I have a new friend at work. I am quite taken with this friend. It's a bird. I'm pretty sure it's a male. This little feathered fellow has found the absolute best perch in town. He sits right on top of the cross at the very top of the church's roof. And he sits there most of the day, singing his song loudly and proudly. He knows that he's the king around here. He knows his message will be heard. I'm fairly certain of his maleness due to his tireless attempts to impress any surrounding females. A girl bird would have given up after a couple of hours. He continues to declare his worth, though, and has for about three days now. The only flaw I can find with his methodology is that there is no room for a girl to flutter in next to him, scoot him over just a bit and tell him how wonderfully melodic his tune is. So there he is. He's quite alone. But he's singing from his very gut anyway.
I realized that I do this when I'm blogging. Maybe that's why I love him so much. We both have a chosen platform and sing our tunes out, whether or not anyone really is listening. Fortunately for me, though, I have the little "comments" perch. It's so nice that you all have scooted in next to me and told me what you think of my thoughts. It's much more friendly with two, as Pooh Bear likes to say.
DAILY BLISS: wearing jeans to work and that moment when the lady at the bank told me I was photogenic (I had to get a new debit card - she even laughed at the condition of my current one)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Not Sure
I've had a snippet of a Doobie Brothers song running around in my head today. I heard it on the radio this morning (how old-fashioned of me!) and haven't been able to get rid of it. Those boys have been mocking me, asking me all day long, "without love, where would you be right now?"
Hm. I don't really know.
But I won't let it bother me.
I'm going to find another earworm now.
DAILY BLISS: Seeing an old boyfriend's brother in a parking lot. I don't think he saw me. That was the blissful part.
Hm. I don't really know.
But I won't let it bother me.
I'm going to find another earworm now.
DAILY BLISS: Seeing an old boyfriend's brother in a parking lot. I don't think he saw me. That was the blissful part.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
It's Ratherly.....
Had a delightful conversation just now with the Em-ster. We talked about an imaginary cookie recipe she was concocting called Sugar Plum Cookies. They are sugar cookies "with sugar" and have peaches, plums and raisins in them. They look like a danish on the top with a circle of red jelly on the top of them and icing drizzled across. I asked her if it was plum jelly. She asked if there was such a thing. I said yes. She asked if it was expensive. I said not too much, but just enough. Then she said, "It's ratherly strawberry or blueberry jelly."
I like that. It's much less self-centered to say that something is ratherly something else, instead of saying I'd rather it be. I may start using this new phrase. It has many applications. You can use it to magically change something you don't want into something you do want.
Dinner is ratherly at a restaurant tonight.
Do you like the sweater I gave you? Well....it's ratherly looser.
Non-committal. I'm liking this.
In other news, we really enjoyed our trip to the Florida Aquarium yesterday. My young conservationist son loves to learn about endangered animals. He especially loves sea turtles. We also got to watch the little penguin-os on their promenade. I really love them! They just walk around in the little square and investigate the children that are ratherly sitting still with their arms at their sides (see that? I magically changed those children into critters who were sitting still).
I was freshly reminded that I love my own children. Children of the General Public? Eh, not so much. It was amazingly crowded for a Monday morning at the aquarium. And full of misbehavior.
I slept like a log last night. Maybe I'm getting over this insomnia deal. Waking up? It's ratherly easy.
DAILY BLISS: Giving a lifeguard kid at the pool an autographed shirt from my brother's band. He'd told me he was a fan, and I asked my brother for a favor. It was so fun! I'll be smiling about his reaction for a week!
I like that. It's much less self-centered to say that something is ratherly something else, instead of saying I'd rather it be. I may start using this new phrase. It has many applications. You can use it to magically change something you don't want into something you do want.
Dinner is ratherly at a restaurant tonight.
Do you like the sweater I gave you? Well....it's ratherly looser.
Non-committal. I'm liking this.
In other news, we really enjoyed our trip to the Florida Aquarium yesterday. My young conservationist son loves to learn about endangered animals. He especially loves sea turtles. We also got to watch the little penguin-os on their promenade. I really love them! They just walk around in the little square and investigate the children that are ratherly sitting still with their arms at their sides (see that? I magically changed those children into critters who were sitting still).
I was freshly reminded that I love my own children. Children of the General Public? Eh, not so much. It was amazingly crowded for a Monday morning at the aquarium. And full of misbehavior.
I slept like a log last night. Maybe I'm getting over this insomnia deal. Waking up? It's ratherly easy.
DAILY BLISS: Giving a lifeguard kid at the pool an autographed shirt from my brother's band. He'd told me he was a fan, and I asked my brother for a favor. It was so fun! I'll be smiling about his reaction for a week!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Midnight in the Garden of Pancakes and Bacon
It's been a lonely sort of a time for me lately. I mean, lots of good things are going on in my life, but my friendships have sort of been set aside for a while to make room for the stuff of daily life. But I have been rescued. Redeemed, even. My Becky came to town and we stole away for a scintillating middle-of-the-night trip to......IHOP. Dangerous girls, we are.
This is our regular meeting spot when she's in town. We giggle and cry and talk for several hours over pots and pots of decaf coffee. Usually pancakes too, but with the recent food happenings in my life, I stuck to a fruit bowl this time. Well, and some hash browns.
Boy did I need that. It's amazing what three hours with a deep friend can do for a girl's soul. We certainly didn't solve each others' problems, but we commiserated - and isn't that what we girls want, anyway? Someone to hear us - really hear our hearts - and someone to see all the way into the real us. And to love us anyway.
I still had to wake up after very little sleep and fix breakfast for our church, plan a lesson for the kids, vacuum and stuff (Chris did his fair share too), but I feel worlds away from who I was yesterday. I'm awfully sleepy, but that's probably a good thing. Maybe I'll drop right off into dreamland tonight.
