My Documentary

I've decided that I want to make a documentary.

I've noticed how everyone, and literally their dog, are doing it, and seem to be doing well and making it at Sundance or one of the many other gazillion film festivals out there. It's the thing to do, you know.

I have two subjects that I am mulling over that fascinate me. Perhaps you, the reading audience can let me know which of these two subjects you would be more inclined to watch if my documentary was at, say, one of those film festivals. This way I can be a sure shoe-in when it comes to voting for my documentary. Aaah, I can see me now accepting my award....now I am thinking about what would I wear and how I would have someone from the last Project Runway design my gown----that cute blonde, funky designer----what was her name?

Ok, so I am getting off the subject----you've seen how my mind works. That is why I have failed to make it big yet, as I keep getting DISTRACTED!

Now,.....to the subjects of my documentaries. The cool part of making a documentary at this time is that my son, Clayton, is taking a video/film class and is learning how to edit, and make a great story, etc., so he could be my camera dude and hang out with me and film me on the days that I'm not looking too large and when my outfits look cool, etc. Oh, I know! We could always film me just in head type shots, because my neck is still thin and you couldn't see anything below! Note to self-----NEVER shoot yourself walking AWAY from the camera! Scary bad! I happen to have the worst shot of myself on Rick Larrimore's web site, where I am dancing and the cameraman took it from the back! OH, NO he didn't! (but really, he did and its not pretty...)

Ok, now where was I? Oh, yeah,....my documentary...
The two subjects that interest me the most are: (drum roll, please)

1. Where, how and why people live the way that they do. I am fascinated by people's houses or apartments and how they decorate or not decorate and how many animals do they have and what about kids?....or why not kids? No matter how large their homes are, (oh, I would love to film in a huge house----just so I could see how the rich live---and wouldn't you just love to use their toilet?) or how small. (like, what about those REALLY little houses that we always see as we drive down the road---am I the only one that thinks, "How do they fit in there?" "Where do those people put all their stuff?") Fascinating stuff, really... Think about the house that should be on that British show, "How Clean Is YOUR House?" Wow, wouldn't that be cool and uncomfortable to see and film at the same time?

2. Age really fascinates me. I am a HUGE people watcher and I am always so curious about how old people are. When I recently returned from a trip to visit my G-babies, I was stuck at La Guardia in NYC, and when I should have been sleeping, I spent the entire two hours watching people! It was grand! It was like, "people watching" heaven! So, I try to guess what people do, and how old they are, compared to me, and also I try to figure out if my bottom looks as big as some peoples' do and what the heck am I going to do about it? No, really I am terrible about guessing peoples ages... I always think that they are sooooo old and find out that they are only a few years older than me or even sometimes, younger! So, I would like to give the public the opportunity to tell me why they look so old or are barely walking when they are only 55, or have so many crow's feet when they are only 35, and stuff like that. Again....so fascinating.

So, let me know which subject would interest you the most. Ok, so I only have two people that read this blog, but that would help... I really need to know which subject will get me that big award at Sundance..."Audience Favorite" or something. I know that I won't get the BIG awards, because you have to do a documentary on something controversial, like global warming or children without homes, or something like that. But I couldn't really see myself doing something so serious and boring....

I mean, how do you accessorize a boring old suit and look absolutely fantastic in some old worn out work clothes? Because, lets face it, this is going to be my last shot at fame, and I've got to WORK IT, baby!

I Like To Hike

The sun shining through the forest on the ice covered ground.

The ice crystalized on each strand of grass...amazing!

The frozen small pond after the ice storm.

The puppies "sniffing" around as we walk.

Musette, enjoying the first snow of the year...at the end of January!

Mignon, all decked out in her winter sweater.

The view from our front step...

I have felt very fortunate this winter that our weather hasn't been filled with much snow, so I can still do one of my favorite things...walk.

