Take me out to the ballgame

Last night we went to the PawSox game, the farm team for the real Red Sox. We took the kids and the boy brought his friend. Fried dough and cotton candy were on the menu and cries of "Rally, Rally, The pitcher's name is Sally ...woot woot, woot woot" were heard. A little rain, a great big rainbow. It was good.

Dammit.

Blackbird is gone and I forgot to tape (that's right, old school VCR owner here - too cheap for TiVo) Survivor. Wah.

What happened???????


*Never mind just suffered through watched CBS this morining.

The deal is this...

So the girlie went to her appointment, they checked her vision: 20/30. Normal.

Then they check the alignment of her eyes: overactive obliques, left, inferior blah blah blah. Bottom line... Her eye muscles have been screwy from day one. Surgery helped but cannot fix this problem. I knew this, but expected too much.

When her left eye goes all flooey her brain shuts it down. Flick, like a switch. The whole brain shutting down the eye thing would have been permanent (i.e. blind in one eye) if we had not had the first and probably the second surgeries. One eye would become much too strong and the weak one would be shut off. Now her eyes are aligned way more than most of the time so they work together and one won't get much stronger than the other.

So she can be a sniper just like I've always dreamed.

Eye scream, You scream, Then I scream again

Okay, the daughter's eye issue.

The girlie has congenital esotropia, fancy words for crossed eyes. Nothing to do with vision (although she may need glasses at some later date, her eyesight has no bearing on her condition) but with eye muscles. Too strong, attached to actual eyeballs in the wrong spots, that stuff.

She had her first surgery at age 1 to fix the regular crossing. This latest gambit was just a month or so ago and that was to fix the eye muscles on the lower corner of her eye. this would stop her eyes from doing this. They don't do it all the time or even most of the time, but it depends on the angle she's looking at stuff. Easy enough to fix. At least according to the pediatric opthamologist that is the expert, right? Right?

Guess what. Right eye, seems fine. Left eye, not so much.

Breaking News

This just in....the crab, who grossily enough, I hadn't taken out of the aquarium until last night, IS ALIVE.

The fucking thing did not MOVE for two or three days. I sneak in there after the kiddos are asleep and scoop it into the net under the cover of night and it's leg. IT MOVES. ACK! I jumped a mile. Then I waited....did it move? My eyes playing tricks???

And slowly he stretched another leg. Fool thing. I dumped him back in as fast as I could because he's a quick little bugger and I didn't want him falling on me or crawling *shivers* on the floor or something.

He's not moving too quickly today though. He did this about two weeks or so ago too, I was cleaning the tank and he got all stiff and dead-like. Thought he was a goner then too, but he came back from the brink. So that's why this time I gave him some extra hours (or days but who's counting?) and he's still kickin' around.

Daughter has a follow up eye appointment tomorrow. Have I told you all how I think the surgery DID NOT WORK???? No? Well, now I have something to post about tomorrow. Because Kate will give me a break and not make me answer questions right away, right sweetie? ;) (Kissing ass never hurts, does it???)

7:35 p.m. Crab update: Some of his legs are, how to say this? um , missing. WTF. Things are not looking good for the little guy. First I loved him, I mean, he's a mini crab. Then he creeped me out because come to find out a mini crab is kind of like a spider but in water. Now I love him again and he's falling apart at the seams. Literally.

People, places and stuff.

I'm chewing this.

I'm wanting this

I'm wishing we could go stay here for a week or maybe forever.

I've never liked her.

I just bought this and can't wait to wear it.

More than ever I'm loving her.

Well then, free of alcohol, here I am.

What possessed me, a infrequent drinker at best, to partake in 5 hours of kamikaze shots/drinks? I'll never know, but they were yummy and funnily enough, I was only a little bit drunk - no stumbling.

It is a carnival of death in the aquarium. The crab has bitten the proverbial dust. Thank you all for your sympathies but my son hadn't even named his fish. I think it was the late hour and lack of sleep that had them wailing more than the dead fish. They haven't heard about the crab yet.

We attended the last hockey event of this very long season - a father/son game followed by a party. Apparently we, as families, lucked out this year. According to some of the other parents the families don't ususally socialize outside the rink. Skate, go home. Cripes, you spend a few nights together for 35 weeks a year. At least. And this group - we can't get enough of each other...

We've already planned the pool party for June, set most of the boys up in a summer league together, planned the end of the summer party and set most of the dads up in a summer league. We're having a hard time letting go.

If you have a chance head over to this site and share some love for this extrodiarily happy couple.

