whoopee!

thanks to all my friends who have been so amazingly wonderful to me. thanks to my family who have all been absolutely supportive and loving. thanks to BS who has always been there, no matter what. and thanks to a little girl who doesn't really quite know what to make of what is going on today, but who is doing her best to understand that mommy is going to the doctor today, and that the doctor is going to take out those lumpy bumps, and that mommy will be all better and just a bit sleepy and ouchy when she gets back.

stay tuned.

yesterday at a little nature center program, we saw three little boys. their first names are Aiken, Baker, and Davis. they sound like a little law firm to me.

what are people thinking when they name their kids?

i just heard a wonderful acoustic version of “veronica” by elvis costello.
every time i hear it, i think of my gram.

Veronica

Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?
What goes on in that place in the dark?
Well I used to know a girl and I would have
sworn that her name was Veronica
Well she used to have a carefree mind of her
own and a delicate look in her eye
These days I'm afraid she's not even sure if her name is Veronica

Chorus:

Do you suppose, that waiting hands on eyes,
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those who shout her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica

Did the days drag by? Did the favours wane?
Did he roam down the town all the while?
Will you wake from your dream, with a wolf at
the door, reaching out for Veronica
Well it was all of sixty-five years ago
When the world was the street where she lived
And a young man sailed on a ship in the sea
With a picture of Veronica

On the “Empress of India”
And as she closed her eyes upon the world and
picked upon the bones of last week's news
She spoke his name outloud again

Chorus

Veronica sits in her favourite chair and she sits
very quiet and still
And they call her a name that they never get
right and if they don't then nobody else will
But she used to have a carefree mind of her
own, with devilish look in her eye
Saying “You can call me anything you like, but
my name is Veronica”

Chorus

-Elvis Costello

ok. my three-year-old just did an interpretive dance to adam sandler's “lunchlady land.”

i'm beginning to think my life could easily be turned into a sitcom.

too funny. thanks to scally for this one.

just coming up for air today…

BC has strep. two days ago, she woke up and would not eat a thing. she even passed by her favorites, yogurt and blueberries (is this kid ridiculously healthy or WHAT?), so i knew something was not right. by lunchtime, she felt really hot to me. we went out and bought a thermometer since ours decided to poop out on us. i took her temp, and she was 101F. i decided to give her a little kiddie motrin to help me knock down the temp until we visited the nurse practitioner (whom BC LOATHES).

BIG MISTAKE.

after downing, oh, i dunno, maybe half of her motrin, BC flipped out and decided to reenact a scene from the exorcist. she screamed, she squirmed, she cried her little eyes out (actually, a good sign since she had tears and thus was not dehydrated.) and then, the deluge. what little she had eaten that day, plus some unexpected stomach contents, all came out. i held my hands out to catch the barf — why did i bother?– and keep it off her bed, but in vain. soon, everything had barfy remnants – me, her bed, her blankie, her quilt. so i cleaned her up, sat her on the rocking chair, and proceeded to clean everything else (except myself) up. it was one of those glamourous parenting moments that somehow never shows up in those print ads of glowing, happy children.

anyway, sure as shit, she has strep. we gave her a dose of amoxicillin that night, and she reenacted a more furious version of the day's scary moments. it was horrifying since i could not tell at this point whether it was merely meds hitting an empty stomach (which is now what i think it all was) or an actual medical allergy. i got put on hold at my pediatrician's office, so i finally broke down and called the blue cross nurse line. pretty useless as well. fortunately, after about 15 minutes, BS got her calmed down. i took her on a looooong ride in the car to help her calm down, and then we stopped at baskin robbins for an ice cream. (which, i might add, should also be touted as a wonder drug.) she said she didn't want to go to sleep because she didn't want to throw up in her bed again. why, i asked her? i will just clean it up if you do.

she said, “mommy, i don't want you to get mad at me.”

i felt 1 inch tall. i didn't get mad at her when i had to clean her up earlier, but perhaps my business-like manner in getting everything cleaned up made her think i was pissed off. “honey,” i said, “you can't help getting sick. and as your mommy, i am glad to help you when you need help, and i will clean up you and your bed and anything else if i need to. and i won't be mad. promise.”

