Archive for September, 2010

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Book review: “Room” by Emma Donoghue

Thursday, September 30th, 2010

Whoa.

This book is intense. Girl kidnapped at 19. Held captive in a sound proof, escape proof 11×11 shed by creepy man (and all that entails). Fast forward 7 years and she has a 5 year old boy, Jack, by the creepy man. The book is about how Jack knows nothing of the Outside. His life consists of friends like Table, Bed, Rug, and Wardrobe (where he sleeps). It is told from Jack’s point of view. The language and thought process is incredible. The author is not out of character for a second.

Not sure if it would be a good read for mother’s of 5 year-old boys. Does that make me a bad mother? I will deal w that later, but dang this book was great. I started reading it W night about 8pm (MUCH better than watching SpongeBob SquarePants) and finished today at 11am. And no, I did not stay up all night to read it, although I did get up at 5am with Tyler.

Available at your library (that is where I got it), but you might face a long queue. Also avl on Kindle and other e-readers. I recommend putting it on your list now!

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“Where is Jake?”

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

We were just hanging around Sunday afternoon–Tyler and I were in the living room playing the Wii  and reading the paper, respectively; Anna and Paul were building something in the playroom. All of a sudden Tyler asked, “Where is Jake?!” He said it like he realized we had seen the other dogs, but not Jake.

I was stunned and grateful I had the newspaper to hide behind. He asked again. I had to respond. I defaulted to Paul’s evasive, “What, Buddy?” while I frantically tried to think of an answer. Was he thinking religiously like where is his soul? Was it an existential question–where are any of us really? Did he forget we buried him? The poor boy repeated himself a third time. I had to say SOMETHING!

“Jake died, baby, remember?”

“”Oh, yeah.” So sad.

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I have the BEST husband in the world!

Sunday, September 26th, 2010

Imagine a stressful work week at a job where you are not really happy. Then your ding dong wife has a month of vacation and gets to do NOTHING?! Talk about potential to be crabby. Now add this unemployed wifey wanting you to do home improvement projects at night when you come home. After you cook you and her dinner. Double crabby potential. Multiply that by 4 days and it is Thursday night. If you are Paul, Super Husband, here is what you do:

Laundry Room "renovation." We had one shelf that had all that stuff on it. Paul moved the shelf up, then added the 2nd one. DOUBLING our storage space--WHOOOO HOOOOOO!!!

Not to mention he is funny and super-cute:

Paul wears his goggles instead of sunglasses on our way back from an open water swim practice.

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And you thought Paul and I biked a lot…

Thursday, September 23rd, 2010

I recently read in Bicycling magazine about an amazing family. Here is a summary from their website:

The four of us (Mom, Dad and twelve-year-old twin boys) are bicycling from Alaska to Argentina. When we reach the southernmost tip of South America, Davy and Daryl will become the new Guinness World Record holders as the youngest people to cycle the Pan-American Highway!

Wow. It makes me think about long bike rides that Paul and I have gone on. Let’s just say that Paul now carries some cheese to go with my whine. Now add 2 kids, whoa. Then doing school on the road–they call it roadschooling, like homeschooling–get it!? HA! Again, I think about nights at the table with Anna and/or Tyler with their homework. Tears flow, voices are raised, frustration abounds. Then add on prep with no supplies except that which you find on the road or carry on your bike?!

Lastly, eating. Paul is a frickin’ saint. Anna won’t even eat turkey on her sandwich anymore. Mayo and an American slice of cheese on bread, with the crusts cut off of course. Tyler can change his mind 3-4 times about liking something within the span on the same dinner. Can you imagine traveling to other countries on a bike (talk about a Very Hungry Caterpillar!) then get off and there is no Harris Teeter to go get skim milk, hormone free chicken or ingredients to even make tortillas (not that they have a kitchen to make stuff in anyhow). Don’t even think about access to McDonald’s, Domino’s, etc.

Surfer Laird Hamilton says he lives his life well by doing something to scare himself every day. Whether you prefer scaring, inspiring, motivating yourself, I think it is a good message. This family is a good example of this.

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Jake’s aftermath

Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010

Paul cuddling w Maggie. Tyler saw Maggie in our bed and got scared. Apparently he associated Jake being sick with being allowed to be in our bed (which was true), but assumed that if Maggie was in there she was going to die too.

Things are pretty quiet around here without Jake. Paul and I took Maggie and Katie on a hike Sunday morning before we got the kids. We both agreed it was good for us to do “the first one without Jake” on our own before having the kids do their first Jake-less walk.