DAILY BLISS: Nearly cleaning my whole desk (formidable indeed), the anticipation of a day off tomorrow and pulling a pair of jeans out of my "Hopeful" Box to find that they fit again!
This is our regular meeting spot when she's in town. We giggle and cry and talk for several hours over pots and pots of decaf coffee. Usually pancakes too, but with the recent food happenings in my life, I stuck to a fruit bowl this time. Well, and some hash browns.
Boy did I need that. It's amazing what three hours with a deep friend can do for a girl's soul. We certainly didn't solve each others' problems, but we commiserated - and isn't that what we girls want, anyway? Someone to hear us - really hear our hearts - and someone to see all the way into the real us. And to love us anyway.
I still had to wake up after very little sleep and fix breakfast for our church, plan a lesson for the kids, vacuum and stuff (Chris did his fair share too), but I feel worlds away from who I was yesterday. I'm awfully sleepy, but that's probably a good thing. Maybe I'll drop right off into dreamland tonight.
DAILY BLISS: Nearly cleaning my whole desk (formidable indeed), the anticipation of a day off tomorrow and pulling a pair of jeans out of my "Hopeful" Box to find that they fit again!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Happy Summer Solstice!
"In the torrid heat of the blazing sun, man and beast alike languish, and even the pine trees scorch..." - Vivaldi? (from the sonnets included in the first edition of The Four Seasons)
Summer is now officially here! We opened up our morning with the traditional playing of Vivaldi's "Summer," accompanied by an impromptu ballet performance.
Our annual beach trip had to wait until after work, so we chose a west coast beach in order to enjoy the sunset. This is not to say that we don't go to the beach other times of the year, but we always go on the solstice and always to a different beach. We collect a bit of sand and several shells to put in a bottle at home.
We also enjoyed a glass of lemonade (from Chick-fil-a of course - theirs is the best!) and lots of laughing. The sunset was so beautiful and the sea breeze was thick and substantial. It almost felt like the wind could hug you.
Here's me and my honey:
And here's a shot of the loot!
All in all, it was a wonderfully relaxing evening with the fam as we rang in the start of another season.
DAILY BLISS: seemingly endless conversation with my two favorite little people
Summer is now officially here! We opened up our morning with the traditional playing of Vivaldi's "Summer," accompanied by an impromptu ballet performance.
Our annual beach trip had to wait until after work, so we chose a west coast beach in order to enjoy the sunset. This is not to say that we don't go to the beach other times of the year, but we always go on the solstice and always to a different beach. We collect a bit of sand and several shells to put in a bottle at home.
We also enjoyed a glass of lemonade (from Chick-fil-a of course - theirs is the best!) and lots of laughing. The sunset was so beautiful and the sea breeze was thick and substantial. It almost felt like the wind could hug you.
Here's me and my honey:
And here's a shot of the loot!
All in all, it was a wonderfully relaxing evening with the fam as we rang in the start of another season.
DAILY BLISS: seemingly endless conversation with my two favorite little people
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Sleepy
Every now and again, insomnia descends into my house and hovers around my bed. It seems I can fall asleep anywhere but where I'm supposed to. Ballet practice? No problem. Driving? It seems possible. Singing a lullaby in my kids' bedrooms? Definitely a cinch. But not in my own bed.
It's been about three nights now since I've had decent sleep. One night I was disturbed by dreams of being trapped in some sort of militia compound. Another night I dreamed that my teeth were falling out. Last night....um, I dreamed that kittens were all over my house. They were coming out of air vents, hiding behind the toilet, under the sink, and other places. I know that doesn't sound nightmarish to you, but my kids have allergies. I spent all (well, okay, both) of my sleeping hours trying to get rid of cute little fuzzy kittens that really just wanted to be snuggled. I hated to hurt their feelings.
Suffice it to say that I didn't wake up feeling like I was rested. Not even two hours' worth of rested.
It sounds like there may be something disturbing going on in my subconscious.
I used to be really into dream interpretation. I'm a little nervous to really think about these right now. I'd just settle for six hours of sleep in a row. That'd be nice.
Someone sent me a lovely picture of a lady in a bathtub on a raft in a lake. It was a Kohler ad, I think. Obviously this friend knows that I love to take baths. But I thought it would be a good focal point for helping me sleep. It took a lot of concentration and it seemed that I was trying so hard to focus on relaxing that....
You get the point, I guess.
I spent my day at work making sure our member database was correct by going through all the paper files. I might have been able to fall asleep at my desk had the phone not rung several times.
I hope I dream about being able to eat cake and ice cream again. That would be nice.
DAILY BLISS: afternoon coffee and wearing pigtails
It's been about three nights now since I've had decent sleep. One night I was disturbed by dreams of being trapped in some sort of militia compound. Another night I dreamed that my teeth were falling out. Last night....um, I dreamed that kittens were all over my house. They were coming out of air vents, hiding behind the toilet, under the sink, and other places. I know that doesn't sound nightmarish to you, but my kids have allergies. I spent all (well, okay, both) of my sleeping hours trying to get rid of cute little fuzzy kittens that really just wanted to be snuggled. I hated to hurt their feelings.
Suffice it to say that I didn't wake up feeling like I was rested. Not even two hours' worth of rested.
It sounds like there may be something disturbing going on in my subconscious.
I used to be really into dream interpretation. I'm a little nervous to really think about these right now. I'd just settle for six hours of sleep in a row. That'd be nice.
Someone sent me a lovely picture of a lady in a bathtub on a raft in a lake. It was a Kohler ad, I think. Obviously this friend knows that I love to take baths. But I thought it would be a good focal point for helping me sleep. It took a lot of concentration and it seemed that I was trying so hard to focus on relaxing that....
