mary e. robbins :: moth written

extended tea partying.

the tea partying continued into the evening on thursday, bringing into our home a wonderful piece of the past and some gorgeous reminders of the present.   rachel came to visit--a friend from age 10 on up...with a few years there in between high school and twenty-somethings spent on college and travel and such. and she brought along daffodils--so beautiful.  we hadn't seen each other in many years and it was so nice, rachel, to see you and catch up--!  nabil eventually tired of our reminiscing and retreated to the other room while i went way past my evening caffeine limit on the tea and we laughed about so many things i had hazily packed away in the recesses of my memory.  wow.  we are nearly thirty now--it doesn't feel like it most days.  rachel, thank you for reminding me of days past.  looking forward to bowling adventures!

gus fell asleep with my glasses on again...so absent minded.  it may have to do with a certain trip nabil and i have coming up in just 10 days. 

suddenly awake, gus?  yes.  nabil and i are off to visit our family in morocco very soon.  i have thus been waffling between mad dashes of planning, cleaning and organizing, and long sessions of responsibility-avoidance (such as yesterday's 6-hour knitting marathon).  but just as it always has, the packing will get done, and come what may everything will work out.  in sha'allah.

as i have mentioned in the past, moroccan superstition holds one from sharing such news of travel--often barring it completely.  one would not want to invite the evil eye.  upon nabil's move from morocco to the u.s., he told no one--not even his closest of friends.  they heard from him only upon his arrival here. 

i hope, however, when i am away, to share stories and photos with you here in this space.  i may not, however, be able to.  and so i share with you this news, to explain any major gaps in blog activity.  over the next week i'll be running around in my particular fashion of ordered chaos.  i must remember brown sugar (unavailable in morocco), for the batches of cookies i'll be baking with kids while there.  i must remember my recipes for dinners i hope to cook for the family.  i must remember to check on air france's regulations about knitting on flight.  i must remember to pack sunscreen, and a hat. 

i am excited. 
 

from g rated to r in just over 15 years.

a certain someone whom i love very dearly (and shall remain unnamed) went with a few high school friends to the new kids on the block reunion tour concert on this past wednesday evening, right here at the cumberland county civic center in our wonderful little portland, maine.  she joined the throngs of early 30-something female (and gay male, now fully uncloseted) types, hoping to catch glimpses of these fine bostonian boys, the subject of such wild teenage frenzy just about 15 or so years ago.  no longer a young teen scraping together babysitting cash for tickets, this dear girl of mine was able to spring not only for her very own ticket, but for a more expensive one at that--a mere eight rows from the stage and as she found out, directly in front of a platform, a full-on swooning vantage point.

of course i waited with anticipation for her call the next morning.  who among her highschool classmates had she spotted?  what wild tales would she have to share?  she reported a high incidence of indecent female chestal exposure (NKOTB fans have breasts now, no longer breast buds), and new, adult versions of previous crowd signage--where once young spiral permed teens held signs reading 'i love you jordan,' or, 'i'll be your girl,' homemade signs now read 'donnie i will lick your balls.'

but the truly amazing part of her tales is keeping me laughing right through the weekend.  we had joked before the concert that it would be necessary to carry an extra pair of panties for the express purpose of throwing on stage, hopefully aimed for mr. wahlberg.  the crowd did not disappoint.  a thong was lofted through the air onto the stage, and bad boy mr. w did indeed pick it up.  he picked it up, sniffed it, and declared  "huh. smells kinda fruity. .......(wait for it).....i thought it would smell like CLAM CHOWDAH!"

decidedly grown up.  a fabulous time was reported...just over 15 years later, once again.  no tears or words of anger towards mothers who won't let their daughters wait for donnie by the tour bus, no curfews, but rather genuine exhaustion and a willful return home to husbands and children, where bed and sleep awaited. 

donnie donnie donnie!

****************

on an unrelated note, today, from 8:30 to 9:30, is earth hour.  if you are able, turn off your lights, computer, and all other electronic devices promptly at 8:30, and  millions around the globe will join you for one hour of solidarity with our dear mother the planet, who needs our attention and care. 

happy weekend!

tea party.

late last evening beth and i made a plan to get together this morning for a walk on willard with the pups and a little tea party here at my house.  i was washing the dishes this morning in front of a brilliant warm kitchen window, readying my thick clunky mugs for our little lady-date, and i found myself once again in the memories of grammie, her vienna fingers, and her dainty teacups, always at the ready.  i put the mugs upside down into their draining basket and into the dining room i headed, opening the china closet to choose two perfect bone china teacups, long waiting their re-introduction to the world.  the teapot came down from its shelf in the living room.  grammie, though you are not here to sit with us and offer pecan sandies, i am sure you are joining in with each warm sip of earl grey.

the beach was crisp.  those little rivulets, leaving their mark.

