & Scott

Scott was worried I was going to drag him on a long and brutal bike ride.  I immediately dispelled his fears by taking a quick donut detour off the bike path.  

This grasshopper flew into me and hung on for awhile, gaining my love and affection... Until Scott pointed out that the little shit cutesy wootsy grasshopper was eating my pants (look closely).  

My delight at finding snakes, especially ringnecks, has only ever been completely understood by Scott. We also came across a garter snake who was very grouchy and wanted to eat us, so he doesn't get a spot on the blog.

Scott found two snake skins, one of which still had the eye holes!

I cannot take credit for this next one.  This is all Scott.  

But this little guy peeking into (eating?) a mushroom was all me.  

all sorts of craziness

We are moving back to the remodel in less than two weeks!

It's going to be a little crazy, but we've found a renter for the house we're in, and it's a good time to move back over - the floors will done soon, we will have lights, it's fall so the weather is darn near perfect, and quite honestly we're ready to nest and are looking forward to being fully immersed in the completion of the house. 

Here is a picture of the steps going in:

Oh, and my brother, Scott, is in town!  Like, right now!  We had a great weekend hanging out with our dad, going to flea markets and hiking in thunderstorms.  

Ha Ha Tonka State Park was, as usual, stunning:

And this was Scott at the spider-infested walk at Bennett Springs:



We couldn't take two steps without walking into a spiderweb.  They were everywhere.  More than I've ever seen on any hike, and probably the equivalent of a year's worth of hikes.

We found a few treasures at the flea markets, including this:

And it still has the handle!



I have another printers tray that Robert gave me a few years ago, and when I took it down before the remodel it was very full, so it's definitely time for another one.  It's probably going to take me years to fill it up, but I'm looking forward it.  For now they're both in storage, but not for long!

all of your favorite holidays at once

One of the best things about working at a library is all the neat stuff I come across.  It's easy to take risks, and risks drive growth.  

I flip through books and take home anything that catches my eye.  A handful of those risks have altered how I speak, how I show love, how I paint and even how I breathe.  

Music is the same way.  Bagpipes and drums? Sure. Funny looking opera cd that has 10 discs? Why not?  If anything has a picture of a bird on it the odds are pretty great that it's going home with me. At first I though Foy Vance was some kind of parody of Vance Joy so I didn't even investigate it. Then I saw the beautiful swan on the cover, and it went home with me.  And what an album!  

Before I worked at the library I was a nanny and it was tough to tell who loved the books more - me or the children, but I never felt comfortable checking them out for myself.  Watching my coworkers go bananas over kid's books gave me the courage to start taking them home.  At first it was just a handful, now it's bags and bags.  

Occasionally, if it's slow at the library I'll crack one open and flip through it.  And a few times patrons will ask for a peek, which means that those kid's books end up going home with them, and hopefully making them feel a little less shy about checking them out in the future.   

Going to work each day at the library is like walking into a place that's celebrating all of your favorite holidays at once.  In addition to eccentric regulars, there is a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and excitement.  And every new cd, book or movie that looks promising is a gift that never stops giving.  

Soundtracks are on my list of favorite things.  They usually showcase a compilation of artists, which means lots of variety, which is important to me. And I almost always find someone new that makes my ears and soul happy.  

I couldn't get into the book, Me Before You, so I'm not sure I will ever watch the movie.  But I knew I had to take the soundtrack home. And I'm glad I did because it introduced me to Jack Garratt.  This song has quite the melody going on.  It's a good song to hum to, a good song to sit perfectly still with as it restores the soul after a long day's hard work, a day filled with helping others find their own Jack Garratts in the vast and never-ending stacks at the library. 

  

remodel update

Doors are going in!

And grass is coming up!

restoring that fuzzy lava feeling

After a holiday the library can get a little bit... How do I say this politely?  

The library has a tendency to be a little batshit crazy after a holiday.  We are very loved, and my heart simply melts into fuzzy lava knowing that people miss us so much.  

