Life is Funny, Skies are Sunny

So, kids. It was another insanely busy weekend, made a little more difficult by my relentless migraine that hung around on and off for most of the weekend. It was so bad today, that my meds didn't really work on it. Mother's Day was a bust for the most part, but I'm not a big Hallmark holiday kind of girl, so I didn't feel any worse by not being able to do something special. Of course, it would have been really nice if the girls had washed the dishes and cleaned up a little while I was lying down trying to deal with my brain pain...

With all this prom business on Saturday, I just had to suck it up and deal or drive or whatever else was required of me for the occasion. In the morning I drove kids to soccer and track practice, and in the afternoon we ran a bunch of errands to be ready for the big dance.

By three, I took some time out for myself and ran and took a long hot bath, while the girls' friends came over and helped Coadster get ready.

I went to a prom once in high school, but it was just with two of my friends who had to go because we were juniors and they were in student council, so it wasn't a big deal like this. Luckily, Coadster's good friend goes to the other high school in town and just went to prom the week before. She also has an arsenal of make-up and hair care products that almost made my head hurt even more.

Here is Coadster getting her hair did by her friend. There was enough hair spray to kill our ozone and maybe a few other planets' too.

Here is Coadster's friend who did such an amazing job. She's pretty interesting. Her mom was raised Amish, but left the community before she was officially baptized. I was asking her a bunch of questions about it and what it's like to go back and visit the community. That poor girl had to do double duty between Coadster and me.

At 5:30 we went to Coadster's friend's house for pictures. Since the ex doesn't have a car, I offered him a ride. I knew it was important to Coadster, so I had to suck it up again. I took a ridiculous amount of photos. As you can see, they had some amazing lilac bushes as a backdrop.

There was some clumsy corsage exchanges that made for adorable photos.

Here's the whole gang. Can you tell they're all in show choir?

I tried to get a few photos with more natural expressions, but those were hard to come by.


Here is Coadster and her date. he's a really nice kid. She said he was a little awkward at first about dancing, but I told her a lot of high school guys were like that. Since she asked him, we just assumed they were going Dutch and she had money to pay for her meal, but he insisted on paying for hers. He later admitted that his mom gave him the money, but I still thought it was a sweet gesture.

Here is Coadster and her dance partner for show choir. They found that hat in the backyard and thought it would be funny to do a couple of gangsta type poses. Whatever. I guess it's sometimes fun to pretend that you don't live in an overeducated college town in Iowa.

Later that night, I met a few friends for a drink. One of my friends was in town from Seattle and I hadn't seen her in a year. We started off at the Dublin, but it was insanely busy there and then all of the sudden a bunch of guys in suit jackets and shorts, all somersalted down the stairs (some of them hitting their heads on the wall). It meant that the rugby team had arrived. They were all insanely drunk and I stupidly got into a discussion with one of them, who tried to tell me that guys were smarter than girls. Really? Were you one of the guys who just sommesalted down the stairs practically killing yourself? I'm pretty glad I'm not that "smart" then.

Anyway, we ended up at the beer garden at the Picador had a great time. It was a good way to wash off all of the prom business.

I hope your weekend was headache free and that you all had nice Mother's Days.

See These Eyes So Green, I Can Stare for a Thousand Years

Here is a photo of a guy walking in front of me collecting cans.

Sooooo, I guess all the build-up this week only means one thing. Coadster is going to prom this Saturday night. I hope she has fun. She is going with a boy who lives one block over from us and who is in show choir with her. He is a really good guy and I think they'll have a great time with the 7 other couples they're doing things with. She asked me if I'd go with her to her friend's house to take photos. Duh. Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Here is a flower.

Tomorrow night Coadster will babysit for my friend K.'s boyfriend's son, so they can go to a show at the Mill. Stinky will have a trackmeet until 10'ish, so I might even have an hour in there somewhere to myself.

Coadster was at a soccer game in a town about an hour and a half away. Their game went into double overtime and so she should be home pretty close to midnight tonight and she still has to finish her math homework. So, I'm trying to blog quickly and finishing paying my bills on-line to leave the computer open when she gets home. This one computer and one bathroom for three girls can be kind of tricky sometimes.

