The choir boy. My son is the long-haired blondie in the middle of these two shots. In these pics, it's so hard for me to believe he is a hyper, rambunctious boy who never stops talking...
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The choir boy. My son is the long-haired blondie in the middle of these two shots. In these pics, it's so hard for me to believe he is a hyper, rambunctious boy who never stops talking...
Maybe it should beQuote:
Originally Posted by kelownagirl
Put the seat down after I peez....
(just to make it rhyme, and sound sillier.....)
I was going to make Cinnamon Buttons - they use Hershey's Cinnamon Drops. But the stupid Safeway by me doesn't carry Hershey's Cinnamon Drops. (#&$^*@#%*!!!!!! :mad:
I'll try Lunardi's tomorrow - they usually carry much more than freakin' Safeway.
It's raining right now, I love the sound of raindrops. My silly dog wants to go outside and sit in the rain. Chloe is not the brightest crayon in the box at times...:rolleyes:
Snap says I need to rest, so I am checking in here then going to rest like a good girl. (does not mean I must like it).
KG-your son looks angelic. :) My oldest is singing at a mall near DH's work this upcoming week and he will go to see him. There is a concert for us family members will be Tuesday night. DH said the twins played beautifully (okay as well as anyone new to an instrument can). One plays the Oboe, the other the Basson.
Okay Snap, I am going now. Geesh. :p
Have a wonderful Friday night everyone. I missed all of you!!!!
BMo3!!!!! YOU'RE BAAAAAAACK!!!!!
Oh, I'm so happy! Welcome back, dear! We were all so worried and scared for you! Phone calls and PMs flashing up and down and across the continent with concern for you!
Glad you are back!
Edit: SKnot plays bassoon, and I used to play oboe.
BMO3, glad your boys have adopted me, when are they coming to visit???
Snap, I had to buy a bag of crickets for the toad. In the car, hopping around in their bag, they sounded like rain. you could get some for the dry times!
I am watching Transamerica again. It is very good. I found something in the fridge tonight that made me laugh so hard I cried and almost peed.
Even people on the snake forum needed an explanation- can't imagine why...
BF went to bed in disgust.
perhaps he just didn't want to get "fresh" with you, lest he befall the same fate... ;)
Choco, bad Choco, came out for about an hour of Jackass tonight. As he was running through my fingers I detected a lump about two inches down from his head. Crap! What could it be? Tumor? Stuck mouse from last time, and that's why he didn't eat last night?? A quick check at the snake anatomy diagram showed that his heart is in that location! What if I could FEEL it???
Creepy.
Nanci
Knot, it's his sausage, not mine...
He did ask if I wanted him to make cheesy eggs for breakfast!
Nanci
Remember that whole Loraina Bobbit thing? The local radio station, at the time, had a contest where people would drive by in their cars and throw a hotdog out the window to win a prize. I thought that was excellently creative. We all know what happened to him, I wonder whatever happened to her?
Hello, I am feeling sad because Jennifer forgot me.
I am glad that you are feeling better, and I'm not that sad
because I know I am just someone far away typing things
that you read occasionally.
We just got a letter from an old man in a town far far away
who says he wrote to us 3x since last Christmas and is sad because
we are not writing back. He might have written 3 times, but we didn't
get any of those letters, so how sad is that! Anyway, we hadn't gotten a christmas card out yet (okay, he's in Italy) and we realize that we MUST
send him something this weekend or he won't get it in time. he's like 92 years old now. My husband wrote a travelogue in english about our time there
and this old guy sent us a newspaper with Dh's travelogue beautifully translated into italian complete with the photos we took. DH was very touched.
went to a cookie party tonight, the first we've ever been to. It was our sons' circle of friends. They invited us, so we each dutifully cooked 7 dozen cookies and went. The other people showed up, all lovely young folk in their 20's and we all divvied up all the cookies. Then we all got on the floor and played with these magnetic sticks and made things with them.
what a riot.
Nanci
i do remember Lorena Bobbit. (such a name) that story just blew me away...
Kelownagirl, your son is beautiful. I can believe he's hyper, i had two of them. I promise, it will get better some day!
Tutti lived to a quiet old age(I was 22,and she was a puppy when she went kindergarten with moi). my understanding is that's common for small dogs. We finally had to put her to sleep.Quote:
Originally Posted by Trek420
Hey there Mimi! Jen is a bit beat tonight. Catching up and writing her posts kinda took it out of her. But believe me, she did want to include you in her thoughts tonight. Along with Snap, I also told her to go rest. But only after assuring her I would write you a nice little poem to ease your pain. So here's a post just for you from Jen...
