To listen to this blog post read by the author click here: /102909.mp3
Could the funk be fleeing?
I feel like I’ve been going back two steps for every step forward, it’s been a hard couple of years – Gerry’s health notwithstanding – and some days it’s been hard to find the joy in what I’m doing.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining – please understand that I KNOW how lucky, fortunate, and wonderful my life is! But the past years have called for more work than any previous few years have.
Mostly, I think, it’s been keeping up the “look for the joy” thing for the kids, and for Gerry, which is wearying (But ultimately the most satisfying thing a mom can do – teaching the kids to find the joy wherever you can!)
But I’ve found over and over in the past two years that when I do something it’s just not right, and I end up starting over, rewriting, ripping out, or apologizing. 
I clicked on the horoscope above on a whim, and it made me feel light years better. A good friend back in NJ who does horoscopes wrote me the same thing a few weeks ago.
Now, I know it will make me seem all oooky-spooky to say I believe this stuff (hey, it’s Halloween!) but somewhere deep down I do. So there.
I’ve noticed definite samenessess (a word?) between myself and other Virgos, and the folks I tend to gravitate to are other Virgos and Aquarians (but I’ll love anyone, I’m easy…)
Not that this is absolute proof, but I’ll grab a lifeline when I see one, and I loved the horoscope above.
Case in point – Anne Boleyn. I’m working on a sweater based on the anonymous portrait of AB, and when I look back over my previous blog posts it’s notable that I haven’t posted many photos of it.
Why? I haven’t been happy with it.
I love the yarn. I would marry it if I could. It’s Tilli Tomas Milan and Beaded Milan, and it’s just about the yummiest stuff I’ve worked with.
And the sweater has garnered oohs and aaahs from everyone I show it to. And it didn’t look bad.
But it didn’t look good. It looked silly and costumy, exactly what I did NOT want to achieve with this book.
Last night after trying Anne Boleyn on Hannah, I sent the sweater a Bill of Attainder.
I ripped the whole danged thing out. I didn’t even bring over a French executioner…. It took 2 hours (beaded yarn is hard to rip) and I felt like a new woman when I finished.
I think the best route for this project is not to make it quite as literal as I was trying to do. I’m going to fashion it as a chanel type jacket, and it’s going to be Crochet.
Yes, you heard me. That’s what the yarn wants, and that’s what the yarn gets. Making the yarn happy makes ME happy, too! Find the joy, baby!
MUG
I forgot to post about this, but I bought a wonderful Rhinebeck mug from Jennie the Potter (is it odd that we both drove cross country from MN so I could buy a mug from her?) and I adore it.
I have had many cups of tea from it already, and I think we have a bright and wonderful future together!
More Horoscope Stuff
I revisited the site after one of the comments suggested I check out my ruling planet. This is what it says – it seems pretty much on the mark (flattering – but aren’t they always…?)
You may be well-studied and analytical, but you’re no bookworm. Knowledge is useless if it can’t be put to use, and you always make the most of your resources. And when others take stuff for granted, you’ll help yourself to the things they fail to appreciate. But you’re not self-serving; others often make a profit because of you. The combination of your drive to survive, your thrifty nature and your nerve makes you a success. However, you realize that being clever doesn’t make you wise. That comes with experience, and you really do get smarter (and richer) with age. You’re blessed in September, stressed in March.
To listen to this blog post read by the author click here: /102909.mp3