Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Tuesday night

Waiting for Maggie to finish her chips.

TV blaring about a "geezer bandit"

Valentinos/Pizza Roma

After this to Blockbuster and Market Basket

Sent from my iPhone

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Cairo on Flickr

this is another good one, just searched for 'cairo' on flickr:

khan el-khalili bazaar

I had a great talk with Cassidy yesterday. She went to this amazing marketplace in Cairo called the khan el-khalili bazaar and bought a guitar of some kind and an egyptian drum! These are not her pictures, but a slideshow of what search results returned at flickr for "khan el-khalili bazaar."

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Note from our vacation plane ride in July

S: How are you?

h: ok

S: You are a good kid. No trouble.

h: :)

S: I am so ready to get off this plane!

h: Same here.

S: Are you enjoying your book?

h: Doi!!!!!!

h: Lets keep talking like this

S: What do you want to talk about?

h: ?

S: you are the one who wanted to keep talking! So... KEEP TALKING! :-p

h: What does :-p mean?

S: I am sticking my tongue out at you.

h: Ohhhhh

S: Yesss.

h: I want a iphone

S: Who doesn't want an iPhone? They are so awesome. Your mom is the
coolest mom around because she has an iPhone.

h: Oh sure (roll of eyes)

S: LOL This is boring I want off the plane!!!! Aaarrafghgjhhhhhb!!!!

H: I @($&ing want of this plane!!!!!!!!!!

S: Agreed.

H: Are you even mad I wrote @($&.

S: Well

S: I understand why you wrote it!!!

H: Of couse

S: The end

Sent from my iPhone

Saturday, September 05, 2009

How Cassidy is doing


I have been in touch with Cassidy a few times and thought I would share some details with you, dear reader.

Number one is, Skype is awesome. If you haven't gotten on board yet and/or you have loved ones far away, you need to get off the rock and go with the flow.

Number two, it's been interesting to ponder the impact of technology and access to social tools like skype, chat, facebook, twitter and etc. Especially as it relates to families of students who're overseas like Cassidy. What is it that makes us presume that being able to connect instantly is bad for the student? This sort of thing.

Back in the day, if you were moving west with your new husband, very likely that was it for seeing your family of origin again. But now, you can be all the way over in Egypt visiting with your dear auntie on the computer! Kids these days (ahem), they've grown up expecting that instant access. I believe that, used properly, this sort of tool can help kids feel more confident about expanding their world.

Look at Cassidy. She's not avoiding life in Egypt by sitting with me for 10 minutes before she goes to bed and I've just come home from work. It is as much an intrusion on her daily life as a phone call; the tools are just smarter!

Having said that, I'm dying for her to supply me some visuals!!! We are sending her an extra Flip video we happen to have lying around, and she says she'll upload videos to youtube or whatever. As that happens, I will post them here.

She needs her own computer first, since her host family's computer is in her host mom's bedroom and she's just borrowing the use of it for now. There is an Apple store right down the street!

Anyway, she's doing great. Just great. It sounds as if she simply cannot believe her eyes about 9 times out of 10. There are tiny rusty boxy little cars everywhere, she talked about seeing a boy selling limes in the street, people watching a movie in an outdoor courtyard, selling food and vegetables from carts, guys strolling down the street playing drums, etc. She says she appears to be a pale oddity to most; has not laid eyes on any obvious seeming westerner. The country is more modern than you might expect; most speak some English, and all are warm and friendly towards her.

So! That's about it! I'm interested to see what's involved in sending my first care package to her, what with customs and assorted regulations about what you can ship to Egypt. ("No satanic materials.")

If you'd like her address to drop her a card or letter or something, please email me! I know she would LOVE to hear from you (whichever one of my handful of readers you are.)

Signed,

the proud auntie

Sunday, August 30, 2009

found photobooth pics




Fwd: HELLO, I LOVE YOU!




Sent from my iPhone

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Cassidy C."
Date: August 30, 2009
Subject: HELLO, I LOVE YOU!

Hi, everyone!
I have arrived at my host family's house safely. This is just an email to let you know that I am here and how to reach me. Here is my address and phone number:

..
Dokki, Giza, Egypt

...

I don't know how to make international calls from the USA so you will have to figure it out. Call my cell phone any time day or night!!!!!!!!
Today I am feeling a little sick because I drank some of the tap water so I am probably going to stay at home for most of the day. At 6:30, Marina is taking me to dinner with her friends. They are Muslim and are breaking their Ramadan fast at that time. Ramadan in Egypt is amazing! Apparently 60% of Egypt's total consumed food is eaten during Ramadan. It is kind of like the days are backwards. They eat during the night and take naps during the day. Last night when I arrived here, Marina's friends came over to greet me. They told me that they volunteer at an orphanage every day and now I am going to join them! I shouldn't be on the computer very much because I should be spending time with my family so I will go now. I do feel very homesick sometimes and the only way I can fall asleep is by telling myself that I can go home whenever I want. I miss you all so much but I am having a great time! Oh, last night Shereen ordered chicken shawarma for me because she knew it was my favorite food. I felt really sick and so so so tired but I tried to eat it and smile but then I almost gagged on it and I had to tell her that I felt sick from the water and I needed to go to bed. I apologized for a really long time but both Shereen and Marina were like, "This is your home! You must feel comfortable to tell us how you feel!" This morning I was woken up by the Muslim call to prayer. I have pictures to show you, also, but that will have to wait.
I love you all so much!!!!
Love,
Cassidy

Friday, August 28, 2009

Cassidy made it to Egypt

Hi, real quick -

Cassidy called Lanie and Lanie called me and now I'm writing to you.

