Powers

I had a dream last night about a friend I knew in San Francisco. I remember it being a fun dream but cannot remember the details. I do recall waking up thinking I should email her just to say hi and tell her she was in my dream.

Just now, I experienced a weird coincidence. I came to sit at my desk and HER Christmas card was sitting at my desk (with a lovely picture of her two children). My kids have been at my desk so I know its something that they dug up from somewhere, but I don't have the cards out, I have no idea where the card was before it was on my desk AND why is it that THAT card is the one on my desk. I've been having some pretty amazing coincidences in the past month and I really like it but also I'm a little 'Twilight Zone' about it too. Just this week I've had about 3 incidences where I've mentioned something or someone and then it has come up in a totally unrelated scenario the next day or shortly after.

When I lived in London in 1997 I had a 'moment' like this. Here is the story. I believe that I am responsible for the death of John Denver. And why you may ask? Well, I was speaking to a fellow American about John Denver songs and how at parties in college the boys would show up and scoff at our collection of John Denver CDs (like what 'lame-Os'). But, without fail, when "I'm Leavin' On a Jet Plane" came on, who would be singing the song at the top of their lungs, those very same boys. OK, so I told my friend this story and the VERY NEXT DAY the report came out that he had died the day before (the same day I was talking about him). I know it is a coincidence, but I didn't normally mention John Denver on a regular basis, it was a one off conversation about something that wasn't important or relevant in my life and then he dies...creepy!

I told my friend the other day that I think I have powers. Now I need to 'hone' the powers so that my Mini Cooper shows up (stick shift please) and my million dollars and the trip to Italy with my husband sans kids and, and, and....oh yeah, and a cure for cancer and world peace!

Bleah!

I have a few blogs in the works (in my mind) that I wanted to put some time into, but today, I have a clogged ear, a stuffy head, and a general malaise about me. I swear that a germ literally jumped from a teacher to me yesterday because she said her ear was clogged and now mine is...coincidence, I don't think so. Anyway, yucky yuckness is making me feel less able to write a well thought out musing, so bleah to you! Maybe some moonshine tonight will make me feel better. I know my mother is cringing at that statement. She is a t-totaller and has been for sometime now so she is less than 'supportive' of the drink (which I respect), but I can and I will and 'I'm my own person and you can't tell me what to do!"...which is a famous line I pronounced to my family when I was in 3rd grade in Newport, RI. It has gone down as a memorable statement in the lore of our family. I'll never live it down AND by the way, I still stand by that statement! So there!

Putting our money where her mouth is

Well the time has come for us to face the music. We knew that Princess would need to visit the orthodontist sooner rather than later due to crossed front teeth. I thought it would be just a minor adjustment maybe just retainer. Ohhhhh, nooooooo, it is much more fun than that. It turns out that her bottom jaw sets back further than it should which causes her to have an overbite which isn't due to her teeth but due to her jaw. Therefore, the jaw must be moved forward. This could be done by headgear but that is the "old way". The new way involves manually and slowly coaxing the jaw forward with a complicated technical contraption that involves a crank and braces too. So, we're starting now while the jaw is still malliable to make the movement swifter and easier. And, oh by the way, this is just phase 1. When the rest of the adult teeth come in, braces will likely need to be put back on due to crowding on the top teeth. The payment could feed a whole African country I'm sure. When I told my husband about the new jaw we are buying he was a bit overcome by the price, and somehow felt 'bamboozled' into saying yes because, who knows better than the orthodontist who has to pay off a boat, summer house and trip to the South of France!

Off to the Looney Bin

O.K., so this isn't my favorite day. First I find out about Herman's fate...then, I realized something disturbing.

Earlier today I heard an obvious noise; the thud of a bird trying to fly into our big floor to ceiling windows. I chose not to investigate due to my squeamish nature. I then proceeded to forget all about it. Tonight as I was conversing with my family I looked up into the upper part of the window and there is a huge 'splat' on the window (see picture)...ewwwwww. Now, where is said bird, I wonder? Husband is currently spraying the window and perhaps he has found the remnants of the bird...I don't dare ask, but I'm sure I will, maybe I won't, ok I will....stop the madness!!!!! Can't wait for a new day and a fresh start...shake it off.

R.I.P.

