I have two kitties to my left, preening and snoozing. Steph is in the front room, watching a movie on her new (enormous) TV and putting together a cardboard "trophy elephant" to hang above the fireplace in our dining room. (We technically have 4 fireplaces in our house, one being in the dining room....I clearly have an over-abundance of good things in my life, fireplaces included in that tally.)
Today is our anniversary and we were talking about our years together as we were prolonging the in-bed-time this morning. As I do every year, I brought up the details of our first kiss.
See, we met online (how lesbo-cliche?) -- just emailing at first -- for a very long time. It wasn't originally intended to be a set-up, or a dating relationship, or even probably a face-to-face anything....but eventually it became pretty clear that we'd have to meet and at least have a date.
There were a lot of ideas thrown out to meet, including one night before Christmas at the campus bar where she worked because she anticipated it'd be dead that night. I refused to meet someone for the first time at her job...and especially not at a campus bar....so I suggested after Christmas. Then we were going to have drinks on the 26th, after she got back into town from her parents' house up north. I was terribly sick and could barely breathe, let alone hold a conversation without puffy, droopy eyes...so I put it off until the 27th.
I worked that day, worked late in fact. While we'd planned to meet out together, I was running so late that I suggested I pick her up on my way home from campus, stop by my house and let Sophie out, and then get on to drinks and dinner. Here I broke my #2 Dating Rule (never let her know where you live on the first date)...but it was either that or waste an hour and/or make the puppy suffer.
We had a really nice dinner. The way she (jokingly) tells it, she was waiting for me to be as funny in person as I had been for those months in emails and phone calls....but I she was laughing and telling stories right along with me. We pretty much closed out the restaurant, were the last to leave and they turned off the lights as we stepped out. I took her home and we sat on the couch before I left for home, just talking and laughing....it was easy and time was clearly slipping by.
When I realized what time it was (and remembered that I had to work the next day)... I jumped off of the couch and explained that I had to leave. I clearly caught her by surprise....I practically ran down the stairs and out the door (think: Cinderella. It was late and I was pretty sure I'd turn into a pumpkin very soon.)
I guess I had tunnel vision until I got to the car. As I was waiting for my car to warm up, I realized how crazed I probably looked, running out of there. I thought about the night and the time we'd had....and I was bummed that I hadn't even stuck around long enough to get a kiss, or a squeeze.
I called her.
"Really? You're calling me 30 seconds after you left my house?"
"Yes. I am. I think you need to come back downstairs."
"Did you forget something?"
"I guess so. You should come down here."
I got out of my car and met her on her porch. She
came down the stairs with a smile and a drill in her hand. She stepped outside and put it down.
"That's hot. You greet me with a drill."
"Better this time than earlier tonight, right?"
"Likely better, yes."
"So you came back."
"You know, in the interest of not saying later and leaving, wishing I'd done something then: We just ABSOLUTELY had a great date and you need to kiss me after that."
After that was done, it really was time to go. I concentrated VERY hard at
getting to my car without tripping or skipping, either or both.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This morning we were laying in bed, briefly replaying the details before we started the day.
"I sure am glad you came back downstairs when I called."
"Yeah?"
"Yep - and that you kissed me after I said you needed to."
"Me too."
"That was pretty bossy, huh?"
"Well, I can't ever say I didn't know what I was getting myself into!"
Truth. Happy Anniversary to us!!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Holiday Scheduling
Know what's hard?
Trying to figure out how to split the holidays between families....and neither of us come from divorced ones either.
That is enough for now.
Trying to figure out how to split the holidays between families....and neither of us come from divorced ones either.
That is enough for now.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Christmas Dreams, Dashed
A nice day with the family was had, turkey was consumed, great conversation and comfortable laughs with my kickass family (with a few absent.)
It was a terribly early dinner (I'll call it "Thanksgiving Lunch,") though, so by the time I got home....I had a lot of time to pull out the Christmas tree and (finally) put it up. Truthfully, I've been leading-up to this for the last week at least....teasing Steph the whole time.
Well, long story short, my Christmas decorating dreams have been dashed.
I was all set. I pulled out the iPod, turned on James Taylor's Christmas album, started opening the box and pulling out the tree. There were a few "what is this part" questions, but on the whole this tree is just like the trees I've had in the past (it was an LED upgrade this year, though) so I knew the landscape.
I set up the stand...put in the bottom part....and the stick didn't fit in the hole. I tried it every which way, even with a hammer. I begged, searched for some piece I'd maybe looked over....nothing. Hell, I even broke out a hammer and pliers. It didn't fit.
I knew when I was cussing out James Taylor, giving him a filthy piece of my mind and telling him to "Shove it and THEN go tell THAT on the mountain, JIMMY...."....that it was time I took a break. By break I mean put it back in the box and walk away. By break I mean prepare to return it for another tree.
By break....I mean break my heart.
So I was bummed out and opted to not put the ornaments up in the TV....or hang the effing lights up on the front porch. That'll have to wait until tomorrow....or maybe Saturday when I can get the Christmas tree I was meant to have today.
I was looking forward to having tea and reading by the light of my tree (and my nook) tonight.
Instead I'm in my jammies in the sewing room, having distanced myself completely from the front room and the disappointment. Sophie and I are watching the National Dog Show on DVR.
