Post Irene Buzz

The skies are a painter's blue, not a cloud to mar the vista, there's a crisp note in the gentle breeze coming through my home office window, the birds are chirping, and our neighborhood is abuzz...abuzz with chain saws and leaf blowers cleaning up the debris our not so gracious visitor left behind!

I would have loved to go for a nice long bike ride this morning, but remnants of Irene's visit are strewn across the streets and sidewalks of our town -- terrain Ruby's skinny tires prefer to avoid.

But who am I to complain! We never even lost electricity yesterday! 

Unlike several Moms in the camp drop off line this morning, I don't have to contend with a fridge & freezer full of spoiling food. Nor do we face the clean up or repairs of others along Irene's path. 

And then there are the folks up north, in New York and Vermont, watching streams turned to rivers, raging through their communities, wondering how they'll get anywhere with roads & bridges closed or washed away completely.

So, on this lovely, somewhat tranquil ('cause the Master of Mayhem and the Baron of Boredom are off at camp 'til 2pm today!) morning, I count our blessings and send out prayers to those still cursing Irene.

It was a long Sunday though! All our plans or places were cancelled or closed. So how to survive a day with all four of us home bound?

Step 1 - Mom declared it a "jammer" day!

Step 2 - Whip up a Welcome Irene Waffle Breakfast

Step 3 - Assess arsenal of time killers at Mom & Dad's disposal!

• Spin Art
• Star Wars Trouble
• Card Games - Go Fish & War
• Magic Science experiments
• PBS Kids and Wizard 101 computer games (interspersed between non-electronic amusements as a reward for playing nice)
• OnDemand Movie Rental - Rango!
• And finally, most readily available & plentiful, though frequently more challenging...playing with their toys! 

After lamenting recently over my struggles getting my mini-men to actually play with their toys, a former friend (because I can no longer associate with someone that so far exceeds my reservoir of simple wisdom!) suggested I just plop one of the toy bins in the middle of the floor while they're out of the room, then let them discover it upon their return. She said this technique often buys her an hour or more of uninterrupted, peaceful kiddie playtime. 

At first I thought, yeah, right, that will never work with my guys. But the more I thought about it, the more intrigued I became.

Like me, this former friend is a tidy Mama -- toys have bins, buckets & cubbies and are organized and put away regularly -- and I wondered if my ADD-compensating OCD need for order was hindering my boys creativity and toy adventures.

So yesterday I gave her suggestion a try...

and, damn her, it worked!!

Now I out right hate said former friend! (Not really, just goin' for a little bloggy drama.) But I sure am thankful for her simple trick!

Bye-bye Irene! Hello toy time!

P.S. Karma, like the spin on a hurricane, came back & bit me on the ass today! No sooner had a I published this post, then a gal pal called from vay-kay - she had heard from neighbors that their street had flooded & was powerless. Would I, could I stop in to check on her house? Of course, what are friends for! Little did I know I would soon be contending with power-outage food mess! But then, what are friends for!!

Is The Waiting Over!

Is Irene finally here?!

After days of anticipation & preparation!

Saturday, 3:30ish and the first bans of rain, lightening, thunder rolled into our New England hamlet, and I have one terrified Border Collie clawing at my lap!

Flicks on the Field (an annual community outdoor family movie night) -- cancelled. 
Church -- cancelled. 
Little friend's birthday party -- cancelled.  
It's gonna be a long weekend.

But she's finally here and I breathe a sigh of relief. You see, these storm watches are a major challenge for my already minimal patience!

I can't help but imagine The Weather Channel crew's glee when Mother Nature delivers a ratings-grabbing storm. And when you live in the eye of Mother's Nature's wrath (pun intended, sorry folks), there's the added pleasure of 'round-the-clock, all-encompassing local coverage too.

East coast natives often ask me how I tolerated the earthquakes of my home state, to which I reply "Earthquakes are easy! How can you tolerate the waiting, watching and wondering of nor'easters and blizzards, tropical storms and hurricanes?" This usually elicits a sympathetic head tilt, obviously I left my mind somewhere on Zuma beach, they think to themself.

Whatever the "event", there's a reason they call 'em disasters, and I'm certainly not making light at the expense of other people's loss and suffering at the hands of Mother Nature, but, having grown up with "land surfing" - I do believe I coined this euphemism, and I'm darn proud of it! -  earthquakes are comparatively easy on one's nerves.

There is no build up! Well, there is for those tectonic plates, but not for us unsuspecting humans on the surface. And we've been taught since we could toddle to be prepared (earthquake kit, bin or cupboard is properly stocked) and where to go (hello, doorway!).

 

SHAKE, RATTLE, BUMP, JUMP, CRACK, SHATTER -- then it's done and the clean up begins (hopefully requiring not much more than a broom and garbage can).

Ok, you're right, there are those pesky after-shocks, but again, you don't know when the earth beneath your feet will buck again, so you get on with things.

So here we go folks, you can watch every gruesome moment of Irene's march north, and fret over just how nasty will she be when she arrives at your doorstep OR you can get on with the stuff of your life.

