The sun came out today. I guess it was due; we are heading into the middle of June after all. But, with the sun shining there was no excuse to not go check on the garden. I've driven by it a number of times in the past few weeks, catching a quick glance but trying not to imagine the drowned plants and legions of slugs that may have taken residence there. So we showed up with our gloves, sunscreen and hats prepared for the worst.
The rain has been kind to the weeds. Apparently rain, rain and more rain is just what they needed. We spent a good hour pulling weeds and then Steve spent another hour pulling more weeds.
Interesting: The Princess likes to play in the dirt and then immediately wants to be rinsed off. We spent a lot of time cleaning her off in order for her to return to the growing mud puddle from all of the rinsing... Oh, and she survived a couple of dragonfly "attacks" as well. Good stuff.
The tomatoes, while still alive, don't look like they've grown an inch. But on the plus side they're no longer sporting brown leaves. Everything else is making a valiant effort including the 1 1/2 strawberries that The Princess quickly plopped into her mouth. But the lettuce, the lettuce is a wonder! We have TREES of lettuce growing in our dirt. They tower over the tomatoes and shadow the carrots. We will spend the rest of the summer eating salads every single night and still not fell all of the lettuce that we have grown.
The Russian made a brief appearance. I should say that three times now, including today, I've seen him weeding his "Garden of Eden" plot dressed in white. Head to toe, pure as the driven snow, pristine white! Meanwhile the three of us were covered from head to toe in dirt.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Fashionably Geeky
This week I had to go into work for a 4 hour training on the computer program that the hospital uses for all of it's online record keeping. I was NOT looking forward to it and planned to hype myself and the baby up with LOTS of caffeine.
Since I'm only using about 1/8th of my normal brain capacity I managed to arrive 20 minutes late due to:
After all of that I didn't get ANY coffee and had to do the first 1 1/2 hours on my own capacity... (probably better for the baby - she can thank me later.)
I'm sure you're all expecting this story to end with me head down on the table and drooling from boredom and lack of caffeine in my system; that's where I fully expected to be when I walked into the dark room with glowing computer screens and the instructor talking about data entry and audit trails...
But this is where the geeky part comes in. It was a good class! I was totally engaged and enjoyed what I was learning and was one of those totally annoying people who keeps coming up with a question that's relevant and clever (in my opinion) but makes the class even longer than it's already scheduled to be! I know - embarrassing, right? I mean, I was 1/2 way through the class and found myself thinking about all sorts of college classes I'd like to take and reminiscing about my study table I claimed in the library the year I took Organic Chemistry!
On top of that my instructor was great! She was fast and to the point and NORMAL - no offense but there are a lot of computer instructors who interact really well with machines but have to put in a little more work when it comes to people... Plus, the whole time I was checking out her outfit - chunky necklace AND bracelet, 1950's style dress with a cute little cardigan and patent leather peep toe heels.
Seriously, it was like I'd stepped into an alternate universe; or maybe I just embraced my inner geek for the morning.
Since I'm only using about 1/8th of my normal brain capacity I managed to arrive 20 minutes late due to:
- Messing up the start time by a half hour and realizing it 2 minutes before the class was actually scheduled to start.
- "Running" off to the class without actually checking where it was being held.
- Wandering around in the basement (and by basement I mean the area of the building that they hand chiseled out of solid rock and installed all of the heat and steam producing equipment in!) before admitting that I didn't actually know where the class was being held.
- Finally remembering that I brilliantly saved the confirmation for the class (and therefore the location) on my blackberry which I'd been toting around with me and NOT using!
After all of that I didn't get ANY coffee and had to do the first 1 1/2 hours on my own capacity... (probably better for the baby - she can thank me later.)
I'm sure you're all expecting this story to end with me head down on the table and drooling from boredom and lack of caffeine in my system; that's where I fully expected to be when I walked into the dark room with glowing computer screens and the instructor talking about data entry and audit trails...
But this is where the geeky part comes in. It was a good class! I was totally engaged and enjoyed what I was learning and was one of those totally annoying people who keeps coming up with a question that's relevant and clever (in my opinion) but makes the class even longer than it's already scheduled to be! I know - embarrassing, right? I mean, I was 1/2 way through the class and found myself thinking about all sorts of college classes I'd like to take and reminiscing about my study table I claimed in the library the year I took Organic Chemistry!
