California Blunder - what a goober!

Snow Day be darned, I really needed to keep my chiropractor appointment today. Haven't been since I got here and am feeling really crinky. I head out after clearing most of the snow off the car, no biggie. I can use the wipers to get the rest off - which worked great for about 6 blocks until they stopped. I pulled over, scraped some more ice/snow off the windshield, unjammed the wipers - nada. (crapit) Slink home avoiding other cars and snow plows, mind you I can barely see. Land in my driveway, turn everything off, thinking maybe it'd 'reset magically' somehow. Nope! Called the chiro's office - apologies. Called the Volvo dealer (my new BFF), sounds like a fuse. OK, I can handle that. Get the manual, locate the corresponding fuse box, of course it's in the one under the hood (crapit). Open hood, find box, open box, attempt to pull out fuse - DROP IT DUE TO COLD FINGERS (crapit!). Read quickly to see if that's a bad thing, hmmm is the solenoid a big deal (crapit). Locate extra fuses, inside yet another compartment, of course. Find an extra of the one I just dropped, find an extra of the other one I need (thank goodness for both), find the tool I needed before I dropped the first one (crapit). Replaced the solenoid one, hey the engine starts again. Replaced the windshield wiper one, hey they work too! Put everything back where it belongs (only women do this, BTW) and I'm good to go - freezing and soaking, as the snow turned to rain, but good to go! Whew!

xoxo P

SNOW DAY and more ...

Our first official Snow Day, no school. The 6:15am phone call mentioned it, the bells rang out the news @ 6:30, and the neighborhood EBS (loudspeaker) made it official - Schools Are Closed Today! So, as I do every weekday morning, make the coffee, listen for the shower, trudge outside to play "remote starter" (yes, I turn his car and heater on, I know I'm way too nice). Today was different though, there was a few inches of fresh snow, so I got to shovel too. I'm not complaining here, it was awesome. This stuff is not like the Sierra Cement I'm used to, this is light, powdery, scoop and flip snow - it's beautiful! It's just a bummer that two kids are still sick - guess it's just me and Alexander for the snowball fight.

Here's the other thing that's been on my mind lately - college planning and all that comes with that. A few of you have already been through this process, and I'd appreciate your insight. We have a plan (or should I say, have hired a Planner), so I feel a sense of relief that the t's and i's will get respectively crossed and dotted and to schedule. Having someone affirm that "your grades are the most important thing your Junior year" just makes me look good. So with the "plan" in place, he can now focus on making himself a great applicant for the schools he doesn't know he wants to go to, to major in a subject he's not sure about, so that he can start a career in a field he might not even know exists. Can you imagine being a teenager today? No wonder he gets that glazed look when we start talking college. I vote for a mandatory 2-year, post-high school "Go Live In The World" requirement!

But more than the nuts and bolts of 'the process', I can't help thinking about how he got here in the first place ... how he fought so hard to stay alive, how he has weathered every storm and wrestled with every boulder put in his path, how his heart has remained so huge and warm and open, how he has the capacity (read: confidence) to walk into any room and be comfortable in his own skin, how much he still likes to tell jokes (even when they're just not that funny), how he loves to bug his brothers, how he still asks for a hug and hangs on, how much he is my family. I think part of this 'process' is also mine; I need to make a 'plan' to let go.

Have a fab day!

xoxo P

Head Count and a few more great things about living here

WAC the Youngest - getting better, but still on the nebulizer 2x/day, energy level has returned, so keeping him calm is a challenge. Monopoly, Blokus, lots of cartoons, and several gallons of "Oodles of Noodles". Cross-fingers, back to school on Monday!

AMC the Middle - awesome Parent/Teacher conference, heartwarming reinforcement that this move has been good for him. He is maturing, so loving, practicing to be a really good big brother (most of the time) and the happiest kid! Thank Goodness.

ABL the Oldest - either he grew again or his hair is getting taller, in the thick of midterms, came down with a cold yesterday, still has a Math final to study for (UGH), looking forward to his winter break and a visit to Cali.

Hubbie - working crazy hours, but made it home in time for dinner once this week - yahoo! checks the weather in Key West daily and is counting the days until our vacation.

Me - tying up a few loose ends, thinking about getting tax papers organized (it's only January, right), bummed about missing yoga and the Y this past week, loving the tulips for sale everywhere (the color is happy-making).

On the few more great things ... we have an awesome pediatrician - OMG, I feel so lucky, super friendly (and very informative, which I love), not in a hurry at all, the boys thought he was really funny, his nurses are wonderful - big sigh of relief. And when was the last time you had a prescription filled in 5 minutes?!? No joke, our local pharmacy - Rumson Pharmacy is awesome - homeopathic remedies (and knowlegeable staff), high end cosmetics, gifts, cards, toys, supplies, etc. and it's 3 blocks from our house!

If haven't already mentioned it, the Navesink River is partially frozen. It's absolutely beautiful! I hear from the locals that if it freezes completely, Ice Boaters from all over will start migrating and racing. How cool would that be? Literally!

