another

things done from the car:

• buffed and trimmed nails
• flossed
• eaten sausage biscuit
• drank my diet coke
• drove with knee
• channel surfed
• handsfree phone calling
• non specified thinking: (stream of conscience)
• counted change
• ascertained annoying rattle- contained it.

love you, pie

I'm really sad in writing this post, and though supposedly a writer, I'm terrible with tributes, both happy and sad. I'm bad about telling people I love them, and why. I suck at good-byes. I leave cards blank except for "love" and "penelope." I can't ever seem to find the right words, so I just don't say much of anything, which is probably bad. I just try to Be There, and hope that people know that I care, and how I care, and that they can count on me.

Anyway.

If you live or have ever lived in ILM, chances are you know The Pie. Moonpie, that is, of Laura and Moonpie. Everyone thinks that their pet is the greatest, but you have to admit that The Pie is pretty hard to beat. When I think of Pie, so many things come to mind:

tenacious

charming

eerily person-like

cuddly

hates Bender

lost for days, but returned

hit by a car, but survived

excitable

high jumper, like she's on springs

loyal friend

uber-photogenic

camper

party dog

knows how to whisper

makes you laugh

Bailey's best pal

Worley's best pal

sleeps at your feet, under the sheets

scares K.Lo, but mainly due to enthusiasm

car chaser

can't catch her

out for squirrels

will beg for junk food, i.e. Bender-food

once ate a plate of shrimp

she just knows, The Pie does

can wear any hat

expressive

can tell you what she wants

never backs down

firecracker

(though whimpers at fireworks)

grumpy, even crotchety

yet undeniably sweet

The Pie, Moon-pig, Moonie, Moonpie, Piggety-Pie

At not even 7 years old, Moonpie has become randomly, terribly, and unconquerably ill. She has to be put down tonight, there really is no other choice. It makes me cry just thinking about it, though I know what I feel is nothing compared to what her family feels, and will feel. I just want to say, we'll miss you, Pie, all of us. You're the best, and even though you hate my dog (which, by the way--totally understandable, she's a mess), I love ya, you are irreplacable.

To Pie.

lists of

things:

• donated to someone i knew once who is doing the avon walk for breastcancer. we met in a random history class in college and stayed very sporadically in touch but i'm on the 'friends of her' list, and by god i'm going to respect that, even if I barely remember anything about her except that i remember a. i liked her b. i was seriously bummed she was leaving and i had barely gotten to know her.
• ordered gift card for one and only goddaughter, zophia- sort of lame, sort of cool i guess. i mean how do i know what she needs but supposedly everyone loves target. i don't really but i'm buying her one anyway. she's 2 you know? and in oklahoma... i feel like a deadbeat parent.
• expecting another pair of shoes. sure it seems excessive but you know the boots are an "issue" right now.
• checked $ balance. uh, whoops. shit. man, what the fuck was i thinking buying all that. uh, turns out "deposited" and "available" really aren't the same thing. regrets: $14 movie, $16 lunch.
• boxed sandals that are defective, but man working 9-6 is really putting a hamper on the shipping of said rainbow sandals. and i miss them already.
• ellipticalled, cycled, crunched. made me happy for the rest of the day. gym, lunch, rocks.
• rolled eyes- throughout the day
• decided anger actually wasn't worth it. horror.
• exasperated over email. i haven't even learned french and yet.
• exasperated over phone gone wonky- just drops calls but not a bar, battery issue
• single (yah, uh huh)
• ate entire box of strawberries. phew.
• watching wonderfalls
• showering- soon
• chin hairs- still there
• nails long
• cats curled up on bed: two

results revealed: wahoo!!!

