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This is Dani Smith

 

I am Dani Smith, sometimes known around the web as Eglentyne. I am a writer in Texas. I like my beer and my chocolate bitter and my pens pointy.

This blog is one of my hobbies. I also knit, sew, run, parent, cook, eat, read, and procrastinate. I have too many hobbies and don’t sleep enough. Around here I talk about whatever is on my mind, mostly reading and writing, but if you hang out long enough, some knitting is bound to show up.

Thank you for respecting my intellectual property and for promoting the free-flow of information and ideas. If you’re not respecting intellectual property, then you’re stealing. Don’t be a stealer. Steelers are ok sometimes (not all of them), but don’t be a thief.

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    Entries in Sonars (103)

    Monday
    Jul132009

    Sonic Updates

    Some children have been growing around here.  

    Sonar X4

    Sonar X4 has developed a certain fondness for Junie B. Jones and the Magic Treehouse.  Perhaps it is the history and geography lessons in the Magic Treehouse or maybe Junie B.’s moral struggle that captures his attention?  Earlier this summer I accidentally taught him how to play solitaire.  I say ‘accidentally’ because I was actually tentatively teaching the game to Sonar X6.  X4 watched and sucked up my every word, and before I knew it I was digging out more cards.  Simultaneous games of Klondike solitaire were spread hither and thither throughout the house.  I was shuffling cards at odd intervals throughout the day.  I snuck in a few games of Crazy 8’s just to shake things up a bit.  


    Toot and Puddle’s ABC by Holly HobbieSonar X6

    Sonar X6 survived kindergarten and has spent the summer tackling chess and Harry Potter.  Actually his adventures with Harry began back in the spring sometime, but he’s made his way deep into the Goblet of Fire.  He took a side trip through the first Artemis Fowl book.  Ye may think I jest, but ask him to talk about his summer reading, or watch him rip through a deck of cards at solitaire.  Maybe they’re putting something in the water here at Sonars ‘R Us.  

    Ya ta ta taaaa!

    Sonar X9

    This child managed to survive to his ninth birthday, and we’re so glad we let him live.  He has attained some new level of thoughtfulness and reasonableness that is such a relief.  He gives us hope for the future of his siblings.  Sonar X9 spent the beginning of summer break running track.  Four weeks of practice and four track meets.  He had a great time and figured out that he likes to run.  Coach thinks he has ‘springy legs,’ whatever that means.  Right now he’s reading the Dragonlance Chronicles and getting ready for a week at Grandma’s.  He says he’s not cutting his hair anymore.  If he could just push it out of his eyes, I wouldn’t really mind.  He has also invited into the house a new obsessionhobby: Dungeons and Dragons.  I have no doubt that I will talk about this again soon.

    That might be Sonar X9 behind all that hair.

    Friday
    Jul102009

    Welcome to Old Friends and New

    The shift from Blogger to Squarespace has taken me longer than anticipated.  I’m trying to work through a few technical issues, including the domain and comments.  Those of you familiar with the blog over at Alert the Pizza will see that all of my old ramblings are here.  I’ve spread out a bit and added some new features as well.  I hope to be around here more often in the hopes that I can get my writing muscles back into shape.  

    Coming soon: Our Summer Vacation, Updates on the Sonars, and a Running Rundown

     

    Sonar X4, Sonar X9, and Sonar X6 in the Japanese Garden at the Rio Grande Botanic Garden in Albuquerque, NM, July 2009 (click to embiggen, it’s worth it)

    Saturday
    May162009

    Evidence of Craft

    Two grocery bags, one Zipper Organizer from My Spare Time, one Buttercup Bag designed by Made by Rae.  Love that little bag pattern.  These are all end-of-year teacher gifts for the kindergartener’s teacher and her daughter. The fabric came from a neighbor’s stash-clearing and has also provided for a wrap skirt.  The furry animal prints came from Goodwill.  

     

     

    The inside of the growly Buttercup Bag. Tame on the inside.  I actually made two of these, so that the teacher and her daughter could share. 

     

     

     

     

    A light-weight denim Buttercup Bag for me, and a plain vanilla grey sock for Sonar X8. Denim from the stash. Patons Kroy 4-ply from a Christmas gift.

     

     

     

     

    Some dollar-a-yard fabric that will be perhaps a bag or book cover, and the in-progress Checkerboard Lace Scarf from The Purl Bee in KnitPicks Gloss lace in Celery. Love these colors.  

     

     

     

    Mother’s Day plaster of Paris handprints of the family, with two for Dad so he can send one to his mom.

     

     

     

     

     Lego Love for Mother’s Day, courtesy of Sonar X8.

     

     

     

     

    I have wanted a rolling desk chair for a while.  Here is what we came up with.  I saved the green metal desk chair from a neighbor’s trash. The wood for the platform was scrap from the garage. Partner purchased only the casters from the local hardware store. Now I can roll from the desk to the sewing machine and back again.  When we have extra dinner company, the chair lifts off the platform to visit the table. The platform can also be used to roll down the hallway pushed rapidly by siblings.  

     

    More grocery bags from neighbor’s de-stashed fabric (the pale green).  A pair of them take less than an hour to make and make great hostess or teacher or thank you gifts.  The hint of orange is an old pillowcase that I use for my sewing machine cover.  The red is the couch with a woven wool Mexican blanket draped over the back. 

     

     

    Coming soon: Wrap skirt, more zipper bags, and an idea for a book cover/travel log kit.

    Monday
    Apr132009

    Books, music, who could ask for more?

    This is what I want to do all day long. Anyone with me?

    Wednesday
    Mar112009

    Sonar X6

    “The End” from Now We Are Six by A. A. Milne

    When I was one, 
    I had just begun.
    When I was Two, 
    I was nearly new. 
    When I was Three, 
    I was hardly me. 
    When I was Four, 
    I was not much more. 
    When I was Five, I was just alive. 
    But now I am Six, I am clever as clever, 
    So I think I’ll be Six now for ever and ever.