We now live across from a private conservation area, consisting of about 20 acres of trees, streams and trails, that is open to the public for walking and hiking usage. The owner of the land takes care of it and keeps the rough trails cleared off and trees cut back somewhat, so the trails are pretty groomed. It is truly the best part of living where we live right now...

As the weather has gotten colder, I have still tried to take the puppies out for a walk, at least three times a week. I put on their sweaters, (they have quite an assortment, now, as I found that you can get the teddy bear ones at Michaels, for 2.00 a piece), and then bundle myself up with fleece pants, long john top, sweatshirt with hood (my favorite is the one that Maryn left over the Christmas holidays...tee, hee), a big fleece neck warmer, gloves, my warm snow boots, and Bret's German WWII Army coat.

I am sure that all the neighbors have gotten used to seeing me head across the common area in front of our houses and head for the cemetary (which borders the conservation land), keeping a tight rein on my two little Yorkie-poo's, as I don't let them walk in front of me... I must make quite a comical figure, in my too large coat and huge head and neck gear, but I don't care, I am excited for my hike!

For Christmas this year, I received the best part of this combination for successful hiking...my Zune! I know that everyone out there has I-Pods, but my hubby gave me a Zune and I LOVE it! I have downloaded all my soundtracks, (as well as all my other music) and proceed to listen to some of my favorites as I walk. The feeling is like having your life put to music, as if you are living in a movie. It's wonderful, and really fulfills my much needed desire to finally put a soundtrack to my daily life. (I guess I should mention that I ALWAYS view my life as a movie and constantly think of camera angles and cutaways and extreme close ups, etc., as I live my life----strange, I know...)

My favorite soundtracks to walk to are "Portrait of a Lady", "The Piano" and "Elizabeth", but this week I received a new soundtrack "Perfume" (which was an amazing film, by the way!) and am sooooo excited to try it out! Unfortunately, we got a blizzard the night before last night and the snow is several feet deep, so I will have to wait until it melts a bit before we can go hit the trails! I can always walk on the street, but its just not the same...when we walk in the conservation area, I can let the puppies off of their leashes and they can run around and sniff and get some real exercise, whereas when they are with me on the street, they have to stay on their leashes and walk beside me-----no fun!

There is something so otherworldly about hiking....observing nature, seeing amazing things, like after the ice storm when everything was encased in ice----it was beautiful and wondrous! There was a definite "crackle" under your feet every time a step was taken, and the world looked like a fairy kingdom, or something from the "Snow Queen" by Hans Christian Andersen....

I can't wait until the spring and I can start to see the buds ripen and open and the glory of a new birth come to fruition. ....And then the summer time when the trees are full of leaves and the air is moist and the grass is so green that it looks fake...it will be amazing!

I wish you could all be with me when I hike...
But then, we would have to talk and it might take away from the soundtrack and my reverie...

So.....you'll have to find your own hiking place.

The Brazilian Fairy Tale

Shawn, the first day in Sao Paulo, outside the hotel room and
*Harry*,....er, "Rod", looking fierce...

*Eduardo* and Shawn, at a sidewalk cafe in Sao Paulo...still looking a little peaked?

Once upon a time there was a girl, trapped in a woman's body. Her name was Shawn and she loved to stay up late, travel a lot, eat whatever she wanted and sing in bands. She didn't care if she sang as the front singer all the time and even enjoyed singing with a Rod Stewart Tribute Band as a backup singer. She got to travel with this band and really enjoyed herself immensely, as she:
1. Could get away for a few days
2. Could sleep in without having to get anyone up and fix breakfast and get anyone on the bus or out the door.
3. Could shop a bit by herself with no one in tow.
4. Could read and spend some alone time.

So, when *Harry*, her "Rod" lookalike informed her that they would be going to Brazil, she was very excited. Now, granted, she would have been more excited if it would have been to Europe or something, as she had traveled so little outside the States and one of the ONLY places that she had ALREADY been was Brazil! But she counted herself lucky and looked forward to the trip.

