Left alone with loud music

I actually got very hungry for cookies and brownies while making this, advertising works!

"College" scene, complete with giant soda and boom box.

Well, I was asked to make a giant poster and some sandwich style signs for the PTA fundraiser. Had to get it done by yesterday evening and, as usual, I waited until the last minute.  I spent all of yesterday working on things.  I had gotten a lot of help starting out on Saturday from a friend, but there was a lot left to do. Anyhow, I was laboring away and turned on some music.  With the acrylic paint and the metal ruler out I was transported back to college- well, college with two antsy kids getting underfoot.  Then Daddy took the kiddies away to go swimming for a few hours.  I turned the music up loud and even put on The Smiths, my high school sweethearts.  I was really feeling it, singing along loudly- and realized, I hadn't been in this situation for a long time!  Blasting music, painting and totally alone- immersed in art.  Even though I was painting giant chocolate chip cookies and coffee mugs- it still felt great.  Either that's really sad or somewhat inspiring.  If I only had a little room- no!- building, of my own, what could I do? Besides paint giant chocolate chip cookies of course.  When the family got home, Hazel said "It sounds like you're having a party in there!" 

Update:  Saw the safety patrol kids in car line this morning wearing their signs, they were so cute and all the PTA moms were waving at me appreciatively. Nice!

Observations of the Morning

How'd you like some frozen peas to go with that pile of bread you've got there?

• I don't like bare floors. I always feel like there are crumbs under foot. I need a rug to alleviate that feeling and to wipe the crumbs on.
• I don't have any rugs down because of my incontinent cat. I put down washable ones occasionally, but she immediately targets them. Annoying.
• I don't like it when my children squeal and squawk in dismay. It sends my blood pressure up. Hazel is home today sick. Although from the sounds of it, she isn't that sick.
• I have accomplished more this morning than I expected. Doing laundry twice a week isn't so bad, eh?
• My hair was cut a wee bit too short this weekend. But it will grow fast.
• I need to clean my major appliances as a major appliance check up is happening this Friday. Time to dust under the fridge. Last time a repair guy was under there he asked how many cats we had and were we missing any?

What a Show!

Just found this on Netflix. How could I have never heard of this extravagance? Dig those wild costumes and hair! Shirley MacLaine! Paul Newman! Gene Kelley! Dick Van Dyke! Robert Mitchum! Dean Martin! A chimp named Frieda and Parisian Beatniks who are real Hepcats! This clip is more than I can handle. Let out a gasp when I saw Shirley on Robert Mitchum's shoulders while waterskiing.

What I did on the first day of school

My favorite corner with baby dolls.

More collections encased in cabinet.

This might be where it gets out of hand.

But we love books, and paper dolls, and...

Vintage valentines and cute vintage animal ceramics.

This was Mark's grandmother's shoe holder, now it holds tiny animals.

And I just discovered, you can click on the pictures to see the details, if you are so inclined.

Yesterday was Hazel's first day of second grade. I was up and at 'em by 6:30 a.m. Then after dropping her off and going to a school program, I arrived back at home alarmingly full of energy. I don't know why. I have had the entire summer to get stuff done. Instead, we were determined to have the laziest summer ever. I had so much energy and the day seemed to stretch out endlessly before me before school let out. I think I was trying to distract myself from feeling sad. Without any plan- I went into the girl's room and rearranged things, hung pictures that have been sitting around for two years and cleaned under the beds! I also semi-rearranged the closet (this is much more taxing than one burst of energy can tackle.) I was pleased with my accomplishments by the end. Where was Lilah? She is so cool, she just hung out with me and gave me her 2 year old opinion occasionally.

I fear that I have passed on my pack rat ways to my children. Well, actually I know I have, no unknown fear here. It might be because of the jam packed arrangements of stuff I have in their room. This room is not big, but I have managed to cram collection after collection in there. I think it may be too much. But it sure is lots of eye candy. The girls seem to like it, and I do too. I guess that's what matters. I have no idea what I am going to do with all this stuff when the girls decide to decorate on their own. I pray that they won't want to plaster the walls with some flavor of the month tween star or big purple unicorns. So far we have stayed away from all that. We are pure little baby girl right now! And sadly, these pictures are only of one wall of the room, there are three more. But, I swear, not as crammed! They have to have beds to sleep in for goodness sake.