Saturday - Saturday is MY DAY.
It was a terribly early dinner (I'll call it "Thanksgiving Lunch,") though, so by the time I got home....I had a lot of time to pull out the Christmas tree and (finally) put it up. Truthfully, I've been leading-up to this for the last week at least....teasing Steph the whole time.
Well, long story short, my Christmas decorating dreams have been dashed.
I was all set. I pulled out the iPod, turned on James Taylor's Christmas album, started opening the box and pulling out the tree. There were a few "what is this part" questions, but on the whole this tree is just like the trees I've had in the past (it was an LED upgrade this year, though) so I knew the landscape.
I set up the stand...put in the bottom part....and the stick didn't fit in the hole. I tried it every which way, even with a hammer. I begged, searched for some piece I'd maybe looked over....nothing. Hell, I even broke out a hammer and pliers. It didn't fit.
I knew when I was cussing out James Taylor, giving him a filthy piece of my mind and telling him to "Shove it and THEN go tell THAT on the mountain, JIMMY...."....that it was time I took a break. By break I mean put it back in the box and walk away. By break I mean prepare to return it for another tree.
By break....I mean break my heart.
So I was bummed out and opted to not put the ornaments up in the TV....or hang the effing lights up on the front porch. That'll have to wait until tomorrow....or maybe Saturday when I can get the Christmas tree I was meant to have today.
I was looking forward to having tea and reading by the light of my tree (and my nook) tonight.
Instead I'm in my jammies in the sewing room, having distanced myself completely from the front room and the disappointment. Sophie and I are watching the National Dog Show on DVR.
Saturday - Saturday is MY DAY.
A look into my future...but not my present. Could I be any more dramatic??
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
On Cleanliness
I thought way too much about cleanliness today. Not just the "I need to vacuum around the litter box" kind of cleaning, but the ways and types of cleaning that I seem to be especially particular about.
I cannot, for the life of me, keep my glasses clean. I don't think I touch them a lot, but I guess I do put them on top of my head a bit...and okay I probably *do* end up poking my eyes a bit, forgetting that they're there. But crap if I can't keep them clean.
I like to clean things, but abhor cleaning the bathroom. I don't like loose hair. It makes me gag. (It still happens, I'm just especially nice to Steph when she does it, to encourage repeat performances.)
When Steph and I were talking about moving in together, my only request was that I have one room to sew in....a room that I didn't have to clean up, that I could spread fabrics around, have scraps on the floor and not feel bad about it. While my sewing room doubles as a second TV room, it's an appropriately messy space.
At work I pride myself on having a really tight organization system, but the cleanliness of my desk oftentimes gets away from me. I wasn't ever an organized person until this job - I was a piler (because piles at least looked more organized than a bunch of papers laying around all willy nilly) but now I have it down. On the rare occasion that we get a quiet moment in the office, my first priority is to clean off my desk. This is to say that it gets really clean just once a quarter (usually the day before a long holiday.)
I do, however, still need to vacuum around the litter box.
I cannot, for the life of me, keep my glasses clean. I don't think I touch them a lot, but I guess I do put them on top of my head a bit...and okay I probably *do* end up poking my eyes a bit, forgetting that they're there. But crap if I can't keep them clean.
I like to clean things, but abhor cleaning the bathroom. I don't like loose hair. It makes me gag. (It still happens, I'm just especially nice to Steph when she does it, to encourage repeat performances.)
When Steph and I were talking about moving in together, my only request was that I have one room to sew in....a room that I didn't have to clean up, that I could spread fabrics around, have scraps on the floor and not feel bad about it. While my sewing room doubles as a second TV room, it's an appropriately messy space.
At work I pride myself on having a really tight organization system, but the cleanliness of my desk oftentimes gets away from me. I wasn't ever an organized person until this job - I was a piler (because piles at least looked more organized than a bunch of papers laying around all willy nilly) but now I have it down. On the rare occasion that we get a quiet moment in the office, my first priority is to clean off my desk. This is to say that it gets really clean just once a quarter (usually the day before a long holiday.)
I do, however, still need to vacuum around the litter box.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Upside Down
For the first time in as many years as I can remember...I'm upside down about Christmas. Usually I'm happy to wait until after Thanksgiving, sometimes even well into December. This year, though, I want to put it up early. I had the bug this weekend, and was this [ ] close to pulling it out and putting it up for Steph to see when she got home. (She wouldn't have been as excited as I would have been, I can guarantee you this.)
And while I want to deck the halls...I cannot for the LIFE of me figure out what I'm going to do for a Christmas Card this year. Usually I have a good idea of how I'm going to set this up, if I haven't already taken the picture and sent it to the printers. This year? I have no idea.
Part of me wants to re-create my favorite card from 2007 with some minor changes....it was a huge favorite. It'll come to me, I'm sure.
...In the mean time, I think I'll just threaten Steph about putting up a tree-a-day until Thanksgiving.
And while I want to deck the halls...I cannot for the LIFE of me figure out what I'm going to do for a Christmas Card this year. Usually I have a good idea of how I'm going to set this up, if I haven't already taken the picture and sent it to the printers. This year? I have no idea.
Part of me wants to re-create my favorite card from 2007 with some minor changes....it was a huge favorite. It'll come to me, I'm sure.
