When I was a kid, we went camping a lot. That was our go-to mini-vacation, as well as most year's big vacations. Trips could be anything from a weekend to two weeks, depending on the time of year and how much time my dad could get off work. We did some "big" trips too, the requisite DisneyLand sojourn, ski vacations, and Switzerland once, but that was more to visit friends than anything else. But the camping trips are what I remember the most.
We weren't primitive campers, we had a trailer or an RV because my mom hated sleeping on the ground. When I was small, I just loved going anywhere and getting to go run through the woods with my Daddy, who was 100% workaholic during the week when we were at home, and was 100% mine when we left the confines of civilization. As I got older and busier with this responbility and that, the draw of camping became more about being forced to "unplug" for a few days and just relax. I wasn't allowed to bring my schoolwork. We didn't bring any phones or computers (for one thing, they didn't work all that well "off the grid" back then.) and I wasn't allowed to bring my schoolwork unless I had a big project deadline coming up. And even then, it usually got left at home. This might cause a few minutes of panic, but I always got it done and the break usually helped me focus better when I returned. I got more reading done in the woods that I ever had sitting on the couch.
But you know what was never fun? Kites. Kites are not fun.
We spent quite a bit of time on the Oregon coast and during the summer months there were always hundreds of kites out on the beach. Everything from the simple kites you buy at wal-mart to fancy fighter kites. We always had the simple kind, of course. And they never flew. Not once. I have attempted to fly kites a number of times, I don't think I have ever succeeded.
You might say that it's about the fun of trying, not about actually getting the kite airborne. And for a short time, you might be right. We'd have fun running around with the kite trailing behind us, laughing as we tripped. But after a while, seeing all of the other beautiful kites in the sky while yours flopped on the groudn like a lifeless bit of trash was either depressing or enfuriating.
However, my husband worked in a kite shop when we were in high school. He probably knows the deep secrets of the kite, but I doubt that I can learn them. I still can't get the DVD player to work, so I doubt there's much hope for me. Maybe in the future I'll learn to take enjoyment by just sitting and watching other people fly a kite. Or just sitting and reading on the beach. That's probably my best option. Books don't disapoint. Books are always there for you. And they don't come crashing out of the sky on top of your head. Often.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Becoming
It's been kind of a rough year so far.
There are a lot of things that have contributed to that, but a big part is my horse's ongoing soundness issues. Last week I thought we had finally cut out the last of the abcess, only to have him limp out of his stall again yesterday. I cut out some more false sole, and I'm crossing my fingers that his foot just needs time to regrow healthy sole and frog and for the inflammation to reduce. It's hard not to be discouraged though, going on six months of treating and praying, and not being able to ride. Riding and working with horses has always been the most effective way for me to treat my mental health issues, so this makes for a rough year.
As the weather is getting nicer, my mood is always elevated though. I've got other things to help keep my busy, with my garden and my dogs and helping Colleen get ready for her upcoming wedding. It gives me just enough clarity to allow for some introspection about the person that I want to be.
I want to be the kind of person who makes healthy choices, not because of guilt, but because it makes me feel good. I used to be this way, and slipped over the winter. Work having me sitting in McDonalds for hours every day wasn't helpful in the idea of eating real food. Oh MSG, you are aso deliciously addictive. Hopefully with the warm weather, work will be taking me outside far more often and I'll start craving natural, healthy foods again.
I want to be the kind of person who doesn't miss a workout.
I want to be the kind of person who calls friends for no reason other than to talk.
I want to be the kind of person who nurtures friendships. I don't know how to do this, but it has to be a skill that I can learn.
I want to be the kind of person who puts pursuits that they enjoy before wasting time on things that don't fulfill me. So, more time reading, crocheting, writing, and playing with the critters, less time on facebook and watching TV.
I want to be the kind of person who lives the gospel and inspires other through example.
I want to be the kind of person who takes control of my living space, making it a haven rather than a source of stress. That means finding cleaning routines that work for me so that I don't have a panic attack about the amount of dog hair creating dust-hippos in the corners. It also means finding ways to decorate this space and turn it into our home rather than the place that we're living for now.