*ducking* Please don't kill me. :o
...........................................................
There once was a Mimi from Seattle
Who rode her bike so fast it rattled
Whenever she trained
The pace was strained
And now her brains are a bit addled.
...........................................................
Sorry, it's the best I could do on short notice and without getting crazy and graphic. The other version included some dude from Nantucket... (that was Jen's idea :eek:) See Mimi, it could have been much worse! :rolleyes: :D
She'll see y'all tomorrow.
-X.
gee, X, i am honored. I don't think anyone has written a poem about me since i was 16! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
I feel better now.
We went to the annual Bellevue Botanical Garden D'Lights tonight (right after the contractor presented us with a bill that included a heretofore unknown $15,000 overrun, so we needed to do something to improve things). This is a garden done entirely with lights in classes the Botanical Garden teaches every year. The best part is actually a slug done in lights, with a little slime trail of lights, but we didn't get a good picture of him. It is the most fabulous sight and they do an incredible job with both plants and animals. Wanted to share with you guys,
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Mimi - two of my three kids have adhd. My daughter is 21 now and although she gave me a few grey hairs, she is an absolutely wonderful young woman who lights up a room whenever she enters. She's still as scatterbrained as ever but I wouldn't change her for anything. I'm sure Jesse will grow up to be just as wonderful (if I don't kill him first. :) ) Both of them are very musical and artistic - I wonder if there's any connection?Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
Slug here...Hey kids..
Jen-so good to hear you're at home resting & recovering. We was scareeeeeed for you.. as trek said!
The 12hr was so much fun except now my eyes hurt..not because of riding at night but staying awake pretty much the whole time. I felt guilty doing any sleep and had a 2hr nap at 1am...then went and did a lap at 4am..!
A before photo of Ian & I then one of me this morning..man my eyes hurt...
Yes, those lights on the handlebars are home made & are awesome. I use them along with my cat eye double shots..I have a hard time seeing at night esp with depth !
I have tomorrow off!!! Can't sleep in though..dr appt then pilates then interview..
c
Woo CC! yeah, you look *tired* in that 2nd pic- Glad you had a good time :D
I don't think I could do a 12 hour... You've got some guts! :D
Kelownagirl, both of my sons qualified as having ADD and one ADHD but I did not believe there was anything wrong with my sons. It was clear to me that my active curious sons were victims of a crazy school system where active healthy young children were expected to sit all day at desks when their bodies wanted to run, jump, yell and climb trees. Then after having to sit all day in school, where they fidgeted and drove the teachers crazy, they came home and were expected to sit and do homework. I still have incredible feelings of remorse or guilt when I compare my own childhood, where I was sent outside to play everyday and I had NO homework, to theirs. I did try to get them outside to play, but too many of their young hours were wasted on homework. My "ADHD" son is now getting close to a 4. gpa in one of the hardest majors at the University; applied math. My other son is a grad student. oops, sorry i am ranting. I am passionate about my children, and when they were children, they drove me nuts. In a setting similar to the one with your son's picture, my older son was in a Suzuki violin performance. And he started acting silly. One little boy in an ocean of 50 tiny violinists, and he's getting goofy in there. We nearly died of embarrasment. Of course everyone else was watching their own pint-sized performer, but that memory of helplessness prevails. that boy knew we couldn't tell him to knock it off.Quote:
Originally Posted by kelownagirl
Today he performs on stage for a living playing the French Horn.
cc, you are a cutie. you did 12 hours on a MTB!!!!! wow! that is phenomenal!
Today's Knotland theme music is brought to us by Queen:
"Under Pressure" and "I'm Going Slightly Mad"
Inpirational music also provided by Queen: "One Vision" (with the fabulous, Knot-like, deeply philosophical last line of "fried chicken")
Today I must write a first draft of my personal statement (hey, I can make a lot of personal statements! Oh, you mean about *myself*?!?!) for grad school. I also need to track down 2 more folks to write references. And it would be best if I could get into the library to use a PC (ick) to start the general app and print a couple things.
Can't use Mac for the online app for a school running with $$$$$ donated by Bill Gates. Says so right there: Mac use cannot be supported. (I'm talking actual computer systems here, kids)
All that AND I gotta go for a run (or my brain will explode) in my Chaco sandals (cuz I have no running shoes at the moment) AND I gotta go to church AND I'd better go get some groceries (can you believe CPS expects you to feed your kid EVERY day?)
