Killeen, Texas, is a hellhole. I am not kidding. At all. If it weren't for the fact that the temperatures here have only hit around 65 degrees this weekend, I would have believed that I had discovered hell on earth.
I should preface the rest of this story by saying that I have never been to Texas before. Well, not beyond a two-hour layover while travelling from California to New York in 2002, and that doesn't count since I didn't step outside the airport. I don't know what I was expecting (10-gallon hats, boots, chaps, spurs, shiny belt buckles...yes, basically I thought I'd see the Marlboro man at every intersection), but this sure isn't it. Killeen is a border town, in that it "borders" Ft. Hood. And like any border town, it's a real dump. The main drag is essentially a service road parallel to the highway, pock-marked with one car dealership after the next, only to be followed by an endless row of national chain restaurants (Jack-in-the-Box, anyone???). The only saving grace was Friday night when Adam surprised me by taking me to a very good mom-and-pop Indian restaurant for take-out. I think that place is the only vestige of culture in this god-forsaken place. There's no real sign of a downtown area, although Adam supposedly drove me through there yesterday. Evidently I must have carelessly blinked during the split second we passed through the area that calls itself a downtown. Even the soldiers who are stationed at Ft. Hood and live in Killeen scratch their heads, shrug, and lamely explain, "Well...you get used to it...and Austin is only an hour and a half away." How sad.
Even sadder is the fact that there is NO NPR here. I told Adam that is the deal-breaker. If I can't get Steve Inskeep in the morning or Ira Glass and Carl Kassel on a Saturday, then I just don't know what I would do. Of course, I can always stream Michigan (NPR) radio over the computer, but that is not the point. How can a place expect to keep newcomers and not have antenna access to National Public Radio? I just don't get it.
Before I end this making it sound as though I'm having an awful time here, let me state that it is GREAT to see Adam. Sometimes when we go through these separations, I don't realize how very much I miss him until we see each other again. That's when the floodgates open and raw emotion pours out. I have also had a chance to meet his colleagues and they are really awesome. I'm glad he has such great people around to keep him company while we're apart.
And the $50 million question: Did Bryony recognize her daddy? I was more than a little concerned that she would have forgotten him in the month that they'd been separated, considering that's 1/9 of her life. But no, it was obvious the moment she laid eyes on him at the kiss-n-ride at the airport that she was over the moon to see her daddy again. He swept her out of my arms and she laughed hysterically, grinned ear-to-ear and practically begged him not to put her down. It has really touched me how they seem to have an even stronger bond now, in this long weekend, than they did the first eight months of her life. Forget about mama, this weekend, it's been all about daddy.
Which brings me to my final stanza. I've decided that it would be wrong of me to keep father and daughter apart, no matter how much it will hurt me to leave Lansing, especially for a dead-end place like Killeen. Plus, after years of on-again-off-again separations for military deployments, it would be nice to just live with my husband for the long haul. I keep telling myself that some type of employment will come my way and that right now I need to think of my family first. So, at some point this spring--probably sooner rather than later--Bryony and I will make the move to Texas. Just thinking about it makes me a little sick, as the picture of leaving behind friends, our mother-baby group, my knitting group and our various volunteer activities comes clearer. But sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
Oh yeah, Bryony started crawling last night. Thank goodness we were all together for Adam to witness that milestone. I know that neither of us would be able to bear Adam missing her other firsts. We need to be together.
So, as per the directives of many, many people in my life, I am finally...going to hell.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The N Word...No, The Other One
Wow. I just looked at my post "Casual Observations and a Confession" and was struck by how negative I was...about motherhood, about job-hunting, about my health. I seemed pretty down on life in general. For anyone wondering (or concerned), I am truly back to my same old giddy-and-slightly-colorful self. I guess I was Lauren-minus-some that day. I'm good now.
