Golf tourney blues

So this one guy stands behind the sponsor sign for me to take his group's picture, and literally unbuckles his pants and drops them. The others say "X, it's a catholic school tournament, behave!"

I think I need a beer.
~Create the world you want to see.~
Carly(via Blackberry)

More birdies

I am helping out with a golf tournament today. Take a picture. Print the picture. Zzzzzzz. At least it's not raining.
~Create the world you want to see.~
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day 34

I walked in, saw my new cupboards and thought, "Uh-oh".

They're ONE slight shade off, from the upper ones. I am hoping that when the dark countertop is on, it will be ok. We'll see. I'm trying not to think about it right now.

Uh-oh number two is that I really DON"T like the rolling drawer inserts in the pots & pans cupboard. I may take the lower one out. I feel like they waste a ton of space. I can't decide. I just know for a fact that my big pasta pot WON"T fit in it.

Hmmph.

Bird brains

This is shaping up to be one of those days already.

I'm exhausted because I stayed up pretty late packing more stuff. I had to empty the bottom half of the cupboards in my kitchen. Fun fun fun.

I think I'm hallucinating; I keep seeing birds.

There was a great blue heron fishing in the pond this morning. His mate was also walking around on the banks, farther down.

On the exit ramp to work there is a woodsy area, and I saw a Mama wild turkey with at least four babies.

What's next?

~Create the world you want to see.~
Carly(via Blackberry)

Everybody's doing it

"I think I am.
Therefore, I am.
I think."
- George Carlin

Take cover

We were supposed to go to a baseball game today but there were some pretty bad storms predicted.

Around dinnertime we had tornado warnings. The kids must have been more afraid than I thought, because after the line of storms fiinished going through they literally both fell sound asleep right in front of the tv.

I'm sitting on my porch now, enjoying the breeze.
~Create the world you want to see.~
Carly(via Blackberry)

I Snapped

Today I taught my 11 month old nephew to cough deliberately for no reason other than that it's funny. It was just one of those goofy things his parents will want to kill me for. Heh. It's my revenge for the fact that he lets out EAR PIERCING shrieks and they never say "shhh" and put their finger on his lips to try to teach him NOT TO DO THAT CRAP.

Ahem.

So, with everything going on around here (today we bought a porch light and a beautiful shelf for the porch and BIG 5 gallon buckets of paint... ) I almost punted on my sister in law's birthday.

On about Tuesday night I went "oh crap... a gift". I'd had the bright idea to get her a photo puzzle about two weeks ago. She loves games & puzzles and so on. You would think I'd have ordered it then....

Wednesday morning I checked around Snapfish and they do make photo puzzles. I found a good picture, uploaded it, closed my eyes and clicked on $$ two day shipping. Awesome, it would arrive by the party (today).

Then I got an email saying that it would take 5-7 days to print the actual puzzle. Then it ships. My reaction was a sedate sort of WTF ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I wrote a tense little note to Snapfish customer service pointing out that since they hadn't had that little 5-7- day factoid near the puzzle ordering details, I felt like I had paid waaaaaaaaaaay too much for shipping and was really not happy.

Whabaaam - about two hours later I magically got an email that my puzzle was printed, and wheee, it was on its way to me. Nice!

So, if there is a customer service department for, I don't know.... "THE UNIVERSE", um, I have a couple of things.

Ducky

this crappy photo* actually shows a mama and 15 VERY new baby ducks. Every one of those things that looks like a rock is a little fuzzy puffball of cuteness that will someday make a lovely meal. I kid, I kid. Is a mama duck considered an "adult?"

* I really need to stop dropping my Blackberry.

Tonight I got home just in time to go for a walk with my kid, who is getting very good at skipping rocks. It was pretty damn nice to wander around without worrying about what PTA emails might be waiting for me back at the ranch.

Today, at the house, more sheetrock taping, and putting up of "stuff" on inside walls of porch. Not sure what it's called but looks like (fake?) cedar... Tired, can't formulate proper description.

All but ONE screen is installed on the porch, so no sitting out there just yet.

Day 31

I am tired of writing checks to Bob the builder because I usually say to myself as I write, "Ten and no/ ....oh crap"

I am not used to being a high roller.

I have to buy my paint this weekend. And light bulbs for my six new lights. Who says I don't have a wild Saturday planned?

~Create the world you want to see.~
Carly(via Blackberry)

and I can not lie

I can absolutely guarantee one way I will never get arrested: at a party like this one.

I am dying to give the kids the wii; I almost told them last night after Thing2 won his baseball game.

Today is my last day to saunter out of work early, but on the flip side for the next 10 weeks I have an extra day off each week.

Winners

So my kid played baseball, and did very well as one of the catchers. I have the empty Spray & Wash bottles to prove it. I once asked if he just rolled around in the dirt before the game, just to warm up. Nothing really seems to get by him.

They won, every game this season. Including tonight!

We were down the first two innings, 3 -0. it looked like rain and we DIDN'T want a rainout, before the game was really over. Then we tied in the 4th.

Then we pulled ahead in the 5th(they don't play 9 innings at this age, only 6 ). Last inning started, we were home team. One out, a runner on base, excellent play to first for second out, another runner on base, then the pitcher struck out Ms. Fabulous Money's even more fabulous son and the game was over. Hee hee hee. Ms. FM was NOT HAPPY. Hee hee hee.

Day 30

I am tired of cone-struction. There, I said it.

That being said the guys are all really nice and got plenty done today.

The sheetrock taper showed up at 7:01 and got started. The other guys did all of the siding and installed the screen door for the porch.

~Create the world you want to see.~
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day 29

Sheet rock on my walls. Taping tomorrow, cabinets maybe monday. Wheee! Porch is progressing (trim, soffits, stuff like that).


Other things going on:

Turns out Thing 1 was smart to skip pool day. Thing 2's friend took a big scary fall off of one of those playground merry go rounds (which was spinning at the time, d'oh!) and got carried away in an ambulance just to be checked, while 100 kids stood there crying. Sounds like great fun! Friend is pretty much "fine". Maybe I won't have to worry about pool day anymore. Snarky but true.

One and a half days of school left... if I survive them without smacking someone. Hey, miracles can happen!

Planning a party for the first of my friends at work to leave, but this is one who quit, he didn't get fired. Yeah, stick it to the man! Ahem. I mean, we'll miss you. First beer's on me.

This post brought to you by Tylenol

I'm working from home today; a complex negotiation took place with Thing 1, who didn't want to be at pool day today and agreed to do laundry; it is now not being done without frequent reminders to "get your butt in there and do it". The tv really WILL still be there when you bring your fried eyeballs back to it.

There is quite a lot of banging emanating from the back of the house. Also the occasional cussword (wait, no, that's me). Today is boring things like insulation. The photos will be almost nothing. But next week, there might be cabinets. Ooooh. (sigh... more packing.)

Also tonight, a transition meeting for PTA. I'm thinking of giving each family a Tylenol rating(one tablet, two, or three) in the school directory, based on whether they bounce checks, criticize the lunch program, complain about fundraisers, etc. All those little charming things that make being an officer so easy.

