Partial Truth is...

That it isn't really that short, or straight forever- this is what it looks like today... Mother persuaded me to wait to rinse it out so it will be curly again- they heat-set the color so that is why it is straight.

But I had my first experience at a spa-salon where they brought me coffee, a 'curl expert' cut my hair and fixed the horrible dye mess that it was- a three hour long process! Relaxing though and they give you a scalp/neck/face massage while you are being deep conditioned.. and use the best smelling stuff (rosemary/mint/sage...very fresh and green)
Now, if I can only get a 3 hour spa treatment every time I have homework to read I wouldn't procrastinate as much! (Very proud of myself though for focusing on homework when there were all of these tempting magazines around...)

I posted the picture yesterday to get back at a certain-someone for the airport trick- jokes on me though as he likes it! (Just one small comment about 'I thought you were just getting it trimmed and where are your curls?'.... naw, I'll be back to normal in just a bit, crazy gypsy hair all over- but it's nice to play at 'sophisticated' (Mother's word) right now. (I think it looks like Scully's hair on the old X-files)

We are makeover shopping- I got a blueberry skirt, new jeans that are awesome and a shirt-jacket thing (all on sale, lots on sale)... today we are going on the famous pillow hunt, and to Khols, dropping off a few things at goodwill in Lewisville. Maybe dinner- something spicy. I like spicy!

Miss the Manz, the boy, the doggs. Having a wonderful time here- but there is no place like home! (especially since Mother bundles the icecream in the freezer so it is impossible to sneak a bite late at night without lots of hard labor... and she can always tell when it has been unbundled)

Sweet!

The new me...

Textravangaza

Sue and Morgan, Theresa and Troy, Tom and Jake. Textravaganza: when the whole Texas clan gathers plus friends plus doggs plus doggs-of-friends. Mother was there, Sue and Tom, Theresa, Aaron and Sam, Dan and Casey, Troy-boy, Morgan and Jake (the twins), 5 of Sam's friends (I remember Ashley and Walker... not the other names...sorry), me, doggs Emma, Sidney and Tessa. Cats stayed sensibly hidden.

Lots of laughter and talking, babies swimming, reading, playing- Morgan showing off her first bra (Aunt Theresa is the bra-fairy for all of us!) and a wonderful feast: Steak, grilled shrimp, shrimp boil (shrimp, potatoes, corn, sausage all together), salad, rolls, twice baked potatoes, cold soda and beer, wines, corn dip and this wonderful raspberry-chipolata sauce dip stuff that I love!

Then on to Mothers which is always peaceful and beautiful, a good night's rest and off today to buy bananas... do some shopping, look around. It's a lovely Texas day, hot but there is a breeze and the sky is bright blue.

Grendel arrived home safely, but he and the man know I'm a guppy.... I called Grendel on the phone to see if he had landed. Boy says "Yes, but where is Charles? I've called home several times and there isn't an answer." So I go into full mum mode: Did you land at the right terminal? Where in the airport are you? Did you check the parking lot? I am worried about Esmeralda breaking down on the way, disasters.... I am busy trying to save the day, and boy says "There is a guy that needs to talk to you..." A deep serious voice comes on the phone "Ma'am'? This is airport security and I understand that this is your son. He says he is waiting for your boyfriend. Could you please describe him to me?" SO now I am thinking: Has Grendel been arrested? (long hair, international travel, shenanigans) Has Charles been in some horrible accident? (plane squashed the van, parking deck collapsed....) when he starts laughing. Once again, I fell for their tricks hook-line-and sinker. All I can say is there will be payback. Armadillo stew. Coyote crunchies. Chocolate covered tequila worms.... I'm planing! Still and all, they are safe and sound and made me laugh lots- I love them and miss them though they drive me crazy, this boy and manz o' mine!

Theresa and Troy, Tom and Jake, Sue and Morgan

Textravangaza is when the whole Texas clan gathers, plus friends, doggs and doggs of friends, and of course all the babies. Mother was there, Sue and Tom, Theresa, Sam and Aaron, Dan and Casey, the twins, Troyboy and five friends of Sam (I remember Ashley and Walker's names...but I can't remember the others- sorry!) and doggs Emma, Sidney and Tessa. Steak on the grill, shrimp boil (shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes all cooked together outside), salad, rolls, twice baked potatoes, yummy corn dip stuff and this wonderful raspberry-chipolatas sauce stuff... heaven. Cold cokes and beer, wine- all the good things. Lots of laughter and playing and talking. Babies in the pool, reading, in the play room, Morgan dancing around in her first bra (way to cute!)

Then off to Mothers, beautiful and calm as always. The sun is coming in the balcony doors and it is a lovely day. Not so very hot (under 100!) and a bit of a breeze. We had cinnamon bread for breakfast and will go shopping this afternoon...

