One Small Voice in the Universe--Dr. Seuss

"I have wings and I can fly..."

Please Note Your Escape Exit

In my continuing quest to report where no man has gone before, I bring you this late-breaking (actually a month ago) story straight from the heart of Brrrrrrrr Lake as told to me by a student. Let me pause here to say that the majority of what I hear each day comes from the mouths of pre-pubescent (and in some cases pubescent) citizens. I don't make this stuff up nor do I usually question the veracity. In this case, the accompanying photo adds credence. Back to my story--about a month ago the owners of this garage were having some house work done and had left the back (not in the picture) door open for the repair man. Picture a mountain lion entering that door, the wind blowing it shut, and the beast (forced to make a decision he was clearly not equipped to make having not evolved that far yet) exits (albeit it dramatically) through the side green door but not before he gives getting out through the large garage door a college try. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt to re-enact this.

Everyday Heroes

Sushi Lessons in Maryland

It helps to have expert instruction! Thanks Kaye. Enjoy your cruise this week. Yay me! Avocado, asparagus, egg, cucumber and fish roe! Note the amazing sushi plate--a gift from the owner of a sushi bar in Osaka where Shelly and her host family hung out apparently enough to make friends!

For Cat Lovers

I found this as a draft in my blog archive. No recollection of placing it there, but then I also don't remember getting my hand caught in the handmixer--fortunately my daughter has a vivid memory of that. I forget stuff. But then I'm delighted over and over again which wouldn't be the case if I remembered everything. Right?

How to Wait for a Baby

Knit a tap-dancing, banjo-playing, pig-loving frog.

Hunker down with a stack of Gilmore Girls. Pretty soon everyone in the house will be referencing Lorelei and Rory in conversations and speculating about Luke's motives--even people still in diapers...and how truly twisted is that.

Play ball. Never mind the wind, rain, and frozen fingers.

Knit socks.
Put on a puppet play. Releasing inhibitions surely ought to release hormones! Right??

Squat down on the floor and let your inner Jim Henson out!!!

Take a long walk in the Maryland woods. Push that stroller! Push! Push!

If you've got an extra engineer hanging around get him to stay home from work so you can all play!

It helps if you have access to a Humvee on a military installation. Once you're all belted in, aim that sucker for potholes and let 'er rip!!!

Go to the library and load up on cool books! Snuggle in and zone out!!
Eventually the baby WILL arrive, and then the fun begins...Even Miss Patty and Babette will tell you that.

"Take THAT! And THAT, you vile Aliens!"

No I haven't been adbucted by aliens for intergallactic genetic research. I've disappeared to California, MD to do the grandma thing. Highlights:
--a Southwest male flight attendant named Juan who not only offered me peanuts AFTER I'd slept through the original "snackfest", but also perched on the chair arm and discussed the Twilight books which he is reading (I've slept through entire MEALS on flights over the pond and no one even said "Good Morning"!!!)
--sunshine and 70 degree weather some days
--a Humvee pot hole tour of Patuxent River Naval Air Station (and all its secret workings) to induce labor to no avail
--knitting a 16-inch Kermit the frog...while we waited for the baby to come
--30 plus hours of Gilmore Girls...while we waited for the baby to come
--smacking my nose and lip on one of those plastic dome lookout things on the jungle gym while I was doing the leap-at-you grandma bit! I think I saw stars! Ouch!! Fat lip to boot!
--making gyozas (Japanese pot stickers)
--Benjamin Button
--taking charge of Charlie when the baby finally did come... a week late. I gotta look up who spoke that great wisdom about taking over the world with two year olds.
--anticipating the visit of my friends from NJ...which kaboshed when the baby was so late.
--pomegranate blueberry ice cream
--finding the big chunky Superman action figure at Target that I've been stalking for about a year! Witnessing Charlie's attachment to it. NOW, I can send the cape. Thank you Mattel!


--the arrival of one extremely beefy Peter John Myers. Oh my. He looks very Nanook of the North-ish--all 9 plus pounds of him! So so so cute and cuddly and quiet.
--Girl Scout cookie=selling Girl Scouts who just happened to be in the neighborhood yesterday...a direct blessing from above.
--pushing one of those Little Tikes plastic automobiles at break neck speed down the hall with Charlie squealing inside
--making quiche and angel food cake with whipped cream and crushed Heath bars to celebrate last night
--finishing The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, aborting Running with Scissors (I can only do rank for a couple of pages per book), starting Orson Scott Card's Enchantment.
--fighting homesickness...really...at my age????