As I've gotten older, I have started to realize something kinda spectacular (to me, at least). All of the people I used to find so cool, so sophisticated, so I-totally-wanna-be-them-or-at-least-be-friends-with-them-so-maybe-some-of-their-coolness-will-rub-off-on-me...well, they're actually just as nerdy as anyone else (meaning me). Really. I'm not going to name any names, so as to protect the nerdy, but the more years I put behind me, the more I realize how "the same" we all are. Like, a guy I know who has always impressed me with his urban sophistique, made a complete and utter ass of himself in front of a beautiful woman who not only had no interest in him, but was married to boot. Or, for example, some of my most hip gal pals are addicted to reality TV crap like "The Real Housewives of..." and "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." And then there's my friend who enters into strange forays of baby talk when he starts to whine about something. Not to forget my very smart, attractive, funny girlfriend who's got everything going for her, except for the fact that she walks a bit like a duck. And perhaps, most mind-boggling are those uber-cool friends who I have secretly admired most of my adult life, who I have discovered have been trying to impress ME, the nerdiest of them all. What a shocker that's been. In a lot of ways, it's been a bit of a letdown to find that the rockstar status I have ordained upon many of my friends is really just a big facade. I mean, if these jet-set cosmopolitan types who have amazing jobs, travel to distant places and lead incredibly interesting lives are as nerdy as me, then who will I live vicariously through? On the other hand, feeling a little sub-par to my friends because I can't keep up isn't so great either, so it's also a little vindicating to know that their lives are not quite as fabulous as they seem (not to say that my friends aren't fabulous, because they are...but you know what I mean).
Anyway, I fully recognize that I remain the biggest nerd on the block, just by the sheer fact that I've spent the last twenty minutes blogging about undercover nerds. So, no need for anyone--ANYONE--to comment on the very many ways that yours truly exemplifies nerdiness. Trust me, I already know each and every one of them.
As I've gotten older, I have started to realize something kinda spectacular (to me, at least). All of the people I used to find so cool, so sophisticated, so I-totally-wanna-be-them-or-at-least-be-friends-with-them-so-maybe-some-of-their-coolness-will-rub-off-on-me...well, they're actually just as nerdy as anyone else (meaning me). Really. I'm not going to name any names, so as to protect the nerdy, but the more years I put behind me, the more I realize how "the same" we all are. Like, a guy I know who has always impressed me with his urban sophistique, made a complete and utter ass of himself in front of a beautiful woman who not only had no interest in him, but was married to boot. Or, for example, some of my most hip gal pals are addicted to reality TV crap like "The Real Housewives of..." and "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." And then there's my friend who enters into strange forays of baby talk when he starts to whine about something. Not to forget my very smart, attractive, funny girlfriend who's got everything going for her, except for the fact that she walks a bit like a duck. And perhaps, most mind-boggling are those uber-cool friends who I have secretly admired most of my adult life, who I have discovered have been trying to impress ME, the nerdiest of them all. What a shocker that's been. In a lot of ways, it's been a bit of a letdown to find that the rockstar status I have ordained upon many of my friends is really just a big facade. I mean, if these jet-set cosmopolitan types who have amazing jobs, travel to distant places and lead incredibly interesting lives are as nerdy as me, then who will I live vicariously through? On the other hand, feeling a little sub-par to my friends because I can't keep up isn't so great either, so it's also a little vindicating to know that their lives are not quite as fabulous as they seem (not to say that my friends aren't fabulous, because they are...but you know what I mean).
Anyway, I fully recognize that I remain the biggest nerd on the block, just by the sheer fact that I've spent the last twenty minutes blogging about undercover nerds. So, no need for anyone--ANYONE--to comment on the very many ways that yours truly exemplifies nerdiness. Trust me, I already know each and every one of them.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Happy 40th, My Love
Turning 40 isn't so bad when you've got me around, right?
Love you dearly, dear.
Wacky Dame
Love you dearly, dear.
Wacky Dame
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Casual Observations and a Confession
Have you ever noticed that when you pick up a copy of Reader's Digest or Parade, and you read the jokes or readers' questions page, you never know any of the people who write in? I think I've even tried to mapquest some of the cities these people supposedly live in, and on more than one occasion it didn't exist. Are the editors of these mags actually making folks up to fill their layouts? Besides, can Reader's Digest really afford to pay $100-300 for every joke that's published?