Snarky Random Thoughts and more

Some of the license plates here say 'Shore to Please' - come on

Our favorite car wash 'Automatic Hand Car Wash' - really? David Letterman would love this one

Best place to buy a used car 'OK Used Cars' - not good, just OK

Department of Redundancy Department Menu item - Fries with Fried Mozzarella Sticks

On the otherhand, Costco (yup) sells an amazing assortment of Barilla Pasta, delicious sauces and the best Italian sausage (sweet and hot)! Jersey Tomatoes do make the best sauce (did I already tell you that?).

While I'm on food - The big men picked up take-out lunch on Saturday from Chilango's - the authentic Mexican restaurant in Highlands we'd yet to try. They made fast friends with the owner/cook, Leo, and got an extra Chili Relleno dish to sample. OMG, OMG - the best fish tacos I've had since Cabo, the most yummy, roasty beans and rice, salsa so fresh you could just eat it on it's own. Leo was kind enough to make Alexander's signature burrito (bean/cheese/fresh avoc/fresh tomatoes). And even Sir William ate his burrito. Suffice it so say, there were big tummies and smiles all around.

life's moments

Epiphany: a sudden realization, a sudden intuitive leap of understanding, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence.

My dear, dear friend in HMB and I share this thing. We talk about our lives, our families, our children, our relationships; it's cheap therapy you know and girls do this (being the brilliant beings that we are). Conversation allows you to notice things, learn new ways, invite understanding, dig deeper for compassion, figure stuff out - we call this 'phifin' and it can occur in conversation and often after the fact. A single point of clarity is a 'phif' - these are good and might lead to 'phifin' (multiple aha's) if you pay attention.

A 'phif'can pop up at any point in time, so keep your eyes wide and your heart open. And remember, one small shift necessarily changes a dynamic.

xoxo, P

It's all about being flexible ...

The best laid plans ... usually change. So what you can count on is that life will be a study in flexibility.

Yesterday, I did my first yoga class in years (8 truth be told). It was awesome, humbling, thoughtful and truly a lesson in flexiblity; literally and figuratively. Ninety oppressively heated minutes of complete body focus - I got to the point where I didn't care that my underwear wasn't where it was supposed to be (why was I wearing it anyhow), or that I had sweat dripping down my forearms (too exhausted to reach for the towel) - it was just me and my muscles doin' a dance. I love this stuff, I studied the body for years - it's just strange (sad) how we can misplace our passion while we're doing life. At the end, you get to lay down (ah bliss) and revel in your experience. The instructor, speaking in a soft voice, acknowledges your accomplishment and touches on the emotional component of yoga; I lose it. I can feel the tears eeking out of the corner of my eyes; cleansing, compassion, appreciation - emotion that just flows is so surprising. Today, I'm sore in the strangest places, but it's a heavenly reminder that I'm connected to my body - it feels so, so good.

Cancun has morphed into Key West. Turns out we need passports to get back into the US from Mexico - crapit (can you tell I don't get out much!). Anyhow, no worries (read: being flexible). I found a lovely resort on the beach, no concerns about drinking the water or having to brush up on my spanish. Warmth Without Fleece - Right On!

William lost his first tooth yesterday. What a little big-man, he actually pulled it out on his own, "it came out" - kind of matter-of-factly. He was so proud of himself, but concerned that the Tooth Fairy wouldn't be able to find him all the way in New Jersey. Alexander explained to him that there are Tooth Fairies all around the world "like in China and stuff" and so she'll find you for sure. He has always found foreign coins under his pillow, maybe that's where he got the Around the World Tooth Fairy idea. Anyhow, no exception for William, his Canadian coin has a totally cool bear on it and he couldn't be happier!

Off to do copious loads of laundry and vacuum (did I mention I splurged on a Miele - makes the doing so much more worthwhile).

Hope you all have a great week!

xoxo P

Cancun anyone?

We're planning a 'thaw out' trip for February while the kids are on break. Outside sources have suggested Cancun. Sounds great to me, but I'm spinning my wheels on where to stay. My cousin warned to stay away from Cancun proper and head toward Playa del Carmen. I haven't been there for, yikes, 20 years - so if anyone has a suggestion, I'd love to hear it. Thanks.

And a big warm hug.

P

A New Year

I absolutely love New Years! The countdown (oh Dick, please, next year just go to bed early - that was painful), the ball dropping (yet another crystal ball - get the pun! - in the midst of an economic cluster$%&*), the goofy people lined up, getting engaged, kissing strangers (ahh, the kissing part), the champagne, the laughter, the singing; and the possibilities, the intentions of things new and different and the fact that there were 365 days ahead to make it happen.

My fondest memories are of New Years at Lake Tahoe. We'd play charades for hours and then at 10 minutes to Midnight, throw our jackets and boots on over our jammies, grab the pots and wooden spoons and literally howl at the moon making as much noise as we could imagine - laughing, singing, screaming. We'd wait for Randy Bishop to bust out his trumpet for Auld Lang Syne and then finally make our way to bed.

So today, we take down the Christmas tree (nooooo!), put away the decorations, clean out the old to make way for the new. Notice what 'was' and look forward to 'what will be'. The perfect time to mop up the dust bunnies hiding under the beds, clear away the cob webs cluttering our heads, jump into a new day with vigor and cheer, ever grateful for the opportunity of another New Year!

Happy 2009!

xoxo P