| I THINK that I shall never see | |
| A poem lovely as a tree. | |
| A tree whose hungry mouth is prest | |
| Against the sweet earth's flowing breast; | |
| A tree that looks at God all day, | 5 |
| And lifts her leafy arms to pray; | |
| A tree that may in summer wear | |
| A nest of robins in her hair; | |
| Upon whose bosom snow has lain; | |
| Who intimately lives with rain. | 10 |
| Poems are made by fools like me, | |
| But only God can make a tree. -Joyce Kilmer Today I mourn my poor fallen birch! I feel I might be unreasonably sad at its toppling but seriously.... I am moping:( This is THE tree at our first home. I mean, we have others, but this was the cool one- the big shady one- the decorative one. Sometime between 8 am and 10 am this morning, the front half cut loose and tumbled. It must have been in the street because someone just kinda tossed the broken branches back up into our yard. Upon further inspection, we saw that the inside of the tree is mulch- eaten by termites!! It is like a freaking cartoon- monster bugs eating my tree until it falls down.... so that means the bushy beautiful back side had to come down too. Without the front side to counter it, a storm could send it crashing through my house, which I am MORE attached to than the tree. It was such a pretty thing- white paper birch with the beautiful strips that come off in pieces. I gathered some large ones that I am going to get all artsy on and we will immortalize a part of our first place. It should be pretty neat but I would rather have the tree- and the 100 smacks we paid to drop the "strong" half. ~~~~~Sigh~ But- the day was not without good points too. My husband declared that I shouldn't worry about his virgin attempt with a chainsaw because "it's just like my weed eater and blower". I mean, I am no major yardsman but I don't think it is the same thing at all..... the blower will not blow your leg off no matter how menacing it sounds! My kids also had a great time watching the axe men out side the window. It just looks so empty out there- we need a trip to the tree nursery asap. But maybe first we need to tackle the termite problem. I am envisioning them forming a giant arrow like the cartoons- pointing toward my house. "Come on fellas- they took our tree- we're moving on to the house!" I need a good exterminator... |
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Maybe that's why the birds fled the nest.......
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Loves and Loathes: Edition Uno
I love being out and about on a Friday night- whether it be date night or just having the family with me to run errands and grab some dinner, it doesn't matter. I love it! It makes the weekend feel soooo much longer. So here I sit totally rested (bahahahahaha) on a sunny Saturday and I can hardly believe we still have the entire weekend ahead of us. Last night we went to Target and Whole Foods (and Old Navy where I got in on the infamous tank sale one day early cause I am kind of a big deal- or a facebook fan, whatever) and we ate at O'Charleys where I also love because the kids eat gloriously free- chicken, macaroni and cheese, broccoli that never came but i didn't complain because their dinner was free.... wondrous. It was a strategic coupon trip and though I am by no means a super couponer, you can get some seriously sweet deals at those two places because they accept a store coupon in addition to an outside coupon on all their items. That got me some $.44 salad dressing, $.50 lotion, $.35 kids band-aids, etc. But you know when it doesn't work?? When the super slow and old check out guy looks straight at you and you hold a stack of coupons up and he hits total without scanning then...... yeah not so great! So one of my loathes is definitely marching to customer service so that the pissed off sad "customer service" rep can fix the mistake. She was not nice at all and it was not my fault, but I am sorry Target- not going to waste my $14 in savings- if it was just a few dollars, maybe, but I had to do it out of principle.
So while I am on it, I loathe crabby people. I know I know, right? I tend to fall on the crabby side on "occasion"- I prefer to think of my moodiness as multifaceted personality disorder- not multiple personalities, but varied enough to keep it interesting. I totally just made up a new psych term- look for it soon. Okay digression (another love) over. Crabby people- especially those you are trying to pay. A and I just went for an early morning walk- no one else is awake so I thought we'd just take a stroll and see if there were any good garage sales and grab some fruit at the Farmer's Market (ooh ahh we can walk to the farmer's market). Well there weren't and the market was closed for business because we were 15 minutes early...... that's right country folks- don't wait on the little blond girl over there pushing a baby stroller- she is EARLY! I was just walking through and this lady sitting behind her little table said "starts at 8". So we walked away- would it have been a travesty that money was handed over, veggies selected, smiles exchanged- yes because around these parts, the market doesn't open until 8....