And in other blogging news, this girl is back in fine blogging form.

School vacation has come to an end and not a moment too soon. Alot of fighting today. And their fighting + my PMS makes for a grouchy household. On the bright side, because they were wild animals at Lowe's, I directed my son to rake the last of the pine needles out of a flower bed and my daughter got to vacuum the living room and playroom. So two chores got done that I didn't have to lift a finger for. See...silver lining.

Too much to drink tonight and my son's fish dies. pffft. dead. not fun explaining the wholee death/heaven thing to two kids who are wailing in my bed at ten pm.

kamikazes. a potent mix by my neighbor. and no supper.

i am a slow typer when i'm drinking.

but i am fixing most of my typos.

am off to wrangle up some dinner and watch some tv.

have a good weekend.

The Table

The table. For whatever reason, it's unfinished. No paint or stain. There's a kid's camping lantern, an R2-D2 figure, a gameboy link cable, my daughter's baby book, my son's school album thing, Anna Karenina and an ancient dictionary that was my grandfather's. That's not it but it's all I can identify from the picture and I'm not about to walk 10 feet to go double check the contents.

Funny how, after reading a few of these, our bedrooms seem to be the most neglected rooms in the house. Our rug is the original, olive green with gold highlights, left from when we bought the house. Somehow this carpet is the only one that has escaped replacement.

Birthday Boy

 

Eight years ago on this very day....

Today my oldest kiddo, the girlie's big brother is eight. There will be no birth story, suffice it to say, it was painful and I was unmedicated. Which, scarily enough, I don't regret.

He is a dream come true.

He's witty, goofy and strangely athletic for a wisp of a boy. He's a fresh mouth smart aleck and while I'm not entirely proud of it, he takes after his momma and it'll come in handy some day. He can do word problems in math, which I lose patience with, even at the second grade level.

He says please and thank you on a regular basis. He walks Fred the beagle and asks me if I need any help when I come in with the groceries. He does not like to be the center of attention and avoids interacting with grownups if it can be helped. We play gameboy and read Lemony Snicket together. He loves to fishing and camping and the outdoors, just like his dad.

His too big grownup teeth make me smile.

I am often proud of him, of the boy he is and who he is becoming. And something new here, at least for me, I am proud of myself. For helping him to learn right from wrong, good decisions from bad, taking the high road when it's the tougher one. And it still surprises me, that it's working, that I'm doing it (eh, we're doing it actually but it's my blog so I'm taking the credit :) ) Not perfectly mind you, but in spite of that, it's still working.

And that gift he gives me without knowing it, this pride, it is contentment and calming, an inner smile.

Some pictures....

Climbing.

Today we went here, I almost went to the zoo instead but I'm not a big fan of the caged animal so I changed my mind at the last minute and we ended up hiking the red trail to the top of Great Blue Hill. Free fun. BYOW - as in water because there is nothing to drink here, not even a contaminated spicket. The scene from the top was pretty cool, you could see 75 miles - so New Hampshire and Boston were ours for the viewing.

Boston.

We took the first canoe ride of the season last night. Hurray for warm weather. Did I say I liked snow? Was that me? 

The very picture of feminine. :) 

Apparently my daughter, who has taken a liking to her brother's clothes, is going to grow up to be a boy. This according to her. *sigh*

I apologize in advance

This is so cool and I will be annoying all of you with this for awhile....

Titled.... What my son is doing right now.

I've survived the birthday party. The decorations are down, the cake is gone (not even one piece was left, the devils) and the presents have been put away. He has FOUR more birthday parties this week. FOUR. Two friends, his cousin and his miniparty on Wednesday for family. So much for vacation week.

I"m off to bring the girl to school, to Target for a gift card, to the ice rink for a party (because what could be more relaxing then having to lug around and then put on full hockey gear), and then it'll be relaxation time.

Oh, happy Patriot's Day. It's a Massachusetts only holiday to celebrate the original Patriots of this country and not the men with the pigskin. The Boston Marathon will be run today. I don't have to work and it is beautiful outside. All is well :)

*Sorry, didn't know that Maine also celebrated Patriot's Day. They used to be a part of Massachusetts but then they learned how to drive and seceded.

** All was well, until my son just threw up everywhere.

***The puking might have been a one time occasion. He seems fine....a false sense of security maybe...

This little space was designed by my son after watching way too much Curb Appeal. There's perennials in there and he always plants marigolds, not my favorite, but they're his.

See the red bin? It's where the baitfish now reside. Lucky fellas.

