"Those Who Danced Were Thought To Be Quite Insane by those Who Did Not Hear the Music."

Tonight is the first middle school dance. The Boy and his buddy will dress in costume, go to a pre-dance dinner (guys only) and then head over to the dance. Their costumes of choice? Austin Powers and Mini-me. The Boy will sport a blue faux-velvet suit with a lacy collar, thick black glasses and fake bad teeth. His friend will wear a faux gray leisure suit, bald cap, and scar make-up. Just the thought of it makes me laugh out loud. Now it took a couple of weeks to get The Boy to commit to a costume. Since you have to wear it to the dance, it put a bit more pressure on the decision. The Boy never puts a lot of thought into Halloween. When he was a toddler, I tried to dress him as a bear one year. He ripped it off within the first 5 minutes. The next year, I tried a dinosaur...he lasted about 10 minutes. The last few years, he throws on a rubber Green Bay Packers mask that he bought in Green Bay at a game a few years back. When I ask him what he is, he says "Who cares?" So you see where I am coming from. But finally, after mulling over many of my suggestions (No mom, lame. No mom, stupid. No mom, embarrassing.), he and the buddy settled on their decision.

The thing I like about the guys' decision is the lack of vanity. After hearing the choices of some classmates, I could tell that the goal of some was to wear something as neutral as possible, so as not to interfere with any "coolness". I was thankful that The Boy is still able to laugh at himself. When he tried on his costume (under duress) last night, there was a moment of hesitation...and an admission that he looked like a "doofis" (having never spelled that before, it could be wrong). But this feeling was quickly set aside with a "who cares"...and he was back to shooting baskets. This is very unlike Little One, who carefully measured every costume she considered, finally picking the one that looked the 'cutest". And indeed, the name of the costume is "Captain Cutie". The only thing military about it is the olive green color. It basically looks like a mini-dress, with an accompanying beret and finger-less gloves. Add to that her black converse high-tops...and she is definitely Captain Cutie.

But back to The Boy. I took the opportunity to have a chat with him about dance etiquette. His comment was that he was going to "ask someone nice quickly to dance and get it over with so I can relax". I totally agreed. And I know who he will most likely ask. The Boy has a great radar for 'nice-ness'. But I suggested to him that if the spirit moved him, maybe he should ask a couple of the girls who might not get asked a lot to dance. Now The Husband, reading about this now for the first time, is shaking his head. His suggestion would have been to ask the prettiest girl first before anyone else...and then proceed in order of prettiness. But The Boy has a big heart, and he actually listened to what I said. He named a few people who might not get asked to dance...and I could see his mind working. "I don't know mom...don't really want to slow dance. But may be this..." ...and then he proceeded to break into some kind of wild dancing that only a 12 year old boy with no inhibitions can pull off...

So tonight, as I attach the fake teeth on The Boy, draw thick eyebrows on the friend...and drive them to dinner, I'm sure I will be overcome by a feeling of melancholy....The Boy growing up...but that will quickly be pushed aside by the sight of these two goofs sporting accents and limps, creating their 'characters". And besides, The Husband will be along to take pictures and offer sarcasm....

So until next week, with Happy Halloween wishes to all....and the hope that The Boy dances the night away...and has a little fun too...

Clothes Make A Statement; Costumes Tell A Story."

When I was a little girl, Halloween was very different. As I said last week, one pumpkin on the front porch was the extent of decorating. This pumpkin was usually a family project, so it was crudely cut (no home self-help kits back then) with a candle stuck inside it. These days, if you don't have at least 6 pumpkins scattered along your front porch and sidewalk, with faces that look like they were designed by Michaelangelo, you are the "sad house".

My mother did not like Halloween. Deep down, she believed that it was somehow sac-religious, so she never really participated in it except for handing out candy. There were many years that we did not even have a pumpkin. As for the costumes, my brothers and I were on our own. Not that this was unusual or a problem. Most of my friends made their own costumes too, the only difference being that their mom's were usually helping. There were no halloween.coms to order from, or Party Citys to run down and pick out something, and even if there had been, the thought of spending $40 on a costume would have seemed crazy.
This meant that my costumes had to be cheap and simple. I was never one who liked "scary", so I gravitated towards something that could be made out of stuff around the house. One year I was a bum, the next a pirate, the next an Indian. All of these could be crafted out of old clothes and makeup. My absolute hands-down favorite year was when mom broke down and bought me a nightgown with a picture of Casper the Friendly Ghost on it. For those of you of a certain age, you will remember that Casper was an animated ghost..not scary or mean...but cute and sweet. This nightgown came with a little white eye mask. I was in heaven. I was so thrilled with my "store-bought" costume that I wore it every night for a year. I was devastated when I had a growth spurt and was unable to wear it the next year. (It just did not make the right statement when it only came down to my knees.)
I believe all three of my brothers went as army men every single year. This meant they wore some sort of green shirts and caps and carried a toy gun. I asked The Husband what he wore as a boy on Halloween...any Halloween... but he claims to have no memory of any costume. This could be because he and his brothers were hoodlums who terrorized their neighborhood...or it could be because I asked him while he was getting ready for work this morning and he was in a bad mood...)
I take more of an interest in my kid's costumes. Big Sis and The Senior were both princesses one year. Another year, Big Sis wore one of my old prom dresses and went as a bride. The Senior and I still die laughing when we see that picture...The Senior refers to it as "Scary Bride", but Big Sis liked it. I did break down one year on trip to Disney World and buy The Senior a Snow White costume. This has to be one of my all-time favorites...she looked adorable. The worst year is one that I have blocked out completely. Big Sis told me the other day that she and Senior had gone as Trolls. I told her she was wrong. I have absolutely no recollection of this. But she reminded me that Senior had been collecting them...and so I had actually bought "twin troll" costumes. I still didn't believe her....until she e-mailed me the proof. A faded, dimly lit picture of both girls wearing what appeared to be bad clown outfits....with strange blue troll-hair. Big Sis evidently had a growth spurt between the time I bought it and the time she wore it, because her pants barely passed her knees. But you know what? They look very pleased in the picture...and that is what counts. Even if I still have no memory of that year.

A few years later, The Senior and her middle school friends decided to go as cats. This sounded good to me, especially since they were "creating" their costumes all by themselves. Only later that night when they knocked on our door and shouted "trick or treat" did I realize that their version of cats was more like the Playboy-bunny version. I made a note to be a little more attentive the following year. (The next year she and her BFF dressed as twin devils...never has there been a more fore-shadowing moment.)

So that's it for today. I haven't even gotten to The Boy and Little One....so stay tuned for tomorrow when I will do a costume-preview. The Boy is attending his first middle-school dance tomorrow night and they must come in full costume.....this has put a little more pressure on the decision...

Until tomorrow....

