My French Boys

Two summers ago, we had two boys from France spend two weeks with us. We ended up with them in a roundabout, "it's a small world" way. They are exactly the same age as J3 & J4 and are the oldest of 4 kids (all boys). This was our second round of hosting a French student--in 2000 we hosted a 17 year old girl from Brittany who was the youngest of 4 kids (2 girls, 2 boys). She was with us for a month in the summer and was great. She wanted to experience everything, she was a great help and her English was very good. She traveled with about 30 other students from all over France and she was placed with us through an exchange program (I saw an ad in the paper).

The kids' middle school French teacher was from France, married to an American. We had traveled with them to France several times during spring breaks and had become good friends (especially since the girls had such a special interest in French and excelled at it). A retired teacher from the middle school called her and asked if she knew of anybody who would be interested in hosting two boys for a couple of weeks. Of course, she knew just the family! The boys' uncle, their mother's brother, had done an exchange with the retired teacher's family when her son was in high school and they still kept in touch 25 years later. The families met several times, both here and in France, and the retired teacher still corresponded with the boys' grandmother. Here's the "small world part"....the retired teacher lives on my street. She taught J2 the year she retired! So their uncle had actually stayed in our neighborhood when he was in high school.

They spent two weeks with us, one in Panama City while J3 played in a world series baseball tournament (which they won, btw!) and one week here, when we celebrated the 4th of July. My boys were supposed to spend some time with them last summer, but our summers are so short and J3 was playing his last year of travel ball, so it didn't work out. They also don't speak French even close to as well as the French boys speak English. And they still don't. Maybe next summer. Maybe not. J4 says he doesn't want to go unless we take him there (whoa, that would be a real bummer, huh!)

So, this summer they are coming back for a couple of weeks. I'm not sure if it will be the oldest two or the middle two. The second oldest clicked with the boys a lot more than the oldest. The oldest is very quiet, reserved and not very adventurous. He's not too interested in sports (although I did have to find a sports bar that would turn on their big screen at 1 pm and let me bring two adolescents in to watch the World Cup while we were in Panama City!), while the second oldest is on a rugby team and was ready to try anything.

If you've never had an exchange student, or long term houseguest, it's a little stressful. You feel like you should be entertaining them all the time, you feel like you can't be a biotch and yell at your kids (this IS a hardship for me!), and you have to cook. A lot. Which kind of sucks when it's summer and you're used to "there's stuff for sandwiches or make yourself a hotdog". Marie, our student from Brittany, was wonderful and totally helpful. She loved to watch "Friends" and "ER" and asked questions about everything. She made crepes, pat a choux, and brought gateau breton (her mother sent the recipe and I still make it for the kids' French classes). But it was a relief when we sent her off every Tuesday with her group for their tours of Atlanta. I admire people who can do it for a whole year, because it's just different having somebody else in the house.

Having said that, if you ever get the opportunity to host a student, I say go for it. It's a great experience and you have somebody to visit on the other side of the pond!

A Walk in My Neighborhood

As I said in the post below, I met Maggi yesterday (she gave me a "Keep Marietta Beautiful" shirt). If you've seen her and sweet fireman on her blog, you know she's adorable. Well, IRL she's twice as adorable, I swear!

I love our town, and I love where I live. I don't love my house so much, but location, location, location. We've been here ten years and haven't found the perfect replacement, so we'll stay put. I like that I am halfway between the Square and the Mountain, so that a walk isn't just aimless and I always have a destination. Our neighborhood backs up to the trails, so we can also go down the street and pick them up and climb right to the top of Pigeon Hill (obviously, from the picture you saw of me, I don't do this with any regularity! ha!)

So today it was finally nice outside so I took a few pictures of the 'hood on my walk to the Square. These are the antebellum houses--there are only a few left and they are mostly on our street.

This is Oakton. Our friends live here with their 3 kids. He's a landscape architect and she's a garden designer. He's the youngest of 8 kids, and it was his family home (he's a 5th generation Blue Devil). The gardens in the back are gorgeous--there is a boxwood garden that was planted by a Scottish gardener after the Civil War. The house was built in 1838 and the neighborhood where we live was part of the original plantation.

This is our Garden Center. It was called "Fair Oaks". I love this house--I could move in! They rent it out for parties and weddings. When I was co-chair of the Preview Party for the Pilgrimage, DOTR and I had to close up the house after the party, and it felt so much like a home I swear we could've gone right upstairs! (okay, so there are offices upstairs now instead of bedrooms, but you get my drift!) The juniors congregate here before prom for pictures--the seniors go to another historic house "as tradition dictates", and I've told both the girls that they don't need to get any crazy ideas about wedding locations, because their receptions will be right here.

This is "Tranquilla". About eight years ago, the old man who lived in it for years died and they had a huge estate sale. The house was auctioned with sealed bids and so many people were mad they didn't bid on it. Most thought it would go for millions and rumor was it sold for somewhere around $650,000! A steal, when you consider that little mill cottages are selling for $300,000 now!

This is the Archibald Howell Home. It is the antebellum house closest to the Square. I've never been inside this house, but I love its presence from the outside. I think you can see the little portico on the side in this picture where they used to drive their carriages up to the house.

This one is not antebellum, but it's gorgeous and totally unique. I love the couple who live in it--it was her family's house. They were instrumental in starting our landmarks organization. This house was on the very first Pilgrimage tour and they were on it again 3 years ago. There is a huge mural in the dining room of the view from that house to the Mountain at the time it was built. An absolute treasure.

This is the ruins of an old mill that's right at the entrance to our street. I drive by it so many times a day that I forget how interesting it is. But I do remember the first time I saw it twenty-five years ago, and I said "I want to live here someday."

I hope you enjoyed our little walk. There are lots more interesting houses along the way....maybe we'll see more next time!

Random Picture of the Day

Gotta love my hair! Can you say poodle? I think this must be about 1995--I'm pretty sure the in-laws were visiting because my MIL always lines everybody up for a photo op before they leave (or before we leave on every holiday--we have a million pictures in front of a screen door or garage door). Most of my photos are not digital, J2 scanned a bunch for her senior ads for last year's yearbook, so this one pops up on the screen now and again.

