I haven't touched the computer in a week, people. ONE WEEK. Not even at the library. SEVEN DAYS.
So here is what I don't miss: My time being sucked in more than I knew. I think addiction wouldn't be too strong of a word. And I don't miss the controversy I was getting myself sucked into...even mentally. And I don't miss Typepad. No....they were making me mad.
But I DO miss blogland. My commenters who write things like "I hope everything is okay with your family!" and "I had no idea we lived so close!" I miss those kinds of connections. And reading others' blogs. The sillilness. The ponderous. The ideas. And checking the weather every two minutes (because in Maine...well, the weather changes about that often...) and getting silly and blowing off steam by writing. And sharing photos of my PERFECT LIFE.
However, I'm making some real life connections. Connections with junk shops. Connections with nature.Connections with the beach. Connections with my husband who is taking Fridays off this summer. Connections with a homeschool group.. Connections with the library. And guess what? I read TWO books this past week. Let me tell you that would not be the case if I was online.
But I miss YOU.
I'll be back...but until summer calms down, baby, I'm outta here....
er...or..at least until that Internet is back up...
Here area few more photos sent to me by my Darlington Correspondent, Judi.
These were sent to her by a friends, uncles, second cousin, twice removed, I think. Which means, I don't know WHO they came from, but I"d gladly give credit if you speak up.... Anyway, these are taken around Spring Green, WI. See those wonderful rolling hills? And at the base was a lovely "creek" (or sometimes it's a "crick") that is not looking so lovely any more. And the cows. Those poor, beautiful cows. Have Pioneer Woman's cows ever been through anything so terrible?
I keep looking at this photo and thinking "I'm SURE those cows were okay in the end...after their little scare..they had a great story to tell their grandkids." But the fact is, I'm not sure what really happened. And I know that there are bigger tragedy's than this in the world...but still...I'm used to seeing cows on those rolling hills staring lackadaisically as you drive by. Masticating their cud. Not doing the doggie paddle.
Be well, cows. Swim! Tell stories to the grandkids!
Dear Typepad: You are irritating me. A great deal. But I still like you better than blogger. But behave because there is still Wordpress.
To the woman in Rockland: I've seen you twice now. You are riding a bike that looks like it's from the 1950's. You are wearing, I SWEAR, some sort of turban, a skirt and a wonderful nipped waist jacket. You should have bread in the bike basket, but I don't think you do. You just look like you came off a movie set. I was in such a hurry, but if I wasn't a "soccer mom" I would've pulled over and asked for your story. And at 9:00 p.m.?? Were you on your way to the bomb shelter? Are you a figment of my imagination? Should I be seeing a therapist for this?
To the kids at the library yesterday: You are twelve. This is NOT the age to be sitting on a boys lap and kissing him. And the eye shadow is wrong for you. Trust me. I grew up in the 80's. I invented eye shadow. Now go home and read good books, build a tree fort, fly a kite and enjoy your youth responsibly. And find your parents.
To my possible future home: I hope your key is in my hand soon, but I haven't even started packing. I've been on the phone constantly trying to figure if I am really getting the keys....it's a little stressful. Which is why, I'm repainting your really really really bright red walls in a pleasant white or creamy green when and if I DO get those keys.
To all the books I love: I really, really DO want to read you. I just can't think straight right now.
To my husband: Thanks for taking me off alone for an afternoon. Even if you didn't get to go where you wanted to. I had fun visiting junk shops. And quit buying yet MORE athletic socks every time you go to Wal-mart. I'm getting concerned.
To my daughters OT and VT therapists: I am not a bad mom. Really. It's just that things have been insane and the week rolls around SO stinking fast and I realize we haven't been practicing at home AT ALL and how did that happen? And I truly love and care about my daughter but is "there is no time" really and excuse? It's not, I know and I'm feeling the guilt. I just want you to know that.
To all my blog readers: Forgive me. It is summer. I am crazy. Life is full and crazy. Please remember me in the fall. I promise to be more amusing then.
