Crib Ceiling

oh yeaaaaaa

2008-07-17T01:42:00.000-06:00

2008-07-12T19:26:00.004-06:00

So! Here I am in LA.

I had this post all written out (in my head) about the Lamy, New Mexico, train station, where we departed, and the Los Angeles train station, where we arrived, and how different they are . . . instead I'll just show you a picture.

Lamy:

Los Angeles:

I have all kinds of thoughts on these. On how Lamy seems frozen in time, somewhere between the 1880s and, maybe, the 1940s. And LA is, well, LA. Nothing more modern, for better or worse. Lamy - no process. Everything individual, personal, inefficient (but friendly!). LA - all process. Total efficiency. Totally impersonal. But speedy! (And with palm trees!)

So, you know. Expand and fill in. Add a little humor. There! We're done with that post.

In the meantime, here's some things we've done:

Took the girls to this place , where they designed their own shirts, decorated them, and we paid a million dollars and went on our way.

We went to the beach:

and my girls actually swam in the water. One seems to be impervious to cold, so splashing in a cold ocean actually seems fun to her. Even when I lived here and went to the beach, I never actually went in the water. Looked like fun, if freezing.

That also meant we had to go here:

We went here and saw both a new movie, plus a live Disney-character show:

And that was just Day One!

(Just kidding of course.)

We've also, most importantly, seen friends, and family.

I feel liked I was asked, before we came here, "what will you do there?" I can't place now who asked me that, or whether it was just something I thought people might ask.

I do know this list doesn't scratch the surface of what we've done, and neither come close to the limitless possibilities that could be done.

Like life, I suppose. I guess this city is like life. Like any city. Gosh, am I up too late, or what?

Leaving on a jet train

2008-06-30T01:36:00.005-06:00

Way back when, in the middle of winter (a word I don't even want to say right now, it's so pleasant), and when it seemed like winter had lasted about three years, I thought, I should check the calendar and see when the next time is that we could leave. For awhile.

And I looked. And looked. And it turns out - it was - SUMMER.

This whole "go to school" thing really puts a crimp in the works.

Not to mention, you know. Jobs.

But I made my plans. And we are leaving. Tomorrow. For AWHILE.

Via the train.

We are going to LA.

Should all go well, I will check in from Lala Land. With a smile on my face, a packed bag (or ten), and the sunny sun on face.

Which is pretty much what I have here, now.

- sigh -

Some of us, in fact, ARE getting younger

2008-06-12T06:33:00.005-06:00

We've spent the few weeks of the summer traveling. Which has been, you know, glorious.

On one of our travelabouts (word?), we met up with a bunch of extended family. Okay, we did that a few times. I have extended family galore.

So this particular group, I hadn't seen in eight years. They were in town, we were in town, that kind of thing. (That actually happened a couple times, so if you're Bob and you're reading this, as you pretend you do, it wasn't that dinner.) (That's to provoke you to comment.)**

Anyway, it was great to see everyone, etc. And everyone seemed about the same . . . except for my one cousin, who seemed distinctly younger.

And I don't mean in some kind of botoxed-enhanced kind of way, that I know of. It's just amazing what attitude can do for you.

This particular cousin, a woman I really like, has always been very Grownup. The kind of Grownup I just don't think I'm going to get to, apparently. For all our adult days so far, she's been a professional violinist, actually playing professionally at places like Carnegie Hall, on a regular basis.

She was also married to an Eastern European Professional Violinist, who was trying (and succeeded) to get on with a world-class orchestra. They were quite Mature.

(Kind of like when I would listen to my mother's cousin tell hilarious stories about his youth and the brave, fun, incredible things he and his boyhood pals would do. For years, as an 8-, 9-, and 10- year old, I would think, I can't wait . . . I can't waituntil I am old enough to have that much fun!

Eventually, I heard those stories when I was 14, or maybe 16, and I realized, huh. How old were those guys when they were sneaking into Elitch Gardens and riding for free all night and running out the back gate with the security guards hot on their tail? . . . And I realized, probably the age I am NOW. (Probably even younger.) Why am I not having that kind of fun? I'd wonder.

Okay, so I realize, these are two opposite examples - looking at people much younger than me and knowing I will never be that mature, and listening to people a fair amount older than I am, and knowing I was never so young.)

Anyway, the end of this story is, the cousin I first mentioned has gotten younger! Ditched the struggling artist life, living in a new city, on her way to a shiny new business degree - she was light and happy and literally a decade younger. I thought that was pretty cool.

Suffice it to say, it was great to see her. Plus she brought me chocolate. She so rocks.

(I have no great wrap-up to this story, other than, you know, ruminations on how some people are older than me but seem younger and others are younger but seem much more grownup (and now we're probably about even? Nope. She's younger again.) Feel free to add a wrap-up if you can think of one. The end.)

