Aspirin and Boku-maru

Winter sports

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:47:00 +0000

Before Joker and I had kids, we were pretty enthusiastic participants in some of the most expensive and least kid-friendly sports out there: scuba diving, snowboarding and golf. Suffice it to say, we've done far less of all three since the Bug was born. Our last ski trip was four years ago this spring, and it was our only one of that season.

Since the Bug has always been timid about new things, we weren't yet holding our breath about getting her into skiing. We had talked with her about trying to ice skate this year - the Evergreen Lake is just way too awesome not to use it! - and we'd hoped that getting her up on skis would follow. So imagine our surprise last weekend when we had not one but two incredible successes! She tried skating at the Lake, and loved it, on Saturday. And on Monday she skied with Joker and one of her best buddies from school!

First "run" down the bunny slope

So, it is looking like we will, in fact, be back on the slopes before too long. The Bunny isn't exactly ready to try it herself, but after watching the post-lesson Bug swoosh her way down solo, I am sure she'll want to join in the fun, too. Now if we can just get them interested in golf...

Gervase

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:31:00 +0000

It took about three sittings to finish Ann Moray's charming novella Gervase, but before the review I'd like to share a little about the author. She was a very close friend of Joker's grandmother's (and his parents), and she was my brother-in-law's godmother. She lived what I think of as the glamorous life of a New York socialite: born in Wales, studied music in Vienna, married a Venezuelan diplomat. But the lovely stories of her that I've been told include the afternoon when Joker was a boy, and Ann Moray taught him about the fairies who lived in the lawn, and how to step carefully around and over them to keep them safe.

Ann Moray, jacket photo (c Marcus Blechman)

So I was more than a little interested to read one of her four books, which Joker had recently completed as well.

Gervase tells the story of a girl in rural Maine who suffered a brain injury in an accident at age 13. It left her unable to grasp much academically, but she gained the ability to read other people's thoughts. Enter Gervase, the baby deer, who she can also understand. Maeve and Gervase become inseparable, and their adventure together is very charming. Gervase helps Maeve to navigate - and to help bring together - both her world and that of the animals around them.

I could have lived without the C.S. Lewis/Aslan-ian parallel to Christianity (which I am not particularly fond of in the Chronicals of Narnia, either), and the prologue is completely unnecessary, but both of those can probably be chalked up to the book's being written in 1970. Moray might not go down into the annals of the great 20th Century authors, but I would absolutely recommend this book to younger readers (or to people who knew the author personally, of course). It's not easy to get your hands on, being rather out of print, but if you've got 10-year-old girls around and can track it down, I think you'll be glad you did. And I most certainly look forward to the Bug and the Bunny enjoying this in a few years.

Next up: The Magicians by Lev Grossman. I'm also working my way through the graphic novel The Walking Dead (Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Tony Moore, Cliff Rathburn). The intensely scary AMC series is based on this - and somehow, the comics are both scarier and more intense.

New gig, special twist

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 04:15:00 +0000

So as I mentioned before, I've started a new job. I'm running business development for a start-up called Collector's Quest - they've built a platform to connect buyers and sellers of collectibles and antiques. To boil it down, imagine a marketplace for small retailers in this space (a la Etsy, but not for handmade goodies) that employs algorithms to identify a user's specific interests (think Match.com). Collectibles and antiques represent a huge market, it's very fragmented and offline today, and we've got some smart media people behind us to help drive usage. So, feeling good.

One of the best things shouldn't be omitted: I am working from home. This is a new thing for me and I'm psyched. First and foremost, I'm very excited about CQ and what I can do to help grow the business. No work-from-home situation would be worth it if I didn't believe the company itself was a winner. But now I have a level of flexibility that I've never had before. I can work full time and still pick my kids up from school/daycare every day, go to all their performances, be the class mom.