David Bowie's "Cat People" just came on my iTunes. I love that song so much, but when Stinky heard it, she said, "So, you like this song?" and made that face. You know the one. It's the same one I make when some of her favorite songs come on. I guess we're even then.

Okay, that's all I have time for. Let me know what you're up to and if I don't get on here this weekend, Happy Mother's Day! to all you muthah's...You know who you are.

I've Been Waiting for This Silence All Night Long

Here are some benches with caution tape across them. I guess sitting can be very dangerous.

A lot of stuff went down today:

1.) I got up and went to work. I had a little bit of a migraine hang-over so it took more energy than usual.

2.) After work I picked up Coadster from track practice and we went to Hy-Vee to pick out a boutonniere for her prom date. Neither one of us had ever done anything like that before, so we were happy that two of her friends worked there and could help us. Her friend M. thinks I'm great (probably because I'm not her mom) and loves giving me tons of shit. Her friend H. worked in the flower area and was very helpful.

M: I just ordered a flower for my date. I got him a gerber daisy (she meant gerbera) with a ribbon and some glitter.

Me: And you know how much high school boys love glitter...

M: What? Oh, I don't care if he likes it. I love glitter. Coadster, who are you taking to prom? (without waiting for an answer) Whoever it is, tell him if he hurts you, I'll kill him.

Coadster: I'm pretty sure we're just friends. And I'm also pretty sure he's gay, so you don't have to worry about him hurting me at all.

H: I love him. He's so much fun.

M: (after Coadster picked a white orchid with a silver ribbon for her date). You should also get glitter for his flower too. (Insert HUGE eye roll from Coadster here and finally directed at someone other than me) What?! You said you thought he was gay....

3.) After recovering from my high school girl conversation about prom dates and boutonnieres, I dropped Coadster at my house so she could do her homework, and I headed to the Hilltop for Supper Club and cheese fries dipped in Ranch dressing. Although I thought after the above exchange I really deserved a beer, I was migraine shy and went for a soda instead. Supper club was hilarious as usual, and I was actually able to speak to adults I had something in common with. That doesn't always happen during the week.

4.) At 7:30 I got home in time to take Coadster to fake bake. I have real issues with fake tans, but I do understand it's kind of important for her to try and even-out her ridiculous soccer tan made by wearing long socks and shin guards right before prom. Plus, she got a free introductory week.

5.) Stinky finally got home before I had to pick Coadster back up. She had track practice and then open gym for basketball, even though the season doesn't start until next Winter. By the time I got the girls to their dad's house, it was almost nine and I was pretty much brain dead. The crazy thing about it all, is that this was their dad's night to have them. I better rest up for tomorrow. There's no telling how busy I'll be when I don't have "time off".

I am Tired, I am Weary, I Could Sleep for a Thousand Years

I'll just be posting some more flowery photos. I have a ton of them and I like them. So there.

I hope everyone had a nice Cinco de Mayo. I spent most of Monday evening cooking tons of Mexican food. I made frijoles, fresh de gallo salsa, chicken enchiladas and fried up some tostada shells. It was good I got it all done then, because I got a migraine that kicked my ass for most of the day today.

It had been a while since I've had a bad one, so I guess it was just a matter of time. It's the second time I've taken my new generic migraine meds. The first time they worked really well, but today they took a lot longer and wiped me out while they were doing their thing. Which isn't much different than my old meds. Some migraines are worse than others, and my old meds would have to work really long and hard sometimes too. Right now, the jury is still out on them.

Coadster and Stinky have been trying to think of something to do with me on Mother's Day. Coadster proposed that we ride bikes around town and take goofy photos. She sure knows me well, because that sounds like an awesome idea. We could even pick-up sandwiches somewhere and eat them at Hickory Hill Park. I told Coadster that we should tentatively schedule that. Saturday night is her prom and I have a feeling she'll be sleeping in, or most of the day, or all of the day on Sunday. So, our bike ride most likely will take place much later in the afternoon. Whenever it happens, I'm sure it will be a great time.

Nibblin' On Bacon, Chewin' On Cheese

Hey, I thought I'd do the Saturday Scavenger Hunt tonight...Since it's Monday already and everything. K-Sra chose the word up. It just so happens that I've been looking up at all the flowering trees lately. If I'm not careful, I might need a neck brace.

