Wait 'Til Next Year!

All dressed up and no game to watch.

I am so incredibly psyched that the Sox won the Series again, but I sooooo miss having games to watch. I am going into Sox withdrawal, and I only got to see 11 of the games over here. This is a far, far cry from the power duo of my MLB Extra Innings package, which aired every single game, and my DVR, which guaranteed I could see them whenever I wanted.

When people ask what I miss about America, or what they can send me, it is very hard to come up with stuff. But I do miss having unfettered access to my boys. And yes, I know, I can watch the games online, or get livestream audio coverage online, blah blah blah. I can't see and hear my computer screen from anywhere in my downstairs... just from one spot. It does not fill my home with Red Sox-ness, and, being who I am right now, I simply can't sit captive in front of a computer to watch the games. It is just not the same.

Jillsie's Future Father-in-Law

So, originally, I was thinking Jillsie could marry Jacoby Ellsbury, but since he was born in 1983, that makes him roughly 23 years her senior, which is a little much considering the Gutsy Dad has declared that Jillsie cannot date until she is 35. (We'll discuss how this policy just might lead to me never having grandchildren another day.) In any case, when Jillsie is "of age," my intended husband for her would be 58, and that is just not okay. So, since Jacoby is currently 24, we'll give him 2 more years to goof around, and assume he can settle down and have his first baby boy, Jillson's future husband, by the time he is 28 in 2011. That way, Jillson will only be 5 years older than her future husband. They'll begin dating when Jacoby, Jr. turns 30 and has gotten all of his silliness out of his system.The Gutsy Dad adds the caveat that Jacoby, Jr. must also bring to the marriage 20 prime-real-estate season tickets as his dowry for marrying our daughter.

Fenway, here we come!

Cheese Papa

I was trying to get her to say "cheese pizza." She can say "cheese" and "p'sah," but she can't put the two words together. She can, however, put "cheese" and "papa" together. She also seems to be developing quite a good memory, as she asked for "cheese papa" for dinner again tonight.

Naughtiness, Thy Name Is "Dotty"

Here they are, the naughty "dotties," as Jillson calls them. Most of you know about their latest shenanigans. This past week, I got a call from a neighbor letting me know the dogs were running through the fields behind my house. As I was not at home, the kindly neighbor rounded the dogs up and put them back in the house. I figured I must've left the back door open. Later the same day, making sure that the back door was firmly closed, I went to run some more errands. Upon my return, I found one naughty dotty, soaking wet and covered in cow-poopy-mud waiting for me at the front door, outside. The other naughty dotty came running up to the OPENED back door when I called her. They couldn't possibly have figured out how to open the back door, could they have???

Three additional escapes later (twice recovered by me, once by yet another kindly neighbor) this was the only conclusion I could come to. When I started to lock them out of the room with the backdoor in it when I was away from home, lo and behold they did not escape. They did, however, mysteriously remove one of my curtains. Tore it clean off its track:Anyway, Vicki bought this beautiful new lock for me, which I installed immediately. Isn't it pretty?Wouldn't you know that the first time I left the dotties home alone, with the new lock in place, I came home to find this:So, yeah, they can open the door, the naughty little geniuses, but they can't get out anymore! (And yes, I have been counting my blessings that they did not get hurt and that they did come home.)

Go Light the World

This quotation arrived in my inbox today, and it made me realize again how grateful I am to have the friends and family that I have.

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

- Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)
theologian, philosopher, physician

It reminds me of Sara Hickman's song, "We Are Each Other's Angels," which has been a favorite since the first time I heard it, performed live in Austin, TX. (I cried like a baby for missing my grandmother, who had recently died.) Every person on the planet should own Sara's CD called "Spiritual Appliances." (I realize the title of the song and the CD sound all religious-y. This is not the case with the CD as a whole.) For those of you who occasionally ride around in the Cheerio Mobile with me, you'll know Sara by her kinder-fare: "Newborn," "Toddler," and "Big Kid" are three CDs that are in heavy rotation in my car CD changer.

Anyway, here is part of the lyric from the song. Come to think of it, I may have posted this here before. Oh, well. Can't hurt to read it again! I can't write out the first or last verses because they will make me cry. You're just going to have to go buy the song from itunes. (Yes, I'm talking to YOU, RV!) Here's the middle verse:

Sometimes you'll stumble. Sometimes you'll just lie down.
Sometimes you will get lonely with all these people around.
You might shiver when the wind blows or you might get blown away.
You might lose a little colors. You might lose a little faith.

But we are each other's angels and we meet when it is time.
We keep each going and we show each other signs.
Yes, we are each other's angels. (I've forgotten how to fly.)
Yes, we are each other's angels. (Won't you show me how to fly?)