My biggest fears came true. All day today, Herman was 'sticking out' of his shell. This is not a normal position for him especially in the daytime...he is nocturnal you see. So, I suspected something was amiss, but ignored it by shielding my face every time I passed his home. This evening I asked my husband to take a peek. Well, just like when you pass an accident and cannot help looking even though you don't want to, I watched as he lifted the thing up and the crab's claws hung lifeless...I turned quickly and did a 'nervous tick' thing with my fingers to my temples and said..."I knew this would happen, I knew this would happen" and walked quickly away. Daddy did the dirty deed of telling Princess that Herman was old and had lived out his life (in 31 days at our house). She did not take it well, as suspected. Poor thing was so sad and asked, why, why, why? We skirted around the issue, guessed at the causes and promised that we'd give him a proper burial. She wants to wait in order to have some of her friends around. I'm sure she'll give a good show. She wants to bury his body in the ground and put his shell on top of the dirt...I will be elsewhere if/when this takes place because I do NOT want to see it out of its shell. The poor child asks why all of our animals die shortly after we get them, 2 fish and now the crab. I have no answers except that maybe I 'will them' dead because I really don't appreciate them. They freak me out (live animals that are likely to die sooner than later). Anyway, I'm not sure dogs should be part of our family if in fact we DO have a curse of some sort. All this evening the song from Oklahoma is playing in my head "Poor Judd is dead, poor Judd Frye is dead". I keep checking myself to ensure I don't sing it out loud because Princess definitely knows the song and will know why I'm singing it. By the way, Herman was about a $47 investment, divided by the days he lived at our house...he cost approximately $1.41 a day. I heard Devin ask if she could get a turtle next....Aye Ca rumba!

Note: the picture attached is from last year at Princess' field trip to see the tide pools. It is NOT Herman in her hands (ewwww).

Nothing in life is...

We decided to go to the Folklife Festival yesterday. We (really I) decided at the start that we would NOT be spending money at the event (as little as possible at least). They advertized the event as free, but as the saying goes "nothing in life is free". Here is how free plays out. They jacked up the parking rates to $10 per car. Festival employees confronted at the gates asking for a $10 suggested 'donation' to the event. There were 100s of stalls hawking their wares (we did not partake). They had kid tents with crafts; MANY of which had a fee (we did nothing with a fee). The kids talked Dad into buying popcorn and licorice (behind my back) - $15. We adults shared a coffee $3. So our free event was actually $40.

We informed the kids of our 'NO SPENDING' commitment. Well this met with some grump. Monkey began to tear up as he watched the carnival rides go 'round and walked past all the yummy foods. The carnival rides are a permanent scene downtown so I promised another visit. Princess gave the 'teenage' lip (last I checked she WAS 8, right?). I had to take her aside and have a "conversation" about how lucky she is to have a house over her head, how we give them treats all of the time and that we'd be taking them to see Speed Racer sometime soon and that we had to save our money for that. What I SHOULD HAVE SAID was, "you buck up Missy and get what you get and LIKE IT". Either way both kids weren't 100% into our idea of not spending money. With that said, we did a pretty good job. At the festival we:

• "people watched" and counted 15 crazy costumes


• did a free kid craft


• participated in a 'jam session' with fun instruments


• watched a very large square dance lesson


• enjoyed a picnic lunch


• sat by the huge water fountain and let the kids run and run around it


• watched street performers


• participated in an American Indian dance


• watched a jump rope act (which made me tired watching it)


• acted like a family who 'plays well together'

Again, as the Master Card add says: priceless (with a $40 surcharge)!

True Meaning

Today is the day that people gather together over BBQs to officially kick off the summer. It is a day off, a day of relaxation and 'do whatever you want'. It is a day for big sales too. Well, the day's true meaning has been watered down. In fact, I had to look it up to get the true meaning. So, I'll share it with you.

According to http://www.usmemorialday.org/, it is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. It was officially proclaimed in May of 1868 by General John Logan, commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and first observed on the 30th of the month.

So, still enjoy the day, but take some time to either remember a lost soldier or give thanks for what that loss means to our freedom as a nation. Even though the current 'state of affairs' are arguably 'sticky' in terms of who, what, why, where of the wars we are in, it doesn't mean we shouldn't respect and honor those who have served and specifically those who have died. I know that I am touched by many people who have served in our armed forces and I know for certain that each has lost either a friend, colleague, parent or has somehow experienced loss first hand in the service. So, I give a virtual hug and shout out to those families and friends who are remembering. And I'll do my own remembering as well.

“Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave”
Muhammad quotes