Oh, bugger

I noticed that my nose seems a little off since the fall with Hen, as in it has been knocked slightly out of place. If you pull on the skin you can see weirdness, bone weirdness specifically. And I still have numbness around my knee, although the swelling and pain has lessened significantly. Methinks I shall visit a doctor. If, and this is a HUGE if, if it is necessary for the doc to break the nose so she can set it. Well, ouch. But it'd be better to get it fixed now, than later. At least that is what I'm trying to tell myself.

Forty-fifth Wordless Wednesday requires practice

Book fifteen: Ida B...and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan

We listened to a couple books on tape during our car ride over to Montana but Ida B is the only one I thought qualified to count as a book read toward my yearly total. It was unabridged after all.

The subject matter was a bit weighty for Hen, Ida B's mom gets sick with cancer and her treatment and its side effects are discussed throughout the book. But Hannigan does a good job creating the mind of the young child and giving her readers insight to what that child thinks when life changes as a result of illness. We ended up having a discussion about death, a lengthy discussion since Hen appeared rather worried I'd be dying, too.

15 down plus 37 to go.

Sh*t Darr sends me

-- about the genre fiction hit of the year that I just started reading, Fifty Shades of Gray / Hilarious!
http://cassandraparkin.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/adventures-in-trash-fifty-things-that-annoy-me-about-fifty-shades-of-grey/

Last night's dinner

It's what's for dinner

From the condo that brought you Vegetable Lunch, I present...

FRUIT DINNER, yo!

Comprised of apple, peach, pear, watermelon, banana (not pictured as was consumed by Bean too quickly to capture), and a fruit smoothie, made with local berries picked by Hen and I and this one farmer Hen's grandpa buys fruit from, including strawberries, raspberries, and marionberries with a splash or Columbia Gorge organic orange juice and honey and a touch of Greek yogurt. What he can't finish tonight will become tomorrow's fruit salad. Woot!

Promoted

After years of playing bank robber and bad guy... Today I am «Other Superhero» Shazam!

Lazy Sunday

In a surprise move, our Henry Finn is still sleeping. This may mean, of course, that he was up half the night and his father and I were sleeping so soundly we didn't realize it or it may mean that he is taking time to catch up on all the sleep he's missed over the past 1683 days. Whatever the case may be, it is quite nice to look down and see his sleeping form beside us. (He crawled in with us at some point during the night.) Darr is reading whatever he's reading on Lola the iPad, I'm blogging but before this I was reading a book my mom loaned me, and we just enjoyed toasted English muffins with a bit o' butter and honey and a spot of tea. Life is good.

Chicken and waffles

Racist Siri - watch more funny videos      

Yep

Nothing new to report.

You can pretty much tell when a person hoping to finish 365 blog posts for the year is out of shit to say because they'll hit you with one of these ridiculous, trivial, and boring, albeit short and sweet, posts that say absolutely nada. And, yes, that's me. But guess what, suckahs! This post counts. Woot!

Holy crap, I fell while holding my kid

Last night, while transferring Hen back to his bed, I fell while carrying him across the condo. I guess tripped and subsequently fell is more accurate. It all happened so fast. I tripped over the cord plugged into my laptop. The magnetic cord that is specifically designed to break away when pulled so that the computer won't be damaged*. It did indeed break away but this happened too late to prevent my falling. I was already on my way down. Initially, I thought I had slammed Hen's poor head into the granite counter by the phone. Turns out his chin caught something but it was my head or rather the side of my nose that took the brunt of that hit. But, wait, we aren't at the floor yet. To avoid smooshing my poor Bean, I somehow angled my body so that my left side absorbed the impact. I don't remember doing this, I couldn't begin to tell you how I did it. But injuries I sustained and Hen did not tell me this is what happened. I somehow came down on my side, with my elbow and knee taking the impact. My hand cushioned the blow to the back of Hen's head. I landed in a crouch position on that side. Darr wasn't home from the game yet so I had to rebound quickly. I was sure Hen's face had been permanently damaged and that he had suffered internal injuries. But once inspected and questioned, it became clear his chin bruise, and the horrific long-term memory of the event, were the only things he took away from the fall. Not a millisecond after I reached up to touch my own nose, the color drained from my face - the last time this happened, I was giving birth and the time before that, I broke my back - and I felt as if I was going to pass out. I did not. Hen and I were up and hanging out in bed when Darr got home, Hen was even in good spirits. I, on the other hand, can't put any pressure on my elbow, can't bend my knee without burning pain, see a slight indent in my nose, can't feel the tips of my ring and pinky fingers, and have a slight burn on my ankle where the cord rubbed my flesh off. Ouch.

