The baby is learning how to trick or treat - graciously.
Yesterday, while out begging for candy from the neighbors on our street (who almost always have an early Hallowe'en so they can spend the real holiday on more populated streets), she learned some of the finer points of Trick or Treating.
item - when in polite society, one does not take something for nothing
Foo's take: when offered a bag of Hallowe'en candy, reciprocate with a rock from the driveway
item - never, ever, should one eat and run
Foo's take: not satisfied with merely trading rocks for Hallowe'en goodies, she felt compelled to cross thresholds and enter the kitchen with a "let's have some candy and a nice little chat" attitude
item - treat your neighbors as you would your family
Foo's take: she approached our house (i.e. returned home) with her goody bag extended and the cutest 18 month old rendition of "trick or treat" I think I have ever heard
The only downside to the whole weekend was the realization that we REALLY don't have enough space for a pony on our property.
Tonight we're off to Trick or Treat at Auntie S's house - and possibly Auntie C's as well! AH the joy of Hallowe'en!
31 October 2005
26 October 2005
Flagellant
Ok, so I don't use a cute little whip, and as far as I know I don't derive any sexual pleasure from it, but HOLY COW do I beat myself up for a good time.
Once a month my husband and I host our friends for the "EAU Night".
EAU stands for "Evil Around Us". It's a role-playing-game that we both play... and with a great deal of delight. It's one of my links if you're interested in reading more.
At any rate... the game is played on a Tuesday night. It means I have to forswear watching my (LOVINGLY nicknamed) Fat People Show, but that's no real sacrifice.
We take some time setting up and then cleaning up, but that's no real suffering.
From time to time I'm "nominated" to host the Evil Owl of Doom and even THAT isn't a struggle.
The real thing that beats me to pieces is that I'm used to going to bed at about 9 or 9:30 on most "school nights." My day usually starts sometime between 4:30 and 5:00 am and for some twisted reason, ever since having my daughter, I now require COPIOUS amounts of sleep. Once upon a time I could function perfectly well with no more than 4 or 5 hours per night - every night, and do well every day. Pregnancy and child-birth has broken me, which for the most part I don't mind, but it sure would be nice to not need sleep. Anywho...
Once a month, on Tuesday night, I go to bed between 12:30 and 1:00 am (gameplay usually runs until about midnight and then there's the saying good byes and the cleanup and almost ALWAYS the post-game discussion between my hubby and I... ) and wake up about four hours later SOOOO desperate for another hour or two... or three or even four. The next day (that would be today, btw) is always a rough one - far too many yawns, a general inability to actually focus, and generally a brainful of nightmarish scenarios too-well designed to be anything but intrusive and distracting - and I'm supposed to work.
If you haven't caught the gist of this by now, I'm totally not complaining about the game, the lack of sleep, or even the "thought provoking" quality of the game. I love it. It nourishes me. It is one of the few escapes I have allowed myself to keep.
If only the work day included a siesta...
Once a month my husband and I host our friends for the "EAU Night".
EAU stands for "Evil Around Us". It's a role-playing-game that we both play... and with a great deal of delight. It's one of my links if you're interested in reading more.
At any rate... the game is played on a Tuesday night. It means I have to forswear watching my (LOVINGLY nicknamed) Fat People Show, but that's no real sacrifice.
We take some time setting up and then cleaning up, but that's no real suffering.
From time to time I'm "nominated" to host the Evil Owl of Doom and even THAT isn't a struggle.
The real thing that beats me to pieces is that I'm used to going to bed at about 9 or 9:30 on most "school nights." My day usually starts sometime between 4:30 and 5:00 am and for some twisted reason, ever since having my daughter, I now require COPIOUS amounts of sleep. Once upon a time I could function perfectly well with no more than 4 or 5 hours per night - every night, and do well every day. Pregnancy and child-birth has broken me, which for the most part I don't mind, but it sure would be nice to not need sleep. Anywho...
Once a month, on Tuesday night, I go to bed between 12:30 and 1:00 am (gameplay usually runs until about midnight and then there's the saying good byes and the cleanup and almost ALWAYS the post-game discussion between my hubby and I... ) and wake up about four hours later SOOOO desperate for another hour or two... or three or even four. The next day (that would be today, btw) is always a rough one - far too many yawns, a general inability to actually focus, and generally a brainful of nightmarish scenarios too-well designed to be anything but intrusive and distracting - and I'm supposed to work.
If you haven't caught the gist of this by now, I'm totally not complaining about the game, the lack of sleep, or even the "thought provoking" quality of the game. I love it. It nourishes me. It is one of the few escapes I have allowed myself to keep.