Stinky just got first place in the shot-put at the JV track meet tonight. She threw at least 3 feet over her personal best. She's a beast. (the kids assure me this is a good thing)

So, yeah. Remember how two years ago, I got that bad stomach flu and lost 7 lbs in 3 days? Then throughout the Spring and Summer, I just kept losing more and more weight until my doctor freaked-out and told me I should eat as much butter wrapped in bacon as I needed to in order to gain the weight back? Yeah, that was a wonderful time in my life, but those days are over. Last Summer through this Winter, I've gained all that weight back and then some.

The hard part at gawking at the flowering trees, is remembering to see past them, even further up to the cool clouds.

Now, I'm not one of those women who has to be super tiny, or she freaks-out. If anything, I'd rather be a little overweight, than under. I can't help it. I like my junk. I just don't want to get too carried away with all of this weight gain, and I also like being in decent shape, no matter what I weigh.

So, I'm trying to eat better and do a little more comprehensive exercise. (besides running and dancing around like a dork) I've decided to start to train for a triathalon without actually competing in one. I don't race anymore, since I've been running for 33 years now, and I'd like to continue to run for another 33, thank you very much. Racing is too much wear and tear on my legs. Anyway, I added bike riding a couple of times a week onto my running, and then in June, I'll start swimming laps another couple of days too.

I mentioned my new work-out strategy to Stinky and she told me she'd actually like to do a triathalon. I promised to pay the entry fee if she can prove to me she's serious, by doing regular work-outs for the next month or so. My brother has done one before and so has my friend Poptart. I'll probably bug them both for pointers. My boss also does some and he's on a mailing list of triathalons and mini-triathalons (which is what I'm sure we'd start Stinky on if she actually does one). I think it would be great for her to develop some kind (any kind, really) of self-discipline.

It's also not a bad idea to look down from time to time. You might find a delicious surprise.

As far as eating better is concerned, I love food, so I'm not going to do anything totally crazy like give up cookies or cheese fries or anything. I'm just going to try to eat a lot more fruits and veggies (which, I should be doing no matter how much I weigh). The problem with fruits and veggies, is that they take some prep time and with chips, all you have to do is open a bag. I decided to fix that by cutting-up a bunch of veggies and putting them in their individual bags. Now, all we have to do is open them up too. It seems to be working so far. It just sucks that the days of having a free license to eat as much butter wrapped in bacon are over. Wah!

There Has to Be an Invisible Sun, That Gives Us Hope When the Whole Day's Done

The graffiti on this wall says, "misbehave", I took it as my weekend theme.

Wow, kids. It's been a crazy weekend. I did have some time on Friday to hang out and watch movies because Coadster was sick, but that was it.

On Saturday, I took Stinky to track practice and back and then I ran and then took the girls downtown to get our free comic books on "Free Comic Book Day" and to the mall where we got some stuff we needed. Then we went to the grocery store. Somewhere from the time I paid for my food with my debit/credit card and walked to my car, my magic money card disappeared. I checked all my pockets and the bags, then I retraced my steps and went to the customer service area to see if anyone had returned it, and had Coadster go do it all over again to see if she had would have better luck, but it was gone.

I had to run home and call the bank to have them cancel it. Of course, because it was me, I got the New Agey guy who worked there. He went on this long spiel about sun flashes and how they affected everything. He himself had just got his card stolen, and these sun flashes that guided all of our lives and experiences, can also mess with the magnetic strips on the cards and give erroneous information. "See, most people think astronomy is just a boring school subject, but it affects us all..." While he was going on and on, I was pantomiming for Coadster, banging my head against the wall, while making the "too much talkie talkie" signs with my hands and as he kept on, I grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and pretended to pop my eyeballs out with it. He finally stopped talking and canceled my old card and then ordered me a new card. He made it special and made sure it had flowers on it and then gave me some preferred customer status, before he hung-up. So, I almost felt a little teensy bit bad about making fun of him...But just a teensy bit.

This is the happy new baby couple. They don't look too sleep-deprived, do they?

Unfortunately, all that drama made me miss most of my friend's baby shower. I did get there for the end and went out with all the kids afterward. I was just a bit stressed-out, is all.

The girl crush was back, biting people's boobs and creating all kinds of other adorable mayhem. At one point we were joking about the bank card guy's talk about the bad juju caused by sun flares. Me, G., and my girl crush were feeling like we were in the mood to kick someone's ass. We decided that guy might be onto something.

