Friday, September 24, 2004
I Love Fall!
And it's officially here! I love that you don't need a jacket, but it's too brisk for shorts. I like how hot the sun feels, but how cool the air is. I like the smell. I don't love (but don't really hate) the spiders. (On a side note, let me mention that the outside (fortunately) of our house is being overrun by big, fat giant-web-building spiders. While eating dinner on the deck last night, I counted eight that I could see from where I was sitting. They're on the eaves of the house, on the deck, on the walls, on my daughter's tree house...everywhere! You know the ones...big & brown with fairly long legs. I'm not really inclinded to displace them unless their webs are directly interefering with my goings-on. Even though we live by the woods, this is by FAR a bumper crop compared to years past. Weird.)
Anyway, there are several Fall activities that I'm looking forward to. This weekend, even though it's still September, we'll be visiting an Oktoberfest. Even though I'll miss out on the brew, the atmosphere is still lots of fun. I also like going to the pumpkin patches (because paying triple for a pumpkin is FUN!). No, really, we have a fun one with a petting zoo & hayride & the whole nine yards. My daughter gets a big kick out of it.
Since our many summer travels are finally behind us, I know have time to focus on my house and also local activities. Before you know it, I won't be leaving the house hardly ever, due to winter ugliness. Gee...maybe that will force me to blog more often!
And it's officially here! I love that you don't need a jacket, but it's too brisk for shorts. I like how hot the sun feels, but how cool the air is. I like the smell. I don't love (but don't really hate) the spiders. (On a side note, let me mention that the outside (fortunately) of our house is being overrun by big, fat giant-web-building spiders. While eating dinner on the deck last night, I counted eight that I could see from where I was sitting. They're on the eaves of the house, on the deck, on the walls, on my daughter's tree house...everywhere! You know the ones...big & brown with fairly long legs. I'm not really inclinded to displace them unless their webs are directly interefering with my goings-on. Even though we live by the woods, this is by FAR a bumper crop compared to years past. Weird.)
Anyway, there are several Fall activities that I'm looking forward to. This weekend, even though it's still September, we'll be visiting an Oktoberfest. Even though I'll miss out on the brew, the atmosphere is still lots of fun. I also like going to the pumpkin patches (because paying triple for a pumpkin is FUN!). No, really, we have a fun one with a petting zoo & hayride & the whole nine yards. My daughter gets a big kick out of it.
Since our many summer travels are finally behind us, I know have time to focus on my house and also local activities. Before you know it, I won't be leaving the house hardly ever, due to winter ugliness. Gee...maybe that will force me to blog more often!
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Drum Roll Please....
Let me say before I begin, that I just had the BEST bagel. Cinnamon with Pumpkin Cream Cheese. Amazing. I'm one of those people who loves food so much, that when something really strikes me everyone gets to hear about it until I forget. Sorry...
ANYWAY...now for the real drum roll: it's going to be a boy. Usually it would be too early to tell, but my sonogram tech got just the perfect shot. "No mistaking what THAT is", she says. Sigh. No, no...it IS a good thing , but I'm still in shock. And no, not just the shock of having to admit I'm wrong..the shock a raising a BOY. "Oh, all babies are the same" some people like to say. Um, no they aren't! Some are girls and some are boys...not the same thing! Not to mention the cases of girl clothes that will never be used by me again. It's a whole different deal this time.
The biggest challenge up to this point has been keeping the secret from my four year old daughter. She's no dummy. I think the jig has been up for some time...we've just been keeping her confused. I bought a little boy outfit in Connecticut and she says "Is that for my baby brother"? WHAT!?!? Plus she's been eyeing my pooch and asking if I'm "starting to get a baby in my belly". "Why do you ask?" I'd say, attempting to be evasive. We finally gave up last night and told her. The news was greeted with a big grin and repeated requests for me to yank up my shirt so she could put her hands on my stomach. NOW the biggest challenge will be keeping the nagging questions at bay. Her sense of time is not so hot, so as soon as we buy a 2005 calendar, we'll mark the due date & try to make a visual for her.
Before we know it we'll be knee deep in baby paraphanelia again. With a little less than six more months to go, I think I'll have plenty of time to get my act together (chuckle, chuckle). Wish me luck.
