Que Sarong, Sarong

In the 20 years that I have been traveling, I've learned a thing or two about packing. I have a few non-negotiables that go with me no matter how little space I may have in my bag. My journal always accompanies me, and I also pack some sort of sarong, or at the very least, a giant lightweight scarf that can do double duty. 

I guarantee you in the packing priorities department, there is nothing more versatile than a sarong. It has always been on my essential packing list -- no matter where I'm going or what the weather will be like. It's been my security blanket, if you will, on many trips.

My favorite sarong over the years is this blue one in the scrapbook photo. I even wrote a little blurb about my security blanket in the scrapbook:

I can't remember exactly when I bought this sarong -- it's been a staple in my luggage forever, it seems. I do know I found it at a TJMaxx in America (exactly which one in which state remains a mystery). I thought at the time the price seemed quite steep for a piece of material -- $10? $20? Little did I know this sarong would become my security blanket: a curtain for my caravan in Scotland, a sheet in Budapest, a beach blanket in Estonia, a scarf and pashmina on chilly planes and trains... and occasionally an actual sarong at the pool. In Cape Town, it served as a chair cover to hide the plastic patio furniture inside our granny flat. My 'security blanket' awaits the next trip -- already in a suitcase. -- November 2009

Clearly, my security blanket was worth every penny. So, it was a great surprise to me that I completely forgot to pack it this week. The Sailor and I went to Florida for a few days for a last minute beach getaway. Apparently pregnancy brain kicked in, because I was ill-prepared for actually hanging out at the beach. I at least remembered a swimsuit (and I even tried it on before I packed it to make sure it would accommodate my growing belly...) But I didn't remember anything else. No beach towels, no chairs -- not even a simple sarong. 

Luckily, the kitschy souvenir shop across from our hotel had one left. The price was right and it turned out to be the perfect size to use as both a beach blanket and a cover-up when the sun got a little too hot.

 I've used my sarong for all of the following many times over: 

• Tablecloth: Indoor or outdoor!
• Curtain: I have previously stayed in hostels with giant windows and no curtains. I like a good view, but I also don't like people looking inside my room while I'm sleeping.
• Door curtain: Particularly useful in caravans or RVs when you want a breeze, but also privacy.
• Robe: Covers a lot more than those chintzy towels they give you at the spas in Budapest, let me tell you!  
• Towel: Desperation, people -- it's much more effective than a tiny bandana. I speak from experience. And, if you're using it as a robe, you may as well dry off with it too.
• Blanket or sheet: Essential when you end up in a grotty hostel somewhere, although if you're already using it as a curtain (see above), you may consider packing a second sarong for your next trip.
• Picnic or beach sheet: Nobody wants a towel full of sand. Sarongs are much easier to shake the dirt out of than a thick plush towel.
• Pillow when rolled up: Do you know how long some train rides are?
• Skirt, scarf or even a head covering: Perfect for chilly travel days, or those times when bare skin is not acceptable. 
• A cover-up for swimming or lounging at the beach: The sarong's original use!

I'm kind of glad I forgot to pack a sarong for Florida -- I'm not one to buy souvenirs, but sometimes it's fun to have a little memento, even from a short trip. Now I have another sarong to accompany me on the next adventure. Hopefully I remember to pack it, along with my journal.
 
What's always in your suitcase? 

Pyrex Pretties in Action

It's been a while since I've thrifted any Pyrex, or even found any affordable pieces in an antique store (let's be honest here though... it's been a while since I've actually been to an antique store.)

But I'm still using my vintage Pyrex daily! I also blog over at the Pyrex Collective III, with a bunch of other Pyrex collectors. Check out my latest post there for even more proof of my Pyrex pretties in action. And while you're there, you can swoon at the other author's collections -- many of them far surpass my own!

Jungle Crochet

I feel like I've been knitting a lot lately, and with warmer weather (hopefully) around the corner, I'm ready to start crocheting more. There's something about cotton blends and hooks that make crochet more conducive to warm weather fiber fun. 

I don't remember having a single crocheted or knitted toy when I was a kid, although I know I had some hand sewn dolls in the mix. (I'll introduce you to Topsy Turvy Laura and Nelly one of these days...) As soon as I learned to crochet and knit though, I realized how much fun it was to make little gifts for my friends' children.

I made a slew of amigurumi animals long before I ever started this blog; sadly there's no photo proof. Amigurumi is Japanese for the art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and the like -- even food, like a burger, or meatballs. 

Amigurumi a great way to make tight stitches so that your stuffing doesn't fall out. I never seem to get such a tight stitch when knitting, but I can sure achieve it with a hook. 

