Settling in for Winter

[liralen]

On Saturday, the boys and I went and got two loads of mulch from the City Tree Limb place, and we covered up all the formal roses with them. They already had an insulating blanket of snow on 'em, but the extra mulch didn't hurt. I ache today, all over; but the weather turned really cold, and we've had teens all day and are already in the single digits tonight. Even our highs aren't supposed to get above freezing until Thursday, so we're kind of hunkered in for the week.

I'm still amazed that the roses ripped good chunks out of my old down gardening parka. They are mean plants. *laughs*



The tree ended up going for $75, to two ladies, it turns out. One of the ladies had bid on three different trees and lost all of them, so the lady that won my tree said she'd split mine with her. Turns out they're both having family over the holidays, but at different times during the week. So they're going to each have it in their house while they have their guests! Their schedule works out for that, so I thought it was a really sweet way to share the tree.

Church was good. Second day of Advent and it was Paul's letter to the Philippians, which he wrote from jail on the way to his execution. It was a very joyous missive, one that promised that what was begun in him would be seen through to the end. Pastor Rick used it as a springboard for both a kids' sermon and an adult sermon. The kids' sermon could be summed up as "God made you, saw you, and pronounced you Good just the way you are." That everything one is is simply enough, and that what you do doesn't change that basic identity. The adult version was more about missed or forgotten goals, ways that are lost and which need to be made new to be found again.

I could relate with that, given where I am with my writing right now. I need to try it again, see it fresh and new and try to get out of this mire I've gotten into. Whether I did it myself or not is moot. I just need faith enough to take the next step out. Believe that what I'm made of is enough to do the thing that is before me to do. Painting's that way, too.

Gave a newly 8-year-old friend of Jet's a full-on Chinese calligraphy set, made up of stuff I needed to leave behind. I use my old stuff as a crutch as it's so familiar, but I know that the brush isn't as responsive as I really need for the kinds of things I really want to attempt. I won't stretch if I stay with the old equipment, as it just can't do the things that I need to do; but they'll do good work for someone trying it from the beginning and will take ignorant abuse quite well. I was also leaning on papers that I really shouldn't use anymore as they do the water and paint control that I should be learning to do myself, and an ink stick that, while familiar and easy for me to grind, hasn't really got the color qualities I need for my paintings. I have three sticks of very fine ink, one of which my grandfather kept for decades, I need to step up to the quality of those supplies.

I think what makes things so evident is that I'm stalled out in painting as well as writing, which is unusual for me. Usually one of those is working even when the other is not. But knitting is really grabbing any my attention and time that isn't on writing, what with half a dozen Christmas presents, a crochet fix to do, and a commission that I'm trying to finally finish. I finally figured out that I have the teacher things done, and Jet's taken on the scarf for his teacher. So I'm freed to finish the commission and the shawl and a scarf for a new member of the family.

Finally had a fully functional dream last night, with John and I just doing what was in front of us, getting through a really hard 'game' that was a VR sort of thing, where we were all-senses into it with each level. They were hard, but we just did them, one after the other.

I talked with Incandescens for a while and felt good about what we talked through. After talking with Gabriel for a while about what was blocking me last night, it seems that I do need pep talks with regards to what is good about my writing, the comments folks have been leaving are making a dent, and I'm actually making good headway with one of the three writing projects I've finally narrowed things down to. I need to do a shorter piece and feel good about it before I get back into Twin Souls. The third is feeding more of my need to do more original work, so that's all to the good.

Also had the satisfaction of shoveling the sidewalks and driveway this morning. It's still only 8 ° this morning, and we're probably not seeing anything above freezing until Thursday. Brr.... I'm so glad of my fireplace and electric blanket....