Recital

This past weekend, I visited my cousin in Rochester, New York. She is graduating from the Eastman School of Music and it was the occasion of her senior recital. She is an extremely talented violinist and my heart was swelling with pride when I saw her perform. Of course I've seen her play at family functions since she was old enough to hold a bow, but seeing her up on that stage in an unbelievably beautiful performance hall very nearly brought me to tears.

After her performance, we went to a friend of my cousin's for an after-party. At my aunt's request, my cousin and one of her friend's sang a few songs. These "kids" are just full to bursting with talent. My uncle, himself an extremely gifted musician, took up the guitar after and played while the whole room sang, myself included, although quietly so as not to embarrass myself too badly. We sang and laughed until nearly 1am, when the old fogies, my aunts and uncles and myself, had to abandon the younger crew to their fun.

My own college experience was not the most traditional. I started out at one school but after a year I left to "find myself." When I returned at a different school a few years later, I was past the magic of the experience. At that point, I was just ready to do what I needed to do and be done with it. So I didn't form the kind of deep relationships that I saw so clearly between my cousin and her friends. Most of the time, I don't really think about this. It is not the sort of thing that haunts me. I have enough real regrets that I won't waste time on stuff like this. But on the occasion when it is placed in front of me, I can't help but be nostalgic for something that never was.

It was a long drive for what amounted to less than a 24 hour visit, but to get to spend time with some of my favorite people and to share space with that kind of energy, every mile of the journey was worth it.

All Aboard!

The engineer showing Sophie how to toot the horn.

On our next to last day in Kansas, we took a ride on the little train that runs at the park next to the zoo. It only runs about 8 hours a week and is operated by retired trainmen. Men who know a thing or two about trains, whose lives were spent on the full size versions of this delightful ride.

The train was a major part of life in my hometown. At one time, the railroad employed a good number of people there, but times have changed, so much is automated these days, and most operations have moved to Kansas City and other larger cities. But there are still the tracks that run through the middle of my small town. Every day, just as has been happening for over a hundred years, trains rumble through on their way to far off destinations. At each crossing they blow their horn, and at night, when everyone is quiet, you can hear the trains from just about any house in town.

The trains don't stop for passengers in my town anymore, but that charming little train at the zoo gives our children a chance to taste a little bit of that nostalgia. Tickets cost 50 cents for a couple trips around the winding tree-covered quarter mile track. Does anything cost 50 cents anymore? I would pay a hundred times that and still call it a bargain.

Still Going

This picture has nothing to do with anything other than that she is so frakking cute with her pigtails.

We survived the flight, but only just. Sophie was most certainly NOT on her best behavior. There was chair kicking. There was screaming. There was the poopie diaper that required a change in the impossibly tight airplane bathroom.* There was food/toy/drink/iPhone throwing. There was NO sleeping. Basically, by the time we landed, I was done. D-U-N.

But arrive we did. We spent the first leg of our tour in Kansas City. It was there that the real reason for our trip resided. The passing of a beloved family member. I'm not really going to go into that much. It was my grandma. She was loved and will be most deeply missed.

Sadness.

But there have been some really lovely times with family mixed in here. I got to spend more time with my sister, Jonna, than I have in years and years. Our kids played together for hours. I simply couldn't stop smiling while I watched them. They do my heart good.

Of course, there has been some drama. Has there ever been a large family gathering, and in particular a funeral, where there wasn't a least a little? We all deal with our grief in different ways. Sometimes anger is the only emotion people feel comfortable expressing. But I was not the cause or the focus, for a change, so I came out unscathed.

Most amazingly, I have so far survived sleeping with my daughter every night. I thought I would hate it, but I'm surprised to admit that I'm actually kind of loving it. She is all over the place, but its so sweet to wake up to her arm or leg draped over me and to feel her sweet little warm body pressed up against me. This isn't something I want to do at home regularly, but it sure is nice for now.

