A Taste of Tarot-Pesky Stuff

2008-11-06T04:05:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was an interesting day- M had a HUGE poetry project. She had hers done and she spent the evening helping her friend - "Giving a sista a helping hand". Listening to M's advice, it was totally thrilling to hear her engaged in homework, using her very bright brain instead of hating on all-things- school.

Speaking of M, we have this thing going on. She's all into the song, Electric feel by MGMT.It's a catchy tune, however, a prominent lyric is "shock me like an electric eel" bahahahaaaaaaa!!! She says I am old and out of touch, I say using an electric eel as a lyric is ridiculous. What do you think??

Electric Feel Lyrics....
all along the western front
people line up to receive
she got the current in her hand
just shock you like you won't believe
sun in the amazon
with the voltage running through her skin
standing there with nothing on
she gonna teach me how to swim
i said ooh girl
shock me like an electric eel
baby girl
turn me on with your electric feel
i said ooh girl
shock me like an electric eel
baby girl
turn me on with your electric feel
all along the eastern shore
put your circuits in the sea
this is what the world is for
making electricity
you can feel it in your mind
oh you can do it all the time
plug it in, change the world
you are my electric girl
i said ooh girl
shock me like an electric eel
baby girl
turn me on with your electric feel
i said ooh girl
shock me like an electric eel
baby girl
turn me on with your electric feel
do what you feel now
electric feel now
do what you feel now
electric feel now
do what you feel now
electric feel now
do what you feel now
electric feel now
do what you feel now
electric feel now

2008-11-04T03:40:00.000-08:00

Well, to celebrate my brand-new address I'm offering a hot special- a Tarot sale on a special reading- the Double-Mini for only $20.00! See details here The Double Mini-reading gives you a lovely life overview, and this special reading is only offered for a limited time! Hurry, special expires on 11/10/2008!

I've got to get ready, I'm an elementary school librarian in my new job and today we're reading "Patrick's Dinosaurs".... It rocks. The little kids crack me up, they are totally filter-free, and I hear the greatest stories.

I've gotta run- I'm voting before work- when are you??? (Go, Barack, go!!!) Nothing like voting to make me feel like a mighty American!!! Get out and vote!!!!

2008-11-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I really did it this time! I've been really pretty busy with my life lately- Dan and i both got new jobs within a week of each other, back on Labor Day. Dan has been working nights- leaving here about 1:30 pm and returning about 2:30 am... I get off work at noon three days a week, so we see each other then. However, from Sunday until Saturday the kids don't see him, and I am the sole parental unit/ driver. In all the excitement I let my web domain lapsed, and it was sniped by some company in Gibraltar!! ARRRRGHHH. I have started a new domain- www.tasteoftarot.com- I just left off the "A". I am frantically updating links and ending out notices... More to come...

2008-08-06T16:34:00.000-07:00

I got my hair done yesterday, back to my true red self. Doing a reading for Necia tonight, here's the shuffle...

Outkast-Hey Ya
Seven Nation Army- The White Stripes
Fame-David Bowie
Bridges- Tracy Chapman
Drive- Incubus
The Story- Brandi Carlile (All of these lines across my face Tell you the story of who I am So many stories of where I've been And how I got to where I am...)
Lover Lover- Sonia Dada (You don't treat me no good no more.... Hey JET, wonder what you're up to tonight?)
El Condor Pasa- Simon & Garfunkel
My Doorbell-The White Stripes (when you gonna ring it?)
Speed of the Sound of Loneliness- Alabama 3
I Can I Will I Do- Barenaked Ladies
Sympathize- Amos Lee
Broke-Modest Mouse
Under the Sun- Big Kenny (JET again, There is a place where dreams come true... hoping all dreams have come true )
Standing in the Doorway-Bob Dylan

2008-08-04T15:45:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all... am I the suckiest blogger ever??? Last Summer at this time I was wonderful, dedicated- this summer I am a slacker. sigh.

