A headcovering linkup? I'm there!

Me and my Infinity Veil: In love.

Jenna is hosting a veiling linkup over at her blog, and naturally, I could not resist participating. :) I am a veiler, and I love to read about the experience of other women on this issue. Three years ago I wrote a post on modesty in which I ruminated for a bit on headcoverings, and that Lent I conducted an experiment in which I wore a covering for the entire season. You can find those by perusing all of the posts from this blog with the headcovering tag, just go back to February 2010.

Ok, so, I started wearing a headcovering to Mass about three years ago, and the impetus was a a larger look at how I approached Mass. I had a young son, and usually we were attending Mass by ourselves. My husband is very supportive of my Catholic faith, and he does come to Mass with us sometimes, but not every week. So, I was wrangling a rambunctious little boy by myself and often felt, you know, HARRIED. I wasn't putting a lot of time or attention into what I wore to Mass other than that my shoulders and knees were always covered. But I didn't "dress up," and I realized that God deserves for me to put my best foot forward when I come to be with Him.

And so I started putting time into selecting a pretty outfit for Mass each week and really enjoyed that. Hand in hand with that, to me at least, was wearing a headcovering. I wanted to present myself as really focusing on Jesus when I'm there, and for me, a headcovering is a physical reminder to do that. I also find them quite beautiful, and they lend a spirit of quiet reverence to my Let's Worry About Everything All The Time! soul. I certainly do not think that I am holier because I wear one; if anything, it is that I am *less* so than others since I *need* this reminder to stay focused!

So I wore them for Lent 2010, and then continued after that because I enjoyed it. I started off with kerchief-style coverings and thick headbands (like what Cam sells here).

I don't look that much older 3 year later. DO I?!

Recently, I bought the infinity veil pictured at the top of this post (like Michelle sells here) and that is the covering that I wear exclusively now at Mass (I still wear my other ones quite a bit around the house; they are beautiful and keep my hair off of my face :)). The first time I wore it I did feel more self-conscious because this is a veil and people do notice it more. The other coverings I wore could have simply been just a part of my outfit. No other women at my parish wear veils or snoods. There are a few women who wear hats, but they are pretty rare.

However, after that first week with the veil I really didn't think about it at all. People know now that I wear it and nobody looks at me funny. It seems to me that the women in my parish have a "do what you like" attitude about headcovering, which is the way that it should be. It's a personal choice. No one should be made to feel badly about whether they do it nor not.

I now tow two children to Mass with me, and the veiling hasn't been a problem as combined with the necessary wrangling. My daughter is two so she is the tougher candidate, to be sure. The veil slips a lot as I rescue her from under the pew or stop her from climbing nearby statuary, but I like that it simply settles back down around my neck. When I'm ready again, I just tug it back up into place.

It reminds me not to lose my temper when my son yet *again* does something to deliberately annoy his sister ("well, but I didn't TOUCH her, so I'm following directions!!") and then she squawks at him in response. It allows me to hide a bit when my daughter loudly passes gas in a most unladylike fashion, or even worse, lets loose one of the "silent but deadly" variety like she did yesterday and stinks out half the sanctuary. In between digging animal crackers out of a diaper bag and retrieving sippy cups that have rolled down the aisle, I feel calm and at peace when I glimpse the lace on the sides of my face.

We're at Mass together, and that's what matters. That's what I focus on.

Head over to Call Her Happy for more veiling stories from this weekend. :)

Headcovering Central

It's kind of shocking that I've had Downton Abbey Season 3 in my hot little paws since Saturday afternoon (yes, I stalked the mailman; it was waiting by our door as we got back from a public library run, otherwise I would have been p.r.e.t.t.y ticked off about him smoking a cigarette in his truck while my precious DVD's sat frightened and alone in the back....) and I have yet to blog about it. We're very much enjoying it, I'm just taking it all in and I don't want to spoil anybody that hasn't seen it yet. Rest assured, gentle reader, that I'm watching every episode with hawk-like attention to detail and I'm continuing to knit my Lady Violet Gauntlets and Lady Edith Shawl as I do so. Pictures to follow shortly. We've watched through episode 3 so far.

At any rate, I was thinking about Lent starting next Wednesday (!) and about what I'm going to be doing this year. I will devote a whole post to that in the coming week, but I've re-devoted myself to headcovering, and since somebody may want to try that out over Lent (I did, the first year that I started covering at Mass) I thought I would highlight the shops that I buy coverings from.

Headcovering is definitely a topic that elicits strong opinions, but you won't find one here. I do enjoy wearing a headcovering. Why? Honestly, I think they're very pretty. :) And I find that it helps *me* (doesn't apply to everybody, I understand) stay focused more during Mass. I think that it is a lovely way to show reverence, although many show their reverence in other ways.

Anyway, I digress. I have 3 Etsy shops to recommend. I could spend my entire entertainment budget on Etsy, I tell you.

(1) A Snood for All Seasons - Cam's shop features snoods in every color under the rainbow as well as convertible coverings (can be worn in a kerchief style or folded up as a headband). She has her stock divided up by color, so you can browse for your favorite hue to see what styles and fabrics she has available. I have 5 convertible coverings from Cam (2 cotton and 3 lace) and wear them often. I highly recommend her work.

(2) Happy Homestead - Melissa's stretchy lace headbands are just the best thing to ever hit my headcovering world. I LOVE them. In fact, I just ordered 2 more, inspired by this post. :) I justified a red and a pink headband, because you know, Valentine's Day is approaching.

(3) Liturgical Time - I've gotten to "know" :) Michelle this past year via her blog, and a kind and prayerful seller always enhances a headcovering shop in my mind. I haven't yet purchased one of her coverings, but her eternity veil is currently on my wish list and it's only a matter of time before this one makes it into my mailbox.

Lent's approach is a nice time to consider trying out wearing a covering to Mass. Mid-Februray is the ideal time for Ash Wednesday to my mind, I wish it fell this way every year. Mike thinks that Easter should be a fixed feast every year, the first or second Sunday of April. I too think that is ideal timing, but alas, I don't think our tradition with regard to the date of Easter will change. Next year it will be another early March Ash Wednesday which just feels so strange to me. But first we have Lent 2013. Can't wait to share it with you. :)

Adventures in the Tridentine Rite

Yesterday, Henry and I attended Mass at a beautiful old church that still offers the liturgy in the old Tridentine Rite, more commonly known as the Latin Mass. My in-laws wanted to go, so we made a journey out of it. This particular church is maybe a 20 minute drive from our house. I have attended the Latin Mass there before, but not in quite some time.