A few weeks after making the arrangements, Harry called her to tell her that they needed to go to Boston to get their Visa's for Brazil, and told her what to bring. She got her extra passport picture at CVS, (a $7.99 expense, even though she never used it), took her passport, money to pay for the Visa and went downtown with Harry to stand in line at the Brazilian embassy. The person that was taking care of all the arrangements was the saxophone player for the band in Brazil, so he was Brazilian and spoke Portuguese. He lives in Boston most of the year and flies back and forth to work and see his family, etc. Well, long story short, he was late to the embassy, so Shawn and Harry stood in the wrong line for an hour before realizing their mistake, then after getting into the right line, were told that they had to come back to pick up their passports a week later. Since this was a pain for both Shawn and Harry, the sax player, *Eduardo* said that he would be glad to pick them up and bring them to the airport when they flew out.

Two weeks later, Harry and Shawn were on their way to the airport, four hours early, as Harry was afraid that they would be held up because it was an international flight. They were supposed to meet Eduardo there, get their passports and get on the flight together, along with Eduardo's small toddler, that had flown back and forth from Brazil since he was born.

They got to the airport, but Eduardo did not show up as planned. He was running late, had had a fight with his wife and had to take a taxi. Harry and Shawn had a leisurely, but stressful snack at the airport deli for 3 hours until Eduardo rushed in at the last moment. It was close, but they made the flight.

Fast forward to the arrival. There were two people waiting for them when they arrived in Brazil, and they were whisked through customs, and taken in front of all the lines and after getting their luggage, (where the little carts are free, so EVERYONE pushes them around---they need cart traffic lights) they were put on a helicopter to Sao Paulo. Shawn thought this was the best trip ever and felt a little like a celebrity, as she flew for the first time in a helicopter. It landed on one of the biggest banks in Sao Paulo and Shawn and Harry met the man who was having the party that "Rod" was singing at.

The celebrity status continued as they were put into a Lincoln Town car, chauffeured by a driver, and sporting bullet proof dark windows. They went to their hotel, and got ready for their rehearsal that afternoon. Since neither Harry nor Shawn had eaten much for the last 12 hours, they ordered a salad to be brought up to their separate rooms. When it arrived, Shawn thought that it was the weirdest salad that she had ever seen, as it had canned corn on it and canned peas, and several pickled questionable vegetables, but she was hungry and forced it down anyway.

The next day, Shawn and Harry were given lunch at Eduardo's mothers house, where she served some Brazilian chicken dishes and some lovely fresh fruits. Both Harry and Shawn enjoyed the fare and threw caution to the wind as they ate lettuce, mango and grapes. But, wait a minute, Harry didn't eat the freshly washed purple grapes, but Shawn did.

That late afternoon, after relaxing and walking around the shops a bit, Harry and Shawn prepared to get ready for the sound check. They arrived at the huge penthouse apartment rooftop where workers were building a makeshift roof, and a glass floor to cover the pool, so that the band had a place to play. The party decorator was there and everyone was in a great mood, except Harry, who was steaming a little bit about the bass player in the Brazilian band that couldn't seem to get any of his songs right... Meanwhile, Shawn started to feel a little ill...

It started off as just a few little gas pains, a little uncomfortable, as Shawn hadn't remembered to bring the Tums. As the sound check begin to commence, she had an urgent desire to visit the restroom a few times, but it wasn't too serious yet. After the sound check, in the Town car, she mentioned to Eduardo that she needed something to settle her stomach ache, as she had some gas pains. Eduardo assured that he would send something over to the hotel from the "pharmacy", which is a wonderful place that you don't need any prescriptions for any medicines. Now the reader must understand that Shawn trusted Eduardo, as, so far in Brazil, he had taken care of she and Harry and since they didn't understand what anyone was saying, they HAD to put their trust in someone!

