It's Oh So Quiet...

Sorry I have been so not at all here lately. I have been very busy, and that is always when I have the most to write about and the least time to write. Let's see...review...
Thanksgiving with Chris' fam, then our traditional Day After Thanksgiving gathering we shared with Erik and Amy. Yummy food, good company, got to play Apples to Apples and rock out on Guitar Hero II, my early Christmas present.

Performed at Fleurs D'Egypte, and really had a great time at a fab venue. Honored to be asked to perform. Heart-warming to see dancers in Seattle pull together such a wonderful show collboratively.

Taught a workshop in Spokane, and met some super-cool gals.

Nomaditude performed a stellar show at Phinney Winterfest. Fourth year, keeps getting better every year. So proud of them...

Held Nomaditude's Holiday party at my house. Met some so's I'd never met before, and they're just as cool as the women they are dating. Received the gift of a burlesque cow. I am sure it was no reflection on the recipient. It's so cute and creative I could just spit. My student troupe rocks my socks.

Attended Josh and Jason's birthday SuperTwin soiree across the street. I just don't get enough time with those wacky kids. Finally met the "ladies" (he keeps three chickens).

Held a huge Bhangra Fusion workshop, with the most enthusiastic gals. Such fun.

Took several water aerobics classes with cohort Amy. Enjoyed it more than I would like to admit. Wish the other ladies in class worked more and talked less. Reminded me of some of the bellydance classes I have attended in my life, where it is less about seriously improving oneself, and more about chatting up your classmates. C'est la vie. I know why I am there. Fun to be in the water. Fun to spend time with Amy.

Speaking of which, lots of crafty time with Amy over the holiday. Gave knitting a second-try under Amy's helpful tutelage, and found I really CAN do it. Either that or I developed the skill through osmosis over the last 8 months since I last tried to do it. Haven't been able to stop since. Have made no less than 6 scarves in the three or four weeks since.

Performed at CC for a packed house. Trying to pull this one back from the fire, and hopefully this was a sign of things to come. Great fun, very successful. Renee came back and was smiling in the audience. Awesome to have the family back together.

Had our troupe holiday party right after our performance. Am reminded how blessed I am to have the most amazing group of women as my dance sisters, and additionally that I love their partners so much as well. Received a crocheted wine cube coozy from Kym, and I can't wait to use it at Breitenbush.

Held the class Holiday Party. Was smaller than last year, but was really close to the Big Day, so lots of people were out of town. No matter. Enthusiastic dancers gave it the same spirit it always has. Danced the night away, hung with the coolest ladies. Yep, students are yet another blessing to count.

Went to Portland to celebrate Christmas. Met Mom's boyfriend, who is a good 'ol boy, and I think could be good for her. He is very nice, smart, and great sense of humor. Slept like shit on the teensy futon in the sun-room-that-still-doesn't-have-curtains. I should give Evelyn the gift of curtains next year, and put them up before I leave. Yes. Done. Then the next year, the gift of a bed that doesn't suck for people who are larger than an infant. Love my sibs. Don't get enough time with them. Ev's house looks great with the new changes! I have basement-envy!

I suck at being the birthday planner this year. Luckily, our friends are so awesome, that they have more fun-to-be-with in their little pinkies than most people have in their whole body. We enjoyed Temple drinks and pool and video-trivia for most of the evening, but nearly everyone left before midnight. Amy and Erik, our usual latenight holdouts these days, were still up for ringing in the new year, so we retired to their house. We dashed into the apartment, and Erik and I frantically worked to get the champagne poured. We were literally counting down the last 5 seconds of the ball dropping as we were handing out the flutes, and cheered HAPPY NEW YEAR just in time!! :) We played with Erik's new RC car in the garage, lit a log and candles, drank champagne and wine, and played Whoonu. Hung out until late late late. Not 4:30am like Halloween, but close enough to do ourselves justice.

Intimate brunch at Renee's to follow on NYDay. Bagels with lox, fruit salad, creme brulee french toast (Freedom Toast?), and two kinds of quiche, among other delectables. Played some 80's Trivial Pursuit and discovered that being the age 6-16 for the 80's doesn't really prepare one for many of the more obscure questions, as well as most of the other questions. I left with no pies. Chris got three, two of which were answered with "Rubik's Cube" and "He-Man". I'm not jealous or anything...

Working on my first "in the round project"--a pair of practice armwarmers to prepare me for making Chris' birthday present-armwarmers. So far, for practice, they sure look like a finished project. It's tough to finagle all the extra needles, but it is pretty simple. I actually taught myself how to use them, then looked it up later to make sure I was doing it right, and I was, so I am extra proud and/or it must be really easy to work in the round after all. Good times.

In an hour, Amy shows up for a little hang-out time, knitting, and chillin'. Then I continue to do laundry and pack for Renee's and my trip to Third Coast Tribal tomorrow. We teach two workshops over the weekend, perform, and enjoy workshops by some stellar teachers in the world of Tribal. Good times.