I was excited about it. My previous impression was that as beautiful as the Tridentine Rite is, I still prefer the "New Mass," the post-Vatican II liturgy in the vernacular. But it's so nice to have options, so I was looking forward to something different. Plus, the Tridentine Rite is the place I feel most comfortable wearing head coverings at Mass, since I'm in good company there! *Most* of the women there cover, so I blend right in.

Anyway, I was all excited getting ready in the morning, rifling through my drawer of head coverings. Yes, they have their own drawer. I love head coverings. And I have many of them. Cotton, lace, velvet. All sorts of colors. I have a few that are headbands, and then the others are "convertible" (these are my favorite) meaning that they can be folded up as a headband or extended into a cute kerchief look. I was wearing a black pant outfit, so I picked my brown lace covering, since it matches my hair so well. I did contemplate wearing a skirt, since most women do there, but I don't have good shoes right now for skirts. I could remedy this with a $20 trip to Payless, but yet I somehow never do. So I wore my head covering with pants, which I hope doesn't look weird. Anyway, I digress.

My in-laws arrive to fetch Henry and I just as Anne was going down for her morning nap, so we waved goodbye to her and Mike and headed on our way. We found the church easily and actually got there early. This chagrined me only because we had Henry along, and I hoped he wouldn't get too impatient. He had his little Magnifikid! and he even asks for them each week, so they're working out very well, but I warned him ahead of time that he wouldn't be able to follow along in there this week. He contented himself with the holy word find for a time, but quickly started rubbing his eyes and complaining about his seasonal allergies. The more I told him that rubbing his eyes only made the itching worse, the more he rubbed them. I was worried we were going to have to leave early, but luckily, it abated. Then I just had to deal with his multitude of questions and a tad of whining about how long the Mass was, but overall he didn't do too bad.

Anyway, when we arrived, a group was praying the rosary before Mass. Love that! Naturally, Henry wanted to sit in the very first row. When Mass began, a bell rang. Also love that! And an absolute *flotilla* of adorable little altar boys scampered out, clad in the old style black and white cassock, followed by some older altar servers, and the priest. The altar was absolutely beautiful. Covered in gorgeous artwork and statuary. To my mind, the way an altar *should* look.I had brought along my Latin-English missal, and with the aid of my mother-in-law (who remembers the Latin Mass from her childhood) I was able to follow along better than in the past.

Ok, so the pros and cons to the Tridentine Rite *for me*, because of course, this is very much a personal Catholic preference. Cons:

(1) Even with my cute missal, I still got lost. I think the most confusing part is that there are a lot of prayers that the priest says inaudibly, especially at the consecration and generally surrounding communion. Then I lose my place.
(2) If you blink, you can miss the consecration. Granted, the altar boys ring the bell (love that!) but the priest offers the consecration while quietly saying the prayers to himself, and I just don't feel "a part" of the liturgy the way I do at an average Mass at my parish. I hope this isn't heretical. :) I'm just saying how I feel.

But the pros:

(1) The reverence. It's just unparalleled.  From the beautifully prepared altar and the obvious attention and devotion of the congregation, this Mass feels sacred.
(2) The altar rail. I adore receiving communion while kneeling. Oh, and the paten! This is a very natural fit to me with the Eucharist.
(3) The dress of the congregation. I mentioned this above. Everyone dressed nicely. No jeans or shorts in sight. And the head coverings! *swoons* I saw a beautiful (and large) pink hat on an older woman, followed by an army of gorgeous mantillas on both women and young girls. Yes, young girls! Wearing mantillas. Black, white, pink, blue. Mantillas were definitely the head covering style of choice. I was the only one wearing a shorter lace style that tied underneath my hair, which of course doesn't matter, but I'm obsessed with such details.
(4) The solemnity of the liturgy. Yes, I have a hard time following sometimes, but when I'd get lost I'd just read the English translation which was absolutely beautiful. Oh, and an aside. "And with your spirit" really *is* much, much closer to the Latin than "and also with you." :) Ah, and the lack of the Sign of Peace? I'm just being honest, but I don't miss it at all. I've always been uncomfortable having a set moment in the liturgy where I'm supposed to talk to people I don't know and shake their hands.

So, as you can see, the pros certainly outweigh the cons for me. I won't be leaving my parish for this one, but I like being able to attend there every once in a while. There are many people that do drive quite a long way to go to this church though, I know, because they prefer the Tridentine Rite. I think this is fine, but I do know there is a school of thought out there that one should always register at, and attend at their *local* parish, and not "parish hop." Thoughts? I wonder if there is anything in canon law about this? I will try and remember to check.

Oh boy...

You know, it's interesting. Lately, as we all know, the Church has taken quite a beating in the media. And I think we'd all agree that the disagreement is coming from those more "to the left," if you will. That's certainly a generalization, but I think it's a fair one. But yet, (and I have to admit, I find this amusing, albeit hurtful) the Church also takes a beating from the exact polar end of the spectrum, the far right.

This morning, I logged onto Facebook, and my lovely friend Cam from the A Woman's Place... blog drew my attention to a post by a headcovering shop that in the past, I've highly recommended on this blog: Garlands of Grace (link purposely excluded, ha!). I've "liked" the Garlands of Grace Facebook page, so I quickly found the source of Cam's comment:

"In response to several ladies who have wondered and many others who have presumed, I am compelled to share:Garlands of Grace in NOT a Catholic run business. I am burdened for all who stand with the Catholic Church and would plead with you to come out and believe the Word of God."This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:11-12"

Well then. I have absolutely no problem patronizing businesses that are not Catholic, not Christian, or even totally secular. What I DO have a problem with is associating with businesses that are downright anti-Catholic. THAT the Catholic Librarian does not tolerate.

Because the thing is, Garlands of Grace is not simply clarifying that they are not a Catholic run company. They are flat out saying that Catholics are not Christians and need to "come out" in order to actually "believe the Word of God." This viewpoint is certainly not pervasive amongst all non-Catholic Christians, but unfortunately I've seen it before, and it's insidious amongst at least a small representation of Christians. Very sad, but true.

