Blog Challenge Day 17: A Work of Art & Some Pathetic Whining

Hey Humble Readers!  I hope you're having a great weekend!

Today's assignment for the Blog Challenge is to share a piece of artwork and what it means to you. 

Now, I don't consider myself 'artsy' but I do know what I like.  When we were in NYC last year, some of my favourite moments were in the many museums we visited.  I can't talk knowledgably about artists or their media.  I just know when something speaks to me. 

One of my absolute favourite pieces is a painting by John William Waterhouse called "The Lady of Shalott"


courtesy of Google Images

I confess that I came to love this painting through a round-about means.  When I was 11 I read "Anne of Green Gables" for the first time.  Now, if you haven't read it (or at the very least, seen the movie), there is a very integral scene where Anne and her friends act out Tennyson's poem about Lancelot and the Lady, with near tragic (but comic) results.  Reading Anne led me to reading Tennyson, which then led to discovering the many different paintings that have illustrated it over the years. 

I have a large print of this painting framed over our bed.  I love the colours and the emotion depicted.  I don't know what else to say about it, except that I really really love it. 

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Okay... so time for some pathetic whining.

My lower back and right hip have been extremely sore since the other day when I was doing that painting.  I was pretty lazy yesterday, and thought that I was doing better, just stiff.  Then I spent the morning at the mall, doing some much needed shopping, while Beloved was at a meeting at church.  It was only a couple of hours, but I ended up hobbling around the grocery store and ever since, I've been in a whole heck of a lot of pain.  I took a nap this afternoon, hoping that it would help me relax, but it still feels like I have a huge knot right in my big old derriere.  And it's not helping that the Halfling has dropped and it feels like he/she is wedged right where the sun don't shine. 

*sigh* 

Remind me that I really really realy really really wanted this... please?

Blog Challenge Day 16: A Song That Makes Me Cry

Greetings Humble Readers!

Today hasn't been anywhere near as productive as I had hoped, but I kind of overdid it yesterday.  I woke up in a lot of pain and decided that the rest of the painting would have to wait.

The plan is, we are going to finish painting the bookcases tomorrow.  So, today I spent the morning resting (aka being a lazy ass), and this afternoon, I've done a bunch of baby laundry.  I don't normally enjoy doing laundry, but I have to say that this has been kind of fun.  I know I won't always feel this way about it, but it was great folding all those little blankets and outfits.  I just can't imagine having something that small to hold. 

Today's assignment for the blog challenge is to talk about a song that makes me cry.  I think I've talked about this one before.  The first song that comes to mind is "Dance Little Jean" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.  (The video isn't of them, but it was the best version I could find on Youtube.) 



But one that I don't hear all that often (thank goodness!), but still makes me bawl like a baby everytime I hear it is the Academy Award winning song from Return of the King, "Into the West"  by Annie Lennox.  Especially when you know the story behind it... about a young man associated with the film who died after along battle with cancer.  It also makes me think of my angel girls... waiting in, as Gandalf says, 'a far green country, under a swift sunrise'. 



I hope I didn't make you cry... ;)

Blog Challenge Day 15: My Dream House

Howdy Humble Readers!

Greetings from your friendly neighbourhood paint-covered hobbit!  I've spent all day working on getting a set of bookshelves painted for the nursery.  It's taken me all day because I'm moving pretty slow these days, and I had to take a nap this afternoon... heaven help me!

But the Blog Challenge beckons, and it's time to talk about my dream house... so, here's a picture:

I finally discovered the key word that describes my dream house... craftsman style!  I love the front porch and the gabled windows.  Not that my Beloved and I want an older home to maintain or a big yard, but something like the house pictured above, on a small lot, with a garage or at least a good solid shed (so that we don't have to store things in the garages and basements of family and friends). 

My dream house would have 3 bedrooms, and 3 bathrooms (the en suite would have a nice deep soaker tub and a rain shower).  It would have an informal living room, a cozy dining room, a comfy family room (with a ton of built in book cases), and most importantly, a bee-ewe-tee-ful big kitchen.  Lots of cupboards and drawers (I want drawers for my pots, pans, and tupperware), a big pantry, acres of counter space... a double wall oven, one of those french door fridges, and an island with a butcher-block top.  I would have tons of pantry space, and a nice big deep freeze. 

And... if all that weren't enough, my dream house would come with a friendly, very competent maid service that would come by weekly to clean. 

That's not asking too much, is it?

What would be your favourite room in your dream house?

Blog Challenge Day 14: A Non-Fiction Book & The Birth Plan

Greetings Humble Readers!

