Cake and Ale

The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,

Burnt on the water.

The poop was beaten gold,

Purple the sails, and so perfumèd that

The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver,

Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made

The water which they beat to follow faster,

As amorous of their strokes.

For her own person,

It beggar'd all description: she did lie

In her pavilion—cloth of gold, of tissue—

O'er-picturing that Venus where we see

The fancy outwork nature.

Who knows where happy thoughts may lead engaged upon a pleasant task on a day such as this? I am most happy to share this day with you Will S. ***CV

So then he asked.....

Yesterday was the second class of the Belle Curve. Before going in I prepared some of my lessons for the coming week (we've started the junior great books programs) and then went to the cafe. The counter person was a little harried as he was the only one there and had just had a rush with a consequent back up of orders to send out. So I waited to order while the preceding customer set up her table, which apparently wasn't hygenic enough because she requested a rag and if she had to use it herself she would, but really (and this was all implied by her tone of voice) she shouldn't have to as he was the help and she was the customer.

So he said he would but would she mind waiting a few moments?

*sigh* If I must.

She then preceded to move to a different chair across the way from the unhygenic table. And then when another chair (one of the comfy red ones) was vacated she went over to that one and set herself up. Then her order was ready, so she had to get up and fetch it.

Ah the trials of being high maintenence.

Then I got asked a personal question by the counter boy.

Don't you love it when someone says: Can I ask you a question? It's kind of personal? What do you say? Yes I mind!?

I figured if it was personal he'd be embarassing himself not me so I said sure.

Odd what people consider personal.
**
Books read this week:

The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart

***CV

Tip-Toe through the.....

Taxes are done!

Yesterday when I went out for my final day of spring break I found out what the bulbs were that line my walkway. My walkway is abundently supplied with oxalis (sour grass) wild onion, pretty flowers that are weeds in camoflauge, roses, lilies and a jade tree. Mixed in with this are these large bulb leaves which I have been presuming are failed tulips.

But no. They are irises! And one is setting buds and it is five feet tall.

Dear lord!
**
So Saturday (before the blooming iris) I participated in a class to make a skirt. It's a knit skirt and so far it seems to be coming along fairly well. The pattern is called Belle Curve and is part of the 2007 winter Knitty collection. I'm using a beautiful shade of brown called chocolate (Cascade 220).I'm hoping it turns out well. The plain star stitch is a bit of a tease but I realised that if I knit the row before the pattern row less tightly, then the plain stars are less work.
***
I started Jane Austen's, a History of England yesterday but have not made much progress****CV

Give a Spider some Scissors....

Travelled into the city yesterday. I decided enough was enough and I would go to see the woman who has cut my hair since I was 13 (yes: thirteen). Got on a nassty BART car: as someone apparently felt that their snack must be shared with the poor hungry BART seats and apples and peanut butter are the bART seats favoritist goody. (As I said nasssty).

I get off at Powell street and walk up past the cablecar turnaround, the DSW, the huge Victoria Secret across from the equally huge Disney store and get to Sutter. I go in to the store front and walk up and find out that the salon she is in in is one more floor up so after three flights I arrive. And she starts hacking away. This pleases me enormously. When I ask for a Brooksie A-line I want a Brooksie A-line not a slanted 70's c curve which is what I have been given the last two times I've gotten my haircut.

I feel so lite!

Afterwards I go to the book store and find two reads: History of the Ancient World, Susan Wise Bauer and Twenty Years After, Alexander Dumas. Then I go back to the BART station feeling all pleased and there's this guy who insists on invading my personal space to try and sell me a BART ticket I do not want nor do I need and as he will not get out of my face I have to tell him:
"Look! I just want to get my ticket without being bothered!" And after staring at him and not moving he takes a hint.

I can then get my ticket and go down to the platform and board a train where I am promptly surrounded by men in suits, with wireless laptops at the ready, headed home.
**
I am still reading Perdido Street Station but as of today I have less than eighty pages to go. Mind, they are tight packed tiny font pages but - I have hopes that the Good Fairies of New York may be started tonight.

In order to accomplish this near feat of concluding the feast fest of slake-moths and oneirotic Clotho like spiders I went to a cafe and latched onto one of the comfy red chairs. Got me a lunch and a drink and settled right in. Then, how odd, I don't remember anything sharpish in my food stuffs. Hmmm, I don't recall hearing any bone like cracking. Why then does one tooth feel jagged and the other not?

Guess along with a visit to my familiar hair stylist it's time for a visit to my familiar dentist. Seems part of a molar has dissolved leaving a ten year old (most likely older say 12?14?) filling to hold up the fort on one side. *sigh*
***CV

***CV

For Told

Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante,
Had a bad cold, nevertheless
Is known to be the wisest woman in Europe,
With a wicked pack of cards. Here, said she,
Is your card, the drowned Phoenician Sailor,
(Those are pearls that were his eyes. Look!)
Here is Belladonna, the Lady of the Rocks,
The lady of situations.
Here is the man with three staves, and here the Wheel,
And here is the one-eyed merchant, and this card,
Which is blank, is something he carries on his back,
Which I am forbidden to see. I do not find
The Hanged Man. Fear death by water.
I see crowds of people, walking round in a ring.
Thank you. If you see dear Mrs. Equitone,
Tell her I bring the horoscope myself:
One must be so careful these days.

TS Elliot

It all begins with one....

Last night I had the strangest dream

I ever dreamed before

I dreamed the world had all agreed

To put an end to war

I dreamed I saw a mighty room

The room was filled with men

And the paper they were signing said

They'd never fight again

And when the papers all were signed

And a million copies made

They all joined hands end bowed their heads

And grateful prayers were prayed

And the people in the streets below

Were dancing round and round

And guns and swords and uniforms

Were scattered on the ground

Last night I had the strangest dream

I ever dreamed before

I dreamed the world had all agreed

To put an end to war

Simon and Garfunkel

And the mome wraths.......

I finished the baby surprise sweater. Of course it didn't really fit as I was following the original pattern and the "baby" I was making it for just turned one. S'okay. It ws a fun adventure knitting origami and now that I have done it once I think it will go quicker and better next time.
*
I apologise for the surreality of my most recent posts. Something about writing reports when I have to tell all about each child without judgement ( because I not only have to think about the person now but the person of the future who will reread these reports much as we all look at old report cards) requires intense mental gymnastics and this blog was my outlet.
**
I am currently reading Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, and this afternoon I made a few book purchases for my most welcome week of Spring Break:

Persuasion, Jane Austen

Perdido Street Station, Chia Mieville

Dingo, Charles de Lint

***
Has anyone ever read a book called, The Chalice and the Blade? I recently attended a conference where the author was a keynote speaker and I'm curious about the response readers of her work have had. I know how I responded and apparently I'm in rapport with most of my workmates in this reagrd. So if any who reads this post has read any of Riane Einsler's work: what was your reaction? ****CV