Until Something Changes Part 1

I've done a little digging around in my draft folder and found this little skip down memory lane. Most of it makes little sense, so I have to guess it was written during my child rearing (aka no sleep) years... oh yeah, I'm still in those. Anyway, it's a travel post about beautiful Ireland. To be continued if I can figure where I was going with it all...


The Sexy Guy and I took a quick, weekend trip to Northern Ireland. The mini-holiday was meant to show him everything I was able to experience the year before.
SG LOVES castles and fine estates. The kids do not, so this couple-only weekend was his opportunity to happily roll around in Irish architecture without any "Can we go now?"s.

Day One: Arrival

We signed for our rental car and promptly left the airport towards the Giant's Causeway. Pretty much anywhere in Northern Ireland is a lovely drive, and surprisingly, it's not all emerald green landscape with Leprechauns dancing on the rolling hills- that must be the other part of Ireland.

Before walking down to see the Giant's Causeway, I convinced him that we should get a bite to eat in the cafe at the top of the trail. Knowing that between the option of paying to ride back up or hike like we were 15 years old again, he'd choose the straight uphill route,  I opted to be well-fueled for the walk.

We had a rich, Irish stew with a thick, dense, dark bread that I would've proposed to had I been on my own.

I hated to leave it.

Sure enough, after traipsing all over the rocks and taking more photos than we'll ever need (and for some reason I am only including this dark blurry image),

SG scoffed at the 162 stair warning (along with the RED coded pathway meant for people who have lost touch with their mental health)...

...and thought it would be loads of fun to run up ahead of me to take pictures.


Photos of the wife hyperventilating. Kodak moment for him.


Umpteen years ago, just before we were married, I decided to take this same man on a hike into the Grand Canyon. I had done it several times and knew that even though I can walk FOREVER, I absolutely HATE going up hill. (Like,

if there's ever a mugger chasing me and we come to a hill, I'll just turn around and give him whatever he wants). 

Anyway, that last mile coming out of the Grand Canyon is switchbacks--going straight up. I hate switchbacks almost as much as I hate going up hills. If have to go up, I'd rather do it mountain-goat style and just get it over with all in one go, not meander this way and that way for what feels like eternity. 

So, I warned him that I would probably whinge the whole way up...and I did. I think I may have threatened to take down a couple of slushie-carrying tourists headed down the trail and just 

                                                      might have told him I was done a few times, 

but he married me anyway. 

OBVIOUSLY , Sexy Guy has a very short memory to think 

I would want to do this walk... and have my photo taken while doing it.

Next stop: Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.

Luckily, there was a young guy doing security who let us go back and forth on the bridge, while bouncing and being silly on it. He told us later about someone who had dropped their iPad off accidentally. That seems like information you'd want to give the silly couple ahead of time...

To get back to the car, we had to walk up more hills.
Ireland is sure a hilly little island.
However, I didn't whinge. I acted like traipsing up steep hills is something I do everyday. I tried not to breathe loudly, but being a mouth breather -with a deviated septum- makes gasping for air quietly no easy task. I'm not sure if coughing (to cover my heavy breathing) was convincing, but I think he bought it. We've been married a while, remind me again why I felt I had to convince him I wasn't older and fatter?
Kind of wishing we had brought some kids. He might've slowed down for them.

To make up for torturing an older, fatter lady, SG took me to an AMAZING dinner in Londonderry. We walked to the restaurant from our room (as you do when you're only a mile from the restaurant).

We went through a beautiful city park, taking pictures and admiring the daffodils (Northern Ireland got the Spring that had bypassed Norfolk). We had been told by our B&B hosts not to come back through the park after dark but to instead, stick to the road. So we did (it's a little disconcerting to walk at night through a city where all of the windows are barred, by the way) and wouldn't you know, lucky me, the entire non-scenic way was UPHILL

I was told the next day that the road we walked up is called Heart Attack Hill. I know why.

I love Derry.

I want to live there forever. Have you ever gone somewhere and thought, "I'm home"? That's what it felt like when we touched down in England nearly 7 years ago. Although I had dreamt my whole life of going to Ireland, I wasn't bothered by the fact that in 6 years of living here, we hadn't made it over.  I figured it was all pretty much the same thing, right? Our calendars were just always so full, I wasn't going to dwell on it. It was SG who finally booked my flight and sent me off saying I would regret it if we made it back to the states having not seen the Emerald Isle. Poor man had no idea what he had done. Within the first few hours of landing in Londonderry, I knew I was where I was meant to be. I can't explain it. It's just a feeling like everything is finally in the right place.