If only the work day included a siesta...
24 October 2005
The Village...
Oh And...
Friday night - oh my goodness, what a good time we had.
We went to Greenfield Village's Halloween Nights. It was SO cool.
The baby loved it.
My parents loved it.
I think even my husband enjoyed it.
As for me - I thought it was totally butt-kick good!
It is something that will more than likely become a family tradition... at least until the baby grows up too much to want to join us - then it might just be me and my parents, and possibly my husband - unless he was to be looking for a way to avoid it and uses the baby as an excuse.
I just had to share...
Friday night - oh my goodness, what a good time we had.
We went to Greenfield Village's Halloween Nights. It was SO cool.
The baby loved it.
My parents loved it.
I think even my husband enjoyed it.
As for me - I thought it was totally butt-kick good!
It is something that will more than likely become a family tradition... at least until the baby grows up too much to want to join us - then it might just be me and my parents, and possibly my husband - unless he was to be looking for a way to avoid it and uses the baby as an excuse.
I just had to share...
Bogged
Autumn in general, October specifically, is my favourite time of year. Totally...
I love the crisp in the air
I enjoy the fact that the "nights" are longer and that sometime around Hallowe'en we earn another hour in the day
I love hayrides (though I'm allergic), fallen leaves (though I am allergic), and the wafting aroma of wood burning in fireplaces.
I even enjoy cutting and splitting firewood (all done, mind you, with LOTS of mechanical assistance!).
I simply ADORE Hallowe'en (the ONLY holiday during which (witch?) NO ONE is obliged to cook, buy presents, or otherwise entertain anyone one might otherwise be obliged to... not to mention the wonderful prospect of dressing up, having fun, and getting the bejeebers (my mother's word) scared out of one.
Unfortunately, it is also THE time of year for me to overcommit myself. Between making costumes, decorating, baking (an absolute MUST at this time of year), hay rides, haunted housing, cutting and splitting wood, raking leaves, sitting in front of wonderfully toasty fires, attending parties, going for long winding drives to fill myself with awe at the beauty of the changing trees AND holding down a full time job, there just isn't enough time to do everything I REALLY REALLY want to do.
Already more than once I have actually found myself counting down the minutes until the end of the work day to get myself out of the office and into the crisp air, into the symphony of the wonderful tasks and events and occasions and doings that home holds.
My work isn't suffering - yet... but I can definitely feel the Autumn-Magnetism pulling at me, drawing more and more of my mental energies away from the dry business of numbers and analysis and deeper into the dark corners of Hallowe'en costumes, and the warm cozy aromas of autumn baking.
I don't want the European August... but I wouldn't mind commuting it to the USA October...
I love the crisp in the air
I enjoy the fact that the "nights" are longer and that sometime around Hallowe'en we earn another hour in the day
I love hayrides (though I'm allergic), fallen leaves (though I am allergic), and the wafting aroma of wood burning in fireplaces.
I even enjoy cutting and splitting firewood (all done, mind you, with LOTS of mechanical assistance!).
I simply ADORE Hallowe'en (the ONLY holiday during which (witch?) NO ONE is obliged to cook, buy presents, or otherwise entertain anyone one might otherwise be obliged to... not to mention the wonderful prospect of dressing up, having fun, and getting the bejeebers (my mother's word) scared out of one.
Unfortunately, it is also THE time of year for me to overcommit myself. Between making costumes, decorating, baking (an absolute MUST at this time of year), hay rides, haunted housing, cutting and splitting wood, raking leaves, sitting in front of wonderfully toasty fires, attending parties, going for long winding drives to fill myself with awe at the beauty of the changing trees AND holding down a full time job, there just isn't enough time to do everything I REALLY REALLY want to do.
Already more than once I have actually found myself counting down the minutes until the end of the work day to get myself out of the office and into the crisp air, into the symphony of the wonderful tasks and events and occasions and doings that home holds.
My work isn't suffering - yet... but I can definitely feel the Autumn-Magnetism pulling at me, drawing more and more of my mental energies away from the dry business of numbers and analysis and deeper into the dark corners of Hallowe'en costumes, and the warm cozy aromas of autumn baking.
I don't want the European August... but I wouldn't mind commuting it to the USA October...
21 October 2005
Return...
I've been gone for a while.
On Sunday last, while working diligently on the baby's Hallowe'en costume and some interior decor for the holiday, my husband got a call from Tennessee (his parents' homestead) with bad news - his mom was in hospital for an emergency surgery after a heart attack.
