Going On 40

View

2008-07-25T16:56:00.001-04:00

From my new desk... my ott light is ready if I can find my pictures and beads tomorrow.

I want the kids to start practicing more(ok, more than the NOT AT ALL they do now) so I am planning to leave space between the two desks where they can leave their instruments and music and so on.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Buy it

2008-07-25T10:48:00.002-04:00

If you are a country music fan, buy Sugarland's new CD, and make sure to get the bonus tracks, because Wishing and Fall Into Me are SO worth it. I don't have the capacity for a proper review right about now, but hey, you can get that right on iTunes.

I have other songs I want to buy, like more Jason Mraz and Shattered (turn the car around) and Madly and Poly says Hold Steady, so I have to check that out... I've got so much catching up to do.

Because I know you miss these stories

2008-07-25T07:42:00.000-04:00

It's a good thing I don't wear my heart on my sleeve. (No fair debating that statement. Just go with me.) I do have a shiny silver bracelet with a single heart dangling from it, closed by a toggle clasp. It's not one that I made, and I think that's the problem. It falls off. Somehow the bar works loose and ka-chunk, it's on the floor, the ground... the other day I felt it slip off in my car and slide down under the left side of my seat.

When I arrived at my mother in law's I parked, opened the door, reached down under the seat to get the bracelet, and found I had two problems. One, I couldn't reach the bracelet. Two, my arm was stuck. Stuck, as in "Woah... I can not pull my hand out from under this seat and I just scraped my wrist trying and my hand is going to bloat up and the firemen will have to come and coat my wrist with criso before it swells too much or they're taking apart this seat to get me out," stuck.

Breathe in, breathe out. Maneuver, scrape the wrist a little more, (bleeding...) and recover sweet freedom. Get out of car, inspect situation from back seat, and pick up easily accessible bracelet. Because I like to do things the hard way. (That's what she said.)

* * *

The Wii reminds you frequently to be careful, put that wrist strip on and cinch it (not on the scraped part of one's wrist, mind you, but I'm right handed), and make sure there's nothing too close when you start swinging that little wireless mouse around. SO, I cinch. I look around.

And still, the other day I swung back my "bowling ball" and THWACK, I hit something. I felt a solid connection with that Something. I looked around to see my son doubled over, his hands clasped to what I was sure would be a broken nose. Blood? any blood? No. It turns out I hit him square on the forehead, with only slightly insufficient force to stamp the Wii logo right there permanently.

I had visions of taking him to the ER and saying "it's an injur-wii" and falling over laughing, albeit laughing alone. There's no amount of helpful warning text that can compensate for a kid wanting to go over THERE, right NOW.

* * *

Last night we finally moved in MY NEW DESK. It's a simple corner desktop resting on two base cabinets that MIGHT actually hold 12x12 paper. Be still, my heart. It's all mine and there will be beads and scrapbook pages on it but no PTA stuff and no clutter and no Christmas decorations on it, ever, or Santa is going to take everything back to the North Pole. Ahem. And I am fucking Santa, and you can take that remark any way you like.

The stuff came in huge cartons so our wonderful friend was helping Mr. C open them in the garage and carry the pieces in. At one point Mr. said to my son, "D, go stand in the doorway of the garage so that no skunks come in." ( I did blog about my neighbor having seven babies in her woodpile a while back??) D immediately shot back "what's Mom doing?" without glancing up from the wii screen. Ahh, the love. Friend almost fell over laughing. At me. Or him. Or both of us.