"President Obama's Mother was Turned Away from Hospitals due to Lack of Healthcare Coverage, and Ultimately Forced to Give Birth in a Manger" Kimmel

We're halfway through the week. I was going to write on Halloween costumes today, but I think I'll save that for later in the week. Today feels more like a current events day, so just a few comments:



1) Harry Reid says he has a health care bill ready to put through. I was put off over the weekend that the posse he sent out to the weekend news shows were "not ready to discuss the details". Ok, great. You've got a bill you want us to get behind, but let's not go into details. It became abundantly clear as the week began why they were avoiding details. The "public option" which the public has made clear they don't want is now the "consumer option". The old bait and switch. Come on, guys, do you really think that changing the name fools anyone? If Joe Lieberman and Olympia Snow aren't behind it, then neither am I. I'm still waiting to see what Evan Bayh, the senator from Indiana, says. I like those 3 "lone voices". I didn't say I always agree with them...I just said I like them. They seem to be immune to the forces of rhetoric that plague both sides of the aisle.



2) Yankees vs Phillies. With all due respect and love to my sister-in-law, I'm going with my Yankees. I read in the WSJ this morning that astrologers say the Yankees are poised to win due to the moon in A-Rod's house. I have no idea what this means, but it sounds good to me. I think it has more to do with the power in A-Rod's bat..but that's just me. Between Jeter,Teixeira, A-Rod and Petit, this is a team of All-Stars. The brother-in-law predicts the Yankees in 6 (I can just hear the arguments in that household this week). I'm going to have to side with him this time.



3) The rumor is today that Andre Agassi's new book is going to reveal that he tried crystal meth during his tennis career. Not only do I not want to know this, but I don't understand the reason for revealing it. I know it is kind of "the thing" to do these days....let people know what you have been through and how you overcame it. But I think the current generation of kids could stand to see some examples of athletes who did not feel the desire or need to use drugs, steroids, etc. They don't need to hear the excuse that someone gave into the pressure or just decided to experiment... Why even talk about that? I think there is a chance that the only thing kids get out of that revelation is "Well , he tried it and look at him now. Must be no big deal." I guess I should hold my judgement until I read it...

4) Speaking of reading, I have to mention two wonderful books that I have read lately, both Pulitzer prize winners (which renews my faith in this award). One is Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo and the other is Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout. These two novels are both proof that American Literature is alive and well. Both are wonderfully written with fully developed characters and intricate story lines. The reader is immediately drawn into the author's world...and then finally left wondering what happened to the characters long after the book has ended....

5) A couple of fashion notes. I have never watched The Real Housewives of Atlanta, but evidently there is a woman on there named Sheree who has just come out with a fashion line called 'She by Sheree'. Now there is talk of having our First Lady wear her designs. I'm begging Mrs. Obama...PLEASE DON'T. This show doesn't need anymore plugs...the promos are enough to embarrass the average person. In addition, this is an insult to those who have dedicated their time and talent to become true designers. If you have ever watched Project Runway, you get just a taste of the skill it takes to design and make clothes. Mrs. Obama has "the world at her feet" so to speak in this area. Valentino, Lauren, Dior...or even the newer ones...Isabelle Toledo, Zac Posen....the list goes on and on. Please stick with the true designers!
In a similarly ridiculous move, the Italian design House Ungaro named Lindsay Lohan to be their name designer. What?! How on earth did she receive this honor? Well, the head guys said that they heard Tim Gunn (Project Runway) say that she had an eye for fashion. That's it. And that was good enough for them? Well, her first runway show in Paris was totally ripped apart by the critics. They got what they deserved. Not only were the clothes unsophisticated and silly...but I'm sure the terrible reviews had all to do with the fact that designers who had worked for years to hone their craft were insulted to see her put in this position.

6) And last but not least...it's Wednesday, which means that tonight, the funniest shows of the week are on. 'Modern Family' and 'Cougartown' continue to make me belly-laugh each week. The writing on both shows just continues to be hilarious. My only challenge tonight will be flipping back and forth between those shows and the World Series....

So that's it for today. A little of this and that. And until tomorrow, when this year's Halloween costume choices will be revealed and discussed...

I Drive Way Too Fast to Worry About Cholesterol" Steven Wright

Worrying is such a wasted behavior. So why is it that after all these years, it is still my favorite past time?


The Boy had yet another baseball tournament this past weekend. After missing a week of school recently due to the flu, he was still weak and tired. I was concerned that a weekend of activity might be too much, but I kept this to myself since he was really looking forward to it. As we left for the game early Saturday morning, it was cool, but comfortable. Unfortunately, as we reached the field an hour later, the temperature had begun to drop as it would continue to do all morning. The Husband was regretting his decision to wear shorts and a t-shirt. I'm always cold, so I had layered up pretty good, but I was still freezing. Little One had on her requisite "sophies" (gym shorts), but I had thrown in her school fleece jacket for her, so she was fine. The problem was The Boy. He had refused the "sleeve" that he would usually wear under his jersey when he pitches. He had not brought his jacket...therefore, I had to worry. I worried all through the first game, though he never even noticed. The temperature dropped so much before the second game that The Husband actually parked the car in a position so we could watch from inside. I quizzed The Husband on whether or not my yellow hoodie was "too girlie" for The Boy. He wrinkled his brow and stared at me. I guess so. Little One uncharacteristically offered up her green fleece...ok, not bad. I thought I had actually seen some boys wearing that color at school. So she ran over and gave it to The Boy. He promptly stuffed it in his bag and never wore it. When he got in the car after the game, I asked if he was cold. "Mom, I told you no. I'm fine." So much for all of the worry.



The next day, I wasn't able to attend the tournament due to some meetings. I asked The Husband to keep me posted. I worried that The Boy was tired...that he would be cold....that his arm would be sore after pitching...you name it, I worried about it. The Boy played his way through two games and they won, winning their way to the championship game that night. As the last game began, the Husband called. "There was a freak accident". My heart skipped a beat. "He was hitting really well in the batting cage (why the way he was hitting was pertinent information escapes me?) and he hit a ball so hard that it hit a pole and ricocheted back at him and hit him in the mouth." Oh my gosh, is he ok?. "Yeah, no blood." (If there is no blood, The Husband is good to go...) "But he has a fat lip". Well, that was it. Even though he was fine and not injured, my night was ruined. I pictured his huge lip. I imagined a tooth being lose. I pictured his orthodontic appliance being smashed. For the next two hours, I pictured every bad scenario possible. When The Boy finally called on his way home, I asked if he was ok. "Oh yeah!! In fact, I busted a homerun after that! " Well, terrific. I mean I was happy for him, but I needed to see the damage.
When they arrived an hour later (the lip was evidently not fat enough to prevent a fast food stop), he came running in. The lip was indeed fat, but his spirits were high. There was no permanent damage. I sat The Boy and The Husband down and demanded that they immediately purchase a batting helmet with a mouth guard. They looked back and forth at each other and then burst out laughing. You would have thought I'd suggested pink patent shoes. "Mom, no way. Those look dorky." I stared...maybe glared....at The Husband. "Come on hon, it was a freak accident...let's don't over-react".........Over-react??? My son gets busted in the mouth by a ricocheting ball and I'm over-reacting?? Someone explain to me what the impetus would be for getting a face-guard? Missing teeth? Broken jaw? .......Don't they understand that I'll never be able to relax at another game?
When I discussed this with The Husband later on, he said "If I solve one issue for you, you just move on to another". ....And I had to hush and agree, because if I had convinced him to buy the mouth guard, I would have just gone back to worrying about the jacket...

So that's it for today. Little One's softball game will be rained out tonight, so I get a break from worrying for today...but there's always that test tomorrow to stress over...

Until tomorrow...

