Rough Seas

We took the SS Badger from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI this past weekend. It's about the 4th (?) time we've done it. My dad lives in Interlochen, and there's an annual "Sunday before Memorial Day Marek Get-together" at Don's in Mancelona. Don is my dad's cousin, which makes him what to me? Uncle Don?

Don is REALLY into antiques. Every item in his "cabin" has a story. Turns out he had a story of his own.... I'll tell you because it's really one of those miracle situations... He and a friend were driving back from an antique show in SC. They were on a highway in KY when his friend, who was driving, passed out. Don only had time to yank the steering wheel to keep them from hitting the concrete barrier. They flew off the highway, over and down a 65 foot hill. He thought, "This is it, I am going to die." They flew through saplings and glanced off a couple of larger trees. At the base of the hill were more saplings growing in front of a metal fence... those two things created a spring and a pretty soft landing. His next thought was "Holy S---, I'm still alive." His friend was alive, but groggy. Don was able to climb up out of the ravine and call for help. His friend possibly had low blood sugar... that's all they can think. Neither needed medical attention.

Had any one little bit of that story been different, it would have had a different outcome. Not to mention the fact that no one could see where they went off the road. Don is a changed man. He said things that made him uptight or worry before no longer do.

Anyway, I didn't mean to tangent like that, it's just such an amazing story.

Back to the Badger. The way over was fine and enjoyable as always. The ride home, however, we experienced rough waves the whole way. I used "Sea Bands" and ginger candy, and reclined in a darkened room almost the whole trip. Between those things, I was alright. I stocked up on the ginger candy for our upcoming trip. Lee slept the whole time. I heard a couple of kids tossing their cookies in the hallway. That sound! There were several adults that smiled ruefully as we all tried to pretend not to hear it.

Merging

I blogged here about my 1st foray into Ethiopian cooking.

Olives, Cherries and Eggs

What do these 3 things have in common?

All were hurled at my car while it was parked in front of our house. I had parked there because I got home late and Lee's car was in the way and I was lazy.

Lee's car has been egged, what, 2, 3 times? We usually don't park in the street for that reason.

What I don't get is the olives and the cherries. Was there a sale? Is this a new thing we're not cool enough to know? Those crazy kids... what they're into these days...

Lee gets extra props for cleaning my car late last night and moving his car and then moving my car, and then moving HIS car behind MY car. All without waking me up.

Don't P.O. the Llama!

Lee surprised me Saturday by taking me here.

Here's a highlight...

Helicopter Ears

You know, Sibbie, if you'd give me something other than Helicopter Ears, you wouldn't end up looking so peeved. Or is that your imperial disdain for humans?

Cats out of the bag.

How do they know? Well, Murray didn't know, as he was rubbing on the cat carriers I'd just brought up. Sibbie knew. She was already in hedgehog position before I caught Murray. Then she wouldn't come out from wherever she was. Even *Kree-ing didn't bring her out. So I waited and eventually she tentatively came out. She was not happy in the carrier. Moooooooeoeeeeeeeewwwww. Yooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. All. the. way. to. the. vet.

Murray, of course, was a little gentleman and made not a peep.

Sibbie turned into 12 pounds of dead weight to pull out of the carrier. She got herself together enough to skulk around the floor a bit with her tail the size of Texas. Then she wedged herself between me and the back of the chair. Too bad, darlin', you need shots too.

While at the vet, a dog had a seizure in the waiting room next door. (Our vet has a cat entrance and a dog entrance. One time a dog and his owner came in the cat entrance. All the humans and their cat owners were giving them the evil eye. They must not have realized.) Also, while I was in the exam room, I heard sobbing, which was still going on when I left. I was having trouble not crying, because it was the sound of grief, deep and heartfelt. I don't know what happened.

As I was picking up the carriers to leave, a "dog/horse" was just going to the dog entrance. Seriously, this thing was probably 4' tall. And it had correspondingly large parts, if you know what I mean, and I think you do. I waited for them to get inside before taking Sibbie and Murray out.

Hmmmm... speaking of Sibbie and Murray, I haven't seen them since we got home. Here, kitty, kitty. Hmmmm... I guess I don't blame them for hiding.

