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Friday, December 28, 2007
It's 60 degrees outside today, warm enough to be outside at the duck pond with only long sleeves and no coats. It was just me and the girls since Husband is gone back to work now. The ducks had a damn fine treat--a freezer baggie of guglhupf cubes. The birds snarfed it, but Bean got at least a third of it. Why is it that I can serve that child delicious, perfect toast dripping with honey and butter in the morning and she'll only deign to lick a bit of honey off the top before pushing back from the table, but if I hand her some stale bread for duck-feeding she'll eat most of it? Not just stale pastry either, but hard, whole-grain bread heels that I've been accumulating in the freezer for 2 months? Anyways. It's best not to question why my middle child eats or doesn't eat the way she does. I can only hope that the baby will follow in Sister's eating footsteps someday. Sister, who requests Manchego and aged Gouda snacks without prompting...
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Over it
Anyone out there making New Year's resolutions this year? I'm thinking about some, one of which will definitely involve my fat ass. Nothing specific yet, though...
Friday, December 21, 2007
What do you think? Time to potty-train this 2 years and 8 months old girl? I mean, if she's using adjectives to describe it and all?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
No time for prose posts!
In the meantime, here's what's new:
1. Utter disgust with my post-pregnancy body. At my 2-week check-up yesterday, I learned that I still have 20 pounds to lose. My friends are all like, "Oh, nursing will take it off. You'll be fine." And Husband is like, "Hmmm, that'll be challenging. Wanna go for a walk tomorrow before I go to work?" Maybe my ass looks worse than I think...
2. Christmas madness, but it hardly merits any detailed explanation. I will say that I managed to make a few batches of goodies over the weekend, if not my usual vast quantity and selection. And I did manage to ship a couple of packages in time. Other than that I've got a fair amount of shopping to do. But if it doesn't get done, no one will know that I intended to buy them an autoharp, or a Webkins, or what-have-you.
3. Back to my horribly slack body. I bought a Pilates video at Target a few days ago just because I happened to walk by them and because a couple of rushed walks per week in the mornings ain't gonna take off 20 pounds anytime soon. I feel like a total dork doing fitness videos all by my lonesome at home, but at least it's something. I guess. I just hope no one sees me through the living room window.
4. Off to haul Sister, Bean, and new baby out the door to piano class. It starts in 30 minutes, but I've recently learned how FRIGGING LONG it takes to get three kids out of the house and into the van. Oy!
Hope you're all well. I'll catch up one of these days.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Getting out
The hardest part? Just getting out the frigging door! I was shooting for 9:30, was feeling our departure was imminent enough to say so to Husband and the water company guys dropping in for a repair at 9:55, and was shocked to see the minivan's clock reading 10:25 by the time we were backing out of the driveway. Two sets of diapers must be freshened now. Two changes of clothes must be packed (and appropriate for the 75 degree day we're having). The baby must be tanked up with milk. Bean must be not too far past her famously meager breakfast or snacks will be in order. Who am I kidding? Snacks are always in order for Bean these days, so last minute tangerines must be peeled for the car, tissues must be stuffed in any available pocket for Bean's runny nose, and I need to not be too hungry or it will all go to hell.
Phew! Fortunately, the museum itself was just fine. I'm a mama who firmly believes in bribery, so butterfly and dinosaur stickers from the museum shop, conveniently located next to the exit, plus gummy fruit snacks for the car ride home made leaving in time for a nap amazingly easy on everyone.
One point for me!
Sunday, December 09, 2007
It is NOT gas
Can you honestly tell me that this giant baby grin has anything to do with gas like Husband says? And why would a baby be grinning because of gas anyways? I say my baby is smiling on purpose because she's on her mama's lap with a belly full of warm milk.
So there.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
New little sweetie
Our sweet little girl finally decided to make her grand entrance! She was born at 1:11 pm on Monday, December 3rd, six days after her due date.
