11 November

{this one was taken at 11:11 on 11/11/11!}

Sometimes things just don't go as planned. 

Like this year's Martinmas. I had no sweaters (or any other handknits) to gift my children on this day. We ended up with no lanterns (more on that in a moment). We knew we wouldn't be able to do our customary lantern walk because we were going to see Fiddler on the Roof instead. We ended up not having our usual Martinmas supper. What an exercise in letting go!

This year, I had visions of beautiful beeswax lanterns in my mind. We followed the instructions carefully, but yesterday, all of our attempts were foiled with balloons that popped.

So today, we regathered, made a special trip to get "better" balloons, and tried again, with warmer water and cooler wax. Still, the wax on the balloons wasn't hardening sufficiently. It was cracking when I'd try to set it down to form the bottom. So I thought I'd avoid setting it down and just dip it until I got a decent coat of wax on there. I've dipped enough candles to know that you can just trim the bottom. So, patiently I dipped and dipped. And then, POP! The balloon exploded. The wax had just one trajectory. Straight to me. I was covered from head to toe (well, head to knee, actually) in beeswax. It was all over my face, in my hair, and all over my clothes. It didn't burn (I don't know why), but I'm afraid my clothes are ruined. I'll try to get the wax out (I know several different tricks for this), but it's not like when you dribble some wax on a table cloth or rug. It is a thick, nearly even coat, all over the front of my sweater and skirt. 

Alas, no lanterns. I thought, early in the day, of making the punched can ones as a back up, but our recycling was just picked up yesterday afternoon and we had no cans. Of course there was no time for the oiled watercolor ones or even the papier mache ones. Anyway, it ended up being a really uneventful Martinmas. But sometimes, that is just the way of things, isn't it? Hopefully over seasons and years, this failed celebration will fade into humor and grace, and the intention behind it will be all that matters. 

Tonight, though, I have more beeswax to comb out of my hair.