bill jones...

i love this! this is exactly the type of practical advice i need. i love you bill jones, whoever you are!

never never land...

i can't believe what is happening to my beach!!!!!! it's so sad & horrible & DISGUSTING! WHY?! & HOW?! & what in the world is wrong with people? they are so messed up in the head & backwards & ...(i'm trying really hard not to say something ugly!) we're going to be fighting this mess when we're all old & explaining to our grandkids what a beautiful beach looks like! what a monstrosity! BP is a monster & we're MONSTER MAGNETS!!!! no wonder kids don't ever want to grow up! it's because adults are DIMWITS! PLEASE!!!! take me away to a place where things like THIS NEVER NEVER happen!!!!

you know me?...

It's fun to see yourself through someone else's eyes, especially if they see something nice & they've pegged you right. It's kind of rewarding to see that someone else knows you so well, & to see that they remember the good in you & not the bad; to see that someone else can answer questions for you about yourself better than you can, because they're young & sweet & uncomplicated. Emmeli~ (4/27/2010) "Mom, what do you like?" ... answering her own question: "Mom likes ice cream, Mom likes b-days, Mom likes pictures, Mom likes sticks, Mom likes flowers, Mom likes me."

right 'n wrong...

You can't always do everything right. Sometimes you just have to do it wrong.

chef boyardee...

I know I talk a lot about date night here. It is definitely one of the highlights of my existence. Last night I was totally relishing the joys of being april. I realize that all people are not so easily amused, and I love that I get to glean so much happiness from simple oddities. It makes life so pleasant. Speaking of relish, Emmeli & I finally ate at the Fleetwood Diner. (She's been asking me to take her there for a long time.) Upon Jewels recommendation, I ordered hippie hash & it was pretty darn good. (*hash browns with mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, & feta cheese, & onions?-not sure about the onions...I think it had onions) So, here are the things I loved about the evening that I know mostly make me sound like a mind-washed nincompoop ~I spelled that right on the first try : I love going to Acme. I love that it's the place that I remember from watching roadrunner, that the girl who runs the place is named Jewels, that we are on a first name basis, like the same music, & that she's making me a compilation, just because. I love that I can get a huge smile buying some silly thing there for under $10. Last night's purchase was a notepad for recording errands. I told Jewels we were going to eat at the fleetwood diner, and she recommended the hippie hash. (How could I resist the hippie hash?) At the diner while waiting for our food, Emmeli & I took turns smelling her fruitstripe gum. It reminded me of how Hannah once said a scratch & sniff sticker smelled like it was born to be smelled. (Ever notice how all the flavors taste the same?) I wished I had my camera as we were waiting for our food. The diner, which was really a vintage Fleetwood motorhome, I think, had stickers all over the walls inside from years & years of people sticking them up. I love that the waytress (I misspelled that on accident at first, but I like it that way, so I'm leaving it-very fitting) was really grumpy like Flo from Mel's diner & that I tipped her really well by accident. I think I was hypnotized by the friendly chef boy there who felt compelled to start juggling condiments, as we were paying the check. I love spending time with my little Emmeli who is the jokiest little soul on the planet. She is the epitome of her hippie hash, acme, juggle loving mama who laughs on the inside, only she's turned inside out. After a short walk on the longest night of the year & a rootbeer float on the porch, the night ended with a magical display of fireflies. They really are magical. Emmeli see's them as little flying robot insects buzzing their buzzers. That wasn't really the end, beacause we played LBP, ofcourse. This is only a tiny smathering of the simplicities that lit up my inner rejuvenator last night & the funny thing is, I was really perturbed with my day at the beginning of the night & didn't even want to go out. What am I trying to say here? I have no idea. Why is it that the simplest little things make me so happy? Ben says I'm trying to re-live my childhood. Is that true? I hope I never grow up. A few more bonus items that contributed to my super combo variety date night: We saw a bunny on our walk, & Ben (we invited the rest of the fam to come on the walk) picked a flower for me. In a weird way, I obtained enjoyment from watching Emmeli contemplate, as she realized she couldn't scooter & hold my hand at the same time. I have a beautiful life. What makes an evening so full of gumpf & gusto? I wish I knew, so I could do it again & again.

*When this blog runs out, I'm naming my next blog gumpf & gusto. I hope it's not taken.

weird...

something cute that emmeli said the other day... she told me that she saw someone with a prosthetic limb, although she didn't call it that of course, & she said she thought it was weird. so we talked about that for a bit, but then i told her she should never tell someone she thinks they look weird, because it could hurt their feelings. ( i just wanted to make sure ) she replied, "i think myself is weird sometimes. i like to do lazy things & i like dumb commercials." i loved that. i think myself is weird sometimes too.

blog shmaug...

traveling buddy...

Thanks traveling buddy. You're the best. Glad you didn't have to get out your green hat while I was there.