Vacation Review and Wrap-up

I was away on vacation last week (sorry no notice, ever since I stopped blogging anonymously, I've stopped giving advance notice on absences).

We went to Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, VA and to Hershey Park in Hershey, PA.

We went to Great Wolf Lodge on the recommendation of one of my best friends, whose daughter is one of Muffin Man's best friends, and it. was. AWESOME. The water park alone was terrific, but there was also a game that MM could play that was kind of a scavenger hunt throughout the hotel. MM completed the whole thing and now wants to go back to play the next level (I know, I know). His favorite thing at the water park proper was the Howlin' Tornado, which is basically a heart-attack on a raft. Fortunately, he found some kids his age who were happy to go on it again and again and again...

The rooms and food at Great Wolf Lodge were very good. We stayed in a very basic room, but there are rooms with log cabins in them, which I think would be fun if you've got more than one kid with you. The food was way better (and less expensive) than anything at Disney World. They had a buffet that was not just your standard kid fare.

Our original plan had been to stay at GWL one night, and to go camping the next (ready to go to Colonial Williamsburg the day after that), but GWL gave us a half-price coupon if we extended our stay...and so we did. We'll go camping one weekend in July instead, and we'll visit Colonial Williamsburg then as well. Great Wolf Lodge was just so much fun we didn't want to leave.

So after two full days at GWL, we drove up to Hershey Park to stay at the Hershey Lodge. Hershey Park itself was lots of fun, and the Hershey Gardens are beautiful, especially the butterfly house. If you're going to visit Chocolate World, be aware that only the virtual factory tour is free, everything else costs extra. Hershey doesn't let you visit the actual factory anymore, alas. The Hershey museum is lovely, and takes less than an hour to visit. They have chocolate tastings in the cafe there ($10.00 for six glasses of different kinds of chocolate.) MM's favorite things at HP were the Coal Crusher and the Trailblazer. We started out on the SkyRush, and let me tell you that it was really unpleasant. It goes very very very fast and is kind of painful. We did not go on anything that turns you upside down. The smokehouse has very tasty food.

We were all pretty impressed with how nice a guy Mr. Hershey seemed to have been. If you know for a fact that he was a huge anti-semite, or racist, or whatever, please don't tell me. I'd really rather not know.

On the whole, our family agreed that we would have been happier staying at GWL and maybe visiting Busch Gardens and Colonial Williamsburg while we were there. Next time, that's probably how we'll do it. Hershey was fine, but I think it might make a better day trip from Loudoun than an overnight stay (only a two-hour drive each way), just about the same as to King's Dominion.

Also, I read a ridiculous number of mystery books, most of which I've read before, and Muffin Man and I are reading Little House in the Big Woods, because I won a bet. He's enjoying it very much, I'm pleased to say.

This post has not been sponsored in any way. Our family received no compensation from either Great Wolf Lodge or Hershey, and aside from taking GWL up on their special deal to extend our stay, we paid full freight for our whole holiday.

In case you're wondering...

The real-life name of Posh Place is BeanTree Learning. Muffin Man has gone there for over six years, and will be there again for a few weeks this Summer. I can't say enough good things about their pre-school, pre-K, and Kindergarten programs. And their after-school program is also terrific, with time for homework and reading, as well as playing outside and messing about with Lego.

Six and a half years later, I could have written this post yesterday. They take child care seriously.

If you live in Loudoun or western Fairfax and you're looking for a daycare program for your child, infant through 5th grade, you can not do better than BeanTree Learning. But don't take MY word for it:

Portrait of a happy camper

Muffin Man gives it two BAWKS up.

A post to make you jealous about my lunch

Yesterday, when I got home from work, Mr. Spock and Muffin Man were in the kitchen and the house smelled terrific.

"What are you making?" I asked.

"MEATBALLS!" MM said quite proudly. "Did you know that meatballs are basically all the ingredients for veal cutlet, only you mush it all together?*"

"It smells fantastic. Can I help with anything?"

"No, we have this covered," he said nonchalantly. "You could set the table though, and you're going to have to clear the table ALL BY YOURSELF because you're the only one not cooking."

"That's the rule, all right."

So we had the most delicious and beautiful Swedish meatballs I have ever had in my life, served with noodles and Brussels sprouts.

And we're all having them again for lunch today.


*Muffin Man was in charge of measuring and post-egg-addition mixing. Mr. Spock rolled one meatball as a model, and MM did the remaining 35.
MS did all the heat-related activity since there were four things going on at once. And I am a bad, bad blogger because I forgot to take any pictures.

It turns out that one's garden looks much nicer when one removes the weeds.

Who knew?

Now we have room to plant more tomatoes.

Sixteen

Palms, a photo by Doorbell Queen on Flickr.

16 years ago today, Mr. Spock and I got married.

11 years ago today, we celebrated our anniversary by taking this picture.

I love you, Mr. Spock. I love our life together, and I love our son.

Happy Anniversary.

YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Shuttle by Frances Hodgeson Burnett is available for FREE for the Kindle, and it's even unabridged.

Granted, it doesn't smell as good as my hard-bound copy, but it won't crumble when you read it, either.

You may now return to your regularly scheduled activities.

Maurice Sendak Died

Here is James Gandolfini reading In the Night Kitchen at the 92nd Street Y on Maurice Sendak's 80th birthday:



In the Night Kitchen is often challenged or banned, but it is one of my favorite books of all time.