Anyway, there were some requests (well, one...) for new pictures of my grandson Aden, superbaby. Here is my little dumpling. He's still a pretty serious guy- that's the way my youngest son James started out, and I think Aden takes after his Uncle James with his mighty strength and seriousness. (Although he looks like his daddy, my son Dan)

James was very serious, and I always thought he was taking it all in, filling up his memory card, his computer chip, and then when he felt like he had a handle on the world, he was ready to smile.

I am finally ready to smile after spending most of the day in bed yesterday with a yucky summer cold. I am starting to feel like I will survive...

I'm doing some readings, here's what's on my shuffle tonight...
Helpless- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Spy in the House of Love- Was(not was)
Seven Wonders- Fleetwood Mac (I still like Christine McVie better than Stevie)
As Tears Go By- Rolling Stones
Blinded by the Light- Manfred Mann
These Dreams of You- Van Morrison
By the Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth- Clap your Hands Say Yeah
Life By the Drop- Stevie Ray
Even the Losers- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (We smoked Cigarettes and stared at the moon... it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me...)
First Day of My Life- Bright Eyes ( From my M...)
Open Arms- Tracy Chapman
Goo Goo Muck- The Cramps (Ahh, the music of my youth...)

2008-06-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Hey all, Happy Summer Solstice! The fireflies have just really come on this week, they are amazing, like a little light show in our ditch!

I did a Tarot reading for Claire, from the UK tonight, and while I read I wear headphones to shut out the world. I usually shuffle my ipod, and tonight I kept track of my shuffle so you guys can see what kind of stuff goes in my ears when I'm doing your cards...
>At Least We Tried-Moby
>Maybe You’re Right- Barenaked Ladies
>Say Yes- Ellott Smith (a shout out to chlo-aye)
>You Never Can Tell- Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter (Yee hah)
>Rikki Don’t Lose that Number- Steely Dan
>Crying- Roy Orbison & KD Lang
>Speed of the Sound of Loneliness- Amos Lee
>Wishing Tree- Sonia Dada (That’s a Jet special)
>Dry country- B-52’s…(that’s better. Rock gently)
>One Drop- Bob Marley
>Best of You- Foo Fighters (Rock a lil’ harder)
>Anytime Lisa-Was (Not Was) (wow. This is a blast from the past…)
>Meet Virginia- Train (I got this one from my fabulous niece Stephanie, years ago…)
>Heart-Nick Lowe (I heart this)
>Texas Flood- Stevie Ray & Double Trouble. (Speaking of heart…)
>No Rain -Blind Melon
>Burning Down the House- Talking Heads. (Ahh, memories)
>Bad Time- Jayhawks
>Werewolves of London- Magnolia Electric Co (Not the incomparable warren, RIP, but interesting)
>Into the Great Wide Open –Tom Petty
>Closer to Fine-Indigo Girls (I’m trying to tell you something about my life…)
>If I could Talk I’d Tell You- Lemonheads (I was just wanting to hear this the other day)
>Song for you- Leon Russell
>Melt with You-Modern English (A HUGE fave from my rubber bracelet days)
>Keep ‘em Separated-Offspring (One for Dan all pro)
>Showdown- ELO
>Feel Goood Inc- Gorrillaz- (Danny & I both got into this at the same time, separately. Weird.)
>Blame it on the Tetons- Modest Mouse (Man I need a cold one…)
>Kick Push-Lupe Fiasco (From the Divine M)
>Hotel Song- Regina Spektor (Come into my world, I’ve got to show show show you…)
>Praise You-Fatboy Slim..

Reading done now, headphones off and off to bed...

2008-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning and I am, typically, in bed. James' soccer game isn't until 11:00. Whoo hoo! I love a Saturday morning with a book, a cup of creamy coffee, and the house all quiet and gentle sounding around me. Birds are flitting around in the blooming lilac outside my window- it's like a Disney cartoon. (I am definitely not Snow White, I think I'd have to be one of those fairy godmothers. sigh...) Dan is off hunting for Morels. before the game...