*Kree - Did I ever explain Kree to you? If you are a Stargate fan, you already know. We started this, oh, 6 years ago... when we were watching Stargate for the 1st time. I trained the cats to come when I called "Kittens. Kree." "Kree" is a command that means Come, Go, Now, Don't... pretty much an all purpose word in the Stargate world. It is the language of the Jaffa, those who protected and served the Goa'uld, until they rebelled against their false gods, and through the use of tritonin were able to become free of the larval Goa'uld they incubated. And, if you didn't know before what a SciFi geek I was, now you do.

Elbow Room

You remember that song from Schoolhouse Rock? "Elbow room, elbow room... got to, got to get me some elbow room..."

I went to my hair appointment yesterday. Trouble was, my appointment is NEXT Thursday. Oh. I didn't cry, I didn't even get upset, even though I'd driven to Elgin for this appointment. I shrugged and said "Oh."

Here is the state of my brain... our children, who are waiting for us in Ethiopia, have started taking over portions of my mind. Thoughts of them and our upcoming life together are elbowing out other things. Like WORDS, and IDEAS, and TIME, and, as it turns out, names of bands. I don't mind the band thing so much, but dang it, people, I'm starting to forget words as I'm speaking. Words I've known for years. I can picture my children in there sidling up to a word and just kind of leaning into it, pushing it out of the way.

Even when I started writing this post, I panicked for a moment, because I could not think of "Schoolhouse Rock". All I had was "You remember that song, from uh, from um, it goes like this..."

And I have to say, it's kind of pleasant, this forgetfulness. Because it means that I am making room in my life for 2 small people, who I love already, and I can't imagine more love, but I know it is coming. How good God is to have designed us in this way, with the ability to make room for more love. Hang in there children! Mama's coming to get you!

Dog Days

Actual Conversation between Lee and I:

Me: Those puppies on Cute Overload are so cute... I just wish they'd always stay like that.
Lee: Do you want to get a dog?
Me: No. Too much work.
Lee: But you'll be home more once we get the kids.
Me: So, I get to do all the work for animals I do not want?
Lee: Yeah.
Me: No.

Hints that I should have stayed home today.

Yesterday I sneezed and blew my nose all day. Got home late after helping Lee foil some stained glass, took 2 benadryl, then a night time cold capsule. Collapsed in bed at 8:15.

This morning: don't feel so hot after spending all night switching sides to get the snot out of one side into the other. You know that dance.

I arrived at the building where I start my day.

It started POURING as I pulled in. (I did not have an umbrella, or a hood, or anything even mildly useful to stave off the water.)

I head toward building. I called my co-worker to let me in the door. No answer. I called again. No answer. I alerted her.

Meanwhile I am already sopping wet and huddling near other locked doors. I know that the open doors are around the corner. Think to self "Well, if I'm going to walk there, I may as well go back to my car." Start walking.

Co-worker calls me. I ask "Can you let me in the building?" She hears "Do you need help in the building?" and therefore answers me "No, not really." I say "OK, then I will go to a different building." and I start sobbing. Not just crying, but sobbing. Then I think "Wait. She wouldn't answer me like that." So I call back, still sobbing, and she lets me in.

Now, I am not only completely drenched, but it's obvious I've been crying, and my hands are full of my bags, so I cannot wipe the snot running down from my nose. Nice entrance.... into 2 labs full of High School students and teachers. Excellent.

You can go ahead and laugh if you want... I think it'll be funny... eventually. Everybody needs a good ego bruise now and then.

Art and Stuff

Here is me standing in front of my pictures for sale at the Brick, in downtown Belvidere. Be sure to purchase one or two... all proceeds to our adoption fund. Ha ha... ALL money we get (and have) goes there at this point!















At the Brick, there are clear class tea cups suspended with fishing line in a window. I thought they were so cool, so I took some pics. That made me wonder how cool it would be to trace the path of art from this one inspiration.

1. Somebody designed the cups, presumably with aesthetics in mind.
2. Somebody hung them with fishing line to create an interesting display
3. Somebody (me) took pictures of them and manipulated the pictures
4. Somebody.... what could be next? A painting based on the pictures? A collage? Who will take up the art challenge?