I Spent All Week Cooking, And All I Have to Show For It ...

...is this*: the last 2 inch square of "Magic Cookie Bar" that remained from the giant 9 x 13 pan of them I made.

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Guess that requires a little explanation, doesn't it?

Well, last week was a flurry of not just cleaning, cleaning, cleaning - but cooking as well. For Bubba's 40th birthday, I rented him a cabin up in the Tennessee Mountains (Sewanee, for those of you interested in the details), then I strong-armed his three best friends from our college days to come from their far-flung corners of America and join him in Tennessee for the long holiday weekend. I love these boys, all of them, dearly...

Anyhow - two of the boys convened at our house on Thursday, to spend the night before making the trip up to Tennessee. Hence all the cleaning. And the beginning of the cooking...

Typically, I like to take people out to eat when they stop by Atlanta - but for some reason I felt like cooking. So we dined on Frogmore Stew, sourdough bread, and heirloom tomato salad. I also did something you aren't supposed to do: I made a recipe without trying it first...

I had planned on buying Bubba a birthday cake to serve for dessert, but the local paper had run an article Thursday morning about "Cooking with Coca-Cola" in honor of the opening of the New World of Coca Cola. And there was a recipe for Coca-Cola cake, which sounded pretty darn good.

Now, I've never made one of these before. Heck, I've never even tried one of these before, so don't ask me what I was thinking...
I had a particularly bad moment when I brought the cake out, and one of the guests cried out "I love Coca-Cola cake! It's my favorite and I've not had one in years!" Instead of thinking "yay - I did a good thing" I thought "Oh crap - he knows what this is supposed to taste like." Yikes!

I don't know if it is a fantastic recipe, or if I got a big old dose of beginner's luck - but it was fabulous. A total keeper, and one I will be making again...

The next morning, I packed up the rest of the cake - in order to get it out of the house (wishful thinking on my part. Thought that would keep me from overeating while Bubba was gone. Ha!) - along with a weekend's worth of "catering". In addition to the aforementioned Magic Cookie Bars, some of the other highlights were: baked beans, barbecued ribs, BBQ sauce, cole slaw, and breakfast casserole. I tell you, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen last week.

And photographed exactly none of it.

And then I let Bubba and the boys take my camera up the Mountain with them. So there are no pictures from Schecky and my's Big Weekend in Atlanta.

Which was a blast.
We decided to be tourists in our own town.
We ate out. A LOT! A lot, a lot, a lot, a lot. Like for every meal a lot...

We also did some sightseeing. We went to the New World of Coca Cola (short review: we loved it) We played in the fountains at Centennial Olympic Park. For hours. (Despite the return of the horrible smoke...) We wandered around CNN Center. We saw movies, we took walks. In short, we had a blast.

But, no camera**. Which was weird. I missed it dreadfully at first, but in a way it was nice to just live in the moment, and not worry about "capturing" it all. (but - oh! - the cool photos I could have taken... My heart hurts a little if I think about it...) I know Schecky appreciated not having a camera pointed at him.

So I might not have pretty pictures to share. And for that I apologize. But I've got some fabulous memories of a great weekend with my boy, Scheck. And that's hard to beat....

Although, cynically, that five pounds is going to be harder to beat, I bet...
Sigh.

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*Actually, that's not wholly true - I suspect that I have at least 5 new pounds firmly planted on my booty, as well. Because in addition to much cooking, there was much eating as well....
So, unless I get medieval on my own ass here in the next few days, there will be no free doughnut for me on Friday!

**I also decided to spend the long weekend virtually computer free, as well. Which was also strange, but kind of liberating. But if I owe you an email - that's why I am (even more) behind on replying!

Oh! Happy Day...

In which I share yet another made up "holiday" that makes me smile...

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Mark your calendars for this Friday, June the 1st.

FREE. DOUGHNUT. DAY.
I'm not sure those are the three most perfect words in the English language.
But I'm pretty sure they'd rank in the Top Ten...

Here's the 4-1-1 according to the email that the fine folks at Krispy Kreme sent me*:



I'm lucky, because "my" Krispy Kreme is one of the good ones - where they've it up so you can see the entire doughnut production process from start to finish. They call it "Doughnut Theatre" - isn't that wonderful??? Suffice to say, I'm a big fan.

