Saturday we went to the Rochester Public Market.
I love that place.
I could have taken more photos, but I was busy shopping.
So perhaps next time.
It wasn't as cold as one would think because oddly enough our temps got up to 42 degrees that day, so we were quite comfortable.
But even in the colder weather they have blowers sending hot air around to various spots throughout the market - both in the "shed" and also outdoors under the overhang.
The market is shaped like a large horseshoe, and then there are open areas on the end where some food vendors and other produce vendors are selling their wares, as well as some food carts. In the shed which has people with reserved spots such as some butchers, some farmers selling beef and poultry, the Pierogie Guy, Pappardelle's pasta, the Hanzlian sausage guys, and the list goes on.
I stopped to get some sausage from the sausage guys, and after trying a sample (who doesn't love a free sample?) the guy was trying to tell me about their different sausages.
I said to him, "You don't have to sell me on how good your sausage is. I've had it before, and I want some more now."
Rude?
Perhaps.
Truthful?
Absolutely.
They do make some amazing sausage.
Right next to him was the indoor stand for Juan and Maria's Empanadas. They have a permanent stand outdoors too, but the inside one was new.
And who was working it? Why, Juan himself.
There he is on the right. I guess you could tell because his shirt reads, "Juan."
Very nice guy, and we just absolutely love their empanadas. (He's originally from Chile, in case you're wondering, but as a Rochester resident he and his wife is very involved in the community here.)
We each had a breakfast empanada, and the baby girl enjoyed hers with some Spanish mayonnaise.
You know she just loves having her picture taken while she's eating.
That's the thing about the Public Market, it's more of an experience than a shopping expedition.
There are buskers and wineries, handbags and 50 pound bags of potatoes for $10-$11 (seriously), and so much more.
Here's a guy playing his accordion outside:
And here's a bread stand (I bought some of the garlic chèvre at the end on the right - beyond delicious):
We don't go every weekend, but even in the winter there is still fresh produce, as well as some produce that you know is coming from, well, somewhere else. Honestly, we don't grow mangoes in Rochester. In the summertime I make it a point to buy only local produce and support local farmers.
It's the least I can do - but it's something we all should do.
Next time we go I'll try to take more pictures because who doesn't like to see 50 pound bags of onions, I ask you.
Today, the first day of the new year, I got irritated with my mother.
Well, that's really pretty much everyday (and she knows it - I'm such an ungrateful brat).
She's a talker, she is, and I can be social, but then, as my mother says, I clam up when I don't feel like talking.
Too right.
Well, today was a day that I was glad to bear all my mother's talking, as I took her over to see my Aunt Ruth in the nursing home.
Poor thing has had a time of it lately, but like her biblical namesake she will suffer all and still remain positive.
It's a blessing because, well, I'm not airing any dirty laundry here, but just suffice it to say that she deserves nothing but the best, but throughout her entire life she hasn't always received it.
My mother likes to tell the story that when they were growing up on a farm my Aunt Margaret would get upset because she couldn't go to the movies, or spend money on things, but Aunt Ruth always said, "The cows come first." That's pretty much how she is - putting others first, and understanding why.
So, as I discussed in my last post, when I saw her in the nursing home a few weeks ago (shame on me, I really need to go more), she said that she was cold, so I knew that I needed to make her a shawl.
Well hell, she's 96, probably doesn't weigh more than a twig, and is getting frail.
Plus I understand that the elderly get cold more often. As I'm poised to enter the hot flash stage of my life, I can't quite fathom that. Homespun yarn by Lion Brand (yes, acrylic) is very warm, holds up well, and best of all is machine washable.
Exactly what someone in a nursing home needs really.
As I know that pink is Aunt Ruth's color I went with the quartz colorway because it has the subtle color changes and is pink (and purpley) but not overwhelmingly so. Of course in looking at the description on the Website it doesn't mention that it's pink at all. Whatever.
She loves her shawl and asked me to put it on her right away.
She got tears in her eyes which made me go all teary eyed so I had to channel my hard-ass self not to get all emotional.
Usually I do that by changing the subject or walking away.
Well before we left she told my mother, I'm going to be buried in this shawl.
Tell me that doesn't tug at your heartstrings.
I looked and laughed and said, "Aunt Ruth, you'll last longer than that shawl. It will probably unravel before you go."
Was that masterful deflection or what?
Here's a picture of Aunt Ruth and my mother talking in the nursing home:
Happy new year all, and knit to make someone happy (even if you only knit for yourself)!
Well, well, well. Where has this year gone? Looks as if my last post was, gulp, over six months ago!!
That must have been about the time I lost my knitting mojo (I think I've found it again), and three months after that I lost my reading mojo.
