This winter has been rather relentless by Boulder standards.
Fear of summer wildfires takes the edge off of heavy snowfall, it just means we are a little bit safer come August. But this is ridiculous.
The only thing I don’t like about the snow is that it keeps me away from my beloved Tabby.
Of course this is all Tabby’s fault. It she didn’t have a stupid hairless dog, we could walk regardless of the weather. Blue, after all, loves the snow.
Instead of walking the dogs, I had a couple kids come over to spend the night.
It’s Harmy’s son’s first sleepover!
I’ll quote my mother by saying that raising kids is “just like having dogs”.
It still irritates the shit out of me when people who don’t have kids say that.
For one, having kids sucks more.
But I do believe that an exhausted kid is a well-behaved kid so I took them to the pool and let them waste themselves in the water.
The hardest thing about sleepover is managing Blue. Like many people are loathe to admit about themselves, Blue loves his kids but hates everyone else’s. Therefore he is sequestered to my office for the duration.
I can’t have him running around and biting everyone, now can I?
Persona Non Grata
The kids slept like a dream (after I shoved pizza into them and put on a couple DVDs) and this morning I was feeling generous so I made German Dutch Apple Pancakes or Oven Babies as Nikki likes to call them.
I miss Nikki (hi).
This recipe is compliments of Cook’s Illustrated, aka Kitchen Porn. But if you are like me and like to wing it, it is nothing more than apples sautéed in butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, doused with crepe batter and shoved into a blazing hot oven.
We ate the shit out of them.
I love kids that try new things.
When 9:00 neared (the scheduled ending time) I rounded up everyone’s stuff and got them ready to go.
Too eager?
I didn’t want to appear too eager or anything, it was a good sleepover and no one whined, cried, got attacked by the dog or peed on the couch so I was feeling pretty serene.
However, I have a dress that is just dying to be pieced together.
I start sewing every March. I’m like a groundhog.
I preshrunk the fabric (you only have to make the mistake of not preshrinking your fabric once to learn your lesson) and cut it out last night while the kids watched a DVD.
My idea of a perfect day.
The irony of sewing a sundress in the midst of a snowstorm is not lost on me but I firmly believe in the motto, Sew it and spring will come.
I remember when you were my neighbor back when you were a kid(19yrs if I remember correctly)and when you would sew you would buy everything you needed for that project including all of the notions. Such control. I could make at least 100 items(I am not even close to exaggerating ahahh)and never have to go to the store to buy anything that I could possibly need. The same goes for jewelry.
About 15 years ago maybe more I decided that if I started to make something and I did not like the way it was turning out and knew I would never finish it, I would package everything up including pattern and anything else that goes with it, then give it to Goodwill.
I also just realized about 10 years ago that Simplicity patterns suck….My sister who has been sewing as long as I have(40 yrs yikes) told me she would never buy one and that they are consistently ill-fitting. Out with the Simplicity. I “tested” 3 patterns about 10 yrs ago only using the top 1/2 of the dress and only in eh fabric. I could not believe how awful everything fit.(Coming from someone who is an easy fit and knows how to sew)
I noticed a few of your dresses that you have made(Christmas cards)are from the retro patterns. I love those. Beautiful style but better fit.
All this talking about sewing is inspiring me. I am off for my sewing/beading/create anything room. I am starting to call it my Studio. I like the way that sounds.
I always think about you when I sew. I could always pop next door to pick up a notion I was missing. I moved to Boulder with two suitcases, I had almost nothing. As you know, that isn’t the case today.
Good tip on Simplicity. I’m a big fan of New Look, they always seem to work for me. I remember you saying that you are a perfect Vogue 10.
I don’t finish something that I know won’t work. What’s the point?
I actually am a Vogue size 14. Crazy but true. I am the same size since I lived in Boulder.(4 on bottom, 10 on top)
I like Butterick which is owned by Vogue( I didn’t know if you knew that). I don’t know if I have really made that much New Look? Now I have to look and see.
Speaking of sewing. I remember my old roomie Raquel and Becky both making dresses that looked so awful that I was “compelled” to make them myself.(what would you call that????hahah) One of the dresses I still wear. It is backless, several gords, and 4 yds of 60 wide rayon. I actually wore it to my friends wedding. The occasion that I was planning on making a new dress using those awful Simplicity patterns.
I think its called “rubbing it in” but I get the inclination. I made some lovely gored dresses back then, surly with your assistance.
I still know Raquel. She’s long-time friends with Pamcakes and I see her from time-to-time. She started a book club which I have yet to participate in. Sigh.
Aw, I love to get a Viv shout out! I miss you too, lady. Your blog lets me live in this weird duality where I feel far away and so close at the same time. Some days I don’t know what I’m doing way out here in the burbs (but then I look at my trophy husband and it all comes back to me!) and why the fuck can’t I drag my ass to boulder more than once a year? I’ll tell you why- 35 pounds of snarling giggling smeary 2 yr-old with a tendency to stick his finger in every hole or crevice he encounters. Your oven baby looks like perfection! I made one this morning substituting with buttermilk and it came out like a yoga mat from outer space. Love the pic of those drowsy sleepover boys.
Aw hell. I should be driving out to see you. Or we could get sitters and meet halfway for a dignified grown-up dinner.
I love your perspective on kids. I know you love your “snarling, giggling, smeary” two year-old with all your heart, but I love the way you call it like it is. None of this perfect baby shit when it comes to Nikki. You are a breath of fresh air.
Love you!
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