Cassidy managed to sleep much of the way to Germany. The airport in Germany was super spiffy, apparently. The plane from Germany to Cairo was very fancy, with TVs for every seat!

As for Cairo, it is, apparently, 'ah-MAYYYYY-zing!!!'

Reports of lots of small boxy cars, folks in muslim garb and perfect weather. They had their first Egyptian meal and it was completely delicious. She and the others in her group are at a hostel in Cairo until tomorrow, when she'll meet her host mother and continue on with her journey!

Lanie said she sounded very strong, so. YAY!

That is all.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Short but sweet

Item:

• Seattle was great fun.


• Serah's wedding was beautiful.

(more here)

• I finally set foot in Katie's house! Yay!


• The waterpark in Renton, WA is awesome.


• I love my family!


• Brooke and Greg are having a baby!
• Cassidy leaves on her Egyptian adventure next week!
• next week!
• with her permission I will post emails she sends us from Egypt.
• Maggie starts kindergarten next week, Henry starts fourth!



• I recently turned 39.
• When Marcia was here we laughed and laughed down at the Legion.
• this blog slips my mind now a days
• I am for health care reform


Sent from my iPhone

Saturday, July 18, 2009

The kids and I are leaving for Seattle tomorrow! Jeff left this
afternoon. I am turning laundry and will be packing tonight! Can't
wait to see everybody!!

Sent from my iPhone

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Sunday evening

After all that rain, we have had a beautiful holiday weekend here in southern New Hampshire. I heard somewhere about how the mosquitoes for next week are going to be, like, four years worth of mosquitoes. (here's something on it.) And Henry has a wilderness workshop week of camp starting tomorrow! Gak. Luckily his cast comes off this Wednesday afternoon. I will have to set out some industrial strength bug sauce for the morning.

This camp sounds pretty awesome. It's called Wild Ways, I just discovered the guy's website. Check this out, it sounds fun:

Dan Mac heads various Primitive Skills and Wilderness Workshops for different age groups throughout the year. Specific Schedules and Descriptions of events will be posted soon. In general our ongoing areas of exploration include:

  • Primitive and Advanced Shelter Construction
  • Fire Starting and Fire Keeping techniques
  • Wilderness Water Acquisition and Purification
  • Primitive Navigation and Lost Proofing
  • Animal Tracks and Sign
  • Story Telling
  • Trekking, Hiking, Sauntering
  • Plant and Tree Identification (including techniques for procuring useful materials and avoiding dangerous ones)
  • Wood Craft
  • Self Defense
  • Camouflage
  • Stalking Games
  • Buck Skinning
  • Leather Craft
  • Making Cordage
  • Observation Techniques
  • Primal Community Cooperation (Positive Pack Mentality)
  • Individual Rites of Passage
  • Group Spirit Quests (Mythic Adventures)
Cool, right? I bet he will love it. Stinks that he has to ditch the last half of the day on Wednesday to get the cast off, but at least the cast is coming off!

In other news, we have our rats! Thomas Jefferson (Jeff), John Adams (Adam), and George Washington (Washington). They are pretty cute and certainly curious. I think I may take one out and hang out with him free from distraction tonight.

What I've observed about rats so far, particularly these rats: Curious. Working full time with their whiskers to check things out. Jim is curious and friendly in a very socially appropriate way, I think. Charlie could care less. Rats poop. I would like to see them learn to poop in the litter tray of rabbit food I've got for them, we'll hopefully get there one day.

Rats are fun to shop for. They love to eat and store away and sort through their treasures. I like the idea that whatever is good for humans is generally good for rats. (Except.) There is a large fan base for the pet rat, and their heart is good and true. People like to sew for their rats. Here is just one example:


here's a closeup of the bottom level:


Right? That's a fan of rats. Very interesting. I am anxious for my sister Marcia to come visit. Marcia has been known to sew up costumes for rubber chickens to wear on holidays, but is so repulsed by the idea of pet rats that I can hear her shudder and shiver when I tell her about them over the phone. I am curious to see if a) the rats melt her heart and b) if the idea of sewing for them is as inspiring to her as a rubber chicken hanging from a rope.

(the closest thing I could find to a rubber chicken wearing a costume. A 'rubber chicken costume', yes but no 'costume for rubber chicken')



Regardless, Marcia just celebrated a birthday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARCIA! And, I also promised her that I will totally respect her feelings about getting to know the rats. I intend to honor this request and will not make her do anything she doesn't want to do .

'cause that's how I roll.

WOOO all of a sudden the birds in our woods began to sing and sing and sing!

I am happy and excited to be leaving on our vacation soon! We are going to Seattle and also down to Oregon for Serah's wedding!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Mobile blogging, or iPhone Haiku

I am sitting in my clean bedroom.

Jim and Charlie are doing that rolling around on the bed thing,
casually play fighting.

My dad wouldve loved Charlie. He really loves to play by being chased
and then chewing on my hand that I've been attacking him with.

He also loves to lay beside me and nap, which dogs loved to do with Dad.

My kids are hungry.

These may be short!

Sent from my iPhone

Tumbleweeds Graduation 2009



Here is the long awaited video of Maggie's graduation...

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Test of email to blogger

Woof

Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Henry's Report on VENUS

Venus










by
Henry K.
June 11, 2009




Venus


My report is on Venus, the second planet from the Sun. Venus is named after the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Venus does not have any moons in its orbit, and has the same acid that's in car batteries in it's atmosphere (which is sulfuric acid).

