Held captive in ND

Well, the best part about going to ND was coming back home. The trip was supposed to last Friday to Tuesday. So long 'bout Spokane I asked Steve's uncle Loren-the-chauffeur when on Tuesday he thought we'd be back. "Tuesday?" he responds incredulously. "We're not coming back until next Saturday or Sunday!" Imagine my surprise. And my fury. All while trying to maintain decorum.
The countryside was beautiful and green and FULL of critters. Everything from prairie dogs and pheasant to wood ticks that really liked Katie and me. The child was entranced the whole time. Just loved it. We made some new friends, the Johnsons... lovely, wholesome, funny people. We took long walks and expored. We also met crazy cousin Ray from Minnesota. Wooo-whee. What a character.
But the house... oh, my. The mice traps were quite active throughout the visit. The shower was an exposed pipe spurting water. No sink in the bathroom. Everything frozen in time from 35 years ago, including grandma's partially used deodorant (she passed away a while ago, now, but nobody seems to want to throw away anything). If you use the oven, be aware that it will smell of a decaying rodent that is stuck in there somewhere that nobody seems to be able to reach.
So yesterday we got home. With Katie spending the night at Steve's parents' house, and Steve on a business trip, I had the house to myself. I had my favorite dinner of popcorn and wine, watched Ocean's 12, took a yummy hot bath, and felt human again. I need to do that more often.
I did have time to do a lot of thinking, so on an existential level, the trip was good. I learned a lot about myself, which is never a bad thing.

Wide Open Spaces

On Friday the child and I are headed to The Farm in Esmond, North Dakota! I SOOOOO need a getaway, and seeing as this is close to the geographic center of North America and I am a coastal dweller, this is about as far a getaway as I can imagine. I hope I fall in love with it. It could truly become a great escape. I think it'll be like a very large sensory deprivation chamber. Very restful. I just bought a fabulous new quilting tote, so even my little iron fits in it. I'll be bringing that, lots of games, a few books (if the child allows me to read)... any recommendations? I've been singing loudly to the Dixie Chicks. Cowboy Take Me Away sums me up right now. I even have a cowboy in mind. :-) I'll keep y'all posted on this new adventure. Then it's back to work for a month. After that project, we'll have Disneyland in SoCal, then hopefully back to the farm, and then to Michigan for 2 weeks at the end of August. I'm going to treat myself to a few days in Chicago with friends. It's shaping up to be a great summer! Y'all keep in touch. Miss you, my darlings!

I DID IT!!!

Prepare for a rambling entry... just pretend you're listening to me. So, last Thursday, with the help of my trusty sidekick Peter, I got my belly button pierced!!! And by the way, ow. Hurt like hell, but I love it!!! Can't stop looking at my beautiful tummy. My belly has always been my favorite part of my body, and now the lovely thing is adorned. How I love it! Loved it immediately. I flashed everyone on Thursday night who had the misfortune of being on 100th street right after I got it done, or at the Ram where Peter and I had drinks immediately following. Had to numb the pain somehow. But yay!!! It's so fun! No, I will not start wearing daisy dukes and tiny tees, but if you ask nicely, I'll show ya.

I've finally decided to do it... I'm going to get my belly button pierced! I've wanted a tattoo since college, but being too chicken to do it, I'm going to go ahead and do this! Given, my spouse isn't too happy with this decision, but for once I'm going to do it anyway. It's more than jewelry, it's liberation! Yipee! Then once I'm in better shape (due to the recent discovery of Bikram Yoga... wow!), I can be a bikini mama. It's going to be a great summer.

Katie gets it

My daughter is better at being a Christian than I am. We have actually bribed her to convince her to stay home on a Sunday morning rather than go to church. The other day, the child declares, "There are more people on earth than in heaven." I proceed to explain to her that there are only a few billion people on earth now, and many more than that have lived and died and already found their way to heaven. (Scientifically accurate? I don't know.) I also let it out that I have some reincarnation leanings and told her that in heaven there are also the angels waiting to be born as babies. She takes a moment to think, then says, "So this isn't our real home?" I shake my head. "So heaven is our real real real home?" I get misty-eyed and nod. To think that lots of money has been made by people buying The Purpose Driven Life, and there my little 5-year-old understands it all, just sitting on the couch one afternoon. I wish I were as smart as she is.

Working Mommy again

Oh, how I wanted to be the contented housewife, merrily shepherding my brood, gleefully planning menus, showing up at mass on Sunday as the picture of domestic bliss. Alas, twas not to be. I started working again last month, and I love it guiltlessly! I purr at showing that I'm good at something. Although the challenges are frustrating, conquering them can only be described as heady. Shall we discuss how nice it is to be among adults, and have the ability to discuss something other than home and hearth? True, I need more practice at that, but I'm getting there. I come home in the evening, and we all have had a full but separate day! I think even the child is enjoying more independence. Then there are the other rewards: shoes. Yes, I am earning my own money, so I can buy shoes without explanation! Yipee! So bring it on, I'm ready for more.

Katie and Lucy 

January

Oh, my gosh, has it been a month since writing last? Shame. As of this morning, we now have Broadband!!! I hear choirs of angels, I see only green lights, flowers blooming... It's wonderful! So easy and fast! Getting it installed also forced me to clean the office, so now it's tolerable in here. Yay!
It's sad, but getting Broadband is the only thing that's new to write about in my life. Pathetic, n'est-ce pas? Nah... just enjoying daily life. Spent yesterday at the Art Museum with my sweet little girl, painting and trying to speak German to a fellow "artist." But we love the Tacoma Art Museum. Lots of fun. I might even take an art class. My paintings look just like my 5-year-old's. I call my style "primitive."