Lilacs and Hydrangea. Otherwise known as the 'winter stick corner'. Pardon the foundation color....it's on the list. 

Sorry it's sideways. It's the lone tulip and some Jacob's Ladder. I thought I pulled all of the tulips out of here because I hate looking at the green leaves once they've bloomed.  

Catmint. One of my favorites. 

The start of the daylillies which, according to Baxter the 90 lb. black lab, make an excellent bed. They'll be all flattened to nothing by mid summer.  

Having some trouble with my post tonight. Dammit Blogger, just when I get off my lazy butt to post you give me all sorts of HTML error messages on my links. Couldn't figure out what was wrong to save my life, lost the post and you poor people end up with this.

Sorry.

Tomorrow is my first day this week where the only thing I have to do is housework. The fun never ends does it? My husband has had a brilliant epiphany. He and the boy enjoy fishing. They fish here and there and everywhere. Well, he and the kids went and caught some baitfish at a little pond and brought them home. All 200 or so of them. Throw them in our pond I say because even on a good day that's alotta fish. Oh no. That'd be too easy.

Guess who has 200 baitfish living in a huge plastic tub with an aerator pump at her house? And guess who's husband is hoping that they procreate and we have a never ending supply of baitfish (did he not learn from the recent aquarium experience that these fish EAT their young???)?

Still loving Stephanie on survivor...there's another smokin'little chick for Kate's inspiration...
Well, see you all at Blackbird's Friday Meme....

Favorite 5 Scents

This is for Lisa's meme, five favorite scents.

1. Campfires
2. The smell of asphalt on a hot day after a summer rain.
3. Christmas trees
4. The smell of a cake baking
5. Salty Beach Air

What are yours?

And then there was one....

Only one of the nineteen fish babies are left. Poor fellas.

On the other hand the other two fish and the crab are feeling like they just finished Thanksgiving Dinner.

Birthday party preparations for the son are in full swing. Well, make that half swing.

This is how I make myself crazy.... Example : The party is Saturday, my book club meets Friday. Under normal circumstances I would ditch any and all work/responsibilities to attend. Not this time. I didn't enjoy the book. At all. Not because it wasn't the type of book I usually read, that would be something else entirely and totally acceptable. Suffice it to say that it was lacking. And instead of going and making sweet small talk with the author about how I just loved the blankety, blank, blank (fill in your own blanks I can't even pretend to think of a thing I loved) I will purposely leave birthday party things to be done until Friday night so I do not have to lie to the hostess/author while eating her snacks. "Oh sorry, I can't make it...have this party to prepare for."

Did I mention I ran into her at the post office and instead of just saying hello and omitting any book talk I use my totally superior social skills to drive my foot squarely in my mouth. I actually said "I just finished your book." "Really???" she says. (What I'm thinking here is something along these lines: "oh shit, shit, shit. the book. what the fuck. I BROUGHT UP THE BOOK. why can't i just say hi and some other generic pleasantry? why am I so damn retarded?????" - note to reader: skip the retard political correctness comments please) And then I lie. "Oh yeah, I really enjoyed it - I'm hoping I can make it next Friday, I'll give you a call."

So now, I will hold off on goodie bag making until the last minute. Because one lie is better than two???

And on a side note I really don't want to hurt this woman's feelings. She wrote a book and even though I didn't enjoy it I have to give her credit for writing it and then boldly asking our book club to read it. Etiquette question: What would you do?

Live from my computer....supposed to be working...am watching the Sox.

I know it's Opening Day but I have a question...when did they start introducing the massage therapists? I mean c'mon, who cares???

Manuel Riviera just got cheered like crazy here in Boston. Thank you Mr. Riviera, for having the grace not to scowl and look all badass Yankeeish.

My favorite Red Sox player was traded to San Diego. He's not a huge name guy, but he made some plays that really counted last year and he was ALWAYS smiling and cheering like crazy from the bench.

Okay...back to work...

There goes the neighborhood

My next door neighbors bought this cottage last year. It originally belonged to her grandfather, then her mom and now it's her's (or her and her husband's) and they decided to tear it down and start new. Thank god. While they make great neighbors the house was less than great to look at. Inside was immaculate, but there was no helping the outside. And now, holy crap, there is NOTHING left.

gone. Yippee! 

Whew.

Oh, things are looking up....my daughter went to the neighbor's for lunch and a movie, I just got the second half of Curb Your Enthusiasm's second season from Netflix and there's popcorn popping as I type. What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon.

