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| PARENTAL | | ADVISORY | MerMaid CONTAINS
EXPLICIT LYRICS |
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| the return |
| 05.18.07 (8:25 am) [edit] |
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I am back.
Prepare yourselves.
I have missed TBlog and the friends that I have made here. Some are gone now, but still in my heart. Some are still here, posting their wonderful, quirky musings.
It does feel like home.
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| meant to be? |
| 01.25.06 (3:07 pm) [edit] |
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Some things you just cannot help. Things happen because they are meant to happen that way. On my worst days, I sit for hours and wonder why. Why are things happening the way they are? On my best days, I look into my daughter's eyes and I see the answers.
I want coffee.
I want quiet.
I want to call into work.
I want Jess.
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| cornfields and car rides |
| 10.10.05 (12:26 pm) [edit] |
Remember riding in cars for no reason at all, but just to be somewhere else? Remember the eerie beauty of cornfields glowing in moonlight? This morning, I woke up feeling like I did years ago, before the sadness started to settle in.
I am craving warmth. Cocoa, maybe. A blanket, a book and some silence.
I am so at peace today.
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| the smell of fall |
| 10.06.05 (11:55 am) [edit] |
According to the calendar, it has been fall for well over a week now. Still, it never truly seems like fall to me until October. October is my favorite month, for reasons that are not quite clear to me. It is all about a certain smell in the air at night. It's the smell of a distant bonfire and the corn being harvested. Of the trees turning. Of pumpkin flesh drying out on porches.
Ocotber is the only month that gives me full permission to eat a handful of candy corn mixed with peanuts every couple of hours. It's the time to ditch all citrus and floral candles, trading them in for scents like, "pumpkin pie spice" and "cinnamon roll."
It's chili and hot apple cider season.
It's the time of year to wear my favorite type of clothing: Jeans and fitted long sleeved tees.
Suddenly, horror movies are everywhere.
Black cats seem more mysterious than they did a month ago.
And you can lie in someone's arms without feeling hot and sticky. Oh no, if you want hot and sticky, it must be CREATED. And what better month to create it?
Ah, the smell of October....
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| Shine on, sun |
| 10.04.05 (12:49 pm) [edit] |
Things are finally getting back to normal. My life is, once again, mine. Somehow, in the past several months, I had lost track of the fact that I had the control to take it back all along.
The wedding is over. The cake baking is done. The constant drain of money has slowed to a mere drip drip drop.
I tried to call a plumber. That did not work out.
Still, I like life a lot better than I have for a while. So, I am back. I am here to write and let go. I am not here to hide, which had happened time and time again.
The sun is on my face and that is nice.
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| the last year |
| 08.22.05 (11:34 am) [edit] |
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This is the last year I can (truthfully) say that I am twenty-something. Saturday, I turned 29. I am not saying that 29 is old. In fact, I have believed for a long time that the youthfullness of the spirit is what is important...not the number of candles on the cake. Still, I look back at the past four or five years and shudder. What was I thinking? I thought the twenties were supposed to be the thrilling years...a time of discovery...adventure...living life to its fullest. Instead, I have spent the past ten years making mistake after mistake...turning into someone I no longer respect. Sure, there have been some highlights such as marriage and having my daughter. But, when I look into the mirror, I am ashamed to call myself a wife and mother. If I do not like myself, how am I to expect others to like me...especially my own family?!? I am not old, but I FEEL old. I feel FRUMPY. Something has to be done. NOW.
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| calendar |
| 08.11.05 (6:34 am) [edit] |
I am not quiet because I dislike blogging. I am not hiding or feeling blue. Lately, I just feel like I have absolutely NOTHING interesting to say. It's weird. Kinda like writer's block, but since I only write about my own life, perhaps it is life block? Things are happening here and I have been quite busy. We had friends stay with us two weeks ago as they passed through Ohio on their way to New York. They will be back this weekend too. It's strange, but as much as I looked forward to them getting here, I was relieved when they left. I guess I am not good at having houseguests. I am not good at BEING one either, though. Last weekend, we travelled to Indiana to bridal shower number one. The town was having a huge German festival and we got talked into staying overnight. We wound up sneaking out early in the morning before everyone woke up. In my defense, it was a four hour drive home and I had to be at work that day. Plus, they were all on Indiana time and I was still on Ohio time. Still, I felt bad. Truthfully, I just wanted to be at home. Staying in that house was like being in Martha Stewart's home. Sound nice? Imagine it with a two year-old. Yep...not so much fun, huh?