Today was one of those days where I woke up and really didn't feel like playing the part of a mother. I didn't want to get out of bed, didn't want to change a diaper, didn't want to play. I just wanted to lie in bed and wallow for awhile. I'm lucky that I have a very accomodating daughter. We lay in bed all morning, her playing with her toys and then nursing when she got bored, and me in and out of sleep while toys and little fists alternately bopped me in the face. Finally at 1:30pm, I got up my druthers to call another at-home mother. The fact that she had just changed out of her pajamas and taken a shower made me feel better. She also told me she wouldn't think any worse of me if I decided to remain in bed the rest of the day. She made me laugh enough to want to get out of bed. By then, I was happy to play and be silly with Bryony because my mood, while not exactly happy, was much improved. I miss working in science, talking to other adults about non-baby-related things, and getting a paycheck twice a month. But, I also know that when I finally do return to the working world (outside of my home, that is), I'm going to miss Bryony terribly. I'm damned if I do, and damned if I don't. It sucks.
One of the difficulties of being home with Bryony all day is getting chores done. My housecleaning is shot, which is depressing. Enjoying a lunch without stuffing it in my mouth because baby needs attention is non-existent, which is depressing. But nothing was so depressing as to cease receiving my mail because there was 5 inches of snow on the walkway to my house, and I just did not have the time to go shovel. I literally didn't get mail for three (or four?? I lost count) days because the mail carrier refused to walk in the snow. Kindly neighbors had shovelled my sidewalk but presumably had not shovelled the walkway up to the house because it would have required entering my gated yard to do so. Hence, no mail, until I finally found time to do it while Bryony waited in the car in the driveway on our way out somewhere yesterday morning. I had a stack of mail in the box that afternoon, with a scribbled note on a stack of rubber-banded mail that said, "No mail, snow" with the carriers initials next to it, and the dates that he was unable to deliver because my 5 inches of snow had kept him from reaching the box. How humiliating.
Adam has been down in Texas for two weeks now and is enjoying his work, his coworkers and his routine. The 40-50 degree temperatures aren't so bad, either. Oh, right, not to mention he found out yesterday that he'd been promoted. Things are going very well for him right now, and not only does he deserve it, but I'm happy for and proud of him.
My confession, however, is that I'm simultaneously a bit resentful about his success when I seem to be having so little myself. I have been applying for jobs for the last six months with no bites. Even the so-called "low-hanging fruit" haven't been easy to pick; the very very entry-level jobs that I've applied to haven't even elicited an interview. It's so depresssing. I'm bitter. I've gone to school, taken the coursework, run four years of research and dealt with the graduate program headaches...and I can't even get a seasonal field technician position? I'm either over-qualified or under-qualified. Either a Masters degree isn't enough and you need a PhD or the Masters is too much, they're just looking for those with undergraduate degrees. I'm not looking to become wealthy; I'm just looking for a job that uses the skills I went to school to obtain. I'm demoralized, exhausted and depressed. I kinda feel like I'm done with this rat race, at least for now.
On top of it all, I think I've got carpal tunnel in both my wrists. My right wrist has been in pain for months now. I hadn't been able to get it looked at because we didn't have health insurance. Now that we do have insurance again, my left wrist seems to be a bit painful, and it locks up on me from time to time. I'm getting old (and stiff). Yuck.
What else is there to complain about? Oh yes, the regular feature of my blog whining (I mean, commentary) is none other than Greg House, who keeps me chock-full of material on his constant self-mutilation due to his skin allergy. His latest thing is to play with Bryony's toys and hide them all over the house. And he gnaws on his skin, on my pillow, right in my ear, every night, until I kick him out of the bed. A girl's gotta get her sleep, if nothing else.
