list #3: my secrets of adulthood

I’m a big fan of Gretchen Rubin’s blog and book, The Happiness Project (check it out if you haven’t), and one of my favorite features is her list of Secrets of Adulthood. I agreed instantly with some of her epiphanies, such as “The best reading is rereading” and “Try not to let yourself get too hungry” (that’s a big one for me). Some of them have stuck with me, and as I’ve mulled them over, I’ve come to agree that, for example, ” You can choose what you do; you can’t choose what you like to do” and ” The days are long, but the years are short.”

Anyway, I thought I’d make a list of my own – so here are some of my Secrets of Adulthood:

• It’s totally okay to say “I don’t know.”
• Mascara and lip gloss make me feel more put together.
• Wearing stilettos all day usually isn’t worth it.
• Manicures are a lot of trouble – and don’t last long.
• Always keep fresh fruit and cereal in the house.
• Doing laundry can be very calming.
• Growing your own herbs is immensely satisfying.
• You can buy your favorite things (within reason).
• Occasional pedicures are nice.
• Hobbies add lots of joy to life.
• People appreciate it when you try to speak their language (even a word or two).
• You can usually afford to travel (even just a weekend getaway).
• Related: Getting out of town often provides much-needed perspective.
• Call your mother.
• And your grandmother.
• Support libraries – and buy books.
• You can usually find $20 to give to charity.
• In many (but not all) cases, quality is worth paying more.
• Write it down.
• It is okay to like country music and admit it. (Even growing up in Texas, it’s often considered uncool to enjoy country music – but I do.)
• Free shipping is a great boon.
• Make lunch dates with friends.
• Once in a while, takeout is the BEST.
• Spending a lot on a wedding photographer is worth it.
• Avoiding caffeine in the evenings really will help you sleep.
• Rubber gloves do actually protect your hands while washing dishes.

Anyone else have any Secrets of Adulthood? I’d love to read your pearls of wisdom.

we’ll always have Whitby

Every year, the first weekend in February takes me back to 2004, when I squeezed onto a bus with about 40 other people, and rode from Oxford all the way up to Whitby, on the North Sea.

Beautiful, ruined Whitby Abbey sits at the top of 199 steps leading down into the little fishing village. It is COLD up on that windswept hill – but oh my, the ruins are gorgeous. And if the wind didn’t take your breath away, the views certainly would. Looking out east, all you can see is the North Sea and sky – “just things that God made,” as my friend Blake said. Though what man has made here is certainly lovely.

The abbey dates from the seventh century, and on our first night there, three friends and I walked up the hill – right past the “No Public Access” sign – and spent a happy hour climbing on the ruins in the dark. The top of the arch on the far left in the photo was the “Arch of Ambition” – and I actually climbed up there! (Not bad for someone who used to fear heights.) We eventually heard voices behind us, and panicked when they belonged to two of our professors – but we didn’t get a scolding. Instead, they joined us for a little while! – before we all headed back, cold and tired, but happy.

This is the four of us the next morning, on our approved visit to the abbey:

(From left: Brett, me, Charity and Seth. We called ourselves the “Fearsome Four” – and I’ve treasured that adventure, and this photo, ever since.)

Two years ago, I returned to Whitby with the Oxford Spring ‘08 gang – Jacque, the Wiggins clan, and a new gaggle of students. And oh my, it was wonder all over again.

Here’s a view of the village from the hill:

I can’t explain what it is about Whitby that captivates me. Maybe it’s the unspoiled quality, at least in February when there are no other tourists about. Maybe it’s the simplicity of the stark abbey ruins rising out of the ground – nothing up there but sea and sky and stone. Maybe it’s the quaintness of the steep streets, or tea and scones in little tearooms, or the memories of walking along the beach one night, and the students spontaneously bursting into song. Maybe it’s the feeling of being in a “thin place” – where the boundary between heaven and earth seems almost to disappear. Probably it’s a little of all these.

When our spring ‘04 group was mourning about having to leave Oxford, Ron Morgan (our director) reassured us, “We’ll always have Whitby.” And we did – and do, and will forever. And I am extra lucky, because I got to have it again, with a new group of students and dear friends. And every year on the first weekend in February, I close my eyes and remember the wind on my face, the vivid greens and blues of the grass and sky, the sunset colours over the harbour, and the quiet joy of long walks with good friends.

I fully intend on going back someday. But you were right, Ron. We’ll always have Whitby.

list #2: the red things

(This is a Paris collage by Little Brown Pen – and no, I don’t own it yet, but oh, I’m craving it.)