We still have a couple of days and many miles before we will be home, but I have the very best of company and the weather is supposed to be good ...and you can't ask for much more than that.

*Seriously, Boeing, what the shit do I have to do to get a changing table in an airplane lav?

Leaving On A Jet Plane

We're leaving tomorrow for a long visit home to Kansas. It is an unexpected trip. And while the reason is not a happy one, I am looking forward to seeing all of my family, most of whom I haven't seen in a year or more. I can't wait for Sophie to spend time with her grandparents and cousins.

What I am not looking forward to is flying with Sophie alone.

A-L-O-N-E.

Because of the short notice and because Neil just started a new job, he isn't able to come with us. So that means I'll be on my own.

Nobody to take care of the carseat and the luggage.

Nobody to watch her so I can go to the bathroom. (Praying my constitution doesn't require an, ahem,  extended visit.)

Nobody to help distract her so she doesn't spend two hours kicking the seat in front of her.

I traveled with her alone once before, but she wasn't even walking yet. So while it wasn't easy, at least I didn't have to worry about her running off. But this is a whole other ball game.

And there's supposed to be bad storms tomorrow night. Like flash flood, crazy rain kind of bad storm. So of course I've got visions of the Twilight Zone monster on the wing. Not to mention nausea inducing turbulence. That will probably send us hurtling to the earth in a thousand ton tin can. Clearly I'm thinking of only the best possible outcomes.

So around about 5:55pm tomorrow, can you all think buoyant thoughts? And sleeping toddler thoughts? I'll need all the positive energy flowing my way I can get.

Life's a Beach and Then You Go Home

When I was a girl, I dreamed of summers spent at the beach. Crashing waves, salty air, tan skin. I am a Pisces, the fish. I don't know if I subscribe to astrology, but in this area it is spot on. I do love the water. Alas, growing up in landlocked Kansas, dreams of the ocean are all I had. And while we spent many, many summer days and nights on the lake waterskiing and swimming, always there was that call to the ocean.

It is many, many years later and now I live on the water. Or darn close anyway. You can't see it from my house, but you can be there within 15 or 20 minutes. Despite this, I have taken miserly few beach vacations. So many of my trips have involved visiting family in other parts of the country that I have neglected this desire.

But a few weeks ago, after months of anticipation and planning, I found my way to the ocean again. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

We drove through the night, a mostly sleeping toddler in the back seat while I fought hallucinations to get there alive. It seems I'm not so good at staying up 24 hours as I used to be. Also, two glasses of wine and I am DONE. But that is another story.

We arrived to find our hotel and, thanks to all that is good and holy, they let us check in hours ahead of normal time. Despite our dismay at not getting the room we reserved (Again, months and months ago. Wyndam, you let us down. Big time.), we were delighted with the view and location. We made do, because what kind of practical midwesterner would I be if I couldn't overcome a teensy bit of adversity like that?

Our first night was the Fourth of July and I would be remiss if I didn't say that if you've never seen fireworks from a 15th story balcony in North Myrtle Beach, well, you just haven't lived. First off, evidently the folks in South Carolina aren't as concerned about people blowing off fingers and catching houses on fire as we are here in Maryland, the land of "we don't trust you with more than a sparkler." Seriously, they should put that on the license plate. No my friends, in South Carolina, any Tom, Dick and Jim Bob can shoot off any kind of firework they want. Anywhere. And they did. All up and down the beach, for miles and miles. Dangerous though it might have been, it was spectacular. Watching my daughter ooh and aah, her eyes wide, made the long drive and sleepless night completely worth it.

The rest of the week went by in a lazy progression of food, pool, food, nap, beach, food, sleep. Repeat. The days ran in to one another. I ate my weight in crab legs and fried corn on the cob. I felt not sleep deprived for the first time in nearly three years. My beloved husband, without discussion, took the lion's share of Sophie watching, so I could enjoy myself. And most importantly, I rolled around in the Atlantic waves.