What I've been reading, OMG I love my Kindle edition

The latest books in several series came out, and I got 'em that very day sent to my lovely lovely Kindle,

• Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity and the Village Witch, which had less Aunt Dimity than usual, but more of the Village, and I think is one of the best entries in this long-running and delightfully cozy series. If you haven't read any of the books yet, start with Aunt Dimity's Death.
• I was super thrilled with the latest books by Margaret Maron and Dana Stabenow, two of my favorite contemporary Mystery authors both had a similar idea: they each write two series and they had the detectives from both series meet and work together! I was particularly happy with how Maron brought together Judge Deborah Knott and Lt. Sigrid Harald in Three Day Town. She hadn't written about Sigrid in a long time, but she was able to interact while still being true to their characters. Stabenow has Sgt. Liam Campbell hire Kate Shugak in Restless in the Grave to investigate a sensitive case that may or may not be murder. Such fun to read while she points up the similarities in their lives.
•  The newest book in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Deadlocked, is good, but not the best in the series. I get the feeling that Harris needs to take a break from these characters so that she can come back to them fresh.
• Insurgent, the sequel to Veronica Roth's dystopian young adult novel, Divergent, came out last week. And it is very good, though less strong than her first book. Very sincere, written in the first-person present, which can be jarring at times, but definitely worth a read.
• Out of the Deep I Cry, the latest in the Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne series by Julia Spencer-Fleming, satisfyingly solves two mysteries at once. One from the present, and one from the Prohibition Era past. Includes a reminder of why vaccinations are important.

I've also read several non-series books:

• 7th Sigma by Steven Gould - very richly written YA novel about the future old west when a species of metal eating bug makes it impossible for people to use technology in the infested areas.
• I generally love Walter Jon Williams' work, but The Fourth Wall was a difficult read for me. The main character is deeply unpleasant. But it is worth powering through it, because the story is imaginative, intricate, and the unpleasantness of the main character is crucial to the story. Nonetheless, it wasn't a book I think I'll read again anytime soon. Unlike his House of Shards, which I've read several times since I first found it in college.
• And I don't remember if I told you all about One Thousand White Women. It's an historical novel about an historical event that never occured. Written in diary form, it is fascinating, engrossing, and believable. 
• Also, Reginald Hill died recently, and I've been reading and re-reading everything he ever wrote. I can't recommend his work enough. The Woodcutter is his latest, and it was awesome.

Outfit Blogging

Today I'm wearing this blouse (but mine is black with beige trimming) over a beige tank.

It is paired with a black, beige, and white floral skirt. I am also wearing black knitted tights and these shoes

Etienne Aigner shoes

I think the outfit works, but haven't had any confirmation of that, so could be really, really wrong.

Uncanny Resemblance

People often remark on Muffin Man's resemblance to me or Mr. Spock.

But then they will ask, "Where did he get the dark brown eyes? Where did he get the curls?"

Cousin Muszka 1964 - 2012

My cousin died Monday night in Paris after a long and valiant struggle with cancer.

Born September 18, 1964, in Paris, Cousin Muszka (family nickname, I didn't make it up) glowed with life.

Muszka (left), at 2 months old, meeting my sister (center) for the first time. Her  mother (right) supervises. My sister is 14 months old in this picture.

She had wonderful almost-black curls, dark brown eyes, and deep dimples. Her laughter was infectious. She was fluent in at least 3 languages, spoke French with a Parisian accent, and English with a Brooklyn accent. It was hilarious to hear her talking to her mom going back and forth between French and English in the same sentence.

Muszka at play. I don't know when or where this picture was taken.

Whenever she came to visit, she and my sister were inseparable. They were as close as two people who are usually separated by an ocean could be.

Muszka and my sister, probably in March of 1969, when I was born.

I don't remember being jealous of their closeness at all, but I do remember wishing I were older and could be like them.

Passover, 1972. From left: Me, my sister, Muszka.

Passover weekend 1972. Back porch of my mom's house. From left: Muszka, my sister, me.

Muszka often came for long visits in the Summer, and for shorter ones in the Winter. It was like having another sister, one who lived far away sometimes.

Summer of 1978. We are on the porch of a house on Fisher Beach in Cape Cod. From Left, Muszka, my sister, me.

Muszka on a winter visit. My sister's room.

Muszka was a professor of American History at a University in Paris. She was highly regarded in her field. She has a beautiful, smart, wonderful 14-year-old daughter (I couldn't find a picture of the two of them together this morning).

I believe this is from my grandma's 80th birthday party. From left: Grandma, Muszka, my aunt (her mom).

She leaves behind an empty space.

July 1989. My sister's wedding. 

I will miss her so much.

Out the bathroom window

Mr. Spock got this picture of the view out our bathroom window.

The end of an era.

Hold your Dose.

I hab a siduz idfecshud. Id is dod pleazadt. For two dayz, I had a headache thad pushed by eyeballz oud of by head.

By doctor recobbedded irrigading with a Dedi Pod, becoz for wad thig, siduz idfecshud's are usually caused by a viruz, add for adother thig, the illdess I god three yearz ago cad cob back if I use addibiodics.