...In the mean time, I think I'll just threaten Steph about putting up a tree-a-day until Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Step By Step
Rub Nipple, Get Bacon
Since I usually do a photo on Saturday, but actually wrote something out then, today you get a photo. It's not just any photo, this is one of my favorite pictures I've ever taken. Dependent upon how you know me you may interpret that statement to mean that I:
- really love bacon
- really love nipples
- don't take many photos
- or have the maturity level of a 12 year old.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Maybe We Should
The other day an old high school acquaintance reminded me that we're not kids anymore. It happened earlier in the day, before my brain was in overdrive, so it actually stuck with me a little longer.
Longer as in 40-something hours later I'm blogging about it because I've been thinking about it since then. Come to think of it, if I'm going to remember stuff like this in the morning, I should probably do more during those early hours. Do things I need to remember - learn a language, perhaps. Go the the grocery store. I cou
She meant it in that "we can't always get 8 hours of sleep" way, since I'd been complaining about waking up after just 5 1/2 hours of sleep, feeling wide awake, but wanting to sleep until my alarm went off at 6:30. While I still think I do better with between 7 1/2 and 8 hours every night....I get that this can't always be the reality.
But it made me think -- what if we left behind something important when we grew up? What if focusing on not being kids and instead on being adults made us lose something along the way? What if we left it back there and it would make us better today, if we could just go back and pick it up and reintegrate it (while still keeping our driver's licenses, etc..)?
I spent some time with my Goddaughter today, who is 7. She had some friends over and they were playing, and I saw how much of how she moves through her world is magical. It's different, when she's playing with peers.....how I can see how she interacts, reacts, and so on. She made me realize:
We should lean into our next moments (and the moments after that) with enthusiasm and joy. Feel the excitement of moving there, to let go of the fears of the future, and be thrilled to move into what is next.
Forget wearing emotions on your sleeve - how about leaving it where it is and showing it in who you are, WHEN you are? What about experiencing an emotion, really having it and validating it and feeling it? It's not a terrible thing to be sad or mad or jealous....what's terrible is not being honest with ourselves about why we feel that way, attending to the source of the feeling, owning where we are and allowing ourselves to move on. We could all be more honest, with ourselves and others, about how we feel. It would actually help others be more authentically themselves with us, when we're authentic with them. Kids, when they're in the middle of an emotion, they'll feel the heck out of it...let it run its cycle...and move on.
Don't just be honest about emotions, but also about opinions, personal truths, impressions, and so on.
We need to play like crazy. Nothing was ever invented by someone who half-assed something. That may not actually be true I guess....maybe the Snuggie was intended to be a big, cheap fleece dress but the inventor was just too tired to put the back on. No matter, when we love what we do, we do better at it.
We need to sleep when we're tired, and sleep until we're satisfied. Maybe if our heads are clearer, we could drop some of the stuffiness surrounding adulthood and just be more authentic, and happy, and living in the NOW.
Speaking of sleep....
Longer as in 40-something hours later I'm blogging about it because I've been thinking about it since then. Come to think of it, if I'm going to remember stuff like this in the morning, I should probably do more during those early hours. Do things I need to remember - learn a language, perhaps. Go the the grocery store. I cou
She meant it in that "we can't always get 8 hours of sleep" way, since I'd been complaining about waking up after just 5 1/2 hours of sleep, feeling wide awake, but wanting to sleep until my alarm went off at 6:30. While I still think I do better with between 7 1/2 and 8 hours every night....I get that this can't always be the reality.
But it made me think -- what if we left behind something important when we grew up? What if focusing on not being kids and instead on being adults made us lose something along the way? What if we left it back there and it would make us better today, if we could just go back and pick it up and reintegrate it (while still keeping our driver's licenses, etc..)?
I spent some time with my Goddaughter today, who is 7. She had some friends over and they were playing, and I saw how much of how she moves through her world is magical. It's different, when she's playing with peers.....how I can see how she interacts, reacts, and so on. She made me realize:
We should lean into our next moments (and the moments after that) with enthusiasm and joy. Feel the excitement of moving there, to let go of the fears of the future, and be thrilled to move into what is next.
Forget wearing emotions on your sleeve - how about leaving it where it is and showing it in who you are, WHEN you are? What about experiencing an emotion, really having it and validating it and feeling it? It's not a terrible thing to be sad or mad or jealous....what's terrible is not being honest with ourselves about why we feel that way, attending to the source of the feeling, owning where we are and allowing ourselves to move on. We could all be more honest, with ourselves and others, about how we feel. It would actually help others be more authentically themselves with us, when we're authentic with them. Kids, when they're in the middle of an emotion, they'll feel the heck out of it...let it run its cycle...and move on.
Don't just be honest about emotions, but also about opinions, personal truths, impressions, and so on.
We need to play like crazy. Nothing was ever invented by someone who half-assed something. That may not actually be true I guess....maybe the Snuggie was intended to be a big, cheap fleece dress but the inventor was just too tired to put the back on. No matter, when we love what we do, we do better at it.
We need to sleep when we're tired, and sleep until we're satisfied. Maybe if our heads are clearer, we could drop some of the stuffiness surrounding adulthood and just be more authentic, and happy, and living in the NOW.
Speaking of sleep....