And.....drumroll, since I met Green Magsterpie (Maggi) yesterday, I guess it's time to "come out" as well. I don't mind posting pictures of my kids, but I have never photographed well, even when I was young and cute. So I hate pictures of myself. And I'm usually having a bad hair day. And usually look like I wish I was doing anything in the world rather than having my picture taken. I really prefer to think I still look like I used to look, rather than having the living proof that I don't.

So here's Easter. And I will be the first to admit that I look like crap in yellow. And I was having a really bad hair day, but I had to be at church at 7:30 and I didn't deal with it Saturday night. And DOTR and I definitely need to lay off the snickerdoodles. And thin mints, tagalongs, samoas and do si dos. And margaritas. Beer, too. And maybe gin and tonics, but I'm thinking that's just a little drastic with summer coming.

TGIF--Again!

I am so happy to see this week end. My house looks like a sock bomb exploded in the den...and the kitchen.....and the laundry room. I'm estimating that there are probably a thousand socks that need to find their mates and their own particular sock drawer.

And then there are the newspapers. I love the newspaper. We get both the Atlanta and the local daily. And of course I have to recycle. And I could take it to the curb on Fridays for my friendly trash man to take away, but noooooo, we have to support our local elementary's PTA and drag them to the kids' old school. So they're piled all over.

Then there's that little problem I have convincing J3 that the foyer is NOT his personal locker room. Nothing like walking in the front door and tripping over a baseball bag, a gym bag, two backpacks (one for A day and one for B day!), two pairs of gigantic shoes.....I can't wait until he can drive so he can use his car as a rolling locker room. Always worked for the girls.

Favorite SIL is coming to town this afternoon for a doctor's appointment, so I'm hoping she'll have time to come over and help me count the socks afterward. If she doesn't have to get back to 'pert near Alabama right away, that is. As a rule, when she comes to town, we must go to Viva and drink margaritas with J2's BFF's Mom. Favorite SIL used to live across the street from her, conveniently just a nano second from Viva. I have high hopes for my happy hour today.

J4 arrived home from his DC trip at 6:00 am. Yeah, loved getting that call at 5:30. I got to the school and he cussed me out for parking where he couldn't see me and I ***don't be horrified by my behavior*** got out of my car and WALKED TOWARD HIM. I know, who can stand it. Anyway, he went home and went straight to bed. I expect him to wake up sometime tomorrow afternoon. Or at least I hope so. He's foul when he's tired and he has to be wiped out. They left Monday night, drove all night, toured all day Tuesday and saw their beds for the first time that night. Toured all day Wednesday and Thursday, then loaded up and drove all night home.

J3 has yet another baseball game. That's all I have to say about that. Don't want to talk about it. Luckily we get Saturday off and I think I will be cracking the whip on outside work. Our "place" is looking a little neglected, to put it mildly. Unless it rains. Which it probably will. Then I'm back to sock sorting. Oh joy.

Wednesday night's wrestling banquet was great. We had lasagna and chicken pasta supreme (from the old Italian Kitchen, now extinct) catered. It was so yummy. There may or may not have been a pan of pasta supreme left and it may or may not be in my refrigerator. I can't say how I know that it tastes even better reheated the next day. He needs to sell that recipe. To me. Yum-o, as Rachel would say, as she annoys the crap out of me.

Okay, I have officially begun rambling.

Back to work.

Look out!

Of course, since J3 "misplaced" his wallet containing his learner's permit and is waiting for me to find it, he can't drive it.

We are at an impasse. I'm not looking. He's not looking.

The hot car is sitting.

Easter

Or a frat party before a Yellowjacket football game. You decide.

And the winner is......

WSU Laura.

Email me at mom_on_the_run2001@yahoo.com with your address and I'll pop it in the mail.

Enjoy!

ps--clemsongirl and hair girl, you can borrow the other copy if you want, since we're in the same 'hood.....well, I'm in the 'hood, anyway. ;-}

I can't say I'm surprised

Take the Quiz here!

I'll let you know who won the DVD. Just got home from the Wrestling Banquet (Hospitality Chair of the Takedown Club) so I haven't had a chance to do it. I promise a winner by morning! Thanks for playing!

Miss Chatty Here

Well, it looks like I've been chatty--I just did my 100th post this year. Probably a case of too much rolling around in my head and nobody to talk to. Oh well.

In honor of this milestone, I have a giveaway! If you've been following along my ramblings, you know I've been on the Jane Austen DVD kick and evidently I accidently ordered 2 of the same DVD. So...here's the deal. Leave a comment before 6:00 pm tomorrow (Wednesday, March 26) and I'll draw a winner who will receive a copy of the Masterpiece Theatre adaptation of Mansfield Park.


I'll draw a winner Wednesday night! Don't be shy, just say hello!

Bon Voyage

J4 is off tonight for his 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. with 48 of his closest friends and 4 very brave teachers.

This will be his 3rd trip to DC, but no doubt will be the most fun!

(the photo is from our trip in 2005--the cherry blossoms exploded the day before we left)

More Movie Fun

J2 got home from spring break yesterday and we watched this last night. Then I got a little note in my email today that A&E's Emma and Pride and Prejudice are on the way....along with Sense and Sensibility.

Austen-o-rama. Who's coming over?

Hot Diggity Dog

After we dropped off the boys at church Wednesday night, DOTR and I went to our favorite dive Mexican restaurant (just like we do 3-4 times a week) for dinner. We get a half pitcher of margaritas and we're happy.

DOTR loves surprises. So he had a file folder with him, which always means some kind of surprise. Even though he never does that with bad surprises, I am enough of a pessimist that I always think he's going to tell me something bad and freak out just a little.

I may have mentioned that he is celebrating his 30th high school reunion this summer and we've already made reservations for our hotel in his hometown in Western Nebraska (God's country). Last week he was working on getting plane tickets to Denver, but for some unknown reason he decided to wait to buy them. This is so unlike him, if he sees something that looks halfway reasonable, he is very impulsive and jumps on it.

So that brings us to the surprise.

On Monday he got an invitation to another insurance company seminar in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at the Four Seasons. His brother had earned this trip, but had to give it up because he decided to get out of his own business (basically doing the same thing we do) and take a job with an insurance company and starts April 1st. We've only sold one group with this company, but I guess they want us to sell more so they transferred the trip to us. It starts the day after DOTR's reunion. Yeah, 51 other weeks of the year wouldn't have worked out for us, but magically this one does.