To Ms. D: You are a great kid. Your mom has been running around for the last month, on the phone, on the computer, trying to tie all these loose ends together...your mom and dad are constantly in "intense" discussion about moving stuff...and finances... I know, that you like "the knowns" you like things to go how they should...and lately, life just hasn't been that way. And you are doing fantastic! I was so proud of you for trying so hard to get on that horse you were scared of. Prouder still that you told your instructor "No. I am not comfortable, but I'll try next week!" I'm so proud you are standing up to your friend you disagree with. I am so proud that at the homeschool group the other day you contributed to the adult conversation in such an astute way and that you were scared on the beach but you overcame it all!! Way to go!! You are marvelous and I think summers are just crazy, huh? And that when September comes will we wish for summer again? And you are growing up way to fast...your face is changing and I'm sad and excited at the same time.
Okay a pet peeve. People who say "I'm so OCD!" when they don't really have OCD. They just use the term lightly. (And foolery, I am NOT talking about you! Your post was totally amusing and you distinguished between quirks and foibles and OCD...you just reminded me of a few things that came up this week.) Real OCD is painful, people. And I'm all for finding the humor in it...I'm all for making light of the painful. But I do get tired when I hear people seriously say they HAVE OCD and have never been to a doctor to diagnose it. How about saying your ANAL or a CONTROL FREAK.....? I'm sure in another day this pet peeve will become some sort of annoyance and I'll forget why I was so mad at this...but sometimes I wish people would THINK about others who may be around them when they speak so blithely.
To K: Thanks for your encouraging email...really, really, really.
I'm getting behind on blogs and blogging. I miss it. But I don't. Is that wrong?
My parents just e-mailed me some more pictures from Darlington, WI. A.K.A My Hometown.
Note the middle left side of the picture. By the yellow pedestrian sign. That would be the end of the bridge. THe trucks in the middle of the picture are sitting on lower Main Street. See the sign at the middle right. Well, there is/was a walking trail right there. And toward the right...is this gas station..
So now we are sort of across the street from where we were before...clearly, it's gonna be a bit difficult to get some gas. High prices, high water...
Pretty much the same area, different view. That is the street, people! Wow.
I spoke to my mom again tonight. They (well, not her personally) had to close the bridge again because it was impassable. Supposed to have a bit more rain this weekend, but not a lot. Should get better. But the big question for Darlington WI is "What about Canoe Fest??!!" Canoe Fest is the annual town "shin-dig". Parades, rides, duck races, canoe races, fireworks and the crowning of "Indian Princess" who comes down the river in a canoe. I"m thinking that may not happen this year. And maybe I'm wrong but I think it's Canoe Princess now? Judi, help me out here....Canoe Princess? Indian Princess? Native American Princess? How can I forget so quickly??!!
Well, if all Darlington has to worry about is Canoe Fest, I"m really glad, the rest of the state is not faring quite so well, methinks.
I've hardly blogged at all about my parents visit. I did mention how sick we all were. But things turned around. I'm at the tail end of my cold. David's tooth is fixed, Ms. D has the flu no longer. But, alas, with these things exiting, so have my parents. We did manage to salvage a few days and here are a few pictures
Remember Elmer's Barn? From Josh and Anna's Visit? Well, we went there again.
Ms. D was somewhat disturbed by what she found there.
There is beauty in the junk, is there not?
Then we went to this great little fair called the Fiber Frolic. Very, very cool.
I was so proud of Ms. D chatting up these vendors. She was asking questions about the angoras while David and I were checking out....
...shaved alpacas...
Ms. D got a felting demonstration with Grandma. We ended up buying her the kit.
The beauty of the booths...
Then there were sheep dog demos...which had us quoting Babe...
.."Now would you ladies with the red collars kindly step inside the fence..."
...and really, what is a fair without food? I had never heard of "Fried Dough" until I went to a Maine fair...
...this one disturbs me...