At least I know where that went - my youngest has all of a sudden (but don't get too excited, it won't last) picked up reading. It began with her seeing a preview of the new Gatsby film. If you know me at all, you'll know that Fitzgerald's novel is one of my very favorites (in the whole, wide world). I told her, "I'll take you to see this film (even though I can't stand DiCaprio) if you'll read the book first."
She started it, didn't finish, wrote her book report (cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater), but then actually picked up the book again and read it to the end.
Le sigh.
So proud.
Now she'll be ready in two years when in 10th grade they read it again (as we did about 30 something years ago) and she'll have a better understanding the second time around.
Now to sum up the latter half of my year:
Work was hard, difficult and trying, and now I'm finishing up my two weeks off for the shutdown (oh I do so love this), and actually quite sad that it's coming to an end. I am, however, well rested and ready to begin another year. Perhaps this year I'll get organized at work and at home? Just a thought.
Aforementioned knitting mojo went the way of the Dodo bird, and disappeared. Fortunately it's come back Jurassic Park-style, albeit very slowly, with certain projects guiltily staring at me (is that even possible?).
Reading mojo disappeared, but returned with the realization that I have been listening to more audiobooks, and reading more books on an electronic reading device over paper books. What is my world coming to?
I got bronchitis in October and I am still suffering from yucky mucous in my lungs. Will this ever go away? Please say yes.
We went to NYC in August and I didn't buy any yarn. We went to NYC again in December and I bought too much yarn and goodies.
We went to Boston and Salem in October and I bought souvenir yarn from a lovely shop.
There was a large amount of stash enhancement this year. (Did I even need to say this?)
My friend Andrea gave me yarn for Christmas and she doesn't grasp the idea of stash enhancement, so oddly enough I felt compelled to start knitting up her yarn shortly after I received it. It was an interesting feeling, but not so bad. One pair of socks almost done! Perhaps I'll wear these to work on Wednesday, if they're done.
I joined the Stranded in Oz fibre club for 2013. Mel has become a dear friend, and who better to support than someone for whom you really care.
I knit a shawl for my 96 year old aunt who is in hospital - well she's actually been in two nursing homes, and was taken to the hospital just this past Sunday, so I know she needs something to keep her shoulders warm. This piece will do it - now to get it to her today or tomorrow.
I had framing discount coupons to use at a particular chain store and used them to have two cross stitch pieces framed. This first one was done for the little one way back in the beginning of the century, and finally framed. She chose the matting and frame, but now won't put it in her room. Go figure. Can you read that it says, "You are Loved?" Perhaps it should have a flip side that reads, "You're driving me crazy!"
This next one looks like someone should have ironed it a bit more before taking it to get framed. Alas.
They do an okay job, this chain store, and I wouldn't have used them except for the 75% off coupons. They always have a little something that's wrong with the framing. But whatever. They're done.
I went to a surprise birthday party for my second cousin in November, and was invited back by her dad to spend time with them at their annual Christmas Eve party. It was a good reminder about the importance of family and how much I love my cousins in a Billy Joel kind of way (you know, just the way you are).
Hubby and the little one went to South America for two weeks, and will be returning this week, so the Baby Boy and I spent Christmas together and had dinner at my older daughter's apartment. It was a quiet Christmas, and that's okay. (Refer back to rediscovering said knitting mojo.)
The year started out with my mother in hospital, and ended with her in the ER, but all is well. Just an interesting way to book-end the year (and perhaps a predictor of my life to come?)
So that's the latter half of 2012 in a nutshell with huge gaps of things missing probably. Tonight is New Year's Eve, and as I'll be home (with the dogs and cats) for the evening and it will give me time to at least organize my thoughts about what I resolve to do in 2013.
My eldest daughter and her boyfriend stopped by yesterday to pick up her mail (mostly garbage in case you're interested).
As she went through her mail we talked of family matters, and how people can sometimes turn nasty when settling the estates of family members.
I recommended that they read Alice Walker's short story, Everyday Use. (You should too, and keep it close to you - draw upon it when you need it, and you will, as it will remind you of what is important when people become greedy, as they will.)
They didn't want to hear about that, however, and it wasn't the time to really share this gem of a story, so instead I said to my daughter, "You know what you're going to get when I die?"
"I'm afraid to even ask. No, I don't want to know," she replied.
But I had to tell her.
"Yarn!"
She laughed and so did her boyfriend.
"Hey, I have some great yarn!" I said, defending my stash.
Her boyfriend, still chuckling, said, "That's a great idea. Take all your assets and turn them into yarn before you die."
Well hey, now there's a thought.
I think he gets it.
Being with a man who could come up with that idea, well, I think she's chosen well.
