Seven Things, Weeks 10 and 11

So my life has been turned a bit upside down this week with the adoption of Sweet Baby James, who sleeps through the night but wakes up on the button at 4:48am and needs a pee.

We've had lots of walks and cuddles and training sessions--fitted into my part-time office work schedule and my examination marking and my online work.

I've let somethings slide--like this blog. :(

Having missed the project last Saturday, I'm making up for it this week. I've had two opportunities to give things to good causes and have taken up both.

One is my friend Edith, whose daughter is a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Senegal. Edith is leaving at the end of the month to visit her daughter, and she wants to take gifts to the whole village.

For the women, she wants to bring costume jewelry; for the men, headlamps and small DYI tools; and for the children, small soft toys. I looked around an unearthed

• a lovely vintage glass pearl necklace which I haven't worn since college


• five cool pearl bracelets which are, alas, too formal for my rural New Mexican life


• a jade necklace, which I like but never wear


• two pairs of hoop earrings and some other single pieces which I forget about


• a fan I brought back from Japan ten years ago and haven't used


• and a WebKinz monkey, which I got only a few weeks ago for my birthday. I love the WebKinz games I get to play, but I must admit to not playing with the monkey itself.

I also got an email for a campus yard sale to benefit Compassion Beyond Borders. Heading to the closets, I harvested

• a black sports bra


• a leotard


• a pink nylon t-shirt that is too short and shows my midriff (yuck)


• a reversible skirt that I like but that doesn't flatter


• a striped cotton skirt I knit but am too old for


• a dress that I sewed about ten years ago in a Jane Austen style. I wasn't too old for it then, but I am now.


• a book on rugby
  
• a wine dossier


• a learn Spanish kit


• a set of napkin rings


• a blue Japanese oni mask

On a previous Seven Things Saturday, I had almost thrown out Al's old slippers, since he got new ones for Christmas, but James is putting them to new use:


Total this week and last week: 22

Total so far: 96