Underneath this post, as one might imagine, a real brouhaha has erupted in the comments section. Happily, a sizable number of commenters (by far the majority) are charitable and articulate Catholics defending the Church and letting the business owners know that they will not shop there nor recommend the store anymore. There's also some ugly stuff mixed in there, including one woman who called the Church a "glorified cult" but that's par for the course, I suppose. I considered commenting, but then demured. The other Catholics there did an outstanding job of articulating my feelings beautifully and in a kind and charitable fashion. I just "liked" their comments to lend support. But I did "unlike" the page on Facebook to let the shop know that I'm no longer a fan of theirs. I'm curious to see how Garland of Grace's number of fans goes down due to this. It looks like a significant number of their (now former) customers are Catholic.

Anyway, I'm saddned by this, but I suppose I'm not totally surprised. If the Church made everybody happy all of the time, *that* would be something to worry about.

On a more positive note, if you're in the market for headcoverings, check out Cam's etsy shop A Snood for all Seasons. I just bought 2 coverings from her (the convertible type), and they're beautiful! She also sells coverings for little girls, and I'm plotting a purchase for Anne. How cute will that be?!

So, the morning is off to an adventurous start...

New headcoverings...

I hadn't bought any new headcoverings in awhile, and since I'm wearing mine more, I felt justified in adding to my collection. Especially since Melissa of Happy Homestead on etsy is going on maternity leave for a time, I thought now was my opportunity to pounce.

I'm a big fan of headbands. They keep my hair off my face, and they're very easy to throw on in the mornings and wear just about anywhere. I'm not a "full time coverer," but I have to say that I enjoy wearing my coverings both in and out of Sunday Mass. It does seem to remind me to try to "pray without ceasing" when I'm wearing them. They just make me feel soothed.

Thus, I procured 2 new stretchy lace headbands, and I adore them both. These are so pretty, and fit any head size. I feel completely comfortable wearing these to work or out shopping. One is sage green:

and the other is mulberry:

I have to say, the mulberry is the most frivolous of the three (dark purple? it just struck my fancy for deep, rich colors, so I treated myself) but it's my favorite. :) It's just SO pretty. And I've found that I do have a number of things that coordinate with it.

I also picked up a new convertible covering in a fabric called "Spring Daisies":

This can be worn as above, or converted to a headband. I like the colors, very springy. I have several others in this style, and I wear them all often. I wear them fuller around the house, and then cinch them into a headband for outside wear.

I'll fess up and admit that I've been a tad naughty and have been perusing Garlands of Grace for new arrivals as well. Sigh. If only a money tree grew in our backyard... They should have their new spring line out soon, and I may not be able to resist. :) But I have a rule; I have to wait at least a month since a prior purchase. :)

Looking forward to the weekend

Doesn't it always seem that 4 day work weeks feel *longer* than the usual 5 days? It's odd, but true. Very wintry here right now, and I'm looking forward to a cozy weekend.

I have a few new headcoverings arriving today in the mail. :) I will show them off next week. I've been wearing mine a lot more lately, even around the house. I actually wore one to work the other day. I have a lot of headbands, so they're pretty low key. They're just so pretty, and are very practical - they keep my hair off my face!

I'm certain I'll do some more nesting this weekend. Our storage area *really* needs a lot of attention, but I'm not quite ready to tackle that yet. Well, the house isn't quite ready for me to tackle that yet, I should say. Once I get in there, I'm going to want to start pulling out baby clothes and equipment, and we just don't have room just yet until other factors fall into place. SO much tornadoing to come.

I think what I can do is clear out the small dresser/changing table that currently lives in Hank's room and start getting it ready to be exclusively Baby CL's. Hank has a larger dresser in his room that will fit all of his stuff just fine, so I'll make that conversion either this weekend or next. That way, when I do reach the baby clothes, I can start folding the gender neutral stuff and putting it in the baby's dresser, since it will be all emptied out.

We'll also be busy with other things this weekend, so I don't know how much of this I'll get done. Hank is invited to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese (oh, the sacrifices we make for our kids happiness...) and Mike has a few things going on, so I'll be doing some Hank duty myself. We're all going to Mass together for the vigil on Saturday night, which will be very nice. All 3 of us will go about every month or two. Mike prefers the vigil over Sunday morning, so whenever he wants to go, I accommodate. :)

I have belly dance tonight. Yep, still dancing. :) In fact, we have a performance coming up in February, and guess who'll be there with a 6 and a half months pregnant bare belly? I'll post a picture. :)

Headcovering alert...

I was perusing one of my favorite headcovering shops the other day, Happy Homestead on etsy, and saw that the owner, Melissa, had posted a message. She's due to give birth shortly, and will be putting her store on vacation mode for quite awhile starting at the beginning of February. So, if you are in the market for a cute new covering, head over quick! I'm plotting to make a few new additions, and I'm having a hard time choosing!

What I like about her coverings is that they are in the cute style that I like (convertible kerchief/headbands, though she also does make longer veils), they're well made, and she ships them out lickety split. You'll have your new coverings in days. I've got my eye on several.

I like this style:
and this one:


and she'll make them in a multitude of colors. Decisions! I do like the deep purple, but also a dark green. Maybe cinnamon? That might look nice with my hair...

Headcovering of the week...

Well, you knew I couldn't go too long without adding to my headcovering collection, so I'll just fess up now. Everyone knows of my fondness for Garlands of Grace, so I figured I'd spotlight another headcovering source that I've come to love.

There is a vendor on etsy, called Happy Homestead, that I've bought a few headcoverings from, with two new additions this week. The woman who runs the store, Melissa, is very sweet, and does excellent work. This is one of my new coverings:

It's a convertible covering, can work as either a kerchief or a headband, and I LOVE IT. The style is SO cute, and so comfortable. I also purchased a stretchy lace headband from her, in Cappuccino, that is so super soft and pretty you can hardly believe it. I also bought a gauzy spring print convertible covering back in April, and it is another of my absolute favorites in my collection. She has another one just like it for sale now.

The prices are more than reasonable, with $1.99 shipping. Her items are already made and in stock, so you receive your order within days. I highly recommend this shop. She also makes longer veil coverings, bobby pins, and coverings for younger girls.

A quick caveat to say that she does include Christian (of the non-Catholic variety) tracks in her orders. If this makes you uncomfortable, you can simply ask her not to include them. She's super nice and responsive to all messages. Definitely check her out :)

Fall is in the air...

I'm making Chicken Pot Pie tonight, I'm contemplating the sweaters I will knit, and Garlands of Grace just announced its fall collection. Fall is, happily, in the air.