But we are home now and N is up and I love Saturday breakfasts though I should probably get a plan and cook something now that 3/4 of us are up- the other 1/4 probably won't roll out till 10- it was a late night of online gaming (I know.... dork ;). Maybe some English Muffins and eggs--- oooo maybe eggs benedict..... that sounds lovely. I will make sure to post it at Dr-Momma Gourmet. We will also be attending a barbq today so it sounds like a good eating day overall.
So there- some loves and loathes on a Saturday.
Hope you all have a supremely great weekend!
So while I am on it, I loathe crabby people. I know I know, right? I tend to fall on the crabby side on "occasion"- I prefer to think of my moodiness as multifaceted personality disorder- not multiple personalities, but varied enough to keep it interesting. I totally just made up a new psych term- look for it soon. Okay digression (another love) over. Crabby people- especially those you are trying to pay. A and I just went for an early morning walk- no one else is awake so I thought we'd just take a stroll and see if there were any good garage sales and grab some fruit at the Farmer's Market (ooh ahh we can walk to the farmer's market). Well there weren't and the market was closed for business because we were 15 minutes early...... that's right country folks- don't wait on the little blond girl over there pushing a baby stroller- she is EARLY! I was just walking through and this lady sitting behind her little table said "starts at 8". So we walked away- would it have been a travesty that money was handed over, veggies selected, smiles exchanged- yes because around these parts, the market doesn't open until 8....
But we are home now and N is up and I love Saturday breakfasts though I should probably get a plan and cook something now that 3/4 of us are up- the other 1/4 probably won't roll out till 10- it was a late night of online gaming (I know.... dork ;). Maybe some English Muffins and eggs--- oooo maybe eggs benedict..... that sounds lovely. I will make sure to post it at Dr-Momma Gourmet. We will also be attending a barbq today so it sounds like a good eating day overall.
So there- some loves and loathes on a Saturday.
Hope you all have a supremely great weekend!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
good thing my uber-coolness makes up for these things
today i wore THOSE shoes. i was pretty excited when i pulled them from the dark recesses of my closet where they had been in exile. i totally forgot about them- they are cute little open toe wedges. and they are denim- all good things. unfortunately they match about two things in my closet, which seems odd since jeans go with everything if they are on my rear, why not on my feet too? anyway- i finally found an outfit that worked and my husband even said the i was p.h.a.t. when i left the house- he really said that. at first, i thought he said fab and being a compliment from a handsome man, i would take either.
so those shoes- it took about five minutes to remember why they had been stowed away for so long- they freaking kill my feet. it makes zero sense- they are a low wedge and they seem comfy enough at first step. i didn't even have to lecture, just sit at my desk and give an exam so no big deal- i left them on.
and then when i was walking down the steps into the building, one of them FELL OFF- my shoe flat out fell off. i am not new to walking- in fact, i am known to many as a former dancer and can in fact be pretty coordinated. i thought maybe it was a fluke until the other shoe fell off mid step- what the hell? are the damn things possessed? did the spirits leave my house for asylum in my shoes (my house is supposed to be haunted... remind me sometime to post about the random lady who showed up at my door asking me if i needed help dealing with my "spirits"- true story/another post).
so by then i am totally paranoid that i am going to fall at every other step and the ones between i am wincing in pain. screw these stupid, deceivingly comfortable at first, cute little devil shoes! once i am seated, the hour passes uneventfully- i almost forget about them.
then it is time to go- i lose the left shoe AGAIN coming down the steps and then.... i am walking through a CROWD of students and get a full-on SHOE FLOP....... do you know what a shoe flop is? we coined the term in college for when the edge of your shoe catches the pavement wrong and your entire ankle flops sideways.... this is coincidentally the last time these shoes were probably worn. my best friend once shoe flopped right into a light pole and we were sober- another true story. when you shoe flop- there is an unspoken rule that you have to turn around and pretend to look at the huge crevice that you stepped in. and i did. i glared at that 2mm crack in the pavement like it actually broke my mamma's back! luckily, i am quite suave and i am sure that i made the shoe flop look cool.....
the shoes carried me safely home without further incident, but i am blistered and wondering HOW i was able to dance in those things at one time (the memories of that came rushing back post-shoe flop so maybe i uncovered some unconscious denim wedge animosity). they are now banished again to the island of misfit shoes until a day that i just have to stand and be eye candy.
so those shoes- it took about five minutes to remember why they had been stowed away for so long- they freaking kill my feet. it makes zero sense- they are a low wedge and they seem comfy enough at first step. i didn't even have to lecture, just sit at my desk and give an exam so no big deal- i left them on.