The next several weekends are already planned too. Visitors Saturday night. Bridal shower number two (hosted by yours truly) on Sunday. The following weekend is my birthday! 29?? YIKES! Then, wedding stuff for the next three weeks. And just when I thought it was over, we have been invited to another wedding on the 24th. But THAT wedding should be interesting. The bride and groom sent out invitations with some sort of strange writing on them. Latin? Nope. Gaelic? Nope. Try Elven. Have I been living under a rock? Since when is ELVEN a language?? Apparently it is. Kinda like Klingon. Nope, not kidding. Go ahead, Google it!
So, it should be an interesting few weeks. Whether you like it or not, I'll keep ya posted.
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| I may be bald soon |
| 07.28.05 (7:57 am) [edit] |
Why? Because I am pulling my hair out.
I use high speed cable internet and love it love it love it. A couple of months ago, however, our cable was down and I HAD to get online. I had bills that needed to be paid and since I do most of that online, I figured the best thing for me to do would be to use one of those "56 hours free" AOL discs that were attached to the back of a magazine I had lying around. I set up the account and everything worked just fine...slow, but fine. I was thrilled when my cable was back up a day or two later and forgot all about the AOL. Today, I went to look at my checking account online to see that I had been charged $29.99 for the AOL. Okay, so it was my fault for not reading the fine print. I was sure there was a date by which I would need to cancel, but had skipped over it in my rush to set up the account. I called AOL immediately to request that the account be cancelled so I would no longer be billed. The representative on the phone had a sugar-coated voice that made me cringe. She was more than willing to help me cancel the service...or so I thought. Here is an excerpt of our conversation:
"So, you have high speed internet through WHICH company?"
"Earthlink"
"Ohhhh, so they have high speed?"
"Yep"
"Okay, well you want to protect your computer and personal information, right?"
"Of course"
"Well, AOL is now offering a virus and spyware protection plan that is only $7.95 a month. You must pay for a year in advance to get this deal, but it is well worth it when you consider the risks of identity theft"
"Ummm...."
"And it works with any high speed service..."
"Thanks, but I am just calling to cancel the service"
"Well, I am just going to send you an email with all of the information so you can read it at your convenience. I am in no way trying to pressure you into purchasing it."
"Oh, okay"
"And I am going to send you a letter in the mail about it too."
"Okay"
"If it works out for you, then great"
"Okay, can't you just pretend I have read the letter and do not want it. I just want to cancel the service"
"Well I am going to leave your account open and if you don't want it, then you can call us by August 23rd to let us know"
"HUH? Wait, I am confused. Why are you leaving my account open when I just called to cancel?"
"Because you have just been billed for a full month only four days ago. Therefore, you have already paid for the month of August so we might as well leave it open."
"Oh"
"We want you to at least get what you paid for for August. Just give us a call by August 23rd if you still want to cancel."
At this point my daughter is screaming and hanging on my leg and I want to scream with her. So, I figure, "Whatever, I will call back in August." And the lady and I hang up. But then it occurs to me...
That woman sounded WAY too pleased with herself. Now I am nervous. I TRIED to stand my ground (something that is VERY tough for me in those situations) but I ended up giving in, thinking everything will be okay if I just call back in a month. Now, however, the "what-ifs" are eating at me.
What if in all of her fast-talking, she just conned me out of more money? I can't see how that could have happened, but it IS possible, I suppose.
Ugh. I am so irritated.
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| life in fast forward |
| 07.26.05 (8:00 am) [edit] |
Yes, yes, yes...I am still here. I am still a tblogger. I have not had a minute to sit down and breathe and write lately. There is a lot going on here. My friend's wedding is taking up a lot of my energy, which is fine with me. I am loving the process. Well, most of it.