Day One complete, we charted the route for the next day and collapsed exhausted into our bed...

The Annual Checking-In Post

It's almost embarrassing...


how I show up once a year and think you'd still want to talk to me. I've missed you, REALLY missed you! There's so much we need to catch up on...

Like Stranger Things! Are you a watcher? I binge late at night when the dishes are done, kids are in bed and hubby is yet again, thousands of miles away.
(I've seen lots of great things! This Is Us, anyone?  Toby. I loved him at the beginning, now I just find him annoying). It's just me, the dog, the cat and the laptop all snug and cozy in a bed rotting our brain one cell at a time.


To think, I might have used that time more productively, say like posting...

I really have missed our chats.

Pre-Holiday Gloom or Crying in My Eggnog

Aaaand we're back to wearing the stupid plastered smile.

Can I just say, to those of you in traffic, customer service jobs, schools etc... be a little kinder to those people who aren't necessarily giving you trouble. She may be the woman who has said very little at the check-out, she seems pleasant enough;  or the van in front of you that didn't pull forward quickly enough during the green arrow.
You see, she's distracted.
She would prefer to be at home curled up in a blanket, but the demands needs of her family don't stop just because she's sad.

That woman that just passed you at the school pick-up area may be facing one of the worst financial crisis of her married life. She may be mulling over the sad truth that the bouncy, happy daughter who is holding her hand while chattering about her day is soon going to have to be told the truth about Santa, because mom has no idea how to pull off that magical visit. Thanksgiving has already been cancelled.

Words to all of the folks who think the company my husband works for (code for the bad guys) pays so much money to their employees, not true. Sometimes they even give pay cuts, or reduce income based on where they send the employee to live. Sometimes there are so many moves in the employees career, the expenses never really get paid off.

I used to shake my head at the church people or family members that expected us to bring the food, book the flights, make the calls or buy the supplies for activities because they envisioned us "better off" than they. We've got 5 kids and lived on one income for 19 years- surely that was a clue to lack of wealth?

So yes, I am sad. I am unbelievably heartbroken over the state of things at the moment... and yet I live in an area where so many lost everything just a little over 2 months ago- can I really complain that we're not participating in the over indulgent meal of thanks?

PLEASE don't feel sorry for me, that just makes me feel chumpish for confiding. What I would love to hear are some "Oh yeah, been there!" stories to remind me that things get better. Because things will always get better.

Wanderlust

I'm traveling tomorrow.
It's THE absolute, hands down, least prepared trip I have ever not planned.

Time for the 20 year-old me to show up.   SHE never planned anything... and... lots of things went wrong, but WOW! the memories.
Age ( or Hubby's work, or responsibility, or...) steals the magic of spontaneous travel.
Sod all tomorrow,  road trip here I come!

Please tell me the last time you did something that scared the sense out of you.

Just Winking and Blinking and Naught

Why is it I loooong for bedtime, but when 10:00 rolls around, I suddenly find a pile of things that needs to be done?

Surely the quiet, alone time in the house is not as wonderful as a good sleep? Especially when one takes that quiet time and finishes laundry, or dishes, or gets lost somewhere in the Interwebdiol catacombs known as Pinterest.

Perhaps that could be a New Year's resolution? GO TO BED AT A DECENT HOUR or PINTEREST IS NOT ALLOWED AFTER 9PM.

Yes, I did just jump out of Halloween, clearing Thanksgiving and Christmas in one life-rushing bound. One does that when sleep deprived.

In not so many years from now, my bladder will no longer manage to wait until morning to wake me.
Not that many years ago, there were babies interrupting my sleep.
More importantly (and probably the most concern at present) it's nearly flu season and precious sleep may be hard to come by as we pass the cold compress and sick bucket.

WHY do I fight going to bed?

Am I alone? Any other tired soul reluctant to bid adieu to the day?

Ebby

"Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down..." -Sherman Bros

I used to love it when it rained...

Now I just look out the window and scowl. Rain means the puppy (did I mention we adopted a puppy and a kitten just two weeks after we moved to the United Sates?) will want to go outside twice as much as normal. It means most of my day will be spent dropping whatever I've started so that she can be wiped off with a towel (did I mention that there's a lot of towel washing going on here?).

