Thursday, May 31, 2007

Thurday's Child

Monday's child is fair of face;
Tuesday's child is full of grace;
Wednesday's child is full of woe;
Thursday's child has far to go;
Friday's child is loving and giving;
Saturday's child works hard for a living.
But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
is fair and wise, good and gay

It's not just because I'm Thursday's child that I love Thursdays so much.
They feel like Christmas Eve. It's almost the weekend. It's Farmer's Market day.
For whatever reason I'm most inspired to write on Thursdays. (Not so good for work productivity, mind you..)

An interesting observation: in my nuclear family 3 of the 5 of us (me, oldest daughter, youngest son) were born on Thursdays.

Our middle daughter, born on Tuesday, has a middle name of "Grace" - and while I was pregnant with her we called her Grace. Turns out she's full of grace by her birth date anyways.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Moved


4 season and deck
Originally uploaded by Geeky Mama.
Still unpacking, but starting to enjoy our new home very much. The old house is listed on the MLS now and our fingers are crossed for a quick sale.

One of the best things about our move was the help and humor my friend Sharyl's husband Mark provided. He cracked me up constantly with his funny comments - so when I look back on our move, I think of all the laughter, not so much all the lifting and carrying.

Here's an example of Mark's sense of humor:

We've just pulled up to the new house, it's lunch time on Saturday. I'm telling everyone to come on in the new house for Subway sandwiches and cold beers and Mark has just wandered through the empty new house checking it out.
I'm standing on the front porch and he comes over to give me hearty congratulations. After a hug and lots of raves over what a great place Jeff and I have found he asks me in a more serious tone of voice: "Do you mind if I Bless the house?"

To put this in context, I should explain Mark and Sharyl are good practicing Catholics. And, every home I've ever lived in I've walked through and prayed over - to bless the house (back in the day my mother and grandmother would anoint the doorways with olive oil as they prayed, too).

So I said to Mark: "Oh, that's great, thanks - want to walk through and pray over the house together?"

He said: "Nah, I meant that I gotta take a crap, OK? Maybe I should have said Christen the house instead?"

I laughed so hard I almost blessed my pants.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Observations:

1. All my life I've struggled to grow my nails out. When I'm slightly nervous or mildly stressed my nails are flimsy and chip or break easily. They annoy me and I can't help myself - I nibble on my nails and end up having to clip them off.
Apparently when I'm under a greater level of stress for an extended period of time I grow nice long lovely nails. Who knew?! I've wasted oodles of money on Sally Hansen and vitamins and gelatin when all I really needed to do was be overly busy and about to move! My lovely long nails are sure to be ripped right off when we move furniture and boxes 10 days from today - but I think I'll take pictures of my hands on May 17th just for posterity.

2. It is FAR too easy to call up the local energy company and start up or stop service. They didn't ask any personal questions. Not my SS#, current account number, nothin'. They didn't need to know anything but a street address.
Why mess around with TP-ing someone's trees when you could just have their power shut off with one 30 second phone call? I'm just saying. Not that I'm evil enough to do this to somebody, just noticing it's a leetle bit too easy as it is currently.

3. We've packed well over a dozen boxes. Maybe even 2 dozen. And the house is just now starting to feel.. just right. Not over-cluttered, but also totally livable. We have the essentials (enough pans, tupperware, plates and dishes, clothes and linens) to live comfortably ...and this leads me to think: Why don't we dump every last one of those boxes at the Goodwill or stick it in a crate to Tanzania? Obviously, it's excess if I can live without that stuff. (Though, those boxes contain about almost all the kids' toys. That would be too cruel...)

4. It is a sad sign of this day and age that I couldn't help but worry.. and in fact thought very hard about calling the non-emergency police phone number when I saw a rental truck (think: U-Haul) parked, without a driver, in the no-parking area in front on the office tower I work in downtown. Maybe I'm just a worry-wart - but my mind just goes "Oklahoma City" right away.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Another reason to love the month of July

OK – I know I am a big ol’ dork, but I have pre-ordered my Harry Potter Book 7 for home delivery ON the day of release from Amazon. Immediately, first chance to do so. I've talked a lot to hubby about how I will be unavailable come July 21st - he can just expect he's on his own that weekend with the kids.. and WOW, isn't it great I won't have to take vacation days because I'm pretty sure I can finish the book in under 48 hours of consecutive reading that weekend...

When we made an offer on the new house he and I both talked about WHERE I would read my new Harry Potter book this summer. Seriously, I'm not even kidding.

That, and I’ve already planned to go see the latest Harry Potter movie immediately after it’s released on July 13th (after all that’s my birthday – I’ve already told hubby all I want for my birthday this year (35!) is to go see the movie).

Besides - I've always loved the month of July. It's my birthday month, it's the time of year we typically go to the Brainerd Lakes area for Race for the Cure and our annual family vacation in Pine River near my SIL's cabin. It's when Mr. Man was born - so we have our biggest party of the year (family and friends and a Bouncy Castle!) in July.. Plus there's Independence Day, fireworks, bbqs, some of the best weather of the year -- what's not to love, right?

But now I’ve read that Crowded House is releasing the first album in 10 years on July 2nd.

I didn't know it was possible, but I am now EVEN MORE EXCITED for July. I am now LITERALLY counting the days to July because it seems ALL GOOD THINGS are going to be in July. I know I'm a dork - but this year, at least from the looks of things I'm jotting on my calendar in advance, it sure looks like July is really just like a month 'o joy for me.

Oh July. I'm more excited than a kid waiting for Christmas. Only 57 days and counting. Woo hoo!