Sunday, November 13, 2011

bits. trip, painting and more


The 'Christmas Lights dress'
altered McCalls 8001, circa 1961 size 5
skirt given two inverted pleats to each side instead of one in the middle

Below, it is easier to see why I say the print looks like Christmas Lights
It is the fabric she chose for herself.


Esme really likes her watercolors.
She says she is painting an elephant, after watching Dumbo.
It does kind of look like one!

The weather is extremely windy today - gusts up to 40 mph. It reminds me a little of Fargo. Except, we have trees here - so the wind should not be so high. It is worrying me slightly but the weather forecast says it is nothing more than wind.

Also: The Bambi quilt is nearly done.. just a little inner tacking to do.
Next: The coat. However, the lining and the collar are both 'halt points' for me... I know they will be difficult, much harder than a dress.

Esme started saying she had a tummyache yesterday afternoon and she had a slight fever. I gave her a bath and ice cream and she didn't eat the ice cream - just went to sleep. She woke up and told me her shirt hurt - it was too big, and she cried. I took the shirt off and put a smaller one on... (yes, well...) and then she told me it was actually her tummy that hurt. I told her it was probably because she insisted on sitting and reading stories to the puppies and didn't wash her hands later. She did not like that answer and got mad at me about it, but did not tell me 'No' either. She had been avoiding her water unlike usual - telling me it was empty when it was clearly not, drinking maybe one cup for her usual three. She took several naps and I made her drink a whole cup of water between them... the fever went down some and she slept through the night with just a few complaints. This morning she says she feels better, although she is slightly cranky.

I had planned to take her up to Hazel, KY and look for reader books for her today in their antiques store. Between the weather and not knowing if she is 100%... I'm not sure if we should go or stay home. It is only eight am, so I'll wait a little while and see. Charlie's is open 1 to 5 on Sundays.... so we are in no rush.

//Update// Well, Charlie's had CLOSED! There is some odd new city ordinance on record keeping and although I did not understand all of the letter pinned to their door it was clear that someone in the city council was trying to drive them out of business. That will be sad, as I had suggested a day trip to Grandma specifically to go there, and now am not quite so likely to go again (ie: the likelihood of finding what we want is much slimmer with them gone).

Esme did very well at the small restaurant 'Ann's Country Kitchen' and was good in the little shops which are crowded and full of glass - so that is an accomplishment for a four year old! She encountered a few other children and waved to them happily, telling them we were ladies, and we were going here or there etc.. One 10-13 year old boy was playing on a game and was avoiding her in a shop - she said quite clearly to him 'Don't worry, don't be sad boy... (he turned away again) I'm not going to hurt you. I love you!' He had the most confused expression on his face as he further backed into a corner playing his game.

I had hoped to go to Charlies and look for 'first level readers' as they had many old book sellers there before. Not many of the other places had books - it seems to be a dying thing.. having old but not true 'antique' books around that someone might want to buy for a few dollars each. We did find one book in another shop, Angelique's, that was 'her size' and we bought it with a little of her birthday money. It is 'Ten Apples Up on Top' by Theo LeSieg (a pen name of Dr.Seuss, if you, like me, had forgotten that!) Very beautiful images, 1961 copy with some outer cover damage but very good inside.

Esme is feeling much better than yesterday, she had already started acting like a little Napoleon as soon as we got home, do this - do that, I want this, everyone cooperate with my game! I know I am hard on her, too, especially for her age ie: -- making her clean up after herself putting away toys before she goes on to another game, trying to keep her manners in good shape, telling her not to ask for so many things when we will be going home to get things later... So, she gets some of this 'do this, do that' from Mama always telling her the same sort of things. And yes, she has a right to be frustrated with me at some of it... but she usually does very well overall with it - understands and goes along and eventually knows that Mama just wants us to do the right things.

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