rhythm 'n blues

Well, here we are in January, fully back in the swing of things and I can't say I'm as happy about it as I should be.  I think with the 2 weeks of fever/cold thing I got the week before Christmas, I was not quite prepared to get back to the rhythm of work and school.  I have been meaning to blog, but every time I wrote something down it came out like a list of complaints.  Kind of like my boys who seem to have a whole host of complaints for me when I pick them up from school:  Why do they have to walk home instead of drive?  Why did I have to give them a sandwidge for lunch?  And why do they not get paid more money for setting the table at dinner like all their friends do?  And why can't they have everything they ever wanted for free????  I'm sure you get the idea.   So anyhow, today I resolved to put my own complaining behind and approach the year with a more positive attitude.  That doesn't mean I won't occasionally write about some of the challenges I face as a working ceramic artist, but I just wanted to be sure that I don't sound as annoying and entitled as my boys do when they forget all the great things they have and are doing in their lives. 
Here's to a rainbow kind of year.  They keep popping up everywhere so I'm sure it's a good sign!

Skating on the Pond

Hello! We are back from a lovely time in Vernon, where we played in the snow and lived in a winter wonderland over New Years.  Twice a year we make the 6 hour drive to visit our friends who live in Vernon- it's a trip we have been making for over 10 years now.   Our kids (they have 2 girls) are the same ages- born months a part so they are like cousins.  Friendships that span through the child-rearing age are often hard to keep up with so we really value the time we spend with them, once in the winter and once in the summer, with their family coming out our way a couple of times in between to visit too.
The boys went up to Silver Star Mountain to snowboard on our second day and then on NYE day we  went ice skating at the pond.  The sun was out- despite the fog down below and it was snowy and lovely (only about -3 so not too cold).  At one point my son lay on the ice and pointed to a 'rainbow' in the sky- kind of this upside down rainbow that was all sparkly and faint like it was made with sparkly snowflakes.  What a treat to see something this beautiful in the sky at the end of a great year, giving hope and promise to a new year dawning.  After lunch it fogged up again and the misty fog came out reminding me how quickly and constant change is in life. 

Approaching Spring

We've got all the signs of spring starting early except for a prediction of snow on Saturday.  Just in time for our Sasha's 8th Birthday.  I decided not to do a home party this year- this weather is just too random and unpredictable.  Furthermore I wasn't prepared to have ten 8 & 9 year olds running a muck in my house.  With a recent play-date involving one boy helping himself to matches that we have 'safely' hidden in a cupboard, I'm not willing to risk what would happen if 10 inquisitive and mischievious boys showed up.  Oi.  So yes, a swimming party it will be.  Not nearly as creative as past years, but oh well.  If it does end up snowing I'll be so relieved we made other plans!

Chasing the end of the Rainbow

Since the Olympics are officially over, I finally feel like we can all embrace Spring here in Vancouver.  It's a shame to feel sorry that the flowers are blooming in February- it seemed like we had to make up excuses for the lovely spring weather we've had over the past 3 weeks. 
There was a glowing pink light in the sky the other night and I quickly donned my cute clogs to run down the street with my camera and my umbrella to catch the rainbow that was showing off it's colours in the sky.