I have taught her to wipe her feet, which begins with her digging at the towel and then rolling comically all over it. It's funny enough to watch and it earns her a treat.

OH MY STARS, a lightbulb moment- I think I just figured out 

why she goes out twice as much!

We have one very smart, cheeky little lab.

Meet Ebby, aka: Ebinator, Bebby, Dorkindogger. 

Yeah, not her most flattering photo.

To Hoard Or Not To Hoard

The last couple of weeks have been a great opportunity to teach my children how to serve. 
One family, who lost nearly everything to the recent South Carolina floods have become special people to my children. The husband, who is in the advanced stages of ALS, had to be be BOATED out of his house to the safety of the hospital. His wife and daughter were left to grab what they could save- which wasn't much.
Our church leaders asked us to come help with the clearing out of their home and the experience was heartbreaking. 

Watching years of a family's life together pile up soggy and soiled on the side of the street had the toughest of us weeping. Husband and I salvaged the things that we knew could be saved (what would have meant something had it been ours). 
I spent over an hour trying to separate pages of her journal- can you even imagine the loss? My focus was on the pages and I never looked at any of the writing, but I can only assume that their journey (when they discovered his illness) was probably recorded in that book. 
Husband saved his vinyl collection. Music is his life, we couldn't bear to let those go to the street.

This family will start over. It will be hard and some precious things can't be replaced, but they have accepted it all with grace.

Three weeks after the flood, we were surprised with another call. There was a single, disabled sister whose belongings were still outside and there was another storm coming. 

"Can you help move it all back in?" 

I approached the kids with the request. The 12 year-old put down his Kindle and started putting on his shoes. 
The 15 year-old asked, "Who? Why?" and when it was explained to him, shut off his computer and started getting ready. 
The 9 year-old was gathering her jacket and the 16 year-old asked, "WHY does everybody always call us?". 
Legitimate question coming from a boy who leaves for school at 6am and comes home at 5pm, participates in school government and sports and has one day a week that's his--and that's the day we keep pulling him out of the house. 
Question asked, he didn't even wait for an answer to get up and go to the car. 
This was on Halloween. Trick-or-Treating (for their first time in America) would commence in a few hours. I love my children.

My heart sank when we pulled up into the neighborhood. Silly me assumed that her stuff was in boxes, but it wasn't. And a lot of it was wet and moldy. 

We were given directions as to which room to take everything and told to wear masks and gloves before entering the other room that would house the remaining stuff. 
It's still hot here in South Carolina, so the floor was dark, wet and areas of that house had been stewing in the heat for the past three weeks. 

This is where I need to question myself: How much is too much to subject one's children to?  

#parentingFAIL:

MOST of the stuff we carried should have been thrown away weeks ago. A lot of it was not salvageable. 
I've watched enough hoarding shows in my life (and fight my own hoarding tendencies) to know that it's not easy to part with things, damaged or not, but I had to stand my ground over a 
particle board desk that had furry, green mold growing up the sides. 
"I understand you want to keep the desk, but this is NOT good for your health". 
"I'll clean it later" she said. 
But she wanted MY teenagers to carry it. 

We carried boxes littered with mouse droppings. The actual Hoarders crew would have refused and gone home for the day, but because we were "serving", we did it.

This experience will have me questioning that next call that comes in. 
Serving that first family was easy. We worked for 4-5 hours in the heat, only leaving to celebrate at Miss Ky's birthday dinner, sunburned and tired. No regrets. 
The second opportunity to serve made me realize that I don't always put my kids first like I profess. If I did, I would've had them sit in the car while we moved the flood-contaminated debris back into an unsafe house.

What are you holding onto? Any keepsake that doesn't actually bring you joy when you hold it? Get rid of it. You won't even miss it.
I could get profound and ask if there are any 'moldy' memories that do nothing but make you sick with guilt or regret, but that's deep. Maybe another day...

Wha? November Already?

Remember when approaching Halloween time meant fun, fun, fun- carnivals, candy and great costumes?

When did it become dread, dread, dread- is this month over yet?

I seemed to be greeting the end of each day with, "Whew, that one is over" even before Miss Ky was born in October, so I can't blame the added birthday party for the change.