And what about, you may ask, the flora and fauna of Maine this time of year? We did a little exploring before and after the Fiber Frolic Fair...
Blueberry fields...
Frog on a bank...
.
..and a fog bank.
And then we were hungry...
This is Ms. D with her two "friends", Poppy and Lupine. Poppy and Lupine are from Wiscasset, ME and join us every once in awhile when they can make the time. Yes, I know. I can't see them, either.
edited to add: I can NOT understand how screwed up this post got...thank you, typepad...
I've had a few people inquire as to how my family in Southwestern WI are doing. Thanks so much for thinking of them!
Let me tell you about Darlington. I mean, besides for the fact that Johnny Depp was just there. You know about that, right?
Anyway, Darlington is the Pearl of the Pecatonica. It says so right here.
The Pecatonica is a river in case you wondered. The main part of town is more or less in kind of a valley, which was great to know growing up because my Dad would always say that if it was tornado season we were safe because tornadoes can't really exist in a valley. Which didn't exactly put me to sleep with a huge amount of comfort, but some. I hate wind. But this post is about water, so let's get back to that....
Most of Darlington's livelihood is in a flood zone. That would be most of Main Street, the Fair Grounds, the Grocery Store, the Fire Station, The Baseball Park and the Post Office. (Thanks goodness the library is above the flood zone otherwise this would've been a problem:
)
So, obviously, back in the conception stages of the town of Darlington, there wasn't a great deal of planning going on. Everyone really thought that it was okay to build MAJOR LIFE SAVING facilities near the water. Of course, that was before global warming and the weather going completely wacky and flooding every other year. But there is municipal planning for ya.
Now and again Darlington would get a rather wet spring, in which the Fair Grounds would flood a bit. Which is really bad when you have the annual Beowulf Motorcycle Club Party going on because what can you do when you have only one designated driver for all those Beowolves and the river is creeping up?? I mean, that is just gonna lead to trouble in many ways. Wet chaps, for one.
So a little flooding was doable, but when the Mighty Pecatonica's river banks became swollen and over filled the capacity of the river bank. Well, you've got trouble, my friends. Here is some history to help you out:
The City of Darlington is located in the Southwestern Uplands geographical province of Wisconsin in the center of the know universe Lafayette County. This part of Wisconsin is noted for it's beer rugged hills and many cheese wheels ridges and curds valleys. Darlington is the County Seat, first settled in the 1850's without any forethought as a main commercial point along an early route between Galena, Illinois and Mineral Point, WI. The City had a population of 2235 in 1990.The City sustained serious damage from flooding in 1990, 1993 and 1994....and forever thereafter...
The June 1990 flood event [bold letters indicate AN EVENT]
Most
of the flood damage in Darlington was caused by riverine flooding. [Note to self: Riverine would've made a good girls name]
Flood damage included washed out bridges and roads, crop damage, damage
to businesses and homes, debris build-up in streams, downed trees,
power outages and damage to two regional hiking trails (Tri-County and
Pecatonica River). Flood waters forced the closure of all major
transportation routes into the city and several high ground portions of
Darlington were completely surrounded by flood waters. Approximately 30
businesses were damaged in Darlington's business district. Several
downtown residents were evacuated by motorboat. The City's Fire Station
was flooded and cut off from half the City and several surrounding
townships. Stormwater infiltration into the City's sanitary sewer
system and lift station resulted in the flow of untreated sewage
directly into the River. In addition, several homes experienced
basement sewer back-ups. The most heavily damaged area was
the land between Washington Street and Wells Street, and Ann Street [which 9 yrs later Maria and David would buy a house in the FLOOD ZONE, because they are adventurous and laugh in the face of danger] and
the Pecatonica River. Flood levels in approximately 30 buildings varied
from basement flooding to water 3.5 - 4 feet above the first floor.
Flood damage in Lafayette County was estimated to be more than $2.8
million. Lafayette County was included under Presidential Disaster
Declaration FEMA-DR-874-Wisconsin as part of the Pecatonica River Flood.