*The computer is fine.

Forty-fourth Wordless Wednesday requires new glasses

Preschooler fashion review

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Month fifty-five

Dear Henry,
A few days ago you turned fifty-five months old, and in a few more months you're going to turn five. And some of your friends are already five. And the fifty-fifth month has seen a continuation of the sort of really awesome behavior that makes you the most amazing person to hang out with. (And I'm not saying that sarcastically. We have turned things around, Bean!) I'm sort of feeling like five is our current lucky number and that we should most definitely buy a lottery ticket and pick nothing but multiples of five. Or better yet, I should buy five tickets. I can win five times that way.

I made a HUGE parenting mistake. I knew instantly it was a mistake but you can't undue what has already been done. So now, thanks to your mama, you are enjoying these Cheetos-like chips I like to call Cheesy Poofs. You have been getting your own food in the morning when your pops and I are far too tired to get out of bed and help you out. To facilitate this, we actually bought food and put it within your reach. I've even gone so far as to pre-pour the cereal in the bowl and measure out some milk for you to add when you're ready to eat. The other morning, you came into the room after letting us sleep later than normal and you asked for some more food. You were really just asking for us to get up and play but you know that won't get us out of bed the same way that requests for food will. Anyway, you then informed me that you had finished your cereal and that you had even poured yourself a small bowl of cheesy poofs. For breakfast. The cool thing is, when I went to the kitchen, you had moved your bowls to the sink. You are coming along nicely, young man.

We traveled to Montana so you could visit your grandparents who you haven't seen in a few years. There are many noteworthy moments about this trip. First off, you were the best travel companion a mama could ask for. We passed the nearly ten hours in the car listening to books on tape, watching movies on the iPad - well, you watched, my eyes were on the road - and you played iPad games. One morning, you came into the guest bedroom and said, "That guy out there is sleeping." "That guy" is your grandpa, Bean. You came into the room with me and we read books until he was awake again. You got to play outside a lot, often in one of three forts your cousins have built on grandpa and grandma's property. You made up a game with your cousins, Taylor and Jackson, where you would run while they rode their bikes down to the main gate yelling, "Run! The monster's gonna get us!" You'd run back up to the house and then do it all over again. You blew bubbles and helped picked wildflowers and ate grandma's cinnamon rolls and played LEGOs. We walked out in the pasture to see the creek. Parenting mistake número dos came when I mentioned the many piles of horse, how can I put this delicately for your preschooler mind? waste. Immediately, you decided walking was not a viable option for exploring this particular part of their land. I carried you out of the thick of it but then set you down. It's good for a kid to have a little horse poop on his shoes every now and then. You began nearly every sentence with the phrase, "You know what?" When grandpa noticed the frequency of that question, he began randomly saying it back to you, as in, "You know what, Henry? I'm going to go to work," or "Hey Henry, you know what? Ham sandwich."

Love, that is our word of the month or it would be if we were to choose one. You have created a new hug, the X hug, and it consists of jumping into my arms (and every once in awhile your papa's) and wrapping your legs around my waist while trying to cross your arms in the back and squeezing ever so tightly. These are the best hugs in the world. For the past couple of weeks, you have taken to cupping my face in your hands and bending down to tell me that you are falling in love with me. It is the sweetest way to start the morning, I assure you. You picked dandelions and put them in a tiny vase on my nightstand. You cuddle close when we read books at night. You even speak nicely to the plants in our garden because I explained to you that they grow better when you compliment them. Boy howdy, is that ever working. In no time at all, you're going to be able to forage for sugar peas and radishes and spinach and strawberries on our patio. You bring us such joy. Okay, yeah, a little bit of heartache, too. But mostly, you amaze us every day. We love you mucher, Bean.

Love,
Mama

Knitting: Socks for Hen

Knit one at a time, these socks weren't completed until I got over to Montana and my mom could help me out with the pattern. Also, I ran out of yarn near the very end of the second sock. I did not want to buy a whole skein just to finish the toe, so I pulled yarn from another skein and finished the dang thing. It ain't like anyone is going to see the toe anyway, right? Hen gets to pick which foot is special the day he wears these and that is the one that gets the crazy sock.