There's never been a time when we weren't struggling financially, so I can't blame the added KAWHOOMP the recent international move did to our finances.

But really, did my parents feel this way? Were the sparkling, magical Trick-or-Treating memories I held from childhood, shielding me from their worry of where the third child's costume would come from? Did they dread the ringing of the phone, knowing that answering it would be another addition to another heaving calendar month?

I kind of doubt it. Parenting in the 60s and 70s seemed to be so much more laid back.

What is the secret for living in the moment now,  in our super-packed 2000s? For enjoying where you are, when you are? 

As the rest of the world focuses on what they're most thankful for this month, I'm going to hold myself for taking a moment each day to stop, take a deep breath and be in the moment. 

Hold me accountable, okay?

It's Not Always a Kind World

Welcome back!

It's been a long time and I have to admit, I have missed our little blogging community....

hello?

Is anyone even out here anymore?


Instead of deleting her completely, In the Gutter went private, invitation only (and no invitations were sent, so don't feel slighted) and I did some editing to remove personal information that could be used to track us in real life.

Unfortunately, there were traces of me (and the family) smeared EVERYWHERE.

I finally realized that I really can only do so much altering without damaging the framework of this blog that I have lovingly cradled for 8 years and have to just hope that I have done enough.
Because I was not able to purge all things damning, friends and family, the world isn't the place we knew in our own childhood and our life choices could now actually be used against our innocent children; so please, when commenting, real names and identities should never be used-- that includes yours as well. Any link to us could put you in the same harm's way that we are trying to avoid.



I've been gone for a while, have I missed anything? New not-to-miss blogs? Exciting news? Boring news?

No News Is Not Necessarily Always Good News

Wow, things one takes for granted.... Like signing on to your own blog and being able to read the language it comes up in... OR,  worse, finding out you can't even get in to it.
The joys of living overseas I guess.

So, we are now in July. We've officially been here a year and are on the downslide of the last  accompanied tours at this location. Quite frankly, it sucks.

My kids say goodbye to someone every week. It's gotten to the point of two of them refuse to go out of the house anymore- there's no one to go out to.
Some families that were slated to finish this next school year with us, have now taken a curtailment and are out of here next month.

Squadron functions? The fun dinners and BBQs held out in the community, have become a chore. I am one of the last spouses here. I can sit with a plastered smile while my husband makes his rounds through coworkers, but lately I've chosen to not go.

It's been said that the best way one can get through a difficult assignment is to make that one or two great friends... I'm sadly to the point that I don't want to bother. They'll all be gone within a month or two anyway.

So yes, I'm a sad sack- not that I would publicly admit that because then I get hit with the "How can you be sad? You live in Paradise!" or "You have a fantastic life, how can you complain?"

Nothing is great if you have no one to share it with and please don't confuse beautiful scenery with complete joy. It's hugely frustrating to  have to wait so long for mail- especially when the ships and planes that bring in supplies for our base can be delayed for weeks past the time that the shelves have gone empty.

This is the slow lifestyle I have longed for for years. Plenty of time to do all of the crafts, arts, activities, etc... that have nagged at me during my busy years, but because I'm so blue (and lonely for my friends), I can't seem to get focused. I hit the bed feeling glum that another day was wasted. The days are passing me by....

Pin It To My Forehead

Lists. Lists are good.

1. Love this island, paradise in a tiny little package.
2. Hate this island's allergens.  H a t e   t h e m.

3. Air Force draw-down declared for Lajes Field and a year and a half later, we're all still waiting for news what exactly that means.

4. Commissary selection grows thinner and thinner. Some shelving completely removed this month.

5. BX has reduced all cosmetics to fit in a tiny 3'x5' area. That includes nail polish and fake nails that no one ever buys.

6. Post Office has closed one more day of the week since planes really only bring in mail once a week.

7. Began attending multiple meetings at the school to discuss what will happen to school-aged children.

8. Came to terms with the fact that we WILL be here until summer 2015 and will be one of the last people with kids at that time. Bright side is, we're eager to explore everything this island has to offer.

9. Children have accepted that they now play with kids whose ages may be 3-6 years younger or older than they are- that's all that's left. Church people getting assignments to leave. We're down to 5 families and all but our family will leave by summer.

