Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Halloween

Today was chaos. Spencer had a dentist appointment at 9:30. I was cleaning at a friend's house from 10:30 until close to noon. Spence went to school and I headed to the grocery store because the whole house was bare. Home from the grocery store to unload groceries, start making the meatloaf for dinner, peel potatoes, and begin cutting pumpkins open to be carved. Plus I was still pulling out decorations. LOL

But it all worked out fine. The Mummy Meatloaf was delicious. The mashed potato ghosts were more like mashed potato pancakes. Not exactly a resounding success, but they tasted okay.



And here are my 4 little costumed cuties:

Garrett (Smartie Pants)




Evan (Twins player Torii Hunter)



Spencer (Frankenstein)




And #4: Princess Pippa!
(and you thought it was gonna be Rob. Ha!)

She ran to the door every time the bell rang tonight. I think she was yelling, "Get me out of here! This crazy lady is trying to put a HAT on me, for god's sake!" LOL Just so we are clear, this was not my doing. I found the hat at PetSmart, but Rob bought it. I lay the blame squarely on his shoulders. LOL



We carved pumpkins using templates from the web --Better Homes & Gardens had a cool jack-o-lantern maker, and I found the skull at some random site. I tried to do a monogram "H" but it wasn't bright enough to show up in the pictures. (Apparently I needed to be a little tougher when scraping the pumpkin's flesh) but it got a lot of comments anyway. Next year I'll do it better.





It was a crazy day but I know the kids had a good time. They loved the meatloaf (apparently scary food tastes better) and got lots of candy. We had fewer than 25 trick-or-treaters this year. A little disappointing. On the up side, though, the weather was gorgeous. Not something we take for granted up here in the North country. The temp was above 50 tonight. Woo hoo.

Thus ends another Halloween. Whew. It's a downhill slide until Christmas. Are you ready?

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

There was an earthquake in San Jose

about an hour ago. Hoping all of you out there are doing okay!

Teegan Tribute Tuesday



These are 2 very special pictures to my friend Carrie. This is her son Orin with his cousin Hailey and their great-grandpa (Carrie's grandpa). This was the first time Orin and Grandpa had met.



And this is Carrie, her husband Chad, and their daughter Morgan with Carrie's mom's headstone. I know Carrie misses her mom so very much every day. (Orin was napping when this photo was taken.)

Monday, October 29, 2007

Good news all around

I got a call from the friend that I said I've been failing of late. Bless her, she was so understanding and said it was ok, she knew I had been struggling with depression and that I have a lot on my plate with the kids, etc. Well, yes, but it's not an excuse. Whatever, she is okay and we are okay and for that I am grateful.

And I found some fabric on ebay that I love -- it will go nicely in the kitchen and I have found a lovely woman to *gasp* sew a cover for my Kitchen Aid mixer for me. I know, I know, I could do it, but it's not that much more to have her do it and she really does a beautiful job. Plus I have decided that I want to sew a cover for my sewing machine and today I found the cutest idea for covers for ladder back chairs and I may have to make those for my dining chairs for Christmas. The auction was 1 minute from ending and I got outbid. Normally I would just let the item go, but tonight I was feisty and I decided that someone would not be allowed to come in and take MY fabric. LOL Thank goodness for high-speed internet.

My folks have returned from a long weekend in Vegas. My mom is celebrating a birthday in a few weeks and she wanted to do it in style -- with Jimmy Buffett. So she and my dad, some of their friends, and my dad's little brother and his wife all met in Sin City. Mom and Dad had front row seats at the concert and had a ball, and I guess everyone had a pretty good time.

I am glad they'll be home tomorrow night (they're staying at some friends' tonight) because I miss talking to her. We talk almost every day and I am sort of lost without her. LOL

Yuck

I had an ingrown toenail removed today so I am all bandaged up. And Spence complained of a sore throat last night and this morning. He was running a temp so we made an appointment for him right before my doctor's appointment. Poor little guy has strep.

The pharmacy delivered the meds (I love my 1950's style pharmacy that delivers and has charge accounts!) and we are going to snuggle up in my bed for the afternoon.

I hope everyone is feeling much better than my little dude. He is sad and sleepy.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Christmas list

My mother-in-law is ready to go Christmas shopping. I've been compiling this list for a while. JoAnn, make sure you communicate with Rob so he knows what you buy. (He's standing behind me right now.)LOL

Label Maker




Yankee Candles

Fireside scent (discontinued but back for a limited time)


Set of 6 stainless steel measuring spoons



FlyLady' Calendar "Ultimate Works" package

The 2008 Calendar, Sticker Kit, 16" FlyDuster,
26" FlyDuster and FlyLady Timer



The West Wing Complete Series on DVD



Digital Meat thermometer/timer


Stamp set



The Master Genealogist software program Gold version download



Scrapbook Adhesives (red package) I can never have too many of these


Rubber Stamps (I want them mounted, please)

This is not art
item 682D
Official Scrapbook
item 656F

Books from Amazon.com

Peter Jennings: A Reporter's Life
The Good Son
What Stories Does My Son Need?
A Fine Young Man
Eat, Pray, Love

Gift cards

Office Max
Michaels
Hobby Lobby
Avenue
Barnes & Noble

Tagged!

Lesle got me this time. These are the rules I’m supposed to follow:

  1. Link to your tagger, and also post these rules on your blog.
  2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
  3. Tag 7 people at the end of you post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
  4. Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog
This is difficult, as I regularly confess my shortcomings here. Anybody who reads regularly knows I am bitchy. They know I hold grudges like nobody else. They know I enjoy the things that make me quirky. They know I am unapologetic about my "issues" LOL. So these may be lame, but it's all I've got. My 7 weirdnesses, the high school edition:

