Happy Easter Everyone 2013

A Special Friendship....

 

My friend Karl always says to me: "All boys need a dog." Easy for him to say....he doesnt have any 'little boys.' Haha....

 

Callum and Maira both LOVE dogs, and Callum asks for a dog ALL THE TIME. He has developed a very special relationship with Annie, Cindy and Dana's "Goldendoodle" next door (half Golden Retriever...half poodle...). Annie is a tremendous dog, and she loves kids. Since Cindy and Dana have an invisible fence/shock collar for her, she cannot come over to our yard. So, today, while Amanda and Maira were at Sams Club shopping, Callum (who previously begged me to take him to the track to do some 'speedwork,' opted instead to play with Annie--he dragged ALL of his toys over to Cindy and Dana's driveway (his slide...trucks...diggers...balls....sidewalk chalk....and huge 2x4s) and just kind of....played. He did his thing. Annie did her thing. Sometimes they did their thing together. But, for over an hour, they were not more than 3 feet apart. It was very special.....

 

                                     

If you know Callum, you know that he NEVER poses for pictures....unless it is with Annie....

It was a beautiful day today (yes....after this bitterly cold winter even I am saying that!!!) and we spent a huge amount of time outside....Callum and Maira played basketball, hockey, football, and 'running.' But the grass is one big swamp!!!

While Callum and Annie played, Lupine, being her shady, creepy, shifty little self, took cover in the (now) empty wood shed and watched. 'Soon,' she said to herself. 'Soon..................'

While everyone played, I did some inventory of the firewood situation. With the exception of 6 HUUUUGE pieces of oak (that I cannot split because...well....I cant even hold a broom never mind a 12 pound maul....), we are completely out of the wood I planned to use this year. Now, for morning/evening 'hot and fast' fires, I am going through about a quarter of a cord of 'kinding wood' I have in the garage. We still have this wood......

....but these (about) three cords will be a good start for next year. Soon, it will be time to play 'musical wood,' and move some of this into the woodshed...put green wood on the pallets...and on and on and on.....I wonder when I will be able to stack wood??

And, not to be forgotten, here is a picture of the devil....I mean...Maira....who is getting ready to dye Easter eggs this afternoon (Saturday).

This is a whole other story....and I will post pictures of this whole 'experience' tomorrow. Okay?

great.

ReRuns

One of the only bright spots of my 'powerwalks' over the last five weeks has been my renaissance of podcasts--in particular, THIS AMERICAN LIFE which, for my money, is probably one of the best programs in the history of media; it definitely does not get enough (or any) attention. If you love great stories, entertainment, and interesting takes on ideas (and if you hate hearing the word 'sequester' and 'euro zone' all the time) check it out on NPR!!

An AMAZING episode about 'reruns' the other day...I will probably focus on different parts of the episode in future posts, but one facet of the program really touched me: Husbands and wives and the stories they share. The focus was this: Husbands and wives are together for years and years, sharing all angles and stages and milestones of life together. How often, then, must they both hear the same....old....droning....repetitive stories from their partner. Think about that! Think about your own husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend. Ask yourself these questions: a) what story does your partner tell the MOST? b) what story is your favorite? c) what story are you totally sick of hearing? d) what story do you find your partner 'embellishing' upon, in mixed company, in order to make the story more entertaining? Ira Glass strung together a slew of men and women sharing life together who reported on these such stories, and I started thinking about how Amanda and I would answer these questions--it might actually make a great relationship exercise, no?

I am WELL AWARE of how verbose I can be--I love telling stories and entertaining people (especially after one or ten wheat beverages....). Amanda must be SO SICK of some of my crap by now...she must get so tired of hearing my 'stories' when I tell them in front of her to friends, family, etc. Because, let's face it, she knows me the best. Last night, I played part of the podcast for her while she made me cookies #shadesofchauvenist and then asked her the afore mentioned questions. She laughed and laughed and laughed.. Then she confessed that she really does love all my stories....but there is one, perhaps, that 'kind of' annoys her.....and it is my Swiss Exchange Student Sailing Story .

