Crisis

Every day this week has featured a crisis. Some pretty big, most small. At what point do you just call the week a wash and pretend it's over? Cause I'm at theoretically AT that point, and it's just Thursday afternoon.

Today's crisis was not immediately taken care of, as I was in a meeting and didn't listen to my friend's message on my voice mail. But when I did, my meeting partner and I rushed to her aid.

She had seen a rat.

Now, it turns out that the rat was in her yard, dead. Her dogs may or may not have killed it. (Good one, pups!) The rat was smallish. And though the day was hot and thus smell-inducing, we arranged quickly for someone to not only come remove the rodent, but to come and bait traps in case he/she had little friends.

Still. A rat is a rat. And we live in a well-appointed (infested) neighborhood and my friend cleans a lot, and it rocked her world. The house reeked of Clorox when we arrived to save her.

But truly: what is really rocking all of us suburban moms' worlds is the start of school. The start of schedules, logistics, juggling, negotiating, fretting, celebrating, shopping, paying, fundraising, emailing, typing, talking, talking, talking, socializing, meeting, driving, driving, driving, and waking (up early). My friend with the rat happened to have just sent her oldest to college, her middle to high school, and her youngest to middle school. IN ONE WEEK. No rat can compete with that horror.

So my meeting partner and I went over and consoled, and remembered the dead rat whilst simultaneously rejoicing in his/her demise. We all said a mantra over a jar of roses (from a perfect neighbor's yard)....to wish our children well, to help us relax and enjoy this wild life, to have rat-free homes, and to thwart the tropical storm currently brewing off the coast of our state.

And then we all left to drive carpool.

Countdown

My daughter could not be any more excited about middle school, which starts tomorrow.

My son is also excited, and he's got great friends in his class, and his buddy Ytwo K is in there too (I KID YOU NOT), and I was told that we "won the lottery" in terms of teachers.

My poison ivy is even clearing up.


Oh, and OMFGMFJCGDG is Mad Men off to a ridiculously good start or WHAT?






I finished my depressing-as-hell book and am enjoying the mindless pleasures of another one.


A much-anticipated Netflix DVD arrived. HA HA hahaha HA HA! (spoiler alert)


Check with me next week to see how I'm holding up....but for now, I think I can hang with the best of them.

I Haven't Even Seen "Pulp Fiction" (but I knew you would want to see this)

Sorry no posting... the following all decided to go nuts this week: PTA, work, children's sports, and the dust and dirt in my house. But I didn't want to let the monumental event of the summer go unnoticed:

Mad Men premieres season 3 on Sunday night!!! AMC is a great place to visit, and they even have an iPhone app.

Jon Hamm's publicity tour has been a great success, apparently. Perhaps you enjoyed his mad baseball skillz....

Have you Mad-Menned yourself yet? Men'd?




Here's my daughter (notice the doughnut):


Also, which character are you - a quiz. At first try I was Roger Sterling. Then, Betty Draper. But don't we all want to be Joan?



Finally, those of you in the city - why not go watch in Times Square, with a brooch and some kitten heels? (can you believe this marketing campaign??)


I leave you with the Fug Girls, who always say it best:

"Ahhh, yes. That's the stuff. I feel SO MUCH BETTER. I'll take one of each. "

Salad Days

My children always wrote "Salad" as mom's favorite food on those preschool quizzes (they also wrote "jazz" as my favorite music and "wine" as my favorite drink, and "be a mommy" as my favorite thing to do).

Salad is truly one of my favorites, and I'd be a hell of a lot better off if I ate it more exclusively. Not so hard to do this time of year. As I eagerly anticipate the Nora Ephron film "Julie and Julia", based on Julie Powell's blog that I used to read fairly faithfully, and Julia Child's life that I have admired from a distance, I find my thoughts moving towards slower, fresher food. It's easier to prepare and plan for such meals in the summer. Come fall, we'll be scrambling to boil pasta water, but for now, we're debating which salad we'll mix up using the heirloom tomatoes my husband picked up at a local market yesterday.

Nora, by the way, attempted Julia's salade nicoise on Good Morning America. YUM.

Our tomato debate is between the following from The Minimalist at the New York Times and his 101 recipes for summer salads:

2. Mix wedges of tomatoes and peaches, add slivers of red onion, a few red-pepper flakes and cilantro. Dress with olive oil and lime or lemon juice. Astonishing.