Grendel is safe-and-sound even though he and the manz gave me a heart attack! They know I am a guppy, so when I called Grendel to see if he was in yet, he said "Yeah, I'm here, but where is Charles?" I asked him if he called the house, boy says "Yeah, several times- " So I go into full-on mum mode, giving directions (Where in the airport are you? Did you check the parking lot? Did you land in Terminal two?.... Hoping that Esmeralda dabus didn't break down, trying to figure out how to save the day) Then the boy says, hold on, this guy needs to talk to you. A deep serious voice says "Mam? This is airport security and I understand that this is your son, and he is supposed to meet your boyfriend here at the airport. Could you please describe him to me?" SO now I really start mum mode wondering if Grendel has been scooped up by security and there is a problem (international flights, long hair, lots of technology...) or if something awful had happened to Charles (airplane landed on the van, accident...) when he starts laughing! Those rotten men-folk had cooked this up.... I was so relieved that I laughed and scolded and now have to plan a good pay-back..... hummmm.....armadillo stew? coyote crunchies?..... all is well, and I miss them and love them- rotten, rotten rotten manz and boy of mine!

On the Road

Trip update- it is Saturday (?) morning- early and I am in Shreveport, La... up at 5 (this time) because I can't sleep- have homework to do before we hit the road for the Podlucky extravaganza. Missed a few days- left home on Thursday morning, drove to Alabama.....easy trip, have done it a million times, sang all the way (the lovely manz made me some cds so I wouldn't miss him singing to me! they help, but I still miss him.)

Yesterday we went down to Pensacola Florida, went to the beach- the sand is so very white and soft like sugar. The water was clear and blue green, I got my skirt all wet playing in the water, but it just didn't matter. Then on to Joe Papi's (? can't remember the name, something like this) which is a huge seafood market... the rows of fish and the fresh fishy smell reminded me of the market in California long ago (Beebes? something...) where I would go visit the fish. (I was a strange kid)... Hungry Howies for pizza, Sam's club for forgotten sausage, then hours in the car through Mississippi and all the way up Louisiana. I love Louisiana, swamps on either side of the road, fields of cows and horses and sugar, the heat hot and close like a hug. We talked all the way- and the tomtom talked to us, telling us where to go and fussing at us if we got off the road to stop.

The motel is fine, and it has WiFi, so I can do work. Don't mean to get stressed about it but can't help myself, it's how I'm wired. Up early and all, get it out of the way so I can enjoy my day. Boy comes home tomorrow, time flys so quickly.

I miss the manz, coffee on the porch- have been storing up stories to tell, things that I want him to see. Funny how you get so connected so quick, and it's a bit like losing my right arm.... next time he comes along. (even though between Theresa and the tomtom, I have plenty of 'help' with driving... still and all, it isn't quite the same as you reminding me to slow down... and the tomtom makes a cow noise when I speed!) MOOOOOOOO

Gift

An American Lady butterfly- bright and dark on the top, the bottom beautiful, lacy and pink. Charles found this on his van today, it was already dead so he carefully brought it home to me for a travelling gift. Love that man, I do.

Will be on the road for the next several days, posting from Evie-

Cookies!

There are few things as good as cookies... and the man loves cookies. I was feeling a bit guilty- yes, I did get up and do my school work and DPI work but then I took a long nap...followed by a shower... and setting up a new music playlist... while he took care of the garden/doggs, painted all the studio trim (before work), went to work and is bringing home the giant bookcase... work, work, work. So, I figured that some cookies would hopefully be a happy after-work treat.



I think that baking cookies is just about the first thing anyone learns how to do. I remember the kitchen at Headacher, making cookies out of the CookyBook with my sisters, learning how to follow the directions on the back of the Toll House package. Later on we found different recipes, but the Cooky Book is the absolute source for Christmas cookies- nothing else will do but chocolate crinkles, snickerdoodles, spritz and all the others. Even when we moved along to slice-n-bake and the new tray kind, it is not quite the same as making them from scratch. These cookies are not quite scratch- they are 'cheater cookies' made from combining cake mix, 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs and whatever chips you want (for these I used cinnamon strusel mix and Heath toffee chips).



The manz is home and has pronounced them good- but would probably like it if I practice a bit more to be perfect!

Going Green- the Natural Way!

Leo got lucky tonight after dinner.

What can ya say? Go Leo!!!

Doctor Dolittle

Someone has a new talent for summoning various critters for photo-ops. A butterfly, snapping turtle and our special friend, Leo (who is sometimes Louie and sometimes gringo). Leo has grown from a scrawny young lizard to the king of the porch, fat on flies and livin' it large. (He thinks we painted the porch just to match him... and it does, eh?) Anyway, Leo has set up housekeeping with a beautiful young lady lizard, who is young and small and brown... he romances her by puffing up and doing his lizard love-dance. We are hoping for a whole family of little Leo's to come along and keep us fly-free.

