The flight was well worth it, I was treated to some amazing meetings up there in the snowy North.
I finally got to meet my friend Spoonman, who was as charming and delightful in person as he is online.
But the real treat was meeting my new nephew Adam (picture to follow), and spending a whole lot of newborn snuggling time with him. He is so sweet and perfect.
And as I was holding him, feeding him and generally inhaling him--my older nephew, D. called on my cell phone. He chatted about college, his job, his current reading material (my book and Al Franken--smart kid) and I thought, I hope my baby nephew grows up to be as sweet as my big baby nephew.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
I hate to fly
But despite that, I'm off. Amy and I are packed and ready to go up to Ohio for a long weekend with my new nephew. I am quite looking forward to seeing everyone, even though I hate to fly. I hate to fly even more so sober, which I'll have to be with Amy.
I do feel quite badly about leaving, however. It seems like I'm abandoning the men folk around here at a particularly busy time. It's then end of soccer and start of baseball, so things got a doubled up for the weekend. And, I hate to fly.
I borrowed a laptop (mine is being repaired) so I won't be totally offline, just more so than usual, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
But flying is. Did I mention I hate to fly?
I do feel quite badly about leaving, however. It seems like I'm abandoning the men folk around here at a particularly busy time. It's then end of soccer and start of baseball, so things got a doubled up for the weekend. And, I hate to fly.
I borrowed a laptop (mine is being repaired) so I won't be totally offline, just more so than usual, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
But flying is. Did I mention I hate to fly?
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Tuesdays
Tuesday is quickly becoming one of my favorite days of the week.
What began as an attempt at "date night," a babysitter has been secured for every Tuesday evening. Sean's current travel schedule has made the original date night idea a physical impossibility, so these Tuesdays, I date myself.
After running a few errands which are considerably easier to do without help from a two year old, I usually end up wandering the aisles of a bookstore followed by dinner alone somewhere with my nose in a book.
So...
Tuesdays taste like a warm tall mocha latte.
Tuesdays feel like a newly cracked spine of a novel.
Tuesdays smell like Jasmine rice.
Tuesdays sound like whatever I decide plays on the car stereo.
Tuesdays look like heaven.
What began as an attempt at "date night," a babysitter has been secured for every Tuesday evening. Sean's current travel schedule has made the original date night idea a physical impossibility, so these Tuesdays, I date myself.
After running a few errands which are considerably easier to do without help from a two year old, I usually end up wandering the aisles of a bookstore followed by dinner alone somewhere with my nose in a book.
So...
Tuesdays taste like a warm tall mocha latte.
Tuesdays feel like a newly cracked spine of a novel.
Tuesdays smell like Jasmine rice.
Tuesdays sound like whatever I decide plays on the car stereo.
Tuesdays look like heaven.
Monday, February 20, 2006
I'm Baaackk..For a Minute Anyway...
1500 miles, 5 days, 8 inches of snow.
We're home. Not too long ago, as a matter of sad fact. (Sad that I felt compelled to write at 11:00 at night after waking at 4:30 this morning to drive home from the snow-capped mountain.
Anyway, we had a great time. The introduction of snow into the children's life experience was a positive one. Nature did us a huge solid by providing a beautiful snowstorm for us to enjoy from the mountain condo. We tubed. We sled. We skied. We ate. We drank (a lot. There were two other families who drove from Tampa to BFE to do so.) I slept. Some.
Other highlights included:
Stevie learning to ski. He took right to it, just like his mother whose muscles remembered which way down was.
Matty tubing by himself. This was a major victory since he was less than excited at the prospect, but after a couple of runs on my lap, decided he could not only go it alone, but become the Safety Harbor Flying Tomato.
Amy in a snowsuit. Needless to say, she didn't exactly love the cold stuff on her bare feet, but she was adorable with only frozen curls peeking out. She did love tubing, though.
Good friends. Spending a long weekend with lots of people is a good time.
Me finally giving up Dr. Zhivago in earnest. I figured that if snow falling all around me, hours of uninterrupted reading time, hot cocoa and Olympic hockey playing in the background couldn't coax me into this book, then nothing will. I opted for a 6 year old issue of Country Living, instead.
