Sunday, June 30, 2013

Business as usual

I've been perfecting the art of being on vacation, alternating between adventure and loafing. I excell at both.

Coming up: so! many! beaches!

Also: what?! North Carolina?!

In case you didn't know: this!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

It sounds like burning

Great news everybody! I've discovered a new HD radio station! 103.7 plays classic rock on the outside, but it has a warm, chewy center that plays commercial-free Soft Hits from the 60's, 70's and 80's! My ears hurt, but in a good way.

Monday, June 24, 2013

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Happy Summer, Everybody!


The misty fog this morning was heavier than usual. It was a warm mist, pretty much as East-Coasty as it ever gets around here. A little less moisture and I would've called it earthquake weather. Grey, pinkish and warm. 

The kiddo and I walked to day camp with the dogs--such a nice treat! During the school year, our drive is 20 minutes through the morning rush hour. It certainly isn't horrible...other than it being the opposite direction of my final destination-the office. We listen to the radio and discuss how music from the 1920's and 30's influenced music in the 1960's, sometimes we talk about what constitutes polite driving and how we can learn to be patient and not get fed up so quickly with rest of the horrible, terrifying cars on the road. But walking to our local park for day camp is a major upgrade. Happy dogs, happy kid, happy mommy. 

Our local municipal day camp is exactly what I remember loving about day camp when I was a kid. Playing with new and old friends, being supervised by teenagers, and getting absolutely filthy. For eight glorious weeks, just lanyards, sidewalk chalk, and snack crackers.

And Stratego. Of course. 

Saturday, June 22, 2013

the blog that I meant to post last night


It's not as vicious as it looks. And the little one ALWAYS wins. 

Thursday, June 20, 2013

I'll bet you didn't know my office is octagonal


I've got five bucks riding on the little one. 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

A Glimpse of the Future?


Good god, I hope not. Adorable little skater boys attract aggressive teenaged girls who pierce their faces and dye their hair pink and all sorts of unspeaking things. That is, if I remember high school correctly. 

Still, it's pretty neat that my five year old can take skate boarding lessons. Another fun fact from the County Fair! The fellow in the above photo from Action was really good with the kiddo and made him feel safe and excited about a brand new sport that will most likely mean a broken arm at some point were he to get serious about it. Considering how scared and freaked out he tends to be about other more traditional kid activities (swimming, riding a bike), it was refreshing to watch him get all padded up and be escorted up the skate ramp. Maybe next summer. 

Maybe. 

Monday, June 17, 2013

So Long, Fair

The kiddo and I spent two glorious afternoons at the County Fair last week. We were joined by a bevy of kindergarten classmates and neighborhood pals, and a splendid time was had by all. The kiddo managed to win a veritable treasure trove of crappy carnival prizes, which are now his most prized possessions (and a huge eyesore in our home). Exactly one candy apple and half of a cherry sno-cone were consumed (the other half, of course, spilled on me when we rode the big kid coaster together. And no, I'm not sure why I imagined that it somehow would not spill on me.), and we managed to adopt exactly ZERO kittens and chihuahuas at the Humane Society adoption booth. Not an easy task, to put it lightly.

The weather was amazing both days, and I got the chance to catch up with old (grown-up!) friends, and get to know some new ones better. It was great to watch the gaggle of 5 and 6 year olds run around together and explore the kiddie rides, the midway games, and the exhibits--I only wish I had remembered to bring my LC-A for more fairtastic shots.


The California State Fair is coming up next month... Anybody game for a road trip?

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Happy Father's Day!

Certainly one of the best dads I'VE ever met, Max has been my partner in the joy and suffering that is parenthood for more than five years. Even-tempered and emotionally resilient, he has consistently been a kind, loving, and involved father to our lucky kiddo. May Samson win the genetic lottery and inherit Max's charm, smile, and beard-growing ability.


Happy Father's Day as well to my own dad, a man of many words, more advice than you knew you need (but did indeed need), and some of the best jokes I've ever heard in my life. Its called The Aristocrats!



Saturday, June 15, 2013

grow the nanobots up

I really enjoyed watching They Might Be Giants at the Warfield tonight. They're always a blast to see live, and it was really nice to go alone and spend qt with myself. I had a me date.


Two straight days of the county fair with my five year old compadre and all of this extracurricular activity has gotten me completely pooped. I feel like I could sleep for 12 hours.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

my new favorite google feature

I can't get enough of the new G+ motion thingie. Its loads of fun!


It's just like a feature I used to use on Lomography.com with the photos from my Quad-cam. But better, of course. I'm looking forward to making tons of these at the lake in New York next month.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

You look dry. Let me help you with that.

Just in case you don't have a small dog handy to lick you all over, I present the Fizz. 


You're welcome. 

Monday, June 10, 2013

Wicked iPhone


Baby Samson had the right idea. The iPhone is not for using. It is for trying to use, for getting frustrated at, and occasionally for eating. But it would appear that the main function of the iPhone is to mock me. 

I was sucked in by the sleek, shiny smartness in 2007, for sure. And it was great. When it was on its last legs (clearly, I took good care of it), I gave the android a try. That was not awesome. But I powered through until Siri's siren song called me back to iPhone land once more. Now that android has gotten so much better and straightened out a good deal of it's inherent bugginess, I plan to give it another chance--if it'll have me. I swear this is the last time I let the Macness of the iPhone get the best of me.

Sunday, June 09, 2013

I don't care if we ever get back

Today was the kiddo's last baseball game of the season. While I won't miss the 8:30 Saturday morning arrival times on the field, I will miss sitting in the grass and watching the kids slowly (and not so slowly) go from excited and attentive ball players to goofy, wandering 5-6 year old kids. Let me tell you, there's nothing longer than a 3-inning T-ball game.