When all the hotness is gone

it's a sad, sad thing. Yes, that's not your grandfather in the garage, that's Sting

Curious-er

#1
We looked out the front door last night and saw a baby skunk sniffing around in the crazy neighbor's flowerbeds. It was easy to see because this particular flowerbed is raised in such a way as to appear to be concealing bodies. (This neighbor also wraps her shutters in foil come december, and adds bows "to look like gifts". )

Today I heard her nonchalantly telling another neighbor "yes, there are seven (7!!!) babies in the wood pile; we have to call someone to get rid of them." Um, soon. Please? Very soon? Can I loan you my phone? Cause I have plenty of minutes. Really really.

#2
I am the point person for a couple of items while we transition to new PTA officers. (Insert several consecutive cartwheels here, I am freeeeee!). One item involves receiving the forms that people fill out, to specify how they want their family listed in the school directory. Now, the top of the form is the family listing, name address and phone number, and the bottom allows you to have your business listed in the school directory if you would like.

It makes me laugh how some people shred the form and then cram it into a giant envelope, all folded up. For no particular reason, they savagely rip the bottom half off. Hey - if you don't have a business, leave it blank. I promise NOT to give you a fake entry in the business section. Like skunk removal services.

#3
My new floor is the wrong height. Or actually, Bob tB called and said that whoever did the first addition did that floor in such a way that HIS floor is not the right height to line up, and he didn't know that until he broke the wall today. Apparently he is going to have to chaching, lay aother layer of plywood on top of what he's already put down. Hmm. I'm betting that means my shiny new door is going to be fucked up. Any takers on that bet?

#4
Rolling my foot on a tennis ball relieves the (self diagnosed) plantar fasciitis that's been killing me since I went to NYC. I think it cost me $1.50 for three tennis balls. I had to buy them at target because I don't play tennis. Why does this paragraph make me feel SO MUCH like Andy Rooney?

#5
Seriously, I'm sure Russert was a great guy but the first 15 minutes of the today show was Lauer telling the guy's kid personal anecdotes. I felt like I was eavesdropping, listening to it (Mr. C and the kids like the tv on in the morning) and was concurrently thinking THIS IS NOT REALLY SUCH MAJOR NEWS!!! I'm sure this is not a popular opinion. I don't cannonize news anchors the way many people in this country seem to.

Cavemen (day 27)

We came home (after HELLISH day - incredible thunderstorm storm with dense hail at work, and more hair-pulling emails than I can count...)

The kids and I came home to find that we have ONE REALLY BIG GIANT ROOM NOW.

The windows were moved, the old wall is GONE, completely, and neatly, and there is plastic hanging to separate the old from the new, but you can ALMOST see through it. We immediately found the side that we could slip through and took turns sort of shaow dancing on the other side to amuse each other. Strictly G-rated of course!

It's one biiiiig room. A giant empty cave, really.

How much do my contractors rock? They even ran an extension cord so that we can watch tv.

That's it?

It occurred to me this morning that all we had to do is turn the couch the way it is now, and then everything would be fine. We wouldn't have needed this addition after all. (If I threw away all of my hobby materials - beads, photos, paper, stamps, cross stitch...)

The room is a hollow shell and ECHOES like crazy. But the loveseat does look really good at this angle. We packed some 35+ boxes because Mr decided we should use "banker boxes" which are more for archiving paper business records than.... stuff.

Speed post

quasi - telegram...

Duet with Betty at church - sang it right! Kissing my baby nieces/nephews at brunch - awesome (sang "Mockingbird" to one and got HUGE smile)

packing boxes boxes boxes boxes - NOW my daughter wants to clean out HER room?????? Right now??? Seriously??

Moving said boxes down to my mother in law's, where she will surely dust them for the next 3 weeks. Bye bye, all my stuff.

Day 25

Packing.

I have SO MUCH STUFF in this room, that's the irony -- having to empty it to make it bigger.

Day 24

Bob the Builder handed me keys today, to a door that will go from the family room to the porch, which is now in place.

He also hung up some recessed lighting (six, did I need six? I guess we did, it's big. )

The house now looks like a BOMB WENT OFF. I have been packing desk stuff and scrapbook stuff and picture frames and just STUFF for hours and have not much really accomplished. Oh well. I have tomorrow and Sunday afternoon.

Went to the farmer's market near me, got a NYS wine and some veggies (no tomahhhtoes, boo, I love tomatoes).

Monday... the wall comes down. Buckle up!

Feels like today

I took today off for the hell of it because now that I am done with the raffle and the breakfast and the recital I can do ANYTHING I WANT around here today.

I went to Fleet Feet and got fitted correctly for size. My mizunos I love are not quite sized right and pronating, yada yada.

I went on a whim and didn't think to wear shorts and a tshirt. I had on a longsleeve black tshirt and jeans. The clerk who helped me was nice about not visibly laughing. ;-)

I'm going to lace up these little limes and get some of my stuff around here packed out of the way. (Bob the Builder says next week, we break through the old wall. )

Create the world you want to see.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Hmmm

I think I wore THIS shirt to work Monday, too.

It's going to be one of those days.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Sigh

It's dance recital day. Sweet mother of pearl. I'm doomed.

And I got only a few hours of sleep because Top Chef was on (Yay winner!) and my cabinets were scattered all around the warehouse and so I put off printing pictures that Thing 2 NEEEEEEEDS for today until 11:30 or so when I finished with TC and THEN I couldn't find a picture from first grade and then I had to proofread Thing 1's poem which is VERY good, and

then I couldn't fall asleep

...until 2 am.

Dancing

:::dancing around:::::

Poly got me a wii, Poly got me a wii.... you can't get them around here. I bow to her supremacy.

The kids are going to have a GOOD time this summer.

Day 22 or something

Today Bob the builder pointed out where he will put outlets in my family room and talked to me about things like which way doors will swing open (which seems trivial at first until you think about walking AROUND an open door that is in your way 1,000 times). They framed out the porch some more. (lower walls, windowsills... everything is tied together now properly and not just propped up - which one of the crew was worried about last night since our area had tornado watch conditions... um, YIKES!)


and here are some random notes:

• I want a camera just like this, Santa: Nikon D70
• I had a list of things to blog about and I lost it.
• My daughter has a boyfriend ::::thud:::::
• I was instant messaging my friend at work today and reciting the various lyrics from "I'm fucking matt damon" this afternoon. I hope I don't get fired.
• we are picking up my new cabinets tonight - gotta go!!

Blooming

Finally!
Carly(via Blackberry)

Stormy

FINALLY - thunderstorms.

I am listening to the sound of the rain through the windows that open into the addition.

