a long and rambling post . . .

Friday morning was sunny and warm. MJ and I met and went for a walk in one of our upper-scale neighborhoods. (Eastmoreland) Most of the homes were built in the 1920s and have been well maintained. This is the Reed College neighborhood and many professors and deans and so on lived here. The streets were planted with trees which have grown huge and venerable. The rhododendrons are the size of trees. We strolled along enjoying the greenery,
And the magentary,


And the pink dogwoodery.

MJ is a notable athlete, but very kindly kept her pace throttled back to my feeble strength. We paused often to discuss different houses, identifying this as craftsman style and that as prarie style and the other as dutch colonial or federal or tudor(The faux half-timbering gives it away every time.). There were a few 50s era ranch houses, and one intriguing stucco bungalow in an art-deco style - I think. And color schemes and garden ideas and window treatments - we walked and talked and had a marvelous time, and I wasn't even worn out at the end of an hour and a half. MJ is a kind and wise woman. IF the first time is gentle and pleasant, I'm likely to be willing to go for future walks.

Then I came home, with endorphins charging around my system, and settled down to the sewing machine. Using some more of Amy Lane's donated flannel, (With bunnies and teddy bears printed in pastels) I made an arrythmic baby quilt. It's not at all symmetrical nor even properly balanced, but it used the scraps just about completely.

Then I took the scraps from the yellow, red and green dino quilt, added left-over navy blue flannel and came up with yet another kid-size quilt.

And as for knitting at work, I have been using scraps there, too. Measure out how long you want your scarf to be, then triple that. Make a slipknot there, and do a LONG tail cast on. break off the yarn about six inches long, and let the end dangle. Pick up another yarn, let about six inches dangle, and knit back. Repeat untill you have used up almost all your yarn. Bind off. Take three adjacent strands of the yarn at the end, pull the strands snug, and tie an over-hand knot. Repeat all across both ends to make fringe and trim to tidy. Wrap around your throat, or put it away with lavendar in readiness for Christmas or the first brutal cold snap.

At breakfast this morning, DH gave me the ripest of the strawberries off his waffle and told me I didn't eat enough happy food. Then we went grocery shopping and he made sure there was lots of fruit for me. Strawberries realy ARE happy food, aren't they? I don't mean those styrofoam things they strip-mine down in Texas. I mean real, tender, sweet, juicy berries. Soon, oh soon the brief three weeks when the Hood berries are in season will be upon us, and I will eat myself into a strawberry stupor. Hood berries are too fragile to ship out of state. If you want to taste bliss, you'll just have to come and visit me in early June. I'll make shortbread and real whipped cream and we can eat a whole flat of berries for dinner, and put sliced berries in our breakfast champagne.

When we got home from the grocery shopping, DH got the bikes out and we took a little ride around the neighborhood. About 3.5 miles. My legs were starting to feel it, and we figured it was better to take it easy, rather than suffer later. Yes, I'm a wuss and a wimp and a flabby old broad. But this can all be changed with patience and determination. And more fun walks and bike rides.

So now I'm sitting in the backyard, exaulting in the warmth and the sunshine, and keeping company with old blind Jack-cat who likes to sniff the air but doesn't car to venture more than about three feet away from me. Quiet and happy for both of us.

I am quite astounded at how many of us are having bad dreams and trouble sleeping. WE need to load our heads with more happy stuff! Happy movies, happy books and who cares if they're "worthy" or not? Look at the movies from the Great Depression. The good guys won, the bad guys lost, the guy got the girl and everyone broke into song and dance. More of that, please.

What's your favorite happy movie?