And speaking of choosing well, here's where I am with this very simple baby wrappy sweater thingy:
I didn't get very far, I know, but it has been so blessed hot this weekend that who wants to knit.
The yarn for this, in case you're wondering, is Rowan Cashsoft Baby DK RYC, and it's lovely, but I am so afraid of getting it dirty or spilling tea.
I'll be glad when this is done. As you can see (maybe) I've got the whole back to knit.
We're scheduled to get thunderstorms here today, so that should cool things off a bit.
One hopes.
Hubby and I took Friday off from work to do...nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
No plans, no need to go anywhere other than out to dinner and a movie (Dark Shadows - so weird) on Friday night with friends.
It was great.
We caught up on NCIS, Big Bang Theory, and tried to catch up on Hot in Cleveland, but he lost interest after the second episode.
And I knit. Or did I "knitted?"
Either way, it was a nice day.
And it was a great weekend.
I knit on the couch, I knit at the beach, I knit in the backyard, and I knit in the kitchen.
Here's what I got up to.
I finished my second sock to my pair of dimpled socks - remember this?
Hubby and I have approximately the same size feet. Not really, but we can wear the same socks, and he likes these, so I know that what I really need to do, considering that we live in the frozen north, is to make a bunch of socks like this to prepare us for winter. He agrees. I still have to kitchener the toe, but I was so psyched to be done that during a commercial break I ran upstairs and got some size six needles and cast on for a baby sweater/wrappy thingy. Here's the right front of the thingy:
Hubby asked me to make some baby booties for a woman at his work. Think he's bragging about me and my knitting? How could I disappoint him, right? So of course I've got to do a little wrap, and a pair of ruby red booties for the baby girl coming in July, I can't just make booties.
And work continues on my Multnomah using my special color Lorna's Laces sock:
I like the colors, but sometimes I don't, but then I do.
This is definitely not a spring or summer color, so I'll keep working on it, and then when November comes around, and it's cranberry time, you know I'll be digging this color.
The pattern, or is it the yarn, does seem to pool in spots, but I think once I start the feather and fan border this might create a striking contrast to the colors inside. Don't you think?
And up ahead is another long weekend.
I can't wait.
No plans for then either.
Except to knit, read, listen to audiobooks, watch movies, and sit in the sun.
Yes, all at the same time.
I have waited nine months to have decent weather, so I love to sit outside and take advantage of it.
So here's a post where I look dumb.
Nothing new to see here folks, but I'll tell you about it anyway.
Have you ever discovered something new, that is really not new, but it's new to you, and then you want to tell everyone about it?
Yeah.
I bet you have.
It's called sharing.
(Some would say over-sharing, I would say shut up.)
I like that.
So let me share something fantabulous with you.
It's new yarn.
New to me.
But there's a story attached.
Here goes.
I got a Facebook friend request last week, and I thought, well who the heck is friending me? I thought I had pretty much friended everyone I could, but you never know the random people who come out of the woodwork.
I noticed that the "One Mutual Friend" was my brother, so I accepted.
Easy enough.
He has some very interesting friends, let me tell you.
Then I read the message that was waiting in my in-box.
G;day Julie -- Kenne said I should say g'day to you and send you are
friend message -- I'm advised you may be a knitting yarn fan.
Well of course, I am, so I replied:
I am indeed a fibre fan (and I don't mean the kind you eat, although
that's what people always think!). Glad to meet you - I'll have to check
you out, aka Facebook stalk you - although it's hardly "stalking" when
you're friends! Cheers!
Friendly enough, right? And of course I sound like a geek. Whatever. My brother doesn't know much about yarn other than what I talk about on here, and on Facebook, but he's savvy enough to link up two yarny people. And my new friend from Australia wrote back:
Are you a knitter? What's your fiber addiction?
Now let me just pause right here and tell you that, as noted in the previous post, I have been extremely busy. Maybe you didn't catch quite how busy I have been. Really busy. Okay, not so busy that I couldn't read something like three or four books last week, but you know, mentally busy. They were easy reads, it wasn't like I was struggling through Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury or something like that. What this means is that I was really too busy to check out my new friend's profile. So sue me. And stop judging. I just did not have time, so I really didn't know much about her, and I was making a reply to an honest question, and I was being polite and not ignoring her message. So I said:
I am a knitter, albeit a rather lazy one. I'm great at buying yarn, I
can start projects like a champ, and I can successfully let them sit
forever in my work-in-progress pile. I also blog (lately only
occasionally). I'd
love to learn to spin someday, but I'm fearful because I know it would
become an extreme obsession. Fibre in pure form - how awesome is that.
What do you like to do?
Let's pause there for a moment and look at that last sentence.