**At one of our other cousin-dinners - also very fun and full of amazing people, OF COURSE - my one cousin Bob claimed he reads Crib Ceiling. Um, okay. I'm doubting it, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. But the hilarious thing is, it went down the table. "Oh yeah, I read it too!" "Me too!" "Oh yeah, I read that." I am sure by the end of the table no one even knew what they were ascribing to. The Wall Street Journal? The Onion? You can be my cousin and not read Crib Ceiling. I'd just love you more, but it's not technically required.

Now that's an idea

2008-06-11T12:43:00.002-06:00

Little side note: The blog. It needs evolution, does it not? I mean, not "THE BLOG" as in the media form. THAT is in a perpetual state of evolution. I mean THIS BLOG.

That's the problem. That's been my whole problem lately. And it hadn't occured to me - until of late - that I could attempt the evolution while online . Huh. There's a thought for you! So, you know. More on that later! But that's what's been going on here. Not 'not thinking about' it. Not too focused on kids or unpacking* or school life or, er, summer. Just cogitating on the blog . . . but not OUTLOUD. So maybe I should try that way from now on. Consider this here the first little bit. Comments welcome.

*I have friends here in town who tell me: If you mention how you have to unpack ONE MORE TIME, we are going to stage an intervention. Meaning, bring wine and come and help me. UNPACK! UNPACK! I'm waiting.**

** We're not totally, you know, not unpacked. It's just, our stuff arrived here last fall, most things are unpacked....they're just not as organized as I'd like. And at this point, it's not really the unpacking so much as the life organizing. Like, taking 3 yr old - size fall clothes out and replacing with 3 yr old (or should it be 4 yr old?) summer clothes. Things that don't really count for Unpacking. I guess it's not fair to have your friends do your Life Shit. Crap.

Alright. So maybe the rest of my life has A LITTLE to do with my inability to evolve my blog. A little.

Kathi Lee Gifford - still bugging the crap out of me

2008-05-07T13:53:00.010-06:00

So Heather was on the Today Show today! Which rocks and she totally deserves it. And they had footage from a BlogHer conference. Guess they've been holding onto that for awhile. And Mir and Kristen and the SV Mom's Blog lady was there. All deserved.

HERE IS WHAT BUGS ME!!! Who, I ask you, WHO, used to blab about her kids ON THE AIR, ALL THE TIME?

KATHI LEE GIFFORD, that is who!

To the point that - it was awkward. It was uncomfortable. I STILL do not want to hear one iota more about Cody Cody Cody. Gah.

And WHO is the one saying she is uncomfortable with Heather blogging about her child? KATHI LEE GIFFORD, that is who. Hm, there was something that bothered her about it, she wasn't sure what. MAYBE THAT IT WAS SO FAMILIAR??!!! Gah!

Yes, I am talking in all caps. Yes,I know that means I am yelling. Yes, I THINK IT'S WARRANTED. Hypocrisy. In all its forms. Starting with - it's okay for me to blab all about my kids ON NATIONAL TELEVISION, but, ugh, I don't like YOU writing about YOUR KID online. Ick.

(And, yes, I have been silent on my blog for three months. And, yes, coming to Heather's defense will bring me back anytime. ANYTIME.)

(Also PS - I can't even remember how to imbed links anymore. Or, maybe I could, but I have one kid hungry and another thirsty, so let's just do this:

Heather = dooce.com
Mir = wouldashoulda.com
Kirsten = motherhooduncensored
SV Mom Blog = SV Mom Blog : )

And, I suspect, none of you need that help anyway.)

Oh, and also: today.com and click through the arrows in the top section until you see Heather's pretty face and click on that.

AND IF YOU DON"T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, I CAN'T HELP YOU.

(PPS (as we said in junior high, I don't think "PPS" means anything actually) - if it's not already apparent, on this interview with Heather, Kathi Lee Gifford asked a few questions about Heather, and then started saying how uncomfortable she was with Heather blogging about Leta, her daughter, online. There was, you know, something that bothered her about it, she wasn't sure what. I could have jumped through the computer screen and shook her, that comment made me so annoyed. At her blithe HYPOCRISY. Now you don't even need to go to the Today show website to see it in person. But do, because she's so annoying, and Heather did so great. If we have to have a blog representative, it ought to be Heather, don't you think?)

Fourth Addendum (law school has to kick in somewhere, right?): You would never know, by the way first I complained, and only THEN did I explain what the heck I was talking about, that I've done all kinds of journalism, would you? I think that violates a few rules. (But then, there probably aren't any left anyway, thank you Fox "news".)

I'm calling it a winter

2008-01-22T00:25:00.000-07:00

So! Two kids with the flu.

