July. July.

We had an amazing time in Massachusetts. Amazing. Our second year at Solid Sound was phenomenal (even drenched) and I've developed a deep love for Thurston Moore's solo work. Also, a deep love for Western Mass. Surprise, surprise, I took tons of photos of decay and rust and chickens and people, and came back ready to make stuff again (I was a little worn out.)

One of the things I love best about rural Massachusetts? People don't ask what you do. In the DC area, within the first five minutes, most conversations wind up at "Where do you work? What do you do?" There, I asked people twice, but no one ever asked me. Refreshing, especially since I always feel like a fish out of water. It's hard to explain what I do, beyond "I make stuff". I think that if you aren't constantly trying to validate your position, it's a lot easier to get on with actually doing. I aim to find out.

And I want to figure out how to cobble together some sort of career that I don't need to explain to anyone. That's my new goal. Also, I want a pony. Or a really big dog.

An End to (Part of) Childhood.

Maggie: Mommy, is Big Bird a person with feathers?
Me: Well...sort of. Why?
Maggie: Well, what is Big Bird?
Me: Well...Big Bird is sort of a puppet. There's someone inside of a big costume.
Maggie: (silence)
Maggie: Mommy? How about Zoey? Is she a person or a puppet?
Me: Sweetie, Zoey is a puppet.
Maggie: No, she's a person and so you are wrong.
Me: No, Mag. Zoey and Oscar and Grover and Cookie Monster are all puppets. There are people who use their imaginations to make Big Bird and Zoey and Elmo and all the other characters seem alive, but they're not really.
Maggie: You have made this my saddest day ever.

And then the tears flowed.

In retrospect, I guess there were some aspects of this conversation that I could have handled better. The problem is that she told me I am wrong, which seems to be the theme of this -- and let's face it every -- week.

I'm here all week at Awesome Parenting Skills Central, folks. Make sure to tip your waiters.

The best-laid plans have run amok.

Okay, maybe not the best-laid plans, but this week is not turning out quite the way I thought it would. Tonight, Paul is having an MRI -- we're trying to find out why this kid has so many bad, bad headaches. In fact, he's had some level of headache for the past four days. Miserable for everyone. Everyone.

Anyhow, since I'm not sure what the rest of the week holds, I thought I'd post this hint for something fun to do this Saturday now. Mayorga is a cool place and they have really good local coffee. And the band is not too shabby, either.

Also, in case you're curious, I'm posting graphic design/web-related stuff I'm doing on the old pricklygirl site. You can also reminisce about the old days, if you're so-inclined.

Looking for something fun to do this Friday night?

This is going to be lots of fun -- New Deal Cafe is a really great place, full of character and characters. It's family-friendly, and they have delicious Lebanese food, wine & beer. The only downside? It's not in Cheverly. But Greenbelt is only 10 minutes up the pike, and if enough of your friends and neighbors show up, it'll be just like home.

And make sure to visit the home of the hot noodles on the web...you can hear a couple of their songs and check out their full schedule.

LIVE ALL AGES Rock 'n' Roll Extravaganza This Saturday!

This Saturday morning at 10:00am, join the families of Cheverly Weekday Nursery/Mother's Day Out for a very special all-ages rock 'n' roll morning show featuring SOUL REVOLVER. Admission is only $5 per person (it's a tax-deductible contribution.) And there will be snacks available for a small fee.

Soul Revolver is Cheverly's very own Beatles cover band, and has played private parties as well as several times at The Surf Club on Kenilworth Avenue. Members are Charles Andrews (bass, vocals), Kelly Fisher (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Brian Jarboe (guitar, vocals), and Brian Youmans (drums, vocals). All four members have some relation to the Weekday Nursery/Mother's Day Out programs or to Cheverly United Methodist Church, so it's definitely a family affair.

The concert will take place in the historic church's Sanctuary, and we encourage dancing in the aisles!

We hope that many families are able to take advantage of a fun, inexpensive opportunity to hear (and see up close!) live music in Cheverly. This is the second concert in the Music at School series, which benefits the Cheverly Weekday Nursery and Mother's Day Out programs for young children. We bring a variety of music to children and their families in the Cheverly area, allowing them to experience live music performed by familiar people -- parents and other people the kids know. We encourage children to take an active interest in music, and families to pursue more opportunities to expose their children to a wide array of musical styles. In our first year, we've offered performances by classical pianist Naoko Maeda and rock band Soul Revolver. Next year, we will continue to expand the offerings of this exciting new outreach program.

For more information, visit the WDN/MDO website or read about it on your friendly neighborhood blog or its' close personal friend.

I am tired of being told I don't exist.

I am beginning to think that something big has happened and I missed it. Apparently, I have ceased to exist. Who knew?

According to the Washington Post, no one has books in their living rooms anymore. We do. In the living room, the bedrooms, the basement, the dining room...

We don't have a tv in the living room. In fact, there's only one in the house, and no cable. The door-to-door cable guy couldn't believe that when we do use the tv, we use a regular old antenna. That just doesn't happen. Apparently.

According to WAMU's Dianne Rehm Show, no one cooks anymore. I do. Every single day. I bake, too. And make candy. I even make my husband's lunch, nearly every day. Also, I sew and knit clothing for my family.

People in this house know how to play actual musical instruments, and do so. Frequently.

According to many, many outlets, no one reads anymore. I read more now than I ever did. So does the rest of my family. And we go to the library.

According to many of those same outlets, families don't eat together any more. We eat dinner together -- which is usually on the table when my husband (the only one I've ever had) gets home -- every night.

Also, apparently, everyone lives in much bigger houses today. We live in a small Cape Cod built in 1949. It has not been expanded one iota (not even a deck). We have a tiny kitchen without a dishwasher. In fact, the only real improvements since 1949 have been replacing major appliances as they've died.

We have one car. It's american.

And no one has a community anymore, or so I hear. We live in Cheverly, an amazing, active community. We know the teenagers. We know their parents. We're fairly certain we know many of the kids whom our own kids will date in a decade or so. Grandparents live here, close to their children and grandchildren. In some cases, right next door. And Facebook keeps us connected to family and friends that, in other times, we would have lost contact with long ago. In fact, I feel more in tune with people in my life than I ever have.

I am a stay-at-home mom who volunteers in the community and at my children's schools.

If I went by the media, I really would have to question my own existence. The thing is, I know that there are other families out there, just like mine. In fact, I have a feeling there are a lot of us, all beginning to doubt if anyone knows we're here anymore.