The picture of the mermaid dress is still hanging on my fridge. It's just a xerox copy from a dress catalog, but the model seems to be throwing me a black and white smirk. "You will never be me," she says. Well, she is right. I have been back on South Beach trying to kick my sugar habit and lose a few extra pounds before the first fitting on August 6th. It is not looking good.
Toby and I spent all weekend helping the bride create wedding invitations, reception cards, rsvp cards, hotel cards and beautifully printed envelopes. They were gorgeous! Ivory cardstock with a pearlized line border, printed with their monogram and overlayed with a sheet of vellum with the body of the invitation printed on it in lovely script. Then, everything was tied at the top in a knotted ivory satin bow. They were so nice, in fact, that Toby and I are considering going into business.
The wedding plans continue for the next few weeks, intermingled with other engagements that are on the calendar. This weekend, Toby's cousins will be in town and his family is throwing a big party to celebrate. The following day, my good friend, Ty, and her husband and baby will be arriving from Oklahoma to stay the night while passing through to New York. The next weekend is the first bridal shower and dress fitting in Indiana. Then, the 13th, Ty and her family will be staying with us again on their way back home. The 14th is the Ohio shower, which I am hosting. The 20th is my birthday, so hopefully there will be NO PLANS that day, though I am sure I will have to work.
Whew....that is a lot of stuff to worry about. And that is just in August. Just wait till September arrives.
So, you see...I am here. I am just neck-deep in invitations, dresses, work, and plans.
Drop me a line. Connect me to the outside world.
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| time for a change |
| 07.18.05 (7:36 am) [edit] |
I feel like I could lie down and sleep a thousand years. My energy has been completely gone for two weeks. I have no idea where it is going, but I have some clues as to WHY. I am not making the time to take care of myself lately and it is showing...in my eyes, in my hair and nails, in my attitude, and in my dimpled, fat butt. Some days I sleep too much and others, not even close to enough. I have eaten more sugar in the past two weeks than I have in an entire year. Don't get me wrong, it has been fun. Now, however, I am paying for it.
Today is a new day, though, isn't it?
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| Meme-oreeeeee |
| 07.12.05 (10:26 am) [edit] |
Thanks for the Meme,Jenn! I accept your invitation to cut and paste, so here goes nuthin...
1. What were three of the stupidest things you have done in your life?
a. had an affair (yep, I will air my dirty laundry right here, right now)
b. trusted some people I should have known NOT to trust...EVER!
c. left my high school tour group to go off clubbing with two boys...ALONE....at NIGHT...in GERMANY! Did I mention that they were Turkish guys who understood very little English?? God, they were cute, though!
2. At the current moment, who has the most influence in your life?
a. Toby.
b. Ceridwyn
c. my mom
d. the two tbloggers with rhyming names. You know who you are and I have appreciated your AMAZING advice and kindness.
3. If you were given a time machine that functioned, and you were allowed to only pick up to five people to dine with, who would you pick?
a. My great-great grandmother named America.
b. My cousin, Brice, who died when he was only nine. I loved him dearly.
c. D'Sean, so I could tell him that life really IS worth living and there are people who love him.
d. Marilyn Monroe. I have always been a huge fan.
e. Me in the future, so I could ask myself what I could do to live the best life possible.
4. If you had three wishes that were not supernatural, what would they be?
a. For all of my children to outlive me (and live long, healthy lives)...I am not sure I could handle that kind of loss.
b. World peace. Yes, it is cliche, but it's such a nice thought.
c. To have enough money that I would never have to worry again AND be able to give back.
5. Someone is visiting your hometown/place where you live at the moment. Name two things you regret your city not having, and two things people should avoid.
a. Hahahaha....ummmm.....only TWO?? Okay, well, I wish we had some clubs/bars to go to that were not redneck dives. Yeah, that would be nice. I also wish we had a boardwalk. Sure, we are nowhere near an ocean, but I have always wanted to hang out all day, walking up and down the street, eating ice cream and holding hands on a pier.
b. Things to avoid?? Four of the five bars that currently exist. And....ummm...the corn fields?? Ever see Children of the Corn?