Anna and Tyler both handled Jake’s death better than Sam’s. They cried when they first saw him laid out by his grave, but once we went through the photos and toys that we wanted to bury with Jake, they were ok. Tyler did a good job helping Paul bury Jake. Anna chose a photo of her as a baby, Paul and Jake that she wanted to put in the frame with the photo she has of Sam.

I did add an entry to “Kids Say the Darndest Things” page about Jake. Check it out!

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…and these are the squares of my life.

Tuesday, September 21st, 2010

One of my bucket list items is to make a quilt from all of the T shirts and sweatshirts from all of the activities I have participated in (plus some that are just fun, like the T shirt I LOVED in HS. It says “No Blood No Foul”–how much better does it get than THAT!?). About 6 years ago I took a class to learn to make a rag quilt. It was very forgiving for a pre-novice sewer. I bought a sewing machine for that project, but have since sold it when Paul and I merged our homes.

So 2 weeks ago, Paul’s sister, Elizabeth, showed me the ropes to starting my quilt. She made one for Paul and me as a wedding gift, complete with PHOTOS! I knew I was in good hands. Although we did get off topic a lot (she also taught me how to teach subtraction using borrowing, why moms in the South need to learn about guns and much much more), I did make my first square before I left. She let me borrow her tools and I got started!

Sample square. Top strip is from Hoosier Girls State; middle is jersey # from college practice jersey; bottom is my nickname from my jr high basketball shooting shirt.

Things have been going so well, I bought my own cutter and mat while I was driving to visit Sydney last week. Hurricane, WV–who knew such a treasure existed right off the highway!

"Quilts by Phillis" off Highway 64 in Hurricane, WV

Today I finished the last box of shirts. It feels kind of weird that 36 years of life, 5 boxes of sweatshirts and T shirts have been whittled down to 42 12×12-inch squares.  The next step is to screw up enough courage to tackle the sewing.  I will keep you posted on the progress!

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Halfway point

Monday, September 20th, 2010

I am starting the 3rd week of my 4-week “sabbatical.” Wow, time flies! But after this glimpse of retirement, it really seems like it will agree with me. I have been kind of puttering  through a variety of things. Most fun so far has been hanging out with Sydney last week in Cincinnati.

At the park after our jog. How cute is she!?!

Elli is such a great mom and really makes it look easy. She and Sydney always look SO cute, plus she works full time AND actually reads the book for her book club! Below is a classic picture of Elli as a mom. She was still in her work clothes through dinner, ice cream, bath time and bedtime. She didn’t flinch about the snot on her cardigan, easily brushed off the mystery food and wasn’t fazed by the water from the bath down her left side.

The rest of the time, when I have been in town, I have been making a pointed effort to leave the block each day so I don’t get overwhelmed by inertia and waste my time off. I think I am going to reverse that focus to knocking out some projects at home. Here are some top projects on the list:

  • re-paint patio furniture
  • set up pot/pan holder in cabinet, reorganize
  • re-paint kitchen table and chairs
  • install 2nd shelf in laundry room, reorganize
  • install new baskets for additional storage on pantry door, reorganize
  • patch nail punch-outs in bathroom, re-caulk around tub
  • repaint bathroom walls, ceiling

That should be enough for today, right?

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Does Santa Wrap Presents Continued

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Susan asked me to start this poll again so here it is.

Does Santa wrap presents?...continued

View Results

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Jake (1999-2010)

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

Enjoying a favorite past time--riding in the car--on the 4th of July this year. He was diagnosed w lymphoma the next day.

Yesterday we buried my man’s best friend. It was so quiet when I fed Maggie and Katie this morning–no Jake to bark his hungry head off. Paul wondered when he was going to stop looking for him in every room. Never. My mom said it best: it will leave a hole in your heart the shape of your pet. And Jake was a big big dog, with an even bigger personality.

The boys after another of Jake's past times--swimming. This was also July of this year, at a local lake one morning before work. Probably after a 3rd past time--Jake tricking us into thinking he was coming out of the water when it was time to go. It always took a few tries to get him back on the leash.

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Posted in Friends, Pets | 1 Comment »

100 Days to Christmas!

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

That’s right! The countdown is on! Check out the new link on the right hand column to the web’s official 100 days countdown! Let’s get planning, people!

What is a favorite tradition from your family holiday season?

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