and then when i was walking down the steps into the building, one of them FELL OFF- my shoe flat out fell off. i am not new to walking- in fact, i am known to many as a former dancer and can in fact be pretty coordinated. i thought maybe it was a fluke until the other shoe fell off mid step- what the hell? are the damn things possessed? did the spirits leave my house for asylum in my shoes (my house is supposed to be haunted... remind me sometime to post about the random lady who showed up at my door asking me if i needed help dealing with my "spirits"- true story/another post).
so by then i am totally paranoid that i am going to fall at every other step and the ones between i am wincing in pain. screw these stupid, deceivingly comfortable at first, cute little devil shoes! once i am seated, the hour passes uneventfully- i almost forget about them.
then it is time to go- i lose the left shoe AGAIN coming down the steps and then.... i am walking through a CROWD of students and get a full-on SHOE FLOP....... do you know what a shoe flop is? we coined the term in college for when the edge of your shoe catches the pavement wrong and your entire ankle flops sideways.... this is coincidentally the last time these shoes were probably worn. my best friend once shoe flopped right into a light pole and we were sober- another true story. when you shoe flop- there is an unspoken rule that you have to turn around and pretend to look at the huge crevice that you stepped in. and i did. i glared at that 2mm crack in the pavement like it actually broke my mamma's back! luckily, i am quite suave and i am sure that i made the shoe flop look cool.....
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Unexpected Pains
the following is a response to The Red Dress Club: RemebeRed Prompt
"the first time I ___________ after ___________"
anticipation. worry.
i walk down the familiar hall- my favorite sage green walls are usually such a soothing color. seriously, when did this normally six step runway become so very long. the knot in my stomach is solid and heavy and the cramps have kicked in.
i gingerly lower myself down and wince from fear. sitting should be like breathing- effortless. and yet.... there is a very large effort here.
there is no glamour.
this is the first poop after a vaginal childbirth.
(i'll give you a second to collect yourself)
to contract half of your pelvic floor is simply impossible. stupid body- why doesn't it realize that most of my girly parts are plain. worn. out. and stretched and ashen and well.... gross.
stretching. stinging.
smiling?
smiling, because i did it! seriously, am i excited about pooping?
nobody prepares you for the weird "after" stuff. you are ready to kiss and love and nurture. to not sleep and not bathe. nobody told me that i would feel raw and swollen. that at night when i stumbled blindly to the bathroom after sleeping deeply for an entire 20 straight minutes, i would start myself awake with the pain of sitting on a toilet too quickly. and to actively push through that madness--- i put it off for a long as possible.
of course now in retrospect, it all seems quite obvious- if you push a watermelon through a cherry-sized space, the area is going to be a little angry. i teach anatomy even- it doesn't matter. i was not prepared- but i was successful :)
i thought a long time about what to write for this prompt and i couldn't help but come back to this in all its tmi glory. maybe it's all the recent births around me, but if you've been there, done that- you understand.
"the first time I ___________ after ___________"
anticipation. worry.
i walk down the familiar hall- my favorite sage green walls are usually such a soothing color. seriously, when did this normally six step runway become so very long. the knot in my stomach is solid and heavy and the cramps have kicked in.
i gingerly lower myself down and wince from fear. sitting should be like breathing- effortless. and yet.... there is a very large effort here.
there is no glamour.
this is the first poop after a vaginal childbirth.
(i'll give you a second to collect yourself)
to contract half of your pelvic floor is simply impossible. stupid body- why doesn't it realize that most of my girly parts are plain. worn. out. and stretched and ashen and well.... gross.
stretching. stinging.
smiling?
smiling, because i did it! seriously, am i excited about pooping?
nobody prepares you for the weird "after" stuff. you are ready to kiss and love and nurture. to not sleep and not bathe. nobody told me that i would feel raw and swollen. that at night when i stumbled blindly to the bathroom after sleeping deeply for an entire 20 straight minutes, i would start myself awake with the pain of sitting on a toilet too quickly. and to actively push through that madness--- i put it off for a long as possible.
of course now in retrospect, it all seems quite obvious- if you push a watermelon through a cherry-sized space, the area is going to be a little angry. i teach anatomy even- it doesn't matter. i was not prepared- but i was successful :)
i thought a long time about what to write for this prompt and i couldn't help but come back to this in all its tmi glory. maybe it's all the recent births around me, but if you've been there, done that- you understand.
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