it's a dog's life

poor baby jane got aggressed at doggie obedience class today! she was having such a mellow day, too-- sometimes she gets so happy and wound up she can't focus on the exercises. today she was lolling about, not very interested in the work, until they got out the agility equipment. her whole BODY perked up at the sight of the jumps, tunnels, climbs and rings. we were happily running the course when out of nowhere, at the end of a tunnel, a big dog came racing at her and attacked her! luckily they were both leashed so i was able to pull her away while the poor lady struggled with her big dog to get him off of jane.

no one was hurt, but jane didn't want to be around the other dogs or go through the tunnel again. i had her be 'friendly' with some other dogs and coaxed her through the tunnel so there wouldn't be any negative associations. such a docile baby, minding her own business. she can't help her piercing border collie stare that sometime unnerves other dogs!

i feel like a bully pushed my kid down on the playground.

candy garden

today is a BIIIIG day for us... our baby girl is being registered for kindergarten *sniff!* we need to pick up her medical records and gather her birth certificate, social security number and proof of residence and take it ALLLLLL up to the school. it's actually kind-of a challenge to put all this stuff together and schlep it around! i feel as if we're signing her away or something.

i went to the county school bored *ahem* i mean BOARD meeting last night. it was their meeting witht he county commissioners, and they essentially were talking about the discrepancies between approved development and approved school plans, as well as money to relieve our horribly overcrowded schools. it was disheartening to see the commissioners... a board of slack-jawed, glassy-eyed good ole' boys just appear to drown out everything the school board and the concerned parents were saying. i kept saying to myself... only 13 more years... only 13 more years...

summer has sprung!

spring is springing up everywhere around here, it always comes on so fast, like an ambush. most of us are still waiting for a proper winter, so the blooms are surprising. these photos are of the purple plum in our front yard and it smells heavenly. i can't show much of any other kind of blooming happening in our yard. jane "the destructo-puppy" has pretty well made sure that the already lame beds we had planted around the house are now just muddy holes where shrubs USED to be, and ripped, torn and dragged landscape fabric with remnants of mulch trailed alongside. but we love her ANYWAY!


it's not even officially spring yet, but this past week has been downright summer-y. i'm not complaining. today's forecast is 83 and sunny! the air just smells different, and the kids outside in bare feet is such a treat. however, we all have been dragging in the ticks, so drastic measures will need to be taken on that front. the beginning of tick season is always such a bummer. the dog & cats need frontline; we humans need 'off'. it's a hazard of living in the woodsy country, and i guess it's a price we're willing to pay. it's days like this that make me feel so genuinely grateful to live RIGHT where we live. and isn't THAT a good feeling??

review

my review of 'the kite runner' is up at lotusreads! check it OOOOOOUUUUUT!

son story

i promised no kid stuff for 3 posts and i was as good as my word.

h wants to post on my blog (i say, get your own, kid! after all, you're almost 7 and a HALF! isn't it about time???!). but here he is with his story until then.

The town in the Clouds. One day S- was fling on a glider.But.............she acsidently crashed into a mountan above the clouds.But then........she heard a noise.............it was coming from the top of the clouds.It was some kind of walking and talking sound. So.............S- climed to the top of the clouds.When S- reached the top she was in a little oompaloompa town.then the cheef said will you eat some coco nuts with us.Then S- said yes and that was The End.

a dangerous precedent?

there was an article in the paper this morning talking about men's rights... as they apply to unwanted pregnancies. today is a landmark day! the national center for men has prepared a lawsuit in the us district court in michigan on behalf of matt dubay, a man who does not want parental rights AND does not want to pay child support for the daughter that he fathered with his ex girlfriend.