"What do you like to do?"
Such a simple sentence, yet you can't escape the glaring ignorance of the sender. It is clear that I did not take the time to look at her profile, I did not Facebook stalk as promised, and I clearly have no idea what her hobbies and activities are. This was on Friday morning, and as soon as I sent this message I thought, "Well go check her out, dummy," because even at this stage, and especially after sending off that last e-mail, I felt pretty stupid. And ignorant. I'm good at that.
What did I find about my new friend?
Do you think she likes to knit?
(are you going to tell me that I shouldn't write suspense thrillers for a living because my build-up to the denouement is too obvious? yeah, I know)
Well of course she knits. And spins. And dyes. And, wait for it, owns a fricking yarn shop!
I could have banged my head on the table. Mentally, I did.
What a dope I am.
Yeah, she has not only a fantastic yarn shop, Stranded in Oz, but also some absolutely drool-worthy sock yarn.
Saturday morning I placed an order.
I ordered some Glinda the Good Wool sock yarn - it's totally fabulous.
My favorite is Sister Midnight:
Yummy, yummy dark blue - with sparkles!
Hubby liked this one, it's called Heaven, but it's sold out:
It's obvious why - look at how pretty those blues are.
There are other completely delectable yarns on there, and I fought to limit my purchase.
No really, I did. Don't scoff!
And that's my story.
So I have a new friend.
Who owns yarn shop.
Might as well start an allotment to her right away, don't you think?
But do check it out - Stranded in Oz (this is the Ravelry link) - great yarns, great owner, and a great enabler.
Lord, help me.
I think I might have already become a yarn groupie.
Am I too old for her to adopt me?
You know how a secret is not really a secret, it's available for everyone, yet it still feels like it's a secret? Maybe I'm not explaining this well enough. It's like the difference between being ignorant and being stupid. When you're stupid, there's no excuse, but when you're ignorant, well, you just don't know (or know any better) until someone points it out to you.
Even after having spent over 20 years in and around the military, I forgot about the USO.
They served me Thanksgiving dinner in Jacksonville NC in 1983 - without them I wouldn't have had anything. Nothing other than the chow hall, if it was even open that day. I'm sure it was, but still. Gotta love the USO.
And I've always had a deep respect for the USO. They are bi-partisan in all things, staffed primarily by volunteers, and are there to support the troops and their families. Period.
While in Connecticut, I was angsting to Major Knitter about my need to get tickets to a Broadway show so we could take the SIL out for her birthday.
So as I'm telling Major Knitter how expensive the tickets were for the show, she said, "Go to the USO."
Both hubby and I kind of stood there, catching flies (my normal pose), and said, "Duh. We never thought of them."
Major Knitter dialed the phone right then and talked with someone at the front desk, and then put the phone in my hand and told me to ask them the questions I needed answered.
Staffed by volunteers, you do need to have a military ID to get in, and also to use their discounts, but they have over 10 pages of discounts on Broadway shows, as well as information about other military discounts in the NYC area (restaurants, the zoo, Empire State Building, things like that).
Remarkable.
And to think that we just did not even consider the USO.
I'm appalled at my ignorance and lack of forethought, but hey, I didn't know what they offered.
Now I do, and you can bet I'll be back there.
When we went there we didn't think we'd be able to get the tickets I we wanted, so we discussed what shows we could go see.
I've been dying to see Mary Poppins - you can imagine how thrilled everyone was for that.
Second choice was Jersey Boys, but that's playing Rochester next month (and I really need to get tickets), so I'm satisfied seeing that here.
They did give us information on getting discounted (I hope they were) tickets to see Godspell, but said it wasn't available on Friday nights.
Now I'd love to tell you that I didn't get my hopes up to see this show before we came to NYC, and I'd also love to tell you that I didn't listen again and again via youtube to one of the songs from the show sung by the lead, and I also love to tell you that I'm okay when I don't get my way.
Unfortunately, none of those are true.
That last bit is more of a lifelong problem.
And I blame my mother.
So yes, Godspell was the show I wanted to see, so when we left the Port Authority, after an okay lunch at Chevys, I said to hubby, let's just stop at the Circle in the Square Theatre and see if we can get a discount on Godspell tickets.
You know this story is going to have a happy ending, don't you, and I'd like to refer you back to the I must always getting my way problem attitude with which I go through life.
Curse of the being the youngest.
So yes! they had tickets! And yes! we used our USO discount! And yes! we went to Macy's after that and I burrowed myself further into debt via my Macy's card.
Arrgh.
After dinner, then, we all walked from Carmine's up to the Circle in the Square theatre, totally excited to see the show.
