Gone in a flash

What a whirlwind weekend! There was a football game, a wedding reception overnight in Green Bay, a facial, a trip to the pet store, and a baseball game. Forget about cleaning the house - I'm just happy I got the laundry washed and folded. And this week is all about getting ready for Saturday's Fall Fest. The meteorologists say it's going to rain, which means it'll be beautiful, right? Right?!?!

The last couple of months have seemed to speed by faster than I can keep up, and I am willing it as hard as I can to slow the hell down. I know I should be thankful for so many amazing things in our life. I guess it'll just have to go on the to-do list!

Randomly Friday

• The local fish store is doing its mega sale this weekend.
• C-man and I stopped by last night to check out what they were getting in.
• We called Beerman with the news that our Picasso Triggerfish was in.
• He told us he was worried about overloading the tank.
• We came home with this cute little Red Fromia sea star.
• Art, our Picasso Triggerfish, will be coming home tonight.
• Silly Beerman.
• The Picasso Trigger is a Hawaiian fish also known as a Humu Humu Nuka Nuka Apua'a.
• High School Musical 2 did a song about the Hawaiian name.
• C-man and I sing it delightfully non-stop.
• It's a pretty annoying song.
• But that's how we roll in the house.
• In other news, 8920 Photography officially an LLC with its own EIN now. I doubt I'll ever sell anything, but hey, at least it's official.
• I have to have Caps Lock on in order to type without capitol letters. Messed up.
• Remember yesterday when I said I was feeling so great? I couldn't sleep last night because of my left hip. What's up with THAT?
•  C-man has a short day at school today, but is going home with a friend for his friend's birthday. That definitely makes things easier on me.
• Football tomorrow. Wedding reception tomorrow night. Facial and baseball on Sunday.

Deep breaths

I've been thinking about how we so often take normal things for granted. And I wonder if that's how things are supposed to be, or we have become so self-absorbed, that it's really just a shame.

For example, lately I have been feeling pretty great. Not pain-free. Far from it, really, as I truly doubt that will ever happen without a major gene therapy breakthrough. But I've been better. And that is nothing short of amazing.

So this morning, when I breathed in a big giant breath of crisp Fall air and thought how amazing it was, I was shocked to realized I was actually enjoying the moment. Amazing, because on my pain-filled days, breathing big deep breaths depletes me. It not only causes pain, but the energy expended to do it often feels as if it is just too much work, and not worth the effort to do again.

Seriously. Breathing.

But today is a deep breath kind of day. Big, gulps of breath. And I can smile about it.

It's a good, good day.

Wordless National Mall in 3 hours or less

  

Humpday Eve

I usually hate Fall. It's all the death and dying of things that foretell the long winter ahead that I find so pessimisitic. But something is different this year. Don't get me wrong, I'm still sneezing and hacking up an allergic storm, and that's driving me crazy. But the sun has been out. C-man is doing really well in school. Breaking Bad has been amazing. And it's all just felt pretty happy to me. (Well, not Breaking Bad, because that is decidedly un-happy. But it's so amazing, it makes me happy to get to watch it.) And all that is something to celebrate.

So happy Humpday Eve to you. Make it a good one.

Apple Picking

I decided, since it's the second official day of fall and while Beerman is cleaning the carpets, C-man and I would go pick some apples. We tried a new orchard I discovered on my ride through the country to Kyle's graduation party. (I was tired of the "city" one that was always crawling with people and picked over.)

It was a great year for apples. Although I think C-man ate as many as we packed in the bag. But it was a lovely time before we have to be off to baseball.

Simple Day

• I got all the regular house-type stuff done today. That felt amazingly good.
• I also got a massage. That felt better.
• I've officially made myself into an LLC - 8920 Photography. I don't have much faith that anything will sell, but I'm very slowly putting things up on an etsy site HERE to give it a shot.
• I'm also very slowly figuring out how to put together a website to do the same.
• C-man's flag football started today. Fall baseball continues tomorrow.
• And there's another day to go of this weekend. Awesome.