The swirling clouds of Venus are so thick sunlight cannot go directly through them to reach the surface.
The surface of Venus is rocky. The lava flow from erupting volcanoes make low plains.

Speaking of volcanoes and lava, the temperatures on Venus are hot enough to melt lead! A scorching 900 degrees Fahrenheit! That's hot! The atmosphere is so thick and dense that the 'greenhouse' effect makes it impossible for heat to escape. It can get in though!

Venus shines brightly in the East before sunrise, and in the West after sunset.
We can see Venus easily because it is the closest planet to Earth (23.7 million miles). Also, the thick clouds I mentioned earlier reflect the sunlight, making it bright from Earth. By the way, Venus is pretty close to the Sun too (67.2 million miles) and in space distance, that's pretty close!

Venus is roughly the same size as Earth, and astronomers think it could have been born at the same time.

Venus' day is longer than it's year. One full rotation of the Earth takes 24 hours, or 1 day. It takes Venus 243 Earth days to rotate once. If 1 Earth day is equal to 24 hours, 1 Venus day is equal to 5,832 Earth hours!




One orbit around the Sun on Earth takes 365 Earth days, but one orbit around the Sun for Venus takes just 225 Earth days. Venus orbits around the Sun in the opposite direction of the other planets in the Solar System.

Venus cannot support any life. I think that it might've been able to have water, but then it all boiled away from the intense temperatures.

Space probes only last a couple of hours on Venus before melting away. If you were to land a manned mission on Venus and you walked out of the spacecraft, you would literally turn as flat as a pancake and look like a pancake in a pool of blood! No kidding!

The former Soviet union launched several spacecraft to either fly by or land on Venus in the 60's, 70's and 80's. That's around hippie time!
There have been many probes sent to Venus and NASA's Magellan spacecraft has been orbiting Venus since 1990. Japan is preparing a Climate Orbiter that will be launched in 2010. Japan's "Climate-C" orbiter will carry five cameras and it's mission should last at least 2 years!

And that ends my report.



SOURCES




"Guide to Space" by Peter Bond.
DK PUBLISHING


"The Martian Chronicals", blog by Ryan Anderson
http://martianchronicles.wordpress.com/2008/12/17/agu-day-2-venus/


"Mercury and Venus" by World Book's Solar System & Space Exploration Library.
WORLD BOOK, INC.


hk/slk

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Milford Library

I am sitting in the 'Quiet Study Area" at the Milford Library. Brought Henry here because he has a lot of homework due tomorrow, and figured this might be a good way to help him focus. Except for the rotating stand of science fiction and fantasy novels he keeps gazing at (who could resist a book called 'Robot City'?!), things are going well!

I figured I could talk to you, blog, while he does his business. When what is due tomorrow is finished, we'll work together on his book report for Venus. We'll publish it here, and it's due on Thursday, so check back later this week!

(that was last night. now it's tonight. I'll post it right now.)

Thursday, June 04, 2009

blog!

I miss you!

I will now take a few moments to bang out some recent life experiences: 7 things.

1. Henry is a trooper. If you haven't heard by now, he fractured his left arm, the bone above the elbow. he has to have a full arm cast, for the next six weeks. What a trooper. No complaining. I fear cast stink.

2. Maggie graduated preschool! I really need to buckle down and do some personal computing. There are a series of videos I got with our Flip and I just need to download something and restart and etc. and I keep putting it off. But they are adorable. You must see them.

3. Dave Matthews Band was completely awesome. We had sort of semi cruddy seats, the classic Fenway Pole, I'm told. But setting that aside, what a show. What a bunch of playing! Cassidy found this video of their cover of 'Dirty Water', which is another Fenway classic (I'm told).



4. Henry broke his arm the night of DMB. Thank goodness for text messaging. And thank goodness for Christine. All those Hauptmans are quality people.


5. Jeff and Lanie and Cassidy had a great time in Washington, D.C. Cassidy leaves in late August for Egypt, I can hardly believe it.

6. Work is crazy. Very busy.

7. I wish I wrote more. Will try harder.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Chicken Noodle Soup, the recipe!

I love my Sister Crockpot.

I pull stuff from the freezer, toss it in while breakfast is being eaten, turn it to low, and out the door we go! Come home from the day and bam, done. Good smells, a dish and a spoon, some crackers on top, mmm. Hearty. Delicious. Satisfying. And there's extra! Spoon out the leftovers into a ziploc freezer bag and toss it in the freezer and you've got an even more delicious dinner some other night down the road. Just toss the frozen lump into the Sister, turn it to low, and out the door you go! You can't beat that.

Thank you, Sister Crockpot!

This is my favorite recipe. Henry love love loves this soup. Both he and I highly recommend a liberal serving of goldfish crackers and a tall glass of cold milk with this meal. And when you reheat it, don't be afraid to add water to soup it up.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP



You Will Need

1 package McCormick® Slow Cookers Chicken Noodle Soup Seasoning
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (I use frozen chicken tenderloins and either have giant pieces of tender chicken that melt in my mouth and cut with my soup spoon, or I fish some out and chop them up and add them back in.)
2 cups sliced carrots (I use frozen crinkle cut carrots. a delicious time saver.)
1 cup sliced celery (chop chop chop.)
1 cup chopped onion
5 cups water
1 cup uncooked medium egg noodles

PLACE chicken and vegetables in slow cooker.

MIX Seasoning and water until blended. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cover.

COOK 8 hours on LOW. Stir in noodles. Cover. Cook 10 minutes longer on HIGH or until noodles are tender.