Here's our hot friend doing a shotski. A shotski is great marketing idea. They velcro shot glasses to a ski and people all have to drink the shots at the same time. It brings in every bar crawl, bachelor and bachelorette party in town.

Our other hot friend who used to tend bar at the Dublin was back too. I hadn't seen her for almost a year, so it was a wonderful reunion.

Here's my girlcrush showing us all what the bartender's vag-ina must look like. He had been a surly little bitch all night, so he definitely had it coming.... Reason # 4,587 why my girl crush is my girl crush.

Over Futile Odds and Laughed At By the Gods

I took a bunch of photos on my way to work this morning. It had just rained so everything was still dripping.

Tonight I think I'm gonna write a poem. Don't worry, I may never write another. As I've said before, I don't really understand poetry, (which I'm sure I won't have to tell you after you read this) but I was walking home from work and sick the other day and overwhelmed by Spring and it just came to me. It's all very tongue-in-cheek. The idea cracked me up and so you all have to be exposed to it too...Or not. Ready? No? Yeah, I'm not really sure I am either. I think I'm going to call it:

Iowa Seasons Can Just Blow Me

Damn it!
You've suddenly come a-courtin' again
Looking all sweet and calling out to me
Everywhere

Wasn't it just a couple of months ago
When you were so cold and unfeeling?
Slapping me in the face with your ice pellets and frozen winds?
No matter how much I complained
(And you know I did) You were
unrelenting

But now you're overwhelming me with flowers
I can feel the difference in your touch on my skin
And your smell
Your smell drives me crazy
All dirty and warm and loamy
Distracting me and making me
Feel like maybe I can start turning my porch light on again.
(Although my friends like to remind me that there is a huge difference
Between turning my porch light on and getting drunk and
Accidentally leaving my back door
Unlocked)*


At first you make me hopeful
I'm reminded of how sweet you can be
And I start shedding layers
Exposing myself

But then I start to feel it
Something happens to piss you off
And you're suddenly on a tear
You thunder, you rage and you throw things around
You are a destroyer

Then when you calm down
You make up for it
You didn't mean it, you just care about me so much
It makes you do things you're not always proud of
You will try harder
You say and you show me your blindingly white smile
I do know better
We've done all of this many times before
I'm sure it's just a matter of time until you stifle me with your
Hot fetid breath constantly on my neck
And later, when you suddenly turn cold again

Yet I stay every year
Waiting for that first show of sweetness and
Warmth

*I got the "porch light and backdoor" imagery from my friend Sara, who got it from another friend of hers. So, I'm not sure who gets the attribution, I just know it isn't me.

Oh, But They're Weird and They're Wonderful

Here is the fence separating me from the beer garden at Joe's Place.

For those of you who are new here, my taste in viewing things, is much the same as it is for hearing things and eating things. I like everything, both good and bad. I will watch any hard hitting documentary, but all kinds of cheese too. I think I may have already mentioned the fact that when I was pregnant with Stinky, my friend Anne and I would try to catch every Sunday night made-for-TV movie and saw all three Joey Buttafuoco/Amy Fisher ones. Man, that was a banner year for television.

Anyway, I just wanted to clear that up before you try to start judging me on my viewing preferences. Don't bother. I get it. I have no filter and we can start right there. So, after that preface, I will now list some of the things I've watched recently:

Here is a funny thing that reminded me just a little bit of the robot from Lost in Space.

1.) The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - I'm kind of digging this HBO series that takes place in Botswana. The music is great and Jill Scott does a really good job. Sure, it's quirky, and a little corny, and the mysteries all seem to be too tidily solved, but I like that about it. I also love that Jill Scott's character makes no excuses for her "traditional African form". She is big and smart and sexy and doesn't take shit from anyone. A girl after my own heart.

2.) Tough Love - This is total trash on VH1, but I watch it all the time anyway. At first, I thought it would be interesting to see what guys wanted in women, because lord knows, I have never been able to figure it out on my own. But, it hasn't revealed much except the usual: sexy vs. whorish and be honest, but say things in such a way that you put a positive spin on shit and don't be a drunken slut if you want a relationship and not just a hook-up. Now, I just watch it to feel better about myself. Most of the women on the show are shallow drama queens. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times; it's all about who you compare yourself to.

