Here it is, all the dirt on my dirty, but cute as recycled pillow case dresses, laundry:
Do you get lonely living in the woods?
I'm an introvert by nature; albeit a social one. This drives my husband, an anti-social extrovert, crazy at times. I don't mind the isolation so much for I'm quite the homebody. If I do feel the need to connect more with others it just takes a little effort on my part for we live in a dazzling community filled with eclectic types from all walks of life who love to connect and share. My main social outlet is my Thursday night knitting group (otherwise known as My Ladies) which also happens to make up most of the bloggers here on my real life friends list.
What was the hardest adjustment for you to make when moving to the backwoods?
The lack of ethnic food restuarants! Luckily it's only almost unbearable whenever Craig knocks me up.
What did you do before marriage and motherhood?
I met Craig just as the end of the martini bar blur that was my twenties. I recieved my degree in Communication Studies then worked in a couple of advertising agencies for five years. I then studied to become a yoga teacher, did that full time for a couple of years then started a hemp soap company called Do Be Clean.
Yes, I was the Hempress of Clean. I have since sold the business to my friend Leona. With the funds from that transaction I bought myself a drumcarder, a spinning wheel and more fiber than you can shake a knitting needle at!
How many acres is your place, and how big is your town?
Our property is seven acres. Three acres of that is fenced in to keep crazy dogs out and little kids in. The other four acres are deep, deep backwoods.
I just googled our town's population and it tells me 400. Interesting!
How long have you been spinning?
I took a beginner class while I still lived in the city (five years ago) and then when we first moved out here I took a more intensive course. From there I bought all of Plucky Fluff's books and picked up some further techniques.
Tawk to me about straw bale houses please!
Strawbale houses are what originally lured us out to this neck of the woods. Craig took a strawbale house building course out here and then I came out to help finish the building the workshop was working on. We were pretty much blissed out the whole time and then I would return to that state whenever we stepped into such a house. I love the soft edges, rounded corners, deep window ledges and the texture of the walls like you can feel the energy of the earth and the people who help plastered the walls. I also love the insulation that keeps the house super toasty in the winter and super cool in the summer almost like there's air conditioning on!
OK, what's your unadmitable food craving (fast food and chain restaurants included!)?
Lucky Charms, of course! They're so magically delicious!
What is your background? You have a very unique look.
My mom is from Peru and my dad is from Hungary. They met in her little home town when my dad had a two year crop dusting contract down there.
Have you travelled many places?
I haven't travelled to nearly as many places as my well travelled husband has (he's rock climbed on five continents!). When I was small we flew around lots due to my dad being a pilot (Mexico, Florida, Nicaragua, lots to Peru). And then when I was ready to travel on my own I just kept going back to Peru to connect with my mom's family down there for we were really close. I also went to Costa Rica with a girlfriend of mine. I guess I just love Latin American culture!
Craig and I went to Paris and then climbing in Spain where he proposed to me! That should be a vlog epidosde in itself. I'll ask Craig if he'd be keen on doing a reenactment for you guys.
What is an average day at home like for you?
7:00 Hopefully I am awake by myself for the rest of the day goes much smoother if that is the case. I drink my breve latte while I edit my blog post I might have started from the night before (I'm much more interesting with a breve in my belly), check my email and read some favourite blogs.
8:00 Lovely! The Craiglettes are awake! In they march. Let's feed them, they look famished.
8:30 Time to milk Daisy. She loves my morningbreve breath!
9:00 Wash dishes and do some kind of house tending chore like vaccum or laundry folding so Craig looks at me with those husbandly-love type eyes when he comes in for lunch.
10:00 Read a chapter from our current chapter book on the couch and then head out to garden, walk to the mailbox and play until luchtime. If it's homeschooling season we might do something in that realm.
12:00 Lunch! I eat lots because breve latte kills my breakfast time appetite.
1:00 Mama tea time. I have an 'energy tea' (siberian ginseng and calendula mint combo) and check my email, tend to business type correspondence. Kids jump on my bed for a good hour.
2:00 Outside time, homeschooling or whatevah until I have to get supper ready.
4:00 Start cooking supper and figure out what to have for dessert. Craig eats like a bird but he sure loves his dessert!
5:00 We sup.
6:00 Dishes
6:30 Kale gets jammies on. Maybe dessert if he's alert enough.
7:00 I nurse Kale down
7:30 Edie in bed
8:00 Craig and Kathy hangout time. Just as soon as I'm done checking my email for the last time and quickly start a blog post. Craig claps his feet when enough's enough. I then join him on the couch to cuddle and watch Project Runway or something else super educational.
10:30 Time for bed. Night, night!
What are your favorite things you like to do with your children?
Edie and I just started getting into reading chapter books out loud. I was always kind of dreading this because I was worried my throat would get tired but it doesn't! I love it. It's wonderful to have that moment to sit on the couch and plug through a chapter together and kind of hold hands through the literary adventure.
I love just hanging outside with them too. Just around the yard and property. There's so much to explore and I love seeing things through their eyes and taking it in at their pace. Each season it's a different experience - different layers, different modes of transport (sling, sled, stroller, tricycle, bicycle), different activities. It all changes so fast, yet so slowly - it's so profound I'm getting emotional just thinking about what they're going to wear tomorrow!
What is your favorite thing you like to do when you are by yourself?
I love to sew when I'm by myself. I find it takes for me alot of focus and uninterupted time. It's tricky though to carve out that time. When I wait for them to go to sleep I just don't have the energy anymore and I would rather just veg out with Craig with my knitting before bed. I save my sewing energy now for my Saturday mornings when Craig has a dedicated time with the kids or when the babysitter comes over.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes! I have two brothers; my big brother Eric and my little brother Michael. Both wonderful men with three or four kids of their own. Yes, I'm a middle child. Is it obvious?
Does your Mom live in Cuzco? I LOVE Cuzco!
I know, I love Cuzco too!! But, no, my mom lives in Calgary in the summer and Arizona in the winters. She's a snowbird. She has been going to Peru every Christmas for the last few years. Her family lives about two hours south of Lima, the capitol.
There ya go! That was fun ~ we must do that again sometime! Any other questions?