There was some finesse in getting the file cabinets properly placed under the desktop (recessed edges underneath the desktop help/ hurt the situation). A short time later I opened the bright red bags that held handles and tiny screws. I removed the first set, and dropped one handle. I picked it up, then counted the screws, and was missing one. (Mumble, mumble, someone else's kid is in my house.) I got down on my knees and started crawling around on my beautiful new carpet that I love because it goes with the furniture and the paint colors and the fireplace and damn I'm so happy this project is pretty much done and where was I? Oh, on my knees, hunting for the screw. I called over the kids. No deal. The guys came over, move the desk top off, tilted each cabinet up, etc. We gave up. THEN I found the 4th screw, still sitting right in the little red "parts" ziplock bag. It had never even made it out of the bag before the APB went out on it. Luckily, Friend is a forgiving person.

break out the bonbons

2008-07-24T17:22:00.003-04:00

....we're done... my room is starting to be put back together... most importantly my REAL PC IS HOOKED BACK UP.

photos to follow, when I finish rolling around on the carpet and laughing hysterically.

Guess

2008-07-24T08:21:00.000-04:00

...who is still at my house?

Ding! If you said BtB, you are a winner!

There were Issues with the fireplace yesterday. But it did actually light up by the end of the afternoon. Yay!

Carly(via Blackberry)

For Scott

2008-07-23T20:15:00.000-04:00

Tonight we went to a restaurant we've literally been to 500 times. I saw someone from my town I've known quite a long while and she told me S would have been 75 today.

S is the friend whose funeral we sang at last week. So we raised a toast to what a wonderfull sweet man he was. D said maybe God was sad and that's why it's raining.

We miss you Scott!!

Carly(via Blackberry)

Post 1450

2008-07-22T22:42:00.002-04:00

Ok, I got tired of counting days. SO I noticed how many posts I have already on this blog (way too many! and yes, I need to focus on my other hobbies)

Tomorrow (Wednesday) should be Bob the builder's LAST DAY AT MY HOUSE.

Thursday the rug - THE RUG -- THE RUG!!! should be installed. I plan to lie on it, roll around... eat bon bons. Then reclaim the house and start putting things back where they belong.

I rearranged my work schedule so I"ll have Thursday off, as well as Friday. Yaaaaay. I plan to do as much as I can Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and then kind of just chill on Sunday because I have to move my day off around again next week too.

Blue

2008-07-22T08:31:00.000-04:00

Berries.

That's all I've got. (I've got a list of about 20 things that USED to make me happy...but I don't think anyone wants to read THAT. Ranger and I are going to have a very long day here.)

At least tomorrow I can look forward to -oh, wait - NOTHING... I was supposed to go kayaking tomorrow with a friend of mine. She and I were going to take my son and his friend. Two kids who have never kayaked before. How fun would THAT have been? The weather is not going to cooperate. It's kind of how my summer is going, so I'm not very surprised.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Crazy

2008-07-21T19:47:00.000-04:00

Loooook at my basil. I am going to have so many basil plants. I guess the little plastic bag greenhouse I made did the trick. The other plants are looking lame by comparison.

At this rate, I'll be handing basil plants to all my family on labor day.

This might distract them from noticing that my house won't be done. (Ok, it MIGHT be done by then.)

Today some sheet rock was applied around the fireplace. I don't see much else. Serenity now. I'll be on the bike tonight for a while pedaling by the flickering light of an iPod.

Carly(via Blackberry)

On a rainy Monday

2008-07-21T09:47:00.000-04:00

Yay, I am at work. Excuse me while I shred a few TIPS reports and throw the confetti up in the air.

I have a piece of spam in my Yahoo mailbox which I can't seem to do nuttin' with. How very annoying. Esther wants to give me my inheritance. I wish.

My basil seeds are doing really well. Way beyond the other herbs I planted. I may end up having to give some away.

My builder AND Guy2 showed up today so I hope that fireplace gets DONE this week. I waaaaant my.... well, you know.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Farmer's market

2008-07-20T11:24:00.001-04:00

We'll have the corn tonight with scallops; blueberries for dessert.
The other stuff will keep for a day or two.
Now I have to go to the OTHER market. My big fascinating day here.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Showers

2008-07-19T18:19:00.001-04:00

There are two types of people. People who think games are a great way to pass the time at a shower, and people who just want to go home and take a nice long nap in their house but can't because it's a disaster zone.