You get the point, I guess.
I spent my day at work making sure our member database was correct by going through all the paper files. I might have been able to fall asleep at my desk had the phone not rung several times.
I hope I dream about being able to eat cake and ice cream again. That would be nice.
DAILY BLISS: afternoon coffee and wearing pigtails
Monday, June 18, 2007
Working Hard or Hardly Working?
The menfolk went fishin' yesterday with all their new poles from the Bass Pro shop (see Saturday's post...). All in all, it was a very manly Father's Day weekend for our family. As well it should be. There isn't a bad guy in the lot.
Today at work, I got to play around with more malfunctioning equipment. This time the fax machine died. So, I found an emergency back-up (honestly, there are more closets and cabinets with interesting things in them at this church than practically anywhere I've ever been) which actually looked to be nicer than the current model. But it's bigger than the first one. So, I had to, uh, make something up.
I took off my shoes, and lugged a big box of legal-sized paper across the room to use as a footstool. I can't find a stepladder or anything. I twisted up my hair and fastened it with a pencil. I usually have rubber bands in my purse for hair emergencies. Not today I didn't. I cleaned out a new spot and ran telephone wire all up and around doors and stuff - places I couldn't reach without my handy box of paper. I'm sure I was quite a sight. That box of paper/footstool was nearly more than I could lug around. I thought I was supposed to sit there and answer the phone and be cute in my little skirt and secretary cardigan.
I'm not complaining, though. I'm really quite happy. That is not the kind of work that you bring home with you and turn into a reason to yell at your kids. Which is exactly the kind of work I like.
DAILY BLISS: Knitting on my porch while the thunder rumbled and mumbled
Today at work, I got to play around with more malfunctioning equipment. This time the fax machine died. So, I found an emergency back-up (honestly, there are more closets and cabinets with interesting things in them at this church than practically anywhere I've ever been) which actually looked to be nicer than the current model. But it's bigger than the first one. So, I had to, uh, make something up.
I took off my shoes, and lugged a big box of legal-sized paper across the room to use as a footstool. I can't find a stepladder or anything. I twisted up my hair and fastened it with a pencil. I usually have rubber bands in my purse for hair emergencies. Not today I didn't. I cleaned out a new spot and ran telephone wire all up and around doors and stuff - places I couldn't reach without my handy box of paper. I'm sure I was quite a sight. That box of paper/footstool was nearly more than I could lug around. I thought I was supposed to sit there and answer the phone and be cute in my little skirt and secretary cardigan.
I'm not complaining, though. I'm really quite happy. That is not the kind of work that you bring home with you and turn into a reason to yell at your kids. Which is exactly the kind of work I like.
DAILY BLISS: Knitting on my porch while the thunder rumbled and mumbled
Saturday, June 16, 2007
What To-Do List?
I went with my mom today to look at a little parakeet she's buying for Andrew's birthday. He's allergic to almost every sort of animal with fur, so a bird is a good kind of pet for him. These little babies are being hand-fed and are so sweet. One of them just cuddled into my cheeks and squawked and whistled with me. I have a weird thing where I talk to critters. It's really insane if you take me to the zoo. Maybe I want a birdie too.....OH! But this is a secret - so don't say anything to Andrew :)
At any rate, I really enjoyed being with my mom this morning and my grandma came along too. I'm so proud of my granmda. She's so active (and my grandpa too) and involved in her church and in our famliy life. My children have a great-grandma that they really know who has played with them and sung to them and been to their birthday parties! How amazing!
The boys (Hubby, my dad, and my brother) went to a firing range and unloaded a few rounds, then they took the male child to the Bass Pro shop in Orlando. What a bunch of rednecks we are! But it left the evening open for a chick flick and some chatting. Nice.
What a wonderfully wasted day! I have accomplished nearly nothing and I had so much fun doing it!
DAILY BLISS: $5 clearance shirts, fried apples, and pretending to be a fairy with Emma
At any rate, I really enjoyed being with my mom this morning and my grandma came along too. I'm so proud of my granmda. She's so active (and my grandpa too) and involved in her church and in our famliy life. My children have a great-grandma that they really know who has played with them and sung to them and been to their birthday parties! How amazing!
The boys (Hubby, my dad, and my brother) went to a firing range and unloaded a few rounds, then they took the male child to the Bass Pro shop in Orlando. What a bunch of rednecks we are! But it left the evening open for a chick flick and some chatting. Nice.
What a wonderfully wasted day! I have accomplished nearly nothing and I had so much fun doing it!
DAILY BLISS: $5 clearance shirts, fried apples, and pretending to be a fairy with Emma
Friday, June 15, 2007
Somethin's Cookin'
I really enjoyed cooking tonight. I like to cook for the most part, but we just haven't had time/Chris has been out of town...blah blah blah...
I made salmon with lime/honey/fresh ginger glaze. Yum. I grabbed my iPod and listened to a little John Mayer (I have a hard time getting past his little Jessica Simpson thing, and he's a little weird-looking, but...mmmm! that's good cookin' music), tied on an apron, shut out the kids and the world and just cooked something yummy. I even licked my fingers. Maybe a lot.
Chris came home mid-cook and started to rummage around the kitchen. I told the foraging bear to get lost. I might have called him Nosy McClanahan, come to think of it. But this was "me" time, dadgummit.
So, I'm really glad that it's Friday. Hooray for the weekend. I got my grocery shopping done tonight, so I plan to sleep in tomorrow.
