Vacation chez Nous

Midway through vacation and my kids seem happy to do nothing and wander to town later to "see friends". The big downside is the restlessness they feel at night after laying about for a day. But squander away they will and as long as I guard the fort, make them walk the dog and keep food in the house they are happy to chill as much as humanly possible or I allow. It is nice to watch them unwind. There is a definite benefit to school breaks as maddening as they can make me feel.

(Full disclosure: Sarah has been busy behind closed doors cleaning her bedroom and it looks amazing. She divested and re-organized and did a wonderful job. A happy occasion for Mom and Dad.)

Awareness Frenzy

Okay. It's almost always overwhelming. Face it, there are lots of talented people chasing the same dream, often better situated, more means and better connections. So, what is the point at the end of the day? Try not to be distracted by my thousands of competitors, many working with a singular determination to succeed. It's impossible to know how to keep going except to put the blinders on and go down the field while keeping the ball aloft and the goal in sight. Simple really. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just try to make it work. And do make something that appears to be worth the effort. Please.

Au Revoir

I've spent a busy week with some of the characters from Toy Story and I know that I have put these Happy Meal Toys through their paces. They were excellently behaved on set and as their director, producer and photographer I have no complaints. Best of all, they worked for free and were available at all hours of the day or night. Before I pack them back into the shopping bag they've called home for quite a while now, I made one last photo as a souvenir of my Pixar reverie.

Best in Show

Around bedtime while tidying up the kitchen I turned on the tv just in time for the final ten minutes of the Westminster Dog Show. The seven finalists did their last turn as the judge determined best of show. The beautifully groomed animals with their very proud handlers waited patiently for her decision.
I thought I heard a gasp when the Pekinese won. It sort of moved and looked like a caterpillar while the other dogs and particularly the Irish setter moved like perfection on four legs. Go figure!

Valentine's

February 14th arrives and in my usual fashion- I feel compelled to fashion a greeting. Maybe this fascination stems from my childhood. A typical Valentine saw my father walking in the door from work with two cards and two boxes (one large and one small) for my mother and me. She got the large box and I got the smaller one. Nothing fancy- your typical drugstore chocolates in a heart shaped box. What I remember is feeling special. The fact that I existed made me important to him and that made me very happy. Very. So, in the spirit of love and appreciation I have crafted my message to share with those who have meaning for me. To one and all, I wish you a
Happy Valentine's and that you feel loved and loving on this very sweet day of the year.

The Middle

Well, I am not a middle child. Although my own middle child isn't speaking to me. (For lots of reasons too boring to list, let's just say the state of her room and her school work might have a lot to do with it.) Trying to imagine how long the silent treatment will last and refraining from seeking reconciliation-I am experimenting with non engagement and seeing how it all pans out. I imagine if she really hated me, she wouldn't eat the dinner I prepared last night. In the meantime I focus on today's to do list (Valentine's anyone?..) as my heart hurts a little. We do not live in a conflict free home. The happy family all the time is the true stuff of myths and nostalgia. So, I wait for some glimmer of a thaw and hope someday we are able to get along again, however briefly it lasts.

Super Bowl XLVI ‎

Superbowl Sunday brings the usual media frenzy of hype, the game, half time and the annual contest of advertising agencies spending outrageous sums to outwit, outplay and deliver the biggest buzz for their clients. Jacob has a few buddies over, and earlier I voluminously cooked two pots of chili after surviving a grocery shop with my teens. (Amazing what gets put in the cart when mom isn't looking. Good times!) I completely washed the pans when I switched from the meat recipe to the vegetarian version. Even two different wooden spoons with two different rests. (Just to give you a complete picture.) It's almost time to settle in and see what this year has to offer. I might have already seen my favorite commercial previewed (what's up with that?) on the web this morning of Matthew Broderick reviving Ferris Bueller in the most adorable production imaginable. Kudos to Honda for such an excellent effort. The game is about to begin. Time to go.

Post Game: What was the deal with the mass Vogue graphics on the field during halftime? (How many screens was that?) A little odd to see this Condé Nast icon interjected in to the biggest athletic event of the year.

Valentine's and Me

Now whenever a spare moment pops up I think about Valentine's Day. This is becoming a time sensitive matter. It's February 1st, and if I have any intentions of creating a Valentine (like I have done every year for a very long time) I need to have an idea. I seem to have ideas all day long, but none that lend themselves to this purpose. Photos? Yes. Family? Yes. Friends? Yes. Love? Yes. Valentine's. Well, not yet and the clock is ticking.