11. Learn about next year's "Virtual School" that our children will 'attend'. At my plea for some kind of physical program to PLEASE be included into the planning (now that we've written off sports and it's accompanying scholarships) a Col turns to us and cryptically says, "We're very aware of all of you (gestures to everyone) and your circumstances. Everyone will be getting contacted on a case by case basis soon".

12. Begin freaking out. What does that mean? Are we going? Are we staying? If we go, it means we're heading stateside and that's NOT in our plans.

13. Did I mention that I can't stand whatever allergen is putting so many of us under? Saline rinses become my crack and I cry, "I CAN'T do this for another year and a half!"

14. Husband texts me: 'Can you talk?" "Need to talk" "phone"...

15. He was contacted by the 'powers that be' to determine if we want to curtail this assignment because of our two high school peeps. It MEANS, going stateside in July. Which is NOT an option for us. Not interested. But... but... but, I really want to be here for the summer! This is the best place ever in the summer!

16. So, we told them no. We want to stay.

In a few months, when I'm whinging about how sucky life is here,
dying from allergies
while our friendless kids are staring at each other
in an empty church
as less and less supplies come in,



remind me that I chose this, ok?

And the Winds Howled

While the States slumber under their blanket of white, the wind whistles throughout the house. The rain, pelting us horizontally, comes flowing in rivulets under the door.
There's a beach towel tucked against the door to keep the puddles at bay.

Who could complain? It's cool, but not freezing. The strong wind assures me that there will be glimpses of sunshine and watching the violence of the white caps bursting on the ocean surface causes me to reflect on how little control we have over our lives.

I love living where I can see the ocean every day. I love the difference in color from one day to the next and seeing her moods change with every passing storm.

One could say I've always had a 'problem' giving water the respect it deserves. 

I crave it, I long for it, and if I see an area large enough to envelope 

a human body, I ache to be in it. Because of that, 

I've had a few brushes with near-drowning. 

Some of us are slow learners.

The husband chuckles when I watch waves SMASH 

against the jagged lava rock and still exclaim, 

"I want to be in it!".  

This is the result from a very angry sea recently hitting a local swimming area:

But I still love the ocean.

When our lives are hit with powerful waves, are we as eager to greet them? Do our eyes sparkle with excitement as it approaches or do we curl up in a little ball and pray to be rolled along the sandy bottom until the wave passes and we can surface for breath again?

Sometimes, we're only the observer and are forced to watch helplessly while someone we love is dragged under.

The oldest son is again bracing for the storm.

Military job security is no longer a given. An enlistment contract means nothing these days. He is fighting to keep an overseas assignment that was unjustly removed, so he will also face the repercussions that come from challenging one's chain of command (the legal office is in his corner, so he is right to challenge this, but if someone wants you kicked out of the AF, it's not that hard to make it happen).

As I watch the trials Son #1 continues to face, I have to remember that like the stone being rolled and dragged in the ocean current, constantly being polished, smoothed and rounded, that these trials are helping to shape him into the person he is meant to be. His dad and I can only stand back and hope this wave isn't a devastating force to his foundation.

It's so hard.

The winds are howling outside and whatever this latest storm will bring, we will have to accept.
 

Are you or is someone you love having any 'polishing' storms these days?


“I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.” -Tony Robbins

I've come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.

Tony Robbins

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/tonyrobbin126257.html#RSYjU20L101zY6Jp.99

I've come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.

Tony Robbins

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/tonyrobbin126257.html#RSYjU20L101zY6Jp.99

What May Be Missing

Today,

I had to keep kicking the homesick monster in the head
but he kept rearing up to take another bite. 

Holidays... he's much stronger this time of year, so sometimes he wins and I'm a miserable cow.
It's the children I worry about. They seem to be doing so well with their transplant here in a new country. Is that normal?

And then...

Miss Ky said, "You know what we haven't had in a long time?"

There it is, she ISN'T fine! She's missing some part of our traditional English lives! A Panto? Mince pies with double creme? Cadbury Advent calendars? Celebrations chocolate? School Nativity play or Christingle? Mounds and mounds of Christmas cards to carry to her school friends?

What could this child be reflecting on that has been ripped from her life in the past 6 months?


"Head lice".



Oh, that. Hmph. Yeah, forgot about those (recurring) traumatizing experiences...
I'm not so homesick now.



What's missing (but maybe not "missed") from your traditional celebration this year?

