In which my son gets a phone call

A few weeks ago, the phone rang.

Private name, Private number.

We've got a friend who's unlisted, I thought it might be them so I answered.

Hi, is R. there?

Who's calling? I asked.

Kaitlyn.

Seeing the goof ball grin that my son got when I handed him the phone would've been infinitely more priceless if he was, say, 13 years old instead of 10.

Keeping my fingers crossed that she was just calling for spelling words or a home work assignment, I totally eavesdropped from outside his door. A lot of monosyllable replies on his end, but he had that same goof ball grin on the entire time.

After about two minutes he gets off the phone.

She had to go, but she's calling back, he told me.

Is she in your class? Was this about homework? (Insert silent prayer here)

Nope, I just know her - she's just calling to talk.

Again, the phone rings - this time he answers. The conversation centers around dogs and after four minutes (yes, I did TOO time it) I do the old 'drag a finger across the throat' motion so that he'll cut it short.

I've got to go and clean my room, he tells her (ahahahahahaha, as if) and says goodbye.

I ask him if he likes her, he says he does - that she's nice and she likes him.

I ask a few more questions and he answers me: she got our phone number from my nephew (which annoys me and will have to be dealt with), she's from another town, she's a good student - he thinks and her parents know that she called - he thinks.*

So, with little tiny birds singing cuckoo as they circle my head I lay some very general ground rules about the phone. I figure if the calling becomes an issue then I'll deal with it, if not - better to have not made a huge issue out of the whole thing.

She called one other time and left a message with her phone number. I told my son she called and that he should apologize for not being able to return her call until he gets into the eighth grade. He laughed and I have no idea what he ended up telling her.

There's a luau coming up at school. Last year the fifth graders had 'dates' to this thing. Ugh. Not happening. He can pretend, in his own mind, that he's got a date but there will be no shared rides, no corsages or little trinkety gifts (and yes, some parents let their children go down that road last year - in 4th grade). My husband will probably be chaperoning (they play a giant dodge ball game in the gym), which is great because he's a dad and it's good for him to see the boy in action at school. On the other hand, I'm pretty curious about this girl and want to go catch a glimpse of her. What to do, what to do.




*Red Flag: I can't decide what alarms me more...that her parents would allow her to call or that, if she's lying and her parents didn't know...well, then, the fact that she's LYING.

I guess then, on the alarm scale I'm going with lying.

We've returned from the land of ice rinks and zambonis. And we are still recuperating.

Hockey tournament (häk'ē tŏŏr'nə mənt) n. Spending the weekend with fifty people, some being your closest friends others being those you can just barely tolerate. Long hours at the rink, longer hours at the hotel pool. Dinner reservations for sixty. Bonding over your hatred of the cowbell mom or the airhorn dad on the opposing team. Spending how much on an emergency replacement stick at the pro shop?? Little rink rat sisters discovering, after four months of shyness, that they totally like each other. Too little sleep. Seeing the other team's parents at the hotel and trying to be civil because, just an hour before, they were cheering when one of their boy's tripped or cross-checked your son. Kids collapsing in laughter and chasing each other through the halls, the pool, the rink, everywhere.

It was a good time. The kids were great, the team played so, SO well. We went 3-0 and were the team to beat before losing 1-0, with only two minutes left, in the semi-final game. A heartbreaker to be sure.

In other news, um, there is no other news. I've spent the past two nights watching the first season of Veronica Mars and I've probably got two more nights to go...the library has me on a deadline. I'm totally hooked on the show, if you get a chance...watch it.

So, it's a few weeks past Christmas. Too late for the recap?

This year my husband and I agreed to forego any gifts between us. If the kids had a few things in mind for either one of us, we'd take them shopping. My husband ended up with work gloves and I?

Got this.
It's the same sweatshirt my man Bill is wearing up there in the header.

Except mine has sleeves.

Don't think I haven't been tempted to cut them off, though.








My mom on the sly. She must've snooped through my amazon wish list.

It's perfect for how I'm feeling right about now.

I just sketched some swirls the other day on a bag the other day and have been embroidering them ever since. Great inspiration, as I was feeling rather uninspired.





