House of the Moon

My work in the Museum of Contemporary Craft:

Beads are little, so they are the smallest thing in there, on the right.

Yay!

I forgot. I have to go out to the studio and prep for a demo at the Museum of Contemporary Craft tomorrow. And I need to bring my camera so I can take a photo of my work on exhibit before the show gets taken down in a week or so.

I haven’t played in my studio since before Christmas, I have been so busy and the rain has been relentless. I still love it though, the sound of it on the roof and hitting the lawn outside doesn’t get old. I would like a nice, sunny day, however.

I told Derek today we were going to get some salmon for dinner, and he added, “get bacon, too?” I guess he takes after Dad. I like New Seasons bacon, it has no nitrites in it, but I didn’t have the time to trek over there.

You know,  this quickly turned into  a very boring domestic entry. I actually have a lot going on in my brain right now. I am supposed to go to London in February, a very, VERY short trip. It was short by my decision, so that Derek, who has not been away from me for more than about 10 hours, wouldn’t have to deal with my absence for too long. I could have stayed longer with my friend Thomas, but we are planning a trip specifically to stay with him in the nearish future, and I felt like I couldn’t do that on my own without the family, also a reason for cutting it so short. But now, it’s in upheaval in my head for several reasons. Being away from Derek, being someone who hates flying and cannot sleep on planes then dealing with jet lag, plus being on gig-time while I am there, as I would be helping out and enjoying a very special sold out gig of a very special friend’s…and not have much time to do anything else. Combine that with not having a hope of recovering with a day of sleep when I get home (re: Derek) and  the eco footprint of such a long flight for such a short time, plus United screwed up the schedule and is sending me both there AND back on different flights with different layovers in different cities than I booked with…

I’m still struggling to decide. I know what my gut says, and usually my gut is the “GO GIRL, GO!” type and this time…it’s whispering something else instead of that.

I have a little more time to think on it. Either way, I win, and either way, I lose.

Anyway. I have to get in glass/demo/informal lecture mode now, to teach some folks tomorrow about how fun working with molten glass is!

p.s. BT has a new album coming out! Makes the BT/Dolby tour seem so far away, yet the days on the bus just like yesterday all at the same time. I am very much looking forward to it.

We just had some waffles DLJ made. Urp.

Getting ready for the holidays. We did our first gift last night, we are giving Derek one gift a night up until Christmas Day, when he will get a few including his big one.

It’s a sweet holiday this year, he doesn’t get yet about the presents so he loves everything else so much, the lights, the songs, all the trees in windows…

NYE is just sitting at home. I bet next year we can do Pink Martini again, finally, if they do the show and we nab our fabulous sitter early enough.

Busy day…my parents are stopping by on their way out to the coast, flying in from AZ. We are putting together a dresser for Derek in his room that is half finished, he’s a bag lady boy right now, living out of bags.

What are you all doing for your holidays?

No Mattel in my house. None, after this. Hear that, Mattel? You are BANNED from my child’s home, and I will tell all my fellow Mom friends about this:

http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/columns/Timothy_Carney/Mattel-exempt-from-toy-safety-law-it-helped-write-57165562.html

http://consumerist.com/2009/08/mattel-primary-reason-for-toy-safety-law-gets-exempted-from-it.html

Under CPSIA, every manufacturer of children’s products — whether a toy truck, a pacifier, a picture book or a kid-sized stool — must submit their products to independent tests for lead and other chemicals before selling them. Well, all manufacturers except for Mattel, the largest toymaker in America.

Today I went to an Open House at my friend and massage therapist’s new office. It is SO wonderful. I wish it had been where I was going when I was seeing her regularly a couple years ago. Gorgeous, soothing rooms, wonderful waiting area and couches back in the back of the business that are also comfy. I had a cup of cider and we caught up. I really miss going. It’s a luxury item at the moment, and I do miss it. With my lampwork, and sleeping, my arm was really bothering me when I started going to see her. When I got pregnant, I kept going until the very end. But after Derek was here, no time, no time. I could treat myself now and then, and maybe now I can, now that Derek is able to hang out at home with Dada or even our babysitter up the street. As I left, she popped into the little back office room and came out with a gift certificate for me for a free $30 minute massage from her. I am going to add another $30 onto it and hopefully go right after a holiday, Thanksgiving or Xmas.

It was great to see her, and see how well her business is doing. I strongly rec. her to local women for a massage. She and her hands are fabulous.

We had a good afternoon and evening. I spent some time in the studio working on some new ideas.

Derek is saying all sort of crazy things. “What the heck was that?” “Derek’s big mouth!”

We swear he was also saying “My hot buns” today and I KNOW we have never told him he has hot buns. *boggle*

Lots of kids came to the front door and Derek helped hand out candy. He has never had a single piece, so he didn’t even know what he was giving them. Sweetheart. Next year we will go trick or treating with him. Today he wore his giraffe costume which barely fits. Halloween came just in time.

Not enough time around for all I want to do. It is no one’s fault, no one to blame, but with various illnesses, and other distractions and time sucks, I’m behind. I am behind on my glass straws. I haven’t updated that blog in weeks. Months. I just goofed on a big order and unless the buyer is nice about it, I will maybe break even. It was my own fault for not looking over an alchemy bid on etsy well enough, and as a result she’s getting a FABULOUS deal unless she is understanding about my mistake.

