If Santa were buff

Tonight at dinner Son treated us to an impression of "Santa sucking in his beer gut to impress the ladies at the beach". He might have gotten away with an inaproriate use of the word Ho.

This was all triggered by my remark that Claus spends time after deliveries on the beach at Mauii, sipping daquiries.

Ok, so that's what I'd like to do on the 26th rather than have a houseful of guests.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Dear Michael - GQ edition

Seriously.

Either take the pants OFF, already, and be done with it, or stop letting photogs shoot you this way. Make them come up with something new. I'm tired of the "ooh, if they just dip a little lower" pose. And those strings are just plain wrong. Not to mention unnecessary- we're already looking there.

Love ya,

Carly

Smile, dammit

This is our Christmas card setup, more or less. I centered everything a bit more between the two windows (as I write this, it is snowing just a bit) and moved the xmas tree because it was sticking straight up out of Mr's head in the first try.

It drove me crazy to get the picture exposed right, because I really don't have proper lighting. Also the fireplace was on so it got HOT.

Then when I started the self timer on D's new camera it made this "woooop wooop" sound with each flash of the red light. The first few shots were ruined by our hysterical laughter.

WoopwoopwoopwoopFLASH! We had no chance.

Then we had to turn off a certain basketball game of local interest. But now it's done, we have a shot we all agreed on, uploaded and ordered.

I am a huge fan of Snapfish photo cards. For years now I don't bother buying "real" cards. Sorry, Hallmark. I just get photo cards and send them to everyone.

PS: Did you notice the fireplace is FINALLY stained? Yaaaay. It's a more even color than it would seem from this photo. (I need a real camera and a good flash system).

Sunday Art - I love a parade?

I really do? I really ENJOY our hokey little "it takes five blocks to cover the whole parade route" town Christmas parade?

I do.

Thanks to those "warm it" chemical packs, in my shoes and my gloves (I was rubbing kids' cold noses all night, with my magic hot mittens). Thanks to sinus medicine (that's WORKING!!!!) and a big puffy coat that is basically a giant down quit with sleeves.

And kids throwing candy and riding on the school float* saying over and over 'don't throw so much at once, don't throw so hard, don't throw at their faces' while the kids sing one verse of Jingle Bells over and over and over.

And thanks to firemen with a vintage truck all tricked out. And park lights that all come on at once, and are glorious.

Did I say glorious? I did. That's what happens when you get seven hours of continuous sleep after sleeping like crap for three weeks straight. Things are glorious.



*Wait - you didn't think I *WALKED* five whole blocks, did you?

On being thankful

I have learned that by writing down the things I am grateful for, I have a better chance of keeping the depression out, and the gratitude in.

-Jason Harbertson

and the shopper rushed home

...with her antibiotics, two sweaters she picked out for herself (while waiting for the Target pharmacy to slap all the apropriate stickers on her Z-pak), and one or two baby toys for the nieces & nephews.

EVERY FALL I get a sinus infection. I fought it for a while this year, with the neti pot (aka stupid party trick to make even the most sullen teenager laugh) but it finally beat me. I quit. The urgent care place has a german doc with a 12-syllable last name. That's neither here nor there; but I think I may have been a little weepy when I thanked the nurse for working today. I haven't slept well in 3 weeks.

Autumn, I hate you.

how to tell

...that your son was really, really bored at the last family gathering*

(Hint: finding THIS on his camera is a clue)

*not Thanksgiving... a couple of weeks ago...

Happy Thanksgiving

Do NOT throw mashed potatoes at your relatives.

(I'm going to need to repeat that to myself all day long)

Carly(via Blackberry)

Only a loving Mom

...Would listen to a story and then mock her kids. Wait, wait.

So today the parochial school had a Thanksgiving mass because there's no school tomorrow.

My kids served and during the consecration (the prayers before communion) they could see a REALLY big spider crawling up the lectern used for the readings.

So. Imagine being not that much older than ten and kneeling on the bench on the side of the altar and watching that big ass spider a few feet away. Your homeroom teacher's eyes are glued to you. You can't kill it. You CAN'T.