Let me say before I begin, that I just had the BEST bagel. Cinnamon with Pumpkin Cream Cheese. Amazing. I'm one of those people who loves food so much, that when something really strikes me everyone gets to hear about it until I forget. Sorry...
ANYWAY...now for the real drum roll: it's going to be a boy. Usually it would be too early to tell, but my sonogram tech got just the perfect shot. "No mistaking what THAT is", she says. Sigh. No, no...it IS a good thing , but I'm still in shock. And no, not just the shock of having to admit I'm wrong..the shock a raising a BOY. "Oh, all babies are the same" some people like to say. Um, no they aren't! Some are girls and some are boys...not the same thing! Not to mention the cases of girl clothes that will never be used by me again. It's a whole different deal this time.
The biggest challenge up to this point has been keeping the secret from my four year old daughter. She's no dummy. I think the jig has been up for some time...we've just been keeping her confused. I bought a little boy outfit in Connecticut and she says "Is that for my baby brother"? WHAT!?!? Plus she's been eyeing my pooch and asking if I'm "starting to get a baby in my belly". "Why do you ask?" I'd say, attempting to be evasive. We finally gave up last night and told her. The news was greeted with a big grin and repeated requests for me to yank up my shirt so she could put her hands on my stomach. NOW the biggest challenge will be keeping the nagging questions at bay. Her sense of time is not so hot, so as soon as we buy a 2005 calendar, we'll mark the due date & try to make a visual for her.
Before we know it we'll be knee deep in baby paraphanelia again. With a little less than six more months to go, I think I'll have plenty of time to get my act together (chuckle, chuckle). Wish me luck.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
New England Travels
I think I saw most of it last week! The point of going in the first place was that my friends who live in Connecticut had a beach house reserved for a whole week. Five bedrooms. "Come and stay with us", they said. And so we did. The weather was lovely. What you'd expect for Fall in New England. It was a tad chilly for the pool and the beach, though. My daughter didn't care...little kids are oblivious to that stuff. We were in the pool at the house and my daughter's lips were blue and her teeth were chattering. Only THEN did she decide she was ready to go inside.
Our first day trip was to Boston. My friend couldn't fully peel herself away from work since she owns her own company. So while she was at a meeting in Boston, my daughter & I went to the Boston Aquarium http://www.neaq.org/index.flash4.html. The high point was the jellyfish exhibit. Very cool. They also had these things called Sea Dragons. Sort of like Sea Horses only bigger & much more elaborate. They looked like big clumps of floating leaves with eyes & tails.
http://www.neaq.org/special/seadragon/
When my friend picked us up from the aquarium to head back to the beach, she was suckered by a con man to the tune of $20, right on the street. I just sat there speechless while she was foolishly giving her money away. We then saw the guy hit somebody else up (successfully) for money with his b.s. story. That allowed me to make jokes about bringing a country bumpkin into the "big city".
My friend's nanny watched the kids one night so the grown-ups could go out. We went to the Mohegan Casino http://www.mohegansun.com/index.jsp, which is apparently the second largest casino in the world. It's American Indian owned. It was AMAZING! It made most Vegas casinos look like shacks. We had dinner at an overpriced steak house and then had time to gamble for about half an hour. My husband and I both won about $60 each at blackjack. Winning is fun! Our friends didn't gamble much, but on the way out to the valet, my friend got sidetracked by a roulette table. She'd never played before. It was a $15 minimum table, so she plopped down a $20. (ANOTHER twenty down the drain?!?!) As she was spreading her tokens around, my eyes scanned the table. For some reason, I said "be sure you put some on black 33". She put a couple dollars on it. One spin. Black 33. I kid you not. How bizarre is that? I should have run right out & bought a lottery ticket! I won her $90 in about 30 seconds. Can't beat that! I've been told before that I'm charmed. Perhaps it's true. Too bad I can't control where & when that stuff happens.
On our last full day there we went to Newport, RI. I've been there before. I really think it embodies New England, as an area. It's so picturesque & quaint. A real flavor of early America. The bad news (other than the constant rain) was that a giant boat show was in town that weekend & parking was next to impossible. After we toured the Vanderbilt's summer "cottage" called The Breakers, http://www.newportmansions.org/page3544.cfm we went into town, searched for a parking place for 30 minutes & finally had lunch at a place called the Black Pearl, after which we went to the Ben & Jerry's shop. Amazing. Oatmeal Cookie Chunk, I think it was called. Amazing. Sad, when that's one of your vacation's high points, huh?