Today was one of those days where I woke up and really didn't feel like playing the part of a mother. I didn't want to get out of bed, didn't want to change a diaper, didn't want to play. I just wanted to lie in bed and wallow for awhile. I'm lucky that I have a very accomodating daughter. We lay in bed all morning, her playing with her toys and then nursing when she got bored, and me in and out of sleep while toys and little fists alternately bopped me in the face. Finally at 1:30pm, I got up my druthers to call another at-home mother. The fact that she had just changed out of her pajamas and taken a shower made me feel better. She also told me she wouldn't think any worse of me if I decided to remain in bed the rest of the day. She made me laugh enough to want to get out of bed. By then, I was happy to play and be silly with Bryony because my mood, while not exactly happy, was much improved. I miss working in science, talking to other adults about non-baby-related things, and getting a paycheck twice a month. But, I also know that when I finally do return to the working world (outside of my home, that is), I'm going to miss Bryony terribly. I'm damned if I do, and damned if I don't. It sucks.
One of the difficulties of being home with Bryony all day is getting chores done. My housecleaning is shot, which is depressing. Enjoying a lunch without stuffing it in my mouth because baby needs attention is non-existent, which is depressing. But nothing was so depressing as to cease receiving my mail because there was 5 inches of snow on the walkway to my house, and I just did not have the time to go shovel. I literally didn't get mail for three (or four?? I lost count) days because the mail carrier refused to walk in the snow. Kindly neighbors had shovelled my sidewalk but presumably had not shovelled the walkway up to the house because it would have required entering my gated yard to do so. Hence, no mail, until I finally found time to do it while Bryony waited in the car in the driveway on our way out somewhere yesterday morning. I had a stack of mail in the box that afternoon, with a scribbled note on a stack of rubber-banded mail that said, "No mail, snow" with the carriers initials next to it, and the dates that he was unable to deliver because my 5 inches of snow had kept him from reaching the box. How humiliating.
Adam has been down in Texas for two weeks now and is enjoying his work, his coworkers and his routine. The 40-50 degree temperatures aren't so bad, either. Oh, right, not to mention he found out yesterday that he'd been promoted. Things are going very well for him right now, and not only does he deserve it, but I'm happy for and proud of him.
My confession, however, is that I'm simultaneously a bit resentful about his success when I seem to be having so little myself. I have been applying for jobs for the last six months with no bites. Even the so-called "low-hanging fruit" haven't been easy to pick; the very very entry-level jobs that I've applied to haven't even elicited an interview. It's so depresssing. I'm bitter. I've gone to school, taken the coursework, run four years of research and dealt with the graduate program headaches...and I can't even get a seasonal field technician position? I'm either over-qualified or under-qualified. Either a Masters degree isn't enough and you need a PhD or the Masters is too much, they're just looking for those with undergraduate degrees. I'm not looking to become wealthy; I'm just looking for a job that uses the skills I went to school to obtain. I'm demoralized, exhausted and depressed. I kinda feel like I'm done with this rat race, at least for now.
On top of it all, I think I've got carpal tunnel in both my wrists. My right wrist has been in pain for months now. I hadn't been able to get it looked at because we didn't have health insurance. Now that we do have insurance again, my left wrist seems to be a bit painful, and it locks up on me from time to time. I'm getting old (and stiff). Yuck.
What else is there to complain about? Oh yes, the regular feature of my blog whining (I mean, commentary) is none other than Greg House, who keeps me chock-full of material on his constant self-mutilation due to his skin allergy. His latest thing is to play with Bryony's toys and hide them all over the house. And he gnaws on his skin, on my pillow, right in my ear, every night, until I kick him out of the bed. A girl's gotta get her sleep, if nothing else.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Gonna Make You Notice
I took Bryony in for her first set of professional pix. It was a really fun time, but mostly I was amazed by how comfortable my daughter is in front of the camera. She "posed" on command and was "on" even though she was more than an hour past her usual naptime...I think this little girl is gonna be trouble one day!
Monday, February 8, 2010
BM Update
That's a Bailey-Mittman update, people! Gosh, you guys are SO nasty!
I know it's been awhile since I've given any details about our little family, so I thought that I'd catch you up on the latest and greatest. I'm going to write it as a Top 10, namely because of #9.
