Friday, July 24, 2009

Home again

I brought home farm eggs from my time spent in North Dakota, and this morning, I whipped two up with dill fresh from my herb garden in the backyard and some feta that Bridge always makes sure we have.

Delicious. I never ate a store bought egg for the first 18 years of my life, and the first time I had one, it was disappointing.

At the farmer's market yesterday, I scored with some lettuce, zucchini, and cucumbers. I have a big bowl of fresh lettuce in the fridge with chopped dill, and life is good. Summer is good.

NoDak was nice. Aside from the tornadoes, things were relaxing. It's wonderful to be home, again, though Bridge just left for Utah so she can show everyone how revolutionary her study of plants is. I'm going to meet her out in Colorado late next week, and we are going to spend a few days in Rocky Mountain National Park. She found some great trails that I can't wait to hit. Just a few days outside with the mountains and the girl before the whirlwind rush of the school year starts again.

Last night at Eagles karaoke, we met a girl who is:
a cage fighter
a roller derby grrl
waaayyyyy too rough

Good God.

I'm off to swim now. Then to sit on the warm concrete with my latest, greatest book. I love being back home.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Headed Home...

... and looking forward to it.

Gonna hang with the fam, the friends, the farmers, and the Ukrainians.

See you laters, gators.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Things I Get Asked At The Pool

What's your name?

Where are your kids?

Do you have a husband?

Can you tighten my goggles?

Wanna see my towel?

Did you bring any snacks?

Can you loosen my goggles?

Do you want to watch me go down the slide?

Can you take me down the slide?

Do you have any pool toys?

Are you over 18?

Do you know you have a big butt?

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Sunday, June 07, 2009

gardens and friends and cars

I am building gardens:

On all sides of my house. I'm turning over dirt and planting all sorts of green things --things I don't even know the names of-- and watching them grow and vine and climb and burst. I don't live on a farm anymore, so most nights, I just walk the back 40 (yards)of the lawn and do a survey. Drive by any night at about 10 pm and you'll most likely find me on the front sidewalk, hands on hips, looking things over. I used to walk the scoria road that looped through the farm; now I walk cracked driveways. The feeling, though, is the same.

I am making new friends:

And I like it a lot.

I am buying a new car:

Most days, I hate my car because it's just one thing after another. Minor, tiny things, mostly, but after putting in a new windshield 10 months ago, do I really want to put in another one because of a semi and a thrown rock? And usually, some light burns out. And when it rains, my car squeals. And on the second Thursday of every 30-dayed month, my car probably needs new sparkplugs. I shouldn't be so hard on it, as it's taken me out of one rocky relationship and into a gentler one, driven me through the bulk of the Midwestern states, and has had my entire life packed into it more than once. But, I want something newer and better and different. It may be a red car. Inferno red.

I am walking home for dinner:

See you.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

A Lady Who Leisures

The lilacs have unfurled, and they smell so good. It's still light out at 9 pm, and my peonies are about to bust it out. It was a loo-ooo-ooong winter, but now? Now, I am a lady who leisures while summer slowly makes it appearance.

I don't really have to be anywhere; I don't really have to do anything. Of course, when my head hits the pillow at night, I still have this running through my head:

How should I schedule the poetry presentations?
I should really do more grammar in 201, shouldn't I?
I need to schedule research skills days.
I'm still mad at ______ student for _______ that happened _____ semesters ago.


Luh-ame.

It's ok, though. I know you are worried about my class homework schedule, too, so I got it in order today. We can both rest easy.

The Weekend (in whacky order):

We took a day trip to Gavin's Point on Saturday. We were going to do something ridiculously romantic, like clean out the garage, but the sun was out and I just checked out a new book about Jehovah's Witnesses. We packed up, Bridge went birding, and I walked the lake. Then I spread out on the sand, buried my feet, and read in the afternoon sun.

The previous night, however, I danced all night long to my favorite band with my favorite people. After a week of jittery grading, jittery sleeping, jittery eating of starches, grimacing every time I checked my e-mail, and letting the kitchen go to holy hell, 4 hours of bopping around was, as The Cars say, Just What I Needed.

Today found me at church, where John tells us to just love each other, people. Get over all your insecurities and hatred and fears and misconceptions and just love each other. In his homily, Father said, "what kind of people are we if we choose to hate someone because they live in a different lifestyle than us?" I am digging my new church more and more each week. Amen.

After lunch, I headed to an auction at the Armory where I scored a mod-like cabinet, a wooden stool, and a box of glass and junk for $15.37, tax included. The Fry family came and took pictures of mustachioed men. An old beater pickup with a camper on it was going for about $500, and I was thisclose to buying it. I actually had to jam my hands in my pockets so I wouldn't bid. I forget--I can't live the RV lifestyle now. I have to wait until I am in my mid 60s.

This week will find me back at Gavin's Point for a hike, and later, I'll be in my sunny driveway, feet propped up on the picnic table, reading about Jehovah's Witnesses.

Amen. For I am a lady who leisures.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Quick Trip

I am back after a quick weekend in Fargo, where I was solely responsible for my nephew, Sam.

Is there anything better than little short people looking up at you with complete trust and love? Probably not. Sam's my boy. I'll post pics later, so you can see how big he's getting! I loved dressing him in the mornings--his little jeans and his little tee shirts and he's a little person! He is super into talking now, but not really much we can understand. Whatever it is he's babbling about does seem pretty important, though.

I also got to talk to my brother for a bit. He's bored, but safe.