4/18 The Day of Poetry and Porkchops

Sitting out in the garden after dinner, with S and the kids and Uncle. Feeling like Uncle is really part of the family…I mean, he’s always been a part of MY family, but he’s part of the family unit, even if he’s slightly (with good reason) afraid of the little ones.

Porkchops with mushrooms and rice. Nice and hearty, stick to your ribs kind of dinner. Boy and girl both really enjoyed the pork. Next time will pair with more G friendly sides. Or maybe just some sliced apples.

I DID NOT MAKE THE PORK CHOPS!!!! That’s right. S made dinner. I even took a photo for proof. To be fair, he has made pasta once and rice and beans once, although even he admitted it was more like mess hall cooking. It’s nice to not have to cook and still eat a square meal at home.

Got some writing done in my book. Not an hour’s worth of work, but I did manage about 500 words. Slowly, I think I am building my practice back up.

Read some of my old poetry. Some was too private and obscure and symbol laden, but some was actually good.

Wrote a poem. And another something that might count as a poem or perhaps serve as the start of another poem. Poetry is one of those muscles that need to be exercised in order to be functional.

Fell asleep after dinner, and woke up 20 minutes later not feeling worse… which all actually means I am getting sick. I don’t nap unless I am sick, I can’t. That’s not a happy thing, really, but it explains my abominable mood. So it’s not me that’s the bitch, it’s my cold.

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4/17 The Day of Colds and Some Non-Kid Things

Funny sitcoms, particularly 30 Rock and The Office. There was snorting involved.

A good email from a good friend. Actual communication because I caught her while she was on line so she wrote back right away.

That the boy actually fell asleep in our bed when he woke up so early, after waking up every half hour all night with a miserable cold. We all got a couple more hours of much needed sleep. Usually, he is unable to sleep in our bed with us. (It has been a struggle to come up with things today. Colds make for not so happies.)

Watching movies with the adults.

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4/16 The Day of Interviews and Perfect Walks

Leftovers in general, and last night’s leftovers in particular. What a lovely quick lunch. Oven fried chicken and rice with peas. The peas tasted particularly good in the rice. Yay mama.

The weather. It is quite cool for Florida, cool enough for the heat to come on in the house, but for a walk, it is brilliant. There’s not a cloud in the sky and the sun is nice and hot, but the air still has the little nip, so you never get too hot or too cool as you walk.

Walking the nine or so blocks back to the house from the interview, I called my old friend N to tell her that they would be calling her for a reference. We’ve worked together on and off since 1994. So good to hear from her. She’s taking drawing classes and is enraptured with it. I knew she had an artistic sensibility, but she was always insecure about painting or drawing. I do wish she was around, but at least we can talk on the phone and reconnect.

While talking on the phone with N, I started describing where I was and what I was doing and what I was seeing right there in the moment. I told her about the bright blue sky and the tall palm trees and the broad oaks and the pretty bungalows that I was passing as I walked. And, oh! the huge jasmine vine covering a fence. Aside from the various happinesses of all these things, it made me happy to be in the present and paying attention to it as it happened.

Taking a sprig or two of jasmine from the sprawling vine and tucking it in buttonhole of my jacket (yes, it is cool enough for a light jacket.) Then coming home and putting the jasmine into an old aspirin bottle. I intend to put it on my bedside table. Yes. I do. That’s a very good idea.

Making a fresh pot of coffee after deciding that one pot is not enough for three coffee fiends (uncle is on vacation this week, working on his cartoons feverishly and needs sustenance.) Usually I just sit and grumble about how every body is drinking my coffee and have a cookie or two instead.

Oh, and I haven’t got the job yet, but it seemed like a good possibility. The hours are just right to give me enough time with the kids and not be too hard to cover with childcare when S gets a job. That has to be a plus for them, because they said it was difficult to find someone who only wanted a few shifts, not full time. And I think it helped that I have lots of family here and that I was a teacher, since both bosses have connections to teaching. I guess I’m just waiting for the yay or nay call.