So they've figured out the whole itinerary and we end up with free airfare to the reunion and a week at the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole. My aunt and uncle live in Cody on the other side of Yellowstone, so I'm hoping to see them one day since I am entirely uninterested in any of the activities that they have available. And unlike the really good company that we go on trips with, this one makes you pay for everything extra. So forget it. He signed me up for a float trip one day and that's it. I won't be horseback riding, fly fishing, or anything else. Not my scene.

So of course they have dinners every night and they require costumes. Not my scene either. Here's the suggested attire for the "Demin and Diamonds Gala Awards Dinner"

Gentlemen: appropriate attire includes crisp jeans, dress shirt and jacket of your choice. Ties are not required. Western flair is encouraged (bolo ties, cowboy boots).
Ladies: appropriate attire includes a minimum of one article of sparkly clothing - dress tops, nice jeans, pantsuits or dresses. Again, Western flair is encouraged.

Ummmm. No. I think not.

How about this one on the first night?

Welcome Reception and Dinner
*A week of "No Boundaries" begins with a gondola ride to the brand new Bridger Restaurant, over 9,000 feet above the majestic Snake River Valley. Once there, enjoy the best food the region has to offer with a "Taste of Jackson Hole" Dinner. To better prepare you for your days in Cowboy Country, Xxxxxxxx Life is pleased to sponsor a boot fitting by a real cowboy for you and your guest.

I told DOTR if he even THINKS about buying a pair of cowboy boots, I will kill him. I just got rid of the ones he's been storing in his closet since bull riding in bars was popular, ala Urban Cowboy.

And then there's this one...whatever shall I wear?

Off-Site Dinner at the World Famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
*A night of Old West fun awaits you at this landmark watering hole. The Cowboy Bar is famous for its line dancing and live country music. It is also served as backdrop for numerous movies, including Clint Eastwood's Any Which Way You Can.

And here's the cherry on top--the grand finale:

Off Site Dinner, Rodeo and Entertainment
*It is time to kick up your heels (or kick up some dirt!) for a good 'ole country-style rodeo! If you're brave enough join the competition, experienced cowboys will assist you with the challenges while the rodeo announcer broadcasts the seam splitting play-by-play action.

Nebraska is a funny state, in that it's part Midwestern with farms and fairs and part Western with ranches and rodeos. I'm from the eastern farm part, and I spent plenty of time at the county fair AND the rodeo in my day. I had college roommates from Mullen and Thedford and I married a Western Nebraska boy (although he was not a "goat roper"). Since I grew up in one of the smallest towns in the state, this whole shindig does not sound like a big bunch of fun to me. Basically if I wanted to dress up like a cowgirl, I would've stayed where I was. And if you're not a cowgirl, I think it's pretty stupid to dress up like one. I have one handkerchief print wrap around skirt from Coldwater Creek that I'm not even sure fits anymore. I wore it to a party at DOTR's LAST reunion ten years ago because they have it during their huge celebration.

So it's a great trip, but I'm kinda not even looking forward to this just because of the hassle of finding a bunch of stupid costumes. Or should I just wear what I want and screw the instructions?

I won't be your cowgirl. Just so you know.

Who Needs Spring?

We're ready for summer, baby. (BTW, this is random picture of the day--the one that was on the computer when I walked in the room this morning.)

Easter's on its way

Well, I found my Easter outfit last night at Macy's. It's a yellow suit, which is not my best color, but that's what we're going with this year. The girls have tons of yellow sun dresses (seeing as how they're ramblin' wrecks and need a different dress for each football game) and the boys have yellow RL OCBD's. DOTR is wearing a yellow shirt and blue and yellow tie. So, yellow and white it is. We did yellow about 10 years ago and I have a really comfy pair of yellow shoes, so I'm excited to know at least my feet won't be throbbing (I spend the morning on my feet at church with the acolytes).

We're going to the 8:00 service. J3 is the crucifer and DOTR loves to get up at the crack of dawn and "get it out of the way", so I guess we'll drag everybody out of bed. That gives us time to get pictures in front of the flowered cross after I get the next bunch of acolytes down the aisle for the 9:00 service. Unfortunately at that time the cross is still looking a little spotty as far as flowers go, but at least there's not a big crowd waiting for their photo ops.

DOTR bought a giant pork tenderloin that's been in the freezer for awhile, so I'm going to be unimaginative and make that for lunch. The boys love Hummingbird Cake and there are a couple of disreputable looking bananas in the basket, so that will be dessert. Thankfully, no company and no family get together planned. Easter is exhausting, so I'm usually ready for a nap--a really LONG nap--by 2:00 or so.

I haven't taken out any Easter decorations...maybe next year.

When I think back on the stuff I used to get for their Easter baskets....oy! Videos, books, spring pajamas, flip flops, candy, jewelry, candy, more candy, gum, more candy.

Does it make me a horrible person that I really don't miss that at all? I'm glad nobody expects an Easter basket anymore.

I guess I've really blown it for mother of the year from here on out.

Five Things You Might Not Know about Maundy Thursday

5. The word 'Maundy' comes from the Latin word for commandment, mandatum. This is a special day for us. It is the day when we remember the Last Supper, the agony in the garden of Gethsemane and the arrest and trial of Jesus. It was at this Last Supper which Jesus shared with his friends that he changed the words of the traditional Passover meal and commanded his followers to break and eat bread and drink wine in his memory. This act of remembrance is known as the Eucharist, Holy Communion, Mass or The Lord's Supper.

4. The Royal Maundy is an ancient ceremony which has its origin in the commandment Christ gave after washing the feet of his disciples on the day before Good Friday. The commandment, or mandatum, is: 'that ye love one another' (John XIII 34)

3. The tradition of the Sovereign giving money to the poor dates from the 13th century. The Sovereign also used to give food and clothing (later changed to a gift of money), and even washed the recipients' feet - this varied from Sovereign to Sovereign, the last Monarch to do so was James II.

2. Typically at the conclusion of the Maundy Thursday Service, the candles on the altar are extinguished and the part of the service known as the 'stripping of the altar' begins. Slowly and reverently the paraments are removed. All altar coverings are taken away and the church lights dimmed. When all is complete and the altar bare, the congregation departs in silence.