Spending the past six months at home solidified two things in my mind. First, I need to work. It makes me a better mom and a better wife, and it makes me happy. I feel important, satisfied that I matter to the world. And second, I like spending time with my kids, just doing our daily whatevers, more than I ever thought I would. I thought I'd hate the full-time mommy role, and there were things that drove me nuts, but I really enjoyed the extra cuddle time at nap or taking the kids to the zoo mid-week. The Bunny and the Bug are (generally) super fun to hang out with!

So I feel like this is a huge coup for me. An exciting new company that I believe has an opportunity to really make it, and that I truly believe I'll help to succeed. Plus an uber-flexible schedule that will allow me to spend more time with the kids. I'm ironing out the balancing act, but that'll come. And when it does, everyone will win - my boss, my kids, my husband and me. Yay.

Out Stealing Horses

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:28:00 +0000

Happy 2012! May your year be filled with adventure, laughter and love. If you're lucky, you'll get some good books in there, too.
***

Out Stealing Horses was an unexpected treat - I chanced upon it, decided to read it based on nothing but the review excerpts on the back and very much enjoyed it. It's written by Per Petterson, who is something of a star Norwegian author, if such a thing is even possible, and was translated into English by Anne Born in 2007 to rave reviews. I expect we'll see even greater future successes from this author/translator team.

The book tells of Trond Sander, a man approaching 70 who decides to move to a rustic cabin in remote eastern Norway. He views the place as something of a fixer-upper, and plans to spend his days methodically preparing for the coming winter and the years beyond. A chance encounter with a neighbor sets Trond into reminiscing about his summer of 1948, the last he spent with his beloved father.

Trond's friend Jon appeared on the doorstep most mornings with the day's plan of action in his head. He was a couple of years older than Trond, and a local in the small town that Trond and his father were staying in this particular summer. The two friends shared moments of adventure, but rarely spoke of anything consequential. The days in this river town were spent in physical work and the enjoyment of nature. As the summer progressed, Trond found himself discovering more of his father's life and secrets than he perhaps ever wished to do.

The parallel struggles of Trond and his neighbor preparing for winter, intertwined with Trond's recollection of that summer, tell twin stories of loss and yearning. Petterson's prose is sparse, pointed and captivating. Out Stealing Horses is a lovely book, one where the enjoyment lies as much in the language itself as it does in the plot.

Next up: Gervase, a very short novel written by Ann Moray, one of Joker's grandmother's dear friends. I understand that it's about a stag, which seems particularly fun to read living among Evergreen's elk!

Homemade gift

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 19:09:00 +0000

I love the gifts that the Bug and the Bunny make for me. And I'm reasonably sure that when I was four, my folks loved the gifts I made for them. (Not so sure about my Grandma and Grandpa, though... a few years ago they suspiciously began re-gifting things back to me that I'd made for them decades prior. Either they've got great senses of humor, my needlepoint was so awesome it deserved a second box and wrapping, or maybe they think *I* want to save it for posterity???)

Anyway, it's been almost 30 years since my last round of homemade gifts. And this year, I made something for Joker. It was honestly the gift I've been most excited about giving him since we started dating.

This is something we've talked about since our first trip together to Key West in 2001. There's a pretty famous sign down there with directional/mileage arrows to famous cities around the world. My version includes a bunch of the cities we've visited together, generally our highlight of whichever trip. My Dad found the "reclaimed" wood around the farm and secured the pole to a big base to make it sturdy. Then I painted the individual panels, hammered the whole thing together and draped on the beachcombed buoys. A cool-looking reminder of the fun places we've been... and there's room to add more!

Tradition

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 21:54:00 +0000

There are some people (read: my brother Shane) who are all about traditions. Eating certain meals on certain days, hanging decorations in the same places every year - doing things that your people have done before you and that your progeny will continue after you're gone. I don't quite buy into that, nor do I eschew it altogether. I guess my strategy is something of a hybrid, picking and choosing those traditions worth carrying on, and leaving others behind in the dust.