First it's the ice problem, then it's the flu problem.

What is this, winter?

At the doctor's office: Did you get her the flu shot? (looks at chart) Noooooo.
Did you get HER the flu shot? (looks at chart) Nooooooo. That might be something you should consider next year.

She (nods toward not-yet-sick child) will be getting sick in the next few days.

(Which she did. Right on cue.)

Spousal: Did you let her drink from the same glass?

Me: Hey man. The doctor said it was inevitable, even if I DIDN"T make them share the same juice glass.

Just kidding on that last part.

See you next spring.

Disappearing acts in beautiful places

2007-12-02T21:59:00.000-07:00

So we went here

which actually looks a lot more like

for two weeks which would explain why I haven't really been around here

get it? crib hanging from the ceiling?

or even here

much lately.

Going on one of those vacations makes you at the same time want to write it all down, and not commemorate any of it as it might smudge the memory too much. Even when I was there I was (sadly) aware that soon - very soon - I'll be back in the cold and the snow and a house that still needs unpacking and . . . So then I'd focus back on the buildling of sand castles with my three year old and the surreptitious eyeballing of my five year old, who thought - she really thought - that she was pretty much free to hang out with her cousins sans Mom all week, but little did she know I was watching her the whole time...

When we left, it was Fall. It was pretty much like this:

And now it's all pretty much like this:

Well, not quite. It did snow but then it melted but it's still pretty cloudy and foggy looking lately.

And that's all.

out.

Meanie Moms Beware

2007-11-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned Tiny Person has this hilarious sense of humor?

The other day I was buckling the girls in the car. And, just because I say these kinds of things sometimes, I said: Aren't I a great mom?

Yeah, says Tiny Person, kind of non-committally. Sometimes. (Pause.) Sometimes you're a meanie.

This is not the funny part, actually. That was just her honest response.

(As background, the other day, Tiny Person and I had a bit of an altercation. Something about, Time to get in the car now, we need to get your sister, and her response: NOOOOOOOOOO. Which led to a bit of a disagreement which, inevitably, I won. And in the course of winning, which might have involved, in the end, actually picking her up and carrying her to the car, she says, through her indignity: You're a meanie mom!

Now, sometimes I am a meanie mom. We all have our bad days. But that's not what she was talking about. That was strictly about Tiny Person not getting her way on something.)

Trying to josh her a little, I thought I'd chat about it some more. I am? I said, getting into my own seat.

Yeah, she says from the back seat. And then she made a loud sigh, as if she was a person with a long to-do list. I gotta get a new one, she muttered.

And now for the ecological part of the program...

2007-11-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Oh. So worth it.

Wait for the "Anthem" part. Makes me want to find my canvas bags!

Am I unpacked? Eeeeeerrrr....

2007-11-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

Did I mention we had both my parents-in-law - AND my mother - coming to visit AT THE SAME TIME - to a house that we haven't, technically, in any possibly way, unpacked?

(We all survived despite tripping on unpacked boxes, and luckily the in-laws get along great so they kind of entertained each other for that overlapping section. Plus the girls were in Grandparent Glory with so much attention.)

When people ask me if we're "all moved in now" - which they do - but not people who have actually been here who would obviously know better - I just say: Errrrrrr.... That's pretty much the actual response I give. Because I can't really come up with another answer.

Because for months (two! at least!) we lived here out of suitcases and boxes and had pillow mattresses for beds.

So now the furniture is actually here. But the boxes aren't really unpacked. So does that count? Are we moved in? Our things ARE HERE. IN. So technically that's a Yes, right?

But then, we haven't actually UNPACKED it all. We did have both kids and Spousal sick - so nothing extra gets done then - and we went out of town.

In the meantime regular life goes on, does it not? Going to work, feeding the kids at least daily, getting some or all of them (okay, there's just two) to school now and then. When is there time for unpacking?

So slowly boxes get unpacked here and there, and the others get shoved behind the couch. And the next time someone (inevitably) asks if we're all moved in, I'll know the answer. Errrrrr.....

Twirly Whirly Stairs with lights, spinning

2007-11-03T09:29:00.001-06:00

(Oh gawd. Did I miss yesterday? I missed yesterday. So much for NaBloPawMoGoJo. Shoot.)

It's Saturday, and everybody deserves a story on Saturday. How about about New Mexico? Life in this strange little back-water highly historical-in-a-500-year-old-Spanish and also Native-American-for-longer-than-that kind of way place?

And combined with random stories about scientists and the things they tell their kids at night, even if they aren't Catholic?

So, yes, Spousal is Presbyterian. (Or so. He doesn't actually GO so it's not clear to me which one he ascribes to. In fact, I drag his a$$ to Mass, so go figure.)