Makes 8 servings.

IMPORTANT: For best results, do not remove cover during cooking.
PRODUCT INGREDIENTS
SALT, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, HYDROLYZED CORN GLUTEN, SPICES (INCLUDING BLACK PEPPER, ROSEMARY, CELERY SEED, BAY LEAVES, AND THYME), MALTODEXTRIN, GUAR GUM, CALCIUM SILICATE (ADDED TO MAKE FREE FLOWING), CHICKEN FAT, VEGETABLE OIL (CANOLA, SUNFLOWER, AND SOYBEAN), CHICKEN BROTH, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, EXTRACTIVES OF TURMERIC, LACTOSE (MILK), AUTOLYZED YEAST, AND SOY LECITHIN.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Things I have been wanting to tell you

OMG you guys, you should hear the birds. I am out on the porch at 7:20am, day two of a gorgeous warm weekend. This is the weekend it all kicked into high gear out here, that's for sure.

We have all been sick! We are all feeling much better, although this weekend Jeff has been taking it extra easy after feeling extra crummy these last couple days. Here's to your health!

Henry is leaving today to spend spring break at his Auntie's house in Maine! He is so happy to be going, so looking forward to it. We are going to miss him really terribly I fear!

I tell Maggie that she's going to see what it's like to be an only child for a week, and you can tell the very idea is intriguing enough to her that she's okay with what looks like it could be special treatment for her older brother. Jeff is planning to bring him up to Portland and meet Lanie for lunch and hand off. Thanks, family from Maine! Enjoy him, he's a great kid.

I have such a desire to tear up all the carpeting on my main floor. Jim is apparently in agreement, as he has begun to destroy a piece of the carpet in our music room/entry area. My sister Jocelyn apparently pulled up the carpets in her bedrooms, and was rewarded with beautiful hardwood floors. This would not be the case for us, we would have to put something else down.

We also really need a new roof, and landscaping, and the house needs to be stained or new siding or something. Oh, and the upstairs bathtub still has a big crack in it. Ack! Too stressful. I thought it would be fun to talk about it, but I was mistaken. Next topic.

I am learning a new skill! Jeff is teaching me Drupal, which is an open source web based content management system. It finally occurred to me, that's what we need at work. It's difficult to wrangle all this valuable knowledge and information, this, this 'content'. If only there was a way to ... to... 'manage' the content, a 'system'.... :- ) Anyway, Drupal is very interesting and easy to follow and a total own-self-do-y powerhouse for folks who want to build websites and organize, present and promote information and contents of all types! woot!

The birds out here in the trees are so totally busy! And the eves under the roof of our porch are ideal for safe cozy places to build a nest and start a family apparently. Lots of busy birds zipping back and forth from the trees to their nest right nearby. It would be interesting to record some of these bird calls and isolate them one by one, figuring out how many different kinds of birds there are out there right now.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Goliath Bird Eating Spider

Here is Henry's third grade Rainforest Animal report, which he is turning in today:






The Goliath Bird Eating Spider

by Henry K.
April 22, 2009


The Goliath Bird Eating Spider is the largest spider ever. It is 11 inches wide, 10 inches long. That's bigger than the piece of paper you're holding (if you're holding it)! This spider can weigh over 120 grams.
Don't worry about finding a Goliath in your shoe because it wouldn't fit!

The Goliath was named by some dudes from the Victorian era who saw it eat a hummingbird and they brought back the story to the Western world. Gosh, imagine seeing something that big...something spidery.

Like all spiders, the Goliath is not an insect, it's an Arachnid. A big, black (or brown), hairy, creepy, fearsome looking Arachnid!
They have thick strong legs. They are dark brown or black. Their fangs can be as big as this _________ (one inch long)! The Goliath has very poor eyesight and I'm pretty sure it uses it's sense of touch to know what's going on.

The Goliath lives in the Amazon Rainforest in countries like Brazil or Peru in South America. It lives on the forest floor and I think they climb to the understory. It is dark and rainy where they live. They live in burrows that they have either found or made.

Like other bird eating spiders, the Goliath (a carnivore) eats insects and small mammals by biting and paralyzing them. It makes a web barrier in case of interruptions while eating. Even though it's called a bird eating spider, it doesn't eat birds that much.

You just read about what the bird eater eats, now let's talk about what eats the bird eater! It is considered a delicacy in Venezuela. The ocelot is a predator to the Goliath. It digs it out of it's burrow and eats it.

Mrs. Hamilton, my teacher, has a tarantula named Buttercup. But I'm pretty sure she's not a Goliath, because Mrs. Ham would've said, "Don't do a report on Buttercup." Also she would know that Goliath spiders can make a loud hissing noise by rubbing the hairs on their legs together. I am glad Buttercup isn't a Goliath because if she was, she'd be very, very aggressive.

The Goliath bird eating spider defends itself by kicking hairs off it's back and those hairs can make your skin sore. If you breath in these hairs, you're toast (probably).

The Goliath's habitat is threatened by humans. They set fire to the brush and clear the land, and doing that destroys their burrows. You can help by adopting an acre of rain forest and say that no one can cut down trees or start any fires on that acre.

So if you can spare some money to save the rain forest, I'll buy you something nice! Maybe. Probably. Nah...







SOURCES




"Bird Eating Spiders" by Louise Martin.
Rourke Enterprises, Inc.


"Goliath Birdeater", Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_birdeater


"Spiders''by Lionel Bender.
GLOUCESTER PRESS.


hk/slk

Thursday, April 09, 2009

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Liza Santerre

OH, where to begin.