So there you have the "riverine" history of my home town. Straight from a Darlington Publication. This years flood could have been worse. Much worse. Here are a few pictures from the last couple days in Darlington. These were taken by a friend of a friend of a friend who, I don't really know, but I thank her for the photos.
This would be the race track at The Fairgrounds.
There is a walking trail in here somewhere, below. See the picturesque black lamps dotting the middle of this "river"...yup..that's the walking swimming trail.
...and this used to be a campground ..nestled there in the trees, along side the quietly raging river.
As I mentioned, and got SO sidetracked, many people asked how my family is faring. Well, Josh and Anna live up on a hill, and so do my parents. Appropriately, they live on Hill Street. So really, beyond inconvenience, they seem to be doing fine.
Here are some thoughts from my Darlington Correspondent, Judi:
"The only thing that I can say about
the flood is that it is NOT fun living on the "other" side of the bridge. When
we lived in town we could frequent main st often and watch the water appear and
disappear.. now that I am on the "other side" we have to be more creative about
getting to see the water... I did find a back road from my house which only took
about 15 minutes compared to the hour or so it would've taken to go through
Belmont and Mineral Point to get to the other side."
In a nutshell, what Judi means is that if you live on the "other side" of town and you want to, say, get your groceries, pay a visit to the post office, buy some shoes, say hi to the fire fighters, or generally EXIST in Darlington, you're pretty much going to have to drive an hour the "long" way around the swollen river. So, it's actually easier to go to a neighboring town for those things. Which might sound simple to someone like me, who lives on the coast of Maine where towns areveryclosetogether, but in the Mid West...well, it means to get your grocery's that's a lot of cornfields to drive by.
Sadly,those near the Wisconsin and Mississippi River are not faring as well as Darlington. In fact, Judi, sent me this link that I can NOT embed for some reason in this site...so here is a boring, old fashioned link for my up-to-date and oh-so-modern blog:
Meanwhile, go check out Relaxed Homeschools post to see what this area looked like BEFORE the above happened.
So, the big picture is not pretty. Having a bit of bad municipal planning in the 1800's is nothing compared to what most people are going through. So here is to driving the LONG way around to get your groceries!
I just saw pictures from the "TV Land Awards" I had no idea there were such awards until I decided to check my yahoo mail. The TV Land Awards accosted me on Yahoo's news website. At first, I was thinking "Oh, how interesting. Yes, I would like to see what undeceased tv stars of now defunct sit coms look like. Because I have dishes in the sink, and I don't want to do them. Plus, I haven't seen Roseanne in awhile..." I mean,wouldn't you, dear reader, have done the same? No. You would not have. You would've DONE your dishes. Because you are responsible. Because you save yourself the horror that I, in my procrastinating, irresponsible way, was privy to. You also saved yourself, no doubt, from the use of far too many, commas, like this, one. In a phrase, you did not "Sink Really Low" by viewing "yesterdays stars!"
High on my list of concerns was this photo:
Do you find that as disturbing as I do? The dress is my biggest issue. Well, not the dress, but the coverage. That really concerns me. There are impressionable young people watching this type of program. Are they going to try to copy this? Are they going to try to "fly" in a dress that is way too short? And heels, people? Heels are NOT for flying. Dorothy herself knew that a low pump was the best way to go. Meanwhile, Ms. Williams is revealing to the entire cast and crew her god given mystery. That is entirely unfair to those good folks. Did they have the option to look away? It looks like they had to smile for the camera and pretend all was well.
I can not, in all good conscience, post many more pictures of the TV Land Awards. Let me leave you with this last photo.
Too disturbing for words. But I shall try to put my feelings down in words anyway. Because I care. Because I blog. I had respect for this good doctor. He was the voice of suave reason when the rest of the deck was going willy -nilly- head -long into one crazy love scheme after another. As with the state of medical care in this country, so goes my respect.