One morning the girls get up and they're all excited about the twirly-whirly staircase. The one that Jesus built! In Santa Fe!

Here it is:

Turns out, in putting them to bed, and wanting to tell them a story, Spousal told them the story of the Loretto Chapel, and how the sisters built this beautiful church, but there was no way to get to the choir loft, and so they prayed, and within a few days a carpenter appears, out of the blue.

The church:

(Coming from the Presbyterian father - I thought that part was the miracle. Where'd you hear that story? Daddy? That Catholic-miracle-stair story? He did? Are you SURE?)

And the carpenter - channeling Joseph perhaps more than Jesus, but whatever - stays for six months, and charges them nothing, and builds this miraculous - and truly beautiful - freestanding circular staircase, with no middle pole, built without nails, completing two full 360' turns, up to the choir loft some story and a half up.

The stairs:

They wanted to see it! They wanted to see it! The twirly-whirly staircase! Can we go? Huh? Can we go?

And so on one of these half-days, when we had to make a (120-mile round trip) run to Santa Fe anyway, I took them to see the staircase.

(I actually was hoping they might forget, because I wanted to get back, but, well, they remembered. Hey! We're in Santa Fe! The twirly-whirly staircase! Can we see it? Huh? Huh? Can we huh?)

And so we went.

Taking young children, ages 3 and 5, to see historical wonders in the way of architectural items is actually - um - a little underwhelming for them. As one might expect. I think they were expecting flashing lights, and music, and possibly the staircase to be actually TWIRLING.

This is where, if I knew anything about graphics programs, I would have a picture of the twirly-whirly staircase with flashing lights and spinning.

You see it now anyway, don't you?

But they stood, and they looked at it, and Tiny Person did a little dance in the church aisle, as is her wont, and Little Big Girl looked with big eyes and said, Is that it? Huh. That's cool.

And I pointed out a few of the facets. Like the lack of a center pole. And how originally there was no railing, and how would she like to walk up that thing with no railing, and we were all duly impressed.

And - since it is a private enterprise and not actually run by a church organizaioin - they make you leave through the gift shop. And two little girls really really wanted to buy lots of little angels. Sure! I said.

Get one for your dad.

I think there was month in here somewhere

2007-11-01T22:09:00.000-06:00

October.

It was long.

Maybe because we made plans, at the beginning of the month, for me and the girls to go to California for a weekend at the VERY END of the month. And all month, you know, I was waiting. Mostly because we were going to an eye doctor appointment for Tiny Person - she's fine, it's just - well, our selection of ped. opthamologists in the state is liimited - limited to TWO - in the STATE - and so we thought we'd head back to actual America** to get her checked out, and this was a followup appointment blah blah and I think I've lost my train of thought. Anyway, the weekend was fun, the girls played with cousins, the appointment went well and I'm glad we went - and she is fine, making progress with a little lazy eye issue - the kind of thing that probably does not require an out of state trip from - er - a LOT of other states but whatever - I've digressed again!

Also, wonderfully, I got to see some great friends I rarely get to spend time with, and so that was, er, wonderful.

And so! It was a whirlwind when we got back, of getting back into the school thing, having our first parent-teacher conference (so fun! let's talk about MY KID!), Halloween, half-days of school, recovering from the trip at home and at work....

And somehow I signed up for NaBloPoMo (too lazy to href - just google, baby) so I thought from now on I'll just list my activitiies. : )

Tomorrow the in-laws come to check out the new house. The still unpacked, I-just-went-on-a-trip new house. Perfect! : )

2007-10-23T10:39:00.000-06:00

So I was just hanging around my house, unpacking, picking up, and look! Look who showed up!

Mary Tsao of Mom Writes

Just kidding - she didn't randomly just show up. We had it all planned. But look! She came to see me, here in the wilds of Northern New Mexico! Yea!

And look how cute her kids are! And mine! They had a good time playing together. You know, tell them "here are your new friends" - they believe you. Kids - what do they know. But seriously her kids are sweet and friendly so I think they all did have a nice time.

And here's Mary and I - hanging out. You can see in the background of all these photos that we don't have any wall hangings up yet, of course - it is all just stacked up around the place.

(But having photos up here does mean two things. 1) I have finally unpacked my camera cord and 2) here are some pics of the interior of our new house!)

It was great to see Mary. It is so fun to see people you know and love through their blogs, originally, who are now just your friends. Wow. The internet. I think it's a keeper.

And also, and I hate to sound melodramtic - but we (and by that I mean this whole town) are fairly isolated and alone up here on this mountain. It's sixty long miles to just about anywhere - and to see someone from the Real World show up here - wow! That is really nice. Thanks so much Mary for coming to visit! It was great!!