WhA??!?

i understand that he felt duped by the girlfriend who claimed sterility. i understand that he never wanted children. but don't you think that if this lawsuit wins that it would set up a very dangerous system of no accountability??

hmmm. read the article at the national center for men and let me know what you think. it certainly was food for thought over coffee this morning. and yes, i'm feeling better for the most part. now i'm suffering from antibiotic side-effects, helping me to remember with unwelcome clarity why i usually abstain from them.

march is piling up on me!

this month seems to be crunching closer and closer until it's almost taking me over! there is so much to do suddenly, and i am currently so sick with a rampaging case of bronchitis, there's nothing i can do but watch from the sidelines. it's been so long since i've had bronchitis, i forgot how much it hurts. the wind is out of my sails, and i'm hoping azithromycin with puff them back out. fast.

i got a school fundraiser dumped in my lap last night at a pta meeting i was too sick to attend. absentee fund-raiser dump-- is that fair? they discussed possible redistricting at said meeting (or so i heard) and now i have to brush up on my maps, population stats and school attendance numbers so i can go to every school board meeting from now until eternity. crazy cool way to spend my evenings!

couldn't take the dog to class today. can't breathe. makes me a little cranky.

tons of other parties, kid events, finishing taxes, and of course t's trip to l.a. is coming up. maybe i'll crawl into his carry on and revisit the land of my college education. the magical southern california. go to griffith observatory! the chinese theater! in-n-out burger! montrose! c.s.u.n! a traffic jam or two! sounds better than what's happening around here.

i think once i can breathe i'll be a little more perky, and will be able to juggle all this with my usual Forward...MARCH! attitude. it sucks to be sick and tired.

chapel hill makes national news!!!

it always gives you a little thrill when your town makes the national news... like when the unc men's basketball team won the championship last year. they show local landmarks and all, and you somehow feel famous by association. or maybe i'm the only one.

in any case, unc was in the national news for this story on friday. seems a unc graduate who happened to be a muslim decided that to avenge muslim deaths throughout the world it might be a good idea to chase down innocent people in a crowded area of campus with his suv. wow! what a great way to make this statement! such a productive and provocative way to draw attention to the plight of muslims worldwide!

after the attack, in which no one was killed, thank goodness, they had to evacuate his entire apartment building in carrboro because of statements he made to the police that indicated there may be something dangerous lurking in it.

the whole thing makes me sigh. this is such a wonderful place to live, but the only press we get is negative. maybe the only press ANY small town gets is negative-- when something REALLY bad and noteworthy happens. and why didn't the guy even BELONG to the muslim student union that works hard to create understanding with the university population? you got me.

gw, take note.

government mandated hot tub appropriation. sounds good to me! hopefully i will be the lucky 1 (one) citizen of the YOO-nited States of America to get that other tub. snap!

i promise no more kids' art for at least... how about... 3 posts? will that give y'all a long enough break? i know you're sick to death of it right now.

this is a song...

man-cub got off the bus today, clutching this paper to his chest, with the strict warning that i NOT look at it. he proceeded on a single minded mission straight up the stairs to his bedroom to get his guitar, then asked all of us (me, t, noah and s) to gather in the living room for a performance. i got the video camera.

after 2 false (shy) starts, he sang the kayla song for us. none of the adults could look at eachother because we would have burst out laughing at how cute he was. now, if we would have laughed, his fragile psyche would have been crushed, so we held our laughter in until we cheered at the end of his warbly song and atonal strums. hilariously adorable!

he's known kayla since prenatal childbirth class. they now sit directly across from eachother on class, and recently developed a little crush on her. the younger sibs are already in love, and i regret i have no more children to betrothe to their youngest-- the baby born last wednesday for whom i knit the sweater. i'll translate the lyrics in case you can't make them out:

2 Kayla, your so butiful oh kayla. so butifulelel oh yaa aa aaa. your the butifullest girl ive ever seen. oh ya ya. your so butiful oh kayla. the end. speaks volumes, doesn't it?? he would be MORTIFIED if he knew i shared this with anyone.

miscellany

let's all sit and have a nice breakfast of bacon and eggs this morning, just as my darling daughter did. she was generous enough to share with four cats and three dogs. she gives new meaning to the phrase 'playing with your food.' meanwhile, our ACTUAL dog went in to be spayed this morning. she's only 8 months old-- we've had her for almost 7-- and i kind of feel lost without her. she's my constant companion, and it's weird to not have her at my feet. i hope she's okay-- i'll go visit her later-- and she'll come home tomorrow morning. waaaa!


on another note, i finished another project. a friend of mine had a baby girl last weds, and i finished the jacket and hat just in time to give them to her. granted, they are more sized for a 2 year old, but it's the thought that counts, right? i'm pleased with the outcome and hope the whole thing doesn't come unraveled. makes me think of the sweater song by weezer..."if you want to destroy my sweater... hold this thread as i walk away..."