fortunately, it never came to that. the next morning, she woke up all smiley. she said, “i feel GOOD, mama!” so tell me, who switched my kid?

i am sooooooo overtired,
sooooo
sooooo
sooooo
overtired.

i just literally drove home from the Giant blasting “Don't Mess Around with Jim,” singing at the top of my lungs. yep, and i have a Fatboy Slim CD on the seat beside me, so be careful – i might be sputtering the “Rockafella Skank” next. i scared the people doing roadwork, including the poor lady holding the “SLOW” sign.

today, i should probably be holding the “SLOW” sign.

anyway, BS doesn't like when i write about him, but pooh on him today. i am going to. i am going to tell the world how much i adore him. in spite of his faults (because you know i have none) and foibles (once again, i plead perfection), heehee, he is putting up with me so beautifully. i am not sleeping because i am so,so,so nervous about the biopsy, which won't be happening for over a week. so another week of my joyful self. he must be so thrilled.

but he is patient. extra patient. and kind. and so sweet. please make a note of it.

i am lucky i have the family and friends i have. they tolerate me in spite of myself.

Greetings,

Last week, my husband, three-year-old daughter, and I visited Milwaukee for the All-Star Game festivities. We are from the Washington, DC metropolitan area, but we flew in to see our dear friends (who live in Shorewood), and go to the Fan Fest, the Home Run Derby, and the All-Star Game together. I just wanted to share some observations with you about our experiences for your information and planning purposes.

The upside: Milwaukee is a lovely, family-friendly city. People were very courteous and friendly — and honest. When my husband accidentally left his wallet in the rental car, two hours later, it was still there (something that would never, ever happen here!) We took our daughter to the Betty Brinn Children's Museum and also to the Milwaukee Public Museum – she loved the butterfly room. I have developed a taste for Sprecher's Diet Root Beer and am exceptionally sad that I cannot find it anywhere out here. Not to mention Kopp's Custard!

The downside: Since there was no parking available at Miller Park, we parked our car at the State Fair Grounds and took a bus to the stadium. It worked fine on the way to the stadium. Unfortunately, the way back from the stadium was a different story. You might recall that there was an incredible, torrential rainstorm that took place soon after the home run derby. Roads flooded. Lots of lightning and thunder. It was not pleasant, to be sure, and certainly, you do not have control over the weather. However, there were not enough busses to take everyone back to the State Fair Grounds parking lot, and there was no shelter. We literally stood in that horrible rainstorm, with lightning all around us, for nearly an hour. Our clothes were soaked. My leather purse/backpack is ruined, as are most of the contents inside, including my wallet and several important papers. My leather sandals are toast. My husband also has to get another wallet, as his is ruined. Our Home Run Derby tickets, which should have been prized collectibles and mementos of the day are also ruined. There was simply no place to go to stay dry and safe. Morever, the drenched crowds became angrier and angrier as time went on, and people were pushing and shoving. It was clearly one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. Perhaps Milwaukee does not possess the transportation infrastructure to hold a high visibility game like this?

I was also surprised at the lack of security at Miller Park. Frankly, the people working the gates hardly looked at us. I actually offered to open my purse/backpack to the security guard, and he waved me away. Perhaps I do not fit the security risk profile (and I am certainly no security risk, to be sure!), but I am more accustomed to security like we have it here in Washington, DC. Mercifully, all went well at the game, but if you are to have world-class events in Milwaukee, then these times we live in require security that is up to snuff. I saw some Milwaukee Sheriff's Office people walking around, but they were mostly joking with one another and eating. We in DC do not consider that to be serious security. Maybe we are more sensitive to this considering all that has happened here, but certainly it is something you might be more aware of in the future.

Will we return to Milwaukee? I don't know. I am a bit saddened by what has happened. I just hope that if there ever is another big world-class event in Milwaukee that better planning takes place.

Thanks very much for your time and attention.

yippee ki-yo-ki-yay.

my biopsy is next thursday at 1. which means i can't eat or drink from midnight the night before until after the surgery. which means no advil or motrin or aspirin for a week. which means i leave for the outer banks the next day and i won't be able to lift anything. the timing for me is so G-d awful. the surgeon is apparently on vacation this week, so this is the best i can get.

to quote veruca salt from willy wonka, “i want it NOW!”