I've got to stir though, readings to do... That's a good reason to stir. Take advantage of the sale. And here I go- hitting the Beyond. (I like to linger on the "Bed, Bath"... and am more reluctant about the "Beyond"... hehehe)

Saturday night- 7:30- doing readings and jamming with headphones- what's in my ears?
Jackson Browne- My Problem is you
Cheryl Wheeler- Ghandi/Buddha
Some Bob Schneider
Life is good.

2008-05-09T04:05:00.000-07:00

I babysat for Aden's big sister yesterday and man, am I out of practice with four-year-olds! It was exhausting! She wants me with her all the time, which is fun, but I had kinda gotten out of the habit of doing that AND making dinner, doing dishes, etc. With Margaret and James, my 15 and 16 year-old, they do everything they can to do stuff WITHOUT me, it was a mind-blowing to have someone who wants me all the time. We had fun though- card games, playing on the swing, and she always helps me cook.

Then, her parents arrived for dinner with Aden, and oh my GAWD, do I LOVE babies. I picked him up and couldn't put him down, a snuggly little sweet-smelling nugget, ummmmm. We call it "baby dingo-ing" in honor of Meryl Streep's "The Dingo took my baby!" - you take the bay and hold it just as long as possible. My bro-in-law Tony has perfected the art, to the point where his nickname is "Uncle Dingo". I dingoed that baby all night!

Weird moment when my daughter complained to my son about me, and asked him if she could hold the baby. A cog slipped for me as I realized HE was in charge of his baby, and really isn't my son in that instance.

Hey, I'm having a sale for my faithful-

Hello to you all!

Well kids, my son and his wife had their baby, a beautiful 9lb 3oz boy (I'm calling him "Super-baby" because he's so strong!). That's the good news. The bad news is, I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new title- Grandma. I hardly feel old enough for it, and it makes me feel like I need to get some orthopedic shoes or something. Sigh. If anyone has a cute grandma nickname, let me know!!!

To celebrate the birth I am offering a Spring Sale, the Conversation reading, now only $30.00- regularly $35.00, with the offer available until 5/14/08. This is a special, unadvertised sale, for A Taste of Tarot Customers only! The Conversation reading rarely gets discounted, take advantage of this great deal!
I wish you all peace,
Laura, the ever-pesky
http://www.atasteoftarot.com/

Then I sent out this-
Hey all,
I mailed a sale offer this morning, and wanted to give an update. When you buy a reading and click submit after completing your personality form, you are going to get an error message. However, I AM getting the forms. I have to reinstall my frontpage extensions to get the error message to go away, and when I do that, my site will be down for a few hours. So, I am going to do that this evening.

So, if you submit a form and get an error message rest assured I'm getting your info. And if you get to my site late tonight and it's down for awhile, never fear- we'll be back up and running in an hour or two!

It was great hearing from all you guys!!!
xxoolaura

Happy Friday, and buy a reading!!!

2008-05-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Aden Conner Desmet made the scene on April 23, weighing in at a bouncing 9lbs 3 ozs and 21.5 inches long- he's a definite keeper. It's harder to adjust to the grandma title than it is to the child! He's a super-baby like his Uncle James was- he's holding his head up and has rolled over twice in his first week!

This weekend is much more mellow than last week- James and I did "meals-on-wheels" for Danny and Denise all weekend. We pretty much cooked non-stop; minestrone soup, oriental shrimp linguine, from scratch egg rolls and roast chicken. This weekend I seem to be in the same mode making garlic cheese rolls and 6 bean salad. Dan is out grilling steaks as the day threatens to rain on him; the wind is so strong it sounds like it's demanding the house take off and fly with it. A wind too strong even for kites... But the house holds firm, and all is cozy in my world and life today, hanging out with my boys and being thankful thankful thankful to be right where I am.