10. Adam finally got orders last week to report out to Ft Hood, TX, for a one-year mobilization. This was what we've been waiting for for quite some time. Unfortunately, the orders came on the same day he was to report, so he had to go into overdrive with the packing and getting affairs in order. It was exhausting and frustrating, although the chaos didn't leave a lot of room for sadness. That has come in the days since he left. Bryony and I have been doing okay in his absence, but for the fact that we've been suffering a bit (see #9).
9. Bryony and I have been sick. She came down with a bad cold right around the time that Adam left and it just escalated from there. What a joy to wake up several times a night to a baby crying because she couldn't breathe! I made sure to take her into the steamy bathroom while I showered, and rubbed spike lavendar oil on her chest to open up her sinuses. My La Leche League group also suggests squirting a bit of breastmilk into her nostrils to break up the mucus (this only kinda worked, in part because of her attempts to wrestle away from me, all whilst screaming bloody murder). Just as she was getting better, I came down with the cold and have been in recovery ever since. As much as a mother wishes ill health upon herself before her child, I have to say that it is HARD to get up the strength to take care of a baby when you don't even want to get out of bed. In any case, I've started to feel better in the last 24 hours or so, but even being at the computer starts to wear on me, so I keep my usage short.
8. My job search has proved unfruitful, at best. It gives me a headache even thinking about the many, many cover letters and resumes I've sent out over the last several months only to get the same "you were not selected to go to the next stage of the application process...", if I get a response at all. Friends all over the country have been sending me job leads, which I've been following up on, but I am exhausted. Between Adam being gone and having Bryony as a beyond-full-time job, getting sick and just plain application weariness, I'm putting the job search on hold for a bit. Besides, as open as I say that I am to the idea of moving to Whereversville, USA for the right job, the longer I'm away from Adam makes me realize more and more that Bryony and I need to be close to him. So last night I set my USAJobs search agent to the Austin, TX area.
7. Adam took Kika with him to Texas, hoping that she would flourish in the warmth of the Texas sun. Unfortunately, they are experiencing a cold snap down there that, while not nearly as cold as Michigan, is still a little hard on our little 14-year old pup's joints. Hopefully the temps climb pretty soon. I have Greg House here with me. He keeps me company at night and curls right up to my chest like a fluffy teddy bear.
6. My D.C.-area family got slammed by the winter storm that blasted its way through this past weekend, dumping over 2 ft of snow on them. The 9-12 inches expected in Michigan tomorrow seems to pale in comparison, especially since they are expected to get another 10-20 inches on top of what they're already digging out of. I'll definitely remember them when I start feeling sorry for myself while shovelling tomorrow.
5. Bryony update: She turned 8 months old on 31 January, and she has changed a lot over the course of her very short life. As of now, she can clap, almost crawl, stand (with support) and hold her own bottle while feeding. There are also a lot smaller nuances that I pick up on that are hard to describe. For example, yesterday we baby-sat for a friend's 7-month old, and while she was crying in my arms, it was like Bryony knew that my hands were full, as she just sat in her bumbo chair for a good 20 minutes, playing very independently with her toys. I had never seen her so self-reliant, but I was thankful! The night before, I took her to a friend's dance performance, and while I thought she would fall asleep, instead she sat in my lap, watching all 2 hours of the performance. She laughed and clapped, clearly enjoying herself. At one point, there was a tap dancing routine and she started to thump her hand on her lap to the beat! I was marvelled by her interest and connection to the music and dance. Can you tell I love my little girl?
4. Knitting is going well. I don't remember if I've mentioned my knitting group in a previous post, but I joined back in October or so and have been happily making beginner's projects--purse, scarf...not sure what's next but am excited about having learned a new skill. Hopefully one day I can knit well enough that future Xmas gifts will be handmade (and the recipients will like them!)