Today's assignment is a non-fiction book... and all the non-fiction I have been reading lately has been baby or birth related, and this has been my favourite:

Not to be confused with Your Best Birth by Ricki Lake, The Best Birth by Sarah McMoyler offers what I thought was the most balanced view of what birth can and should be.  McMoyler states at the outset that her goal is a healthy baby and a healthy mom, and doing what is needed to get there is what needs to happen.  Her viewpoint focusses on natural childbirth, and that if you need to avail yourself of pain meds or more in depth interventions IT IS NOT A FAILURE.  Every woman has a different tolerance for pain, every birth experience is different, so it is not for someone outside of your experience to tell you what is right or wrong for you.  She offers a lot of great coping techniques and there are great sections for dads-to-be too.  Honestly, the only thing I have against this book is her opinion of doulas.  She is very anti-doula. 

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I thought it would be fitting today to tell you all about my birth plan.  It may seem moot to have written one, considering that I know, at the minimum, I'm going to be induced, but I wanted to have a few specifics written down.  This is the birth plan that I shared with Dr. U this morning at my appointment (of which he was very supportive):

Our ultimate goal is a healthy baby and a healthy mom, and we are willing to do whatever we need to do to achieve that.

We are aware that being induced requires a certain amount of medical intervention (IVs, meds, monitoring, etc), and that a caesarean section is a distinct possibility. With that in mind, there are a few things we would really like, if at all possible.

• Mrs. Gamgee’s mom S is the only family, other than Beloved of course, that will be at the hospital during the delivery.
• We know that an epidural will be necessary (in order to be prepared for a possible c-section), but Mrs. Gamgee would like to remain mobile for as long as possible.
• Mrs. Gamgee would like to avoid having an episiotomy. A small tear is preferable, should the situation arise.
• A vaginal birth is preferred, although we understand that a c-section may become necessary. If this happens, Beloved is to go with the baby after delivery. (This is also true if the baby needs to go to the Special Care Nursery or leave our room for any reason.)
• We would like to have skin to skin contact with the baby as soon as possible. If Mrs. Gamgee has a c-section, we would like for Beloved to have skin to skin contact with the baby while Mrs. Gamgee is in recovery.
• Breastfeeding is very important for us. We would like to start trying as early as possible. An early visit from a lactation consultant would be greatly appreciated.
• We are not inviting friends and family to visit during the first 24 hours after delivery. We want to have that time to focus on our new family member.

Other highlights from today's appointment & NST:  Blood pressure is holding steady... 126/75.  Blood sugars are looking good and I no longer have to increase my insulin, just maintain where I'm at and work to keep tabs on my lows.  Weight is bang on my pre-pregnancy weight.  Results of my u/s last week... Halfling is 'growing beautifully' according to Dr. U.  He/she is sitting between the 75th & 90th percentile.  No giant babies here!  And... we have a date for D-day!  November 25th. 

At my next Dr. U appointment (in 2 weeks, he's on vacation next week so I have to go see Dr. B... Ugh!), we are going to discuss stripping my membranes.  I'm a bit unsure about that (have heard some horror stories), but I do like the idea of my body starting labour more on it's own rather than having to be induced.  Any thoughts ladies? 

Blog Challenge Day 13: A Novel & Some Randomness

Greetings Humble Readers...

So, today's assignment is to post about a novel.  This is probably one of the easiest posts so far.

This is what I'm reading right now...

Written by Anne Fortier, this is a well crafted story of intrigue and romance.  A young woman, Julie Jacobs, inherits the key to a safety deposit box in Siena, Italy and she sets out to find out all she can about her long dead parents.  Her search unearths a historical account of two feuding families, two young lovers, and their tragic quest to follow their hearts... sound familiar?  As Julie gets closer to finding the answers to the mystery surrounding her parents' deaths, she finds that she is being drawn into the centuries old feud between the Tolemeis and the Salembenis.  Is she really a direct descendant of the 'real' Juliet?  What did her parents die trying to keep secret? 

I'm only about halfway through, but I am thoroughly enjoying this book.  If you are a fan of historical mystery, Shakespeare, or romance then I can safely say this is one you should check into.

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It's official.  I have to stop making meals to freeze.  I'm almost out of tupperware, and I'm down to one casserole dish.  Now I'm on to baking (I can use z.iplo.c bags for that!).  I made a dozen & a half carrot raisin muffins last night, and I'm making these ricotta cookies this afternoon.  Pfefferneusse will be later in the week, and then shortbread and peanut butter marshmallow squares next week. 

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Now that we are officially past Halloween, I can feel okay about putting out the Christmas lights.  I won't be plugging them in yet of course, but I would like to have them set up before we get really cold weather or snow that actually sticks around.  That's on today's to do list, along with working on the nursery