C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat

Please put a penny in the old man's hat

If you haven't got a penny, a ha'penny will do

If you haven't got a ha'penny, then God bless you!

Miss Ky will be caroling tonight with the Girl Scouts. We received the lyrics to one of the songs and it's almost enough to make me keep her home and just bake cookies.

"We wish you a happy holiday, We wish you a happy holiday, We wish you a happy holiday and a happy New Year. Good tidings we'll bring...". Recognize it? It's "We Wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS".  

CHRISTMAS!

WHAT other holiday are they singing about if the words "happy New Year" are included? Hannukah is over, Kwanza? 

And speaking of Kwanza, our family was introduced to the holiday by Steve... or Jo... somebody on Blue's Clues years ago, so I've always respected that there is another holiday to acknowledge in December. 

However, the Wiki definition of the foundation of this relatively new holiday is that it will "give Blacks an alternative to the existing holiday and an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society."

Seems a little misleading. 

Are we saying Blacks couldn't possibly be Christian and have only been practicing Christianity because the dominant society forced it upon them?

Does Jesse Jackson agree with this?

My daughter, whose eyes still sparkle at the mention of anything Christmas, is going caroling tonight. She will sing songs about a neurotic reindeer and a snowman nearing meltdown and belt out a bit of a Brenda Lee favorite, but before she goes, she will learn the lyrics of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and which holiday OUR family is preparing to celebrate this month.

For those of you who are celebrating anything other than Christmas this month, Happy __________ to you. Wishing you peace, good health and happiness. May you always have the freedom to enjoy the things that are dear to you, free from persecution or hostility.

And to the Merry Christmasers,

Bom Natal e Feliz ano novo from our home on this tiny island in the Atlantic.

quiet

Ahhh, quiet.


I have given the gift of silence for the past month. Yeah, that's it.

Strange emotions during the holiday periods. I know everyone's experiences are different.

We've just hit that 6-month mark that supposedly means one is beginning to acclimate to the new surroundings, but with goodbyes to new friends and the uncertainty of when and where we'll go next, I think I need another 6 months.

As we prepare for Christmas in the U.S.A (first time in 8 years), there's no trimming the tree, baking goodies, wrapping gifts (or buying for that matter- airlines restrictions) and no planned holiday meal or Christmas morning waffles on the calendar. It feels really strange.

A Glimpse into the Island Experience

I was hit by the Island crud- a terrible case of flu/cold/ pneumonia that was being passed around. My fault really. Knowing that all of my kids "besties" had it, I dosed them up with all things germ-fighting, but kind of neglected myself. 

The worst part of the illness was being abnormally tired. Three or four naps a day were not enough.

All said, I didn't get it half as bad as most, so no complaining.  

Nothing like a good illness to make you appreciate your health!

We're all better and enjoying the things Terceira has to offer. Rather than rambling any further, I'm just putting a couple of video clips on here instead. Enjoy.

 

Sorry for the poor quality on this one! 

Put Terceira on your bucket list folks.

Boa Viagem!

When Vision and Reality Collide

October is such a wonderful month, isn't it? Beautiful red, orange and gold leaves glitter in the foggy morning, cinnamon and pumpkin goodness-as well as popcorn balls, caramel apples and apple strudels-assault the senses and favorite Fall-themed movies finally exit the cupboard.

That's the vision.

Our reality now consists of an October birthday party for the one girl of five children. Girl parties can zap the life right out of a previously joyful month.
Boys: "Hey, it's your birthday, let's go bowling."
Boys: "Hey, how about three paintball parties in a row?"
Boys: "Oh look, I bought a cake- Happy Birthday Son."

Girls: "If we start now, that gives us 10 months to plan and coordinate..."

Without the England-style disco-complete-with-lights-and-dj option gone, one can really find themselves at a loss for party ideas. October weather here is just bipolar enough not to plan outdoor parties, and filling our house with a bunch of 6-7 year-olds didn't really appeal to me. But we had to do something.

A Tea party seemed like the trick. How easy would that be? I talked the daughter into it (manipulation is my middle name).

So I went onto Pinterest.
Evil, evil Pinterest.

Did you know that there are some really ambitious party-throwers out there?

One idea in particular really caught my attention:

A Cupcake party.

The kids could make and decorate cupcakes! Yes!I can do that. Talked the daughter into a Cupcake party with a Tea party twist.

