Monday, July 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Noise in the 'Hood
So, as an urban neighborhood dweller, I've gotten used to some noise. There are at least two leaf blowers going as I write this. I often hear the banter of my neighbor's urban chicken flock in the mornings - or afternoons. Seems chickens don't have regularly scheduled meetings.
Anyway, now that it's getting to be summer, I'm sure I'll hear more noise. Dogs bark, including mine. Kids yell and scream when they play. People drive by with radios blasting and windows down. Maybe there will even be revived construction noise from the supposedly-opening-soon-but-actually-don't-have-money-and-can't-break-ground museum site down the street.
Whatever. It's all part of the urban neighborhood landscape.
What's funny to me though, has been the email "noise" on the neighborhood listserv about the noise outside. People complain about the drive-by, window-rattling bass, the lawnmowers, the dogs, you name it. Some of their complaints may be legitimate. But personally, if some little person isn't pulling on my sleeve wanting something or if all three of my fellow family members aren't talking to me at once, I consider it downright peaceful — even if there's a 747 landing overhead.
I guess "peace and quiet" are relative terms.
Anyway, now that it's getting to be summer, I'm sure I'll hear more noise. Dogs bark, including mine. Kids yell and scream when they play. People drive by with radios blasting and windows down. Maybe there will even be revived construction noise from the supposedly-opening-soon-but-actually-don't-have-money-and-can't-break-ground museum site down the street.
Whatever. It's all part of the urban neighborhood landscape.
What's funny to me though, has been the email "noise" on the neighborhood listserv about the noise outside. People complain about the drive-by, window-rattling bass, the lawnmowers, the dogs, you name it. Some of their complaints may be legitimate. But personally, if some little person isn't pulling on my sleeve wanting something or if all three of my fellow family members aren't talking to me at once, I consider it downright peaceful — even if there's a 747 landing overhead.
I guess "peace and quiet" are relative terms.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Daffo-don't!
It's been a frustrating & long Winter, to say the least. So on this glorious sunny day I was determined to do something, anything, to improve our front yard & thereby improve my mental health. Well, I accomplished neither.
With daffodils blooming all ove
r my yard I thought, "I can make my window-box bloom if I just transplant some... a no-cost fix... instant gratification!" Wrong. As you can see, they're not happy with my clever little move. It's a pitiful, droopy display.
Is it worse to have an empty window-box or an un-happy one?
r my yard I thought, "I can make my window-box bloom if I just transplant some... a no-cost fix... instant gratification!" Wrong. As you can see, they're not happy with my clever little move. It's a pitiful, droopy display. Is it worse to have an empty window-box or an un-happy one?
Well... at least I was able to brighten my kitchen window... Savor Spring any way you can!
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Sick Truth
It's become an annual event. Without fail, between January & February, I come down with stomach flu. We're talking nasty flu. Not getting out of bed unless it's to go back to the bathroom - kind of sick. I dread this, not because it's just gross, but also because I know that I have to completely check out. Though my husband is fully capable, I'm a control freak when it comes to the day-to-day operations. How will they survive without me?
Sometime around 2am Sunday morning it hit. Agonizing cramps, nausea, general yuck. Up, down, up, down, all night. All morning. All day. Hours would slip by as I dozed in and out of deep sleep & trips to the bathroom. Just as I began to turn into a raisin, Ben & Charlie came to the rescue with a tray of relief... tea, water, & most importantly, Imodium. Charlie was joyfully singing "Happy Birthday," thinking this must be a special day... mommy is still in bed! Special indeed. The tea & enthusiasm soothed me a bit, so I went back to sleep.
Later that afternoon I surfaced to the world that had continued on without me. Elaborate forts had been made in every corner of the family room, play-mobile bits everywhere, and the remnants of serious crafting were strewn across tabletops. Food had obviously been prepared & eaten... the kitchen was beyond a mess. But there was a calm about the house. Everyone was busy with various activities, and quietly content. I still felt like crap, pardon the pun, but was happily reminded that the ship doesn't have to go down just because the captain has a case of the crud's. Normally I'd blow a gasket at the chaos. Not this time. I was grateful that life had gone on without me. That my children were well, and my husband was relaxed. It was refreshing as well to play the sick card, and watch them clean up with unusual enthusiasm.
It's Monday morning, and I'm on the mend. Even managed to eat a bowl of oatmeal. Though I wouldn't wish this plague on anyone, I have to admit that there are some bonus' to 24 hour stomach flu... I lost 3 lbs. in one day and am jump-started to losing my Winter "coat." Better still... I know my family can survive just fine without me for at least one day. I find that strangely comforting.
