My god but it was cold this morning. I did not want to get out of bed so early to get to pottery but I was going to do it, come hell or high water or frozen birdbaths or frost on the lawn or whatever. And I did. I always have a terrible night's sleep on Tuesdays, waking up over and over, wondering how much more time I have to sleep, worrying that I'll oversleep, frustrated that I can't get back to sleep...
That's just the way it is.
When I got in my car to drive to town, it was 28° and I swear it took at least fifteen minutes for the car to warm up enough for me to stop feeling like I was getting chilblains. I am not entirely sure what chilblains are but I AM certain I was this close to getting them.
Okay. I just looked them up and no, I didn't get them and I've never had them as far as I know but I just love that word.
Chilblains.
Doesn't it sound like something they got in that little house on the prairie?
Despite all of that, it was damn cold although eventually the car did warm up and I went to Jessie's house to get a snuggle with Sophie and pick up my motivator, the boss of me, my youngest daughter.
Here. I took a picture of a picture of August's that was taped up in their hallway.
I really like it.
Sophie greeted me with her stuffed chicken toy in her mouth, waggling her tail and wiggling her body, and just being her sweet, funny self. Although I do not want any more dogs of my own, ever, ever, ever in this lifetime, I am glad that my kids have dogs that I can visit and pet and talk to in the way that people only talk to dogs and which dogs seem to love.
Pottery was slightly different today. One of our class has gotten a job as a kindergarten teacher and so today was her last day. Added to that, another member had made empanadas to share with us all and they were so very, very good. I also did more talking with our new member and was glad to learn more about her. It's hard for anyone to walk into a class where everyone already knows everyone else. It can be lonely. It can be hard. There are only seven of us in the class and that's including the woman whose last day was today and over time, we have found our lives, our stories, becoming braided together, as so often happens. And our teacher is part of that too. We all know when one of us has a trip coming up or a difficult situation going on or a new interest and I think we all have an idea about how we all think about certain things. We laugh easily, we are self-deprecatory, we praise each others' work, we ask for suggestions, we give suggestions, we share tools and ideas, and in short, do what groups of women do.
And that is really the best thing about pottery class for me.
It took me a very long time to get going on my bowl this morning, but eventually, I did. I gave it all of my attention for two hours and came away feeling less positive about it than ever. It needs to dry another week before it can be fired and I have no real belief that it's going to hang together in the kiln. We shall have to see. I didn't even take a picture of it.
Lily came to lunch with Jessie and me after class and that was a beautiful thing too. All of my kids have great senses of humor and I think we love to laugh more than anything but Lily? That girl will make you laugh. She is naughty and she is smart and she is not afraid of shocking her mama which makes me feel so very honored.
And sometimes... I even shock them. They know I'm no saint nor ever have been.
Here's a picture of what the effects of laughter can look like.
And that was the important part of my day. The core of it.
I came straight home after dropping off Jessie and I drove a different route than I usually do, down a skinny country road through pines and oaks and palms and pastures with cows, kneeling in the afternoon sun with eyes closed, the better to bask.
Glen's not home yet from a little jaunt up to the cabin to do...something?
I have a vague idea and it may involve the boat but I'm not going to pretend I really know when I don't.
Going to be cold again tonight. Hell, it already is cold tonight. Although I come (at least on the maternal side) from sturdy Yankee blood, it surely has not been passed on down to me. Or, more likely, it has been thinned to nothing more than salty red water by my years here in the semi-tropics.
We have discussed this before.
We will probably discuss it again.
Stay warm and don't get chilblains. They look miserable.
Love...Ms. Moon
Is August channeling Jean-Michel Basquiat?! (Google him if you don't know what I'm talking about)
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I know who Basquiat was.
DeleteI'm sure they were learning about him in August's class and the assignment was to do something in Basquiat's styel
Well, clearly August succeeded! I was completely fooled, without even knowing about the class assignment. August has a remarkable eye for capturing the essence of an artistic style. I would not expect that level of ability, even from an adult. Hey, maybe the class will learn about Andrew Wyeth! What would August come up with?
DeleteI LOVE Augusts picture!
ReplyDeleteNo chilblains for me, thank you very much.
They look yucky, don't they?