All in all it was a very nice trip. Time to do fun things & time to relax. Perfect combo. It's good to be home though, too.
I think I saw most of it last week! The point of going in the first place was that my friends who live in Connecticut had a beach house reserved for a whole week. Five bedrooms. "Come and stay with us", they said. And so we did. The weather was lovely. What you'd expect for Fall in New England. It was a tad chilly for the pool and the beach, though. My daughter didn't care...little kids are oblivious to that stuff. We were in the pool at the house and my daughter's lips were blue and her teeth were chattering. Only THEN did she decide she was ready to go inside.
Our first day trip was to Boston. My friend couldn't fully peel herself away from work since she owns her own company. So while she was at a meeting in Boston, my daughter & I went to the Boston Aquarium http://www.neaq.org/index.flash4.html. The high point was the jellyfish exhibit. Very cool. They also had these things called Sea Dragons. Sort of like Sea Horses only bigger & much more elaborate. They looked like big clumps of floating leaves with eyes & tails.
http://www.neaq.org/special/seadragon/
When my friend picked us up from the aquarium to head back to the beach, she was suckered by a con man to the tune of $20, right on the street. I just sat there speechless while she was foolishly giving her money away. We then saw the guy hit somebody else up (successfully) for money with his b.s. story. That allowed me to make jokes about bringing a country bumpkin into the "big city".
My friend's nanny watched the kids one night so the grown-ups could go out. We went to the Mohegan Casino http://www.mohegansun.com/index.jsp, which is apparently the second largest casino in the world. It's American Indian owned. It was AMAZING! It made most Vegas casinos look like shacks. We had dinner at an overpriced steak house and then had time to gamble for about half an hour. My husband and I both won about $60 each at blackjack. Winning is fun! Our friends didn't gamble much, but on the way out to the valet, my friend got sidetracked by a roulette table. She'd never played before. It was a $15 minimum table, so she plopped down a $20. (ANOTHER twenty down the drain?!?!) As she was spreading her tokens around, my eyes scanned the table. For some reason, I said "be sure you put some on black 33". She put a couple dollars on it. One spin. Black 33. I kid you not. How bizarre is that? I should have run right out & bought a lottery ticket! I won her $90 in about 30 seconds. Can't beat that! I've been told before that I'm charmed. Perhaps it's true. Too bad I can't control where & when that stuff happens.
On our last full day there we went to Newport, RI. I've been there before. I really think it embodies New England, as an area. It's so picturesque & quaint. A real flavor of early America. The bad news (other than the constant rain) was that a giant boat show was in town that weekend & parking was next to impossible. After we toured the Vanderbilt's summer "cottage" called The Breakers, http://www.newportmansions.org/page3544.cfm we went into town, searched for a parking place for 30 minutes & finally had lunch at a place called the Black Pearl, after which we went to the Ben & Jerry's shop. Amazing. Oatmeal Cookie Chunk, I think it was called. Amazing. Sad, when that's one of your vacation's high points, huh?
All in all it was a very nice trip. Time to do fun things & time to relax. Perfect combo. It's good to be home though, too.
Friday, September 17, 2004
Long Time, No See!
I've been out of town. On vacation in Connecticut. Ah, New England. I've seen lots of it this week. I'll be flying home today. This is the first computer access I've had in a week. I had 52 e-mails. Mostly crap.
I think I'll wait until I get settled back at home to bore you with the details of my trip.
I also have some BIG NEWS for you! Don't you just love suspense?
Tune in soon.
Wish me a happy birthday...it's tomorrow. Yes, 21 AGAIN.
I've been out of town. On vacation in Connecticut. Ah, New England. I've seen lots of it this week. I'll be flying home today. This is the first computer access I've had in a week. I had 52 e-mails. Mostly crap.
I think I'll wait until I get settled back at home to bore you with the details of my trip.
I also have some BIG NEWS for you! Don't you just love suspense?
Tune in soon.
Wish me a happy birthday...it's tomorrow. Yes, 21 AGAIN.
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Care to place a wager on that?