2008-04-12T09:56:00.000-07:00

Nancy and I had a STELLAR trip to San Diego! What a fun place, and it was so cool- we didn't need a car; we walked or trammed everywhere. Our Hotel was right on the Embarcadero, and we had an amazing view of the Bay- cruise ships docked directly across from our room! We had lots of good walks, talks, and sight-seeing- Balboa Park and Old Town by Trolley. We are good traveling buddies; feeling ready to rock, ready to eat and ready to sleep at the same times...

On Saturday we took the trolley to the border and walked into Mexico, although we were warned at the hotel about "three hour waits at the border" and at the train station that "you have a 40% chance of being kidnapped..." The guy at the duty-free shop said we'd be fine in the tourist section, so feeling daring, we went for it. It was GREAT shopping- we both got silver necklaces, and I got some really cool day-of-the-dead figures. However, there were VERY FEW tourists- the rumors of trouble in Tijuana must be killing the tourism income.

After an interesting lunch (a. tasty, but didn't want to look at the meat in the taco too closely, B. lunch was $6.00, a can of pop $3.00, c. it took so long we thought there may not have been a kitchen in the restaurant, we mused about where the the food was coming from...) the waiter hailed us a taxi- a crazed, road-raging, expletive-spewing cab driver. He would slow the cab to yell out the window at drivers or pedestrians that annoyed him. (And they ALL did...) He had insisted I sit in the front seat, then went into frustration mode when I didn't understand all he was saying. (I DID understand that "Muy stupido" was directed at me, and some of his language was foul universally...) When I did the "passenger braking movement" on my side as he whizzed through the stop signs, he clucked disappointedly, "Lady, this is NOT America, this is MEXICO..." and muttered some more stupidos...

He drove us through the bowels of Tijuana, while Nancy and I threw each other stealthy worried glances, and I praised his driving skills,pretty sure he was just crazy and not a kidnapper, but with a 10% doubt in my mind... Finally he drove us to this long line of shuffling people, very few Americans, in a dirty section of town. He started shouting, "Get out get out GET OUT...." and pointed at the line. Nancy and I sprang from the cab with mixed feelings- out ot the cab was GOOD, but where the Hell were we??? We started walking toward the end of the line... and walking.... and walking.... as it snaked around foreveerrrrr.

Finally we reached the end, and figured- THIS is the 3 hour wait. Next thought- Is this the line to get back into the US at all? It was all Mexicans- but then the tourism is really down so that was not so odd. We shuffled along for awhile, and the line was really moving surprisingly fast. (and getting longer and longer behind us...) Nancy finally saw some other obvious tourists, and we ascertained this WAS the line to cross into the US.

The line itself was interesting, again, it moved pretty fast, and there were people selling tacos and churros from stands as we shuffled by. Random stray dogs poked around in the weeds for any scraps, and looked unsatisfied. More of the many "Farmacias" trying to sell last minute prescriptions, with the guys wearing their "official" white pharmacy jackets, standing out in front. Everyone has a cellphone no matter how rich or poor.

We met a couple of great kids in line behind us, raised in Mexico and going to college in San Diego (In Mexico partying with friends because the drinking age is 20...) they were crossing back to go to work in San Diego. They were both Rotten Tomatoes Fans Timmy- but then who isn't!!!! We bonded with them until we hit the border and got separated in the customs lines, waving and saying goodbye. The wait was actually only an hour!!! The line was kinda cool...

But Customs was way serious, it's not the kind of place where you want to joke around. But it was more fascinating than scary, we all showed our birth certificates or passports, while on the US side these people were being taken away in handcuffs, which were all linked to a leash-like chain, while the customs officer walked in front of the line holding the chain and carrying a covered box. Hmmm... What was inside? I have no idea idea, but I'm glad I didn't have any of it!!!

Nancy and I passed through with no problems and walked back into the US! YEAH!!!
It was a really cool adventure. The day before I went to San Diego I got a fortune in a fortune cookie that said "You will have a four-wheeled adventure" It kinda came true!!!

The line to go across the border...

2008-04-04T03:52:00.000-07:00

Well, San Diego was absolutely life-affirming. So wonderful to get away and take a break, and fabulous to have a bunch of time with my sister-normally when we get together it's a holiday or a big event, this time it was all about us. We have a great travel-rhythm together, getting hungry, tired or ready -to-rock at the same time.