3.) Rescue Dawn - This is a Werner Herzog film with Christian Bale. I didn't know much about it before I watched it, except that it was a Vietnam flick. The first thing I noticed was that my college friend Toby is in it. He plays the funny guy, which is his normal gig, but he does it really well. The second thing was that it seemed really familiar, and then I realized it was the same story as a documentary, also by Herzog, called Little Dieter Needs to Fly that I saw several years ago. The movie was very slow moving, but the scenery and the character studies were pretty interesting.

4.) Rachel Getting Married - Many of you have already seen this Jonathan Demme movie. I know a lot of people had issues with it, but I really liked it. It's filmed in such a way that you feel like you just got dropped off at a wedding where you don't really know anyone and you have to figure out all the family dynamics on your own. Of course, the people were completely foreign to me. I've never come close to living in that kind of privilege, but again, I liked that escapism about it. Oh, and there was tons of great and varied music too.

I watched this with Coadster and it brought on some interesting conversations. The most obvious being the subject of addiction. I try to impress moderation and balance upon my girls. Most people are told not to drink, but most people end up drinking at some point in their lives. I talk to the girls about how to drink responsibly. As I've said many times before, I have to be very careful about how much I drink, because I have almost no tolerance for alcohol. They don't call me two beer Churlita for nothin'. I tell the girls that when they get to a point in their lives to drink, not to play drinking games or do a bunch of shots or share a pitcher. If you drink cans or bottles, it's a lot harder to get roofied and you can keep better track of how much you've had. I've also said, it's one thing to have a drink here and there but if you have to take drugs or alcohol just to get through the day, you need to look closely at what your real problem is.

The other subject we talked about was the family dynamic in the film. Debra Winger (I also made Coadster watch some YouTube clips from Urban Cowboy after she said she'd never heard of Debra Winger before. Some people may consider that child abuse) played the emotionally distant mother. Having me for a mom, Coadster thought she was really weird. She didn't understand why she couldn't just have a real conversation about things or want to share in her daughters' lives.

Coadster wondered if Anne Hathaway's character was the middle child and if that was why she needed so much attention. I said I thought so. Then Coadster made some comment about how everyone knows that the youngest kid always gets all the attention. Just like how Stinky is so much more spoiled than she was. I told her that I thought that was an interesting perception, since Stinky said almost the same thing about her just the other day. Coadster seemed shocked and wanted to know how anyone could think she was spoiled. I gave her several examples, and she said, "Oh. I guess I never thought about it that way."

Okay. That's probably enough of my pseudo movie/show reviews. Come back tomorrow and I'm sure I'll prattle on and on about nothing again.

Can You Really Cough It Up Loud and Strong?

What a friend calls her "wailing wall". She's in the process of tuck-pointing it.

So, I woke up today feeling like my throat was being ripped from the inside by razor blades. Since I knew strep was going around and I didn't think my co-workers would appreciate me spreading it to them, I decided to stay home today and get tested for it and sleep most of the day...Oh, and drink as much Chai tea as I can stand, and I can stand a lot, believe me. It doesn't look like I have strep, so I'm going to try really hard to go to work tomorrow.

I think I'll make this super, duper short tonight, so I can sleep even more. I was going to blog about some stuff I watched lately, but I'll have to save that for tomorrow.

I just noticed on my site meter that someone googled: "fort madison library caught with someone looking at porno."


I wish I did have a blog post about that, but from the guys I know from Ft. Madison, and I seem to know an inordinate amount, that someone could be anyone and everyone. I may have to google that same thing and see what the real story is. FMDM's folks are always listening to the police scanner down there, maybe he could find out for me...

Okay, I'll take my leave now and try not dream about people getting caught looking at porn in the Ft Madison library.

How Many Lives Are Living Strange?

Here is a picture of a lovely bird bath.

Tonight I'm still sick, so this post will be pretty short and random. Ready?

1.) With my illness and my tendency to create bizarre scenarios in my head, I decided to do some reading up on the swine flu that's been going around. One of the things they suggested in order to protect yourself against it, was to stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing. If I did that, I'd never go into work. It's like the TB ward in my office all year long.