Dow, I am dot a persod who likes wadder up by dose. Id fact, I really hade id. But id turds oud thad using a Dedi Pod reduces the pressure on your siduzes. Who dew? I ab sdill sduffy, but id izd't az bad az id wuz, add by eyeballs are coddedt to sday where they belogg.

A fairy tale.

Once upon a time two days ago, a wicked mother offered to go with her good and handsome son to buy a new two-wheeled steed for him to ride upon while slaying dragons in the surrounding kingdom. The wicked mother thought that this offer would be welcomed by her good and handsome son because her son had, in the past, frequently expressed a desire for a new steed as his old steed had merely been a pony that was given away a while ago to a smaller neighboring principality.

Imagine the wicked mother's surprise when her good and handsome son said that he did not want a new two-wheeled steed, he'd never wanted a two-wheeled steed, "no, and you can't make me".

Well.

So the wicked mother proved her wickedness by asking her good and handsome son if he were "really really sure? We have time to go do it today, we have time for you to learn how to ride a real two-wheeled steed this weekend (one without two small extra wheels), your two best doughty knights have steeds and would like to go riding with you".

"No".

"Okay, well, if you change your mind that's fine, but we may not be able to go tomorrow, though we would have time to practice if you already had one."

"No."

"Okay, are you really sure?"

"Yes. WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME SUCH A HARD TIME ABOUT THIS. I ALREADY TOLD YOU NO."

"Okay."

....
....
....
....

Long about sunset, that evening two days ago, the wicked mother's good and handsome son told his mother that he had changed his mind, that he would, in fact, like a two-wheeled steed after all.

Whereupon his wicked mother said, very well, and his kindly father asked what had changed the good and handsome son's mind. "Nothing".

Whereat the wicked mother wanted to rip her own ears off, but merely said, "very well. You hurt my feelings earlier today by shouting at me, but I will get you a steed anyway because I said I would if you changed your mind. We may not be able to go tomorrow, but we will try."

And thus the wicked mother, the kindly father, and the good and handsome son went on a quest on Easter Sunday to find a steed worthy of the good and handsome son.

The first store they went to, a toy store, had some fine steeds at low prices, but the front brakes on all of them were somewhat sticky, and showed why the steeds were not priced higher.

They then went to three other stores dedicated to outdoor sports (and particularly two-wheeled steeds) that were all closed for Easter Sunday.

Upon arriving back home without a new steed, the wicked mother said to her good and handsome son, "I am about to give you a hard time, because I want you to learn a lesson. Why were all those stores closed today?"

"Because it's Easter"

"Was it Easter yesterday?"

"No."

"What have you learned?"

"That I really need to think hard before I say no to something I probably really want."

And they all lived happily ever after, because the wicked mother did not slay her good and handsome son and eat him for Easter Dinner.

Persistence

This is a story about a project Muffin Man was assigned for Social Studies.

He had to create a time-line of events leading up to the Revolutionary War that:

1. Must include at least 2 sentences about each event.
2. Must include the date(s) of the event
3. Must be clearly placed in order of events.
4. Must be incorporated in a picture, collage, or diorama using a Revolutionary Theme.
5. Must be neatly done
6. Must show thought (can not look like it was done at the last minute)

Muffin Man had a month in which to do this project. He selected his events and planned what he wanted to incorporate into his illustration before we went to Puerto Rico, and got his teacher to sign off on those things...and then he forgot all about it until the Friday before the Monday that it was due.

When I picked him up from after school that day, he was SOBBING. "I'll never be able to get it done! I'll get an F!!

"No you won't. You have all weekend to work on it. I guarantee that you are not the only kid in your class who forgot about it and left it to the last minute. Daddy and I will help you with it. And if you work hard on it, I know that you won't get an F. You may not get an A, but you are smart, creative, and resourceful. You can do a good job."

His original idea had been to hand-draw a battle scene, with the time-line in clouds of smoke from cannons. I suggested that, instead of hand-drawing, he do a collage. He took that idea, and ran with it. He typed up the events in the time line. Mr. Spock helped find appropriate pictures on the internet. I helped cut out. Muffin Man did the layout (and we took this picture so that we could remember the placement), and we all helped glue. It took most of the weekend, but he got it done.

The Clouds of the Revolutionary War

His teacher gave him a 100.

During

Painting done, curtains hung.

Before

White walls, bed in center of room. Cozy, yes, but not as cozy as it could be.

One of the best birthdays ever

Mr. Spock made an awesome card for me -- completely professional looking.

Muffin Man made that animated card -- 700 frames.

Mr. Spock made a delicious chocolate cake from scratch, and it was a thing of beauty too.

I had lobster for lunch, and standing rib roast for dinner.

And Mr. Spock gave me exactly what I wanted for a present, a working radio in my car.

Birthdays just do not get any better than that.

My son got excited and made something for me

The best part is that he made it using something that his dad got excited and made. Yepper. A hand-made animation made with hand-made animation software.

We're back!

We found lots of sea glass, and engaged in cousin worship. The picture above is of my 15-year-old nephew, my 18-year-old niece, and my 10-year-old son being ridiculous on the beach.

Looking for sea glass. Be back next week.

Boy in blue

BTW, this big guy used to be this little guy:

I know. I know.

The way it works

In order to wash one's hair, one must:

1. Get all of ones hair wet, not just get all of one hair wet.
2. Apply shampoo to ones entire head of hair.
3. Rinse one's hair thoroughly.