I returned to a full plate of fun news, my nephew entered the world a month early, so I will fly up in a couple of days to meet him. I am looking forward to that more than I can say.
Missed you, though.
We're home. Not too long ago, as a matter of sad fact. (Sad that I felt compelled to write at 11:00 at night after waking at 4:30 this morning to drive home from the snow-capped mountain.
Anyway, we had a great time. The introduction of snow into the children's life experience was a positive one. Nature did us a huge solid by providing a beautiful snowstorm for us to enjoy from the mountain condo. We tubed. We sled. We skied. We ate. We drank (a lot. There were two other families who drove from Tampa to BFE to do so.) I slept. Some.
Other highlights included:
Stevie learning to ski. He took right to it, just like his mother whose muscles remembered which way down was.
Matty tubing by himself. This was a major victory since he was less than excited at the prospect, but after a couple of runs on my lap, decided he could not only go it alone, but become the Safety Harbor Flying Tomato.
Amy in a snowsuit. Needless to say, she didn't exactly love the cold stuff on her bare feet, but she was adorable with only frozen curls peeking out. She did love tubing, though.
Good friends. Spending a long weekend with lots of people is a good time.
Me finally giving up Dr. Zhivago in earnest. I figured that if snow falling all around me, hours of uninterrupted reading time, hot cocoa and Olympic hockey playing in the background couldn't coax me into this book, then nothing will. I opted for a 6 year old issue of Country Living, instead.
I returned to a full plate of fun news, my nephew entered the world a month early, so I will fly up in a couple of days to meet him. I am looking forward to that more than I can say.
Missed you, though.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
And I am outta here...
Well, tomorrow we're headed off for the mountains for an introduction to this thing they call, "snow." 2 out of the 3 minors have never seen it, so we're going to submerge them in it for a few days in NC.
I'm sort of looking forward to a getaway, although the 12 hour drive to and fro will be no picnic, but I suppose I will get into the spirit as soon as I chew on my first Twizzler going down I-75...
Have a nice weekend, folks.
I'm sort of looking forward to a getaway, although the 12 hour drive to and fro will be no picnic, but I suppose I will get into the spirit as soon as I chew on my first Twizzler going down I-75...
Have a nice weekend, folks.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Back to Reality
OK, I've come down a bit after the weekend fun. Now that the number is 3 and sometimes four digits, I care less for it than when it was a dozen. ;)
So, that leaves the rest of my life which is busy enough. Another round of tests for Amy this week--hearing this time--so that is joyous fun. I finished a nice read, Best Friends, by Martha Moody, and I've picked up Dr. Zhivago again for the tenth time. Earlier this week I had a raging case of insomnia, and the good Russian doctor is curing it nicely. I just feel too gulity not to finish a book.
That's my Thursday story, folks. Weekend fancy doings and then a little getaway to the mountains next week. I know you can't wait to hear all about it.
So, that leaves the rest of my life which is busy enough. Another round of tests for Amy this week--hearing this time--so that is joyous fun. I finished a nice read, Best Friends, by Martha Moody, and I've picked up Dr. Zhivago again for the tenth time. Earlier this week I had a raging case of insomnia, and the good Russian doctor is curing it nicely. I just feel too gulity not to finish a book.
That's my Thursday story, folks. Weekend fancy doings and then a little getaway to the mountains next week. I know you can't wait to hear all about it.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
117 was soooo yesterday...
I ate 117 for breakfast.
This morning, it remains at 15 on the B&N "Hot List"--which is based on sales for an hourly period. I am beyond any measure of excitement and complete humbled awe over that.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
117...
117?
This number could represent the number of hate letters delivered to Barnes and Noble.com so far. It could designate the number of lashes with a bamboo cane I will receive. It could even be the enjoyment tax charged yesterday for being so happily overwhelmed at the book release.
I have no idea what the Barnes and Noble Sales Rank Number is, but I suspect that 117 is respectable.
Right? (And please don't kill my self-delusional buzz if it's not.)
This number could represent the number of hate letters delivered to Barnes and Noble.com so far. It could designate the number of lashes with a bamboo cane I will receive. It could even be the enjoyment tax charged yesterday for being so happily overwhelmed at the book release.