Back from DC

I'm back from a few days of working in DC. At 6:30 in the morning, I dragged my co-workers to the National Mall to see what we could see in 3 hours. Someday, I'm going to learn how to take advantage of the spa in the nice resort and relax. Who am I kidding? If I'd had 4 hours, I just would have seen more stuff.

I was happy to see the Korean War and MLK Jr. Memorials - both new to me. And happy to see DC. I really do adore that town. But now I'm back, ready to start some Flag Football watching and enjoy a weekend at home.

Out and About

I am in DC, working, and monument visiting when I am not. I love this city.

A not real post while I travel

In lieu of a real post, I'm sharing John Green's post from yesterday. Because not only is he awesome, this information on American health care is super awesome.

Uninspired

I'm feeling a bit at a loss for words lately. I've been consumed with trying to pull everything together and keep it together with the usual day-to-day kind of life. It hasn't been inspiring or even very interesting Unless you'd like to hear about laundry folding and judo freakouts and schedule jumbling and porcupine puffer antics. And let's be honest, I don't even want to hear about that. (Okay, maybe the porcupine puffer is cute, but the rest, certainly not.) I'm heading to DC tomorrow for the rest of the week. Maybe I'll get some interesting thoughts from that. But in the meantime, enjoy the week.

Craziness ahead

It's gearing up to be a crazy week. Long, deep breaths...

A pot of gold kind of weekend

Last night, after a perfectly lovely day of getting the house back in order and doing some yard work, we helped our neighbors break their Yom Kippur fast with a picnic at the bier garten. Meats, cheeses, fruits, olives, chicken, cupcakes, and, of course, liters of beer on a perfectly wonderful night. Today, Fall Ball was cancelled due to the rain, so we're just watching the Packers.

A good, good weekend.

Friday 13

1. Every person invited to Fall Fest has responded with a Yes. Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to have a party.
2. I think we're renting a bounce castle for the kids to storm the castle.
3. Which reminds me, I have to order some swords.
4. Mr. Pickles continues to do well in our tank. As Beerman said, I've never felt such pressure to keep a fish alive.
5. It's cold today. This isn't fair. Summer sucked, and it's cold already.
6. Although, the change in season always makes me itchy to make other kinds of changes, too. I think it's a reminder that life is moving, and I need to, too.
7. We ran out of coffee at home. Holy first world tragedy. I almost didn't make it to the coffee shop at the corner, I was so weak.
8. My kid's school is doing a Calendar of Cash fundraiser this year. For $20, your name gets thrown in the hat for a daily drawing (at least $40) through the school year. If you win, your name goes back in the drawing. Feel free to buy into the fun HERE.
9. Ahh, back to school fundraising.
10. I've kind of been itching to rip through the house with a really good cleaning. This weekend is supposed to be cool and crummy. I'm thinking it has a good shot of happening.
11. But after my 11 a.m. massage tomorrow, of course.
12. I haven't been in for a facial in a bit. I may need to schedule one of those for Sunday.
13. In some respects, it's a really good thing to be me.

Can I get a Hallelujah!

Last night, after a year and a half of tank building and prepping and the clown fish debacle (Taylor the Clownfish went back to the store. After 10 days, Flo and Taylor still wanted each other to die.), Mr. Pickles the Porcupine Pufferfish came home to his 125 gallon tank made just for him.

He really is a cute fish with actual personality. We fed him this morning, and learned that he really is a big giant piggy fish, too. This boy can EAT. At this rate, he'll get to his football size in no time!

Anyhow, welcome home, Mr. Pickles. We've waited a long time for you.

Wordless Wednesday: Yum!

Stuff and More Stuff

• So it's baseball season for C-man. 6 weeks of Fall Ball to learn the rules of the new league - stealing, walks, and kid-pitch.
• He played his first game on Sunday.
• He got a walk and a strikeout. The strikeout was with two foul balls, so he didn't feel too terrible about it.
• It's almost football season - it starts at the end of the month.
• And he's still in judo.
• This is getting a little crazy.
• I need to be at least half as active as he is.
• I've been a lump, and it's showing everywhere.
• Work is giving me an iPhone. Sweet.
• I have to make a meal for some friends tonight.
• She has breast cancer and three little kids, and we're participating in a meal train for them.
• I'm thinking beef carbonnade. 
• We're having a cupcake afternoon at work. Now THAT'S something to look forward to.