It’s gray over here. Gray and misty and cold, and the only things that are keeping me from complete and utter despair are copious cups of tea, a new pair of boots (lined with fleecy faux shearling), and the music of The Swell Season – which, if you haven’t heard, you should go buy immediately. These two are the stars of the movie Once and their music will make you dream and lift your heart, and put a lump in your throat. Beautiful.

Anyway. I’m continuing the list project with the red things, because I need some cheerful red today. Like L.M. Montgomery’s heroine Sara Stanley (the title character in The Story Girl), I “never get tired of red. I just love it. It’s so rich and glowing.” So here are the red things I own:

1. A fat little teakettle, a gift from Jeremiah which has boiled untold amounts of water these past few years.
2. A mug with hearts etched on it, a gift from Bethany.
3. Two sweaters, a crisp button-down, a hoodie, a linen top bought in Paris, a Gap henley, two tank tops, and two cardigans.
4. Three coats – a belted trench bought in Valencia, Spain, and a fleecy coat given me by Mom. And the wool one I bought for myself this winter.
5. A necklace and earring set, handmade by Abi (in exchange for the gloves and hat I made her).
6. The beret I made myself for Christmas.
7. A couch slipcover.
8. A toaster, a rice cooker, several pots and pans, and a Crock-Pot. (I may have a slight problem.)
9. Half my Fiestaware dishes are red (the other half are a rich cobalt blue).
10. My geranium, which is hanging on through the winter, though it’s grown a bit leggy and spindly.
11. The guest-room bedspread.
12. My favorite ballet flats.
13. A thick, chunky scarf I knitted myself during my first semester in Oxford.
14. The Valentine Cowl.
15. Personalized stationery – a Christmas gift from my sister.
16. Two canvas magazine bins.
17. A set of little bowls that I use to carry food to work. (And my mixing bowls.)
18. My current journal – red-brown stamped with gold.
19. A set of sheets and all our bathroom towels, and some of our kitchen towels.
20. Numerous Christmas ornaments, and other decorations.
21. My kitchen countertops (though those were red long before we moved into this house).
22. A plump cinnamon-scented candle.
23. An Eternal Threads lace table runner.
24. My wallet, bought at Sam Moon with the coffee girls.
25. A pair of tights.
26. The chiffon dress I unearthed at a charity shop and wore to the May Ball at St Aldates, where Lizzie and I and our mates danced the night away.
27. A beaded letter-opener from Dots by Audrey.
28. Both pairs of my slippers.
29. A pair of pj pants sprinkled with white hearts.
30. Lots of socks and unmentionables – so many that Lizzie, and Joy before her, used to tease me about having enough red clothes to do a whole red/pink load of laundry.
31. The tray that holds my teas.
32. My sugar-and-cream set.
33. My car’s ice scraper.
34. Some stash yarn, ribbon and scrapbooking supplies.
35. My yarn basket, also a gift from Jeremiah.

I’m sure there are more – but this is just off the top of my head. Anyone else have a thing for red – or another colour that crops up, over and over again, in your house and your clothes and your life?

**Edited to add (because I went home and found MORE red stuff):**

36. My old fleecy bathrobe
37. The kitchen clock
38. A polka-dotted cream pitcher
39. Two cookie jars, one shaped like a strawberry and one shaped like a basket of strawberries
40. My laundry hamper
41. Three rugs
42. Several sofa and bench pillows
43. Tomatoes, nectarines and apples in my kitchen

(I’m sure there’s more…but wanted to share these extra bits with you!)

books to begin a new year

Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading, Lizzie Skurnick
I heard about this book via Book Club Girl, and found it fascinating. Skurnick gives us a tour of numerous beloved teen novels – dealing with romance, puberty, tragedy, the supernatural and other topics – with guest essays by other authors. Her list includes lots of books I’ve never read, but I still enjoyed the essays on those, as well as fresh takes on some of my favorites. Fascinating, if you love girls’ young adult lit. (Warning: occasional expletives.)

The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin
I’ve been following Gretchen’s blog for months, and was THRILLED to read her long-awaited memoir of her year spent studying happiness. She has lots of fascinating insights, and she’s able both to be honest and to laugh at herself. I love her tender descriptions of her family, and her epiphany that “the days are long, but the years are short.” My husband is reading it month-by-month this year and said he quite enjoyed the January chapter.