For those who DONT know, when I was in college I had a tremendous opportunity to take 14 24 year old female Swiss exchange students sailing on a Windjammer out of Camden Harbor. I got paid 500 bucks for the week, AND I got free food and beer the entire time. Oh....and I got to spend a week with hot Swiss girls. I love this story, and, upon talking to Amanda, I always BEGIN it the same way: Oh my gosh....so I had this job when I was in college....worst worst WORST job I ever had....I am still in therapy over it....I had to take these 14 Swiss exchange students sailing.....etc etc.

See the 'buildup' of this? See how I try to engage my audience? See how there is a 'story' about the story? No? Dont we do this? Arent we all, to a degree, 'showmen' and 'showwomen' when we RERUN the same old stories? Dont we recycle parts...lie a little.....stretch what REALLLLLLY happened all in the name of entertaining our party AND making ourselves feel a bit more rich in terms of the life we have lived? I think so. We are constantly re-running these stories in our lives, much the same way certain TV networks syndicate shows like Seinfeld, Raymond, Cheers, etc.....all in the name of providing a level of 'comfort' to the audience (??)

I cant really think of any of Amanda's "re-run" stories....I guess, if I had to name one, it would be her 'birthing story' of Callum and Maira. Women love to talk about the experience they had giving birth to their kids. But she never brings it up of her own volition....ya know? Hmm....what DOES Amanda tell over and over again? The time she locked us out of our house the day before we closed on it with the realtor? The time she broke down in her 1903 Volvo on her way down to see my family and I? Her experience 'living' at a campground for about a month while Lin and Gorge tried to find a house to buy in Maine? Her first 5K trail-run race (dont worry Amanda....I wont tell the rest.....). There are tons if I sat and thought....

And then there is the whole angle of the stories only Amanda and I know.....and the stories only you and YOUR partner know.....

The amazing world of rerun stories. That never get old. Or do they...............................

Nannie is SO PRETTY!!!!! Too bad she doesnt read this blog, otherwise she would get upset that I posted this picture. This blog is too hard for her to read....she has to move her fingers to get off of FB and it is just too much pain. #toomuchpain. xxxooo Nannie.....

 

I always talk about how much I love games....and then that leads to me complaining about how I have no friends or family with whom to play. #pobrecitoJaredo. Well, I MAY have a game buddy in my little four year old man. Each night we play the card game WAR and then we play "Mexican Train." I think I mentioned this before, but I will mention this again. I have this sneaking suspicion, however, that he only 'humors' me by playing dominoes with me SOLELY so he can then casually say "hey daddy...before we put these away, can we set them up and knock them down?" It is like "the end justifies the means" for him or something, and he only puts up with Matador or Mexican Train so he can knock them down. A little Machiavellian toddler....

Today Callum was all about "making a book." Both kids have been in a a drawing-phase lately. I found a slew of youtube videos of "drawing lessons." One such video series is of a girl who goes by the name of 'doodlekat1,' and her videos are great because she gears them around simple 'cartoon-like' characters and figures: dinosaurs, bunnies, whales, pigs, etc. So, to the 'batcave' we went (this is the den in the basement) to practice on his easel....Maira was 'allowed' to use the other side. How nice of him......

I just get such a kick out of the 'expression' he creates on his characters....they kill me for some reason. I dont know why. Below, we have the EasterBunny and his friend the whale.....

 

Tonight we practiced drawing the pigeon from the Mo Willems books because he wants to make his OWN pigeon book....Maira is content drawing 'me,' Amanda, or Speedbump, this cat we know who lives at the Seawall Motel. All of these things look the same--meandering, multi layered scribbles. But she is getting good at drawing circles!