Hubby was kind of meh about seeing a show, but honestly, you come to NYC, and isn't that what you want to do? At least once during your trip, right?
Last time we went to see Wicked, that was the youngest one's request - and those tickets are phenomenally expensive, but the show is worth it, but Godspell tickets - not as much.
I'm a purist - I've never seen the Broadway show, but I have seen (and own) the movie, and the soundtrack, and it's on my iPod, and I listen to it often, etc., so I knew that I had to keep an open mind about any differences the show would take from the movie version.
I was so not disappointed.
By either the change, or by how much more fantastic they made it.
It was incredible.
The energy was palpable in the theatre, and the show was updated to reflect a more contemporary theme while still remaining true to the original.
At intermission the entire audience was invited up on stage to share some wine (aka grape juice), and there was a lot of audience participation with the cast throughout the show.
I'd go see it again - USO discount or not.
And I bought the soundtrack CD, so now I can go between the movie version and the stage version.
Hubby is not big on musicals - he just finds it hard to believe that people would just break into song - but he didn't mind Godspell.
Mostly because the actor, Hunter Parrish, who plays Jesus also plays Silas in the Showtime series Weeds, and hubby loves that show.
Sometimes it's about peaking interest through connections.
After the show ended we went outside and hung out with a group of folks to see if we'd won the drawing to be allowed backstage to meet the cast.
We didn't.
But it's okay, because two of the cast members were outside!
First we saw Lindsay who played, well, Lindsay - incredible voice - here she is signing autographs.
And then we got to meet the Jesus player himself - Hunter Parrish.
Can I just tell you, he is every bit as good looking in person as he is in this picture.
And unbelievably talented.
Oh to be half my age and my size.
I barely recognize my little one in this picture, but it's because she had her makeup done at the Benefit counter at Macy's. Sometimes I look at this picture and think she's some random girl who got into the middle of the frame with us.
Odd.
A good time was had by all, and even walking home in the rain did not impact my our good mood after seeing this delightful and inspiring show.
And now that you're all anxious to go see it, or at least get the movie version, here's a Youtube video featuring Hunter Parrish singing "Beautiful City."
Why this hasn't been released as a single on its own is beyond me.
I'd buy it.
Oh wait, I already did.
Enjoy!
Tomorrow we leave for Virginia.
Did I tell you, that's where Hunter Parrish is from.
It's providential, don't you think?
New York City.
The Big Apple.
Did you know that even though I grew up in New York State, I never visited NYC until I was 23 years old.
Hard to believe, isn't it?
My family just didn't travel like that, it's not something we did. Actually we never even took family vacations.
Don't worry, I'm not feeling deprived, just making a statement.
Hubby, however, grew up in NYC.
He loves being there although he's not quite so sure if he'd want to raise his kids there (and let's be honest, we certainly don't make enough money to live there either).
Although it would be nice. I don't mind the city, and I don't mind the country. I'm happy in either place.
We left Major Knitter's and drove quite easily into the city having left Connecticut well after rush hour.
We're so smart, aren't we.
After checking into our hotel we left our bags and went out.
With only one day to be in the city, we had some things to do.
Sadly, no yarn shop adventures for me.
I used up my opportunity a year and a half ago when I made everyone go to Purl Soho and Lion Brand Yarn Studio.
That's okay, I have enough yarn to see me through this lifetime (but don't tell hubby I said that).
We had a nice room at the Marriott Residence Inn on 6th and 39th. I'd go back there again - it's four/five blocks down to Macy's, and within walking distance of many theaters and Times Square. Plus the breakfast was huge (and free).
Of course the city view while amazing...
...is not always necessarily pretty.
That's okay, we didn't come to NYC to sit in a hotel room.
We only had part of the day and the night to do what we wanted to do.
What we did was eat lunch, get tickets for our show, and then went out to dinner with the SIL.
Now my sister-in-law just turned 50 on March 1, and you certainly wouldn't know it.
Here she is on the left.
Here are pictures of us at dinner.
Of course the fat girl got in the pic at the end.
Ugh.
The woman on the far right is a childhood friend of hubby and the SIL - they grew up on the same block together, so this was the first time in 30 years that hubby has seen her.
We had dinner at Carmine's Restaurant - it was delicious, but man that place was packed.
They serve the food family style, all on big platters that you share, and that's fun, but it is a popular place.
I'd go back. Anyone want to join me?
After dinner we went to our show, but that you'll have to hear about tomorrow.
A domani! (as they'd say at Carmine's)
My poor little one has come down with strep throat.
The timing could be considered advantageous as she is off of school all next week, but it's really not a good time at all.
She was supposed to be leaving this morning for NYC with a friend's family for four days, but she decided last night that she does not feel well enough to go.