2.) On Sunday the girls and I went grocery shopping. We only had about $50 to spend until I get paid on the first, so we tried to be careful about what all we got. Sure, I had a credit card to use if we went over, but I really didn't want to have to use it. When the guy rang up all of our groceries, it came to $49.18. The girls and I all cheered and the cashier looked very confused, but laughed just the same. Poor guy.

Here are some pretty little daffodils. Happy Spring!

3.) So, this month two of my gay friends are coming back to Iowa to get married. My woman friend and her girlfriend will be here this Friday and my male friend and his boyfriend are coming on the 15th. They are both double professional incomes with no kids and have been waiting many, many years to legally wed. The way I see it, if California doesn't feel like it needs those kinds of dollars, Iowa will happily grab them up, thank you very much. Plus, now I get to see my wonderful friends again. Double bonus.

4.) On Saturday night, some young boy was talking to me at the bar. After he left, one of the women I was sitting with leaned over and said, "You do know that that guy was totally hitting on you, don't you?" Then jokingly finished, "And he was wearing a crochet headband. How could you say no to that?" I think the more appropriate question is, who would say yes to a guy wearing a crochet headband?

5.) You know how I'm always talking about the fact that my girls have almost totally opposite personalities? Well, here's just another illustration:

Stinky: I can't wait until you leave next year and I can have the room to myself.

Coadster: You'll miss me. You already said you'd miss me...

Stinky: Maybe, but it will be nice not to have you bossing me around all the time.

Coadster: You'll miss me doing all the laundry and folding all of your clothes for you.

Stinky: No I won't. I could care less about that kind of stuff. Normally, I just pick something up off of the floor, shake it, smell it and put it on.

Apparently, Stinky is in dire need of a finishing school.

I Wanna Take You There Like the Staple Singers

Here's me and some great girlies. If you look closely, you can see a bit of the plaid skirt I bought at the Gap outlet for .97.

So, I started feeling like I was getting sick on Friday. I've been furiously taking Zycam to try and get rid of it, but I woke up on Saturday with a horrible sore throat and feeling very weak. I used it as a perfect excuse to take lots and lots of naps.

On any normal Saturday, I'd just stay home when I was sick, but my girl crush was going to be in town for a bachelorette party and another friend was having stupid boy problems and needed moral support, so I went out for a bit. I did go home early, so I could get some decent sleep, though.

When I first got down to the Dublin, the bachelorette party was still at the Hilltop and I sat with my friend who was putting up with WAY too much shit from a stupid boy and another friend who met her husband (who is wonderful) after she stopped putting up with crap from other guys. I was busy spouting off about how I won't put up with games or bullshit from guys anymore. If a guy doesn't want a relationship, then I'm not interested. If the guy wants to hang out and not go out on a proper date, then I'm not interested. If a guy doesn't respect me, then I'm not interested, and if that means I'm single forever, then at least I know I'm happier alone than I am in a bad relationship.

Whoever oversees the universe, must be either a real asshole or have a bizarre sense of humor, because before I even stopped spewing out all of my little blah, blah, blah, I receive a text from Mr. B.. I haven't heard from him in a month, so I was a little surprised. I guess it was a perfect opportunity to put my money where my mouth was. We texted back and forth a bit and then he called me. It was almost impossible to hear each other in the bar, but he did tell me that he found a great place for him and his son and they were moving in two weeks. I was really happy for him, because I knew it was something he'd been working on for a while. It was nice to hear from him, but in my head we're just friends who drunk text from time to time. Of course, he told me that I'm the second thing he thinks about every day (his son being the first, presumably). I just tried to ignore that. If it were really true, I'm sure he'd contact me more often than once every month or two when he was drunk and actually make an effort to see me. So, I imagine the reality is that he wanted to tell someone about his change in situation who would get really excited with him about it, and I was happy to do that.

Now, on to something more fun. The bachelorette party, along with my girlcrush invaded the bar with a vengeance.

They made quick work of moving the tables and chairs out of the way to create the dance floor.

They also brought fun party props. As we all know, drinks taste so much better when sipped through a crazy straw.

And the girlcrush also taped a cute little pink appendage to herself.

It took her a minute to figure what to do with it...

...But with a little help from a friend, she made good use of her new extremity.

After she was, uh, done, she went back to performing some of her best show choir moves for the fun kids at the bar.

