We're supposed to get rain today. Looking at those clouds, I believe it. We could use the moisture, but I miss the blue skies we've had the last few days.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Storm clouds.
We have a couple of pear trees, one in the front yard and one in the back. I took a picture of the front yard tree to show its pretty flowers. They aren't that impressive, but the first year it flowered I think it had about three blossoms. So this is progress. We'll have to try to relocate it to a different place in the yard before they put sidewalks on our street (it is years away and already I'm complaining about it), which will be interesting.
We're supposed to get rain today. Looking at those clouds, I believe it. We could use the moisture, but I miss the blue skies we've had the last few days.
I did make a card to send to Diane. Hopefully I can get a picture before I put it out for the letter carrier. I have three cards to mail: Diane, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in law (one of my sisters-in-law; I have a few).
Our grass looks like lush green carpet. I should try to take a picture of that, too. Remember when we'd take pictures and then wait a week or so to fill up the roll of film and then get it developed? You'd get the pictures back and be half surprised by what was in there. Sometimes you'd take a great picture of you and your friends, only to find that it was all out of focus and you had your eyes closed and mouth open. That was definitely my experience more than once.
We're supposed to get rain today. Looking at those clouds, I believe it. We could use the moisture, but I miss the blue skies we've had the last few days.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
The sads.
Yesterday was the first Farmer's Market of the year in this city. I was excited to march the kids downtown so I could look at all the nice veggies and then buy a couple of cookies. It is a very small farmer's market as these things go (maybe 30 vendors at the most) but it has a nice variety and is an excuse to go for a walk on a Saturday morning.
It didn't happen. Instead, earlier in the week I was perusing the obituaries (I always check the births and deaths, liking familiar names in the first and dreading them in the second) and saw a name I knew. Our old neighbor, Diane, who was a lot like a mom to me while we were next door to each other, lost her daughter (who was 43 years old). My husband had to work yesterday (he's on every other weekend and it is nearly impossible to find somebody to trade with such short notice) but I really wanted to attend the memorial. So we rummaged around for a while and finally found a babysitter for the two younger kids. I figured I'd take the 10-year-old for a few reasons. 1) Death is the most natural thing in the world, 2) It was a memorial, so no worries about him seeing a dead body (death is natural but can be unnerving to kids, if I remember right), 3) It would be many times easier for the babysitter (and for us to find one at all) if they didn't have to watch all three, as the two older ones fight like it's their job. Also I liked the idea of having his company.
I barely knew the woman who had died (we met maybe twice), but I have become quite the crybaby in the last few years and knew I'd be weepy for her mom's sake (a parent burying a child, just the saddest thing). I held it together during the service (it was at a church and run by a minister) until the Air Force color guard did their thing. The folding of the flag lasted forever, and then they played Taps and I was done. DONE. I think I am programmed to cry when I hear it (please tell me I'm not alone here).
Then the mom and an aunt who had been especially close got up to speak, and that was rough. I'm not the most sympathetic or empathetic person in the world, but their pain was like a physical thing in the room.
Afterwards we drove home through a cleansing spring rain into the sunshine. Hello, symbolic weather. I was very glad to have gone to the memorial. At a time like this, what do I have to give but my support?
Here's a question. A week from today is Mother's Day. Last year I made over 50 cards and sent them out to various family and friends. It felt great and I was thrilled by how many people mentioned it to me later. That won't be happening this year. I have yet to start the first Mother's Day card, though I really, really need to make one for my mom, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law who cares for my mother-in-law and is a wonderful person (and who looks at my kids almost like grandkids - she is 12 years older than my husband and was like a little mom to him). I want to make one for Diane, too. My first thought was that it might be harder for her, as she just lost her daughter (incredibly, her other daughter died about 15 years ago and she didn't have any other children). But getting a card from me won't remind her that her daughter is gone - it isn't something that can be forgotten. I'd like to give her a little comfort, and she might not get any other cards, which could be bad since we put such a gigantic spotlight on Mother's Day (brunch! jewelry! flowers! chocolate! sappy cards!).