Meantime, I'm sure Bear will eventually encounter the snapping turtle as it scampered as swiftly as a turtle can into the yarden ditch. Not spotted while mowing grass, I think it is hiding under the old well cover which is damp and cool and full of tasty tasty bugs. Bear best watch out though- wouldn't want that nose of hers to lead her into trouble!

Midsummers!

Midsummers- a more beautiful day could not be asked for. Sky is blue, it's hot but not in an oppressive way, hot in a good-lazy-summer-day way. Bit of a breeze and all the butterflies are out and about.

The man made this today- *he* claims it isn't a proper flower garden, but I disagree. After all it's a flower, and a garden, and has flowers in it. The unusual purple rose, and the new moss roses. I think it's pretty and the butterflies like it- visiting the roses more today than the lantana's he planted. The yarden is rapidly becoming bright and welcoming- not quite the wild tangle that I had it. Neighbors are even brave enough to stop by- today one came with a bobcat and gave us a load of sand to help out with the back drive where all the boys got their cars stuck last week. Everyone waves- Charles claims that I just never noticed because I probably didn't spend much time outside, but I think that they have realized that I'm not really the Hansel-n-Gretel witch (moving the deer skeleton from the well probably helped, to).

Seriously, it's like magic. The house is happy, the yarden is blooming and filled with critters, the neighbors are friendly....I feel like a Disney princess, except I can't sing (but I do anyway!)

Lesson in the Arts~

The man says "Everyone has their forte'..." true. He's a painter, I'm a painter. And that brings us to the lesson of the white desk.

Now, this desk has a long and beigeish-gray past. It was college furniture that was left behind by my friend Donna's husbands college roommate, that they (Donna and Jerry) gave to me when they moved to Farmville years ago. It has been in the boys room ever since- a lovely piece 'straight from the Wal-mart plantation' that was covered in the beige/gray fake-wood grain sticky stuff. You know the type.

So I said to the manz, I said "I'll paint that desk! It will be white! And I shall paint the other Walmartish bookshelves to match! And all will be white like snow, like Mae West, like the fleece of a new lamb! It will be easy! I will do it in no-time with my sponge brush!"

And the manz, the manz he says to me, "Whatever you want honey."

The old shower curtain is down in the grass, I have the paint in the pan (he shook it and poured it) and with utmost confidence I begin to paint! After all, I *am* a painter! Right? So, I am flat on my back, painting away with my sponge brush that is not working quite as well as I imagined it to... and the lovely manz says, he says "Do you want the rug? Or for me to turn that over for you?" I say "Noooo... I'm fine!" paint paint paint.....

In the meantime, he has set up a lovely little rack and has swiftly accomplished all of the cutting and painting of the shoe molding. (I am still underneath the desk). We stop for a drink (it is about a 100 degrees today...) he has nary a drop of paint on him. I have paint on my hands, my arms, my clothes, in my hair.... and the handle of my spongy brush has parted ways with the sponge. Defeat.... he simply states "You know... a roller would be faster."...... yep.

So I proceed to ask for a lesson in painting. He shows me the proper way to charge a brush, use the roller without ending up with more freckles than I already have, and other tricks of the trade. He ends up painting most of the desk.... then I get hot and go inside... he paints the other bookcase.... I take books off the other bookcase and clean the bathroom (I am on the phone with Melissa) and he paints that bookcase too. Everything sparkly and well done, not a drip on the yarden grass, not a smudge on his clothes or hands. Nada. Beautiful.....

Everything takes all sorts of talents, and all talents should be appreciated. I tried, and in time I will learn how to do it better- I need to slow down, pay attention, play it straight when painting like this. I am used to fast and loose and 'painterly'- a righteous mess of a painter I am.

We call each other Felix and Oscar- He is Felix, I'm the Oscar. Somehow it works, the order and chaos, the craftsmanship and creativity, the spam and the tofu.

Venture

Grendel is *not* a morning person- even when he is setting out on a great adventure. Just functions on autopilot until he gets into the car, where he promptly falls back asleep. I woke him up at the airport, right before we parked... he was sleepwalking through check in, the only person in all of Raleigh today wearing a leather jacket in this heat. But it is colder in Vancouver (like our late-fall colder) and he might freeze- better to melt here than freeze there I suppose.

He has always been a night-owl, from the moment that he was born he partied all night and slept all day. When he was going to school with me, he would sometimes fall asleep in his cereal bowl- would be instantly sleeping in the car. Probably why he doesn't want to learn how to drive- deeply conditioned that cars=sleep. Same thing even when Kyle would take him to High School... pick him up and *poof* off to dream land. Two O'clock in the morning however, he is up and full of energy, high spirits... rearranging his room, multitasking on the computer, dreaming up adventures. Wonder how he'll do with jet lag.