And this? A surprise gift from the country to the North. I REALLY want to try my hand at mittens but I'm such a novice...

A hat, maybe....

It also came packed with tons of candy canes, some patterns and a few other goodies.

So thoughtful Jen, thank you.



I was given this blanket by a dear friend about a week before Christmas.

She stuffed it into my hands as we walked out the door..."It's NOT a Christmas gift", she said, "Because it's not wrapped."

Um, okay.

Still, it goes on record as being the most used NONChristmas present I received. I love it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.



And with that, I'm off. There's a hockey tournament that awaits.

True Confessions

Last night was probably the highlight of this week. And what this says about me, I'm not sure I want to know...

I took girlie to High School Musical - On Ice. Because, hey - ice rinks - it's where we live.

It was *hangs head in shame* kind of awesome.

My kiddo loves these movies, she knows most every song and I'm totally on the HSM bandwagon with her. I find myself listening to the soundtrack in the car AFTER I drop her off at school. I know, I KNOW.

So last night it was all about ten dollar snow cones in souvenier cups (yes) and eleven dollar coloring books and twenty dollar programs (no and NO). But the songs, so catchy. And the cute little dances, so eff'in cute.

Even cuter was my girl who hugged me tight when they started their countdown and said "Thank you so much for bringing me here" and she clapped and sang at the top of her lungs and screamed like crazy when the skaters came out. Oh wait, that was me.

I'm kidding.

I didn't scream.

I have Pocklock to thank for wasting way too much of my time last week. I mean,

At start, no has lyte. An Ceiling Cat sayz, i can haz lite? An lite wuz.

and

An Ceiling Cat gotted all teh waterz in ur base, An Ceiling Cat hadz dry placez cuz kittehs DO NOT WANT get wet. An Ceiling Cat called no waterz urth and waters oshun. Iz good.

How could I resist?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I've been looking at the list of Oscar nominees and have just discovered that I want to see every single Best Picture nominee. Mr. Tumnus was excellent in The Last King of Scotland, I'm thinking Atonement will be good.

And I've heard nothing but good about Juno, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. Haven't heard much great about Michael Clayton but I thought it looked watchable from the trailers.

I can't feel my hands....I'm Freezing At PeeWee Hockey

Tom Brady in a cast? You know what they say about the boy who cried wolf...or the coach that cried shoulder injury for the past three years, right? Even if it's true, who would believe him? But. You never know. And that's the whole point.

The son actually had a hockey game at 3:10 on Sunday so we missed most of the football game. Which, I have to say, youth hockey? Probably more exciting than the Pats game.

The other team was winning and with :55 left one of our boys broke through their both of their defensemen deked the goalie and tied it up. And with half a second left? Another one of our kids took the puck out of our zone on a breakaway but was caught and tripped by someone on the other team just as he was about to shoot - the buzzer was still going off and the other team was celebrating the tie (?) like they had just won the Stanley Cup - when the ref called the penalty shot.

The other team, in a move that shows how important coaching and parenting can be, threw up their arms, yelled at the refs and started slamming their sticks. Nice. They're nine and ten. Coach let the tripee take the penalty shot...he skated, stick handled and shot. Stuffed by the goalie. Ah well, a tie isn't a loss and there was no better way to end a game between two teams that are in a four way hunt for first place.

In other, more embarrassing news:

I've started watching October Road. I don't think it's going to stick but it's been three weeks in a row now and I actually waited to see what next week preview was before I left the room last night. Next thing you know I'll be tuning in to see Grey's Anatomy. Okay, no I won't be.

In General

I am pleasantly surprised by the fact that


1. The file cabinet that I assumed, for the last year, was locked? Is not.


2. I can do the split stitch, and it doesn't look half bad.


3. My husband's company just got word that, come March, they will be able to work for the federal and state governments again. Wheee! (The owner and VP are still in prison but the show must go on...)


4. After 35 years of hating tunafish...I actually like it. Solid white in water, only. With lettuce and Hellmans. Better on toast.


