Saturday, March 31, 2007

March Secret Pal Gift


Thank you to my super awesome secret pal. I did indeed receive your gift this past week, but have been too busy (lazy) to post the pictures. It was so sweet. I LOVED the panda book, and the sun glasses and dress? SOOOOOO cute!!! I hope she can wear it out and about next summer!! I'm sure the chew-er will come in handy, too!! It's so funny looking; it made me smile! I can see how toothing toddlers would love it. Thanks so much.

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

I'm in love...and he's not my husband

Aha! Got ya. Tod took me to a little show last night for someome I've listened to for about 2 years, although I only had one of his albums. But I listen to it ALL THE TIME. And as it turned out, Slaid Cleaves was in town last night (currently he's sort of on tour with Guy Clark, but last night it was just Slaid). Tod and I went to this greasy little BBQ joint (hee hee) to see the show. I loved it. It was really great to see him in person. He's a folk artist, technically, so he tells stories, and on one song even made everyone participate in one song. He also took requests, but he'd start a song, and totally forget the words (ok, only once). But he had warned us he hadn't played it in years. Anyway, he was funny, a great singer/song writer, and a damn fine fellow to look at!

He lists (some) of his influences as: Woody Guthrie, Hank Williams, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, The Clash, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Waits.

Anyway, I dig him, even if he is a "folk" artist! You can catch some of his tunes (free) at: MySpace/slaidcleaves.

Interestingly enough, I found out about him from a friend of a friend who was a huge James fan. (that's James McMurtry, for y'all NOT in the know). And there is quite a bit of over-lap in influences/music styles, etc. I guess music from Texas is well, a small world! (BTW: check out Jame's site. My whip-ass cool Dad takes some of the pix. In fact, he takes the BEST pix on the site!! Like the one below!!) In fact, you can check out one of Jame's rockin' good songs at his myspace page. He's NOT folk, BTW. He's texas rock all the way.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

CSA's in NC


I was poking around online this morning looking for a topic for a lesson I plan to teach to a huge bunch of kids in April (thanks for the link, Big Mamma!), and ran across a "go organic" link. I was reminded that Tod and I are going to be a part of a local CSA this year for the first time, and hopefully, we'll have it "down" by the time Baby M gets here next year (since I will have no time for a garden next year, we'll get much of our fresh organic produce direct from the grower).

If you aren't aware of CSAs, or don't know much about them, here's a little blurb:


A CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is a membership farm. Most CSA farms use organic and/or sustainable growing practices. Consumers buy a share of a farm's production directly from the farmer, and then get a variety of seasonal fruits and veggies fresh from the farm every week during the growing season. Some CSA farms also offer flowers, herbs, eggs, or meats. Joining a CSA is a great way to support a local sustainable farmer, get the freshest produce possible at an affordable price, get to know the farm where your food comes from and the people who grow it, and to connect with like-minded folks in your area.

The farm we are a part of this year is Brinkly Farms. They do their CAS a little diferently than most, in that instead of sending us a box of misc. items (whatever is "ready"), they send us an email about what we can choose from, and then we get to pick from their over 50 veggies, and herbs and fresh pork/beef or eggs. I liked this b/c I didn't want to end up with a bunch of pork in my basket at the end of the week!! (since we're a veggie household!). Anyway, I'll be posting along the way about how this is going, and I'll try to rember to post recipes, since they add them to the mix as well.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Enjoying Spring!!

It's so wonderful outside these days. In fact, I spent this afternoon playing hookie from work (hee hee), and doing misc. outside things like:
  • mowing my "lawn"
  • reading my book while laying on the giant sun-spotted patio with the dogs
  • picking flowers
  • pulling weeds from said flowers
  • gathering sticks for a fire (yes, it's 75 degrees and I STILL plan to have a fire tonight!)
  • walking my dogs
  • just sitting on my driveway enjoying the neighborhood slowly go by.
Other than a very busy work week agian this week, I don't have much to report. I plan to spend MORE time this weekend playing outdoors. In fact, I hope to plant my garden this weekend!! FUN!

Sunday, March 18, 2007

NCAA widow

Sigh. It's that time of year again...March Madness and all that. I've got the double whammy - my DH LOVES basketball AND I live in ACC country (a HUGE basketball dominated area, in fact). I have to keep a picture of DH with me so I don't forget what he looks like. On the up side, gives me plenty of time for girlz night's out!!