So, after hearing this, I said. "It was probably Satan. You should have killed it."

You should have seen their faces.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Because you asked

(Technically, one person asked. So...)

My son and Crushita did not dance. He got shy when the first slow song came on (which is good. I despise Rascal Flatts. They are the Loverboy of country music. I am sorry. I know they could buy me ten million times over but still. I can't bear to have THAT be his first goopy memory. )

He wandered off to the bathroom because no one else was slow dancing. Big sister tried to drag him over to the little lady after that. (I was pretending not to look, while a teacher gave me a play by play of it all. )

S'okay. He's too young. Although when Crushita's mom came to pick her up she said "Did they dance?" with some eagerness in her voice. So I know my boy is aces... But I knew that.

Some other time, when mom is not around with her camera taking photos "for the yearbook" perhaps.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Ok

Whichever one of you effed with my cable/dvr and made it reboot (and not come back up yet) while I was watching Dancing with the Stars, I promis you I will hunt you down like the miserable dog you are. And TAKE YOU OUT.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Save the music

I was all discombobulated today.

My car inspection sticker was ALMOST up and in swapping cars around and leaving the car at my friend's dealership, I forgot my Sirius radio. So I was tuneless. Sniffle. Local radio sucks. It really does.

Next I discovered that I had left my iPod home, which is a disaster for me. When I need to FOCUS on something for an extended period of time at work, I play one of my "white noise songs" with ocean waves (one is a the roar of the ocean crashing up on sand, and one is the ocean waves crashing against rocks and there is a wind chime softly blowing in a breeze).

I'm in a cubicle farm so there are 20 conversations around me at any given time. I can't complain, I am close enough to a window that I can step out of my office and see the trees and the sky just outside.

So I played Seal's new album a couple of times. It was not quite the ocean... but it got me through the football talk. I also scammed a cd from my friend's cube. It was songs that I had compiled to help her try to figure out what to use for her first dance at her wedding. (Yes, I made her a mix tape. Lame, I know. I did mix in some totally cheesetastic songs as a joke. )

Tonight my plans consist of sitting on the couch in my sweats watching Dancing with the Stars. And no, I don't want that skinny model to win. Women who look like that after having a baby annoy me ;-) There will be bonbons, and maybe even strawberries if I can wait for it all to defrost. Earthshattering, isn't it? Gotta love a holiday week!

Sunday art

This is a closeup to illuistrate a point: Michael's sells their own line of acrylic paints, Craft Smart, and they suck.

I've been using Anita's for the majority of the mural (see post below) and the Craft Smart LITERALLY pales by comparison - as you can see the first coat went on streaky and uneven. I've never had that problem with Anita's.

So not only do I have to do these blessed stripes, I have to paint each one twice. Dammit. (And yes, I have to clean up all the edges -it will not look like this when I'm done. )

Carly(via Blackberry)

Long shot

Here's the current overall status. I'm thinking Friday I'll get a lot done.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Dear pillow

I miss u

The kids decided midnight bowling sounded likea grrrrreat idea.

Sigh.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Awkward

Our priest just walked in and the dj is playing britney spears, Womanizer. Someone didn't communicate well...

Carly(via Blackberry)

It is now post time

....The dj just got here. Much drama and suspense.

Carly(via Blackberry)

D minus 1 hr

...and we're on the 3rd set of bandaids.

Its like she's an intern at Seattle Grace or something. Seriously.

I'm thinking crazy glue is next up in my bag of tricks. CAN I glue her ankles together? Stay tuned.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Jr high dance liveblogging

It's not even started but it's started... She cut both ankles in the shower and sobbed about certain shoes. He keeps telling me not to take his picture when he dances with The Crush. Crush-ita has agreed to dance with Him but Oh Snap, she failed a (spelling?) test and might not be at the dance tonight.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Morning

So. It's morning.

