Tattoosday.

Well, the new ink can finally be revealed today, though it's still not completely healed, it's not totally gross looking anymore. It will be much nicer looking when my still slightly inflamed, itchy skin settles down.  Healing cannot be rushed, no matter how impatient I am about it.  It is fairly self-explanatory.  Austin used only white ink on it.  I may go back at some point and have ultraviolet ink added, which would make it look very cool under black light.  It's in a very front-and-center location, so I wanted it to be fairly subtle.  It has the appearance of a brand, which is something I've always wanted done but I don't know/trust anyone who can do that.

L completed her week at dance camp with their performance on Friday.  She had fun. and since the camp was offered three different week this year, rather than the typical one week, it was a smaller group of girls.  She seemed to enjoy that aspect.  They performed a carnatic song that they learned, showed their new dances (including one that the girls choreographed themselves), presented their Hindu mythology reports, and showed their art work.  They also did Yoga each day at camp.  I was a complete moron and horrible mother, and totally forgot that my memory card in my camera was nearly full and needed to have all the old stuff deleted.  I ran out of space and wasn't able to get her whole performance or the photos I wanted.  I was so angry with myself!

I'm not sleeping again--I'm maxing out at around three hours per night, and feel like crap.  I go through these phases, which seem to last 2-4 weeks or so.  I'll be glad when this passes and I can get some rest.  I'm spending most of my waking hours on prep for the upcoming semester and have been taking loads of (generic) NoDoz to keep focused on my work.

I'm still sticking religiously to my daily workouts, which are often the high point of my day.  Normally, L chooses to do her 20-minute-minimum workout time during the last 20 minutes of my workout.  I was very selfish with my workout tonight.  I had been so tired and felt so awful all day and really had to force myself to  workout.  Once I got going, it felt so good, that I decided not to call her to join me for the last 20 mins.  Her required response to being called for the workout (it's HER choice to use her time that way versus any of the other options) is to grumble and groan as she gets her mat/equipment set up.  Her workout uses as little effort and movement as she can possibly get away with, punctuated with whining about it being hard. She's twelve.  I generally ignore it.  It's harmless and typical for her age.  I knew that she her reaction would steal a little of my serenity, so she got a night off, and we were both happy.

Here are some other things that often occur during my workout hour, stealing a little bit of my joy.  It seems that during floor work, I am incredibly magnetic to my cats--especially the girls.  I workout in my sports bra and shorts (this is relevant to the story; hold on) and am always covered in sweat from head to toe.  It's very intense.  The cats constantly appear during floor work--particularly pushups--and rub their furry little selves all over my exposed, wet skin, from my face to my shoes.  I do not break form, but it is horrible torture and quite distracting.  When my cycle or circuit is done, I have to towel the fur off me.  Ick.

Also, Lila has taken to planting herself on my yoga mat, lying down and stretching out as soon as I start warm up.  Since she was there first, I would feel rude to move her (just because I'm bigger and can?), so I have to work around her.  Depending where on the mat she is lying, sometimes I can use the mat around her and sometimes I end up on the floor with no mat.  #LifeWithTooManyCats.

Chop Suey

M is back home after a week in MN.  It's good to have him back!  I have to get back to full-time prep this week.  September is right around the corner now, and I still have so much to do to be ready for classes.  I have the homeschooling prep done and the year all planned out, so I'm in good shape there.  All we have left to do is pick up some chemistry supplies. (More on her upcoming curriculum in a future post.)

L has dance camp this week, which means I have to have her in Verona early each morning, and I have to pick her up each evening.  Four hours in the car each day.  So unpleasant!  Books on CD will make it more bearable, but I haven't yet had time to go.  I'll have to go tomorrow.

Last Monday I went to Baldwin's Body Art for another tattoo by Austin.  I'm hoping it will be healed enough for pictures this Tuesday.  I like it a lot!  It's strictly (vegan) white ink--no other colors.  In the meantime, however, it's ITCHY and driving me nuts.

We attended Heartland Farm Sanctuary's 2nd Annual Gala on Friday with our new-ish friends Amanda and Mike (who feel like old friends) and another couple.  I got to wear a new dress, which fit nicely when I thought I was done losing weight.  I have lost more weight since then, though, so it no longer fits quite right.  I made it work, though it didn't look fantastic.  I do like the dress a lot but need to get it tailored to be happy with it on me.  We had a lovely night out, and enjoyed the company of our friends.

Today L & I attended an Arrangatram for her Bharatanatyam classmate, Eliana. She did a fabulous job, and the music (orchestra & vocalists) was great!  She put a lot of work into it. We have never been to this venue before.  It was in the auditorium at a large senior living complex.  There was a balcony around the auditorium where the residents could come in, sit and observe.  I so enjoyed watching one resident who really enjoyed the performance.  She was grooving along throughout most of the performance, and she would often raise her hands and try out various arm/hand moves and sometimes even some head moves.  It totally made my day to see her so happy and free.

When we returned from the performance and the long, nightmarish stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper cluster on I90, I worked out.  L made a tail.  She and M went to Logli's to pick up a few things.  Somehow the ended up making a side trip to Hobby Lobby to get furry fabric with which she intended to make this tail.  She finished it up while I was reading to her tonight (a biography of Queen Victoria that's very good) and modeled it for me.  She used to wear tails all the time when she was between 2-6 yrs of age.  She's always been interesting--and completely her own person.

The cute cats are Petey, relaxing on the piano, and Ivan, enjoying the napping basket.  Note the little creeper, Tica, in the background.  She also loves the napping basket and was bitter that Ivan got to it before she did.  The minute Ivan jumped out of the basket, Tica jumped in.

Also of note...my Doc Marten vegan boots arrived last week.  I saved for them and got and amazing, once-in-a-lifetime sale price on them.  I am SO happy with them and can't wait to wear them.