We're not finding out the baby's gender until the Peanut wants to make his or her appearance. We're all for surprises these days. I'm anyways a huge fan of neutral and natural colors -- so when I saw this Into the Jungle pattern, I knew I had to make it. I also didn't want to buy yarn for it since the pattern cost more than I would usually pay, so I've decided it's the perfect way to use up my stash. (For more ideas on stash busting yarn, go here.)

So far I think I have enough of the right colors for the animals. The tree however, was a different story. I had just enough green for the leaves, but in all different shades. I crocheted it anyway. I don't think the Peanut will mind.

And for now, the jungle tree seems quite at home amongst the living plants.

Life: Expecting

Today, after cleaning the apartment and making lunch, I said to the Sailor that I didn't know what to blog about. Oh, I have a slew of DIY and craft ideas scribbled in a notebook, but none of them seemed appropriate today. He shrugged and said, 'Blog about life.' 

I moaned back, 'I do blog about life...'

He rattled through the list of things I blog about, cooking, crafting... and said I needed to add a bit more about life in there. (This, from the man that I wasn't even sure knew what I wrote on here.)

The Sailor was onto something. 

I have always been able to express myself better through writing than any other method of communication. I can pour out my soul in journals and with stories in ways that I've never been able to share verbally with friends or even family. It's funny to me that although I have included some of my life on this blog, there is still so much that I've left out, often intentionally.

I am a particularly private person. I may know a ton of people and have a bunch of friends on Facebook, but very few know the ins and outs of my life. I tend to not air my proverbial laundry (whether dirty or clean) in public. 

I have enjoyed writing about bits of my life on Typing Sunflowers -- even if it's all about cooking, crafts and crochet. But there's a lot more going on at the moment, an event that I can no longer hide -- at least if you met me in person. It's quite evident by my growing belly, and it's not just because I have a weakness for Five Guys cheeseburgers. 

I'm expecting.

My initial reaction to the news of this event, was to simply ask the Sailor just how much we trusted a $1 pregnancy test made in China. And then I panicked a little. A baby?! 

Over Thanksgiving, I briefly visited a friend and her four-month-old baby. I held the wee one for a few minutes and when he started squirming and cringing like he was about to cry, I promptly handed him back to his mother. I told her I didn't know what to do with babies. I actually heard a gasp from across the room -- and another friend looked at me quite incredulously, then proceeded to tell me how much she loved babies.

I never said I didn't like babies. But I've never been a 'baby person'. You know the type -- the ones who swarm around a newborn and beg to hold it, wanting to know every little detail about the child's eating and sleeping habits. The ones who dream of being pregnant and having children and feel like life will never be complete without them. 

That was never me. 

The Sailor and I have always loved our life together -- just the two of us. Not even a year ago, down on the farm, a dear friend asked me flat out my position on having kids. Not many friends could ask me that and get an answer out of me, but she could. I'm still not sure what I actually said, but I know I hesitated long enough for the other gals there to chime in and let it be known that perhaps I wasn't ready to have a baby.  

Whether or not I'm ready to have a baby is irrelevant. (The more I think about this, is anyone ever 100% ready...?) Clearly God had other plans for us, because here I am, 21 weeks into this adventure. I haven't turned into a 'baby person' overnight. But I take great comfort in knowing that my own mother was the same way as me before she had kids -- she had hardly held a baby until she brought my brother home from the hospital, and she was and still is one of the most amazing mothers I know. She may not have been a 'baby person' but she still fiercely loved her own babies.  

It's a little crazy to think that I'm now a mama to this tiny being growing inside of me. I've found myself smiling whenever I feel the Peanut kicking, and more than once I've gotten a little emotional when I've heard that heartbeat. 

And even though I panicked a little that first day I heard the news... I also starting knitting baby socks. Because really, knitting socks is about the calmest thing I can think of when life gives you some unbelievable news -- especially when that news is something worth expecting. 

And that, my friends, is life.

Ringing in Another Anniversary

The Sailor and I got to ring in another anniversary together this year. Depending on his sailing schedule, we often spend our holidays separated by a sea, but we've managed to celebrate our anniversary together fairly often. 

We're not very typical when it comes to anniversaries... there were no gifts or cards exchanged between the two of us, and not much in the way of wining and dining (unless you count those burgers we ordered at lunch while we were running errands.) 

Last year, we looked through our wedding photos. This year, we simply spent the day together, puttering around garden centers and home improvement stores, and then finally stocking up on groceries. I made soup for dinner. We would have also had chocolate cake if we hadn't already eaten it all by the weekend. 

Today, the Sailor put up the curtain rod we picked out together for the living room. He even vacuumed up the mess afterwards. Then he looked for a good sunny spot to keep our tomato plants in until it gets warm enough to transplant them. I guess some gals need flowers and the works on their anniversaries, but me? I'll take my Sailor any day. Whether he's in the same country as me or not, he still reminds me to live, laugh and love. And that's worth far more to me than any greeting card.