update

And we’re back!

/ This Craftsman Life / Leave a comment

After an extended vacation, I am back and blogging. It’s been a very hectic year, and I am glad to be starting the new school year and settling down (we definitely run on the academic year around here, so September is always like New Years.) In addition, my manuscript is off being edited, Kai is starting a Montessori style co-op twice a week, and we’ve wrapped up a few other big projects, so I have some time on my hands again.

While I haven’t been writing, I have been making notes as we work to transition to a less wasteful and more healthy home. Expect to see lots of reviews of zero-waste and natural products , since we tried a lot to find which ones worked best for us. We’re also embarking on a new home school year, hello 3K! We’re trying a co-op  for the first time, and alpha testing a friend’s preschool curriculum. Lastly, I’ve been on a huge sewing kick, using up stash fabric and upcycling clothes for Kai’s fall wardrobe.

I hope you are all looking forward to this academic year as much as I am!

Self Care, the not so fun way

/ This Craftsman Life / Leave a comment

This isn’t what I’m normally blog about, but I’m sitting, waiting to see my dermatologist this morning for my annual skin cancer check. I foresee a biopsy in my near future, which is never fun, but anything is better than not catching cancer early, right?

In my teens and early twenties I worked outside and wasn’t always perfect about putting on sunscreen. After a scare five or six years ago, I’ve been diligent about getting anything suspicious checked out, especially since Kai was born.

Cross your fingers for good news for me, and make sure you are taking care of yourselves, too. Weird looking moles, moles that change color, hurt, or bleed, or anything that’s bothering you should get checked out!

Mom on her own

/ This Craftsman Life / Leave a comment

This is the first time I’ve ever been away from home since Kai was born. I’m off presenting at a conference on my dissertation research and my kiddo and her dad are hanging out doing fun Halloween things. 

It’s weird going back to my professional life after so much time more or less being a SAHM. I mean, I’ve been working, but writing from home and traveling across the country are two different things. 

It is, however, really nice to be hanging out with my colleagues and having intellectual conversations again. I even went to a bar last night for the first time in more than two years. 

Still, I’m going to be ready to be home when the conference is over!

Self Care is Important!

/ This Craftsman Life / Leave a comment

For those of who’ve been wondering where I went. I thought I had a cold. Kai and my husband were both sniffly, and Kai had a rash, so we took her to the doctor. Just a cold, and the very beginning of an ear infection. My husband went to the doctor a few days later. Just a cold.

I didn’t go to the doctor. Everyone felt better but me. That’s sort of normal around these parts, though, so I thought nothing of it. Not until I felt like my head was going to explode.

When I finally went to the doctor, I had a sinus infection, a double ear infection, and walking pneumonia. Yeah.

Thankfully, the drugs are all doing their part and I’m feeling much better. Next time, though, I’m going to the doctor when everyone else does!

Quarantine 

/ This Craftsman Life / Leave a comment

Sorry for the disappearing act, the stomach flu hit here and hit hard. Everybody was sick. Honestly, I’m still feeling under the weather, but good enough to start digging out of a week of being sick. My poor house is a disaster just in time for spring cleaning!

Posting will return to a normal schedule with more crafts and wool reviews on the horizon.

When You Don’t Know What To Do…

/ This Craftsman Life / Leave a comment

When you don’t know what to do, go outside. And so we went.


A woman who means a great deal to me, passed far away. She had a rare and aggressive form of cancer and she was dead two weeks after the doctors found it. I didn’t get to say goodbye in person and I couldn’t go to the funeral.

I also had to keep little person, who didn’t understand why her Baffa was sad, occupied and happy. So I threw our weekly rhythm out, and we spent a week outside. We walked through the woods and let the trees lean in close. We walked and when there was a moment to share knowledge we did that and hoped she knew we were continuing her legacy of teaching. We walked and I grieved and Kai absorbed the world around her. And that was enough.