Ten Things (Not really. You know the drill.)

2007-10-14T23:27:00.000-06:00

1. We are moved! All of our things (mostly) are in one place now.

2. Sadly, that means it is all HERE. Piled up. In boxes. All around me. I constantly feel the need to unpack things and then - where will I put them? Oh the agony.

3. Yes, that means we are getting rid of things. I gave loads to the local charities and our cleaning lady (who distributes things amongst her family and, she tells me, scores of other families she knows) before we moved, have unloaded a huge box of things since, and have another couple in the works. (Carved leather belt of Spousal's that he got rid of years ago yet I retrieved because it SEEMED like something we should keep - him being from Texas and all. And have I worn it? Actually, can I? No. And no.)(At various times of pre, during, and post pregnancy it would fit and not fit...)(Let's see, what else was in those giveaway boxes. I don't know. The brain warps. Things we DON'T NEED. Since I can't even recall them.)

4. Ready to get back to normal and not be dealing with ALL OUR THINGS. Ugh. Moving does make you want to say - okay, it's all packed up. TAKE IT AWAY I NEVER WANT TO SEE IT AGAIN.

5. See! I told you it wouldn't really be 10 things. Nice to be back though.

TIVO, oh TIVO, where fore art thou?

2007-09-13T21:19:00.000-06:00

I love Tivo. LOVE. TIVO.

We are not late to the Tivo thing. I know, I know, everyone loves Tivo, everyone has Tivo, it's all normal and everything now.

(I remember the first time I'd heard of it: we went to visit some very Early Adopter type friends of Spousal's, in his little West Texas hometown (if you have pretty big buckets of money, as these particular friends do, you can pretty much be an Early Adopter any where, it turns out). We walked in, and the husband said (after using a clicker to turn on all the lights and adjust the shades in the house), "You have got to see this. It's changed my life. It's the best thing I've bought - EVER. You have to get it." This was about seven or eight years ago, and Tivo was brand new.

We got one the next year.)

Anyway - HERE'S A DOWNSIDE.

DO NOT LOSE THE TIVO CLICKER.

ARRRRRRRRGH.

The thought of watching tv Tivo-less makes it unrenderable. I can't do it! I guess that's good for me. Maybe I'll get something else done around here....

(Like post a blog. Haha! Self-referential self-reference posts! I am posting because x happened and that lets me post! Haha!)

MIA

dang it

Obligatory Children's Stories (that I really don't want to forget)

2007-09-12T22:16:00.001-06:00

Tiny Person has turned 3 now. Making Little Big Girl about 5 1/2.

Tiny Person and I are at Sonic.
Tiny Person: We're ordering a Sad Meal.
Me: A Sad Meal? We are? Why?
Tiny Person (with grin on face): It's not a Happy Meal...

Little Big Girl has brought me a flower from the playground every day since she started school. The thought of her thinking about me, and making the effort, and being sure to pick one, and holding it in her hand until I see her again, and proudly giving it to me - makes my little heart burst. The fact that it is a clover .... It's just so sweet I can't say. And I never noticed - they smell so sweet. I have cups of them, in varying states of demise, all around the kitchen.

Tiny Person and I are driving in the car.
Me: Some random question
Tiny Person: Uhhuh. (pause) That's cor-RECT!

/ obligatory Mommyblog moments.

2007-09-05T23:06:00.000-06:00

Way, way, way back when, I went to this fairly amazing event known as BlogHer.

The only thing I want to say about it now is, I roomed with Mary Tsao and she was great. It was so fun to hang with her and spend time with her IRL and prove that - yes - you may only get a glimpse of someone from their blog, but you can, in fact, get to know them from their blog as well. And if you dig them there, you probably really are going to like them In Real Life.

We had a great time hanging out, and running around Chicago, and shopping, and watching fireworks from afar as we booked through town, and generally laughing at the very loud, very party atmosphere at The W (it's a party! all the time! we can even dance in the elevator!) It was great.

I did, indeed, write more about BlogHer as an event, which I don't, in anyway, expect ANY of you to read. But I'm posting it here for posterity - my own. I did indeed go, and if I ever wonder what I thought - which is possible if not likely - I can read it here! I wrote it on the plane on the way home.

I can see, now, why Real Time blogging is such a good idea. Because, as Mary said, in fact - writing about things later is just kind of - ugh. I've moved on. I'm looking forward, not back. I had a great time. I learned a lot, met amazing people, felt, again, like I was in the middle of exactly What Is Happening. (Even Elizabeth Edwards spoke to us!) I'd live that way permanently if I could. But alas . . .

So, for me, here are my little thoughts at the time . . . .