DAILY BLISS: a good, deep book that makes my head hurt and my baby girl's long, long curls
I made salmon with lime/honey/fresh ginger glaze. Yum. I grabbed my iPod and listened to a little John Mayer (I have a hard time getting past his little Jessica Simpson thing, and he's a little weird-looking, but...mmmm! that's good cookin' music), tied on an apron, shut out the kids and the world and just cooked something yummy. I even licked my fingers. Maybe a lot.
Chris came home mid-cook and started to rummage around the kitchen. I told the foraging bear to get lost. I might have called him Nosy McClanahan, come to think of it. But this was "me" time, dadgummit.
So, I'm really glad that it's Friday. Hooray for the weekend. I got my grocery shopping done tonight, so I plan to sleep in tomorrow.
DAILY BLISS: a good, deep book that makes my head hurt and my baby girl's long, long curls
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Fun, Fun, Fun
I had a lot of fun today. I laughed a lot.
I also knitted and chatted with my little one on the couch. That was extraordinary and there will be photos soon. I'm just in a hurry today and don't feel like uploading them.
I also ordered jars for my lotion and sugar scrub and body butter! AAAANNND I ordered a cute font for my labels. I really like fonts. In a weird way. I get really excited about cute ones - especially when they're free - which is how I found fontdiner.com, which is where I bought fonts tonight. I don't usually spend money on them, you see. But, well, if you're going to have something commercial-ish, you'd better make sure you have a license. So, I bought....
I'm rambling.
I also got a little software called GIMP to play around with for funsies. I've never coughed up the cash for PhotoShop. I will pause here for the collective gasp that is sure to follow.
Someone who loves photos as much as I surely has all the latest and greatest....well, nope. I don't. It should be fun to try something new. I guess I'm trying lots of new somethings right now. Knitting, lotioning, GIMPing....fun!
DAILY BLISS: Lady Grey tea in my gorgeous cups and saucers from Anthropologie. I read that you don't like it Amy, but I love it!
I also knitted and chatted with my little one on the couch. That was extraordinary and there will be photos soon. I'm just in a hurry today and don't feel like uploading them.
I also ordered jars for my lotion and sugar scrub and body butter! AAAANNND I ordered a cute font for my labels. I really like fonts. In a weird way. I get really excited about cute ones - especially when they're free - which is how I found fontdiner.com, which is where I bought fonts tonight. I don't usually spend money on them, you see. But, well, if you're going to have something commercial-ish, you'd better make sure you have a license. So, I bought....
I'm rambling.
I also got a little software called GIMP to play around with for funsies. I've never coughed up the cash for PhotoShop. I will pause here for the collective gasp that is sure to follow.
Someone who loves photos as much as I surely has all the latest and greatest....well, nope. I don't. It should be fun to try something new. I guess I'm trying lots of new somethings right now. Knitting, lotioning, GIMPing....fun!
DAILY BLISS: Lady Grey tea in my gorgeous cups and saucers from Anthropologie. I read that you don't like it Amy, but I love it!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Storms and Giggles
I left work today and startled the clouds as I opened the door. They thundered at me in surprise. I jumped.
My hubby got home today! Yay! I can get a good night of sleep now! I don't sleep well when he's not here. Maybe I just feel a subconscious need to be on high alert or something...I was up at least five times in my paltry five-and-a-half hours of sleep last night.
We were hugging and laying on the bed catching up and I was hearing little fighting voices in the living room. Before you know it, the smallest voice came in and plopped on the bed, simultaneously tattling on the bigger voice. She was quickly followed by the latter, declaring his innocence. We were laughing so hard at them! I know you're supposed to keep it together when you're parents and all, but honestly! The things they argue about really crack me up! So there we were, Chris and I, laughing so hard we couldn't even interfere. So the argument escalated. I found myself laughing hysterically in the middle of the bed with my husband as a full-scale shouting match was taking place right over the top of us. I put on my mom voice and sent them to opposite ends of the sofa. But I laughed again. I told them not to touch each other or speak to each other - but I was really laughing hard by this point. I'm not sure if they could understand me. Then Chris told them they had to close their eyes too. That was it. They stormed up to await their consequences while we just laughed and laughed. Poor, tortured souls.
Ahhhh. Summer break. Kids really do act like that over summer break when they're stuck at home together.
On another note, I finished my little practice square tonight. I decided it was time to learn to bind it off, since it was awful enough to be completely useless. I was very amazed at the bind-off technique as it worked. So, fun fun fun, I have knitted a square. I used nubbly yarn, so it feels kind of like a square of oatmeal. Which may sound like I'm saying that my square is gooey and needs some brown sugar. But I'm really saying that it's beige and lumpy and warm.
DAILY BLISS: coconut rice and a new necklace
My hubby got home today! Yay! I can get a good night of sleep now! I don't sleep well when he's not here. Maybe I just feel a subconscious need to be on high alert or something...I was up at least five times in my paltry five-and-a-half hours of sleep last night.
We were hugging and laying on the bed catching up and I was hearing little fighting voices in the living room. Before you know it, the smallest voice came in and plopped on the bed, simultaneously tattling on the bigger voice. She was quickly followed by the latter, declaring his innocence. We were laughing so hard at them! I know you're supposed to keep it together when you're parents and all, but honestly! The things they argue about really crack me up! So there we were, Chris and I, laughing so hard we couldn't even interfere. So the argument escalated. I found myself laughing hysterically in the middle of the bed with my husband as a full-scale shouting match was taking place right over the top of us. I put on my mom voice and sent them to opposite ends of the sofa. But I laughed again. I told them not to touch each other or speak to each other - but I was really laughing hard by this point. I'm not sure if they could understand me. Then Chris told them they had to close their eyes too. That was it. They stormed up to await their consequences while we just laughed and laughed. Poor, tortured souls.