6. What was the last movie you saw?
Million Dollar Baby. Oh jeez that movie got to me.
7. Name one event that has changed your life.
Being a mom.
8. If you had to be one character from Bill and Ted's excellent adventure, who would you be and why?
Oh, I would be one of the hot maidens, of course, so I could have a kick-ass body. I also loved Napoleon and Joan of Arc, but I am defintaley superficial enough to go with the smokin body!
9. Tag 5 people.
Unfortunately, I no longer know five people on tblog who would do this, so if you want a go at it, have fun!
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| sheesh |
| 07.11.05 (11:20 am) [edit] |
As if I have not cried enough today, I just finished watching Million Dollar Baby. That's it, I am done for the day!
CHECK PLEASE!
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| never goodbye |
| 07.11.05 (8:13 am) [edit] |
Today is a sad day.
It should not be.
But it is.
You know who you are. And you are loved.
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| return policy?? |
| 07.08.05 (8:55 am) [edit] |
Dear Sexually Active Teenager,
I just spent thirty-five minutes cleaning up poop. This included bathing my daughter, washing her bedclothes, scrubbing down her (thankfully) plastic-coated mattress, and disposing of some residuary solid waste.
Mull that one over for a few.
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| wishes |
| 07.07.05 (12:58 pm) [edit] |
Happiest birthday wishes to the sweetest little girl in the world.
It's hard to believe you are two today.
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| unshakable |
| 07.05.05 (11:15 am) [edit] |
When I was 18, I was in a car accident. I had not been driving very long, as I was too afraid to learn at 16 like most teens. That day, I was on my way to my sister's house to help her move. I was on a country road and looked away from the road for just a second to turn the radio station. When I glanced back up, I saw that I was headed for the ditch. Out of fear and instict, I yanked the steering wheel to the left to try to straighten out the car, but overcorrected, sending me bouncing from ditch to ditch. I lost control and felt the car start to roll. Time slowed to nearly a stop as I watched the blades of grass pressing patterns on my drivers side window. The deafening sound of twisting metal rang in my ears. The shattered windshield made the colors of the outside world seem brighter the way a kaliedescope does. And as quickly as it had begun, it was over. I sat in my seat for a minute before I realized that my long hair was sweeping the roof of the car. My seatbelt held me suspended, upside down. I was calm, unshaken. I unbuckled and gingerly used the steering wheel as a step ladder to climb out of the car. I jumped to the ground and sat in the middle of the road, staring at my car. I had forgotten to turn off the engine and could hear the radio still playing Aerosmith's "Crazy." There were no tears, no trembling hands. Nothing but annoyance and anger.
Not even two months from that day, I was in another car accident. I was riding with my friend Guil on a curvy road. I knew the curves well, but Guil did not. He missed a sharp turn and the truck rolled onto the passenger side, skidding across the pavement. I could see the sparks through the window and the thought crossed my mind that there was no way I would escape without injury a second time. Fortunately, I was wrong. Guil and I both climbed out of the truck without a scratch. A passing car stopped to check on us and help us to push the truck back onto its wheels. Before we did that, though, we took a moment to pose in front of the beaten truck as the good samaritans took our photo with Guil's camera. Again, no tears, no trembling hands.
After that, I was sure that I must have a gift--the gift of serenity in times of extreme stress. It was these frightening times that I was at my best. In fact, when emergencies would arise, panic would anger me. I was the calm one. And that made me proud.
This weekend, I resigned my unshakable title.