Friday, November 18, 2011
Quick Like A Bunny
1) Telestrations is one hilarious and super-fun game. A quick-hit that I'm considering buying before Thanksgiving just so we can play it with the fam....or at least before the next Big Gay Dinner Party
2) In a game of Telestrations, "throw pillows" can quickly become "betty stripes" which then slides into "betty ford standing in front of a flag." (This is to say it can go downhill quickly.) Also, just about any scene can become "indian massacre." Brutal, also true.
3) I rocked the hell out of some salad dressing tonight. Olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, maple syrup, dijon mustard and salt. (Whuuuuut?) On a spinach salad with walnuts, bacon, red onions and pears. Dang.
4) My church dinner company this time is, hands down, the best damn dinner company I've ever been a part of. I laughed so hard tonight my eyes were bulging out of my face, my SKIN hurt from being stretched because my MOUTH was open in screaming laughter. This is to say I had a nice time.
5) I was up this morning at 5am because my body woke me up at that time. I was not pleased, but I did do a full load of laundry, exercise, and have a leisurely breakfast before the time I'd normally get up.
6) GracieBeans was not pleased that I was up and not using that time to pay attention to her, so she proceeded to get into the middle of everything I was doing. This included jumping from the couch to my back mid-exercise. She is not a jumping cat, so this is saying something.
7) Speaking of GracieBeans, I just discovered that she is IN LOVE with being "lint rolled" -- positively loves it. This is good, but weird.
8) Tomorrow will be full of many obligations -- including (but by no means limited to) cooking for Steph's family's Thanksgiving on Sunday, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, returning 2 Christmas trees, and laundry. Yeesh, housewife much?
9) In light of that, I must go to bed. Now. Goodnight, moon.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
I Sang The Whole Way Home
My mom and dad occasionally tell the story about when I was young (5? 6?) and we went to Grandma and Grandpa Kemmer's house for Christmas eve (as we did every year.) I was so excited, so worked up, so wired for sound.....that as soon as I got out of the car, right before we walked up to the house.....I just had to scream.
So I did.
I still do that, when I get super excited about something.
Today I got great news, really excited, lots of energy, full of YES YES YES!! The details aren't important (and nope I won't tell you) but the way I felt? So excited....I could have screamed.
Except I was at work and one doesn't scream at work. Especially not when there's a loud student in the office right across from you, and a co-worker on the phone, and....oh lord I just realized I read that email when I was on the phone with someone ELSE! Heavens! But I stomped my feet, and I balled up my fists and made muscles in my arms, and my eyebrows leapt to the top of my forehead.
I had to hold it together for a couple of hours before I could leave work and really let it out. After lunch I'd stopped for a coffee on the way back to the office...and then as a celebratory (and sweet as pie) gesture when she couldn't get through to me on the phone, Steph brought me a coffee too (not knowing I'd just finished one.) I'm not a fidgety person, but my legs were bouncing...and I was just building up for that awesome Christmas Eve Scream.
I left work late and had to be somewhere at 6, so I had to move quickly....I thought I'd explode as soon as I left the building, but leaving the building with me was a veryprofessionalcolleague who was parked in the same lot as me....so we chatted cordially. I couldn't even skip sideways....I had to walk normally.
So I got onto my scooter, I pulled out....and I SANG THE ENTIRE WAY HOME. I laughed into the wind on the straight-aways....I yelled and yipped....and I SANG. For six minutes (I don't live far from work) I spent 2 hours worth of excitement.
When I got home I was as energetic as a Little Richard song (woooo!) and I came into the house with a huge smile on my face. Steph met me at the door, "Are you really that excited or is it the 2 big coffees you've had in the last 3 hours?"
"YESSSS!"
So I did.
I still do that, when I get super excited about something.
Today I got great news, really excited, lots of energy, full of YES YES YES!! The details aren't important (and nope I won't tell you) but the way I felt? So excited....I could have screamed.
Except I was at work and one doesn't scream at work. Especially not when there's a loud student in the office right across from you, and a co-worker on the phone, and....oh lord I just realized I read that email when I was on the phone with someone ELSE! Heavens! But I stomped my feet, and I balled up my fists and made muscles in my arms, and my eyebrows leapt to the top of my forehead.
I had to hold it together for a couple of hours before I could leave work and really let it out. After lunch I'd stopped for a coffee on the way back to the office...and then as a celebratory (and sweet as pie) gesture when she couldn't get through to me on the phone, Steph brought me a coffee too (not knowing I'd just finished one.) I'm not a fidgety person, but my legs were bouncing...and I was just building up for that awesome Christmas Eve Scream.
I left work late and had to be somewhere at 6, so I had to move quickly....I thought I'd explode as soon as I left the building, but leaving the building with me was a veryprofessionalcolleague who was parked in the same lot as me....so we chatted cordially. I couldn't even skip sideways....I had to walk normally.
So I got onto my scooter, I pulled out....and I SANG THE ENTIRE WAY HOME. I laughed into the wind on the straight-aways....I yelled and yipped....and I SANG. For six minutes (I don't live far from work) I spent 2 hours worth of excitement.
When I got home I was as energetic as a Little Richard song (woooo!) and I came into the house with a huge smile on my face. Steph met me at the door, "Are you really that excited or is it the 2 big coffees you've had in the last 3 hours?"
"YESSSS!"