This I Believe II: More Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, ed. Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
When I was taking Ali Edwards’ Yesterday and Today class online through Big Picture Scrapbooking, she mentioned this NPR project and the books born from it. I’d heard of This I Believe before – our Bible class even did a series, a few summers ago, where various people, including me, presented their essays – but I’d never read them in book form. I loved this collection, and have shared several of them with my students. This collection is such a thoughtful, wide-ranging, thought-provoking snapshot of American belief – essay topics range from the Holocaust to the pizza delivery dude. I highly recommend both the book and the Web site.

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, Beth Pattillo
My friend Anne, knowing I’d enjoyed Jane Austen Ruined My Life by the same author, kindly sent me a copy of this one. It’s set in Oxford – always a plus – and compellingly written. I liked Claire, the main character, even while I felt sorry for her and grew a bit exasperated with her. And I liked the fact that she wasn’t a Jane Austen addict – just sort of fell into a seminar, literally. I’d have liked to see her explore more of Oxford beyond Christ Church, but I suppose I’ll just write about it in my own memoir. Recommended if you like Jane Austen, chick lit, Oxford or Beth Pattillo’s writing.

Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery
The famous redhead is one of my beloved childhood heroines and friends – and oh, I loved revisiting her childhood. I was never given to fits of temper like Anne, but I was always given to imagination and dreams, and wandering in the woods at my grandparents’ house. I love Anne’s story and her imagination – but every time I read this book over again, I’m more conscious of how much Marilla loves Anne, though she doesn’t like to show it. And I always, always cry when sweet Matthew dies.

Anne of Avonlea, L.M. Montgomery
I’ve read the Anne books so many times that I have whole sentences – including line breaks – committed to memory. There’s a lot of comedy in this second volume, particularly when Anne and Marilla adopt a pair of twins – but I also love reading about Anne’s adventures in teaching and her dreams of what lies around “the bend in the road.” The story of Echo Lodge and sweet Miss Lavendar is one of my favorite parts of this book, and well, I just love the teenage Anne. I think we would have been friends.

Anne of the Island, L.M. Montgomery
When I felt lonely or scared as a college freshman, I pulled out Anne of the Island and reread Anne’s adventures at Redmond College. I sympathized with her feelings of insignificance at first – but I love the cozy times with the girls at Patty’s Place, which resemble my own experiences with Bethany, Joy and the House 9 girls at ACU. The ending of this book is heart-stopping, and then beautiful – the scene where she realizes (spoiler alert) that Gilbert is going to live is one of the best in the whole series.

Anne of Windy Poplars, L.M. Montgomery
Anne’s adventures as a school principal in Summerside, away from her beloved fiance, have some odd parallels to my time in Oxford, away from my beloved Jeremiah. I wrote as many emails as Anne writes letters, and met quite as many quirky, interesting people (though I’m not a born matchmaker, like Anne). I love her evenings in her tower room, her witty descriptions of the people she meets, and her landladies – “the widows” are sweet, and Rebecca Dew is hilarious.

Anne’s House of Dreams, L.M. Montgomery
This fifth book resonated deeply with me this time – I’ve always enjoyed the account of Anne and Gilbert’s newlywed years, but since I’m now a married woman myself, it strikes a deeper chord. I love imagining their little house of dreams and the people who visit it – and Captain Jim Boyd is one of the best characters in the series. (As is Miss Cornelia, who endures through the next three books.)

I’m so enjoying this trip through the Anne series, which for me is also a trip down memory lane. There will be more Anne reviews next month – but I’ve also got lots more in the stack. Stay tuned!

Christmas knitting highlights

To balance my post about Selfish Knitting Month (see below), I thought I’d share some highlights from the Christmas-knitting frenzy. I know it was all over a month ago, but I’m still proud of these projects and wanted to share them with you.

First up is the cowl I knitted from the Manos Silk Blend yarn I bought in Fredericksburg, which went to Amanda. I love the greens and browns in this cowl, and the pattern is a lovely one.

I knitted three other cowls, including one for Lisa out of a Malabrigo colorway called Paris Night. (I love the name!) The pattern name – La-La-Love-You – is also a favorite phrase of Lisa’s, and I loved this cowl so much I’m making one for myself:

I also knitted several hats – and hit upon a brilliant matched set of presents for my sister and brother-in-law. Here they are in their matching His & Hers hats, in Texas Tech colors (Stephen is a Tech grad):

Next are the French Press Slippers – Melynda’s wonderful pattern, which has taken the knitting world by storm. I knitted four pairs – for Mom, Lizzie, Julie and Dawne. This pair is Dawne’s – I love the two-tone look, and I’m thinking I really need to make some for myself.