'It's Amazing How Memories are Built Around Things that Go Unnoticed at the Time.' Barbara Kingsolver

It's interesting the things remind us of people once they are gone. My mom has been gone almost a year now, and my brothers and I have just begun the process of going through her home, sorting through the "things" that made up her everyday life. My parents were not extravagant people, so it is more of a sentimental chore than anything else. After mom's funeral, my brothers had me go through her jewelry and personal effects. The sight of her little engagement ring brought tears to my eyes. It had been years since she had actually worn it, the tiny chip of a diamond that dad had given her when they married. Years later, he had given her a thick gold band which she loved, and she had stopped wearing the tiny diamond. But that was the ring that reminded me of her, the one that I remembered loving as a little girl. In fact, I remember being a little sad when she stopped wearing it. This was the one item that I was really happy to have, because when I put it on my finger, I feel close to the mom I remember as a little girl.
We also sorted through pictures together to see which ones we would each keep. Again, it is surprising sometimes how your heart speaks. There were some nice family pictures from holidays past, and of course, these are special to have. But the ones that really tugged at my heart were surprising. There was a very old picture of mom as a young mother, standing with my oldest brother. She is dressed very stylishly in a pencil skirt and blouse, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek bun, earrings showing. It is not at all the way I remember mom, yet I feel very connected to it. I cannot begin to know why...I would not come along for many more years after this picture was taken, but I feel like I know the young woman in that picture.
My brothers liked the pictures of mom playing basketball in her high school days. I began to think that maybe we were all subconsciously acknowledging that it had been a long time since mom had been herself. We had suffered through several years of illness with her, especially after dad's death. Maybe we were looking for pictures that reminded of us her health and happiness.

When I close my eyes and think of my dad, two things come to mind...his gold wedding band and his Cubs cap. I think in my mind, these are the two things that defined dad...his love of mom (and family) and his love of sports (Cubs).

When my mother's mom passed away, mom asked if there was anything of hers that I would like. That was easy. The first thing that popped into my mind was her "fancy" dinnerware. The pattern is very common today...I think it is called 'Franciscan'. It is bone colored earthenware with pink and green flowers. You can find it anywhere. Bu this was what reminded me of my Mammaw. Every holiday, our huge extended family would congregate at her house, and she would cook a big meal. It was always my job to pull out the pink and green dishes from the little cabinet in her dining room. I always loved those dishes. They represented my Mammaw, my cousins, good food, laughter...and they still do. I have my own china now, but I still pull out the pink and green dishes on holidays....

Sometimes I wonder how my own children will remember me. What picture of me will tug at their heart? What piece of clothing or jewelry will bring back a good memory? I guess I hope that the memories are more valuable than the things...though The Senior has laid claim to a pair of shoes, and Little One has asked for a particular pair of earrings. Maybe I'll just pass these along now. Because sometimes what reminds you of someone is not what you thought...

So that's it for today. I suppose turning a year older (and wiser?) gets one thinking about these kinds of things,,,

And until tomorrow, when the talk will turn to Halloween costumes and first dances....

The Best Way for a Husband to Remember his Wife's Birthday is to Forget it Once

I was going to take the today off...it is that day of the year when my year officially starts over. But even though the day is not halfway through, I have to take the time to thank everyone for their sweet birthday wishes. There is nothing nicer than turning on your computer and having birthday wishes greet you in the morning, so to all of my friends who were there to wish me well at the crack of dawn this morning...thanks...and also:

1)Thanks to Little One who made me a card that thanked me for everything and said "You are really not that old"...

2)Thanks to The Boy who muttered "Happy Bday mom" before he even rose from the bed.

3) Thanks to Big Sis, who not only called first thing, but spreads the word to everyone she knows so that I get many happy wishes...

4) Thanks to the SIL who leaves terrific phone messages...

5)Thanks to The Senior who REMEMBERED!

6)Thanks to all of my facebook family who filled my page with good wishes...

7)Thanks to the Brother-in-law who withheld the sarcasm for the day ...

8)Thanks to my brothers who always remember....

9)And last, but not least, thanks to The Husband who pays attention, is full of wonderful surprises, and unlike the title...never forgets...

So that's it for this morning...only halfway through the day and so much to be thankful for...and like Abraham Lincoln said, 'It's not the years in life that count, but the life in the years"....

Until next week, when I will be older but wiser....

'I Would Be Most Content if My Children Grew Up to Be the Kind of People Who Think Decorating Involves Mainly Building Bookshelves"

Yesterday was conference day, so Little One had the day off. (I'm hoping that it is pure coincidence and not bad news that my conference with her teacher was the only one scheduled for Friday instead.) Now unlike The Boy, Little One does not use these days as an opportunity to catch up on sleep. She stomped downstairs about 8:00 requesting pancakes. Now Little One has no patience for the fact that I might have other things to do, so seeing me on the computer, she repeated those 2 words that send chills up my spine when I am busy.."I'm starving!". Ok, I said, give me 10 minutes, to which she gave me the look that says "I may not make it that long." So I finished up the paragraph of the article I was working on and joined her in the kitchen. "Cereal?" I asked. "No." ....."Eggo waffle?"......"No".......I knew where this was headed. Chocolate chip pancakes were on the tip of her tongue, but I headed her off saying "How about biscuits?"........"The package kind or your kind?" Now, I knew this was a trick question, because she likes both...but I trapped her. "Which do you want?"......"Ummmm. Yours" .....Ok, fine. So I whipped up some biscuits. And for the next 10 blissful minutes, she sat quietly eating and watching TV while I worked.
After finishing her breakfast, she asked "What are we doing today?" ..."Well, I am going to finish some writing right now and then we will go out for lunch." ......This did not go over well, but she sat quietly and stared at me....an stared....and stared...."WHAT???" I asked. "Just waiting for you to finish.".....So I closed my computer and gave up. "What do you want to do?".......Well, she launched into a long diatribe on how we were the last pathetic house in the neighborhood that was not decorated for Halloween. "But it's not until next week!" I reminded her. "Mom! Look around! Everyone else is already done." I glanced out the door and down the street. Sure enough, every other house was decked out in full Halloween regalia. When did this happen? When I was little, you carved a face in your one pumpkin on the day of Halloween, and set it on your front porch. By 9:00, the teenage boys had busted it, and that was that. These days, the decorations rival Christmas......
Oh well. I decided to get into the "spirit" (no pun intended) of things. "Let's go get the witch in the basement" I suggested. "NO MOM. That is not even a real witch. Not scary at all!"....Well, if truth be told, I knew this. In fact, that is the reason I bought her. She was cute and chic...a very fashionable witch who looked like she had just been shopping at the mall....but she did have pointy shoes and a witch's hat. ....Little One described what she envisioned...spider webs with spiders and 'scary stuff".
In the end, we headed to the store, and with a set budget of $10, we compromised on some scary/chic decorations. Of course when we got home, the neighborhood kids were home from school, so Little One left me to decorate on my own, shouting "Make it Scary! Don't be Cute!"...ah, words to live by....

So on a beautiful fall afternoon, I wrapped sticky, fake webs all over the front porch and through the bushes...and added a few ugly spiders to the mix. But I also put out my chic witch...because life is all about compromise...

until tomorrow.....