Our last day, we watched a lightening storm come in off of the water. It was a fitting end to a week of perfect weather. We sat on the balcony, watching the current travel between cloud and water, listening to the thunder and wishing we could stay just a little bit longer.

I know we will look back on the photos for years to come and laugh at the memory of the little girls (and their daddies) digging their way to china in the sand, the look on Sophie's face when we jumped into a wave as it crested, the homey little diner where we ate breakfast and the waitresses played peekaboo with Sophie, floating around the lazy river pool, us on the big tubes and Sophie on her little donkey floaty.

You understand how people can chuck it all and run away to live a carefree beach lifestyle. Pull a Gauguin*. Those few days spent with friends, each other and the ocean, were idyllic. It would be heaven to live like that always. But it is often rarity that bestows upon a thing its preciousness. Could we appreciate the beauty and simple pleasures if we had them everyday?

I can tell you this much, I wouldn't mind trying.

*Although not the abandoning family part.

Lost and Found

I wrote a lovely long post describing our trip to Myrtle Beach last week. As I was going back through editing it, Blogger ate it. ATE. IT. Hundreds of perfectly ordered words. Gone. I clicked Control "Z", I clicked on the back button, I tried everything I could think of to recover it. To no avail. Gone, gone, gone. There were words used. Words that rhyme with duck and fit. Not that they did a lick of good, but they made me feel better.

I'll get back to it. When I'm not so angry at Blogger.

I still feel out of the loop. Still recovering from our vacation. It's funny how a few hundred miles can change so much. Having Neil there all the time was more than nice, not just for the help with Sophie, but to spend so much time with the man I married. Time away from our usual obligations.

We had wi-fi, in fact we both brought our laptops, and we had our iPhones, but we disconnected for the most part. We watched almost no tv and we spent the evenings just chilling out together; reading, talking. It wasn't exactly a second honeymoon, because there was, after all, a toddler along for the ride. A toddler who thought that 5:30am was when the day began. But we spent quality time together, cliched though that sounds. And I truly do think we rediscovered each other a little.

I don't want to let that go. How do you hold on to the vacation intimacy in the face of dirty floors and yards that need mowing and bills that need paying and meal planning and sleep deprivation? I wish I could compress that feeling into a pill and whenever we're feeling cross with each other or frustrated with Sophie, we could take the pill and find our way back to that place.

So I'll get back to my vacation recap, if for no other reason than to relive it. Soon.

Just Beachy

Still away, unplugged.
So many stories to tell.
They will have to wait.

Does Anyone Know Where To Find Magic Swimsuits?

I am a procrastinator. I procrastinate. Why do today what can be put off until tomorrow? So when we decided to take our first ever family vacation with some friends and their kids to Myrtle Beach this summer, naturally I waited to make the reservation. In my defense, the trip is is still months away and the last time I checked, there were rooms aplenty. But when I finally went to make a reservation a few days ago, Mr. Online Reservation told me they were booked. Not to be deterred, I called the hotel. Who told me the same thing, only with a slightly condescending tone of voice.

Needless to say, Neil was PISSED and I felt like asshole of the year. The couple we're going with already made their reservation, at least someone has their caca together, and because they got a crazy good non-refundable deal, switching to another hotel wasn't an option for them. So we were faced with the prospect of staying at a different hotel from our friends, which would completely change the tenor of the trip.

But fate smiled on us. Last night, just as we were about to book at another hotel, Neil decided to check one last time at our hotel of choice, and would you believe they had rooms available? They did. And not just rooms, but the particular type of room we wanted, too. I don't know what happened. Maybe there was a block of cancellations, or maybe there was a computer glitch before. I'm going with my fairy godmother looking out for me again. Whatever the case, I'm pretty stoked.

Now, I just need to lose 20 30 40 pounds, and failing that, find a swimming suit that makes me look like I lost 20 30 40 pounds.