Harvest Time

Strong Medicine

I recently sent an email to some of you regarding the memorial ceremonies I've been attending. The poor guy left in charge here has to think of something new to say every time. I mentioned that he quoted Thomas Paine, John Stuart Mill, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. To answer your question, here are the quotations.

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. The decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth war is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
John Stuart Mill, English economist & philosopher (1806 - 1873)

"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
"The Crisis," December 23, 1776
Thomas Paine, American revolutionary (1737-1809)

I scoured the internet and couldn't find the Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. quotation used at the memorial, but perhaps I will find it another time... Here are some other snippits of his instead:

"Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body."

"Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall."

"Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind, and somtimes against it -- but sail we must, and not drift, nor lie at anchor."

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., American Supreme Court justice (1841-1935)

Go To Town, Freudians!

Have you ever woken up a little sad because you realized that your awesome dream was just a dream? Have you then tried really hard to fall back asleep while trying to stay in "dream mode," in a desperate attempt to keep the dream going?

Well, I woke up this morning a little depressed for two reasons: (1) I remembered that the Sox lost the game I was watching in the middle of the night and (2) I realized that I have never in fact been drinking cocktails with Jason Varitek at a bar...

But it was a super dream. There I was drinking some pale orange drink out of a margarita glass, just shooting the breeze with Tek. He was very flirty with me, and somehow I wasn't acting like a complete spaz. Also, for the record, in my dream neither one of us was married, so there was no conflict-of-interest or dream infidelity going on. Also present at the bar: a young guy who is a DJ and reports news for my husband's employer (I admit I am a little obsessed with him because he looks like he is twelve and reminds me of my brothers), my husband's boss's wife (at one point in the dream she ordered a cottage cheese cocktail--which was apparently delicious), and my husband's co-worker's wife who was the bartender and knew how to make every drink, including the cottage cheese cocktail, without consulting a manual. (For those who are in the know about such things, the co-worker is the one who took over the area my husband used to be in charge of. His wife is known for really having her sh!t together.)

If anyone would care to interpret this dream for me, feel free. In the meantime, Jason, I will see you and the boys later today, or perhaps early tomorrow morning, and with any luck, in my dreams.

Surprises

I was surprised to discover all sorts of cool women's clothing in the Cabela's catalog. Who knew? It's not all camo and rubber boots. I started getting the Cabela's catalogs because I ordered the padded traveling case for my margarita machine from them. So now I get a new catalog from them every other day. Usually they go right into the recycling cause I'm all stocked up on running clothes and hunting gear, but their women's clothing catalog caught my eye and was full of nice, affordable things. I see a few new sweaters and maybe some pajamas in my future, to get me through the cold, bitter winter.

I was also surprised to see a movie on AFN called something like "Within These Walls" which starred Ellen Burstyn and was about the Prison Pet Partnership Program! As most of you know, we were huge fans of this program back in Gig Harbor. My two furry daughters often stayed at the prison instead of a regular kennel, and they LOVED it. The movie was a real tear-jerker, and believe me my tears were totally jerked. I mean, please, when Ellen Burstyn the murderess learned to become a better person by training the rescued-from-death-row adorable lab/retriever mix named Gypsy and then had to GIVE HER AWAY to a disabled person (after we saw a montage of really neato dog training feats), who WOULDN'T cry?

Lastly, I was FULLY surprised, and not in a good way, when my door bell rang at 4:44am this morning. It doesn't matter that I know darn well that notifications are not made before 6:00am. When you are in my situation, it is very hard to calmly think of other reasons why someone might be ringing your bell at such an hour. Turns out it was an airport shuttle looking for its charge. The dude only had a street name, no number. So, he was just ringing bells. Seriously, that should be outlawed during RLBTs. I had half a mind to tell him that, for the 60 to 90 seconds it took me to come to my wits and answer the door, I was fearing the worst, but I just told him I had no idea who needed a shuttle. He asked if I was sure I didn't order it. Are you kidding me? I'm in my gutchies, still half-asleep, and you think maybe I forgot I was supposed to be traveling to the airport this morning? I asked him if he knew the name of his passenger, and he said no. I shut the door and stumbled into the kitchen to turn on the espresso maker, since I was up but not awake, and the doorbell rang again. At this point, I'm thinking he's not just some dumb shuttle driver, but rather he is probably a scary stalker dude, and should I really go back to the door? So I just walked up to the closed door and yelled through it "Yes???" He said he remembered the name, and I was able to instruct him where to go. Dude, maybe next time, you don't start ringing doorbells at 4:44am without at least the name of the person you are picking up...

Multitasking

What a difference a day makes! The post below this one (with Jillsie in a dress) features snippits of walking from September 30th. I think Mom counted six steps in a row. Here is a snippit from October 1st, with more than six steps and some advanced moves. Enjoy!

Snippits of Walking

Walking Snippit 1


Walking Snippit 2


Walking Snippit 3


Walking Snippit 4


Walking Snippit 5