So, yes, I lost at bridal shower bingo because I put "cowboys logo item" and not "yankees logo item" in the one square. Oy vey. At least we were indoors in the air conditioning and the people were all very nice.

On the way home I stopped at penney's. It failed me miserably last night at the big mall - nothing like a whole lot of really ugly clothes to ruin your day when you need a pretty and cool outfit for a bridal shower.

But today at the smaller mall near me I actually found a very flattering LBD for the wedding, so that's a huge relief. I almost didn't stop because of the rain, and had to deal with more ugly non fitting clothes but I found the needle in the haystack. It was even half off ( - just like it will be that night. Badump bump. )

Carly(via Blackberry)

day something

2008-07-18T16:39:00.002-04:00

I have lost count of the days since this project started. I know it's at least 8 weeks.

It's been a bad week around here. BTB is not feeling well again. His right hand guy has been out of work all week with a different medical problem.

My fireplace is out of the box, and against the wall but completely not done. Almost nothing looks different around here since last weekend. Very disheartening

I have no rug yet. I just want my damn family room rug. I can't put my main pc back together, I can't bring in my new desk and start unpacking my scrapbook stuff, or my beads - my things that I need so badly.

My job is in flux again. Limbo, terrific. I feel like I need to stay where I am for another year because I have no one else I can rely on to get my daughter home after her tutoring each day. But I'm slowly climbing the walls of my cubicle. I am not focused, I don't feel like I'm contributing lately --because my efforts to support the team are just not appreciated by my peers. The strange part is that I got my mid year review, and it was actually quite good. The little bit of programming I WAS allowed to do was well received. My department manager seems to be happy with what I am doing. So that's something.

I feel like the summer is slipping away and my time to get this room unpacked and organized is vanishing right out from under me. Also I'd hoped to have a couple of old friends over to see them and have them see our new digs, and the available weekends are dwindling.

Maybe next week this will all be over. I just want my rug!!

Be nice

2008-07-17T19:01:00.001-04:00

Be nice to me, I had 'em squished today. Ow, ow, oh my gosh ow. Get it done, girls!

Now that all the boys have left, I really need to laugh at my town's new police car.... a Dodge Charger. Every time I see it I laugh. Hysterically. I practically live in Mayberry, and we don't need that kind of car around here. Really really.

Oh, and this just in - my new manager that I was worried about but seemed nice on the phone and have never even met is NOT actually going to be my manger. Oh, the endless entertainment.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Tonight's project

2008-07-16T19:54:00.000-04:00

The basil, parsley, etc....

Carly(via Blackberry)

For the tomatoes

2008-07-16T19:52:00.000-04:00

Which are starting here...

Carly(via Blackberry)

Leaves

2008-07-16T16:56:00.000-04:00

In my life I have probably sent enough emails and texts and IMs to put one on each leaf on this tree. But somehow I still feel like I never get my message across very well. .

Carly(via Blackberry)

Still more birds

2008-07-16T07:41:00.001-04:00

I am tired of these things happening... You may be tired of reading. But still.

So yesterday it was a dead baby bird, maybe a day old and clearly plucked out of a nest and dropped into the middle of my driveway. Nice. I gingerly kicked it aside and it's gone this morning. Blaaaah.

This morning TWO herons flying over my head (admittedly, up high but still attention-getting) in some sort of a squabble. A third right in the pond.

Would all the birds leave me alone please?

Carly(via Blackberry)

Man in the moon

2008-07-15T22:42:00.000-04:00

A little bit before ten I went out on the porch and rode the bike for a while, in the dark except for the iPod screen. Tonight it gave me good stuff like Midnight by Yaz, Where the streets have no name, Start the Car by Jude Cole, Time will do the talking by Patty Griffin, and some song by Sugarcult.