We drove up to the lake to visit Toby's parents. My parents had gone along for the fun too. I was outside, playing with Ceridwyn. Toby and the two grandpas had crossed the street to look at Toby's parents' new golf cart and were considering taking a ride around the neighborhood. I was having a difficult time keeping Ceridwyn on the patio area, which was stressful, since the two places she wanted to run to were the channel or the street. Suddenly, she broke free of my hand and took off toward the driveway. I ran after her, as she dashed between our parked cars. The street was usually very quiet, with very few cars travelling that direction. Normally the heaviest traffic was from kids on bicycles and people walking dogs. At this moment, however, I could HEAR something. I could not see through the parked cars, but I knew my baby was in trouble. I took off after her and as soon as I thought I could reach, I jumped forward and grabbed her arm. I closed my eyes and shrieked while pulling her backward a few steps. I was just in time. A big pickup truck zoomed past us. Ceridwyn was so close, she could have reached out and touched the truck as it passed. I was worried that her toes may be crushed by the giant tires. I picked up my daughter and calmly handed her off to her grandma. Then I went inside to be alone. My knees buckled as soon as I got inside and my hands would not stop shaking. The room was spinning and I did not know if I should pass out or throw up. Instead, I decided to cry hysterically.
My little girl was almost run over by a truck. She is fine, but I am not sure I am. This will take a while to get over.
I am not unshakable and that is okay.
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| dumb luck |
| 06.29.05 (11:43 am) [edit] |
So, yesterday I sat down to check my email and saw that I had recieved something from my dearest friend, Amy. Because of her unusually busy schedule as a chef, we rarely get to talk anymore. I was so excited to see a message from her in my inbox....until I saw that it was a just one of those mass mailings that ask you to forward it along to ten people. I hate those. Fortunately, Amy is very smart about avoiding viruses and spam and always cuts and pastes information instead of hitting the forward button. She is also very particular about what she sends and I am rarely disappointed. This time, however, I was. The email asked that the reader make a wish and then slowly scroll down the body of the message. Hmmm...not like Amy at all. Normally she passes along funny jokes or photos. This particular email seemed out of character for her. Still, it WAS from Amy, so I decided to play along. I closed my eyes and thought of a wish. We have been having financial worries, so I imagined going to my mailbox to find an unexpected check waiting for me. Or finding the missling little white dog from the house down the street and getting the $1000 reward being offered. So, I wished and scrolled down. A series of asterisks formed a pattern that was pleasing to the eye as I scrolled. At the bottom, were these words, "Your wish will be granted in the same number of minutes as your age." Then, there were bonuses awarded for passing on the email (forward it to ten people and have good luck for a year). I laughed. Hmmm....28 minutes until my money problems are over. Twenty-seven.....twenty-six.....I waited. Nothing. Was I surprised? No. I never really believed it would happen anyway, but it was sure worth a try!
That afternoon, Toby came home from work, announcing that he had a surprise. He popped open his briefcase and pulled out an envelope. Inside was a check for $650. Nope, I am soooo not kidding. Okay, here is the deal....we knew the school owed him a check. We even knew it would be coming soon. The strange part is that he was originally told that he could not even bill for that money until June 30th, then we would have to wait for the actual check to be cut. But yesterday was not the 30th. It was the 27th.
I never bothered to ask Toby what time that check wound up in his hand. I can't help, but wonder, though...was it 28 minutes after my wish??
I went back to the email today to re-read it. The email was in my mailbox still, so I opened it. The body of the message, however is gone. It's just gone. I guess you only get one wish. Too bad I had not asked for world peace.
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| atonement |
| 06.28.05 (6:30 am) [edit] |
Sometimes apologies just aren't enough.
"I'm sorry" is the same thing the pleasant voice on the cable company's hold recording repeats to me when I have been waiting for twenty minutes to talk to a human. "I'm sorry" says the cashier when she misses my hand and two cents hits the floor. The neighbor is "sorry" when I go over to borrow a quarter cup of oil for a cake, but she has none. There should be another word for this type of apology. Something less formal than "I am sorry." Something less....emotional. Those words are overused, abused.
The same goes for "thank you," but that is a post for another day.
I am not cable company/cashier/neighbor lady sorry right now.
I am the real kind of sorry. I am sorry. I want to lie down in a busy street to prove it.
I want to write it on your soul in my ruby blood.
Sometimes apologies just are not enough. Now is one of those times.
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| five |
| 06.24.05 (10:04 am) [edit] |
AmyHCAlum tagged me for this meme and I am happy to write it.