More soon, clearly. Must go shopping for blue clothes!

shoe-who?

dear me, i regret to inform you that these are too much shoe for you. you had lusted after them for a few months- watching the price drop from $150 to an awesome $60 and it seemed just right to forgo all your usual cautionary lessons about 3" heels. i mean just look at that leather. and that hot, hot heel. you couldn't resist. i know. but you know what, you can't handle it. sure you feel like a supermodel and it rockets you up to a bangin' 6'... but be realistic- where are you going to wear them. sure they look good with your frayed jeans or a loose aline or flowly skirt that just grazes the middle of the boot... but lets be honest, walking around on the ball of your foot, working to rest on your heel like a graceful art is something you're too lazy to do right now. just because you can rock the 2" doesn't mean that you should be arrogant enough to assume the great responsibility and pain of a 3". just you know maybe give it time, think about it... try it again... take them back to nordstrom and eat the $5 shipping fee for lesson learned. and continue to bite your lip and shake your head at your cowardice. . . like somehow you just didn't try enough to make the relationship fit. like, maybe, your heart was too hard for the sacrifice no matter how much you tried to make it work.

ciao, bella. you sexy linea paolo boots. till next time.

last day to vote!

Tomorrow is the all-telling sonogram, which will reveal the true nature of this pregnancy: boy, girl, tapeworm, alien invasion? Place your bets in the sidebar now. Here's what we know so far; old wives think what you will:

• I've already had one girl, which supposedly increases one's odds to have another girl next.
• This baby will be the fourth grandchild on my side of the family, all three so far are girls.
• When dangling my wedding ring by a thread over both the belly and the wrist, it swings back and forth, rather than in a circle. This supposedly means: boy.
• I can't tell whether I'm carrying high or low yet, too early.
• Also couldn't tell you what side the baby's kicking on the most, s/he's too little.
• Is the belly shaped like a watermelon, or a basketball. I don't know, it's just a belly. Depends on how much I've eaten, I guess.
• I'm craving things like hard-boiled eggs and fruit, but I also can't stay away from chocolate, because I never have before in my life--though notably, I don't seem to need it as badly on a daily basis.
• The sciatica's about to kill me. Does that mean anything?
• According to one Chinese Gender Prediction chart, I'm having a boy. According to another, it's a girl. Some consistency would be nice, people.
• I refuse to pee in a cup of Drano. Who came up with that test, anyway? Someone really desperate to know and/or someone incredibly bored.
• My skin isn't as broken out as it was with K.Lo. Fewer female hormones, so: boy?
• I'm growing copious amounts of new hair on my head. Boy?
• I'm gaining weight all over, rather than just the belly. Someone told me this means girl.
• The polls are ahead currently for boy, but I also know there's been some ballot box stuffing.
• It would be nice to have a boy after having a girl, but I will be delighted either way.

Bug-Bed

As requested, here are pics of Bug's new reversible bunk bed from IKEA. Obviously since she's only 16 months old and very much needs to be behind bars when sleeping (or not sleeping, as is usually the case), she won't be crashing here at night anytime in the near future. But in the meantime, how about the world's coolest fort? I put her little chair under there, along with her duck "boat," and so far it's a big hit.

Note to all readers having a preemptive stroke, bless your little hearts: no, she won't be immediately graduating from the crib to the top bunk. Bottom bunk, which as you can see, rests on the floor (sweet). Then I imagine someday she'll share the bed with her new sib, and/or sleepover pals.

Many props and thanks to J.Lo for assembling the bed and also the closet drawers, on what was supposed to be a relaxing Saturday afternoon.

lack vs. un-lack

what I'm not so good at:

• making funny faces first
• reading stories with all the voices
• improv in the land of make-believe
• pointing out the obvious, to teach about the world
• conveying seriousness (i.e. HOT stove) and truly arresting her attention
• releasing inhibitions outside of home, in adult company
• entertaining other people's children--to me they're not "just kids," they're strangers, how would I know what they like

what I'm better at:

• releasing inhibitions inside of home, in our own private company
• breaking spontaneously into song, whether logical or no
• improv, sometimes shameless, in the realm of problem-solving
• dancing like a fool with her, and to make her laugh
• exercising patience, much of the time
• cookie-sharing
• arts and crafts
• letting her go, letting Bug be Bug

new word learned today

source: Tabatha, "Shear Genius," re: Tyson

FIGJAM

F%ck
I'm
Good,
Just
Ask
Me

upcoming

boy crazy pics, boots (oh and t-shirts- the fun never ends does it.)