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averygoodun42Good thing addendum 1: Night air. I slept in Babe's room last night (I ceded the guest room to my Uncle David and Aunt Carol whose supreme awesomeness demands such sacrifices be given cheerfully) and took the bed right by the rather low window. I woke up without a stuffy nose for the first time in aaaages. Cedar pollen count must be very low at the moment. Yay!
GTA 2: Lack of allergies in general. I got a few mosquito bites and guess what? No swelling. Barely an itch. I have had itches and random rashes, but overall, the allergy thang has been really mild here, which is such a blessing. It almost makes me want to clean my house when I get home. :-P
GTA 3: Daniel Amen, M.D.. His Change Your Brain, Change Your Life book is pretty damn awesome, but, with the exception of chapter 11, his Making a Good Brain Great is spectacular (and chapter 11 raises my hackles for completely personal reasons, not because it's a sucky chapter). Really, really good info in there explained very sensibly. It's what I consider a must-read if you have any mental issues in or around your life. Will have to buy a copy for our house.
GTA 4: My mum. For our mutual enjoyment, we went through her fabric stash today. *bounces* We found many wonderful fabrics, quite a few quilt ideas (and scraps for my fabric paintings, and gorgeous yards for maybe a few dresses for me, if I have room in my luggage) and makings for some awesome tea cozies, where the amount of fabric is lacking for anything else. While looking, we came across the leftovers of the starry fabric which inspired my bedroom quilt. So, I asked for a throw pillow to coordinate with it for Christmas. She came up with an awesome idea of a landscape quilt cushion. It has the starry fabric as the sky, then black mountains behind purple mountains behind a dark green strip of horizon behind a dull blue plain. It sounds odd, but it will look AWESOME! Yay!
(Reminder to self: after co-painting with Babe, do crazy quilt to practice fancy stitches.)
Grr 1: Babe. Because of the visitors, we didn't give him all the attention he demanded today, and in revenge he pooped his (thankfully disposable) pants three times today. However, I think I have figured out that sugar is involved in this equation somewhere. He had lots and lots (comparatively) today AND yesterday, so I think that we will be cutting out sugar (processed; fruits still acceptable) as soon as we're home.
Grr 2: Memory. It has not improved much since being here, and the lack thereof has created a bit of stress for me and Geoff in the things-we-have-to-do kind of way.
Grr 3: American attitude. I'm not just saying this because I've been in the colony (51st state) getting my ears filled up with anti-American propaganda (although there has been a fair amount of that in our daily conversations), but because I've been keeping an eye on the healthcare debate and... What happened to American civic responsibility? We used to have great pride in our country and our countrymen, but now it's all "What's in it for me"! It's disgusting and disturbing and so demoralizing. The US used to be great, but greed and corruption have killed it and I don't see it reviving anytime soon. I think a civil war or coup detat is/are more likely than any regulations that are for the PEOPLE by the people.
Grr 4: Is more of a whine, really. Why does vacation ever need to end? I don't want to go home except for my bed. And maybe Geoff. (Okay, yes, Geoff is definitely worth going home to. But couldn't he come here?) This has been such a restful and, erm, healthifying visit. Not only has having three extra people (and four extra rooms plus 1.25 acres) around to look after Babe eased the stress level considerably, but my mum's meals have been so good and healthy and my dad has been a pleasure to be around (Vit. D is a fucking miracle drug! Well, that and retirement.) and and... I don't want to go back to real life. But tomorrow we get on the ferry to Vancouver and then fly out early Tuesday morning. :-(
Reality awaits. But it has been wonderful to be in this paradise (if a rather scorched paradise) for such a pleasant stay. My parents live in a beautiful house on a beautiful plot in a beautiful, gorgeous, awe-inspiring part of the world. They are very lucky to be here, and I am very lucky to have them as parents. And not just for their locale. *hugs and kisses them*
GTA 2: Lack of allergies in general. I got a few mosquito bites and guess what? No swelling. Barely an itch. I have had itches and random rashes, but overall, the allergy thang has been really mild here, which is such a blessing. It almost makes me want to clean my house when I get home. :-P
GTA 3: Daniel Amen, M.D.. His Change Your Brain, Change Your Life book is pretty damn awesome, but, with the exception of chapter 11, his Making a Good Brain Great is spectacular (and chapter 11 raises my hackles for completely personal reasons, not because it's a sucky chapter). Really, really good info in there explained very sensibly. It's what I consider a must-read if you have any mental issues in or around your life. Will have to buy a copy for our house.
GTA 4: My mum. For our mutual enjoyment, we went through her fabric stash today. *bounces* We found many wonderful fabrics, quite a few quilt ideas (and scraps for my fabric paintings, and gorgeous yards for maybe a few dresses for me, if I have room in my luggage) and makings for some awesome tea cozies, where the amount of fabric is lacking for anything else. While looking, we came across the leftovers of the starry fabric which inspired my bedroom quilt. So, I asked for a throw pillow to coordinate with it for Christmas. She came up with an awesome idea of a landscape quilt cushion. It has the starry fabric as the sky, then black mountains behind purple mountains behind a dark green strip of horizon behind a dull blue plain. It sounds odd, but it will look AWESOME! Yay!
(Reminder to self: after co-painting with Babe, do crazy quilt to practice fancy stitches.)
Grr 1: Babe. Because of the visitors, we didn't give him all the attention he demanded today, and in revenge he pooped his (thankfully disposable) pants three times today. However, I think I have figured out that sugar is involved in this equation somewhere. He had lots and lots (comparatively) today AND yesterday, so I think that we will be cutting out sugar (processed; fruits still acceptable) as soon as we're home.
Grr 2: Memory. It has not improved much since being here, and the lack thereof has created a bit of stress for me and Geoff in the things-we-have-to-do kind of way.
Grr 3: American attitude. I'm not just saying this because I've been in the colony (51st state) getting my ears filled up with anti-American propaganda (although there has been a fair amount of that in our daily conversations), but because I've been keeping an eye on the healthcare debate and... What happened to American civic responsibility? We used to have great pride in our country and our countrymen, but now it's all "What's in it for me"! It's disgusting and disturbing and so demoralizing. The US used to be great, but greed and corruption have killed it and I don't see it reviving anytime soon. I think a civil war or coup detat is/are more likely than any regulations that are for the PEOPLE by the people.
Grr 4: Is more of a whine, really. Why does vacation ever need to end? I don't want to go home except for my bed. And maybe Geoff. (Okay, yes, Geoff is definitely worth going home to. But couldn't he come here?) This has been such a restful and, erm, healthifying visit. Not only has having three extra people (and four extra rooms plus 1.25 acres) around to look after Babe eased the stress level considerably, but my mum's meals have been so good and healthy and my dad has been a pleasure to be around (Vit. D is a fucking miracle drug! Well, that and retirement.) and and... I don't want to go back to real life. But tomorrow we get on the ferry to Vancouver and then fly out early Tuesday morning. :-(
Reality awaits. But it has been wonderful to be in this paradise (if a rather scorched paradise) for such a pleasant stay. My parents live in a beautiful house on a beautiful plot in a beautiful, gorgeous, awe-inspiring part of the world. They are very lucky to be here, and I am very lucky to have them as parents. And not just for their locale. *hugs and kisses them*
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Date: 2009-08-03 08:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-03 02:57 pm (UTC)As glad as I am to live at a distance from my family, something has definitely been lost by not having the assistance of relatives. Most communities do not provide an appropriate substitute for this kind of nurture and support.
Glad you had a wonderful vacation... and your glad list seems much more memorable and powerful than your complaints.