sharing

I filled the bird feeder a few hours ago.  In the time since, there's been a crazy dinner party going on, with finches, flickers, chickadees, and two obnoxious blue jays.  Of course, they're all smarter than I am and much faster than my camera, but they've been a good show.  Even if I don't have the evidence to prove it.

Mostly, I've been birdwatching as an excuse to take a break from the novel-writing.  Since I last posted here, I've eked out over 11,000 words towards my 50,000 word goal.  On the fifth day of the month, I'm already over a fifth of the way through the thing.  It's kind of a rush, but I think it might be a little early to start celebrating.

So, I'll be spending my weekend writing, which is, in fact, probably what I should be doing right now.  If you're not facing a ridiculous novel-writing challenge, here's a weekend to-do list for you:

Get rid of the Halloween candy.  That is, if there's any left.  Ahem.

Start planning your Thanksgiving menu.

Get creeped out by something beautiful.

Make a paper pumpkin.

Find some new ideas.

Eat the art.

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

redux

So, down to party planning.  My approach to Wedding Reception II has two overarching themes.  

The first: Do all those things we wanted to do at the wedding but couldn't pull together at the last minute.  For instance, we will be having balloons at WR II.  Red balloons.  Round, not normal-balloon-shaped.

The second theme: Reuse the best of what we had at the wedding.  My man's pennants, for instance.  And all those lovely family photos.  And the beautiful, hand-cut paper banners that my man's parents made for our sweet rehearsal dinner.  I love birds and I love cut paper.  Before these get tucked away forever in a scrapbook or a cedar chest, I want the world to have one last chance to enjoy them.

Granted, there are still quite a few big things that we need to figure out, like--say--the food.  But I feel much better knowing that we have things nailed down in the decoration department.

With all this planning and plotting to do, we're in for a big weekend.  I'll be back on Monday to bring you all up to date...

blue

It was a busy, busy weekend here at headquarters.  Plenty got accomplished and there were a few fun surprises, too.  There's one thing, though, that I absolutely have to share right away.  You were so patient about my belly-aching and hand-wringing over the big shoe dilemma, so  I think you should be the first to know:  I have found the shoes.

It turns out I needed blue shoes.  I had no idea.  I put them on my feet and then I just didn't want to take them off again.  They were a little spendy, but just like with the dress, I have all intentions of wearing these constantly after the wedding.

Of course, the nice girls at the shoe store have already pointed out that now I have the "something blue" thing taken care of.  I'll be honest, I hadn't been too worked up about that whole thing.  I don't think that some superstitious Victorian rhyme is going to do me much good at this point.  I've already ditched so many other traditions, what's one more, really?

I did learn something interesting, though, about the saying.  Of course, I've heard the whole "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue," but I'd never come across this last bit.  Have you ever heard "and a silver sixpence in her shoe?"  Maybe this is common knowledge in the on-line wedding world.  It could be that I just don't get out enough.

According to my somewhat-reliable source, the sixpence symbolizes financial stability, which is certainly something I could use right now.  Unfortunately, they stopped minting the sixpence coin in the 1960's, and I just don't think a nickel is going to cut it.

Besides, walking around with a coin in my shoe would kind of be a drag, even in comfortable shoes.  And these shoes are incredibly comfortable.  I'm kind of fighting the urge to wear them right now. They remind me of a bird's egg.*

So enough, now, with all the shopping and buying and getting.  It makes me kind of anxious, actually.  I'll be back on Wednesday with some crafty goodness to share...


*A bluebird's egg.  A sparrow's eggs are whitish, usually.  With brown speckles.  These are important things to know.