1. I actually got along with my mom while I was in high school. My dad and I battled regularly, but while most of my friends were complaining about their moms, I was pretty okay with mine. Now that she's not the boss of me anymore, we're actually friends.
2. I was in band for years. I played clarinet. I didn't play it well (I rarely practiced), but I got by and it got me the 1/4 credit per year in high school for PE. Hey, I'm no dummy.
3. I once decorated my bedroom with dots. My dad wouldn't let me paint actual dots in the room, so I spent an afternoon tracing circles of varying sizes, cutting them out and coloring them. I then used masking tape to adhere them to the walls and ceiling. It looked awesome. My dad thought I was certifiable.
4. I had parachute pants. With zippers all over them. Not weird enough for you? I wore them with white leather ankle boots. And a white leather jacket. And one white glove dangly earring. And I looked GOOOOOOD. ROFL.
5. In all of high school I had ONE drink. My junior year, at a party my parents knew about (and they knew there would be alcohol, but I promised not to drink). Chuck had Mt. Dew and Strawberry Schnapps. I took a sip and decided I'd rather drink gasoline. Ewwwww.
6. The end-of-school year party in 1985 (end of my freshman year) we had a party at Dan's farm. I shared a lounge chair with Robert (who today is my husband). I knew it that night -- I remember SO clearly, sitting back against him, his arms around me, talking with Dan's parents next to the bonfire. I knew then that he was the guy -- that he would never hurt me, that he would always be there for me. I was completely terrified (especially since we were "just friends") of being one of those girls who just graduated from high school and got married and never did anything exciting. It took me 7 years to come around.
7. I was completely infatuated with one guy in high school. How infatuated? He was 5'8" tall, his football number was 20, his basketball numbers were 32/33, he was a guard in basketball and had an 85% free-throw average. He played Legion Baseball, he wore Levi's 501s, his locker his senior year was 252, his birthday was April 17. I knew where he lived, his mom and dad's names (his mom was my 2nd grade teacher) ... yes, sad, I know. Thing is, he KNEW. He knew I was obsessed about him. And still he gave my friends one of his senior pictures signed for me.
Bonus #8!!!! I still have the picture. In a frame. Displayed in the spare bedroom of my house (unless my husband has turned it face down on the shelf in the little jealous game he plays). Yep, I'm an odd duck.

I tag:
Lesley
Vivian
Sandy
Heather (who has sick kids so may take as long as she needs to complete this task)
Sarah
Teresa (just because I miss her blogging)
and Cara (because it took her so long to start a blog LOL)

PS- added 10/30 - I got this completely whacked-out comment on this post today so I have turned on comment moderation for now. Sorry, but this one was WAAAAAY out there. So if you commented earlier, no, you are not losing your mind. I had to delete the entire post and re-publish it. Argh.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

An unexpected turn

of events. The sewing store called me today. The owner (who was the one I dealt with on the phone and in the 2 previous incidents) apologized profusely. She was very nice. I also told her I was sorry for going off on her, but that my time is as valuable as anyone else's and it was frustrating to have made 2 fruitless trips to her store. She agreed that it should have been handled differently, and I told her the next time I needed something, I would be sure to check there first.

Then she asked if she could send me a 50% off coupon for any item in her store.

Who am I to turn down a good discount?

Woo hoo.

Friday, October 26, 2007

Friends


Remember my friend Sarka from the Czech Republic who recently visited? Here she is -- that's me on the left, our friend Sandra (from Brazil) in the middle, and Sarka in blue on the right. We had a good time that night and the next was a fun evening out, just the moms. It was good medicine for me. Thanks to Sandra for the picture.

Nineteen years

Since I left for boot camp. It almost doesn't feel real. I watched an episode of "Leave it to Beaver" (my favorite old show EVER) the other day where Beaver's school assignment was to write an essay about what his mom did before she was a mom. Beaver's mom did not have enough exciting things to suit him, so he made stuff up.

It got me thinking: do my kids know all the cool stuff I did when I was just Jennifer? That I went to Brazil at 17 as an exchange student? That I worked in Washington, DC for a Senator for a summer? That I met Sens. Teddy Kennedy, Paul Wellstone, Paul Simon, Bob Graham, and many more? That I served in the Army as a broadcaster? That I was an optician, a grocery clerk, a customer service rep, a file clerk, a cleaning lady, a news anchor, a babysitter, a disk jockey, a librarian?

Some of it they know. And most of it, I suspect, is completely uninteresting to them. I guess it's a good thing it was interesting to me.

For a look back at Army life, check out this entry here from 2 years ago. Hoo-rah.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Can I just say

thank you to the Universe? Because my children and husband have all decided on costumes for Halloween and we will be spending less than $10 to outfit everyone. We have most of the stuff already. Yay. The budget is tight this month -- I am most relieved.

Random stuff

I spent all day at school today. I could not do that every day. Thanks goodness for the awesome teachers and other staff who can. My kids are lucky to attend such a terrific school.

To my 3 commenters from the other day (2 of whom do not have blogs) -- I will get you your handmade items, and the 2 who are not bloggers just have to pay it forward by giving 3 people something you've made. Any 3 people you know -- give them a little something "just because." And I still have 2 more spots open for bloggers who want to get in on the fun.

As for burning my bridges with the sewing store, well, yeah. I did that. But I'm okay with it. I thought about it before I made the call and since I don't shop there all that often and it's usually just for specialty items I will just go to the local quilting store or to the internet. I guess my penance for the sin of anger is that I will have to hone my patience. That needs serious work, so it will be good for me. Plus the border I ordered will be here shortly and I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime. It's all good.

Tonight for dinner -- Cornish pasties (short "a" people. Not the things you find on a stripper. LOL). Well, sort of. They have pork instead of beef and I've included onions, which apparently is a no-no, but I made the pork roast yesterday and I included onions, so there you have it.

**ETA: Carrots. She told me no carrots. Onions are good, but she said no carrots. Too bad. The carrots were really good in the pasties. LOL

Tomorrow, a field trip to the planetarium, an afternoon at the local YMCA, and this weekend a big school event that I look forward to every year. This year I confess I am looking more forward to when the event is over. Sigh.

And one last thing: every once in awhile, my computer "tweets." I cannot for the life of me figure out why it makes a sound like the birds who help with Cinderella's dress, but it does. So does anyone know of some random thing on my computer (PC, Windows XP, Mozilla Firefox) that would make it chirp?

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Dear Quality Sewing Machine Center,

(which I would link to except you don't have a freaking website, you asshats). I took a "stained glass sweatshirt" class at your store this summer. I made a lovely sweatshirt from my mom and decided to make another for my sister-in-law, who saw my mom's while I was working on it.

I thought I had saved some of the quilting pattern but I can't find it. So I called the store to ask and you said, "Yes, we have that. It comes on a roll and you can pick it up anytime." So I drove to your store and guess what? It wasn't the same pattern. Not even close. So you said you'd order it for me. To your credit, you DID apologize that time.