Running Man*

A friend of mine approached me yesterday about running a half marathon with her in June. The crazy part is that I'm actually considering it.

Here's the thing: I'm not really the model built for speed. More of the comfort line, if you will.

I do believe that I'm in decent shape, I work out like crazy, after all. But I do very little running. And by very little, I mean NONE. Unless you count chasing down my daughter at the grocery store/mall/Ikea/Target.

And I've heard horror stories from marathon runners. Ohmygod, did you know it can make your nipples bleed? For real. I don't recommend doing a search on Google for that.

But it's a group training thing, so I'll have some structure, and we will be raising money for charity, which makes me practically eligible for sainthood. Plus, and this may be the biggest reason I'm even contemplating it.

It's in Boston.

I luuuurve Boston. Neil? Not so much. He's never been there, but someone once told him something bad about it, although he can't remember who or what, and he doesn't like the town. Which means my visions of him and Sophie handing me water as I run by and hoisting me onto their shoulders at the finish line (a tough feat for a two year old, I'll grant you), may not come to pass.

So I've got six months to take my butt from no running to holy-crap-half-marathon shape. I think the harder task might actually be talking my husband into leaving the state.

*A dance I was woefully inadequate at, in its heyday.

**We're on another tour over at Blogtrotting, come see where we're going today! And while you're there, if you haven't already, sign up!**

Kickin' It With Some Friends

Busy, busy, busy around here the last week. We hosted not one, but TWO play dates and took a day trip to New York City to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. Not to mention all of the other regular busy stuff like my photography class, the gym and, you know, life with a toddler.















My not especially successful attempt to take a photo of the Rockettes. They're the blobs on the stage. It looked a lot better in real life. Also, it looks like we were a thousand miles away, but it didn't feel that way.

I wasn't sure what to expect of the show, would it be terribly hokey? Full of tourists? Boring? I'm happy to say that it was neither hokey nor boring, although it is very likely that a large percentage of the people in attendance were not locals. Honestly, I really enjoyed it. I've been to the ballet before. We had close seats and I spent the whole time laughing because all I could hear was the clomping of the dancers as the jumped around the stage. Hard to think about how graceful they are when they sound like a herd of elephants.

But our seats at Radio City were decidedly NOT close. So all we could hear was the music and the tapping, when appropriate. I am so excited to take Sophie there in a couple years. It is very much aimed at a young audience, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. For one of the scenes, the dancers were dressed as stuffed bears. LOVED IT. My recommendation to anyone considering going: get seats in one of the mezzanines. You can see the formations the dancers make perfectly without all of that stomping.

I wish I had some pictures to show you, but it snowed, sleeted and rained the whole time we were there, so all outdoor pictures, what few we took, are not great. And pretty much all of the inside ones are of my friends, who probably wouldn't love me posting their pictures. So you'll just have to take my word for it that we had a great time. And since there are no pictures to prove otherwise, that I looked freaking amazing.

Estrogen Extravaganza 2009

Still coming down off of an amazing weekend with some great ladies. It was a meeting of 13 blog friends. Some had known each other IRL for years, but for many, it was the first time meeting. I was among the latter group. It was everything I had hoped for it to be. And more. Each and every one of them was as beautiful and warm and funny in real life as they are on their blogs.

I can't even tell you how much we laughed. So much that we scared off a table of elderly folks at the famous Apple Barn restaurant. Shelley has THE best laugh. We actually overheard them say that they hoped our food arrived soon so we would SHUT UP. Then they got up and stomped off. Which just goes to prove that old age and nice aren't necessarily companions.

And there were screams. We went to see Paranormal Activity. While Lula cowered behind her pillow (YES, she brought a pillow to the theater), I hid my face in Brandy's shoulder, who in turn hid her eyes under her shirt, all while Heather giggled at us fraidy cats. That movie is just about the scariest thing I've ever seen. It got my heart pounding almost as much as Lula's driving*. Needless to say, I slept with the light on the rest of our stay there. Sorry, Jane!