3. Bryony and I have taken on two volunteer activities to break up the week a bit and get us out of the house. Both are through the local neighborhood center, which I got familiar with over a year ago. Monday afternoons we spend a couple hours working at the local greenhouse, planting vegetable crops, watering, weeding, etc. Wednesday mornings we help out with the Senior coffee meeting; we set out pastries and coffee and hang out with the seniors while they listen to a speaker or hang out amongst themselves playing games or sharing conversation. I love the time with other adults; Bryony seems to enjoy the new sites, not to mention all of the people who can't help but dote on her.
2. I was debating whether I was going to post this (mainly so as not to worry my mother, who I think always worries about me), but so many people already know, so I might as well. On MLK Day this year, I was a witness to a kidnapping on my street, just a few doors down. At first, I thought it was just kids from the neighborhood fooling around. However, after opening my front door and seeing a man carrying a young woman over his shoulder while she kicked and screamed for help, I bolted out my house and ran up to the vehicle he was carrying her to and memorized the license plate. After he drove away, I immediately called 911 and reported the license plate number, descriptions of the suspect and victim and the vehicle, as well as the direction the vehicle was driving in. I saw squad cars patrolling the area in the hour after I made the call, but Inever saw a follow-up on the news, so I don't know how it ended. I've been too lazy (or chicken?) to call the Lansing police to inquire.
1. I've been attempting to channel some Zen-like philosophy this year, letting go of hostility and bad feelings that I've harbored toward certain people in my life for some time. I've decided that not only does it drain me of energy that I could use in a positive way--such as focusing more on my child, my hobbies and interests, friends, etc.--but being angry at people indefinitely is not the example I want to set for Bryony. So, I'm working on the principle of "moving on." It's working in some small ways, and I feel lighter, more confident and less angst-filled. I'm hoping to continue exerting this philosophy toward all of the would-be employers who have so unceremoniously rejected my application from their interview pile.
Good night, everyone. Be safe on the roads, snow-weary travellers!
I know it's been awhile since I've given any details about our little family, so I thought that I'd catch you up on the latest and greatest. I'm going to write it as a Top 10, namely because of #9.
10. Adam finally got orders last week to report out to Ft Hood, TX, for a one-year mobilization. This was what we've been waiting for for quite some time. Unfortunately, the orders came on the same day he was to report, so he had to go into overdrive with the packing and getting affairs in order. It was exhausting and frustrating, although the chaos didn't leave a lot of room for sadness. That has come in the days since he left. Bryony and I have been doing okay in his absence, but for the fact that we've been suffering a bit (see #9).
9. Bryony and I have been sick. She came down with a bad cold right around the time that Adam left and it just escalated from there. What a joy to wake up several times a night to a baby crying because she couldn't breathe! I made sure to take her into the steamy bathroom while I showered, and rubbed spike lavendar oil on her chest to open up her sinuses. My La Leche League group also suggests squirting a bit of breastmilk into her nostrils to break up the mucus (this only kinda worked, in part because of her attempts to wrestle away from me, all whilst screaming bloody murder). Just as she was getting better, I came down with the cold and have been in recovery ever since. As much as a mother wishes ill health upon herself before her child, I have to say that it is HARD to get up the strength to take care of a baby when you don't even want to get out of bed. In any case, I've started to feel better in the last 24 hours or so, but even being at the computer starts to wear on me, so I keep my usage short.
8. My job search has proved unfruitful, at best. It gives me a headache even thinking about the many, many cover letters and resumes I've sent out over the last several months only to get the same "you were not selected to go to the next stage of the application process...", if I get a response at all. Friends all over the country have been sending me job leads, which I've been following up on, but I am exhausted. Between Adam being gone and having Bryony as a beyond-full-time job, getting sick and just plain application weariness, I'm putting the job search on hold for a bit. Besides, as open as I say that I am to the idea of moving to Whereversville, USA for the right job, the longer I'm away from Adam makes me realize more and more that Bryony and I need to be close to him. So last night I set my USAJobs search agent to the Austin, TX area.