(Day, uh, something- a llittle bit of porch roof made. It was too hot)

I got my blackberry skins from BLACKBERRYSOURCE.COM and I'm very happy. Now my BB doesn't LOOK like I keep dropping it.
Carly(via Blackberry)

by the way

...the cheery song was by jack Johnson and you can hear it here

How my day went

Everyone laughed at her joke

As if they'd never even heard it before

And maybe they were truly amused

But every word that she spoke was a bore

And maybe it's because they had seen

The previews on the TV screen

Well this part is good and that's well understood

So you should laugh if you know what I mean

But it's all relative

Even if you don't understand

Well it's all understood

Especially when you don't understand

Then it's all just because

Even if we don't understand

Then let's all just believe

Everyone knows what went down

Because the news was spread all over town

And fact is only what you believe

And fact and fiction work as a team

It's almost always fiction in the end

That content begins to bend

When context is never the same

And it's all relative

Even if we don't understand

And it's all understood

Especially when we don't understand

Then it's all just because

Even if we don't understand

Then lets all just believe

I was reading a book

Or maybe it was a magazine

Suggestions on where to place faith

Suggestions on what to believe

But I read somewhere

That you've got to beware

You can't believe anything you read

But the good Book is good

And it's all understood

So don't even question

If you know what I mean

But it's all relative

Even if you don't understand

Well it's all understood

Especially when you don't understand

And it's all just because

Even if we don't understand

Then lets all just believe

But there you go once again

You missed the point and then you point

Your fingers at me

And say that I said not to believe I believe

I guess

I guess it's all relative

Casa Carly Stuff

It's hotter today - yay.

Bob the builder told me I have to use outdoor carpeting on the screen porch. Damn. Just what I didn't want, but there won't be windows to close, just open screens. At least it's a good size (12 by 13 feet)

He said the wasp nest was very much alive, inside that soffit. Must have been a Good Time when they opened that up! I did have Raid in the garage for them though (I should buy more).
Carly(via Blackberry)

Questions from my kids

1. Are we getting a new big screen tv because the family room will be bigger? (No)

2. What if we don't like the addition? (well that will really suck, won't it?)

3. What's for dinner? (How much money do you have?)
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day 20

Holy crap, it's hot. 90+ out there. Almost TOO hot to go out and take pictures.

BtB framed the roof of my screen porch today. And it's hot out.

The room will have a nice symmetry around the deck with the garage.

Did I mention how friggin hot out it is?

There was a big yellow jacket's nest, right where I always ALWAYS knew there was, in the soffit at the end of the deck. I found pieces of it all over the deck. The hot deck. Pieces, lying in the hot sun.

OK, you get it, right?

Junk Room

My great Aunt Helena used to love garage sales. She used to go on a regular basis, with her best friend Ruth.

Her purchases would be deposited into the Junk Room, the second bedroom of her house. That room was beyond awesome. It was a kid magnet.

Suzy and I were just discussing it this morning. Pins, necklaces, hats, gloves. Everything a fashionable woman of last century would accessorize with. All sizes, colors, shapes.

If I recall correctly, there were art supplies and books too. Any number of interesting, random objects were piled here, there, and everywhere.

Every time we visited, Helena would let us poke around unsupervised to our heart's content. Eventually we always found something that caught our interest, and then we begged our mother to let us bring it home.

I always loved her house. It was a little brick house with a fireplace and a baby grand in the living room. I would have loved to see Suzy live there. Unfortunately so would the brothers at the frat house which is now right next door.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Over

The breakfast is over.

My REAL friends helped cook and serve and clean up (we won't talk about the rude boorish behaviour of some of the guests, but I did end up in tears this morning. I am fortunate to have great kids who helped me shake it off. )

Its time for my glass of wine...

and I'm locked out of my house.

Karma is laughing at me.

Mr. C will be home SOON.
Carly(via Blackberry)

The Beep beep beep

...of a work truck to tell me that Nimo is dropping my gas line this morning. Yay!

Now as long as they don't dig right through any of these, we won't have a problem:







(My stargazer lily, which is SO close to blooming, the clematis on my trellis is too, and my coreopsis are NO WHERE NEAR where they should be digging!!)

Last Minute Lucy

So here I am -

It's 6:42 on Saturday morning, and I've been awake for over an hour, at the computer, doing things for this breakfast like seating charts and placecards that I should have been doing for the past couple of weeks, instead of ... I don't know, BLOGGING, maybe?

Day 17

Before I imploded at Sam's we took Sharpie markers and signed some of the various indoor beams with our initials and names and the date.

Just a little graffitti, not too much. It was just a fun, (lazy Mama's) time capsule, and the kids loved it.

Becaus of the rain the guys focused on framing the ceiling today. Whooopdedoo. Oh, and they put down a pressure treated floor for the porch. I really want to tile the porch. There's a straight line delineating where the new part starts that I'm not crazy about (the existing deck extended a bit past the house.

Now that we got more copies of the blueprints from the architect they can do the roof for the screen porch next.

Progress.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Dear Sam's Club

I hate you - I hate the giant heavy bulk- ness of your items and your random organization and your towering high shelves and the people who roam around in your store. I hate the logic used to place items and I hate that the signs don't match what's in the aisles but then I realize that they do when I go down for the third time

I hated the clerk who rang up each item and literally said "I'll put this here" as he placed it in my cart, which wasn't my cart, because it was the person's ahead of me, and I hate that everyone gets what's going on in this store, and I don't. I hate that there are no bags because everything is big. I hate that everyone thinks these are the greatest stores ever.

I hate having to make breakfast for 75 people this Sunday. I hate that my feet hurt from roaming around this giant store stressing about how much of each thing to buy. I hate it that Suzy is right when she says "who cares what they think? they'll never be happy and they're just basically mean... ignore them". I want breakfast in bed Sunday! Soooo not going to happen.

Es regnet heute

When I was little I used to live on the east bank of a river. We'd sit in our screenhouse in the evenings.

If a thunderstorm was coming in from the west we would watch the lightning over a nearby city and then the wall of rain would travel over the river to us. I used to absolutely love to watch that, and I still lam in awe of the beauty of a strong thunderstorm.

We would wait until the last possible second and then leave the (METAL) screen house and run for the house, laughing.

Maybe it's because the storm woke me at four a.m., and I couldn't fall back asleepn and I'm so tired, but all of my rainy day memories seem like SO long ago. They almost don't even feel mine anymore.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Shania

After reading this I have to say that since it was Shania who gave us "It only hurts when I breathe" (1) and "I'm jealous" (2) will surely put out some amaaaaaaaaaaaazing songs once she gets over Mutt.

(1)
And it only hurts when I'm breathing
My heart only breaks when it's beating
My dreams only die when I'm dreaming
So, I hold my breath--to forget


(2)
If I were the moon, I could catch your eye
I'm jealous of the moon
If I were the wind, I would make you fly
I'm jealous of that too



Some people get it, some never will. When I'm in a bad place, and I hear a song that nails just how I'm feeling, it's comforting to know that someone else understands exactly what that feels like.

Day 16

One of the best parts of this week has been being able to stand in the space while it is under construction and think "My art table (sitting patiently in the garage in a carton) will go right here. The other chair will go right there".

Today they started to make the floor of the screen porch. They also finished the roof framing of the family room. Yeeeehaw.