Tonight, I made a special trip in the PT Cruiser to pick up the border that you had ordered. It's in a roll, but something didn't look right. I said it was the wrong one. "No it isn't," you said, speaking to me as if I were 4. "Ummm, yes, it IS. " I responded. And look -- upon further inspection you realized it was, indeed, wrong, and you again put me down on the clipboard to order it. That was it. No apology. No "I'm sorry you came all the way down here for nothing." No, "Gee, I made a mistake. I apologize."

So it felt REALLY good when I called you to tell you I had found it online. That I had ordered it and paid an extra freakin' 7 bucks in shipping because at least now I know I'll get the right item, and that, while I once thought you were the *best* and had excellent customer service, you were clearly slipping now and I would not be spending another dime in your sorry-ass store EVER AGAIN.

Plus, I have a blog. And I'm telling everyone I know. Seriously.

Pay It Forward

Most of us know the concept of Paying it Forward. This has been going around a lot of scrappers' and card makers' blogs. I jumped in and commented on Lori's blog ('cause I love getting fun stuff in the mail) and now it's my turn.

Here's how to keep the challenge going:

The first three people to comment on this post {who would like to be involved in the Pay It Forward Challenge} will receive a handmade gift from me. All you have to do is keep the fun challenge going by agreeing to create three handmade gifts for three more people, hence the term "Pay it Forward".

Once you comment I will send you a little questionnaire about your favorite colors, crafty and scrapbooky stuff that you like but might never make for yourself or buy, and then you'll get a fun handmade gift from me.

And if I get MORE than 3 comments, well, that might be a record around here. You guys read, but you are not big on the comments! LOL So who knows? I may be more generous and make more than 3 gifts ... leave a comment to see what happens!

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Rob's new baby


My dad has been asking for pix of Rob's new PT Cruiser since we got it a week ago. Here you go, Dad -- isn't it awesome?

Teegan Tribute Tuesday


I absolutely love this photo. This is Kristin and her mom, Gloria.

At last .....

Here's the dresser/baking cabinet this morning. The wood top has been sanded and it is ready for the new top.

And now, it is done. It has been 5 weeks since I ordered the doggone thing. They told me it would be done in 3-4 weeks. Yesterday I threw a tantrum and here it is. Isn't it gorgeous? I am so happy.

Take your time; appreciate it from all angles. I certainly did.

The color is Absolute Green. I was afraid it wouldn't look right in the kitchen; and we all know if we have too long to second-guess ourselves it is not a good thing, right? But it is perfect. I love it ...

and here is my favorite shot of all. That white rectangle on top is what I've been using since I was married (almost 12 years) to roll out pie crusts and pastry.

I am definitely moving up in the world.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Weekend

Oh. My. Goodness. Did we ever have fun on our little getaway, notwithstanding the annoyance I felt at my dear husband because he did his usual freak-out thing right before we left. We've been married almost 12 years -- you would think I would just learn to expect him to freak and that it wouldn't bother me anymore. Oh well.

Here are a few pix from the Waterpark of America.





We got home last night and decided not to do the rock show today. Rain was in the forecast so Rob ran out to at least get the gate put in (we're installing chain-link fencing back there). Lo and behold, the rain held off, he got it all done, and I managed to get over half of the pile of brush that's been sitting out there into the firepit and burned. The yard looks much better. Still some work to do, but progress is good.

And today I got a 27 page Excel document done, complete with pictures of special items in my grandma's home. She wants to send the document to everyone in the family asking what pieces they want -- jewelry, furniture, dishes, collectibles, and the hundreds of oil paintings she has done. I will add descriptions of the pieces as we go along -- for now, the document has been created, there are close to 200 pictures in it, and I feel good about it.

A tree up the street is in its full glory today -- I tried to capture it.



Another busy week ahead. I am hoping the Silestone will be installed, I have 2 full days of volunteering at school (Thursday and Friday), and the pattern for Nancy's sweatshirt is in at the sewing store, so I will be trying to get to that as soon as I can, too.

And while we were at the hotel I got more recipes copied, so I am that much closer to my goal.

Have a good week, all.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

I love my husband tremendously.

But sometimes, especially when we are about to go on any family trip overnight, I just don't like him very much.

Argh.

MEA weekend

It's Minnesota Education Association weekend. In Minnesota we always have a 4 day weekend in October. We are going to get away for part of the time; Rob has class Friday and Saturday at the UofM so it isn't a party for all of us, but we will still have some fun.

Homemade chicken soup for dinner, with lots of veggies (mmmm, rutabaga), and some Bisquick biscuits. I will be on periodically over the weekend but no guarantees on posts until Monday.

Happy MEA, all!

More list

I know, you're sick of lists. But I am getting so much done with my lists!

-copy recipes onto index cards and place in album
-create document with photos for my grandma to use as inventory/valuation and to determine who wants and/or gets what
-finish door jambs on main floor
-stain trim in basement
-make a slipcover for scrapbook chair
-sort and organize photos
-sort and organize family history stuff
-sew bathrobes for kids
-sew table skirts for scrap room
-pick and print photos for Christmas border
-finish sweatshirt for Nancy
-clean out spare bedroom so it can be used
-stain hot tub
-make a new dust cover for sewing machine
-stain arbor
-get chain link fence installed across back yard (will wait for spring to do the side of the yard)
-make Christmas ornaments
-paint hallway
-finish surf painting for kids' room
-finish bedroom curtains
-work on decorating idea book

Off to Evan's classroom for Poetry & Punch.
*updated 12/28/07

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

National Dictionary Day. Go buy one. And use it.

Robert Krulwich of ABC News has a piece today -- and I want to make it clear that I am absolutely ... well, I am just bitter over the topic. Here is the link:
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=&affil=kaal

And for the record, it is free rein -- like the horse's reins. If you are speaking of the body part known as the vocal cords, it does NOT have an H. If you are talking about a lovely sound your Sweet Adelines chapter created with its voices, you may refer to it as a vocal chord, with an H. Otherwise, shut up.

And for the record? It is judgment. Only one E. Not judgement. It was incorrect for hundreds of years to add the other E. Just because people are stupid and spell it wrong often enough does not make it correct to add the other E. And if you disagree with me, then please find a way to go back and fix the spelling bee my mother lost with that word. And then go to my 6th grade spelling super bowl and get me the trophy, because now all the news stations spell "Cancelled" with 2 Ls, even though in the dictionary there is only 1. The teacher was Mr. West and I was clearly robbed.

Yes, this annoys me. Another instance of "The Dumbing Down of America." Argh.

Golden years ... not so much

So said my grandma today. She lives in Arkansas. Lived most of her married life in North Dakota but after the famed Grand Forks flood she and my grandpa moved to Arkansas. He died several years ago and she is left there alone.