Rainy Fay

What to do on a rainy day?  School was cancelled today due to Tropical Storm Fay.  Too formal, let's just call her Fay.  Anyway.  It hasn't been the scary, windy sort of day I was expecting.  Just a bit dark and gloomy with occasional downpours.  I think we have every light on in the house- it seems awfully bright in here.  I don't know how it came to me sewing tiny sleeping bags and making a tent for the doll house crew. But it all got crazy when I went outside in the rain for twigs to make a tiny fire for marshmallow roasting.  We had fun setting up scenes and taking pictures.  Back to school tomorrow!

Market Research

I don't know if I mentioned this but last month I was recruited to be in a focus group.  I answered the phone one day and this dude started asking me questions.  I was a bit bored so I thought- why not? I was suspicious, thinking he was selling me something of course, but it turned out to be a focus group.  The real catch was the $75 they promised me.  Just to sit in a room with a bunch of other women and talk about amendments to our state constitution and how they would appear on the ballot come fall.  It was fun, although I did feel like a bit of a dumb bunny at some points.  

Anyway, I signed up to receive emails from this company Schlesinger and Assoc. to try to earn some more easy money.  They email me all the time, but I don't usually fit the criteria, I'm not a teenager or latino or chew tobacco (really- a focus group on chew?) But the other day an email came that asked if I like to entertain in my home-- oh, do I? So I called up and got asked a bunch of questions related to bakeware and how often I entertain (I may have upped the numbers just a smidge.)  Do I have birthday parties? Yes. How about poker parties? Yes. Do you have cook outs? Yes. Is it important to you that your kitchen tools match your kitchen? I guess.  What is the most important goal in your life? Huh? They had to punch in some "algorithms" and called me back to let me know I qualified. So I'm going to a two hour market research study, right down the street and I'll get paid $100 this time.  Plus I might get to eat some food!  I think it's going to be about bakeware- because they only asked about that kitchen item.  Maybe I'll get to see some new fangled bakeware that they are researching. If they only knew what a sucker I am for any sort of "new" products.  If you like- you can go to their website and sign up, you might be able to take part in studies in your area.  I sound like an ad.

A sure sign

Back to school, originally uploaded by bossamama.

It's back to school time. Didn't I just blog about the last day of school? That went fast. Of course. Dig these socks, they are so very cute.

Who's 7?

This baby is now 7.

These last few days of summer have been spinning by fast.  Been trying to squeeze every last bit out so that we won't regret missing anything.  Lilah and I sure will miss Hazel when she goes back to school.  We'll just be rattling around the house until she gets home again each day.  Since I last blogged she turned 7.  Hard to believe.  August is a month of grand memories and always causes me to pause and revel in them.  My rolly-polly little baby, now all arms and legs and always ready with a charming smile or little quip.  She's wise and patient beyond her years- but still a little girl who cries when she bumps her head.  Not growing up too fast, I think she seems to be going at just the right rate. She walks away without looking back- I think- until I catch her peeking over her shoulder to make sure I'm still there. She has strong opinions and is slowly moving from our little family to explore the world on her own.  Chubby little rolly-polly baby of mine.

Anniversary #17

Hello, from 20 years ago. 

Gosh, we were pretty.  Met in 1988, married August 10, 1991. Two cross country moves, six residences, four cats, two babies later, me with the same haircut, Mark no longer blonde-  spending our 17th  Anniversary at IKEA with our little daughters and their friend. Romance is all in the head.  

Did everyone get married in August?

Our anniversary is coming up and so it seems is everyone else's!  Lora just missed the August date, she always has to be different.  But I have two other close friends who got married (to separate men of course- this isn't a Big Love situation) on August 3rd.  Can you guess which one had her reception at this beautiful place?

Busy, Busy, Busy

This must be sung to the tune of "Money, Money, Money" from ABBA.  Saw Mamma Mia the other night with Lora.  It was a gorgeous mess of a movie.  The ages and times were all messed up.  But you could forgive it all for the beautiful Greek scenery- especially the church on the top of a little rocky island- amazing!  And the exuberant Meryl Streep who just went wild through the whole movie.  It was very fun- reminded me of a classic movie with lots of singing and no sense.  And we saw at least one woman completely dancing in her seat, shimmying her shoulders and everything- alone no less!  

This week I am completely busy preparing for Hazel's 7th birthday party.  Started out simple, got complicated fast! Well, actually I have to say I am the most organized I have ever been so far.  Already have all the stuff purchased, except for food.  On a tight schedule to make sure I get it all done on Friday, since the party starts at 10:30 AM on Saturday.  I had to have it that early to beat the heat.  Plus everyone will be gone by the afternoon and I can take off to Greece, just like I planned!  I wonder if anyone will notice if I leave for a few days?