1. We will observe the Maundy Thursday Service at Marietta First on March 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary. You're invited to share a meal and remember the last evening Jesus shared a meal with his disciples. Childcare is provided. Music Provided by the Chamber Choir. We will have Church Family Supper at 5:15 p.m.

Movie for a Rainy Day

The first arrival of my recent online shopping binge. I liked it.

Dear Little Random Girl Scouts,

You showed up at my door a few weeks ago and I ordered a bunch of cookies.

I understand that a lot of people are currently enjoying their Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.

So where are mine?

Please come soon.

Love, Mom on the Run

A Wedding and a Funeral

Saturday morning we jumped in the Land Cruiser and headed to South Carolina for my cousin's wedding. She was the flowergirl in my wedding and daughter of my favorite aunt who's just a few years older than me (in case you weren't following along earlier).

After much screaming and cussing (by me) we finally got everything together and scrounged up the khaki pants that the boys threw on the floor in the bathroom a week ago (the same ones I've been telling them to bring to the laundry room for the past 6 days), threw a few things into an overnight bag and we were gone.

We discovered that the boys had never been to a wedding. That was a revelation, but I guess they haven't. We're far away from the relatives, so we generally don't make it back for anything in the summer because we can't get away from baseball tournaments. I think they were toddlers when my brother got married, so they had no clue what to expect.

We followed an ominous black cloud up I85 to Greenville, and by the time we arrived at the site (outside, by a lovely lake) it was a deluge. The wedding was moved under a tent, but it left everything disjointed. The wedding planner was god's most annoying woman, ordering us around like an army sergeant. I never did come up with a new outfit, I just wore the sassy navy, lime and aqua knit dress from Steinmart, navy shoes and my Tar-jhay trench all day. I have naturally curly hair, so it was a particularly bad hair day. DOTR was in a blue suit, aqua shirt and striped tie and the boys wore khakis and RL buttondowns in green and blue stripes (just to set the scene in your mind).

The wedding ceremony lasted a grand total of 10 minutes. Everytime I tried to talk to any of my relatives, the wedding planner would scream...."we need everybody to cut the cake"...."we need the wedding party and parents for a picture", etc. We ended up leaving before most people and didn't make it to the "after party". We also did not get a chance to see anybody before we left the next morning. I tried. We definitely have communication issues in our family.

On the way home, we took a little side trip to Clemson. Our high school baseball team is going to camp there later in the summer and DOTR wanted to take a look around. There was a game going on against Boston College and I was seriously out of place in my pink sweater and pearls. As if they couldn't go one damn day without going to a baseball game. Such is my life.

Then a little further down the road, we stopped at the Ralph Lauren outlet and hit the motherlode. My "uniform" RL OCBD shirts on sale for $21, with a coupon for $25 off your purchase if you spent $150. Not hard. Two big shopping bags later, we thankfully passed by the exit to Bass Pro (the boys were dozing or we would've had to stop).

This morning I had to take J3 to a funeral. He'd never been to a funeral before either (this was a big weekend in his life skills education, I guess). One of his classmates lost her mother last week--we found out Friday night during all the tornados. She went to the small elementary with him from Kindergarten on, the first three letters of her last name is the same as ours, which means they are in the same homeroom every year, and she played on the softball team with J2. She's an only child, and her mother has been very sick since Christmas. J2 loved her and called her "my little". When J2 was a senior she drove her to Target and Chickfila before they had to get on the bus, gave her rides home and looked out for her like a big sister would.

Anyway, just like the wedding wasn't your run of the mill wedding, this was a burial Mass and not your 20 minute Methodist "homegoing". J3 sat with his friends (there were about 20 of them there) so I'm glad I ran through the "don't kneel and don't go up for communion" thing with him before we got separated. Where I grew up, every other person was Catholic, but here not so much. So by the time I was his age,15, I'd been to First Communions (I coveted my neighbor's veil), Confirmations, weddings and funerals at Catholic churches. I'm actually the only one of my siblings married to a Protestant. And because I grew up in the Lutheran church, I have no problems reciting everything right along with the rest of the Catholics (impresses the Methodists and Presbyterians at weddings). It's been awhile, though, because I forgot about the incense. My eyes are still burning.

So I don't have a snappy ending for this post. It was a weird weekend because I realized once again that I am totally out of the loop with my family. I've been away so long that I just don't fit anymore and it always feels weird to be around them. And either they don't care or they don't think I do. I'm not sure.

I knew we were in for a sad day today, even though I was not closer than a friendly acquaintance to her, I feel sad for the things she will miss in her daughter's life. And for all the loving aunts and uncles, and best friends' mothers, her mother is gone.

That's all I've got today. Started out with shopping and ended up with this.

Lucky Charms

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I had great plans to make some complicated corned beef I brined myself and side dishes from an article that I read in Food + Wine. Not gonna happen. I forgot there is a baseball game tonight (just like every other night) so that means everyone in the family will be enjoying a hamburger or frito pie at the concession stand and I'll have a bowl of cereal. Maybe I'll have Lucky Charms today, just to keep with the festive spirit.

It was a crazy weekend, with tornados blasting through here and our trip to South Carolina for my cousin's wedding. The girls came home late Friday afternoon and as always had a hankering for our favorite Mexican Restaurant (for you locals--we're Viva Mexico people--the in town one!), so DOTR and I took them out for dinner. They boys were off at locations unknown doing whatever it is that boys do. After dinner, the girls headed back down to Tech. J1 was driving to Peachtree City with friends that night where they were picking up somebody's mom's minivan (WITH DVD player--woo!) for the trip to the Keys. J2 was going to her dorm to finish packing and they planned to leave Saturday for Amelia Island. We had them leave J1's car so we can get new brakes put on this week while they're gone, so they took J2's car.

About an hour after they left, I looked in the basket where we put keys and discovered that J1 did not leave the keys to her car. She got one last thing out of her car and put them back in her purse. She did this a couple of summers ago, only she parked her car cockeyed in the driveway and then took the keys to France for 6 weeks. (no spare keys, all have been lost). I called her and she was already on the way to Peachtree City, so she was going to mail them today. OK, no problem, have fun, be good, don't show up on any girls gone wild videos. I return to my room to read a trashy romance novel instead of finishing the laundry.

