the Christenson Christening 2

The Christenson Christening is complete.  Everything went well.  Ari managed to find quite the smart little suit for Tait at a Sears in Edmonton.  Amy and her Mom were a little miffed about having to share the spotlight with a couple of other families, who were termed "fly-ins."  Apparently it is not uncommon to have people book a baptism and never show up again.  Nice commitment people.  Even if I don't particularly hold with organized religion, even I went the Sunday before.

Tait was the only one who went in willingly; all smiles and happiness.  Claire was wigged out by the fact that she was having her hair washed at Church in front of all these strangers.  When she finally gave in she started pulling at her dress to get it off because she didn't want to get it wet.  Grace was another story entirely.  We were going to do her first, and she was totally willing to come to the front, but when she realized she actually had to do something, she flipped.  Tears and hiding and everything.  So we did Tait and Claire while I talked to Grace.  (is it contradictory to threaten your kids during their baptism?)  I had to lift her, and she fought passively the whole time, but it's done.

This stage fright thing has happened before.  Dance class, reading to grandparents, getting"caught" practicing  her dance.  I am really hoping it's just an age thing and not some manifestation of trouble we might get to see from the phenylketonuria when she gets older...

the Christenson Christening

We're getting the kids baptized this Sunday.  It's getting interesting.  The original plan was to have them christened in the same church in Ingersol where all of Amy's family have traditionally been baptized.  Not going to happen any time soon.  So we have it here.  I have never been to a baptism, except my own which I don't remember.  I have no idea what is expected of me.  We're trying to meet with the Minister, but he has chosen this week to take multiple days off.  We cannot find clothes for the kids.  You'd think in Red Deer, of all places, you'd be able to find christening clothes.  Nope.  Amy is trying to do tons of baking because apparently we need to host a tea afterward.  Lots of fun with Tait in a carrier and Claire being, well, CRAZY.
Update:
The girls we've got covered now; Claire is wearing the same dress her Mom and her Nan wore.  We found a nice simple dress for Grace.  No shoes though...  Hopefully, my wonderful sister-in-law can find something in Edmonton today for Tait, assuming she survives the roads.  Pictures will follow.

Quiver

I am getting tired of leaving my arrows lying about in a box.  To remedy the situation, I'm building myself a quiver, loosely based on and inspired by the Anglo-Saxon quivers I saw on the Reverend's Big Blog of Leather here.  Mine I built slightly differently than his, as I also wanted to have an integral arrow cover, like the Hedeby quiver discussed here.  I will be posting photos of progress shortly.

I am having a slight problem with curvature of the sides.  Because I used a small shoulder from Tandy, I couldn't fit my quiver pattern on the leather following the body of the animal.  I am finding that by having the length of the quiver run perpendicular to the spine of the animal, the curve is not terribly smooth.  I'm going to try to remedy this by NOT dying the leather until after it's sewn, then hopefully when I dye the leather the moisture in the dye will allow the leather to curve more smoothly.

On a related note, another problem I'm having is in finding coad for sewing the leather.  I have found this to be called handwax or shoemaker's wax also.  I have some recipes calling for a 2:1 ration of rosin to beeswax, and others calling for pitch and rosin.  Time to start cooking the stuff myself I guess.  I think my darling wife would have a stroke if I used her stove, so I am now also looking for a portable hot plate...

TEDxDirigo - Roger Doiron - A Subversive Plot: How to Grow a Revolution...

here goes nothing...

so.  i've decided to start a blog.  i don't know why, other than to say i find my life to be a little nuts, crazy and mad.  perhaps by sharing i might entertain and enlighten.  hopefully i'll even learn something myself.  i am a little ADD, and terribly disorganized, and expect this will show here.  a lot.  i have my fingers in a lot of pies, have many ongoing projects and interests, and children, and pets, and i teach.  the possibilities for insanity abound.  sometimes i'll use names, sometime initial when confidentiality requires it.  hope this goes well.