DeleteAugust’s art reminds me of Washington DC artist, Matt Sesow. August’s very talented! I can tell you had a great lunch with your girls. They look fun! And pottery class sounds lovely. Try to stay warm, Ms.Moon! -Nicol
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure they were studying Basquiat. Still, I think he did a great job.
DeleteLunch was a hoot. Those kids make me laugh so much.
Two of my sisters got chilblains every winter, agonizing pain. I escaped, one of the few things I escaped! Your pottery group is doing what like-minded groups do, it's lovely.
ReplyDeleteOh god. From what I've read, it IS agonizing. I'm glad you escaped.
DeleteYes. Groups of women can become very enveloping in a good way. And men can be part of that but I think women are the ones who do it mostly.
No pottery class for me today. I was going to relax and try and vase made out of coils. I got Jack ready for the bus and we waited for ten minutes for the bus. That woman is never late so I told Jack I would drive him to school. We waited a little and I drove him to school, nobody was at the school. There was no school today but I didn't know that. He was very good today though and I still made a mug at home.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling worn out with worry about Katie, who is doing fine. It's her mother that's having a hard time. Still waiting on the results of the US and what to do next. And my mother in law had surgery on Monday for her kidney cancer. It's been a week.
Oh, honey! You are having a week! I'm so sorry. I hope you get Katie's results quickly and that whatever is going on is something easily treatable. Sorry to hear about your mother-in-law.
Delete28 degrees in FL. My friends have bought homes in FL to escape NE cold winters. I hope they brought their fleece and winter coats to FL.
ReplyDeletePottery class sounds like a fun very good group of women.
I hope your friends did too!
Deleteyour girls are gorgeous.... chillblains....? I had to look that up and no, dont want them. Just one step down from true frostbite and no thank you!
ReplyDeleteSusan M
I'd rather not get either. I need some dang gloves.
DeleteYes a pottery class is wonderful! In many ways. Keep warm my friend!
ReplyDeleteIt is, Barbara and I know you were probably part of some extremely wonderful ones. You keep warm too!
DeleteWhen I was young, I read a lot of British children's lit. All those bloody kids had chilblains in cold weather, it seemed. I had no clue what chilblains were. No one in Canada ever mentioned them. So I just now looked them up on Wikipedia. OMG, no, those awful photos! And the article says they are caused by cold and humidity. Well, that explains why we don't get them in Canada. We have central heating unlike the Brits of that era and our winter cold weather is a DRY cold, thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteOur cold can be damp here. I mean, Florida is just humid and that's all there is to it but not nearly as much so in winter as in summer. I've never heard of anyone getting chilblains in Florida but there's no doubt it has happened.
DeleteOMG that kid is talented!!!
ReplyDeleteI think so but then again, I'm his grandmother so...
DeleteThe painting that August has done is very good! If , in a gallery, it would fetch a pretty price! I hope that he will do more , he could have a one man/boy show and rake in the cash.
ReplyDeleteBeing as cold as you have been lately, is no fun at all. We use strategies, making sure that wool shoes are by the bedside and a coat. in case we have to do something during the night. I used to get hives, living in sub zero winters, every morning - out of bed , hives appeared. That sort of cold is training i guess. Boot camp ! No one lives in Florida expecting that! Brrr-rrr!
August is far more interested in solving math problems at the moment. Yes. He asks his father to give him math problems. The child is his own quirky self.
DeleteI've been arranging my clothes on the dresser in my bathroom which is where I get dressed, the night before. And if I get up to pee and it's getting close to time to get up, I might turn on the little space heater. The bathroom is seriously about three steps from my bed.
There are all kinds of web sites with “fun” math problems for kids — there was one in particular that I heard about years ago; if the name comes back to me I’ll pass it along. Seems like a great pastime to encourage!
DeleteI read somewhere that chillblains were the result of people in the old days getting cold and then re-warming themselves too quickly, as when they'd sit by a fire. Apparently it damages the blood vessels. I don't know if that's true but I associate chillblains with open fires. Thank goodness for modern heating!
ReplyDeleteI love August's artwork! It also made me think of Basquiat.
It's great to see Lily and Jessie having a good laugh. I like Lily's "Dolly" (Parton, I assume?) shirt too.