19. Mix cooked cannellini or other white beans, chopped cherry or grape tomatoes and arugula or baby spinach. Lightly toast sliced garlic in olive oil with rosemary and red pepper flakes; cool slightly, add lemon zest or juice or both, then pour over beans.


44. Make a crisp grilled cheese sandwich, with good bread and not too much good cheese. Let it cool, then cut into croutons. Put them on anything, but especially tomato and basil salad. This you will do forever.


45. Halve or quarter cooked artichoke hearts (the best are fresh and grilled, but you can use canned or frozen) and combine with cherry tomatoes, bits of feta or Parmesan or both, olive oil and lemon juice.

(If you click through to The Minimalist's article, do not miss the video on salad dressings. He advises adding a tablespoon of honey to a balsamic vinaigrette, and I love it!)

Also, a great salad blog post from Mighty Girl. Maggie Mason loves Oprah and while I don't, really, I liked the O magazine salad chart included in handy pdf form linked in this entry.

I feel like Tipper Gore. Because my son has been watching....SportsCenter. The last three reports have been about murder, gangs, and drugs, and here we are on the cusp of September! Truly, is there nothing else to report?

Mountain Mix

Any other suggestions for our trip soundtrack? My brother told us he'll think of us fondly on our trip, whilst tuning up his banjo and practicing his pig squeal.

Magnolia Mountain by Ryan Adams

If It's the Beaches (again - has mountain reference) by The Avett Brothers

Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake

Find The River by R.E.M.

The River In Reverse by Elvis Costello (especially appropriate for the New River, which, FYI, flows South to North)

Watching The River Flow by Bob Dylan

The Mountain by The Stills

Wolf Like Me by TV On the Radio

Walk On by U2

Tippecanoe and Tyler Too by They Might Be Giants

The View from the Afternoon by Arctic Monkeys

Hummingbird by Wilco

Picture to Burn by Taylor Swift

Here's That Rainy Day (Koop Remix) by Astrud Gilberto

I Was Zapped By the Lucky Super Rainbow by The Flaming Lips

Just a Ride by Jem

Sweet Baby James by James Taylor

Black Sheep Boy by Okkervil River

Campfire Song Song by Spongebob Squarepants

Beach Music

Lots of kids' songs - you could leave those off and include songs by, say ROGUE WAVE (get it?) or "Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, or "Island in the Sun" by Weezer. I love that song, but it was ruined for me when used as the theme to the tween movie "Aquamarine". Or any song by Islands. Or, the Decemberists classic "The Island: Come & See/The Landlord's Daughter/You'll Not Feel the Drowning" - though be forewarned of its 12 minutes+ length. And I purposefully left off PJ Harvey's "Down by the Water" because it gives me nightmares, in a good way.

Ok, I'll stop. Here's the list as it stands:

Lime in the Coconut by Sugar Beats

Octopus's Garden by The Beatles

Playa Azul by Los Amigos Invisbles

Oceania by Björk

Wouldn't It Be Nice (Stereo Mix)by The Beach Boys

Cheeseburger In Paradise by Jimmy Buffett

High Tide or Low Tide (Jamaican Version)by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Ocean Of Noise by The Arcade Fire

SpongeBob Squarepants theme by Avril Lavigne

Beachball by R.E.M.


If It's the Beaches by The Avett Brothers

Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride by Lilo and Stitch

All at Sea by The Libertines

Weird Fishes/Arpeggi by Radiohead

Slippery Fish by Charlotte Diamond

Swimmers by Broken Social Scene

Swallowed In The Sea by Coldplay

Rock Lobster by The B-52's

The Ocean by U2

All at Sea by Jamie Cullum

Seagulls by PJ Harvey

Sassy!

My appreciation of attractive politicos knows no partisanship. But check out the new 'do!

Upbeat

I use this blog as a gratitude journal. Kinda. So if you are ever annoyed about my life and doings, which really are pretty darn good, then just know that I try to stay positive. On here.

Negatively, there has been a lot lately. It's harder than it looks, this staying with your children every waking hour deal. And there's always the real life, and the jobs, and the everyday sadness of existence.

And the fact that, in one week, a. my son broke my daughter's toe with his BARE BOTTOM, b. hit a lovely chip shot that just missed a window, so though he got off easy on that one he was in huge trouble already because he and my daughter had already c. smashed a glass in our front door causing blood and pricey repairs.

OK! Got that out of the way.

We head out on vacation soon...first a date night, because we haven't had one in a month and we are about to have so much quality time with the kids. We'll maybe go to the Boylan Bridge Brewpub, or back to Coquette, or to see a flick. Not sure.