next, t took the kids to the aviation museum in asheboro yesterday, cementing our daughter's new ambition-- to be a soldier. she wore her jango fett costume, the closest she could find to a soldier suit in our dress-up bin. lucky boy got the flight suit and bomber jacket. anyhow, they had a blast and i got to feel like crap all by myself and file tax receipts. i got a ton done, but there is still SOOOOOO much more work to do.

was that enough miscellany? or shall i tell you about the book i just finished? maybe tomorrow.

friend survey

my friend andrea sent this email to me, and i thought i'd post it instead of email it to my friends.

2006 Friends Survey--Welcome to the 2006 edition of getting to know your friends.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:56 am
2. Diamonds or pearls? emeralds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? 8 below
4. What is your favorite TV show? right now, project runway
5. What did you have for breakfast? bacon 'n' eggs
6. What is your middle name? lynn
7. What is your favorite cuisine? japanese
8. What foods do you dislike? raw onions
9. What is your favorite chip? tostitos
10. What is your favorite CD? of all time? probably lincoln by they might be giants
11. What kind of car you drive? 2004 nissan quest, my true love
12. What is your favorite sandwich? reuben
13. What characteristics do you despise? lack of humility
14. Favorite item of clothing? right now?? umm... my 5 long sleeve tshirts from walmart
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation where would you go? i've got spain on the brain since our trip last march... probably galicia or the basque country
16. What color is your bathroom? purple, orange, green and yellow.
17. Favorite brand of clothing? whatever catches my eye.
18. Where would you want to retire to? here. and maybe travel a whole lot.
19. Favorite time of day? late morning
20. Where were you born? southfield, mi
21. Favorite sport to watch? tennis!
22. Who do you least expect to send this back? since i'm posting it, nobody
23. Person you expect to send this back first? nobody again! but feel free to add yours in the comment section or on your own blog or whatever.
24. What type of detergent do you use? all free 'n' clear
25. Coke or Pepsi? diet coke
26. Are you a morning person or a night owl? morning, but not by choice.
27. What size shoe do you wear? 9.5
28. Do you have pets? 1 dog (jane) 2 cats (tibby & clarence)
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with anyone? ummm... no?
30. What did you want to be when you were little? a ballerina
31. Favorite Candy Bar? take 5
32. What is your best childhood memory? the cottage
33. Different jobs you have had in life? sales clerk (gift shop, bakery, pharmacy), stock clerk (victorias secret, banana republic), lab assistant (u of michigan), comic book colorist & mom.
34. What color underwear are you wearing? none currently
35. Nickname? as a kid it was (shudder) missy. my dad calls me memo. my mom calls me lissa lynn sisser.
36. Piercing? 2 in each ear and a navel
37. Ever been to Africa? no
38. Ever been toilet papered? no
39. Love someone to much it made you cry? of course!
40. Croutons or bacon bits? mmmm... bacon!
41. Favorite day of the week? sunday. nothing to do.
42. Favorite flower? anything wild and bright
43. Favorite restaurant? yamazushi
44. Favorite ice cream? chocolate peanut butter
45. Disney or Warner Brothers? disney i guess
46. Favorite fast food restaurant? hardees
47. What color is your bedroom carpet? ugly berber
48. How many times did you fail your driver's test? none
49. Before this one, from whom did you get your last email? i don't know!
50. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? i wouldn't max out a card. i hate debt.
51. What do you do most often when you are bored? read
52. Who are you most curious about their responses to this questionnaire? don't know
53. Last person you went to dinner with? beth, jennifer, lucinda, katy and angela
54. Ford or Chevy? nissan!
55. What are you listening to right now? the dishwasher
56. How many tattoos do you have? one
57. Which came first the chicken or egg? good question
58. How many people are you sending this email to? nobody, i'm posting it!
59. What time did you finish this survey? 9:31 am

i can feel it coming...

what can i feel coming? sickness, that's what. it's crawling on my skin, tightening my breath, and rimming my eyes. i'm praying to the gods of vitamin c and hot tea with honey and lemon that i can shake it off successfully, like i normally do. but with s being viral and t being strepped, i think my immune system is about at the end of it's rope. let's hope not, 'cause mommies can't afford to get sick, they have too darned much to do. especially when they have taxes taxes taxes to do. just the thought of those thousands of receipts calling my name from their little blue file box makes me sick in a whole different way.

