It rains and rains and rains.

It's possible that the boy is becoming feral due to too much time inside. After school, he marched out to the backyard with his umbrella and set up shop in his fort, which consists of four plastic lawn chairs tied together with a jump rope, two plastic tables (used as stairs) and assorted other palstic things doing important double duty. That's him under the big bright yellow thing. He refuses to come in. Did I mention it's raining?

I saw a big red fox in our backyard one morning last week. It was checking out the fort. All this time I've been silently cursing the person who has been allowing their dog to cr** in our yard, and I think I've found the real culprit. So I'm sorry to all the dog owners on Greenleaf, and I wish you and your dogs long, happy lives.

By the way, if you visit the Arbor Day Foundation, you can sign up for a six-month membership for just ten bucks. And in return, the foundation will send ten trees your way. Cool deal.

Does not follow directions well.

I have been taking watercolor classes with noted local artist Liz Lescault. Although I have done quite a bit of painting in the past, I have never really tried watercolor (my dad is a wonderful watercolorist, so I've been a teeny bit intimidated). We were given an assignment last Tuesday, which I dutifully worked on. I even asked Liz if I could bring it home. I don't think Liz realized that I do not follow directions well and that I might go home and do something else. Well, lesson learned to you!

You know, it doesn't matter what it is -- cooking, knitting, whatever. If the directions are to go right, I go left. A positive spin would be that I march to my own drummer. Honestly, I do not follow directions well. That phrase probably appeared on many a report card over the years.

I do like my painting though.

Incidentally, here's a cool new Cheverly site.

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.