Ahhhh. Summer break. Kids really do act like that over summer break when they're stuck at home together.
On another note, I finished my little practice square tonight. I decided it was time to learn to bind it off, since it was awful enough to be completely useless. I was very amazed at the bind-off technique as it worked. So, fun fun fun, I have knitted a square. I used nubbly yarn, so it feels kind of like a square of oatmeal. Which may sound like I'm saying that my square is gooey and needs some brown sugar. But I'm really saying that it's beige and lumpy and warm.
DAILY BLISS: coconut rice and a new necklace
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
A Good Day
This was a good day. Every time I looked down, I saw this:
I have this theory that only good things can happen when you're wearing red shoes. It pans out for the most part. Today, though, I spent my work day under my desk messing around with my stupid computer. I shouldn't say stupid. Sorry. It's just a temperamental thing. And I think it has heaved its last sigh. I tinkered and toyed and searched and plugged and unplugged...all while wearing said shoes. But maybe I'll get a new computer. Maybe that's the good thing that happened while I was wearing red shoes.
At any rate, I managed to get to swimming lessons on time, VBS on time, and bring a delightful fruit salad to work for the staff meeting (I cut the strawberries like flowers - the whole thing looked like a bouquet). After wallowing around on the floor all day in my red shoes and polka dots, I got everything done on my afternoon list, made hypo-allergenic cookies for myself and talked to a friend wayyyy too late into the night. I am SO on top of it today. I would imagine, due to that last, perhaps unwise-ish segment of my day, I will not be as much on top of it tomorrow. Oh well. I'll also be wearing black shoes tomorrow. Maybe that's the whole problem.
DAILY BLISS: a farmer on his tractor in an orange field, freezie pop solidarity and finding out that my favorite swimming instructor from last year still works at the pool this summer!
I have this theory that only good things can happen when you're wearing red shoes. It pans out for the most part. Today, though, I spent my work day under my desk messing around with my stupid computer. I shouldn't say stupid. Sorry. It's just a temperamental thing. And I think it has heaved its last sigh. I tinkered and toyed and searched and plugged and unplugged...all while wearing said shoes. But maybe I'll get a new computer. Maybe that's the good thing that happened while I was wearing red shoes.
At any rate, I managed to get to swimming lessons on time, VBS on time, and bring a delightful fruit salad to work for the staff meeting (I cut the strawberries like flowers - the whole thing looked like a bouquet). After wallowing around on the floor all day in my red shoes and polka dots, I got everything done on my afternoon list, made hypo-allergenic cookies for myself and talked to a friend wayyyy too late into the night. I am SO on top of it today. I would imagine, due to that last, perhaps unwise-ish segment of my day, I will not be as much on top of it tomorrow. Oh well. I'll also be wearing black shoes tomorrow. Maybe that's the whole problem.
DAILY BLISS: a farmer on his tractor in an orange field, freezie pop solidarity and finding out that my favorite swimming instructor from last year still works at the pool this summer!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Conversations
Emma is officially in her "what if" stage. Andrew did this too. It's not that they never ask at a younger age or an older one, it's just that there seems to come a time when they are particularly fond of the question.
Andrew's stage was so completely different from hers. He asked broad questions about how his environment would change if something were different. I remember him asking once what would happen if all the oceans, rivers and lakes were made out of milk. I think I responded with how all the fish would be dead and it would smell terrible when the milk curdled. A particularly brilliant friend pointed out that I had missed it entirely. Cows would produce water. The fish would be just fine swimming in the milk. The whole family would go out for ice and we'd skate on ice cream in the winter. Water and milk would merely trade places. Of course!
Emma's questions are much more personal. And I've had so much fun with them now that I'm a bit more experienced with answering. Here are some samples of recent conversations (they mostly take place in the car):
Emma: What if I was a squirrel?
Me: I would come to the park every day with a brown paper bag full of peanuts. Then I would sit on a bench and hold them out, hoping you would eat out of my hand.
Emma: I would always sit next to you on the bench and eat your peanuts, Mom.
Emma: What if you found a basket of puppies at the front door?
Me: Well, I might be a little bit freaked out at first. Then we would try to find them all good homes.
Emma: No! I would be one of those puppies.
Me: How would I know which one you were?
Emma: I would be the one on the top that was the friendliest. I would crawl up and lick you in the face.
Me: Well, then, I guess you'd be the one I'd keep.
Emma: Mom, what if I was a baby cheetah?
Me: Well, I'd probably love to hold you at first, but the you'd grow up and I'd be afraid of you. You might eat me accidentally.
Emma: I would never eat you. I would know you were my mom and you could ride on my back while I went running.
Me: Okay....well....if you promise not to eat me....
Emma: What if candy was good for you?
Me: Then I would tell you, "No spinach for you, kiddo. You didn't finish your jelly beans."
Emma: Yuck!
Me: No. Spinach would, of course, be like candy, and you would always be asking me if we could buy some cauliflower while we were in line at the grocery store. BTW, thank you, Mark, for the logic (from the milk/water question) that also applied to this question! I just now realized it's actually the same type of question....sometimes I'm a little slow.
I love "what if." We grow out of that question, don't we? Grown-up what-ifs, though, are more treacherous. They can seem to betray people that we love or they make us feel discontent with our lives as they are. The childhood what-ifs are so much more fun. This is my last shot at this phase. I plan to fully enjoy it.
DAILY BLISS: Knitting - I'm not very good at it, and my practice-square-that-may-be-a-scarf-if-it-gets-longer has many, many flaws, dropped stitches and a mysterious five more loops than I started with (I'm sure there's an official term for the loops, but I really don't know it). But it's so much fun to learn something entirely new!