On top of that my instructor was great! She was fast and to the point and NORMAL - no offense but there are a lot of computer instructors who interact really well with machines but have to put in a little more work when it comes to people... Plus, the whole time I was checking out her outfit - chunky necklace AND bracelet, 1950's style dress with a cute little cardigan and patent leather peep toe heels.
Seriously, it was like I'd stepped into an alternate universe; or maybe I just embraced my inner geek for the morning.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Farmer's Market Extravagance
Extravagance. My first association is always with situations of excess spending, cash, riches, possibly greed. The word makes me uncomfortable sometimes. I hear a voice in my head whispering that if I’m extravagant then I must be wasteful, greedy and caught up in the superficial. But at the same time I writhe under that assumption; even if it’s just my own self-imposed judgment.
If not an exercise in money wasting and flagrant shows of wealth what is extravagance? I try to be responsible with our finances, think through my purchases and not allow myself to accumulate STUFF just because it’s fun to get something new. So, when I do find a little something, a little “treat”, a little luxury, I soak it up and revel in enjoying the little details that I would miss if I was able to buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted.
Extravagances come in many varieties and each Saturday we indulge in one of ours (yes, a family extravagance!). We have a Saturday morning tradition of visiting the Farmer’s Market. When we were childless we showed up a lot later in the morning…but we got there eventually. Now that we’re up early we get there soon after it opens – more time on the swings! Yay!
We have the best market, we’re a small town but the market packs a punch. Everywhere you look there are fresh flowers, fresh veggies, fresh food, fresh plants and handmade crafts to peruse and lust over. It is a feast for the eyes and taste buds.
Now that we have a toddler in tow the playground chaos is something we brave rather than back away from in terror. The morning routine is to stop and get coffee (checking out all of the colors of the gelato while we wait for the milk to steam), head straight to the swings (patiently waiting for one if needed) and inhaling freshly made donuts. (…little tiny ones that are to die for. Seriously! They’re made with apple juice…)
Every week there’s an opportunity to try something new. The Princess chewed on a piece of lamb jerky for a half hour this week… Sometimes the little luxuries that we splurge on one week become staples in our weekly shopping trips; like fresh bread, pickles, goat milk soap, honey, geraniums that flower stunningly each summer on my deck.
It’s an extravagant collage of color, sound, smell, taste and feel every Saturday morning that we anticipate at the start of each week. It’s a cornucopia of little details that pack a punch of luxury.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Moderation
Moderation isn't something I do all that well. I like to term most of it as "enthusiasm" or "healthy obsession". Some of it is harmless some of it might go a little overboard...I try to keep it under control.
My enthusiasm has put me in a number of interesting situations. Like the time IKEA was having an early morning sale and I dragged Steve to the store at 5am in order to get in on the good deals. You have never seen anyone so enthusiastic and excited before the birds are even up! I don't think I've ever been as giddy over power tools and the chance to steamroll over people still rubbing sleep from their eyes. Steve has never gotten over the trauma and just the name "IKEA" causes his eye to start twitching.
Obsession rears up when I read. It's not unusual for me to walk around the house wrapped up in another world completely oblivious to what is going on around me. Even more disconcerting to Steve (even though he's had years of experience with this now) is to suddenly realize that the conversation he's been involved in is actually about a fictional world and/or character and the depression or exhilaration I'm experiencing is due to my imagination and nothing more.
But these questions haunt me..."how will Nicholas escape from the underground prison that is slowly filling with water when his feet have been flayed from the beating and he's weak with hunger and torture?" or "..will Bella convince Edward to change her?", "...stay away from Gale, Katniss. How could you pick him over Peeta?" and "how will I EVER read again now that Owen has died?" You get the picture...Steve has been sucked into many an alternate universe without his knowledge or agreement.
I won't even mention the times that I forget I'm playing a soccer game JUST FOR FUN or that one piece of cake is just as good (and better in the long run) as eating 1/2 of a cake or that legendary Pictionary game...