One Pinterest find was this: 

Taken from A Little Loveliness found HERE

Aren't these awesomesauce-nessly adorable?! 

I could do this too! In pinks and greens and turquoise! The girls would LOVE them. The parents would bow down to my craftiness. The nagging "Ahem, remember that you don't know how to sew?" came to mind, but in my Pinterest-fueled enthusiasm, was quickly brushed aside.

Cue the YouTube videos!
Search: "How to sew an apron when you have no idea how to sew" and come up with Tea Towel Apron demos. Tea Towel Aprons in 30 minutes. I can do that! "Ahem, remember that you don't know how to sew?" 

Off to do some fabric shopping...on a Portuguese island, where everyone speaks a different language than I do.
Still, I managed to bring home meters and meters of ribbon and fabric in beautiful colors; some color coordinated thread and some tea towels."Ahem, remember that you don't know how to sew?"

I envisioned ruffles. Lots of ruffles. 

Cue YouTube videos!
Search: "How to  make ruffles when you don't know how to sew".
Discover this really cool gadget, a gathering foot just for ruffles. Convince the husband that one day, in my future Apron-making stardom, that I may need that.

Out came the sewing machine. I read the manual so that I would know how to turn it on. I Began by cutting super expensive material...

measurements, shmeasurements- they're just ruffles....

More super expensive material was cut, this time in larger strips-and don't worry, the table was already looking bad from previous Air Force moves, so the new rotary cutter slashes will blend right in (note to self: must order a larger cutting pad "Ahem, remember that you don't know how to sew?" )

The husband never even questioned me. Bless him.


Here's the final product. Two weeks later (30-minute aprons my hindquarters).

Feeling empowered by my new-found craftiness, I went back on to Pinterest (evil, evil Pinterest) and found a cute idea for treats to "Boo" some people with.

I saw this:

Found at CrazedPhotoMom HERE

and thought, "That would make adorable cupcakes!"

That's after burning a few batches of cookies.
Martha Stewart's job security is looking better and better. Be glad if you weren't on our Halloween "Booo!" list this year, it wasn't pretty.

I may just stick to sewing. "AHEM!"

A Little Lost in Current TV

I should start a review blog and call it A Day Late. You know, a review blog for people who have been living under (or in our case, on) a rock.

We just finished Seasons 1-6 of Lost.

Yes, I know. 2004-2010, where the heck was I?

About the time I finally heard of it (I'm holding all of you accountable), the rest of the world was several seasons in, so I was completely confused by the one show I watched.


Now I'm cool. Hip. In the know.

All I kept hearing (and bless everyone who did SO well not to give me ANY information that I might use to figure everything out) was how angry everyone was with the ending. 
 I heard about the disappointment, the unanswered questions, the disgust with the finale.

I felt none of that. Completely satisfied.

There's nothing wrong with the fact that my mind continues to churn around certain episodes, spitting out questions, "If this was this and that was that, then how did he...?"
Doesn't bother me one bit.

Usually, if given hints, previews or any foreshadowing whatsoever of a book or movie, I tend to speed ahead and figure it all out, (the DH says it 'must suck' to be me, but I can't imagine not thinking that way) so what I REALLY liked about Lost is that even though I may have had the mini plot (inside the plot) wrapped up beautifully and tied with ribbon, I never had the whole package.

I did get a speaking ban for several episodes because I kept blurting out my discoveries as they came to me, when the foreshadowing apparently hadn't been so obvious to Sexy Guy. 

Personally, I'm thinking that because of this, he'd better choose me for his side if we're ever stranded on a mysterious, time-traveling, good vs evil sort of island, because he is SO going to be cut by the first season without my help.

So here's my review- with no spoilers in case there's still ONE person on the planet that hasn't seen it.

42: The ending was great. It explained all of the unexplainable stuff. I could easily have watched at least 3 more seasons.

23:In case anyone else missed it, no one had a great dad. It was a terrific message for anyone who wanted to argue the impact fathers can have on their children's lives.

16: I still don't like Kate, despite the fact that she's the reason there was 6 seasons (the show could've ended by season 2 if she had JUST STAYED PUT WHERE SHE HAD BEEN TOLD TO STAY-just once).

15: Locke continued to be my favorite even though he took up smoking...

8: What on earth happen to Claire's hair? Did someone go a little bonkers with the peroxide?