And we ate SO much. Between the crack bars Denise brought and the caramel popcorn Lizzy Beth brought (please, please, please post the recipes, ladies!) and the vast quantities of food we all brought and prepared, I all but waddled home. Which would probably have gotten me home faster considering Tennessee is now officially the worst state in the country for traffic. Seriously. People told me it was bad, but I thought, whatever, it's Tennessee, for crying out loud, how bad can it be. Yeah. It's bad.

And there was a raucous game of 80's Scene It, during which we all showed our age and passion for pop culture trivia. Kat might just be one of the smartest people around. Followed by a viewing of Space Camp, only one of the best movies ever. Made back when Jaoquin was still a Leaf and John Locke had hair.

And there was a lively discussion and demonstration about "crescent rolls" led by Melissa. That girl really knows her stuff.

And there was horseback riding. Where I had to go and admit that I had ridden before so they gave me the "stubborn" one. Which I think is code for "you don't know ridin', yankee" because that horse went on to be the biggest pain in the butt and I spent half of the hour long ride with the trail guide holding my reins, like a little kid.

There are so many more stories, but the best part was just getting to be face to face with women that I have been talking to for so long. Thanks Shannon and Angie for making it happen. Is it too early to start planning next year?

Now it's back to the grind, right Angela?

*No lie. That woman took those mountain curves like Mario Andretti. Love you, girl!

Next Stop, Tennessee!

I am mere minutes, 60 of them, from departure for a long weekend with girlfriends. We're heading to the mountains of Tennessee for a much needed respite from the grinds of every day life. For some laughter and relaxation. And maybe a scare or two.*

I'm leaving my husband and daughter for four days. I've left copious instructions; schedules and preferences. They'll be fine. They'll be fine. It almost galls me to say that, because a tiny part of me doesn't want them to be fine without me. I kind of want it to all go to hell in a handbasket, just to prove the enormous value of my presence. They are my life, those two, and it feels good to be needed. But it feels just as good to take a break.

This is the first long road trip I've been on in years and years. The first in at least a decade now. How does so much time go by? There was a time when long road trips were not at all unusual. These days, you could draw a circle around Baltimore with a compass delineating the three hour mark and that is as far as I ever get. I can count a half dozen trips in recent years that just touch on that boundary. Any further and it merits a plane ticket.

Of course, traveling with a child makes all the difference in the world. I don't even make spontaneous trips to the grocery store any more, I'm sure as heck not going to hop in my car to drive 9 hours with her. Much as I love her. Neil and I talk about taking these trips all the time, but somehow it just never happens.

But this trip is. And while I'm taking my laptop, I'm going to try not to spend too much time on it. With 13 women, friends and sisters of my heart, around to keep me company, I'm betting you won't see much of me on this here internet.

So with that, I'm off. Wish me safe travels and I'll see you next week!

Now, where's my Thelma and Louise soundtrack?



*We're going to see Paranormal Activity on Friday. Hold me.

Friday Top Ten: A Traveling We Will GoGo

To condense our trip down into a palatable selection, the top ten travel tidbits from the Kansas Trip of Aught Nine:

1. On our way to the airport, we saw cops chasing a bad guy. On foot. It happened about five minutes from our house. We live in a NICE suburban neighborhood. Two cop cars had stopped to talk to the guy, he got spooked or whatever and took off running. The two cops ran after him. We were driving by at exactly the right time to see it happen. At one point he was running right next to our car. It was wild.

2. Once again the "Cara Curse" struck. No matter where I go, I bring bad weather. My parents have threatened to hire me out to farmers in need of rain. Despite weather forecasts in the upper 70s/low 80s, it was quite cool the whole time we were there. So cool, in fact that I had to go buy heavier clothes for Sophie and a cardigan for myself. Which is why she was in the baggy clothes during our croquet match. Her 23 month old body just doesn't fill out 18mo clothes.















