Red Cedar

Now that the flurry of activity around house selling and buying has subsided, I’m finding myself obsessed with weaving again – though because I don’t have access to a working loom at the moment (I had to return my rented table loom and the floor loom needs some work that I’m not able to do until we move) – I am confined to reading articles on the Internet, and thinking about building a pin loom to play with in the meantime.

Over a weekend meditation retreat, I had some strong thoughts about using my meditation skills in a more applied way when approaching weaving, community building, and generosity practice – which are tied into the move and having access to a larger studio space in which to work and host people. Without saying too much at the moment, this is part of my shifting orientation, also known as “the perfect life I am going to lead in the new house” which is so much the delusion of moving (that somehow it makes us a better person automatically). But delusion or no, it’s also where inspirations come from – so I am allowing full play to my creative living ideas at the moment.

I have two knitting projects on the go, and I’ve started on my first attempt to sew the perfect summer dress that I can wear while cycling and also in the office (this will be constituted of a knit/stretch fabric with a flared skirt, no waistline, and no or short sleeves – something that I can dress up with a cardigan and a pair of tights or wear sleeveless and with cycling shorts). I’m on dress version number one (made with grey bamboo fabric) which so far is working out pretty well except for some gaping at the neckline. I’m going to finish this one as best I can, alter the pattern and then move onto a more colourful fabric that I picked up last week. If that one works out, then I’ve got the model for my perfect wardrobe (layered with simple, easy-to-wear dresses as the foundation). Photos of those projects soon.

Moving and thinking about setting up house is definitely sparking my aesthetic creativity right now. I had forgotten how much a change of scenery (or a proposed one at this point) can do that. Right now I just want to get all the *hard* stuff (like moving) out of the way so I can bust out the loom and warping board – on the other hand, the delayed gratification is helping me finish some other projects (like the dresses, and a quilt for my niece) which I would like to get done before summer. It’s delicious, this desire to create. I had forgotten about it a bit in March, what with sickness and houses on the brain – I feel like it’s back in full flower again.

The last couple of mornings have involved flights – yesterday I cycled to work in the dark, parked my bike, and walked over to the float plane dock to catch the 7:10 to Comox. This morning I woke up in Courtenay, cabbed back to Comox Harbour and flew back to go to work. It’s a crazy thing to do, but during weeks of back to back meetings and other commitments, sometimes it’s the only way (1 hour of flying versus 4-5 hours of car and ferry travel each way). I’m fortunate that someone is willing to pay me to do that (my union) so I can enjoy the efficiency without paying the full cost (though, if you break it down, flying is not much more expensive than the ferry/car option).

I’m close to finishing work for the day, and then I will get back on my bicycle to meet an old friend for dinner at my favourite restaurant in town – not one with a patio – but the guacamole is to die for.

I’m feeling ridiculously privileged right about now (and the little trauma victim in me is wondering what bad thing is going to happen to make me pay for this but fortunately I’m old enough now that I can mostly ignore that voice) – it’s really the best time of year on the coast with the flowers, the onset of nice weather, the sheer picturesque beauty of it all. I made the mistake of mentioning it on a phone call with my Ottawa co-workers this afternoon, only to be met with groans since they are expecting more snow.

Some days the high cost of living in this city seems to make more sense than others.

I think that I am finally recovered from my illness – the one that started a month ago with really bad exhaustion/aches and had me in bed for a week, then turned into a head cold – then just continued to produce swollen glands and exhaustion for a couple of weeks…. it seems to have pretty much left me with the dawning of spring. Hurrah!

This photo of an ornamental quince was taken last night just before a meditation sit in the backyard studio at the Urban Crow. It pretty much expresses how much more alive I am feeling post-illness, in the full flower of the season.

We signed the paperwork yesterday to remove the subjects on our Gabriola Island real estate purchase and we are now officially on the hook come June 9th to transfer the money over. Got the movers booked already and we’re now counting down until our move date. I’m feeling all the feelings right now – including a tiny little bit of anxiety. But I’m pretty sure that will pass soon. Onward!

Cycling this week has been super-swell. Not only have I missed every major rain storm by sheer scheduling luck, but the cherry blossoms in Vancouver are making it ridiculously beautiful. And on top of that – I made two major milestones this week:

1. Shaved five minutes off my morning commute this morning (mostly because I’m no longer afraid to go fast down hills)
2. Made it up the Adanac hill (two days in a row!)

I wouldn’t say that the cycle commute has exactly gotten *easy* in the last two months – but that’s partly because I was really sick for a couple of weeks and between that and travel ended up missing about three weeks of doing it. But even being back on the bike last week and this – I’m already feeling my strength build back up. And I sure am noticing on those days when I have to take the bus how much I don’t want to be on there.

I’m heading into the Easter weekend celebrating small victories and this is one of them: I said I was going to start cycle commuting again, and not only am I doing it, I have grown to quite like it again!