Oh, the Memories!

I want to tell a story. Because otherwise I'll drivel about how bored of sickness I've become after running a fever for nearly a week. Ugh, I'm so useless when I'm sick.

Long ago in a place called Colorado Springs, Colorado...

Rae and I were in the basement. Ah, that basement was everything a basement should be. Stuck in the 70s with its barf-orange carpet, creaky bathroom and overflow of earwigs (EW, maybe nevermind that being a "should" with basements). Even the dinosaur computer belonged.

We were playing a game, a REALLY fun game. One of those kid games that just make you laugh so hard. I can't even explain why it appealed or why it was fun, but that's how a lot of childhood games are (and I love them like that).

I would run up to the couch with all the speed I could muster, and Rae would stick up her feet like a battering ram at the last minute and thrust them at my stomach. It felt like flying backwards! And a bit like being chopped in half, but enough to make us stop. It was just too much fun...

About, oh I don't know, a hundred kicks later...

Something churned in my stomach. Ooooh, it wasn't good. I had to tell Rae the sad news: we should be done now. But for some reason I couldn't tell her from across the room in my safe landing zone. I had to go up to her, there at the couch, at the launching station.

I believe she didn't see the wooziness in my face. I am ...mostly... sure that she was focused only on my belly, aiming her uncannily strong legs with great precision.

I got out "Rae, I don't feel so--"

And then the feet met the stomach!

And the stomach gave in to the feet!

As the poo heated my pants, I thought: "What a day to wear overalls."

And Rae laughed. She cackled. She howled!

Once I was cleaned up I think I laughed a little, too. After all, poop is just so funny to kids. For whatever reason. I couldn't imagine why...

My Boys

*I adore Michael's profile. He is gorgeous.*

Fake Eyelashes (just a note)

Fake eyelashes! And I colored my mole (blush blush)...because otherwise, I don't like it.

The eyelashes are the type that come in tiny bundles, not as one strip for the entire eye. So I put on maybe ten per eye.

And guess what....

No one noticed. Is that good? I had to point it out to Michael, but once he realized how much longer they looked, he really liked it.

I felt very daring!

Before & After - Kitchen

The sad part is: I can't find the BEFORE picture! Isn't that silly? So imagine my sink piled high (about a foot and half higher than the edge) and every surface of the counter covered with yet more dishes. I know, it's embarrassing. The original Before had Ender in it, too, just so you could be distracted by his cuteness. ;) Love how his hair looks like it's all piled on top.


*the date on the bottom right corner is totally wrong. Dumb camera--it's been spazzing.
And AFTER! Those are laundry keys on the counter. It's a cute kitchen, isn't it? It's also very little. There's nothing next to the stove besides my fridge. Not much to work with! But I liked it. And I really did keep it about this clean most days.

SPUDNIK: Potatoes Handled Like Babies

I know I just posted, but guess what!!!

MICHAEL IS DONE WITH SPUD HARVEST!!!!!

No more 16+ hour work days!!!

SPUDNIK, thanks for the job.

We're so glad it's done, though.

We'll get to be together more! Ender will get to see his Daddy more! A LOT more!!!

This totally calls for celebration.

Christmas at Halloween

You know how it's kind of annoying that stores decorate two holidays ahead? They're ready to sell ornaments before it's even Halloween...
Well, this year I've decided to tame my typical annoyance and be grateful that it's getting me to think ahead. :) And here's what I did today when I had some time to relax after cleaning the bathroom and bedroom!

My Christmas Wishlist
My style is to give specifics so that it's easier for the giver. I also list a good number of things so that there are at least a few things to choose from.

• The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma (#3), by Trenton Lee Stewart (paperback, please)
• New Journal (with nice pens, preferrably black Pilot)
• Chocolate (I love Hershey's with no nuts; Kisses; Snickers; Milky Way; 3 Musketeers, etc.)
• Perhaps a clothing budget ($30 is actually plenty sufficient. Even $20 is. Heck, $10 is nice). OR fabric budget (no clue $$)
• Germaine Tailleferre's Harp Concertino sheet music, Piano Reduction
  OR Nicolas Flagello Harp Sonata sheet music (for any other sheet music, ask Michael)
• Tempera paints (so far, my favorite to play with--I've never owned any; I'd like to expand my art skills)
• Wristwatch: either simple, pretty and water-resistant analog (silver or silver & gold) OR plain waterproof sports watch with timer and stopwatch, digital. A dainty, pretty watch with all the sports watch features would be ideal, but those things are usually so stinking expensive!!!
• Audrey Hepburn movie (not How To Steal a Million, we own that) or pretty much any movie from that classic period
• Cute socks! Ankle or knee-high
• Pretty scarves (decorative/accessory, not winter--although I wouldn't object to those)

I promise I'm not too picky. If you're concerned, you could talk to Michael. ;) In any case, I'm not posting this to guilt you all into getting me presents already! It was just a fun thing for me to do today. Besides, I like Christmas a whole lot more than Halloween.

Visualizing

My sister Rae ran a marathon!!!
And wow, what a powerful woman she is. So much so that while I read, I knew a marathon is somewhere in my future. I looked at her beautiful victorious pictures and wondered how I'd feel at the end of a marathon.
I'm silly, so get ready: I wondered what I would do once I saw the finish line... and I decided I'd probably be about to fall over but I'd grit my teeth, a ferocious fire glowing in my give-up-less eyes, and I'd belt out a great big hurrah of a roar (or something, you know), and then I would bolt to the finish line with all the heroism of a True Marathoner. And because I'm the only one home... and Ender is asleep... I actually made the sound! And the face! It made me blush.
I also wondered about what crossing that line would feel like. Maybe I'd throw my arms up in a huge Y and yell!!! Just a yell of victory, accomplishment, the last strains of strength! And yeah, you guessed it, I actually tried it out.
It was terribly silly-sounding, but it made me laugh. Besides, I'll sound cooler when I'm actually doing the running to accompany it.
I have to visualize, don't I? :D
If I do end up looking/sounding so cool (hahhahaha!) like I've described, just be sure it's genuine. I don't think I'd be able to pretend something like that at the end of 26+ miles.
Rae, you're my hero.