I thought that was a very mature decision, don't you?
Well of course she's sick and she probably shouldn't go anyway, but I can tell you that around Monday she's going to regret not going because by then she'll be feeling much better.
Or else she'll start bugging me to take her shopping.
That's already happened, of course.
She's on antibiotics, but they take a while to kick in, and in the meantime last night her fever and general malaise started getting worse, so she decided to sleep in the living room.
Guess who else got to sleep there too - on the couch.
Yes, that would be me.
And of course the dogs decided to wake me up at 4:00 by barking at roaming cats, or was it college students, and then I had to take them outside.
I'm nursing a headache, but intend to work on some projects today such as finishing a hat, and then starting on some socks.
After a nap, of course.
The year 2012 began with a right punch in the face.
My mother passed out in church (we go to different ones), and I received a call at home (I had actually skipped church that day - serendipity? - I think so otherwise I would have still been at my church), so I was at home to take the call at 11:03.
Exactly at that time. I remember.
I went down to the hospital and actually got there before she did - the ambulance crew was taking their time, giving her an EKG, etc.
So I waited the hour, marveling over the varying degrees of social aptitude and personal hygiene displayed by many of those who live around here. Yeah, it's interesting, but that's a blog post for another time.
My mother was eventually transferred to a hospital in the city where she stayed for the week.
Happy New Year's Day!
I'd like to say that knitting helped calm me down, but I felt like a caged lion...or hippo....I'd go with the hippo. I was too antsy to really focus, so it took me almost an entire week to knit this simple hat. I mean, I am a slow knitter at best, and extremely inattentive, but that was much too long a time to take for that hat. (Now ask me if it's actually finished, as in ends sewn in, etc. - you guess the answer.)
I had been off of work for two weeks already (our annual shut down period - love it!), so being out of work during a week when I had intended to catch up was really not on my to do list!
Fortunately my boss was not at work that week, or my guilt/anxiety level would have been even higher.
Anyway, so far all is well, no heart attack, but we're proceeding cautiously. My mother will be turning 81 at the end of this month, so it's time to slow down. Living in a place where it snows almost six months of the year doesn't help either, as she really shouldn't be out in the snow/cold/ice, so I'll be doing her grocery shopping for a while.
Such is the life of the youngest/only daughter/only one living nearby.
Fortunately my husband is very patient with her although she talks enough to drive a man (or woman) to drink.
Hmmm, that could explain all his beer drinking....
So there's my saga for the beginning of 2012.
From here out let's hope it only gets better!
So my youngest is still a pre-teen for at least another two months.
After October we'll be going full throttle into the heady teenage years.
Fasten your seat belts!
This ride is going to be a doozy!
She's different from her older sister in that as a younger girl she is focused on many areas of beauty such as maintaining a polished set of nails on both hands and feet, likes to get her eyebrows threaded, and she fixes her hair every morning - things like that.
And like many adolescents she is anxious to stave off the oncoming signs of hormonal disturbance - you know, the bad stuff that happens to your face when it's not sure what the hell is going on with your body.
I bought her the generic brand equivalent of ProActiv in the grocery store a couple of months ago for $12, and then for some reason when she was in Macy's last week her father bought her the Clinique version as well as something else.
I can't remember what the something else is - all I know is that the Macy's bill was $55 for stuff from the cosmetics counter.
It's time to do some math here - you've got my $12 plus the recent $55 purchase - what does that come to?
$67.00
Now you may recall that in a previous post I was effusive in my delight over the effects of washing my face with honey.
I've been doing it for how many weeks now? It really does work.
That jar of honey (local honey, my friend - I firmly support NY farmers and bee keepers) was $6.00
I think you can see where this is going.
For the past week the youngest has been washing her face with honey.
It's unbelievable - her face is clear and youthful (one would hope, she is only 12).
In other words, she really likes using the honey - a lot!
(What's even better is you can use the crystallized stuff at the bottom of the jar as a scrub.)
Time for math again.
$67 worth of chemicals with so-so results vs. $6 worth of honey with perceivable results.
You can see how she feels about it:
(Pay no attention to the crap on the couch in the background - focus on the face!)
I called DH over to look at this very nice handbag for sale on RueLaLa.
Most years I like to buy my oldest (I almost wrote "oddest" in a very non-Freudian way) daughter a good quality handbag for her birthday or Christmas.
It's a good investment, plus it's always nice to be able to switch bags in order not to wear them out.
You're supposed to do this with shoes, I would assume that the same principle applies to handbags as well.
So I showed this bag to DH, and said, "Wouldn't this be a nice gift for her?"
Seeing as her birthday isn't until November, kudos to me for thinking ahead, right?