I will leave you with Cyndy Williams. Who looked great. Who added class to the downward spiraling awards....but she looked faintly distracted. Perhaps someone was flying stage left, perhaps she had other things on her mind.
I'm too lazy to over achieve. This I have always known. I was not an
over achiever as child, I am not as an adult, an over achiever. I didn't like the over
achievers in grade school. Or high school. I still don't like them. But
now over achievers are honing in on my homeschool territory. And you
know what? They still bug me.
Tami also has a really neat post about being a Stereotypical Homeschooler. that you might want to check out.
But
what if you're a stereotypical- over -achieving homeschool mom?? I'm thinking if you are, you're probably horrified by this blog and aren't reading this anyway. I think I'm safe.
Despite my last post (from which we are sorta recovering but not quite) we all drug our sorry carcasses (carci?) to see HER. And we are all glad we did. Because it was awesome. But first, let me explain.
My dad and mom are anti-social homebodies. They prefer not to see people or go out side of the home except to get ice cream. My dad, actually enjoys people and talking to them, but my mom claims to not like people. The funny thing is, she can really draw people out and put people at ease so well. Maybe that is too much like work and she avoids it. (Maybe it's a "after forty" thing, because I SWEAR I so feel like that some days...)
Any who..my mom has eclectic and progressive taste in music. My dad likes the two Jones': Spike and Grandpa. So let's just say the twain didn't meet often. Their love was not bound by their dual devotion and interest in the same tunes. However, growing up, on a Sunday night, we'd listen to Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion (buttered popcorn made on a cast iron frying pan until my Dad discovered the air popper...) and Big Top Chautauqua. So we kinda bonded, musically that is, over whatever was playing on those particular venues. It was through Garrison Keillor, after I moved away, that my parents discovered Iris Dement. Both my parents really love her. My dad likes bluegrass and my mom likes country/folk. And then they saw her on Austin City Limits or something and loved her more. Then they got more albums. My parents. Buying albums. Where did this type of spendthriftness come from? Why didn't they have these urges when I lived at home, I wondered?
But anyway.
When I found out that Mom and Dad were coming out and Iris was gonna be playing nearby, well, I couldn't just: get. tickets. Because if I did that, this is what I would hear: (elongate your vowels when reading)
"Oooo, Maaaria?! You KNOW we don't want to bother going out....we just want to be home, that sounds like too much trouble..."
So I called to ask. Almost apologetically.
"Um, well, I know you sorta like Iris Dement. (Mumble) And I know you really won't want to, but she is playing while your here and (I got interrupted...)
"TOOOOWWWMY!" (My dad's name is Tom, mom calls him Tommy, but with a New York accent. She grew up in Wisconsin. I don't know where she got the New York accent. It just came upon her one day, like she was possessed by Linda Richman from SNL) So she goes:
"TOOOOOWWWWWMY! Mia says Iris DeMINT is coming while we're there!"
My dad could be heard in the background. He's kinda soft spoken so I knew he was excited by the inflection in his voice towards the end of the phrase:
"Oh. Really?"
"Do we want to go, Toowwmy?"
"yup.sure." By now, I was sitting down because I could tell he was really excited about going.
So we got tickets. Five of them. Mom, Dad, Ms. D and me were going out on the town! And it was great. It really was. They enjoyed every minute. They were not uncomfortable in the crowds (except Mom couldn't believe no one dressed up. Not even Iris. By way of explanation I said "Well, it's Maine. They are Yankees you take what you get." To which she replied "I had forgotten about that.") And afterwards, I almost split a gut while Dad drove us all home.
Dad: Boy she really plays the piano so good.
Mom:Well. Tooowwmy. She plays the piano well.
Dad: Which is good. Altho, the sound wasn't too "well" until she got out the guitar.
Mom: That's because...
David: Take a right up here Tom.
Mom: ...she stood closer to you..
David: Tom? Take a right? Here...
Mom:....and you could read her lips better and see her expression.
Dad: Huh?
David: ...a right...just back there..you should've took it.