Happy Anniversary L & A

Happy Anniversary Lora and Andy!

I can't believe a whole year has passed, cheers to you both!

Happy Birthday Donya!

Here are the lyrics- I've never quite been able to make them out- sing along! 

(but don't try to figure them out)
Happy
happy birthday in a hot bath
To those nice
nice nights.
I remember always
always I got such a fright.
Seeing them in my dark cupboard with my great big cake.
If they were me
if they were me
And I was you and I was you -
If they were me and I was you
Would you have liked a present too.

What a neat place this is

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust

Okay, I'm not going to lie and pretend to know much about Proust. Even though I graduated with a Humanities degree- somehow Proust was missed. I'll be sure to look him up soon. I actually found this quote on a card that I bought at my dear friend Diana's shop. I intended to give it to someone as a proper thank you card, but of course I never did and it is hanging on my bulletin board instead. But I do like the quote- very simple. I thought it was appropriate for the way I'm thinking at the moment.

I've enjoyed so much putting together this blog and it's been quite a fun diversion- maybe too much! But it has helped me establish and sort of organize my identity a little bit. You tend to get lost in the everyday housework, the kids overwhelming life forces, things pulling you in every direction. You become someone's mom, whose name no one ever remembers or who isn't recognized without a child attached. I do enjoy this life as mom and household engineer, but it's nice to blow off steam and have some fun here.

I also have been so excited that my friends have been enjoying this place. I do it for you too. I'm excited to be able to have these chats- even if they are one way a lot of times. I know you're out there! I miss you all that are so far away, and even the ones that are right down the street. We are all so busy these days it's hard to make time for each other. The internet is such an amazing place. You hear all the bad stuff regularly, but I think it's a wonderful and amazing thing. Imagine, you read a book and enjoy it- you feel as if you've become the author's friend. So you find her blog and leave her a note- and amazingly enough she writes you back the next day! What a cool little world this has become!

Thanks for being my friends, old and new.

Banana cake not bread

Banana cake, originally uploaded by bossamama.

Okay, I've gone on a bit of a dessert mania. I made dessert last night and tonight. I rarely do that. Last night I made blueberry cobbler, using the recipe from Deborah Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking For Everyone" - that I've had for a thousand years. Her recipes always are a bit complicated, or maybe I just have a hard time reading them. I was reading and re-reading and really it was just a simple recipe. It turned out very good, but mostly because of the marvelous blueberries, who doesn't like warm, gushy fruit? 

Anyhow, I decided tonight that I had to absolutely use up the dying bananas, instead of throwing them away as usual. I used to have this amazing banana bread recipe, it tasted more like cake, it was smooth and light- not dense like most banana breads. But, I can't find that recipe, so I Googled 'banana cake." I soon discovered this recipe and website, which of course was calling to me across the ether to find it! The author is David Lebovitz- who I had never heard of but should have. He has a very, very nice website with some fantastic recipes and beautiful photography and he lives in Paris! I'm very excited about it, can you tell? So anyhow- I printed up the recipe lickity-split and stood in my kitchen and churned this baby out. Wow! What a nice texture, firm, not dry, very spongy. The addition of the chocolate chips and the whipped cream sent it over the edge. We all enjoyed it greatly, even Lilah who ate some of the cake instead of just licking off the cream!  I used the Ghirardelli 60% cocoa chips- they are divine- be sure to use very little, they pack a powerful wallop of chocolate taste- not so sweet. I thought they would be better than the super sweet waxy ones I had in the pantry and not add to the super sweetness of bananas. I was right! 

Please try it if you like banana bread- it is very easy and you will not be disappointed. And as the author points out, these are not high in fat or other bad stuff. I do love his take on the difference between muffins and cakes and how people insist muffins and sweet breads are healthier- but really just the same thing in a different form.

True Confession

The big mess, originally uploaded by bossamama.

Lest you think I have a really neat house, this is what it looks like for real. That last picture was an extreme close-up. This is all the laundry from last night unfolded and exploded all over the living room and the lunch dishes still on the table at 5 pm. Now it will be a mad dash to get it all back in order before Mark gets home. Don't want him to think I spent all day on the computer!

Take a peek

Birdie S & P, originally uploaded by bossamama.

You know, I still think like a merchandiser. Even though it's been a million years since I did windows at a Hallmark store and a Linens 'n Things (Hello, this is Linens 'n Things, we have lots of nice things at lots of nice prices!- they made us say that when answering the phone.) the merchandising bug stayed with me. (As well as all my best friends that I met at both of those work places!) I have certain areas of my home where I have things on display as if it was a store. Nobody ever touches these things, they just sit there and collect multiple layers of dust. But occasionally, I'll remember to look at them and think- oh, yeah, I have some neat things! Here's a few...