One good thing about not getting the job immediately is that I can be on vacation for a little longer. Don’t have to jump up and start working right away. Well, if being a full time mom to two toddlers is ever a vacation. Heck, a job waiting tables might be the vacation.

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4/15 The Day of The Young Bart Simpson, Live and Fighting Bedtime

My dinner came out well. Oven fried chicken with rice and peas sauteed in butter, pepper and salt. Everyone ate it but the boy, who might still be off from his encounter with the floor.

It made me feel virtuous to eat green vegetables, because I don’t nearly enough. I don’t even buy them because I’m so sick of people not eating them.

G and Ivy enjoying the hobby horses. Granted, I had to hold Ivy and the hobby horse and go “riding” around the room as if we were both on the horse, but both G and Ivy loved the game. We rode around the room making horsey noises.

Pancakes for lunch. It was really my late breakfast, but the kids saw me eating them and came up and demanded I feed them the pancakes. Basically, they stole my breakfast.

Running around in the garden with G, I realized that with G’s puffy lip from his fall yesterday, he looks JUST like Bart Simpson. Wild hair, Overbite/duckbill. Crazed lunatic like behavior. Don’t have a cow man. He’s a lot younger, but give him a few years.

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4/13 The Day of We Like to Stomp and We Like to Sleep (aka things we do on the floor)

The boy, who has been in the habit of getting out of bed and sleeping on the floor in front of the door, fell asleep on his mat… which in brilliant mom fashion, I placed on the floor [away from the door.] Sleeping nice and deeply, he is, with none of the upheaval and running around after sundown. And what did mama do? She left him there. It’s nice and warm and smooth and for some reason he had no trouble falling asleep tonight. Connection?

Made some of my chili for dinner. All the grown ups ate it.

Little girl likes to dance. It looks a lot like stomping around the room, sometimes on tippy toes. And when mama did some stomping too, she laughed and laughed and laughed.

My cousin brought her kids over today for a little while. Her oldest is also named G and he looks a lot like she did when she was little. Her youngest is a girl just a couple months younger than my G and they played and watched Dora, and G liked her flashing shoes.

Monk was on NBC. I’d seen it before, but it was fun to see. And Uncle has never seen Monk at all.

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4/12 Also the Day of Grocery Store Shopping Vroom Vroom

Grocery shopping with the whole family. We got the kids into the big cart with the race car seats for them, and we steered that monstertruck through the store. Luckily, it was nothing like the rinky dink grocery stores in Brooklyn. They don’t have that much more food, but they have so much more room.

The kids got a FREE cookie at the bakery counter. I knew I’d seen kids with cookies, I just didn’t know they were giving them to kids for free. How cool is that.

We got a ball each for the little guys. They left most of their balls behind, so I thought it was a good treat.

Chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cups and moosetracks fudge. Yum.

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4/11 The Day of Dinner at The Ring Side Cafe (where, as a side note, my mom met my stepfather.)

Hugging G. He is very active in his hugs now. Not just a baby, but a little boy who snuggles and wraps his legs around you and hangs on to your neck and if you’re not careful, licks you.

Hugging Ivy. She’s so round and squishable. G was always wiry, Ivy is like a bunny.

Kids who eat their whole meal, chicken tenders and french fries. And eat until they’re all filled up. No stress dinner when it’s chicken and french fries.

Borrowing my mom’s jeep big enough for the car seats and going for dinner as a family. We don’t have a lot of money, but the cheap dinner out sometimes is a way to keep morale up.

And no matter what changes, the consensus is that our kids are adorable. Everyone loves them, north OR south of the Mason Dixon line.

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4/10 The Day of How We Make The Road as We Walk

Having pizza on the deck.

Not having to cook dinner tonight, because I seem to be cooking almost every night. Before, I could manage leftovers or something frozen or take out or walking down the street to get a slice of pizza or feeding the kids chicken nuggets and me eating a bowl of cereal, so I didn’t always have to cook full meals, but now S is always here for dinner and my uncle eats too sometimes and there are just not as many leftovers. I’m getting exhausted.

