Book Club

It has been a long while since experiencing the "ideal" Saturday. Really, what makes an ideal day is so different for everyone. For some, sleeping in is ideal and for others shopping or watching movies all day. No matter what, we all should have a day that makes you flutter with happiness.
My day began simple enough but I knew I might have a real adventure on my hands. I wanted to do a long run and had a time frame to follow. Up early, I met one of my running buddies for loop number one. After she was done I roped Brian into beginning loop two and picked up another friend along the way. She ran with me for a bit then I was on my own. Af first I was leary of the road ahead, but found the peace and quiet a welcome reprive from my long week. Of course I wrote many a blog entries (which have yet been entered, let alone remembered!), replanned my closet, wrote a mental letter to the school district and so on. Trekking back I was anxious to shower and head to book club. Coffee was calling my name.
After parking in front of the cutest house ever, I swiftly made my way to the front door. Quick hugs and hellos then a mug of hot coffee was all I needed to relax and look forward to the next few hours. We discussed The Memory Keepers Daughter. A very thought provoking, yet predictable book. I really enjoyed this book, as it brought a feeling of peace while reading it. It was as if the author intended her readers to take a calming breath and read nice and slow, absorbing the words as the story unfolded. The group was split on the likability of the book.
We savored an onion galette, a fritatta, fresh fruit, scones, crepes, coffee, and of course chocolate and mimosas. It was decadent to say the least. After a 3+hour jaunt outside in the morning, the breakfest and relaxation was all I needed to feel refreshed. It was, in my book, a perfect day.

Women in History

Last Friday was the Women in History day at the elementary school. My friend Ruth and I were the Pankhurst Sisters. I was Christabel and Ruth was Sylvia. We were suffregettes. The day started with an all school assembly followed by classroom visits ALL DAY! There was a nice group of women portraying amazing women in history. We each had to give a 2 minute speech in front of the school......sounds short but it feels long! Ruth and I decided that we had to speak with a British accent for the speech and the classroom presentations. Wow. What a day. My head has cleared quite a bit in the short amount of time following, but it was such a fun and rewarding day coordinated by a really nice woman. The kids at the school were very polite and asked great questions. Kids are truly clever and smart. Ta-ta, pip-pip, cheerio!

Trade Offs

Things That Are More Tolerable After a Few Glasses of Wine


Men's Ice Skating
4 Children, 4 Ice Cream Cones
The Boogey Man, aka: heavy wind making things bang against the window
Other people's travel plans (ie, spouse gallivanting over Italy)
Lillian Vernon catalog
Looking at the school hot lunch calendar
Fox News
Make Me A Supermodel

Eat YOur Heart Out Julie Andrews

These are a few of My Favorite Things (in no particular order)

1) Butter and Cinnamon.
This really is a good combo, especially in the warm form: toast, snickerdoodles.

2)Choice Organic Spearmint and Chammomile Tea.
I buy a box a month and try to limit myself to one cuppa night. I am convinced that I am incapable of a good nights sleep without it. Not that I get a good night sleep anyway, but just imagine how much worse it *would* be.

3) My three seasonal (winter) themed mugs to have above mentioned beverage. I don't share
these, either.

4) Sharepened Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils
Nothing makes a tidy "to-do" list or grocery list like a good ol' number 2.

5) Surf Laundry Detergent. Ocean scent.
Fact: In the throes of uber painful labor with Jake, I had to comment on how much I loved
the smell of his dad's shirt. Consecutive labors were supported with Surf scented shirts
and broad shoulders. Don't mess with the crazy preganant lady.

6) Sharpies. Black, medium point.
No comment. So obvious.

7) ZBeanz Ethiopion Yergacheffe coffee beans.
Fond memories of working the Hillsdale Farmers market and drinking 2-3 cups to keep warm.
This is the best coffee I have ever made, and because I am not known for actually making
coffee (but consuming mass quantities) this bag of goodness has converted me to homebrew.