Speaking of headcoverings, I haven't written about them in awhile, but I'm still very much wearing them, and enjoying them. I'm feeling the urge to order a few more, but I tell you, I really should restrain myself, because I totally have enough. I have headbands in gray and black/white, convertible coverings (can be either headband or short kerchief) in black/white, brown lace, khaki with white lace trim, and sheer spring pinks/greens, and a longer veil in autumn brown/pink. I have to say, my 2 favorites are the brown lace and the sheer pink convertible. I wear them even around the house, I love them so much. But sigh... the autumn chiffon? *wants* *resists* For now, anyway :)

Now that I've been wearing headcoverings to Mass for about 6 months, I have to say that I never even consider entering church without one. I'm just so used to it, my head feels "naked" if I don't. I really like it. It's a reminder to me to focus on why I'm really there, and not let my mind wander.

Lots of other things going on this fall. I need to start preparing for the October fall hafla for belly dance. I'm deciding now if I'll create a new solo number, or if I'll use the one I created this summer for a second time. We're ordering our new costumes this week. *beams* We chose green as the color (my favorite!) but could choose any style each of us wished. I'm getting a traditional bra and skirt set. I'll take a picture of it when it comes in. It's super pretty, and I'm certain that I'll love it, which is good since I won't be able to afford another costume for several years after this :)

As well, Hank will be starting kindergarten in about 4 weeks, sigh. My precious baby. It'll be a big adjustment for all of us. Lots of other stuff going on, too. Stay tuned...

:)

Headcovering of the week...

Borrowing this idea from my friend Cam over at A Woman's Place... I thought I'd do a quick post on my new headcovering. As I anticipated, the very nice ladies at Garlands of Grace exchanged coverings for me in a very speedy manner when I accidentally received the wrong one. This is my newest covering, and it's super cute:

You can get this particular covering at their web site or over at their etsy store. If you google them, you'll come right up with both. This one has thin crocheted ties, and it's really lovely. I love these types of short kerchief coverings, as well as the headbands. This one actually scrunches up to a headband, if you like. I've worn it both ways. I tend to wear the coverings longer when my hair is down, and the headband if my hair is up. I find both very flattering and non-attention grabbing at Mass.

My new coveted favorite is the Delicate Lace Covering. *wants* *wont' be getting because CL simply cannot possibly justify it's acquisition...* My headcovering drawer is suddenly very cozy due to a sufficient number of cute coverings :)

Being a Catholic housewife

My husband has taken to referring to my headcoverings as my "housewife scarves," which he says with a smile and an eyebrow raise, meaning, that he likes them. Because recently, I noticed that I often reach for them to wear on the weekends around the house instead of just twisting my hair up into a bun or a ponytail, like I usually do. And I have to say, I'm enjoying it quite a bit. My hair has gotten longer recently, and I hated feeling I was always wearing it up, just to get it off of my face. The headbands and shorter scarves allow me to wear my hair down, but keep it back out of my way. I adore them.

And I've come to adore acquiring them on etsy a tad too much. I *llooovvveeee* etsy. I mean, it's my new amazon.com. But whereas I was able to replace my amazon book buying habit with a public library card, I'm still spending real money on etsy. I'm a sucker for handmade items, and etsy is a treasure trove. When Mike commented on my newfound crush recently, I made sure to pipe in that he should be grateful I have such wholesome obsessions - you don't normally see support groups popping up dedicated to those who simply cannot help themselves around crafts, books, rosary beads, and head scarves.

Anyway, I'm still awaiting my 2 new additions from Garlands of Grace, but in the meantime...*guilty smile* I found another headcovering vendor on etsy and I tested the waters. They were only $11! And shipping was next to nothing. I barely spent over $20 for 2 coverings. So you see, I'm really still a very good girl :)

The first is this one, which I wore all weekend:



I like, love it. It ties, so it stays put nicely, and it can act as a short scarf or convert to a headband. My precious multi-purpose head covering; I love you so.

The other one is my first experiment with a longer veil:



I wore it to Mass on Sunday. Word to the wise - if you have a covering with both ties *and* snaps (for a taper in the back), do the snaps first. This caused me no end of consternation and muffled swearing for about 10 minutes. Once I figured the snap thing out, my head covering world improved. I like it real well, but I think I now have a definitive preference with these coverings: my absolute favorites are the shorter scarves, and bonus is they can also act as a headband, because I like headbands too. *Tiffany plots future purchases...* You can see where the problem comes in.

Anyway, I happily wore my pink scarf and did some work out in the yard on Saturday. The Catholic Librarian is planning her summer garden, and as you will be unsurprised to learn, she does this with no small amount of overplanning, overstructuring, and overzealousness. I've gotten both front and back weeded pretty well, but you know how weeding is. Two days later, and somehow a weed has not just started to grow back in, but it's a full-fledged young adult weed with wild hair and a bad attitude. How do they do that?! It's infuriating. And I am a ruthless weeder. I go right for the roots.

"Mommy, look at the pretty yellow flower."

"What?! WHERE?!" *spots offending dandelion* *viciously rips its delicate yellow head off*

"Ok, don't worry. We're ok again."

We have fresh dirt, we just need some topsoil, and we're good to go with some annuals and vegetables. I will report back in.

So then, on Sunday, I have yet another installment in what is a continuing saga for parents: Mass With the Children. Not an easy thing.

Henry has suddenly taken to boycotting Children's Liturgy of the Word, and I have no idea why. He says that he's "scared," but he says it with a smirk, so I know that he's up to something. He's declared that he prefers to sit back in the pew with Mommy at church, where he then drives me nuts for a straight hour. Getting into my purse and breaking things. Pulling my hair. Poking me. Whining. You know, all the good stuff.

I will grant, he's not loud and disruptive. For the most part. Nothing like what I will simply call THE INCIDENT from last November, and leave it at that. Now that he's 4, I set high standards for his behavior at Mass, and for the most part he earns at least a B most Sundays. That's pretty good for a boy that age.

I thought about it, and I think my strategy is going to be to just let the children's liturgy thing go. The more I mention it, the more he takes the opportunity to declare that he doesn't want to go and would rather stay with me in church. I think it's newness has worn off and thus it's not so exciting for him anymore. As well, Henry had inherited my shyness. That may have a lot to do with it. He's still at Mass, and that's what's important. We'll get there.

Headcoverings, the ongoing quest...