And finally, a pair of very simple mitts for my very favorite husband. I LOVE this photo of him on Christmas morn, wearing his new penguin pj pants, a llama hat Drew brought him from Peru, and the mitts I made him (also in Malabrigo Paris Night – from Leslie’s pattern):

It’s COLD here in Abilene – so we’re planning a cozy weekend with soup, books, Friends episodes and lots of tea. Hope your weekend is just as cozy!

(P.S. If you’re reading this and you’re a knitter, I highly recommend Ravelry as a pattern source and helpful community. I’m katieleigh on Ravelry and am always excited to make new friends!)

Selfish Knitting Month

I went crazy with Christmas knitting this year. When all was said and done, I knitted three pairs of felted slippers, four cowls, three pairs of fingerless gloves, three hats and a set of three dishcloths for gifts. (I did start this madness in October, so it wasn’t quite as frantic as you might assume.) However, by the end of December I was good and ready to knit something for myself – and so I declared the time from Christmas to the end of January “Selfish Knitting Month.” (I did steal the name from Melynda, whose French Press Slipper pattern made several lovely Christmas gifts.)

I’d been jonesing for a red hat for months, so over Christmas I knitted myself a Star Crossed Slouchy Beret in a lovely, deep red Malabrigo colorway called Sealing Wax. Here it is:

(This was one of the quickest things I’ve ever knit – and it is so soft. It stretched out a little with wear, but after a wash and some fiddling, it fits fine again.)

Next up was one of Melynda’s patterns – the Breckenridge Cowl, made with the leftover Sealing Wax and a pink-and-red colorway called Amoroso. Hence I dubbed it the Valentine Cowl.

I’ve since added two toggle buttons, bought on Etsy, to keep it closed – but the post-button photos aren’t quite as good. I love these colors – and it’s SO soft and cozy. (I always thought I hated wool until I discovered Malabrigo Merino Worsted.)

I apparently can’t get enough of Melynda’s patterns, or cozy cowls, or shades of red – so I had to knit her Autumn Orange Cowl pattern (since mine is cranberry-colored, it’s my Cranberry Cowl):

(Somewhere in here I attempted a black slouchy beret, but had to frog it – rip it out – because it was HUGE when I finished. I was disappointed – but have big plans for another pattern with the same yarn.)

My most recent triumph – just finished last night – is a pair of Princess Mitts, to provide a little contrast to my lovely red coat:

This braided cable is by fair the most complex pattern I’ve ever attempted – and it came out beautifully. I am SO pleased. (And so in love with the softness of Malabrigo Silky Merino.)

I have at least another hat and cowl planned for me before I get back to gift and charity knitting (though I have squeezed in a hat for Lizzie and another pair of slippers since Christmas). It’s lovely once in a while to be able to knit for yourself, without guilt and with enjoyment – and if the weather forecast is correct, I’ve got plenty of cold weather left to enjoy my new handknits.

Thanks for letting me gush about Selfish Knitting Month. Now, to go and cast on the next project…

the list project #1 – for Jacque

Inspired by Hula, I’ve decided to do a list a week this year – some funny, some random, some Big and Important. I’m a fan of lists (though I know no one who loves them as much as Valerie), so I’m enjoying browsing through the ideas on Listography.

For my first list: a dizzying array of the teas I drink over and over (I tend to stick with blends I like, though I will give new ones a whirl). Jacque asked for some tea advice the other day – so here it is…

My three favorite tea brands:

1. Whittard
2. Republic of Tea
3. Harney & Sons

My favorite teas, in no particular order:

1. Whittard Spice Imperial – black with cloves, cinnamon and orange peel. This might be my favorite tea ever. (Similar to their Christmas Blend, also wonderful, and Harney & Sons’ Holiday Tea.)
2. H&S Hot Cinnamon Spice – three kinds of cinnamon, cloves and orange peel. Yum!
3. Oregon Chai – the original mix blended with milk (I also like the decaf mix, for evenings).
4. Republic of Tea Dream By the Fire Herb Tea – Vanilla, cinnamon and rooibos. My favorite evening tea this winter. (I can’t drink caffeine after about 7 p.m. or I can’t sleep.)
5. Revolution Sweet Ginger Peach – Absolutely delicious. And available at my grocery store. (Republic of Tea also makes a lovely ginger peach blend.)
6. Republic of Tea Blackberry Sage – The tin says “Tea for Wisdom.” I don’t know if it works, but I love this blend that takes me back to my days at The Ground Floor.
7. Republic of Tea Cranberry Blood Orange – Tart, tangy and wonderful. (H&S Cranberry Autumn is also nice.)
8. H&S Paris tea – Kind of like Earl Grey, but with a little caramel. It makes me think of Paris. And Oxford.
9. Earl Grey – I love Whittard’s version the best, but I just love a good cup of Earl Grey, no matter the brand.
10. Yorkshire – Any self-respecting tea drinker who’s been to England loves a good, stout cup of this stuff, in the morning, with milk.
11. Tazo Apple Red – I am not a Starbucks fan, but I do love this apple-laced rooibos, which tastes kind of like hot cider. Also available at the grocery store, and caffeine-free.