I want to be the kind of person who laughs daily.
There are a lot of things that have contributed to that, but a big part is my horse's ongoing soundness issues. Last week I thought we had finally cut out the last of the abcess, only to have him limp out of his stall again yesterday. I cut out some more false sole, and I'm crossing my fingers that his foot just needs time to regrow healthy sole and frog and for the inflammation to reduce. It's hard not to be discouraged though, going on six months of treating and praying, and not being able to ride. Riding and working with horses has always been the most effective way for me to treat my mental health issues, so this makes for a rough year.
As the weather is getting nicer, my mood is always elevated though. I've got other things to help keep my busy, with my garden and my dogs and helping Colleen get ready for her upcoming wedding. It gives me just enough clarity to allow for some introspection about the person that I want to be.
I want to be the kind of person who makes healthy choices, not because of guilt, but because it makes me feel good. I used to be this way, and slipped over the winter. Work having me sitting in McDonalds for hours every day wasn't helpful in the idea of eating real food. Oh MSG, you are aso deliciously addictive. Hopefully with the warm weather, work will be taking me outside far more often and I'll start craving natural, healthy foods again.
I want to be the kind of person who doesn't miss a workout.
I want to be the kind of person who calls friends for no reason other than to talk.
I want to be the kind of person who nurtures friendships. I don't know how to do this, but it has to be a skill that I can learn.
I want to be the kind of person who puts pursuits that they enjoy before wasting time on things that don't fulfill me. So, more time reading, crocheting, writing, and playing with the critters, less time on facebook and watching TV.
I want to be the kind of person who lives the gospel and inspires other through example.
I want to be the kind of person who takes control of my living space, making it a haven rather than a source of stress. That means finding cleaning routines that work for me so that I don't have a panic attack about the amount of dog hair creating dust-hippos in the corners. It also means finding ways to decorate this space and turn it into our home rather than the place that we're living for now.
I want to be the kind of person who laughs daily.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
10 Tidbits to Help Us Get to Know Each Other
The internet is a big place. That's pretty obvious. The vastness is one of the biggest pulls for people like me, there is literally no end to things I can learn and discover on this thing. The sense of annonymity that comes with it is also a huge draw, but let's be honest, we all need to feel connected to other people and I always want to know more about the people I read from. So here's 10 somewhat interesting things that I think everyone should know about me.
1) I live in Washington state, in a small town about an hour from Seattle. I love living in a smaller, more rural setting. I've never been a city person and having traffic and people around all of the time sends me into panic-mode. Eventually, I'm hoping to move even farther out from civilization eventually, but playing the rental game, you have to take what you can get. I love the trees and the mountains and the ocean here. I've lived in a few different regions of the United States, and the Pacific Northwest will always be home.
2) I am an introvert in every sense of the word. I recharge by quietly sitting and reading, writing, crocheting, or hanging out with dogs/cats/horses. I don't dislike people, but social contact in general is exhausting and I can only take so much of it every day. Since my job involves a lot of working with people, at the end of the day I usually want nothing other than to curl up on the sofa with a good book or a skein of fancy yarn.
3) Technology and I don't always get along. I can't tell you how many times I can't get something to work and after an hour of fighting with it, I had it to my husband and he pushes one button to fix it. I am the quintessential "Did you check to see if it was plugged in?" customer service call. Thankfully, I married someone who is really good at technology, so I feel aboslutely no need to change this.
4) I don't have children. This is not because I don't like children. I work with children every day and love (most) every minute of it. I say "most" because it's hard to love them when you're stuck in a traffic jam on I-5 and they're having a temper tantrum in the backseat. That's hardly every day though.
5) I do have an awful lot of animals. By some people's standards at least. I think I need a few more. But right now we're sitting pretty well at two large dogs, two cats, and a horse. I'm itching to get chickens, but I don't know how my landlord would feel about that.
6) I hate spending money and love trying to find ways to save it. I'm hardly an expert in frugality, but I'm learning quickly what systems work for me and what don't. Meal planning has saved us thousands, but I'm still not sure what good making my own windex is going to do, since I only buy about a bottle a year. Maybe that means I need to clean my house more often. I'm always looking for new and different ways to save a few bucks here or there and get really excited about finding creative ways to do without. And if I can try to make something myself intsead of buying it? I'm all over that.