My bed was by the balcony, and all night I watched the lights on the Bay, wishing I could absorb the sight and save it for cold Michigan days. We were on the Embarcadero, and every morning I would look out to see what was happening by the water. We were directly across from the cruise ship dock, and it was berry cool to lay in bed and watch the big ships dock.

Now I'm home, and we're in a countdown, waiting for my grandchild to be born!

2008-03-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

Hello hello! I am off to San Diego today with my wonderful sister Nancy, until Sunday the 30th. WHOO HOO! The country mouse hits the road!

2008-02-29T03:38:00.000-08:00

Happy Leap year! And Happy Birthday to my sweet Uncle Claude, a leap year baby, who turns 96(!!) today! He's pictured here at Lake May with his Great-grandaughter Indigo. He's turning 96 but since he's a leap Year baby, he's really only 24!

In honor of Leap Year I turn over a card, The Lovers. That's a sweet card to get today- all about partnerships, seeing eye-to-eye, a fulfilling love. And amazingly enough, that sounds about right. It wasn't always so- I think a card turned over on the last Leap Year would not have give me such a blessing.

I've been with Dan for 30 years, 27 married. We grew up together, faced some tough times, and it wasn't always easy. ummm, that's an understatement. There were some nights I went to bed planning the perfect murder. I'm sure he did, too. There's that old joke, "I've been married 27 years- 2 of them happily..."

But even when all that hating was going on, underneath it all, there was love. It was just getting layers on angry sediment on top of it. And now, in the last year, we have finally had a love resurrection. When I was angry with Dan I always took my problems to other people. After awhile, my friends became more important to me, and I shared less and less of myself with Dan. And he's not a big chatty guy. He got surly and withdrew, I think he was resentful of my diverted attention, but he's not the kind of guy to say it. He just closed off to me.

We started working our way back to each other, I readjusted the way I responded to him. And he started opening up to me. My time-consuming friendships wound up going by the wayside, and I saw how much they had CONSUMED my life. All of a sudden Dan and I were telling each other about our day again, that ease with each other brought us to a firmer union, and we remembered all that love buried in the sediment of our marriage. We were really LIKING each other again- you can love someone but not really LIKE him, we're having fun again. We're really happy again.

So, my point here is: 4 years ago I would have gotten a much gloomier card to represent my marriage- I'm sure it would have pointed out the pain and the problems, but

2008-02-20T15:43:00.000-08:00

I have been LOVING paperbackswap lately- I just got a load of 4 books yesterday, whoo hoo! What a treat. I'm very excited about

Rasputin's Daughter. I just read The Kitchen Boy: A Novel of the Last Tsar, and it was intriguing. now, on my Russian history quest, I want to see Nicholas & Alexandra again. I haven't seen it since I was a kid, and a lot of the political references flew over my head. Anyway, I am rambling. Check out paperbackswap, nothing like a good book on a cold night.

It's a clear (and let me mention again, cold...) night here in Michigan; we're hoping for an excellent view of the lunar eclipse tonight. This was a freaky day everywhere- I was feeling supercharged, Dan saw 4 different herds of deer on his way home, I think it's a big ol' lunar pull- anyone else feeling it???

It will be the last total lunar eclipse until 2010, make it a good one.

2008-02-18T03:34:00.000-08:00

Well, I think I've had enough of a break. In the time I've been away from the blog, I have been building up my wicked Tarot Skills- I've done several local parties, and I've acquired quite a few more clients. Whooo hoo! There are a lot of things that really suck about being on the cusp of menopause- moodiness, nightsweats- however, the effect it has had on my Tarot skills is spectacular! I'm a better reader than I have ever been before...

Check this response...
"Oh my God. You are priceless and not in a MasterCard way. I could relate to every single detail, you are truly amazing. I’m going to tell you just how amazing…you don’t have to read it! It’s a long diatribe, but you are wonderful, I don’t have words to describe you. Ha ha I tried to entertain you in this book I just wrote. You will like the last paragraph. God Laura, I can’t get over this reading….."

