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.