It's not rocket science.

Housekeeping

Some of the links in my blogroll will vanish. This is not because I don't read them, I do, but they are more appropriate to Doorbell Queen, so that's where they will reside.

Links to blogs that haven't updated in over 6 months will move to the "Gone Quiet" section.

If you've got a blog that I don't link to here or at DBQ, let me know!

What Muffin Man will be doing for Summer Vacation

• One week in a music day camp, testing out the drums.
• Two weeks doing computer graphics and Lego robotics
• Two more weeks doing Lego Robotics
• Two weeks doing I don't know what yet. Maybe we'll go away somewhere?
• Two weeks creating video games, and doing more Lego Robotics.

What? He LIKES Lego Robotics. And they're all very different TYPES of Lego Robotics. They all have very different GOALS.

Yes. I will keep telling myself that.

Plus, he has a Lego Robotics kit and it's good for him to get as much practice programming it as possible.

Cake

DOUBLE DIGITS!

Muffin Man is 10 today. TEN.  

TEN!!

Holy guacamole.

He once was this tiny little thing:

And then he was a little boy:

And then he was a bigger boy:

And now he's this Big Kid:

I love this boy sooooo much.

Happy birthday, my Muffin Man.

How many different shapes do Lego come in?

This is not a rhetorical question. Our dining room table was taken over this weekend by a project of mammoth proportions: sorting the Lego. The Lego was sorted by shape only.


By Sunday night, about 1/3 of Muffin Man's Legos were sorted into compartmentalized boxes. Twenty-five compartmentalized boxes, with a minimum of 17 compartments each. Some items were doubled up. Oh, and the thick 2x4 bricks and their baby siblings, the thick 2x2 bricks each had their own box.

So I've got a bone to pick with the Lego Corporation. I mean, look at this picture, and that's just wheels and axles. WHEELS AND AXLES. They take up a whole box on their own.

When I was a kid, you had the 2x4 bricks, the 2x2 bricks, two kinds of window, 2 kinds of door, a brick that was about the length of a Lincoln Log, and two different slanted bricks for roofs, and a very large (comparatively) green piece that was a floor or grass, depending on how big you built your house. That was it.

I'm not complaining that there is more variety now, but over 425 different types feels like a bit of overkill. And that doesn't count Mind Storms.

On the other hand, it's worth it to see Muffin Man create a Mondrian Moon Buggy.

Blogging for Choice

This was really supposed to happen yesterday, but yesterday I was working for Choice in a different way (the NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia C3 Board met).

Today I'm going to blog for Choice by asking all my pro-Choice readers in the MD-VA-DC region to buy a ticket to this Thursday's Roe v. Wade Anniversary Dinner.

Over 60 anti-abortion, anti-birth control, anti-women statutes were enacted last year. This year, as many or more are being introduced. Please help us save women's lives, help us keep abortion safe, legal, and RARE by buying a ticket, attending the dinner, and working to make every baby that is born a welcomed and wanted Choice.

Knitting

I went to my first local knit night here in Virginia. Lordy, I missed knitting and chatting and knitting. It feels so good!

I'm working on Cloisonne Mittens (a pattern by The Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Perl-McPhee). Main color is white, with deep purple, fuchsia (yes, that yarn again!), and turquoise on the wrist band.

Outfit blogging

Today, in honor of 14 degree F weather, I am wearing LL Bean flannel-lined jeans, thick woolen socks, my nice leather boots (to make everything look work appropriate), a white turtle neck and a lavender cashmere v-necked sweater.

This outfit works for the office and for knit night at Panera.

What are you wearing?

Stop #PIPA and #SOPA.

I just left a message for Jim Webb asking him to oppose #PIPA and #SOPA. Won't you call him too? 202-224-4024.

If you live outside Virginia, you can find out who to call by asking the Wikipedia for help.

Bright

I've been in a bit of a funk lately, and am trying to use garment therapy to pull me out.

Today I'm wearing a deep pink shirt from Land's End (two years ago). It's less purple than fuchsia, more red than salmon. A deep, saturated color.

If I don't feel chipper, at least I look chipper.

Outfit blogging

Today, I'm wearing this sweater

over a white lacy square-necked camisole, with a denim skirt and these tights in red

I can't find the shoes I'm wearing online. Apparently Rockport has given up the heeled practical business black penny loafer in exchange for stuff that is merely pretty but looks wildly uncomfortable.

What are you wearing?

CFLs are horrible for picture taking

Especially when you're taking that picture with your cell phone.

Case in point: Here is a picture of a nice tweedy yarn:

Yarn. Tweedy. Is actually green.

What colour would you say this yarn is? Judging from the picture, a sort of greyish-blue right?

Wrong. This yarn, in reality, is green. Yes. I'm sure. It's really, truly green. A light spring green, like new growth on a willow tree.

CFLs make liars of cellphone cameras.

You, and I, and Sir Lancelot jump out of the rabbit...

Wooden block castle

Mr. Spock, and Muffin Man, and I took turns adding blocks to this castle. It is made of 67 individual blocks. They were a gift from MakesBooksForGrandkids and SingsLullabyes, and are handmade in the US. This is the starter set.

This set is an example of a high-quality product made domestically. It's also an example of something I maybe wouldn't own if it weren't given to us as a gift. If you have someone in your life who you think would like something like these awesome blocks, won't you consider getting a set for them?