Andrew's stage was so completely different from hers. He asked broad questions about how his environment would change if something were different. I remember him asking once what would happen if all the oceans, rivers and lakes were made out of milk. I think I responded with how all the fish would be dead and it would smell terrible when the milk curdled. A particularly brilliant friend pointed out that I had missed it entirely. Cows would produce water. The fish would be just fine swimming in the milk. The whole family would go out for ice and we'd skate on ice cream in the winter. Water and milk would merely trade places. Of course!
Emma's questions are much more personal. And I've had so much fun with them now that I'm a bit more experienced with answering. Here are some samples of recent conversations (they mostly take place in the car):
Emma: What if I was a squirrel?
Me: I would come to the park every day with a brown paper bag full of peanuts. Then I would sit on a bench and hold them out, hoping you would eat out of my hand.
Emma: I would always sit next to you on the bench and eat your peanuts, Mom.
Emma: What if you found a basket of puppies at the front door?
Me: Well, I might be a little bit freaked out at first. Then we would try to find them all good homes.
Emma: No! I would be one of those puppies.
Me: How would I know which one you were?
Emma: I would be the one on the top that was the friendliest. I would crawl up and lick you in the face.
Me: Well, then, I guess you'd be the one I'd keep.
Emma: Mom, what if I was a baby cheetah?
Me: Well, I'd probably love to hold you at first, but the you'd grow up and I'd be afraid of you. You might eat me accidentally.
Emma: I would never eat you. I would know you were my mom and you could ride on my back while I went running.
Me: Okay....well....if you promise not to eat me....
Emma: What if candy was good for you?
Me: Then I would tell you, "No spinach for you, kiddo. You didn't finish your jelly beans."
Emma: Yuck!
Me: No. Spinach would, of course, be like candy, and you would always be asking me if we could buy some cauliflower while we were in line at the grocery store. BTW, thank you, Mark, for the logic (from the milk/water question) that also applied to this question! I just now realized it's actually the same type of question....sometimes I'm a little slow.
I love "what if." We grow out of that question, don't we? Grown-up what-ifs, though, are more treacherous. They can seem to betray people that we love or they make us feel discontent with our lives as they are. The childhood what-ifs are so much more fun. This is my last shot at this phase. I plan to fully enjoy it.
DAILY BLISS: Knitting - I'm not very good at it, and my practice-square-that-may-be-a-scarf-if-it-gets-longer has many, many flaws, dropped stitches and a mysterious five more loops than I started with (I'm sure there's an official term for the loops, but I really don't know it). But it's so much fun to learn something entirely new!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Mooging
This has been a long day. I cleaned my mom's house today and completely forgot about our chat, Becky. Sorry. I mean, I really cleaned my mom's house. For those of you that are hoping for a morsel of house-cleaning advice, I have something. I know, I know. Don't rip each others' hair out, girls. There's enough here for everyone.
Anyway, wound up my evening scrubbing all of her tile. My mom has a lot of tile on the floor. So.....I hate mopping, and I don't like hands-and-knees scrubbing either. Well, I don't much like housework. So, my mom taught me to use a bucket of soapy water and a broom. You dip the broom in the water....you probably already know this trick, but tricks are fun, and fun is good. The fun part is when you grab a big, old towel and skate around the floor on it to dry it. Sometimes, Mary, I even do this in a tiara :)
Anyhoo, tonight's scrubbing was made much more enjoyable by the moog music. That's not a type-o. Stay with me here.
I was playing some kids' music to appease the restless ones, and my dad came laughing out of the office and said "That's Popcorn!" I said that I knew that already, but how did he know it? He said that Crazy Frog was not the first to have done this song, and he started Googling. That's when it got a little crazy. I guess he owned this album called "Music to Moog By" and it just went downhill from there. In the spirit of keeping you fully informed of my life and times, I am requesting that you follow the links below. Then you will know just how hard I was laughing while I was skating around the wet tile on top of a towel.
Bolero
Toreador from Carmen
Popcorn (you may have to click on "versions" at the top, then select either one of the Gershon Kingsley clips)
At any rate, I am nearly crying with laughter. I hope you take the time to laugh with me. If it helps, you can picture me wearing a tiara, skating across the floor on a wet towel.
DAILY BLISS: freezie pops and sunburned kids (not crispy, just pink on the cheeks)
Anyway, wound up my evening scrubbing all of her tile. My mom has a lot of tile on the floor. So.....I hate mopping, and I don't like hands-and-knees scrubbing either. Well, I don't much like housework. So, my mom taught me to use a bucket of soapy water and a broom. You dip the broom in the water....you probably already know this trick, but tricks are fun, and fun is good. The fun part is when you grab a big, old towel and skate around the floor on it to dry it. Sometimes, Mary, I even do this in a tiara :)
Anyhoo, tonight's scrubbing was made much more enjoyable by the moog music. That's not a type-o. Stay with me here.
I was playing some kids' music to appease the restless ones, and my dad came laughing out of the office and said "That's Popcorn!" I said that I knew that already, but how did he know it? He said that Crazy Frog was not the first to have done this song, and he started Googling. That's when it got a little crazy. I guess he owned this album called "Music to Moog By" and it just went downhill from there. In the spirit of keeping you fully informed of my life and times, I am requesting that you follow the links below. Then you will know just how hard I was laughing while I was skating around the wet tile on top of a towel.
Bolero
Toreador from Carmen
Popcorn (you may have to click on "versions" at the top, then select either one of the Gershon Kingsley clips)
At any rate, I am nearly crying with laughter. I hope you take the time to laugh with me. If it helps, you can picture me wearing a tiara, skating across the floor on a wet towel.