"I Got My Hair Highlighted Because I Felt Some Strands Were More Important than Others"

It occurred to me last night after so many of you wrote in to inquire about my haircut that I put the cart before the horse. Maybe it is better to just get the hair cut and then see if anyone notices, because otherwise, there is too much attention and pressure.

When I got home yesterday, there was a message from Big Sis that said "The Husband says your hair is no different. It looks just the same." Of course, he hadn't even seen me yet. When I called to question him on this, he laughed and said "just guessing". He claimed the picture I showed him was just like my hair. Well, it wasn't, but whatever.

When I went to pick the kids up from school, I was anxious to hear their feedback. I couldn't find my sunglasses, so I threw on a pair of old ones that The Senior had left in my car. Suffice it to say, they are a bit "edgier" than my normal ones. As The Boy climbed into the car, he was staring at me. I thought it was the hair cut. "Mom, take those glasses off. They make your eyes look weird." My eyes?? What about the hair? No mention. He went through his normal review of the day...and then smiled. "I don't know who you look like, but you look good. Good hair." That's my Boy. I can always count on him for a boost.
Next came Little One. As she climbed in the car, she glared at me. "Hey! No fair! Those are the bangs I want! And why did you get your hair cut?! " ...The Boy yelled at her to be nice, and she yelled at him to leave her alone...and it was a very unpleasant ride home.

Well, I decided I had had enough feedback for the day, so I threw the hair up into a ponytail and forgot about it. When the Husband walked through the door last night, he grinned and said "I can't tell if I like it since you have it up." Well, I had to launch into an explanation of how my stylist had blown it out straight in order to check the cut, so it really did not look messy like it was suppose to. But by this time, his eyes had glazed over and he had turned on the Yankees game...so I just dropped it.

Later on, when the kids were down, I went for a run. When I got back, I was sweaty and messy, and I took the hair down and shook it and sat down to watch the game with The Husband. He glanced over at me and said "Your hair looks good." I glanced at the clock. 10:30. Well, here is the thing. No compliments from The Husband count between 10 and 11 at night. This is the hour of night that no matter what has happened, The Husband is going to be nice. Why? I'll leave it to the reader to draw any conclusions.

So this morning, when I returned from school drop off, I casually walked into the room where The Husband was getting ready. "Ok. Do you like it? Does it look any different?" ...."Yes and yes." I ran out before he could say any more....

So this morning, I will say that overall I am pleased with the hair cut. It is not drastically different...but nice and "messy" the way I like it. This way, you can't tell if I am going for a "look", or if I just forgot to brush my hair...

And until tomorrow, when hopefully there will be more substantial and important things to discuss...

"If She Wanted to be More Like Me, Why Couldn't She Just Copy My Hairstyle or Something?" Rachel on 'Friends'

It's a little early in the week for a review blog, but this will be quick this morning due to an impending hair appointment.

1) For all of you who asked, the Bohemian is home and recovering after his nightmare. He has a long way to go before he is healed, but he is up and around a bit which is good news. I was so happy last night to get a little note from him on facebook...it let me know that he is not only better...but still maintaining his wonderful sense of humor. All the best to you, "mon".

2) Little One's softball team remains undefeated. After a slow start last night, they won the game. Little One had a triple and caught a fly ball at shortstop. She desperately wanted to pitch, but was not called upon to do so, This caused a few minor issues which were resolved by me giving her the look that says "Get Over It".

3) The Boy got his poem back that I had helped him with. He received a C-. What does this tell us? His writing skills are lacking? My writing skills are lacking?.....Why no, it tells us that The Boy did not have all of the directions for this little endeavor. I still think the poem was Pulitzer-worthy...but we needed a few more metaphors and some alliteration...

Usually when I go for a hair appointment, I schedule it so that I can go directly after dropping off the kids at school. This means I have to listen to 15 minutes of "Don't do anything different!!!" I smartened up this morning and scheduled it later. I didn't mention I was getting anything done. But I am actually going to do something different today. I'm a little nervous, but hey, I was never a risk-taker. I pulled out this 6 page layout from my Marie Claire magazine to show my stylist. I showed the pictures to The Husband, and he was very encouraging...however, I hope he realizes that the haircut will not necessarily make me look like the gorgeous 6 foot model in the magazine. This is always the problem with bringing in those pictures...you somehow think the resulting cut is going to make you look exactly like the picture. We'll see....

So that's it for today...short,sweet and to the point...until tomorrow.....

Monday is an Awful Way to Spend 1/7 of your Life. Steven Wright

Friday afternoon was such a relief. Little One was finished with all of her tests for the week, and had ended them on a high note with an A on her Wordly Wise test. Bouyed by her achievement, she was ready to ride the coat tails of this accomplishment all weekend. To everything she asked for, she added, "Cause you know , I made an A on my test". Now I let that ride for extra dessert and late bedtime, but eventually, I had to draw the line. After having The Boy home sick all week with the flu, I was just not in the mood for the requisite Friday night sleepover...not even the "A on my test" could change my mind...



The Boy seemed so much better Friday. He had even convinced The Husband that he would be fine for playing in a travel baseball game on Saturday morning. I had my doubts about his, but I kept my over-protective-mom-mouth shut. Until Friday came and I happened to feel his forehead for the 876th time this week. Uh oh. Warm. He looked at me with pleading eyes, but I reached for the thermometer. 101. I knew what was coming. I announced to The Husband that he had a fever. The Boy exclaimed that it was "hardly anything" and he was fine. The Husband looked from his face to my face...and he made the following cowardly statement. "Listen to mom. We'll do whatever she says." ...Now, do not be fooled into thinking this was supportive. This was The Husband not being the "bad guy". This is the role he likes to play. The Boy stomped upstairs, angry at mom and the world...and not feeling so great either. I just stared at The Husband. "What???" he said. "So you think he should play tomorrow...after being sick a week and still with fever?" ....."I didn't say that."........Here is the thing. I do not reward sickness. Really, I don't. In our house, if you don't have fever or vomiting, you are pretty much going to school. In fact, Big Sister and The Senior will swear that I occasionally sent them on their deathbeds. But that isn't true either. They just didn't like the rule that stated "If you stay home, there is no phone time and you must stay in bed"......But back to the point. The Boy had no business doing anything except resting over the weekend. And that was that. I climbed the stairs and went to tell him that I was sorry...and being The Boy, he said "I guess that means I don't have to go to church on Sunday either, huh?".....even with fever, he is the great negotiator.



Saturday morning it was pouring down rain...we all slept late, and The Boy got up fever-free. Now they will never admit it, but Boy and Husband were both happy to be in the bed instead of on the ball field that morning.



Sunday morning, I got up to get ready for church, and I decided that The Boy should probably stay in one more day. I told The Husband that I would take Little One and go alone...and he grunted in agreement. The funny thing about The Husband is that he is somehow always able to make me feel like he is doing me a favor by sleeping late. It is an amazing gift he has....



So that's it for today. Everyone is back in school today. The house seems very quiet without The Boy here. But I'll trade a quiet house for a healthy Boy any day....until tomorrow....

"If You Treat a Sick Child Like and Adult, and a Sick Adult Like a Child, Everything Turns Out Pretty Well."