Then off to the beach to reconnect with Georgia family. My children can revel in their baby niece, the obsession with whom has reached epic proportions. The adults will enjoy a lovely retreat, good talk and good times. After that, my little core group will go camping, biking, hiking, and canoeing. Because I am so totally outdoorsy. I actually really am, sort of, but I hope the nice beach house will shore me up for all the nature.

Next entry I'll try to remember to highlight the Beach Music mix I made for our trip to see family - I pulled it together in under five minutes and it may be my favorite themed mix ever.

Like, So Much More Awesome Than Obama Killing That Fly

May I present the estimable Jon Hamm? Mad Men premiere: August 16 on AMC.

In No Particular Order, and With No Reason or Sense

From Pop Hangover, my daughter's favorite image of late:







And from an email I received yesterday from a friend, who is also a writer, who also - well, you be the judge:

Okay so the Obama family has just swept through the continent of Africa, making a poignant visit, awash with irony and turning of tables, to the unendingly impoverished region of sub-Saharan Africa. The Obama daughters, by God, partial descendants to slaves and current Kenya walked right through the Gates of No Return made infamous in the Slave Trade and then.... Returned. This watershed event, this turning of the tides in world history, racial relations, HUMAN HISTORY, may have gone relatively unnoticed due to the debut of the winter gown fashion scene: Perhaps even Michelle has turned a curious eye on the latest creations. What woman wouldn't want to look like she's evolved out of a carpet? Or sprouted very tiny wings on the tips of her shoulder joints? And imagine all the very serious conversations you could have with any number of savvy intellectuals if you were wearing head gear reminiscent of rhea or flightless bird evolution?

That is all.

Finally - lazy in high gear, nightsuit worn more than day clothes, brain is mush. So, what to do this week? OH, WAIT, I KNOW:



Ok, besides that. We have committed to playing every game in our game closet, finishing up various books, running in the sprinkler, making pesto and something else homemade, and learning how to run laundry loads. We also have a surprise for our baby cousin up our sleeves, and we will finalize vacation plans. Working a few hours here and there gives structure to the weeks, and I do try to keep everyone eating things that aren't pure corn syrup or pork fat. Summer is so desperately important for me and our clan. I hope you can find a little summer in your day today.

You Asked For It

Here's how I feel about recent events:

My mom's retirement: Well, she seems to be in a good mood. The fact that she survived falling out of the raft on the Tuckaseegee and no children were injured in the process is probably a good sign and bodes well for a successful transition to not working. Spending five days with my entire family was taxing for me, but it was not about me after all. I survived with maximum complaining (that I did in private). Also, I enjoy my new white noise iPhone app, which made everything that much nicer.

Governor Sarah Palin's retirement: Bottom line - she brought more attention to herself and by trying to bury it during the 4th of July and MJ hoopla, made America more suspicious. I don't believe we women hate her because she's a woman. I don't believe she's capable of being President. Yet. And I certainly don't believe she should step down mid-term.

The South Carolina debacle: My husband paid me a high compliment last week when he told me that "I love you like Mark Sanford loves his Argentinian woman."

Michael Jackson's death: I feel completely neutral. That said, I am digging that all his music is being played everywhere. Since I work at a church, I tend towards the organ tribute:



Summer in general: I got to sleep until 10 a.m. on Monday. I have ridden my bike...a lot. I saw elk. I am keen to try some fruity drinks (and am planning a blog post with some friends' favorites soon). We got a cheap-ass patio set and have been dining al fresco. The children are playing together nicely. Everybody is dirty and tan. A friend had a baby in the midst of some other friends' tragedies and these weighty national events. Another friend is pregnant and we anticipate her daughter's arrival. And I've found that Rimmel nail polish works nicely on me!




Summer reading: Not happening. I am working through "Dubliners" but am eyeing the latest Sophie Kinsella because it is already post-Independence Day.

I Love This

And not just because it reminds me of "Flight of the Conchords".

He Signed My Son's Shoe at Camp Last Night!

Hey BAW! We're loving your school right now.

Camp Week

Both children are at camp. I am hopeful, eager, worried, nervous, anxious, proud, and exhausted. Between working in the mornings and getting in much-needed exercise, I plan to clean their rooms and go out with my husband.

We are planning to try out some new restaurants in town so I'll let you know about those, perhaps via Twitter. And maybe see The Brothers Bloom. If only our childless nights had come later in the summer....

The Most Welcome Comeback Yet, Maybe

Taylor and T-Pain