So what's the FH gonna do to pass a now empty weekend? I'm gonna bake some popovers, make enchiladas for dinner and watch the Pro Cycling Challenge on Versus.

How 'bout y'all? 

Is your weekend suddenly a wide open expanse of time with children needing to be entertained? 

What's your family's disaster management plan?

Stay dry, stay safe!

Beach Blanket Boredom

I have survived 62 days of summer with the Master of Mayhem and the Baron of Boredom!

Just 27 days until both of my mini-men are back where they belong, in school!

Summer's hold on New England is rapidly waning. The sun sets earlier with each passing day, the evenings are cool and the early morning air is refreshing. Breezes beckon us to turn off the A/C and throw open the windows.

But the days are still steamy, a chance of thunderstorms loom daily in the forecast, and an afternoon at the beach or pool is something to be seized, because the leaves will soon don their fiery finery, and there will be apples and pumpkins to pick.

It's been a great summer...

with loads of beach fun with family & friends -- swimming, snorkeling, sandcastles, ice cream truck treats, kayaking, fishing, picnics & cookouts, and some hula practice.

But the first real harbinger of fall came yesterday -- a special back-to-school shopping excursion to Tar-jay with J.

That's some full shopping cart,  young man!

Ready to pack up his new backpack for his first day of 1st Grade.

 

The list was surprisingly long & specific, and I have one question...

 

Why the heck does a 1st Grader need a sponge with a scouring pad side!

Later yesterday, back at the beach for another afternoon of sun & fun, J plopped down on my lap and announced, 

"I'm bored. The beach isn't fun anymore. I want 1st Grade to start tomorrow."

"Sorry sweetie, there's still a bit of summering left, school doesn't start for a few more weeks," I replied.

That he's tired of summer tells me he's savored every moment, and gives Cruise Director Mom a serious job satisfaction boost. And I'm thrilled he's so eager to get back to school. 

But not before a few more summer smiles! 

Maybe a trip to Maine, a whale watching cruise, a few more Cape days, and lots of icy treats will relieve the drudgery of summer?

So what's on your agenda for the final weeks of summer freedom? How will you keep your weary summer warriors smiling?

It's Back!

As you my recall, I have a tendency to get very passionate about a new favorite thing -- it might be a funky tote bag, a pair of suede slingbacks, a cutie tankini, or a simple, yet versatile, sweater like Title 9's Salt Sweater. (Remember "My New Love"?)

So how excited am I that the Salt Sweater is back this fall?!

Just one minor dilemma -- which color to get? 

(Remember fair readers, I first feel in love with the Grey.) 

Spruce Blue or Pomegranate, 

or do I play it safe with Chocolate Brown?

Choices, choices, choices! What's a gal to do?

Wait, I know!

Your votes, please!

GMA on Alcohol & Motherhood

I saw Elisabeth Hasselbeck's piece --  Can Alcohol & Mother Mix? -- when it first aired on Good Morning American last week and I have been meaning to post a few words about it -- ok, I've been meaning to throw myself a 2-year-old-worthy tantrum.

I mean really, GMA, considering all that's going on in this country and around the world (economic crisis, political posturing, joblessness, war, famine), are a couple of Moms having a few sips while the kids play news?

In my humble opinion it most certainly is not. 

In my humble opinion it is simply ratings grubbing -- trying to take some innocent Mom relaxation (while the kids have some fun) and turn it into something scary, scandalous, shameful.

As I watched the piece again online, I couldn't help feeling that Ms. Hasselbeck (and her producers) set out with an agenda to weave a cautionary tale about something Ms. Hasselbeck personally disapproves of.

As the Florida moms in the piece pointed out - no one is getting drunk. Another Mom in the story mentions, and I totally agree, there seems to be a double-standard when it comes to a Mom's actions vs a Dad's actions -- referencing a Dad taking his tikes to a ballgame and having a beer!

Come on ABC, I understand GMA is a combo order of morning news updates & "fluff", but this story was plain ol' inflammatory.

A Mom with a glass in her hand does not equal certain disaster! The majority of us Moms are responsible grown ups who care deeply about our children's welfare & safety, not a bunch of lushes putting our own buzz ahead of our children's needs!

So, would anyone care for a cocktail? A glass of wine, cheap light beer, a margarita or mojito?

Cheers!

Blue Redemption

In an attempt to drag myself out of my Momming funk of Thursday, I pulled myself up by my flip flop straps and ventured out with my Barons of Boredom for a morning of berry-pickin' labor, I mean fun.

Friday was another lovely, temperate summer morning, so over the highway and through the 'burbs to Jane & Paul's Farm in Norfolk (MA).

Beautiful Blue Berries

Two hard-workin' pickers,

two tuckered out little men,

and one very friendly rooster.

It was hard work and great fun, and it reminded me of the first time I took J picking, he was just 2 years old.

He loved picking, got the hang of it right away, and ate as many as he picked.

Four years later, he was much more productive, as was his brother, and we came home with quite the bounty of blue.

The humble salad spinner -- the ultimate kitchen multi-tasker!

Almost 12 pounds, washed & dried! Too much? Nah, there's no such thing as too many blueberries!