I've always been the opposite. No problem with early hours, but my brain stops functioning about 4, and I'm ready to sleep by 9. Late nights are anytime past 9:30... I try to stay up but get watery-eyed sleepy. just no good at it. So I've never fussed at him for his schedule- I could no more keep that up than he can function on mine. To each their own.

Going to miss him though- all the way to Vancouver island- hope he has fun, is safe but adventurous, remembers to bring me a rock. I love that he is brave enough to explore like this- at about his age I traveled across country by myself for the first time and it was wonderful. He has already gone to Arizona, and to Europe with pals, but Vancouver is the farthest solo- but is looking towards Japan perhaps for next summer. He's got it good... the traveling bug. and that's a worthy thing.

Culture in Wallace

Date-night! We went to the concert in the park (Madonna Nash) and had a picnic...and enjoyed the other folks taking in some Thursday-night culture.

You see, here in Wallace, outside of our beloved auction, and the extravaganza of the stockyards, and the endless fascination of Wal-mart (Wallace-mart, or Small-mart) ... there isn't much to do here. At least since the daycare center/ moonshine distributor was closed down, and the shooting at Pizza Hut... nothing left to do but chew bottles and be stylin' in the 'sport socks' (and *why* would that remind me of Daddy? hummm?)

Seriously, it's really nice- the concerts, and we had a wonderful time. Charles knows everyone and was sharing the turkey story (amazement), I was trying not to get sandwich on my dress (successful!) and swatting yellow flys. There was a Max-type dog there with a big polkadot blue bow... I'm thinking Max might come along next time, except the bow would have to be pink and manz doesn't quite agree with that.

Talkin' Turkey

This morning we were sitting on the porch, having coffee and watching the sun come up as usual... a mama turkey came strolling through the yard followed by five chicks. I ran inside for the camera- thinking she would swiftly vanish back into the woods- but when I came back out she was up on the porch flirting with Charles.

She fluffed out her tail and wings, spent some time grooming and prettying up while her chicks scratched around the yarden for tasty tasty worms. Then she settled down by his chair- no fear turkey here.... even though I was taking pictures and Grendel stumbled out to see them. Charles just kept talking to her in his low low voice- I swear she shut her eyes in bliss- laid right down at his feet. Amazing. Then she let him pet her.... doubly amazing.

The babies all came up on the porch as well- we gave them some fruit loops but they were not interested in that at all. Eventually they hopped down off the porch and wandered over to Linda's field... the doggs realized they were there and started barking like crazy (and one yelp from Bear as she put a paw a bit to far across the fence)... the turkeys were not bothered in the least.

They kept coming back into our yard, up on the porch, and Charles had a huge conversation with Mama over a cup of coffee (she didn't like me one bit... just looked at me as if I had tasty elbows). Over all we watched them for a good hour and a half until they crossed the road back into the woods.

It was the first time we'd seen wild turkeys around the house- and for them to be so curious and tame was amazing. At first we worried that mama might be sick, but she looked fine, ate lots of bugs (and one peck of a froot loop) and all the chicks were fine also. She was being a good mama and clucking them right along- hope they come back tomorrow~ am thinking that Charles could be a 'turkey whisperer'....

Sister Sue

Happy Birthday Sister Sue!

This is not my painting (wish it was) but I picked it because it is a bear, the color of brown-eyed Susans, and looks like mountains in the fall all at once.

It is this time of year- summer vacation- when I would pack my bags of Barbie dolls, plastic horses and Nancy Drew books and head down to your house in Pittsburgh. We would eat peanut-butter sandwiches cut into quarters with the boys, go to the park, the other mommys would come over and I'd play with all the little kids, secretly wishing for the Fisher-Price barn. I dreamed of someday being you- the beautiful house, out Marthaing Martha Stewart before she even *thought* about things like making her own rock garden... all the friends and kids, the garden, Jenny-dog who I loved and Carla black with her tiny kittens up by the furnace.

When I was older I helped paint closets, babysat and you tried to teach me to be fashionable (I do think I'm a lost cause... but still and all~) You were always so together in my eyes- creative and smart, beautiful and full of the secret knowledge about 'grown-up woman stuff' (sex and diets, fashion and babies, dinner parties and boy scouts...)

Right now all of my photographs are buried somewhere in house-renovation mess, but I remember you as: dressed up going down to work at IBM (so glamorous!), in your long wedding dress that was slippery (satin?) and the blue flowers, shorts and a t-shirt, paint splattered and happy as you worked on the house, dressed up to go out- you smelled so good- I don't remember the outfit (maybe the dark dress with white dots?) but I can smell the perfume and see you smiling (and I was wishing that someday I would be so beautiful and grown-up, out for a date). I think of you singing 'gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail. Wrinkle up your funny nose, hold a nut between your toes, gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail'.

