And so ends Spring Break...

We had a fantastic end to Spring Break -- three days at Bethany Beach with our (very kind, patient) friends, Erik & Kelly. We rented a little house about a block from the beach and spent a lot of time in the sand. Friday was unseasonably warm, so Paul spent most of the day in the water (yes, in his jeans and sweatshirt...it wasn't that warm). And, inspired by Kelly, I actually got some knitting done. You know it's a good beach trip when you hit pizza twice and chinese food once within three days. We also got to meet Kelly's 97-year old grandfather -- that was great. The only sad thing was driving out through Ocean Beach yesterday and seeing huge wafts of smoke coming from the boardwalk...

And so reality comes back with a roar -- my annual trip to Redskins stadium (FedEx Field, whatever) to throw money at Dan Snyder. I hate Dan Snyder. Year after year I visit the stadium to pay the bill for **someone's** season tickets. Year after year I vow that this will be the last year. Year after year, Dan Snyder's evil trolls walk away with our money. I feel violated -- they don't even give you a cup of coffee...or a "Thank you." One funny thing -- there are big video monitors in the lobby with a loop of past Redskins vicotries. Someone in line joked, "When was the last time we saw something like that?" Another person responded," Long time ago. And we won't be seein' anything like that this year either." And we all sighed. Dan Snyder doesn't care if the team does well -- he already has your cash. Mine, too.

So...How Goes Spring Break?

Big plans. Biiiig plans.

Well, other than everyone getting sick, not too bad. Lots of dress-up and tattoos. And drawing. And reading. And chaining up small children (that's the boy, not me). It's still too cold to play outside much, and we *could* go do stuff, but that would require making an effort. We've all been down with the nasties, so we're doing a low-key break. Hoping to pull it out with a trip to the beach at week's end though...

Paul and Maggie are scared because they've learned a terrible secret about their mommy...I like ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). Enough that I purchased songs on iTunes. I'm mildly ashamed of this...sort of like admitting that even though you have the world's greatest espresso machine ($10,000, if you're looking for a gift), you secretly frequent Starbucks. Or worse, Dunkin' Dounts. Then again, Paul isn't too scared -- he's been dancing around like a little maniac. We've come into some songs off of "Thriller" (you know you love it too, come on) and Paul is a dancing miracle. If, by dancing miracle, you mean "small boy who has no rhythm and cannot move his hips independent of his entire torso". He's all over that. Last night, he tried break dancing. Wow. Wow. Wow. Personally, I blame Wilco for ignoring my meal invitation. I've had to resort to guilty pleasure music of the '70s and '80s. Stop me now or I'm going to start listening to Peter Frampton and Rod Stewart! Or worse! (Again!)

Finally, did you know that princesses have tattoos? Well they do! They also drool in chocolate. And they don't like to wear clothes unless they are "beeeuoooteeef princess dresses". I don't make the rules, but I do abide by them.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Wear a sweater on Thursday, March 20, to remember one of the great luminaries of children's television. Fred Rogers would have been 80 years old on Thursday. When I was a little girl, my dad traveled quite alot. Mr. Rogers looked a fair bit like my dad, and somehow I got it into my head that "Mr. Rogers" was my dad's secret identity, and that's why he was away from home -- other kids needed him too. Can't remember when I figured things out, but I've always had a soft spot for Mr. Rogers/aka my dad.

Thank you, Mr. Rogers, for your lasting contributions to children's television. We miss you. I miss you.

(And thanks to friend and neighbor Brave Astronaut for the heads up on doings in Pittsburgh.)

Sofia Minis

Have you seen/tried this? So...pink! So...cute! I purchased a four-pack last year for CHVProm, and was very popular...up until I ran out of cans. Then I was just regular old me.

A description from a distributor:

"For a multitude of moods, enjoy a single serving of Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. A distinctive blend as unconventional as the woman who inspired it, Mini is for the impromptu, impetuous, live-passionately-for-the-moment kind of person. The kind who lives like there is no tomorrow! "

Boy oh boy! I want to live like there is no tomorrow. Only I'd like to do it today. Like right now (four hours into Spring Break.) If only there was a local purveyor of spirits that carried this wondrous elixir...

And so Spring Break begins...

We're three hours into spring break.

The cat will prevail.

Sooner or later, you will have to come out of the bathroom. And then, you belong to the cat. You will do her bidding. Without complaint. In return, you get nothing. Do not whine, moan or complain. This is your lot in life, so...

Sooner or later, you will have to come out of the bathroom is good advice. Because yes, you will have to face crazy things (two- or four-legged) over which you imagine you exert some control. In reality, you do not. They control you. The earlier you figure that bit out, the better.

(This post may actually be about someone -- or something -- else. It may not be about the cat at all...)

On a different note, Maggie decided to investigate makeup. Again. This time it's mascara. All over her lips. She "needed something". At least she didn't lock herself in the bathroom this time... Paul's spring break begins in one hour, thirty minutes. I already told him that he has a lot of homework to do in the next week and a half. He believes me. Bad, bad, bad mommy.

Is it too soon to start wishing for fresh produce?

The Cheverly Community Market begins the new season on May 24. Looking out on a cold, dreary day, May 24 seems like an eternity. In fact, the entire idea that May is on the horizon seems to be quite a reach.

We also belong to a great CSA farm, and I really look forward to my weekly trip to the farm, and to learning about all sorts of produce that I'd never bothered with before (I made lots of swiss chard last summer, and it was fantastic.) Last year, Paul learned (from wise old Uncle Erik) that the beautiful brown cows standing in the fields were really only walking hamburgers. Far from being frightened by that idea, Paul embraced it. Every week we'd go get our share, and every week, Paul would proclaim something (loudly) about walking hamburgers. I think he may have offended the sensibilities of some of the groovier farm patrons, but he's right. It turns out that you can buy a share of a cow (or possibly the whole thing) and have at it. I know people who do it, and I can attest to the excellent beef. Still, walking hamburgers...

Too busy to write. Or do much of anything.

Madly trying to get the house clean because we have a new sitter coming to take care of things one and two tonight. Honestly, I clean almost as much for a babysitter as I do for visits by my MIL. That's a problem.

On a different note: The iPhone causes increased insomnia. I don't have strictly scientific proof of this, but I am spending alot of late nights/early mornings refreshing Daily Kos, Media Matters and Wilco Base. Another problem.

Third problem: Spring Break begins on Wednesday at 12:25pm, which means a lot of "quality" time spent keeping the boy away from the xBox. On the bright side, he's very imaginiative, and it's pretty fun to have him around at breakfast, especially when he dresses as a pirate...

In summary, problem, problem, problem.

pricklygirl is moving to blogger.com!

After a few years posting on my own, I've been convinced by several people that I need to allow readers to post comments. Apparently you have something to say to me. Go figure.

You can still read my old posts at www.pricklygirl.com. Rest assured, they'll be (slowly) moved here, too.

I'm going to need to get used to all this interactive stuff...