During the holiday season, though, more of my old family traditions tend to rear their heads than at other times of the year. Here are some of my favorites, ones that I hope that the Bug and the Bunny will carry on themselves:

Cookies. I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I don't buy cookies (or other treats) on a regular basis, and I only make them when one of my kids has a birthday or a school obligation. But I love making - and eating - Christmas cookies. But I have a half dozen Christmas cookie recipes from three of my four great-grandmothers, and I make three or four kinds each year. I think it's so neat that the recipes that my great-grands never even needed to measure out still make the best cookies in town.
Advent calendar. We had one that looked like this when I was a kid, and when the Bug was born my mother found a seamstress who could make one for us. The girls love pulling the ornaments out of the pockets and finding a place for them on the tree, and the Bug counts down the days until Christmas after each morning's ritual. Here's hoping there are still people who can sew when my girls are ready to start families of their own!

Family. I love spending time with family over the holidays - from our extended family's annual Christmas party pot-luck, to Christmas Eve at my Grandma Jan's house (where, if you were ever curious, I learned that gin is the better spirit to add to a bloody mary), to the full-day eating affair we fondly refer to as "Christmas." I don't much care if the venue, the meal and even the participants rotate, but I care very much that I spend time with family.
Photo Christmas cards. Yeah, they can be cheesy (trust me - we've gotten some doozies over the years), but I love them. I love receiving them, and I send them myself. We just don't see our friends and their kids often enough - the cards are a simple way to follow the goings-on of people in our lives.

I'm pretty sure I'm forgetting some of the big ones, but this is what came to mind today. Hope you're having the merriest of holiday seasons!

Great Expectations

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:30:00 +0000

So I've had a tough time finding a rhythm for reading and reviewing. We moved, then I was finishing my twin nephews' stockings... excuses, excuses. But now I am again gainfully employed (more on that soon), the stockings are done and I think I will be able to be back in a groove. May not be the frequency of prior years, but no more 3-months-between-book-reviews bullshit. Promise.
***
I had very modest expectations about Great Expectations, a classic by Charles Dickens that I have not heard of anyone reading outside of high school English classes. I'd read A Tale of Two Cities as a sophomore in high school, and I hated it. My impression of Dickens was that his books became classics because he was old and British, and he'd written the impressively bizarre and dark A Christmas Carol along with some other old British crap. Well, apologies to your memory, Mr. Dickens. Your other books are bizarre and dark and kinda hilarious, too.

The book begins with the back story of our narrator and protagonist Pip, whose first and last names are not really relevant. Orphaned at a young age, he's been raised by his sister (who pretty much resents him) and her husband Joe (who is pretty much bullied by his wife). He ends up being forced to assist a felon with the completion of his escape by providing the convict with a file and a parcel of food. This memory tortures Pip, who sees his convict in every shadow. After a subsequent run-in with the same convict, Pip doesn't hear from him again.

Several years after this misadventure, Pip finds himself befriended rather mysteriously by the (totally insane) Miss Havisham, an elderly-ish woman of indeterminate age, who dresses in her one-time wedding dress with all clocks in her mansion eternally reading the time of her being left at the altar. Pip becomes enamored with the somewhat unexplained Estella, has a run-in with a young gentleman who tries unsuccessfully to kick his ass, meets a whole pile of strangers who hate his guts. And ultimately, he learns that he has been left a fortune by an unnamed benefactor.

Not to give away the story - it's quite compelling and takes several very unexpected turns - but Pip goes to London to live out his great expectations. Hence, the title. He meets a number of dark and maybe-evil supporting characters, and nothing that happens early in the book should be forgotten. I'm not going to go as far as to call this one "highly recommended", but I will certainly not shy away from more Dickens in my future.

Next up: Out Stealing Horses by Norwegian novelist Per Petterson. It was released in English translation in 2007 and appears on quite a few best-of lists for that year.