Now that Lent has come and gone, and I've resolved to continue to cover my head at Mass, I treated myself to a perusal over at Garlands of Grace. I now have 3 headcoverings, and I do love them. Only 2 of them are actually functional for me though, the chocolate brown lace scarf and the black/white velvet headband. The stretch khaki one that I purchased unfortunately isn't working out. It just slips like crazy. The ties on the other 2 seem to make the difference. And I use them regularly, but I was thinking it would be nice to add a few new members to my headcovering collection, so that I have more options on Sundays. And sometimes, I wear them at home, because they're so pretty and keep my hair out of my face.

Well. I immediately knew that I was in trouble when I discovered that they had posted the new spring collection. Dangerous, dangerous. I instantly fell in love with about a half dozen of them, and had to reign myself in. I've been wanting one of the lace headbands, and one of the Cecily style scarfs with ties, so I gave myself permission to buy 2. This resulted in much excitement for my entire workday as I contemplated which to choose.

I did end up scooping up one of the lace headbands, since I've wanted one from the start. I chose this one:



in silver. I figured that will match just about anything, and will go nicely with my dark hair. The big decision was which of the Cecily style coverings to get. I nearly chose an ivory chiffon, but in the end went with my baser instinct that darker colors just look better with my complexion. So I chose this one:



I couldn't be more thrilled. It has ties:



and it can also be worn as a headband:



The other (problematic) covering that I have, is similar:



and I love the style, but it simply does not stay on my head. The stretchy clasp just isn't working for me in that style. It'll stay for a short time folded up as a headband, but even that goes astray after a while. So, I think the ties will keep everything secure and make me very happy. I'm super excited.

So many of the other coverings were so beautiful as well! I'm sure that there is no doubt that before the end of the year, my headcovering collection will grow once again.

Back from Easter, and headcovering debriefing...

Ah, back at work from a weekend away. I'm happy to report that our travel, and our trip, went very well. On the way up, I smugly held my tongue as Mike squirmed in his seat and suggested that we make a rest stop. *My* bladder was fine, but I thought it best not to mention this fact. He and Hank hurried to the Mens Room while I daintily combed my hair in the ladies "lounge." What is it with highway rest stops? In New York they're actually somewhat decent. They maintain them and keep them pretty clean. But others, *shudder*. How hard is it to squirt toilet bowl cleaner and maybe take a mop to the floor once a week? Not hard, as we all know. But alas. They'd rather us wallow in squallor.

For the remainder of the trip, I felt quite nauseous. I have notoriously bad motion sickness, yet I get amnesia about this fact before every trip, because I never have the over-the-counter dramamine that I need. I munched on my snacks and sipped my iced tea, and this would keep the nausea at bay for periods of time. And, the portable DVD player resulted in Henry being an *outstanding* boy for the trip, both ways. Gosh, it feels good to be right. *coy smile*

I brought my knitting in the car this time, wondering if, despite the fact that I cannot read in the car due to my motion issue, perhaps I could knit. Yeah. No more wondering on that issue. I can't. Immediate doom-feeling nausea after barely 5 stitches.

On the way back yesterday, we stopped off at Rite Aid for some dramamine, which I immediately consumed. It knocked me out a few hours later, and I napped for pretty much the duration of our foray into central New York. It felt good to get home.

So. My Lenten headcovering experiment. I said I would write fully about this after Easter, and here we are. Overall, I really enjoyed my employment of headcoverings at Mass. I felt that I was more focused at Mass this Lent; that preparing myself by covering my head prior to attending Mass forced me to focus on how very important it is. It made me feel that I was making more of an effort to concentrate at, and appreciate Mass, and that I was trying harder to hear God's voice at that time.

And I got zero strange looks or comments. Granted, this may be because I was wearing fairly subtle headcoverings, in the form of larger headbands and scarves. I do not have a traditional mantilla. Also, I live in a region with a lot of cradle Catholics, and even if most women choose not to cover, they're familiar with the phenomenon and don't think it odd if another woman does. As well, there are a small number of women in my parish that do wear hats to Mass. Thus, I really didn't "stick out" the way I always feared, which was the reason I chose not to cover in the past.

So, with that all in mind, I plan to continue to cover my head during Mass from this point forward. At some point, I'll pick up a few more headcoverings so that I have plenty of options depending on what I'm wearing, and I'll definitely get them from Garlands of Grace. I'm very happy with the ones that I bought from there. I enjoyed this experiment and will continue to blog about it as events transpire :)

Our Lenten journey continues, fun times at the home of Mom and Dad CatholicLibrarian, and baby hats abound...

This past weekend was the fourth Sunday of Lent, and this continues to be an interesting one. I wore my black velvet headband headcovering, and I definitely prefer the coverings that tie in the back. They stay put very nicely. After Lent, I'd love to pick up a few more. I'll keep you posted :) At any rate, Hank went up for Children's Liturgy of the Word like a big boy, despite being one of only 4 kids that went up (Father Jay looked down at them and said, "we seem to be missing some of the little children today..." :) All went well.

Later that day, the 3 of us traveled to my parents' house to celebrate my dad's birthday. We're arriving slightly later than originally planned because my parents had a wake to go to immediately prior to our visit. We arrive to find my mom fluttering about the house anxiously. Does this sound familiar? Yes, it's true. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. We are ushered inside, and my mom announces:

"The lasagna is still frozen."

I'll pause the story at this point to mention that I absolutely adore my mother and we get along famously. As well, we're very much like each other in many ways. She never fails though, to provide many an amusing anecdote with some of her idiosyncrasies. And for whatever reason, food takes FOREVER to cook in her house. Originally, I assumed it was because of the sheer denseness of some of the dishes she makes (cue the lasagna...), but now I'm beginning to believe it has to be her oven.

"The lasagna has been thawing since yesterday, and it's been in the oven for 5 hours!"

"Ok. Well, mom? Maybe you need a new oven? You've had this one a really long time, and..."

"Well!" *huffy sigh* "Ovens aren't cheap, you know!"

"Yes, I know. But you can get one for well under $500."

"Not with a ceramic top!"

*sighs* My mom doesn't like change.

"Well yes, but isn't it more important to have an oven that cooks the food in a reasonable amount of time?"

Her glower seems to imply that she does not agree with me. So I drop it. The lasagna is snappily placed back into the oven. Meanwhile, Henry has begun to whine, and I pacify him as best I can.