The deadline for the whole she-bang is Jan 15. But I'm leaving town for a week and a half the day after tomorrow so I gotta BUST MY BUNS by Tuesday!
"I'm going slighty maaaaad, I'm going slightleeeeeee mad, it finally happened, I'm slightly mad, just veeeery slightly mad..."
BMo3, great to have you back!
Went into the city last night with dh to have dinner with our daughter and attend a performance of a women's choral group (www.voicesrising.org) which a co-worker sings in. Ended up almost late for the performance and jogged the last 7 blocks (so I got the directions wrong and we went 2 blocks past the place and had to turn around). Similar to Salsa's light show pictures, there was a decorated sailboat moored on the Charles River by the Longfellow Bridge as we walked across last night. Very nice with the mast and sails and all lit up. There was something made of lights on the back of the boat which looked to me like a chicken. DH said he thought it was supposed to be Rudolf. :rolleyes:
The performance was all devoted to songs of wisdom and world peace, with songs like "Wage Peace", "Women's Peace Prayer", "1000 Grandmothers", "World Citizen". Too bad our leaders in Washington weren't listening. The culminating work was a 30 minute performance of "Song of Widsom from Old Turtle", based on the children's book "Old Turtle" by Douglas Wood. This piece contained violin, piano, percussion, and a didgeriedoo, dramatic spoken naration, and chorus. Very impressive.
The other thing I'm doing these days that always makes me happy is taking my 3 year old nephew Nolan to his Tae Kwon Do class every Wednesday afternoon. He earned his first stripe last week and was so happy. Tae Kwon Do is going to be so good for him in improving his balance and coordination and concentration (Trek will vouch for all this). And it's so cute to watch. I think I grin from ear to ear through the whole class.
Wow salsa, great pics! Thanks for sharing that. We don't have anything like that around here. Hershey sets up a drive through light display that starts by HersheyPark and winds out through the woods, past houses, along fields and takes about 1/2 hour to get through by car. But the detail is no where near what you've posted because you'd never be able to appreciate it from a car. Very, very cool.
mimi - It's refreshing to hear a parent stick up for their kids regarding ADD. I have 4 brothers who were "very active" but were dealt with through creative activities. They were given time to run off the energy and get it out of their systems. They all had kids who acted just like they did in adolescence. (Mom's curse really did come back to haunt them. ;)) Right away the suggestions were made to put the rambunctious ones on medication, no other alternatives were even suggested. Well, two of the boys were given the meds and they promptly turned into little zombies who never slept, never ate and couldn't think straight, but yes they were quiet and still in school. :mad: I talked myself blue in the face for months to get them to stop giving them that junk. Eventually, they both were weened off and we worked on having them understanding when they were getting nutsy and how to deal with it. Also, a change in diet really helped. It was definitely harder work that way, but oh so worth it. Most of them are grown up and out on their own now, some with kids of their own. My 11 nieces and nephews range from 27-7 y.o. I know they will go through the same things with their kids (7 so far that range from 8 y.o. to 3 mths with 2 more on the way this holiday season) and I hope they remember what two of them endured and make the right decision when the time comes.
BTW, without your son acting like that at the recital, would you ever have remembered that one night aside from any of the other ones? Probably not. If he'd been anyone other than who he was, you may have lost that precious memory of that night. That would have been a shame.
CrazyC- check you out! You biker babe you! I think a 12 hour would kill me girl. Jeez, I'm going to have to really train before I come down to visit you.
Knot - If your in a Queen mood, how about Seaside Rendezvous, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Somebody To Love or We Will Rock You... maybe Bicycle Race? Might calm you down a bit and get ya in the mood for upcoming events. Good luck with getting it written before you leave. Sorry you have to go "PC" for a while. I know how hard that must be on you. Good thing it's just a computer we're talking about. :eek: ;)
Well, off to see the wizard (my bro) to put my new hitch on. Then I get to test out the new custom bike/kayak rack we designed. It's gonna need modified I'm sure. I'm also gonna try to find time to head out and check on a 4 bike rack to snap into it for when the kids wanna come along.