Help me out here, please. Also, sorry about the long paragraphs and even longer sentences. I'm a rambler. It's what I do.
It didn't happen. Instead, earlier in the week I was perusing the obituaries (I always check the births and deaths, liking familiar names in the first and dreading them in the second) and saw a name I knew. Our old neighbor, Diane, who was a lot like a mom to me while we were next door to each other, lost her daughter (who was 43 years old). My husband had to work yesterday (he's on every other weekend and it is nearly impossible to find somebody to trade with such short notice) but I really wanted to attend the memorial. So we rummaged around for a while and finally found a babysitter for the two younger kids. I figured I'd take the 10-year-old for a few reasons. 1) Death is the most natural thing in the world, 2) It was a memorial, so no worries about him seeing a dead body (death is natural but can be unnerving to kids, if I remember right), 3) It would be many times easier for the babysitter (and for us to find one at all) if they didn't have to watch all three, as the two older ones fight like it's their job. Also I liked the idea of having his company.
I barely knew the woman who had died (we met maybe twice), but I have become quite the crybaby in the last few years and knew I'd be weepy for her mom's sake (a parent burying a child, just the saddest thing). I held it together during the service (it was at a church and run by a minister) until the Air Force color guard did their thing. The folding of the flag lasted forever, and then they played Taps and I was done. DONE. I think I am programmed to cry when I hear it (please tell me I'm not alone here).
Then the mom and an aunt who had been especially close got up to speak, and that was rough. I'm not the most sympathetic or empathetic person in the world, but their pain was like a physical thing in the room.
Afterwards we drove home through a cleansing spring rain into the sunshine. Hello, symbolic weather. I was very glad to have gone to the memorial. At a time like this, what do I have to give but my support?
Here's a question. A week from today is Mother's Day. Last year I made over 50 cards and sent them out to various family and friends. It felt great and I was thrilled by how many people mentioned it to me later. That won't be happening this year. I have yet to start the first Mother's Day card, though I really, really need to make one for my mom, my mother-in-law, and my sister-in-law who cares for my mother-in-law and is a wonderful person (and who looks at my kids almost like grandkids - she is 12 years older than my husband and was like a little mom to him). I want to make one for Diane, too. My first thought was that it might be harder for her, as she just lost her daughter (incredibly, her other daughter died about 15 years ago and she didn't have any other children). But getting a card from me won't remind her that her daughter is gone - it isn't something that can be forgotten. I'd like to give her a little comfort, and she might not get any other cards, which could be bad since we put such a gigantic spotlight on Mother's Day (brunch! jewelry! flowers! chocolate! sappy cards!).
Help me out here, please. Also, sorry about the long paragraphs and even longer sentences. I'm a rambler. It's what I do.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Sick-ish.
I was wandering around Walmart with my 3-year-old (who kept mentioning, loudly, how much he hates Walmart) when my phone rang. It was the school nurse, telling me that the 7-year-old didn't feel good. We thought it was because he didn't have enough breakfast (less time eating means more time playing!) but I've guessed wrong before. The last time I did that he threw up at school - during rug time. Yikes.
So we brought him home. He looked miserable in the nurse's office, miserable in the van driving home, but pretty darn perky once we walked in the door. Hmmmm. Next time he'll have to, to quote Ferris Bueller, "barf up a lung" if he wants his tummy ache to be taken seriously.
The city is putting in sidewalks on a street a block away from us (there's a rumor floating around that we're next, in either 2015 or 2016), so we have been hearing lots of beeping and clanking since Monday morning. Monday they did the part closest to us, so we got to see some semis right in front of the house. We are on a completely residential street, so that is unusual. As I am one of the least mechanical people I've ever met, I enjoy seeing the big trucks. I especially loved it when one guy backed up the hill in front of our house and turned his truck to his left (all regular two-lane city streets) to make a giant Y turn. When he curved his trailer left he missed the curb by inches. I was sure he wouldn't make it - I guess that's why he drives the truck and I don't.