Key West: you should totally go there

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Sunset from Mallory Pier

First, a huge thank you to Mima and Boppie for watching the girls last week so that Joker and I could get away to Key West, Florida. We couldn't have done it without your help, and the girls both thought that THEY were the ones on vacation... worked out perfectly for us!

We met two other couples down there for a weekend of eating, drinking, sunshine, laughs and a couple of trips under the water. And the city didn't disappoint - we had a wonderful time! What a treat to spend the weekend with friends we don't see often enough!

There are so many reasons that Key West is one of our favorite repeat destinations. It is an easy trip from the east coast (though not so much from Denver), it's a walking-friendly town, the seafood is fresh and plentiful and it's a great party scene. The people are laid-back and friendly. The sun is shining and the sunsets are breathtaking. There are a few cool shipwrecks to dive. And there are sometimes pirates.

Sunset from The Top, the highest point in KW

Just after the sun has set, from The Top

Halloween meets Christmas... meets pink lawn flamingos

And it's quirky. The biggest party of the year is Fantasy Fest, which is the week leading up to Halloween. From what we hear, the town turns out its crazy and visitors flock from all over the place. Last weekend was the Christmas parade and there were already decorations aplenty. (Including a few houses which seemed to just throw red and green lights on top of the existing Halloween decorations. As I said, it's quirky.)

Parental crap boxes

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 15:19:00 +0000

Now that we're firmly established as Colorado residents - and despite the fact that we don't yet own a house - my parents managed to return the seven or eight boxes of my crap that they've stored in their basement for years. The suggestion was innocent enough: that I might want some of my old books, which of course I did. Then, while I was tenderly remarking about every title ("Oh my gosh - The Incredible Journey!" "This is the first copy of Little Women that I totally read to death!" and etc.), the other boxes came out.

Among other treasures we found: my letter jacket, a box of ribbons, an un-cashed check for $10 for winning a talent show in 1984, my entire cassette tape collection (which you know is awesome), 4-H record books from showing sheep, a bunch of Garfields, a slide rule... As you can imagine, this stuff is really great.

One shoebox within another larger box really made me chuckle. It's filled with notes, passed between my friends and me in high school. Why they didn't end up in a landfill 20 years ago is a great question, but for some reason I kept them. What struck me most was not the banality of the things we deemed noteworthy. Rather, it's the massive presence of handwritten words. In the age of email and Facebook and texting, the art of writing has all but disappeared. Handwriting is elegant. Paper feels substantial. And written correspondence can be saved (perhaps for that day when I'm a person of historical significance and my past writings are all cataloged). It's unlikely I'll ever read them all, but I'm not going to toss them out just yet.

The Bunny is 2!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:42:00 +0000

I'm not sure how it's even possible, but the Bunny turned two last Sunday! We celebrated with her grands, my grands and her birthday buddies Aunt Jessie and Great-uncle Chuck (and family). Fun to have so much local family, fun to actually fit 14 people around our table!

As for the Bunny herself, she's doing awesome. According to her pediatrician, she is "perfect," though anyone who has to vacuum under her chair would probably be able to identify at least one area for improvement. Here's her general update:

Her height is in the 70th percentile or so, and her weight is in the 20th (give or take). Her tummy and thighs, truth be told, do somewhat belie the slender, fashion model build the stats would otherwise portray. Simply said, she's super healthy. Yay. And if you haven't seen her, you'll have to trust me that her curly mop is both unexpected (given my serious lack of curls) and totally to die for.
She is also a little jabber-jaws. She talks virtually non-stop, she's really into identifying colors and she knows the names of all the Disney princesses. She also loves to spot our local deer, elk, birdies and ladybugs.
Her disposition is extremely happy. She's all grins nearly all the time, and she makes generous use of "please," "thank you," "I love you" and hugs/kisses.
The only true issue the Bunny currently has is that she is a pretty poor sleeper. Last night she made it through the night, as she did one or two days last week... but more often than not we're up every hour or two to lie her back down in her "big girl beddie" and hope for the best. Joker and I are pretty much always tired.
And back in the plus column... Probably because she has observed the Bug doing it, she's totally into the concept of the potty. No, we're not in panties yet. But we have already had a successful #1 and a successful #2.