3. The GoGo Kidz Travelmate is freaking awesome. Seriously. If you're traveling with a toddler any time soon, you MUST get one. They made life so much easier. Sophie even liked riding in her car seat through the airport.

4. Sophie loves riding in my parent's golf cart. Almost as much as my husband likes driving around in it. So it's a win/win. Too bad neither of them like golf.















5. Grandpas are physically incapable of resisting the wiles of a smiling two year old grand-daughter.

6. While she will violently fight being put into one and climb out within minutes, one of her favorite activities at (IN) my parent's house was being pushed around in her stroller.















7. The flight there was pretty painless. The flight back? Not so much. It's amazing how much noise one tiny little body can make and how loud that will seem in a quiet, dark airplane at 9 o'clock at night.















8. A knee walker will keep a toddler occupied for a surprisingly long time. Like four days. A mother will get tired of pushing a toddler around on a knee walker after about 10 minutes.






















9. Amazingly, despite the fact that I ate pretty much everything that came within my reach, including some of the best barbecue anywhere*, I only gained one pound. It seems that vacation calories really don't count. Yay!

10. I have the wingspan of a King Vulture. I'm trying not to read anything into that.
















*Add to the Only in a Small Town file: When the rib joint we got carryout bbq from forgot to pack my sandwich, we called up and they brought it out to us. They do NOT deliver, they're just that nice. That's Kansas courtesy, folks.

Croquet Anyone?

So yeah. We're home. Lots of tales to tell. Not the least of which is why my daughter was playing croquet. In clothes that are at least a size too big. Wearing her new "cheese!" smile.






















But all that will have to wait. I've got to unpack, go to the grocery store, find the puke I am quite confident the cat left for me as a welcome home present, hit the gym to begin the recovery from eating as though there were no tomorrow for the last five days and tidy up the house which we left in a complete disaster. (Not that it's ever far from that state anyways, but it's always shocking to come home to it after an absence.)

Neil's yelling at me now, so I've gotta run, but I'll be back for realz tomorrow. Kisses.

Somewhere...

It's one of those great ironies that despite the fact that I don't work (ahem, outside of the home) and only have one child with few outside obligations, I can still be so busy. The last few days have just been full. No time for blogging. No time for dishes. Sad about the first one, not so much the second. While I am not a compulsive cleaner, a sink full of dishes still has a power to guilt me like no other area of the house. A big part of this busyness* is that we're getting ready to travel to Kansas to visit my family.

My mom broke her foot a couple of weeks ago. Actually, it was a calcaneal** fracture, which she got when she attempted to fly off of a ladder. And you know what they say, it's not the fall that gets you, it's the landing. She had surgery and is now stuck at home. Can't walk. Can't drive. Can't work. Can't do much of anything except roll around the first floor of their house on her knee walker or in one of the wheeled chairs from the kitchen table. Here's the thing, my mom is not one of those people that can sit around. She is go go go. All the time.*** Twelve weeks of this is essentially torture for her. We had planned to visit home at some point, but we had thought to wait until she was back on her feet so we could get out and do stuff. She needs a pick me up, though, so we're taking our little bundle of joy for a visit.

Luckily, we were able to find really cheap tickets at short notice. Cheaper for three, in fact, than we generally have paid for two. So we're leaving this weekend. I'm going to try to squeeze in some visits to other family members, but this trip is about my mom. We've had our disagreements, but she is my rock. She has always been there for me. Now, I can be there for her. If in no other way than by distracting her for a few days from her circumstances.

I am, OF COURSE, nervous about the flight, but we're bringing the car seat and we got this nifty car seat caddy that will hopefully make life easier. We'll see, though. If it doesn't, it will only be another in a LONG line of things I have bought that turned out to be a complete waste (Shamwow, anyone?).

