After AAA sent a truck that would not be able to tow me, I had to think fast or leave the car until Spring. I called Biff en route from Massachusetts. We both had the same idea....Back Hoe Bob!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thinking Outside of the Box
Simplify my life?
"Simplify Your Life," was the CD playing in the car when my car came to a halt. I began spinning my wheels....literally. Was this simplifying? I think not.
Life's a Ditch
As I sat waiting for the AAA Towo Truck to arrive I realized the irony of my situation. There I was with 2 Golden Retrievers in the back seat of my car waiting for their walk at our local farm. Waiting for AAA, waiting for my friend to arrive with her English Springer Spaniel who had run off and couldn't be lured into the car, waiting for my phone to ring with Grace desperate to pick her up immediately followed by T.J. with his same request a different time.
The initial plan was to take the dogs to the beach where they could run off leash. When my friend's dog was lolligagging about the Connecticut countryside, we decided to delay our puppy playdate by 15 minutes. As I drove to the beach, after dropping my outgiing e-bay packages down at the mailbox for our letter carrier to collect, stamping some mail, hustling the dogs into the car, breathing a sigh of relief for getting all of the bumbling, fumbling treasures on their way, I began my drive ti the beach. My friend called. She was exhausted from her game of hide and seek/tag.
That was when we considered taking care of ourselves first by stopping for a quiet moment ar Starbucks...and then considering where to take the dogs for a shorter walk.
Then, ever the loyal dog owner, I suggested a shorter walk at the farm followed by a Starbucks moment. Agreed.
Moments later, I was at the farm taking in the peaceful surroundings. I paused to enjoy the snow covered hills and decided to venture out to the community garden via the dirt road covered with snow and some ice. There were tire tracks from earlier visitors so I barreled over the ice and snow to get up to our usual parking spot. I rolled right along until I couldn't roll any further. That's when I decided to click into reverse and back down the driveway to park. Sailing right along, I was surprised when the car slid off to the side into deeper snow and ice.
Surprise!
Stopped to surprise a birthday boy thatki we've known since our Boston living. Grace was just 6 months old when she began her friendship with baby Camden at baby swim class. Our families share so much of the joy in each others ' lives. We treasure the connection and family like fun......birthday celebrations, kid milestones, school events, summer living, skiing and we love and respect what we have together. So genuine. Truly caring for each others' family. Kids respect kids and grownups respect grown ups. All of the kids have fun relationships and respect t for the grownups. All of the grownups care and love all of the kids.
Lots of fun and a great visit!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Surprise!
Stopped to surprise a birthday boy thatki we've known since our Boston living. Grace was just 6 months old when she began her friendship with baby Camden at baby swim class. Our families share so much of the joy in each others ' lives. We treasure the connection and family like fun......birthday celebrations, kid milestones, school events, summer living, skiing and we love and respect what we have together. So genuine. Truly caring for each others' family. Kids respect kids and grownups respect grown ups. All of the kids have fun relationships and respect t for the grownups. All of the grownups care and love all of the kids.
Lots of fun and a great visit!
Monday, January 17, 2011
A Whale of a Time
Vineyard Vines is one of Grace'sl favorite stores...this a beach girl. Her 16th birthday is at the end of the month....so everywhere we go in Boston, she has lots of birthday hints and suggestions!
Who Are You?
Boston. Kat and Grace met me in Anthropology, one of my favorite stores that inspires my creativity. A few years ago, I went into another Anthropology store with my twenty something, traditional, classic, conservative, ultra-prep niece.... as we looked around and I pointed out some beautiful bohemian, yet with classic lines and rich colors....that's when Claire said, "Who ARE you?"
All Claire has ever known is the prepster, classic, traditional, conservative, tailored aunt who loves happy colors. In Anthropology, she was baffled by me and my groovy side, the artsy me!
While checking many of the splendid colors, styles, textures in the creatively coordinated displays, I was awestruck by something that glistened on the table. I sipped my Starbucks venti coffee and took it all in....that's when I dropped my Starbucks venti coffee cup, the lid popped off and the Starbucks venti coffee was in a puddle at my feet! Kat and I giggled....and my Grace looked at me. Kat and I had that nervous laughter. Grace had a look of horror on her face! With her eyes, Grace shouted, "Who are you?"....just before she bee lined it to another area of the store!
Who am I? Still someone who mixes it up! Still creative. Still traditional. Still conservative with a twist. Still open to new things. Still trying new things. Still seeing beauty in everyday people, places and things in nature and art. Still me.
Do you mix it up and are you open to beauty outside of your box? "Who are you?" Do you know?
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Sleepover
Kay's here with Grace tonight for a sleepover. They had a nice boy over to watch a movie too. Things are changing. I love how they talk so honestly and laugh all together. I gave them the family room and I enjoyed some time in the living room
Grace, Kat and I stayed up for Saturday Night Live. We chatted and had some fun. Kate and Grace rolled into a tumble trying to get the other's blackberry.