I have no idea what the Barnes and Noble Sales Rank Number is, but I suspect that 117 is respectable.
Right? (And please don't kill my self-delusional buzz if it's not.)
Friday, February 03, 2006
The 5th greatest day of my life
My Book
OKay, behind the births of my children and wedding day, of course.
But this was like giving birth in a way so it’s right up there.
It was so surreal to see this—my mind hasn’t fully grasped it yet. I am curiously calm, but with the knowledge that my composure is short-lived and will soon dissolve into joyous tears when the full impact reaches my nerve-endings.
OKay, behind the births of my children and wedding day, of course.
But this was like giving birth in a way so it’s right up there.
It was so surreal to see this—my mind hasn’t fully grasped it yet. I am curiously calm, but with the knowledge that my composure is short-lived and will soon dissolve into joyous tears when the full impact reaches my nerve-endings.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Point of Order
If Donald Trump is successful in his lawsuit against the writer who said he wasn’t a billionaire, he then, in fact, becomes a billionaire.
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Poetic Memory
I'm slowly returning to my accustomed reading pace, after about 3 months of simply inching through novels. The book I just finished, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, by Milan Kundera, reminds me why this is such an important part of my life. The beauty of words is my breath more often that I can to admit.
The brain appears to possess a special area which we might call poetic memory and which records everything that charms or touches us, that makes our lives beautiful...I have said before that metaphors are dangerous. Love begins with a metaphor. Which is to say, love begins at the point when a woman enters her first word into our poetic memory.
The brain appears to possess a special area which we might call poetic memory and which records everything that charms or touches us, that makes our lives beautiful...I have said before that metaphors are dangerous. Love begins with a metaphor. Which is to say, love begins at the point when a woman enters her first word into our poetic memory.
Monday, January 23, 2006
I Got Mail Today
I am holding it.
In my hands.
It is glossy and sleek, and it is mine.
It is within a week of being set free, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry or throw up, so I am doing all three.
In my hands.
It is glossy and sleek, and it is mine.
It is within a week of being set free, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry or throw up, so I am doing all three.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Another Weekend
And chock full of excitement, I tell ya!
Sleepover tonight--no sleep for most of the house, actually.
Baseball tryouts tomorrow--our lives are about to completely be at the mercy of that relentless schedule for the next 3 months.
Sean off to Asheville on Sunday--our new weekly routine, most difficult on all, but especially for him. I feel bad that he's traveling so much.
If we could just throw in a fever, a hockey game and profuse vomiting, we'd have a typical Henry weekend.
Enjoy yours.
Sleepover tonight--no sleep for most of the house, actually.
Baseball tryouts tomorrow--our lives are about to completely be at the mercy of that relentless schedule for the next 3 months.
Sean off to Asheville on Sunday--our new weekly routine, most difficult on all, but especially for him. I feel bad that he's traveling so much.
If we could just throw in a fever, a hockey game and profuse vomiting, we'd have a typical Henry weekend.
Enjoy yours.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Happy Anniversary
Yes, it's our Anniversary today. The 14th as a matter of fact.
In the past, we try to be traditionalists when it comes to our anniversary gifts. We like to creatively give the traditional material that etiquette dictates--for example, for the paper anniversary, I subscribed to the newspaper. I think he got me a curling iron for our sixth. That sort of thing. Well, the 14th is the ivory anniversary. What do you do for that?
He doesn't play the piano, nor do I want to spend hundreds on scrimshaw for whimsy. I suppose I could give him the complete Keenan Ivory Wayans DVD box set...but that's not a whole lot of fun, either. A trip to the Ivory Coast? I am really looking forward to next year when crystal is on the calendar. I ended up getting him some ivory-colored silk shirts and ties.
So instead of a traditional gift exchange, we are going to the Tampa opening of "Wicked," and dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Maybe I'll order the elephant ears.
In the past, we try to be traditionalists when it comes to our anniversary gifts. We like to creatively give the traditional material that etiquette dictates--for example, for the paper anniversary, I subscribed to the newspaper. I think he got me a curling iron for our sixth. That sort of thing. Well, the 14th is the ivory anniversary. What do you do for that?