Not a great morning for me; I was awake long past 1:00 A.M. Thinking about an extended family member who popped up a scary little medical issue yesterday, thinking about work, thinking about money, worrying that I'm getting another sinus infection or wheee, maybe it's strep, and why won't this sore throat show its face during the day when I could call the doctor. No, just when I lie on my pillow.

Now I have to suck it up and find jeans that fit and get through a long day. The jeans are a happy problem; so many of them are TOO BIG now. When you can pull jeans off without opening the button or zipper, you're getting somewhere.

Work, housework, volunteering. Tonight, at an elementary school dance. Loud music and 13 year olds with drama and my son dancing his first dance with a girl, perhaps. A full plate after a lot of tossing and turning and thinking about all the committments on that plate. I would rather have my head on the pillow - obviously ...

but it's morning.

*"That’s the thing about morning. It eventually comes and when it does, your life and the people in it, who you’ve become, decisions you’ve made either look good by the light of day or just illuminate how far off course you’ve gone."

(*much more here on the Grey Matter blog)

You might have noticed

... that I haven't been blogging via Blackberry. OK, no one noticed. It's fine. You have lives and jobs and things to occupy your minds.

But ATT really effed up my Blackberry this week, because I had the audacity to buy an additional phone for my family plan. Silly me, to take them up on a service to limit what Son will be able to do with the phone... as you may recall that service got tagged onto MY line instead (Someone's idea of a joke? karma? who knows... maybe they can tell I surf porn from my blackberry. I kid, I kid.)

So when they took OFF SmartLimits, they also removed my blackberry service package. No email in or out for Carly. Gaaaaaaaah! Another 30 minute call to get that functionality back. Plus taking the battery out of my unit, which is a STUPID way to force system updates to load, I'm sorry, and trying not to throw it against the wall and all of that fun.

But fear not, it is fixed now, and I can continue to post my brilliant thoughts from where-ever I happen to be. (Not ever at work. Nope.)

Poly's meme

Step 1: Read this: Is Obama the AntiChrist?

2: Write your own letter to the editor at Letters@newsweek.com

3: Pass it on to a friend and post your letter in your (blog).

In "Is Obama the Antichrist" Lisa Miller writes
The people who believe Obama is the Antichrist are perhaps jumping to conclusions, but they're not nuts: "They are expressing a concern and a fear that is widely shared," Staver says.

Well... I'm not writing to the editor actually, but to hint at how I feel about this whole topic, when people used to believe the world was flat, and that you could fall off the edge, they weren't really nuts. Just ignorant. They had no idea what incredible things lay waiting ahead, just beyond the horizon.

Strandberg says Obama probably isn't the Antichrist, but he's watching the president-elect carefully.

Oh, sorry, there's your nuts. (That's what she said.)

Tidbits

Yes, that's my yearbook photo... well, not really. I wasn't even BORN in '64. But it is my face under those smokin' hot horn rims. You know you want me! (Whatever. Wander over here... http://www.yearbookyourself.com/ and find your own favorite retro look. Thanks, APB. )

Also,

Jeff Dunham (actually Achmed) said "That's what she said" in his "Holiday" special. Exponentially awesome. Buying it.

Why I am a Grinch

I bought my son a cell phone for Christmas. I'm glad I went before the holiday rush because I spent about 45 minutes in the store and all but 5 minutes of that time, the clerk was working on adding this new phone to my account. And she did it wrong.

I said that I wanted to buy him a ringtone and a game or two, and then tell him not to use the "pay per use" internet on the phone because it's crazy expensive and he doesn't have a job yet. He's not old enough for me to be willing to pay for a monthly block of service.

She told me about a program called Smart Limits that lets you restrict what your kid can do. I agreed to give that service a try. Then she screwed up our account. She blocked internet access on HIS phone and put the Smart Limits on MY line.

So I couldn't buy him any ringtones or games, which I wanted to do before I wrapped it, and I tried to set up smart limits and noticed MY phone number was the one I was about to block. Also, the service doesn't even prevent internet use! I will keep it because it puts limits on what he can download, times he can use the phone, and who he can call/receive calls from. But I'm still exasperated. I spent 20 minutes of my lunch time trying to explain to a customer service rep (english speaking, THANK YOU) what was wrong.