We are so lucky in so many ways that we don't realise. I am lucky to have you as a big sister- someone who I look up to, could count on and try to model myself after~ you do so much for all of us, thank-you for that- but we love you because you are you, Sista Sue! Happy Birthday!

Summerbook

The cover for this years summerbook- every summer for the past few years I keep a daily visual journal. It began a few years ago with watercolors of things I found on my daily beach walk with the doggs- a way to record my findings and practice painting with watercolors. The last two years it has been more erratic, documenting travels and just random things that caught my eye- I am more pleased with the earlier journals.

This year- because everything is so garden-centered right now, I am going to focus on botanicals (I think) but not quite the traditional format of the watercolor beach paintings.

Summers can be tricky- before they were balances between high expectations and the fun of travel, and the lows of being out of school- lots to do, but inertia that kept me from doing it...and a bit of depression over the 'time is flying and I have nothing done'. This summer will be different! I am going to be happy and active and enjoy everything- even days like this where I spent the whole day doing homework and taking a quiz (I got a 100! Yay me!) plus a nap of course... tomorrow we have lots of projects to tackle, a new busy exciting day to live in. And that is what summer should be- a new adventure everyday, a happy joy of activity with time to rest, create, and just be.

Portulaca

The flower is found- the manz favorite, portulaca. It isn't exactly the variety he was looking for, but it is better than the smaller portulacas we bought at Wal-mart on Memorial Day (they have the skinny leaves). Orange, apricot, yellow, red-pink he planted them around the rose bush and then went back to Wal-mart (we are living there, it seems) to acquire some hanging baskets and a long interior flowerbox thing for the inside of the porch. Other find were some Lantana's - yellow, purple, dark red, orange... there was a beautiful one that was light yellow and purply-pink, but it only came in a huge planter arrangement. While we were out also scored an excellent home-depot deal on mis-matched paint, enough to do the interior of the house. It is different- not exactly an off white but more of a buff color, we are going to do the trim in white, so it will be a neutral clean color that goes with everything and looks nice.

The house is amazing...it's like moving in all over again. Which it kinda is- the combining and recreating. The discussion about 'Where to put the TV' which will not be solved, but is an ongoing question- living room or studio? (I like to work while I watch, so I'm leaning towards studio, therefore limiting my mess to one room...) and the seating is odd in the living room because of all the doors (4), the big window and the fireplace.... it will work out, been a busy day and I want to watch tv not think about it... time to rest for the day... and hey, It's SUMMER! YaY!

Colossal Ear!

Argh! I missed a post again- but we have been crazy busy... yesterday was the last day of school, plus Charles was working all over the county picking things up for the auction, and we picked up the van... then went out for date night at El Rio (yummy...enchiladas Verde) Today, stockyards/yardsales, then off to work for him and off to graduation for me. Auction tonight in just a bit- going to be a good one, tons of stuff (including *surprise* boxlots)... and I got a bookcase at a yard sale for a song and dance. (well, actually ten bucks, but it is newish- former student of mine, reduced the price)

Anyhoo~ when we went to pick up the van yesterday (who is tentatively named 'dabus' though I also thought of Jack and Clara, and he came up with Esmeralda at breakfast this morning... so I am thinking it will be Esmeralda Dabus) anyway (that word again) we passed this truck parked in a yard. "Colossal Ear". Imagine. A sideshow attraction, touring carnivals, fairs and waffle-houses of dubious quality, offering sneak peaks at one of the hidden wonders of the natural world. A truck-sized ear. Just think of the possibilities for marketing Q-tips and ear-hair trimmers... No wonder they keep it behind a privacy fence. Would *you* want the neighbors to know that you had a colossal ear in the back yard? Just imagine what is in the shed. Seriously, where is the rest of the body? Or at least the ears-buddy, as they usually come in pairs. I really really want a bumper sticker that says 'See the colossal ear! Willard, NC'. After all, Rose Hill has the giant frying pan... it's only fair that we have our own scenic attraction.

Boy's sculpture-

whose title he forgot... it's an abstract hand with a ball, and it's stone. It also kinda looks like a chess rook... tomorrow is the last day of school, so this is a short post... the studio is crowded. Boy is up and playing a video game (imagine) manz is outside planting a purple rose, and I am waiting for the rice to cook. Kyle and Fitzy are coming over- and not sure how we are all going to fit in here but we will figure something out. (or chase the boys off to Wilmington)

I am so looking forward to summer- time with my family, my home- making the nest for all of us, time for adventures. And art- can't forget the art. Making art whenever I want to... heaven.