These are the faves in my tea cupboard. Anyone else have favorite teas to share?

a little weekend happy

I’m a big fan of Nichole Robertson’s blog, Little Brown Pen, and her beautiful Etsy shop, which she runs with her husband, Evan. I ordered one of their 2010 Paris calendars, and this is where it’s hanging, making me happy every day:

Yes, that is my office wall, and yes, I’m displaying the entire year at once and LOVING it. Oxford is my first love, but I am so thrilled to have bits of Paris in my office all year long.

(That Kelly Rae Roberts print above the calendar reads “deeply loved.” I love it.)

first you cry

I haven’t really known what to say about Haiti. I imagine people all over the blogosphere have struggled with that. Beyond the basics of it’s horrible/please pray/please send money, I haven’t known what to make of it or what to do about it.

But I have been listening to one song from Annie Parsons’ EP over and over again this week. I’ve blogged before about Annie’s soulful songwriting and her rich voice – but as I think this week of the folks in Haiti, I’ve been turning to these words (from Track 6, “First You Cry”):

I see your tears – you’re tryin’ to understand
What do you do when life don’t wind up like you planned?

You wake up every single mornin’
Will your feet to hit the floor
You pour the coffee, wipe the counter
Make yourself walk out that door
You keep on livin’, dig your heels in
Tell yourself that you’ll get by
But first – but first, you cry

I’ve been clinging to these words as I think of the folks in Haiti, and of others who are suffering. I have a friend who’s in the middle of a divorce; two friends who’ve lost their fathers-in-law recently; and I know a family whose little girl is struggling with leukemia. Annie herself has recently moved back to Colorado because her mom has cancer. I think of all these people daily and pray for them and hope things are getting better – but I know that first, before the healing, come the tears.

In the meantime, my friend David Vanderpool and his dad, also named David, have been on the ground in Haiti with Mobile Medical Disaster Relief. You can check their Web site here and follow them on Twitter here; they are just one of many organizations doing good work down there.

In the craft world, donations/auctions/etc. are popping up all over the place; there are two Etsy shops, CraftHope and HeartsforHaiti, made up of donated items, and all proceeds go to Haiti relief. Stephanie is, as always, championing the work of Doctors Without Borders, and many Ravelry designers have decided to donate part or all of their proceeds to Haiti relief. I love that there’s so much love and money pouring toward Haiti. I know we can’t help everyone – I know the problem is too big for us – but I’m deeply thankful that people are trying.

This weekend I’ll celebrate a birthday with a dear friend, and have dinner with some other friends who’ve just moved to town. There’s still so much joy in the world, even in the midst of disasters like this one. But I’ll still be keeping Annie’s words close by for a while.

busy being brave

Whew. Are we two weeks into the New Year already? Can someone tell me how that happened?

I’ve been busy – trying to follow my one little word (see post below) where it’s taking me, and still snatch some time to breathe. This past week has been something of a wild ride. I am officially an adjunct professor, teaching two sections of freshman English, at ACU.

This has been one of my longtime dreams – particularly since I taught at another university in Fall 2008 and wished I were teaching at ACU. I’m back in the cozy camaraderie of my English department, where I spent four happy years as an undergraduate, and most of my former professors are now my colleagues – as well as my friends.

I have a total of 31 students, including at least 10 internationals, to whom I’m supposed to teach something about writing and arguments and rhetoric this semester. The planning has already taken up a lot of time and a lot of mental space – but I hope to adjust to the new rhythm soon.

I’m also trying to be brave in other ways – to try new recipes and knitting patterns (I’m learning how to read charts, which have scared me for years), to call and email friends about getting together, to read Gretchen’s book (which, so far, is totally fabulous) and really think about making small changes in various areas of my life. (I’ve also been missing Oxford, even more than usual, and thinking about planning a trip there again.)

With all this bravery, I definitely need some incubating time this weekend. Fortunately, it’s a long one – so I don’t work again until Tuesday. I’m planning to enjoy it very much – and I hope you do, too.