Today at work more than one person basically gave me a pile of crap I didn't deserve. I just wanted to pick up the phone and say "Not having it. Do NOT throw me under the bus for not getting a program done as quickly as you want, when I'm trying to help you in my practically nonexistent spare time." And also "if you continue to treat me this way, the answer is that you just won't get it at all. I am tired of people who try to push my buttons. Wake up. Knock it off. Thank you. "

In completely unrelated news, I got a new ringtone. Any guesses?????

Day 15

I got hammered and nailed all day. Hahahaha. No, (re: previous post), Klinger wasn't wearing a dress. Bonus points for all who wondered.

I have a plywood roof. Not quite enough to hide out there for the evening, but exciting anyways.

The Wrongness Of The Deck is still an issue. Pffft. Whatever. It's some boards on sticks. Really.

I ordered my granite today, more or less. I have to have them come measure, once the new cabinets are in. Wheeeeeeee.

Well now

I am working from home today for a couple of reasons.

I am happy to say that the guys are also here working, even though it's rainy today.

I don't mind if the workers smoke OUTSIDE. I was just surprised to see a Klinger lookalike smoking a CIGAR in my yard.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Doubter

My builder just called; OF COURSE he did not block the dryer vent. It's venting to the open area under the new family room floor for now. Uh, yay, I can do laundry.

I also noticed (when I was walking around trying to figure out if the vent has been redirected yet) an odor that concerns me. The odor of cat... um.. cats, using my dug up yard for a... well, you know what I mean.

Then I was walking around and noticed a bucketlike container of kitty litter, with a handle and a lid. This freaked me out. Are we encouraging cats here? Too cheap for a porta john? WTF?

I finally summoned my courage to open the bucket and, trying not to gag, I looked inside.

Nails. Bundles of nails, for a nail gun.

Go ahead, laugh. Your yard doesn't smell like 100 cats took a crap in it.

First

....problem with the new construction.... I do not think I have a dryer vent anymore. Hmmmm. It was on the back of the house riiiiiight about THERE. Where that new deck is.

If I didn't have four loads of laundry to do, I would not be so bummed right now.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day 14

Awesome. I have walls roughed out. My son: "we're going to have WINDOWS!!!" Um, yeah.

Bob the Builder told me this morning that there are "issues" with my existing deck; not a big deal apparently. Just not really attached to the house the best/ most correct way.

Today was better at work. Things seem to have taken a SLIGHT turn for the better now that some of the worst stress of the layoffs is behind us.

I went out briefly, picked a sandwich, and went back to eat lunch with my crew. I have this shirt, and every time I wear it, apparently it is required that we ALL discuss it at the lunch table. I swear to George Clooney, people. Yes, I have cleavage. This shirt is NOT THAT LOW CUT. It is merely not a turtleneck, and when I wear something that isn't a turtleneck the masses must discuss the fact that "Oh my god, she's letting the girls breathe today."

I'm mystified. But the fact that I had gone out to get the sandwich made me feel better. Panera. Yum. (Andy, one of my coworkers, got a cafeteria sandwich, and the bread was so stale it actually broke into pieces. Not good. So I did actually give him one half slice of my bread, because a Panera sandwich is actually SO big on two giant slices, I can never finish the entire thing and they didn't have a soup that I liked today, and ramble ramble ramble he liked the sundried tomato bread. Karma, I need all the karma I can get.)

We had ice cream this afternoon to celebrate a couple of upcoming birthdays. There were actually a few people SMILING. Haven't seen that in a while.

I ache. That's what happens when you don't run for 3 months. Oooopsie.

One lap, two lap

So, basically my boss nudged me along a little by threatening me with a 5K this fall and tonight I went for a short 20 minute run which kicked my ass and made me want to puke JUST A LITTLE.

I can't recall the last time I ran but it was an early fake spring day quite a while ago.

The running itself felt ok other than the brief wannabarf, and I am stretching and typing on my blackberry at the same time, which is rather bogus, but at least I'm doing a little bit.

Ciao.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day 13

I now have plywood where my family room floor will be.

I also still have a job for now, after a long day of waiting while people were plucked away here and there like the Others used to in season 1 & 2 of Lost.

I'm sitting at a baseball game now; the cotton tree seeds are everywhere. It looks like snow. It gets in your eyes and hurts, or up you nose. Foul!

If you need me, I'll be listening to Coldplay's new song over and over.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Symmetry

...you've probably seen this... but it's cool, no?

I am in the mood for a dark movie. I will probably go see this one alone (hopefully not whilst collecting unemployment, but at any rate, it's on my calendar. Life goes on.)

So, Meopta had a post about a meme that basically is, "go find your 42nd blog post ever; that sums up your life."

Mine has several insights into my life:

• I hate the supermarket
• I love to cook for other people
• I love my sister
• I love wine somewhat more than cooking... but less than my sister, of course
• I'll probably enjoy a good action movie based on comics, (but I'd rather not see thick shiny yellow blood - I should have known better. )

Sunday Art

Recently, one of the blogs I read and enjoy was featured on blogged.com, so I have been exploring that, and found all sorts of art blogs to look at. Awesome.

Today I came across Frostyland (love the Billy Idol lyrics) and Frostola's gallery - beautiful shots.

Enjoy!

Decisions

Family room carpet; down to two choices.

Tile for the kitchen, ditto.

Both choices are fine by me. (Brought them home, I'm sitting here looking at them now. )

We spent almost two hours there - it gave me a big headache but the owner of the store really was helpful.

Now if only I knew what I wanted for dinner.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Gray

I'm in a funk today.

Yesterday I went out to lunch with the entire group of people I most often eat lunch with. It's about 10 people and we usually have 6 or so on any given day. It was kind of a last hurrah; on Monday morning there will be layoffs and we just KNOW that at least a few if not several of our group won't be around on Fridays anymore to go to our Italian restaurant and eat pizza and joke about the waitress with the eyeshadow or the one who is so damn slow.

It's hard to know whether it's worse -- to have to go out and look for a new job, or stay behind in the old job and watch your friends leave one by one, knowing things will never be the same anymore, because we won't be hanging out all the time together, and oh by the way, you get to do a good chunk of extra work from now on, so get busy. "Stay positive and focused on your work as much as possible. " OK.

Today is the 30th Freihoffer run; I am HERE, TYPING, and not THERE, getting ready to run. I am disappointed in myself, and discouraged, but that's not really fair. I've been insanely busy, the PTA stuff was really a nightmare this year, and with everything going on it was completely unrealistic to think that I could train, and do this race. I have had minor physical issues too, nothing worth writing about but just enough to make me go "Yeah... not running." It's a cloudy day and that kills me more, because it's not horrible and hot and muggy like it was last year; this is actually the kind of weather I liked to run in - back when I used to actually be able to get myself out to run. I think if I had trained, I might have been able to actually RUN most of the race, with weather like this. To pull myself out of this horrible space I'm going to try to go and buy a decent new pair of shoes next week, at a place over on the main shopping drag where they claim to spend time helping you get a good fit. I'm going to try to work toward the Komen run (it's in the fall). Look forward. I hate the word "try" though, because it's all about maybes and probably nots.

