The Art Of....

I'm perfecting the art of ...whatever.  Don't know what to call it.  I guess maybe I'm working on the art of living.  Or the pursuit of artful living.  Or the life of artiness, crafting a bit of gladness from the everyday/the mundane.  ( Whatever!! Get over yourself already!)

It's been a challenge:  finding joy in life when the joy of my life is out of town.  But I've been making great effort.  I did manage to laugh today.

A great invention.

Enjoyed a brief visit from my son.  Got a laugh when I tried to fill a bobbin with thread.  My trusty sewing machine (I figured out I've had it for nigh on 26 years and it wasn't super expensive to start with) decided to mis-behave.  Normally filling a bobbin takes a few seconds - the machine just goes on high speed and it's done.  Today, it made a couple revolutions on the spindle then stopped (multiple times).  Don't know what's up with that.  Never seen anything like it.  Fortunately that particular repair job only need a few revolutions of thread on the bobbin.

Headed out on the trail (Oh, and did I mention how vehemently I dislike Daylight Savings Time?), walking along in the pre-dawn-grope-my-way-along-the-trail-darkness something streaked out of the bushes alongside me and gave me a fright.  It was an orange cat. (How do I know it was orange?  My new flashlight.) She trotted next to me like she knew where I was going.  Then decided to thread her way between my feet, tripping me up with her need for petting.  She walked next/behind me for roughly a quarter mile.  Sort of enjoyed it - except for the foot tangling thing she caused.

Had occasion to use my machine again later today.  Stitching through three layers of strap webbing and a layer of canvas can be difficult going.  And while the machine made slight noises of protest, it just kept on going.  Now if I can only figure out that bobbin thing.

And I've spent most of the last three days here at home.  I'm thinking tomorrow might be a "get out of the house" day. What luxury to have the choice.

Tonight's gratitude:  for good hugs.