So that's our sweet little Bunny! She's truly a pleasure and it's been fun spending so much time with her - eating lunches together, playing in the playgrounds. She gets along fabulously with the Bug and mimics her every move. We have every reason to expect this year to be even more fun than the last.

Program

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:34:00 +0000

The Bug's Thanksgiving program was today, following the traditional (and surely non-chaotic) school feast. I was pleased to see that the rather non-PC Indian headbands are still featured on all kids, though I did miss the paper-bag-made-into-an-Indian-vest that we wore in kindergarten. Plus, they call them "Native Americans" now. And not only were the dreamcatchers stunning, as you can see clearly here, but the story Mrs. C told the audience about them was super charming.

Anyway, I am so thrilled to report that the Bug did swimmingly. She sang loudly, she bowed deep and she totally kept her composure even when the Bunny shouted her name above the general din.

Anyone who was watching a few years ago wouldn't have recognized her... the Bug was the kid who completely freaked out at school programs, screaming and/or crying as soon as she set eyes on me. Zoiks. We had more than one notable disaster. But now, the picture of maturity. (Though not an actual picture... those are all of the backs of the heads of all the moms in front of me.)

Conference

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:29:00 +0000

Last week was the first parent-teacher conference I've ever attended. You remember: the ones most of my friends were terrified of when we were kids, but I secretly looked forward to. I liked school, and rather took to it, at least in the early years. And my (perhaps obnoxiously) confident self enjoyed knowing my accomplishments were being discussed at that precise minute.

Anyway, this one was for the Bug's Junior-K class. And truth be told, I was a little nervous. I mean, you know your kid is awesome. But what if there's something concerning about her tendency to wear fifteen hair clips every day? Or if her teachers worry that a dress and tights and other weather-inappropriate clothing might indicate larger problems at home. [N.b., She dresses herself!] Or if her lunches aren't sufficiently healthy or sustainably-farmed or whatever? Or if I send the worst snacks of any class mom?

First off, I can't praise highly enough the professionalism of the staff at her school. Her teachers had prepared a written report that detailed the good - and the bad - of her academics and social progress since the beginning of the school year. And we spend a good deal of time discussing, and formulating an action plan for, the one issue they've identified.

In a nutshell, the Bug is nervous around grown-ups. She freezes, forgets her lovely manners, and it comes off as disrespectful, which none of us think is OK. Lucky for her, she's still just four. We've got time. And even luckier, she's got a whole team who loves her and wants to help her through it - Joker and me, her teachers and the staff at her school, her grandparents and great-grands and aunts/uncles/cousins, even her friends' parents and Joker and my friends. So she'll be great. And it's lovely to know that the school believes this is an important social skill for her to have and to cultivate.

On the positive side, her friendships with the kids at school are at or ahead of where the teachers would expect after a cross-country move. And perhaps less surprising to those of us around her, her academics are at the top of her class. So kindergarten next year is all systems go, and her teachers only want to ensure she isn't bored when she gets there.

Best. Gate. Ever.

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 17:24:00 +0000

After the snow had sufficiently melted at the end of last week, we took a walk around the Evergreen Lake. There are lots of things to love about this town, and the lake is one of them: a 1.25-mile loop that the Bug hikes with ease, beautiful and right in town. Plus, it has my favorite gate just off the path.

Perhaps it's not the most useful gate of all time, but it's definitely the best.

Chianti and cupcakes

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:44:00 +0000

Sounds delicious, right?!

After spending a little time in Rome, Mima and Boppie made their way to their primary Italian destination: a week in Tuscany. I've seen the photos - it was beautiful, the wine was delicious and the food was decadent. What a fabulous trip - I can't believe I've not yet been to Italy myself... this certainly provided some motivation!

