Old Photos

These are pictures from a long time ago when my siblings were little and sat still when I told them to... I found them in one of my sketchbooks this morning and just had to share. 

Justus

Raleigh

Emma

Cousin Wendy

Wendy and Emma

 These pictures remind me of how much I love film and the excitement of getting the pictures developed. I think that last picture especially really captures those little girls at that highly imaginative and whimsical age: long princess hair, dress-up and teddy bear angels! Above, Raleigh and Emma were both taking ballet and loved it very much, which explains Raleigh's willingness to wear tights for that picture! Up top, Justus looks like the silent center of a spinning world. He always loved the kittens and most of the pictures I took of him are outside.

Raleigh, my brother

Raleigh is 13 and it is a very awkward age, body-wise. In the face, he looks like the same little kid he's always been (and always will be as far as us older ones are concerned) and he surely doesn't weigh any more than he did 5 years or so ago when he lost all his baby fat, but he's taller than is natural or right. Likewise, his feet are overgrown. He wears size twelve shoes (red converse high tops, unfortunately) and complains that they pinch his toes. The good thing, if you consider it good, is that his self-confidence has grown at the same rate as his legs and feet. Some people think it may in fact be overgrown. But I think he'll catch up with himself one of these days.

This picture was taken a few months ago, so he's taller now. But you can see a bit of what I mean. I'm tall, 5'8"...and he's my baby brother.

Raleigh's always been a good sport. Look at what he and the others endured as children when I got my first camera:

Cooper!!!

I found this picture and had to share it! This is from when Cooper lived with us. What a ray of sunshine his happy face was! Did you know he and I worked at the same sandwich shop for a while? That was fun!! Anyway, I scanned this just for you.

Isn't he cute? He's the only one out of the eight of us with perfect teeth. Eeerg! He's also the only one with elfin eyes, sort of like David Bowie, just not as noticeable. They have pie slices of different color.

Allende

This is what I'm reading.

I can't put it down. My sister tried to read it and she found it too brutal. I had already read Gabriel Garcia Marques, to whom Allende is often compared, so maybe I was more prepared. Some rough stuff happens. But I think what Isobel found brutal, I find honest and more like what really happens in life than what you expect to read in novels. You know what I mean? The story line is not sugar coated and the characters are not cut and dry. Someone who seems very evil is still human and has better moments and even times when I sympathize and wish things could be different. The characters are real and their story is gripping!!!

Have you read any of her work?

James Looks Like This And That's Why I Married Him

I took these pictures of him a few nights ago. He's working on a new album, opera-scifi-melodramedy, with gender bending and heartache, betrayal, action-violence, love story type stuff. You'll like it. And if you want a foretaste, you should ask him for a copy of his previous album and I feel certain he will mail it to you for free.

If you think he looks strange, it's probably just because when you see someone with such dark hair and naturally tan skin, it is alarming when their eyes are so pale blue that they more resemble clouds than sky. That's James.

Hello Friday!

I found some things on Etsy that are perfect for today!

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Problems in the Bedroom

I cleaned our room yesterday. It had gotten so bad that it was hindering other aspects of our life than sleep. It was a mess. It was a disaster and it had never really been clean. Not clean like it is now. The cd rack had become my husband's towel rack. Curlers covered the floor on my side next to the mirror (We don't have an outlet in the bathroom, so I have to get ready in our room...). Three loads of laundry waited at the foot of the bed to be folded and put away. Another basket was full of clothes yet to be washed. There were fabric and thread scraps everywhere. And who knows what else.

The closet was hazardous. A walk-in closet, but you couldn't walk in.

Our room basically looked like your college dorm room during finals right before you get so fed up you just haul it all to the dumpster.

Not any more! NESTING HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN.

I would post a picture if it weren't so overcast and dark.

Oh, and I organized the linen closet too!