As you can imagine, the pink penises (i?) never got old and boys were whipping them out at every opportunity. I wish I could have stayed to see the same schtick 100 more times, but I was fading fast, so I went home and went straight to sleep.

Luckily, the girl crush will be back in town next weekend for another friend's baby shower, and if this stupid cold doesn't evolve to an evil swine flu, I plan to be rested and ready to roll by then.

Friday Night and Everyone's Moving

I love this photo. V. looks like the bat leader of the dog pack.

Tonight was one of those crazy, rush around nights in the Churlish household. I got home from work, dropped Coadster's soccer jersey off at her game, went running, came home, picked up Stinky, went to Coadster's game, took the girls for some greasy, crappy fast food, got gas and a few groceries to last until Sunday and made it home with a half hour to spare until I had to take Coadster to jazz choir rehearsal at nine. Whew!

Here are some peonies coming up by a headstone. It's so very "beginning and end of the cycle", isn't it?

So, what's on tap for the weekend, you ask?...Or maybe you didn't, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. Sadly, I have to work the entire Friday tomorrow. I put in my vacation requests for the next two months, so in May I'll work half days on the 1st and the 15th. (Coadster's 17th birthday. Eek!) Then get Memorial day off. In June I always take the the two days off after the girls' last day of school. This year those days fall on a Friday and Monday. Perfect. Then I'll take three more days off at the end of June. I kind of like breaking my week of vacation up so that I get at least one day off every week in June.

Friday night Coadster's going to the free concert of the band, Motion City Soundtrack at the student union for Riverfest and Stinky is going to see the Hannah Montana movie and then either sleepover at a friend's house or have that friend sleep at our house. Me? I'm planning on driving Stinky and her friend to their movie, but then just staying home and drinking a beer and watching a movie on my own. It's what I've been fantasizing about doing all week. That's how lame I am.

Saturday, I'll do practical stuff like recycling, and helping Coadster study for her AP government exam and get all of our bike maintenance done. Then I'll go grab a beer with my friend G. Rumor has it that my girl crush will be in town for a bachelorette party, so I'll try to hook up with her at some point too. You can bet your sweet ass, I won't forget my camera this time around.

Sooooo, what are all you all's plans? Will you get to do the thing you've been fantasizing about all week? (Please feel free not to go into any detail)

A Simple Prop to Occupy My Time

I'm posting two tree photos tonight, in celebration of Earth Day.

Well, kids. It's just another exhausted Wednesday. A good day, but I've been having some motivational problems. I had a little time to myself for a change, which was good, I just wish I could have spent it lying on my couch watching a movie or something equally relaxing. Maybe this weekend...

Here is a whole row of trees by a lane. I could just hug them all.

Okay, since I'm so lame, I'm going to just post the random playlist my iPod created for me while I was running and leave it at that. Trust me, it's all I'm really good for right now.

"Galway Girl" - Steve Earle. It was just about a year ago that I saw him perform live at the Englert. I think he would be even better to see in some small town bar, playing with a real band.

"Got to Give It up Pt 1"- Marvin Gaye. Even his disco era stuff is awesome.

"The One I Love" - R.E. M.

"Gamma Ray" - Beck. This song is so fun to run to...Or to do anything, really.

"Mama Said Knock You Out" - LL Cool J. Don't call it a comeback!

"Johnny Too Bad" - The Slickers. This is from the soundtrack of the movie The Harder They Come. There was a time in my life when I was delusional enough to think I'd be able to afford graduate school in comparative literature where I would study Latin American and Carribean literature and film. I think I've seen almost every Caribean movie made up to a certain year.

"Raspberry Beret" - Prince. This is one of those songs that takes me right to a particular place and time whenever I hear it: My first day at the salmon restoration site in the California Conservation Corps. in Leggett, Ca. in 1985.

"Come On Eileen" - Dexys Midnight Runners

"Ceremony" - New Order. Better this than "Blue Monday", which is annoyingly overplayed.

"Don't You Just Know It" - Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns

Today I was thinking about how I get songs stuck in my head when I don't listen to to music while I run. In the past I was foolish enough to tell people I knew about that problem I have. An ex-boyfriend used to think it was funny to play Ratt's Round and Round, when he saw me getting ready for a run. Have I mentioned to you how grateful I am for my iPod?