Obed, rest your head

Charles took this picture today- along with others- of an old abandoned graveyard out where he is building a barn. (It's a barn-for-someone else, not ours!) This is Obed W. Murray 1830-1913, which put him at a fair age for that time. There is an inscription, but it is written in back slant, so I can't quite read it on the photo. Maybe in person, or if he does a rubbing... All of the graves are beautiful- unique shapes, arched like Obeds, one a curving scroll, some doubles, a small obelisk. They have inscriptions "He was a kind and loving son and affectionate brother" (Walter Carr), carved stars, crowns, pearly gates. Obed here has an anchor on top with dogwood sprays, a flower underneath (compass-rose ish) and a rainbow. The inscription is "His word...-something- high". The name Obed means 'servant'.

There are so many of these old family graveyards out here- the public ones, the community ones are a novelty. There is one behind Sam's house (the house behind me) that no one ever cares for (except me, on occasion. When the skeeters and ticks aren't out- I love ghosts but hate bugs-that-bite). It's kind of nice, keeping kin close by, where they can keep an eye on you.

The barn is mostly put-up (in three days- amazing. That is from raw field to barn- ) will post pictures of it when it is finished... this man can turn his hand to anything. Right now- I am home from school, he is home from work, boy is sleeping off college- right now while I type he is out cutting down pine trees and trimming boards. Nothing against pine trees, but there is a tree farm right next to the house and we have lots of cast-offs that I let go... now they are proper trees and crowding out the others. He has plans to turn them into something useful- and *that* is exactly what I like. We both approach everything with 'what can I do with *this* attitude' and appreciation for the lost things left beside the way- the quiet beauty of graves amidst the corn.

BOY!!!

BOY is home! boy is home! with his plethora of boy-stuff... here he is setting up clover in the studio. (you are not seeing double, he has TWO flat-screen monitors) and a huge tangle of cords.

Must admit, between remodeling and boyhome house is just a *tad* chaotic, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Everything will fall into it's place, all in good time.

So us being us (and not your average family) we played a trick on the boy... when he came home dinner was in the crock-pot, and Charles and I started discussing what to have with dinner...humm... let's see, Brussels sprouts or turnips? and we have this 'pork in a can, with juices' which was offered up as the main course... (seriously, it's for the doggs)... said that "all food must be eaten at the table, no internet after 9pm, no cussing, etc." (um, yeah. we are not exactly role-models.... we *have* a table, but usually eat elsewhere, internet is on 24-7 and I am *working* on not cussing....actually, I like to think it's going rather well) Anyway... boy started to fall for it (when we got to the turnips part... you could tell he was trying to be polite..) but when we started with the 'setting the table' he caught on and started laughing.... welcome home boy-o, we are going to have a blast!

Max in Love

Not to belabor the max thing, but he is totally in love....with the pink floor. He was just wistfully looking over the barricade at it- and noticing the air vent- pink that matches- he is totally convinced that this room will be just for him. Max paradise.

It's funny- cause he is eating more, his coat is shiny- Max is thriving. Loves all the attention (not that he was ever attention-starved) but with four doggs and him being low-dogg, he didn't receive everything he needed. (obviously, according to him)

Bear is bear. Big and goofy and- now that she is bigger than ever- taken to looking in windows. I'll be trying to take a nap, hear something strange and wake up to a Bear-face pressed against the window. We were working in Grendel's room the other day- and there was a bear-head poking in, watching everything going on. help, help, help! Always wants to help!

A rose is a rose is a rose...

Surprise! The latest improvement- the floor in the guest room. Manz painted it rose (the color is more like the photo on the left than the redder-looking details), then created the green center block. I went in and did the corner details and the center medallion. The color pops against the off-white walls, and make the room look like an extension of the garden- bright and cheerful, not just a junk-room/guest room. He took all the furniture out (duh) and we are going to put things in carefully- the guest bed (which will be replaced by my bed when we bring our bigger bed in... my bed is to short for the man- his feet are scrunched), the white hutch-desk, a bookcase from the studio painted white. Together they will create a unit-effect. A good lamp for reading, trunks for storage. Not over done- I am trying for the simple-but useful look. Put all my vintage suitcases and trunks to use storing things under the bed (!) hauled extra art off to school to be stored. (Truthfully, still working on the sorting of things to take to school... I need another whole building just to keep stuff).

Grendel will be home Tuesday (YAY!) so hopefully will have that part of the house centered by the time he shows up. We went to the store today, stocked up on boy-food (cereal, toffee peanuts, rootbeer, bacon...and more bacon. with some extra bacon just in case). All ready for him to come home. This year has gone by so quickly, with so many changes in our lives- all of our lives. Who would of ever thought that we would all come together like this, make a happy little family full of laughter and art and good-natured teasing, singing all the day and colors everywhere. It's like the world is coming alive, and we are blooming in the sun. Winter is over, my friends, winter is over!

Finders!

