The Jolly Pink Giant

This picture is hilarious once you learn that K is 18 months older than Mari.

Freaky Father's Day

Last year I took a fruit carving class. Yes, I did.

It was just the beginning class, where you learn to make tomatoes into flowers. And turnips into flowers. And radishes into flowers. Not terribly useful, but enough time spent to make me realize that this is yet another thing in my life I will outsource -- if I ever suddenly need carved fruit.

Ever since I took the class I've been the lucky recipient of frequent e-mails from the instructor with giant files attached of her latest creations.

Apparently nothing says HAPPY FATHER'S DAY like a carved watermelon. Because she did three carvings and sent me pictures of all of them.


Personally I look at this and see a skull carved with brains sticking out. But maybe that's just me.

Saving Lives

After events of this morning, I'm re-prioritizing my to do list.

1. Make sure medical information/history is in wallet.

2. ICE number on phone (in case of emergency).

3. Carry insurance card at all times. (Yes, that's one of the first things the paramedics asked.)

4. Renew CPR certification.

5. Marry a doctor. (Is it too late for that one? Maybe I'll just take one with me everywhere I go.)

Today's meeting has been eventful to say the least.

The guy that saved a life today is my new George Clooney. I have to resist the urge to kidnap him and keep him as my personal physician. It doesn't hurt that he's smokin' hot.

MIA

Yesterday I ate nothing but peanut butter on a spoon drizzled in honey. There just wasn't time for anything else until dinner, when I finally relaxed with half a bowl of mini-wheats eaten standing up.

It was my only day in the office in two weeks, sandwiched in between 9 days meetings. (NINE!) Not to mention all the normal activities of every day living I had been avoiding past their due date finally had to get done, like getting my car inspected. That only took 3 trips to the service station yesterday before I finally got the stickers which will enable me to once again drive in daylight without fear of imprisonment.

I decided a to-do list would be too depressing. Instead I would not stop to breathe until I was done, lest I fall asleep and wake up in 2010. Most likely I forgot something, but if I don't know I forgot it, it's not quite so bad. I even went 2 hours without a drink because I was too busy to go to the kitchen. After 2 hours I finally realized there was a bottle of water not 8 inches from my hands. Either I was focused on the task at hand or delirious.

I never did make it to the mall to buy clothes that fit. When packing last night my choices were clown pants or you-need-to-lose-10-pounds pants. I chose a little from both piles to keep people guessing, then I remembered there are malls in Atlanta. If I can stay awake long enough to remember where I parked my rental car, I'll be doing some shopping Wednesday night. I would like something in the "I think I'm going to lose weight so I don't want to spend too much but I don't want to look like I dressed at KMart" women's collection.

Once I get to the meetings it's not actually that bad. My sole responsibility today is to sit in the hallway and look helpful. There are worse jobs than babysitting 13 adults. But waking up at 5:30 am for a meeting in Maryland and ending the day around midnight at a meeting in Atlanta is not exactly easy living. At least tonight I anticipate a whole 6 hours of sleep before tomorrow's meeting set up begins.

The biggest challenge of today will be keeping my eyes open. Two nights in a row with a grand total of five hours of sleep. If this were a TV show everyone on my couch would be giving each other knowing glances about how this is going to end.

The good news is I checked my calendar and on August 2 I get to sleep in! I won't be at all surprised if I wake up and it's September.

Too bad about the background

1st school picture!

1 little Mari, jumping on the bed.

This has futuretriptotheER written all over it. But she's practicing her jumping, so instead of stopping her I just grabbed the camera.