Still life

My Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law got married in the church this weekend. They were blessed with a lovely weekend of weather, and loads of family showed to watch and participate in the ceremony.

I was the photographer. This was an explicit case of you get what you pay for. I don't do groups well at all. Plus, everyone was hot and nobody wanted to hang out for pictures, so I was trying to be quick and just not taking the care I should have to get the right shots. And then people started mugging for the shots in an attempt to be funny, but now I have really crappy shots that should have been lovely memories with no way to redo them. It is totally disheartening, and I feel awful about it. I want a redo.

Actually, I think I should just stick to still life. I do better at those.

Sweet stuff

We spent the weekend up north at my Mother in Law's wedding. (Some pictures to come when I have them processed and have a moment to do it) C-man was an altar server. My Lord, did he love doing that. But then we had to race back to get him to the baseball fields. Because, after all, it's Fall Ball time! He is some sweet stuff.

Weekend ahead

The weekend is ahead. A drive, some hotel pool time, a family wedding, and some Fall ball. Time to gird up the ol' loins - it's going to be a busy one!

Confessions of an introvert

People drain me. As in, I feel totally wiped out after I need to be with large groups of people. I understand I need to interact with others, and do quite successfully. I mean, it's not like I've gone hermit. I can function in society. I just prefer long stretches of quiet. I've noticed this extraordinarily this week, coming back to work in hyperdrive after being out of it for almost two weeks. And I feel depleted.

Yes, I'm an introvert.

This fact shocks many who meet me, because I do well in social settings. Sometimes, in fact, I get in my mood that I feel I need to entertain everyone, and then all eyes are on me. It's so bad that sometimes I think "STOP IT!" in my head, but just can't, because I'm on a roll. My job puts me in front of people constantly. I can deal with it, and do it quite well. I mean, I don't have Aspergers.

I just need the silence.

I need the time to think and be creative and be quiet. I need everyone to just shut up for 10 minutes so I can function again. I don't feel like I've gotten those 10 minutes since I've been back to work this week. As I get older, I am recognizing this need more than ever. I don't think the need has necessarily increased, but my awareness of it definitely has.

I'm going to find the quiet today. Someway, somehow, I need to get myself back together. Vacation wasn't that long ago. It shouldn't feel like it was.

And then there were two

This weekend, we moved our current two fish, a royal gramma and a gold striped maroon clownfish into our new tank.

In case you missed that, let me say it again. After a year and a half of obsessive research and building and having specialized parts built and building them himself, after a year and a half of living in the basement or online, after a year and a half of living in the basement swearing up a storm, after a year and a half our 8 1/2 year old son can enjoy his 7 year old birthday present because ... we have fish in the tank!

In doing so, we got the bright idea that we wanted a pair of clowns. Since we were moving Flo into his/her new tank, it was the right time to get it so they could pair up. Therefore, meet Taylor. (Both asexual names since the clown fish switch sex to be female when it is determined she is the dominant one)

We may have put three fish were put into the tank, but I think we may end up with two after these two fight to the death. I think Taylor's going to have to go back. Our love matching skills aren't quite what they should be, and they have been separated by plexiglass since about an hour after we put Taylor in the tank and their tails and fins were complete ragged.

Sigh. Let's just hope our introduction of Mr. Pickles the Porcupine Pufferfish goes better. (Mr. Pickles is happily purchased and will be introduced into our tank in the next week or so)

By the way, Foo, our Royal Gramma, is loving the tank. Atta girl, Foo.

Third grade

So today it is back to work. And more importantly, back to school. This year, as a third grader. Gone are the days when he timidly looked back at us from the giant bus steps. Instead, he was off and running across the street, unwilling to wash the remaining Nutella from his face or comb his hair. That was too uncool. Instead, he was carrying all his school supplies and lunch, excited to see old friends and move into the "big wing" at school.

A charmed life, for sure.