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
I'd Wish This On Anyone
Tell me how much more perfect my life could be right now? I currently have my sweet dog, my constant companion and best friend for the last 7 years, curled up underneath the blanket, right next to me on the couch, sighing from her contentedness.
My Love, still my biggest surprise after all these years, is sitting in the front room talking and laughing with a friend. I love her laughter, her loudness. She's my fiercest defender, most loyal and vocal advocate. She pushes my boundaries, supports even the most stubborn parts of me, and absolutely loves me unconditionally.
Our sweetest kitties are sitting in the room with me, Frank in his perch, on top of my lockers, wondering when Steph will be in (I'll always play second fiddle to her.) GracieBeans is loafed up on the coffee table, immediately at my knee. She's taking breaks from blinking at me to go over and steal drinks of water from my cup. She's clearly waiting for me to put the laptop down and invite her up, so she can snuggle under my chin and purr so loudly I need to turn up the tv.
I am healthier than I have ever been in the last 15 years. Aside from the weight loss, after a pretty significant food overhaul, my cholesterol, triglycerides and othernumberthingies are completely normal, which has (on two occasions now) caused my doctor to jump out of her chair. The migraines I've suffered from since 2002 - the ones that could flatten me from the pain for a full day, cause me to nearly throw up when I even felt a breeze hit me....they're completely gone.
I live in a house that is happy and healthy. We have two roommates who share our (enormous) space and who I genuinely enjoy. They are both very different, but both incredibly generous and funny. I think since I lived in and ran residence halls for 10 years I really became accustomed to having different energy in the house, others around. The best part is that I don't have to bust them for alcohol use, or set up behavior agreements and/or quiet hour rules.
I have a job that I adore and look forward to doing. Sure, there's grief that comes with untangling bureaucratic red tape and getting yelled at all day...but the work that I do makes a difference every day, and it's a tangible outcome that I can really see.
While there are challenging moments, I don't have terrible days. I have love, am fiercely loved, and have so much laughter and light in my life. I wish this....on everyone.
My Love, still my biggest surprise after all these years, is sitting in the front room talking and laughing with a friend. I love her laughter, her loudness. She's my fiercest defender, most loyal and vocal advocate. She pushes my boundaries, supports even the most stubborn parts of me, and absolutely loves me unconditionally.
Our sweetest kitties are sitting in the room with me, Frank in his perch, on top of my lockers, wondering when Steph will be in (I'll always play second fiddle to her.) GracieBeans is loafed up on the coffee table, immediately at my knee. She's taking breaks from blinking at me to go over and steal drinks of water from my cup. She's clearly waiting for me to put the laptop down and invite her up, so she can snuggle under my chin and purr so loudly I need to turn up the tv.
I am healthier than I have ever been in the last 15 years. Aside from the weight loss, after a pretty significant food overhaul, my cholesterol, triglycerides and othernumberthingies are completely normal, which has (on two occasions now) caused my doctor to jump out of her chair. The migraines I've suffered from since 2002 - the ones that could flatten me from the pain for a full day, cause me to nearly throw up when I even felt a breeze hit me....they're completely gone.
I live in a house that is happy and healthy. We have two roommates who share our (enormous) space and who I genuinely enjoy. They are both very different, but both incredibly generous and funny. I think since I lived in and ran residence halls for 10 years I really became accustomed to having different energy in the house, others around. The best part is that I don't have to bust them for alcohol use, or set up behavior agreements and/or quiet hour rules.
I have a job that I adore and look forward to doing. Sure, there's grief that comes with untangling bureaucratic red tape and getting yelled at all day...but the work that I do makes a difference every day, and it's a tangible outcome that I can really see.
While there are challenging moments, I don't have terrible days. I have love, am fiercely loved, and have so much laughter and light in my life. I wish this....on everyone.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Random Things, Quick Like A Bunny
We had church small group tonight and thankfully it went much better than last time, when I had to leave because I hadn't eaten in 8 hours and I was getting rage-y, I was so hungry. (Sure, we were at a restaurant and waiting on our seats....but I didn't have that time.) I love that the group can just sit and chat and hang out, that it's not too structured all the time.
We have a box spring sitting upright in the sewing room right now that I need to remember to list on Craigslist tomorrow. The cats keep jumping to the top of it, playing King of the Mountain. GracieBeans rarely wins, and just narrowly escaped a Michael Jackson baby-dangle scene, where Frank was practically holding her over the ledge a-la Blanket.
I earned my house-worth tonight running the hair dryer on the plastic that Steph put up over the windows today. I'm a hair-drying machine.... Well, not literally.
I'm so tired my eyes are crossing. I should have started this sooner. I feel like I'm totally sucking at the blog-a-day project.
Oh - finally: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On is everything that is right with the internet.
We have a box spring sitting upright in the sewing room right now that I need to remember to list on Craigslist tomorrow. The cats keep jumping to the top of it, playing King of the Mountain. GracieBeans rarely wins, and just narrowly escaped a Michael Jackson baby-dangle scene, where Frank was practically holding her over the ledge a-la Blanket.
I earned my house-worth tonight running the hair dryer on the plastic that Steph put up over the windows today. I'm a hair-drying machine.... Well, not literally.
I'm so tired my eyes are crossing. I should have started this sooner. I feel like I'm totally sucking at the blog-a-day project.
