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.