The construction is progressing, a bit slowly still because of weather, but next week should take off quickly. My mother's only comment to my sister about it all is that she plans to give me "my" dollhouse, now that I'll have so much space. She made it for me while I was young, and it's been at her house for a long time now. It's beautiful. She handmade furniture for it. And still. I don't want it. It's GIANT. Seriously, three feet tall and three feet wide and so NOT why I am expanding my family room, and it's HER hobby, her creation, not mine.

This project, the family room expansion specifically, is not about finding a place for my dollhouse. It's about having kids who are not kids, they're working into the teenage phase, and I want them to be able to sit comfortably and have friends over, and have space for my art stuff and their music stands so that they will practice more. I want abundant noise in MY house, not the rigid silence that was required in a tiny house where the sole breadwinner worked from 11PM to 7 AM.

She has never respected my scrapbooking. She thinks it's a waste of money. I like to have the photos of my kids, and the things we do, that I didn't do or don't have photos of from MY childhood. I like to preserve them, and I find the hobby itself to be relaxing and fun, with all of the pretty papers and stickers and tools like punches and eyelets.

So. I expect an argument down the line, on that one. Followed by sullen silence and "she knows I'm mad" to people who shouldn't have to be in the middle of it.

I'll be going to pick out carpeting today; another semi overwhelming decision that I will cross my fingers and move forward with. Wish me luck.

Nine is fine

I have partial forms. Pouring will be later today, or tomorrow.

I also have another mouse. Maybe he was down south for Christmas, when I killed the others. Don't know. I saw his black little furry self run into the garage. His days are numbered.

Woot!

My new boyfriend (not the old one) finally pitched the barmaid. OK, it's just an excuse to post this picture and a link to the other one.

Day 8

Incessant chatter and speculation about the coming layoffs. Hmm. Maybe I'll have time to clean my house from top to bottom myself.

Hmmm.

Anyway.

Porch done, with more stepping on the coreopsis bush. I am seriously going to kick some construction worker ass pretty soon if they don't cut it out. We all continue to trip over the threshold.

Footings are drying. Maybe walls will be poured tomorrow or Friday. So next week we might see some real action. Something more than a hole in the ground.

For some reason I continue to buy way too many groceries, because I am in denial that I will have to empty some of the cabinets within the next couple of weeks (or ok, maybe a month from now, but I need to stop buying certain stuff and use up what we have. )

Day 7

Well, we now have footings, and the rain held off (enabling a baseball game waaaay longer than necessary). Maybe friday will bring the rest of the foundation.

My new front porch is done, but they kind of crushed my coreopsis.

Maybe it will recover. I can't tell.
Carly(via Blackberry)

At least I'm doing something right

Yesterday we went to a family gathering and at some point in the afternoon a bunch of us put the babies in strollers and walked them around the neighborhood to enjoy the sunshine and soothe the toddlers down into their naps.

You know that commercial, about the girl's rare happy smile appearing on the expensive vacation? That.

I was strolling along and my teenager came up and put her arm around my waist. She's almost as tall as me now, and when I went to put my arm around her shoulders... I couldn't. She's too tall. We laughed and continued on, with HER arm on my shoulders and my arm around her waist.

I have not felt so happy in, I don't know, I couldn't say when.

Dusting off Irving Berlin

Today I sang God Bless America at communion time, with the woman who is the cantor all summer long. I was really happy with how it went; some days I feel like I sing like crap, but this was definitely NOT one of those days. The song is one of my favorite songs to sing there too.

Sunday art

("Whose muffin is this?" "Mine, don't touch it." A tiny voice: "I'm touching it.")

Since any pondering of TRUE art is not currently possible, I am going with something bogus today.

I googled Concrete Art and wouldn't you know, you can google ANYTHING on the internets and get a hit.

I love this one. Not that I will be doing this, of course. I didn't ACTUALLY hit the lottery. Grr.

Builders

...working on my footings. On a Sunday! And here I thought I'd have no update today.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Apples not far from trees

My daughter just tripped coming into the house.

Awesome.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day Four

The sun was shining today. I took dirty pictures. No, wait, that was pictures of the piles of dirt.

The gravel is now (somewhat) in the hole in the ground. Hopefully Tuesday will see some concrete results. Badump bump.

The front porch was together a certain way and the guy took parts of it apart and redid them. Don't ask me why. (Still the new height; I really tripped one time going in. Almost fell. Stellar. )

The boys previously mentioned also put mulch in my front flowerbeds and only buried two baby plants. Not bad at all.

We failed to impress my mother with the blueprints, the counter sample, or the new lights. But I really must say the cheesecake was great.

It's not always easy to forgive someone. Just wanting to, doesn't make it happen.

Quotes

Some expected, some rather alarming.

"That's better" - one of the builders, exiting the bathroom.

"Is anyone itchy?" - one of the neighborhood boys hired to help clear brush behind the house.

"Did you win the lottery?" (Pretty much my mother's only comment, spoken in a tone of "why are you spending this money?")

Carly(via Blackberry)

Juniors

So while I was making the cheesecake I noticed that inside one of the Philly wrappers there was an ad to buy the Junior's Cheesecake recipe book.

As Carrie Bradshaw said to the Manolos: "hellooooo, lover".

It DOES have the carrotcake/cheesecake combo that I tried soooooo hard to eat all of. Now I can keep trying. So, yes, I have already ordered it.

Day 3

People showed up and did things at my house today! I did a little happy dance early this morning.

There was dumping of gravel and pumping of water because they couldn't be doing other things, like digging my foundation, and in their unexpected spare time they ripped off my front steps and built me new ones. (Don't get me wrong, that was on the to do list.) My son was about 6" from the construction of the porch all day. The guys were VERY nice about it. I'll be buying plenty of boxes of coffee from Dunkin'.

The new stairs are slightly lower than the old one (more like what it 'should' be in construction boy opinions) and so I trip. I trip when I walk out. I trip when I walk in. It's fascinating but I know that at least Grace is nodding her head in understanding.

I went back to look at granite again with my little cabinet door in hand. I wandered around and looked halfheartedly at a few and then noticed, hey, the one showing the sample sink is actually pretty nice, and the cabinets are about the same color as mine. You can look here at it, but Meopta has already approved it so we are good to go.

So, you may be happy to know I am not taking just any old thing for granite.

Things

in no particular order:

• Memorial day means the town parade. Which means nearly 30 fire fighting vehicles. All from our town. Our rather smallish town with a bunch of volunteer fire districts. Totally out of control.
• Granite update - maybe going today to get more samples, with my Designer friend
• Must make cheesecake for Mom today. A peace offering. I'm going to show her my muddy backyard tomorrow. She will be annoyed that she doesn't already know about it. Whatever, I'll be eating cheesecake. (Note to JV: your birthday is not until next week. This one is ALL MINE.)
• School concert last night. Ten year old boys outnumbered by the girls in the class 5-20; forced to stand on stage and do the macarena while singing "ItsyBitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini". These boys are athletes. They play basketball and baseball together. The look of visible disgust each time it was time to do the chorus/dancing was PRICELESS. And yes, I do have it on video to show at 8th grade graduation parties.
• It is sunny so there will be digging today. I hope.
• Welcome home, Mike.

