It's time for the annual Jell-O brain mold for my friend's Halloween party. This is the party where--6 years ago--John and I first met. It is very much tradition at this point.
I'm making a giant Jell-O shot this year. A Pina Colada brain stuffed with marichino cherries and garnished with crushed pineapple. Coconut rum will be substituted for some of the water and there will be a "two slice limit". I had my Jell-O flavors all picked out to mimic the drink: pineapple Jell-O stirred with whipped cream and the coconut rum for the right kick of tropical goodness. I went to the store to pick up the items and what should I see lingering on the shelf past its summertime run? Pina Colada flavored Jell-O.
(This is the fifties housewifery part)
I got giddy over the Jell-O. Giddy that there was MY FLAVOR. Ready-made goodness. I now know how our grandmothers felt about convience food and why they remain so popular. One box and your dinner or dessert creation comes to life. It's Better Living Through Science at its finest.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Suburban Rant
I went shopping, as I often do, at Costco the other day. The store was crowded with moms, kids and retired couples...the staple shoppers of mid-weekday afternoons. We were just fine in the store thanks to our newest and most favoritest carrier the hip hammock. Love it.
The problem occurred after leaving the store and centers on lazy, inconsiderate people, i.e.: most of the parking lot population. Here I am strolling down the street on the way to my car to off load my bulky purchases, and I get to watch as some woman ditches her GIANT DOUBLE WIDE Costco shopping cart right next to the front driver's side door of my car. WTF? The cart stand is maybe 50 ft away from her parking spot and she blocks my door (which was parked across from her car so she did have to walk across the driveway and pick that spot) instead of taking her cart to the appropriate place. This just pisses me off. I came this close[-] to yelling at her...something along the line of "What do you think you're doing with that cart!!??" Unfortunately, I am not comfortable with confrontation. I just stewed.
I also, after unloading my groceries, had to push two double wide carts and balance a small child the oh-so-grueling 50 ft to the cart stand. This woman had another woman with her and two children old enough to sit in the car without special seats. There was one grown up to sit with the--older than my baby--children and one woman to take back the cart. If I had merely left her cart I would have most likely scratched my door trying to get on or completely screwed the car next to me. Granted, it was a bright yellow H2, but I like to think I'm better than that. So, I took the carts to the right place.
It seems trivial, and it is, but it is the small courtesies that make civilized life. It's letting pedestrians cross at unlighted intersections. It's holding a door for a stranger with full hands (or a stroller). It's putting shopping carts away. These are the actions that make living in a population dense area bearable.
I may not be perfect in everything, but I try to watch the small things. Small things matter, if they didn't the larger would fall away as well.
The problem occurred after leaving the store and centers on lazy, inconsiderate people, i.e.: most of the parking lot population. Here I am strolling down the street on the way to my car to off load my bulky purchases, and I get to watch as some woman ditches her GIANT DOUBLE WIDE Costco shopping cart right next to the front driver's side door of my car. WTF? The cart stand is maybe 50 ft away from her parking spot and she blocks my door (which was parked across from her car so she did have to walk across the driveway and pick that spot) instead of taking her cart to the appropriate place. This just pisses me off. I came this close[-] to yelling at her...something along the line of "What do you think you're doing with that cart!!??" Unfortunately, I am not comfortable with confrontation. I just stewed.
I also, after unloading my groceries, had to push two double wide carts and balance a small child the oh-so-grueling 50 ft to the cart stand. This woman had another woman with her and two children old enough to sit in the car without special seats. There was one grown up to sit with the--older than my baby--children and one woman to take back the cart. If I had merely left her cart I would have most likely scratched my door trying to get on or completely screwed the car next to me. Granted, it was a bright yellow H2, but I like to think I'm better than that. So, I took the carts to the right place.
It seems trivial, and it is, but it is the small courtesies that make civilized life. It's letting pedestrians cross at unlighted intersections. It's holding a door for a stranger with full hands (or a stroller). It's putting shopping carts away. These are the actions that make living in a population dense area bearable.