Oh Mimi, I never forget you! Well, I did in my long rambling post :o , and for that I am so unbelievably sorry. :( :(Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
You are not someone very far away who occassionally types thing, not to me anyway. Yoou are one of my sisters. :)
I always worry when I write long posts that I will accidently leave out important people and events, and this time it was you. :(
Honestly it was not done on purpose. I am so very, very sorry. Please forgive me. You give me such wonderful support and are so thoughtful, I am a dolt for forgetting you in my post. :o :( :o
For the record, X's poem was far superiour to the one I came up with. :p
Knot I am glad to be back. :) I overdid it last night and kinda got sick, but I am okay today.Quote:
Originally Posted by KnottedYet
I think it very cool that Sknot plays the bassoon and you played the oboe. :D
Next time Snap and X and half the rest of TD are telling you to rest, we're all gonna stop posting until you DO go rest!:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
Don't overdo! We care about you too much!
now, Jen, you know you don't need to apologize OR feel bad.
HEY you wrote a poem about me too? sheesh, all this attention is too much!
i have to share this with you guys;
meet my plumber!
We got to know her through a friend. I ran into her the other day which is what made me think of her. And then i found her website.
Rant away, Mimi and X. I have a soapbox I carry with me (metaphorically speaking, anyway) for a long, grumpy speech about how schools emphasize verbal, seat skills over visual-spatial, movement skills that are valued just as much in society, and how it's a sin that active boys don't have the opportunity to see that their skills are really valuable, and how that attitude "creates" disabilities when there really aren't any....see what I mean? I'll stop now. It does, however, drive me crazy in my profession.
Knot, it'll be nice to get that app done before you go, only in the sense that it's a pain in the *** AND you'll have a much better time knowing most of it's behind you.
BMof3, the heating/plumbing/electrical work is supposed to be done this week and inspected. Then they can do insulation and dry wall. After that there's lots of bits and pieces left---putting in hard wood floors, building various shelves, installing all the bathroom stuff, etc. I am not sure when they'll finish because I think I will be killing the contractor first, possibly even this afternoon. Please consider visiting me in jail and maybe getting Snap's recipe for cinnamon buttons so you could bring me some if you're feeling kindly.
The contractor is coming over this afternoon to discuss the bill and the totally unexpected $15,000 overrun. We are expecting a call from an architect friend in Paris whom we've used as a sort of consultant on contractor stuff. Mr. Salsa leaves tomorrow for a 12-day boat trip (work) and I leave a week from today for another week in Albany to help my mother move to assisted living. We are still definitely in la vida loca territory. But after we went to the Bellevue Botanical Garden D'Lights show, we went to the local Ethiopian restaurant, which was great. We'll go for a tandem ride sometime today, although maybe only 30 miles. So things could be worse...
CC, congrats on the 12-hour! I'd be bonkers, I expect. How fun to finally see pics of you and Ian--now I know who I'm talking to when I babble about football and Lake Taupo.
Fine limerick, X. Team Addled. I think I'll add it to my profile with Mimi's permission.
Any future business I do with contractors will have to include a materials clause that provides steady valium. Or something like that. Or, maybe just the flamethrower. I may like the latter better, come to think of it.
X your family history is interesting. My husband was considered a "bad" boy
and was always in trouble in school. It was obvious to me where my kids got THAT from. No wonder to this day he has enough energy to think riding a bike 140 miles in one day is fun! These guys are descended from farmers who worked hard to stay alive. They're not made to sit in cubicles!!
and you're right, If Jo wasn't being a brat on the stage that day, it wouldn't stand out in my memory.
I am going to attempt another long post and I hope I do not leave anyone out. Without getting too mushy, I think of all of you as sisters and cannot imagine life without all of you! ((((((((everyone))))))))))
Snap-I do hope you find the ingredients! I was hoping to make cookies today, but last night I learned I am not quite up to full strength. Apparently I am human. *sigh*
Nanci-my boys would love to come anytime. They are animal lovers and they could even bring their bikes. I am 16 hours from Ft. Myer's , which direction are you from there?.
The sausages look very interesting. You could feel Choco's heart??
Mimi-Again, I am sorry. :( It saddens me as well to hear the older man thinks he has been forgotten. Having your husband's travelogue translated and printed sounds beautiful! What a splendid gift from him and for both of you to treasure forever. :D Maybe a wee care package sent his way for Christmas will lift his spirits? My box made it to Norway in 3 days , a new record. :)
In 37 years I have never been to a cookie party. :( I have been telling anyone who will listen, even in the hospital about your biscotti. I have heard it is difficult to make properly. I inquired yesterday about it, my SIL works in a café, and she confirmed my suspicions, it takes a special person to properly make biscotti. I imagine your cookies were the hit of the party! :)
Your children sound quite accomplished, you should be proud and never apologize for talking about them. Proud mommy moments are meant to be shared. :D
Fredwina-Tutti lived a very long, happy life. :)
(((((X)))))) Thank You for helping cheer our Mimi up. :D The hitch is being installed today? Whooo Hooo! I overdid it last night :o and had to take medicine, ick! :( Thank you for helping me and forgiving me for leaving in the middle of a chat.