I love making my glass straws, I just wish I had more time. There is a due date for items to be in a local museum in a few days, and I have nothing new for it. I WANT to give them something NEW…very recent…but I may not have time. I have some good stuff in stock…but…

And then I want time alone. Time to just be. But if I take time to just be, I am not taking time to create. And I miss creating. It’s cold now down in the studio, so creating takes a little forethought to turn the heater on. I think I need to make a “Cave night.” Something a friend of mine has. Something another friend calls “bro-ing in.” I need a night to bro-in.” Or I will go mad. And I must create on that night, not sit and do nothing. The sitting and doing nothing should be daytime, during a Derek nap. Fridays were supposed to be that day…but it never happens. Hm.

So, while I would like a pony, I would also like:

A whole day to myself.

A disk cutter (saving up for that.)

Coffee that hasn’t gotten cold by the time I get to it.

An extra day every week to just be with DLJ.

One more REALLY warm day.

Drinking chocolate.

A chasing hammer.

TIME. MORE, MORE, MORE time.

I have some neat news, but it’s not completely sorted out yet. Soon.

But hey! I have a bead in a magazine! The Winter 2010 edition of <i>Bead Unique</i> has one of my focals in it. I am doing a holiday show Dec. 6 downtown in Portland, and it will be nice to have a newer magazine to display with my work. Oy. I need to finish my brochures! Another thing on the list that never ends….

Luny is actually going into the glass studio to PLAY today. No orders, no commissions, trying NEW STUFF with GLASS. It’s been months, literally, since I have time to play on the torch.

YAY for playing with ART!

My stomach hurts. I need to nap.

So this is shorter than I wanted.

I got my first set of needles today for knitting, that are my own. I am going to try to make Derek a simple scarf for my first project. But I have to remember how to cast on, I may try tonight. My friend who taught me the beginnings of knitting helped me today to pick out my yarn and my needles and is up for a refresher one evening next week.

Too short, sorry. Must rest.

On Saturday we took Derek to the Oregon Zoo to see a play called ‘Oregon! Oregon!’ and a full set by Pink Martini. The desc. of this event was:

Hold on to your myrtle wood as Pink Martini and the Oregon National Guard 234th Army Band and Oregon 150 present “Oregon! Oregon! 2009: A sesquicentennial fable in IV acts,” which will debut August 28, 2009 at the Oregon State Fair and then tour the state – the icing on the cake of the state’s 150th birthday party.

On Saturday it was pouring in the morning. We decided if it was lightly raining, we would still go. But if it was raining hard, we wouldn’t. We risked it and it was clear that Portlandia loves its native band Pink Martini. The evening sky was filled with gorgeous, gold-tinged clouds, and soon enough the stars came out.

The show was fabulous. The audience was so into it, singing along to “Que Sera Sera” and other songs, more of a unified response than I have ever seen anywhere. Folks in the back, in the front, all just singing along as Oregonians. The234th Army Band had all the branches of the military stand, those in the audience who served or were serving, which was a nice touch. And local Portland Symphony conductor Carlos Kalmar did a quick stint conducting them, which was a great treat.

Derek had a really good time, watching the play. At the end of it, there was a giant, HUGE beaver. HUGE! Not something you think you would ever see in life while not on drugs. Heh. And the Pink Martini set was really magical. Derek fell asleep during a new song that China wrote, sweet and soft. It will be on their new album, which is being released on Oct. 27th. Of course, I think releasing an album on Simon LeBon’s birthday is auspicious, indeed! :p

We left right as the last song started, figuring a jump on the traffic out would be good for little Derek. On the way back up to the top of the zoo, I realized that everyone onstage could see the moonrise during the show, if they were able to give any attention to it from the stage.

I am so glad we got tickets and went. For Derek, it was quite a first concert, he had never been to one before. He probably won’t remember it, but when he is a little older, hopefully we can go see them again. For me, it was like visiting my old life, a little, one that will be in reach again soon, as Derek gets old enough to let his Mom and Dad have a night out alone soon.

And I never can complain when I get to watch Gavin Bondy play trumpet!

I can’t remember how many times we have seen them now, since the first time I went less than two weeks after I moved here, just because a friend in the midwest told me they were local to my new home, and I should check them out back in 2003. It’s been 2.5 years since we last saw them live, and it was completely worth the wait.

Today I took Derek to the Children’s Museum, to get our annual membership started, a gift from my parents to Derek for his 2nd birthday. He had a good time, and I am sure we will go back soon.

Tomorrow Derek and I are going to walk around the neighborhood and I am planning our food menu for our camping trip this weekend. The weather looks really spectacular, which is great. I want to go swimming again this year in the lake. It’s a perfect way to say goodbye to summer until it comes around again for next year’s adventures.

Sorry, sorry, haven’t posted in this journal for a bit.
We are all fine here, everything’s fine…how are you?

Last week we went to Breitenbush and soaked in hot springs and slept in tents and hiked and drank fabulous filtered water from the nearby river. It was excellent.

This morning DLJ put the final waterproof seal on our back deck…a couple weekends ago he and my Dad sanded and re-stained it. It looks great and this was one of our 3 projects for the summer to complete, and the biggest one. The other two, one is almost done, that was repainting the bathroom. That is complete, I just need to repaint the cabinet and put on the new glass knobs I made myself for it. And the last one is repainting the front door, which is not done at all, but luckily is a one day job.

Derek turned two last week, and had a fine party and fun with friends and family. It moves so fast. I am glad he still nurses with me, loves to nurse and snuggle in the mornings and late afternoons, and still sleeps in his crib. He has his whole life to grow up, and I’m very content with him taking his own time with things. I can’t believe how fast it goes and it will only go faster, so each stage is precious and well-loved.

I’m at a cafe, and need to be writing instead of blathering here, so I will end for now. All is well. I hope all is well with you, too.