Summer's End - Oidhche Shamhna

The end of the lighter half of the year.
The beginning of the darker half.
My favourite day in my favourite season.
I love the fog, the moisture in the air, the smell of wet leaves decomposing and becoming one with the earth that nourished the tree they fell from. Beginning and endings, indeed.

The ghosts are gathering.



I'm sure many alters will be build and dedicated tonight.
I don't have one, I don't need one. I have this:



It's been an interesting day so far, in an introvert way.
I noticed change in me the last couple of weeks, a more relaxed state of mind.

My tarot reading for today, as well as my rune reading both tell me the same: I walk the path of self-healing, I have the power in me to make changes if I'm only willing to listen and ingnite that power and open myself up. Everything suggests happiness if I dare to let go of my security blanket.

There is only one thing I'm aware of, consciously aware of, that I would love to change: my job. Not the job itself, but the majority of people around me, making life miserable and a daily struggle. Being forced to make other people's false promised reality. Making things happen on the whim. While I still find satisfaction in dealing with my customers, their managers' brainless decisions and thoughtless reactions make me cringe and lament. I feel that I could develop myself further, just not with them. Too many against too little.

I have toyed with the idea of going, leaving this all behind me. With no idea of what next. Finances don't allow this, not in the current climate.
But this will change eventually. I might need a little more patience.
I have that patience.

I follow the trail.



We won't be going out tonight, there is no Halloween Trick or Treating here, so I'm looking forward to a nice and quiet night with the husband and the cats. We have a DVD we'd like to watch, I have some knitting to do and we both still fight a seasonal cold. Candles will be lit, tea will be drunken, spicy chicken will be eaten and stories will be told.
Ghosts are welcome.

Rainbow

Your rainbow is shaded black and blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is says about you: You are a tranquil person. You appreciate mystery. You share hobbies with friends and like trying to fit into their routines. You may meet people who are afraid of you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Sum of it all :-)

Things that made me happy this week

Amongst others:

- Reading I'm with the Band.
I see parts of myself in there, only about 20 years later. I wasn't a groupie, but a musician's girlfriend. And I am a fan of many of the artists Pamela met ;-)
- Tori Amos' version of Strange little Girl.
I always loved this song, but Tori's version just reaches me one touch deeper than the Stranglers. Though I like their video better ;-)
- BPAL making 12 AFP related scents.
F* yes!
- BBC 4's program on Friday night about 60s rock music, followed by The Doors.
That doesn't need any futher explanation, does it? It's especially nice when you are reading a book about exactly those people at the same time... How I wish I could have been there!
- my cats!
Cats are important and always right!
- the carrot balsamico dish I prepared - yummy!
It's so simple (carrots and balsamico vinegar, plus some parsley, mint, pepper and a little sugar) and my favourite.
- knitting.
I find peace in knitting.
- finding a watch I like.
The Fossil Peace watch is right up my alley!
- Birkenstocks!
I have a very hard time finding shoes that fit me due to wide feet. And Birkenstocks have been my living room for feet for more than 15 years.
- tea.
And that from a caffeine addidct. But the coffee in the office is so bad (tar, scraped off the street, grounded and boiled, if you ask me) that I became a tea addict as well. Earl Grey with Lemon...yummy!
- seeing my parents.
It's always good to see how they are doing.
- finding a functioning Agfa camera from 1950 for Euro 10!
I kid you not. Now I need film for that thing!
- my supershort hair
I used to have long hair, but many many moons ago I cut it off and it not only got shorter ever since, it never got longer than 3 inches at most. And I just love it that way. I'm sure you can tell. I don't feel boyish, just slightly androgynous ;-)

Things I'm looking forward to:
- seeing my friend Shaby next week after years!
- concerts! Dream Theatre, Opeth, UnExpected and Big Elf in two weeks and a couple of days later Epica!
- finding books in my letter box. A couple are on the way and I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait.

Inspiration Collection

Marc Jacobs



Jean Paul Gaultier



Missoni

Can't stop loving

Tori....
it's love, all the way since 1992, when I heard Crucify for the first time on radio.
"Got enough guilt to start my own religion"
Then came "Winter" and "Precious Things" and there was no stopping me. I was hooked.
She lived my life in more than one way and when I didn't have words she had the songs.
Still, it took my many years to finally see Tori Amos perform live.

And on Friday I got to see her again! And my dear hubby joined me, his first ever Tori concert. Let me tell you, her magic worked on him, too ;-)

She surprised me with "Bells for her", but "Strong Black Vine", "Space Dog" and "Big Wheels" just kicked me off my seat. Especially "Big Wheels", which was eclectic, to say the least ;-)

Raspberry Swirl would have made my day, but that's just egoistic little me ;-)

The only negative I can mention is that there were too many bubbleheads talking all the time and some very restless people getting up to buy beer. I would have wished that Tori would have told them off :-p



We spent Saturday in Amsterdam, enjoying the city off the beaten tracks, had a fantastic coffee in a small show, walked in sunshine, raided Lush (what do you mean, there will be a vanilla soap with coffee undertones coming out?), petted a kitten and just had a great time.
The trip back was rudely interrupted by the usual (aka almost daily national event) of an accident on the train tracks (I kid you not, almost daily. Mainly cars ignoring any warnings, thinking "I can just make it"...NOT). So we got off in The Hague and went for food and more window shopping.

I'm still full of wonderful music :-)

Knitting: Amethyst

Cast on 70 stitches on 8mm needles
Knit two rows of k2, p2
Switched to plain stockinette.
One ball was appr. 20cm worth
I knitted up until I had about half a ball left, ended with two rows of K2, p2 and cast off.
Closed the sleeves and added a k2, p2 border around it.
Wore it to the office as seen in the pictures and got compliments! I love knitting!

And I swear that thing is straight ;-)
And yes, I'm wearing two different earrings.
And yes, that is my necklace collection there in the back. At least the vast majority of it. 2/3 is selfmade.
A girl has to have hobbies ;-)





Still to finish: On the edge of the fringe, a mad jumper out of Zauberwolle on 3,25mm needles (what was I thinking?) and Josephinentuch.

Already in love with: Riverbanks and Bel
I find myself liking quite of few designs of the autumn edition.