 

Today marks the one month mark since I had my surgery. It is definitely a slow process. I still cannot put on a t-shirt the normal way...I have to do it sitting down, feeding my arm through it carefully. I have good days and bad days, and I sporadically take Ibuprofen for pain, although I try to not take anything. I have been running--back up to five miles (I wont do any more increases in mileage til I get this off, since five miles is exhausting--only being able to pump with one arm is hard work #thatswhatshesaid). Lying down on my back, holding a yardstick, I can reach my hands back over my head and get to about 10 inches from the floor. I have an appt. on Thursday and I hope we start REAL PT soon......wood to stack...canoes to paddle....ass to kick...yoga to do.....



Craparita's for Jon's Birthday



 

 

Last weekend we went to Craparita's for Uncle Jon's birthday. It was nice to see everyone--Jon, Kelsey, MeeMee, Grampy, and Ba-Ba were all there. I got a salad with shrimp on it. Amanda got her usually McDonalds food covered in red sauce. And the kids got their "Glad to see ya quesadilla!"

 

 

In an effort to take people's minds off of how awful the food is, they have created these funny menu things to do while they cover your fried cheese with red taco sauce...

 

 

For some reason, our camera flash wasnt working very well...but, as you can see, Maira settled right in with one of her Angelina Ballerina books. And balloons. The kids love the balloons because there are little bags of fruit snacks 'weighting' the helium balloons down. Those fruit snacks are about the most real food in the whole place, actually.....

The drinks are good though, and Uncle Jon enjoyed a few margaritas and wore a silly hat. See? Silly hat. On Jon's head. Look at it. It is right below this sentence.

He was so affected by the alcohol that he even showed interest in me....haha...

Seriously though, ever since Callum was a little little kid, he has LOVED certain parts of the Margarita's atmosphere....there actually are a lot of neat pieces of authentic Mexican art, and he (and now Maira) has always loved seeing these cat sculptures, colorful frescoes, and this thing below:

He took this photo himself....it is a pretty cool glass bus with all these hand painted animals that can be moved around and positioned, etc. He has ALWAYS had this fascination with this thing...whenever we are waiting for our 'food,' he always wants to get up and 'take a little walk' to go look at the animal bus.

A nice time at Margarita's had by all....

Today, Sunday, was a tough-shoulder day. In fact, while the kids and Amanda went down to the YoungWillard's house to see their new dog, I stayed home and oxycodoned myself (it was THAT bad) and iced and iced and iced. I dont know what is going on....I know I am starting the next batch of exercises my dr told me to do, so maybe that is it.

Last night we had two birthday parties that were a lot of fun: We all went to Abby Edwards' third party (dog theme!) and then  I went myself to stop by our friend Tom's surprise 50th at Cancun. Cancun is an awesome Mexican restaurant. Probably one of my favorite restaurants in the area, actually. Good time.

Still cold and windy at the end of March...still burning the wood stove virtually non-stop!!

School Lunch

click on this above for a stroll down memory lane.....


 I'm actually pretty surprised there isnt a book about there about "school lunch culture." It just seems to me that school lunch has taken on sort of a mythical-iconographic-polarizing-cultish sort of feeling over the last 50 years or so, and someone should definitely pay homage to it through a brightly photographed coffee-table sort of book. Dont you think? As a teacher in a public school now for 12 years, I can tell you that there IS a culture of 'school lunch.' And, as someone who WENT to public schools, I can tell you that it has indeed changed. A LOT.

School lunch is an absolute joke now--overpriced, low grade, SUPER low portions. It is amazing to think of why adolescents today are so overweight when you simply look at what they give you for school lunch. And now, due to some new federal initiative, kids are completely COMPELLED to take two servings of fruit/vegetables. They are forced to do this--even if they dont eat it. They can literally look the lunch lady (has there ever been a lunch 'man??' Ever??) in the eye and say "I dont want this and I am not eating it" and it doesnt even matter. Even if they take five steps towards the trashcan  and throw the vegetables away, at least they 'took' them. And the feds are fine with that.