6 years

Yesterday marked six years to the day that Muffin Man started at Posh Place. He still attends their after-school program, and loves it. DeepVoicedThirdGrader and SheIsNowTallerThanMe, and many of the kids in the picture on this post are still there, too. I recommend them to everybody. I wish every child could have a Posh Place to go to.

Happy Anniversary, Posh Place. You've made a big difference in our family. Thank you so much.

Starting the New Year off right

New Year's day was spent getting some hardware sorting boxes from BigBoxHardwareStore (and a rug to cover the speaker cables in the living room, because I was sick of tripping over them), and then helping with Muffin Man with the sorting of the pieces of his brand new Lego Mindstorms NXT set.

Monday, we rearranged the play room, so that he could have a work bench upon which to build a robot to rule the world (Mwahahahahaha!)

Pictured: Most of MM's Legos. There are more scattered throughout the house, but this is the bulk of 'em. That blue bag on the workbench is filled with Minifigs.

Pictured: Just a few of what the bag contains.

Also under the tree this year were a subscription to Lego Master Builder Academy (new kit in the mail every other month) and the Lego Ideas Book .

First sentences

Most years, I do a post of the first sentence of the first post for every month throughout the past year. Here they are for 2011.

• January:

  This year, my resolutions are to send my son to school with a packed lunch at least 3 times a week, and to be a better house-keeper.

  I wasn't perfect on this front, but I did pretty well. Keeping these as my resolutions for 2012.


• February:

  Here's the birthday boy, playing Epic Mickey (one of his birthday presents)

  Muffin Man's birthday is on the first of February, so the first post tends to be about that.


• March:

  Over ten inches off!

  Mystery Mommy gets a haircut, a story in pictures.


• April:

  I'm wearing this in aubergine.

  Still one of my favorite things to wear.


• May:

  Muffin Man's science class is talking about habitats, the environment, the food chain, and all that kind of stuff.

  I should have posted the picture myself. Mr. Spock's blog is gone.


• June:

  This jacket from Nordstrom, it's by Halogen and it breaks my rule about pockets near the rack of doom.

  Outfit blogging, with pictures.


• July:

  Please keep my Grandma in your thoughts.

  She's recovered well and is back home. Celebrated her 93rd birthday the other day!


• August:

  We've switched things around at Chez Mystere.

  A picture and description of my bedroom.
• 
  
• September:

  So, 11 days ago, I got a Droid X2 to replace my Droid Eris, which died an ignoble death (dropped from a height onto uneven pavement. Smash).

  I still don't know how to plug ICE phone numbers into an iPhone. Do you?


• October:

  Yesterday morning, after breakfast, I hauled out of the fridge several pounds of beef cubes, a sheaf of golden beets, a bunch of young carrots, a bag of red potatoes, a package of chopped crimini mushrooms, a leek, a large onion, and a quarter of a stick of butter.

  And now I'm hungry.


• November:

  We didn't know when Muffin Man asked to be the Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies this year that it would be so topical!

  I'm pretty proud of that costume.


• December: There are no words on that first post. It's just a video of The Roches singing "Star of Wonder" as the first song of 25 for the December Holidays. Here they are again.

Happy New Year!!

Christmas memory

The first Christmas after my parents separated, my sister and I spent Christmas Eve at my Dad's place, a rail-road apartment on 11th? 12th? Street in Park Slope.

We shared a bedroom there, and my dad had painted a bright and cheerful rainbow on the wall above my bed. My sister's side of the room had this magical built-in cupboard, with drawers underneath.

So, it's the night before Christmas. The first Christmas we weren't a whole family. I couldn't sleep. BigSister couldn't sleep. We were whispering and speculating and wondering if Santa knew where we would be. Did we remember to give him this address? Would it confuse him that we were going to be switching houses? We just. couldn't. sleep.

So BigSister said, "you know, when EldestCousin babysat for me a while ago, I asked him to tuck me in and he didn't know how. Here! Let me show you what he did!"

And she bounced up out of bed, and came over to my side of the room and pulled the covers up to my chin and then went "TUCK!TUCK!TUCK!" and tucked the blankets in around my body like you would tuck a flat sheet under a mattress.

And then she went back to her bed. And I bounced up (after detangling myself) and I went over to HER side of the room and I pulled the covers up to her chin and went "TUCK!TUCK!TUCK!" and tucked the blankets in around her body like you would tuck a flat sheet under a mattress.

And then I went back to my bed and she bounced up (after detangling herself) and....well, lather, rinse, repeat about seven times. We were HOWLING with laughter. And it became a Christmas tradition that we continued for years.

The moral of the story is that even the most difficult holidays can bring fun memories, and build new traditions. I don't remember what I got for Christmas that year, but I remember that night with my sister.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 25: Finale

'Twas in the Moon of Wintertime, when all the birds had fled...




Yes, that's Muffin Man singing the first verse. I couldn't be more proud.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - a brief detour

My intended twenty-fifth song is still on the camera, so here is a bonus song: Julia Murney singing about what happens to the gifts AFTER Christmas

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 24

My favorite version of this one:

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 23

Because even Godless Unitarians want a week's vacation.




Roy Zimmerman. Yes.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 22

The Indigo Girls bring a country feel to the Festival of Lights.
 