DAILY BLISS: freezie pops and sunburned kids (not crispy, just pink on the cheeks)
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Pause
I had a funny moment today. I tend to really zone out when I'm focused on something. I re-entered my body, so to speak, this evening and found myself staring at somebody's blog. My playlist had wound its way down to some 90s rock and I was holding a white stuffed poodle with purple ears. It was wrapped in an orange bandanna. I'm pretty sure Emma had something to do with that part.
Speaking of Emma, I took her in to the pediatrician today. Understand, please, that we never go to the pediatrician. My kids are super-healthy. It's pretty much just the annual check-ups and when you are six, that leaves you rather inexperienced. It also leaves mommy pretty inexperienced at knowing when a little one is actually sick. So, the tiny princess has been coughing for about four weeks straight. I decided I should get it looked at (there hasn't been any fever). Turns out, she's got allergies to match her big brother's. So, today, I doubled my monthly expenditures for Zyrtec and Nasonex. Woo Hoo.
PAUSE
My wise husband-who-knows-me just came down the hall urgently telling me to go to the porch. I knocked over my chair and came running. Why? It had just started raining. Sweet, gentle, atmospheric relief. We haven't had much rain, and I'm just longing for it. My snow bushes are too. So, I just spent the last ten minutes sitting in the dark on my porch, watching sheets of rain parade past the lamp posts (in a historic district, you don't have street lights, you see) and watching the huge oak trees shimmy and shiver like textured blobs of jell-o. So worth the time!
I will be a work widow for the remainder of the week. I'm sending the Primary Breadwinner to Georgia. Well, his company is doing that. I'll be standing on the porch with a hankie, dabbing at the corners of my eyes. He should be home Sunday, though.
And in other un-related news, I made my first batch of lotion last night. Bwaaa-haa-haa-haaa (that's my evil scientist laugh)! Combining lots of wonderful things that you could never find in a grocery store and wearing a vintage apron, I have concocted something wonderful and surprisingly moisturizing! It's in the testing phase now. I have begun handing it out to my all-too-willing guinea pigs.
Oh, and here's a picture of my new haircut:
DAILY BLISS: trying out my own lotion, how the humidity makes my hair almost as curly as Emma's, and finally remembering to make the barbecue that I've neglected for three days now
Speaking of Emma, I took her in to the pediatrician today. Understand, please, that we never go to the pediatrician. My kids are super-healthy. It's pretty much just the annual check-ups and when you are six, that leaves you rather inexperienced. It also leaves mommy pretty inexperienced at knowing when a little one is actually sick. So, the tiny princess has been coughing for about four weeks straight. I decided I should get it looked at (there hasn't been any fever). Turns out, she's got allergies to match her big brother's. So, today, I doubled my monthly expenditures for Zyrtec and Nasonex. Woo Hoo.
PAUSE
My wise husband-who-knows-me just came down the hall urgently telling me to go to the porch. I knocked over my chair and came running. Why? It had just started raining. Sweet, gentle, atmospheric relief. We haven't had much rain, and I'm just longing for it. My snow bushes are too. So, I just spent the last ten minutes sitting in the dark on my porch, watching sheets of rain parade past the lamp posts (in a historic district, you don't have street lights, you see) and watching the huge oak trees shimmy and shiver like textured blobs of jell-o. So worth the time!
I will be a work widow for the remainder of the week. I'm sending the Primary Breadwinner to Georgia. Well, his company is doing that. I'll be standing on the porch with a hankie, dabbing at the corners of my eyes. He should be home Sunday, though.
And in other un-related news, I made my first batch of lotion last night. Bwaaa-haa-haa-haaa (that's my evil scientist laugh)! Combining lots of wonderful things that you could never find in a grocery store and wearing a vintage apron, I have concocted something wonderful and surprisingly moisturizing! It's in the testing phase now. I have begun handing it out to my all-too-willing guinea pigs.
Oh, and here's a picture of my new haircut:
DAILY BLISS: trying out my own lotion, how the humidity makes my hair almost as curly as Emma's, and finally remembering to make the barbecue that I've neglected for three days now
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
The Value of a Good Story
I spent a lot of time on the internet today. I just didn't have enough to keep me busy at work and what was there was barely interesting...I mean, I did my work and all...I have a good work ethic, honestly!
Anyway, you know how that can just leave you feeling a bit sunken in the middle, glazed-over, foggy and irritable? Well, that's me today. It seemed like the kids were both talking at once, each time I opened my own mouth to say something to someone else this afternoon. We managed to get through ballet and I sat by a mom who was unusually talkative (so much talking today! ugh!) and the DH was already here when we walked in the door, so as I was trying to tell him that I forgot to put the barbecue in the crock pot this morning, the kids were, again, speaking at the same time to tell him of their day.
Pull it together, girl.
Drew just begged me, in the most pitiful way, to "so something as a family" tonight. He made it sound as if we never do. It tugged at my guilt, even though they ain't hurtin' for time with mama. I swallowed hard and managed to shove my emotions aside. I told them they could each grab a story to read in the hour before bedtime.
My kids are sneaky kids.
They both grabbed long, long informational texts. "These are not stories!" I yelled. They both just smirked and whined.....I was powerless to resist. We read Emma's book first - "Shark Attack." Seriously, it's what she picked. Drew picked one about Atlantis - one that retold Plato's tale in what seemed to be its entirety, including the names of all the Greek gods, who I had to try and explain.
This exercise did very little to relieve my evening malaise. I soldiered on, though, and decided on a Mary Poppins lullaby for tonight. I alternate between that one and a Lutheran children's hymn my great-grandma used to sing to us. Then it was time for prayers. Andrew thanked God for the best mom in the "entire universe." Aaaahhhhh. There it is. Mommy's all better now, and she's even glad to know a little bit more about good old Plato.