An hour passes. The lasagna is re-checked, and is still frozen in the center. I find it prudent to hold my tongue and simply attempt to set the table amongst the piles of unexplained paperwork and small appliances that litter the kitchen. I am who I am about de-cluttering my house because of my mom: she hordes more stuff than anyone in the free world. I still have nightmares about helping her clean out the basement as a teenager.

I'm starting to get a tad anxious because it's getting late and Henry is becoming tired and cranky. I posit the idea of slicing off individual pieces along the edges of the pan and microwaving them if need be. My mom isn't too thrilled about this plan, but she complies. We find that the slices along the sides are cooked just fine. I spoon out salad and everyone sits down to eat. We're all happily munching lasagna noodles when the next bomb is dropped:

"OH NO. The ice cream cake!"

So, here we have the opposite problem of the lasagna. Food takes an eternity to get hot in my parent's house, yet the freezer manages to keep things somewhere in the range of zero kelvin. My parent's have this mammoth Amana deep freeze in their basement that you can only hold open for seconds at a time lest your very extremities succomb to frostbite. My sisters and I all know that the deep freeze is the death knell for having ice cream anytime in this century - you take a quart of ice cream out of that baby and you could crush someone's skull with it.

After my mom's proclamation, we all freeze in horror; Henry has been promised ice cream cake, and if we do not deliver, we will have one unhappy 4 year old on our hands. My dad immediately
jumps up:

"I'll get it!" The cake is henceforth rescued from the dreaded deep freeze. As we eat, my mom continues to comment,

"It's going to be a LONG TIME before the cake is ready to be cut. A LONG TIME."

Sigh.

We finish our lasagna and clean up. My dad is dispatched to wield the cleaver that is necessary to cut through the ice cream cake. He manages to hack off enough slices to accommodate each of us. Following that, Henry is quickly stuffed into his jacket and Spider Man sneakers for an immediate trip home and usherance to his bed... And there you have a typical visit to the home of the Catholic Librarian's parents. Fun times.


Ok, finally, my craft update (for those that care :) Here is my latest baby hat creation:



It's *much* better than the last one I made. On this one, the brim doesn't roll up, plus the colored swatches on the lower rows "puff out" in purl stitch, instead of laying flat like the last one. Here are the 2 hats together:



The newer one is on the right. I'm now starting a pink hat for a baby girl...

Lenten headcovering week 3, and entertaining visitors...

This weekend, my in-laws are in town from Florida visiting us. And it's been a great visit, but as you will be unsurprised to learn, I get very anxious about house visitors. I feel like I always need to be "on," making sure that the house is tidy and welcoming, preparing meals and assuring that everyone has everything that they need. And my in-laws are so nice that, that with regard to the aforementioned Type A daughter-in-law behavior, it actually backfires. I feel *more* anxious because they won't let me do nice hostess things for them.

"Do you need anything? Can I make you some tea?"

"Oh, NO! We're, FINE! In fact, why don't we go out to eat so that you don't have to cook."

"But. *sniffles* I don't mind cooking, really..."

"oh, NO! We want you to enjoy yourself. Let's go out to eat."

So, basically, I'm crazy. We knew this already, so moving on...

This weekend, I also embarked on week 3 of my lenten headcovering experiment. This week, I wore the brown lace covering, and as expected, I *loved* it. It stayed put like a champ, and the covering is just so beautiful. I also feel fairly unobtrusive in it, especially with it being brown and matching with my hair. So, after wearing all 3 of the original coverings that I purchased for 1 full Mass, I think that I can safely say that I prefer the ties in the back. Those stay put better. The brown lace one ties, as well as the black velvet headband. If I keep covering at Mass (and I suspect that I will), after Lent I'd like to pick up a black lace one, and another of the same style in cotton that ties in the back. Then I should be all set. I can match anything :)

Henry has been intrigued by my headcoverings, but then again he's always loved my hair, which has always driven me crazy. His pulling and playing with my hair is a habit that I've never been able to get him to break. So he was all strokey with my brown lace yesterday. But overall he was good in church, and he went back with the big kids for Children's Liturgy of the Word like a good boy.

My mother-in-law was with us, and Henry managed to finagle a strawberry cereal bar out of her while I wasn't looking. I don't bring snacks to church for Hank anymore, but my mother-in-law doesn't know that, so no harm. Henry is the one that should know better, but we know how well that works with 4 year olds. So, right in the middle of the consecration, I hear all this crinkling, and I just know that my son is responsible. Sure enough, he triumphantly squirrels his cereal bar away and begins munching. I kept a half an eye on him as he proceeds to drop crumbs all over the kneeler. Sigh. We clean them up, and I go back to my Missal, but the crinkling continued. I felt bad, because there were people *right* there sitting behind us, but hey, when you sit right by a child you have to expect a certain amount of non-adult noise. Mercifully, Hank finished the bar and we were able to move on with him looking through his books.

I read a few Living Faith pages while we waited to go up for Communion; I was a few days behind. I liked this one, and it brought to mind my perpetual anxiety:

Severing Our Shackles

They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains... Psalm 105:18

"The shackles and chains that held Joseph captive when he was enslaved are symbolic of whatever keeps us unfree. What might hose shackles and chains be? The list is unending. Some of the shackles include: always needing to be right, constant self-pity or self-doubt, blaming others instead of taking responsibility, endless criticism, refusal to leave the painful past behind, happiness at other's misery, *continual fretting and worrying* (emphasis mine), arrogant put-downs and opinions, an ungrateful heart, avoiding forgivenes, thinking only of oneself. Whatever keeps us from being at peace and from accessing our innate goodness - this is what chains us and holds us captive. Lent focuses on breaking these shackles, on freeing us to be people of deep and lasting love. "

Lenten headcovering, week 2...

I had a *very* pleasant weekend. It was relaxing, refreshing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Henry seemed to have a little bug or something Sunday morning, and so my nurturing instincts were in HIGH GEAR. It was nice to be able to just focus on him and not worry about anything else.

As well, on Sunday, I enacted week 2 of my headcovering experiment. I wore the khaki-colored stretch one, and felt very cute in the process. It did slip a bit, but overall I like that style. Next week I'm going to try the brown lace one, which ties in the back, and I have a feeling that one will stay put nicely. All of this information-gathering is good for when I'm able to buy more headcoverings in the future :)

I had a class to teach this morning, and another tomorrow, but I promise a longer post tomorrow. It's another 'plumb tuckered' kind of day.

A wedding? You'd think that would be self evident. Not necessarily so - a tale of my weekend...