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 21

Once upon a time, I could name all the artists in this video...that time is long gone.

Trees

Muffin Man did the lion's share of trimming the trees this year.

I participated by stringing the lights and topping the taller of the two trees with the star with his hand print angel from '03. His hands were so tiny!

Also in this picture, but hard to see, are Spottie and Runner.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 20

You knew I had to, right?

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - parts 18 and 19

Because I missed yesterday, here are two! First, Tom Lehrer makes his second appearance on my list with "A Christmas Carol" (lipsynched by Benjamin M. W. in a red & black Santa hat)



Next, we have Brenda Lee singing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". Static picture, alas.



Tune in tomorrow for another Hanukkah entry!

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 17

My friend Glenn pointed me to this version, which I heard for the first time last week.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 16

And yet another gift idea



Peter and Paul used to have hair. I was shocked to see it.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 15

More gift ideas

Chocolate Dropkins

Chocolate Dropkins are a tradition in my family. My earliest Christmas memories include making bread dough figures for the tree, and these chocolates for treats.

The chocolates are dead simple to make, you take one box of unsweetened chocolate and melt it in a double-boiler. When it's all melted, you cool it slightly and mix in one can of sweetened condensed milk. Let it cool to rolling temperature (should not be liquidy, should feel like play doh.)

This is almost to the right temperature, but was still a little goopy.

Once the consistency is right, you roll the chocolate into small balls, and coat in colored sugar, nuts, powdered cocoa, or coconut. This year I used white and gold sugar. The gold looked better than the white.

Ooh! Pretty!

What looked best, though, was a mixture of gold and white, which really made the chocolates look Christmas-y. The hardest part of making these chocolates is waiting for the mixture to reach the right temperature.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 14

Here's a great gift idea!

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 13

Jazzing it up a bit

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 12

On the 12th day of this project, the Muppets gave to me...

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 11

This one is courtesy of my friend Dave.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 10

The Roches again, this time with a medley.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 9

I love rounds, don't you?

Virginia Tech

Washington Post is reporting two dead at Virginia Tech, shooter still at large.

My thoughts are in Blacksburg.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 8

One of many.


Bonus piece, a song suggested by YouTube when I brought this one up.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 7

They made a new one, too. I like this one better.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 6

Here's one I heard for the first time this past Thursday. Written and sung by an Australian.

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 5

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 4

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 3

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 2

Twenty-five songs for the December Holidays - part 1

Vertigo

I just looked down at my keyboard and then up at the screen and had the sense that I was looking down the wrong end of a telescope. Now I'm feeling dizzy, and seeing little spots, and it's just the weirdest phenomenon.

There have been times when I've felt like this but they've all been when I was standing up, or getting up to a standing position too quickly.

I hope that it passes.

So much for NaBloPoMo

I spent most of yesterday knitting. Less than 50 rows to go on the Fibonacci scarf!

If you're ever in High Falls

Go and see the High Falls. They are quite lovely.

Happy Thanksgiving

Muffin Man was the emcee at a talent show he put together. I was very proud.

When Brussels Sprouts Attack

The Brussels sprouts didn't appreciate getting little x's cut in their bottoms, and conspired with the knife to stab me in my thumb.

Ouch.

Fortunately, it's not deep.

At my mom's for t'giving

Posting will be light. Mebbe some pictures.

Talking about chores

Muffin Man is nine, and he has the following chores:

• Feed and otherwise take care of the gerbils (I help with their monthly re-bedding).
• Set and clear the table, including pouring drinks for the family
• Empty the dishwasher
• Put away his clothes (I admit to being pretty lax about this).
• Keep the play room tidy
• Empty the waste baskets
• Make his own week-day breakfast (cold cereal and milk).

What chores do you have your kid doing? Is MM getting off easy, or are we too hard on him?

Wild boar...

Also easy to cook, but the flavor is identical to domesticated pork. I love living close to a Wegmans.

Turns out...

That it's really easy to cook duck. Seared ducks breast with garlic & rosemary roasted potatoes. Yum. And we even have leftovers.

When one thing leads to another

An item in Carolyn Hax's chat today made me think of this song:

Appalled

My co-workers have never read Caves of Steel.

A PSA from TMBG and a girl in California

The inspiration for my New Year's Resolution

I haven't done much in terms of sending MM with a packed lunch this school year, but last year I sent him with lunch at least three times a week between January and then end of the school year.

Here's a video by Mrs. Q, from Fed Up With Lunch, who ate the school lunch every day for a calendar year, and took pictures.

Before and after

Before: A whole year's worth of hair

Random bullets of a busy day

• talked to SingsLullabyes on the phone. She's in the hospital with pneumonia, nut may be released tomorrow.
• made a gallon and a quarter of spaghetti sauce.
• got Muffin Man's hair cut. Picture tomorrow.
• auction at church. Big turnout.

Makes for a tired Mystery Mommy.

Review: Dunkin Donuts Warm Cinnamon Swirl Muffin

If you go to Dunkin Donuts, you can skip the warm cinnamon swirl muffin. It's crumbly, sticky, and squishy, and the flavor is very fake (leaving a chemical aftertaste).

Bleah.

Another short post

Too pooped to pop, and feeling gloomy over yesterday's outcome.

Short post

Tired. Feet hurt. Talk to you tomorrow.