FIVE THINGS
10 years ago: I was living with several friends in a HUGE duplex in Richmond, IN. We could barely pay the rent. But at 4:00 every day, I could sit on the porch and watch as friends started riding bikes around the corner, walking, driving...tons of them...all to get to our house. There was music every night. And friends. And fun. We were hot in the summer and freezing in the winter. We washed clothes in the bathtub and hung them to dry on a line in the back yard. We ate yogurt with granola for breakfast and hung a hammock on the porch to lounge in at night. Every single morning, I would wake up to Bob Marley. We used coconut shampoo and the scent filled the house. At times, I hated it there. Mostly, though, I loved it.
5 years ago: I am married to Toby and living in Fairborn, Ohio. I taught gymnastics and took classes at Wright State University. Life was good...really, really good!
1 year ago: This time last year, I was planning a huge first birthday party for Ceridwyn. It was a bugs-n-butterflies theme. We invited EVERYONE and had a huge cookout. We live in Eaton now, surrounded by my family. This is both good and bad! We have a new house and a beautiful daughter. How could I have ever put that in jeopardy?
Yesterday: Worked my first day at the video store...my first day back to a "real" job since Ceridwyn was born. I did not wear proper shoes and my feet hurt all night, but I was happy to be earning money and contributing something to the household for once.
Today: Got home from work at 12:45 am....woke up at 8:00 with a headache. Tons to do today...plan a wedding shower, stress about how I will ask for so many Saturdays off from work for two showers, a bachelorette party, a wedding and a trip from a friend. Back at work at 5:00.
Tomorrow: Morning meeting at work at 8:00 am....should be fun after getting home close to 1:00 again! Then, family time with Toby and Cer.
5 Snacks I Enjoy:
1. Kettle-style popcorn (especially the real stuff from the fair)
2. Raisinettes (with you on that one, Amy!)
3. Apple slices with peanut butter
4. Oreos dunked in coffee
5. Cereal
5 Songs I Know All The Words To:
1. All Tori Amos songs (naturally)
2. Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" (my favorite song ever....but I like Tori's cover!)
3. "Luckiest" by Ben Folds (sigh)
4. "Wicked Game"-Chris Isaak (makes me want to kiss)
5. "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel (a lyrical masterpiece)
5 Things I Would Do With $100,000,000:
1. Pay off bills
2. Buy gifts for my family (boats, vehicles...whatever they want)
3. Travel back to Ireland and purchase property
4. Invest in my daughter's future
5. Move to a slightly bigger house...one with a basement and room for a small gym.
5 Locations I'd Like to Run Away To:
1. Dublin, Ireland
2. The rest of Ireland
3. Venice
4. A beach (I have never been on an island vacation before)
5. New Zealand
5 Bad Habits I Have:
1. Picking at my fingernails...sometimes biting, but rarely
2. Spending too much time online
3. Sugar
4. Daydreaming when I should be working
5. Agreeing to things I don't want to do in order to please people
5 Things I like Doing:
1. Baking
2. Anything wedding-related
3. Conversation with friends over coffee (or wine)
4. Visiting cemetaries
5. Chinese takeout and a video with Toby
5 Things I Would Never Wear:
1. Tapered jeans
2. Blue mascara
3. Clothes that match my husband (you know...an airbrused shirt with a palm tree and his name)
4. Culottes
5. Bicycle shorts
5 T.V. Shows I Like:
1. Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?
2. Sports Kids Moms and Dads
3. Desperate Housewives
4. King of Queens (aka "Doug and Carrie")
5. Ghost Hunters (bring it back. bring it back!!)
5 Movies I Like:
(only FIVE?!?!?! Ohhhh jeez!)
1. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
2. Nightmare Before Christmas
3. Secretary
4. West Side Story
5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
5 Famous People I'd like to Meet:
1. Tori
2. John Travolta
3. Nick Cage
4. Tom Robbins
5. And of course....JOHNNY DEPP!
5 Biggest Joys at the Moment:
1. Ceridwyn and her ever-evolving vocabulary
2. Rediscovering the joys of marriage
3. Helping Ash plan her wedding (Do I sound like a broken record with the wedding stuff yet?)
4. The thought that my friend, Ty, will be visiting this summer!
5. Having a job
5 Favorite Toys:
1. Powerbook
2. Camera
3. My Tori collection
4. Kitchen Aid Mixer
5. Books books books (I am backed up on my reading!)
I am not going to tag anyone this time. I am not really sure who has been tagged already. Instead, I am just going to generally suggest that everyone write this meme....it is a fun one!
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| rejoining society |
| 06.22.05 (1:42 pm) [edit] |
Finally.
I FINALLY have a job.
I can still be at home during the day with Cer, but will work nights. No daycare expenses. No strangers raising my child. Sigh. I am sooo relieved.
No more mascara-stained pillowcases from crying over late bills.
No more daycare anxiety.
No more worrying that I would have to give up coaching tumbling.
No more isolation from adults.
No more feeling like I contribute NOTHING to the household.
Anyone have champagne handy??
(Tequila is also acceptable!)
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| my vote |
| 06.20.05 (12:50 pm) [edit] |
In the category of Niftiest Kitchen Device of the Millennium, I hereby nominate...
THE APPLE CORER/SLICER!!!
(wild applause)
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| childhood |
| 06.20.05 (8:12 am) [edit] |
Oh, I do love a game!
I have been tagged by Altricial to continue the Childhood Meme! The point is to LIST (one of my FAVORITE words) five childhood memories that I miss.
I was tagged with the following list of brilliant bloggers:
LoriSchuster
BilllyRyan
TrekGuy
Basild
Anastacia
IckyDane
Childhood Memories:
(I am choosing to list four)
1. Spring
When I was very small, my parents would spend countless springtime hours planting gardens. We had three: a large area for corn and beans, a smaller garden for green onions, tomatoes, cabage, green bell peppers, and radishes, and a third garden that was designated for flowers. I loved the feeling of the dirt beneath my fingernails as I dug tiny holes for the seeds or broke the dirt from around the roots of the flower starters. After the gardens were all planted, my brother and I would do elaborate rain dances to try to trick Mother Nature into helping our garden grow faster. One time, we danced hard, calling for thunder and lightning. A strong storm came by and blew the shingles from the roof. We proudly took credit.
2. Summer
Summer seemed to last forever back then. We lived far out in the country so the only companions Chris and I had were each other. When we were not fighting, we were the best of friends. We would run around the yard, down the hill to the huge magical tree to watch the ladybugs that seemed so attracted to it. Then, back up the hill we would run to sit in the sun and eat the rhubarb that grew by the fence. I hated the way it tasted, but the novelty of being able to pick food from the ground at any time was worth the bitter flavor. (I now know that we were most likely harvesting the plant too early for it to taste good.)
I miss worshipping the sun...never worrying about wrinkles or skin cancer. I miss getting bloody knuckles from the crank on my Snoopy Sno Cone Machine. I miss swimming in the lake. I miss going to baseball games with my dad. I miss the sight of my mom sunbathing on the hill and the smile on her face when we would sneak up and sprinkle water on her and run away, laughing so hard I thought I would pee my pants. I miss popsicles made by pouring Kool-Aid into those Tupperware molds.
3. Fall
Fall has always been my favorite season. There is something so magical about the way the leaves turn from vivid green to all shades of a sunset before falling to the ground. Oh, the leaf hills we would build! They were spectacular! They stood no chance, though, as my brother and I would obliterate them in a matter of minutes. We would spend all day raking up those leaves, only to hunt down some buckets, a ladder, the picnic table...anything to get some height before diving headlong into the glorious leaf pile. I loved the crunching sound as I swam up from the bottom, brown and red leaves, flying.
Fall also meant my favorite hollidays! Remember spending two months planning what you were going to be for Halloween? Being scared and LOVING it? Paper pumpkins and skeletons taped on cabinets?
Or the kids' table at Thanksgiving dinner? When I was three, my older cousin, Bruce, taught me how to chew with my mouth closed instead of gabbing my way through every bite. I love that memory. Bruce died when I was five. He was nine.
