In Which I Almost Die

Well, not really - but at least almost break an arm.

We had a lovely time in Bahrain with our friends. Bahrain is so much calmer than Dubai (though of course I love home).
They took us to an amusement park, which was fun, apart from the above mentioned incident. There was a ride similar to the classic Dumbo ride, with cars on arms that rotated around a center and went up and down. This one, however, went up and down considerably faster, and I was the only one in my car, and thus slid all over the place. By the middle of the ride I was lying across the seat, legs flying out, arms wrapped around the handles on the higher side, screaming and certain I was going to fall out! It was very frightening.
They stopped the ride and asked if I was ok (how kind), and then kept my car still while the ride went on for another five minutes.

But really, we very much enjoyed our visit and the time with good friends!!


Here is Ava Gardner, whom I mentioned in the last post. I would really like to see Show Boat and her other old films.



love,
Cait

Show Boat

My grandmother is here for a visit (and always brings fresh Seattle spring flowers), and we have had lots of guests lately. On Saturday night my sister and I go to Bahrain for a few days to see old friends.

Life these days has just been...happy. For no reason. I'm just very glad by God's grace (Ok, so there is a reason then).

This song has been stuck in my head for a week - I love old broadway! (and how can you beat Ava Gardner?)

I'm going to go make macarons again...of the tiramisu variety. Coffee shells and deep dark toffee chocolate filling. Last week it was bright pink with chocolate filling. Mmm. I really need to learn more ganache filling recipes. But then, there's nothing wrong with chocolate over and over again is there?

love, Cait

(our own Dubai flowers)

Rupert Brooke and the Victorian Shoes

Thank you all (muchly!) for your reactions to my casting in the musical! The end of March is such a long time to wait. This is something I've wanted to be able to do as long as I can remember, and I'm so excited and thankful to finally have such a wonderful chance!

The two parts of this title couldn't be more unrelated, but I love them both. First, the shoes, this time belonging to feet.



Rupert Brooke is one of the great British WWI poets, best known for his five-sonnet set, The Soldier. His work is stunningly beautiful and moving, definitely influenced by Romanticism...I love it, though I don't always agree with his war philosophy! Here they are. (italics mine - at least read those!)



I. Peace

Now, God be thanked Who has watched us with His hour,

And caught our youth, and wakened us from sleeping,

With hand made sure, clear eye, and sharpened power,

To turn, as swimmers into cleanness leaping,

Glad from a world grown old and cold and weary,

Leave the sick hearts that honour could not move,

And half-men, and their dirty songs and dreary,

And all the little emptiness of love!

Oh! we, who have known shame, we have found release there,

Where there's no ill, no grief, but sleep has mending,

Naught broken save this body, lost but breath;

Nothing to shake the laughing heart's long peace there

But only agony, and that has ending;

And the worst friend and enemy is but Death.

II. Safety

Dear! of all happy in the hour, most blest

He who has found our hid security,

Assured in the dark tides of the world that rest,

And heard our word, 'Who is so safe as we?'

We have found safety with all things undying,

The winds, and morning, tears of men and mirth,

The deep night, and birds singing, and clouds flying,

And sleep, and freedom, and the autumnal earth.

We have built a house that is not for Time's throwing.

We have gained a peace unshaken by pain for ever.

War knows no power. Safe shall be my going,

Secretly armed against all death's endeavour;

Safe though all safety's lost; safe where men fall;

And if these poor limbs die, safest of all.

III. The Dead

Blow out, you bugles, over the rich Dead!

There's none of these so lonely and poor of old,

But, dying, has made us rarer gifts than gold.

These laid the world away; poured out the red

Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be

Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene,

That men call age; and those who would have been,

Their sons, they gave, their immortality.

Blow, bugles, blow! They brought us, for our dearth,

Holiness, lacked so long, and Love, and Pain.

Honour has come back, as a king, to earth,

And paid his subjects with a royal wage;

And Nobleness walks in our ways again;

And we have come into our heritage.

IV. The Dead (II)

These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,

Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.

The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,

And sunset, and the colours of the earth.

These had seen movements, and heard music; known

Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;

Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;

Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.