The worst day of the year.

Tomorrow is election day and so, of course, Muffin Man will be staying overnight tonight with a babysitter so that Mr. Spock and I can be at our volunteer posts at 0530 in the cold, dark morning.

We'll be at our posts all day (with a short break to go to our own polling place to vote), and then we'll go to a watch party and, depending on how long it takes, we'll probably be home after MM's bedtime (his sitter will bring him to our house after his holiday camp's field trip tomorrow, and stay there with him until we get home).

This is the part of being involved in elections I hate. Not seeing my son for two whole days (though I'm volunteering at the sitter's polling place, so I'll actually see him when she comes to vote).

There's no doubt in my mind that what I'm doing is worth it, that this is how a democracy continues, that I'm teaching my son how much I value our system. But I'm not going to lie to you, Monday before an election when there's a chance I may not see that sweet boy until Wednesday morning? It's the worst day of the year.

Musical interlude: sunshiney weekend before election day edition

Anyone have a reliable pedometer for the iPhone?

I can't get the Nike one to calibrate, and Footsteps paused after 2 miles.

In related news, I need better non-sandal walking shoes. 

More cheap, non-crafty costumes: Some purchase required edition

Muffin Man as Captain Feather Sword.
Character copyright Disney

Muffin Man is wearing an official Captain Feather Sword hat, purchased at a Wiggles Concert that I won tickets to (thank you MIX 107.3!!)

He is also wearing a red quilted vest we already had, black pants and white dress shirt we already had, and a Wiggles logo we printed off their website.

More cheap, non-crafty costumes: grown-up edition

Three years ago, Muffin Man was Anakin Skywalker for Halloween (alas, a purchased costume).

And me, being me? I was a Princess.

Mystery Mommy as Princess Leia Morgana.
Character copyright George Lucas

Ingredients: White poet shirt (bought in, I am not joking, 1989. From Victoria's Secret. I know.) over a white turtleneck and cinched with a black belt. Beige pants, white sneakers. Iconic hairstyle.

I look bulkier than usual because there is a sweatshirt underneath the turtleneck.

Not a perfect match, by any means, but I got the flavor right. Everyone knew immediately who I was supposed to be, and MM loved that I was playing his character's daughter.

The only item purchased new for this costume were the hairpins.

The cheap, non-crafty parent's guide to making costumes.

Muffin Man is nothing if not a stickler for verisimilitude. The boy shaved his head for last year's costume.

I am cheap and, beyond knitting, am not at all crafty.

I do not like buying costumes that will be used once. I especially do not like paying more for a costume than I would pay for real clothes. Particularly since those costumes are severely lacking in verisimilitude.

That being the case, the Miller Household puts our heads together to come up with costumes that incorporate items we already have, or that can be reused in everyday life and that also capture the spirit of the character. I think we're pretty successful! What do you think?

Side-by-side pictures of MM's last two Halloween costumes and their inspirations.

Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies. Character copyright PopCap Games.

Aang, the Avatar from the cartoon, The Avatar
(not to be confused with the movie Avatar,
or the character from the movie version, called The Last Airbender).

Both costumes are home-made, (ingredients here and here) and involved no sewing or other crafty skill whatsoever (although MS made a terrific traffic cone, which ended up not getting used in favor of the real much heavier one from Home Depot).

There's a zombie on my lawn

Muffin Man as a Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies

We didn't know when Muffin Man asked to be the Cone Head Zombie from Plants vs. Zombies this year that it would be so topical!

Road Cone ($8.00) from Home Depot. Ripped jeans (skull on back pocket), bought last year at Target, and worn to shreds. Shirt from Target via my closet. Brown blazer from Target via my closet. Tie from J.C. Penney, came free with a suit two years ago.

Make-up from Ulta. I did a base coat of beige foundation cream. Then I applied a thick top-coat of a matte-green eye-shadow all over his face. Then I accented his eyes with a thick coat of black eye-shadow, and brushed a bit more black and grey eye-shadow here and there for effect.

The inspiration. I think we captured the spirit quite well.

I am sporting a GMU sweatshirt turned inside-out, with pictures of the sunflower and pea-shooter taped onto it. Pictures from worthplaying.com.

(This post inspired by real-life friends of my youth, Eclectic Mom and The Unfocused Life)

Where have I been?

I've been posting at Doorbell Queen, I've been working, and I've been on hold with several folks.

A couple weeks ago, I got a mammogram here at work. CONVENIENT! But, because they did your basic mammogram (2 pictures per breast), I got the call I always get when I get a basic mammogram...which is that they saw something weird and would I go get more thoroughly checked?

And here's where it's less convenient, because normally, I'd just go back to where I went to get the basic, but they're a traveling group, so I can't.

So I've been on the phone with my doctor, and a specialist, and the traveling folks in NJ. And the upshot is that they're going to FedEx the films to the specialist and I'll have an appointment a week from tomorrow (and I'll bring the films from 2 years ago), and lesson learned. From now on, I get all my mammograms from the local radiologists.

As always, this shit makes me a little anxious, but since every. single. time. I get a mammogram, I have to go for follow-up and they haven't found anything yet - I'm just large and fibrous - I'm not as anxious as you'd expect.

A Perfect Day for Banana Cake

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, all from scratch.