It's fixed now, but I should not need an hour to add my kid. Fifteen minutes, tops. I've never had a good customer service experience with adding a phone to our line. We added one for my father in law, and that was a headache. After we added my daughter's line none of us could text, half my blackberry features weren't working because the network didn't know it was a blackberry... I could go on and on. I am a prisoner of my cell phone company.

Oh! and the rebate. I accepted that ATT doesn't give cash rebates, they give you a loaded debit card. Fine. But I left the phone box at Suzy's house, and now I actually need the serial number piece in order to send in my rebate form. I also need to un-hide the phone (I just buried it 10 minutes ago in a place he won't find it) in order to take out the battery to look at some other stupid number that needs to go on the stupid form for the stupid rebate card.

Only 36 days until Christmas.

GNBN

Good news - at a scrimmage and my kid got a basket, just before the buzzer.

Bad news- it's only halftime. I thought I could go home now!

Carly(via Blackberry)

Dear universe

Stop it. Seriously. My annoyance threshold has been exceeded.

How am I supposed to give my family a Rockwellian Xmas when I can't get them to grasp simple housekeeping concepts and keep things in order so I am free to do the fabulousness?

Exhibit a: floors need to be swept so that one can't crawl around the perimeter of my kitchen work triangle and identify several of our family's recent meals. (I resisted the urge to put air quotes around "meals" because I do still actually cook at least 4 or 5 nights a week)
I have that cute little electric broom/ vac that I bought from my friend's bridal registry, so there's no excuse.
(What? I mean yes, I took the last one in the store, but it's not like I checked it off on her list....)

Exhibit B: that thing? That you put water and soap and clothes in? There's a Thing right next to it. The clothes need to go THERE too. You can actually STILL hear the tv from that very spot, don't worry.

Exhibit C: if you know you need to bring YOUR backpack into the house while you are bringing in groceries then why is MY tote bag still in the trunk? (Ps: dear boss, I can't get to work yet because my laptop is frozen. Sorry! )


Carly(via Blackberry)

Weekend wrapup

I went to a party on Saturday. A group of people started singing Java Jive. It was an arrangement that I knew and I wanted to jump in but I was waaaay on the other side of the crowded room. Still fun. I took some shrimp wrapped in bacon and covered in teriyaki. I didn't crisp up the bacon enough but they were still gone quickly.

I painted some of the grass on the mural. Didn't like it at first but it's growing on me, no pun intended.

I started my Christmas shopping. I spent so much on the Vera Bradley clearance of old patterns that my credit card tried to decline. Oops! (I bought some stuff for my daughter then went back for some for Moi- I got a bag for $30 and a bunch of pieces that matched the bag, for $10 each)

I was a bit bummed that the Chef Jeff project is over, because I don't think Adam walked through the door that was wide open in front of him and that breaks my heart a little.

I went to see my mom. The visit went really well. We bonded over a Swiss Colony catalog, of all things. I am making this rocking cake for christmas dinner that we saw in the catalog and deconstructed together. (White cake torted with almond, raspberry, buttercream, etc. It looks insanely good. ) The best thing was that my daughter noticed how good we got along and more or less said "hey, that was nice..."

I did not sleep enough this weekend. I drank a BIT too much. I have almost no food in my house. The laundry is not quite caught up. Oops. I am taking a half day today to sneak off to Suzy's. All my work will still be there tomorrow.


Carly(via Blackberry)

Here, kitty

I had a clock JUST LIKE THIS when I was a kid. Man, I am old.

Trouble is a Friend

If you survived the annoying parts of Grey's last night (Izzy, WTF, and Little Sloan and the Frankenstein interns) you heard Trouble Is a Friend* by Lenka. Great piano introduction. When I went to buy that song I also came across The Show** which I had heard on Sirius and forgotten to hunt down later. It's a little Feist/Yael / Apple commercial - ish. But I still like it.

I am going to see if I can avoid obsessively reading the internet and other people's blogs all weekend. Oh, and posting. So, it's almost 4 pm now; we'll give it a go.

