I lied

The picture that said the deer didn't get these...well, papap went out to get the paper this morning and there, munching on the flowers was a deer. These flowers WERE up against the house and I guess papap and the deer stared at one another, and I can imagine the deer saying "DO NOT interupt my breakfast". I don't know if this was the pregnant deer that was bedded down under the shrub last week, but now my flowers are gone as is most of the large hosta in the back garden. This morning I got the courage to allow Ava back into the attic where she "played" with the mice last weekend. I have to clean the attic, so I want to make sure our "friends" found their way back outside. Critters and creatures....our friends.

A Good Night Was Had By All

Monkeyboy's team won 6-5 albeit a black eye. AND THE PENS WIN!!!! And Hockey God, if we win the Stanley Cup.....you will get a hat, if you promise to never take it off!!!

A very scarey, but good game

We are sitting watching Moneyboy play baseball tonight. A beautiful night, sunny and perfect weather. Monkeyboy takes the field as second baseman. There's a hit and Monkeyboy races to second to get the out. The ball is thrown to him and all I can see is his hat flying off and hear a sickening pop as the ball hits Monkeyball on his eye and he goes down. He wasn't unconcious, but he didn't get up right away. Then he got some hits and a run, so all was well.

Baseball in winter

The weather here has been so bad...lots of rain and cool weather. Last night Monkeyboy had a ballgame and Bean had a band concert. I think it was 32 degrees with wind at 60 mile an hour gusts. Not sure, but I think so. Bean comes to the game all dressed for her concert. Mippy comes wrapped in a coat shivering and huddled in her chair. I come layered, two long sleeve shirts, sweatshirt and coat. People sitting around, blankets wrapped tightly. A small child of about three comes running to the field in a cute little tank top. Behind me I hear a mother saying "her stupid father, where is his head?" People shivering, trying to be good sports, but you know they are counting the outs with glee. Monkeyboy got three hits, got a run in and ran one in. Dirty looks abound and not because he took his team to the lead, but because people wanted to leave. Bean had her legs stuck in Monkeyboys sweat jacket, the bags from the fold up chair pulled on her legs, my coat (I'm old and can take it) and yelling at anyone who got in the way of the ray of sun that was about to sink into the west. The game was lost...14-12. It took me an hour to thaw out...and guess what? Another game tomorrow night. Whooohoooo.

THE PENQUINS ARE GOING TO DANCE WITH LORD STANLEY

The Flyers are on the way back to Philadelphia....DEFEATED in an astounding game where the Penquins shut them out 6-0. I told you I was competitive! A happy Sunday dinner with happy Penquins fans. Ryan Malone scores twice, Hossa had four and Fleury made 21 saves. And Bean and friend sang the National Anthem this morning for the Girls on the Run 5K. Excellent job in the pouring rain to Bean and buddy.

Annual trip to NYC

To the airport bright and early and off to NYC. Three out of four days had beautiful weather...the fouth had rain and winds that regularly turned umbrellas inside out. A good day for shopping and visiting the firehouse museum. Monkeyboy and Mippy struggled a bit with homework, but completed it finally. A trip to Battery Park on the subway proved to be...ummmm...a trip! Subway there was fine, but finding a subway back to midtown was a bit of a problem. And the birthday surprise for Bean was great! A special cake at the Cowgirl Cafe with the whole restaurant singing. It was supposed to feed two to three people, but Bean pigged out on her own. Stomp was excellent! Would go there just to see that again. The cab ride back was unforgettable. One of those where you hold on to the seat and close your eyes a lot. A true NYC cabbie. A trip to the airport had Bean feeling a bit under the weather. Monkeyboy and I were outside the restroom waiting for Mippy and Bean. A stewardress (is that what they still call them???) asked Monkeyboy why he looked so sad and he informed anyone within listening distance that his sister was in the stall barfing. All in all....a 95% good trip. We won't discuss the other 5%.

Flying

We have been to two balloon festivals. There is something magical about watching them lift off from the ground and float in the air. The quiet. The blue skies. We have been in a balloon twice and I think I like it better from the ground. What is it about a hot air balloon that makes us look to the sky in wonder? The shape, the color...or just the sense of freedom from the world. No noisy engine. Above it all. We are preparing for our annual trip to NYC. Bean, Monkeyboy, Mippy and I. We are staying at a different hotel this time. Hairspray is on the Broadway tour and Stomp is on the off-Broadway tour. Shopping, of course. Swimming for Bean and Monkeyboy. Perhaps a carriage ride in the park. And just some fun time together. And as we take off (by the way, flyings is not my favorite thing to do) the world below becomes a little smaller. The day to day world goes away. We work so we can play...and play we will.

I'm Falling and I Can Get Up

As many will tell you, I have a history of falling. There was the time in the cemetary in the early morning before sunrise when I stepped into a pothole and did a one and a half somersault with out the tuck and roll. Then there was the time when I caught my heel in a crack in the sidewalk and had to be helped up by a drug dealer in the midst of a drug deal...which wasn't mine, by the way. He was very kind, told me I hadn't lost a tooth and then ran like a bat out of....well, you know. That one resulted in a broken wrist and sprained ankle. The one the family gets the most delight from is the fall into the hot tub at Niagra Falls. It was on the road trip last year and I wanted a picture of the three kids jumping into the pool together. I kept backing up to get the picture, when alas, I felt myself falling into the hot tub. I did try to hold the camera above the water, but alas, it went under also. Did save the pics however, which was my main concern. The latest fall was just last night as I was trying to fix Sprout's hair for a picture. I was backing up, tripped over a box and went sliding across the floor on my butt. Now, I have fallen enough times and in front of enough people to know that I get up quickly and move so they can begin their gales of laughter. It made for wonderful smiles on their pics. Perhaps the time has come for me to stop backing up, do ya think?

Guitar

Tonight was my guitar lesson. Sometimes I dread them, because I don't always practice as much as I should, but tonight....an excellent lesson. Monkeyboy plays the drums, so I am pretty sure we can form a rock band some day. Or, perhaps, I'll audition for the E Street Band. Perhaps not. Bean plays the flute. Bird plays some kind of Indian flute, so we might have an interesting combination. I am trying to get some songs ready for the road trip. We go in June as soon as school is out. I actually played with my guitar teacher tonight and kept up with him! He is very patient, but he tells me I have to cut my nails even shorter. I think he does not understand...it took me a long time to grow them, and even longer to polish them. He carries nail clippers with him and tonight he told me that two of my nails were too long. I told him I would file them down...but I don't have to do that for two weeks, because next week is the annual trip to NYC with Bean, Mippy and Monkeyboy. So, I fooled him! We have made this trip to NYC since Bean was 4 years old. At that time we went to see CATS on Broadway, and she was enthralled. We have gone every year to see at least one play, and when he was 4, Monkeyboy joined us. He is more interested in the drums in the orchestra and that's okay. This year it will be Hairspray and Stomp. And I can do it all with long nails. Life is good.

Posting comments

Seems like some are having problems posting or reading comments. I am very new to this, so let me explain it the way that it was explained to me. When you want to post a comment, hit the comment tab at the end of the post. Type in your comment in "Leave your comment". You can then choose and identity...the easy one is to click "Name/URL". You can just type in a name there. Somewhere there is a word to unscramble and you have to do that also. Then just hit "Publish your comment" and you are good to go! Love hearing from folks, so try it. Ginger, I am getting your comments...can you see them? More later!