When Shawn got back to her room, and tried to get her clothes together for the show, and take a short rest, it became increasingly clear that her bowel system was getting worse. She had to keep running to the bathroom and only felt better for short periods of time. It was at this time, to her relief, that someone knocked on the door, saying that they had some medicine from the pharmacy for her. "Whew," she thought, "just in time!" She took the medicine and proceeded to peruse it. There were about four things in the bag, with a receipt. There was a bottle of something, some pills that you push out, two pills in a small box and something that looked like cough medicine.

As you can imagine, she was quite overcome by all the medicine that Eduardo had sent and she thought that he had certainly covered all the bases... So, not knowing what each thing was, she thought to herself, "Well, surely the most powerful of these medicines would be the most expensive!" So she looked at the receipt and discovered that the two pills in the small box were VERY expensive, so she took one.

At that moment, (seriously) the phone rang. It was the hotel concierge telling Shawn, in broken English, that the pharmacist had delivered the wrong medicine and could he come and get it back?

"WHAT?" thought Shawn, "You've GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! What did I take?"

Ok,...so the pharmacist and the concierge came up to her room and looked over the medicines, and calmly told Shawn that she had taken a form of Viagra....
No problem, said the pharmacist, it would just make her happy....

Two hours later, as Shawn was standing at the edge of the stage, getting ready to go on, and knowing that she had to run back to the bathroom AGAIN, as she was sure that it was coming out of both ends this time, she DID NOT FEEL EVEN A TWINGE OF HAPPINESS!!

She ran back down to the dressing room, said a quick prayer, literally spilled her guts out one more time, returned to the stage and the show went on!

Five days later, after an exhausting plane trip back to the States, making a quick call to the doctor, getting PRESCRIPTION antibiotics, flying to Utah, and having a constant stomach ache for four days, she sat with her new G-babies and her daughter....and heaved a big sigh of relief.
Now...she felt HAPPY.

Moral of the story: Don't go to Brazil without medicine for diarrhea.
Don't eat ANY fruits or fresh veggies while you're there.
Viagra is overrated....at least for women.

*Names were changed to protect the guilty and the innocent.*

New Year, New Blogger, New Problems!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I very dutifully wrote a Christmas blog , complete with a great picture of the Nativity. It was just a few days after Christmas, mind you and was very witty and interesting in my observations on how uncomfortable people get when you aren't PC and say Merry Christmas to them...

Well, I published it and tried it in a new window, but it didn't come up there, but then it doesn't always do that when I publish something on my blog. It generally takes a few days on my computer. I had to get ready to go out of town again, so I didn't have time to check it until yesterday, when, much to my surprise, it hadn't published... No worries, I thought that I would just get it off the postings and republish it.

Well, it is gone....

You heard me.....gone!

The blogger says that I had a posting on Dec. 28th, but it isn't in the old post listings or on the ones that are saved, ready to be published. It has just gone missing... Rather like the other sock from the washer, or that one component that you can't find, but need to put something together. It has joined the black hole of blogs, and is floating between my computer and the "NEW" blogger version....

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH! I tried to recreate it, but:
1. Its already way past Christmas and will look silly and won't have the right date.
2. It was a brilliant piece of witticism, that was going with my mood and relating the events of the season.
3. I basically can't even remember what I had for lunch yesterday, let alone what I wrote a week and a half ago.
4. I don't even remember the catchy title.

So much for the new google "blogger". This leaves me thinking once again about how we are so quick to replace the old with the new.... Why aren't we just happy with something when its working ok? (sigh) Now I have to figure out how to deal with this new problem.

Luckily my daughter kept her old blogger version intact, and says that she is comfortable with it, and she won't change over.

I guess that there is still hope for me, then, as she won't be turning me in on a new model of a mother....

No Time, No Time!

I feel the walls closing in on me, as I search for more hours in a day and more money in my bank...
These are the things that torment me this time of the year...

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I had all my children around me, except the Utah branch. I always feel a little bereft around the holidays when I am reminded that Hailey and her brood don't live closer. It will be more difficult from now on, as Hailey adds the two little girls to her brood in Dec. She seems to be doing well, but very sore and not sleeping much. I can't even imagine it...

