New shoes

These are one pair of my new shoes for going back to work - comfy red patent leather. The other pair is nice and sensible black leather loafers (snake skin leather though - I had to add a little pizzaz).

Favorite blog reads

Lately I have only had Internet access via my phone and iPad. This has limited the number of blogs that I visit and without realizing it I found my favorites.

My all time favorite is: http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/?m=1. Down to earth is the title. It is written by a 64 year old australian woman who decided to leave the corporate world and simplify her life so that she could make her home her life. She writes enthusiastic and wise posts on just about anything and everything. Her blog has been so successful that she has now written a book (which I hope makes it stateside soon) and sometimes writes for magazines and does radio interviews.

My other favorite is: http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/. Poise gets cozie is written by a designer in Oregon. I love her style and I recently did a cross stitch sampler kit of hers and loved it. I love her photography too. She has just a wonderful aesthetic.

Garden adventures

Last year I really wanted to start a garden. So I built a 4x4 box and made a lovely concoction of soil (following the square foot method) and compost and planted every square of my nice little grid. It grew like mad. However, as a big pregnant lady I didn't have the energy to go out to harvest or weed or really anything that involved me spending any extra time out in the heat and humidity towards the end of summer.

This year I vowed to do better. So my neighbor and I went to some local gardening classes in February and March and planned and plotted our gardens. We even shared a seed order to a local nursery.

But then when Audrey and I went out to plant it started raining so we quickly sowed a few seeds rather haphazardly. I intended to write down what we had planted and where but instead...

This year my garden has been full of fun surprises. The squash turned out to be cucumbers. The lettuce is perhaps kale. Things are still growing like mad but I'm just not sure what they all are. I may have some carrots but that could be parsnips as well. I am quite sure that when I am a more experienced gardener I will laugh heartily at this garden of surprises.

Conflicted

I will be starting back to work in less than a month. Part of me is excited about that. I always enjoy work and I derive a sense of satisfaction and self from my job (no matter what it is).

However, a bigger part of me feels a sense of gloom over leaving Meredith in someone else's care. It was easier with Audrey because she was twice as old and I left her in the care of her aunt first and then her dad.

I know Meredith will do well away from me. She is a happy curious baby who will love having others to play with and crawl over. I am just not so sure I will do well away from her. :)

Happy birthday project

My wonderful sister Claire sent me the coolest birthday present - a Lego model set to make my own Volkswagen van!

There are 160 pages of instructions and over 1300 pieces. I am amazed at the detail already. I just finished the engine. Here is my progress so far.