All the steps in Doughnut Theatre are fascinating - but a particular high point is the "glaze waterfall." Cooked, but nekkid, doughnuts travel under a curtain of liquid glaze and come out the other side perfectly attired in sugary goodness. It's a sight to behold...



How many days until Friday???

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*Because you totally know that I'm on the mailing list...

There's A Little Black Spot on the Sun Today...

Actually, technically, there's not a little black spot on the sun today.

At least I don't think that there is...
Seems like I'd actually have to be able to see the sun in order to tell for sure.

But I've now gotten that song stuck in my head, and you know how that goes.

Let me tell you about this morning, and the 15 different kinds of craziness going on around here...

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I woke up this morning, in the 4:30-4:45 neighborhood (not my favorite, by the way!) with the vaguely annoyed sense that someone had just blown out a bunch of candles.

I say "vaguely annoyed" because I really, really hate the smell of candle blowout. I'm kind of a freak about it. But if you light a candle in our house, you have to take it outside to blow it out because I don't want that smell in the house.
I know, I know, weird...

So anyway, I woke up thinking "Who's blowing out candles at this unGodly hour?" Which rapidly turned into "Sweet Cracker Sandwich - the house is on fire!" Which immediately turned into me leaping out of bed to investigate.

The smell was pervasive throughout the whole house, which was not helping me pinpoint the source. Until I opened the front door - when the smell of smoke was so strong that it literally made me gasp.

Which was a dumb move on my part - because that led to a coughing fit of monumental proportions...

Seems that the smoke from the South Georgia wildfires has once again made it up to the metro Atlanta area. With a vengeance this time. It's impressive in a terrible sort of way. It really makes my heart go out to those in South Georgia - if it's this uncomfortable up here, I can't even imagine what the air quality is like there. Nor can I even imagine the stress for those who live in the fire's path - some of these fires have been burning for weeks, now...

This is what the sky looks like this morning:

This is the "famous" Atlanta skyline view - the one that you see pictures of all the time*. It more commonly looks like this.
(And here's a random pretty one at night...)

To really compare and contrast? This is what the sky looked like yesterday:

I took that yesterday outside of IKEA. I just liked the yellow and the blue. And the security camera...

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It's just as well that today is a good day for staying indoors - there's too much going on here. Ah yes - the aforementioned "15 different kinds of crazy"...
(That's the other song stuck in my head - and you can take your pick: the Gnarls Barkley, the Patsy Cline, or the Pylon. They all apply**...)

I started to list out all the different kinds of crazy - but I'm not going to. Basically, they aren't particularly interesting. It's just that time of year, as I am sure so very many of you know...

I will share some of the high points though...

Bubba turned 40.

So there have been all kind of birthday goings-on. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. My Bubba is a good egg. I'm a lucky grrrrl.

The end of the school year.
Need I say more? There is at least one event every single day at school which requires my time and attention, etc.

Such as this -


That's right - "Third Grade Greek God Presentations and Feast" Behold the Mighty and Fearsome Poseidon! And behold - I freaking made that tunic! Woo-Hoo! There was measuring and cutting and ironing and even a tiny bit of basting involved... And a WHOLE LOT of safety pins...
My favorite part? The octopus that I used to hold the thing together on the left side...

And lastly?
We've got out of town company coming this weekend.
And the lovely Autum and her daughter, Alyssa, taught me that there's a whole lot more to being a good hostess than making sure the sheets on the guest bed are kinda clean. I still can't get over the hospitality that I was shown on Daisy&Cookie's Big Weekend o' Fun! And I am trying to emulate that to the best of my abilities - so there is all kind of meal planning, activity planning, and the house cleaning... Oh! The Humanity! There is house cleaning, the likes of which this house may not have ever seen...

And - sigh - guess I'd better get back to it all!

Hope you have a great day today!
(and breathable air!)

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*It's easy to get this shot - there's a bridge over Freedom Parkway which has nice wide shoulders for parking, and good sidewalks for walking over the bridge. I think that's why you see this angle of Atlanta so often...

**Although, today may be leaning more towards the Pylon....

Schecky Strikes Again...