Although he still wants to be a professional baseball player when he grows up (Buster Posey, actually. He wants to be Buster Posey when he grows up.), his focus at game time is tough to manage. Thank heavens that is coach's job and not mine. All I have to do is clap loudly (my mom taught me how to do that) and yell "run run run" at the appropriate time (again, Mom, thanks).


It's going to be a long 9 months until next season. Time to start checking out the local batting cages!

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Life's a beach

We had a terrific time at the beach today. Great friends and lots of pretty fog, we were able to avoid the hot hot hot that had been forecast for the area. Turkey Sandwich and Fizzy were exceptionally well behaved, especially when they met a horse for the first time. Fizzy treated it like any other living thing--she barked at it, repeatedly. Turkey barked some too, but mostly she switched back and forth between crouching low and looking distrusting and trying to smell the horse's behind. Later on, a few large groups on horseback came through, but non them really even seemed to notice any of the dozen or so dogs enjoying the day with their humans on the beach.


The fog and chill didn't stop Samson and his pals from playing in the surf, digging, finding Dr. Suessian sea weed and having a wonderful time. The Pacific Ocean is a magical thing and today was certainly a day where I was very glad to have it play such a prominent part in my life. Our blood is supposed be 83% water, so I guess it makes sense to be so incredibly attracted to it.

Friday, June 07, 2013

Sum-sum-summertime

The weather has been unreal--today was one of those days where even my legs see the sunlight. We did all the good -ing stuff: bike riding, dog walking, snow cone-ing, BBQ-ing. Simply terrific and nominated for an encore tomorrow. We're planning to head to the beach and dig some serious moats. We have a very tried and true method of creating semi-submerged volcano-dam-river type structures, and results are always a very happy and sandy kiddo, plus 2 tired out dogs. The perfect recipe.

Thursday, June 06, 2013

Turkey Sandwich Batman Mac 'n Cheese

This adorable little thing turned two last week:


She has mostly grown into her ears. She has definitely become a young lady of distinction, and makes my heart sing with pride and joy. I love you, Turkey Sandwich!


Wednesday, June 05, 2013

My Fair Sunday

It's fair season! Which means Ferris Wheel season!


I love Ferris Wheels. I especially like the part where you sit and wait as the carny in residence loads and unloads passengers. You get to sit up high, surveying the land around you, the smell of funnel cakes wafting through air. Ahhhhhh.

This past weekend was the smaller of our two regular local fairs; next weekend the county fair starts--so of course the weather forecast is calling for record highs.


And thank you, Google, for making my life a million times funner than it was two weeks ago, before this auto-tool magically appeared in my G+. Now Ferris Wheels are EVEN BETTER!

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Activate rare gem cat's eye for 25,000 coins

Me: "Oh shit, I still have to blog tonight."
Me: "No I don't. I don't have to do anything I don't want to. "
Me: "Come on. Get your ass in gear and write something. Anything. Just write something."
Me: "I suppose I could write about how much I don't want to write."
Me: "That's pretty lame. But you know what? I'm OK with it. Get it done so I can play some Bejeweled Blitz and go to sleep."
Me: "Done and DONE. "

Monday, June 03, 2013

A tagalong by any other name is still a friggin' hoedown


I'm not sure why, or what I ever did to hurt them, but it would appear that the Girl Scouts of America are out to get me. After I made it through Cookie Season (mostly) unscathed, I was secure in my belief that I had a nice 10 months or so of respite ahead of me. You see, the various Girl Scout Cookie themed ice cream flavors that are available in our nations grocery store chains aren't such a problem for me--thank freaking heavens.

But this? 



This is simply inhumane. And they're for a LIMITED TIME ONLY which, as we all know, means eat as many as you can right now because eventually there won't be any more. 

Fucking Girl Scouts of America and their delicious crack cookies. 

Sunday, June 02, 2013

GoT PTSD

As my husband so eloquently put it, "Well god damn."

I won't be posting a proper blog tonight as I imagine I'll spend the next few hours in shock, staring at the HBO logo on my TV screen until it slowly fades away into nothingness, replaced only by the sadness the end of this last episode of Game of Thrones has caused me.

Saturday, June 01, 2013

Stranger Danger

I don't tend to do so well at social functions, especially those that include people I don't know. No big surprise, and a feeling that many people can relate to. A small, private grade school, of course, is chock-full of such things, and this year of kindergarten has brought me to the outer limits of what I can handle in terms of new people, social events, and festivities with strangers. Classroom volunteering is great, I love to see the kids in action without their parents around. And most of the parents in our class are really pretty neat and interesting people. The galas and festivals and holidays and such are the struggles for me.

Recently, I volunteered at and attended one such event. I spent 90 minutes manning a rubber duck fishing booth at a carnival themed end-of-year celebration--and I barely made it out alive. Later that night, I was complaining about the events, the pre-established friendships among the people at the events, about how I felt mostly out of place and generally uncomfortable. I was a grumbly, arm-crossing, foot-stamping mess. I racked my brain for way to avoid such events next year. Then I started to feel sorry for myself, of course. And I wondered how everyone else handled event after event, mostly with multiple children, and how they managed and how they had fun doing it.

And that's when it hit me. These other parents weren't necessarily having fun either. They probably didn't want to fund-raise and distribute snacks and do whatever else we all have to do throughout the year in order to ensure a caring and thriving community for these kids. Some folks have made honest friendships, sure, and some people just really like to sell magazines or cookies or whatever, or be in charge of projects and be presidents of boards. But pretty much, just like me, everyone's just doing it for their kid--it's just that not everyone is as grumpy about it as I am.