Good time to get a reading, guys, I'm HOT!

2007-12-06T03:32:00.000-08:00

Well, we all survived the sub-deb. Now it's time to see if we can last through the Holiday season. I HATE to shop, but I've been doing pretty well, power-shopping. Shopping FAST, but finding lots of stuff.

Shopping may be focused, but the rest of my life seems to be losing a little bit. When I lay out my cards they are full of Minor Arcana cards, lots of little things distracting me, keeping me from seeing the big picture. (That probably explains my lack of blogging, too...) I need to step back, take a cleansing breath, and reassess.

How are you feeling during this holiday season? Maybe YOU need your cards done, too... Get a reading here...

2007-11-29T16:06:00.001-08:00

My babies, Margaret and James BOTH start Drivers Ed on Monday!!! Yikes! In my head they still look like the pic here, but my babies are growing up! Speaking of, Margaret is also going to her first formal this weekend, the Sub Deb. Double Yikes.

It was a lovely Thanksgiving, my sister hosted all of us, and it was delicious and tons of fun. Of course, the turkey barely has a chance to digest before the Christmas shopping pressure begins. I HATE to shop, and hope I can accomplish most of it in front of the computer wearing my bunny slippers... ; )
Some new music I LOVE LOVE LOVE- Obadiah Parker, Hey Ya.

2007-11-19T03:41:00.001-08:00

Another wedding pic- I remember when these guys would clink their baby bottles together and say "cheers!" They've come a long way....

Wow, what a stupendous weekend!!! I really didn't want to have inflated expectations, it is Deer Hunting season here- notoriously a time where we dance dangerously near to disliking each other. We vowed this year was going to be better, and it REALLY is...

Friday night M & J spent the night with friends, and I ran to the store and got little steaks and crab legs (on sale!) and we had a delightful late surf and turf dinner at home. We made killer Bloody Mary's and cooked side-by-side, and Dan's fave western TV station featured "Duel in the Sun" which we settled in to watch and it was hilarious! It was a western for him, a classic for me, and so amusingly overblown- Jennifer Jones just about writhes with sensuality, bahahaaaaaa.

Saturday morning Dan went hunting and returned early enough for us to get to the bank, do some errands, and we wound up at SunnySide for lunch, using our $30.00 gift certificate. An outstanding lunch. When we returned Dan watched the big Michigan/Ohio state game, and I finished my book (The Other Woman by Jane Green, acceptable chick lit, not amazing...)

Sunday morning Dan hunted, then returned and we got a turkey going. (We'll have dinner at my sister's and when you go somewhere else on Thanksgiving, you miss out on all those great turkey leftovers for sandwiches...) Brian called and we went over with both our vehicles, taking him a table and chairs for his dining room. It was a beautiful day, sparkling and bright, even though the leaves are 98% gone, it's still Fall-like. I came back to finish dinner, and Dan hung with his buddy BW awhile longer.

James was dying to go hunting, so Dan took him out in the evening. Still no luck.

It was a wonderful weekend, and like I said, I never dreamed we would be getting along so well in hunting season! I'm very mellow, Dan is not obsessed, and I'm happier than I've been for a long time. Counting my blessings already, even though Thanksgiving is Thursday!

2007-11-16T03:27:00.000-08:00

My niece sent me some more pictures from Danny's wedding. I LOVE this one, it was as they walked into the rehearsal and everyone cheered, look at that cute Danny smile on his face.

Yesterday was the big day off for the kids and Dan. Dan hunted from dawn to dusk and saw no deer.

About 4:30 James took Petey out to potty in the yard, and a 6 point Buck and a large doe ran past our yard, like 6 feet from James. Then they ran off toward the area where James and Dan usually hunt around here. Soooo, if he had stayed home, he might have bagged his deer. Wasn't that the whole point of the Wizard of Oz? You can search for your happiness, but truly , "there's no place like home".

