Wasting Time Before the Day’s Onslaught

I found a fun toy to distract myself before the craziness of the day begins. Emily Chang of eHub Twittered the fun Wordle site so I thought I’d try it. Perfect distraction!

iTune shuffle Wordle.

Mindless fun for a summer’s day! Enjoy the day my keiki. Love to all.

In A Week

In a week I leave the state of Maryland. I take my daughter to California and leave her there to start her adventure. I leave my son in Philadelphia.  I leave my dogs with our trusted caretaker. I leave my things, my sacred items to someone else to safeguard. I leave my comfort zone.

I’m out of sorts about all of this.  In theory and six months ago, I was fine with it all. Now, I’m hyperventillating.  I haven’t thought about the moment when my children were grown.  I didn’t prepare myself for the inevitable time when they’d fly the coop.  Yes, I understood this would happen but in my mind, it was a long way off.  I didn’t prepare myself for leaving the country and leaving them with miles between us.  I’m teary-eyed about it all.

My emotions are all over the place.  I like to blame it on the vaccinations.  The typhoid fever shot hurt like hell and still hurts.  I’m placing blame for everything on the typhoid fever vaccination.  I understand the malaria pills that we have to take will cause wild dreams and suicidal thoughts.  Nice.  Can’t wait.  Like I need anything else to push me over the edge. 

ANYhoo.  Graduation is over, it went well.  The aunties were here and we loved having them here. Aunty Michelle is, as ever, a loving wonderful woman.  Aunty Stacy has a mind like a steel trap, she forgets nothing and therefore, the kids know more about me than I care to share.  Together they brought the traditions we experienced when the three of us graduated  high school thirty years ago.  Aunty Michelle brought the leis, Aunty Stacy, the pink champagne…it was an awesome night filled with laughter, love, and fireworks.  Literally, there were fireworks after the last graduate when she, which happened to be Miss J, received her diploma.  Unbelievably spectacular!

I’m trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the children are going their own way.   For me it has always been the kiddos first so now, I’m not sure where I am, what I’ll do. I’ll be flitting  between South America and the US.  I’ll be worried and wanting to make things right for Smither and Jill and I’ll have to realize they need to take care of things for themselves and it will be hard for me. Really hard.  The nest is empty and that’s a hard concept for me to grasp, control freak that I am. 

Until the final day I’m running around tagging things for the movers, making decisions about what’s to go, what’s to store, things I can part with forEVER…..which, for a pack-rat such as myself, is incredibly hard. I’ll keep in touch.  I don’t lose Comcast for a bit…and then I’ll Twitter while on the road. So my keikei…

  ..until the next time when I’m hooked up to wireless or some such thing…. be good, be brave.  Love to all.

I’ll take it Intravaneously Please…

I set my coffee down on the table in order to help S with a few things and when I returned this is what I found. Imagine my delight, like a message from God or something…”Starbucks, good for what ails you! Let S do what he needs to do. Sit! Imbibe! Forget everything that you have to do before the aunties arrive! You’ve got time!”

Actually, I don’t. The aunties are arriving on Thursday to help celebrate Miss J’s graduation. One from Hawaii and the other from California, bringing a bit of west coast sunshine for Miss J…we’re all very excited! I need to get the guest room ready ‘n alla that but I did want to share a morning cup with you!

Love to all, be good be brave!

*Please note I’m not advertising for Starbucks…I’ll drink anything…really, I’m not that snooty. ;)

The Ever Elusive Smith

I know it seems like I have all sorts of photos showing off Miss J and a scant few of Mr. Smith. Actually, that’s about right. It’s true, I don’t have many photos of Smither in the last three years. I’d say he’s shy but I don’t think that’s it. Could be that I’m the mom/pain in the rump.

After a grueling drive up to Philadelphia on Saturday (and I mean grueling, some genius decided that it was just FINE to have a construction crew working on I-95 during a major holiday weekend. Yeah) we reached Smith’s place beat up and cranky (just me, I was cranky). The dogs were dying of thirst and ready to stretch their legs. Yes, I had the equally genius idea of bringing the dogs along for the ride.

As soon as I unloaded the car with all the goodies I brought for the boy-child I busted out the camera and attempted to take some shots of Smith with his pups. No go. Then I attempted Smith with his sister. Again, no go. Smith with his dad. Nyet. It wasn’t until we sat down for a meal at the wonderfully cool “National Mechanics” bar to meet up with Tristan’s new girlfriend was I able to snap a few BAD ones. But, one bad one is better than nothin’ I always say.

He seems to be very happy with his situation up there although I’m a bit apprehensive about it all. I tell myself constantly that I can no longer coddle him, he isn’t a child. Doesn’t make it any easier. So, we leave soon and he stays on this side of the continent. Scary but there isn’t a thing I can do about it unless I bribe him which wouldn’t work because he’s a fairly stubborn individual. Once he’s made up his mind, that’s it.  He stays, I pray, and hopefully we’ll get together real soon.

Enjoy the week my keiki. Be good, be brave…love to all.

Oh and, FYI, the texture I used on the photo up there I found HERE. Textures by Christie Lacy. Lovely stuff.

My Promise to the AACPL

D-day will hit in about 40 days and then, the family is off in all different directions.
I’m putting on my brave face but really, I’m getting a wee bit anxious. Too much to do. I have to stop going to the library. Because for me it’s, “Hello, I’m Josielle and I’m an addict.” I’m a gluttonous reader. “Just one more” is heard frequently inside my head. Consequently I’m trying to speed read my way through a pile of books that must go back to the library soon. I know, I know, in the past, I’ve been guilty of failing to return books; in my defense the movers packed a couple of photography books from the my last town putting me on a nationwide library most wanted list. But not this time. No, I will FAITHFULLY return each and every book I’ve got on my electronically monitored library card. That includes any movies or cd’s I happen to have. I swear. Honest.

Unfortunately for me I just received Restless Virgins: Love, Sex, and Survival at a New England Prep School by Abigail Jones and Marissa Miley. I say unfortunately because it’s a fascinating book and I’m having a hard time putting it down in order to do things I need to do before we leave. I can’t multi-task and read at the same time. I’m not that good. So THANKS Chris Abraham for the recommendation. Actually, I’m being serious, thanks Chris, it’s a good find.

Between my reading addiction and the new camera (which I just had to throw in here because I took a picture of Ms Jones’ book; I’m having fun playing with all the doohickeys on this thing) I’m struggling with major procrastination issues.

Anyhoo, I must make it look like I’ve done something today other than satisfy my very selfish desire. I must go fix some dinner. I’ll saute something and read at the same time. I can do that.

Enjoy your evening my keiki, love to all, be good, be brave.