As for the time issue, I am feeling the crunch...
I am leading my church choir this week as we have our annual multi-church Christmas concert, and along with rehearsals and everything, it is stressful.
I go to Brazil next Wed. and will be gone for four days, as I am singing backup for the Rick Larrimore/Rod Stewart Tribute, with a Brazilian band. It should be interesting. How do you say, "That's in the wrong key!", in Portugese?

Then I am back one day and fly out to Utah to assist Hailey with the babies. I have mixed feelings about that... I want to be there so much and know that when the time comes, I won't want to leave her darling family, and I want to help her out and be there for her, but I have SO much to do that I haven't had the time or the money to do up until now! Yes, you said it, I will be Christmas shopping at the last minute with the rest of the wierdos that wait until the last few days before Christmas to do their shopping! I forgot to include that on my list of things that I detest!

I really want to be jolly around this time of the year, throwing money and good cheer to everyone, but I'm afraid that I will resemble Scrooge more than the cheery Christmas elf, as I find the days stumbling over each other, trying to get to Christmas before me...

My family says to not worry about it. They don't need presents... Yeah, right.

So, if you see a frazzled blonde freaking out at an airport, or standing in some long line....looking dazed and confused, or just collapsed on a sidewalk somewhere....be patient, give her a smile and maybe some of YOUR time....

What I Detest!

I have decided to vent this time, as my life is being dumped quickly into the toilet. No more ms. nice girl! I don't mean a pretty stylish toilet, no, my life is going down an ugly, old-fashioned pea green toilet that hasn't been cleaned in a while.

So, here is what I detest right now:

People who don't do what they commit to do.
Everyone in my neighborhood that lives in $700,000.00 houses and flaunts it!
YOUNG people with lots of money.
Men who control women.
Men who abuse women.
People who have church jobs who don't do what they promised, so YOU end up looking like you dropped the ball.
Having bad credit.
Having no kitchen.
Smoking.
Drinking.
Drugs.
People who try to get my kids to do something that they shouldn't.
People who make you a promise and then go back on that promise two days later.
Some of my decisions.
How life is so easy for some and so hard for others.
Hip-hop music.
Rap music.
Not having a talent for business.
Getting older.
Women who try to tell you that they look and feel better now that they are older.
The extra 15 pounds on my body.
Not being able to go to Europe this year.
Not having a show to direct this fall.
Not having a show to direct in the spring.
Not getting a directing job because of "politics". (its usually who you know)
Having to pack and move again.
Renting again.
All the stuff that we have accumulated...where did it all come from?
When my children don't go to church.
Starting over again.
How nobody really wants to hear what I have to say anymore, because I whine too much.

Ok, so I know that eventually I will have to come out from the toilet and will arrive in the sewer, so that's got to be better, right? I guess if its a septic tank and is about to emptied and let out into the landfill, to filter back into the earth...
There, now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

First Grade, First Day, Finally Freedom!

Last week there was a day that will be forever etched into my memory. I have been raising children for 20 something years, (ok, so its almost 30 years) and have always been one of these mothers that look forward to when each child made it from toddler status to Kindergarten, and then to the glorious ALL DAY FIRST GRADE! I have been counting the days, weeks, months, and years until Aydan, my youngest, made it to this miraculous day and last week it finally arrived!

Mark it down everyone....August 30, 2006...it will now be a new holiday date for me, as I am once again FREE during the day! Aydan started his first day wonderfully, just a little nervous about going to a new school and riding the bus for over a half hour in the morning and the afternoon. We had gone around to see his school several days earlier and he was excited, especially to be able to get "hot lunch" everyday. (Although, he at first protested, saying "Mom, I can't eat lunch that is too hot! How come they have to make it hot?" Until I reassured him that it was just what they CALLED it and that it wouldn't be burning his tongue...)