Floors at the condo

After nearly a year of haggling, we are getting our floors replaced. And I know it is going to happen because I am now sitting in my living room staring at 60 boxes of bamboo. If all goes well, the work will begin next Tuesday. And after that, we'll be able to get the shelves installed, the t.v. hung, the stereo hooked up and then we'll be ready to host brunches and dinners again. Woohoo!

Not that we haven't had people over, it's just that now they won't be able to say, "Your place looks disheveled and your floors are wobbly. What gives?"

Obama vs the stupid state of Arizona

"The birthers are back, baby. Oh you might have thought that President Obama's producing his long form birth certificate last spring might have been the proverbial stake through the heart of birtherism (the belief that the president is ineligible for his office because he was not born in the United States of America), but staking only kills vampires, and the birthers are more aptly compared to zombies: implacably shuffling forward no matter how many holes you shoot in (in this case) their theories."

For the rest of the story, click here. Oy mother fucking vey, people.

Getting my cooking groove back

The switch between seasons always leaves me feeling a bit uninspired in the kitchen. I'm not ready to say goodbye to the slow cooked meats and heavy entrees and I'm not overly thrilled by the lighter fare traditionally served during the warmer months. Today, this was not a problem. Hen and I, scooting and walking respectively, headed up to the store this evening to grab dinner fixings. After nixing the octopus idea - the store didn't have any, thank God - we settled for trout with seared green beans and homemade French fries. And, bonus!, we picked up some corn and basil so tomorrow I can make oven-roasted corn and pasta with pesto. Did I mention I got some Greek yogurt so I can make some more yogurt gelato? Because I did. That stuff is yummy!

Ice cold milk and an Oreo cookie

Hen saw me dipping an Oreo cookie in milk and immediately retrieved his milk and did the same. By his report, when you take the Oreo and "dip it in the milk one, two, three, four, five seconds, it is T H I S* good."

*He was standing with his arms spread wide apart to indicate a maximum level of cookie goodness.

Forty-third Wordless Wednesday requires a warning I'm glad I don't live by

This morning

Henry is sleeping in our bed. He came in early this morning after waking me up to get him a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios (his current favorite). He's sleeping on his side with one hand tucked underneath his face. The breeze coming in from the window is causing a couple strands of his hair to move ever so slightly. If there was just a touch more light coming in, I would totally get up and risk waking him because the picture would be absolutely beautiful. But his features are shadowed in such a way now that I could only get a grainy pic or I'd have to turn on a light and then, well, then it wouldn't be the same. So I'm going to hang out in bed a while longer. And I'm going to marvel at this perfect being lying next to me.

Medicinal properties

Hen, hiccuping: I'm going to go play LEGOs.

<climbs over quasi-sleeping forms of parents>

Hen: And see if it helps.

Mother's Day at the condo 2012

We drove the rest of the way home this morning. Then I got to take a nap and Hen got to play with his dad for a bit. We met up again in the evening for one very low-key meal. It was a very uneventful, relaxing day. I'm glad we made it home safely. Crossing the state line and having to reduce my speed to slightly more than 55 was quite depressing but other than that, the trip was a breeze. Hen makes a great, albeit occasionally sort of demanding, co-pilot. I definitely see more road trips in our future.

Montana pics

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Seriously people. I mean, really!

Can we just have the gay marriage already? Once that happens, gay leaders can turn their attention to the real problem with gay relationships: finding a different word than 'partner'. Us straights have good ones. You can use ours!

In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly

"No. Politicians don't wanna scare you, they wanna keep you stupid. Fear is just the smell when ignorance takes a shit." — @shitmydadsays

This is funny because it's true.
Or.... Or, it's scary because it's true.
Can't decide.

Source: Twitter

Travel expectations

Hen: Montana isn't what I thought it would be.

Me: No? How'd you think it was going to be?

Hen: Like Mexico.

End of the Ski Season

Last Sunday was the last (lift) ski day at Mt Hood Meadows.  Thanks to Hai & Thao* & Robert, I was up Saturday and skied just as long as I could manage and still get back to town for a Timbers game.  This is me, leaning too far back. See Honey, I really need new boots.  See?

I reached my goal of 20 days on the year -- 17 at Meadows and 3 at Crystal Mountain, WA.  I had close to double that last year (~35 I think, I can't find the post) but the weather was a little mixed this year and I was sick the one good ski month (March).  Still a VERY good year and I'm happy not to be nursing any injuries as a result (sympathies Gwen!).  My goal for next year is to get Henry up.  Any advice, gentle readers?