Another class.

Another poetry assignment.

This time he was assigned a poetic form, and had to compose a poem in that style.

He lucked out and got "limerick."

Bubba says he thinks this might be a little inappropriate for school.
I said I thought it would be OK...

Hope I didn't call that one wrong...

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you can click here to see it larger

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NOTE: This might be funnier if you are familiar with Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends. Cheese is Schecky's favorite character from the show...

Low Key Mother's Day...

It was a very Pikachu Mother's Day.

Because, you know, I love him so.

Wait, you didn't know that?
You're in good company, because *I* didn't know it either.

But my handmade card, and the puzzle that accompanied it have made me a convert.

Pika Pi!

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Aside from the Pikachu-ing*, it was perhaps the most low key Mother's Day ever. In fact, I'm almost embarrassed to tell you just how I spent it - because it makes me sound like the world's most crap mother...

I spent much of Mother's Day by myself. That was Bubba and Schecky's gift to me. And I know that that sounds awful - but it was so. what. I. needed.

Actually, I think that it was good for us all - I just desperately needed to be left alone, and Schecky desperately needed some "Dad time" - so they did boy stuff of a mysterious nature while I did my own things: some napping, some reading, some movie watching, etc. Nothing exciting, but it was what I craved. I drank it up like Schecky drank up Bubba's undivided attention - both of us gulping it in like water in the desert...

So, as awful as it is to say "For Mother's Day, I asked my family to get lost" - that's pretty much what I did.
Thank you, Bubba and Schecky for understanding...
Or perhaps, for not understanding, but for playing along anyway...

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And as long as we're talking about what a selfish troll I've been lately... :)

Thanks to everyone who has commented lately, and the so many of you who have sent emails with suggestions, kind wishes, etc. A number of you have sent emails which begin with "Please don't think that I'm overstepping" or "please don't take this the wrong way", and end with "but have you considered seeing someone about this???"

And please, please, please know that I am not offended, nor am I taking it the wrong way. I am, however, deeply moved by how many of you have been so kind as to offer a helping hand! How could I possibly be offended by that...

Also - it's nothing that I haven't pondered on myself. I am hoping that this is situational, rather than a chemical imbalance - and that by changing the situation, I can pull myself out of it. So going to try that route first.

However, if I am unsuccessful - I will go and see someone or talk to someone real about this. I promise.

As much as I hate to sound like some June Cleaver-era woman, who can't survive without her man - things seem brighter already just knowing that Bubba should be home to stay. Also - Mother's Day doughnut aside, I'm also making a concerted effort to eat better, and get some exercise, etc. Just taking care of my sad neglected self. And - I actually slept well last night, for the first time in weeks. Amazing how much of a difference that makes...

Babysteps, you know...

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*Bless You!
(is it wrong that I want to say that every single time that Schecky starts telling me about Pikachu???)

Happy Day...

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Hope all you Mamas out there are having a simply fabulous day...

kisses!

Good Day, Sunshine...

Good Morning, originally uploaded by lla.

When I went out to get the paper this morning - this was the very first thing that I saw, smiling over at me.

Now, if I were one to believe in omens...

Oh, wait. I am....

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Somebody's house got "TPed" last night...
and this is cracking me up this morning for two different reasons.

1. It's in my neighbor's yard across the street, not my own.
(Very Schadenfreude of me, I know. But while I'm not sure what I'm doing this weekend, I know that I hope that it involves far more sitting on my behind, and much less de-toilet-papering of the yard!)


2. My neighbor is a really cool, mid-40ish, single guy. So I can't really imagine who in the world would target him for the rolling.
   (I imagine that the smiley face is to indicate that it wasn't done in mean spirits - but it just seems so totally 12-year-old-girl, you know?)

I actually was outside when Frank came home in the morning and got to see him see it for the first time.

He just smiled and shook his head ruefully.

He's a good egg.

Seriously, You Might Want To Skip This One...

Introspective Navel-Gazing and Blather Below.

Don't say you weren't warned...

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OK - I've spent far too much of the last week trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with me; why I'm in such a droopy, daze-y, deepblue state*.