I had a good weekend, and I'll backtrack to that in a moment. But first, I wanted to start with a sweet anecdote from this morning. Henry had a dentist appointment this morning, and since Mike had class, I took him. We arrive, and are taken back to a dental chair.

Wide-eyed and anxious looking, Hank slips in. The hygienist is all perky, trying to get him to talk and smile.

"Hi Henry! How are you doing today? Did you brush your teeth this..."

"I WANT MY MOMMY."

He was not in a mood to be trifled with :) But he ended up doing great. Precious little sweetie.

Anyway, so my weekend. As you well know, Mass this weekend would mark my first major headcovering experience for my Lenten pilot project. I was all excited. I had chosen my outfit earlier in the day (we attended the Saturday evening vigil Mass this week), and about 15 minutes before we were slated to leave, I went to choose my covering. The one that went with my outfit best was actually the black velvet headband, so I strapped that on. I felt very cute.

I emerged from the bathroom, and Mike noticed right away.

"Oh! I like your hair thing."

:)

We pull up to a church for 4 pm Mass that we don't usually attend. Mike and I had dinner plans that evening, Sunday morning I was invited to a wedding shower brunch (eliminating Sunday morning Mass as a possibility), and my parish doesn't have a vigil that was as early as we needed for our dinner reservations; thus, we ventured down to a gorgeous church in the city. We'd been there before, but not for some time. And Mike often wants to accompany me to Mass when I go to one of the older churches, since they're so beautiful in this area. Thus, it worked out well. We pull up, and I immediately sense something going on.

"Why are all those girls in matching red dresses going up the stairs?"

My first thought was that I wanted to crochet them some shawls right then and there, because their dresses left a lot of skin exposed :) But also important,

"Do you think there's a wedding?"

Mike pshaws. "No, I don't think so. How could there be? I know they have regular Mass at 4."

I raise my eyebrows at my non-practicing Catholic husband, because he does take his Mass times very seriously.

He adds, "Maybe the wedding is after this Mass. Maybe they're just early."

"Maybe." *skeptical* "Look, there's more dressed up people. Oh wait. Oh dear."

"What?"

"There's a bride. There is clearly a bride. And she's coming out of a limo."

We both crane our necks. Girl wearing a full-out bridal gown mounts the stairs.

Mike remains very hopeful that we'll get to attend a 4pm vigil. "But wait. Doesn't that look like the groom? Why would they be arriving together?"

"I don't know. But it *is* possible to get married during a regularly scheduled Mass. You don't get to choose the readings and do all the customization that a separate wedding liturgy allows, but it technically can be done. Maybe they're doing that. Sometimes people want a later Saturday wedding ceremony, and the vigil is the only way to have a wedding after 2 pm in a Catholic Church, usually."

Mike looks utterly flummoxed. "Really?"

"Yeah. I've never seen it done, but I know that you can do it."

We continue to spy on people entering the church, and see people wearing clear non-wedding attendance clothes, so figure that the regular vigil is still on. We get out and head in.

As we enter the church, we see the wedding crowd all jammed into the front hallway, right out in the open. I'm even more confused at this point.

We find a pew, and Mass begins. The wedding folk process up with the priest and the altar servers. I think to myself, "yes, definitely must a wedding during the regular Mass."

Well. I was wrong :) As soon as the priest commenced the Mass, he noted that we were celebrating a Quinceanera - a Latin American coming of age ceremony for young women turning 15. I swear - she looked older than 15 :) Considering I was marrying her off...

Anyway, during the Mass, the young lady professes a statement of faith that she will strive to carry out the responsibilities of a Christian woman throughout her life, and receives a Bible, a rosary, and her first pair of high-heeled shoes. Interesting, huh?

What I was unprepared for was how elaborate everything was. There were a dozen attendants, and they all arrived in a limo. Everybody was wearing either a coordinated suit, bridesmaid gown, or a wedding gown. It really, really looked like a wedding :) But it was all very cool, and we enjoyed being a part of it.

So, on the headcovering. I enjoyed wearing it very much. I'll wait until after Lent to post a longer missive about my larger experience with headcovering, so I'll just say that week 1 was a smashing success. It stayed on my head with no fuss and everything.

Ok, instead of a book today I'm going to link to a meatless recipe. Looking for a good Friday dinner? One of my *favorite* on-the-go meatless dinners is Self's Better Bean Burritos. You mix sauteed onions and bell peppers, black beans, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and grape tomatoes (I leave out the lettuce), pop into a whole grain tortilla, and voila! It's a family favorite.

Headcoverings! And Lenten book club...

*simmers with excitement* Yesterday, I picked Hank up from school and, as always, as soon as we got home, he wanted to fetch the mail. I set him off while I washed out the lunch dishes and generally tidied the kitchen in preparation for dinner. Suddenly:

*angels SING*

Hank appears with a small package, and I just *knew* that it was my headcoverings. The scripture verse included on the outside of the package also aided in this process of deduction :) Me being the Queen of Patience, I was dying to just rip into the package right then and there, but I put it aside so that I could savor it. I wanted time to play with each covering, try them on, and take pictures, so I figured I'd wait until after dinner.

After dinner came, and aforementioned ripping into package commenced. I practically squealed as I pulled each one out. You would have thought I'd just given birth such was my joy as each creation appeared. Ok; let the pictures begin!

Headcovering #1: Chocolate lace:













This one was almost immediately my favorite. It matches beautifully with my hair. It ties in the back, which I did find awkward at first. I have long hair, and I had a hard time getting it out of the way so that I could tie the covering properly. I did get better at it, however, and this covering just lays beautifully.

Headcovering #2: Stretchy flax:

At first I wasn't certain about this one. I had a hard time getting the clasp closed (this isn't a tie closure; it stretches and clasps together with a metal thingy in the back) and then finagling the whole shebang onto my head. Quickly, it grew on me. This one stays in place the easiest, because of the stretchy function. And I *heart* the color. It's a pretty, versatile khaki. It'll go with so many of my outfits. It ended up swooping into 2nd place in my ranked list.

And finally, Headcovering #3: Black velvet headband:

This is a beautiful covering, and I do like the easyness of a simple headband. You could keep this one tucked away in case you end up stopping for Eucharistic Adoration or a daily Mass on the fly. The long velvet ties are gorgeous, but a bit awkward to tie, and I had a hard time getting the band to lay flat while also trying to tie it. I'm sure I'll get better at it.

