MaternityShare

conversations from the Wall:

Art wrote on your Wall:
“Hi Christine. How’s everything in e-ville? Is the little guy good?”

Christine wrote on Art’s Wall:
“Heya Art, Will needs to see his uncle Art soon. He has something that spins for you. E’ville is pretty good. How’s The Triangle?”

Art wrote on your Wall:
“So little man has something that spins, does he? I’d really like to see that.
Life at the triangle just isn’t the same truthfully. No cute babies lying helpless on the kitchen floor. Or breast milk in the fridge. Bathing in the kitchen sink is suddenly frowned upon, I’m told. Quite an adjustment indeed.”

Billy, Will and I headed down to the Emeryville Marina near our loft to relax together and take in the scenery. There are birds and people and their dogs to watch as well as the stunning San Francisco sky line.

Billy took Will to look at the rock shore so I snapped up this picture:

February is nearing its close and we are still not living in our home. We are on our 4th sublet, living with roommates, and were about to have to find a 5th because we found out our place will not be ready until March 5th. That is the construction manager’s estimate… and, that was before he heard our carpet is slowly making its way from Georgia via Canada. Ok.

We are currently staying a funky “house” that used to be a railroad station. It is shaped like a triangle. You can see it in this satellite google maps view. There are 2 units and we live upstairs with a housemate: Art. Art was a kind and brave soul to take us in. This place is so small it doesn’t have a living room or even a full kitchen.

The best thing about this place, other than it being safe and warm enough (with our space heater), is Art. As with the other sublets I am thankful to have met such awesome folks which is one of the best silver linings in this whole fiasco.

Our sublet here ends on Feb 28th. But I finally got a hold of the reportedly absentee landlady and offered her $25 a night to let us stay after our housemate leaves. She said yes. Phew.

Its Will’s first Christmas!!

Billy, Will and I have been up to some good holiday adventuring and cooking this year. These have been our wonderful gifts this year.

As I type our Christmas dinner is cooking in the oven: Baked Chicken and Scalloped Potatoes. We just polished of an amazing, yet simple, salad with red lettuce, arugula, and mixed baby greens with a olive oil, salt, lemon dressing. Mmmm. So good.

Last night for Christmas Eve we cooked up half a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, corn, cranberry sauce. I had to have the corn because it is a tradition in my family. We love our corn! Mom had to make sure to make lots and lots because we hate to run out (especially my brother Lenny and me). I liked the cranberry sauce because of the whole cranberries in there. Usually I only have a tiny tiny taste just because it is a Christmas thing others seem to like.

I am really missing my family this year. I love being at my moms house and hearing and smelling her cooking. I love her cozy home she sets and the tree she decorates. I love how much she loves to make a warm and cozy home with the right lighting and music. I feel so loved and nurtured there.

Even though we are far from home and not doing all the things you would expect for the Christmas holiday, I feel happy and blessed because I have a beautiful little family with me here: Billy and Will.
The cooking helps a lot. Food is such a wonderful comfort and social and sustaining.

We aren’t giving gifts this year because of the financial state of things. I haven’t yet posted about the latest adventure we are on… but basically our home flooded and we had to move out a.s.a.p. That was about a month ago. We hope repairs will be done by mid-February… we shall see. Anyway, we are making the best of it.

Happy holidays to you! Here is a little video Billy and I shot and Billy edited. Our gift to you this holiday, enjoy!

love,
~Billy, Christine, & Will (Shipp Parrott Shipp)

Holiday MMVIII from Billy Shipp on Vimeo.

What do you do when you don’t see eye-to-eye with your partner?

You can:

A. agree to disagree
B. hold it against them
C. passive aggression
D. leave
E. negotiate (but won’t this option just end up falling in one of the above?)

Some say that life won’t bring to you anything that you aren’t strong enough to handle.

Ok.
But, there are degrees of successful handling.
Whatever.

What does it mean to be human?
I live. I die.
But what about inbetween?

Heaven help me. I think I am going insane. But, I feel pretty clear about it. I guess I am not going insane.

I miss my family. My mom, were she here would laugh and play with Will so I could take a bath or work on my craft (which will bring me both pleasure and money).

I miss my friends… their familiarity, their wisdom, their stories and jokes that would make me laugh and help me cope with the hard parts of being a new mom and life in general.

I am making friends here but they are new moms too and it takes a while to grow a friendship like the ones I grew in Portland. I am thankful for what I have here in the Bay Area but I sure am missing family, friends and familiarity: Portland.