That is pretty much the extent of the excitement around here. I'm not complaining. After watching the horrible thing that happened in Boston and the horrible thing in Texas, I am grateful for my mundane life. Also, the sun is shining today. Yesterday I went outside and could see my breath, so today's sun and seasonable temperature is a joy.
So we brought him home. He looked miserable in the nurse's office, miserable in the van driving home, but pretty darn perky once we walked in the door. Hmmmm. Next time he'll have to, to quote Ferris Bueller, "barf up a lung" if he wants his tummy ache to be taken seriously.
The city is putting in sidewalks on a street a block away from us (there's a rumor floating around that we're next, in either 2015 or 2016), so we have been hearing lots of beeping and clanking since Monday morning. Monday they did the part closest to us, so we got to see some semis right in front of the house. We are on a completely residential street, so that is unusual. As I am one of the least mechanical people I've ever met, I enjoy seeing the big trucks. I especially loved it when one guy backed up the hill in front of our house and turned his truck to his left (all regular two-lane city streets) to make a giant Y turn. When he curved his trailer left he missed the curb by inches. I was sure he wouldn't make it - I guess that's why he drives the truck and I don't.
That is pretty much the extent of the excitement around here. I'm not complaining. After watching the horrible thing that happened in Boston and the horrible thing in Texas, I am grateful for my mundane life. Also, the sun is shining today. Yesterday I went outside and could see my breath, so today's sun and seasonable temperature is a joy.
Monday, April 8, 2013
We walked the walk.
Yesterday was, after a while, a nice sunny day. So after my husband got home from work we all hopped in the van and headed to a relatively nearby state park that we like. It's called Devil's Lake, and I kidded that we couldn't have gone if it was called Angel's Lake (the kids knew I was talking to/about them).
There weren't many people there, which was perfect. The older two boys wanted to climb everything. They climbed fallen logs, boulders, a concrete piling, a cliff face. They climbed into a cave. The world's teeniest cave, but big enough to make me nervous. They found a little garbage and some empty beer cans, but thankfully no wildlife. I love wildlife - from a distance.
After dragging them away from their vertical adventures we wandered along some train tracks for a while. It was safe as far as trains go, but to our left was a drop-off into the icy lake. I tried not to mention that, since I knew it would then be irresistible. There are a few Indian mounds up there. We found one shaped like a swallowtail bird. Gus was fascinated. He ran around it and found a dreamcatcher and chimes (like something you'd stick in your lawn) at the head. I'd told them to stay off it, but it was close enough to the edge that he could hang onto a nearby tree and lean over just enough to ring the chime.
More wandering around, then we found the trail that led up the bluff. We made it to the top with much huffing and puffing. If I'd known that it was a 'difficult', steep climbing trail' with some real elevation, I'd have happily retraced my steps along the railroad tracks. By the time I figured it out we were a good way up (though not as close to the top as I thought), and besides going back down wouldn't have been any easier. My husband had Nev in a child-carrier backpack. The pack is incredibly light, but Nev weighs around 30 pounds. I didn't envy him the weight or the little voice that said, "Go, Dad!" every time he paused.
Thanks to all our fooling around the sun set while we were up there. We were hoofing it but still ran out of light. Luckily there was lots of snow to reflect what little light we had. It also was great for soaking our feet. Long story (and walk) short, we made it out and lived to tell the tale. We lived to eat dinner at A&W, too. It was a very long day, and we all got to bed way later than anybody should on a Sunday. But the kids enjoyed it and want to go up again. Up to the park, that is. I have no intention of climbing that bluff again, CERTAINLY not on that trail.