Day 2

It's raining. Unavoidably so.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Day one

We don't have much to show for it, just an unfinished trench where the foundation will be.

My son's brain exploded when he saw the mounds of dirt. He wanted to jump from the deck to the middle of the "island" of dirt still remaining inside the trench outline. (Are they going to take that dirt out? Can I jump onto it? did they use machines ? )

Best observation: "I didn't know the ground went that deep."

Deeep.

And

...it's thundering. Construction workers are alll gonnnnnnnnnnne. :::whimper::::

FINALLY

There is a man out in back, sitting in a tractor. And another one with a shovel, in a moatlike trench that is quickly growing in size. (it looks like it's going to POUR now, dammit!)

(Meopta, I knew I could count on you. I don't like it so much, I was trying to convince myself that since the other one that I liked much more didn't match my cabinets, I would like this one. I'm going to go back and get about five more, very different, samples. They have dozens... )

Please don't take me for granite

I have access to a wonderful deal on a granite countertop. Do I like this sample? I'm not sure. Apparently it could have much more rust in the piece I get, or very little. I'm not limited to this or nothing.... I am just indecisive when there are too many choices.

Just for clarity's sake....the cabinets on the bottom are 20 years old. Then ten years ago we remodeled the kitchen and added top ones which matched, so now we have to match THOSE. Endless loop, anyone? At any rate the bottom cabinets are beat and will be replaced with pretty much the same darn thing. (New knobs for everybody!!!!!! There's an offer you don't get everyday!!!!)

Peanut gallery? I think I'm going back to look at other colors Friday. Friend Who Likes HG TV suggests something darker, with a little black (??)

I wondered where I left it

(Random geek news that I like for no particular reason, other than it gives me hope someday soon I'll find all my stufffff. And, well, I tend to like geeks. )

Some things are starting to fall into place. School things are starting to be finished off, one by one. At work, not so much. It might help if I weren't sick right now. Just a basic cold (really) but today I literally saw stars for a few minutes and I was queasy. Not resting well at all the last few days. Good thing I worked from home.

Bob (the Builder) called tonight and said he'll dig tomorrow. Now if I could just decide what color countertop to pick... why do I think picking carpeting and kitchen flooring is going to finish me off? Huge decisions, and me, with no idea what I want.

I am too tired to discuss the many finales and victors on tv except to say "Why did Flave not pick Black? She's so much more interesting." I'm thinking he just assumed she wouldn't stay interested in him, and he wanted someone who would put up with that sketchy little snicker of his for a long time.

Songs

My son used to listen to Delilah to fall asleep. He now has a freakish encyclopedia of 80's hits rattling round his brain.

Right now he's singing "do you really want to hurt me" which would work for multiple people bugging me today.

One noticable example would be the builder who. ISN'T digging in my yard right now.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Sunday Art

#1 this is fun, I saw it featured on Bent Objects .

#2 my friend won a mother's day contest and her makeover was in a magazine. You're beautiful!

PS: confidential to the paparazzi, uh, parents at today's First Communion ceremony... sit down. (There were so many up at the front of the aisle that the priest had to ask them to move so that the altar servers would be able to walk up there. Classy. ) You're really choking the religious solemnity right out of the moment with the incessant flash business. Also, do NOT come up to the choir loft to take pictures again, or I may just push you over. We're kind of busy.

Crabby patties

So last night we went to a seafood place I've probably been to 500 times in the last 20 years.

I ordered risotto with mushrooms (and stuff) and a plank grilled piece of salmon on top. It also comes loaded with deep fried shreds of sweet potato.

I stuck my fork into the big pile and took a bite...of crab cake.

There was a giant crab cake tucked in there too. Huh?

I had quite a conversation with myself then. This is good, it isn't mine. If I return it they'll toss it because I ate some; it's. ALMOST what I ordered, but I know there's an extra charge. But I didn't order it but I started to eat it by mistake.

My daughter had ordered a crab cake as her "meal" and I thought maybe the kitchen just plopped it on my plate. I'll just ask for her plate/garnish, if the waiter shows up.

While I was looking for our waiter, who still hadn't brought my daughter's or another one of the plates for our table, I noticed one of the other waitresses walk by, look at my plate and glare at me.

Mr C caught the glare and said "what's wrong?". She caught herself and said "nothing, I was looking at her salmon". Screw you honey, I didn't go into the kitchen and steal it. Don't glare at me. I really didn't notice until I ate some. Go glare at my waiter.

I had visions of a Hell's Kitchen scene going on back there complete with Gordon calling someone Idiot. Because now clearly TWO tables had not gotten their meals all at the same time. (I hate that! I'm always the one saying "no, eat while its hot, really". )

What a mess. I really do wish I'd noticed. It was damn good, at any rate. They didn't charge me.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Patty cake

The other day Suzy made pancakes. This is what she saw when she flipped one over. Kind of cool for a baby nurse, huh? I suppose if she was a forest ranger it would look like a Bigfoot paw print to her, but....

Bonbons not included

This is exactly what I would like. Except that I would prefer the option to purchase it for half the price. And please, get those effing UGLY pillows off it. Okay so I may end up with a plaaaaainer version double chaise from Targettttdotcom. But I do love this one.

I'm hoping the screen house will look a little bit cottage/ garden - ish without being too over the top. I'm already planning to grow some herbs; just a few on a plant stand/ bakers rack; basil, chives, oregano, dill and so on.

The Sirius antenna will be permanently attached on the roof somehow if I can finesse that(Bob the Builder will love that, I'm sure. Hey guys? Um, can you - oh, no, not there, over there. Um, yeah, no, nevermind)

Again, the cart way before the horse. But that's what I do.

Happy(?) Friday

Well I made it through another week. Another rollercoaster of tense school meetings and flurries of phone calls in and around.

Tonight I have to drop my kid off at a "thing" at 7 then I have the house to myself.

I need some peace.

I'm thinking a glass of wine or even just hot tea, and a mini marathon of either cooking shows or whatever episodes of the Office are still on my dvr. (Except last night's finale, which annoyed me on a couple of fronts. It's not ok with me to make fun of "slow" people, and I just hate the "no happy ending for you" finish ONCE AGAIN. So Grey's made me doubly discouraged.)

Carly(via Blackberry)

If I had more money honey

...would you love me, love me, love me like me?

Funny how that song started playing on Sirius right when the Client #9 stuff broke.

Today I will sign lots of papers saying that for the next several decades I will pay back large piles of money. Seriously: sign papers, people give you stacks. Is this country awesome or what?

HOPEFULLY on Monday I will have large construction vehicles tearing up my backyard. Or Tuesday, but wheeeeeee either way. There are spray paint marks all over the street in front of my house. (I have to go photograph those bad boys. For the scrapbook, you know. )

I opened up my lamp last night and was delighted to find it pretty, just the right dimensions for over my kitchen table, and most importantly, NOT BROKEN.

