A week in a day!

I did more today than I usually do in a whole week!  And that's kinda sad, but we won't go there.

Bro blew into town from the Deep South and actually gave me (almost) 24 hours notice, which is MAJOR for him!  Usually, it's the same day notice, or he just shows up.  It's fun, and it's frustrating, all at the same time.  But, ultimately, I'm just delighted to see him!  Before he left today, we met for breakfast with his son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law and son's brother-from-another-mother (it's complicated, but it works).

It was 6:30 a.m. - we were all pretty cheery for such an early hour.  I kinda forgot 6:30 a.m. existed.

Aren't they sweet? Ah, young love....

I love my Bro!

After that (8:00 a.m.), I met Cinnamon for coffee, but didn't get any pics.  It was SUPER crowded at the coffeeshop and we didn't get to meet for long, but it was wonderful to catch up in person with her.  Here's an old-ish pic, just for reference, and 'cause I love pics.

Then, I did laundry, and walked to work.

Yes, I did.

Yup, not kidding, I did, both too and from.  30 minutes each way.

For agoraphobic, chicken-chit, "are you lookin' at ME?" me, that's big news!  And manohman, do I ever need the exercise.  It should be good for me.  Right?  Only one cat-call, so that's good.  On the way home, I noticed a flying pig in someone's front yard, empty plastic easter eggs scattered all over another yard, and had to suffer through smelling the absolutely BEST, most DELICIOUS smelling BBQ from one block away.

It was fun!  Mostly.  Now I'm jonesin' for some bbq.

I really wish I'd gotten pics of the pig and the eggs.  The pig was aDORable, just really cute in a not "squee" sort of way.  And the slaughtered easter eggs....  There are no words.  I'll just give you this:

eek.



Off topic, I had really pretty hair yesterday!

Secret Police

I think I secretly want to be a police officer or a secret agent or at LEAST a stunt-car driver. I might not have matured past elementary school, it seems. I've been really into cop shows for a while now, like In Plain Sight, The Closer, The Mentalist, and Bones. I loved The Rockford Files and Barney Miller when I was a kid. I'm listening to the local police scanner right now. They mumble a lot. And there's no sense of urgency in their voices (probably a good thing). It's nothing like TV makes it sound like. It's surprisingly quiet for rather long periods of time! Which I think deserves a YAY!

Sis likes the warmies I made for her for Christmas! Another YAY! Look how cute she is! She plays the piano and lives in a c-c-cold place, so the arm warmers keep her cozy, I hope. She doesn't like scarves, but having a warm neck can really help keep a person warm, so I made her a little neck cowl, very soft, not itchy at all, and can be easily washed, too! The arm warmers are cashmere, and soft as butter. She'll send pics of the leg warmers later (I didn't make the hat, but it looks cute on her!).

I'm so glad she likes them! I didn't embellish them at all, except for a little bit on the leg warmers, because Sis is a classic girl, no frills and furbelows for her, thenkuveddy much! I'm just glad they fit!

Hug your sibs!

Happy National Siblings Day!

I've got the best, sorry, you can't have them. I love my sibs!

Lost in Indiana....

Sisters are GREAT!

"A" Mountain in Arizona

Family is precious

I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful family!

So PROUD!!!!!

I am SUPER DUPER proud of "Papa!" Look at this! And this! So smart, so creative, such a hard worker, a truly inspiring person... my "Papa" is a GREAT guy and I love him!

the Past

I saw this ad today.

For some reason, she makes me think of what I'd have looked like, in my early 20's, had I procreated with a guy I was seeing at the time, a guy I'll call

She looks strong and competent, if not happy. The kid looks content. My life, my self, my everything, would be soooooo different if I'd had a kid. But he definitely was NOT the right guy to be the father of MY spawn. No way. Nice enough guy, but he did prefer the ganja to the job. He was smart, attractive, clever, tall, funny, lots of really good things. But not reliable. Not willing to make sacrifices for anyone or anything, including the kid he had from a previous marriage. So. It was a no go, in all ways, eventually.