Yep. That's chilblains and I still love the word. It's so evocative of older, harder times.
DeleteI'm pretty sure they were studying Basquiat and were asked to do something in his style.
That is an OFFICIAL Dolly T-shirt, having been bought at Dollywood!
Really love the children's picture. Very artful.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteChillblains doesn't seem to me a word which I could love and living in Australia I'm not at all likely to get them. I like August's drawing.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I doubt you'll ever have to worry about chilblains. Me either.
DeleteSeeing Lily and Jessie smile makes any day better. The art by August is exceptional. I would be proud to frame and hang that. I am seriously impressed. As for chilblains, I always wondered what they were. FINALLY, looked up the word. Glad you don’t have them.
ReplyDeleteChilblains is such an odd word, isn't it? I'm glad I don't have them too. Can you imagine?
DeleteI think August's picture is swell.
If you had lunch with Jessie and Lily (and I wish you could) you would smile like that too.
I really really gave a lot of thought to getting a dog when I retired as I love them but I'm so glad I didn't. I started doing a lot of solo travelling after my husband left and I think having to pay for kennels might have put the kibosh on that because of the financial implications, never mind the stress of leaving a dog behind. And now of course I have grandkids and different interests that get me out and about so a dog just wouldn't fit into my life at all. That being said I do love them and think they are probably the loyalist of buddies you could ever have.
ReplyDeleteDogs ARE wonderful companions but they do require a lot of care and planning and are not really conducive to travel, are they? But I think there are stages of many people's lives when a dog is not really such a difficulty.
DeleteI used to get them as a child here in Canada. I think it was because I would stay outside far past the time when I got cold and our clothing wasn’t very warm as it is now. As I warmed up inside, it was quite painful as I remember, especially my hands and feet. I am wishing the weather will go up to 28 degrees soon, then I might get my car out of the driveway so I can go shopping. Gigi
ReplyDeleteOh, Gigi! That's terrible. I've had the experience of getting in a hot shower with very cold hands and even that can be painful.
DeleteI hope you get your car out of the driveway soon.
Like Anonymous' above comment, my first thought about August's art was Jean-Michel Basquiat. Such a cool piece of art. We had a dog or two for 22 years straight. When the last one died, my husband wanted to get another one but our daughter was getting married in a year and I said that we're waiting until the wedding was over. It's been 6 years now with no dog and we'll just enjoy our kids', friends', and neighbors' pooches. Hope your Florida warmth returns soon. Ohio is bitter cold...but it's sunny!
ReplyDeleteSome people continue to want to have dogs and I think that's a very valid thing to do. The care and responsibility can be worth the loving companionship. I get that.
DeleteBut...it's nice not to have to worry. I mean, I already worry too much about my cat when we go out of town. Oh no! She'll miss us!
Ha!
I wish it was 28° here! Only 6° this morning and it will only get to the teens today. It has been soooo cold but I will head out today to my Zumba class to dance and laugh with my Zumba friends. And tonight I will head to the open house at my grandsons' school to meet their teachers and check out their work. So fun!
ReplyDeleteYour girls have wonderful smiles.
You are a brave and strong woman AND grandma! Good for you! I hope you get a little warmth soon.
DeleteI was wracking my brains trying to determine the artist - I’m yet another one who was thinking along the lines of Basquiat. Way to go, August! Margaret
ReplyDeleteYep. Probably Basquiat.
DeleteChillblains are something we were warned about in my Virginia childhood, as in "put your gloves on or you will get chilblains". Thankfully no one ever got them, but I think they were a thing in the "Little House" books - those folks lived hard hard lives. Thank you for sharing the daughter pictures, they are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteCeci
Can you believe I never read the Little House books? Nor did I watch the TV series. I am sure I would have loved the books but somehow they just didn't appear at the right time.
DeleteThank you for thanking me for the daughter pictures!
August's painting is very Basquiat!
ReplyDeleteYes. I'm sure they were studying Basquiat and asked to do something in his style.
DeleteI thought August's work looked just like Basquiat ! How cool !
DeleteAugust is quite the Artist and I also thought the work looked like Basquiat, whose Body of Work I Loved.
ReplyDeleteI thought that was a Basquiat until you said it was August’s. Talented kid.
ReplyDelete