Dad: Really, why didn't you speak up?
Mom: That's it! You need a hearing aid! I"m getting you a hearing aid?! Dad: Huh? She really played piano good.
And it's really hard to tell whether my Dad is just getting my mom riled up for fun or he really means it. No one is ever quite sure, but I'm inclined to believe he does it to get her going. Because it's easy to do. And fun.
Then there is the problem that I think may be generational. Pronunciation. For the record, Mom, because I know you are going to read this some day. It's Iris DEMENT. Somewhat like "Dementia" but without the "sha" sound.
This is DEMINT:
And now we will use it in a sentence: Iris Dementtook de mint and placed it on her tongue.
Surely, you must see the difference.
And, Dad, it is your turn. It's NOT Iris Dementhe. This is Dementhe.
Let's use this in a sentence: What you never knew, is that when I was 8 and Cousin Jenny was 7 we snuck Creme DeMenthe from the kitchen cabinet and made ourselves sick.
But I really think it is the same issue that makes my dad say "It lee" for Italy and my mom say things like "Warshclarth" for Washcloth. Generational. I notice, in small ways, surely, that Ms. D will look at me and say "Mom, that is not how you say it...." Along with other things like "You are SO off key..." but we aren't getting into that now.
It was an entertaining night to be sure. And Iris was fun, too.
P.S. to "K.": I think she's coming your way, soon! Check it out!!
Before I begin, let me say, that there is this weird underlining thing going on and I Don't Understand It. And, more so, I don't care. Let me explain why:
After a very nice weekend in Portland with my parents, who are visiting from here....
...we got home on Monday and Ms. D and I came down with something like this....
Which wasn't pretty, but compared to Mr. David it was a walk in the Tulieries. You see, Mr. David seemed to have a tooth ache on Friday. A molar that has been bothering him on and off. Then, on Saturday, it was worse. Eight hundred milligrams of Advil was NOT touching it. After a dentist visit on Monday we found out about this....
And the dentist made a joke about the fact we couldn't get an appointment to have the root canal done until next Wednesday, exceptit wasn't a joke. And then the Joking Dentist gave David some antibiotics and Vicadin. And within 4 hours Mr. David and I were doing this.....
(That is my mom in the background, in case you were wondering)
Meanwhile, Ms. D and were doing this....
And before you know it Ms. D was also doing this....
Except she wasn't wearing tights.
And we were trying to figure out why Mr. David was still doing the same. Over and over. And over. And again and again. Was it the Vicadin or the antibiotics or the flu or maybe he just really, really, needed to get that molar out. And work? Oh, yeah, the five hundred drywall jobs that were getting behind?? We don't know about those yet.
So, we finally find a dentist who will take out the tooth TODAY, but he wanted this....
And he wanted it IMMEDIATELY. So we did this....
And then the dentist relented and said he'd do the root canal, but we had to give him our first born, which was fine, because by this time I was all....
And I had not had one of these for about 48 hours......
Not to mention we, which really means "I",was still in the middle of doing this...
So that we could get this.....
So in between all that other stuff that involved bodily fluids I was using this alot....
And I really did try to take the advice given in this lovely photo, but it was nigh impossible. And I remembered that life used to be so simple, just a few days ago....
OH, yeah, and they are here....
Which, when are we going to actually have FUN with them, I don't know, we haven't moved from this house in the last three days.....anyway....
When I finally got to sleep around 1:00 A.M. I had really wierd dreams, like this.....
I'm just really looking forward to life getting back to normal. Like this....
Including, even, the son I don't have. He looks like a nice kid. I just hope he doesn't puke.
(Remember the part in Finding Nemo (because you've ALL seen that, right?) where Marlin, hypnotized by the Angler Fish, says "I feel....happy...which is a big deal....for me...." Well, that would be yours truly. Usually. Except today...)
Where was I? As you read this, I'm in Portland with my parents, who come to Maine every six months or so. How great is that? We get to see them at least twice a year if not more!