Even sleepovers have changed since cell phones have arrived. These kids do make me laugh.
Oh Happy Day!
Saturday out and about in the woods... deep in the snow. Good workout for all of us.
Sunshine
What a day! Cold, crisp and blue skies.
Tromping through the snowdrifts....
Absolutely beautiful in the sunshine...Daisy and Fitzy were like sled dogs!
Cinderella
Grace was off to the city today with Biff's sister Cee. T.J. left with Biff yesterday for a Navy Lacrosse camp for the weekend.
I stayed home to be here for Grace this weekend.
After I walked the dogs through the snowdrifts in the woods, they leapt and bunny hopped and jumped and trudged...me too....we were all exhausted.
After a cup of coffee and some quiet time to think....... of the many choices available to me, with a day all to myself...solo..me...alone....on my own....I decided to make a huge commitment. This may be hard to believe but I chose to stay home to clean and scrub and mop and scour and do laundry and vacuum.
Did you faint? Yup. It's still me. Just a cleaner, fluffier me. Oh sure, there were so many more glamorous choices out there today. So tempting!
But no. I had the house to myself. Different than any other day, I had no interruptions...no calls from school, no visits to the gym or the grocery store. No calls from friends to walk the dogs. No need to shop....we have too much stuff.
With that in mind, I had a dream...a flash of inspiration...a moment of truth....a badge of courage...I cleaned for 4 hours!
I am exhausted. Our house is back to liveable. Until we're all here again...then it will be moments...just moments and the kitchen table will have mail and the foyer will have backpacks, the bathrooms will run out of toilet paper, shoes strewn all over at the back door.
It will feel like home. I love our family even though we're not perfect. I love our family BECAUSE we're not perfect!
Lessons
This is the tree that came into our home as a little lesson for Grace and T.J...since they didn't come with me an Biff to cut down our tree. It was bare amd rather bedraggled and pathetic at first glance. It was the perfect remedy for our crabby and resistant Grinch-like, moody teens that day! They snapped right out of that when we showed them the real tree. They were just like little elves from that moment on. I painted and dressed and bedazzled that tree with sparkled and tinseled and sequined and glittered an glistened that tree. Just as our children sprang back into the spirit of Christmas , this tree sprang to life and gave us all peace and thw ability to laugh at our less than charming side. The tree gave us calm where there may have been a storm. There was abundant beauty in thi tree's simplicity. It has been a peaceful reminder. We have all found it to be calming with the little white lights, different from our colorful traditional tree trimmed with special ornaments, reminders of family and friends and Christmas' past. What a gift this Christmas season has been. The traditional tree has been down for awhile.....this tree is still standing....it still sparkles. Do we have to take it down? Maybe later. Not today.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Get Out of My Life
"Get Out of My Life, but first could you drive me and Cberyl to rhe mall?" Great book...even if it wasn't a good book, the name is wonderful! Although we have no Cheryls in our life, we could insert many otber names....and the story is the same. Teenagers ups and downs and changes in plans and likes and dislikes and love and hate and highs and lows and chatter and sulking and sharing and secrets........
Laundry/Magazine
Our kitties love to live in the lap of luxury...always finding a new spot with a color that's quite flattering.
Cozy kitty
Napping by my side on the couch..I realized Boo was asleep under my magazine! This is one cute kitten!
Kitty Boo
Snowplow sets me free!
Backhoe Bob came by this morning at 7a.m.
It's been since Tuesday night that I've been home...and it was kind of nice.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
T.J. and Grace making a leap over the heap of snow left by the snowplow last night.
I laughed when I heard them working this out.....Grace shouted to me,"Oh no, look at this!" Then they had a little discussion. I heard Grace's voice,"T.J., you go first..." That made me laugh. They always make me laugh!
The wheels on the bus......
90 minute delay....we finally get a real snowstorm in Connecticut with 2 plus feet of snow. The schools were closed yesterday. Today while other schools are still closed, our schools are open. A 90 minute delay was disappointing considering they've had early dismissals from school with NO snow on the ground. I admit that i was hoping for another snowday. Now that Grace and T.J. have gotten on the bus. I admit that I breathed a sigh of relief ....since now I can get more done. I have lots to do.
Me...the mini-snowplow! Just enough to let the kids get out for their bus to school!
Oh my achin' back...and arms...and legs...and neck. And I rhought I was in pretty good shape? One and a half hours and the path down thw driveway was done. Now how do I get out?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Snow day for real
Daisy and Fitzgerald are looking out the window at the snow.....today they were up to their ears in the white fluffy stuff...literally! We couldn't open the door this morning....this is the snow day of my dreams.
Ooh ooh ooh looking out my back door!
Snow day like we wish for!