2007-11-14T10:17:00.000-08:00

The Burning Bush is still flaming on in the backyard. Although the leaves on the trees are about 60% gone, there are still delightful pockets of color. Snow is predicted for tonight, and tomorrow morning-I saw a guy in shorts today.

My kids have the day off school tomorrow, which is being sold as a "Planning Day"- but we all know it's because attendance is so low on opening day of firearm deer season, here in dear ol' carnivorous Southern Michigan.

Geez, there's this radio contest where you have to call in if you hear a Santa "ho ho ho".. -it's kinda inserted subliminally, Now, I am sooo randomly listening at work, and I don't hear that well anyway, and I NEVER hear the Ho's.

TODAY, I heard the Ho's! I shot across the office to grab the phone and dial in... I thought Sue was going to do the duck and cover with her desk, she had never seen me move so fast. I liken it to when I touched our cabin's antique light fixture with wet hands. I moved THAT fast. But still, I got busy signals. I kept redialing and got registered! Ummm, I don't even know what the contest is, i know it's a shopping spree of some kind, i have to check it out online. I just know the other contest they are having involves callers gobbling like a turkey, and even I, freak as I am, have more dignity than that.

OMG, I can NEVER hear our phone ring!! We are using a new phone and the pitch of the ring always sounds like it's a part of the TV buzz in the room. (Yeah, we live loud, See randomly listening and deafness referred to above...) Then, today I made this big effort to go look for the ringing phone, and it WAS the TV.

2007-11-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

Sweet little Sean Alan, we're sharing the love at the rehearsal dinner!

Today I have been Laura the insightful, Laura the capable (as opposed to this weekend when I was not-ready-for-primetime Laura...) I drove to work with my delicious cup of coffee, I've been running late the last two days (See above for unreadiness explanation), so I zip through town, but I take this dirt road beyond the college and I always see the coolest wildlife- little ferrety/mink things, braces of turkeys and woodcocks (woodcock?), it's like Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, okay? Sooo, today I'm sipping the tall reg/ex cream, and a majestic buck bounds over the road before me, and off into the corn stubble. Again, this kind of thang is the reason I take this road, so I stop the car and watch his progress. Keep in mind, this is Michigan and firearms deer hunting starts on Thursday. By then minivans with Latte's are going to be the LEAST of this buck's concerns. Well, he does pretty well, he just keeps on dashing towards the woods... when, what does he do??? He turns, stops and looks around and makes eye contact with ME, chest forward in that whold "Father of Bambi" stance. I felt pretty bad for him; that could be a deadly failure of technique. I mean we all DO know what happened to Bambi's Dad, right?

Next big thought, I'm home early and cleaning my house, listening to a Neil Young mix on the iPod, when I come to an old fave "old Man". Old man look at my life, Twenty four and there's so much more... My eldest is 24. It's sooooo weird how you never think you will ever be anyone else's "old man"... I mean, NEIL is the Old man in the song now, too...Crazzzzy.

Love lost, such a cost, Give me things that don't get lost.
Like a coin that won't get tossed
Rolling home to you.

So, it's a gorgeous fall day, and Neil is sounding good... From Sugar Mountain to Down by the River. (I told you I was insightful today...)

2007-11-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

It's a cold, dark, dreary and rainy day here in Michigan, but yesterday my son got on a Disney cruise in Florida, that's taking him to the Caribbean! I hope they have an excellent time.

My honeymoon was less stellar. I am a believer in taking a honeymoon at least a few weeks after the wedding- go away for a long weekend after a wedding, but take the big trip on your first anniversary... Here's my honeymoon tale...

I was married at 20, 3 months shy of my 21st birthday. At the time it made total sense, today it seems realllllly young. I didn't think about the whole cosmic aspect of getting married, and when the minister said who gives this woman, my dad made this sharp intake of breath, it echoes in my mind and heart today, and I think I finally GOT it, the cosmic aspect of what I was doing. I spent the rest of my honeymoon missing my parents, a lil' tearful over the people I had been actively trying to escape since my late teens.