I mean, seriously? There are so many people in the world who have legitimate things that are wrong in their lives, such monumental things to overcome - and they do so with strength and grace and dignity. And then, here's me, seeming to invent reasons about why "I just don't feel right (whine, whine, whine)"
Peh. I'm ready to get over myself...

But, unfortunately, knowing that I want to get over myself, and being able to actually do it - well, they are two different things. And as much as I've tried to avoid thinking about stuff, and just being sweet to myself in hopes that this will go away? Well, it's not working.

Oh - and I've tried being sweet to myself.
I've tried to stop being so self-critical.
I've made babysteps back into the kitchen (although, nothing new that you've not already seen a dozen times) and with the knitting (I've been knitting up washcloths like you wouldn't believe, since they require no thought.)
I've even blown off stuff that shoulda-oughta been done in favor of taking Schecky to the pool.

Yeah. And in spite of cutting myself some slack, I still feel wrung-out.

The real kicker is that I burned the crap out of myself.
Again.
Sigh.

Just to mix it up, this is a real burn, from an iron. On my arm. Second degree, baby! (remind me again why I even try to be domestic? It obviously doesn't agree with me...)

But anyhow, I know myself well enough that when I start getting too accident-prone, etc. there's something going on. Something that needs to be examined, before something happens.

So...let's take a look at things:

First off, I've got to admit that I've not been wholly honest about something with you all, and I think it's a chunk of what's wrong: I've been on my own for virtually the whole of this year.

Bubba's been working on a big work thing in Albany, NY. And he's gone for two weeks out of every three. And on that third week? The one that's supposed to be mine? Lots of little emergency trips kept popping up. Which has left me essentially on my own for the last four months.
(So, if you've ever wondered "why the hell isn't Bubba helping her with that?" as I document yet another problem at the House That Crazy Built - that's why. Bubba's a good egg, but there's only so much you can do when your not here.)

I've tried to be a good egg about it, too - it's not Bubba's fault, after all. He hates it as much as I do. So I didn't want to whine about it here. Also - it just didn't seem smart to announce to the Internets that "Hey, I'm alone here!" But I think I'd kind of reached the tipping point on that, you know?

Secondly, I think that the always insightful Normanack of Subversive Suburban hit the nail on the head in the comment that she left. Sometimes there is a letdown after a big buildup.
I should know this firsthand. After I was on Jeopardy! a million years ago, I sank into a big old depression. And the it wasn't because I didn't win - it was for the loss of a dream, of a sense of purpose: being on Jeopardy! was something that I had worked on so hard, and dreamed of for so long. And now, I'd done it. So now what...

I think that there is some post-festival loss of goal. I worked really hard on that party, I was so focused on it, it happened, so now what?

Oh - and there's more stupid little stuff.
I'm not sleeping.
I'm not eating right (and I know that this has to be affecting me, even if I don't want to think about it...)
And despite my protestations, I realize that the calendar is just packedpackedpacked with a gazillion end of the year activities.
And even though individually, many of them are things to be excited about, when confronted with them overall - it's like the death of a thousand tiny cuts...

So - that brings me to where I am now. I'm tired of feeling this way. I'm ready to be over it. And ignoring it, and hoping is just goes away isn't helping one little iota.

But I think confronting it - well, I think that's got to help. Instead of free-floating "I don't feel right" - I've got concrete stuff to look at.

• I don't feel right: because I'm tired.

• I don't feel right: because I'm not eating right.

• I don't feel right: because there's too much to do, and I'm not taking the time to enjoy any of it - treating everything as if it were just a task to be checked off a list.

• I don't feel right: because I don't have a goal. something to focus upon.

This is a list that I can do something about. I mean, look at that? That's not all that scary, now is it?
Woo. Hoo.

And as for the final thing - I don't feel right: because I'm tired of being alone?

Well, that's fixed.

Ding-dong, the Albany project is over.

Hear that, Albany? Bubba is mine again, you bitch!

Heh!

And to celebrate his homecoming tonight, I have a date.
With Bubba and with SpiderMan.

Woo. Hoo.

And if that won't cheer a girl up, then how about the fierce hooded towel monster that sometimes still comes to visit? That's pretty good stuff, too**...