P.S. Stephanie on Survivor. I think I have some sort of weird crush on her. She's damn impressive.

My son's bookshelves. He is very proud of his Lemony Snicket collection. I am very proud that he's read seven of them.  

The shelves

For Blackbird's meme. My bookshelves. The bottom row is missing from the pic for two reasons: 1.) It's Fisher Price Sweet Streets stuff and 2.) It wouldn't fit. I'm so glad we built these, they're one of my favorite things that we've done to this house. Jen, please note the third bookshelf down from the top on the far right - Harry Potter books. :) Other than that it's a mishmosh of all different things, grownup books, kids books (they each have their own shelf), pictures and decorations. It's kind of busy looking at and not too organized, but too damn bad - it's mine and I love it.

The vacation plans to South Carolina for next year have been scrapped. Apparently my in-laws, who've been threatening to sell their humongous home and move south for the past 8 years, are moving to South Carolina next year so we'll be visiting S.C. anyway it seems.

The plan now is West. How far west we don't know, but neither of us have been west of Texas (living in Alaska until I was 3 doesn't count) and that's what we're leaning toward.

I can't believe my in laws are going. We're pretty close with them, it'll be tough on my husband. They live about a mile from us and provide Sunday morning breakfasts in pajamas, occasional free babysitting, card games and many, many good times. It's not as if we won't see them, but three times a year versus once or twice a week will be hugely different. On the other hand, we'll have a place to stay in a warm location with delicious meals and wonderful hosts.

*lookingonthebrightsidelookingonthebrightside*

A note before I go to work

This came in my Freecycle mailbox today giving me great confidence in the abilities of some of the homeschooling parents out there:

"ANYTHING ... Would be greatly appreciated .. even pens, pencils,notebooks, crayons, markers .. you name it we use it .. and the schools do not supply anything for us. We have to supply it all for ourselfs."

It's not as if my grammar or judicious use of the comma is above correction but come on....

Goodbye Fantasy Grandpa

I have to say I'm saddened by the passing of the pope. When I was a girl I thought he was the cutest little old man and wished he were my Grampy. What did I care that there was not really any way for him to actually be my long, lost grandfather, (when both of my grandfathers were present and accounted for) I was seven? I remember thinking he had a kind smile and he probably gave great hugs.

I was raised as a Catholic but as the church wouldn't let me get confirmed (we didn't attend mass regularly, which my mother told the priest and then he proceeded to call us hypocrites - better to have lied to a man of the cloth like all of our friends, I guess) I was excused from all things church. I spent many a morning thanking my lucky stars. My dad was probably heartbroken, he loved churchy stuff. I wish I could talk to him about things like this...


I'll not be espousing my present belief system here because well, there isn't any way to defend the Church of Belichick (Sunday worship at 1:00 and 4:00/occasional Monday and Thursday evenings too and summers off -woohoo!) to you heathens.

I found this interesting though, possible candidates for the next pope...

So I missed the first Red Sox game of the season in order to stay tuned to Iron Chef America. Which bears some, but not too much resemblance to the much scarier Iron Chef show, which, quite frankly I find frightening.

I have to say thanks to Blackbird for my new Food Network addiction which saved me from watching the Bad News Bears Red Sox lose. Badly. Whose idea was it to get David Wells as a starter? Let me just say it was a dumb ass move. I don't care if he wins every game from here on in, still dumb. The way he choked last night it reminds me of another team, that wears pinstripes and whose shortstop is a smug jerk whose last name rhymes with cheater, that couldn't quite pull one more win out of a four game run at the end of last season. Hmmm....who was that again?


*fish watch: the babies, all freakin' twenty of them, are alive and accounted for. Not for lack of trying on the crab's part.

It figures

Hey, guess who went and bought two fish and a mini crab? That's right kids....me.

And guess who bought a pregnant fish who gave birth to live little itty bitty babies this morning....Right again!

And guess who gets to watch the Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom special Aquarium Edition for the next few days as the crab gobbles up the cute little orange guys. *ding ding ding* That's right folks.

Still, it's pretty neat...

Shoe Frenzy

Blackbird and Tash have doled out the Friday photo meme. Shoes. Lots of them. I thought I didn't have many shoes that I liked. Turns out I have more than I thought. These are my red Skechers. Slip ons. I've had them forever. I'm still liking them.

Favorite everyday footwear.  

Favorite Boots.  

I posted about my love for these shoes back in the end of September after my brother in law's wedding. Fred kept getting in the way and Kate thought he might want to try them on....