However, we have a million things that were returned while closed, and all those things need to be processed.  Plus everyone gets a little spacey so we have a lot of what we call 'mismatches,' which is code for things returned without all their pieces.  

Oh and if I have a holiday and I'm not going out of town I like to do a bit of housecleaning, get caught up, that sort of thing.  Apparently we all feel this way because there's usually a wall of donations awaiting us.  

People also find items that were lost in the 60's and and naturally expect refunds.  

Other folks use the extra time to learn new library resources like databases and ebooks, and when its unsuccessful, need some help ASAP when our doors open after the holiday.  

Fines from ten years ago are discovered and must. be. paid. now.

Everyone's a little cranky because we have to go back to work.  Even people who work in libraries! WHAA?  

And added to all of this holiday mayhem is the fact that we are missing 25% of our staff due to promotions, moving, etc.  A lot of turnover.

So, today, on my day off, I am going to clear my mind, go for a walk, do a little yoga, and listen to as much music as I possibly can.  Tomorrow, I will greet you with only patience and a heart full of music when you need me to learn how to use Publisher in 5 minutes so I can help you make a graphic or you hand me a Walmart bag of pennies to put towards the fines on your six kid's accounts.  

Or if you accidentally returned an empty six cd set because you put each of those cds in unrelated cases that were on your grandma's best friend's account, I will nod understandingly and smile, even as I hear a thousand things fall on the floor in the backroom because the tub is overflowing.  

Yesterday a lady, who was at least 80, ducked her head in the back room.  

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"I was just following the sound of that beautiful music."

I was a little mortified because I was playing this:

Thank goodness it wasn't Big Pimpin'. 

biggest cardboard maze ever

We are getting very close to moving back in!  We might even be living there by the first of October. There is still a lot to do, but all we need are two bedrooms and a potty, so it's looking good.  While I was working Saturday, Rachel and Robert cleaned up the front yard and seeded it.  And yesterday I jumped in and the three of us got the backyard cleaned up and ready for seed.  I don't have any pictures because it went from a scary, messy mud pit to a very tidy and naked mud pit, and mud pits just aren't attractive.  We did pick up about 10 trash cans full of gravel, construction debris and hundreds of nails.  Our hope is that we can get some grass growing so that our dogs don't turn the house into a mud pit.  

And if the grass doesn't come up in time?  No worries!  I will just channel my six-year-old self and make the biggest cardboard maze ever.  Can you imagine two golden retrievers and three humans living in a cardboard maze?  

Currently, tile is going in!  This is one of the upstairs bathrooms.

Electricity things are happening (aka lights! audio! outlets!)

And our built-ins and kitchen cabinets are coming together.  We stopped by the warehouse to talk about stain and I snuck this picture of the built-in window seat that will go in my craft room, which is sitting on top of a bathroom vanity:

wisdom and inspiration

This is part 2 of August's Awesome Reads:

The New Bohemians by Justina Blakeney 

I couldn't help it.  My review ended up a bit too long.  It's here.

What I've Stolen, What I've Earned by Sherman Alexie 

Longer review coming!  I will say that this is the most exciting book of poetry I've read in over a year.  And it's incredibly emotional and electric and genuine.

Drawn to Nature by Clare Walker Leslie

- This is inspirational paradise for anyone who journals, no matter what their medium is - For the next year I plan on recording the life of my little free library and the tree it sits beneath. This book gave me so many ideas I hadn’t thought of – such as documenting weather, time of day and any creatures that pass through. I can only hope that my completed journal is as happy and chock-full of beauty, color and inspiration as Drawn to Nature. 