Messing around on Facebook. I guess I’m getting what they were all saying about it being addictive now. It might be the whole moving away from home thing that has me trying to get into touch with people. I’ve gotten in touch with a bunch of college friends and now some old students. One of my girls, who was morbidly obese, now looks positively svelte and gorgeous, and I can’t wait to have her confirm my request. Don’t tell the others, but she was always one of my favorite kids.

Oh and I was playing around with the vampire function and attacked my sister and my cousin and a friend and got leveled up to the next vampire stage. Then I sent them all some good karma. Now that’s balance, huh?

Oh, I forgot. I wrote a poem and drew a picture. They may not be pro quality, but it’s about the journey, and we make the road as we walk.

Taking a different route on the kids’ walk, going an extra block and seeing the cool houses and old trees. One house had a big banyon tree and a big oak tree on either side of their door. Very cool.

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4/9 Also the Day of Taco Pie and Family in the Garden

Family dinner last night. Truly, this is the reason we moved down here. Family.

We sat out in the garden and ate taco pie (still not quite sure what it is, but it was good,) and drank margaritas and beer and milk or coke for those who don’t drink.

Ivy started out shy and wouldn’t talk to anyone, but by the end, she was running back and forth, grinning and clapping her hands. And she kissed everyone good night, after a little warm up.

G of course was in his element: the center of attention. Climbing on everyone, getting tossed in the air, making faces, etc. And he got to stay up late. At one point, he took his blankie and his bobo and lay down on the porch step, but then he got his second wind and was up and running again.

I made peanut butter and jelly and apples for the kids’ dinner, because I knew grandma was coming with food, but it would be too late for dinner for them, although they could have some when it was ready (Ivy had some, G refused it [from everyone, and despite the many tricksy reverse psychology maneuvers attempted by all.]) PB&J means no drama at dinner.

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4/9 The Day of the Many Happy Things Despite My Head Being Wrapped Up in Seaweed

G discovered the joys of a cardboard box and thence it became a boat upon the open seas.

When he got out of the boat, I said, “now you’re in the water, are you going to swim?” and that is what he did, get down on the floor and make swimming motions. Big smile upon his face.

And Ivy wanted to be in the boat, too, so then it was a two man boat, with lots of giggles.

Cleaning the fish pond of its seaweed swamp. I cleared it out, G took it off of my tool and put it in piles. Ivy played in the heaps of wet green strands.

Got my sister to join Facebook. She almost never does the things I suggest, but apparently I was not the only one who had invited her.

When a facebook friend asked about the subject of my novel and I had to go look up my one line summary because I couldn’t remember it… but that’s okay, because it brings the story back to my head.

Looking at my cousin’s Wicca site and thinking it was a pretty cool thing for her to do, and sending her an email maybe possibly giving her another venue if she is interested in going there. I like to be of help, although it may not seem like it at present with my envelopment in the mothering process.

Oh, yeah, my mom called and reminded me she is coming over for dinner and bringing something called “taco pie” and stuff for margaritas. Can’t wait.

Oh, good. Many happy things this morning. That’s a relief, because I have felt very fuzzy headed this morning and a little lost. I want to try JulieJordanScott’s ideas [still to come] but I’ve been so cranky and off.

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4/8 Also The Day of Now I'm Pooped

impromptu, acoustic dance party in the tv room. G started clapping his and Ivy’s milk cups together to make a beat, and then started dancing and wanted everyone to watch. Then papa started playing the tv tray with a down beat. Then mama clapped her hands along. Then Ivy decided she would clap her hands too, and then both she and G were dancing, dancing, dancing and they never wanted it to stop.

Cute little Golden Book where Theodore Goes to Sea.

G and Ivy ate everything on their plates. Granted I made G’s favorites of hamburger and tater tots, and I didn’t give him the tomato salad or even the mac and cheese, which he won’t eat (Wait? What? No mac and cheese? Huh?) But there was no dinner drama.

Nice walks where we made discoveries and apologized to flowers that were trampled and met doggies who were nice and neighbors who were boorish who we now know to avoid.