Now comes the fun part for me & my sous chefs -- multiple loaves of Blueberry Oatmeal Bread (my own recipe, be nice & maybe I'll share with you, my friends), dozens of Blueberry-Banana Whole Wheat Muffins and Blueberry Scones, and a Peach-Blueberry Pie for our friends coming to visit Thursday from upstate NY.

It's gonna be one BUSY kitchen this week!

So what's on the agenda for your week? Got any special plans, or just gonna let the summer breeze guide you?

P.S. Start the back-to-school countdown calendar...30 days left of Mega-Mom Summer Camp.

Serious Summer Shame

It is a picture-perfect summer day in New England -- low-80's, not too humid, something to be seized and relished -- and, if I were a good Mom, I would...

-- load up a backpack and take my little men out for a walk in a woods,

-- hop on a Boston-bound train for some urban exploration,

-- ride bikes around our lovely neighborhood,

-- swing by a local playground,

-- or, at the very least, go to our little local beach club.

But I am NOT a good Mom, at least not today!

Today I am a lazy, slacker, good-for-nothin' Mom!

I cannot muster up the motivationed to do ANYTHING a self-respecting stay-at-home Mom would be off doing with her adorable and deserving munchkins on a glorious summer day!

All I want to do is lay on the couch, enjoying the gentle summer breeze coming through the once again open windows, reading a trashy novel or gossipy rag-mag, or watching a marathon of cooking and travel shows.

Ok, so what I REALLY want to do is take a nap!

I am seriously longing for those not-so-long-ago days when I could cajole & connive my boys into laying down for a little "storytime"...aha, hoodwinked again my little ones! And I would win myself an hour, sometimes two, of blissful mid-day tranquility.

Instead, I've been doing battle with my barons of boredom. The Wii was shut down after 15 minutes of screechy squabbling. The air hockey game ended in tears.

"We are SO bored!" 

They have no fun toys. Their board games are boring. Not even the threat toy trashing has gotten them playing.

"Why can't I go to ---'s house?"

"Can --- come over?"

I'm a so jealous when other Mom's happily chirp about their blissful morning, their children playing happily in the playroom for three straight hours.

I know if I turn on the TV all will be quiet. I know if I get my ass up off this couch and bring them somewhere they will be briefly appeased. But the more they rail against my "find your fun at home" stance, the more entrenched I become.

What's the point of all the toys, games, books & craft supplies if all they want is beyond the walls of our abode?

Boyz...bored, bored, bored.  

Mommy...guilty, lazy, good-for-nothin' and totally frustrated.

What a glorious day in the 'burbs!

What's it all about?

When I tell people I have a blog, their polite next question is "What's it about?"

"Ah, hmm, that's a good question," I stammer, then I proceed to rattle off, "momming, life in the 'burbs, food, world events, whatever's on my mind lately, grabs my attention or annoys me."

About halfway through this recitation I see my audience's eyes begin to glaze and their attention begin to wander...I've lost 'em!

I am a newbie in the blogosphere, but I did do a bit of homework before launching myself into cyberspace -- I read several books (ok, parts of 'em, and I'm still turning pages), and I started reading and following all sorts of blogs...don't worry I've heard the chorus -

Find a topic, a theme, your passion and write about it. 

I hear ya, folks. I understand the need for and benefits of having a focus. Unfortunately, I'm a gal with ADD and an inquisitive mind.

We are all multi-faceted creatures,
but I can't seem to focus on just one facet!

I am following several blogs these days, bloggers I have come to admire for their insights, wit, reviews, recommendations and general blogosphere savvy, and I am a tad jealous of their laser focus.

So what is my blog about? 

I've written posts about...

• Wii, but I'm no gamer
• cheese and doughnuts, but I'm no food blogger
• sweaters and swimsuits, but I'm no fashionista blogger
• technical difficulties and social networking overload, but I'm no tech blogger
• snowdays, sick days and vacation days
• children and TV viewing
• traffic and gas prices

So what do I love? 

What fascinates or amuses me?

• I love being a Mom, which was a pleasant surprise to me, but my prospective is somewhere west of snarkiness.
• I love eating well, sipping libations, cooking and baking for my family & friends.
• I love (and respect) comedy, satire and wit.
• I watch/listen/read a lot - NPR, ABC Evening News, 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning, The Daily Show, Huffington Post, USA Today, to name a few.
• I like counting my blessing and being happy with what I have. My glass is always (almost) 1/2 full.
• I have never watched (and never will) American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, The Bachelor(ette), Survior, etc... 

Are you starting to feel like a fly on the wall of a therapist's office with a whiny patient talking in circle? Sorry!

So, what is my blog about? After all this typing, the best I can come up with is...

It's eclectic. 

You'll never know where I might go, but if you're enjoying the company, take a ride with me and let's see where this adventure takes us.

Maybe I should have named my blog "Eclectic Housewife". Oh well, too late, I like the Fortuitous Housewife, so I'm stickin' with her.

P.S. I was caught off guard one day, when my non-blogging interrogator's 2nd question was, "So are you making a lot of money with it?" How rude!