Next, we went to my parents cabin in the U.P. - a sweet little place, we were the only cabin on the lake, no electricity or plumbing, just the two of us in the deep woods. That has always been our thang. Well, we stopped the first night at our parents place about an hour from the bridge. It was Oct. 11th, and it was cold. And this was young Dan, before he became Dan the Man, the fixer of all things. He couldn't get the heat going. I remember snuggling on the couch, not really from any feeling of passion, more from the desire not to leave our frozen carcasses stuck there till spring.

Then, on night 2 we hit the U.P., even colder and when we hit the cabin someone had stolen our propane tank- no appliances, no gas lights, and no heater. (Back in those days the cabin had a big ol' propane heater that used to be in a church- you were either cold or HOT) So, we spent night two curled together for warmth, not passion, again.

By night three we had our act together, heat, lights, and such- but we both had hideous colds.

Taking that 2 weeks later on would have been a berry good call for us. I hope Danny's trip is the antithesis of ours, a lovely time for all of them.

2007-11-08T15:48:00.000-08:00

Wow! I took Petey outside, and the coyotes are howling like crazy freaks, over on the edge of the fence row. The dogs at all the neighboring houses are barking and the coyotes are yipping and howling in that crazy-sounding way they have. Click this link to listen to the audio, it captures the creepy sound.

2007-11-08T03:26:00.000-08:00

My eldest son is now married! It was a wonderful wedding, a wonderful weekend- everything went off like clockwork! But man, I'll tell you, it feels so good to have it all over!

My sister's were soooo supportive- when we arrived at the Rehearsal dinner, they had it all set up and it looked like my fantasy of how it would look- how often does THAT happen?

Nancy got a make-over by the Amazing Amanda- it looked so cool! And it felt exciting to move around in a big crowd, taking up tables for 12 wherever we went. We hit many local Mexican restaurants and breakfast spots.

After the wedding, Dan and I stopped by to visit with Brian and his new girlfriend, Beth, and our dear old friends Mary and Randy. Beth is a doll, it was nice to finally meet her. We kicked the boys asses at euchre, and I can see more of that in the future.

Now, here we are back to the real world. The real world for us is- MICE!!! The season is changing, it's getting cold, and now is the time when the little turd-makers try to move in with us. Dan took time out of his deer-hunting frenzy to put poison where the mice will find it delectable, but our sweet pets can't find it. Soooo, this morning I wake up and I feel something on my foot- a little poison-dazed mouse climbed over my bare foot!!!! GROSSSS!! Then, he's just sitting there- I cannot leave a LIVE mouse in the house. So, instinct caused me to step on him, which was the final straw for him. It was a disturbing way to start the day- it feels good to reduce the rodent ranks, it feels gross to be so intimately involved in their demise.

Dan goes off this weekend to winterize his mom's place at Saginaw Bay, he'll leave on Saturday and be home on Sunday., I'll miss him even being gone that much- we are in LOVE. It's amazing how resilient a marriage can be, how many phases it can go through. There were some times when I thought it was time to end it, never would I dream that we undergo such a marriage resurrection, renovation, renaissance. How happy, how lucky I am.

2007-10-31T15:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!! It's pretty quiet at the Desmet house, once upon a time we really rocked it on Halloween. To quote Michelle Shocked "We was wild then..." This year none of my kids even dressed up- it's sorta like the first Christmas they didn't believe in Santa. A little bit sad.

I found a sangria recipe for the rehearsal dinner that sounds great. I'm adding more fruit- pineapple and raspberries as well as the limes and oranges.

4 bottles Cabernet Sauvignon, warm
1 bottle White Zinfandel, warm
3/4 quart orange juice
2 small cans pineapple juice
1 can Sprite
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
3 oranges, wheeled
3 limes, quartered
6 strawberries, halved
Let the ingredients sit warm in a vat for 2 hours. Then refrigerate overnight. When serving, pour over ice and add fresh fruit.