5. There are cute worker men right outside my window at work. Which is some feat, as I'm on the second floor.


6. I am better at not spending money than previously thought.

7. My four favorite christmas presents were things I didn't even ask for. There may be photos.

8. It's going to be eight degrees this weekend. Skating on Monday, possibly?

9. The Colts lost and the Chargers are crying and whining all the way to Foxboro. Again, it is going to be eight degrees this weekend. Cold enough to freeze Ladanien's tears?

10. I have tickets for High School Musical on Ice and totally forgot about them until yesterday. My girlie is going to flip.

I am so glad my work week is winding down. Yesterday was one of the WORST days I've had there.

Imagine, getting to watch a tape of a televised meeting while someone stands next to you, defending what she said and in defending it is heavy handidly trying to get you to agree and absolve her

See? That wasn't bad was it? I only said xxx because, wait, listen to what C. says now.

All the while we're watching this meeting and C. is getting the bum's rush from this lady...guess who's in the office next door? C.'s WIFE. Who I happen to like. Alot.

Plus, a co-worker quit as a result of that meeting. Leaving the number of office staff cut squarely in half. From 2 to 1. That one being me.

But I'm not going back there until next week and the hubub should've died down by then. There is much drama in the hockey group too but we are distancing ourselves from it all. Duck and cover. It doesn't involve us but we are being reported to by both bickering parties. Not fun.

BUT.

Somehow, with all this drama (we're not even mentioning the household finance dramafest of 2008) - none of it positive - I am positively okay. Chipper, even.

I'm trolling for a new crafty project, I've got a few ideas in mind but need to be able to get motiviated after the kids bedtime, which is proving difficult.

Not that I'm blaming Cesar Milan or anything but could that show be any MORE watchable?

Good thing I didn't resolve to post more in 2008, eh?

Things I am Enjoying:

These mints.

Inspector Jury mysteries by Martha Grimes.

Still watching this, season two has taken longer to reel me in. But! My husband, who never watches anything I do....he finally sat down and caught one episode. And then two and then four and then he said "Now I know why you don't bother with regular tv."

Spending too much time here. Go ahead, try to make just one.

We got a brochure in the mail for a hockey tournament in Canada. Not that we would go but I spent some time thinking that this place, with a group of 13 10-year old boys? Heaven. Just looking at the website - ICE SKATING TRAILS!- makes me grin.

2008 is the new 2007

I meant to do one of those year in review posts on New Year's Eve. And then, seeing as that didn't happen, I meant to do it yesterday. And seeing as THAT didn't happen:

2007.

I posted more than I did in 06 - so that was something.

January, was cold. Damn cold. Which, funnily enough - I love. And so do our friends. Also, I think this is when the mono started, reason number 765 why I love this blog.

February came and made me shiver, with every paper I delivered. Bad news on the doorstep...
Sorry, that's not me. But this is.

In March we were all about the hockey. When aren't I all about the hockey?

Probably when I'm all about the dog. April also saw the end of the daisy scout year. If you've been reading and wondering if the girlie signed on for Brownie scouts? That'd be a no.

May was fun - I had a birthday AND did a meme, multitasking at its finest and my husband's boss was on trial for federal highway fraud and conspiracy. See? Fun.

In June I unveiled my neuroses. Or neurosi? Never you mind, it's just one of many. I also tried my hand at embroidery. Embroidery with profanity.

I had some trouble with math in July. Well, actually that happens way more often than that but I was crafty enough to work it into the title of a post in July. And even though there was a slight delay, I was able to read my beloved Harry Potter in one sitting.

2007 was also the year of the root canal. Soon to be found on chinese restaurant placemats everywhere. In August he had his teeth rebuilt and looked like my boy again. I also met a very nice mamabear that month.

September brings school and more importantly football and even more importantly PATRIOTS football. And it turns out I needn't have worried about the MFY and my football wish, it freaking came true. Oh, plus we got a new addition to the family. I still can't believe I bought that thing in September.

October was the month of sleep deprivation and Red Sox obsesssion.

NaBloPoMo was fun, then it wasn't - I'm not a fan of commitments, even self imposed blog style commitments. It was easy and then not. There was a bit more Sox and a more than a few skimpy posts.

Do I need to recap a month that just ended two days ago? Yeah, I didn't think so.