***

In other news, I baked 8 dozen mini cupcakes for the Bug's preschool Halloween party tomorrow. My thoughts:

Do you think this is enough to get me on the teacher's good side?
Is it odd that I still feel a need to get on a teacher's good side, particularly when I'm not even the one in class?
How'd I get on her bad side, anyway?
Thank heavens said teacher considers icing and sprinkles to be an appropriate and fun in-class activity so I didn't have to frost 8 dozen freaking cupcakes myself. No good side in the world is worth that kind of hassle!
4-year-olds love to help. For about 10 minutes. Then you're on your own with the pressure to make ninety-fucking-six adequately delicious, nutritious and fun-to-decorate tiny cupcakes.
What the hell am I supposed to carry them to school in, anyway? Please tell me that several layers deep in a giant tupperware is acceptable with these things.

I guess that's it. Don't get me started on the glue gun I wielded with authority in the creation of her masterpiece wings.

Surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:30:00 +0000

My family is big on surprises. I mean, really big. Various of us have shown up unannounced at graduations or birthdays. We've been flown to Mexico to catch Boppie unawares. We've thrown several surprise pig roasts (all at the houses of the surpriseds, which takes some pretty major orchestration). We love surprises. And there is no bigger fan of the surprise than Mima.

So imagine our collective pride when we pulled off the ultimate: a surprise birthday party for Mima herself, complete with a great band, delicious food and drinks, beautiful flowers and over 60 loved ones. The party was Saturday night right in Mima's stomping grounds. And we got her but good - she really had no clue. Out of town guests came from New York, Iowa... and my brother with his wife and baby twins from Maryland.

So Mima, happy birthday to you. May this year be the most fun - and surprise - filled one yet! We love you!

Echo Lake and the pumpkin patch

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 02:41:00 +0000

Since Joker had yesterday off in honor of that first great American who stole the lands of our indigenous peoples, we decided to keep the Bug out of school and enjoy a family fall day together.

First stop was Echo Lake, a very picturesque lake located a stunning 18-mile drive west of Evergreen, at about 10,600 feet elevation. They'd gotten almost a foot of snow two days prior, and the paths were navigable but clearly covered in snow. The lake wasn't frozen, but it won't be long up there! It was beautiful, and we enjoyed a short hike part of the way around the lake.

After we got back home, we hit the pumpkin patch to select our seasonal treasures. We carved and/or decorated them, and you can see the masterpieces here. From the left, the Bug-Pumpkin (you'll see she wanted the mouth carved and everything else drawn in marker), the Daddy-Pumpkin (he always goes in for scary), the Bunny-Pumpkin (too small to carve, just right for markers) and the Mommy-Pumpkin (which is pretty much as dorky as mine usually are).

Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:19:00 +0000

Mima and Boppie - and, apparently, this kitty that looks eerily like Buffy - are in the midst of an Italian adventure! They get back later this week, and we are all excited to hear about their travels. As they reminded us on this card, the girls have many adventures of their own in their futures... and we're looking forward to showing them this wonderful world!

First snowfall

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 21:16:00 +0000

O Colorado and her wacky weather! Yesterday I went for a jog in shorts and t-shirt and Joker had the convertible top down. Today? First snowfall - an inch or so before we woke up, and it kept coming down all morning.

We celebrated by spending about an hour getting the kids into their snow gear, and then going to "Dinosaur Park" here in town. One of the Bug's school friends was already there, and the two of them ran around like maniacs for over an hour. The Bunny, on the other hand, stood still and sported the saddest face you've seen. Like we'd put her in an iron maiden instead of puffy pants and snow boots.

It looks like curtains for our window boxes...

...but 50 bucks says hammock season isn't over yet!

Housewifing

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 03:36:00 +0000

[Try singing that to the tune of Iggy Pop's "Nightclubbing." Yeah, it's incongruous.]

