Oh dear.

I forgot to tell you that I was going to be away yesterday and now you're on the edge of your seat for the Things I Love on Sunday post! Oh whatever shall we do?

Let's get started, shall we?

... I love that my house didn't burn down. Thank you firemen and women and police and all! From the bottom of my heart, thank you for not letting this life (this tale, these pets, this dream) get taken away and turned into a less pretty one.

... My lovely sister's hospitality! My love and I went on a mini road trip to SLO to visit and it was sooo nice to get away from it all for a bit!


... This glorious photo stream with the most inspiring home.


... Rocking this soundtrack these days thanks to the gift giving abilities of my darling little brother (who has the freaking cutest girlfriend ever, btw).


... This hat spotted by Jessi on Pink. I hope to cast on tonight since I finished my Porom (rav link) a few days ago (more details on that one a bit later)!


... This image by the beautiful bohogirl (who inspires me to no end) makes me so happy and long for that kind of style and life.


... I love these pretty headphones and will be purchasing them ASAP.


I think that's all for today. After a dusty camping trip over the weekend we have a lot of laundry and cleaning and errands and organizing to do today. Oh, and the giveaway shall be postponed (or maybe substituted to something already knit up) due to that fact. Sorry, but 7200 acre fires in my backyard take priority! :)

Hope you all have a great week!

... Oh! One last thing! Drool.

Three years.

This is my favorite photo of us... Taken 2.5 years ago at his birthday party.

Mr Lobster and I have been together for 3 years today. We have a cool (and a little bit tragic) story about how we got together, but I'll spare you. Instead, behold the reasons I love this man (this is by no means a comprehensive list, just the reasons that are weighing heavily on my mind today). Besides being the kindest, sweetest, and most inherently good person I know, I love my honey because...

... He does the laundry for all of us and doesn't ruin anything. And he gives the dogs baths when he cleans their bedding so they don't stink it up again. And he takes the garbage out before I even think about saying that it's full.

... He makes the most amazing goat cheese and tomato quesadillas ever.

... He stayed home from work for two days to be here with the animals in case of evacuation while I went and played with my favorite ladies. Then he cleaned the house so I could spend all day today spinning my new roving and dealing with the stress in my own way.

... He thinks that the anniversary presents we got each other (sleeping bags that zip together and a new tent) are just as romantic as I do.

... He buys me potted flowers so that I can plant them in our garden and enjoy them longer than freshly cut flowers.

... He can untangle any yarn knot I plop in his lap. And he doesn't complain when I ask him to ball my yarn for me. Nor does he complain about the sheer amount of yarn there is in this house and just smiles complacently when more comes in the mail.

... When I rearrange the house or re-paint the bathroom/bedroom/living room he nods in agreement (even when he knows how much grief it will cause him to have to move a chair to open the refrigerator and that I'll be changing things again next week).

And I love him because even though some days we want to strangle each other, our life together is just heavenly.

Happy anniversary, babe.

Catching up (and my breath).

Well my lovelies! It's been a few days. I know you're all breathless with anticipation for a Things I Love Sunday, and it will come tomorrow. Promise! In the meantime...

My life turned from quiet (alone, dreamy, routine, peaceful)


to busy (messy, crowded, chaotic, lovely) with the arrival of these two beauties on Friday.

We went to my favorite tea place (came away with 2 ounces of thai tea and 3 of genmaicha... yay!), the aquarium to see the sea dragons, to visit a beautiful local yarn store (not exactly local to me but beautiful and full of soft things nonetheless. The spoils are stunning.), went to thai food at my favorite place in Soquel (used to live right down the street from it and I miss it), and had a craft party with wine and kittens! And that was just Saturday. :)

My life has been full of pretty people these past few days. It makes me appreciate my friends and family and their kooky ways.

Other things going on:

... Harry Potter was only okay.
... Made my first etsy sale!!
... Inspired by being able to make thai tea at home.
... Working on some mittens (rav link) that may very well be too complicated for me and loving the challenge (that's the minty green picture at the top).
... Taking care of school business and studying like mad for a test I forgot about.

With that said... enough distraction. I've got to read about lifespan development.

Today...

barbeque/friends/hot wings/dominoes/sunshine/iced tea/beach/sandcastles/wrestling/dogs/sushi/tea/rest

Mini Road Trip

Down to SLO CA to watch my baby sister graduate college! Oh my!


Hello 5:00am! I haven't seen you in ages. I don't care how you've been, I hope to never see you again unless I've been painting/partying all night long.


Lots of people graduating this year! Too many for one ceremony in fact.


My beautiful family (minus Sean Bear). After the ceremony we went to a small Earth Science department reception where I met Jac's freaking awesome teach and we took lots of pictures.


My beautiful Jessi. She loved her hat (obviously.)


This was so totally magical. We went to this great barn that had been converted into a store/fruit stand/petting zoo! HEAVEN.


Hello Mr. Goat. He was my friend.

Some barn findings that I wish I had bought. I'll have to send Jac back for me. Or go visit again very very very soon.


Jessi and I and honey stick goodness. I love her. And honey sticks. I feel blessed that we got to bond yesterday and learn more about each other. I can see why my sister chose you as her honorary big sister Jessi. You're beautiful.


Then lunch at The Olde Port Inn and back on the road!

Highlights:
... Meeting someone who can teach me how to spin my own yarn.
... Bonding with Jessi.
... Seeing my darling little sister in her element. I hope she goes back to school, she's so good there. I wish that that trait were in me somewhere, but it seems like there was only enough in our family for one child! :)
... Watermelon hats and honey sticks.
... Getting to drive down with Michelle and getting to know her life again. (I wish I had gotten a pic or two of us, but I suppose keeping an eye on the road is more important.)
... Petting goats and sheep and ponies!

Congratulations Jac. You're beautiful.

Nobody updates their blogs on Saturday mornings.

Which makes me wonder what everyone is up to.

I can imagine that my sister is in bed with her honey, probably thinking about making blueberry pancakes and cup of tea. They're probably laughing about something silly and forgetting about their worries for a little while. Sunlight streams through the window, their faces are close together and under the covers, hoping the moment lasts a little bit longer.

Ally is working (bless anyone who works at the mall on a Saturday morning) probably cussing under her breath about a screaming child, but she puts on a brave and kind face and works through it. Something sweet and sticky has gummed up a keyboard, it looks like strawberry blood on a white plate. The end of the day won't come soon enough, but she gets to walk by that beautiful pair of shoes on her way to her car, so it's not all bad.

My parents are sitting in the trailer with their coffee, joking about how good my brother has it (who is passed out, mouth wide open and snoring, on the couch in a sleeping bag) and worrying about dry wall and light fixtures. It doesn't matter that they're living in a trailer in their driveway... They have each other and their dog and their cups of coffee. Laughter is their glue.

Sean, my love, is at work, installing an expensive TV for a nice older couple in a retirement home. He and Gavin are laughing with the couple over the antics of a crotchety calico cat that doesn't like things moved in the living room. Dusting off the top of the mounted TV, Sean is adjusting his hat and thinking about Chill Out cafe for lunch.

Chris and Bey are (I hope relaxing) probably off and exploring some uncharted frontier somewhere. When I think of them I think hiking boots, cameras, and large trees and mountains that seem to welcome them with open arms. Chris is jumping boulders and Bey is taking a moment to connect. They're eating cucumbers sandwiches.

Me? Dreaming of a new plan, watching my prayer flags blow in the wind, knitting a new hat, drinking grapefruit green tea, smelling some pretty pink roses, and thinking about all of you.