Within an hour we were all (meaning all of us - mom, dad, hubby, baby, cat, and self) packed and ready to head south. The original intent was for my husband to fly, the rest of us drive and meet up with him the next day... but the airlines aren't REALLY designed to be responsive to emergency situations, and all 5 (6 including the cat) were back in the car and on the road before 7:30.
12 hours later we arrived in TN, road weary and for the most part ready for bed.
Fortunately, during our drive we discovered that his mother had had the necessary surgery and that all things considered she was doing well.
There were some hiccups:
-- not enough of the cat's special food and syringes (he's diabetic and needs twice daily insulin shots) and none of his "anti-allergen" medicine
-- too much food purchased because we neglected to examine the fridge before we left for the store
-- phones (except mine) that refused to work once they got out into the wilds of Tennessee
There were some great moments too:
-- my daughter said something VERY close to "Grandmama" (her paternal grandmother's chosen moniker) for the very first time
-- Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events
-- BEAUTIFUL scenery on the way back through many many mountains and lush hills filled with changing colors
All in all we made the trip there (and home) successfully... and I'm back in touch with the world.
On Sunday last, while working diligently on the baby's Hallowe'en costume and some interior decor for the holiday, my husband got a call from Tennessee (his parents' homestead) with bad news - his mom was in hospital for an emergency surgery after a heart attack.
Within an hour we were all (meaning all of us - mom, dad, hubby, baby, cat, and self) packed and ready to head south. The original intent was for my husband to fly, the rest of us drive and meet up with him the next day... but the airlines aren't REALLY designed to be responsive to emergency situations, and all 5 (6 including the cat) were back in the car and on the road before 7:30.
12 hours later we arrived in TN, road weary and for the most part ready for bed.
Fortunately, during our drive we discovered that his mother had had the necessary surgery and that all things considered she was doing well.
There were some hiccups:
-- not enough of the cat's special food and syringes (he's diabetic and needs twice daily insulin shots) and none of his "anti-allergen" medicine
-- too much food purchased because we neglected to examine the fridge before we left for the store
-- phones (except mine) that refused to work once they got out into the wilds of Tennessee
There were some great moments too:
-- my daughter said something VERY close to "Grandmama" (her paternal grandmother's chosen moniker) for the very first time
-- Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events
-- BEAUTIFUL scenery on the way back through many many mountains and lush hills filled with changing colors
All in all we made the trip there (and home) successfully... and I'm back in touch with the world.
13 October 2005
all wonked up
My plan for this weekend was simple.
Friday night - prep all the stuff for the office
Saturday AM - make breakfast for family, eat breakfast with family, come to office and decorate the bejeezus out of it
Saturday PM - be home in time to watch some college football and make a nice dinner for the family, POSSIBILITY of grocery shopping
Sunday - pj day...
Friday night my daughter's godparents are coming over for dinner and a visit. This is NOT a bad thing... I'm actually very keen on seeing them. My husband is cooking dinner for us all. Heh heh heh. Besides, I can collect up the stuff I want to use in the office this evening, while my husband is gone doing his computer geek things.
Saturday I MAY be able to get him motivated enough to actually come with me to decorate, but last night I discovered that he has quite a bit of freelance work to do and since I'd like for him to be able to see his child one day this weekend, that makes Saturday the day for him to do it. There's still a shred of hope that he'll be able to do the freelance stuff in the afternoon/early evening (when I'd likely be grocery shopping and decorating the house for Halloween and working on my daughter's Halloween costume), and that he can come with me in the late morning and work on my office...
I like shreds of hope
I'm eternally optimistic
Sunday WILL be pajama day - unless it's nice enough to go outside and plant some bulbs... and a tree... and do some decorating for Halloween.
I just LOVE the autumn.
Friday night - prep all the stuff for the office
Saturday AM - make breakfast for family, eat breakfast with family, come to office and decorate the bejeezus out of it
Saturday PM - be home in time to watch some college football and make a nice dinner for the family, POSSIBILITY of grocery shopping
Sunday - pj day...
Friday night my daughter's godparents are coming over for dinner and a visit. This is NOT a bad thing... I'm actually very keen on seeing them. My husband is cooking dinner for us all. Heh heh heh. Besides, I can collect up the stuff I want to use in the office this evening, while my husband is gone doing his computer geek things.
Saturday I MAY be able to get him motivated enough to actually come with me to decorate, but last night I discovered that he has quite a bit of freelance work to do and since I'd like for him to be able to see his child one day this weekend, that makes Saturday the day for him to do it. There's still a shred of hope that he'll be able to do the freelance stuff in the afternoon/early evening (when I'd likely be grocery shopping and decorating the house for Halloween and working on my daughter's Halloween costume), and that he can come with me in the late morning and work on my office...