All of this is to say, sorry I have been scarce and will probably continue to be for the next week, but I'll try to check in here and there. Because I love you all too much and I'm far too entrenched in this whole internet thing to stay away for too long. See you on the other side of the rainbow.

*Is that how you spell that? Spellcheck okayed it. And business can't be right. Now I've looked at it so many times that I'm pretty sure it's not even a word.

**The calcaneus is the heel bone. Thus ends today's anatomy lesson.

***We are very different in this aspect.

Snow Bunnies

We've returned from the frozen reaches of western Maryland. We had some laughs. There were also some tears - it was a VERY disappointing loss by the Ravens. We got Sophie out in the snow. She didn't love it. We did some skiing and a lot more laying around in front of the fire. There was LOTS of eating. And some drinking. I proved my dominance on the pool table. :)

This was our first trip with Sophie that didn't involve visiting family. We discovered that traveling with a baby is more complicated than previously expected. Here are just a few of the discoveries we made on this trip:

- Toddlers don't understand that vacation means they can sleep in. In fact, they also don't understand that it means other people might want to sleep in, too. Sophie got up earlier and earlier each morning. By our last morning, she was up at 5:30. Which leads me to my next revelation...

- Toddlers have no volume control, which is especially noticeable at 5:30 am when you're trying not to wake an entire house full of people who are sleeping off football depression and ski soreness.

- Murphy's Law dictates that despite the fact that my daughter has never had a diaper rash (I know, right?), she would get a really, really nasty one while we are away. With no diaper creme. Meanwhile, due to a bit of overzealous drugstore.com ordering, we have 14 tubes at home.

- Men's coats are NOT flattering to the female figure. Since one of us had to stay back with the bean, Neil and I shared a lift ticket. My coat wouldn't fit him, so we put the lift ticket on his and alternated wearing it. I can't count the number of times people called me sir. Definitely good on the ego. Not.

- A 3.5 hour road trip that would probably not be a problem becomes a problem when a cranky baby only sleeps one hour and a 35 car pile up (horrible, horrible thing) causes our trip to take an hour longer.

- Oh yeah, and we used approximately 1/10 of the stuff I packed.

Ultimately, it was a good time. The house was amazing, we could literally ski in/ski out. The mountain, while small by most standards, had good snow and the weather was tolerable. Maybe next year we can get the bean on some skis!

Preparations

I'm in the quiet before the storm right now. As of about midday, I will go into high gear. The preparations required for two people and one toddler to go away for four days are far more elaborate than anything I've had to deal with before and that includes a two week trip to Europe for which I included every pair of shoes I own, four coats, six hats and 42 changes of clothes because they're so chic over there and I just didn't know how to dress.

Despite having traveled with her when she was a wee babe, this is uncharted territory. I can predict, roughly, how many changes of clothes to bring, likewise with diapers and such, although I am quite certain I will err on the side of WAY too much. Plus, we're not going to a remote wilderness, so if I forget something it's not the end of the world. But I feel the need to bring every kind of food she might possibly want to eat, because she is so picky and there's no telling from one day to the next what will please her delicate palate. She ate a whole string cheese today. I tore it into bite-sized pieces, but she picked it up, CHEWED and swallowed it all by her big girl self! So I will be bringing a cart of string cheese, which she will, of course, not eat. Because that's how it goes.

What do I bring for toys? At home, she has a plethora* of entertainment options, ranging from her riding horse to various noisemakers to books and so on. But she is nearly as unpredictable in what she will want to play with as she is in what she will want to eat. Do I just bring as much as I can fit in and hope for the best? I'm working on the theory that there will be 5 other adults and 2 other children (although one only 3 months old) to keep her occupied. Not to mention a whole house full of things to discover, so she won't need the toys as much as she might otherwise. Plus there will be snow to play in!

I am making a preliminary trip to the grocery store this afternoon. I will be going back tomorrow for all of the things I forgot. Which will probably be a lot. Plus, I have peanut butter balls to make, laundry to do and a house to tidy up so it's not a complete disaster when we leave. What am I doing sitting around, I need to get moving.

