I think that ever since we’ve moved home I’ve had this nagging fear in the back of my brain that we’d just drift away from all of our good friends in Toronto, and that they’d forget about us, and that eventually we’d just never see them again. I know this isn’t true and it’s just a complex I have – it’s why, if we had a class or worked together six years ago I won’t say hi to you in Target because I just assume that YOU don’t remember ME, even though I remember kids who moved away from my town in grade two.

But, wonder of wonders, our friends do remember us and were above and beyond welcoming. I had no idea how much I really missed their stories and hugs and music and how much I was homesick for their kitchens and cooking and teapots. We had places to spend the night, places to take afternoon naps, we were fed, entertained, Mikey got school things accomplished, we had the perfect little compact stroller to use for the week (I really need to get one of those contraptions for when we’re traveling and have a backpack full of stuff to tote around every day in addition to a toddler), we had playdates and lots and lots of laughing. We talked about futures the past and Hazel was promised lots of “I’ll tell you about it when you’re older” stories. We trekked all over the city to see lots and lots of people and when we got tired of trekking we planted ourselves in a pub near John’s and everyone came to us. When Hazel started to melt down I took her the half block home to chill out and Mikey stayed for awhile longer visiting. I miss that sort of convenience of city life.

I want to go back soon. I wasn’t sure how well she’d handle the travel and the activity after six months of calm, slow West Virginia life (um, sort of), but she was a champ. She cried for ten minutes of the combined sixteen hours of driving. When we took her out to the bluegrass brunch at the Dakota Tavern on Sunday morning and then decided to stay for hours, she got tired and fell asleep in the ergo to the sounds of those boys singing just like she did when she was a baby. Because in case you hadn’t noticed, she’s not a baby anymore.

Sigh.

Listening: Hazel and Mikey chatting downstairs
(Hazel is) Reading: Green Eggs & Ham
(I am) Reading: new issue of Mothering
Working on: wedding jewelry and other custom jewels; furniture painting; new bead sorting; a new group blog; a million other things I need to catch up on

The Makery is a super-awesome little shop run by our friend Melissa. She has done such a good job with this place & it’s jam packed with treasures made by her and many, many other talented folks. Stay tuned for a photo of my gal in some goods from here when our tshirt weather returns in the next couple of days. When we walked into the store Melissa was playing country roads, just for us even though she didn’t know were coming.

WHY Louisville, another awesome shop full of their own screenprinted shirts, stickers, jewelry, and all kinds of stuff. We made Andy pose at his desk and pretend to be working. Notice the poptarts. This store makes me feel the need to restock my tshirt collection, starting with this one.

There is also this awesome record store, but I didn’t take any photos there.

Now I must go cook a delicious, nutritious, post-roadtrip-weekend supper of… veggie burgers and tater tots. Typo: poptarts. I’m not THAT tired.

Such a good weekend. Today Camran said that if any of us could sell $300 in the last couple hours of work, he’d send us to Jamaica.

“I don’t care about Jamaica. Send me to West Virginia.”
“I’ll do that.”

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Today: while I was at work, my husband cleaned house in a way that I had no idea he was capable of doing.

This time next Saturday: I will be wedding-receptioning at the Muscar-Kellner festivities, drinking lots of blue moon until I’m tipsy enough to dance, hopefully with one Miss Kelly Strauttmann.

The Saturday after: Angie-in-law will be here for the night with cousins Julie & Tracie. So excited to have visitors & Ethiopian food!

The Saturday after: gaming, I’m sure.

The Saturday after: home again for Jeremy & Rita’s wedding!!!

And then it’s almost December.

Just uploaded some new things to Etsy. Some wallets & earrings.

Before I did that, we went to Toronto.

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