Jack and I met Mel up in Marin for dinner and a little sunset watching. We found a really lovely Thai restaurant, and then drove up Mt Tam. Currently Saturn, Venus and Mercury are all setting right after the sun making for some spectacular viewings, of course this being San Francisco we watched the sun set into the fog as it came at us. The temperature drop as the fog approached was incredible, but the views up on Mt Tam were breath taking and the "sunset" really didn't disappoint. Being at fog level was in its own way a cool experience, and there were lots of dear and interesting flora. I'm sure I will see the planets again someday. Jack took a few pics so watch his blog for them.
About 6 months ago Jack and I made a conscience decision to start buying blue. It means I very rarely shop at Safeway, or Raleys, and do most of my grocery shopping at Whole foods, Costco, and Trader Joes. I've even picked hotels (Hampton Inn vs Comfort) based on buying blue when I've had a choice because they both met my other needs (2 room suites where Megan can sleep and I can still stay up).
Its been empowering. For once I feel like I know more about where my money is going and its really going where my mouth is. And why not - why not support those companies who either stay out completely or lean towards my politics. Its a great idea, and it give me cause to think when I do go into a red store - "do I really need this item?"
Course shopping mostly at Costco means we have lots of TP and papertowels, and still alot of the products we buy in blue stores come from red company's but its a start and maybe someday company's will realize it pays to stay out of politics.
Dear Friend,
I hope you will join me right now in signing an open letter to the President urging him to thoroughly reject Karl Rove's purposeful attack on the patriotism of those who dare ask the tough questions that best protect American troops.
http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/rove.php
Dear President Bush,
In the days following the 9/11 attacks, you movingly spoke of the unity of purpose emanating all across America. Now, Karl Rove, your top political aide, wants us to believe that you weren't telling the truth -- that Americans were offering "therapy and understanding to the attackers." You cannot remain silent as your most senior advisor purposely twists the truth about a great moment of American unity for political gain.
It isn't the first time Karl Rove has crossed the line. It needs to be the last. I call on you to thoroughly reject his cheap, divisive efforts to challenge the patriotism of your political opponents. It's time to fire Karl Rove.
http://www.johnkerry.com/petition/rove.php
Thank you.
Last night before going to bed Megan was obsessed with getting a Pooh bear band-aid despite that fact that she doesn't have a scratch on her. Because it was Poker night and I was anxious to get her to bed, I relented and put on on her hand in the middle of the back - like a big old sticker. She was excited about her pretend or as she called it "tin" booboo and showed it off to our guest before heading to bed.
This morning she woke up and showed me her booboo and said "mommy booboo hurt" I said what booboo and she showed me her band-aid hand and I said "silly that's a pretend booboo!" and she tucked her head down cracked a smile, and flashed her lashes at me as she started to giggle.
on a completely unrelated vain, i have been trying to send a fax to a company down south. I have tried several times over the last 2 days and last night called and got an alternate fax number. Then I called again today and she as assured me that they have gotten faxes from other people, well I'd sent other faxes to other people. So I finally turned the sound up so I could hear what was happening and that's when I heard "this line is not set up for that function!" duh - I didn't have long distance on our second line cause it the one TIVO and Directv use to talk to their boxes and I occasionally use for faxes. I connected the fax to our main line and magic - it worked!
I watched the new show 30 Days last night on FX. Its created by the guy who ate McDonalds for a month and started to go into Liver Failure in the movie Supersize Me, Morgan Spurlock. This week he spent 30 days living at minimum wage. For him and for me watching it was an eye opener to see just how hard it was to make it. Both he and his girlfriend gave up all their money and moved to Columbus Ohio, where they found an apartment above a crack house for $350 a month rent and multiple jobs, making around 50 bucks a day, working hard. They ended the month in the red because both of them had to goto the emergency room at once.
Watching the show made me realize just how much I waste money. Last night when Megan was in the bath we broke out the soap paints which I bought for 13 bucks. I didn't even think about the cost when I bought it. And then I looked around and realized that Megan's Shampoo, Conditioner, soup - all brand name and and all told around 20 bucks for the bunch. Lets not even go into how much I spend on my own shampoo. Of course we can afford this lifestyle, we work hard for it, but it does give me pause that there are so many people out there that can't even afford to have a place to wash, and sleep, while I can take 20 min showers, after soaking in our hot tub.
It gives me pause, to not only appreciate all that I have, but also to try and help where ever I can.
Next weeks 30 Days is about a guy who uses steroid to beef up, which doesn't really excite me, but i'll keep an eye on it (thanks to TIVO) and see what other ideas Morgan can surprise me with.
Jack and I have been married 13 years today. For those of you who wonder - its the Lace Aniversary! I am happier today that I was when I got married, and at the time I thought that was the best time of life. Our life has only gotten better. Sure we drive each other crazy, like when Jack put Megan's security blanket in the wash yesterday and didn't tell me or put it in the dryer and I had to deal with a very upset Megan for the 30 mins it took to dry yesterday, while he was at the movies, *&%$##&^ ! but really I count myself very lucky that Jack is my husband, and wants to spend the rest of his life with me.
I love you Jack- I'm looking forward to spending many many more years.
Earlier today I went to a open house for a house in our neighborhood - its on Michelle Way about 3 streets away, its listed at $660,000 which is outrageous!.