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*Deep Blue State of Mind, that is. Because, politically speaking, Georgia is one of your bigger (dumber) redder states. But let's not go there. It'll get me all depressed again...

**'Cause if you stuck around this long? You deserve some sort of picture...

I Don't Even Quite Understand This. I Just Know I Want One...

Kool-Aid Pickles.

I read about these today at Potlikker, darling Bekka's Southern food blog - and I couldn't resist passing it along, just in case you're not a regular Potlikker reader. Which, really, you should be, because she's fab and she knows her stuff...

My way of thinking is this: anything that sounds quite this wrong, has actually probably got to be pretty good.

Although, this line of thinking has gotten me in trouble before.

Oh well, if they're good enough for my boyfriend, who wrote the NYT article linked to above, then they're good enough for me...

I Seem To Have Caught a Wee Dose of Ennui...

or maybe it's Spring Fever.

Whatevs...

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Hey all - it's me, checking in.

Just sayin' "hey."
'cause that's what we say down South.

Not much is going on here*: which is blissful, and just what the doctor ordered. But I'm just in a strange state where although nothing is wrong, nothing's still quite right, if you know what I mean.

I'm fine.
I feel fine.
I'm finally getting caught up on my sleep.

But it just seems like everything takes me five times longer than it should. It's difficult to get anything started. Even more impossible to get something finished. For some reason, life seems a little dreamy, a little like living underwater...

And I'm just drifting along.

I need to get reading again, I need to get knitting again, I need to get back in my kitchen and cook something, darn it!
I'm not quite sure what's stopping me. But I do know that things just feel more right when I am making the time for these things... And lately, I'm just not doing it...

Anyhow, this state of limbo is incredibly b-o-r-i-n-g - hence the radio silence from these parts as of late. I only mention it now because I've been getting several sweet, sweet emails from y'all pointing out that it's been a good long while since there was any sort of "real" post, and wanting to make sure I'm OK.
And I thank you, dear sweeties, for the concern, I do appreciate it! Kisses all 'round.

So - to summarize - things aren't a little weird around here.
Just me...
but then, that's not really news, is it???

xo

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*Actually, as I go back and re-read that as I'm proofreading, I realize that's not wholly true. It is the end of the school year whirlwind: talent shows, field day, Cub Scout banquets, library reception, etc. It's all *fun* stuff, nothing to bring on the ennui. But now that I'm thinking about it, there's more going on here than I thought...

Every Day Should Be A Holiday*...

Every day should be a holiday.

Fortunately, tomorrow is!
(and it's one of my favorites...)

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HEY KIDS! COMICS!
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
Saturday, May 5th
at a Comic Shop Near You!

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I do love Free Comic Book Day - and it looks like this is shaping up to be a good one. Visit the FCBD website, to find a comic shop near you that is participating, and to see for yourself the books that will be offered.
Do be aware that not all comic shops will have all books to offer. Also - only the special "Free Comic Book" comics are free - you can't just walk in and pick any old book off the shelf!

There is a great selection of books this year; I'm finding a number to get excited about. No matter who you are, or how old you are, I'm willing to bet that you'll be able to find something to suit your tastes.

As for me? I'm over the moon that Andy Runton has an offering again this year. I've written previously about just how much I love his Owly series. These stories are truly amazing - for any and all ages. I simply don't have enough superlatives for describing them...

I'm very interested in this year's FCBD Owly title: "Helping Hands" - in addition to what I hope is a big old helping of Owly, it looks like it includes a new story by a new-to-me author: Christian Slade's Korgi.

The illustrations are supposed to be phenomenal, and since I'm a big fan of the corgi, I'm really looking forward to this as well!

Happy Free Comic Day to Us All!

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*And many thanks to the Dandy Warhols for providing the soundtrack for this post...

And How Happy Was I????

I'm still trying to figure out who I want to be when I grow up.

I've basically narrowed it down to two role models, and I vacillate wildly between the two.

Some days I want nothing more than to be Dolly Parton; other days I desperately wish I were Lorelei Gilmore.*

So how happy was I last night when I watched the Gilmore Girls?
When Lorelei stands up, and belts out a fabulous version of "I Will Always Love You"?
One of my role models channeling the other?

