Kyle's 2nd Birthday

Kyle is 2 now. So, I asked his Mom what he might like for his birthday.

When I asked, here's what she said, "Well, he's into golf and baseball these days. And spiders. And frogs. And trucks."

I'm glad to hear that Kyle is most certainly his father's son. And, when I think about Kyle's birthday, I can't help but think what an amazing woman my sister is. I was honored to be present when Kyle was born, and I can say, without a doubt, that my sister and her body were the vessel for a true miracle - the birth of their beautiful son.

I talked to him on the phone today, something new for us. He just kept saying, "Hi Cat!" I hope he delivers the hug that I suggested he give to his Mom today.

Happy Birthday, Pa!

I think my Dad is totally cool. This year he turned 71.

Snowy March

Happy Birthday, Sarah! One of the first memories I have of my now 17 year old niece is of her falling asleep on my chest when she was an itty-bitty baby.

You know how, with family, you don't mind when your family members invade your personal space and sometimes lean into you and get just a little bit in your way, and it feels so natural, like the other person is a part of you? I like that about family. My cats do that to me too; I guess that means they're family.

Snowy Virginia. Snowy Atlanta. Thunderstormy Charleston.

I should buy stock in Weehah! cards.

Patience with stuffy deafness in my left ear all day.

February Saturday

Happy birthday, Cindi!

Good friday night.

Sleeping long and sleeping in, but not too late. Morning La Taza walk.

Painting project with non-toxic paint. More unpacking and settling in.

Snowy and girly evening at home.

Our Seester's Birthday!

I sure am thankful for our seester Susan today. She's the world's coolest Mom, most patient wife, and the best friend.

Also glad for:

New library card!

Wandering the downtown pedestrian mall on a Sunday morning in my favorite town.

Currently reading: Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes.

10 day recap

19 May - Birthday for Dave! Himalayan lunch to celebrate.

20 May - Birthday for Tim! And congrats on the new Belmont house and soul connection.

21 May - Skipping Supper Club. But, Susan uncovers history and the group celebrates it's 8th year next month, and we are all so thankful.

22 May - Birthday for Keith! Vote for Keith!

23 May - Garrett's lab results come back all normal. Maya with the gang - talk of sea turtles and other shit.

24 May - Ragged Mtn hike and Bodos with Dave. Paul jumps off stage at Satellite.

25 May - No memory of Day Two of much needed long weekend.

26 May - Perfect weather. Perfect pool side reading: Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl.

27 May - The Local and Chandler's with Christie. Midnight wake up in the hot, humid spring air.

28 May - RC and I decide we need to help Herb. Mom stays another night in the hospital.

Other notables from this week:
3rd Anniversary for Paul and Devon.
1st Anniversary for Amanda and Joe - and congrats on 1st house!
New Belmont home for Maria!

Bottle cap quote:
Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist, but the ability to start over.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald

Jen's Birthday

Happy Birthday to Jen!

I had a dream this morning where someone was leaving me signs - like an open window and an object left on my windowsill - that they had entered my house, but I didn't feel afraid, even though I knew it meant that I was now vulnerable. Hard to not read into that, huh?

Mid-day errand running, and an unexpected little crazy-cool feeling.

Reading the transcript of Barack Obama's speech gives me chills.

Amanda and her menagerie host Supper Club, and I get to bottle feed the cutest little white lamb! So neat!

Coming back to edit the blog after remembering something I'd forgotten to mention.

Currently reading: A tree grows in Brooklyn.

Anne's birthday

Friday
Jen and Amazon deliver a handful of delightful new reading material.

Haircut and visit to the Corner, where, despite my efforts to prove otherwise, I feel old.

Celebrating Anne's birthday with the gang - a really nice evening.

Saturday
4 flat miles with Christie.

Dinner at Jen's, with Tim, Christie, and Elizabeth.

Patience with more neck issues and realizing that I need to take better care.

Browning's Birthday

Feeling weird about feeling restless about the long weekend.

Sushi with the gang to celebrate Browning's Birthday.

Joe's looping catches me by suprise and is cool.

A rare nap before going out.

Chat with Mom, helping her send out Christmas pictures.

Late morning 4+ Miles, and yummy everything bagel to start the day.

Wednesday

6 of 11 items from yesterday's to-do list done!

Feeling "highly encouraged"!

Christie and I beat the snow (maybe?) by running early this week - and today's run was butt-bumping good.

I hate American Idol (why do they have to be so mean to people?), but I'm captivated like I'm watching a train wreck.

Kallie and RC share a birthday today! Kallie turns 2, and RC, 60.

Brian's Birthday

Brian turns 30 and wakes up to find more wrinkles.

Conducting thorough search of 3 computers to find the most recent version of my resume and striking out each time. Then I remember - ding, ding, ding! - the memory stick! Home run!

Deciding to not take a class this semester means I have lots of time to read more Eggers and McCarthy.

Watching the guy who looks familiar enter Whole Foods at the same time I do - he makes his rounds, sampling everything, then leaves at the same time I do, me with a cart-full, and him empty-handed and full-bellied.

Proud of my punctual aunting and hoping that the package arrives in time.

Winter weekend

Gorgeous weather, filling my days with all that makes me happy, and noticing that perhaps I'm enjoying my routine a little too much.

Birthday for Christie.

Enjoying watching Pearl Harbor on my perfect-reception-for-rabbit-ear'ed ABC, but hating the cost of that enjoyment, which is being exposed to enough marketing for a lifetime during one movie's worth of commercials. Yuck.

Planning upcoming trips to see family. And wondering how I'd really like to spend my vacation this summer.

Really devouring this book and soaking up more information from Valentino's Foundation's web site and from NPR here and here.

Love and good wishes for Jeff and Naomi.

Birthday weekend & early week recap

Feeling the birthday love from waking up to lying down on Sunday to waking up on Monday morning too. A total of 3 cakes! And a brilliant idea from Jen today about freezing the poundcake, so that I may enjoy my Mom's birthday love well into the New Year.

Walking in the early morning winter air through Grounds to deliver my paper.

Talking to the 2 year old niece on the phone. If I talk about her dogs Chatham or Sugar-bear, or her brother Kyle, she starts giggling!

Good soup, good Belgisches Bier, good Quintin Tarantino, good company on Monday night.

Painless visit to the DMV - whew!

Dozens of thank you emails to write.

Birthday wishes to my big brother, Jim.

Tuesday

Way too much to do at work. And, tomorrow's class is throwing off my sleep-wake rhythm and that's bumming me out.

Class was great. The read was great, the discussion was great. Tying together Farmer's ideas about structural violence and seeing how that played out in Lia's life. Fish Soup. And C's exercise showed me why PIH has always made so much sense to me: whatever it takes.

Thinking about what I'm going to do with my life gets heavy all of a sudden.

Another batch of homemade soup. Even without K's secret soup secrets, it turned out pretty good. Love those little pastas in the bottom of the bowl. But, for the record: I'd still love to know the secrets, K. (And, also, I know how you LOVE that I abbreviate names.)

Phone messages are screwing up. Twice, I haven't gotten one message until a second has been left. Erg. Sister: I just today got your message about Xmas plans!!

Happy Birthday to KG! Enjoy Vegas!

Happy Day!

Happy Birthday to my Seester!!

Love.