twas the day in the life (continued)

Twas the middle of the week when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, lest the noisy furnace
The laundry was done and the grocery shopping too
In hopes that there wouldn't be something else forgotten too.


The child was tucked all snug in her bed
While visions of afternoon playtime danced in her head
An mamma in her sweatshirt and slippers all warm
Had just settled down for a mid-afternoon cup of coffee.


When out of the dog bed there rose a bark and howl
I put down my coffee to see what was the matter
Shushing the doggies and holding my breath,
I looked out the back door to see if the bark was warranted!


The sunshine was fading in winter afternoon style
and shadows fell on the quickly spring beckoned lawn
when what to my wondering eyes should I see
but the clock had flown fast and it was already three!


With a dutiful list and heart so full of love
I knew in a moment I must cross off something quick!
With clever brainstorming and prioritizing too
I crossed and I scribbled and I figured what to do.


Darnit and curse it and how could I dare
on over committing and under performing and pleasing all around
to the couch I say, to the coffee cup too,
now dash away guilt and fears and what to do's!


So as the day drags onward and I think of my list
I met with my obstacle and shook my firm fist
so with regret and with board books in tow
I stacked them up, swept the floors and knew I should go


To dog walks and food deliveries and dusting and dinner
with checkbooks and bills and vacation plans too
to drop offs and pick ups and exercising and play
to think of it all I might run away


so I sit down and sip up and breathe a breath in
and cross my feet and let the light in
and thankfully ponder the day and the wonder
and brood on my list which I have left in the room yonder.


(inspired by Clement Clarke Moore's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas")

the romance of travel

As most of you know, I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Spain and complete my student teaching there.  Afterwards I traveled through 5 other countries in Western Europe and was lucky enough to go back once more about 3 years later, to the Czech Republic.  I often reminisce of travel, especially European travel.  The small cobblestone streets, the pocket cafes and street vendors.  The accordion players filling the alleys with their wistful tunes and time travel to centuries past.  Small plazas, fountains, squares and walled cities that are not tainted by modernity.  I long to hear the sparkling sounds of life in another language and art and history filling my surroundings.  We have a totally different landscape here in the US, especially in these Western parts.

When life seems complicated; when I get sick of driving hundreds of miles by car and when I want a quaint but not snobby or stuck up coffee experience or when I simply long for newness set amidst history, I long for my days in Europe.

Months ago I picked up a book titled: Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik.  Immediately I was drawn to it since it mentioned Paris, one of my favorite places that I visited.  Now, admittedly Gopnik is not exactly writing from a starving artist's perspective (he's a writer for the New Yorker and his wife a screen writer), however, the way that Gopnik talks about the romance of not just France, but specifically Paris, brings back all of my sentimental emotions and totally unrealistic dreams about living elsewhere.  While I have only read about the first 25 pages (plus prologue) I was totally enamored by the following paragraph which couldn't have summed up my feeling about travel any more articulately:

"There are two kinds of travelers.  There is the kind who goes to see what there is to and sees it, and the kind who has an image in his head and goes out to accomplish it.  The first visitor has an easier time, but I think the second visitor sees more.  He is constantly comparing what he sees to what he wants, so he sees with his mind, and maybe even with his heart, or tries to....."


It is a beautiful way to explain the perspectives people have on travel, what they look for and feel and ultimately the experience they'll have.  If you cannot guess, I am the one who has an image in mind.  I scour the travel books ahead of time, read blogs or online articles and google my little heart out.  And then after (mostly) everything is planned, I set off on my adventure to fill my heart.  Often there are bumps and misconceptions along the way but ultimately a good time is had by all (including me).

Lately, probably since I have a toddler, I have dreamed of Europe and of cobblestone streets and Medovnik cake (honey cake from the Czech Republic).  Who knows if and when I will go again but I can assure you that when the time is right, I will have my image in mind and do everything I can to fill my heart.

To all your adventures, both at home and afar.

a day in the life {2}

When you are a Mama, or just a parent, every moment can be J A M P A C K E D with stuff to do!  Man, I thought life could be busy before kids but now I know it is busy when you have them.  Earlier I did a little stint of "a day in the life" and I often think about it when life gets crazy and even the most mundane and basic things take up your whole day or appear to since they are all you are trying to get done.

6:00am- alarm...then snooze...then 6:10 and 6:20 and 6:30- Daddy wakes and starts his day, Mama hits one last snooze
6:40- awake, I guess
6:42 wander downstairs, pour a bowl of total flakes into my fiestaware pottery and pour a heaping amount of milk over, sit at the table and eat between yawns
6:55, the baby wakes
6:57 go in and comfort/cuddle/snuggle the waking one
7:02- nurse her sleepy face
7:20- text my boss letting her know I'm running late!
7:22 let the doggies outside to go potty
7:25- my child squats down and has a concentrated face, she says "poop"
7:26- run to the bathroom, pull down her pants, attempt to rip off a diaper with sticky tabs, realize the pooping is over but put her on the potty anyway
7:28- 17 months of love staring me down while I dangle her over the potty
7:30- "all done"- run into the bedroom and wipe down child and reassemble her clothing
7:35- check text message- no response- call boss on phone
7:36, 37, 38 & 39- feed dogs- am getting ready in the bathroom when my child walks in with a funny face like she ate something yucky and wiping her tongue while saying "drink"- (she ate some of Eleanor's food)
7:40 put child in her bed with books and "o's" to hang out while I take my shower
8:00- get out of the shower and run and get dressed
8:05- run comb through hair, put in earrings and take child out of bed
8:07 pack things for upcoming weekend trip with Dad to Portland- books (check), onesies (check), pacifiers, blankets, pajamas, etc, etc (check, check)
8:20 drop child off at daycare while answering the phone from boss
8:29- arrive at Starbucks for meeting @ 8:30
8:30- sit down for the first time all morning and relax with a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll!
8:31- work meeting...at least I had coffee!

Sometimes I marvel at all the things that have to get done in a day and really how much I can cram in in such a short amount of time.  My lunch breaks are typically spent doing laundry, paying bills, unloading/loading the dishwasher, taking care of the doggies, checking the mail and oh yeah- eating lunch.  My evenings are just as busy with dinner prep, spending time with my hubbie and my daughter and cleaning up from the day....and then just as quickly, it all starts again...sigh.

sounds from the morning

On any given day my morning sounds like this:

alarm
turning on the gas stove to heat up water for coffee
coffee grinder
birds chirping and announcing the days light outside
hum of the fridge
restlessness of the dogs in their crates
opening of the back door to let them out
morning sounds of a baby waking up
turning on the shower head
closing the diaper pail
metal lids on the dog bins opening to get them food
8 excited feet running towards their food bowls
squeals as my daughter pulls apart her socks (a morning tradition)
typing on the computer (my husband checking his email)
yawning, sighing parents, frustrated grunts from the baby
whirring of the espresso machine-so lovely
Velcros of shoes
zipping of jackets and sweatshirts
trucks, cars and motorcycles whizzing by in the rush to work
slaps of little crawling hands along the floor
opening and closing of the refrigerator
hurriedly closing the door
locking of the key
starting of the engine
crunch of gravel underneath the wheels
hum of the engine driving us to work, errands, daycare and off to start the day

hope your morning is sounding good