grannyfiddler

one of the whizkids brought me a computer last weekend! i once again have e-appendages! just have to pick up a modem for it, and i'm cookin'.

camera envy

in stolen moments when i take my coffee and lunch breaks at my desk, i cruise the postings of others... others all seem to have digital cameras. then i come home to grannyfiddler, an alphabetical wasteland. sigh. serious camera envy.

after all the years of living in the bush at a subsistence level, then in a small town, growing a big garden, and shopping at the second-hand stores, sewing most of my kids' clothes, with no thought of, or desire for, the latest 'toys', i'm feeling a bit out of character. maybe i wasn't so much living the 'pure life' out of some wholesome, altruistic motive, but just unaware of other possibilities. now, with the kids grown and gone, and the best-paying job i've ever had, for the first time in my life, i have disposable income.

and i want to buy stuff... a digital camera... a celtic harp and electronic sound equipment.... a solar/wind generating system to get, at least partly, off-grid... land by the sea on the west coast, for a family holiday spot where i can go with my kids and grandkids...

and it's all do-able now. a bit overwhelming.

still no computer at home... the whizkids are working on it.

i sit at my monstrous desk, with the winter sun pouring in the office, warm and bright and golden. the shadows in the snow are that indescribable blue that nearly stops my heart with its beauty. i'm munching on popcorn - forgot my lunch, and just aching to be out there.

last night after work i made the 1 1/2 hour trek to the nearby city where my daughter, Mummy of Centre of the Universe lives. it was Centre of the Universe's 5th birthday, replete with tiaras, t-shirt painting and a pinata. imagine a half dozen squealing princesses in wild and crazy t-shirts, taking turns bashing at a butterfly. seemed something of a mixed message to me. Teenage Uncle (one of the afore mentioned whiz kids - the other was at his newly acquired job) of Centre of the Universe was called on to do some serious damage to the poor flutter-by, as no one wanted to spend the entire evening waiting for the princesses to make a dent... earning thunderous applause for his success.

Mummy has a wonderful circle of friends. these young couples have formed their own village, in the sense of 'it takes a village to raise a child'. they exchange babysitting, throw birthday parties for each other, and go to each other's children's parties, offer marriage counselling, tips on child psychology, strong arms and trucks when one member is moving to another residence, previously enjoyed clothes and toys... in the middle of the city. being a bit of a hick, myself, it seems strange to me to find a pocket of small-town community thriving amidst urban sprawl and consumerism. it's a prejudice i have. i know cities are made up of all kinds of people, and some are even a lot like me, but i'm always astonished when i bump into those ones.

and it's so thrilling to see my child doing such a very fine job of raising her child.