Her kids live in South Dakota, North Dakota and Arizona. Her brother and sister are both dead now. A nephew lives in Hawaii. She has 2 grandchildren in Minnesota, one in Washington state, and 1 still in college.

I am, honestly, the only one in the family who can deal with her on a regular basis and not go insane. And sometimes I wonder if I won't freak out on her about her prejudice of Mexicans, her twisted logic gleaned from Fox News, the forgetfulness that she refuses to admit to, the compulsion to hold on to everything.

She has the same living room furniture she's had since before I was born. It's been reupholstered several times. She moved her wool shag carpeting (white and turquoise) from ND to AR and had it pieced to fit the new house because someone else would either not appreciate it, not take care of it properly, or both. Her closets are overflowing with linens and clothing. The woman still has stuff from the 40s.

I love her, don't get me wrong, but it is so hard for me to understand why she hoards things. They fill up her house and make it harder to find anything. But she absolutely doesn't see that it would be better to give things away when they are no longer useful to her. She is always concerned that people won't take care of "her" stuff. Why? If you give it away, it isn't yours anymore. Why worry?

She was critical when I told her of my recent purging. She views it as a character flaw -- clearly I don't appreciate the things that I have, or I wouldn't get rid of them. There is no concept that I live in 2400 +/- square feet and that every inch in my house is utilized. There is no room for clutter.

So she doesn't want to leave grandpa, whose ashes (some of them, anyway) are in a columbarium there. She doesn't want to pay to move, she doesn't want to get rid of anything so it would be cheaper to move, she doesn't want anyone to tell her what to do, she doesn't want to be alone, far from her family.

Pretty much she doesn't want anything. She would disown me if I went down and tried to help her clean things out, but she wants me to listen when she is down or lonely. I understand those feelings and I want her to be in my town so badly -- for the relationships we could build between her and my kids, especially, for the wonderful medical care she could receive here if it was needed, for the awesome volunteer opportunities that fit into her interests -- art, history, education -- but I can't make the decision for her and I can't force her to change things if she doesn't want them to.

She says it is not the "Golden Years." I'm sure it isn't. She misses my grandpa, she wishes she were closer to family, the world is changing fast and it is sometimes confusing and frustrating. She refuses to get or use a computer; she is choosing her status in ALL of this.

So why do I feel so bad about it?

Teegan Tribute Tuesday


This is Holli with her kids in Destin, Florida on vacation. Don't they look like they are having fun?

Monday, October 15, 2007

Yessss ....

More progress on the list. Got my mom's sweatshirt done and into the mail. Honestly, it was the buttonholes that were holding me back. I am afraid of buttonholes. Most of my sewing consists of straight seams. This is deliberate on my part; I don't venture too far into realms I am unfamiliar with in the sewing world.

Anyway, the buttonholes are done. Are they beautiful? Not so much. Functional? Possibly. But DONE they are. And really, my mom is highly unlikely to button the thing. She lives life in a perpetual state of "power surge." (Sorry, mom.)

Here is the sweatshirt just before it got put in the box. It really is pretty, I think. And my sis-in-law Nancy's is well on its way. I am just waiting for a border from the sewing store for the stained glass pattern. Next week, I think.



And I got the finials for the boys' curtain rod DONE. Evan sanded them this afternoon for me and I painted them tonight while catching up on Grey's Anatomy on abc.com. Can I just say that that is AWESOME? I watched all of this season's episodes and am caught up. Since we are out of town for MEA weekend I am unlikely to catch this week's episode but this was so convenient I may never watch it on TV again.

Here are the finials:




And I started a Yahoo group that will morph into a real live book group at some point. I think it will be a slow start, but I am being patient, because good things are worth waiting for and this group will be fab if we can get it together. With jobs and husbands and kids and volunteering and life in general it won't be fast, but with the women I've invited it will be interesting. That is a very good thing.

Last thing: my darling husband has been driving around in cars that sort of have had the "this will work for now" theme. Tonight he bought his dream car. He has wanted one since they came out and he is now the proud owner of a PT Cruiser. It's a 2002 but in beautiful shape and it has all the bells and whistles. He is so excited, and I am excited for him. The color is Taupe Frost Metallic. Very classy.

So ... life rolls merrily along, and it is good. Very good.

Suckage

Dear BabyZone.com,

Thank you for your newsletter on potty training. However, I have not had a child in diapers since March 2005. In fact, I have to tell you, NONE of your newsletters are helpful or effective for me anymore. My parenting woes have moved beyond temper tantrums and playing the "I drop it, you pick it up" game.

Oh? You think perhaps I should unsubscribe from your newsletters? Brilliant. Except I have done that TEN THOUSAND times and it does not appear to be effective. I have sent emails through the proper link bemoaning your suckitude (word stolen from another blogger, thankyouverymuch) and begging you to just, PLEASE, RIGHT NOW, TAKE MY FUCKING EMAIL ADDY OFF YOUR LIST.

I signed up once, to get access to some random thing that was unavailable if you weren't a member. At that time I opted out of every option you gave me. And STILL you have shared my email address with guys who tell me how to make my penis bigger (ummm, I don't HAVE a penis, thankyouverymuch) and women who tell me how exciting it will be when my man gets this very intimate item for only $89.95 and the wonderful man from a small African nation who is generously giving me a large portion of his family's fortune.

I am using that money to come and kick your sorry asses in person.

Thank you.

Wine

Matua Valley Paretai Sauvignon Blanc 2006

The other wine we had was this, one of my favorite whites, Conundrum.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Entertaining

I LOVE having people over. Last night we had a blast, drinking this really wonderful Sauvignon Blanc that was all citrus-y and full of the bright grapefruit flavor that just danced in your mouth. We listened to Springsteen, talked about a performance of King Lear that my friend Tracy saw (starring Ian McKellan, no less) and much to my surprise, I beat Tracy at bowling on the Wii.

The kids played, the food was good, Tracy's fall dessert was rich and perfect for the kind of day it was yesterday -- clear blue skies, crisp temperatures, and a hint of a breeze. It definitely felt like fall.