The Boy woke up this morning fever-free for the first time this week. I went up to check on him and found him sitting on the stairs outside his bedroom. "You ok?" I asked. "Yeah. Making my way to the shower." He's a little on the weak side. Not that he ever lost his appetite. The Boy NEVER loses the appetite. Yesterday morning, he woke up briefly after I had taken Little One to school. He immediately threw up, and went back to bed. Around noon, I checked in on him, and he was lying still in his bed. "What time is it?" he asked. "Noon" I replied. "What's for lunch?" he asked. "I figured you wouldn't be hungry". He sat up quickly in bed. "Mom, I'm never not hungry. I was thinking of the new barbecue chicken sandwich from Zaxby's". This was comforting for me. I can't sleep when the kids are sick, and this week has been a double whammy. In addition to The Boy, The Senior is sick too. I can't get to her to help, so my answer is to worry about her doubley as much. I'm hopeful that everyone is on the mend...and saying a little prayer that the normal chain of events don't happen...that would be Little One getting sick this weekend and then me on Monday....

Little One brought home "great news" yesterday. Every time there is a field trip, she puts my name in the basket as a chapperone. I've been to the science museum, the dairy....wherever they go. This time it was for an overnight trip to the zoo. Can I be honest here? I might have been hoping to be overlooked on this one. The zoo part is fine....but the overnight part, sleeping in the same room with 45 kids and 10 other parents and the principal...not so much. Little One informed me that I will have a lovely blow-up mattress to sleep on. I may not sleep in pajamas, but sweatpants are fine. There will be no showers for anyone. Goody. Can't wait. And this is the reason I gave up the glamorous job and trips to Paris...Just kidding.

One last TV item. Those 2 new shows, 'Modern Family' and 'Cougartown' are so funny that they make me laugh all week. At first I though the 'Cougartown' was going to be too crude or silly, but it isn't. Courtney Cox's character is so honest that besides being hilarious, it is touching. The show I was looking so much forward to...The Good Wife...is ok. The Husband says I don't like it as much because it turns our that Mr. Big (Chris Noth) isn't in it very much, and this could be true. But the story lines are kind of predictable too. I'm going to give it a few more weeks...

So until next week, with hopes that everyone will be well...and with much anticipation for the zoo trip...

There is Always Something to be Grateful For.

When Big Sister was in college, she dated a terrific guy we'll call the Bohemian. He was part of the family for a couple of years, but in the end, he went to Europe to find himself, and she found the amazing SIL...and they both moved on. They've kept up with each other over the last few years, commiserating on jobs and life, and chatting on facebook. He had moved to Charlotte to do graduate work, and life seemed to be progressing well for him. Over the weekend, while she was in NYC, Big Sis received a message that he had been in a random shooting. Walking back from a restaurant with friends (in an upscale neighborhood, no less), he was mugged, and then shot and left for dead. Thankfully, someone found him, and he has spent the last few days on ICU fighting for his life.
This morning, as my prayers continue to go out to him and his family, I am reminded that life is so fragile...and though it sounds trite...you have to live each day like it's your last. When you think about the fact that someone you see and talk to today could be gone tomorrow...it makes each moment seem more important...each interaction a blessing. I am so guilty of letting the "minutia of life" get me down (this from The Husband). I get bogged down with too much to do, or things not going exactly the way I want or plan....and I forget that it is the journey and not the destination that I need to be enjoying.
Without getting too philosophical, because it is just too early in the morning for that, the old quote that says "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it" is so true. I guess the trick is how to do that on a daily basis.

So today, as The Boy stays home sick again, I am going to quit worrying about him and enjoy our time together. I am going to be so happy for Little One , who auditioned for a role in the production of 'Grease' at the local playhouse...and made it! I will worry about how we will fit in school work, softball, hip-hop class...and now rehearsals....later. I will savor all of The Husband's sarcastic comments, knowing full well that I would miss them if he weren't around...

And until tomorrow, with hope and prayers that the Bohemian makes a full recovery...

"Somebody's Boring Me. I Think It's Me."

I've go nothing this morning. I've already perused Little One's sheet called 'Writing Ideas'...but I decided to spare the reader a discussion on "My First Pet" or "My Trip to the Dentist'....both riveting topics, but maybe for another day.



Usually when I cannot come up with a subject, I peruse the Wall Street Journal for ideas. This is impossible this morning, because for the second time this month, my carrier brought me The New York Times. I hate The New York Times. I'm a middle-of-the-road kind of girl...I don't like anything that leans too far right or too far left. the Times falls under the category of the latter. Now I use to subscribe to the weekend Times just to read the Fashion and Style section...but unfortunately, you cannot get to that section without seeing the front page....



I could discuss politics..but I've already done health care and I'm waiting to make up my mind on Afghanistan. I could discuss the President winning the Nobel Prize...but I don't like to make a big deal out of something that doesn't really cause anybody harm (unless you count the people who have dedicated their lives to valiant causes only to be insulted by having it go to someone who has only been "at it" for 8 months...I thought it was based on achievement and not hopefulness)



I could discuss The Boy who is home sick the last few days. He has the "faux flu"...fever, cough and boredom....He rarely gets sick, and to be honest, he is an excellent patient. He eats and sleeps (The Boy never loses his appetite) and watches DVDs of 24. The best thing is, he does not complain about going to bed...the worst thing is, he's just kind of pitiful. But he's definitely on the mend, and I'm happy that he gets to sleep late on this gloomy, rainy day.



Little One has her huge test today....the one we had to retrieve the folder for...I can't say that she is 100% ready, but I can say that I now know more about the rainforest than I ever wanted to know. Her biggest concern was that I made her promise to study this morning instead of doing her beloved car duty....Car duty is when you get to open the car doors for everyone in the morning instead of just sitting around and visiting with your friends??? In about another year, she will look back on that little exercise and ask herself why she would actually want to leave early every morning to do it...



The Big Sis and SIL are back from New York, safe and sound and depressed. Nothing compares to life in the Big City...it takes awhile to adjust to being back home. We have been keeping their little pug while they were gone. She is a darling little dog, and Little One and The Boy were both so sad to let her go. I'm going to miss her little eyes staring up at me 24/7....even The Husband enjoyed her....



So that's it for today...it can't always be interesting or exciting....until tomorrow, when hopefully I'll get my WSJ...

If You Think Education is Expensive, Try Ignorance

It's always a little hard to get back into the routine after a 3 day weekend. This morning was no different. Yesterday, the kids were off for a teacher's workday. It was meant to be an easy-going day since the last few weeks and weekends have been packed with baseball, softball, dance...and of course, school work. Little One has 3 big tests this week, so we knew at some point that we would have to study. She wanted this later...not sooner. But I had her set out all of her study guides in preparation. Uh Oh. We were missing one of them...the biggie...the folder that was needed to study for the Rainforest Test. She had left it in her desk somehow, and now she was panicked. We went online to check the school website to see if there was anything there...but there wasn't.
Now Little One and I have had many discussions on how she has to be more vigilant about packing her bookbag in the afternoons...but I sensed this was not the time for a lecture. I decided to send an inquiring e-mail to her teacher (not the one giving the test...the homeroom) to feel her out...see if there was a chance I could pick it up....Well, back came a sort of code message saying that the room would be open and she would be in meetings....and if I parked in back, nobody would see me. Ok, I knew what this meant. Mr. Principal would not approve...but if I wanted to chance it and sneak in...I could try. I pondered this for about 10 minutes...and then e-mailed a friend. Lo and behold, her daughter (in the same class) had forgotten her folder too...Well, that was it. I had to do it. It was not only imperative for Little One to be able to study, but the Principal is the one of the few people in the world that I feel the need to disobey.