I may not be perfect in everything, but I try to watch the small things. Small things matter, if they didn't the larger would fall away as well.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Traffic
It's funny the thoughts that find their way into your head while sitting in traffic. I was in Half Moon Bay this morning for the annual Pumpkin Festival. Traffic on the way home is always awful...a two-lane street winds through the hills to dump hundreds of cars onto the freeways. Estimated time to travel 10 miles: 62 minutes.
I found myself thinking...spinning thoughts...my mind sparked by landmarks from my teenage days. I spent many days in and around the beaches of the area. I was facing the Rite Aid, used to be a Thrifty Drug, where my friend and I bought ice cream and the cute spider tattooed boy behind the counter said I looked like a girl he knew and weeks later he remembered me outside of the punk club in Berkeley.
I was drunk. He was straight edge. He gave me a quote for the article my mom was writing on the club scene. I was researching that night. Usually I was drunk with no purpose.
I thought of Captain Morgan and the senior trip three of us skipped to play at San Gregorio State Beach. Our own "senior moment" before we were old. We jumped off of low cliffs (or high rocks) onto the wet sand and huddled in a cave that was only exposed during very low tide cycles to smoke the green goddess.
Somehow my mind came around to the car behind whose wheel I was now sitting. I drive John's car now. I didn't always. I was staring at the rear end of a relative of my beloved car...which John now drives. Babies confuse many things, cars and drivers among them.
When John and I first began dating we were a little wild. We were having fun, we still are, but not in the same ways. After we had been dating for--oh--about a month I took him to meet my family. And I mean MEET my family. When my parents were still together we would all go Christmas caroling sometime in December. It was tradition. I took John. He must have been really into me to have gone to meet my family (brother and sisters included) and SING with them after only knowing me for a month. I had to marry him, and now you know why.
We were driving back to San Jose kind of late at night. Eleven or midnight. We decided to race home. Race. Each other. Over the freeway we sped. I was pushing 100 mph at one point and we were moving across lanes just racing for the sheer love of speed and the fun and, yes, even the danger. It was glorious.
It all came down to the last stretch of the race. We were going to my house for the night. I zigged and he zagged and he made it around the corner and snagged the parking spot first. I gambled and lost. He told me he always had it in the bag, his engine is bigger than mine. I didn't care. I just like to race.
Now I drive that same car with the bigger engine, but I wouldn't, couldn't, race it. We once read a story about a couple that was into illegal street racing. Only, they carried their very small children in the back seat. I couldn't do that. Now I have the car that won and I won't race it.
And Half Moon Bay looks different and the drug store is changed and I'm sure the place where I bought the purple shorts because my jeans were soaked is gone...I drove there without my license because no one cared if I did at that moment...I have the license now. And the car. And I was sitting in traffic letting my mind spin fine webs of memory.
I found myself thinking...spinning thoughts...my mind sparked by landmarks from my teenage days. I spent many days in and around the beaches of the area. I was facing the Rite Aid, used to be a Thrifty Drug, where my friend and I bought ice cream and the cute spider tattooed boy behind the counter said I looked like a girl he knew and weeks later he remembered me outside of the punk club in Berkeley.
I was drunk. He was straight edge. He gave me a quote for the article my mom was writing on the club scene. I was researching that night. Usually I was drunk with no purpose.
I thought of Captain Morgan and the senior trip three of us skipped to play at San Gregorio State Beach. Our own "senior moment" before we were old. We jumped off of low cliffs (or high rocks) onto the wet sand and huddled in a cave that was only exposed during very low tide cycles to smoke the green goddess.
Somehow my mind came around to the car behind whose wheel I was now sitting. I drive John's car now. I didn't always. I was staring at the rear end of a relative of my beloved car...which John now drives. Babies confuse many things, cars and drivers among them.
