Monday, May 24, 2004
On the Other Hand...
Mary Ellen was right. I have been wanting to go to Playground of Dreams. The kids want to see the new improved equipment. Maybe if others were going I could be convinced to abandon my hemit status for an afternoon of parkside socializing...
Being a Hermit & Loving It
Clint is off to a California tournament for 10 days. He left Friday. You might think I would want to kick up my heels and party while he's gone. Or attack long neglected projects with gusto. Or at least get together with my friends as much as possible. No, I've been happily nestled at home doing nothing. Well, not really nothing, but nothing that "counts". Reading. Making real breakfasts for my kids instead of bagels. Cleaning up each mess as it happens, instead of waiting until it's challenging. Taking my preteens to see 13 Going On 30 (ok, we left the house for that one!). Running. Reading an awesome book to the kids; we can hardly put it down (Among the Hidden). Pondering what I'm supposed to be doing with my life (this because we're so broke we're thinking I need to get a job to make ends meet). Making cheesecake and devouring it with my kids. Cuddling with Tamzin 'cause she's sleeping in my bed while Clint's gone (to keep me company). Having a family tea party with real china cups and teapot because Tamzin wanted to.
There are tons of things I should be doing. Painting those #%@ doors. Weedwhacking the devil cheatgrass in my yard that enters my house with every step, and threatens to destroy my new carpet! I'm feeling a little guilty that while I expect Clint to work eveyr available weekend on the house projects, I haven't started one myself since we finished grouting the tile.
But, I'm going to do my best to keep guilt at bay and enjoy every moment of my laziness. I'll be over it soon enough, and off on another round of endless "to dos".
There are tons of things I should be doing. Painting those #%@ doors. Weedwhacking the devil cheatgrass in my yard that enters my house with every step, and threatens to destroy my new carpet! I'm feeling a little guilty that while I expect Clint to work eveyr available weekend on the house projects, I haven't started one myself since we finished grouting the tile.
But, I'm going to do my best to keep guilt at bay and enjoy every moment of my laziness. I'll be over it soon enough, and off on another round of endless "to dos".
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Pollution's No Joke
We lost four fish to hardwood floor finish fumes. When I got home from the cabin, I noticed the water looking cloudy. When I asked Clint about it, he said he had changed the tank water, a task long overdue. I figured the cloudiness was because the water hadn't settled from the change. Next morning Shelby found four floaters in a tank of opaque water. Turns out Clint changed the tank before the finish went on. The poor things were gasping for air in flthy contaminated water. What a way to die (sob). Could I be partly responsible, too, since I've secretly been wishing all my fish would die so I wouldn't have to clean the tank anymore?
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
The Recital
Shelby and Rhiannon had their Spring Piano Recital Monday evening. We got home from the cabin with just enough time to shower, primp and go. I'm glad they care enough about making a good impression to want to dress up for it. There were a few kids wearing their grubbiest jeans...Somehow it seems to diminish the significance of honoring their accomplishments if you treat it like any other day.
They were both great! I was so proud of them! It's so hard to get up in front of a bunch of people all by yourself to perform. I'm so impressed with their ability after just two seasons of lessons. They both got awards too, which i know is so exciting for them, although they later asked me to explain what Best Rookie and Most Improved really mean, prompting a whole conversation about who got awards, why, and why I'm not sure such rewards are even a good idea! After all, Shelby wasn't REALLY a rookie, and Rhiannon has progressed very steadily since starting lessons, and didn't REALLY experience a huge "improvement", but a steadily increasing level of ability. There were four awards for 25 kids. I think the teacher just wanted to recognize them. But even they say they probably won't get awards next year, because they think the teacher will want to recognize someone else. I think they're right.
I love listening to all the kids play their pieces. The young ones with their simple pieces, the experienced ones who play eight page songs, even the ones who struggle and make lots of mistakes...They all deserve credit for making the effort! Most of all, I'm thrilled that Shelby and Rhiannon chose music lessons on their own, and are sticking with it not because I make them, but because they want to (OK, I do remind them to practice, I admit it).
They were both great! I was so proud of them! It's so hard to get up in front of a bunch of people all by yourself to perform. I'm so impressed with their ability after just two seasons of lessons. They both got awards too, which i know is so exciting for them, although they later asked me to explain what Best Rookie and Most Improved really mean, prompting a whole conversation about who got awards, why, and why I'm not sure such rewards are even a good idea! After all, Shelby wasn't REALLY a rookie, and Rhiannon has progressed very steadily since starting lessons, and didn't REALLY experience a huge "improvement", but a steadily increasing level of ability. There were four awards for 25 kids. I think the teacher just wanted to recognize them. But even they say they probably won't get awards next year, because they think the teacher will want to recognize someone else. I think they're right.
I love listening to all the kids play their pieces. The young ones with their simple pieces, the experienced ones who play eight page songs, even the ones who struggle and make lots of mistakes...They all deserve credit for making the effort! Most of all, I'm thrilled that Shelby and Rhiannon chose music lessons on their own, and are sticking with it not because I make them, but because they want to (OK, I do remind them to practice, I admit it).