Hahahhaha. Did you think I was serious? Oh shit. I was.


*He's there in the dark, he's there in my heart, he waits in the winds, he's gotta play a part. Trouble is a friend, yeah trouble is a friend of mine. Oh oh!


**I want my money back, I want my money back, (just enjoy the show...)

Six weeks

it is six weeks until Xmas day.... I am already tired, and I have to:

• fall clean my house (snicker)
• stain the fireplace and get the blower installed (it's really warm RIGHT NEXT to the fireplace, but it's a big room, the salesman thought maybe we'd be fine without it but we don't think so)
• get my dishwasher bolted into the granite (they never did that when the new countertops were put in)
• get my car inspected
• clear out my porch (sniffle) and maybe tarp over the screen windows with dropcloths (is that worth it, or will they shred??)
• replace my desk modem because it's crapping out too much lately
• get new glasses (tricky, the place in the mall I go to is closed, if these glasses break I'm screwed)
• finish the mural (see me, crazy?)
• get MUCH more accomplished on the yearbook
• help my daughter make tickets for the dance coming up at school
• start planning the father daughter dance (book the dj)
• work on the super raffle for the school (only $5000 this year, not $10,000)
• go to basketball games and not kill the annoying bigmouth dad
• have our tree trimming party (we do 2 trees so we invite friends and make cookies that day too and get pizza for dinner)
• walk in the holiday parade (ha! I got those sticker heatingpad things that hunters use in their gloves and boots to keep warm. So, it will be a balmy evening!)
• have the choir over to see the new addition and have appetizers, etc
• do cards, gifts, etc which I can't afford!
• plan a holiday meal for the day AFTER xmas (I told my family they just couldn't come on that day... long story but when you have a nurse and multiple inlaw's families to deal with it gets tricky)

No. Big. Deal. Right?

Dear Faith Hill

Holy crap, that's not a good look for you my dear! For a second I thought Julianne Hough was wearing a really bad wig and it had slipped forward.

Ok, I gotta go get a life now. See ya, kids. .

Carly(via Blackberry)

Catalogs with Carly, '08 edition

While I am deciding to buy my brother in law the Frank Farter dog or the Screaming Flying Monkey, I am hiding the www.lighterside.com catalog so that my kids won't find it, because of things like:

• Santa's Naughty Helper (yes, a costume, and there's a naughty Mrs. Claus outfit too. Ho. )
• Pole Dancer Alarm Clock (in 3-D, and just what every teenage boy should have - no more being late for school, huh??? )
• The Pole Dancing kit (I'm all grown up now! do the women who buy this set their pole dancer alarm clock to wake up for work?)
• Chocolate thongs, his AND hers, ("One size fits most" was the downer. And, eww. Melting.)

It's too bad because there are some clever little G-rated things like a USA license plates puzzle(each shape looks like it's state's plate), and a wind up squirrel that would drive any dog crazy. And an old fashioned candy necklace... no, no, ...wait, that's a g-string and bra.

As Angela from the Office would say, the nice gifts are lost in the sea of a whorish Yule.

Exhibit B

... my son, who locked the bathroom door while he was "in there", and on completion of his tasks, forgot the door was locked.... and slamed head firstinto the door thinking he could just quickly tug it open and run out to go on with his life.

We hear a cccrash and he came staggering out and OH was it funny. (He's fine. Really.)

OK universe

It looks like it will be one of THOSE days.

Exhibit A: I got to work a few minutes late and had to park WAY out in the parking lot.

Except, I didn't.

I won a reserved parking space in the monthly raffle last week. It might have been nice to remember that before, oh, I don't know, NOW.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Ultimate TWSS

Suzy gave me the Office trivia game (not the DVD game) for my birthday. It was fun but confusing as hell at first. I won!! I won!!

Carly(via Blackberry)

I can't stand the rain

... is a new song on Seal's new album, Soul, which took forever to download from iTunes, but is sooooooo worth it. At first I thought it was ALL videos (I'm easily confused these days) since only the "video version" is available today, so I was bummed because unlike my children, I can't play videos on my iPod.