When I was a little girl, I just assumed I'd have kids, like "all" women did. As I grew up, I realized I had choices and didn't HAVE to grow a human in my body. I didn't HAVE to spread the miserable health issues my family deals with to another person. I didn't HAVE to risk giving someone a health situation that would make his (and other people's) life a living hell. I could remain child-free; it was MY choice! YAY!

Still, I occasionally feel that kick in my uterus, that baby hunger, that deep in the marrow desire to reproduce. Thank god it passes quickly. I genuinely feel sorry for women who feel that need all the time and are unable to conceive. And now I'm really getting to be too old. My eggs are old. Much bigger risk of even more health issues for the kid.

Mr. Handsome, who had an idyllic childhood, could never give me a "Yes, I do" or "No, I don't" answer to the kid question, in the past. Now, he's sure he doesn't want one. So that's a relief. And he's not worried about what might-have-beens. He says, "We didn't have any, we don't want them now, that's the way it is." I love that about him (amongst many, many other reasons), that he doesn't dwell on the past, on what might-have-been, on regrets.

Time Travel

The Book Doctor has been in the hospital all month, mostly in Critical Care. She just got to go home yesterday night (yesternight? Why isn't that a word?). We actually were worried she might not pull through, she was so sick. Here's hoping her recovery goes smoothly!
I've been extra busy, making sure the bookstore keeps going smoothly, so haven't posted like a good li'l blogger. But here're some Chi-town pics! From way back in September! Woo hoo! Time Travel!

We went to the Museum of Science and Industry, which has really grown since I was a kid!







Here we are at the Face Fountain thing at Millenium Park



I, of course, had to primp, and played around with some makeup and hair with Sis, too!




Then, we all went out to dinner and the place had a GREAT pool table!


Most of these pics are from my iPh0ne, so they're not great (low light). I'll get more up and more news, soon.

Chi-town, comin' up!

I can't wait, I can't wait, I can't wait!!! I'm going to see Sis and Spy Master this weekend! They're going to be in Chicago, so Mr. Handsome and I are going to meet them there after I get out of work today.

Tomorrow, we're going to go to the Museum of Science and Industry, the Art Institute, Millenium Park, and do a little shopping, and have some chocolate cake (with chocolate frosting), 'cause it's my birthday! YAY!

Here they are when we visited Bro in Tucson last year. I LOOOOVED the Pima Air Museum (and I never did finish posting pics from that trip, or from visiting Sis in Seattle. Well, too late now, I think).

Lighthouse

I have the morning off, so I SHOULD be dusting, vacuuming, doing laundry and cleaning the bathrooms, but, hey, dirt always waits. Instead, I'll talk more about the SIBS REUNION!

It was a kinda chilly day (note Sis's cardi), and the water was downright cold (this has been a very chilly July), so we just hung out on the beach for a few minutes before continuing on up the pier. There were people in the water, though. They stayed right there the whole time we were on the pier; they just stayed in the water! Were they mannequins, put out there to fool us all??? Or just insensitive to the cold? Either way, I say "brrrrr..."

We wandered down to the end of the pier. I was taking it easy, due to pain (despite the two pints of beer); Sis's squeeze, Spy Master, says I look like I'm walking like W!nnie the P00h here.

I think he's right!

There were quite a few people at the end of the pier, probably waiting for sunset, though that was at least an hour away. Next time Sis visits, I'm going to take her to the beach and we'll have a picnic and we'll watch the sunset. There's just no place like the lake. We grew up with it as our own, private, magical lake and not having it anymore is like a soul pain.

GEESH! AAAANYway, we watched the lake, we watched the boats, we watched the people, and we watched the fishermen. It was a beautiful evening.

Then it was time to go back.

Look how tall Mr Handsome is and how tiny my sis is!

This is a really cute pic of Sis.

She's so cute!

Sis and Sunshine!

My sibs and I get together once a year, just once a year (if we're lucky and the planets all align properly, allowing us time and funds to do so). This year, Sis came ahead of time and we spent a day with Mr. Handsome at the Hobby House and environs!
No pics of the HH, but we DID enjoy food and drink and the beautiful lake, if only too briefly. NEXT year, we'll plan better, so we'll have more time together.

Here we are having lunch.

The marquee reads like a strip club.