 

But I digress. What are some ICONIC lunch foods that would make it into my book? Ravioli, definitely. This is perhaps the most quintessential lunch food I can think of. Tater tots perhaps. Macaroni and cheese. FOOT LONG hotdogs (literally the only place I ever saw these when I was a kid was at the Center School Cafe). Sloppy Joes. 'Breakfast for lunch.' I think I have to give public schools mad props for, if not inventing this concept, truly capitalizing on it. What better way to create ethos with the kids to whom you serve by showing that you are indeed a 'wild and mixed up cool adult' who defies conformity and says TO HECK WITH LUNCH! LET'S EAT PANCAKES AND BACON!! Kids love this stuff. Right? I welcome you to list some other foods you think to be CLASSIC school cafeteria style stuff.

On certain AMAZING days, when truly the planetary constellations aligned, my mom would see fit in her infinite kindness to give me an extra 75 cents for DOUBLE LUNCH. Kids today dont have an appreciation for how amazing the idea of double lunch was. When you got double lunch, you were king of the cafeteria. For a 20 minute block of time, you were akin to the kid on the street who first got Nintendo or something. It was that awesome. And if you were blessed enough to get not only double lunch, but also ICE CREAM, then you had your pick of any girl in your grade. And she would marry you. Double lunch was so awesome--you got 12 chicken nuggets, man!!! Good. Old. Days.

I love all the cute little "colloquialisms" they gave some of their meal items--and they worked because we kids were too stupid to see through their true intentions. First, we had "chef's choice." First of all, nothing even resembling 1/8th of a 'chef' has ever set foot in a school cafeteria. But that is besides the point. They created the element of 'surprise' by keeping kids guessing what type of surprise this could be. When, in reality, "chef's choice" was just double speak for "we've got tons of unused hamburger from taco day...let's crush it all up with the shells and give a taco pie" or something. Same with the word "assorted," as in "assorted desserts." As any person with half a brain will tell you, 'assorted' means 'leftovers.'

My mom could shed light on some of this stuff. For a while back in the day, she worked in the Center School Cafeteria. Perfect mother's hours. I'd be interested to hear her take. But, alas, she doesnt read this blog cuz it isnt facebook.....

Dinner and Reading by Candlelight

 

 

The kids like to light a candle when they eat dinner......it makes things more romantic....

 

Probably the toughest thing about my shoulder situation occurs between the hours of 330 and 600 pm, when I pick up the kids from daycare...try to get them buckled into their seats...get Maira OUT of her seat....bring them in....cook dinner....clean up from dinner...etc. Even something as simple as taking off Maira's shoes is tough with only one working arm. (however, as you can see, I am typing again...it hurts a bit...but who cares....)

 

Monday nights are Amanda's 'late nights,' where she is 'on duty' in case the legislature is in session, etc. I hate all things TV and we are really making a conscious effort to have the kids watch less. Last Monday, while they waited for Amanda to come home and give them their bath (I cant do that...), they had a romantic little reading party....

 

 

 

It is really funny how they begin, after a while, to 'memorize' the books completely...and recite them in their own way.....with candles....

Tonight and into tomorrow/all day, we are supposed to get a humongous snow storm. I only know this from hearing the kids talk about a snowday (possibly) tomorrow....I would NOT know this from the weathermen....they all disgust me and have completely sucked this winter. My mom probably remembers that time, when I worked doing homeowner's insurance for Bunker Hill, that we had that freak April 1st blizzard.....that was a NIGHTMARISH time to be doing homeowner insurance...I believe that was around the winter of 1997, and we got a foot and a half in Boston, etc. Is that right Mom? Kristin? Oh yeah...they dont read this....

Yesterday I 'threw caution to the wind' and went for a run. Dr Golden, my surgeon, said I 'could' run...and it would hurt...but not be harmful...unless I fell. So I went to the track and ran 3 miles yesterday. It felt GREAT as far as the shoulder was concerned--but it was a NIGHTMARE cardiovascularly speaking....you have no idea how much upper body mechanics go into running; my stride, timing, and cadence were very 'forced,' not to mention the extra 'drag' the arm, tightened in a sling in front of me creates.