But there are enough songs that will go on my ANCIENT music box to be oh, so worth it. He has the perfect voice to deliver the "I wasn't ready for it to be over" blues that fill up this album. I don't know who the bandmembers are who back him up, but it better not be digital/fake because they make me want to drag my kids out to the computer to say "THIS IS WHY MOMMY MAKES YOU PRACTICE."

My other two favorite songs so far are If You Don't Know Me By Now, and I've Been Loving you Too Long. And, well, It's Alright, and Knock on Wood. And Here I am.... click, people. Buy it.

Then wander on over here to read the bio where I found the awesome photo above.

I can't stand the rain

against my window

bringing back sweet memories

'Cause you're not here with me....

on holiday

this is from here, and is apparently on exhibit at The Museum of Modern Art, and was painted by Jasper Johns.

It's my token attempt to stop and remember all of the soldiers who have served us and continue to do so. It's not even remotely enough, but it's all I can do today.

Things like groceries, laundry, and catchup on desk work seem too pedestrian to do on "a mini vacation" but if it weren't for bank holidays, the stuff that I do for my children's school would swallow up every minute of my nonworking non sleeping time. Come to think of it, I may need to give up sleeping soon.

I am longing for the day that I can send them up to high school and be an UNinvolved parent. I have so many projects of my OWN waiting. It will either be next year, or two years yet. We will see, in the spring.

It's time to meet them

I created my own muppet at the FAO Schwartz page ...

and this is D's...


anybody got $100 can have, um, borrow?

Got the link above from Stephanie's blog.

Hey, and if you haven't checked out APB's new blog, wander over here .

Sunday Art

My birthday gift, from my mother, who is a very prolific cross-stitcher.... and knows I love dragonflies.

Let the good times roll

I snuck out of work ten minutes early yesterday because I couldn't bear it anymore. Starting today I have four glorious days off.

What actually prompted the sneaking out was Suzy and The Boyfriend calling to say they were heading to my house to hang out with my kids, who had a half day and got out at noon. So there was wine, excellent lasagna (if I say so myself) and other food and some not so proper jokes. (Half a glass of wine, and Suzy's filter falls right off. It's awesome.)

Tonight I will put on my LBD and go to a fundraiser gala I can not quite afford to be at. It's splendiferous when you get a seat based on (Mr.'s) company donated tickets! To make it even better I already know at least 3 other couples who will be there and just to be clear... there will be wine, perhaps even champagne, because tomorrow is my birthday, and my boss has already made me promise to come find her and dance, because both of our husbands tend to sit out.

Tomorrow I will be having the "family get together" dinner with my niece and nephew as the most exciting part for me. Sorry adults, you all have some issues. Just hand me the cute baby and nobody has to get hurt.

Then I have two days of playing with my scrapbook stuff, eating fudge, working on the mural and having a marathon of The Office.

Later, kiddies!!

Carly the Plumber

Once again I have had to roll up my sleeves and fix something...this time it was the king of the house's porcelain throne. Nothing worse than waking up hearing the water running and running because the floater is set too high.

What a start to the day... hopefully things improve from here.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Yes, 1965

Stopped by a small wine store on the way home. The late 50-ish clerk looked at me, thought about it, and then carded me. Oh sweetheart, here you go. It makes my upcoming birthday just a little easier to bear. He was visibly surprised and said "wow, I'm not usually that far off".

Take that, haters!

I hate to say it

because it leads right into a "TWSS" joke, but ... my money's on the beaver.

(dam it)

This story was far more entertaining in video form on the evening news. About 10 agencies worked together today to try to drain the "lake" formed by just a couple of eager beavers building a dam in the right culvert. One guy more or less admitted on camera that as soon as the humans let their guard down, the beavers wi'll rebuilt their dam.

RIGHT NOW

I am making my children watch the President-elect's acceptance speech. Because it was so moving to me thatI cried when I read it this morning, I cried again when I watched it on CNN's wwwebsite, and I want them to see it, and remember watching it someday when their kids ask about it.