My girlfriend Liza died last Friday. Only 48, isn't that rotten? Her husband Todd called me Saturday morning with the terrible news, and so my mind has been lizalizaliza.

I didn't cry about it all weekend, then on my way into work Monday, looking for a parking spot, it began to feel very real and sad. Monday night was uplifting because the wake they put together for her was like wading into a sea of her people.

Two of my friends from work went with me and we found ourselves laughing and crying and hugging Liza's brother, holding her baby nephew, trading stories with her family members - even meeting her mother! Looking into her brother's eyes was so powerful because they are Liza's eyes, you know? And her daughter and son were surrounded by thick crowds of caring friends, and her daughter wore a pink scarf and laughed and cried with her own circle. Oh, and the pictures!

There was a whole display of family photos and pictures from her whole life. VERY. TOUCHING. I grabbed a couple with my iPhone:

Look at those two pups! How sweet is that. Til death did they part.

Today, was her memorial service, which was short and sweet. Her dad was heart broken of course. Liza was not his first daughter to die too soon from cancer. He wept openly and spoke of his princess. A girlfriend of Liza's from way, way back got up and spoke very movingly. I got up, said a few words and recited a poem.

I told her dad that I would overhear her side of the phone call when he would call her each week, and how she would say into the phone, I love you too Dad. And that I knew a thing or two about good Dads and I would tell Liza how lucky she is to have her Dad around to talk to on the phone and that she knew it was true. He seemed to appreciate hearing that.

I read this poem, and folks seemed to like it. Another guy said sweet things quickly, and her husband Todd had some profoundly truthful and loving remarks about Liza that were so spot on. He was great, what a great guy.

After the service, me and three friends from work went over to have a couple of margaritas in Liza's name. That was really fun, and it felt good to laugh and toast to the old gal. Liza loved a good margarita.

And then I headed back towards home and stopped at their house for the friends and family thing. That was even more special. Everyone was so kind about my having spoken earlier, so welcoming and so at ease with each other in spite of the sadness of the facts. I felt comfortable and welcome. I especially enjoyed the private minutes with one of her sisters out in the driveway, and I was so happy to be able to take the first quilt Liza ever made, and will return it to them all finished. I will bring it in to work tomorrow and we will look it over and see what needs to be done. Her mom said she thinks it's just the binding. She sews, but she hates doing the binding. They were all really touched and happy to let me get it completed, it's a real honor. Luckily Kathy at work is going to help me out with it!

ANYWAY. I am exhausted. Like I said to my girlfriend Kristy, hug a sister! Liza was a surrogate sister to me, and I really loved her. One of the last messages she got to me was something on my Facebook page about how much I was going to love Dave Matthews in May. She loved her some DMB, and she had made me green with envy over her stories of concerts and live music she'd seen. So I'm glad she knew I get to go.

A real quick list of things that will make me think of Liza:

DMB
Margaritas
purple toenail polish
"Beyond Bizzah!"
the state of Maine
The Common Ground Fair
Jocelyn
Marcia
Dian

goodnight. peace, girl. r.i.p.

Sunday, April 05, 2009

Recent pictures of the children


Chicken Noodle Soup


Quick and Delicious for Busy Moms on the Go!

This will be Chicken Noodle Soup. Frozen boneless chicken tenderloins, frozen crinkle cut carrots, 1/2 a yellow onion, several stalks of chopped up celery.

Then you pick up a thingie of McCormicks Chicken Noodle Soup mix (for Slow Cookers!) and mix that with 5 cups of water.

Pour that in, slip on the lid, set it to LOW and out the DOOR YOU GO!

When you get home from work, all you have to do is add some uncooked egg noodles and then go hang out or do other work for the next fifteen or whatever the second shift may entail for you that evening.

Serve this with goldfish crackers. And I like to use the tenderloins because they're a good size if you happen to have someone who wants at the protein without fishing through the soup (aka low carb).

Enjoy! I'll post an after, after!

Thursday, April 02, 2009

8:02pm on Thursday evening

Jeff has been out of the house nearly every night this week! Meetings and whatnot. We are missing the beat he lays down for the rest of us merry music makers.

Uh... Maggie has a birthday party for a little classmate of hers on Saturday morning, and do you think we are ready for that? No we are not. I need to get my butt in gear on that front! I hear the siren song of errands at lunch time!

Oh! Actually, no errands at lunch time. I am meeting someone here at the house for an appointment. hmm... Well, perhaps Jeff can grab something on HIS lunch hour...

I am getting very very excited for DMB! Listening to his music, reading up over at antsmarching.org and etc etc etc! It is looking like we will get a hotel room for the four of us in the city that Saturday night. OOO!!! can't wait! can't wait! Very much looking forward.

There are a couple funny stories on my mind right now that I would tell if only they were my stories to share... waa-haa..

The birdies of springtime are coming to town, peep-peeping in that classic way that I love. Still no discernable buds on the trees, but here and there you see daff's popping through the grit and sand. Hardly any, any snow left. Today I saw a guy working one of those rotating brushes on the end of a weed wacker, busting up the packed dirt and sand from the edges of his lawn. That's a Yankee harbinger, for serious.

Oh, and I am loving Barack and Michele as they rock the U.K. Such a gorgeous sexy couple. Rar!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Vomit

that's sort of the word on my mind right now. ate too much, would like to....

ahem!

anyway!

This is going to be quick, because I have to haul the kids to bed and then maybe go to bed myself. Feeling very thirsty right now...

uh... Nothing much, just checking in. Let's see... hmm.. OH! Maggie had the last two of the shots she'll need, and tomorrow she is registered for Kindergarten! Can you believe that? How time flies.