The (full? damn close) moon was rising and I could see it if I turned my head to the right. The bike is really very quiet and I could hear crickets and things while I watched the fireflies blink on and off all through the yard.

So I rode the bike and thought and looked at the moon and tried to figure things out, and I don't know if I really got anywhere, but then the bike will never move...

singers cry AFTER the funeral

2008-07-15T11:41:00.000-04:00

After 9/11 I learned from a choir director how to sing when you are also mourning.

You must focus on the notes, the words on the page. The markings, the rests... Step through them one by one. Execute perfection, as your gift to those present.

The funeral this morning pretty much closed one of the main streets in town. The fire truck loaded with flowers, the long black car, the officer on a horse... I could see them all from the windows of the choir loft.

If you need me, I'll be on my porch. Don't call. I may not answer for a bit.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Quote for the day

2008-07-15T06:44:00.000-04:00

"What we focus on determines what we miss - and what we become. "

(If I were a better writer I could link that somehow to the rest of this post, but I just came across it)

Today is the funeral - we waited an hour and a half in line to see the family at the wake, and I heard it was like that all afternoon.

I am somewhat relieved to hide
in the choir loft and at least be able to do some small thing for the family.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Monday is here again

2008-07-14T18:33:00.000-04:00

Today was a long and depressing day. I have been tasked with sorting out two project billing errors, and I'm getting nowhere fast.

I have to attend a wake tonight for a friend of ours who has passed away due to injuries sustained in a car accident. He was a wonderful man - a Korean war veteran - the kind of man you would like to have for your dad. I am heartbroken for his whole family. I am going to sing with the rest of the choir tomorrow.

This little flower is my spoon rest. I bought it a while ago and I like the way it looks against the new counters. It's about the only CHEERFUL thing I'm seeing right this minute.

Carly(via Blackberry)

Thoughts

2008-07-13T20:55:00.003-04:00

in no particular order:

why does a lemon slice float, but a lime wedge doesn't? if I cut a lime slice and a lemon wedge what will happen? How many glasses of water do I need to not want a beer? (answer: at least one more)
the carpet/tile store owner SAID we would need two bags of grout. He ordered one. We needed two. It's not white, it's "summer wheat"... medium brown... whatever... Will this ever end? I have my tile, and ALMOST all of it is grouted. But almost only counts in handgrenades and horseshoes... isn't that the saying?
my brother in law gave me a non motorized exercise bike. I stuck it on my porch; went out tonight while it was raining. I did about 8 km in a half hour, just listening to the iPod, which was busy playing songs I've never heard... MY iPod... wtf?
still working with no glasses, which is not very convenient... and still working on old laptop that rebels in every way possible
why is Ice Truckers on? why do people live up there???
last night I was sitting out on my BIL's deck EATING MY FOOD AND MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS and my daughter, Queen PMS of the North, barked at me "why are you looking at me?" It was effing hilarious. Because I wasn't. I had sunglasses on. I was just breathing improperly or something. Dear Midol, please help soon.
this morning Stanley yelled at me for not coming to mass for 3 weeks. Oops.

It feels like fall

2008-07-11T20:04:00.000-04:00

But there's no homework. I love summer.

PS: And yes, I know my photo is slightly tilted. So am I. I listened to my coworkers fight all day (deadline time).

Carly(via Blackberry)

Day 52

2008-07-11T18:49:00.000-04:00

I love the bundles of nails that I find lying around. This one looked like a leaf to me.

I found it right next to an ibuprofin bottle, an empty fast food soda cup, and a couple of cigarette butts. Poetic, eh?

Today Btb cut a bunch of tiles, put some down, and.... I think that's it.

I cleaned some dust off my beautiful counter, opened a bottle of Salmon River, and ordered takeout Italian.

I want my house done! I'm so tired of saying to myself "maybe next week". But, maybe next week.

Carly(via Blackberry)