Gotta love the tinker-man... he is just like me! (well, in someways. If you don't count rolled end toothpaste vs. squeezed middle, well done vs. mooing-rare, neat vs. chaos and spam vs. tofu....) But we find things that are unwanted- our first reaction to a pile of discards is ooooooOOOooAH! Whatza That? Anything we can use/ make stuff out of? Treasure!!!!

He has a gift with turning stuff into stunning things- (just wait to see the porch pictures!) Yesterday we found this old gun-case in Wilmington on a junk pile. Brought it home- it is old, weathered, handmade, still in fair-decent shape. Vision is the removing of the gun holder thing, installation of shelves and *wa-la* a book case that is fit for in the tiny four-door room. Perfect for paperbacks. Not sure yet if it will be cleaned and left rustic, stained or painted- anyhoo, it's old and cool and best of all- Free!

Surprise post for tomorrow- he has been working on something all day (well, I did a tiny bit of it- but today I spent mostly napping and eating left-over doughnuts) and hopes to have it finished by tomorrow afternoon. I'm really excited~ this is so much fun, the re-feathering of our nest. It's fun because we work well together, have complimentary talents and he is just as creative as I am. It feels like all of our conversations start with "What if...." or "Let's try..." So much fun!

Hot-N-Now

We went to Wilmington after school today, looking around- found a discarded treasure (I'll talk about that another day! Just say I'm glad I have a station wagon). Anyway, I kept driving and driving, because I remembered that *somewhere* in Wilmington was a KrispyKreme- and the manz loves doughnuts.

Now, doughnuts are available in groceries, and krispy kreme is in the gas stations, sold at school for fundraisers, but it is NOTHING like hot-n-now when it is coming right off the conveyor belt and into the icing to land happily in the box. One short step from blissful goodness. We got a dozen hot, a dozen mixed- chocolate, filled, sour cream (that's for me!) ate some hot ones in the car, now making coffee. Doughnuts for dinner. Yummmy....

I remember learning how to make doughnuts in the bakery in Charleston. I loved doing the doughnut shift- which was 5 to 11. They would be risen from overnight in the proof box, laid out on the wire grill like nuts for bolts. When the grill was placed into the hot fat they pop to the top, then you turn them at just the right moment- you know you have it perfect if they are golden brown on top and bottom with a cream colored stripe around the sides.... then through the icing waterfall thing, hot and fresh, sticky and placed into boxes, set neatly on trays. I liked doing the speciality doughnuts as well- filling them with apples or cream, raspberry jam, lemon. The best thing though was what Virgina taught me- Virgina the ancient black lady, not Virgina the cranky boss lady. Virgina ate her doughnuts hot with a slice of deli cheese on top. The cheese would get all melted, salty-sweet and creamy...different, delicious and very satisfying.

Now we are settled in for the night- hot coffee and doughnuts, a netflixed movie, doggs running outside hoping that they will get lucky later and score a few crumbs- Sorry doggs, they're all ours!

ArtHistory Final Exam-a-ganza

Now *this* was a fun exam. Favorite students with our 'non-politically-correct' lunch (everyone had to bring in a stereotypical food for their stereotyped selves) and presents for all. Plus- bonus, bonus- it was Sarah's birthday.

So we feasted on: Doughnuts, bagels and cream cheese, fresh strawberries and blueberries, burritos, brownies, sushi, tomato/cheese/meat sandwiches, pb & j sandwiches, hummus and crackers, coke, hot fried chicken... I think that was it... lots of food- we ate a bunch, watched 'Frankenstein' and Ariel taught us how to wrap bottles. Presents included tiny clay hippie mushrooms, little paintings, decorated boxes, magic candles, woven bracelets, painted jars, necklaces, drawings. Delicia's Mother made me the Virgin Mary statue, which will have a place of honor on my windowsill multi-cultural shrine.

I'll miss these kids. They are my students and my friends- some of them are graduating and going on with their lives, others I will see next year. I know they will do well and be fine- and we'll remember this always.

Cheers!

Nature

Three guesses where this was taken. National Park? no... Ed's Mushroom Farm? no.... The backyard? no.... Our bathroom? BINGO!

This is exactly why the bathroom floor is being replaced... there was a leak, I thought it was one thing and paid a billion dollars to have that fixed at Christmas, turns out it was something else all together. In the meantime, the floor became saturated under the layers of tile.... the pressboard dissolved and nature settled in.

Manz pulled up all that ick and the wood floor has been drying, then it will be refloored, but having only one bathroom we have to make due while the floor drys.... and then suddenly, unexpectedly, out of nowhere- the Mormon Mushroom Family. (Mormon because there is a whole extended family, all wearing beige).