The funniest part is that right now my parents have no idea I'm going to be doing all of this. My hope is to have them over for a cookout on the 4th of July and blow their minds. Hee, hee.

That feeling

...you get, that it's going to be a lonnnnng uphill road?

This is how my beauuuutiful murray feiss boulevard 3 light chandelier arrived. Fuck you, Fed Ex. I'm not even willing to open it tonight. I hear clinking.

This week my longtime friend was finally back at work after being out on disability for weeks. But, she thinks she will be forced to retire in the whole offshoring thing going on now in our company.

I really want cheesecake NOW.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Lame duck

I am now a lame duck, as far as the PTA is concerned.

I can't say that I am sorry to walk away from all of the work, nor all of the bullying, squabbling, and needless drama going on. (And we are supposed to be the grownups and role models?)

I have trouble with people who have a role and define themself so much by that, they become completly difficult about someone else taking it over.

Time changes things. People move on. It is what it is.

I was never suited for the role of perky volunteer. I don't like working, frankly. Also, I don't tend to express myself with multiple exclaimation points. Maybe too many "....." But that's another story.


Speaking of another story, I read an email yesterday that Aggie died.

Some 25 years ago when I started college, I didn't go for the mandatory swim test OR take the freshman swimming class. Funny how being thrown in the deep end of a pool by some drunk morons in high school when you can't swim will make you shy away from water.
Over the course of my college years eventually a boyfriend helped me learn how to "sort of" swim.

My senior year of college Aggie started to hunt me down. My friends were endlessly amused by the thought that I wouldn't be able to walk onstage for graduation if I didn't take that damn test. (I graduated magna cum laude with a math / computer science degree)

Finally in early May she cornered me and said "Today.". Of course by THEN I could pass it.

Aggie was legendary for her school spirit, her long career at my college, and just in general her wonderful personality. NOT for being the woman I drove crazy by being a flake about a swim test.

Sorry, Aggie. R, e, dr, ed, dre, dred -RED!!
Carly(via Blackberry)

Alleluia

Yesterday was our last performance together at mass, now that it's "summer" according to the Stanley calendar (well, to be precise, yesterday was Pentecost, so we are done)

We sing a song for communion called "Alleluia", by Randall Thompson . A harsh critic would point out that we just sing "alleluia" over and over (about 60 times...)

To me, it's like standing in a rainstorm. The first few drops (notes) fall quietly, and then more and more join in as it builds. The notes rise and fall in some amazing harmonies and at the height of the storm we've got parts moving in every direction and you'd better be counting and paying attention to get it right.

Then just as it increased, it begins to settle down; the notes slow and return gradually to only a quiet "Amen".

I always hate it when choir is over for the summer.

(you can get a little snip of the song here if you use Real Player )

Sunday art

...by my new best friend at Lowe's.

I do have upper cabinets over the stove and a pantry to left of the fridge; they are not in this sketch and don't need to be replaced because we put those in 10 years ago when we did the FIRST addition.

So all we had to do was match the existing top cabinets, which probably saved 3,000 hours off of the "select cabinets" task. Too many choices for me!

anyway... happy mother's day to myself... we ordered these yesterday. The countertop will be much wider because the sink "wall" is open to the family room and we have barstools on the backside. Which is where a barstool usually is, badump bump.

Really?

My builder came by yesterday to get blueprints from me so he could go get a building permit. I did the "call before you dig" thing yesterday. Um, there are woods behind my house. And no, there will be no blasting, as far as I know!!!

He said that once he starts, it will be only 3 or 4 weeks. (So, that means 6-8, right? ) This would still come close to my current goal of having this all done by the 4th of July.

I have to go order cabinets and find a new kitchen light and think about countertops. The cabinets thing will be fine because I'm just matching the top cabinets which are only half as old. But the lights.... toooooo many choices. Now I'm worried that not having this stuff done because of the chaos at school will slowwwww the project down.

Waaaaaow

I thought I liked kids. I really did.

...until 50 of them said "why do we have to wait until after we run for a snack?"

Then I wasn't sure.

and when 100 kids came at me (after running said laps around the school track, for a fundraiser), and all saying they wanted "a granola bar AND a pretzel AND some orange pieces and can I have a bananna too but wait no not that kind of granola bar" at the same time and putting their little darling fingers all over everything

I thought

"hmmmm...

I am not crazy about kids."

and when they took drinks of water and dumped them over their heads, (note, it is 52 degrees out here today) I thought... hmmm.... aren't they nice.

No, wait, I said "WHY aren't they nice?"

note to self: elementary education may not be my best plan B career path after all

Rain dance

I took today off from work to help with a field day at school.

I was really hoping the universe would catch my hints, which I have verbalized all week, and it would be raining today, so that I could be on my couch right now starting a Sex & the City DVD marathon to refresh my memory before the movie comes out.

But, no.

Oddly enough

I'd say this is a sign my luck is turning.

I was minding my own business waiting for my son's baseball game to start. Some of the kids started pitching to each other. My daughter and I set up our chairs but she was RIGHT on top of me so I moved left a few feet. Then I started eating this salad I made with fake crab meat (I like it, most people don't), celery, a little tomato and some lowfat mayo. It was good too. Was.

I was eating and checking something on the blackberry and out of nowhere WHABAMMMMM, something exploded in my face with a sick thunk. I let out a not-so nice word that wasn't Mary OR Joseph.

All of a sudden several people were around me and things were reeeeeally quiet. A ball had come over the fence right at me. It took everyone a few seconds to figure out the ball had hit my tupperware container, not my face, and then bounced into my tote bag. I think it barely glanced off my cheek along the way, but not very hard. The thunk was NOT my face. And my dinner? All over the ground.

I believe the coach will have an (extra) beer tonight.

My daughter is happy to point out that if I hadn't moved, it never would have happened. I'm just happy not to be dining via straw.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Change

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.

Alan Cohen


I came across this on another blog and I've been mulling it over in light of everything at work and school.

I'm still stewing, but it helps. I've started to do a few new things in my daily routine to mix it up a little where I can and it seems to help me cope.

This trellis is my spring challenge every year. Those little vines will bloom white and purple clematis. At least, that's the plan.

Sometimes I am busy and don't notice the first shoots appear. They snake along the ground and get tangled in the evergreens. Then it's almost too late to try to tie them and get them to look nice on the trellis. 'Salvage' isn't fun.

This year I thought I had it all set. Got the trellis in. Used cute string to tie everything and show it how I want it all to go.

Now the rabbits are eating it. There is an entire effing woods behind my house and the rabbits are eating THIS. It makes me just throw up my hands and say "Why?"

Sometimes you keep trying, but it's just not going to happen the way you want.

That's how I'm feeling about the house too. Like the work will NEVER start no matter what I do. Waaaaaiting is hard for me. Wondering if we can afford to do what I've envisioned sucks.


Carly(via Blackberry)

No, it wasn't "oops I did it again"

Tonight was confirmation at our church. The Bishop showed up (on time! which we can't say for every member of the choir....including one who pointedly told every one to get there at 5:15 and then walked in at 5:40... not naming names but that same someone forgot to turn off their cellphone. )

Kind of funny since we were in the middle of one of the first songs during the actual confirmation part of the mass, and the phone rang, and we botched a line in what I thought was a really noticeable way. In a "funny but not" sort of way. That horrifying, slow-mo way. Gah.