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the sex of my unborn child would be the center of such a hot debate! I have one friend who absolutely INSISTS that it's a boy. It did come out in a small way that part of the reason she thinks this wishful thinking on her part. She doesn't have kids yet and would REALLY want a girl. By throwing the boy vibe onto me, I think she feels as though she's increasing the odds that it will all work out in her favor. You see, my entire circle is boy-free. In the immortal words of Motley Crue, it's "Girls, girls, girls!"
It is interesting to imagine what a boy would do in this environment. One thing is for sure: he'll be sensitive to females...even if he has to learn the hard way. He'll be in touch with his feminine side, for sure. He'll have the equivalent to five sisters (that's my daughter plus the four other little girls in our group).
I have to admit the thought of having a boy kind of freaks me out. I really have limited experience with boys. If you've read my past blogs, you know about the grubby gross little pack of boys that roams my cul-de-sac, randomly peeing in yards. See where I'm coming from? Ick. The good news is that the pack of boys will be way too old for my child once he reaches the "I wanna go out and play" stage....I hope. Either that or they'll torture him at every minor opportunity. More good news is that I have enough control over my household comings and goings that I can probably prevent much unwanted contact.
So I've had about five or six people predict "boy" so far. And thus far, I'm inclined to disagree! Why? Well, first...just a hunch. Secondly, I had a psychic (or rather a channeler) tell me it was a girl. Murmur all you like, but this chick was no phony. Of everything she said, she was about 85% accurate. Not bad. I won't get into a debate as to people's opinions of the validity of these types of readings. She was damn good. But then there was a 15% window of grey area, so I'm not saying she couldn't be wrong. Only time will tell. We'll know in about three weeks, so I can end the mystery.
In the meantime, I'm entertaining placing some small wagers with those who are so insistent. It might make it a little more interesting. And I'm SURE if I lose, my friend's winnings would go toward some lovely boy-oriented gift. Lord knows I'll need it. I have CASES of girly stuff & jack-squat for a boy. Am I RIGHT girls?!?!
(Random housekeeping note: this blog is set up to accept comments from "anyone" so I have no idea why some people can't post comments. I'll look into it further & let you know!)
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the sex of my unborn child would be the center of such a hot debate! I have one friend who absolutely INSISTS that it's a boy. It did come out in a small way that part of the reason she thinks this wishful thinking on her part. She doesn't have kids yet and would REALLY want a girl. By throwing the boy vibe onto me, I think she feels as though she's increasing the odds that it will all work out in her favor. You see, my entire circle is boy-free. In the immortal words of Motley Crue, it's "Girls, girls, girls!"
It is interesting to imagine what a boy would do in this environment. One thing is for sure: he'll be sensitive to females...even if he has to learn the hard way. He'll be in touch with his feminine side, for sure. He'll have the equivalent to five sisters (that's my daughter plus the four other little girls in our group).
I have to admit the thought of having a boy kind of freaks me out. I really have limited experience with boys. If you've read my past blogs, you know about the grubby gross little pack of boys that roams my cul-de-sac, randomly peeing in yards. See where I'm coming from? Ick. The good news is that the pack of boys will be way too old for my child once he reaches the "I wanna go out and play" stage....I hope. Either that or they'll torture him at every minor opportunity. More good news is that I have enough control over my household comings and goings that I can probably prevent much unwanted contact.
So I've had about five or six people predict "boy" so far. And thus far, I'm inclined to disagree! Why? Well, first...just a hunch. Secondly, I had a psychic (or rather a channeler) tell me it was a girl. Murmur all you like, but this chick was no phony. Of everything she said, she was about 85% accurate. Not bad. I won't get into a debate as to people's opinions of the validity of these types of readings. She was damn good. But then there was a 15% window of grey area, so I'm not saying she couldn't be wrong. Only time will tell. We'll know in about three weeks, so I can end the mystery.
In the meantime, I'm entertaining placing some small wagers with those who are so insistent. It might make it a little more interesting. And I'm SURE if I lose, my friend's winnings would go toward some lovely boy-oriented gift. Lord knows I'll need it. I have CASES of girly stuff & jack-squat for a boy. Am I RIGHT girls?!?!
(Random housekeeping note: this blog is set up to accept comments from "anyone" so I have no idea why some people can't post comments. I'll look into it further & let you know!)
