Baby's First Birthday

Yesterday, we went to my niece's house to celebrate her baby boy's first birthday. This is the birthday boy, with his dad. They are sitting at the table, ready to blow out the candle.


This is his big sister, helping to blow out the candle.


Did anyone say "gifts"?


"I have to read the card first":


"Ooohh... paper!"


"What's this?"


"Mmm... I think I will play with the box!"

Just Floating...

Yesterday was one of those rare Spring days... perfect. Mid-seventies, clear blue sky, no humidity. I think this is the kind of weather in which we were meant to live. It makes you feel as if you are floating effortlessly, becoming one with the atmosphere around you. These are the kind of days for which I live... but they don't happen often enough. Perfect days.

(stock photo by Ellen Isaacs)








I also feel like this when I am floating in warm water. I want to live there so I can feel like this every day.

California Dreamin' or Nightmare on Elm Street?

We are headed to California on vacation next week. In the meantime, I have heard on the news:

1. There has been a cluster of earthquakes in the area, near the Salton Sea.
2. They have been in a heatwave.
3. There has been an outbreak of the swine flu.
4. They have found contaminated water in the area.

At this point, I am kind of looking forward to coming home. My father was a well-known "worry wart".
Do you think maybe I inherited that gene?

Some Things I Just Don't Get...

How many times a day do you want to say "what were they thinking?" How often do you just shake your head and think "how in the world does that make sense?"

Happens to me all the time. Here are a few examples:

1. Why does every house hunter on HGTV insist on "granite countertops and stainless steel appliances"? It's almost as if they have all been brainwashed! Do they teach this stuff in primary schools now? In my head, I see a picture like an old Michael Jackson music video... a bunch of zombies trudging forward with arms outstretched, chanting: "granite countertops and stainless steel appliances... granite countertops and stainless steel appliances".


2. And what about pedestal sinks? Where do you put all the stuff you use when you are standing in front of the sink? Seems totally impractical to me. Give me an old-fashioned vanity (I know... eeek!).


That's just the small stuff... what really gets to me is celebrities. Are these people for real?

3. Why do young female celebrities keep wearing fedoras? Don't they know how stupid this looks?


Especially this one. I think she may have started it all. Why would anyone want to copy her?


4. Why doesn't Elisabeth Hasselbeck ever shut up? Why does Barbara keep her on "The View"? She is so shrill, I can't stand to listen to her. What did she ever do to deserve so much media exposure? Oh yeah, she was on "Survivor". I guess that makes her an expert in all things political. She's the female version of Joe the Plumber.


5. Another one I wonder about every time I see her "special reports" on celebrity "news". How in the world did Courtney Hazlett get her job? I could see her on something like "Entertainment Tonight" but why does she appear on otherwise serious news programs?


6. I think this is my favorite one though... big ol' fish lips!





Am I being especially snarky today? Or just showing my age?

Taking a Vacation in the Desert... Instant Summer

I need a vacation! It's been a cool, rainy spring here. Sixty degrees one day, then back down to forty the next. I need some blue skies and sunshine. I need an aqua blue pool to float in under that blue sky. I need palm trees and umbrella drinks.


Well, next monday we are going on vacation! I haven't had much time recently to think about it. I've been too busy being sick.
Now I have to hurry up and pack. Thank goodness I took care of shopping for some vacation clothing a couple of weeks ago. There is a big difference between what you wear every day in a cool Kentucky spring and what you wear on holiday in Southern California. I'm going get a pedicure and have my legs waxed. No more jeans and knee socks for a week!

My husband's birthday is in April. His daughter's birthday is in April. So, we decided to celebrate by all of us going on a vacation together in April. Grandpa (they call him Poppy), stepmom and step-grandmother me (I'm Grandma Judy), daughter, son-in-law and four-year old granddaughter. They like to play golf, so they decided on Palm Springs. Ideally, I would like to have an ocean nearby, but I'm sure there will be plenty of warm sunshine and pools to splash and float in. And some umbrella drinks would be nice. And maybe a massage or two.

Aaahhh!

Sleepy

This was me this weekend. Boring, I know. It was for me, too.

Friday night, I thought I had a kidney stone. It turned into aches and pains all over. Finally, a migraine. Now it feels like a sinus infection. I have no idea what it is. All I do know is that I slept all the time... about 22 hours a day. I must be getting better; so far this morning I have slept only eight hours out of twelve.

Ouch!

I think I might have a kidney stone. It's going to be an interesting night around here.

I hope I'm wrong, but I had one before and this is what it felt like.