Actually, they are kinda pretty, but not in the bathroom. Never did go in for the fairy-mushroom look.... anyhoo, this is yesterdays post, just got distracted at school with testing and homework and a sore lip (a canker from clove gum and stress, it's the size of Idaho, but he still thinks I'm pretty) and then the impending nap time when I got home.... breakfast dinner, good movie, finished my art project for today (will take photos of that later). All in all, summer is starting and the world is great!

Teacher Torture

Once again, the state of NC stole 4 hours of my life. (No offense! Please don't fire me! I believe in NCLB... no, that's not *my* pants on fire...) Seriously, from 8:30 am until 12:30, all I did was stay in Crew's English room and proctor the exam. Which means: no bathroom, no drink, no sitting down, no doing anything but endlessly circling students who are attempting to take a test under these unbearable conditions. For FOUR hours! I counted flip flops, I counted kids-in-blue jeans, kids-n-plaid shorts, painted toenails (one set was this really odd shade of lavender).... I snuck looks out the window (gee... a lovely view of the air conditioner. you can only watch the little silver genie-hat thing spin around so many times). I tried to keep track of how many laps of room-walking I did but I lost count.... so...my thoughts drifted...

Apparently I was smiling off and on (someone commented)- now *why* would I be smiling? humm.... and I kept thinking about the house and all of the projects we have going- it's amazing, my little house's transformation. My coffee mug with the rose- Melissa gave me it, brought back from 'soup day' at the college because I am Rose Red after all (even though I seem to have acquired a Prince along the way)- anyway, the mug is the colors I want for the guest room floor. We acquired the colors- mismatched at Walmart in the discount paint- and the rose is perfect. The green I need to tweak a bit, it is to blue, to light, to cold. The floor will be mainly rose, Charles is doing a pattern with the green- stripes that I will paint on with roses and vines. Very magic-cottage.

(As a teaser, you can see a tiny bit of the porch transformation- the bright green under the railing... the porch is amazing but 'not to be posted please' until he is done.) The very very cool thing about all of this is that my home- which I get so defensive about- is transforming into our home. A product of love and creativity and good ideas, companionship and work. Our home. I LOVE that!

(it still needs a name tho....)

Cloudburst

Charles says I worry to much about the wrong things, and sometimes I do. This weekend I worried so much about he and Melissa getting along that I worked myself into a tizzy- they have known each other, but we hadn't all spent a long block of time together yet and I was nervous. Which manifested in an emotional cloudburst dinner time Sunday, which puzzled both of them and made me feel bad...

Turns out that everything was ok, Melissa was just a whole lot sicker than she was letting on (ear infection) and I mistook her silence for distance and yada yada yada. But I still upset everyone and feel bad about making them feel bad... but we talked it out and had a group hug followed up by spaghetti and episodes of TruBlood.

so everything will be ok.

This behavior pattern of mine has to stop though. I will work on it- I don't have meltdowns or cloudbursts often, but I know how they come about. I bottle things up, try to make everyone happy yet worry that everyone is not happy. (I am not that great at telling when people are happy or unhappy all the time... I'm great at one-on-one communication or large group performance, but really suck at small group social skills) I work at being extra-superior-cheerful (and I usually am, naturally) Point is, I keep my fear locked up inside and it either leaks out through snarkiness (which I work really hard at containing. Nothing is more irritable than negativity, and I hate being negative. Negativity from someone else is sometimes hard for me to handle, I understand venting, but just the doom-n-gloom emo outlook annoys me. This is the only life we've got, so I'll be damned if I don't try to enjoy it- call me Pollyanna, but Life Is Good) Ok. back to my self-psychoanalyzing. If things don't leak out, eventually they reach a point where I either cloudburst (burst into tears, very very rare, it's because I feel inadequate and fear abandonment) or have a meltdown (frustration and anger. Meltdowns usually involve invoking my sternest 'teacher voice' and are usually at school... when something is destroyed on purpose or the kids will not listen. In the animal world, it is the equivalent of Mom-Dogg snarling at a puppy to put it in line).

So folks, I apologize for the distress. I am going to work harder at being more forthright about emotions - but if I ask if "everything is ok" please tell me if it isn't. I need people to tell me if they are sick, upset, distressed, tired or just having a bad day. If I did something that pissed you off, tell me. Likewise, I need to tell people if I am sick, tired, distressed etc. (I'm good at telling people when I am happy or in love.... heart on my sleeve and all that... but I'm not-so-good at appropriate communication of distress). I want to thank Charles and Melissa for putting up with me, loving me regardless and understanding where I was coming from.

The little bottles in the picture Charles surprised me with on Saturday- he found them at the stockyards... I love them, the fish especially. They are bottles of 'bitters'- the tonics used to restore health and vitality through 'cleansing the blood'. Made of herbs and roots, bitters were bitter- and just like my cloudburst, encouraged the clouds to pass away so the light could shine forth.

I love you my friends.