I've also got a really awesome homeschool group that I wrote to you about a few posts ago. Met with them on Wednesday. It was a beautiful day. And the comments from my equally wonderful online support group (that would be you) proved what a really great thing it is to find a homeschool group one "fits" with. Even if I don't knit...or crochet.
I have a wonderful husband who dropped his plans one evening so I could go out "on the town" with a girlfriend. He didn't even flinch, he just said "Go, have fun, I'll watch The Child." When he HAD had other plans, mind you.
Oh, lookie here, I think that is a gin and tonic!!
I think this is me trying to apply lip balm while using the camera lens as a mirror. Too much of the above? And check out that bling!! I am SO Brittney, huh? (And I OWN that nose, people!)
And then, get this, he did it again the next day. Changed his plans so
I could have some "down time". I give you, ladies and gentleman, an awesome husband.
And again....
Wow, he keeps looking better and better all the time...
Maybe there is a theme to all this "Feelin' Groovy" thing??
Then there is this.
I'm holding my breath. The hoops are almost jumped through, or I am, as katherine suggested "owning" the hoops. More on that later....
And then there is this.
Do you see what she's doing?
Reading.
Unbidden. Unaided. For the sheer love of it. Thank you Calvin and Hobbes!! (and VT and OT....)
And thank you ALL for your awesome and wonderful comments lately. Things have been crazy, but I love seeing your posts on my RECENT COMMENTS side bar. It's a total love fest let me tell you. Have you all been introduced? No? Let me help...
This is Katherine. Katherine meet Laura, Laura meet Bossy, Bossy meet Lori, Lori meet Val, Val meet Heather, Heather meet Barbara, Barbara meet Jax (first time commenter, thank you for stopping by) Jax meet foolery (who has me in stitches lately) and foolery meet Mommylion.
Talk about an eclectic group! And if I've missed anyones COMMENT and I swear I"ll mention you next time. Because in that Mr. Rodgers way, you are all special to me. And now, lest you think I am drinking as I write this I shall go shed tears of gratitude and love.
Go spread the love today, people. Next week I will bring you the regularly scheduled program of wit, repartee and sly self mockery. I"m not sure I AM any of those things, but I'd like to think I am SO Dorothy Parker.
Check out this video. Of course, it would help you you speak German. But you don't need to. Know why? Veg is universal. As is music.
Wanna know more? Check out their website, HERE.
This is my parents when they left Wisconsin to come to Maine over forty (gasp!) years ago. Then they had me, then they went back to Wisconsin, then I grew up, then I went to visit Maine, then I got married, then we moved back to Wisconsin, then we had a baby, then we moved back to Maine. Wonder where I"ll be in twenty years?
Meanwhile, these two are coming out for a visit in a few days. And I'm cleaning like mad.
Life has been very busy of late. Which is good. It's the stuff of summer. However, it means a little less blog time. So here is to hoping more quality even if it's less quantity, blogwise. (I know, I know, you're sitting their saying "But electically yours, always, but always provides quality to my day!?" It's true but I come from a very modest people, and couldn't say so outloud.)
I shall try to keep you abreast of all the wonderful goings on (or is it going ons?) during this coming week. Hopefully some great pictures as spring is really and truly here. At least the leaves and flowering trees say so, if not the temperature.
And in other news. Should I say this out loud? Maybe really fast, because I can't quite believe it yet. Ithinkwe'rebuyingahouse. There. I should sit on that awhile, because we still have a few hoops to jump through. And some hoops are easier than others.
Oh. Well. I just got back from reading yet another of PW's posts.( Just in case you've landed here, from, say, another planet that does not have internet access, here is her link: Pioneer Woman. See you in, oh, about 72 hours...)