It was Lord, Listen To Your Children, by Ken Medema, arranged by Jack Schrader. We perform a few pieces that he has arranged; I like the gospel-but-not- too-gospel-for-a-"north"-church sound.

Today's announcements

(edit.... it's so hard to spell korrectly on a blackberry... and I needed to add a photo to this post)

1. Happy birthday, George Clooney. (47) I'd make a joke about birthday suits but I'm off my game this week.

2. Spammers suck. If I want to see "those", I have them. Kinda nice ones, actually. 100% real too. Moron. (Comments will be moderated for a brief while, as a result of this incident.)

3. Only 31 more days of school.

4. Yesterday the orthodontist referred to my younger child as a 'very challenging case'. I asked if he'd do the work for free on account of being grateful for gaining that learning experience. I wonder why he seemed mad after that. I kid, I kid.

5. Friday I will be volunteering at this school at an event that almost guarantees good stories. Stay tuned.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Targets

The beatings will commence until morale improves.

Today at 9 am sharp some of the people in my division were told that the applications they support are being outsourced / offshored. As in, programmers in India. Happy Monday.

Not me, not today. But, some of my friends. Some of my oldest, best friends.

But, "just because your application is going, doesn't mean you are going".... in other words there will be a giant game of musical chairs, and some of us will stay. No committments, no promises.

So at lunch I got to watch one of my coworkers tell another "you're marked now...." and then everyone debated about what will happen.

Nice. I wonder why my stomach ached all afternoon.

Sunday art

Today's artist is Miro Sinovcic . (Don't miss this page.)

He paints NYC, and they're the kind of paintings that you have to lean back and sort of squint at to really appreciate, but I definitely like them. I love the pallette of colors he uses. (And to be honest, this is kind of what the world looks like to me without my glasses....)

Warming trends

How to warm up, a la Carly:

1. Attend a Judo tournament with Suzy. Ask several people about the rules. Make friends. This will thaw you.
2. Judo tournaments are held in rooms that get very warm and start to smell like sweaty judo students, some of whom are not hard on the eyeballs. You will get warmer.
3. Cheer for your friend when he executes a perfect throw (drop, move, whatever, it was a great move!) Jumping up and down and cheering counts as your cardiovascular workout for the day.


Now can someone ACTUALLY explain the rules to me? Mmmokay thanks.

Gray sky

Oh spring, you fickle tease, where are you now that I'm sitting watching the ball games? My fingers are so cold, I can barely type. The robins have been replaced by one hawk, circling up in a sky the color of a thin layer of ash left behind after a cookout.

I have to sing tomorrow at church; I really hope I don't sound like I have a code in my node.
Carly(via Blackberry)

Ranger

1. My friend T and I were discussing Lost and have agreed that in the end if it turns out they've all been dead this whole time, T and I will punch each other in the face.

2. I was chatting with my friend K and it turns out we were both at the same REO Speedwagon concert about 23 years ago. The music is still good.

3. I had to write up a survey about our school lunch program; they're starting to come back to me from parents. Oh m geezy, as my kid says. You can feel the flames coming off of some of these bad boys.
4. I have a new puppy, the best kind - it doesn't pee on anything. It's stuffed. He just sits on my desk and makes me happy. I may send him on adventures around the world this summer (like Chico and Donkey if you remember the Where's my Pace Hat gig I did)

Carly(via Blackberry)

Left foot left foot left foot right

Yesterday I inadvertently told an old friend of mine in a rather offhanded way that a mutual acquaintance of ours had died.

I was standing there waiting for a really crappy sandwich to be "made to order" (they always get at least one thing wrong; yesterday she slapped this big gross pickle on my plate and I never, ever eat those things-- she always asks "Dill or sweet" and I say "no pickle" and she says "No pickle??" like I'm asking for dry coffee mixed into curdled milk. Dammit.)

Anyway. Back to me putting my foot in my mouth.

M walked up and said hello. I said hi and gee, I'm sorry to hear about your friend, your employee. (About a month ago one of her staff died very suddenly and I haven't seen her since then.) She said "Yes, HR told me it was a terrible week, there were four employees that died right around the same time."

So then I said "oh, I know, I was just talking to XYZ the day he died. It was so sad." Then I noticed the blink, the double take.

Crap.

Crap.

Who knows

I have a widget on my google desktop that counts the days until whatever event you are tracking. I had it set for the 5K on may 31st...31 days from now. The only trouble is, I haven't run. At all. In months.

So I'm giving up on that. I'm discouraged. This month has really kicked my ass, and I just can't see myself running through that park in 4 1/2 weeks. It's kind of hard to believe I managed to do it last year.

There is so much stuff going on at school with staffing cuts and people handling things the way human beings with emotions tend to handle those situations. People reacting to things that maybe in their heart of hearts, they knew on some level, would probably have to happen someday... but still stunned and waffling between frustration and sadness and thoughts about the future.

It's hard to watch, because I still don't know about MY job. And after a meeting yesterday, I don't know what I want anymore. I felt so TOTALLY out of synch with one of the people I was meeting with. I felt like anything I said, she just blinked and moved on with her train of thought. It was draining. I can't do my job if no one will let me. But I need my job.

Bad haiku

At the baseball game
Freezing despite the blankets
Damn metal bleachers

Carly(via Blackberry)

Not necessarily news

Catching up on some celebrity "news"...

This article speaks disapprovingly of Katie Holmes and Posh dining out and that they

shared a green salad sans dressing, one piece of fish and one side of steamed spinach. They also ordered one regular Coke and two glasses of ice.

This is bad? Caesar dressing is loaded with calories. They probably got oil and vinegar. I've seen fish on restaurant plates that I would cut into THIRDS, not even just in half. Steamed spinach is healthy, and there was probably the equivalent of a box of frozen spinach in that "side dish". People. Seriously. If they'd shared ONLY the salad, I might raise an eyebrow. Going out to eat with a friend and splitting meals is a good thing. Just as Hungry Girl - who, by the way, has a new book out. She is all about splitting meals and making healthier substitutions.

Yes, Katie is tall and lean - she runs marathons. She's young. Deal with it. As for Posh, those ta-tas really bother me, but if she wants to knife up, that's her business. She is out in Plastic Surgery Cult city, after all. Do we really NEED to criticize how these women eat in a restaurant?

Then we have another article which I found very insightful. I completely agree with McNamara's assertion that Miley is a living, breathing Disney princess.

It's their classic formula, complete with an idealized father figure and (apparently) absent mother. Remove the parent(s), make the princess vulnerable. Ever notice that about Disney movies? It's been that way since I was in college. When I see the Vanity Fair photos, I see a young female who looks as though she's been assaulted. The messed hair, the smeared eye makeup. Not cool. Not a "beautiful image" or whatever expression they tried to use in defense.

This is why I don't read the news very often.