Anyway the realtor was really nice and didn't seem to mind a noisy neighbor. We chatted and then I looked around.. when I went in the MasterBedroom a bird flew at me... turns out i was a mocking bird. I called the agent and offered to help get it out. She shut the door and I went through the room and opened the window, pushing the screen out - the bird mean while flew around and around finally smashing into the window and knocking itself out. Now with the window open we knew it could get out if it woke up, and I said my goodbye and got the heck out of there.
Then After movie club, I drove up to our house and saw not one but 3 dead baby mocking birds! Very sad moment when Jack and I went out and picked them all up. Very strange bird day indeed.
BTW the movie for film club was March of the Penguins which was really well done and very enjoyable. Sort of added to my for the birds day.
The house currently has a proposal in front of it called the "the Houses of Worship Political Speech Protection Act". [HR235] The idea behind it is to let tax-exempt churches endorse candidates. This is led by Walter Jones (Rep from NC) and while he says the bill is about free speech, in private he says "you can't have a strong Nation that doesn't follow God" (from a sermon at a conference of Reclaiming America for Christ)
Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
I thought that Jack was really finding fringe stuff for his blog, but this information came to me today in our phone bill. We get our long distance through Working Assets And they bring to their customers attentions any bills in front of state and federal government that are questionable. Course they want me to call my congressman Pete Stark The reality is I already know this great man is doing everything he can to stop such garbage. I have sent him a letter anyway to show him my continued support.
I urge you all to do the same. Even if you are a Christian, you can't think getting religion and government to mix is a good idea. Realize that now it may be your religion that the government wants to endorse, but realize also that you may not, if we follow this road, be allowed to change your mind, and follow a different path from a state sanctioned one. You may be forced to say follow the teachings of the baptist church, even though you believe more along the lines with the methodist. There's just no telling were this type of thinking will take us. The trouble is if you overlook this attack on the cornerstones of American Democracy like Separation of Church and state, then you'll have no say later when the winds of change go against what you believe.
Its 9 am and Megan has been playing quietly for the last 20 mins or so in her room. I love this time of the day, so much possibility to what awaits us. Megan singing and playing in her crib, happy as a clam. I love listening to her over the baby monitor. She counts things, and talks to piglet and tells "giters" (tigger) No don't do that... and every once and while she says, ok shouts- "mommy, WAKE UP" So I guess i'll stop playing online and go rescue her :)
Megan's interest in using the potty happened while we were at Grandpa's and because we were traveling I didn't encourage it. I let her us the potty when ever she asked but that was it. Now that we are home, she has no interest at all.
So I was at lunch today with a friend who's son is Megan's age and we chatted about the whole idea of potty training and decided that since we were across the parking lot from Babies R Us, we try letting the kids pick out a potty seat them selves. We got there and Megan's friend picked out the "elmo seat" Megan spent more time looking at all available options, even played the button on the musical seat, but in the end she too picked the Elmo seat. We got in the car and called daddy and Megan told him all about the new potty, we got home and she rushed into the house, holding the now unpackaged elmo seat. We rushed to the bathroom where she put the potty seat on the toilet, and then she said "Ok Mommy (YOU) sit there!"
Megan had a very traumatic day today. When she woke up she wanted to go "play outside" So we got dressed and she headed out, after a quick breakfast. I was busy packing our lunches and getting our swim gear together cause we were meeting some friends at a local water play pool. First Megan came in and showed me her hands covered in Poop! She said "look mommy yucky" I assumed it was dog poop and so I propped her up on the sink and we washed hands all the while i'm telling her not to play with dog poop, Megan gave me this strange look and pulled up her dress... the poop as it turned out was her own and her diaper had malfunctioned.
Mess cleaned up I sent her out once again to play while I continued with my job of making lunch... when I heard Megan scream in absolute terror - the kind of terror that prompted me to drop a 7 inch chef's knife and run out side.... Only to find Megan screaming and crying 4 feet away from Oso who had a Snake dangliing out of his mouth. I picked up Gee and yelled at Oso, he being a better dog than expected, dropped the snake and followed me inside. Once i calmed Megan down, I headed out with a shovel to remove the snake from the yard (I assumed that it was dead - I was wrong) Megan watching me from the window I managed to get the snake on the shovel and over the fence into the canal area, where the snake wiggled away to nurse what must be a very sore body.
Megan then refused to go back out side, so we called Grandpa to tell him all about the snake. then we drove to the pool (about 10 mins away) while Megan repeated to me the story of the snake (over and over and over again)
We got the pool and the change of scene was enough for her to forget the snake and oso and we played for about an hour in the absolute coolest pool - about 6 inches to 1 foot deep, with a play structure in the middle and lots of water spouts etc. It was off the hook cool for a public pool. Megan and I had a blast, then we headed in to change and have lunch with our friends and no sooner were we seated and eating did Megan start telling everyone about "oso neek" I explained what happened as Megan repeated "osos neeek"
After lunch we came home and I promised Megan she could watch Maisyas i was unloading the car she went running into the garage, stopped to look at Daddy's bike and a good breeze came in and knocked the bike over and onto her. Not once but twice today I've heard my daughter scream in absolute Terror! it's stops the heart and numbs the senses.
She is fine, alittle scratched from the bike, but Maisy helped and now she is napping.
If the Snake was one and the bike was two... I'm scared to find out what 3 will be to my poor GeegaDee