Crayons on the table
Back in Vermont, we had dinner with our friends after a full day of skiing. We had lots of laughs. All off the kids played Trivial Pursuit with occasional outbursts by the parents who were desperate to "help" answer the random questions. Life has changed. The questions came to us via the iPhone App! The world is getting crazier by the minute. All of our wi-fi service and internet connections could never have given us the fun we all had with the crayons. T.J. crayoned a portrait of Kate,the 5th grader, while Kate drew a portrait of T.J. T.J promised Kate that he would make her T.J. portrait his facebook profile pi ture.The simplicity of crayons make them capable of connecting all ages. I am convinced that we could have peace in the world if every house in the world kept crayons on the table. Everyone has a different perspective. Coloring, side by side with anyone, crayons have the power to connect. We all seem to see and respect the other's perspective when crayons are the common drawing tool. So simplistic. Make crayons not war.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Highlights
SNOW .....WHITE....WITH GOLDEN HIGHLIGHTS. That's in the wood, not the hair salon! Although the Golden Retriever color is what I crave.
Dream days of winter
The gift of our dogs...they get us out and about. They expose us to the beauty that surrounds us..everyday.
Sisters sharing the joy!
Love.Sparkles. Engagement. Romance. Proposal. Love. Thrills. Dream Plan. Laugh. Parties. It seems like yesterday.
Crunchy white snow....in the woods with Daisy and Fitzy.......peaceful. So fresh.First footprints. Scent-sational for 2 happy playfil pup
No way!
Biff and I had our first invitation to an engagement party....for an old friend's "little girl".....Yikes! We had a delightful time with our friends, their family and lots of old friends...old friends, not OLD friends. Although it does depend on one's perspective!
The party was at a very toney club.....afterwards we had some fun back at the house with an intimate group of close family friends.....did I mention that it was semi formal? Oh...I didn't. Either did Biff. Thankfully, I was dressed appropriately. But WOW......I don't even want to think about what little mix up could have taken place!
Morning
The morning light is here. The snow. The sky. It's cold this morning. Just as Grace and T.J. walk through the deep, still fluffy snow leaving a trail all the way to the road, I realize that Grace is up to her ankles and she's wearing her brand new, back-ordered Christmas present....pale pink suede mocs lined with fleece that envelopes her foot in coziness. Grace wears no socks. Not necessarily her fashion statement as I had understood it for the last year or so....I just was notified by Grace that she finds it difficult to sort through so many socks.
Throughout these transitional teen years, my very own daughter does show real signs of being my daughter. Unlike other teenage moments and mother/daughter fantastic fiery words, so easily misconstrued and blown out of proportion, I am convinced that she is truly my daughter and not switched at birth like it seems as she seems when she is that other girl....the teenager with wild opinions and observations. I understood because of the socks. It all made sense. Her fashion statement. It has been because of our sock frenzy in our house. Not that she is different from any teenager morphing into her own self....it's just that some days I look at my sweet girl and think....WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?
I understood because of the socks. It all made sense. Her sockless fashion statement came to be all because of our family sock issues! We have sock frenzy in our house. Believe me, we are not lacking socks. We have oodles. I learned the hard way. For years, I bought only the cutest and most colorful patterned socks. A plethora of patterns...argyles, polka dots, stripes, florals ...and that's not including the seasonal socks for the family. Jolly santa socks, valentine socks, shamrock socks, American flag socks, sailboat socks....all reflecting our festive spirit throughout the year. That had to end.
Now, I have learned that white sport socks are the way to go. All the same. Except, sometimes I forget and buy the same style, different brand. While searching for my own pair of socks last week I came up with 7 different white socks, white with pink logo, white with gray logo, white with gray at heel and toe, white with pucker mid foot, white with wide band, white with no band, white with thin band....and that was just the start.
I like Grace's style. I like how she can adapt herself in different circumstances. I like that she is a free spirit. I like that she won't be held down by details. I like that she has priorities. I like that she works things out. I like that she has confidence in her choices. I like that she doesn't sweat the small stuff. I like that she doesn't miss the bus for the sake of socks. I
Grace is my daughter. I am sure of it. She has just tromped through the snow, with her toasty suede slippers lined and fluffy, warm and toasty...with no socks. I called to her a she lifted one foot out of the snow, preparing to plow forward, "Grace, why don't you walk down the driveway?" She turned to look at me. She gave me that look and muttered, "Mommmm." I know that look. I gave it to my mom. I recognized that tone. I gave it to my mom. Sometimes I wonder where she came from. Sometimes. Not today.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Snowday?
Daisy.....cozy by the fire. Tonight. Friday. Big talk of snow. Frantic weather reports. Early dismissal from school. No snow ....all day. Waiting all day. Shopping for the necessities. Walking the dogs before the big storm. Filling up the car with gas. Crediting some things that were never given as gifts. Meeting a couple of friends at the store....they were also waiting for the big storm.....doing some errands before the big storm! Dropping off a basket of flowers for a friend having a bad day. Home. Walking the dogs.....in snow. FINALLY. Snow.
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