I approached it like an assignment in a 'Mission Impossible' movie. I considered camouflage and face paint...but settled on jeans and tennis shoes since it was pouring down rain. Little One would have to go with me....mostly because I did not know where the friend's desk was...and partly because she would be my buffer if caught. I drove to the school in the rain and parked at the spot designated by her teacher as "safe". Little One and I looked at each other and synchronized our watches...ok, we didn't really do that...it just sounded good. I told her to follow me, and we hiked up the stairs. The coast was clear, so we ran in the building. Again...nobody around, so we ducked into her classroom. As her teacher had said, she wasn't there, but the room was open. I whispered to Little One to grab her folder and she did. She then ran to the friend's desk and grabbed hers to. At that moment an unfamiliar teacher walked by and waved. My heart was in my throat...but I waved back. Little One giggled and we waited for her to pass. Then we ran out of the building back into the rain. Down the stairs and into the car...mission accomplished...
When we got home, The Boy wanted all of the details, and of course I exaggerated everything. He was quite impressed by my rebellious spirit...but I cautioned him that I would not be doing the same for him. 4th grade qualifies as the last year for this kind of thing...after that...you're on your own.

Last night, we studied our hearts out. You'll notice that I use the pronoun "we" and not "she"....it is still a joint effort at this age. There are flash cards and study guides everywhere.

This morning, as we were walking out the door, Little one yelled "Mom! Quick ! Draw me a picture of a howler monkey! I need it! Don't ask why!"....Not knowing what this was, I ran to the computer and found a picture and did a sketch. If you can believe it, Little One took one look at it and said "That is the worst picture of a howler monkey I have ever seen." She left in on the counter and headed for the car...

So that's it for this morning...2 more big tests to go this week...and then I can take a break. I'm learning so much more in school this time around...

Until tomorrow...

There Aren't Enough Days in the Weekend

When you have kids, it's funny how much of your happiness is dependant on their happiness. This past weekend was just terrific....

Big Sister and SIL are on a fun-filled trip to NYC. They took off Saturday morning and she has kept me entertained with pictures and e-mails of where they are. I am living vicariously through them, since it has been much too long since my last trip there. In my previous life, I spent a lot of time working in NYC, and sometimes Big Sis would come with me. During that time, she enjoyed visiting, but when I would talk about how much fun it would be to live there, she would disagree, feeling it was "too much". Funny how time and age change things....yesterday, she said that she and SIL were trying to come up with a "5 year plan" to move there...meanwhile, they are eating, shopping and celebrity-stalking their way through the City....

The Senior spent all of last week working on a major research paper. She was totally stressed and unhappy until 4:00 on Friday when she turned it in. Thursday night around 11:00 I got a call..."Mom, can you read my paper and edit for me?".....Well, I asked, could it wait until the morning? I had just finished studying with The Boy and wasn't sure I had the energy to edit. (The Husband might have also suggested that it was too late for editing).....Well no...she needed it done "now" because she would be up all night working on it. .....I had to give in and do it, because a) she works very hard and b) after the last few edits she has done on my work...payback was in order.....However, after I plowed through an engrossing paper on Irish literature, there was very little editing to be done...so congrats to The Senior for finishing her paper and good luck on mid-terms...

The Boy had a spend-the-night with a good friend on Friday night. I dropped off his bag after school and wished him a good time. We decided to attend the high school football game that night, and The Boy was there too. He was sweet enough to come over and give me a hug and say good night. Without breaking down and crying, I am once again reminded that The Boy is growing up and I have to let go just a bit....but I'll still take the hugs anytime.

Little One had the BFF over for a couple of nights. It was girl-time in the house-hold, full of stuffed animals, Disney channel and nail polish. Without The Boy around to argue with, they had a blissful time. If truth be told, I think she missed him though. Because the house if awfully quiet without The Boy around to keep us informed of his every move...("Going out to throw the ball....going up to read...going over to C.J.'s house"....The Boy likes to give us the ESPN analysis of his daily life)

And that's it for the weekend. The Yankees won, the Vikings won, UT won.....and the Husband won all of his "bets" for the weekend too...

So until tomorrow...here's hoping it's a good week for everyone....

"I Don't Like To Write, But I Love To Have Written."

I just couldn't get to the blog yesterday. Too many obstacles. The first thing I do each morning is test Little One's hearing aids. Well, upon testing yesterday, one of them wasn't working. I tried to perform surgery on it, the one I have done a thousand times...but this time it failed...Little One was above the moon, sporting a side-ponytail that only showed the liberated ear. But this meant that there had to be an hour long discussion on the phone with the audiologist, trouble-shooting and discussing what the issue might be. This is the problem with hanging on to doctors that you love who live too far away...when there is a problem, you either drive or overnight something. In this case, the "dead" aid had to be over-nighted so that a more knowledgable and refined surgeon could work on it...

After returning from the UPS store, it was time to get down to business on a piece of writing that is coming up on deadline. After a glorious start, I had become stuck, and had used every excuse in the book to procrastinate on finishing it. If truth be told, I had made the mistake of sending it to The Husband for an opinion... When the response comes back "Ehhh", I become acutely aware that either he has no taste, or the piece stinks. Either way, I was thrown into a period of "if I don't work on it, I can't mess up". Well, yesterday I decided to break the deadlock. I completed another section and sent some un-edited pages to the best friend and the Big Sis. This is always a good move, because though honest, they are also sensitive to the fact that writing is a vulnerable profession...and any "ehh" can really hurt. So after getting some positive feedback, I was back on track.

I told myself that I would do the blog after I picked the kids up from school, but it didn't happen. The Boy got in the car and began by saying "Well only one bad thing happened today..." Well, we all know as mothers that that is not what you want to hear after school. Turns out he had been waiting in line for the printer during class, and becoming bored, he committed the mortal sin of checking his e-mail while waiting. Now he knows ...and has been lectured by me on several occasions...that this is against the rules. But "everyone in class does it a million times a day" was his response....whereupon I had to morph into my mother by shouting "If they told you to jump off a bridge, would you do that too?!!!"......Really? Did I say that? Yes I did ....and the discussion deteriorated from there. Of course after I called the teacher and heard that it was a minor infraction...not punishable by death, but only by the teacher keeping the computer for a night...I calmed down...a little bit. Because Big Sis and Senior have always told me that they were more afraid of my reaction than anything else, and this is what kept them on the straight and narrow (although once she reached high school, you could never put The Senior and "straight and narrow" in the same sentence).
We all calmed down until Little One arrived home with the study guide for a test which she hadn't heard (with emphasis on the word "heard") about. This meant that after the late soft-ball game, we had to buckle down and cram for the test, which is never easy when she is dozing off in the middle of it all...