8) Black.
Many of my favorite clothing items are black. Soft, cashmere-esce cardigan hoodie, running
coat, gloves, shoes, long sleeve t, tunic top, cami. Not many things can be both fancy and
slacker.

9) Chocolate Chip Cookies.
So I have this theory that when you are feeling down, whether physically or mentally, a batch
of chocolate chip cookies will make you feel better. Seriously, during cold season (funny how
cold/sniffle season is year round. hmmmm) my kitchen aid mixer is on overdrive.

10) Trite VH1/Bravo/MTV shows: The Shot, America's most Smartest/Next Top Model,
Project Runway, Make Me a Supermodel.....
Perfect for nights waiting for Thanksgiving pies to finish baking, folding laundry, or laying in
bed with a cuppa or glass of wine realizing just how normal I really am.

11) My running route.
Same ol' same ol' but it's so there for me rain or shine. Plus I can think of important things
like who will get voted off The Shot and not get lost.

12) Baby Clothes
This ones a killer, because I would have a jillion babies simply for the baby clothes. Plus, how
lovely is it to wash an entire wardrobe in ONE load. ONE, I say!

13) Lipsticks and LipGloss
A girl can't have too many and it's instant pick me up.

14) Peonies.
I love these flowers.

15) Fruits and Veggies
Seriously, I love fruits and veggies. Crunch a munch a crunch a muncha. yum!

16) Family and Friends
Dorky to say, but I didn't want anyone to think I wasn't thinking about them.

17) Baby Joggers
Mama's prozac.

Well, there's my list for the day. I must go for now, as I have three loads of laundry to smell and fold, and jammies to put on, and a second cuppa to indulge with my chocolate chip cookie.

Good Night Sweet Fourty Five

Our last night at the house and all is near done. It is one of those bittersweet moments. This has been such a great neighborhood and in particular, a great few blocks. I have never been so close to neighbors and felt so a part of a community. We have been very fortunate and it is going to be more difficult than I imagined. I think I have been ignoring the present sorrow and focusing on the future 3 bathroom glory. The past year has been almost unbearable in the small house (read: weensy kitchen, one bath, kids sleeping in basement....) but a great year of outside living and interacting with our neighbors. Larry from two houses up has brought over two very distracting bottles of wine this week to prevent us from packing. Did you know that packing is way more fun after two glasses of wine? It is.

One of my main concerns to obsess over this week has been memories for the kiddos. I worry as we simplify and toss "clutter" that we are erasing childhood memories and breaking any sort of attachment to things they have built. I see small class projects, silly notes, clippings, etc. ending up in the rubbish bin and hope that they themselves chose to not keep the item. I hope they have preserved memories in their own little way and held on to keepsakes they deem important. Not that I expect them to move a box full of half used notepads, tacky souveniers, random desk supplies and such (not that I am hinting that it has been done or anything.) Remember Woodstock? No, not the epic outdoor concert, but Snoopy's sidekick? I kid you not, I moved a plastic windup woodstock for YEARS. He rarely left his box he shared with Suzy Zoo notepads, smiley face stickers, rainbow heart shoelaces, and jumbo pencils, but he went where I went. My dear Grandpa Dick had given it to me when I was like, 8 years old. So, I hope the kids have their Woodstock somewhere safe to follow them through our moves. I know that I look forward to unpacking my sturdy tea mug with the peace star on it.

Wound up Tight: the good, the bad, the necessary

As many of you know we are in the midst of a move. Now, moving in itself is a wee bit arduous. There is so much involved: packing, purging unnecessary items, trips to donation centers, garage sales, clutter, make shift pantry meals, and so on. However, one of the key factors of moving is having a place to actually move into. That is where the story gets funny. After months of looking for a place to move into we threw up our hands in despair. Okay, maybe not uber dramatic, but we did raise our eyebrows. One evening Brian was on his laptop and I was on mine when he starts to chuckle. I looked at the posting he was reading from temporary housing online and low and behold, our friends were listing their house for a 10 month lease. It was as if someone had handed us an envelope with the "golden answer." I liken the whole situation to a group hug. They need a family to lease the house whilst back east, we needed a place ASAP, we get more time to find the right place...The fun is just beginning.

