Chill day

Since it's raining outside -- chilly rain at that -- we're having a stay indoors, listen to "Free to Be You and Me" fifty times, take long naps, watch "Ratatouille" and "Rushmore", eat a little ice cream after lunch, and let the dogs sit on the sofa and keep my feet warm kind of day. I took Nico out on the patio for a few minutes and we caught some rain drops. Once we both started shivering, I carried him inside.

I have no plans to run in the rain this evening. Cold weather, I can handle. Being cold and soaking wet is something in which I have absolutely no interest. The schedule is as follows: perform the usual night time rituals, pour a glass of wine, paint my very short fingernails with the darkest color polish I can find in the bathroom closet, watch t.v. until it dries, pour more wine, and work on some knitting. For now, I had better get back to my busy afternoon and figure out what to do with the chicken I took out of the freezer this morning.

What can I say? Running opens the flood gates.

Yes, that's me. The one running down the street, sweatshirt cuff wrapped around her index finger, sticking that finger up her nose to sop up the snot. You can't see the headphones tucked into my ears because I have my hood up, but rest assured I'm listening to some angry music. So go ahead, make your comments. I can't hear you and I don't care. We both know I'm just too cute anyway. Even when I'm pretending to be Mo Cuishle.

I... ah-like... ah-dogs.

"The biggest dog has been a pup." -- Joaquin Miller, US Poet

My mission of the week is to look at things from a new perspective. Whether I put myself in the shoes (or footie pajamas) of my kids, or imagine how the dog must feel when he's getting shooed out of the room for the fortieth time, or reach outside my own head to see things in a new light, I'm making the effort to open my mind a little more.

Along with this "new look at life" comes a renewed effort to be more gentle. Tonight Reggie got up on the sofa and laid down next to me. Right now, he's resting his head on the corner of my laptop, and my right hand is resting on his floppy hound dog ear. I'm not kicking him off the couch or worrying about the dog hair on my new jeans. In short, I'm not being an old lady about it.

Mom got to put the kids to bed tonight. While I was out at dinner, I missed the babies so much that I was sad not to be the one whirling through the night time routines. I think the nice part about being the mommy (or the daddy or the grandmom) is that you get to see your kids discover everything, but you also get to have the simple grown-up moments that make your own old-ass life feel new again.

Forget the math and just think about the sentiment

Hubby, who was here all last week working from home, went back to Manhattan this morning. I was just thinking about this one Winnie the Pooh line that reminds me of him. Since I'm in a cutesy mood today, I'll share. It goes something like this:

"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so that I never have to live without you."

That's right, I'm quoting a bear. Because I'm just that sappy.

Koo koo kachoo

My sister's birthday party last night was such a great time. Lots of friends and family, and lots of laughter. And maybe a little drinkin', too.

Here's my favorite line from the night, spoken by my cousin Jennifer. A bunch of us were hanging out on the back patio, chatting and joking around. Among us were my sister and her husband. He's about 12 years younger than she. I don't remember what was said right before this, but Jennifer, laughing, said, "Happy birthday, Mrs. Robinson." Everyone was cracking up, and my sister replied, "Well, I wasn't sleeping with him when he was four." And I don't remember what happened after that, but the whole thing was pretty damn hysterical.

Later in the night, my sister, the birthday girl, leaned against the stove and accidentally lit one of the burners. Fits of laughter ensued as we tried to figure out just how she lit the stove with her ass. Once she caught her breath, she said, "Wait til you see what I can do with my boobs!" I'm telling you, World's Best Sister.

I have NO idea.

What is this line from?

"Birthday party, cheesecake, jelly beans, boom!"

It's stuck in my head and I'm going bonkers trying to figure out where it came from. And I'm not even sure if I'm saying it right. So... help.