Since before we moved here, I've been among the glorious ranks of the unemployed. I'm looking for something, but since the media industry never quite flocked to Denver, and since the economy is in the crapper, it's slow going.

In the mean time, though, I have really been enjoying myself and my (presumably temporary) housewife gig. I didn't expect to like it this much, but not working during a Colorado summer is pretty hard to beat! I'm outside with the girls (or just the Bunny during the Bug's school days) every day, usually a couple of times. We've gone to museums, the zoo, parks, tourist attractions. It's cool!

Still, I struggle with it a little. So much of my time - of my identity - has been wrapped up in my career for years now. Then all of a sudden, no commute or job or colleagues. I don't make any money, nor do I wear makeup or (for that matter) shoes other than flip-flops. My closet is wasting away while I wear jeans and t-shirts. I actually like to talk about politics and the economy and travel and other subjects that don't often come up when I'm pushing my kid on a swing. It's a change. Plus, I am a lousy housekeeper. I seriously dislike cleaning, I'm not even very good at it and I am really, really slow.

I miss work, and I am grateful to have a couple of projects to keep me sharp. Every conference call reminds me that I really do enjoy working, and that I am pretty good at it, too. I love my kids, but running errands with me all day has nothing on the fun and stimulation they get at school or even the super daycare we found for the Bunny. It'll be great to have our routine back, but until then, I'll just keep on chilling at the park.

San Diaaaago, which of course is German for...

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 03:11:00 +0000

Aunt Jessie sent this to the Bug and the Bunny from a weekend wedding party in San Diego (of which you probably know the word origin, if you've seen Anchorman). Anyhoo, the Bug loves the koala in the picture and has been carrying it around since it arrived in our mailbox!

Lair o' the Bear

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:35:00 +0000

The Colorado Indian Summer is something to be savored; September has got to be the most beautiful month here! So on Saturday, we bailed on our errands and took the girls on a hike.

The Bunny and the Bug, hiking together.

One superior thing that Jefferson County has done was to fund "Open Space" parks, some of which are pretty spectacular. Yesterday I went on a trail run in Elk Meadow, which is near our house in Evergreen, and Saturday we explored Lair o' the Bear, which is between Evergreen and Morrison. We'd learned of it in a book about great Colorado hikes for kids, and it did not disappoint. The flat path along Bear Creek was a blast for the kids, with a bunch of places to walk right down to the water and make mud pies. After crossing a bridge, our path led us slightly uphill for a while, too, and the girls loved the view. It was such a pleasure to get fresh air on a beautiful day, doing something we could all enjoy - and the girls hiked about a mile on their own!

Bear Creek runs between the meadow and Bruin Bluff.

An artist had set up easels along the creek.

Looking down Bear Creek from the Dipper Bridge.

MLK, Jr. Memorial, Washington DC

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 03:46:00 +0000

We finally got our first postcard sent to this house - Mima visited my sweet twin nephews Caleb and Wyatt last week. While on her Maryland adventure, she, Shane and Ali took the boys into Washington, DC for their first visit to The Mall. They got to check out this lovely new memorial, visit with a couple of friends and have a wonderful day in general.

Welcome to the doghouse

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 23:42:00 +0000

The Bug continues to be an enthusiastic artist, and her work is increasingly recognizable. She also has an incredible fondness for scissors and tape, so rare is my opportunity to whisk anything away for the scanner (or the fridge or the wall or her grand/great-grandparents). Today she did a marvelous self-portrait, complete with knees, earrings and rain clouds, but since it was partially done in highlighter (rather than marker), it won't scan.

This gem, however, was created last night. It's multimedia: construction paper, marker, tape and (it bears inclusion since its presence is felt if not actually seen) scissors.

In the middle is the doggie. Clockwise from lower right you see the door, his bed, his chair... and his skateboard.

9.11, ten years later

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:29:00 +0000

It's 10pm in Colorado, and the tenth anniversary of 9.11 technically begins in two hours.