(((((((CWR)))))))-enjoy, be safe, and the offer still stands.
Salsa-$15,000 over??? Is this there way of a holiday gift? Does it mean they are cleaned up and finally out of your home and you can come up from the basement? The light display is spectacular. :cool: The turtle scene reminds me on Nanci. ;)
KG-maybe there is a connection and music helps them get the focus needed to be excellent musicians? Obviously I am guessing here. Again, your son looked quite angelic.
CC-you and Ian look so adorable! I am impressed with your stamina. I could not ride 12 hours. You do look tired inn the second picture, yet you made it and I bow to you. :D
Kit-have you been working on your inner slug? ;)
Knot-what on earth is the fried chicken thing about? *slaps hand to forehead" it is from Queen. I kept reading it as you were a fried chicken queen. :rolleyes: *sigh* You application will wow the entire grad school and you will be greeted with open arms. I agree about the feeding kiddos everyday thing. :)
Deb-wow your evening sounded wonderful! :D I was allowed to play a little on TE/TD and then watched A White Christmas. I luuuuve Danny Kaye, but I digress. I have always wanted to learn Tae Kwon Do. Maybe there is a remedial class of older people??
BMo3- My inner slug is coming along quite well, thank you. :D
You and X... geez. If I tried to post a little note to *absolutely everyone* I'd be here hours. My inner slug will just not allow for that. ;)
spending this morning reading about how to make a bike light for super-cheap because mine isn't quite enough...
http://www.instructables.com/id/E6A06CCIGMEP286N92/
...and a little tired. Gotta rest up for tomorrow... another commute in, but after not having done it for a week, I'm probably back out of the groove. =P
me too, Kit. it's hard enough to remember one thread, not 20!
eeek!
Did you guys follow my link to Zan the Rad **** Plumber's website? Do you think i would promise you a good time and not mean it?
Jennifer, we are afraid to send anything (other than small flat envelopes like letters and cards) to our Italian friends and families via the mail because we hear that over there they are having to pay FEES to receive our packages!
Mimi's plumber :eek:
I love the site. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
It is the same when I send to other European countries. Ask your family. Usually if you declare under a certain $ amount, they are not taxed. Each country is different on the $ amount they allow in without fees. The US is very tolerant. Norway not as tolerant as Germany. Britian is fairly cool and much more tolerant than Spain. Norway is by far the strictest I have come across in Europe. I cannot speak about Italy. Good Luck!Quote:
Originally Posted by mimitabby
We could probably post bail. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by salsabike
If we failed to bail you out I would visit, maybe even stay with you. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by salsabike
Do nothurt him too badly. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by salsabike
I am sorry to hear Mr. Salsa will be away so long. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by salsabike
I am however thrilled you found an assisted living facility for your mom. :)
Why not both? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by salsabike
That is a relief. :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Kitsune06
this is hilarious! Salsa, I really feel for you. Because of your and other experiences we are strongly NOT considering adding on to our dorky little house.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikingmomof3
our housepayments are just right. if we add on to the house, we'll have more room for gracious living and less $$$ for BICYCLING.. and we're just not that gracious.
Yeah, we're not that gracious either. This all started because I wanted a front porch in memory of my dad. Then I needed a weaving studio. And then we thought it would be good to have the living room bigger because we really can't get many people in there. And then. Arghh.
Mimi, our contractor is a pretty good one, too. The work quality is very good. His communication skills and planning are not so good. I think our experience is quite typical, and frighteningly enough, better than many. I will miss our very low house payments when we refinance, but we really did need more space to be comfortable here, just ourselves. And we do love the neighborhood/neighbors and the double corner wooded lot, so...from all the other stories from friends going through this, it could be going much worse. I'm sure we'll love it when it's done. Hahahahahahaha. That's what all our friends keep telling us who've been through it.
My guess is we'll be in the basement at least 5 or 6 more weeks.
I think having both valium and flamethrower is the best idea, really.
The assisted living place for my mom is very, very good---full of cultural activities, beautiful, best rep in town. I'd go there myself. Maybe tomorrow.