My favorite birdie S & P shakers from Missouri, a very old mixing bowl and wisk from my Nana, a Swiss trivet from Alex and Kendra, a 1944 edition of "The Joy of Cooking" from my Grandma Betty, a hand painted wood Hawaii S & P shaker from the Ritzie's, and a rubber pea-pod dog squeeze toy that I could not resist from the lean days in college. Oh, and the blue book is called "The Way to a Man's Heart- Your Gas Range Cookbook" from a trip to Kansas. It's a real hoot, I'll have to scan it in separately soon, along with a few recipes.

French by Heart

I am reading the most enchanting, wonderful book right now.  It's called "French By Heart" written by Rebecca S. Ramsey.  It's a memoir of her time spent living in France with her 3 young children, husband and old cat.  It takes place in the early 2000's.  I totally relate to it in so many ways.  First off she is obsessed with France and the charming villages, the history, the culture, etc. Her French isn't great and she is speaking it with a South Carolina accent (can you imagine?) Then there's the travails of school, but this time mixed with the language barrier and the chain smoking, snobbish teachers.  What I most relate to is her older neighbor, who is constantly watching her house, dispensing advice and generally bossing her around.  I laugh the hardest at those moments.  She is admonished for her gardening and housekeeping (check), given so much advice on raising children the French way (check- but different culture) and surprised to have strange pills forced into her mouth without warning (I have had strange food pushed into my mouth without warning.)  She is poked and prodded and her house is invaded by this neighbor- she is constantly subjected to rants about the right way to do things.  The big difference is that her neighbor is across the street, with full viewing privileges of her house. Mine is next door and I am only on display as I enter the yards.  I have been known to take a step out, see activity in the next door yard and hightail it back inside.  The author can't even walk around in her house without being watched!  I got this from the library, but I think I might buy it- I can see myself wanting to read it again.  

Ye Olde Malle Shoppe

I loved these little containers, they had sweet little ceramic spoons inside. I can't buy things like this anymore. I have too many trinkets and my house is quite size restricted.
I love these aprons and the colors. It's the prints and the edging that get me. I would want to wear these all the time and that just might look silly.

Went to Anthropologie for an injection of inspiration the other day. Is it sad that I am inspired by a company's well thought out retail plan? I realize that there are people who sit around in a room and try to decide how to appeal to a certain population who will fall for this concept and spend lots of money. I don't actually spend money at Anthropologie- so I guess I'm not being completely hoodwinked. But boy, if I did have money, I would spend it there for sure! They pick out the most amazing fabrics and designs for their clothes. I am totally enchanted by their whole vintage/world market style, I'd really like to live in the store itself. The creative displays are a reason enough for me to check out the store. Once there was a huge pile of mattresses loaded with all their latest bed coverings- a la Princess and the Pea. Another time there were hundreds of bars of Ivory soap nailed to the wall in the shape of a wave. Unfortunately, there were no exciting displays this time, as they were getting ready to start new ones. There was even a note on the door apologizing- they obviously know some people come to see them. I was so excited last year that I got to buy my maid of honor dress for Lora's wedding there- the only time I paid full price! Otherwise I limit myself to trinkets that have been marked down. I bought nothing the other day- couldn't find anything in my $5 limit- but I did take some pictures. I was having a good time in the store- you might say I was in sort of a reverie. Until I was rushed back to reality when I heard a giant splash of ice and drink and turned to see my daughters with shocked looks on their faces. Thank goodness nothing got hit with sticky Coke and the sales clerk was very nice about it. I was trying to find ideas for my house. I'm really tired of my red dining room. It's been almost 8 years and it's starting to wear on me. Stay tuned, we'll see if I actually do anything about it.

I'm tired, but Betty Hutton isn't

If you stopped by my house in the late 90's, you would know that I was fairly obsessed with this song.  I'm so excited to have found it on Youtube and to present it here for your enjoyment-or maybe just mine.  I think that this week disappeared in some sort of elaborate magic trick, I don't know where it went. I haven't blogged all week and this evening I am very tired. I had lots of ideas for things to write, but they all flew out of my head as soon as I got out of the shower each day.  So, here's Betty, she's a real doll.  If you'd like to see her in full comedic action, check out the movie "The Miracle of Morgan's Creek."