Random tidbits

I can never find cinnamon gum or mints anymore... what is the flippin' deal?

Aurelia says lasterday and callipiter... I love that...

Ore Ida's Garlic Steam and Mash potatoes are nearly the grossest thing I have ever eaten..

Long Johns Silvers has an ad on their sign that says "Try our new fish tacos for only 99 cents"... that is disturbing to me...

We are still under a boil water advisory... I just don't know how I am going to boil enough water for five people to BATHE... and it really cannot be put off.

Took my youngest two to the library... I love that they love that.

The funniest thing you may ever see is Daniel folding himself up to ride in the grocery cart that has the little car on front... He honks the horn even though his knees are behind his head...

Spiderboy

My manchild got a wild hair up his heiny the other night and decided he was going to take an excursion to Taco Bell at 12:30 am with his friend. Instead of trying to sneak down the stairs and out the back door, he decided to be super stealthy. He opened his window and climbed out. Oh, did I not mention that his bedroom is on the third floor? Well it is.... His window looks out over the porch roof in the front of our house... two stories down.... He climbed out and once on the roof of the porch had to make some decisions.... When he realized there was no real way down but to jump he did just that. From the second story he jumped onto our concrete driveway, landing just in front of my car... then went on to Taco Bell and wound up sleeping in his friends car. The detail that caught him was the return to the house. He had injured his foot (I think both feet) and couldn't walk in... He had to call his dad to come out and help. His initial story was he had gone to have breakfast at McD's, but no one was biting. After a trip to the ER, the regular doctor, an MRI in his future and a meeting with a specialist, it seems he has ruptured something in his left ankle. Floating fragments were mentioned. Surgery was discussed as a possibility... with PT as a definite. And again we revisit his third floor situation... no way can he go up and down the stairs... just getting to the second floor for a bath (the only one he can use) was a hassle and took over an hour...So the boy has to sleep in the downstairs playroom on an inflatable camp mattress and has to be tended like a sheep. In addition, he may have to quit his job (depending on the extent of his injuries), is definitely missing this month's camp and possibly the remaining two camps in July. Now we are considering moving Daniel to the third floor and Cory to the second floor... we'll have to see what the doctor predicts next week. I just hope this experience is eye-opening in ways that a lecture from Mom and Dad couldn't possibly achieve....

Balloon Ride Photos, Round 2

Round one can be located on my Facebook page, but will be posted here later today....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hippoxmas/sets/72157619754173694/

Speaking to me tonight

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou

Parking lot duckies

This little mama duck and her babies wandered across the shopping plaza parking lot this morning... it was SOOO adorable...

Weekend contemplation

Inspector Aurelia dons the uniform appropriate to the occasion and peers into the green abyss...

She is startled by the findings....

She attempts to get a closer peek...

Ewww.... a hole in a pool liner says our plans for summer water fun will be done elsewhere...

Aurelia spent a vast majority of our time at mom's this Sunday peering in and declaring she had found fish, snakes, whales, spiders, you name it and it was in that pool....

Raspberry Harvest

Initially I thought our front berries would bloom first and produce, however, the side plants produced GINORMOUS berries over the weekend. Pictured is the first harvested berry of the summer. Daniel declares dibs on said berry and scopes it out for an angle of approach.

He prepares his taste buds for the incoming berry-fest!

Savors the explosion of yummy summer goodness....

And gives it a whole hearted thumbs up!!

Now we can look forward to the other berries, and our friends should prepare for gifts of fruity goodnes...

Walter the Farting Dog

Um, really must I say more?

(link here)

A change is gonna come

Many things at the hippo lair are changing and shifting.... I've tried to capture how I feel about it all in words during the course of the day, but nothing fits. What I keep coming back to is, that while so much has been afoot, honeysuckle has been thick in the air. The sweet scent drafts into each moment that I am trying desperately to hold onto, to preserve, to cherish. It haunts me with the memories it brings, woven as it is in the fabric of my life. No single emotion, but all whirled up in a meshy hodge-podge.....