Haha! I so totally should have posted this already. Now I can't find it. Between purging my desktop and little ones going wild with the keyboard - it's amazing the keyboard shortcuts the Mac has built in, we've found out the hard way - I don't know where it's gone. More searching will have to be done later. Suffice it to say, It was great. (BlogHer. My writeup? Who knows.)

A really, really blurry and kind of odd picture of Mary Tsao taking a picture. Which proves nothing! I might be making this whole "she was my roomy" thing up! Haha! I probably am! Also, I should probably keep better track of where I download my pictures....

Geysers

2007-09-04T23:23:00.000-06:00

Me: Wow! Did you notice that incredible shower?
Spousal (looking incred-ulous): Uh, . . . no.
Me: I mean, yeah, the shower stall is miniscule and everything.("Everything" meaning: Gross). But the water pressure! It was unbelievable! Like a geyser right on your head! I haven't had a shower like that since....the '70s!

Spousal: No. I didn't notice.
Me: You didn't notice? You didn't turn it all the way on?
Spousal: No. I didn't.
(One of the inscrutable facets of the man I'd forgotten. Will not turn water pressure on all the way. One I will never understand.
Me: Well, you gotta try it. It's incredible. (leaves room)
Spousal: (pause, calling after me) You said you were an environmentalist, right?

So we're staying in this dumpy - and I do mean dumppppy - little cabin in a mountain town. (Yes, we did already do that earlier this summer, with my side of the family. Now we're in another small mnt town, just us. Thanks for remembering!)

Despite the glory that was the water pressure in the shower - the first time I took a look into the bathroom, my first thought was: I don't know when I've gone 4 days without a shower. It's going to be ugly. But I am not - N O T - getting naked IN THERE.

It was that ew. (Peeled linoleum, teeny handy-man-special shower stall, three walls continuing the ACTUAL LOGS of the log cabin - which, unless really high-end, glossy, well-maintained and actually DUSTED in the last century - are actually - pretty - GROSS; shower stall of plywood....)

But then the first morning rolled around and Spousal decided to brave it. So he was going to be shiny clean and the kids still looked fairly orderly - I would be the only one looking pretty dang icky, and that was day one. So I braved the shower. To discover - veritable waterfalls upon you! And heated! It was lovely.

And then that next day, my luck was so good the first time, I opted to shower first. Bragged about the glorious water pressure, and then Spousal got in for his shower in the miniscule, don't-extend-both-elbows-at-the-same-time-stall.

After about a minute, he yelled, OW! And then another OW! And OW! OW! OW!.

The girls and I looked at each other. You okay in there? I called.

Yea, he said, in a not-so-happy voice.

You know that water pressure you bragged so much about?

Uh, yea, I said, worried a bit about where this might be obvioiusly going.

Yea. You know it's attached to an actual water tank, right? A SMALL water tank? he says.

But, but, I say, trying to head this off at the pass. We both took showers yesterday!
The hot water can't be all gone!

Spousal: OW! It is! OW! OW! OW! OW!

Oops.

Reason #25 to possibly find a spouse

2007-08-12T00:22:00.000-06:00

What I wrote on the way home from BlogHer to entertain myself. It worked.

In the little town where we live – have I mentioned I’m kind of a city person? – if I were, ever, to talk about someone online in a negative way – and I won’t for any number of reasons* – it would be so obvious who it was. Or so I like to think – because we have one grocery store and one post office and eight restaurants and effectively one bank. So if I described someone, I’m pretty sure if you just hung around downtown somewhere, pretty soon they’d wander by the one Starbucks.

But! I went off to the big city of Albuquerque, and the big airport of the Skyport, and now I can talk about total random strangers online all I want! (Can’t I? Can I? I’m sure there will be some reason why I shouldn’t.**)

First, I will describe my fellow traveler. He was middle-aged, with a gray but full head of hair and a slouchy posture. He seemed sort of befuddled, but kind. I say that not from anything I heard him say or saw him do, but from the dopey way he sort of stood around and looked at the world with his big, doleful eyes behind his glasses.

And now I feel bad gearing up to say anything negative about someone else. So! I will turn this into a lesson instead.

And here’s the lesson: ATTENTION ALL MEN: GET MARRIED. PREFERABLY NOW. And then - do whatever it is she has to say in regard to your personal hygiene. And if, for whatever reason, she runs off with the pool boy, GET MARRIED AGAIN.

Because here’s the deal. Here’s that guy: otherwise pretty much normal-looking in most meanings of the term. Maybe a little quiet and goofy-ish.

But the guy had nose hair – thick, long, gray nose hair – growing straight out of his nose, both nostrils, and almost all the way down to his upper lip. Like two grey broccoli sticks sticking out of his nose.

Ew.

I had to look away. Really and truly look away.