So happy...
(But of course, as you know, it frequently doesn't take much to make me stupidly happy....)

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*I know, I know - she's just a fictitious character. Still love her...

What A Long Strange Week It's Been...

In which I attempt to briefly explain where I've been...
"Briefly" - Ha! Who's the wordiest girl in town???

Feel free to skip today's offering, and come back another day when the knitting* and cooking and reading, etc. will (hopefully) resume...

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It all started on Saturday, over a week ago. Through sheer stupidity and general all-purpose house-keeping ineptness, I managed to chemical burn my hands. The left hand, not so badly. The right one, I'd say was about 70% covered with burns, blisters and ick.

Peh.

Haven't I warned you all that I'm really, really, really not good at being a homemaker?

Let's just say that I obviously skipped the part in the big old Martha Stewart book that explicitly stated that I should wear gloves before attempting to bleach down the entire front of the house.
Did I already mention that my stupidity played a huge role in this?

So - I'm pretty much worthless for days. I can't knit, I can't write, I can't type, I can't use my hands for anything - basically, all I can do is sit around and dwell on how stupid it was/I am.
The only thing I hate worse than a painful injury is one which is both painful and stupid. I don't think you get much sympathy for those.

And sleeping? Well, that wasn't happening. Stupid swollen hand kept me up Saturday/Sunday/Monday and Tuesday nights. Peh somemore...

Wednesday: Should have gotten some sleep, but didn't. See, it was getting to be time for the big yearly neighborhood festival - and I was charged with hosting the kickoff party on Thursday night, for all the neighborhood kids. And I'm a worrier and a fretter. So not much sleep happened. Got about 3 hours.

Thursday: the party went off (yay!) despite having to move it to a new location with less than 6 hours notice. Stupid rain!
It's difficult to move a party for 150+ kids, but it all turned out OK in the end. But it took forever to get the party broken down, and then I was all wired from it all.
And - you see where this is going - not much sleeping happened.

Friday: I made an interesting discovery. When you get too sleep deprived, it's kind of like being drunk. But not the cute and fun kind of tipsy you might hope for.
Nope - this was the vaguely nauseous kind of drunk feeling. The kind where you know the party should have ended a few hours ago, and it's gone on too long, and it's probably not going to end well...

And, all groggy and loopy, I went to meet my friend The Caretaker for breakfast. He was stopping off in town on his way to visit his folks in another part of Georgia.
He's one of my absolute favorite people on the planet. And I've not seen him in over a year and a half.

And bless his heart, he sat down and ate breakfast with my sad, incoherent, drooling self.

I suspect I told him the same stories multiple times. He managed to not look bored. He politely didn't point out that I literally had the shakes as I reached for my first Diet Coke of the morning. He kindly figured out the math on the check when I couldn't wrap my brain around how much was 20% for the tip. (Admittedly, I'm not the biggest math whiz at the best of times. But I can figure a tip. Usually...) I get the feeling that my half of the conversation sounded something like this:

aggle aggle aggle gak!

And this, of course, is how I *entered* Festival Weekend. Which is always a weekend of nothing but fun and a departure from my real life. This year was no exception...





Just a few photos, to give you the flavor of the weekend.
It's a crazy couple of days...
(I wore my tiara the whole time.)

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And of course, the whole thing with Schecky's poem making it onto BoingBoing? That was exciting beyond all belief. I had no idea...

Thank you to everyone who read it and had nice things to say. Schecky was just thrilled to pieces that people read his poem, and that they responded positively to it...

I'm awfully fond of my boy, Scheck. He's a good egg**...

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Which brings me to this week - I am frantically playing the "catch up" game. I keep trying to remind myself that I can't just take more than a full week off from my life, and expect to be all caught up in a day. Yet, impatiently, that is exactly what I want to happen!

So, I'm baby-stepping through my poor neglected house (the laundry! Sweet Cracker Sandwich, you wouldn't believe the mess around here...), the poor neglected email, the poor neglected blog-sphere...

It's been a rollercoaster ride around here - so I suppose a return to normalcy is due. Knitting, reading, cooking should all resume shortly...

xo!

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*Remember the knitting? How I used to at least attempt to be a crafty girl? Yeah, I almost don't either...

**He and I love this site....