But I'm back on it today, already encouraged by the fact that I have finished another section of the article. So until next week, when hopefully I will be finished, The Boy will have his computer back, Little One will have aced her test.....and on a side-note....Bon Voyage to Big Sis and SIL who are off for a fun weekend in New York City...and safe travels (and good luck) to the brother and sister-in-law who are descending upon Las Vegas as we speak....

"Take Care of All Your Memories, For You Can Not Relive Them." Bob Dylan

The weather seems to match my mood again. Melancholy, with a slight chance of sadness. This is a month of difficult dates (and days?) for me. Grandpa was visiting for the night, and he reminded me that today would have been his 48th wedding anniversary if Grandma was still with us. He had been to his beach place for a few days and had brought back with him some of her belongings; clothes. pictures, hats, etc. As I watched Little One go through them, piling things on herself piece by piece, until she looked like an old bag lady, I had to turn away for fear of crying. Little One is the clone of her Grandma...from her muscular body, to her lovely olive skin, to her fiery personality... little Jewish housewife with a touch of Italian temper; a formidable combination. It's been 3 years, and her presence is still very strong in our household. Though I don't need anything to remind me of her, it's very comforting, especially on a day like today, to thumb through t-shirts and towels, and just for a moment, pretend that she is here with me.

Next month will be the year anniversary of my own mother's death. I spoke to my younger brother last night, who was celebrating his own birthday, and we both commiserated on how much we miss her. Her house still sits semi-empty, moments from his house, a constant reminder of the void in our life. Since both of our parents had to endure difficult illnesses at the end, we decided that we missed them "back in the day" when everyone was healthy...and that has been a long time ago now. The thought of selling that house has been painful, because to me, it is an acknowledgement that they are truly gone, and I am alone in the world without my mom or dad. But as Grandpa reminded me last night, we are all just "passing through", and houses don't hold the memories...I do.

I wished my little brother a happy birthday last night, and he reminded me that he is not so "little" anymore. But in a few weeks, it will be my turn to age another year, so I reminded him that to me , he will forever be "little". The Boy informed me yesterday that he thinks I am aging backwards, a la Benjamin Butttons. After going through some old pictures of me, he said "See, you were not so pretty in these, but you are pretty now." I tried to explain to him about passing styles and how 10 years from now, we will think our current "look" is funny, but he couldn't grasp that concept. "All I know is, you looked weird then and you look good now."...I'll take it.

Little One is more concerned with ages. She finds it strange that dad is younger than mom...as this is not the norm in her class, and Little One is all about "norms" at this age. "At least you don't look older than him". ....Ok, I'll take that too.

So that's it for today. I'll pack up the old clothes and the memories that go with them. Tuck them away someplace safe and bring them out another day. For now, the sun is trying to come out, along my good mood. Until tomorrow, when the forecast is for a better day....

"France has the only 2 things towards which we drift as we grow older___intelligence and good manners." F. Scott Fitzgerald

Sacre Bleu! Or for those who don't curse in French...Say it ain't so! McDonald's has announced that they are opening a branch in the carousel area underneath the Louvre in Paris. To be more specific, a few steps away from the bottom of the glass pyramid that I.M. Pei created...the one beneath which Tom Hanks was sure laid the remains of Mary Magdalene....you will now be able to order some not-so-french fries.

Now it's not that McDonald's is new in France. There are over 1,100 branches scattered all over...even in Paris...even one on the famed Champs d'Elysees. When our family stayed in a very small village in southern France a few years back, there was a McDonald's in the neighboring town. I hate to admit it, but we made several trips there because The Boy and The Husband needed their American fast-food fix. McDonald's in France is a little different...the food quality is several steps higher on the food chain. The burgers taste homemade...the yogurts are not the grocery-store sugared-up type, but the fresh, healthy type. In fact, it is so different that The Boy was actually disappointed. But that aside, I just hate the thought of seeing those Golden Arches just down the elevator from the Mona Lisa...

I am no elitist food snob. I love IHOp, Waffle House....and I can certainly enjoy a Happy Meal on occasion. But some things just seem out of place, and having a McDonald's under some the greatest works of art in the world just doesn't seem right. A while back, there was an uproar because they opened an Apple store there....and look, it is definitely a mini-mall environment underneath there. But most of the shops are high-end French goods shops, with the exception of a few touristy places. The "food court" as it were, is representational of many types of cuisine...so that's not the problem either. It's just that in these days of heart disease and obesity, it seems ashame that this is the American representation. The French may partake of the burgers and fries...but they are hypocritical enough to still criticize it. And with good reason. It would be like having a McDonald's at the Vatican (there's not one, is there?) ....or in Buckingham Palace in London....or even in the White House. You get the picture. McDonald's in the Louvre is the definition of an Oxymoron... If there is ever a sequel made to the "Da Vinci Code" , perhaps Tom Hanks will discover that Mary Magdalene is instead beneath the Golden Arches...

I'll just remind anyone who may be going to France and touring the Louvre that there are some wonderful cafes inside. In fact, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to an espresso and croissant after viewing all of the wonderful paintings in the Impressionist wing...Please do not spoil your trip by grabbing a Big Mac between floors...

That's it for today...on a personal note, thanks to all of you who sent good wishes for The Boy's test. After review, we think he might of done pretty well. I'll keep you posted...so until tomorrow...au revoir et bon jour...

"Monday. In Christian Countries, the Day After the Ballgame."

The moods matched the weather this morning. The weekend went by much too quickly, since most of it was spent at the ball park. The Boy played 4 games this weekend...Friday night, Saturday morning and afternoon....and then 8:00 Sunday morning. Now this final game meant we would have to rise at 6:30 to get there in time. Upon hearing this news Saturday evening, I literally felt like crying. I haven't missed one of The Boy's games since last summer when the doctor forbid me to go due to pneumonia. Wait, I take that back...I did miss a few games this past summer when I had to take Little One to her softball tournament...but you get the picture. I just felt exhausted. The Husband kindly suggested that I sleep in and come to a later game, but I was worried about The Boy's reaction. He is very good at guilting me out...and I was braced for his comments. But when The Husband told him it would only be the 2 of them going at 6:30, his only question was "Can we stop for breakfast?" I was so relieved...and at 6:30 the next morning, I barely heard them leave. Little One , who was still suffering due to that orthodontic appliance (of which I have been told not to call by name), slept peacefully through the departure too.

Little One has been in tears since last Wednesday. This horrid appliance, which looks like some kind of torture device out of the middle ages, has her in a lot of pain. Now The Boy has this too, and I remember him being sore for a few days when he first got it on...but he mainly used it as an excuse to have 3 milkshakes a day. I've tried this with Little One, but it doesn't help much. She had tears falling on the way to school. I offered for her to stay home..but she may have a softball game tonight, and she didn't want to take a chance on missing it. I offered to bring her a milkshake for lunch, and she took me up on it. I hate seeing her in so much discomfort....I told her "I wish it were me and not you." Being Little One, she replied "Oh no you don't. You don't have any idea what this feels like. You didn't have these in the old days..."....

The Boy has a big science test today. He talked about it all weekend. "Gee, I hope I do ok on that test.... Gosh, hope I don't fail that test.... Ok, getting ready to study for that test.....But somehow, all of the worry and talk never manifests into truly studying. Finally, at bedtime last night, he was ready to be quizzed over it. After stumbling through it, he asked "Well, what do you think?..B+?" This is the thing about The Boy...he is an optimist. Last night, I was thinking C-, but he must have put in a little more time after he went to bed, because this morning on the way to school, I upgraded him to a B+...