When John and I first began dating we were a little wild. We were having fun, we still are, but not in the same ways. After we had been dating for--oh--about a month I took him to meet my family. And I mean MEET my family. When my parents were still together we would all go Christmas caroling sometime in December. It was tradition. I took John. He must have been really into me to have gone to meet my family (brother and sisters included) and SING with them after only knowing me for a month. I had to marry him, and now you know why.
We were driving back to San Jose kind of late at night. Eleven or midnight. We decided to race home. Race. Each other. Over the freeway we sped. I was pushing 100 mph at one point and we were moving across lanes just racing for the sheer love of speed and the fun and, yes, even the danger. It was glorious.
It all came down to the last stretch of the race. We were going to my house for the night. I zigged and he zagged and he made it around the corner and snagged the parking spot first. I gambled and lost. He told me he always had it in the bag, his engine is bigger than mine. I didn't care. I just like to race.
Now I drive that same car with the bigger engine, but I wouldn't, couldn't, race it. We once read a story about a couple that was into illegal street racing. Only, they carried their very small children in the back seat. I couldn't do that. Now I have the car that won and I won't race it.
And Half Moon Bay looks different and the drug store is changed and I'm sure the place where I bought the purple shorts because my jeans were soaked is gone...I drove there without my license because no one cared if I did at that moment...I have the license now. And the car. And I was sitting in traffic letting my mind spin fine webs of memory.
Sunday, October 8, 2006
Got 'Em!
I got Maia her* Baby Legs. Pink and brown stripe. Too cute! She deserved a treat after her four month check-up, complete with shots and an unexpected blood draw--from the arm and everything. Ouch!
She's fine, she just has some dark spots under the skin on her legs that the Dr. couldn't recognize off the bat...so we did a platelet count to make sure it wasn't anything to worry about. It isn't.
She's a cool baby and far more trendily dressed than I.
*...You know that, except for the very basics, baby clothes are for the parents and by parents I mean moms...because how many dads would buy leg warmers for infants?
She's fine, she just has some dark spots under the skin on her legs that the Dr. couldn't recognize off the bat...so we did a platelet count to make sure it wasn't anything to worry about. It isn't.
She's a cool baby and far more trendily dressed than I.
*...You know that, except for the very basics, baby clothes are for the parents and by parents I mean moms...because how many dads would buy leg warmers for infants?
Sunday, October 1, 2006
Bye-Bye Summer
Even though the weather has been chilling down and the mornings have been blessed with fog, I haven't been able to say good-bye to summer. After all, the afternoons have still been freakin' hot.
Until today.
This morning started out just like yesterday, cloudy and cool, but unlike yesterday it never cleared up. Yes folks, we had our first rain of the season and Maia and I got a small taste of days to come. I went to the farmer's market in the Cats...that would be three days running visiting the snobby older sister of my neighborhood...for my weekly fruit and veggie run. Then headed to the posh baby store looking for these for Maia. Not in yet, but they'll give me a call when they are. Why don't I order them on line? I will. But I want to hold them first, and buy the first pair with king cash. Then go crazy on the Internet.
Still cloudy and cool weather-wise, which was weird considering it was almost 2 PM at this point. The clouds kept getting angrier looking as I drove to TJ's to finish shopping. Side note: I HATE TJ's on the weekend. It's a small store to begin with and on weekends everyone couple shops (except me...but I have Maia, natch) and makes it even smaller. And with the rain it was even worse...ah yes. Here is the point. We had our first rain this afternoon. I am officially saying goodbye to summer. Yeah, I know it's October. I should have said good-bye weeks ago. But here we are and here comes fall for real.