Today, though, I am glad to be sitting here in my scrap room (the desk and scrap shelf are CLEAN, by the way). My kids are watching TV and working on a craft project. I was up last night from 2 to 5 with insomnia so I stayed home while everyone else went to church and caught up on my sleep. I am still in my jammies (flannel pants and shirt, light blue, with Grumpy and Dopey all over them). Rob left for the hardware store at 11. It is almost 1 and no sign of him. LOL I think he is procrastinating on the homework. Poor guy hasn't had any time to just relax in forever. There is a stock pot on the stove, simmering a chicken carcass, a host of vegetables, and a lot of spices. In a bit I will strain it all and we'll have soup one night this week.

Yeah, I do love to spend time with friends in my home. But today, it is clean, it is quiet, and I am simply enjoying being in a cozy, comfortable house while the rain falls outside and the world moves one step closer to winter.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Musings on friendship

Interesting week. Reconnecting with old friends, making some new ones out of acquaintances, promising to call each other soon, talking about what friendship means with several other friends. I was struck by the word "loyalty" coming up again and again in conversation. I guess that is really important to me, although I've never really thought about it in these terms before. I have, in the past, completely cut off "friends" who, by their action or inaction, betrayed me.

But there is no hiding or avoidance with me -- I wrote them both letters telling them why I was angry and they wouldn't be hearing from me again. At that point, the ball was in their court and faced with the choice of dealing with me when angry (which is highly unpleasant and more than a little scary) or letting the friendship go, they chose the latter. And I'm okay with that. They will never go to sleep wondering what exactly they did to incur my wrath; they know.

Funny how one person's influence in the structure of a group (whether she is present or not) can color the behavior of the whole group, for good or for bad. And I was touched by someone's feeling of loyalty for me and some of the observations she made about a group with whom we are both acquainted. Interesting. People change; friendships change.

I guess I never realized that my friendship with some people was based solely on the common ground we shared in child rearing. I never saw there was no other "glue" holding us together. It's not that we couldn't have explored and found more common ground, but they (as a group or individually) decided not to explore further. I need to get over it and move on. Easier said than done.

And I am also feeling guilty because in one very important friendship in my life, I am failing. It is not from lack of caring, and I won't use the tired "I just don't have time to keep in touch" excuse. There is no excuse. Right now fear -- of the unknown, of asking questions, is overwhelming me. And I don't exactly know how to begin to apologize for absolutely sucking as a friend. I mean, what do you say?

I have no idea if she reads this blog, but if she does, I hope she knows this is for her. And I resolve this week to do something about my inadequacy and be a better friend. After this week, I realize I owe it to myself as well as to her.

Friday, October 12, 2007

Uncle Henry ....

has left the building. It is not a small feat to mail human remains through the US Postal Service, but it was accomplished today. He is on his way. But I don't think the 3 Postal Workers I encountered while trying to mail him will ever be the same.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Old friends

Our friends from the Czech Republic threw a party tonight. Let me tell you, no one parties like a Czech. It was a celebration for several people; a man from a Mayo lab who became a father yesterday, several lab associates who were awarded grants and given professional recognition for their medical research, and for our friend Tom, who was given a prestigious award from Mayo Clinic.

I had a chance to reconnect with Sarka and another friend whom I haven't seen in a long time. I can't express my joy at seeing them. Somehow, with some friends, it's like no time has passed when you get together -- you just pick up where you left off, and you bask in the love and joy that is reflected back at you from their faces.

That's what tonight's party was for me -- a chance to see people I didn't even realize I missed so much -- and an opportunity to see their affection for me. It was like coming home.

I miss this couple and their kids desperately. We spent so much time over several years with them that they were practically family. How grateful I am to have had the chance to spend a little time with them tonight.

Kindergarten is so much fun!

The kids were so funny this afternoon on our field trip. They had a ball and played "scientist" very well. The teacher was awesome -- very patient and encouraging. Definitely a fun day. Much better than this morning, wherein I checked in assignments for Garrett's 4/5 class. Am I smarter than a 5th grader? Apparently not. But the teacher assured me it gets less confusing and easier over time. I certainly hope so, since I felt pretty confused there for a while.

Tomorrow I am taking Spence to our local ECFE (Early Childhood & Family Education, aka PAIIR) in the morning. School doesn't start until 11:15 but Rob will stay home with the big boys so I can go have some mommy time. I am totally looking forward to it. This is my last year with a kid who's eligible, so I am contemplating borrowing children somehow so I can keep attending. LOL

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

List update

-copy recipes onto index cards and place in album
-paint back of scrap shelves with magnetic paint
-finish door jambs on main floor
-stain trim in basement
-hang suspended ceiling and install tiles in basement bath
-sort and organize photos
-sort and organize family history stuff
-sew bathrobes for kids
-sew table skirts for scrap room
-finish sweatshirt for Mom
-finish sweatshirt for Nancy
-choose photos, have them printed and laminated to create border for hallway
-mail envelope to Sally with Henry's paperwork
-print family group sheets for Aunt Ida to have them proofed and corrected
-write thank you notes for the Ohio trip
-make cards for Sally for her birthday
-add trim to baking cabinet
-sand / paint baking cabinet before obtaining solid surface top
-stain hot tub
-tear up hallway carpet
-remove tile from entry and bath
-stain arbor
-stain front door trim
-stain back door trim
-hang wood blind in family room
-paint hallway
-finish surf painting for kids' room
-finish bedroom curtains
-work on decorating idea book
-finish crown molding in living room
-finish "Lost Socks" thing
-sand round finials for boys' curtain rod and paint like beach balls

The things with an X after them are in progress and have been worked on in the last 7 days but are not complete yet.
*updated 12/28/07

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, yes, I am rockin' and rollin'. Today, not so many projects because one of Rob's classmates is coming for dinner and some work on a joint project. We are having cranberry-lime chicken, a tossed salad, and either oven roasted veggies or green beans amandine. And I have a 10 lb. bag of Haralson apples on the kitchen counter so a pie is definitely in my plans.

In other news, it seems my phone call has generated some good karma. Yesterday my phone rang and the Caller ID showed an unfamiliar local number. It was my friend Sarka (pronounced "SHAR-ka" with a rolled "R"). She is from the Czech Republic and I haven't seen her since July 2004. She's in town and coming for dinner Friday night. I was so happy I cried. (We're having chicken breasts, peanut satay sauce, rice, possibly some steamed veggies, and Jamaican black beans.)

And Saturday some friends are coming for dinner with their kids. The kids all play together really well and this couple enjoys their wine, so of course it is always a fab time when we get together. I think we'll do a self-serve chicken soft taco bar that night, with homemade guacamole and lots of cheese, veggies, and sour cream.