A couple last notes...I had a terrific dinner with Big Sister and a good friend Saturday night. One of those glorious "girl" dates where you sit down at your table and the waitress has to come back 6 times before you hush and figure out what you are going to order. During the course of 90 minutes, we covered everything from vegetarianism to computer technology to 'Dancing with the Stars'. ...Now, during this conversation, I happened to mention that I was rooting for Donny Osmond to win 'Dancing'. I like how he is so upbeat, plus I think he is good. When I mentioned this, Big Sister informed me that the SIL, upon hearing this, had said "Big surprise. Of course she would go for the 50's cheesy crooner.".....Excuse me? ...I immediately had her call him and ask why on earth he would say this. I absolutely HATE being a forgone conclusion. But all he would say is "These are questions you just have to ask yourself..."...That is the SIL for you...Mr. Zen. My guess is he's rooting the Boy band guy...

So until tomorrow, when hopefully the weather will be better, Little One will be feeling better, and Donny Osmond will be in the lead on 'Dancing'...

"Weekends are A Bit Like Rainbows; They Look Good From a Distance, But Disappear When You Get Up Close."

It's Friday. Today was meant to be 'Grandparents and Friends Day' at the kid's school. Kind of a sad day for me, reminding me that mom and dad are no longer around. Grandpa (The Husband's dad) has not been well lately...and he still teaches school ( this devout catholic teaches at the jewish school...a story for a whole different blog), so he could not make the trip from New Jersey. For the last few years, Little One's godfather has been kind enough to 'stand in' on this day as family and friend. He comes and meets the teachers and reads the kids' papers and jokes around with them. It is really kind of him to do this, as I usually have to ask at the last minute, since I only find the crumpled-up paper with the date of the day in somebody's bookbag a couple of days beforehand...

Anyway, we had to cancel today because Little One is not feeling well. On Wednesday, she had an orthodontic appliance called the 'herbst' put in. Now Big Sister has asked me not to refer to this by name, as she feels like it sounds like an adult transmitted disease. "Mom, just say she got braces." Her feeling was validated by another friend of mine yesterday who, after hearing The Boy talk about Little One's 'herbst', told me I should not allow him to talk about that. The Boy has worn this appliance for a few months now, and I remembered that he had experienced a lot of discomfort at the beginning. But Little One is unfortunately experiencing perpetual pain...so she's home this morning, buried in the distraction of Disney Channel.

The Husband was suppose to attend this morning too, so upon hearing the devastating news that we would not be going, he buried himself under the covers and pretended it was already the weekend.

A few more recaps from the week.....Big Sis chastised me for the 'Vegetarian Blog". Seems it was only the SIL who caved and ate Burger King...and he is insisting that it was only a momentary lapse. They are back on track...still living the 'hippie, outdoorsman, vegetarian' lifestyle. Big Sister has become quite the spokesperson, sending out at least 5 e-mail blasts a day warning against eating meat. The Big Sis can delve into a lifestyle with the best of them.....We'll track her progress in the weeks to come.

This weekend, as shocking as it may seem, The Boy has several baseball games. The good news for me is that a friend recommended some good books to read. The bad news is that I will be accused of being anti-social at the games. There is evidently a fine line between keeping busy at the games and coming across as 'downright rude and anti-social'. This makes me miss The Boy's old team, where I knew all of the parents, and they had no problem with my anti-social behavior. It was well known that I only had a limited amount of conversation to offer...and nobody cared. But this weekend, I will only bring out the book after I have said 'Hello, how's it going?' to everyone....

So until next week, when hopefully the Little One will be feeling better, The Boy will win some games, and the Big Sis will still be eating her veggies....

"A Woman's Dress Should Be Like a Barbed-wire Fence; Serving It's Purpose Without Obstructing the View" Sophia Loren

Today is on fashion...a warning to those who don't care ( Good-Bye Husband and Thomas). It's Thursday, which is my favorite Wall Street Journal day because of the fashion section. I started to title this "Passion for Fashion"...but then I caught myself and remembered that I must have been studying with The Boy too long for his poetry test...Here we go..

1) Giorgio Armani, one of my favorite designers, is 75 years old. Having recently been side-lined due to a bout with hepatitis, there was speculation that he was going to hand over the reigns to someone else. Thankfully , he let everyone know at the Milan Fashion week that there would be no mergers or acquisitions. I find it amazing and admirable that he is so hands-on and such a perfectionist. My guess is he will eventually groom his niece, Roberta, to take over. She is in charge of PR...knowledgeable, elegant.. a great figure-head for the classic-yet-modern line. Anytime Michelle Pfieffer or Cate Blanchett walk the Red Carpet and look fabulous, you can bet they are wearing Armani...

2) Dolce and Gabbana shook things up on the front row during their Milan fashion show. Besides the usual fashion regular, Anna Wintour of Vogue, for one (because hey, if you snub her...you don't get in the magazine)...they tipped their hats to the new technological age by giving some prime seats to some online bloggers....I find this interesting, because it was only a couple of years ago when the designers were kind of looking down their noses at online stores...It seemed unlikely that a woman would spend a lot of money on a dress or shoes without trying them on. But if you check the success of Net-a-Porter.com or bluefly...you see that they actually will. The bloggers not only provide free marketing for the designers...but for those fashionistas who cannot attend the shows...they are given a an up-to-the-minute breakdown of what was shown, how much it cost, and where you can find it.
As for Dolce and Gabbana...LOVE them At first glance, their clothes seem overtly sexy, bordering on risque. But they are so well-made and well-cut that they work. I bought a skirt from their line 10 years ago in NY at Saks, and it has been (and still is) a staple in my wardrobe. It is the best-fitting skirt I own. I also have a terrific LBD that I bought from bluefly.com for a special event a few years back. At first glance, it seemed a little too sexy...The Husband was thrown for a minute by the peek-a-boo bra subtley showing.but again, the cut is so perfect that it works.

3) Christain La Croix, the french designer who has long been the symbol of haute-couture has been saved from bankruptcy by an Arab sheik. This is just so funny to me. I'm anxious to see what effect this will have on his wildly innovative line. You are never going to see his clothes at the mall...but the fashion world would just not be the same without his crazy, costumey designs.

4) Same goes for Versace. Having struggled financially in the past few years, Donatella finally let go of her CEO who had pushed her to be more "commercial". Without his influence, her new collection is full of micro-minis, see-through plastic, and babydoll dresses....Now I don't wear or long for Versace, but again, the edginess of the line is good for the fashion world and it does translate well on the Red Carpet.

5) My favorite show of the week was Missoni. I cannot afford any of their luxe knits or sweaters...but if money was no object, they would be my go-to collection for spring. Their signature stripes and patterns and layers are so "hippie, elegant chic"...and I have to say...the striped coke bottles that they handed out at their show...marketing genius. I'll be scouring e-bay for that bottle...

So that's it for today. I realize the Milan fashion week is not on everyone's radar...but hey, if you have a "passion for fashion"...it's a big deal. So until tomorrow, when it is Friends and Grandparents day at the kid's school...