4: If Walt was so 'special', why didn't he have more scenes? I think his dog was featured more than he was.

108: What did you think of the show?  (if you can remember back that far) Who was your favourite messed-up character?   And when do you think...

***spoiler alert*** 

...they died for reals?



até logo!

Favorite Foto Friday

I thought it would be fun to post the favorite photo taken in the week... and then I started sorting. I take hundreds in a week, but on this particular week when I chose to do this post, I only had a handful- and most of those were "drive-by's.

And then I remembered... I had grabbed my camera as I heard my children getting closer to the house after their long, hot walk home from school, so I pulled out my memory card and found one.

This week's winner is not because it's the best photo technically, but because it reflects the joy that comes with turning 7. 

One look at her face, and you know she was made to feel special all day at school. I love that.
Little Miss Ky is seven. How did that happen?

What Do Drive-by Shootings and Government Shutdowns Have in Common?

Nothing.


This current government shutdown has probably left a lot of folks trapped in homes all across the nation, timidly drawing back one tiny corner of the drapes as they fearfully await the riots and chaos (that will in no doubt ensue). With no PBS to watch or National Parks beckoning, many will be lost as to how to productively spend their days. **

I will fight the urge to say, "I told you so".

I told everyone not to let their blogs die. 

I cried out against Face-lessbook's "declaration of nothing" status style: "Worst day ever", "My kid did it again!" "Well THAT was disappointing" (which leaves most of us wondering what the heck the poster is even going on about) and Tweeter's fly-in-and-out conversation style: "Wolf at the door", "Some cookie guy just ran by", "doing the congo behind some dude playing a flute #inatrance #wherearewegoinganyway? "

You lot are lucky I stuck around and didn't succumb to the blog-killing, story-teller silencing social networks. Stories and/or photos = Tax-FREE entertainment.

You're welcome.

What's not free is gasoline. Although our island is very small, we somehow manage to go through quite a bit on our little weekend jaunts, and since starting and stopping eats more gas, I take a lot of photos on the run (I am not above sticking my slightly expensive and very heavy camera out the window and shooting blindly).

Today, I present for your government shutdown entertainment, 

free of charge, 

Terceira Island, drive-by style:

The well-trained husband took the roundabout nice and slow for this one. One must say "Moooo!" when passing a vaca.

These ladies were awesome for being so conveniently placed!

Coming up on a Holy Ghost house. Must photograph every one- doesn't matter if the photo isn't any good.

 This Holy Ghost house was on the route of a "pilgrimage".   

"Festa da Nossa Senhora dos Milagres" is held in September.  People walk miles along the coastal road towards the village of Serreta to participate in the festivities centering around ‘Our Lady of the Miracles’.

We were lucky that one of our friendly commisario workers had told us it would be on, so we didn't have to wonder why there was a mass exodus occurring (especially since everyone was walking back toward the way we had just come).
There's a little too much "zombie viewing" in our house, so it doesn't take too much to get our minds rolling in an unnatural direction.

Ooooooh, ahhhhhhh

Speaking of zombies, am I the only one who is always calculating the best place to hide when the zombie apocalypse happens?

cobbled street of Angra

 Truth is, the theory of any safe place went to pot with World War Z.   

As many times as I pass this church, I will never again get a drive-by where the sun is perfectly placed

I love cobblestone. My tires and suspension don't care for it much, but I like it.
A few years back when Portugal made the horrible decision to join the EU and change it's currency to euros, a lot of money was dumped into the island for "improvements". Some of those improvements were to pave a lot of these beautiful, hand-laid roads.

Why am I never consulted about these kinds of changes?

Cobbled roads of a village

More churches and ugly paved roads

Traffic jam (now you say it, "Mooooo")

Yes, the camera is out the window, facing behind us. I don't care. It's Terceira's tallest church

Another camera-out- the-window-behind-us shot of Sao Mateus

 This shut down could take a while, but that's okay. I've got hundreds more where these came from...



wait, where are you going?



I was just getting ready to tell you about the bullfights!




Até outro dia.

**before anyone whips out their poison pen to berate me for being flippant about something that is SERIOUSLY affecting a lot of good people, please keep in mind that we are military. Also know that even though the POTS so proudly stated that we will get our paychecks this month, there are other ways we feel the cuts, the shutdowns, the whole craptasticness of it all- and have been for a very long time. October 1st didn't mark anything new.