Labor took 9 hours and was made weird and fitful by the baby not dropping til the midwife broke my bag of water and I was totally dilated. Then toward the end she got stuck crowning, which felt just as awful as it sounds. After a gigantic push, the stuck half of her head, the rest of her, and a deluge of amniotic fluid, blood, and poop--the baby's, not mine--came out all at once. It wasn't pretty, but she got born!
Turns out that she weighed a chunky 9 pounds 7 ounces and had a 14 1/4-inch head circumference. Also, her shoulder was sorta torqued sideways which the midwife said was probably why labor progressed which such strange timing and why she was so hard to push out. I would definitely say this was my hardest birth, but she was my biggest baby so it's maybe not so surprising.
Things have been fairly relaxed around here today. Sister is at school, and my mother came to pick up Bean for the day. I've had a shower and found something that both fits and that I can nurse in, both of which seem like minor triumphs all on their own. Husband has been so solicitous and sweet and has said all manner of complimentary things about my labor. Our new little one is nursing beautifully, and I get the distinct feeling that she's happy she's here.
It's so nice to have another baby girl in the family!
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Husband and I thought she might be coming Friday night. I had pretty intense contractions starting at 9:45 pm, and since the midwife had stripped my membranes that afternoon it felt like things were happening down there. The contractions were 9 minutes apart and about a minute and a half long for two hours...and then just stopped. At the time, I was sorta grateful because I'd been up since 3:30 that morning, just unable to go back to sleep. I was exhausted, thinking it probably wouldn't go well with me that tired. I decided to lie down to rest and started falling asleep between contractions. Finally they must have just stopped coming and I stayed asleep. I woke up the next morning thinking, "Shit! I shouldn't have lay down! Maybe I could've kept it going!" But maybe I couldn't have. Probably I couldn't have. If I had any control over labor I would've had this baby a couple of weeks ago.
Anyways. It'll be exciting to meet this new little girl and see what she looks like and all. But really all I can think are more selfish thoughts about how much I want not to be pregnant anymore.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Something completely different
It's a dreary day outside, Bean is indulging in a brutal new temper tantrum phase, and I'm in need of some novelty to take my mind off my enormity and sore pelvic bones. A friend is bringing over her 2 kids and some empanadas in a couple of hours, bless her, and Bean and I whipped up a (ahem) congealed salad just for kicks. That's Jell-o salad for you non-Southerners out there. Got the recipe right out of my local garden club's cookbook which lists about a dozen different Jell-o salad options.
I don't know why the prospect of Jell-o has been lurking in my mental periphery lately as something delicious and desirable, but it has. I haven't made Jell-o since I was about eye level with the kitchen counter and it was a big deal to help my mom make it. Chalk it up to nesting, I guess. Once it sets up, it's going to be such a fabulous afternoon snack, though!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
No news
I've been trying to keep myself busy with plans each day so as not to obsess too much. On the agenda today: a trip to the grocery store for some things we don't really need right this minute and a drive to Raleigh to pick up some Girl Scout badges ordered for a meeting on 12/7. Woo-hoo! the PTA's pizza and bingo night is happening tonight at Sister's school, so we're planning to go to that, too, though I dread enduring the "why-are-YOU-still-here?!" themed repartee I'll be hearing from all the other parents there (who should know better anyway).