Here's after lunch (and a couple pints of bitter).

I love my Sis!

Then we walked up the river to the beach.

Sis and Mr Handsome, strolling along as I run ahead of them to get the shot.

Sis showing how important safety is!

Sis and I strollin' along.

Mr H and The Sisters

Aw, pretty....

day off

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Yet again, I SHOULD be painting the dining room. Bro? Can you help me out with some motivation, please? You're good at that.

Stream of consciousness

I miss baseball. I miss knowing all the players on my fave team and knowing their stats. I miss knowing who they are by their numbers. Without cable, I don't get to watch the Cubs. Reading about them online just is NOT the same thing. Cable seems like a frivolous expense. We get four or five channels now, all the biggies except for CBS. I don't need to spend yet MORE time planted on my butt in front of an electronic screen. But I miss baseball. It was such an integral part of the family when I was a kid. In the summer, Dad was always listening to a game on the radio in the kitchen while we watched our beloved Cubbies in the living room. Poor man was a White Sox fan with five Cub-fan kids.

We'd play Hot Box in the road. One runner between two bases. I never could outrun that ball. But it was sooooooo much fun to be outside, running around, playing with all the other kids. Being one of the youngest, I always felt like I had to justify my presence, try harder to fit in and be accepted. Bro and John E. were so cool, and their friends: Brian H., Jeff T., Joe With The 'Fro... and that one kid, Joe of the Motorcycles. So cool. Childhood had its challenges, but Summer held only joy and magic, at least in memory.

I should be reading a book to be prepared for a book club, but instead, I'm running around childhood summers! Procrastination, you are my friend!

Cleo is helping me procrastinate. She's lying on my lap, snoring. Cleo is a very old cat. She's 18 or 19 (Mr Handsome can't quite remember when he rescued her). Her back legs are getting weak, she's developing dementia, I worry about her kidney disease. She's been in my life longer than any other cat and longer than many friends. I'm trying to prepare myself for the time (in the far, far distant future, of course) when she will not be here any more. I stare at her, trying to memorize her sweet features and beautiful coloring.

Eeek! I'm getting sentimental, veering on maudlin! Ok, the visit with Homegirls was great, as always! Miss California had a full docket, but made time for me and Homegirl. DeadGirl was out of town, helping some friends come to terms with the loss of a friend (for which I honor her, as she had already said her goodbyes and this trip would not be easy for her). MC and HG and I just hung out, nothing exciting, but so GREAT to just talk and eat and connect. I miss us being together. I hope we can all go visit Miss Cali and Minnesota Man soon. No one was comfortable having her picture put up here, so I am unable to share any pics with you, Sis and Bro. But they said Hi back! :)

Gotta go read now. YAY! I love that I HAVE to read for my job!

























(picture credit: http://www.herndonfineart.com/barnet.htm)

Happy Birthday to ME!

(updated 9/21 with more pics at the end!)


Queen For A Day!

...





I'm working all day today, babysitting Samba










and working at the bookstore, but that's ok, 'cause it's still my BIRTHDAY! Sissie already sent me a box o' goodies, which I was going to wait to open until today, but I opened it last night. Except for the wrapped gifts! The Gummi Bears were NOT wrapped, so I immediately dove in!








AND she sent me "Robin of Sherwood, Season 1"which made me SQUEAL with joy! I loooooove that TV show and Michael Praed was such a good Robin! And so lovely to look at...




















At the bookstore, my AWESOME boss, Book Doctor, gave me delish chocolate cupcakes (which I shared with all the customers; I am SO generous! ;} ) AND sent me flowers from "Wealthy at Charles;" so NICE of her!












I also set up a shelf with some of my favorite things. I actually sold a copy of Persuasion from it! YAY!




When I got home, Mr Handsome had set up a cake (with my name on it! My first birthday cake to have my name on it!) and candles and flowers and champagne! Here's the cake and then my Birthday Haul.
















All in all, a really, really good birthday. The customers in the store were all very nice to me, happy to share my enthusiasm for my birthday (and my cupcakes), Mr Handsome and I watched ZULU, a GREAT film about a battle in Africa in 1879 at Rorke's Drift, and it was just, all around, a really great day!