*"Would you say I have a plethora of presents?"

Home Again

Alarm rang.
Plane flown.
Baby cried.
Cara tired.
Grandbaby spoiled.
Husband missed.
Friends hugged.
Food eaten.
Football cheered.
Memories revisited.
Pictures viewed.
Laughs enjoyed.
Drinks drunk.
Goodbyes said.
Home again.
Pounds gained.
Sigh.

Get Along Little Doggie

My parents used to have the cutest little teacup Maltese dog. They called her Scooter because they said they could sweep her across the floor and she would scoot up all the dust bunnies. My stepdad loved her so much he took her to work with him everyday. He was like the godfather, with that 3 pound pooch on his lap all day. Unfortunately Scooter met her end a few years ago at the ripe old age of 8. It would be a great understatement to say that my stepdad was saddened by this.

Since then, they have been reluctant to get another dog because they travel quite a bit. So a few years ago, my stepdad bought one of those little stuffed puppies that breathes. Curled up on a tiny dogbed, the belly of the little black and white pup moves up and down, mimicking a sleeping puppy. My mom says it is the perfect dog. It doesn't poop or bark and always looks cute. However cute, though, it is NOT cuddly. It has fairly bristly "fur" over a hard frame and the years have taken its toll on the motor. It now sounds like the asthmatic rattle of an aging bulldog.

Early this morning, I went in to the room Sophie is staying in at my parents' house to find her standing and screaming in the pack and play that is serving as her crib during our stay. I scooped her up and sat down in the chair across the room to nurse her back to sleep. Once we were settled, I looked over at the pack and play and noticed this:

My mom decided that Sophie was lonely in there and gave her a little companion. She claims she put it in the corner, but the middle is where I found it, rasping and rattling.

I'm pretty sure that explains the crying.

Reunited

Preparing for another flight with the Bean. This time my friend Aparna will be joining me, while Neil stays home. She doesn't know what she's in for. Meanwhile Neil will be wandering around the house, probably half naked, scratching whatever part catches his fancy, while the beer cans and fast food debris pile up. Just kidding, my husband's not like that. He'll definitely have clothes on.

Where will I be, you ask, while my husband revisits his college lifestyle. I will be attending my 16th high school reunion. Why 16th, you ask. Because my class refuses to do things the normal way. I mean, seriously, who wants to have a boring old 15th reunion anyway. Not the class of 1992, that's who.

Our festivities will start with my high school's homecoming football game. What memories that will dredge up. Mostly good, but some not so much. One of only two times I almost got into an actual fistfight was at a high school football game. I'm a total pacifist and a complete wimp so no punches were actually thrown on either occasion. I am a bit of a smartass, though. Luckily, after apparently picking fights on two separate occasions, I got my mouth in check.

I used to love Friday night games. Going to the university football stadium where my school played. The crisp autumn air and the smell of burnt popcorn. Meeting up with all of my friends, watching the game a little, but mostly just wandering around talking. It was so much more about socializing than supporting our school's athletic program. Unless you had a fella on the field, in which case you were all about the game.

There will be more events over the course of the weekend including a trip to Skateland, a tour of our old stomping grounds and a cocktail party that will likely include too many cocktails while we reminisce about all of our old shenanigans.

I am so excited to see all of my old friends. Some of whom I have not seen since high school. I will no doubt have many tales to tell upon my return.

PS - Please keep your fingers, toes and whatever else crossed that Sophie is good on the flight. Amen and hallelujah.

PPS - I'm sorry I've haven't been out visiting all of my bloggy friends quite as much the last few days, it's been a little insane in the Land of Bean (colds, no sleep, packing). I plan to come see all of you upon my return from Oz.

PPPS - I keep forgetting, but I wanted to thank everyone for your super kind words about my haircut! I will dine on that praise for months. Truly.