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4/8 The Day of Documenting the Little Things

A butterfly floated through the garden. It was beautiful with orange and black and white. Uncle said it had probably just emerged from its cocoon and was still drying its wings.

Cinnamon toast. Now if only I could get the kids to stop eating my toast.

The fun of the old fire truck that we pulled out of Uncle’s closet. Big, sliding ladder. Wooowooowoooo!

The soft moss we found growing on the stone wall under the oak tree.

Looking back at the pictures I took this morning and realizing that I had done a pretty good job of documenting the morning, our ordinary morning. It was cool.

The thing about moving is that you are really aware of those daily moment to moment happenings that are what your life consists of. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so focused on this list. Also trying to stay positive and not be overwhelmed by all the changes.

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4/7 The Day of Cutting Teeth and Making Friendeds

Ivy’s front tooth, broken through at last. Lets hope that’s the end of the writhing and hysterics. (Haha. I’m sure there will be another 17 years of some variation on that. At least.)

Watching the end of the third Pirates of the Caribbean. Really enjoyed it, even want to see it again. The second was so bad that it was an especially nice surprise.

Had some conversations with some friend on Facebook. I have spent a while not understanding the whole facebook thing. Why not just email? But I suppose theres something to be said for the ease of checking in, so I even friended some people I left behind in NY.

The way kids are happy and adventuring, even when adults are stressed. Well, unless that was Ivy’s nervous stomach responding to our stress. Hmmm.

My can and uncle’s cat are now not only enduring being in the same room, but they are apparently seeking each other out to make friends and influence felines. Either that or my cat is stalking him and is about to pounce.

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4/6 The Day of All Day Rain and Sleeping In a Little

Got to sleep in. That was nice. Then woke up and took a shower without kids hanging off of me.

The Sunday paper. My uncle always gets the paper, since he works for them. It’s not nearly as weighty as the NYT sunday paper, so I can actually get through a lot of it.

Many sudoku. I went through the back issues of the papers to find them.

Upside down Ivy. She loves to go upside down, and if you hold her that way, she will (literally) hang out for as long as she can.

A rainy day. I like the sound of rain, and the fresh air and the cool breeze and the opportunity to cuddle in a sweater and stay in. Also getting caught in the rain, and watching the kids splash around in the puddles.

Dinner! Everyone ate! Oven-fried chicken, farm fresh corn on the cob, and tater tots for the tater tots. Chianti for the adults.

After a protracted bedtime, sitting on the porch with S, watching the rain fall and talking.

Then we watched the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie, which was MUCH better than the second one. We didn’t get to finish it because it was too long and it was time for bed, but that just means I have the rest of the movie to look forward to.

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4/5 The Day of "Creatures and Mayhem" and That's a Good Thing

Went out with my mom. We went shopping… or she went shopping and I came along, mostly. I did get the kids some used cartoon videos, but tried not to shop as it is not in the budget.

The hugeness that was Publix. I am not used to such big and busy grocery stores. Busy meaning it seemed to be like a community center, not just teeming and crowded with testy shoppers, like in Brooklyn.

The little used bookstore my mom took me to. It was so cozy, with different genre rooms and some finches in the window and seats scattered through out. It wasn’t actually that small.

Stopping for coffee and sharing a cinnamon roll with my mom and talking science fiction and other things.

G encountering a ladybug for the first time, letting it crawl around on his arm and giggling.

Ivy in her bed, kept raising her head to look at me, saying “mama” and I would say, “I love you.” and she would say “mama” and I would say “I love you.” and then she would smile and we’d do it again, and sometimes she would say “night night” and I would say “I love you.” and then she would giggle, and this went on until I finally just shut the door.

Uncle’s interpretation of my family (and his stories about me, like how I always put too much milk in my cereal and leave it and have since I was 4) Ivy is a sweetheart. G is dramatic. S has the soul of a poet and the heart of a pirate. That last had to be noted down because it was such a good line.

Uncle also said that he likes having us here because we get him out of his strange world. “I live in a world of creatures and mayhem,” he said. “And now they’re running around in your house. The boy is mayhem, and the girl is the creature.”