He said, "Sheesh (that's a noise), how many bags does she need?"
I gasped and in shock replied, "Huh?"
Really now, she definitely needs more than one, or two, or even three.
Gosh.
What is he thinking?
What can I say. Three down, one to go for starters. Only DN2 remains, and she won't graduate for another 7 years! Sure our seats were kind of far away, but at this stage of the game, what did it matter. He was down there with his classmates.
We were just glad to be there. And I think he looks pretty happy too now that it's done. Both here with my mother:
And with the whole family:
The funny thing is I sent DH out to the lobby to find SN2 so he could take pictures while I helped my mother get to the lobby. Once we found them I asked DH where SN2 was; DH said that he had already gone to turn in his gown and get his diploma. I asked about pictures, and he said they hadn't taken any. What?!? We had NO pictures of him in his cap and gown. None. But you know, I let it go, because SN2 was actually done and had graduated. We hoped. He still had to see if his diploma was in the envelope, or if there was a dreaded note that told him to call the school counselor because he had not met all the requirements to graduate. Our greatest fear. When he came out with his diploma cover I had to ask; he looked at me and said, "It's in there." Woo hoo. Then he did something really sweet. He went to his friend Jay and asked if he could borrow his cap and gown so we could get some pictures. And even better, Jay's family waited patiently while we took our pictures. That was nice. (Jay was actually one of SN2's first friends when we moved up here, and it's nice to see they're still friends, don't you think?) So actually this is not the cap and gown in which SN2 graduated, but again, at this stage in the game, who cares. He's done! Now isn't this the walk of a young man feeling a large sense of relief?
I think so too. Congratulations Pooh Bear - well played.
Was yesterday an outrageous day, or what. We had severe weather here, so that did not affect your part of the country, but I know we're all still reeling from the news. First, Farrah Fawcett. I always liked her a lot. Remember when she was married to Heath Barkley aka Lee Majors? What a power couple. Next, a fierce thunderstorm rolled through in the afternoon, and it was accompanied by lightning. The sky became so dark by 2:00 that it looked like twilight had come early. At 3:10 exactly the power went out in the entire building. Since there were only 4 of us on our floor at the time, we just looked at each other. My first words were, "Oh, guess it's time to go home!" (An old Marine Corps saying - there's no cure like se-cure.) We did go home 20 minutes later because we had found out that power was out across the entire campus. Once we were in the lobby we then heard from some other employees lounging there (who can work in the dark, right?) that there were people stuck in one of the dorm elevators. Egads. We exited the building into a pouring rain which surprisingly cleared up shortly afterward. It became so clear that by 6:00 we were sitting on the sidelines watching DN2's soccer game, facing west and staring into the bright sun. Strange. Then DN1 walks up and tells us the unbelievable news: "Did you hear that Michael Jackson is dead?" WHAT? It was difficult to focus on the soccer game after that news was delivered. For all his wackiness, Michael's voice was an accompaniment to my youth, and was there as I contemplated that unanswerable question: Who do I like better, Donny Osmond or Michael Jackson? Ah, to be 10 again. So folks, tomorrow is SN2's high school graduation. I think we're safe because his name was in the paper along with the rest of his graduating class, so congrats to him. Let's just not ever repeat yesterday. What a day.
We went to DN2's chorus and band concert a few weeks back. I was surprised that the 4th grade band could sound so good, with none of that awkward, stuttering music that occurs when the kids play a piece alone. You could tell they had been practicing their pieces a lot. It was nice. She loves band, but I've had to force her to attend chorus. I want her to stick with it because if they participate throughout her school years there are plenty of opportunities to travel and perform at myriad locations around the state and country. This is an argument we've been going through all year, and the thing is she likes to sing. What she doesn't like is having to get up early and be at school by 7:30. So I forced her. And now she has been chosen to sing with the select chorus at school. They practice at noon. Big difference. I asked her how she would have felt if she didn't make it into this select chorale group, and she said that she would have cried and been really upset. We've avoided that disaster for the time being, thankfully. Now we have another dilemma. She is expressing interest in singing in another chorale here in the area. It markets itself as a "select" group, but oddly all of the kids who showed up at the information meeting on Monday night were selected. Hmmmm, is it my kid who can sing, or is it the lure of my money that you hear? I think the group has plenty of opportunities for her to learn how to sing, and also for her to learn poise while performing. That's something she needs to know, but for $300? I'm not sure. Believe it or not, we're leaving the decision up to her because she'll have to learn to manage her schedule with swimming, soccer, and singing practice one night a week in the next town over. Then there are all the sundry games and meets, as well as concerts throughout the year for both singing groups. DN2 has said she can do it, but she really needs me to buy her a planner. Really? That's all it will take? I'll keep you posted.
