On paperwork, and other disasters

Time management is not one of my strong suits. No matter how hard I work at it, it seems as if I'm constantly trying to fit something in at the last minute. Currently I'm trying to get my paperwork sorted before registration for classes opens at the college. Sounds fun, doesn't it? It wouldn't be a problem if everyone else had their stuff together, but they don't. Therefore I've spent the past several days in a flurry of trying to get things from one person/place to another person/place.

A similar situation arose regarding a trip I am going on at the end of the month. I paid to overnight my registration, only to find out that I had been given an incorrect zip code on the address where it was supposed to go. Because of that I missed the workshop choice deadline and had to do the form over.

On Monday poor Mishka had a run-in with a wall that resulted in four stitches above his eye. He looks like Frankenbaby now, but it's surprisingly adorable. Given his tendency toward wild recklessness it's a wonder it took so long for something like this to happen, but it was stressful at the time. His mother had to come home early because I'm not his parent, and apparently that trumps having a child with a gashed forehead. But at any rate he's much better now. (Actually he recovered from the injury itself quite well; I cleaned him up and he was chipper as a lark. I, on the other hand, may be paranoid forever.)

I have to apologise for such a quantity of glumness, but having a bit of a rant has made me feel much better. And I promise to be back over the next few days with things that are decidedly less whiny and more cheerful.

As a sidenote, the rain wasn't a disaster. We just happened to have a tropical strom (or something, I think it might be a hurricane now) brush past us, so we had quite a bit of it this past week. Which was rather lovely; I enjoy rain. Besides that, I didn't have any relevant pictures for this post- probably a fortunate circumstance- so I decided to use them instead.

Slán go fóill, 
Giselle

In which moving is a pain, but instead of whining about it I decide to talk about other things.

So. First of all, I made this little ribbon substitute for a friend's birthday last month. I was shipping her gift to Tennessee, and was reluctant to either send it off with no bow or one that might be squashed between states. Anyhow it turned out rather well, and I wanted to use it for a yarn along post but I kept missing Wednesdays.

Imagining this much tea in one place nearly short-circuited my brain with happiness. 

Wednesday was my birthday, so I went to the museum and took pictures of old cars and hotel registers and things. It was great. I hadn't been since they built a new building for it a few years ago, which had made me feel like a fraud of a museum-lover. To be honest though, I think I liked it better the way it was. Not that it isn't fun and wonderful now, but before it was just as fun and wonderful, although smaller. And it was very quaint and inviting. The atmosphere of the new building is, to my mind, too industrial.

And on Thursday I took Mishka to the fountain park for the first time. He was intimidated by them at first but warmed up to the idea quickly, though not quickly enough to prevent his stuffed elephant from getting soaked. It was a successful outing. Mishka was well behaved and adorable, and my display of healthy-but-good-tasting snack packing and child management skills made me feel like super-nanny. Which is just a couple of steps below Mary Poppins.

...

In other news, I had planned a giveaway for this week in honour of my birthday, but I've just moved and don't know where anything is. So that will happen as soon as I've found it.

Also, I have ordered a Miss Juniper Kitty softie kit from Alicia of Posie Gets Cozy. Though I have (very) meager sewing skills I have not yet begun to panic, even though this means I shall have to make frequent trips to the fabric store to use their sewing machines. I am buoyed up on a wave of completely unjustifiable self-confidence. The recipient is still undecided, but as I shopped I found myself listing all the little girls in my parish. "I could give it to Hannah. Or Abbie. Or Ava or Giovanna... Goodness if I turn out to be good at this I can order more and make one for each!" Oh my, such enthusiasm. We'll see how it's holding up when I have to do the sleeves.

Lately, I have been...

Finishing the food from this year's Easter basket. This year's cream cheese with pepper corns, pictured above, came out better than last year's, but the colour photos were all awful.

Valiantly not devouring all of my boss' candy, which is made of only pure cane syrup and pure maple syrup and just might be the Best Thing Ever. I had to get some for my mom for Mothers' Day. Shh.

Back at the Children's Museum. Quite a bit. (Note: Photographs taken whilst having fun are often blurry.) The elephant is Eli, Mishka's absolutely definitely positively Favourite Object on Earth. If anything ever happens to it, none of us will ever sleep again.

Under the bridge.

And over it. Just on the other side of those trees and buildings is the ocean. You can see it from the top of the bridge, but I was too slow with my camera and missed it.

Blowing lots of bubbles.

Driving English style in the grocery store cart. The seat belt on the left side was broken.

And also...

Not crocheting. For shame.

Tiny people are amusing.

We went to the Children's Museum, which it turns out is basically one large indoor fun factory. Because small Michaels may be happy anywhere so long as they have a train, but nannies get cabin fever. This was our second trip, so we were a bit smarter. It's half price after 2pm. And little miss nanny remembered to bring a drink for herself too this time. Nice move, that.

So we go in, and at first he was struck again by the muchness of it all, but next thing you know he's making stew for sailors. And frying cabbage. Yum.

We also drove a fire truck.

But my favourite moment, I think, was outside in the garden/playground:
"Wa's dis?"
"That? It's an ant."
"Ooh. Hi."
Ants are tough creatures. I think it survived being petted.

He tried to pet some pigeons later on.

I've also noticed that people tend to be befuddled whenever they hear me call him Mishka. It's a Slavic pet form of Michael, because pet forms are adorable and I don't like 'Mike'. Perhaps it's because it ends with 'a' and they might be taking it for a girl's name?

Anyway, we went for a walk afterward, and I stopped to take pictures of flowers. Of course I did.