4. Winter
How I loved winter! I am not a big fan now, but when I was a kid, it was wonderful! The first snow was one of the most exciting days of the year! No matter what time it was, my mom would let me go outside to try to catch the flakes on my tongue. She always said, "If you taste the first snow, you won't get a cold all winter." I believed her every year and to this day, I insist on catching the first flakes in my mouth.
I never thought of snow as menacing. Because we were so far out in the country, a heavy downfall would mean that we may be stranded at home for days, but I did not mind one bit. The fields on both sides of our house allowed the wind to blow across without a break, pushing the snow to the side of the big hill in our yard. This formed giant drifts, sometimes as tall as our house. When it snowed like that, my mom would set a big mixing bowl outside to catch some fresh snow. She mixed it with sugar, milk and vanilla and refroze it to make snow ice cream, which I was sure was better than any ice cream sold in the store.
Our home was heated by two fireplaces and a wood-burning stove. Each night, I would sit and stare at the flames until their hypnotic dancing made me drowsy. Then I would go climb in bed and dream about the snow forts that would be built the next morning.
I loved being a kid. My greatest hope is that I will be able to recreate some of that magic for my own children.
So, here are the people I am tagging:
AmyHCAlum
KurtMaddox
Surrogate
Jerneedog (when he is back from vacationing, that is!)
I apologize in advance for stealing the wording for the instructions from Altricial, but like they say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
The general instructions:
A) Post “the five things from your childhood you miss”,
B) Nominate five new people to do the same.
C) Just for fun, include the list you were originally on.
I look forward to your responses!!
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| one lumphead or two? |
| 06.17.05 (10:20 am) [edit] |
So, yesterday I stopped by the coffee shop for a creamice. I was standing there watching the incredibly adorable young man mixing my drink and I thought to myself, "I need a part-time job. I love coffe. Hmmm..."
Handing me the iced coffee, the young man smiled this HUGE grin and asked, "Will there be anything else today?"
How friendly, I thought.
"Well, since you asked, do you know if you are hiring here?"
(Still smiling) "Umm, I am not sure. Let me check for you."
At this point, he disappears behind the wall to the office/kitchen area. I assume he is asking a manager about the possibility of hiring more staff. Then, I see that he is digging through papers, looking on shelves, opening filing cabinets. He must be looking for an application.
He returns with the same overly-eager grin.
"I am sorry. I did not see it. I will leave a note on the desk just in case anyone finds it so they know you have lost it." (Same plastic grin)
I blink once. Twice. I am now aware that my mouth is hanging open.
I must have been shocked by the sheer randomness of his words.
"Thank you." I smile and leave.
Sitting in the car: "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ALL ABOUT??"
I drive away bewildered.
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| brain drain |
| 06.17.05 (8:18 am) [edit] |
I am having a very difficult time getting my thoughts together today. I have been wanting to add a new post today, but there are about seven million thoughts going through my head at one time. Here are a few of them...
1. If I don't wind up with a career in the wedding industry, I am positive the world may come to a screeching halt.
2. My financial worries are draining my energy--I have to get this under control NOW!
3. There is dignity in all work...there is dignity in all work...there is dignity in all work.
4. Oh man, this iced tea is PERFECT. I will never be able to replicate it again so I better drink it slowly.
5. I miss my friend...terribly.
6. I am slightly hungover today from half a bottle of Tequila Rose.
7. I have not been to the gym ONCE this week and I am kicking myself.
8. My sister never wrote me back...I will take that to mean that a reconciliation is not something she wants.
9. I HATE those damn dogs with human hands on Sesame Street. They freak me out!
10. A cobb salad sounds soooo good.
11. NO! A reuben
12. I have not written my weekly list..this one will have to do.
Ack! If I could just relax and let my mind slow down. That would be good.
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| chipmunk kid |
| 06.13.05 (12:45 pm) [edit] |
I peeled an apple and gave it to my (nearly) two-year-old daughter. I watched the spherical shape of the apple growing smaller and smaller.
Now it is gone.
Seeds, core, stem and all.
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