My "To-Do" list is long today so I'll close for now. Lots of dusting and vacuuming, and some catching up on laundry. I am a day behind.

Have a great day!!

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Teegan Tribute Tuesday


This is Cathy with her daughter Jess.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Everybody say YEAH!

Here's the crown molding -- I am so glad it's done, and Rob did a great job.




I scored this cute little thing at the rummage sale at church today -- it's missing some mirrors but I can fix that with mirror tiles and double-sided tape. It is sparkly, shiny, bejeweled and completely fab. The perfect girly accessory for my scrap room.



And in other news, I haven't said much about the "friends" that I used to have here that sort of blew me off when I moved back. I don't know if it was intentional or that I was not liked by a newer member of the group, but I was pretty hurt by it, frankly. I just never understood what exactly it was that I did to deserve being treated like shit.

But today I got an email that one of those "friends" has had a terrible accident in her family. When I heard, I knew I should call. It's just that, well, I am still hurt. And this person and I are both very strong personalities and we have had some clashes. But when Rob's dad died that group of friends rallied for us. They helped us through a very difficult time. And I took a deep breath and called. I offered rides, meals, whatever they need. And I meant it. And, honestly? I just hope now that my sincere effort to be a decent human being will not come back to bite me in the ass.

Cross your fingers. And if you're the praying type, that family could use some right now.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Cool stuff

1. Rummage sale stuff is out of my spare bedroom and is now someone else's treasure (or problem, whichever... LOL)

2. Magnetic paint (all 6 coats) is on the back of my scrap storage shelf and I freehand painted some designs and words on it. There is still room if you have a word suggestion for me. I really am happy with this, too. Very whimsical.



3. This project, which I found in Family Fun magazine, has been in the works since June. I had it hanging up but the location was giving me some trouble. To explain, I have a wood cornice above my washer and dryer. There is a dowel about the diameter of a closet rod inside, and a fabric panel hangs down to give the room some color, visual interest, and to hide all the icky pipes and stuff back there. The project hung fine, but the letters were all jumble-y and tipped so you couldn't see them well. Inspiration struck in church today -- self-adhesive pin backs! So the pin backs are stuck to the clothespins and then pinned to the curtain to hold them in place and keep them upright. Ta-daaaaaa! You can find directions to the project here.



Rob is working on the crown molding and dinner is in the oven, so all in all it has been a most productive weekend. *Insert giant grinning smiley here.*

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Recipe



I mentioned last Sunday that I would be making a special recipe and added a link to it that apparently is reserved for subscribers only. My grandma gives me a subscription to Taste of Home every year and I have to admit I do use it quite frequently, despite the ridiculousness of Reiman Publications' rules for their often hokey and consistently cheesy magazines. I need to warn you that Reminisce is by far the most offensive to anyone with more than 3 brain cells. Argh.

Anyway, what I was planning on making were these little sandwiches. I just didn't cut the faces out. Since we ended up at relatives' last Sunday evening, I am making these tonight. Rob is home and these are in the oven right now.

Trick-or-Treat Turnovers
Cook 1/2 pound ground beef and 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion in a skillet until meat is no longer pink. Add 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed (I used shredded) and 1/4 cup prepared mustard. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Cool slightly. Flatten all of the biscuits from a 16.3 oz. refrigerated flaky biscuit package into 4 inch rounds. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of meat mixture into each. Flatten another package of biscuits and use a cookie cutter to cut out faces. Use extra dough to form stems if desired. Place faces over meat mixture and pinch edges to seal tightly. Brush with a lightly beaten egg, bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Yields 8 servings. (I also added a little ketchup, probably about a tablespoon, to the mixture while it was cooking.)

Here are mine from tonight. Definitely well received by all except Spencer, who generally "hates" everything the first few times he eats it. You can't win 'em all.

Whew

We seem to have made it through the icky fever thing that Evan and Spencer had. Of course I got it too and it manifested itself as a killer headache but it seems okay now.

Rob will be home shortly to discover that I have cleaned his "work room." Honestly, my scrap room (aka crap room) doesn't deserve the crap name after all. My husband saves *everything*. He has tiny pieces of wood scraps that are good for nothing, tons of miscellaneous sized pieces of scrap wood, and lots of them are next to the furnace. Ummmm, honey? You won't let me have an electric blanket because of the fire hazard but you will store wood and turpentine next to the furnace? Seriously, I am going to buy an electric blanket and you are gonna shut the hell up about it.

I vacuumed his room, moved stuff around, cleaned some things out (to be fair, some of the stuff was mine), and mopped the floor. There was sawdust all over, so that is gone, and he can now access his tools, including the compound miter saw and the new band saw. I also got the vacuum hose into the cabinet the laundry chute drops into and cleared out the dust and dirt from there. We will be finishing the crown molding in the living/dining room this week before Wednesday. Of course now I want crown molding in my bedroom, too. LOL

I now have 4 coats of magnetic paint on the back of my scrap shelf, with another 2 to go before it is "sticky" enough, and I have a coat of paint drying on the interior side of the back door. It was just plain primer ivory but I wanted paint on it and it looks so nice now.

This week I will get Uncle Henry in the mail, along with some family history files that the cemetery will place in the records for me, and I will mail the request for his free headstone to the Veterans' Administration. My sweet grandma sent me money to cover my mailing expenses for Henry and the phone calls I've made ... and some money for some archival products for storing some of my large family photos. PLUS she included money "just because." I am stashing it so I can buy a Silhouette or a Wishblade.

And as a happy little side note, 60 Minutes on CBS features an interview with Bruce Springsteen tomorrow night at 7 PM Eastern and Pacific, 6 PM Central time.

Friday, October 05, 2007

About a boy

He is small for his age, slight and all hard angles, bones jutting out in sometimes shocking ways. He is rarely still; he never has been a still child. He is energy itself, constantly tapping a foot, shifting and fidgeting in his chair, darting through the house while being admonished to "use his walking feet." It does no good. It probably never will.

But today we walk into a shop at the Renaissance Festival. Rainbow Rocks, it is called. And he finds stillness. Or it finds him, I'm not sure.

He gazes, spellbound, at the rows of polished agates, the geode bookends, the tiny fossils embedded in shale and sandstone. He moves slowly, his eyes falling on each treasure in turn, his hands reaching hesitantly to touch, then pulling back as he remembers it is a "no touch" place.

We round the corner of the display cabinets and tables and he takes in his breath. Here is a table covered in small turned wood bowls -- each one perhaps large enough to hold a quart of milk -- and each filled with smooth, brightly colored stones.