Today we played 21 questions. I picked a person. Maggie worked her way through a series of questions until she was stuck. "So list out what you already know from the questions you asked..."

"okay... well... It's a person, with brown skin, who lives in a house...it has a vagina..."

"What are you if you have a vagina?" I asked.

"A girl!" she said. then, "Oh!!!! I know I know I know!!! Michelle Obama!"

"yep." I said. we laughed.

There is lots of talk about the graduation ceremony that takes place apparently... I've heard about Irish step dancing, I've witnessed painstaking sign language choreography, there is the Pledge of Allegiance, recited "Nice and proud" as Maggie says, clasping her hands behind her back. It sounds unbearably cute. She wants me to wear the dress I wore at The Vagina Monologues.

I think if you are within traveling distance of my us, you ought to consider coming along to see it in person. We'll video it and put it out on the internet of course, I'm just saying if you can be here in person, I think you'll be glad you were... Hit me up on my Facebook if you want me to let you know when the graduation is, it just might melt that stone cold heart of yours...

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Stuff from Ann



My mom is all settled in at her new apartment! I am so happy for her! It sounds like the other ladies in the building were super welcoming, and she is off on a new adventure. You can read all about it here at her blog, Stuff from Ann.

My mom has been keeping a blog for a couple years now, right mom? it's good stuff, and she offers an interesting perspective on life. Check it out!

Yay Mom!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Memorial Blog Clouds


oh boy.

I spent some time yesterday going over my dad's blog, having wanted to re-read a poem I'd posted there some time ago. *gulp* got all choked up, but in a good way.

I heartily recommend a memorial blog when somebody great dies. It is a good way to put something out there in the world that is a little cloud of memory and photos and stories - like a time machine you can hop back and revisit... A very visceral experience if you happened to know the guy.

And if you didn't know him, well, my dad was pretty awesome. And we really loved him.


And we took good care of him. And it happens, losing people you care about. There's no way around it.

But, I'll tell you.

It's nice to be able to take a second between projects at work and spend a few minutes reading about that special time for our family when we helped Dad do his work.



Things that I am Thankful for (mom)
A Personal Heaven (dian)
Pool Halls in Heaven BEWARE! (steve)
Nurse Fritz (me)

In order to get Maggie registered for kindergarten, she needs to have a physical, with shots!

Her appointment is tomorrow. Jeff is going to take her. I called him up and confessed my anxiety about her getting a shot in the thigh, and how I'll never forget the look on Henry's face when it happened to him.

He'd been so brave and trusting, letting me and his dad talk in front of him about the possibility of a shot, but never speaking about it himself. And then when the nurse jabbed him in the thigh, it was like you could see a piece of his childhood being snatched from him! He aged!

I couldn't bear to live through that with Maggie, was getting stomach aches from the very idea! Me nervousing alongside her would not help matters!

"So you'd like to put that on me." He said.

"Yes."

"Okay."

phew!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Tuesday evening

OMG you guys, I'm finally going to see Dave Matthews!



With Willie Nelson!



At Fenway!

woot woot woot. Do you see me standing over there, next to me? That is because I am beside myself with anticipation! It's going to be me and Jeff and Lanie and Cassidy!!! My new girlfriend Sharon (VFF- vagina friends forever!) and a friend of hers bought the two seats next to us and we are going going gone!

Saturday, May 30. Jeff and Cassidy and Lanie will have just returned from a college sight seeing trip down to Washington D.C.. I need to find a situation for both kids to sleep overnight. There's plenty of time...plenty of time.

My coworker Donna hooked me up with the tickets, onaccounta she's a Red Sox season ticket holder type of person. Donna - I will never mock your devotion to the Red Sox again! You keep rocking the jersey and the hoodie and the jersey hoodie and the little baseball shaped earings and you fly that pennant - go get 'em girl!

Oh my goodness, I remember the first Dave Matthews song I ever heard. 'What Would You Say'. Whitefish, Montana. Jeff and I had arrived at a party and I heard it playing good and loud on the stereo. I was like, damn! Who is THAT?

But I didn't really get to know him until we started hanging out with a group of other young families and one of the guys loves him and would play him good and loud off their back deck. Pouring the 'ritas and rocking out to 'Dancing Nancies' or 'Tripping Billies', telling tales of top notch concerts and other related good times. That's when I knew I had to see this guy for myself.

And Jocelyn, you can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I'm right when I say that it was ME who turned YOU on to Dave. And yet it was YOU and BROOKE who got to see him in concert first! And you lucky gals saw him at the Gorge in George:


And they called me during my favorite part of "When the World Ends" and sent me a sticker in the mail for my van (which I promptly lost -sorry gals!). So I was there in spirit.

Now it's my turn!

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Shame!

(At not posting in so long.)

That's all I have to say about that.

So much has transpired since I last wrote! Our daughter is now 5 years old. (Five.) Jeff and the kids went and had a great week visiting Grammi and Papa in Arizona. During this time, I went to Seattle for five fun filled days. And last night was the first of two performances of a local production of "The Vagina Monologues" that I am in!

My trip to Seattle was so great, I can't begin to tell you. As soon as I landed, Dian and Jocelyn picked me up:



And we sped off to the casino. I lost, but had a great time. I was just happy to be tagging along, bringing up the rear:


At one point I was up about five dollars, but promptly lost it. Marcia and Dian stayed overnight at Jocelyn's, and Marcia made us a delicious breakfast:


And then there was a little bit of beautifying going on, sorry girls:



And then several of us went to the thrift store, where I found a great fleece for $5. Yay!