So Maia experienced her first rain shower this afternoon. Good thing she had on her thick hoodie. Her little almost-bald head was covered as we dashed for the store. I was not so lucky. No hood, no jacket, just a sweater and too long jeans. I wasn't expecting this at all. Good thing I did opt for a sweater at least. This first rain was a heavy wet rain. A good rain, not just a tease of things to come. There was an accident on the freeway, no surprise there. John enjoyed the day for different reasons. He stood outside in the wet watching rain sheet off of HIS roof. A testament to his skill as a roofer. He's been waiting for this moment. But it came none too soon as John finished the garage roof only last weekend. John even climbed into the attic to make sure there were no leaks. There weren't. He may have a new career ahead of him. I joke. It was a job well done as today proved, though.
Also on the list of firsts for the season: Maia ROLLED OVER on her own and I MISSED IT!! She rolled over for Daddy and wouldn't do it again. Little stinker. I'll try and get her to do it for me sometime this week. But we'll be able to report it to her doctor and that will be fun. She's getting big but staying cute so we still like her. *wink*. And rolling over. Geeze. What's next? Sitting up? I'm hoping she'll at least do that for me first, since we spend so much time sitting together.
It's chilly this evening and I have a new book to snuggle up to. That's a comfort and one of the best parts of the season. Tomorrow I'll make my weekly library run...another season of West Wing to acquire. Maybe they'll have Grey's Anatomy or Lost to check out. I always run seasons behind on TV, but this way I get to watch with no commercials. It's a trade off I can live with. With that last thought I’ll bid you good night my friends and “Happy Fall”.
Until today.
This morning started out just like yesterday, cloudy and cool, but unlike yesterday it never cleared up. Yes folks, we had our first rain of the season and Maia and I got a small taste of days to come. I went to the farmer's market in the Cats...that would be three days running visiting the snobby older sister of my neighborhood...for my weekly fruit and veggie run. Then headed to the posh baby store looking for these for Maia. Not in yet, but they'll give me a call when they are. Why don't I order them on line? I will. But I want to hold them first, and buy the first pair with king cash. Then go crazy on the Internet.
Still cloudy and cool weather-wise, which was weird considering it was almost 2 PM at this point. The clouds kept getting angrier looking as I drove to TJ's to finish shopping. Side note: I HATE TJ's on the weekend. It's a small store to begin with and on weekends everyone couple shops (except me...but I have Maia, natch) and makes it even smaller. And with the rain it was even worse...ah yes. Here is the point. We had our first rain this afternoon. I am officially saying goodbye to summer. Yeah, I know it's October. I should have said good-bye weeks ago. But here we are and here comes fall for real.
So Maia experienced her first rain shower this afternoon. Good thing she had on her thick hoodie. Her little almost-bald head was covered as we dashed for the store. I was not so lucky. No hood, no jacket, just a sweater and too long jeans. I wasn't expecting this at all. Good thing I did opt for a sweater at least. This first rain was a heavy wet rain. A good rain, not just a tease of things to come. There was an accident on the freeway, no surprise there. John enjoyed the day for different reasons. He stood outside in the wet watching rain sheet off of HIS roof. A testament to his skill as a roofer. He's been waiting for this moment. But it came none too soon as John finished the garage roof only last weekend. John even climbed into the attic to make sure there were no leaks. There weren't. He may have a new career ahead of him. I joke. It was a job well done as today proved, though.
Also on the list of firsts for the season: Maia ROLLED OVER on her own and I MISSED IT!! She rolled over for Daddy and wouldn't do it again. Little stinker. I'll try and get her to do it for me sometime this week. But we'll be able to report it to her doctor and that will be fun. She's getting big but staying cute so we still like her. *wink*. And rolling over. Geeze. What's next? Sitting up? I'm hoping she'll at least do that for me first, since we spend so much time sitting together.
It's chilly this evening and I have a new book to snuggle up to. That's a comfort and one of the best parts of the season. Tomorrow I'll make my weekly library run...another season of West Wing to acquire. Maybe they'll have Grey's Anatomy or Lost to check out. I always run seasons behind on TV, but this way I get to watch with no commercials. It's a trade off I can live with. With that last thought I’ll bid you good night my friends and “Happy Fall”.
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