A Palimpsest of Soul and Skin

I go through phases where I feel positively ravenous for more learning, more creativity, and more activity than time and energy seems to allow. Then I become immobilized and overwhelmed, because I have perfectionist tendencies that end up defeating me before I begin. I often just give up before I've started.  At other times, I will start with a bang, only to fizzle out. I'm  still  beating myself up for what I call "my Garden of Shame”. 1  Now, to be fair, we'd only  just  moved into a new rental house in February of this year, so starting a new garden (as an absolute beginner) was quite ambitious. Additionally, we were decompressing from a cross-country move a few months previously, as well as reeling from Warren's unexpected unemployment, not to mention acrimonious court shenanigans over the Christmas holidays involving my ex-husband and his impulsive and ill-advised plans to relocate  both  of my kids from Qualicum Beach to Fort McMurray within weeks of our relo

19 Sept 11 A fresh cake of soap In a newly-scrubbed shower On Monday morning.

The Earth is drowsy And the sun's light has shifted To Fall's wistful slant.

Tears in the morning Makes for an exhausting day, But this too shall pass.

I've big plans for labouring around the house today. I've been terribly negligent about housekeeping this summer. Warren's new freelance status and Daniel's return to school is inspiring that autumnal nesting instinct, however. Still working through Writing the Natural Way , but finding it a bit strenuous (in a positive way). I'm still going with my Haiku a day for September: 04 Sept 11 Dredged-up sediment In my mind's deeper waters Ruined a good night's sleep. 05 Sept 11 French toast and coffee Being made by my husband Brightens the morning.

Seems I've begun a new habit without consciously meaning to: 01Sept11 First of September  and there's a hint of color blushing in the leaves 02Sept11 In one squished accord Claustrophobic commuters Endure one more day. 03Sept11 Spider's silken web Placed softly on pine needles Gleams with morning's light.

It's the day before a full moon, and I find myself rather feeling a bit introspective and somewhat restless. Also, for the last two weeks, I've been experiencing repeated moments of synchronicity, too mundane to relate, but significant to me in their precision. Today, I received an email from a new friend, with whom I had occasion to share the following excerpt (from Mark Helprin's Winter's Tale ). She told me that only an hour before speaking with me yesterday, someone that she'd just met had encouraged her to read this very same book. Her enthusiasm about this synchronicity was a tremendous encouragement to me this morning. I am pleased that, despite my relative distraction and introspection about my upcoming wedding, I am inexplicably plugged-in on some other level. Comforting. The following words were shared with me a number of years ago while I was in a tempestuous relationship that ended up completely falling apart...and quite contentiously, at that. It n

Obligatory blog entry. Since my last post, I secured a position with a local magazine that was, well, a mutually poor fit. It afforded me some local credibility and publishing experience and a segueway into a much more suitable position in the self-publishing industry. Warren, too, found a job as a writer/editor/researcher with an SEO company and is getting some valuable training. Between the two of us, we're building some marketable skills that are going to be the vehicle for becoming self-employed (ideally), which is something we've been talking about for a few years. Yes, we are so sickeningly into one another that we can't stand being apart for ten hours a day. 4.5 years of being together and we still exchange easily 20 emails a day. Anyways, since my last post (as I said earlier), we've found work and moved into a new abode, a nice, solid little house with a huge deck and backyard near the water. Daniel has moved in with us, and Leah has relocated to Alberta with