Sometime around 2am Sunday morning it hit. Agonizing cramps, nausea, general yuck. Up, down, up, down, all night. All morning. All day. Hours would slip by as I dozed in and out of deep sleep & trips to the bathroom. Just as I began to turn into a raisin, Ben & Charlie came to the rescue with a tray of relief... tea, water, & most importantly, Imodium. Charlie was joyfully singing "Happy Birthday," thinking this must be a special day... mommy is still in bed! Special indeed. The tea & enthusiasm soothed me a bit, so I went back to sleep.
Later that afternoon I surfaced to the world that had continued on without me. Elaborate forts had been made in every corner of the family room, play-mobile bits everywhere, and the remnants of serious crafting were strewn across tabletops. Food had obviously been prepared & eaten... the kitchen was beyond a mess. But there was a calm about the house. Everyone was busy with various activities, and quietly content. I still felt like crap, pardon the pun, but was happily reminded that the ship doesn't have to go down just because the captain has a case of the crud's. Normally I'd blow a gasket at the chaos. Not this time. I was grateful that life had gone on without me. That my children were well, and my husband was relaxed. It was refreshing as well to play the sick card, and watch them clean up with unusual enthusiasm.
It's Monday morning, and I'm on the mend. Even managed to eat a bowl of oatmeal. Though I wouldn't wish this plague on anyone, I have to admit that there are some bonus' to 24 hour stomach flu... I lost 3 lbs. in one day and am jump-started to losing my Winter "coat." Better still... I know my family can survive just fine without me for at least one day. I find that strangely comforting.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Home Alone with Nothing to DO? Listen to your inner voice...
I had a very strange thing happen to me yesterday. Something that hasn't happened in recent memory. Maybe not even since I was single, all those years ago.
My husband was away at an all day seminar. My mom came and got the kids for a sleepover.
I was alone. In my house. For a whole afternoon.
No, really. I even made the dog go outside.
I understand that this kind of solitude isn't for every woman. In fact, a neighbor of mine recently admitted that she doesn't like being away from her family at all. But in my book, that's just crazy talk. I love my family hugely and fiercely, but even Mama needs a break once in awhile.
Which brings me back to an unsettling discovery I made once all the doors had closed and the house was all mine yesterday: I had NOTHING to do!
Yes, I could have cleaned out my closet or scrubbed down that mystery spot in my son's room or reorganized a sock drawer. But I wasn't so inclined. I could have worked (my usual free-time fallback) but my computer was busy projecting powerpoint presentations at my husband's seminar. I could have read (my other fallback) but I had finished my book the night before.
So with no way to work, and no desire to clean, and nothing to read, I was stuck. What to do?
One friend suggested I treat myself to a homemade spa day. But it was a nice day out — for once free of snow, sunny and not bitingly cold. My dog suggested that I take her for a walk. My conscience said that was a good idea and that I should also tack on some yoga afterward. My house said that I should make a list of all the nagging little projects that needed to be done and maybe even tackle a few of them. (I told the house to f@#k off.)
What to do? What to do?
Thankfully, I listened carefully to my inner voice (okay, voices) and the loudest and clearest message came straight from the SLUTS within. "Call up a friend and go antiquing." So I did. We browsed, we laughed, we dreamed.
Then, we just happened to upon a free wine tasting.
Guess that inner voice was right on.
My husband was away at an all day seminar. My mom came and got the kids for a sleepover.
I was alone. In my house. For a whole afternoon.
No, really. I even made the dog go outside.
I understand that this kind of solitude isn't for every woman. In fact, a neighbor of mine recently admitted that she doesn't like being away from her family at all. But in my book, that's just crazy talk. I love my family hugely and fiercely, but even Mama needs a break once in awhile.
Which brings me back to an unsettling discovery I made once all the doors had closed and the house was all mine yesterday: I had NOTHING to do!
Yes, I could have cleaned out my closet or scrubbed down that mystery spot in my son's room or reorganized a sock drawer. But I wasn't so inclined. I could have worked (my usual free-time fallback) but my computer was busy projecting powerpoint presentations at my husband's seminar. I could have read (my other fallback) but I had finished my book the night before.
So with no way to work, and no desire to clean, and nothing to read, I was stuck. What to do?
One friend suggested I treat myself to a homemade spa day. But it was a nice day out — for once free of snow, sunny and not bitingly cold. My dog suggested that I take her for a walk. My conscience said that was a good idea and that I should also tack on some yoga afterward. My house said that I should make a list of all the nagging little projects that needed to be done and maybe even tackle a few of them. (I told the house to f@#k off.)
What to do? What to do?
Thankfully, I listened carefully to my inner voice (okay, voices) and the loudest and clearest message came straight from the SLUTS within. "Call up a friend and go antiquing." So I did. We browsed, we laughed, we dreamed.
Then, we just happened to upon a free wine tasting.
Guess that inner voice was right on.
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