and gus and whiskey shared kisses and wrestles...prelude to a very long gus-nap.  zzzzzzz....

spring.

it has been just warm enough to go for the sandal and hat combination i so love, only justifiable in late fall and early spring.  the latter finds me outdoors in the afternoon with no jacket, raking old leaves and rustling up new earth on the front lawn against the backdrop of ever stubborn snow just a few feet away where the shadows linger on.  thank you earth, you promised spring and here we are. 

golden perfect grass in waiting. 

and icy waters, warming ever so incrementally. 

thank you cambridge massachusetts and all of you lovely people.

and so.  it was great fun!  of course the camera's batteries were exhausted from the moment we arrived so we took no photos...my apologies.  i will try to use my memory and words to give you a mental picture.  the elks lodge was perfect--wood paneling as far as the eye could see under the flickering overhead fluorescent lights, overseen by the requisite mounted elk head at the far end, kicking the behind of our small deer head here at the moth HQ.  the ladies' room was memorable--the toilets were kitty corner inside their tiny stalls, with bright shiny hooks and eyes to keep the doors shut.  we set up in the corner, right in front of what i would assume to be the window into the kitchen--mayhaps?  and i had a lovely neighbor--elizabeth brennick designs, who you should certainly check out for her wealth of ultra sweet sewn goodness.

it was a good day filled with much cambridge fun--bringing back memories of visits to cambridge past and all of the young smart creative energy that lives there.  i was so very touched by the visits of wonderful friends--thank you all for coming and offering your warm smiles, laughter, and support--we were much heartwarmed.  we feel so blessed to have such good friends in our lives.  thank you.

and now, i am completely exhausted, so i will retire to the slate blue steelrest davenport where i will commence knitting until sleep overtakes.  xoxoxo

making.

here we have evidence of the new designs i have been working on!  these are some little clutches that have stolen my heart, hands, and head over the past week.  i have a few moth stories brewing round in my head for their moroccan namesake--so many beautiful strong ladies to choose from.  in the meantime, i am enjoying making them and dreaming of their future travels throughout the world--where will these little clutches end up?  it is always a joy to imagine.

gus has been very sweet, offering emotional support and the occasional break from the sewing machine for an outdoor peek around.  yesterday before the work of the day started, we were out on our morning stroll and i noticed that our front lawn is nearly nude--just a few scant hintings of winter left.  i joyfully grabbed my rake for the maiden scratchings of 2009--how beautiful those marks in the emerging soft brown earth looked to me.  anticipating the days ahead of green grass.

see how good he is?  the best coworker ever, i must say.  love you gus.  just two days before the first craft show of 2009!  holy craft here we come.

truly madly deeply :: polyester

it is a material that should no longer be made, but its existence will carry on forever.  old remnants of thick, unforgiving polyester--you beckon me from the halls of etsy supplies.  you tease me.  i turn away, but you remain, there for my inevitable return.  so today i made two of these oft-visited pieces of textile history my very own, and can't wait to begin reshaping them into items for the moth shop. 

there are many new items to share here!  i have been quite productive in the past week...i sincerely promise to share soon.  for those interested in a full visual array, please come visit me at holy craft this coming saturday--i'll be there with all the fresh off the machine goodness i can muster.

and now it's 11:13 PM and i have been fabric swooning for so long my eyes hurt.  time to sleep.  sweet dreams.

monday list.

things that are good and loved right now:

sun in the sky past 6 PM. 

gus' gentle playfulness with smaller dogs.

niecey calling out 'duuuuu-----sssss' in a high pitched voice, looking for her favorite greyhound.

the extreme dirtiness of the season changing over--i'll take it!

the tinkle of the pellet stove, no longer needing the roar of the furnace

SEWING.  lots of it.

preparing for the upcoming weekend's show. 

less snow at the dog park.

people walking outside with short sleeves.

sunday meals with family.

looking forward to a very special trip to a place long-missed and beautiful, full of people we love.

crisp spring refresh.

here here here

although i have not written in two days, i am here.  i am more here, in fact, than most times--i have been designing and sewing and working on a new pattern that drove me to tears this morning (and that doesn't happen--ever!  quite the surprise).  but with perseverance and slow deliberation, i have come to the solution.  so in the coming days i will share the results!  new bags to come with me to holy craft--i am so looking forward to it.  i moved the sewing machine into the kitchen this morning and the light streaming in is just so beautiful...warming me up.  the hair is already growing in...so fast so fast.  nabil has the day off...and i think i am going to take myself away from the machine...perhaps a little trip to marden's for some fabric hunting--?  oh the possibilities.

fresh.

the spring-like air and the memories.  standing in front of the kitchen mirror yesterday afternoon, it was a short walk from a scissor trim to a fresh start.  i couldn't feel better, as is always the case.  fresh again. 

a highly recommended haircut, friends.  with warm wind on my head, i am going for a walk with the pupper.  happy monday!