Oh - finally: Marcel The Shell With Shoes On is everything that is right with the internet.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Knits On A Plane
I flew back from Atlanta this afternoon, after visiting my cousin, Tessa, and her family since last Thursday. We were even able to swing a quick visit with Travis (her older brother) on the way to the airport.
I love air travel (probably because it's always a personal trip, and I don't have to do it for work.) I find it relaxing and almost always worth the money, since it cuts down on all of the crap I have to do to get anywhere. While I'm not a fan of the baggage fees (really, it's stupid...and it creates a stupid "stuff-it-all" mentality that takes nothing but more time at the gate) I appreciate air travel on the whole.
I generally wait until the very last minute to board a plane....why get on early? I get that first class customers pay extra for a number of things, including the ability to board first...but why in the world is that a perk? First of all, it's hot, and they have to sit and watch allllllll of the other customers file past them, way back, to their coach seats. Plus they have to wait much longer for the plane to take off. I don't get it - clearly I was not meant to be a first-class flyer.
I was probably in the last dozen people to get on the plane -- I walked in, sat down, and settled in. Surprisingly, the travelers sitting next to me (I was by the window) weren't in their seats yet! I pulled out my knitting and a cutie gay couple came down the aisle with their eyes fixed on the two seats next to me. We exchanged hellos...and a sympathetic "sorry you're so tall" nod for the one guy...and we were set to go.
"Okay! Things are about to get crazy!" The tall guy said. I looked over to see what he meant....and they both pulled out THEIR knitting. It was like Christmas morning -- knitters! Row 21! Yaaay!! The tall one was working an intricate lace pattern, the guy in the middle, a baby sweater, and I was in the middle of a baby hat.
Even the stewardesses called us out on the overhead, after the flight rules....something about "free knitting lessons, row 21." I was in heaven.
Really it was a great way to end the trip - I had plenty of time to knit while Tessa and I were catching up, or watching movies with the girls. The guys in the row with me were talkative, but not overly chatty (just like I like it) and they didn't give me weird looks for knitting on the plane! Bonus!!
I love air travel (probably because it's always a personal trip, and I don't have to do it for work.) I find it relaxing and almost always worth the money, since it cuts down on all of the crap I have to do to get anywhere. While I'm not a fan of the baggage fees (really, it's stupid...and it creates a stupid "stuff-it-all" mentality that takes nothing but more time at the gate) I appreciate air travel on the whole.
I generally wait until the very last minute to board a plane....why get on early? I get that first class customers pay extra for a number of things, including the ability to board first...but why in the world is that a perk? First of all, it's hot, and they have to sit and watch allllllll of the other customers file past them, way back, to their coach seats. Plus they have to wait much longer for the plane to take off. I don't get it - clearly I was not meant to be a first-class flyer.
I was probably in the last dozen people to get on the plane -- I walked in, sat down, and settled in. Surprisingly, the travelers sitting next to me (I was by the window) weren't in their seats yet! I pulled out my knitting and a cutie gay couple came down the aisle with their eyes fixed on the two seats next to me. We exchanged hellos...and a sympathetic "sorry you're so tall" nod for the one guy...and we were set to go.
"Okay! Things are about to get crazy!" The tall guy said. I looked over to see what he meant....and they both pulled out THEIR knitting. It was like Christmas morning -- knitters! Row 21! Yaaay!! The tall one was working an intricate lace pattern, the guy in the middle, a baby sweater, and I was in the middle of a baby hat.
Even the stewardesses called us out on the overhead, after the flight rules....something about "free knitting lessons, row 21." I was in heaven.
Really it was a great way to end the trip - I had plenty of time to knit while Tessa and I were catching up, or watching movies with the girls. The guys in the row with me were talkative, but not overly chatty (just like I like it) and they didn't give me weird looks for knitting on the plane! Bonus!!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sunday Seven
- Today I made a meal that everyone ate the crap out of. Chicken made in the crock pot with onions and carrots, sauteed zucchini and squash. My cousin made pasta salad as another side...and it was gone in 25 minutes flat.
- We went to the park today and there was an older guy there with his "grandbaby." I love that he started chatting me up, but I felt terrible that it took me 5 minutes to decipher what he was talking about. I swear I need a southerner by my side to translate.
- I remembered today that even if you have to frog a knitting project 5 times, you need to do it as many times as necessary in order to be happy with what you're going to end up with. I'll thank myself later, even though it's been 2 days of knitting-then-frogging.
- It's been a fantastic 3 days of relaxing and spending time with my cousin and her family. For a family with three daughters, there's a lot of activity, but also a lot of relaxing.
- Their dog, Buckeye, looks EXACTLY like the Talking Dog.
- My aunt, whose suite I've been staying in, has a soaking tub and I'm about to go take advantage of it.
- I get to see my Love, Sophie, Frank & Beans tomorrow. Sweet babies!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Fuzzies
The boy too, but he doesn't care nearly as much that I'm gone as the two girls do. The boy...he only really notices when HIS girl is gone. (He thinks she hung the moon.)
Friday, November 11, 2011
Celebrity Blogging
You know how, when celebrity bloggers go out of town on vacation and they re-post old blogs while they're gone? Wouldn't that be funny here....if I re-posted, say, last Wednesday's blog? Right, not nearly as exciting.