7. Adam took Kika with him to Texas, hoping that she would flourish in the warmth of the Texas sun. Unfortunately, they are experiencing a cold snap down there that, while not nearly as cold as Michigan, is still a little hard on our little 14-year old pup's joints. Hopefully the temps climb pretty soon. I have Greg House here with me. He keeps me company at night and curls right up to my chest like a fluffy teddy bear.
6. My D.C.-area family got slammed by the winter storm that blasted its way through this past weekend, dumping over 2 ft of snow on them. The 9-12 inches expected in Michigan tomorrow seems to pale in comparison, especially since they are expected to get another 10-20 inches on top of what they're already digging out of. I'll definitely remember them when I start feeling sorry for myself while shovelling tomorrow.
5. Bryony update: She turned 8 months old on 31 January, and she has changed a lot over the course of her very short life. As of now, she can clap, almost crawl, stand (with support) and hold her own bottle while feeding. There are also a lot smaller nuances that I pick up on that are hard to describe. For example, yesterday we baby-sat for a friend's 7-month old, and while she was crying in my arms, it was like Bryony knew that my hands were full, as she just sat in her bumbo chair for a good 20 minutes, playing very independently with her toys. I had never seen her so self-reliant, but I was thankful! The night before, I took her to a friend's dance performance, and while I thought she would fall asleep, instead she sat in my lap, watching all 2 hours of the performance. She laughed and clapped, clearly enjoying herself. At one point, there was a tap dancing routine and she started to thump her hand on her lap to the beat! I was marvelled by her interest and connection to the music and dance. Can you tell I love my little girl?
4. Knitting is going well. I don't remember if I've mentioned my knitting group in a previous post, but I joined back in October or so and have been happily making beginner's projects--purse, scarf...not sure what's next but am excited about having learned a new skill. Hopefully one day I can knit well enough that future Xmas gifts will be handmade (and the recipients will like them!)
3. Bryony and I have taken on two volunteer activities to break up the week a bit and get us out of the house. Both are through the local neighborhood center, which I got familiar with over a year ago. Monday afternoons we spend a couple hours working at the local greenhouse, planting vegetable crops, watering, weeding, etc. Wednesday mornings we help out with the Senior coffee meeting; we set out pastries and coffee and hang out with the seniors while they listen to a speaker or hang out amongst themselves playing games or sharing conversation. I love the time with other adults; Bryony seems to enjoy the new sites, not to mention all of the people who can't help but dote on her.
2. I was debating whether I was going to post this (mainly so as not to worry my mother, who I think always worries about me), but so many people already know, so I might as well. On MLK Day this year, I was a witness to a kidnapping on my street, just a few doors down. At first, I thought it was just kids from the neighborhood fooling around. However, after opening my front door and seeing a man carrying a young woman over his shoulder while she kicked and screamed for help, I bolted out my house and ran up to the vehicle he was carrying her to and memorized the license plate. After he drove away, I immediately called 911 and reported the license plate number, descriptions of the suspect and victim and the vehicle, as well as the direction the vehicle was driving in. I saw squad cars patrolling the area in the hour after I made the call, but Inever saw a follow-up on the news, so I don't know how it ended. I've been too lazy (or chicken?) to call the Lansing police to inquire.
1. I've been attempting to channel some Zen-like philosophy this year, letting go of hostility and bad feelings that I've harbored toward certain people in my life for some time. I've decided that not only does it drain me of energy that I could use in a positive way--such as focusing more on my child, my hobbies and interests, friends, etc.--but being angry at people indefinitely is not the example I want to set for Bryony. So, I'm working on the principle of "moving on." It's working in some small ways, and I feel lighter, more confident and less angst-filled. I'm hoping to continue exerting this philosophy toward all of the would-be employers who have so unceremoniously rejected my application from their interview pile.
Good night, everyone. Be safe on the roads, snow-weary travellers!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sweet Baby Jayne
Happy 60th birthday, Mum. You wear it well.
We ALL love you so very much.
Lauren, Adam, Bryony, Kika, Greg House (and somewhere, Shabbi)
We ALL love you so very much.
Lauren, Adam, Bryony, Kika, Greg House (and somewhere, Shabbi)
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