who's the fairest?

So, some background information. My stepmom has three sons. My dad has two sons, and yours truly. They have a spanking new, lovelier-by-the-day house that is slowly transforming into a home. The necessities are in place (hot water, microwave, wine cooler, internet- important things.) but certain lower-priority details are, shall we say, lagging behind.

Such as mirrors.

There is one mirror in this house. One. And it is tucked away in the master bathroom, and had to be built in with fixtures and cabinets so there was no avoiding it. And the obvious factor: there is only one female in the house, and like most of us all she needs to get by is one mirror in her own bathroom.

There are six more bathrooms in that house, and none of them have mirrors. Maybe it's because it's my own family, so I feel minimal pressure to make myself presentable, but other than the odd moment trying to put in contacts or flossing, the last couple of visits I haven't worried about it too much. I am so used to catching my own reflection many, many times a day that I was more thrown off by the abrupt change to my habits than not being able to check and recheck and triple check my appearance.

At least, I hope habit (and not vanity!) is the reason I notice the absence...

Well,

Toby and I are in Chicago visiting the family, and I don't really want to leave. It all just fits so easily.

Friday: the non-day-off day off.

My day, thus far, in pictures:

When I woke up this morning, I found this scene in the bathroom, and I have to admit I felt a wee bit of concern.

In his attempt to set up a small garage sale early this morning, my husband had smacked his baby toe on a metal bed frame.

He mostly ran the sale himself. I just babysat it when he changed his gauze and poured another cup of coffee.


Check out the bees!
They're responsible for the following: a summer's worth of raspberry jam.

A week's worth of zucchini bread. I know. Just a week. That plant is a beast.

An hour's worth of packing. Heaven knows I love my books, but good grief do they weigh a lot.

...packing because, that is, my darling husband got himself accepted into a Phd. program in Hamilton, Ontario, CANADA... for this fall, if that's not enough tsunami change for ya. It's certainly enough for me. I'll be ping-ponging between time zones for the next eight weeks, but the stuff goes next week. And my LANTA for only three years of marriage, we certainly have accumulated some stuff.

having a 'big picture' moment...

This observation may be obvious and a touch stupid, but the simple presence of Facebook is really going to change how we keep in touch with the people we meet throughout our lives. Our impending move is triggering all sorts of reflections for me, but I find it so interesting that my generation was first on the Facebook bandwagon when it was only a college social network, and as we move on, those ties and connections that would normally (and naturally) fade will probably stay in place... although via the most passive venue of relationship/community possible.

The people my parents knew during their childhoods, high school years, and college years have mostly stayed in those time compartments except for the closest of friends; but I can see pictures of weddings I never would have known even occurred, and babies I wouldn't have known existed, if it weren't for the internet. It's a log of every (well, almost every) soul I've had more than two conversations with, and as my life creeps on, it'll be so interesting to follow all those souls too, no matter where on the planet they happen to reside.

child of the 80's

There were a lot of fads and cultural highlights of the 80's that I missed.

I was never devoted to a member of New Kids on the Block. I watched maybe three episodes of Saved By The Bell. I didn't see Labyrinth or The Sandlot until college. I'm pretty sure I never wore a side ponytail on purpose, or a sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder with a bright leotard underneath.

But, thanks to my geek of a father, I definitely saw TRON. Many times. And I'll probably watch the new one with him too. (Even now, in a game of SceneIt I am fully dependable in the area of 80's science fiction.)

faith is a story

I love this post of Don Miller's. It's a bit long, but stick with it. Something interesting to ponder.

A sample:

'I had a long conversation with a distinguished scholar last month whose lifelong expertise is story structure. He is not a Christian. And as we talked, he said something that fascinated me. He said this:

“I understand you Christians. I understand the essence of your message. It’s this: If you are not a good person, you are going to burn in hell for all eternity.”

As I said, this man was a distinguished scholar and so it surprised me when he made this statement from a position of absolute knowing. There was no doubt in his voice. He wasn’t asking me to confirm. He knew. But he was absolutely wrong. That isn’t the essence of the Christian story, and anybody who believes so is a heretic.'

three and counting

I really should have done this post yesterday instead of the garden one... but I swear my priorities aren't that out of whack. I was just waiting for some film to be developed. :)


Happy three years, love! This last one has been bumpy, but for better or for worse it's always an adventure with you. No regrets. I love you always.