I often get overwhelmed with all of the projects and plans I have going on in my head and the lack of time to start and complete them all. Then comes the guilt of living in my head when I should be paying attention to what's going on around me or discouragement at being lazy and never getting anything done (it spirals down to the extreme quickly...).
But I also know that the myriad of plans and ideas exploding in my head bring life and vitality to me and the world I create around me. So instead of getting sucked into a pit of guilt or discouragement I work at enjoying the dreams and the imagination and the thrill of "what if".
And when I do start another project or book or dream I try to keep the thought of moderation in the back of my mind; not to stifle the thrill but to stay connected to my reality that is just as magical so much of the time.
My enthusiasm has put me in a number of interesting situations. Like the time IKEA was having an early morning sale and I dragged Steve to the store at 5am in order to get in on the good deals. You have never seen anyone so enthusiastic and excited before the birds are even up! I don't think I've ever been as giddy over power tools and the chance to steamroll over people still rubbing sleep from their eyes. Steve has never gotten over the trauma and just the name "IKEA" causes his eye to start twitching.
Obsession rears up when I read. It's not unusual for me to walk around the house wrapped up in another world completely oblivious to what is going on around me. Even more disconcerting to Steve (even though he's had years of experience with this now) is to suddenly realize that the conversation he's been involved in is actually about a fictional world and/or character and the depression or exhilaration I'm experiencing is due to my imagination and nothing more.
But these questions haunt me..."how will Nicholas escape from the underground prison that is slowly filling with water when his feet have been flayed from the beating and he's weak with hunger and torture?" or "..will Bella convince Edward to change her?", "...stay away from Gale, Katniss. How could you pick him over Peeta?" and "how will I EVER read again now that Owen has died?" You get the picture...Steve has been sucked into many an alternate universe without his knowledge or agreement.
I won't even mention the times that I forget I'm playing a soccer game JUST FOR FUN or that one piece of cake is just as good (and better in the long run) as eating 1/2 of a cake or that legendary Pictionary game...
I often get overwhelmed with all of the projects and plans I have going on in my head and the lack of time to start and complete them all. Then comes the guilt of living in my head when I should be paying attention to what's going on around me or discouragement at being lazy and never getting anything done (it spirals down to the extreme quickly...).
But I also know that the myriad of plans and ideas exploding in my head bring life and vitality to me and the world I create around me. So instead of getting sucked into a pit of guilt or discouragement I work at enjoying the dreams and the imagination and the thrill of "what if".
And when I do start another project or book or dream I try to keep the thought of moderation in the back of my mind; not to stifle the thrill but to stay connected to my reality that is just as magical so much of the time.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Rainy Day Blues (Blue being my favorite color)
It's been raining around here lately. A LOT. In fact I think that April and May actually switched themselves around because all of those April showers that are supposed to bring May flowers? Totally backwards this year. All of the flowers that bloomed in April have now died a soggy death.
But I'm not complaining, truly. I love the rain. I love the clouds, the filtered light (the sun is WAY too bright!), the different types of wet drops that fall, the clean smell of the air, the way my skin feels; all moist and happy. I could go on and on... (much to the chagrin of most people I know - even though we live in the Pacific Northwest...Hello! It's SUPPOSED to rain around here!) But, with a little one around I will admit that the rain makes the days a little more challenging, especially when you've been sick and are trying not to catch pneumonia. We've had to be creative with the different activities we've done in the past few weeks in order to get out of the house and not go completely crazy!
Which means that we've done some pretty fun stuff and some stuff that is really fun when you're 2 1/2 years old (and therefore fun for Mommy since that means a good nap is on the horizon.). Library trips, walking the mall and crawling on all of those mechanical toys (which cost 75 cents now! Outrageous!), swinging and sliding in the rain (I'm the mom that brings the towel to wipe down the playground - I've had a lot of practice at this point...and a couple pairs of wet jeans from sliding down first before I came up with the brilliant idea.).
We've also haunted a decrepit old shopping center with only 2 stores still open in order to get a ride on the carousel (I wasn't the only one, let me tell you. The old couple sitting at the ratty table scratching lottery tickets one after the other without a word of conversation between the two of them will attest to that...) and craft time at the kitchen table (Yay for washable markers and glue!).