Into the Woods
The girls and I were exiled to the cabin this weekend. Clint (and some hardwood floor guys he found to help him) sealed and finished the hardwood floor, and we were told we couldn't be here for a couple of days because of the toxic fumes.
Things were nice up in the woods. Very green, wet and rainy off and on, but not wet enough to keep us from taking walks and picking lupines. The girls gravitate to the creek, where they love rock hopping and exploring on the shore. Rhiannon was convinced that the opposite bank was much more attractive, and that we would have a much better time if only we could get to the other side. In mid-summer, you can cross the creek on rocks and logs, but right now the snow melt creates a raging torrent...not a good time to be attempting to cross the creek. Of course, she became so fixated on crossing the creek that she couldn't stop talking about it, and eventually made me grumpy! I wish I could trust them to be sensible, so I could just say "Go down to the creek and play". Instead, we all go together, so I can hover and warn them when they're getting too daring.
I was too worried about lunatics and robbers coming to get us, and was so careful about keeping the cabin locked tight at night that I locked us out of the cabin on one of our walks! I feel very secure now, knowing that the cabin is JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE to break into! I was ready to break a window when the Ed, the guy who runs the little store, came and showed me how to take the hinges off the back door, and we were in. Very useful skill, that. I'm going to carry a hammer and screwdriver in my car from now on!
Meanwhile, back at home, Clint planned to sleep in the garage, but I convinced him that was silly whe my bother has a futon couch, so he went to my brothers and fell asleep sitting up on the couch because it was his bed for the night and the guys who were hanging out there that evening were all sitting on it! He spent the second night in his truck. Said he was more comfortable (it's like his home away from home, since he sleeps in his truck when he goes to tournaments).
Coming home was like Christmas morning. I walked in to see this incredibly beautiful floor, shiny, golden, and gleaming! We don't need to watch TV anymore. We like to just sit on the steps and admire the floor. It's corny, but it's so great to see such a beautiful result from all our(really Clint's) efforts. We'll get to enjoy looking at the floor a lot, since we have no furniture to put there anyway.
New rule of the house: No shoes in the house. Might as well preserve the floor as long as we can.
Things were nice up in the woods. Very green, wet and rainy off and on, but not wet enough to keep us from taking walks and picking lupines. The girls gravitate to the creek, where they love rock hopping and exploring on the shore. Rhiannon was convinced that the opposite bank was much more attractive, and that we would have a much better time if only we could get to the other side. In mid-summer, you can cross the creek on rocks and logs, but right now the snow melt creates a raging torrent...not a good time to be attempting to cross the creek. Of course, she became so fixated on crossing the creek that she couldn't stop talking about it, and eventually made me grumpy! I wish I could trust them to be sensible, so I could just say "Go down to the creek and play". Instead, we all go together, so I can hover and warn them when they're getting too daring.
I was too worried about lunatics and robbers coming to get us, and was so careful about keeping the cabin locked tight at night that I locked us out of the cabin on one of our walks! I feel very secure now, knowing that the cabin is JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE to break into! I was ready to break a window when the Ed, the guy who runs the little store, came and showed me how to take the hinges off the back door, and we were in. Very useful skill, that. I'm going to carry a hammer and screwdriver in my car from now on!
Meanwhile, back at home, Clint planned to sleep in the garage, but I convinced him that was silly whe my bother has a futon couch, so he went to my brothers and fell asleep sitting up on the couch because it was his bed for the night and the guys who were hanging out there that evening were all sitting on it! He spent the second night in his truck. Said he was more comfortable (it's like his home away from home, since he sleeps in his truck when he goes to tournaments).
Coming home was like Christmas morning. I walked in to see this incredibly beautiful floor, shiny, golden, and gleaming! We don't need to watch TV anymore. We like to just sit on the steps and admire the floor. It's corny, but it's so great to see such a beautiful result from all our(really Clint's) efforts. We'll get to enjoy looking at the floor a lot, since we have no furniture to put there anyway.
New rule of the house: No shoes in the house. Might as well preserve the floor as long as we can.
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
A Gap Toothed Smile
Clint is now back to normal. Thank goodness. They took out the stitches yesterday and said he's healing well. He can now smile normally, and when he does, he flashes the great big gap in his teeth. He says he looks like a true Benton City-ite now. He's trying very hard to be cool about it, but I know it hurts his ego to have a flaw in his normally handsome exterior!
Happy Mother's Day
I'm so lucky to be a Mom! Shelby cooked French toast for me for breakfast (and cleaned up after, too!). Rhiannon made me a Shrinky Dink bookmark. Gillian made me a Shrinky Dink card. My brother brought me a beautiful bouquet of multi colored roses, and my husband sweated all day sanding the new hardwood floor. Then, after finding out we'd overdrawn the checking account, are broke, and have essentially been living beyond our means for the last 5 months, we went out to dinner at Mongolian Buffet.
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