Today I took to the roads (the ones with a VERY wide and flat/even shoulder) for a four miler. My times must be abysmal, but I wont even time myself until I get this damn thing off. The looks I got from people were priceless. I mean, have you ever seen anyone running in a sling? Sadly, however, one guy, driving alone, slowed down, grimaced at me, and proceeded to flip me off. No idea why. Only served to, as Efthemios would say, motivate me for my 'opponents.' haha....

Maira's "phrase du jour" is calling everyone around her "twinkletoes." Very cute.

I wonder if we will all have a snowday tomorrow.. If so, I have lots of Workaholics to watch....

Space!

is what Callum learned about at school last week (the letter of the day was S)....and he was ALL about it. Annnnnd....Nannie sent Callum and Maira a pretty sweet package of all types of St Patrick's Day/Easter garb (funny glasses...bunny ears...etc); it all came in a box that was suited perfectly, according to Callum, for making a ROCKET SHIP!!!! So, thanks to Amanda, who has two arms that function, we did just that. Here is Callum flying to Uranus.....

 

 

And here is what I do....

I am trying to be positive and patient...but life is very depressing for me lately--I cant really do much of anything. Even now, I have taken my sling off (for my therapy exercises) for ten minutes so I could type...and I am in a LOT of pain. I am going to be very self pitying for a second, so excuse me....but for every person who has been tremendous, there are those who think this whole surgery was just a 'joke.' and not anything serious. For example, a colleague at school the other day told me I was "milking the sympathy pretty hard" for still wearing my sling. As if I WANT to be confined to this damn thing. Many people are surprised I am still in this thing...and even more are surprised to learn that this isnt a "one week of rest" type of process--I really wont be back to semi-normal til some time in July or August. So I just drink a lot more.....

 Callum, below, poring through a book my dad bought for me one Christmas 20+ years ago....AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF NASA...Callum was mesmerized looking at all the rockets, etc. He knows most of the planets, and he knows that Saturn has rings. I tried to teach him about Uranus #secondshamelessjokeinthisblog but Amanda gave me "the look." Uranus is more than just a big ball of gas, I told him.....

 

And this is Callum's latest thing....he loves to flip upside down on things and he asked if I could put a picture of this on the blog. So I did....

No pics of Maira here...but next time I will try to post a video of our 'rock band' where we play, incessantly, OLD McDONALD. She plays the drums.

She continues to be enamored with all things ANGELINA the BALLERINA. Very cute.

We have been having some chilly weather and the wood stove is still going full time....this time one year ago it was 84 degrees in Fairfield Maine!

Last night we went and had a great time and Mike and Helen Kiser's house for a "Pi Party" they had (it was 3.14...get it??) Helene made literally 14 different types of pies.....and that had whiskey and wine and good conversation

AND I am ALMOST getting myself dressed ALL by myself!!

Proof we don't live in a free country

Is it because of a corrupt government? No.

Is it because of the liberals or the conservatives? No.

Is it because of corporate control of the media? No.

How can we say we live in a free country when we, as people, have absolutely NO control over the most simple of tenets: Time.

We have no control over time. At all. Someone, somewhere, is controlling time, daylight, darkness, and clocks for us. And not only do we have no control over this, but also, we dont even know WHO is doing it. These 'time police' have perhaps access to the most inner sanctum of life in these United States: By controlling time, they are controlling everything.

A couple of days ago, on the 10th of March, we set our clocks ahead. Why? Why 'March 10??' What was so special about this particular day? Did we vote on this as a country?

Think about it: If one had a question or concern about daylight savings time, where would one go? Does one write their senator or congressman? Town office? Mayor? Police? Who is controlling all this?