He looks, his eyes wide with wonder, at the rainbow of colors before him, and begins to tell me what each stone is. He knows their names, the powers attributed to them by the ancients, the myths and lore that surround them. A bowl labeled "Bloodstone" catches his eye and he reaches for it. He makes eye contact with the proprietor, a middle-aged man who has been silently watching him, and says, "Did you go to India to get these? Because they are only found in India. If you found them here in North America they would be very valuable!". The man is startled; he affirms that yes, they are from India and begins to watch more closely.

The boy continues his narration. "Hematite! Oh, and look, Mom, there are garnets and peridot. Wow, these are all SO cool."

Now people around us, previously just browsing or waiting for a husband, parent or other companion, begin to take an interest. The boy's face glows with excitement; he continues to name the stones, many of which have labels that are turned away from our view. Again he describes where they are found, their properties, the variations that are possible. The people are silent, but they smile at one another, they nudge and gesture and listen in amazement to this skinny bespectacled boy.

The owner hands me a business card and mentions an upcoming rock and mineral show in the Twin Cities metro. There will be lots of things to look at and many children's activities.

As we leave, I remember hikes with my dad, finding mica glinting in the sun, and learning about how rocks are formed, looking for fossils in limestone and shale, marveling at the beautiful colors in such seemingly ordinary things. I smile as I realize that a connection between the generations has been forged without my knowledge or intervention; this child, like his grandfather, LOVES rocks. And I am grateful once again for his uniqueness, his energy, and for the opportunity to see the stillness in this quicksilver child.

Thursday, October 04, 2007

Interview with a Stay at home mom

Heather over at Cool Zebras offered to write interview questions for anyone who was interested. Heather is a thoughtful writer whose writing often makes me look at things from a new perspective and I enjoy her blog. Check it out, and don't miss the story of her blog's name. These are great questions and I had fun answering them. Thanks Heather!

You are a very prolific scrapbooker, genealogist, and home-improver. How do you find the time to do all this as well as keeping your family life running smoothly?

Well, I don't want anyone to think my house runs smoothly all the time. I DO like order and routine, but I am sometimes guilty of rushing kids out the door because I've become distracted on one of my projects or the computer. I like the word prolific, although I'm not sure I think it is true. I never seem to do as much as I want to. I want to do more scrapbooking (I have only completed 4 7"x7" pages in the last month), more genealogy, and usually more home improvement. I sometimes feel scattered and as though none of my projects or my family are getting the attention they deserve. That said, I use FlyLady.net to keep myself on top of household tasks. Her emails can get overwhelming but somehow those little reminders work for me. I have a calendar in my purse and another on the wall in the kitchen. About once every 2 weeks I make sure they are synced up. My husband knows, "If it's not on the calendar, it's not happening," so he is good about adding his evening teleconferences and out of town meetings for school. And I have a wall-mounted magazine holder for each child's school papers. I go through it periodically to make sure I have events on my calendar, that I send in permission slips and money when they need it, etc. Most of the time it works for me.

Most people who read as avidly as you have at least one favorite book that has special meaning to them for one reason or another. What is your favorite read and why do you think it means so much to you?

That is like asking which kid is my favorite. I have so many books that mean a lot to me. The first grown-up book I read, because there was a ton of media hype when it was released, was Roots (why can't I underline that?). I started reading it in the spring of second grade and I renewed it over and over again through the summer at the library. I LOVED it. The story was compelling, and I was fascinated that there were real people's stories being told. It was my first up-close encounter with the idea of what slavery really meant, and the Jim Crow laws of the South. I know it inspired my love of genealogy and it was such a source of pride that I had read the whole book. Other books I love are The Secret Garden, the Little House series, the Chronicles of Narnia , all of the Anne of Green Gables series ... I could go on, but I'll spare you. LOL

You live in a house full of men (except Pippa), which, I’m sure you are aware. Do you ever go into girlie withdrawal? Do you then steal a neighbor girl to get your fix of toenail painting and hair styling?

I wouldn't say I go into withdrawal. I have my fingernails done regularly and I get a pedicure about every month during the summer so that helps. I do enjoy shopping for girl clothes and shoes. The stuff is just so much cuter than boys' clothes. As an aside, my grandma has 3 boys and her house is overwhelmingly pink. When we were looking to buy a house we looked at a couple that had lots of pink -- and every time there were 3 portraits of boys on the wall. I even noticed it and commented to Rob each time. And I love pink. So I am very conscious of NOT putting it into my house, because, well, there's something vaguely creepy about a woman with no daughters who fills her house with frou frou stuff and pink. Not that my grandma is creepy, but you know what I mean.


You were in the military. Tell us about the best part of being a woman in a predominantly male occupation.

Oh, the best part is easy. I was a *very* good girl in high school. I was too brainy to be considered worth dating, and since it was a small town I was pinned into that brainiac role early on and could never escape it. Plus I had an insanely strict father that I would never have dared to disobey. In the Army I recreated myself. I never acted stupid, but I found that in broadcasting school people appreciated me, they understood my jokes, I didn't have to explain what I meant when I used a big word. I didn't have to answer to my dad so I went a little nuts. Oh, and the guys thought I was cute. Bonus! The best part? Uhhh ... I was in the Army, man. The guys were all young and in great physical shape. It was a smorgasbord of hotness. LOL

Do you have any secret desires to be on a reality television show or game show? If so, which one and why.

I really don't. I have never watched an entire episode of "Survivor" and haven't seen it at all since the second or third season. I do love "Jeopardy!" but I haven't really watched it since we were in California. (It was on while I was cooking dinner there, so the timing was perfect.) I am sure that if I went on "Jeopardy!", though, that the categories would look like this: Opera, Scientific Principles, Athletes, African Geography, The Internal Combustion Engine, and Monty Python's Flying Circus. Which would make me throw up, because I am completely ignorant about all of these topics. So, no.

Thanks, Heather. That was fun! Hope I haven't completely bored you.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

Need a house cleaner?

I started cleaning house today for money. Right now it's just for one friend but one morning a week will give me some "fun money" and help her keep her life under control. It's a win-win. I don't know that I'll take it any further than that, but I made great money in college hiring myself out as a part-time cleaning lady. I like seeing the results of my work and I love the flexibility, so who knows ... Plus, as mentioned previously, I ROCK at housecleaning.