Instead, should he take my advice – both Part One AND Part Two (because maybe he IS married but he thinks he knows better. This happens.) here’s the imaginary conversation that guy could, and should, have had before leaving home that day:

Honey, I love you and all, but really – I think you might need to cut that nose hair before you go out into the real world.
Really? But it just grows this way.
Really, Please.
But, but . . . it’s natural!
(pause)
Yes, I know. And I l really love you! and everything. But if you try to go out that way, I may have to barricade the door. Seriously. (pause) Now here are the clippers.

See? Marriage. It’s a beautiful thing. Plus it keeps your fellow travelers from being completely grossed out.

(*Why I usually don’t complain about people in general, and never, ever people from here, here: First, I really don’t care enough. I just don’t have the energy. Second, it’s really not all that nice. (I guess that should be the first reason.) And lastly, Gawd, I do not want to be skulking down the grocery store aisle so that I don’t run into the one person in town that I’ve managed to complain about online. (Please note: I haven’t done that yet!) But you know if I did, that would totally happen. (Not that so many people from my small hometown actually read this stunning blog, though they should. Technically, as far as I know at least in terms of people admitting it to me, only one person from here reads this site. (Hi L! Love you! For reading this! And also because you’re my friend and also really nice!)))

(**Oh, I just thought of why I shouldn’t complain about anybody AT ALL online. Because even though it was two hours away from my hometown, and even though I was in a large public airport – I WAS at the airport CLOSEST to my hometown. And let’s see: quiet, goofy, a little spacey looking, with not-particularly average personal hygiene habits. Oh my gawd! He’s probably a scientist at the lab! He IS from my hometown. I just ridiculed some genius scientist who is keeping the world safe from nuclear terror. Way to go, Idaho! Now I do feel bad.)

Magnum P.I. in looks, yes

2007-07-17T00:26:00.000-06:00

One time, in junior high, we had this assignment in English to make a film strip. (Remember those? Anyone, anyone? (Buehler?) They were these individual film squares - in stripes - hence the name - and you could show them one square at a time - with a light! behind them! on the wall! - and tell a story. Okay, YES. I did grow up in the ice age.)

This teacher was The Handsome One. A nom I never understood because really? Anyone over about 14 and a half, when I was 13, was really, really old. And hence: Gross. So the thought of the other girls swooning for him - ew. Never got that. But he was kind of Magnum P.I. looking, thinking back, complete with '70s mustache. And he always wore, like, jeans and a buttoned shirt.

Anyway, I guess Handsome Teacher tired of actually teaching, or something, and somehow this qualified for "creative writing" - I guess - technically he was our first multi-media teacher! - but at any rate, we were all given these strips you could write or draw on, we did that, we brought them back, and for the final for that assignment, he showed them all in class.

And at about the third strip - or was it almost the last? - the projector caught fire. Or, actually, I should say, the film strip being shown caught fire. And it was beautiful. Instead of having to turn the projector to see each new view, the image on the wall started evolving. A purple color, with red moving up to it, suddenly both of them taken over by yellow, and orange....the images rising and falling, evolving...like a movie!

Wow! said Handsome Teacher, turning to the student-creator. How'd you do that?

And we all turned to look at the kid who made this strip. A kind of nerdy kid, one whose image has morphed into people I realize I knew later in life - but you know the type. They work hard on their assignments. They do a good job. They're not that fun to hang out with in junior high - so serious - but later in life they become, you know. Doctors.

And the look on his face. The sheer horror, as he watched what was becoming of his homework - the film strip - he had no doubt worked so hard on. Literally burning up before his eyes. It was this look more than anything - more than the moving image, the burning smell wafting across the room, the smoke floating over student's heads - more than the fact that FILM STRIPS DON'T MOVE - that finally made Handsome Teacher put two and two together.

OH! he startled, and made for the projector, as most the class made a break for the door.

That was, really, one of the funniest moments I had in junior high.

Anyway. Something reminded me of that tonight.

Oh yeah. The beginning of this:

`~ stolen directly from Mamalogues. Thanks, Dana! ~

The look Handsome Teacher did not actually have after the smoke cleared:

Surely you can put this button in the sidebar...somehow...

2007-07-16T23:52:00.000-06:00

Going" title="BlogHer '07, July 27-29" />

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Feel free to touch everything you currently own, and put it in a box

2007-07-15T23:49:00.000-06:00

So! I haven't been very honest lately. Have you noticed?

Where are those funny Krisco stories? Where's the complaining about living in a tiny town? (Here's a reminder of what I used to say: TARGET IS AN HOUR AWAY.)(Oh, and also: And there is a large group of people opposed to letting Target come here.)(And also: I'm not sure, but I think the reason is, It's too new-fangled! And also, Who goes to that store anyway? (The whole entire rest of the town, who I see there everytime I go.) And the doozy: We got along without disposable diapers! You should too!)