So, after putting him on the bus at 8:00 in the morning the first day, I proceeded to get into the car and drive to the school to wait for him to arrive, so he would still get the bus experience, but have me there to greet him when he got off the bus. (This is what the school recommended, so that the kids would get used to riding the bus from the start...) I waited for a while, and when the bus pulled up, I dutifully took pictures of him getting off and going to stand in line with his new teacher, Mrs. Carr. (He was a little confused by the last name thing, as his last school was much more laid back and preferred the kids call the teachers by their first name....I agree!!)

He was a trooper and did such a great job! There was a boy next to him that was crying, but Aydan just stood and waited, patiently, to go in, as the teacher tried to calm the boy down. I waited until he gave me his final wave as he entered the building, and then proceeded to my car to drive home...

As I thought about the enormity of this day as I drove home, and tried to sort out what I would do this first day...should I take the day off? Or should I get everything done that need to do? Maybe I should take in a movie, or read! Shopping by myself sounded like a good idea...

Then it hit me...

I actually MISSED the little guy! I actually got a little teary eyed and sad that I had finally reached this moment in my life and would never have it again...
Here I had been wanting it so badly and once I had it, I felt a little bereft. I realized that I will never experience all that magic of raising a baby and toddler again, and that I will actually MISS some of the great times that I spend with Aydan during the day.

I ended up doing some things around the house, and giving the puppies some extra attention, and got a nap in that I haven't had in a while. But I didn't take the day off or go shopping by myself...I waited until Aydan came home and we went together.

Its something that we both enjoy doing, and I can't imagine doing it alone...

Puppy Power

I always thought that taking care of babies was a lot of work. Well, it appears that I have forgotten that taking care of two small puppies is just as much work! I have had an eventful week, filled with lots of cleaning up after two small puppies...Mignon and Musette. They arrived last Thurs. afternoon, very dirty and a bit shaken from a long plane ride, but quickly warmed up to us after we got them home. We had the perfect solution to the potty/litter training, as we had gotten a device to hold the pee pads firmly in place, so the puppies couldn't move them around, therefore spilling the contents. That was the theory, anyway...

They were marvelous about immediately using the pee pads, but then came our first problem. Their poopies were a bit runny after the plane ride and the trauma of the journey, etc., which the breeder explained would go away after a few days... A FEW days? "Great!", I thought, "Just what we need," as I watched them accidently walking through their feces over and over again, trailing it from one end of the small enclosed area to the other. Well...., we adjusted, and I reminded everyone that they had to whip out a puppy wipe every time they wanted to hold one of the little darlings, and wipe their feet and bottoms. Then I bought several paper towel rolls and some Fantastick to constantly wipe up the floor. (Luckily, we only have wood floors, so it wasn't too bad. I shudder to think what I would do with carpet!)
I also have to mention that after the wiping of the floor, I had to spray it down with the chemical smell remover, (we've tried ALL the varieties over the years...) so the little things wouldn't get confused and think that their entire space was one big puppy pad.

Then came the next problem. They were fascinated with the holder that held the puppy pad in place and decided amongst themselves that it was the devil and needed to be destroyed and the puppy pads shredded, so as to give their runny poopies more freedom. Ok, ok....so maybe they were digging for a treasure, but whatever the reason, and even though I TAPED the pad in place, attached to the holder, they managed to shred it up into little pieces and yes, you guessed it, there was pee and feces all over the floor and their little feet, and....well, we were back where we started...

So, after much thought and extra money spent, I thought that since we were going to train them to a litter box eventually, anyway, it might as well be the present, as I had had ENOUGH of the five days of cleaning up the floor, paws and little bottoms... Besides, I had to leave them for the first time to go to MA to teach my voice students, and I could IMAGINE what their area would look like after me being gone for six hours! (Well, you should have seen it every morning...) So, I went to Petco, and after talking to the salesgirl, who ASSURED me that the puppy litter would help the puppies WANT to go on it, and then obtaining some spray to prompt them to go there, just to be safe, I got the new litter, a pan, a few toys, (can't get out of the pet store now without a few toys...)and proceeded home.