There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter

And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after,

Frost, with a gesture, stays the waves that dance

And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white

Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance,

A width, a shining peace, under the night.

V. The Soldier

If I should die, think only this of me:

That there's some corner of a foreign field

That is for ever England. There shall be

In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;

A dust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,

Gave, once, her flowers to love, her ways to roam,

A body of England's, breathing English air,

Washed by the rivers, blest by suns of home.

And think, this heart, all evil shed away,

A pulse in the eternal mind, no less

Gives somewhere back the thoughts by England given;

Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;

And laughter, learnt of friends; and gentleness,

In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.

Lovely and sobering aren't they?

Cait

"the lovely Boylan sisters..."

Some of you knew that my Friday and Valentine's Day were spent auditioning for a West End production of Annie that came to Dubai...and the result email just came!

I am cast as Bonnie Boylan and a lead dancer, as well as ensemble. That is more than the role I had hoped for! I will enjoy having so much to work on. I'm very excited, and somewhat surprised - since there are so few lead parts for my age group!

(think "Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile")
In late March we'll begin two weeks of intense rehearsal, followed by 15 performances. I look forward to learning from the amazing coaches and getting to know the other cast!
The auditioning process was very fun, though definitely nervewracking. It was exciting to be called back - for the second day and then for script reading. They are all so nice and talented! One of the judges and teachers played Mungojerry in CATS. My one worry is that the 'lead dancing' will include some of the risque routines we learned for the audition - that I'm not comfortable with!

Love,
Cait

P.S. My new shoes I spoke of earlier - comfortable and classic!

What have we here?

...clouds and sparkles, mushrooms, stripes, and nonsense
- all of the distinctly pink variety.

A fairy-ring of toadstools, and a jumble of wee houses
and contraptions (many in honor tea, of course).

[both paintings done in Oman, and pictures taken in the horrendous lighting of my hallway]


A busy (slightly nerve-wracking - I'll tell you later!) weekend ahead!
I hope you are all well.

love, cait

Impulse

I absolutely adore my room. After I painted part of it last year I looked at everything and realised "Oh, this is practically what I would call my dream room." As a homeschooler I spend almost all my time in my room, and now with a laptop I'm in here for the computer as well. I love showing new people my room, or adding new things. Poor Sara had to get used to my constant decorating impulse while she was here; I got this new shelf and was continually moving things around and tearing things down.

The rest of our house is much different, but I can't wait to have
my own home to make pretty and familiar.
What are your houses like?


love, cait

peacocks

[sherri dupree of eisley]


my dear Lise of A Fairytale Unlike Any Other has tagged me to write ten things about myself.

1. I never write about clothes, but I just bought the most lovely Victorian style ankle heels ever, and will need to post a picture of them eventually.
2. I am very behind on photographing new paintings, hence my blog suffers.
3. I love peacocks. Decorating with them, putting feathers in my hair, drawing them. I was just given a very kitsch, very fun red tin thermos with a peacock design on it. Now I just need my own kitchen.
4. I would love to have a large family and hope to be blessed with many children someday.
5. Cooking and baking is fun and relaxing for me, with my family or alone.
6. I used to dress like a hippy, now I dress like a Granny...perhaps somewhere in between.
7. I am incredibly encouraged by the book of 1st John.
8. Sara Gazarec's music is constantly stuck in my head!
9. I am not very comfortable wearing trousers. I love love love skirts. Floor length, swishy knee-skirts, anything.
10. I used to hate Rooibos tea and now I love it. And (almost) any other kind of tea.


love,
cait

marvelous

Sara and I successfully made the elusive macarons!
(Inspired in part by Milkberry and MarmeeCraft). This is the excellent recipe we used.
After one utterly failed attempt, these turned out rich and pretty.

I was so excited - when we peeked into the oven near the end I screamed "they have feet!" and we jumped up and down. They are filled with chocolate cream, some with a raspberry tint. Later this week before Sara returns to Michigan, we hope to make orange zest filling as well. I see a new hobby forming.

I am thrilled to be reading Nie's own posts again.
Her recovery is still long, but she is back and healing and sharing.

love, cait