In the meantime, we see all the stuff happening at the SEC tournament at the Dome, DOTR (aka "Meteorology Man") gets hunkered down in front of the weather channel to watch what's going on and I said, "maybe we should call the girls to make sure they're all right." J2 answers her phone and she is almost home. In the middle of all the weather, J1 decided to turn around and come back to Tech and give J2 her keys (and stop by the Atlantic Station Super Target just for fun). In the downpour and wind, J2 decides to drive home for the second time and give us J1's keys. Well, she also forgot her favorite beach towel, so she's thinking she'll just kill two birds with one stone. J1 is back on the road to Peachtree City. In the middle of a tornado. J2 is on the road to Blue Devil Land. In the middle of the tornado.

I know what you're thinking. Isn't Tech a really hard school and don't you have to be pretty smart to get in? Apparently, listening to the radio and general awareness of what is going on around you is not part of the admissions process. And just to get your bearings, the Dome, World Congress Center and Centennial Olympic Park are about 3 blocks from Georgia Tech where they live, so it just missed them.

It finally looks like it's over at 10:30, so J2 decides to take off for Tech again, since "I'm not really packed". Off she goes, and the tail lights disappear out of the driveway. Then the headlights reapper. All the exits are shut down into Atlanta, so she's stuck here for the night. At least I know where she is and that's she's safe.

She got up at 7 am Saturday and went back to her dorm to finish packing. And that's the last we've heard....from either of them.

I'm sure they have a savage tan working and cannot be disturbed.

Five Things You Might Not Know about Holy Week

This is from our program director at church.

5. This week is Holy Week. The last time Holy Week came this early in the year was 1913 and the next time it will occur this early is 2228. So don't feel bad if it doesn't seem like Holy Week yet.

4. From the fifth to ninth century, strict fasting was required; only one meal was allowed per day, and meat and fish (and sometimes eggs and dairy) were forbidden. During and since the ninth century, fasting restrictions were gradually loosened.

3. Its chief days are Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. It is a week of devout observance, commemorating the passion and Jesus' death on the cross.

2. Each day of Holy Week is associated with a scriptural reading in our lectionary. For more information about the lectionary, articles for each day, and the appointed scriptural readings, visit www.textweek.com

1. You are invited to join together in devotion, observance, commemoration, and celebration of the Life, the Death, and the Resurrection of Christ this week at MFUMC. We will have two church family suppers this week- Wednesday and Thursday at 5:15 p.m. in the Family Life Hall. Maundy Thursday Service will be 3/20 at 6:30 p.m in the Sanctuary. Stations of the Cross will be available on Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Children's Egg Hunt is Saturday at 10:00 a.m. with a breakfast at 9:00 a.m. in the Family Life Hall.

More Vera Talk

The popularity of Vera Bradley stuff depends entirely on where you live, I think. On greekchat, it rules with sorority girls in some places, and in others (like here) it peaked awhile ago and has moved on to the middle schoolers and moms. Some people say they look like grandma bags and others say they look like little girls purses. I guess it's like real estate....location, location, location. The girls told me before Christmas that they were "over" Vera Bradley, which means "don't buy me any more, please!" I already warned them that I was looking for the garment bags because I want them to have the "set" in at least one fabric. They'll thank me some day.

I never claim to be an early adapter of anything, but VB was all the rage amongst my Longaberger friends back in the late 1990's. We won bags as incentives, and at The Bee (Longaberger convention) you would see tons of VB luggage on the bellman carts waiting to be delivered to the rooms. I only had one tote bag that I carried for a long time (love all the pockets inside) but it is pretty ragged, so it's been retired as well. By me.

The girls picked out these patterns in their early-mid teens (I think J2 has another one, but only has a couple things--it's a black one I don't particularly like) and have small duffles, little purses and makeup bags.

I was cleaning bookshelves and found "The Official Preppy Handbook" and realized why I had always liked the little handbag in Nantucket Navy...it looks like the Pierre Deux bag they have pictured on the "essential accessories" page. The middle school girls must have bought everything in that pattern before it went away forever-- it matches their uniforms of navy or sky blue polos--because I have seen it all (large backpacks, small backpacks, messenger bags, large totes, tiny little purses, etc.) walking down the sidewalk while I sit in the carpool line. And of course, I'm always attracted to the blue and blue of Kappa Kappa Gamma, so this is definitely my favorite. I have one measly handbag (yes, THE handbag).

So these are the "new" retired patterns the girls like (Medallion and Classic Black). .

They don't like any of the new stuff that's come out in the last year, so I think I'm off the hook with Vera. Remember, they're OVER it.

Of course, now that I've bought all kinds of navy blue and green stuff for my trip to Dublin and London in May.......hmmm, maybe I should think about this.

What do you think?

Home Again Home Again Jiggety Jig

The girls are coming home later today for a pitstop (switching out winter/spring clothes and packing up for the beach). Then they are off again in the morning for their trips with the sorority sisters.....J1 to Marathon Key and J2 to Amelia Island (change of plans from Hilton Head...free beach house in Amelia = DUH!)

I will be happy to see them, even if it's only for a minute or two.

I did not know that

The girls both have a bunch of Vera Bradley stuff--it was more popular here when they were in high school (now that every middle school girl is carrying a bag, I'm sure that's the death knell for coolness), and of course their favorite patterns are always discontinued. They share the kiss of death syndrome with me whenever they like something.

A couple of years ago, they moved on from their early high school patterns and each found a new "love". J1 saw Classic Black and decided it looked like all the Pierre Deux bags she saw in France all summer (Veras are actually a knock off of these) when she was studying in Toulouse, so she got the small duffle for weekend trips and a tote bag to take last summer when she was working in Lyon. J2 decided she liked Medallion, and through the generosity of a group of her babysitting clients from our church, got a set of the duffles for graduation. I found a large duffle for J1 in the black, but the one thing I really wanted to get each of them for Christmas was the garment bag. Of course, since the two patterns were discontinued and that is about the priciest item in the group, I couldn't find them anywhere. I tried again for J2's birthday in January to no avail (I called every store that carried it in North Georgia, I swear).