The set up was great, and I put a pee pad in front of the litter so they would know to start there and move into the pan. Well, the first thing that they did was get into the litter pan, and start chewing on the small litter pellets! (It is made up of tightly rolled newspaper stuff with scent on it) I even used the spray to prompt them, but they still thought that the litter was a great thing to chew on and also, to play in, as they moved all their chew toys in there to play with.

I did notice that they were still peeing on the pad, but were confused as to where to poop, so they kept leaving little turd piles around the litter pan, close to the pee pad. I wasn't about to give up, and I still had one more trick up my sleeve and I was bound and DETERMINED to not let these little girls win! (I have been watching Dog Whisperer fanatically and was GOING to be a good pack leader...) So, I proceeded to take the litter out of the pan, and put a puppy pad under it, then put the litter back over the top of it. Then, I left to go to my teaching...

When we returned to the house last night, I was overjoyed to see that there weren't any poopies outside the litter! (well,....maybe one just clinging precariously to the side, but I'm sure that it was MEANT to go in...) They had tried to shred the pee pad at the front, but I guess that when it wasn't attached to the devil holder, it wasn't any fun anymore. (No challenge...) And then, this morning when I got up to feed them, they didn't have any accidents around the litter at all!!

Of course, only my beautiful puppies could be so smart and so wonderful to accomplish this in less than a week! Everything is right with the world again...

Now, if I can only figure out how to get off all the crusty, dangling dried poopies that keep reappearing on their little bottoms without having to soak those said bottoms three times a day. (The puppy wipes aren't strong enough to soften them...) Any ideas?

Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy...or Not!

I realized yesterday, as I was driving back and forth, again, from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, that I have no life besides working---teaching voice, painting the house, cleaning my apartment, (the one that we just moved out of) moving, unpacking boxes, (the ones that have consumed our new "old" house), singing on the weekends, (so that involves driving all day on most Saturdays) band rehearsals, and working on trying to get MORE work for the fall.

As I talk to my students about their trips to New York, or Maine, or "the Cape", or even Cancaun, and their day trips to the beach or the mountains or to "the Cape", I realize that Bret and I are not going on a vacation this year, and I have not taken Aydan on one single day trip yet this summer. How pitiful and pathetic is that?

Ok, so I have taken him to the library three times----I guess that counts, doesn't it? But then I guess that I should admit that I fell asleep at the library yesterday, sitting scrunched up on the sofa, drooling for all the kiddies to see... (I can imagine their conversations with their Mom's later..."Mom, why was there a dead lady on the library sofa?" "Was she really dead, because I think that she had something coming out of her mouth!") Aydan, of course, was oblivious, as he sat reading his "Nate, the Great" books. (These are his favorites right now---so much adventure for a six year old!) Thank goodness that it took about 20 minutes for him to read a really long one, as I got a much needed rest, and then woke up to, "Wasn't that cool, Mom?" "Yes", I replied, "The best one that I've heard yet!" (I figured that he wouldn't quiz me on it, so I was safe...)

So, school starts in about 2 1/2 weeks and I still haven't done any of the things that I wanted to do this summer...

I wanted to go to Canobie Lake with Bret and Aydan,(it's an amusement park/park) go to the Art Museum with Aydan and Maryn, (we are now members of the MFA and they are having a great showing of "Americans in Paris"---oh, how I want to see this one!) take Aydan to the beach, at least, once, visit at least one other museum,(science would be fun) and then Bret wanted to go to the aquarium with us sometime...