We asked the boys later if it was hard work, climbing up the rocks like that. Gabe said 'sort of', and Gus said that when we reached the top he was almost sweating. I barely survived it, and he wasn't even dewy. To quote a friend's refrigerator magnet: Children keep you young, but first they make you old.
There weren't many people there, which was perfect. The older two boys wanted to climb everything. They climbed fallen logs, boulders, a concrete piling, a cliff face. They climbed into a cave. The world's teeniest cave, but big enough to make me nervous. They found a little garbage and some empty beer cans, but thankfully no wildlife. I love wildlife - from a distance.
After dragging them away from their vertical adventures we wandered along some train tracks for a while. It was safe as far as trains go, but to our left was a drop-off into the icy lake. I tried not to mention that, since I knew it would then be irresistible. There are a few Indian mounds up there. We found one shaped like a swallowtail bird. Gus was fascinated. He ran around it and found a dreamcatcher and chimes (like something you'd stick in your lawn) at the head. I'd told them to stay off it, but it was close enough to the edge that he could hang onto a nearby tree and lean over just enough to ring the chime.
More wandering around, then we found the trail that led up the bluff. We made it to the top with much huffing and puffing. If I'd known that it was a 'difficult', steep climbing trail' with some real elevation, I'd have happily retraced my steps along the railroad tracks. By the time I figured it out we were a good way up (though not as close to the top as I thought), and besides going back down wouldn't have been any easier. My husband had Nev in a child-carrier backpack. The pack is incredibly light, but Nev weighs around 30 pounds. I didn't envy him the weight or the little voice that said, "Go, Dad!" every time he paused.
Thanks to all our fooling around the sun set while we were up there. We were hoofing it but still ran out of light. Luckily there was lots of snow to reflect what little light we had. It also was great for soaking our feet. Long story (and walk) short, we made it out and lived to tell the tale. We lived to eat dinner at A&W, too. It was a very long day, and we all got to bed way later than anybody should on a Sunday. But the kids enjoyed it and want to go up again. Up to the park, that is. I have no intention of climbing that bluff again, CERTAINLY not on that trail.
We asked the boys later if it was hard work, climbing up the rocks like that. Gabe said 'sort of', and Gus said that when we reached the top he was almost sweating. I barely survived it, and he wasn't even dewy. To quote a friend's refrigerator magnet: Children keep you young, but first they make you old.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
OLW 134 or I'm Hanging In There.
I am doing the One-Layer Wednesday challenge again. This time the idea is to make a card based on 'threesome'. I was inspired by Susan's enormous amounts of white space, but I thought I'd make mine kraft-colored. The three is in the three little flowers (colored in with pencils). This card was HARD for me. I seriously wanted to add some stuff in the opposite corner, maybe some grass under the flowers. But I held firm and am very pleased with myself for that. [stamp by SU]
After making a card with so little going on, I had to do something different. So I got out a background stamp. That is the antidote to white space, for sure. [background stamp by Hero Arts, lizard I can't remember but could look it up]
We got a thing from the school yesterday (they could have sent it anytime, but it surfaced from the backpacks yesterday) about free dental screenings. They do check-ups, fillings, and extractions if needed. Coincidentally my kids have a dentist appointment scheduled for today, but I am so glad that the screenings exist for those who need it. Dental pain = no fun. I had huge dentist phobias from bad experiences as a kid, which were only dealt with when I hit my early 30s and had a wisdom tooth going bad fast. I found a wonderful, compassionate, in-my-age-group dentist who helped me get all caught up. Then we moved and I switched dentists, but I left the other guy a great review on Yelp.
The sun is out again! I need to hook up the bike trailer and take my little guy for a ride. I need the exercise, and it will give the cats a little peace while we're out.
After making a card with so little going on, I had to do something different. So I got out a background stamp. That is the antidote to white space, for sure. [background stamp by Hero Arts, lizard I can't remember but could look it up]
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Not too early for a drink.