And because they should watch more than stupid YouTube videos.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Overheard

In my kitchen, while I am air traffic controller mode (making fahitas per the suggestion of the YC, and spelling various words and supervising laundry and answering the phone ):

Kid 1: "you're even louder now than you were before"

Kid2, quietly: "that's what she said"

I love my babies.

Carly(via Blackberry)

When

...the yearbook advisor has too many other things on her plate and asks the kids what she should make for dinner, that's not a good day

;-)

Carly(via Blackberry)

We shall be free

Instead of just reminding you to vote, I'll let Garth speak for me today, as I think he says it best...here WHY you should vote...

This ain't comin' from no prophet
Just an ordinary man
When I close my eyes I see
The way this world shall be
When we all walk hand in hand

When the last child cries for a crust of bread
When the last man dies for just words that he said
When there's shelter over the poorest head
Then we shall be free

When the last thing we notice is the color of skin
And the first thing we look for is the beauty within
When the skies and the oceans are clean again
Then we shall be free

We shall be free
We shall be free
So, have a little faith and hold out
'Cause we shall be free

When we're free to love anyone we choose
When this world's big enough for all different views
When we're all free to worship
From our own kind of pew
Then we shall be free

We shall be free
We shall be free
We shall be free
Stand straight, walk proud
'Cause we shall be free

And when money talks for the very last time
And nobody walks a step behind
When there's only one race and that's mankind
Then we shall be free

(go here to listen to Garth Brooks sing this.... and yes, it's country....)

Fall

So. I have been drinking again. Box of wine in the house. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Now tonight too, and it's definitely not the weekend anymore.
.
Certainly I realize that two glasses of wine a day is, well, not dramatic, and I mean no offense to those people who have a problem more real than what I'm fretting about.

But it's a bad habit trying to return and I don't want it. I want to be a shiny happy person, not someone who drinks because she's upset with some thing or someone in my life.

I drove to work this morning noticing that the trees are almost all bare now. It's hard to take, because this time they were especially beautiful.

I am trying to surrender to the inevitability, the end of the glory of summers. Trying to remember that yes, fall comes and things die, but they return to life in the spring. Maybe the same things, or pehaps maybe new things.

I just have to make it through the winter.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Cinco centavos

I found a nickel in my pocket from Republica del Ecuador.

I do not know the exchange rate, but today is such a boring day, I am tempted to google Ecuador so that I can remember/ figure out where the heck it is, and then travel (down?) there to exchange it back to American money.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Oh I remember this project

So the shame took over and I have started working on the mural again. (Wow, I started it a year ago or so)I'm in the Oh My God I Hate This stage and just sort of screwing around with it.

Today I started the blue wall (it needs light and dark tone work) and the right gray seating section and also the dirt track. But the part that gave me fits was that freaking Monument Park that I didn't know existed until today. I totally made something up and painted it. I'm calling it my "interpretation".

Who paints something they've never seen? Uh, me. And I won't EVER see it (for my two Brit readers, old Yankee stadium is closed now and they're building a new one. )

So yes, call me crazy. But this is fun.
Not as fun as watching Stanley try to figure out what the new guy's name is at choir(something Irish like Rowan, Ruain or something that phonics out to ra-wayn, help me M...!!)

But still fun.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Sunday art

Found this here on Flickr... it's called Colors of Italy. (acrylic, if you're wondering)

Nice and bright for a chilly fall morning...especially one where you're wide awake at a crazy hour because of the clocks changing...

The cow and the chicken

My neice and nephew came to see me in their costumes today. My neice is 3 and she was a cow. (White sweats with spots sewed on.) She is so darn cute, but my nephew was even cuter.

He had this hysterically funny chicken outfit on, with orange legs and feet plus white "feathers" all over his body.
He is one year old now and has little gray plastic glasses because he's way crosseyed. The combination plus him sucking his thumb and giggling when I tickle him is just unbearably cute.

But no, it doesn't make me want another, thank you!

Carly(via Blackberry)