Our friends leave for the East Coast August 28th. We need to be out of our current place August 4th. Oh you say, that's 24 days in between. Why yes it is. Fortunate for us, we have friends that vacation. We will be staying at some friends' for 10 days, then the house for 9 days while they vacation in Hawaii, then who knows where for 5 days. Sound crazy? I like to say it is nomadic.

So you could easily see how one could be wound up pretty tight. Me too. I have decided to approach this move with enthusiasm (it is a neat house to move to), flexibility (so I am working extra, Beck wants to potty train, I am interviewing new nanny's, there are two extra soccer practices a week....)and a calmness. Is it calm or denial of what all needs to be done, because denial gets us nowhere. And explain to me how you can pack up three boxes, clear out a whole entire cupboard and Viola' the clutter reproduces and there is even more to pack. Seriously, answer me that!
I could easily be wound up tight. Maybe I am, but have good coping skills.

Our dear friends Rich and Cyn and their new baby Stella invited us up to their house for yummy pizza and salad. We had been busy all day with a grage sale so were good and plenty ready to relax. When it is time for baby stella to fall asleep, her mama wraps (ie, swaddles) her up nice and tight. The necessary version of wound up tight.

At least I am not frantically running around being unorganized. Oh contraire. It is so satisfying to clear out a closet or cupboard. We really ought to put out and APB for people to go to Goodwill for some good stuff!!

My favorite lunch this week has been a whole wheat tortilla, finely shredded lite cheese, a handful of market fresh butter lettuce, tomatoe, and a smear of my homemade white bean spread. All nice and wound up tight in the tortilla. Yum.

So this week we are hiring a new sitter, moving, potty training, gearing up for a soccer tournament, working, and moving forward!!

You, Person at the Fray Concert

Dear Person at the Fray Concert:
Sit down when people behind you are sitting. Now, I know that tight french braid you have with the scrunchy on the end took you awhile, and you were feeling pretty spiffy 20+ years ago when you were at the Billy Joel concert wearing the very same scrunchy, but that is not the free ticket to stand in front of us. Your husband sat nicely and he could see fine. Did you note that you were on a little bit of a hill, so it's kind of stadium seating......

Girl in the green knit halter top. Marry that boy next to you. Without hesitation he asked the two teenagers behind you to take a picture you two. That is adorable. He will undoubtedly capture many important events in your life. And the way you kind of leaned your hip into his and he yours? Too cute. Seriously, marry him.

Hairy overweight dude. Please do not take your shirt off like that again. I know it was really sunny out and you were warm. Drinking a lot of beer makes you even more sweaty. Trust me, I saw the beads of sweat around your body carpet. Thank you, though, for reminding me that Hard Rock Cafe's are still in existance. I had kind of forgotten about them and seeing your tank top with deep armholes reminded me of a fond afternoon in SF when I was 13.

Pretty swedish looking woman with the great haircut, I hope you enjoyed the concert. I think your spouse would have rather been at a Jimmy Buffett concert so thank him for taking you. Actually, did you even tell him that you were in fact, not at a Jimmy Buffett concert? His polo shirt with the really big margarita glasses all over it was a dead give away. By the way, your hair looked fantastic.

Little girl in the brand new red Fray t-shirt. Thank god you got that shirt in time to make it back to the front of the crowd. You and your friend were darling up on that stage. Truly, the way you jumped up and down with the tamborine and grinned...well let's just say you were a portrait of cuteness and happiness. I hope your mom got a picture of you up there. Keep having fun!

All the 13 year old girls please do not think that it is cool to wear uber short shorts, pumps, and run around slirring your speech and spilling bits of expensive beer on people. Frankly it is gross. So stay sweet and kind of awkward.