7) I don't think there is anything more therapeutic than making bread. A good 10 minutes beating/kneading the dough is a great way to work out pent-up aggression after a long day. Plus, you get bread afterwards.
8) I'm not very good at gardening, but I'm trying to get better. I got one edible cucumber last year, and three inedible tomatoes. This year it looks like my peas might be doing well, but I don't know about any of the other vegetables. My thumb isn't quite green, but I'm determined to fake it until is because there is nothing quite like fresh produce.
9) I'm a bit of a geek. My father and I spent years bonding over Star Trek: The Next Generation, and a love bordering on obsession with Dr. Who, Firefly, and all things fantasy is one of the biggest things that my husband and I have in common. I'm not a gamer though. I play the occasional video game, but I'm very bad at it, so I refuse to play with my husband, who is beyond intense on the subject.
10) My biggest passions in life lie in horses and crocheting, thus the title of this blog. My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 8 and I've been riding and training sport horses for 16 years. This is an attempt to chronicle that journey.
1) I live in Washington state, in a small town about an hour from Seattle. I love living in a smaller, more rural setting. I've never been a city person and having traffic and people around all of the time sends me into panic-mode. Eventually, I'm hoping to move even farther out from civilization eventually, but playing the rental game, you have to take what you can get. I love the trees and the mountains and the ocean here. I've lived in a few different regions of the United States, and the Pacific Northwest will always be home.
2) I am an introvert in every sense of the word. I recharge by quietly sitting and reading, writing, crocheting, or hanging out with dogs/cats/horses. I don't dislike people, but social contact in general is exhausting and I can only take so much of it every day. Since my job involves a lot of working with people, at the end of the day I usually want nothing other than to curl up on the sofa with a good book or a skein of fancy yarn.
3) Technology and I don't always get along. I can't tell you how many times I can't get something to work and after an hour of fighting with it, I had it to my husband and he pushes one button to fix it. I am the quintessential "Did you check to see if it was plugged in?" customer service call. Thankfully, I married someone who is really good at technology, so I feel aboslutely no need to change this.
4) I don't have children. This is not because I don't like children. I work with children every day and love (most) every minute of it. I say "most" because it's hard to love them when you're stuck in a traffic jam on I-5 and they're having a temper tantrum in the backseat. That's hardly every day though.
5) I do have an awful lot of animals. By some people's standards at least. I think I need a few more. But right now we're sitting pretty well at two large dogs, two cats, and a horse. I'm itching to get chickens, but I don't know how my landlord would feel about that.
6) I hate spending money and love trying to find ways to save it. I'm hardly an expert in frugality, but I'm learning quickly what systems work for me and what don't. Meal planning has saved us thousands, but I'm still not sure what good making my own windex is going to do, since I only buy about a bottle a year. Maybe that means I need to clean my house more often. I'm always looking for new and different ways to save a few bucks here or there and get really excited about finding creative ways to do without. And if I can try to make something myself intsead of buying it? I'm all over that.
7) I don't think there is anything more therapeutic than making bread. A good 10 minutes beating/kneading the dough is a great way to work out pent-up aggression after a long day. Plus, you get bread afterwards.
8) I'm not very good at gardening, but I'm trying to get better. I got one edible cucumber last year, and three inedible tomatoes. This year it looks like my peas might be doing well, but I don't know about any of the other vegetables. My thumb isn't quite green, but I'm determined to fake it until is because there is nothing quite like fresh produce.
9) I'm a bit of a geek. My father and I spent years bonding over Star Trek: The Next Generation, and a love bordering on obsession with Dr. Who, Firefly, and all things fantasy is one of the biggest things that my husband and I have in common. I'm not a gamer though. I play the occasional video game, but I'm very bad at it, so I refuse to play with my husband, who is beyond intense on the subject.
10) My biggest passions in life lie in horses and crocheting, thus the title of this blog. My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was 8 and I've been riding and training sport horses for 16 years. This is an attempt to chronicle that journey.
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