So, yesterday I was trolling the website and found out that you can order off it now. You used to just be able to look, but not buy.

They had both of them--on sale of course, because they are discontinued. So I ordered them. Like I could've months ago. Instead of running all over town and calling everybody in the world.

Sometimes I am so clueless I scare myself.

APB

Alice, I need you! Help!

That's my boy!

DOTR says he has good form and that you can actually see the ball coming off the bat--no small feat with a digital camera. I'll take his word for it.

And yes, that is our baseball field with all the brick (that's the dugout and the concession stand). We even have seatbacks on the bleachers, just like the Wide World of Sports Complex at Disney. A couple of small colleges have come to look at our baseball and softball fields, and we've given them the plans. They were built as part of the new high school, which opened when J1 was a freshman in 2001.

Amazing what you can get for $56 million.

Nope, Still not Feeling the Love

So, FINALLY, I saw the third part of this. Sorry, after seeing the newest P&P movie, this version does not do it for me. I like Colin Firth as well as the next girl, but I just don't get all the people who couldn't stand the movie because this was the "gold standard". Blech.

That did not, however, stop me from blowing about $150 on amazon buying Jane Austen DVDs, including this one.

Oopies.

Half Gone

Well, happy hump day (no, I don't want details!). I've been at the office all day for the last two days, and after my very productive weekend (not) things are looking pretty grim around the house. Mt. Laundry is putting it mildly.

Favorite Aunt is making her way south this morning to get ready for my cousin's wedding on Saturday. Favorite Aunt is my mom's youngest sister, who is only a few years older than me and closer in age to me than to my mom. My cousin was the flowergirl in my wedding and I used to babysit for her on weekends when she was an infant....but now she's 29! She's a critical care nurse, and relocated to Greenville, SC with her fiance. He moved home to take over the family business. They're getting married at a pretty house by a lake on Saturday afternoon. My mom (dad does NOT fly) and sister are coming tomorrow (thankfully, not here!) but we have baseball every night this week, so we won't be going until the wedding day.

Five years ago, my uncle died less than a month after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was a nonsmoker, worked in the hospital lab for 27 years and was the lab director for a long time. He was 49 years old. Their youngest daughter was in the middle of her senior year of high school, and their son was in his 3rd year of college where he played football, and oldest (the bride) was trying to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. It was almost like a car accident, it happened so fast. The wedding will be on the 5th anniversary of his death, and like all stoic Midwesterners, I didn't want to ask how they felt about that. That's sort of how we communicate in our family, you know, by not talking about it. My youngest cousin is in pharmacy school and she has no breaks for the next year, this is her spring break and next weekend is Easter, so this is the day they are left with. I guess it will give what is truly the "ides of March" for their family a happy memory to go along with the very sad.

My mom's father died on the 4th of July when I was 4 years old and I honestly did not know that it was a big holiday until I was in college. For one thing, we lived in a small town and there wasn't much going on anyway. A couple of nearby towns had fireworks displays at the park, and once in awhile I remember going to see them. But usually we just got a box of fireworks and shot them off at home. Sometimes Grandma would come over or we'd go to her house, but it was not a big deal. When I was in college I was going to summer school and I needed some art supplies for a project so I went to the mall. It was closed. I was like.....WTF? It's just the 4th of July, what's the big deal?

Well, when you live in Blue Devil Land, you know that the 4th of July is a big deal. We have a huge parade through the square, stuff going on all day long, and a huge fireworks display. We have too many tall trees to see it from our house, so we meet up with a huge group of "neighbors", basically anybody who lives on our side of town and doesn't want to go to the square, at a nearby park to watch. I still only participate half heartedly, and a lot of times I send the DOTR and the J's and enjoy the day of peace and quiet. (that seems to be a recurring theme with me--just go away and leave me alone!)

So, back to the wedding.......I need to go shopping. I have something to wear to the wedding, but still, we've no Easter clothes yet. We always get something new, and we always match/coordinate. Wouldn't want to end my 21 year streak now! I've been shopping, though, and nothing is speaking to me. At all. And I am the cool older sister city girl (in my mind, anyway!) so I have a reputation to uphold in the family pecking order. Can't just throw on any old thing, don't you know! It's not like I can show up in something you could buy in Omaha or Sioux City!

And there's that little issue of that weight I was going to lose--I guess it's too late to try to lose at least 20 lbs. by Saturday?

Couch Potato

So this is what I did Saturday night and most of the day Sunday. Watched all of them normally, then again with the director's comments. And all the extra features.

I'm a spud.

Oldie but Goodie

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Service Station Attendant (I was 14 and I pumped gas)
2. Waitress
3. Event Planner
4. Advertising Copywriter

Four movies I would watch over and over:

1. Pride and Prejudice (Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen)

2. While You Were Sleeping

3. The Quiet Man

4. French Kiss

Four places I have lived:

1. The Smallest Town in the World, Nebraska

2. Big Red College Town, Nebraska

3. Outer Suburbia, Georgia

4. Blue Devil Land, Georgia

Four TV shows I watch:
1. CSI
2. BBC America News
3. Divine Design
4. Barefoot Contessa

Four Places I have been:
1. France
2. Bermuda
3. Italy
4. Hawaii

Four people who e-mail me (regularly):
1. Favorite SIL
2. BFF
3. Gossip Girl
4. Second Bestest

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Hunk of red meat from Nebraska, grilled to perfection
2. Peanut M&M's
3. My homemade quiche lorraine
4. Mushroom risotto

Four Places I'd rather be right now:

1. In my bed, asleep

2. In a cafe in Paris

3. St. Simons Island

4. At lunch

Four things I look forward to:
1. Lunch
2. Our trip to Dublin and London in two months
3. Sleep
4. The end of our drought so I can regain my enthusiasm for gardening and yard work

Not sure what's up with this formatting, but I can't get it to be consistent. Drives me batty.

Snowed in

Not. Just kidding.

However, I have decided that I'm going to rent some Jane Austen movies, cover up with a blanket and eat junk food all night. It's every man for himself. I overachieved with the cooking last weekend, there won't be a repeat this weekend.

Tomorrow is J1's 21st birthday. Legal in every state, baby. I just want to know how I got so damn old. I missed it happening. Suddenly, I had kids in college--no clue when it came about, but here we are.