I will never forget September 11, 2001. I can't. Every minute of that day, and of the days that followed, is burned into my brain. I wrote about it when bin Laden was killed, so I don't need to remind you of my 9.11 story. But every New Yorker has one, and we all remember. But I have avoided all of the ceremonial hoo-ha as much as possible. I don't like it.

I know New Yorkers who feel differently. Those who believe the ceremonies are important; that they'll help our nation to stay vigilant. I do not. I may no longer be a New Yorker, but I spent many years as one. And from this New Yorker's point of view, we don't need ceremony. Ceremony was of no consequence when bin Laden was dumped overboard, and there's been no other milestone that mattered. The tribute lights went back on at the Trade Center this week. While they are on, let them shine bright. Let these lights tell the world that New York was not bested; that the United States was not bested. Let the lights give passers-by a reason to pause, or a reason to remember the dead, or a reason to think warmly of their unharmed loved ones. Let these lights remind us all of the democratic revolution that is well underway in the Middle East. Remind us that Al Qaeda was always destined to be the loser.

September 11 may be a date that many people will remember, but city memorials and firefighter fundraisers and other crowd-rousing events don't mean a thing. Yeah, I'll remember September 11. I'll remember it until I die, privately.

And you know what else I'll remember? Fuck you, bin Laden. You lost.

Two-month post-move report

noreply@blogger.com (Angie) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:41:00 +0000

So apparently we've been in Colorado for more than two months - time, she flies! It's been great, and I have learned a ton about everything from the difference between houses and condos (the former is much bigger, with larger potential mishap) to the difference between elk shit and deer shit (the former is much bigger, with larger potential mishap). Here are some of my initial thoughts and reactions:

Elk. Love 'em. Seriously, can you ever get tired of seeing them? They are huge (the Bunny initially thought they might be ponies), but funny looking (she was unconvinced). Their herds can number in the scores, with mamas, babies, daddies all together - and in Evergreen, they hang out in yards. Today, we passed one huge herd at least six separate times RIGHT DOWN FROM OUR HOUSE. This, my friends, is cool. Really fucking cool.
Running. Hard. Not only are we at 7300 feet of elevation, but in case you missed the news flash, mountains are hilly. In other words, what goes down (ahhhh, easy-peasy), must come up (bugger this!). I've finally gotten to where I don't feel like I am going to die every time I finish a run, but there is no question, it's harder here than at flat, Connecticut sea level.
Other wildlife. So cool. The kids love it - and the Bug mentioned the other day that she doesn't like a day to go by without seeing a deer or an elk. I loved that. There's a deer that has made his home around our place, and we miss him when he's not there. We see squirrels and chipmunks and rabbits and hummingbirds and jays... not to mention the rainbow of wildflowers that grow right in our yard! It's so beautiful and fun and the girls are in love. Me, too.
Schools. Awesome. The Bug is in a fantabulous preschool program with amazing teachers and awesome parents and kids. She loves it, even though she misses her old babysitter and school. I've also visited a totally great potential daycare for the Bunny, where they take the kids on hikes every single day. Don't get that in NYC, do you?
Friends. Tough. Being a married-with-kids grown-up in a new city doesn't provide tons of opportunities for mingling. But the parents at the Bug's school seem cool, my family is close and both Joker and I have friends in the area. It'll come.
Family. Awesome. I've seen my grandparents almost weekly, and the girls have the layout of their house totally nailed - they know where the toys (and the M&Ms) are without asking. Hell, tomorrow I'm taking lunch over to their house because it's the Bug's fave place to go on her non-school day. We see my parents and my sister super often. It's a big reason why we moved here, and it's awesome.
Climate. Mostly awesome. Colorado weather is the best in the country. It's sunny almost every day, and the seasons each explode with their unique excellence. It is also extremely dry. You will need your NetiPot, believe me.

So there you have it: two months of Colorado.