You know, I'm left feeling inadequate so often after I've read about her stats completely outdoorsy family of 2 boys and 2 girls and their completely perfect life (okay, some of those kids run naked and pick their boogers, but that's just adorable when photographed correctly, right?) on the perfect ranch with the perfect calf nut clipping life. And the photos. My goodness. The photos. I know if I get Photoshop and stats that I could SO totally be Ree. (and Miz Booshay, who has the most achingly beautiful photographs that I have to close my eyes and nap after I've been to her blog because I'm just far too exhausted by the sheer weight of their beauty. I'm not kidding.)
But I'm here to show you that Ree's perfect blog life doesn't bother me. I will not let my nose be rubbed in the face of inadequacy. Nope. I got me one perfect ranch life right here...just.as.good. Um, of course,we don't exactly live on a ranch, but we have access to a horse farm. David says he couldn't quite stand to remove the testicles of calves, no matter how fun it looks in the photos...no, he says it's a little to close for comfort in terms of sympathetic pain. And I respect him for that.
And just LOOK at my man commune with nature. Horse nature. Just like Marlboro Man.
He throws his kids in the way of hard work and responsibility too, see?? Er, well, from a distance, that is.
And my punk? Is she willing to tackle the hard equine side of life? Um, well, sort of...I mean, you're probably not getting that from this picture, but I think it was the angle, don't you?
David says that chaps are the male equivalent of the garter belt. But I say chaps?? Who needs chaps? We don't need no stinking chaps!
Or maybe we do. Ya, scratch that. Chaps would certainly help a loosing battle here...
Where was I? Oh, yeah, PW has a Cowboy Josh. I have a Josh. He's my brother and he's not a cowboy, but it's close isn't it? I mean, he's just as handsome. Especially alluring when sitting so close to a Long Island Ice Tea....I'm not sure any cowboy could top that.
PW is always on about those hardworking Marlboro Man photos though, isn't she? I'm sure I had a photo of my personal Marlboro Man working hard...oh, well, this will have to do. He's hard at work trying not to laugh at my camera wielding shenanigans.
And you ever notice how P Dub always returns to certain photos??
Perhaps, however, in our case it's best not to go there...let's think happy thoughts.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have no reason to feel inadequate when I stalk...er..avidly check for new posts...casually read Ree's blog. I mean, she may have 25,000 hits a day to my 10075 25 hits but that is not what really matters. Nosirreebob. What matters is my security in my own brand of perfect life, with my own brand of perfect husband and my own brand of perfect punks.
Which is why I want to share my brand new family photo with everyone! Enjoy!!
I like my new summer blog "do" MUCH better than my new hair do...it feels fresh and, well, summery. Which is bizarre to say, because as I write this, it's about 32 degrees out. You may think I exaggerate, but I promise you that it feels like 32 degrees and that is really what matters.
One new addition to my blog is"Recent Comments" over at the right hand side bar. This gives us a chance to get to know one another and perhaps all join hands and have a sing a-long.
Typepad has changed some of their "inside" stuff. So when I post I'm figuring out how to use a bit of a new format. And frankly, I am not at one with technology. I am no Kip, I'll tell you that. So bear with me as pictures and text don't really line up that well.
Typepad also has some really neat newer color options for text which I am digging. Particularly, as they are naming the colors instead of numbering them...like this is Cactus...and Cantaloupe...and Fire Truck...and Salmon (did I ever tell you that it was the color Salmon that made me fall in love with David?) How about some Cool Granite or Mildew? Then there is Purple Dino. Sorry, Mr. Person who came up with that color name, that TOTALLY dates you. And really, Barney is a bit moreRoyal Grape don't you think?
And that, my friends, is just the colors I can write about....because there are some really cool color names that would NOT even show up here because they are too light...someone was missing the seaside when they came up with names like, Shrimp, Breakwater, Vapor, Morning Fog, Sea Mist, Sea Foam, Aqua Lung (hahaha) Sea Blue, and Dockside. Oddly, I see "Gull Guana", "Decayed Crab", "Cooked Lobster" and "Stinky Seaweed" missing from the theme. Wouldn't naming colors be the coolest job? Do you think Crayola would hire me?
Where was I? Oh, yeah, how do you like my new "do"?
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