One of these days the sun is going to come out, it's going to get blisteringly hot and my skin is going to dry out and crack and I will look back and remember these late May days with fondness.
But I'm not complaining, truly. I love the rain. I love the clouds, the filtered light (the sun is WAY too bright!), the different types of wet drops that fall, the clean smell of the air, the way my skin feels; all moist and happy. I could go on and on... (much to the chagrin of most people I know - even though we live in the Pacific Northwest...Hello! It's SUPPOSED to rain around here!) But, with a little one around I will admit that the rain makes the days a little more challenging, especially when you've been sick and are trying not to catch pneumonia. We've had to be creative with the different activities we've done in the past few weeks in order to get out of the house and not go completely crazy!
Which means that we've done some pretty fun stuff and some stuff that is really fun when you're 2 1/2 years old (and therefore fun for Mommy since that means a good nap is on the horizon.). Library trips, walking the mall and crawling on all of those mechanical toys (which cost 75 cents now! Outrageous!), swinging and sliding in the rain (I'm the mom that brings the towel to wipe down the playground - I've had a lot of practice at this point...and a couple pairs of wet jeans from sliding down first before I came up with the brilliant idea.).
We've also haunted a decrepit old shopping center with only 2 stores still open in order to get a ride on the carousel (I wasn't the only one, let me tell you. The old couple sitting at the ratty table scratching lottery tickets one after the other without a word of conversation between the two of them will attest to that...) and craft time at the kitchen table (Yay for washable markers and glue!).
One of these days the sun is going to come out, it's going to get blisteringly hot and my skin is going to dry out and crack and I will look back and remember these late May days with fondness.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Payback
Dear Baby Who Kicks Me All The Time,
I just want you to know that even in the upcoming haze of your adorableness and my sleeplessness I will not be forgetting how you've been treating my bladder these past few months...
I assume that you are using it as a pseudo soccer ball for the time being which means that we will spend a lot of time practicing when you are a little older.
And when I kick the ball to you I'm not going to hold back. AT ALL!!!
Love,
Your mother who will never have bladder control again
I just want you to know that even in the upcoming haze of your adorableness and my sleeplessness I will not be forgetting how you've been treating my bladder these past few months...
I assume that you are using it as a pseudo soccer ball for the time being which means that we will spend a lot of time practicing when you are a little older.
And when I kick the ball to you I'm not going to hold back. AT ALL!!!
Love,
Your mother who will never have bladder control again
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Hair Days
When I was pregnant I desperately wanted a bald baby. The first thing Gretchen told me when The Princess finally made her appearance was "Don't worry. She doesn't have hair!" and I was all "Oh, thank goodness!" And we both ignored the nurses giving us weird looks and wondering why we weren't bothering to count her fingers and toes...
The Princess then proceeded to NOT grow hair for almost 2 years! No big deal - she has has such a beautiful head plus it made the morning routine super easy and bath time was a breeze! But I was starting to wonder just a little bit if the hair gene was actually going to kick in. I mean, it's one of the guaranteed good genes Steve and I are passing on; other than the blue eyed thing which I will probably rapture about at some other time.
Then...her two year birthday came (and the lack of an actual photographed celebration could be another post, but perhaps we won't go there...It makes me look bad!) and suddenly those genes kicked in and she's been growing hair like nobodies business. It just occurred to me the other day that maybe those tiny little rubberbands might actually be useful now.
And Voila!
The Princess then proceeded to NOT grow hair for almost 2 years! No big deal - she has has such a beautiful head plus it made the morning routine super easy and bath time was a breeze! But I was starting to wonder just a little bit if the hair gene was actually going to kick in. I mean, it's one of the guaranteed good genes Steve and I are passing on; other than the blue eyed thing which I will probably rapture about at some other time.
Then...her two year birthday came (and the lack of an actual photographed celebration could be another post, but perhaps we won't go there...It makes me look bad!) and suddenly those genes kicked in and she's been growing hair like nobodies business. It just occurred to me the other day that maybe those tiny little rubberbands might actually be useful now.
And Voila!
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