went out last night to rockfish at southpoint mall with 5 friends. i didn't do anything crazy to make me feel so crappy today, i swear. only one really large and heavy goblet-ful of red oak. man, there is NO way to look ladylike drinking from one of those things. good thing i'm not all that worried about looking ladylike, huh? the dinner was good, but the hot bread pudding soaked in a buttery bourbon sauce was... was... the adjectives i'm thinking won't do it justice. heavenly? mouthwatering? memorable? i don't know, all i know is i wish i could go back there RIGHT NOW and have another.

kids are zooming stylish barbies along the floor in their happening cars. all i see are big blonde frizzy fluffs popping out the top of the convertibles. the storyline seems to be something about stolen puppies. hmmm... barbie as dognapper? unlikely. although maybe i'll write mattel and suggest it as the plot for their next lame cgi barbie movie. the princess thing is getting a little tired, don't we think?

thin ice

with the blog title "thin ice," one may be considering the state of the WEATHER in this state. not so. it's been an unseasonably warm winter, over which i am rejoicing because of insane propane prices. in actuality, we've had a couple days of "wintry mix" (thank you, weather channel, for that apt description), and girlfriend (left) is demonstrating appropriate fashion attire for just such a day.

yesterday was our afore-mentioned hooky day, which started with a lazy morning. we then went to lunch at wendy's, where they are currently (is this in the carolinas only?) serving their special "carolina classic" burger. for those uninformed individuals, a typical carolina style burger is served with a dollop of chili and a dollop of cole slaw. it was pretty good, but nothing compared to the now-defunct eddie's that once dwelled at university mall in chapel hill. the kids got their curious george toys, ate their chicken, and we were off to the rink.

for their first time on the ice, i was really surprised. i figured we'd be there 15 minutes and they'd be sick of it. we lasted the whole session-- over 2 hours-- and they were sad to go! wet knees and bumped heads were no deterrent. h man looked much like the tin man when scarecrow and dorothy are attempting to oil him back to full range of motion. he clung to the wall, fell, and when i tried to give him pointers he declared that he already knew everything there was to know about ice skating. fine. so i just left him alone with his expertise and his two equally comical friends. we called them the three stooges, and i could just hear the stooge theme song playing in my head.

girl child, on the other hand, really went to town. she kept her feet under her rather well, took instruction, and cackled when i skated backwards and pulled her around the rink. she was attempting dance-y moves like spins and arabesques to the music. ever since we left, she's been bugging to go again. i'd love to! i am sorry to say that the camera ran out of batteries before someone could snap a shot of me going down hard on my boo-tay after a particularly hilarious attempt to re-claim my balance.

after the rink, we met daddy at the movie theater since h has been dying to see "8 below. " it was a hard movie to watch-- 8 sled dogs left behind in antarctica for almost 6 months. the poor boy just sat there with tears pouring down his face most of the movie. i felt like crying, too! so our icy adventure continued (a poor substitute for a proper winter, i know) through the movie, but abruptly came to a halt when real life came barging back at a tired little boy in the form of homework. he just couldn't manage it; he was too tired. i drove him to school this morning so he could finish it after a good nights' sleep.

hooky

we (the kids and i) are playing hooky today.

no reason, just need a break. for 2 months there are no vacation days and no teacher workdays, and that just seemed like kind-of alot for a little guy. or maybe i just felt like having fun with my 2 best kid friends. i aided and abetted in the absence of 2 of h's best friends (at another school... otherwise the teachers might get suspicious) and we're all going ice skating. my kids have never been, so this should be interesting! hopefully the experience lasts for more than 15 minutes because i love to skate and haven't been in years.

it was a nice surprise for my little man, he didn't know why he wasn't being shuffled around first thing in the morning, and why he was able to sit and play with his sister. she, too, was excited about "skipping school"-- even though she has no school today anyway!

grandma & papa left early early early this morning, so a fun excursion will be just what we need to ease the separation. i'll post pictures tomorrow.

oh, after we skate we may go see "8 below" if we can sit in a theater without our butts hurting from falling on the ice too much.