And I got to see my mom's new apartment!!!!! The pictures of her new place are on my other camera, and I need to find the cord for transferring the pics over. But trust me when I tell you that Mom's new place is such an immense improvement over her current location, I couldn't get over it. There's a park, a river nearby, a wonderfully warm and welcoming lobby and common area. I am very, very happy for her.

Her actual apartment is pretty small, but perfectly acceptable. I think of it like a cabin on a cruise ship, or a giant apartment in Tokyo. You know? If you were living in Manhattan, for example, her new place would be huge. Ship shape.

We all had a great time while I was there. Delicious food, Guitar Hero, laughing, reality magazines, shopping with Brooke, more laughing. And I even got to meet the latest member of the family, baby Layla:


Layla belongs to my nephew Scott and his wife Leanna. And I met my brother Steve's new gal pal, and got to get to know Leanna better - it was terrific! There was a big snow storm the day before I flew home, and the long term parking situation I used even dug my van out of the snow for me! I had a wonderful time. Just love my family to pieces!!!!

This week has been so busy. The kind of busy where you come home for lunch because that's the best chance to finally run the vacuum before family arrives for the weekend. And making Henry stay up late to finish his homework because I absolutely had to run out and try to find something suitable to wear for the performance this weekend. I'm not complaining, as I sit here enjoying a relaxing Saturday with my family (including the gals from Maine!) I am inclined to stop here, and go laugh with Lanie about whatever. Because I can either write about life, or live life.

AND I WANT TO LIVE!!!!!!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

"I want something to eat WHILE I wait for something to eat."

That's a direct quote from Maggie. She wants something to eat. Then she wants something to eat while she's waiting for something to eat. She doesn't know what she wants (except that whatever we have/suggest is immediately rejected), but she's hungry. She wants something to eat. Well, then, she wants something to eat while she's waiting for something to eat. She doesn't know what she wants (except that whatever we have/suggest is immediately rejected), but she's hungry.

It goes on in this fashion. Highly tiresome.

Big plans in the slow cooker department! The crock pot liners I bought came last week, and they are terrific. The 'Fix it and Forget it!' Slow Cooker recipe book came, too and I went food shopping after reviewing the book and taking notes!

I'd rather review the recipes, get a feel for some crock pot staples (cream of XYZ, carrots, potatoes, celery, stew meat - you get the idea) and then pick up what I am reminded of when I'm at the grocery. It was in this fashion that I can now tell you with some certainty that we will have meatloaf Monday, chicken Wednesday and probably beef stew on Friday. Leftovers on Tuesday and Thursday.

Henry is slinking around sighing heavily because he's so bored and he can't believe Dad shut off the TV, etc. Tell it to the judge!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Tuesday Morning

My extremities are frozen! The bottom of my feet, the tips of my fingers, ugh! From sitting so still, I bet.

Here are some updates.

Charlie the dog is settling in just wonderfully here. I wish he was trained up on the invisible fence, because he really likes to dart out and take off. This makes it important to guard the top of the driveway any time he's outside (although that doesn't always work). I gave him a haircut this weekend, and he has been wearing a little hoodie I got for him at Target. He is one of those dogs who really seems to prefer wearing a little something to trap his heat. Here he is relaxing with Jim:

Jim: Jim is a gorgeous beast. So much bigger and heavier than Charlie, I'm always surprised. But he's a good boy in perfect health.

Henry: Home sick again today. :-( He's such an agreeable sweetheart. I love how he responds with, "Right!" when I need to give him a correction or reminder. Here he is from this weekend:


Maggie: Maggie is Maggie! Her health is good and she is very excited to celebrate her birthday in Arizona with Grammi and Papa!!!! Can you believe she will be 5 years old this year? Here is a recent picture of Maggie:
Maggie and her BFF Riley.


Okedoke, I will try and get here more often blah blah blah. Curse you and your seductive ways, Facebook!

Saturday, January 31, 2009

25 Random Things about me

Rules: Once you’ve been tagged you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about yourself. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.

(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the upper right corner of the app) then click publish.)


1. I was present at my father's vasectomy!

2. I have been pregnant a total of five times, and have two children.

3. When Mo gets here, I will leave for tonight's rehearsal of The Vagina Monologues, which is a production we are putting on here in Wilton. Town Hall Theater!

4. Occasionally, I make sloppy mistakes.

From Feb 2008: Last night, Jeff ran out of gas. And it was my fault! I'd been driving around on E for awhile, then put the van in to be serviced. (Didn't put gas in the car before the appointment, because why tie up my money in gas when I wouldn't even be able to drive the van for a whole day nearly! Jeesh! Obviously!)
http://slk-susiesblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/youre-not-only-one-making-sloppy.html

5. I drink water at home all the time. I leave half filled glasses all over the kitchen. I feel and find for the most chilled glass. (an indicator of freshness.) I don't know why I can't keep the same glass, or dispense the glass each time. Some days I do manage to stick with the same glass, finish every drop, keep it at the ready on the countertop. Right now I count 7 different glasses that are half full with not fresh water!

6. I am stuck on #6!

7. Often, I am not the best example.

8. Women are fantastic. I love vaginas!

9. Two things I got from my dad: dogs and politics.

10. I need more clothes for work.

11. Places I have lived: Seattle, Washington (various)
Cannon Beach, Oregon (a few months)
Kalispell, Montana (good times!)
Seattle, Washington
Troy, New Hampshire (big jump!)
Hollis, New Hampshire
Wilton, New Hampshire (ahh...)

