I always forget -- until it comes around again -- just how busy I always am in the spring! This year has seemed even crazier than usual, though, for some reason. And to think that Ian isn't in school, so we don't even have end-of-the-school-year craziness (or, really, much of anything that is Ian-centered) to add into the mix. Yet.
So, what HAS been keeping me so busy, and keeping me from writing anything? My last couple of months, in bullet point form:
Knitting: Is, at the moment, not happening, but since last we spoke I did knit a Wingspan shawl (though mine is more scarf-sized) and I liked it so much that I started another. And I sold a little bit of yarn from my stash (thanks to people asking nicely on Ravelry!). That's about all the yarn action that's happened around here. I didn't go to Maryland Sheep & Wool; I thought about Massachusetts Sheep & Wool this weekend but couldn't work up the motivation.
Reading: I'm still on pace to make my 52-book goal for the year! I love the Goodreads widget that keeps track of my progress for me. (As of right now, I'm one book ahead.) I read a couple of prepub books on my Kindle (thanks, Netgalley!) that I really must review; and Book Expo America is coming up next week! I won't be lacking for things to read, that's for sure. Even my husband is getting in on the book review action -- the only difference is that, assuming it meets their specifications, HIS is going to be published in an actual print publication that you've probably even heard of (he's frequently published in places you HAVEN'T heard of). Ah, the benefits of being practically-a-PhD and Knowing People In Your Field.
Anyway, right now I am still working on book 2 of the Game of Thrones series -- I had every intention of keeping ahead of the TV show, but that didn't happen. Oh well. I let it languish for a while, but over the last couple of days I've been picking up speed on it. Maybe I'll manage to read Book 3 before Season 3 starts!
Ian: Is TWO. I know, I can hardly believe it myself. If I were a better/more organized mother, I would have written a heartfelt birthday post for him, but instead I am a busy mother so it'll have to wait. I have so much I could write about him; I'll save it for its own post. But I love that he's now at an age where he is clearly listening and taking things in, to the point where we are even able to reason with him these days (inasmuch as one can reason with a toddler). I mean, he seems to understand the word "later," which was an amazing breakthrough in our dealings with him. :-)
Work: Is crazy. I've been serving on a task force for our library consortium, which has necessitated all kinds of demos and webinars and a lot of driving around to different libraries. Plus, spring is Conference Season, between the Book Expo and the CT Library Association conference and a few smaller other things. AND I've been teaching a lot of classes at the library. Between all the time out of my office and the time I've been devoting to preparing for, and teaching, my classes, I feel like I barely have even touched my "normal" job responsibilities lately! And now summer reading is upon us...woohoo.
Running: Yes, you read that right. Running. I started up a couch-to-5k program again. I've started (but never finished) a program multiple times over the last few years; I think the last time was the summer I ended up getting pregnant, and when it got really hot I used that as an excuse to quit. For whatever reason, I seem to be much more motivated this time around. Today I did week 4 day 2 (there are eight weeks, 3 days per week) so I'm nearly halfway through the program. It's starting to get difficult for me...but I guess that if it took four weeks for it to feel like a challenge, that's a good thing. Right?
Family: Our big family news is that my sister Kayte finished her RN! YAY! She's been going to school while also juggling multiple jobs, multiple sclerosis, and single-motherhood, so it was a long time coming, but she is finally DONE and she just found out a couple of days ago that she passed her state boards, so it's all official and everything. I am just so proud of her I could bust. I even got to go to her graduation: the last time (when she got her LPN) I was just days from delivering Ian, so opted not to drive all the way to New Hampshire for the ceremony.
Gardening: My perennials all came back (except for, oddly enough, the coneflowers -- I would have thought they'd be pretty indestructible) and have spread well and are just generally doing quite well. Yesterday I bought some plants and some seeds, and Jim got the vegetable garden all planted. There are a few more odds and ends we want to add to the vegetable garden, and I'd like to add a few more flowers to the perennial beds, but everything is in good shape for this summer!
I think that's all the big stuff. You see why I've had no time or inclination to blog!