He doesn't play the piano, nor do I want to spend hundreds on scrimshaw for whimsy. I suppose I could give him the complete Keenan Ivory Wayans DVD box set...but that's not a whole lot of fun, either. A trip to the Ivory Coast? I am really looking forward to next year when crystal is on the calendar. I ended up getting him some ivory-colored silk shirts and ties.
So instead of a traditional gift exchange, we are going to the Tampa opening of "Wicked," and dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Maybe I'll order the elephant ears.
Friday, January 06, 2006
2006 is Messy
I am a bad blogger, I realize. However the following update will also serve as an explanation, I assure you.
Of course we had a wonderful holiday. We were all spoiled, and it was a relaxing time. That controlled Christmas chaos was then replaced by noisy and messy chaos on the 26th when the kitchen demolition/remodel began.
Everything had to be taken out of the kitchen and laundry room to clear the way for the cabinet dismantle. I will spare you the sawdusty details, but suffice it to say banquet tables were lined up in every spare corner of the house (already overflowing from new Christmas gear) and the contents of the two busiest rooms in the house were piled upon them. We have paths from one table to the next. We have no kitchen sink, so no cooking, ergo take out containers and paper plates and forks are everywhere.
While I am very excited for the end product (as of today the new cabinets are installed and we now await the granite counters on Monday) I am having a hard time living in this mess. My mind just doesn't seem to work well in this amount of disarray...
But at least it distracts me from the no book news. The last update was the Library of Congress assignment--I do not believe much governmental business was conducted during the week between Christmas and New Years. I fully expect movement any minute to the presses and eventual release, but I've been saying that for a month now, and I don't believe me either. So I wait on that.
I take Amy to the doctor again shortly. This was supposed to be a well visit, but guess who is running a fever? Oh, you're so intuitive!
So I guess there are some constants in my life.
Of course we had a wonderful holiday. We were all spoiled, and it was a relaxing time. That controlled Christmas chaos was then replaced by noisy and messy chaos on the 26th when the kitchen demolition/remodel began.
Everything had to be taken out of the kitchen and laundry room to clear the way for the cabinet dismantle. I will spare you the sawdusty details, but suffice it to say banquet tables were lined up in every spare corner of the house (already overflowing from new Christmas gear) and the contents of the two busiest rooms in the house were piled upon them. We have paths from one table to the next. We have no kitchen sink, so no cooking, ergo take out containers and paper plates and forks are everywhere.
While I am very excited for the end product (as of today the new cabinets are installed and we now await the granite counters on Monday) I am having a hard time living in this mess. My mind just doesn't seem to work well in this amount of disarray...
But at least it distracts me from the no book news. The last update was the Library of Congress assignment--I do not believe much governmental business was conducted during the week between Christmas and New Years. I fully expect movement any minute to the presses and eventual release, but I've been saying that for a month now, and I don't believe me either. So I wait on that.
I take Amy to the doctor again shortly. This was supposed to be a well visit, but guess who is running a fever? Oh, you're so intuitive!
So I guess there are some constants in my life.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
I'm late, as usual
The Christmas/Easter cards have not arrived yet!!
They were shipped on 12/13, and it is now the 21st after the mail has come...Happy New Year everyone.
And to add to the seasonal mayhem, the kitchen is scheduled to be started on 12/27. Yes, 2 days after Christmas, I need the kitchen and laundry room cabinets, drawers and counters emptied and void of all of the crap I've been squirreling away in there. The washer and dryer broke yesterday, so not only do I have piles of unlaundered laundry, I had to shell out some hard pressed December cash on appliances that only cause more work for me. I hate that.
And now, a slight delay in book release. I have no idea what "slight" translates into, but hopefully it just means we'll be celebrating New Year's with hot copies of SD.
Oy. I'm going to have an egg nog.
They were shipped on 12/13, and it is now the 21st after the mail has come...Happy New Year everyone.