I like shreds of hope
I'm eternally optimistic
Sunday WILL be pajama day - unless it's nice enough to go outside and plant some bulbs... and a tree... and do some decorating for Halloween.
I just LOVE the autumn.
10 October 2005
No Time Like the Present
I finally finished Lucy last night. It was good. There were actually points at which I cried.
I didn't do half the stuff I wanted to this weekend. Some of the important things that were missed:
- making the baby's halloween costume
- cutting wood
- cleaning my room
The only two important things that happened:
- mowing the lawn
- taking the baby for her first pony ride at the "pumpkin patch" that's literally right around the corner from our home. She LOVED it... I believe there were more than 2 shrieks of absolute delight. I couldn't have spent a better three dollars.
This means that I have a very busy week in front of me.
AFTER all of the stuff that I have to do at work (it's a financial reporting week, and I have an all day meeting on Thursday), and in addition to having company this Wednesday (I REALLY need to work out some communication issues with my husband... who naturally assumed I knew he meant having company when I naturally assumed he meant going for a visit...), I still have to work out cutting wood, at least STARTING on the costume, and DEFINITELY cleaning my room.
Yeah... and I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a mental health day sometime soon. Oh well.
I didn't do half the stuff I wanted to this weekend. Some of the important things that were missed:
- making the baby's halloween costume
- cutting wood
- cleaning my room
The only two important things that happened:
- mowing the lawn
- taking the baby for her first pony ride at the "pumpkin patch" that's literally right around the corner from our home. She LOVED it... I believe there were more than 2 shrieks of absolute delight. I couldn't have spent a better three dollars.
This means that I have a very busy week in front of me.
AFTER all of the stuff that I have to do at work (it's a financial reporting week, and I have an all day meeting on Thursday), and in addition to having company this Wednesday (I REALLY need to work out some communication issues with my husband... who naturally assumed I knew he meant having company when I naturally assumed he meant going for a visit...), I still have to work out cutting wood, at least STARTING on the costume, and DEFINITELY cleaning my room.
Yeah... and I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a mental health day sometime soon. Oh well.
04 October 2005
1954
My morning commute really seems to be a source of inspiration for me. It's possible this is because I'm partly still asleep during, and much of what I see injects itself into my subconscious for further, later, consideration... or maybe it's just so dreadfully early in the morning that nothing else has really impacted my brain (life until work is - fortunately - fairly routine).
Anywho.
This morning, just as I was drawing the drive to a close, I noticed a sleek black Corvette with a license plate that read, simply, 1954. It most certainly was not the year in which the car was "born". Upon further (albeit hindered by dark morning sky coupled with tinted windows - ugh!) inspection, I concluded that it must be the birth year of the man driving the car.
It got me to wondering about my own midlife crisis, and how it will manifest.
I sometimes wonder if my decision for motherhood wasn't something of an early-stage indicator of oncoming crisis. But if I'm considering 50 midlife (optimistic aren't I?) then my early-stage hit about 17 years early... which is pretty serious pre-planning - even for me.
When I'm 50 my daughter will be 15.
Maybe her teen years will provide some insight into weathering the storm of uncertainty and self-actualization on the other end of the spectrum. Maybe I will be one of those beautifully gracious and graceful mom's who learns as much as I teach. Maybe I will have my moment of epiphany when she advises me that I need to "get over it, and come have some fun."
I'm not fussed... but it IS fun to think about.
Anywho.
This morning, just as I was drawing the drive to a close, I noticed a sleek black Corvette with a license plate that read, simply, 1954. It most certainly was not the year in which the car was "born". Upon further (albeit hindered by dark morning sky coupled with tinted windows - ugh!) inspection, I concluded that it must be the birth year of the man driving the car.
It got me to wondering about my own midlife crisis, and how it will manifest.
I sometimes wonder if my decision for motherhood wasn't something of an early-stage indicator of oncoming crisis. But if I'm considering 50 midlife (optimistic aren't I?) then my early-stage hit about 17 years early... which is pretty serious pre-planning - even for me.
When I'm 50 my daughter will be 15.
Maybe her teen years will provide some insight into weathering the storm of uncertainty and self-actualization on the other end of the spectrum. Maybe I will be one of those beautifully gracious and graceful mom's who learns as much as I teach. Maybe I will have my moment of epiphany when she advises me that I need to "get over it, and come have some fun."
I'm not fussed... but it IS fun to think about.
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