(And don't even get me started on the political-infighting that goes on in this town. The one I'm mostly aware of is along the lines of: Keep Target Out!)

Phew. That felt kind of good for a minute.

But seriously. I feel too hypocritical to really complain about my little, isolated, chock-full-o-geniuses town anymore. I'm helping people move here, for gosh sake.

And, really, my little issues aren't really everyone else's little issues. Like, living in a city might be more to my liking, at times. And, restaurants, anyone? Open past 7? But never mind all that. For a lot of people - and, as it turns out, most my friends - small town life, easy parking, good schools, abundant wildlife and hiking and pleasant weather - makes up for any minor other little lack.

So I'm done kvetching. For now.

But really. Spousal and I, we've been talking. About whether to stay. About whether to go. About what exactly To Do.

And he's really happy with his job. He loves his job. Have I mentioned? We live in Nirvana for scientists. Yes, it's a small town to me. But it's a Huge Freaking Scientific Community to them. I mean, imagine! 3,000! Or is it 6,000? Scientists all in one place! All feeding ideas off each other, working together, synergy, comparing notes. While the world may hear a lot of Issues with Los Alamos National Lab, they're doing amazing things there too.

And so - we're staying. Not like this is any big revelation. But, well, to us it kind of is.

And so, as part of staying - we're moving. Ha! Funny, huh. But seriously. We're moving to a different house. One we think might work better for us.

And all that craziness mentioned in an earlier post? It was all about - Spousal and Little Big Girl going off on a family vacation (with Spousal's side), and Tiny Person and I putting our current house on the market. Yikes! That was a lot of work. (Don't even ask me what I did, I don't even know. Cleared out the size of clothing neither child wears, the toys they don't use, cleaned the baseboards, trimmed the overgrown b*shes at the back of the yard. Etc. It took a lot of time.)

And so. I guess this was a two-part post. We've moving! Houses! And I can't compain anymore! But I suppose there's no reason I can't pick back up with my funny little Krisco stories some day.

Out.

When kisses are icky

2007-07-09T08:59:00.000-06:00

There are all kinds of Milestones you are supposed to track with your children - when they walk, when they talk, when they speak in sentences with more than two words at a time.

You are supposed to note them to have relative ideas on their development. But that's not what Mommies know. Mommies know it means they are growing, growing up, growing away, with each Milestone reached.

I was never very good at tracking the official ones. I could figure out rounded ages by the house we lived in, the room we were in, who was there - friends, family, friends who have moved away or passed away so that means it was, and she was... - calculations like that. They don't trip off my tongue.

But there are a couple non-official milestones that when they were reached, struck my heart.

I'm not even sure when they happened - exactly how old, how many months - but I know the exact feeling I had each time.

The first is when they stop eating like a bird. When, for the first time, when you offer them food, they reach out with their sweet pudgy fingers, rather than leaning forward with their mouth open. Both times this happened, with both Little Big Girl and Tiny Person when they were little - eighteen months? 22 months? a year? - my little heart seized up and I knew a moment had passed - a phase gone now for a lifetime.

The other is the first time they notice that Kissing Their Booboo . . . does not actually work. I remember really well with Little Big Girl - we were in the kitchen, and something happened, something that really hurt her finger - someone stepped on it? set something down on it? shut it in a drawer? - and it really hurt. And she came running to me, begging for me to kiss it better. I offered a kiss, and she wailed: That didn't heeeeeeeeeelp!

(I hope at that point I offered more - some cold water running on it, something - but I don't remember. I remember only the seizing, and the passing.)

Tiny Person hasn't hit that mark yet. At 2 1/2, she still thinks it helps. I will keep kissing any Ouchies so long as it helps. But I know now that moment will come. It will still seize my heart, but I know it is coming.

In the meantime, Tiny Person has passed out of another phase, one Little Big Girl never entered. TP loves kisses from Mommy, and giving Mommy hugs. (LBG? Never so much. If Mom got a hug or a kiss, she had to work for it.) To put Tiny Person to bed, I gave her a kiss, and she gave me a hug. If I forgot, she would ask to give me a hug - wrapping her tiny arms around my neck and holding tight. Recently, in the last week, she stopped asking to give me a hug. And I had to ask her. And she said no.

And then, my kisses were no good. Eeeeeww Mommy! Ucky kiss! Yick! No kiss! And she wipes and wipes at her cheek, or her forehead.

But then - she added something new. As we walk, holding hands, she sometimes now will kiss my hand. She's just that height, at 2 1/2. The first time it happened, well, you know. My heart seized up. But this time in a good way.

And I guess that's a really good trade.