What Would Buddha Say? by Barbara Ann Kipfer

- Excellent advice for anyone, but especially people like me who struggle with composure and articulation. - Each right-speech teaching is just a little blurb, usually no more than a sentence or two so there’s no chance of getting overwhelmed. 
- Though I read it all the way through over the course of a couple weeks I think its purpose would best be served by having a copy lying out somewhere in a visible spot so you can pick it up and read a few pieces at time.

cuddling lotsa puppies

I read so many good books last month that it was tough to keep track of them all.  August's reading favorites will be a double post.

Starting with these:

Ms. Marvel: Super Famous by Willow Wilson and a handful of great illustrators (including my favorite, Adrian Alphona)

As all of Kamala Khan's true fans know, she is not a sellout. But in volume 5 there's a shady advertisement that looks like it could be otherwise. YIPES. In Super Famous Kamala's not just fighting bad guys. She's also fighting herself (the number of Kamala's is actually a bit closer to the hundreds range). And she's struggling with priorities and school and the terrible bomb Bruno drops on her. My favorite part is when she says, "Sorry. I don't exactly have quiet, pretty powers." I think every girl who reads this is going to write it in big letters on everything.

A Vacation for Pooch by Maryann Cocca-Leffler

-  adorable, easy-to-follow story that leaves you saying ‘awww’

- illustrations are plentiful, loud and very sweet (my favorite was the Pooch and Molly page)

- great way to illustrate that sometimes it can be a very happy thing when your original plans don’t work out

Bo at Ballard Creek by Kirkpatrick Hill and Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Bo at Ballard Creek is for those of us who have always wondered what’s going on in one of those idyllic snow globes.  But even though the folks of Ballard Creek live a cozy life they also have to deal with Grizzlies, winter and illness.  

One review was dead on when it stated that it was a like a “rambunctious Little House on the Prairie.”  It’s definitely set in a harsh land – the Alaskan wilderness, and Bo is the apple of everyone’s eye, which as it turns out, is a whole lot of people.  She also has a loving family – two papas.  And every day is a fine blend of routine and adventure.

Reading this is the equivalent of cuddling a hundred puppies.  It’s utterly adorable, filled with loving and quirky characters, and there’s a sequel to boot.  It would also make an excellent book to read with children because of the short chapters, funny Eskimo names and cute illustrations.

The New Bohemians by Justina Blakeney

The first time I read this I thought that it was much too wild for my taste. After spending the next year flipping through it every time it came through the library it was obvious that I was in love with this crazy book so I reread it and now we're besties. It’s comprised of different takes on the bohemian style – everything from modern to nomadic to earthy. You may even discover that you’re one or more of these styles and go about changing things up in your home. A lot of the finds in this book came from craigslist and thrift shops, which is excellent news for those of us who are treasure hunters. I've never given tasseled light fixtures my attention before, but will definitely be looking at them with a lot more respect after reading The New Bohemians. There are also fun do-it-yourself activities scattered throughout- Denim patchwork pouf! Mosaic rack/tiny planter thingie!

I love all the slouchy lived-in vibrancy mixed with the abundance of plants and wood elements. This book is bursting with patterns - suzani, Native American and patchwork. Thrown together they create rich textures that marry well with the abundance of linens and soft animal fur throws. Plus there is so much fun going on here; we’re talking tassels galore, wacky planters and one very blissful paper-mâché skull. Like me, you may not love everything in this book. As much as I love the penny-tile-with-dark-grout look I’m never going to put forth the effort to clean my bathroom with a toothbrush. And I probably won't embrace a leather couch that looks like it's been shredded by an ambush of tigers. But this book is such a cornucopia of aesthetic wonder you will find something that makes your nomadic/earthy/romantic heart sing, even if it takes your eyes a year to sort through all the splendor.

Jason

My brother, Jason, drove up for a visit over the weekend!  

It is ridiculous how much we look alike, but it's a good kind of ridiculous.  

We drove down to see dad and our Aunt Lil.   

And we did a bit of urban exploring as well.  

I even talked Jason into a bit of jumping!

It was really a wonderful and special and silly and super fun visit.