Relaxation

Hey look! An update on a Sunday for once! Crazy.

Well, the reason updates have been so sporadic is because I was in the middle some serious essay writing. I handed in my last midterm on Friday, though, and immediately felt a whole-body sort of sigh of relief. The fact that I was fairly happy with it helped. Not only did I hand in a paper, I handed in a good paper. There is something immensely satisfying for me in good academic writing. I really do love my career.

There is also something immensely satisfying in going to the library to return more books than one can easily carry. I had a stack of books that were slipping and falling out of my arms the whole walk from my cubicle.


This weekend has been fun and relaxing, too. Friday was my friend Jenn's birthday, so I went over to Jenn & Bri's apartment for dinner. I brought a bottle of wine and a bunch of daffodils, because I am physically incapable of attending a dinner party without contributing something, and I gave Jenn a pretty little headband that I made. Saturday-- yesterday-- I met up with Jenn in town and we went shopping together. Just for sundries, but it was the kind of shopping I do alone every weekend, so it was nice to have someone with me. We have also had absolutely beautiful weather all week, so it was nice to be out in the sun! I turned off my heat and have switched from my winter wool coat to my spring corduroy blazer, and crocheted a new spring scarf. Even though Ireland doesn't have the painful winters that Michigan does, it's still a nice change.

Also, I made some rather lovely chestnut and mushroom soup for dinner last night! It's not a perfect recipe-- for one thing, I think it would benefit from some sherry. (Of course, this would make only the third time in my life that I have required sherry to cook with, and since it comes in wine bottles but you only use about a tablespoon at a time, I don't think I'll be buying any.) Still, it's definitely a nice idea.

Today I slept in and have been crocheting and watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I recently treated myself and bought the complete series box set-- all 140-some episodes, plus lots of special features! I will never need television again.* Plus the box itself is really nice, great presentation... it would be very nice to get signed, say, if I ever meet any of the cast! A girl can dream.

I've been crocheting a lot as usual lately, but with the exception of Jenn's headband and the shamrock I made for Paddy's day (both of which took about half an hour!) I haven't been working on any specific project. Rather, I've been practicing crocheting flowers. I think I've finally got a good method down. And today I've been practicing granny squares, again using flower motifs in the center. I saw a cute openwork sweater at the store yesterday, and it gave me an idea for a project using these elements. It makes me really happy to see fashionable items for sale and knowing that I could make them!

So, it's been a very relaxing weekend, after several stressful weeks. The stress will start up soon again, but for now it's nice to just sit back and crochet the flowers. Nothing terribly exciting, but nice all the same.


Have I mentioned that Jim is going to visit me? No, I guess not... Jim is going to visit me! He will be here the last weekend of April. I'm very excited. ^_^





*Yes, I know that Buffy is a tv show. But I'm watching on dvd, on a laptop, and have only actually seen in it on a television broadcast maybe twice. I really love tv-on-dvd, and really hate television.