In other news, we closed up the camper for the year tonight. I emptied the Porta-Potti and rinsed it out well, we put the linens into the storage compartments, and made sure everything was working. Don't want to put it away for the winter knowing there is something that needs fixing.

I feel good that it's done, but a little sad, too. It's fun to know that it will be there for us in the spring, though, ready for new adventures with 3 boys and a little pug.

Getting the linens back into the camper opens up another giant tote for me. This is good because I need some containers in which to haul all of my stuff to the church for the rummage sale. I hope to get through that stuff Saturday, pinning outfits together and sorting through things one more time before sending it out the door to be useful for someone else.

Evan had me come and pick him up from school this afternoon, complaining of a tummyache and a headache. It was 3:20 when he called and school is out at 3:35, but he didn't want to ride the bus home. I gave him Tylenol and 2 hours later he had a temp of 100.6. (Of course I neglected to take his temp right after school.) It looks like he'll be home tomorrow and I am hoping it's just some little 24 hour bug.

I started recording Rob's reading assignments on the computer the other day. Puts my "golden voice" LOL to good use, I guess. Reading stuff written in academic style is a lot harder than when it's written for broadcast style, though. Those academics don't like to limit their sentences to 20 words or less. I had several spots where I croaked the last word of a sentence because I was all out of air and hadn't had a good point in the sentence to take a breath. Plus some of the words they use -- oligopoly? Honestly, who can say that cold without a rehearsal? I totally goofed it up. Oh well. He said it worked fine in the car the other day and I am glad to be of some help. The other students on his team asked if I was angling for a BMW. Of course, they don't know that I would NEVER ask for a BMW -- I want a 1959 Cadillac. LOL I am nothing if not unique. Or odd. Or eccentric. I embrace these terms.

So it's Wednesday and today I found myself thinking, "Oh, it's Wednesday -- West Wing night." Oops. That show has been off the air for 2 years. I miss it a lot. I may have to invest in the entire show DVDs. Only about $300 ... well, maybe for my birthday.

There you have it. Randomness at its finest. Have a great Thursday, all. I am off to tuck my sick child in and get some sleep, too.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

It really is Magic

The album dropped today. As soon as I got done volunteering in Evan's class I ran to the store to buy it. I ripped it open at a stop sign and eagerly pushed the disc into the slot on the dash.

I have listened 3 times to it now, each time left more in awe of this man's amazing talent, his deep faith, and his quiet, subtle indictment of the current administration, the war, and the political situation in this country.

It was a hot July day in 1984. I was staying with my grandparents. Grandma Sally and I always had a ball together. She would take me to the Y for lap swim, to the University bookstore (where we would check out the guys at Sigma Chi), and out for lunch with her friends. This day, I was in the painting room listening to Rockin' Rick on XL93 and this song came on. I still can't explain it, this connection I felt to the music, to the singer. The melody, the beat, the lyrics ... they all seemed to have been written to me. Like this guy and I had some cosmic connection. I was mesmerized. I waited for Rick to come on and announce who was singing, what the song name was, anything ... and he segued into another song. I ran for the phone and the phone book, explaining to Grandma what I was doing as I dialed. Rick answered and I asked, "Who was that just now? Who was that singing?". And he said the words that changed my life: "It's Bruce Springsteen. He has a new album out, Born in the USA. That was the first single -- it's called Dancing in the Dark."

Bless my grandma. She didn't hesitate when I asked if she could take me to the mall right then. I had some money from babysitting and I needed that tape as I had never needed anything before.

We went to Sam Goody. It was everywhere -- that iconic 80s album cover with the blue jeans, baseball cap and American flag. I remember thinking, "Who IS this guy? Why have I never heard of him before? He MUST be famous -- look at all the promotional stuff."

At home, Grandma and I listened together. I had every word memorized in a couple of hours. I was blown away by the power of that music to stir things in me that I'd never felt before. Like most teenagers, music was part of my life like breathing is. Never had I felt this way about an album, though. When I listened to the title track, I understood (when so many others did not) that it was a protest song about Vietnam. In the songs, I heard about social justice, about racism, about friendship, about the slow death of small town America. I heard my world, but I heard it in a new way -- and that made me see it in a new way.

For Christmas, a friend gave me Born to Run. And then I was hooked. This guy was AWESOME. The band was incredible. The music made me .. well, it made me feel. It inspired me, it made me feel alive, it made me contemplate my life, it excited and soothed me all at the same time.

I started accumulating albums -- in just over a year I had amassed a complete collection of his major releases. I memorized many songs. I learned the names of the guys in the band. I hung a giant poster of Bruce's butt in my bedroom. (My dad was less than thrilled with this. I didn't care.)

When I was in the Army I took a road trip with some friends. We drove from Georgia to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, listening to Born in the USA the entire time. I drove through Darlington County, South Carolina while listening to "Darlington County."

In college I took a course called Rock Music and Popular Culture. There were a total of 4 essay tests. Some required the student to choose one artist and analyze that artist's music -- the prevalent themes, the lyrical style and content, etc. Others asked that the analysis be of one song that exemplifies an artist. Every essay I wrote was about Bruce Springsteen. Every one got an A. When the prof wanted to discuss Bob Dylan's influence on rock music, he mentioned Bruce's first album, saying he was sorry he didn't have a copy to play for us. I raised my hand and asked if he wanted it on tape or vinyl. LOL

I have gone from a giggly 14 year old girl to a 37 year old woman since I fell in love. Bruce's music is the soundtrack of my life. My kids know the songs by heart. His photo hangs in my home, his books sit on the coffee table, the biographies are on the bookshelves in my room. I am never far from his music, and if I am at the grocery store or the mall and one of his songs is played, you can bet I will smile. Every time. There is no one in the world outside of my parents and grandparents, husband and children, who means more to me. Despite the fact that I don't know him in person, will likely never meet him, he is my touchstone. He is strong, opinionated, outspoken, brave, principled ... he inspires me to be those things too, to live my life authentically, to be true to myself above all else.

He is an amazing artist whose influence in my life is immeasurable. I respect and admire him so much.

So. There you have it. My ode to Bruce. And if he should, by some odd twist of the universe, see this little blog post, well, then I simply want to say:

Thanks, Bruce. You and the band are part of my family. Your music is woven into the fabric of my life. I am incredibly grateful that you share your talent and vision with the world. And I'll see you in St. Paul in a month.

Teegan Tribute Tuesday


This is Robyn and Maggie celebrating Maggie's first birthday. Thanks for sharing with all of us!

Monday, October 01, 2007