I'm in Atlanta this weekend, visiting my cousin and her family. Mom and I were supposed to come down together, to stay with my cousin and her mom (who has a separate in-law suite) but my aunt went out of town....so just I came!
It's been years since I've been in Atlanta (probably 10, when I was in Grad School) and I think this was the first time I'd ever walked through the whole airport as an adult. When I made it almost the whole way to baggage claim...which felt like walking all the way back to Ohio...I realized I could have taken the train. Lessons learned.
The flight down was pretty awesome, though. Mom hadn't cancelled her flight since we weren't going to get anything back from it and she didn't want them to just sell it and make double the money. When we were getting ready to board, I looked up and saw Sean, our old Graduate Student from 07-08. We realized at once that we were on the same flight and figured Sean could just take my mom's seat....
....until they told us that they'd oversold the flight and had people flying stand-by, so someone had been given her seat already. They were super nice about it, though, and as a consolation prize, gave me a voucher for the cost of Mom's ticket....since it was ALMOST like she'd given her seat up for someone flying stand-by.
The woman sitting next to me offered to take Sean's seat, so we were able to chat the whole flight!!
I didn't know how the whole blog-a-day thing would work on vacation, but there's a computer just outside my bedroom...I can't promise they'll be interesting....but they'll happen.
Not every day can be a rant about tampons I suppose. (Thank goodness for that.)
I'm in Atlanta this weekend, visiting my cousin and her family. Mom and I were supposed to come down together, to stay with my cousin and her mom (who has a separate in-law suite) but my aunt went out of town....so just I came!
It's been years since I've been in Atlanta (probably 10, when I was in Grad School) and I think this was the first time I'd ever walked through the whole airport as an adult. When I made it almost the whole way to baggage claim...which felt like walking all the way back to Ohio...I realized I could have taken the train. Lessons learned.
The flight down was pretty awesome, though. Mom hadn't cancelled her flight since we weren't going to get anything back from it and she didn't want them to just sell it and make double the money. When we were getting ready to board, I looked up and saw Sean, our old Graduate Student from 07-08. We realized at once that we were on the same flight and figured Sean could just take my mom's seat....
....until they told us that they'd oversold the flight and had people flying stand-by, so someone had been given her seat already. They were super nice about it, though, and as a consolation prize, gave me a voucher for the cost of Mom's ticket....since it was ALMOST like she'd given her seat up for someone flying stand-by.
The woman sitting next to me offered to take Sean's seat, so we were able to chat the whole flight!!
I didn't know how the whole blog-a-day thing would work on vacation, but there's a computer just outside my bedroom...I can't promise they'll be interesting....but they'll happen.
Not every day can be a rant about tampons I suppose. (Thank goodness for that.)
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Gentle Guide Thoughts
Since we're on the topic of tampons
...okay, I know we weren't talking about tampons...but I'm sure someone, somewhere was...so I'm just going to piggyback on that converstaion....work with me here.
People have heard me mention before that I cannot BELIEVE that there is such a thing as a scented tampon...as though our insides need to absorb a smell. This blows me away.
What I haven't mentioned yet (but oh I'm going there right now) is that I'm pretty much aghast at the different "volumes" of tampons that are available. They are:
Light (thank God they don't spell it "lite")
Regular
Super
Super Plus
Ultra
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I will admit to you that I'm a woman who doesn't notice anything on top of the refrigerator unless I know that I need something up there, and then I look. This also translates into tampon usage -- I don't look for what I don't need. So when my needs changed (hey ladies, times change, so do our needs)....I looked.
I apologize right now to the woman in the aisle with me...because I was "that woman" who had to be audibly surprised at the tampons.
I can understand Light, Regular and Super those are pretty much no-brainers. After that, though, it seems to me that they didn't quite think the "higher volume" and "naming" part through, because the "Super Plus and Ultra" just seem like "Big, Really Big, and Woah."
I don't think I'll ever be able to buy Super Plus....mostly because of that last part. I think we've been conditioned to read "Plus" part and think there's a little extra magic added to it. Like Puffs Plus (lotion! hey!) Since I don't even like the idea of scents being all up in there, co-mingling....I certainly don't want lotion or other magic added either.
Also, Ultra? Knowing how big a Super tampon is...I absolutely cannot imagine how big an Ultra tampon would be. I'm going to stop there....it hurts me.
...okay, I know we weren't talking about tampons...but I'm sure someone, somewhere was...so I'm just going to piggyback on that converstaion....work with me here.
People have heard me mention before that I cannot BELIEVE that there is such a thing as a scented tampon...as though our insides need to absorb a smell. This blows me away.
What I haven't mentioned yet (but oh I'm going there right now) is that I'm pretty much aghast at the different "volumes" of tampons that are available. They are:
Light (thank God they don't spell it "lite")
Regular
Super
Super Plus
Ultra
Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I will admit to you that I'm a woman who doesn't notice anything on top of the refrigerator unless I know that I need something up there, and then I look. This also translates into tampon usage -- I don't look for what I don't need. So when my needs changed (hey ladies, times change, so do our needs)....I looked.
I apologize right now to the woman in the aisle with me...because I was "that woman" who had to be audibly surprised at the tampons.