And to add to the seasonal mayhem, the kitchen is scheduled to be started on 12/27. Yes, 2 days after Christmas, I need the kitchen and laundry room cabinets, drawers and counters emptied and void of all of the crap I've been squirreling away in there. The washer and dryer broke yesterday, so not only do I have piles of unlaundered laundry, I had to shell out some hard pressed December cash on appliances that only cause more work for me. I hate that.
And now, a slight delay in book release. I have no idea what "slight" translates into, but hopefully it just means we'll be celebrating New Year's with hot copies of SD.
Oy. I'm going to have an egg nog.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
The Week Ahead
I am staring ahead at the week of Christmas eves and evenings bravely.
In a mere 6 hours, this house will be filled with people for the annual Wrapping Party. Tomorrow is the company Christmas party and Tuesday is the scheduled finish shopping target. (Christmas cards are going out sometime in there, too) Wednesday and Thursday are the detail attending days--wrapping, shopping, baking...and Friday Dad arrives for Christmas.
I had a weak moment last night--a dent in my holiday armor--where I thought I had perhaps over-committed and that I wasn't going to be able to pull this off in typical unflappable fashion.
I have since buffed that dent right out with some royal icing and a stick of unsalted butter which I actually have enough left to whip up a batch of cookies for the party today.
Bring it, beyotch.
In a mere 6 hours, this house will be filled with people for the annual Wrapping Party. Tomorrow is the company Christmas party and Tuesday is the scheduled finish shopping target. (Christmas cards are going out sometime in there, too) Wednesday and Thursday are the detail attending days--wrapping, shopping, baking...and Friday Dad arrives for Christmas.
I had a weak moment last night--a dent in my holiday armor--where I thought I had perhaps over-committed and that I wasn't going to be able to pull this off in typical unflappable fashion.
I have since buffed that dent right out with some royal icing and a stick of unsalted butter which I actually have enough left to whip up a batch of cookies for the party today.
Bring it, beyotch.
Saturday, December 10, 2005
This might have to do for a Christmas Card
It's not the shopping, wrapping, or decorating. It is not the schedule shuffling, partying, baking, or even shipping of the gifts. The cooking or arranging of babysitters won't even be my downfall.
No, this holiday season, I will be defeated by the kid's Christmas picture.
I tried a month ago to bring them all to a photographer to get the annual Xmas/Amy birthday photo taken. That was an utter disater. Amy would have nothing to do with capturing her image on film that day, so we left picture-less with the thought that I would complete the task myself when she was in a better mood.
Apparently, this is a far deeper issue with her, as every subsequent attempt has been met with the same fit of screams and tears. How she can be laughing one minute at the Spongebob Christmas special, then in a fit of un-Yuletide tears when she spies the camera the next, is beyond me.
So here it is, December 10, and if I don't find some way to record their images today so the Shutterfly order can be placed before New Year's, you all might be getting the generic Happy Holidays sans graphics. My humble apologies.
How can this face deny the world of her beauty???
No, this holiday season, I will be defeated by the kid's Christmas picture.
I tried a month ago to bring them all to a photographer to get the annual Xmas/Amy birthday photo taken. That was an utter disater. Amy would have nothing to do with capturing her image on film that day, so we left picture-less with the thought that I would complete the task myself when she was in a better mood.
Apparently, this is a far deeper issue with her, as every subsequent attempt has been met with the same fit of screams and tears. How she can be laughing one minute at the Spongebob Christmas special, then in a fit of un-Yuletide tears when she spies the camera the next, is beyond me.
So here it is, December 10, and if I don't find some way to record their images today so the Shutterfly order can be placed before New Year's, you all might be getting the generic Happy Holidays sans graphics. My humble apologies.
How can this face deny the world of her beauty???
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
I'm Done!
Well, not really, actually, not even that close...but I have reached a major milestone in my Christmas shopping.
I have all of the out of town gifts purchased! Woohoooo!
And I am quite happy with my purchases to boot.
So now the wrapping and the shipping--the bane of my holiday existence--but tonight I will relish in my consumer accomplishments.
I have all of the out of town gifts purchased! Woohoooo!
And I am quite happy with my purchases to boot.
So now the wrapping and the shipping--the bane of my holiday existence--but tonight I will relish in my consumer accomplishments.
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