Friday, March 16, 2007

9 months since LID...






I'm still around. I missed posting yesterday 'cause I was working late and I'm also really depressed about the most recent projected wait times for our referral. We have a WONDERFUL agency (CCAI), and they make a point of telling us every month what they think the wait times are doing, or what our month of LIDs is projected to get our referrals. However, prospects look grim. They are projecting that March 2006 LIDs (that's 12 months ago), are still looking at another 4-5 months before referral. And at 2 weeks of referrals every 1 month, well, you do the math. June is still a long way away. (i.e. if they are currently working on say November of 2005, then it would take 2 months to get to Decemeber. Then another 2 months to get to January...etc.). BUT, as I see it, the up side is that maybe Baby M will be a spring or summer baby!!! It would be hilarious if she were a May baby, since in our house we already have 3 May birthdays!!!

Sunday, March 11, 2007

More house pix - updated



Here are just a few more pix of the house. Spring has sprung! (I've just noticed if you enlarge this picture and look in the window, you can see Sheeba!! - one of the family poochies).

Friends - again.

I have posted many times on crappy friends, on good friends, on new friends, the loss of one good friend, and the subsequent loss of two not-so-good friends, and good friends who move away...to really cold flat places with a lot of corn (BTW, Jen, it's 67 here today!!)...and now I just want to say for the 1000th time, I appreciate my true friends, new friends, old friends, and distant friends. And now, as another good friend moves to antother cold flat place with a lot of corn (although I think they have more peanuts in OK than corn now), I say I will miss her, and add her to the list of friends I keep, even though she's in a cold flat place with a lot of corn/peanuts.

Yesterday I spentsome time with a lovely person whom I know both well, and not so well. She is someone that I see infrequently, but still concider very dear. Thanks for coming over, and thanks for bringing G. It reminds me why I am still waiting, and the life is what we make out of it. I think I WILL book that trip!! Come over anytime, K.

And to the old formerly-known-as-my-(now EX)-best-friend: screw you. I've tried and tried to fix it, and well, you are no longer someone I even care to be friends with. So, I'm officially DONE. And you know what, I'm sorry you couldn't com to my party, but your "other half" was never welcome, so I guess that worked out fine. I may still miss our friendship, but I don't even like you anymore. And to those of you who know what the hell I'm talking about, don't ever let me write/call/or speak to her again, ok??!!! (oh, and ask me the latest on this debacle!!). Life is too short to waste energy on crappy friends.

Now, it is so incredibly lovely outside, I am off to sit on my back patio with a drink, a good book, and pair of shades. Anyone who still considers me a friend, well, you too are welcome to come sit with me and have a drink and a chat.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Spring is coming!

It has to be true. The weather here today is lovely. Just abso-frikin'-tastic. I was so pleased to come home today (a little early even!!), and just have NOTHING TO DO!! Well, for a few hours, anyway. I do have yoga class tonight, but...I have som many options. Do I walk my dogs (they say yes!!)?, do I throw open the windows and clean (I say, no way!!)? Do I sit in my back yard and read a book..for FUN?! What I'd like to be doing is woking in my garden, but there's nothing to DO but pull weeds right now, and I am not interested in weed-icide right now... Frankly, I think I'll take a cup of tea, my book, and a comfy chair, and sit on my patio and sleep... Sigh. Life's good.

Also, thanks again to my June DTC Secret Pal. Look at all the cool goodies she sent for Baby M!!! I hope you are right. I hope we are ALMOST THERE!!! (In fact, we are 9 mo down from DTC as of March 15!! I hope the worst of it is over.)

Monday, March 05, 2007

Catching up

I'm still trying to play catch up from being gone so long. I was also gone this past weekend to visit everyone we know in the D.C. area...ok, not really. I'm sure we missed SOMEONE! All in all, it was a great trip (except the visit with the monster-in-law), and seeing my fam is always fun, but MAN am I tired!!

I will try to catch up on my blogging this weekend. For now, I'll say thanks to my secret pal for the sweet February gifts (I'll post pix soon!!). Very thoughtful, as always.