Industry

Sela. Favorite symbol? Beehive. Here we illustrate her industrous character as she takes the initiative to help load the dishwasher - without having to be asked.

Concession

Now that it is November, I have to concede that summer is definitely over. I know, some people may have come to this conclusion days ago, but I had a hard time with this admission because much of the summer was so cool and rainy, that I kept waiting for it to feel like summer, but maybe a summer here never does feel like summer in that sidewalk egg frying way. I am not yet ready to concede completely to that point, but other than my frustration about the weather, it was a good summer. Primarily because, in the absense the husband of to the Himalayan foothills, my mother came for five weeks, then Dad, then the Inlaws.


Some people may worry about their mother coming to stay for five weeks, but it was truly amazing to have her here. It was also truly amazing that she mowed the lawn. She said once that she was just trying to help me make my house "more functional" - and she helped in all the right ways without me really saying much of anything (with the assistance of one small one). Having her here and seeing her with Sela reminded me of some of the things that I wouldn't mind seeing in myself one day.
When Dad came, we had a really fun search for moose (akin to the search for snipe, good snacks, and classy hotel rooms), and the perfect pinochle game in the "northern country" as grandpa tried to break the girl of her broccoli habit. It's also nice to not worry about your inlaws coming to stay for weeks when you husband will supposedly be out of the country. I mean, when Janet can keep you informed about what you should know is happening in your own village from across the country, you can just imagine what you can learn when she is actually here. Elvoid has a good way solving problems, so that sometimes, things in the house would be fixed and improved that I didn't necessarily consider the possibility improving and there it would be - better than it had been before. It's also great to play with the little one with people who think that she is as wonderful as you do.

Curl

I never even thought to think about whether or not I was a natural at curling. Well, years of the balance beam may have been preparation for just this sport. Now, for those critics who question whether or not curling is truly a sport, would the Olympic committee really approve anything that didn't take upmost athletic skill? Anyone who has tried to sweep their kitchen floor in a very vigorous and very fast motion can attest to the sweat that can pour from one's brow and the careful coordination it would take to do that and walk quickly forward in a straight line at the same time. And, who knew that you are better off in curling if you can do the splits? Anyway, any sport that you march out on the ice in a line to start the game (even when it's your first game ever), banging your broomstick to the beat of a blaring bagpipe tune, is bound to make you feel grandios and athletic.

Chilling Darkness Encounters

I guess if you are not updating your blog, then nothing is happening in your life. Otherwise, you would be posting or twitting something. So, you can see that from the time that Sela turned one, we basically stopped doing things and she became uninteresting - until she became a bear.