In the end, I determined that I *adore* the Cecily style coverings at Garlands of Grace. I love the length and the way they fall on my hair. In that style, they come in all sorts of fabrics and colors. I've already got my eye on a chiffon and a cotton one :)

So, I couldn't be more pleased. I can't wait to wear one of them to Mass this weekend.

Before I got home and discovered my darling headcoverings, I was planning to blog about books for Lent. Since I've already consumed several minutes of your time showing you pictures of me wearing headcoverings, I thought that perhaps what I'd do is each day feature a single book appropriate for Lenten reading. A Lenten book club, if you will. Where to start...

A few Lents ago, I read an excellent book entitled With God in Russia, by Fr. Walter Ciszek. The book chronicles the 23 years he spent sentenced to Russian prison camp. He says clandestine Masses, hears clandestine confessions, and generally prays his way through an experience few would be able to endure. An outstanding and gripping read. He has another book, He Leadeth Me, that I own and have not yet read. I hear this one is even better, so I'm dying to dig in.

A blessed Ash Wednesday...

Today, I'm feeling a lot better than I have in a while, and just in time for the beginning of Lent. This morning, I got up like usual, and rushed around, also like usual. Mike was taking Hank to school today, so I had plenty of flexibility to make the 8 am Mass at our parish. As I was putting my coat on to leave, I thought about my Lenten headcovering project. My headcoverings from Garlands of Grace still have not arrived, but I thought that maybe in the mean time I should still make an effort. I sorted through the hat shelf and came up with an old black cloche that I thought would do the trick. I popped it on and headed out.

It's a beautiful winter morning here in Western New York. I had to park a few blocks from the church (since I didn't have any quarters to put in the meters) and we're getting a pretty, fluffy white snowfall. I got in and found the church fairly sparsely populated. I think the noon and evening ash distribution times are more popular than the 8 am. I settled in and left my hat on. Naturally, I spied on everybody else and found a handful of other female hat wearers. This soothed me.

Mass began, and I enjoyed the peace of being by myself :) I love bringing Henry to Mass, but it does make for a more 'boisterous' Mass experience. I will say that I did feel more focused this morning; I felt more able to articulate my prayers.

I had a quandry when it was time to process up for ashes. Hat on or off? Since it's a cloche, the hat came down over my forehead a bit, so in the end, I did decide to take it off so that Fr. Jay could access my forehead easier. I put it back on when I got back to my pew, and it was fine for the remainder of Mass.

So, overall, my first headcovering experience went without a hitch. I do think hats are less conspicuous, especially here in the winter, but I really don't anticipate a problem. I'm more interested in seeing if there are any changes within *me* as a result of headcovering. We shall see :)

After Mass concluded I came in to work. I'm thinking of picking us up some fish for dinner, and I'm looking forward to my evening with my boys. Hank and I have gotten away from saying our decade of the rosary together before bed, so I'll try to reinstitute that tonight. He loves his little Bible, and that's a fairly regular nighttime ritual, but I'd like to pray more with him overall.

After Hank goes to bed, I have lots of crocheting to do. I have to say, now that I'm at least somewhat proficient in knitting as well as crocheting, I do prefer to crochet. I also enjoy knitting, and I'm so glad that I learned, but crochet is my first craft love :) I'm finished up a pair of slipper socks for my mother-in-law and then I'm embarking on a number of baby gifts. I also have a few afghan projects for our house, including a beautiful spring blanket that I'm really excited about, waiting in the wings. Life is good :)

Weekend bliss, and school talk...

I had a really, really nice weekend. Unfortunately, Monday has to come eventually. I was knocked back into reality quickly by an 8am appointment this morning to register Henry for kidnergarten at our local public elementary school.

School choices are always another hot topic out in Catholic message board land :) A land that I am proud to live in... Anyway. There are 3 schools of thought on this issue: homeschooling, Catholic schooling, or (definitely a minority) public schooling.

I am a product of public schools. I'm one of those people that is pretty open to public schools, with the counterbalance of investigating the local district to see if it will be a good fit in every way.

On the other hand, I'm certainly a huge proponent of Catholic education. Our parish has a school, and I have considered using it. Obviously, with us having only one full time salary right now, money is a huge issue. When Hank was a year old we moved to our current house, which is located in a school district with a solid reputation. Prior to that, if we had stayed, we had already chosen a Catholic school, affiliated with our parish at that time, for Hank to attend.

Homeschooling really isn't an option for me, given that I work full-time outside the home, but I also simply don't feel called to it. I have one good friend who homeschools, and I find the issue quite fascinating. But it's really not on my radar screen.

So we have Catholic school and public school. The public elementary school is right down the road from us, and its reputation is excellent. We figured that we'd try it out and see. I keep telling myself that if we don't like it, we have options. There are a slew of Catholic elementary schools in our area, including two within walking distance, so I know that we aren't wedded to anything. If Hank continues at the public school, he will be immediately signed up for CCD at our parish to start his sacramental instruction in first grade. And of course, I believe that it is my job to pass on the faith to him at home, regardless of where he goes to school.

So, I know that everything will turn out ok. It's just going to be a big change, and change is hard for me. But he's MY BABY. It seems like just yesterday that he was a simpering little newborn, squeaking and spitting up between us in bed at night. *nostalgic sigh* Of course, now I get to sleep through the night, so I guess I'm not *that* nostalgic.

Anyway, backing up to the weekend... I'm so excited about receiving my new head coverings I can hardly stand it. I'm thinking they may arrive at the end of the week. I'll have to decide if I want to start wearing them right away, or wait until Lent...

In preparation for my upcoming experiment, I surveyed the heads at Mass on Sunday to see if I could spot any other head coverers. At first, I thought there were none, but then my little eye happened upon an older woman wearing a hat. Score! During Communion, I spied 3 other hat wearers. A big yea. Once again, I dressed up more for Mass, and I really did *feel* different. All good.

I also knitted a lot this weekend. I'm on round 52 of Mike's 85 round hat, so I'm actually almost done. The final 15 rounds are decreasing rounds, so I anticipate being done by the weekend. Then, I can finish up Christina's lap afghan, and move on to new projects. I've got a couple of baby gifts to make, as well as a few shawls that I wanted to make for myself.

Tonight, my needles and I will once again be perched on the couch with a glass of Chardonnay. Mike has to teach in the early evening, so Henry and are are going out to dinner with my mom. Should be fun...