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4/4 The Day of Winding Down

S cooked dinner. He made New Orleans style red beans and rice. I didn’t have to do anything… although I did do more cleanup.

Chocolate. ‘Nuff said.

Syndicated sitcoms. I don’t know why I love them, but they put a cap on my day and help me relax and rewind.

Ivy and G holding hands as they walk down the sidewalk.

Finding childhood pictures of my mom and one of my uncles which are deadringers for G. All of a sudden, his looks make sense.

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4/4 The Day of Fresh Picked Grapefruits

Picking grapefruits off of our very own grapefruit tree. Well, it’s my uncle’s grapefruit tree, but he says he’s not that into grapefruits. The whole episode made the kids morning, watching me with the long stick and basket trying to capture the big round fruit.

One grapefruit was as big as Ivy’s head!

Man they were tasty, too. Didn’t even need sweetening. Is it just that they were free or that they were really good?

Going for a walk the kids, just up and down the street, but there were many things to see and explore.

Chasing G around with Ivy… I mean, I held Ivy out and chased him around as if Ivy was the weapon. Much squealing and laughter.

Call from old friend just touching bases.

Finished the book I’ve been reading for the last four months. It wasn’t my favorite of her books, but it was still good. Especially the ending.

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4/3 After Settling In, A Good Day

That S cleaned up all the toys we’d left in the tv room while I made dinner. Usually clean up is my duty, being the sahm, but while we have both been “on vacation” I am not the only one.

Crispy bacon. (But beware the eatus toomuchus. It leads to upsetus stomachus.)

Ivy kisses and hugs. She purses her little lips and leans into it. Sometimes she goes french.

Ivy’s big round belly.

The word “rotund.”

Reminding S that this was living, and it was pretty good, as he sat out in the garden, the blue sky above, the lush green, the trickling fountain into the fish pond, all as he was trying to deal with his native temper and impatience with the little ones and the world in general.

Return of the King on my uncle’s giant projection screen. G loves the hobbits, and he has actually seen the first movie multiple times (at first by accident, and then on purpose when I realized he could handle it.) He didn’t sit through the whole 3 hours, but bopped around playing, although he kept coming in to focus down. It got pretty scary for a while, he said it was “good scary,” but we almost turned it off. Then we got into the end of the movie, where Frodo is almost defeated, and G was so upset… but when he succeeded and Frodo wakes up in Gondor after being taken away from Mordor by the giant eagles, G gasped with joy. And then for the rest of the movie where everything is wonderful, he kept saying “more, more!” I’m afraid we have a boy who has been enraptured by movies.

Now past bedtime (with a wired young boy) and S and I are watching the special features/making of the movies. Making The Lord of The Rings is sometimes more amazing than the actual movie.

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4/3 The Day of Settling Into Patterns

This morning having coffee and doing crosswords/sudoku with S while the kids ate their cheerios and drank their milk and played. They are just a little bit self sufficient… enough to get as many cheerios into their mouths as on the floor.

Ivy’s cute blue and red and white gingham dress.

G’s khaki shirt and pants.

Ivy has discovered raisins. She nods her head vigorously when I ask if she likes them.

And G ate three handfuls of them. Maybe it will help him in the regularity department, because goodness, that is some wild drama. Uncle thought we were torturing the poor boy, and he was just pooping.

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4/2 Also the Day of the Moments After

Storm clouds rolling in, charcoal colored and bringing a cold wind to the semi tropical garden.

I love the sound of rain and thunder.

ANTM! And someone cried! I shouldn’t take such glee in these girls’ tears, but they are usually for very silly things, most often hair. So glee I take.

The moment when the kids stop crying in their room, no longer calling for mama, no longer asking for just one more stuffed animal perched on the bed, no longer needing yet another diaper change, no longer clamoring for just one more goodnight kiss and hug, no longer avoiding sleep and just… go… to… sleep.

And then, the moment, a couple hours later, when I have decompressed and relaxed and no longer feel flattened and exhausted.

Oh, the Frank O’Hara poem I read… Avenue A. So great. I should go write something.

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