*Special thanks to Thao for the chocolate sandwich.  Yum!!!!!

Montana Update

Christie reports that is it, yes, it is, possible to survive without internet.  I talked to her just tonight so while I maintain my skepticism the evidence is pretty compelling.  The Boy is having a fantastic time hanging out with his cousins and doing little-boy things that fall into these general categories:

1. Running
2. Watching movies
3. Running
4. some Lego, but also ... running

Not that it makes a difference to Hen, but Mum reports clear weather with the occasional cold spot.

Reportedly, they will be back soon.  Ellie, Mabel, Beauty, Darren & Fred miss them.

Grandma's store

Hen left Montana with one sweater, two pairs of shorts, and five pairs of pajama pants. Mom knit a pair of Timbers-inspired slippers for Darr while we were there. And I got a pair of slippers, too. My mother has a craft room filled - as in seriously filled to the brim - with every type of fabric imaginable. With her sewing machine, t.v. and dvd player, and supplies she has enough to keep her busy for the next forty years. I put in a request for two other sweaters for Hen, a Christmas blanket for Hen, and Christmas-themed placemats for me.

Forty-second Wordless Wednesday requires wind power

Book fourteen: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

What a great read! It's a long one, which sort of makes me think I should count it as more than one book. It's probably worth at least three. But I won't. If you are a fan of Stephen King, this book does not disappoint. If you aren't really into King, give this book a chance. You will not be disappointed. You should also check this book out if you have any interest in J.F.K.

Okay, I'll tell you more. There is a portal that goes back in time and no matter how much time you spend there, you only lose two minutes of the present. One man discovered this portal and he finds another man and explains the plan he is too sick to complete - go back in time and stop the assassination of J.F.K. There is the expected unexpected twist at the end.

14 down plus 38 to go.

Montana, day one

This will be the last internet for the rest of the week. The folks don't have internet or cell service up at their house. Oy vey. What do they have? 20 acres of land, a dvd player, and one grandma who makes apple pie. I expect Hen will be very happy as I won't be able to say things like, "Wait a sec, Hen, mommy's blogging," or "Hen, hang on. I just gotta check this one thing online."

A friend is five

Josie is five. I met her for the first time shortly after Hen was born when her mom stopped by with dinner. It was the same day I met her mom. I can't believe it has already been five years. I can't believe it has only been five years. How is it that time moves so quickly and so slowly at the same time? I can't believe we used to meet and talk and our kids did nothing except occasionally babble. Now, those same kids are talking - boy howdy, are they talking - and jumping and moving and laughing and crying and running and playing. Hen already has plans to marry two girls and live in the Mexico. Where does the time go?

Book thirteen: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

I finished this book a few minutes after arriving at Tan's house where our book club meeting was being held. It was a disturbingly entertaining read. I kept wanting to read more to find out what tragic mistreatment the kids were going to be subjected to next. The parents were selfish, the kids were neglected. A couple of the kids came out of their eccentric upbringing with few emotional scars, one didn't fare so well.

13 down plus 39 to go.

Bridge construction

The city has given the construction company working on the Sellwood Bridge a noise ordinance waiver for the next few weeks while they do some very noisy work getting the poles in the water for the temporary bridge that will be used during the bridge renovation. (Apparently, creating the second bridge drastically reduces the time needed to fix the original bridge.) What I've noticed so far is that it seems as if the construction is very, very quiet during the day and that the noise disturbances pick up around 9p.m. at night. Sometimes these disturbances continue until well after 2a.m., when I finally manage to drift off to sleep. I'm wondering, would it be that difficult to wait half a day so they could get on the schedule where they are doing the really loud work during the day and the less noisy work at night? Pretty please?

Montana visit

Hen and I head to Montana either Sunday evening or Monday morn. It has been several years since Hen saw his grandparents and he is very excited about showing them his police LEGOs, including the police boat/plane he constructed for catching bank robbers. It is going to be a very long drive. I'm hoping the weather doesn't suck. When I talked to my mom the other night she mentioned there are still snow flurries happening. In May. Wtf, Montana? Oh, the most annoying part of the trip will definitely be that they do not have internet. Yeah, you read that right. No internet. Oy vey.

Forty-first Wordless Wednesday requires an obscene gesture

Crap! Gotta read the book

That's right, our third (?) book club meeting is coming up in less than a week and I have yet to read the book. I have heard two reasons why this shouldn't be a problem - 1. the book isn't that long; and 2. it is a quick read. Here's hoping that is true.