It's also what DOTR likes to call my least favorite day of the year. Daylight savings time--aka, the day from hell. I'm supposed to do acolytes next week, but we decided to spend the night in Greenville SC after my cousin's wedding, so I traded. (Seriously, I almost said I'd rather just come home after the wedding than get up an hour earlier tomorrow!) But I caved, and I'll be up at the crack of the middle of the night to be at church...with bells on.....by 8:15.

Ring a ling.

Newsflash

There is snow on the ground. WTF is that about?

Too close to home

You may have read or heard about the freshman who was shot and killed at Auburn University this week.

Her mother works in our school system. She was the secretary for one of my very close friends (the director of the IB program) and is now the secretary at the small neighborhood elementary school that my kids attended. A very, very sweet woman, and I got to know her just a little last year when I was working on IB projects as president of the booster club.

I cannot imagine the pain she must be going through right now.

Mind Candy

I got this at Barnes and Noble yesterday afternoon and read it last night while J4 was at church. I have to say, I think I prefer the Jane Austen fan lit to actual Jane Austen lit. For some reason I have a lot of trouble slogging through all the minutia she feels compelled to include in her books. Like seriously, I don't care what you were doing all day everyday. Get. to. the. point. Too many years of reading Harlequin romances, I guess.

I went on amazon to get the photo of this book and I'm amazed at all the Austen fan lit available. I'll admit to having a lot of it, all purchased in the last year or two since the new Pride and Prejudice movie came out. I guess you could call it my latest "thing". The stories didn't make much of an impression on me when I first read them as a teenager, but again, I was used to the formulaic quick reads, so I think I found them tiresome. I'm still pretty impatient, but now that I think I've seen all the film adaptations I may have the patience to go back and give the "real thing" a try again.

This is fiction, but quite believable, unlike some of the fan lit I've read.

Two thumbs up.

I want these shoes

I used to have these shoes. For years. They had light blue Kappa Kappa Gamma shoes strings in them. I wore them until I had too many kids and my feet grew a size and a half.

What do you think? Should I go for it? Channeling 1983?

Always a Good Day.....

when I get my roots done. And yesterday was my final dentist appt. for awhile (thank goodness) and I got my front teeth rebonded so I don't have to worry about losing part of my tooth anymore. So, I guess I'm safe from having to load up and move up to Shadowood Mobile Home Court for yet another month. Whew.

It was a good day all around because....drumroll please....my new dishwasher was also installed today! (yeah, had to take meds to hold back all the excitement!) I haven't used it yet because it's not full. Eco girl here, gotta hold my horses so I don't waste water. Baseball game and church family night supper saved me from cooking, so I didn't get anything dirty.

Yesterday, DOTR caved to the pressure and made the two purchases that he has been hounded incessantly about for a couple of months. He actually drove J4 to Lenox to the Apple Store yesterday and got him a computer (for his next 5 birthdays). You would understand what a big deal this was if you knew the last time he went anywhere near a mall (even our lameass mall). He actually drove INTO Atlanta and stayed at a mall for 4 hours. Shocking. There were no sports happening at this mall, so I'm not quite sure if he understood what he was supposed to do once he got there. Earlier in the day, he purchased a Jeep Wrangler for J3 (for his next 10 birthdays). However, we're not picking it up until the check clears in a day or two, so he's been having a good time pulling J3's chain. He still has no clue we already bought it. Can't wait to pick him up after school and see the look on his face.

I actually wanted him to get the Jeep soon because I want to feel totally confident that he can handle it when we send him off on his own (with his brother in the car) in August when he gets his license. The last six months before your kid can drive.....misery. I was really scared the first time we let the girls go to school in car, alone. But I got over it really fast. Free at last (me, I mean!) Since J3 is one of the youngest in his class, a lot of his friends already have their licenses. Since he knows we aren't going to tote him all over town, we've become the hangout place. Let me say right now, I have never been the koolaid mom. I live in a neighborhood full of old people for a reason. I'm not wild about a bunch of kids running all over my house and I never have been (I enjoy plenty of my own Monday through Sunday). Yesterday, their game and practice were rained out, so three of his friends came over for awhile after school to play xbox. First he came upstairs looking for snacks, so he took a bag of Doritos, a bag of pita chips and a box of Triscuits downstairs. Then he came up and asked if I could make P a sandwich. WTF? No, I'm not making P a sandwich. Then R and C came upstairs without J3 and just stood in the kitchen. "Whatcha looking for?" "Food." So I opened the pantry and they grabbed a box of Frosted Mini Wheats, asked for a bowl and milk, and went back downstairs.

Boys are very different than girls.

In case you were wondering.

Something New

Here's something I've seen in a few places, and since I'm just sitting here in the office waiting for the UPS man to drop off something, I figured....why not?

What accessories do you wear everyday? Tin cup necklace, gold hoop earrings, watch. I am accessories challenged.

What is your beauty routine? I'm horrible about a "beauty routine", which sucks because now that I'm getting old, it's biting me in the butt. I use Avalon Lavendar organic facewash, Boots serum, Boots day cream, sometimes eye cream. Because I have high maintenance hair (curly, but straightened) I don't shower everyday, so I take a bath instead. Just bought a bunch of Bath and Bodyworks Aromatherapy stuff for that.

What was the last item of clothing you bought? for me? I think it was a dress on clearance at Ann Taylor.

Do you use a dresser, closet, or both? both

What type of earrings are in your ears right now? gold hoops

What type of figure do you have? Premenopausal, post childbirth (can you still call it baby fat when the baby is almost 14?)

Do you wear glasses? yes, right now I am wearing glasses again because I haven't had my LASIK tweaked and my astigmatism came back. I had LASIK in 2000 and have lifetime tweaking for $100. It's just a matter of getting it done, which is a total waste of two days.

What type of handbag do you carry? I just got a new tote bag from Lands' End. Navy w/green trim and monogrammed.

What is your ideal style? Classic. Preppy. Plain. Everything I own is solid, striped or plaid. Seriously. I think I have about 3 things that have a floral print.

What jewelry are you wearing right now? wedding ring, watch, earrings.

Do you wear knee-hi stockings? seriously, what kind of question is that? do you mean those things my mom wore under her pantsuits? I'm not THAT old, am I?