Oh well, at least Aydan and I have gotten to eat out a lot this summer. (We don't have a kitchen...and I have issued the ultimatum to Bret that I am NOT cooking until I have a kitchen...we'll see how long it lasts...) So I am sure that he will remember this summer as the one that he got a lot of "happy meal" type toys. (Even though I despise McDonalds and try to go everywhere else that I can think of that is healthier---but they still all have kid's meals with toys)

And to think that this was the year that I wanted to go to Europe. I wanted to celebrate my birthday in style this year, seeing all the sights, roaming the English countryside, visiting London,(I am a BBC American, after all...) trying new fare at the open markets and restaurants, and checking out all the historical places that I have so much longed to see all my life...

I guess that I will plan this trip for next year... And I will save my money, do good deeds, be a perfect mother, never swear or yell, never talk badly about anyone, exercise everyday, eat only healthy foods and take Aydan to the beach four times next summer... Uh, huh,...that's just what I will do...

Hanging Out With Sting

I, seriously, had the most amazing dream last night! Or, rather, this morning, as I had to get my hubby up at 5:00, and then my youngest, Aydan, woke me up at 7:45, and then I finally got some real sleep in.

I don't know if it had anything to do with what I ate last night. I had some of that roasted chicken that I bought at Roche Bros. (pronounced "roach"----huh, you kiddin' me?) and a salad, and some popcorn, and oh, yes, I also stole two bites of my hubby's chocolate brownie ice cream. So, I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it, or maybe it was the fact that I have so many things on my brain right now and have been majorly stressed these past few weeks.......er....or months, and I really needed to have a fun adventure with one of my all time favorite crushes, Sting.

Yes, you heard it right....Sting!

For some odd reason, after one of my gigs, Sting came up and invited us to stay at his house for the night, as it was close to the venue. Wait a minute, that means that I must have been gigging in England, close to his castle. Alllll riiiight!! I told you it was a good one.

Well, it turned out that we were staying in part of the castle that was furnished with normal middle class house furniture, and we weren't allowed to go into the area where Sting and his family REALLY lived. So much for conversing with Trudi Styler.... Fast forward to the morning, as you know how dreams work. I, of course, have on a robe and no makeup and need to shower, and I am trying desperately to get into the bathroom to get ready before Sting comes down to breakfast and sees me looking like an English fishwife that just got off the fishing trawler. (This is a recurring event in all my dreams, by the way...I never have time to get ready, as people keep interrupting me. I know all you dream interpreters will have a field day with this one.)

So, as I am waiting for the bathroom, Sting comes in and starts to dance with various members of the band that I was in. Of course, they were all young girls, and gorgeous, and all HAD taken their showers and were flawless WITHOUT makeup. ( I don't know why my band were all girls, I haven't figured that one out yet... ) They were dancing the waltz (this must of been inspired by the episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" that I had just watched before going to bed) and I decided to join in.

Unfortunately, as soon as I decided to cut in, they all decided to play games instead. We went into the shabby family/game room, (it WAS shabby---as if that is how the Stings view middle class America) and sat around on the floor and tried to impress Sting with our beauty and our wit. As they decided what game to play, I quipped, "Let's play 'Pit'! To which Sting replied, "Never heard of it." "Well," I said, "It's loud and boisterous, alot like me!" Ok, so I stuck myself out there to be noticed, hoping that he would notice my great smile, my electric and fun personality, and not notice that I had no eyes or mouth because you can't see them without makeup on.

Well, it worked! He looked at me full on, with a big smile, and said, "Oh, that sounds like a FUN game and you sound like a really FUN person!"

Ok, so the rest of the dream got kinda wierd as we ended up going to the basement of his house that was really a scary amusement park area that a demon ruled. We all just barely made it through that alive. (Although, I don't think that the beautiful sweet young things made it,....I think we had to sacrifice them so we could live....poor things...)

All in all, two things came from this dream. I got to see Sting and he SMILED at me, and I realized that I could talk to someone without the crutch of makeup or clean body, or great clothes, and I could do it in front of perfect, gorgeous, young girls.

But, then again, I really wouldn't be able to do either of these things, and to think that I could....well,......you must be dreaming...