I'm brewing up a cup of tea. Chamomile - not my usual. Normally I'm all about the black tea (but from bags, I'm not fancy or particularly knowledgeable). This morning I had this fabulous Lapsang Souchong. It smells like woodsmoke, which I really like. It isn't the strongest stuff, but the wonderful aroma makes up for that a little bit.
On Sunday we celebrated Easter at my sister-in-law's house. There was a lot of food, and I did my best to consume as much as possible. A different sister-in-law makes this unbelievable potato and cheese dish that she brings in a giant slow cooker. Criminy, I made a total pig of myself and would do it again if I could. It was probably the least healthy thing I had all day (keeping in mind that I also gorged myself on turtle Kringle) and the tastiest.
Right now I'm looking out my kitchen windows and hearing birdsong. The windows face south and show me the back of my neighbors' homes. Not exciting, but occasionally I'll see the neighbor's dog dropping some bombs on their lawn. I am glad for their fence. Interestingly, we've never seen anybody pick up any of the dog poopies, and we have lived here for nearly six years. They only go on the grass to mow it; I think we know why.
Have you ever changed the batteries on a device only to discover that something else was the problem? I just did that with my little Bluetooth keyboard. In similar news, we keep losing the remote to our digital tv box, the only way to change the channels. Maybe we should return to the days of remotes having cords. You can still sit on the couch and watch your show (or, if you are my mom or grandmother, your story) but you don't have to periodically lift up the couch and check for devices. Sometimes I hide the remotes from my kids to teach them a lesson. It hasn't worked yet.
I'm drinking the chamomile now. It is reminding me of why I prefer black tea. So, not my favorite, but if it keeps me away from the Easter candy then it at least has a purpose. The grocery stores mark down all the candy the day after its holiday. I rue the day I learned this.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Tryin' it (or OLW132).
I thought I'd give the One-Layer Wednesday challenge a try. It's been so long that I had to work to remember what OLW stands for. This week the idea is to be inspired by packaging. I wandered around my house for a while, trying to be inspired. This doesn't work well for me.
I did manage to put together a pretty card which I'll send to my pen pal for her birthday. She really likes mid-Century designs, so instead I made her this Art Nouveau-looking card. I don't have any mid-Century stamps and likely wouldn't know it if I did. I love Art Nouveau almost as much as I love Art Deco. [stamp by PTI]
While I was wandering around hoping to get a great idea, I walked by this wine bottle. I have no idea where we got it from; I'm not a big red wine drinker. In fact, I can only drink this with some 7Up mixed in. Good thing it has that pretty label.
Then as I was walking toward my craft area I noticed a bottle of mouthwash in the kids' bathroom.
I liked how the design was on both sides with the words in the middle, but I knew on my card [stamps by WPlus9] it would be too busy (little card, large-ish stamps).
I think I'll send this 'hi' card to my niece. She goes to college in Massachusetts and I've only sent her two pieces of mail since September. Tsk, tsk.
I did manage to put together a pretty card which I'll send to my pen pal for her birthday. She really likes mid-Century designs, so instead I made her this Art Nouveau-looking card. I don't have any mid-Century stamps and likely wouldn't know it if I did. I love Art Nouveau almost as much as I love Art Deco. [stamp by PTI]
While I was wandering around hoping to get a great idea, I walked by this wine bottle. I have no idea where we got it from; I'm not a big red wine drinker. In fact, I can only drink this with some 7Up mixed in. Good thing it has that pretty label.
Then as I was walking toward my craft area I noticed a bottle of mouthwash in the kids' bathroom.
I liked how the design was on both sides with the words in the middle, but I knew on my card [stamps by WPlus9] it would be too busy (little card, large-ish stamps).
I think I'll send this 'hi' card to my niece. She goes to college in Massachusetts and I've only sent her two pieces of mail since September. Tsk, tsk.
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