Do you have to wear matching lingerie? no, I'm from the Midwest, so I don't think we knew you were supposed to.

Do you wear makeup? yes, I am scary without it these days

Do you wear nightgowns? depends (no I don't wear Depends...sheesh) guess I should say, sometimes, but most of the time I wear pj pants and t shirt. I have teenagers.

What outerwear do you put on when going out on a typical winter's day? My aqua LL Bean peacoat or my black waterproof jacket from Eddie Bauer

What is your favorite perfume? I like Ralph Lauren Safari (which is discontinued, of course) and Estee Lauder Private Collection

Is your motto "quality over quantity"? definitely.

Do you wear rain boots? No, I wear Bean boots. Navy.

Do you wear socks or slippers when your feet get cold? both. either.

Do you have a set of travel luggage? black rolling bag that has been to Europe and back many times. Looking a bit rough.

What is your daily uniform? jeans or black bootcut leggings, long sleeve t-shirt or OCBD, some kind of sweater or fleece over it for winter; v-neck Eddie Bauer t-shirt or polo shirt, skirt or capri pants in summer, flip flops

If you are married, did you wear a veil with your wedding dress? yes, it was the 1980's, I had a pearl tiara headpiece and a triple illusion veil (I believe that was the little ditty the bridal shop wrote up for my dress description for the local paper anyway)

Do you wear a watch? yes

What item of clothing always makes you feel extremely beautiful? No clue....right now, probably not a darn thing. Blech. Again, getting old sucks.

What is your favorite type of yarn? for what? knitting? I don't knit.

Do you prefer zippers or buttons? buttons

One more thing

I can't continue my baseball story right now. Things are just sucking in the present too much to even begin to go back and think about it again.

Suffice it to say that baseball turns otherwise nice people into crazies. DOTR spent way too many years spending weekends, holidays and out of town trips with families other than his own. He spent too many years leaving his business in the (capable) hands of his secretary and doing little or no work. He spent at least two years as a project manager building two new baseball fields instead of paying attention to his business and his family.

I haven't been to a baseball game for at least five years unless there was no other option. And I don't see that changing, considering what's going on right now.

Because people just can't be nice.

Something's goin' on

Is there something going on that I don't know about? It seems like everytime I go down my list of favorites and click on a blog, it's now private and I missed out on getting in before the lock!

Anyone care to clue me in? Or am I just out of it and hopelessly unpopular?

Bueller? Someone? Anyone?

Fresh Start

Well, unlike the past month or so, I actually had a very productive weekend. I think the weather has much to do with it, although it's no secret to anybody who knows me that I've been in a bit of a funk lately. It was finally sunny and kind of warm, and I started to feel almost like my old self again. I think it helped immensely that J2 called early Friday afternoon and asked if I could come get her so she could come home for the weekend. She didn't do a thing except hang around the house doing homework, but it made me so happy to have her home.

And so my Freaky Friday started so productively, I actually got dressed in a cutish outfit (RL jeans, RL white OCBD, pink cableknit sweater, navy trench coat, multicolored pearl necklace, grey pearl earrings, navy driving mocs) and grabbed my big cardboard box and grocery bags and headed to Harry's Farmer's Market. I try to make it over there fairly regularly so I don't have such a huge haul, but since I hate grocery shopping, it was a major one. DOTR loves to go to Kroger, but then I have to go back for actual food, if you know what I mean. We're covered, though, on sandwich meat, pickles and Little Debbie snacks when he does the shopping. As I was leaving I spotted a gleaming minivan parked right near the front in my aisle, with a monogram, which did belong to Clemsongirl. For a minute I thought about hanging around waiting for her to come out, but then decided that would just be too creepy!

On my way home from Harry's, J2 called and asked me to come get her later in the afternoon. This must be planned strategically, since our traffic sucks at anytime of the day, and on Friday afternoons...well, painful is putting it mildly. After putting away the gazillion groceries I bought, I headed over to the middle school to pick up J4. Just as he got in the car, a funeral procession came right through the carpool line (hello, you couldn't find a better route from the funeral home on the square to the cemetary at 2:40 on Friday afternoon than right through the middle school carpool line?) Dropped off J4 and headed down to Tech.

Ugh. Until 2010. Major exit closed and traffic diverted to an exit and street that was already overcrowded and freakishly narrow. I get a real business phone call while I'm driving in this mess (have I mentioned that I drive a 5 speed and I need two hands and two feet to drive?) I never get business phone calls at the office, I have no idea what was up with that. At Tech they are hosting the HS state basketball tournament games and the NCAA swimming and diving. By the time we get J2's crap loaded, we are in the middle of rush hour (3:30). Sucks. Finally get home. Boys and DOTR at baseball, so we go out for Chinese and a chat. Little bit of shopping. Good night.

Saturday, I was up bright and early. This is so unlike me. Usually I'm a mole and unless I really have to get up, I don't. Mt. Laundry was scaled (7 loads, at least). I cooked....and cooked....and cooked. Lentil sausage soup for the freezer, refrigerator cleanout lasagna for lunch--yeah, we had a freshly cooked LUNCH on Saturday. Usually, it's "I don't know, I think you can have a sandwich...hey, didn't you just eat breakfast anyway?" Yeah, mother of the year here. I put uber healthy porcupine meatballs in the crockpot (ground sirloin, brown rice, low sodium organic tomato sauce, fresh garlic, minced onions, fresh thyme) for dinner. I did not watch one bit of BBC America or HGTV. Gotta be a record.

Sunday, I had nothing to do but be a regular church goer. Sang three of my favorite hymns. Good sermon. Cute dress (cheapo from Steinmart, navy, lime green, aqua blue funky print knit). Mexican for lunch. Last minute shopping for J2 (new running shoes, cute madras plaid sundress, hair straightener, new contacts). Back home to load up for return to school. Dropped off J1's birthday present (21 next Sunday, but it's the day before Greek Sing pre-lims so she will be toooooo busssssy to celebrate until spring break....and I can promise you she won't be celebrating with us!) Got back from the big city just in time to take the boys to church. DOTR in a baseball funk (long story, basically baseball sucks and baseball parents suck worse). Try to get him to snap out of it because it just ruins my good mood (and good moods are rare lately!)

Weekend over.

Reboot.