And the way in which it is done is so unequal. March 10 to June 21 (the longest day of the year....before days start slowly getting darker) is a 2.5 month span of time of gradual 'lightness.' Perfect for those who love light and sun. But what about the people who love it a little darker...like me? We dont set our clocks BACK until November 3rd; the distance from November 3 to December 21 (the shortest day of the year...before days start getting lighter again) is actually less than 1.5 months. What a disparity! Why arent the 'darkness lovers' represented fairly? What a crock.

And who deems Daylight Savings Time to always be on a weekend? When everyone is relaxing? Do they do it just to prove that they OWN us? Why cant it be done on...say....a Tuesday. NOTHING ever happens on a Tuesday. This way, everyone would all be at work, etc anyway, and the extra hour wouldnt even matter that much.

Part of this whole post is written tongue in cheek....but seriously: Doesnt it scare you....just a little....that we have no say as to how our own precious time is handled or decided?

March is gross and boring

 

 

Last week when MeeMee was here helping us out, she got to spend some great moments with the kids...like this one. Amanda went out on Saturday to get some donuts and coffee at Hillmans for everyone, and Maira and MeeMee discussed the Capitol Hill Sequester situation at great length....



 

Callum also started learning a new skill last week: Sewing. MeeMee and Amanda went on a 'date' to Joanne Fabrics to pick up some GodKnowsWhat, and they came home with a couple of "beginner sewing kits" for the kids. Callum, below, is sewing a new 'puppy,' with the help of MeeMee's guidance. Before you know it, Amanda will be teaching him how to knit!

Maira, again with MeeMee, so excited about all the gross, sandy, dirty splotched snowmelt outside. BOO!! More snow please!!

Callum is very good at using his hands--he has very good motor skills and he is good at putting things together--puzzles, Thomas Track, legos, etc. It was awesome to see how naturally he seemed to pick up hand-sewing.

Recovery from surgery is going well...I think I have figured out a way to type while wearing my sling. Emotionally and mentally this has been tough, since having to be in the sling all the time is kind of like a sort of 'prison' sentence--I am ALWAYS in this damn thing--even (and perhaps especially) when I sleep. Not being able to run, do yoga, etc is something I am having a REAL hard time with--brisk walks just are not cutting it.  Last Thursday, I got my stitches out and Dr Golden introduced some new exercises for me to do....

Kids are better too, but now Amanda is sick. We just cannot seem to catch a break! Haha.

Had a nice visit from Conner and Elizabeth last night, who are home on spring break and for the weekend, respectively.

Daylight savings time is today--the day I hate most of all. As most readers know, I hate when it is light out. I know that sounds like I am depressed or a vampire....I assure you I am neither....

Everyone in Mass got about two feet of snow yesterday.. We were supposed to get 3-4 inches. So, naturally, it was just sunny all day. I hope we get a good storm (of snow) before winter is finally over.

Most popular kid-books du jour for CS and ME: Angelina Ballerina, Dont you feel well Sam, Goose, I Spy, and First Snow (no words....just lots of great paintings of the mouse family)

G.A.S.H.

 

 

 

get it? like mash? sorry for the lack of writing...one handed typing still...

 

 

recovery going okay i guess...lots of pain and frustration at being confined...cant do much...

 

here is my shoulder the morning after surgery....note the swelling and writing/incision marks....i have about 9 stitches total....3 in each of the 3 incisions...



 

both kids have been horrendously sick....fevers of 102-104....vomiting..fatigue...just sucked...so here are callum, maira, and i all commiserating one morning....this was while i was still pretty oxycodoned....

doing mt PT on the first day...tyring to do 10 'curls.' this one is getting better....it used to hurt the most

poor kids....callum stayed in this position for about 3 days....haha.....we read SO many books (dont you feel well sam? below is a constant fave) and watched TONS of angelina ballerina....

but love always prevails.....

lynne was a lifesaver this past week....she basically moved in and it was great.....also, so many friends helped us out with food and snacks and love...
-the edwards family
-the andresen family
-the fitzpatrick family
-pastor nielsen
-cindy and dana next door
-dave and muriel

thank you for your love and thoughtfulness

and thanks papa for the biggest fruitbasket of all time!