My new college graduate. Friday night was her Honors Program graduation ceremony. Here she is with my mother:
I received a lot of compliments from people telling me, "Good job." Each time I corrected them, and said, "This wasn't me - this was all her." And it has been. From kindergarten on up, DN1 has always been a very hard worker in school, organized, and focused. Everything she has accomplished, she's busted her butt to achieve - and she has done a lot too! In high school, she was valedictorian, she was involved in science programs, and she even went on a 2 week science expedition to Alaska her freshman year of high school. Now she's working on being a DJ, doing radio commercials, working PR events, and she's even broadcast a radio show from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! (With a double major in Communication and Biology, she intends to be the next Bill Nye the Science Guy.) She is amazing. My role is to be the cheerleader on the sidelines while she calls the plays (supportive, yes, but you should see my cartwheels!). Now, one of the benefits of my job is I get a front-row seat at graduation, and that's why I was able to get so close for this picture. She looks excited, doesn't she?
Her friend A is happy too.
What was even better benefit is when she came down off the stage and came right over to gave me a hug. What a girl. The world is her oyster.
On Sunday, we drove SN2 and two of his friends to the town/city where their future college is located. It was my first time in the town in almost 30 years, and when I went there throughout high school all I was doing was watching wrestling, so my memory of the place is not reliable. Another story, another time.... As we drove the 45 miles to the campus, it was fun listening to the three 17 year olds talk about their future plans. They sounded so innocent and naive, and it was really fun to listen to them talk about how they are going to live for the next two years. They do have a clear idea of how cool it is going to be for them to move away from home and live on Ramen noodles and mac and cheese. Silly, sweet, naive boys. Since it is a community college, and of course they will not be commuting, our real purpose was to see what is available in the area. They have a dorm on campus, and it is expensive, but it is as close to the campus as they can possibly get. These boys, however, don't want to be bound by rules. Ha! They'll learn. We will continue to look for places, although I'm voting for the dorm. I think his friends want some more freedom. And SN2 doesn't really care, he is just ready to move on to the next chapter in his life. What I know is that it won't be cheap as SN2 heads off on his collegiate journey in September. The irony of college costs may be that the ones staying here on the home front may also be living on the same diet as the young collegians. Ramen noodles and frozen vegies? Bring it on.
Some sad times in our family this weekend. My 89 year old aunt, Auntie M, died. The first to go of my mother's three sisters. Auntie M shown seated in this pictured.
This is a woman who had a very, very tough life and who was never a very strong woman, but who continued to maintain even as life dealt some terrible blows. The worst came one evening when her husband came home and was there for 2 hours when he had a heart attack. She rode in the ambulance with him, and then suffered the indignity of riding home alone on a bus to tell her six children their father was dead at 41. Her youngest was 9 months old. She suffered severe hardships raising the children; they never had a lot, and they lived in some awful places, but her greatest accomplishment is that her family is very, very connected and close to each other.
My cousin Jan is pictured here closest to the front. She took care of Auntie M for the past 7 years. Auntie M suffered from lupus and her kidneys had been working at 15% for the past few years. Two weeks ago her doctor, who has cared for her for 25 years, told her that her kidneys were shutting down and that he wouldn't put her through the painful process of dialysis. She was philosophical about what her doctor had to tell her, kind of how she dealt with every blow life handed her. Guess she wasn't the sister without strength after all. Saturday morning at about 5:30 she passed away. Although her life was not easy, her death was. Unfortunately it is difficult to know when the grieving will end because it has been a bad year for my cousin Mike, Auntie M's oldest son. He had a stroke in June (he's 58), his wife died of a heart attack in August (she was 58), and now his mother has gone. On Saturday after his mother died he had another couple of mini-strokes that put him back in the hospital. He is out now, but has to go back to the doctor after the funeral on Tuesday. So as I said, some sad, stressful times around here.
So I'm sitting at a soccer game this evening and this lady working as security keeps looking at me like I'm crazy. Seriously, don't you knit at sporting events? Even in inclement weather? I do. What's a little rain to some socks? They're going to be washed anyway. Perhaps that is not what people are staring at, perhaps they are looking at me knitting. I've gotten to the point where I have not only knitting ADD, but I can't sit still and not be working on something. So we went to SN2's soccer game this evening, and naturally I brought along my knitting since I have a sock to work on. And yes it was raining, but I managed to get several inches done on the leg. His team won 2-1 in a game that was very dirty, and I don't mean because of the mud. A lot of tackling from behind, and one of the players punched a guy from our team. Did the ref see any of this? Rarely. He must have been too busy looking at the crazy lady sitting in the stands knitting in the rain.