12. Jeff and I moved nearly 9 times before settling in Wilton. That's a lot of packing and unpacking!

13. I stayed home for the first 7 and 3 years of my kid's lives. Very grateful to have been able to make that happen. Very content with the current situation.

14. Henry and I marched in the 2007 Milford Labor Day parade for Barack Obama, and I shook his hand! read more here: http://slk-susiesblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/labor-day-parade.html

15. I fancy myself a straight talking sharp shooting wise woman.

16. My dog Kermit was an angel straight from heaven. I am willing to try, and I concede that it's possible to find that love again, with another dog, but there will never be another Kermit. He was an angel straight from heaven.

17. I was raised in a wonderful family, and I love them all very much.

18. I married into a wonderful family, and I love them all very much.

19. I have three magazine subscriptions, and next year I will cut it back to two. Right now I get "The New Yorker", "Newsweek" and "Time". I love the first two, and will not renew the third. Mainly because three magazines is a lot to get through each week.

20. I read in The New Yorker today that one million seconds equals just under 12 days. One billion seconds, however, equals 32 years!

21. I have a blog that I've kept since October 2006. I have had 9,789 visits to my blog and I average 28 visitors a day! Since I've gotten on to Facebook however, I have cut way back on my blogging. It has been a great way to keep track and share observations, and is a different sort of beast from updating fb. I need to do better. http://slk-susiesblog.blogspot.com/

22. Three books I recommend are:

* Getting the Love you Want, by Harville Hendrix

Divided into three sections, the book covers "The Unconscious Marriage," which details a marriage in which the remaining desires and behavior of childhood interfere with the current relationship; "The Conscious Marriage," which shows a marriage that fulfils those childhood needs in a positive manner; and a 10-week "course in relationship therapy, " which gives detailed exercises for you and your partner to follow in order to learn how to "replace confrontation and criticism ... with a healing process of mutual growth and support." The text is occasionally dry and technical; however, the information provided is valuable, the case studies are interesting, and the exercises are revealing and helpful. By utilizing his program, Hendrix hopes you too will be able to solve your marital difficulties without the expense of a therapist.
Get it used for a penny!: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/product-description/0805087001/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books

* There is Nothing Wrong With You: Going Beyond Self Hate, by Cheri Huber

This book reveals the origin of self-hate, how self-hate works, how to identify it, and how to go beyond it. It provides examples of some of the forms self-hate takes, including taking blame but not credit, holding grudges, and trying to be perfect, and explores the many facets of self-hate, including its role in addiction, the battering cycle, and the illusion of control. After addressing these factors, it illustrates how a meditation practice can be developed and practiced in efforts to free oneself from self-hating beliefs. http://www.amazon.com/There-Nothing-Wrong-You-Self-Hate/dp/0971030901/ref=pd_sim_b_1

* Time Out for Parents: A Guide for Compassionate Parenting, by Cheri Huber

Ms. Huber writes: "Instead of punishing our children by sending them into isolation, let's offer ourselves time-out to discover our own needs, our own true selves. Then we will have everything we need to give our children what they need. Taking care of ourselves is a great kindness. When we are willing to provide ourselves what we need, we are much more willing to provide others what they need. Parenting from self-neglect and deprivation has little chance of succeeding."

23. Jeff and I will have been married 15 (Wonderful!) years in 2010, and it would be so great to return to Hawaii to celebrate. 15 years is a long time!

24. Turning my frown upside down begins and ends with Dave Matthews Band. I really, really, REALLY. want to see him in concert some day. I simply must!

25. I am going to Seattle for a long weekend at the end of February and am looking forward to hanging out and laughing with my family. Yay!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

THEBARACKOBAMAPARTY!!!


(That's what Maggie called it.)

Well. VERY good times. Not crazy, no ka-boobery. Lots of fun photos and a lot of clever art to look at, so let's get started!

First of all, I would like to point out, we are all getting old. Kids included. For kids we had, I think, 2 fourth graders, three third graders, 1 1st grader, two pre- kindergartners, two three year olds, and 1 18 month old. (did I get that right?) OH! And one docile, joking, enjoyable teenager (15).

But we had the Wii. And we had a craft station that will take me about two seconds to clean up once I get going here. April could not tear herself away from the craft area, I kid you not!

They got a little crazy here and there - turns out I get unnerved by lots of racing through the living room and hallway - who knew?! Overall, however. Very, very well behaved kids who had a great time also. Oh! And I even kicked Bob's butt at Uno for a few games - ye-haw!

That's Maggie taking notes about our decorating for the party.

Here we have some good old fashioned chowing down at a pot-luck. Jersey Jack's Back!

Maggie and her BFF Riley coloring it up. This was, I think, the first party we've had where Maggie's pals were there, too. It really made it special for her, although everyone played with everyone and had good times.
Riley, Maggie and Anna watching the Powerpuff girls dvd on my macbook in the sewing/cozy/coat room.

The craft area. I gathered all my magazines (Newsweek, Time and a couple of Peoples) and tossed out scissors and glue and got some GREAT art out of it. That's April there, next to her daughter Jamie.


This one's called "Art by April".

Keelyn made this one, isn't it a riot? "I gotta go...Where's the rest room??"

Jack banged this one out. "Yo alright, white girl!...I love you B"

"Wierd Ohs!!...Over there, sweety" by Keelyn

Anyway, thanks for coming everybody! Real good times, I'm glad you could make it.

Onward, Mr. President!