Perhaps you are on the internet too often if you actually worry about and let your brain form the words "cross-blog posting". I know, I am a loser. However, over on MakeDo I have a little entry about our Super 8 adventures this weekend, which was fun for me but positively transformative for AH. Truth be told, I have been a wee bit worried about him the last few months. We used to do projects together but lately he hasn't been so keen - work and parenthood is all he has been doing. He still hasn't found the right people to play in a band with. His co-workers are all older and not friend material. He hasn't exactly been inspired - or, real honest truth be told - inspiring. But when he jumped in all enthused to the Super 8 project, I remembered one of the many reasons we work so well together. I charge ahead, all ideas and tentative suggestions and he ALWAYS says Yes! Let's! There is never any arm-twisting or convincing or dragging a sulky man along. I had too many sulky man boyfriends not to appreciate the treasure I have now. At the party after finishing the film, we barely spoke a word to each other because we were so busy and dizzy with meeting New People We Liked. When you are forcibly cut-off from all old friends and newish friends and friends of any stripe, you kind of forget what it's like to talk to someone other than your spouse in a summery backyard, holding a beer. And I remembered again how different we are socially - I do just fine at a party, honestly, but I feel drained after a social effort and need to be by myself for a bit to recover. Being around people and ideas really energizes AH and makes him reach out even more. He went out last night and met some new people and I didn't even mind when he crawled home at 1 am, because he was just so dang happy to be Out and be Social.
the project - 8 hours to make a one roll Super 8 film on the theme of Hot Hot Hot- helped me because we just had to complete something, charge ahead and finish it. I can futz around forever, trying to make things perfect so it is good to be told No! Just Finish! sometimes. and to use different muscles than those that make sure our baby is dressed and clean and happy. We took her along every step of the way, including the party, and it made me redouble my hopes that she will always see us out and about and doing and inspired.

I made strawberry ice cream, strawberry jam, spiced dill pickles, sun tea, cold zucchini soup, and biscuits (made with White Lily flour of course) this weekend, and in some ways, this felt just as satisfying as making the film.