Deeper thoughts today are here. It just didn't seem right to do two thoughtful posts in a row.
DAILY BLISS: The allergen warning on my bag of pistachios that reads: Contains pistachios. Duh. And the fact that, above all the other voices at swimming lessons, I can hear Emma as I sit on the other side of the pool deck, from the shaded "parents only" section.
Anyway, you know how that can just leave you feeling a bit sunken in the middle, glazed-over, foggy and irritable? Well, that's me today. It seemed like the kids were both talking at once, each time I opened my own mouth to say something to someone else this afternoon. We managed to get through ballet and I sat by a mom who was unusually talkative (so much talking today! ugh!) and the DH was already here when we walked in the door, so as I was trying to tell him that I forgot to put the barbecue in the crock pot this morning, the kids were, again, speaking at the same time to tell him of their day.
Pull it together, girl.
Drew just begged me, in the most pitiful way, to "so something as a family" tonight. He made it sound as if we never do. It tugged at my guilt, even though they ain't hurtin' for time with mama. I swallowed hard and managed to shove my emotions aside. I told them they could each grab a story to read in the hour before bedtime.
My kids are sneaky kids.
They both grabbed long, long informational texts. "These are not stories!" I yelled. They both just smirked and whined.....I was powerless to resist. We read Emma's book first - "Shark Attack." Seriously, it's what she picked. Drew picked one about Atlantis - one that retold Plato's tale in what seemed to be its entirety, including the names of all the Greek gods, who I had to try and explain.
This exercise did very little to relieve my evening malaise. I soldiered on, though, and decided on a Mary Poppins lullaby for tonight. I alternate between that one and a Lutheran children's hymn my great-grandma used to sing to us. Then it was time for prayers. Andrew thanked God for the best mom in the "entire universe." Aaaahhhhh. There it is. Mommy's all better now, and she's even glad to know a little bit more about good old Plato.
Deeper thoughts today are here. It just didn't seem right to do two thoughtful posts in a row.
DAILY BLISS: The allergen warning on my bag of pistachios that reads: Contains pistachios. Duh. And the fact that, above all the other voices at swimming lessons, I can hear Emma as I sit on the other side of the pool deck, from the shaded "parents only" section.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Tidbits
Busy weekend....but lots of fun stuff is going on! Chiefly, I got a new haircut. I always love getting my hair done. I drive all the way to Tampa to see my cool sister-in-law's hair guy and it really is worth the drive. I told him I was ready for a little bit of change (my hair is one thing I'm definitely not afraid to change, and I do so often). He was happy about that, took a look at the little inspirational photo I brought and made me into a new woman! Bangs and all! I'll try and get Chris to take a photo of me - which he hates to do. I usually end up holding my arm out in front and taking 40 shots in hopes of getting one where my whole face is in the photo. Ah, well.
Secondly, Emma and I learned how to knit from my fabulous work-friend Julianna. She's got lots of different talents, but when Emma found out she could knit, it was immediately decided that Emma would be learning to knit. Yes, Emma made that decision. She pilfered two bamboo skewers out of my kitchen drawer and wadded some rainbow-colored string around them. She's been carrying that around for, like, two months. Anyway, she finally succeeded in that goal. She really took right to it and is the cutest thing I've ever seen - sitting there in a big chair with her brow furrowed over a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles, just working them away. I am pretty excited to have learned to knit too. I already have a nicely-sized practice square going. If it gets longer, I'll start telling people it's a scarf.
Maybe I'll get Chris to take a photo of me with my new haircut while I'm knitting.
Another interesting thing is that I discovered how easy it is to get super-sick from food that you don't know contains something you're allergic to. I spent most of Saturday feeling sorry for myself as I frantically tried to recount what I had eaten over the past few days. I have been so good. I think I figured out what it is, but am fighting the notion that I will always have to order very plain food at restaurants. What a pain in the patootie. My mom bought me some hypoallergenic brownie mix. They were so good that I ate them for breakfast.
Maybe I'll have Chris take a photo of me with my new haircut while I'm knitting and eating gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free brownies.
DAILY BLISS: I got to dixie-cup a fence today. We were just using cups to spell words on a chain-link fence, but it sounded so much like t.p.-ing a house, that I enjoyed it immensely.
Secondly, Emma and I learned how to knit from my fabulous work-friend Julianna. She's got lots of different talents, but when Emma found out she could knit, it was immediately decided that Emma would be learning to knit. Yes, Emma made that decision. She pilfered two bamboo skewers out of my kitchen drawer and wadded some rainbow-colored string around them. She's been carrying that around for, like, two months. Anyway, she finally succeeded in that goal. She really took right to it and is the cutest thing I've ever seen - sitting there in a big chair with her brow furrowed over a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles, just working them away. I am pretty excited to have learned to knit too. I already have a nicely-sized practice square going. If it gets longer, I'll start telling people it's a scarf.
Maybe I'll get Chris to take a photo of me with my new haircut while I'm knitting.
Another interesting thing is that I discovered how easy it is to get super-sick from food that you don't know contains something you're allergic to. I spent most of Saturday feeling sorry for myself as I frantically tried to recount what I had eaten over the past few days. I have been so good. I think I figured out what it is, but am fighting the notion that I will always have to order very plain food at restaurants. What a pain in the patootie. My mom bought me some hypoallergenic brownie mix. They were so good that I ate them for breakfast.
Maybe I'll have Chris take a photo of me with my new haircut while I'm knitting and eating gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free brownies.
DAILY BLISS: I got to dixie-cup a fence today. We were just using cups to spell words on a chain-link fence, but it sounded so much like t.p.-ing a house, that I enjoyed it immensely.
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