I can understand Light, Regular and Super those are pretty much no-brainers. After that, though, it seems to me that they didn't quite think the "higher volume" and "naming" part through, because the "Super Plus and Ultra" just seem like "Big, Really Big, and Woah."
I don't think I'll ever be able to buy Super Plus....mostly because of that last part. I think we've been conditioned to read "Plus" part and think there's a little extra magic added to it. Like Puffs Plus (lotion! hey!) Since I don't even like the idea of scents being all up in there, co-mingling....I certainly don't want lotion or other magic added either.
Also, Ultra? Knowing how big a Super tampon is...I absolutely cannot imagine how big an Ultra tampon would be. I'm going to stop there....it hurts me.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
In lieu of thoughts, my favorite poem.
A Night Without Stars (Nancy Eimers)
And the lake was a dark spot
on a lung.
Some part of its peace was dead; the rest was temporary. Sleeping
ducks and geese,
gooseshit underfoot
and wet gray blades of grass.
The fingerlings like sleeping bullets
hung deep in the troughs of the hatchery
and cold traveled each one end to end,
such cold,
such distances.
We lay down in the grass on our backs--
beyond the hatchery the streetlights were mired in fog and so
there were no stars,
or stars would say there was no earth.
Just a single homesick firefly lit on a grass blade.
Just our fingers
curled and clutching grass,
this dark our outmost hide, and under it
true skin.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
An Elevation Change
After a few months off, I had an awesome massage tonight. Because the weather was so nice I choose to ride my scooter up to my appointment, and then run to Target and the store immediately after. To lengthen the ride, I opted go to the stores farther north, rather than the ones closer to our house.
There's this.....elevation change, a dip down, in the road that goes on for about four city blocks before it comes up again. The trees are more dense, the houses sparse. It's my favorite spot to ride through because of the way it smells. Sure, you can tell you're getting closer because the temperature drops, but then you can tell you're there...when you can smell the woods.
I know that many people are nostalgic for childhood smells, and I'm no different. Dryer sheets, cut grass, baked goods....they don't do the trick for me, though. The woods? Absolutely.
It's the woody, damp smell. The layers of dirt and moss and leaves. It's thicker, heavier air to smell.
My Great-Grandparents lived in a little house on the side of a county road with the woods behind them. I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid and the woods started out pretty scary to me. My Great-Grandpa Faudree would take me on walks though, down, past the trash burning bin and little house, to show me where the opening to the woods was, how to follow the path. Way in the back, there was a stream that had mostly dried up, but clearly used to be much more and he'd built a bridge to cross it. In no time I was out, exploring on my own.
Grandpa Faudree told me to keep an eye out for ignis fatuus...and even though he explained to me what it was, I will always define it as the word that cost him the spelling bee championship. (He thought it started with an "e" but he was wrong.) He collected the exoskeletons of cicadas while I was gone and kept them for me, until I visited the next time, hanging on the railing to the front porch. He taught me how to fire his BB gun at old cans...but made me first promise to find all of the BBs after we were done, so we could reuse them. (I only bought that one once.)
Summer hours stretched out for me there. The heat fell away to the damp, cool air....and the smell of the woods was ubiquitous.
Even though those woods are 2+ hours away, whenever I drive through that stretch and can smell the woods, I can feel the slope of the back yard towards the woods under my feet, hear him whistle as clear as a bell, and talk to the birds like old friends. Summers sure don't stretch on like they used to...but that smell and the incredible ways my Grandpa showed me his love has never left me.
There's this.....elevation change, a dip down, in the road that goes on for about four city blocks before it comes up again. The trees are more dense, the houses sparse. It's my favorite spot to ride through because of the way it smells. Sure, you can tell you're getting closer because the temperature drops, but then you can tell you're there...when you can smell the woods.
I know that many people are nostalgic for childhood smells, and I'm no different. Dryer sheets, cut grass, baked goods....they don't do the trick for me, though. The woods? Absolutely.
It's the woody, damp smell. The layers of dirt and moss and leaves. It's thicker, heavier air to smell.
My Great-Grandparents lived in a little house on the side of a county road with the woods behind them. I spent a lot of time there when I was a kid and the woods started out pretty scary to me. My Great-Grandpa Faudree would take me on walks though, down, past the trash burning bin and little house, to show me where the opening to the woods was, how to follow the path. Way in the back, there was a stream that had mostly dried up, but clearly used to be much more and he'd built a bridge to cross it. In no time I was out, exploring on my own.
Grandpa Faudree told me to keep an eye out for ignis fatuus...and even though he explained to me what it was, I will always define it as the word that cost him the spelling bee championship. (He thought it started with an "e" but he was wrong.) He collected the exoskeletons of cicadas while I was gone and kept them for me, until I visited the next time, hanging on the railing to the front porch. He taught me how to fire his BB gun at old cans...but made me first promise to find all of the BBs after we were done, so we could reuse them. (I only bought that one once.)
Summer hours stretched out for me there. The heat fell away to the damp, cool air....and the smell of the woods was ubiquitous.
Even though those woods are 2+ hours away, whenever I drive through that stretch and can smell the woods, I can feel the slope of the back yard towards the woods under my feet, hear him whistle as clear as a bell, and talk to the birds like old friends. Summers sure don't stretch on like they used to...but that smell and the incredible ways my Grandpa showed me his love has never left me.
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