Category Archives: make me smile

Make me smile…

–eating a salad w/fresh lettuce from my neighbor’s garden. gifted over the fence between us, with an accompanying smile because we don’t speak the same language
–CatGirl’s super-orgnanized studiousness, including color-coded notecards for each subject
–GameBoy’s cello audition going well, and his placement at FIRST CHAIR in the school orchestra after 2 weeks of concerted practicing
–knowing that I am surrounded by friends who care deeply about the fate of my immortal soul
–taking the car into the shop and exiting with a bill of less than $50
–a trim of my bangs, so I can see the world again
–wearing my brown oxford shoes. because it’s fall now
–the leftover cornbread that I am about to eat, drizzled with fresh honey from Logan
🙂

Make me smile…

–Yuki bringing by peanut-butter cookies as she picks up a big bag of our clothes that our kids have outgrown
–My students saying to me during my office hours that “You are a way better teacher than the one we had last quarter for World History”
–Tasting a yellow watermelon for the first time and finding that it’s crisper and sweeter than the red (and so worth the $5 we paid for it at the Farmer’s Market)
–Watching Ellycat attack the pile of washcloths that I so neatly folded
–Kissing each of the kiddoes on the temple and giving them a big hug on Sunday evening, after we’d returned from The Museum of Tolerance. Feeling overwhelming gratitude for yet another day of life with them

because I’d rather be in bed

Many of you have probably already heard the tale of our freecycle bed. It’s a queen sized Ethan Allen, cherry wood, four poster canopy bed. It’s a bed for people have who live in 2-story, 5 bedroom homes with a double garage. It’s not really the type of bed that ‘fits’ in our 750 sq ft apartment (yep, you read that sq footage number correctly, there are no missing digits there). Yet, it’s an extravagance that I’ve justified because of the joy that it brings.

Our bed is the safest place in the world to me. It’s so high that I have to vault into it (yah, the travails of one-legged leaping into a ridiculously tall Victorian style bed). But when I’m nestled it, with its canopy of pale peach silk (gifted in a bag of misc fabric remnants from friend Carole), the world is shut out and I am in my perfectly safe space, like a cocoon. Hanging from the canopy edge is a string of multicolored lanterns, whose soft glow is just bright enough to read by, but just dim enough to soothe (or snooze, as often happens).

It seems apt that John and I have taken to recording our podcasts while in bed. There’s nothing kinky about it–it’s the most sheltered space in the house. The sounds of our voices don’t reverberate around in the bed–they are muffled by the draperies and the wall along the backside. Last night when we recorded our latest ‘cast, I reclined on my belly, foot in the air, totally relaxed in my coziest PJs as I told the story of our changing marriage relationship.

When I am tired or discouraged, I retreat to this bed, where I can nap or lie and dream for awhile. John and I have our best conversations in this bed. Where nothing else can distract and we are completely focused on each other. Our bed, this space, is both haven and heaven.

embarrassing

What’s your most embarrassing moment? I like to tell John’s, but today I’ll offer a few of my own…

–discovering a hole in the crotch of my pants just after I got home from meeting and spending the day with my boyfriend-at-the-time’s parents.

–realizing that the yellow stripe across the chest of my favorite swimsuit was completely see-through when wet (this, after having worn the suit for a couple of years).

–putting in a swimsuit off of the clothesline at summer camp and realizing a few moments later (in front of fellow campers) that there is a large moth in the crotch of said swimuit. [Note: not the swimsuit with the yellow stripe, in case you were wondering]

–the day I walked out of the house with an American cheese slice stuck to the seat of pants (placed there by my ever-so-loving toddler daughter). Also, a similar incident with a large (like 5″ square) Pokemon sticker on my back.

first


Today, took my first-ever swim in the ocean. Surrounded by jellies, siblings, John, and my kids. Glorious. Spent two hours out swimming in the early morning and another two in the evening. Kudos to John and Chris for rescuing me from the riptide (aka strong-for-me current) more than once.

Warm, relaxing, scary, exhilarating. Can’t wait to do it again 🙂

But ocean water sure tastes nasty.

Make me smile…

–I’m not sure which earned the bigger smile today, turning in my final paper of the quarter/school year, or the delightful cup of tea & cherry/almond scone I enjoyed afterwards…

–typing on my computer with ellycat draped over my arms like she is right now. One hand around her front legs and the other under her belly. and elly’s little motor is purring up a storm.

–up till midnite last night (typing said paper) and watching elly nibble bits of salmon off of Emma’s unfinished dinner plate. breaking off bits and then hiding under the table to eat them. sneaking around so I won’t “see” her.

–going to the beach in the early morning with the family yesterday. watching the incoming tide bowl over the kids and they both go under and emerge sputtering and laughing/crying. me, not wearing my computerized prosthesis, daring to go into the surf myself. the waves threatening to carry my crutches with the undertow. the water as warm as a bath. the call of the ocean beckoning me in even further. the promise I made to myself to reutrn soon and follow that call…

–vacuuming. Yep, my favorite household chore. I could vacuum all day long…

Make me smile…

–your delight at my gluing/crafting skills…it’s nice to know that I’m a Mom who can deftly build a diorama of just about any scene from early California history with stuff in the recycling bin.

–going to bed when it’s too hot to sleep under the comforter and you still don’t mind that I drape myself over you. Because it’s the only way I can sleep well.

–the thought of C giving M a bouquet of flowers in a school play this morning. Knowing how badly his cool 6th-grader self didn’t want to give such a gift to a girl, yet he also had to ‘play the part.’

–getting a personally blended ‘pure-fume’ from the Aveda store for my birthday. And then slathering it on my arms and shoulders and smelling pretty all day long.

–watering my porch plants with my new red pitcher. Knowing every drop of water that trickles from its spout is just that much better because I have a great receptacle to water with.

–buying John’s Father’s Day present. Hint: it has tentacles. 🙂

for a day w/out fresh peaches

1) Trader Joe’s peach halves bottled in grape juice
2) Cinnamon and nutmeg
3) Slice of yesterday’s honey-sweetened cornbread
4) Two mini-scoops of Double Rainbow Vanilla ice cream

Put 2 peach halves in small bowl and shake spices on top. Break cornbread into chunks over peaches. Drizzle grape juice from peach jar over cornbread. Microwave for 2 min. Scoop ice cream on top.

Eat with a spoon while you are sitting in the sun on the back porch. Make sure your neighbors don’t see you as you are licking the bowl clean.