Mr. Spock turned 53 last week, so this past weekend I made (at his request) a Banana Cake with Cream Cheese frosting. Recipe from the Fanny Farmer Baking Book.

Banana cake, sliced

I had some for breakfast this morning. What? It's fruit!


(Extra credit for the first person to say where the title comes from. Mr. Spock is not eligible for this credit).

Yes, we have no banana bread. But we do have beef stew.

Yesterday morning, after breakfast, I hauled out of the fridge several pounds of beef cubes, a sheaf of golden beets, a bunch of young carrots, a bag of red potatoes, a package of chopped crimini mushrooms, a leek, a large onion, and a quarter of a stick of butter.

Mr. Spock and I chopped up the beets and the carrots and put them and the beef and potatoes into our large slow cooker.

We chopped the leek and onion, peeled and squished a large clove of garlic, and added them and the butter to a large pan with some kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, and sauteed them until they were soft. Then we scraped the whole mess into the slow cooker.

By that time, MS had poured a half a cup of wine and a half a cup of water and added them to the mix. I popped a bay leaf into the pot and then I went walking for Cliff Keirce (and Jennifer Wexton, and Mike Kondratick).

I was able to get one development done before it started raining in earnest, so I went back home, had a cup of tea to take the chill off, and tasted the stew broth. I added rosemary, thyme, sage, more salt, more pepper, and three more cloves of garlic.

And then I looked at the five really ripe bananas that were in the fridge. I got out the Fanny Farmer Baking Book and realized that we're all out of walnuts. So I put the bananas in the freezer for next week.

Then we all played an escape game together, while the aroma of stew wafted through the house.

Dinner was pronounced a success, though we all agreed that the potatoes should have been cut up, the beets could have been left out, and more garlic was needed.

What did you do this weekend?

Random bullets of a busy weekend

• QuiltsALot and TellsDonaldDuckStories were in for the weekend, much eating and talking was done
• And sorting through boxes of photos and organizing them, and throwing away the blurriest of them. And the one of an ex-boyfriend's dog.
• Yeah, I don't get why I had that one either.
• Muffin Man introduced TellsDonaldDuckStories to the crack that is Plants vs. Zombies.
• Muffin Man stayed with them at their hotel, and went swimming. 
• Did I mention the eating?
• And the talking?
• And then we ate more.
• The End.

Are you an organ donor?

I am registered to be an organ donor. I was even before I saw this video on Nick News (link courtesy of Moreena).

[Video is 22 minutes long, and requires that you have a box of tissues nearby.]

Get More: Nick News Episodes,Nick News,Nick News Games

Make sure everyone in your family knows you want to donate your organs and ask them how they feel about donating theirs. Each organ donor can save 7 lives.


And don't forget that living donations are possible with kidneys, liver, and bone marrow.

9/12

Yesterday I was full of thoughts of 10 years ago, as I guess we all were. I've posted about that beautiful blue day many times. Today, I'm just going to post links to those past ones, to a few from the past few days by blogging friends of mine, and to the sermon from the services I went to yesterday.

What I wrote:

• Lorisa Ceylon Taylor, age 31. Died 9/11/2001 
• Out of a Clear Blue Sky
(and 3 more exactly like this one)
• The Mourning Sky
• Vanessa Lynn Kolpak, age 21. Died 9/11/2001

What others wrote:

• The Hand of God
• The Gathering Place - Remembering those with Disabilities on 9/11
• 9/12

What others said:

• Interfaith sermon at Unitarian Universalists of Sterling

May peace be with you.

Oh my god, this video is just...it's Perfect

via Swistle

It's Steve, from Blues Clues, talking about being Steve, from Blues Clues, and a...big fan. And it's wonderful. It's also 17 minutes long, just so you know.

iPhone vs. Droid: The Views of a Reluctant Adopter, one day later.

So, 11 days ago, I got a Droid X2 to replace my Droid Eris, which died an ignoble death (dropped from a height onto uneven pavement. Smash).

So I went and got the Droid X2, and a serious protector for it.

The Droid X2 has a lot to recommend it. Large screen. Fast everything. On the down-side, it's big and heavy and doesn't easily fit into any pockets I own. But, since I generally carry around a purse anyway, that wasn't a deal breaker. I was really very happy with the Droid X2 - when it was working.

And therein was the rub. Five times in the ten days I owned that phone, it crashed. Needed a hard-reset type of crashed. To perform a hard reset on the Droid X2, you need to remove and replace the battery. Which was covered by the serious protector, that was so serious it was nigh unto impossible to remove. Now maybe you don't think five major crashes in ten days is a lot, but I do. So back to the store I went. And this time I got an iPhone 4. (I had considered getting a different Droid, but I'm starting to have doubts about their quality control).

So let's talk about the iPhone 4. There is a lot I like about it, but I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to other parts of it. How do you download music from Amazon's cloud onto to it? How do you set your In Case of Emergency numbers? How do you import contacts from, say, Facebook, without sending contacts TO Facebook? Can you set the current weather to be visible at all times on your main screen? How do you teach it to be quicker to suggest words (like your email address) when you're typing?

These things were easy in the Droid.

Things I like better in the iPhone: speed, screen sensitivity, camera, the phone itself. I'm sure that as I learn to do the other things I want to do, I'll stop wishing it would do things like the Droid did, but I hate the learning curve.

First world problems, much? What's new in your life?