It's the long, dark night of the pregnant woman's soul here, y'all.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Pop quiz
'Cause I can't discuss it.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Well anyways. I do hope that everyone had as pleasant and relaxing a Thanksgiving as I did. My mom did all the cooking and even cleaned up afterwards, insisting that I was way too pregnant to do anything but eat and watch her. My little brothers were charming and solicitous. Though my stepfather got worked up debating with Husband about how great Rush Limbaugh is, and my brother called in to wish us happy Thanksgiving from jail, it was all still very restful. I couldn't have asked for it to have gone better,
Though it would have been nice for the baby to have come.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Yet more pregnancy whining
My newest pregnancy symptom is genuine pain down around where I imagine my cervix to be. The baby puts herself in some weird position--like with an elbow inserted into the middle of that little internal donut--and wiggles there, causing me to suck my breath in through my teeth and stop whatever it is I'm doing to very theatrically clutch my lower abdomen. It's not just twinges here and there either, it goes on for hours at a time before it pauses a little while. I assure you, I am neither a wimp nor a drama queen, having acquitted myself damn well through two natural childbirths. But this frickin' hurts and I don't want to have to go through this for the next 2 weeks before going through labor, fer chrissakes! (Insert big, whiny, ugly mama temper tantrum here.)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
How NOT to have a baby, or tried and untrue DIY labor induction methods
Just for laughs, I thought I'd put out there the different things I've tried before to get my late-lingering infants born already. This is partly to remind myself of what not to bother with and partly to fend off any well-meaning readers who have tips that may have worked for them, but which did not provoke my previously reluctant uterus to just get on with things. Here goes:
Castor oil: Supposedly works by stimulating bowel contractions and thereby sympathetic uterine contractions that turn into labor. In reality? Castor oil is some nasty ass shit that makes you have...well, nasty ass shit, actually. It's a powerful laxative that tastes foul, even in the peach ice cream milkshake recommended to me by whatever moron I was listening to when Sister was persisting in my belly. I'll never do that again!
Enemas: Was I butt-obsessed back then? I don't think so, but somehow I thought that trying an enema a few days after trying the wretchedly unsuccessful castor oil was a good idea. Again, just a lot of poop and no baby, with the added humiliation of having to stand in line at the drugstore with an enema box.
Nipple stimulation: By me, I mean, not by Husband. If you're using this as a labor stimulating measure, it's supposed to be for a long time--like, 15 minutes out of every hour for several hours per day. Who has the time? Not me, not anymore. I remember trying this when pregnant with Bean, on nights when we were watching movies. Husband could be absorbed in the movie and I could feel less self-conscious. Yes, it produced pretty intense contractions, but who knows if it contributed anything towards uterus readiness? An unmistakably late baby seems to indicate it didn't.
Blue and black cohosh drops: Recommended to me by my midwives when pregnant with Bean. I seem to remember they had me on a regimen of several drops per night, alternating the type. Icky, but seemed harmless and wasn't too expensive. Probably won't go out of my way to use it this time, though. Again, a late baby seems to indicate it just isn't worth even the $15 or so I spent on the drops at Whole Foods.
Sex: Semen contains prostaglandins, which are cervix-ripening hormones. A handy fact that husbands of pregnant women love, have you noticed? Sex is still nice if I can conjure up the mental fortitude to forget about my enormous belly and now perpetually engorged nethers. But doing it to stimulate labor introduces mental pressure that sorta kills the fragile mood. I'll do it for love, but not for labor.
Long walks: I walked A LOT toward the end of my pregnancy with Bean, briskly, up and down the hills around my neighborhood til my hips hurt and I wore myself out. It did nothing but make me tired. Oh, alright, I suppose it's just good to be getting some exercise in, but who wants to walk briskly when you're 40 pounds heavier than you're used to and there's a head rolling around among your pelvic bones? I'd rather rest on the couch and twiddle my nipples.
Evening primrose oil: This is something that my midwives are recommending to me this time around. I'm supposed to be taking 1000 mg orally and 500 mg inserted as a vaginal suppository every night. I was told not to start this til after 37 weeks which sounds promising, right? Like something might happen too early if you do go ahead and take it? But so far, after almost a week and a half, nothing. I suppose it's early enough still to say that the verdict is still out on this one. At least it also falls into the seems-harmless-and-not-too-expensive category.
That's all I'm remembering now, but isn't that enough to have tried and failed with before? I think so. This time, I'll just try--try hard!--to skip the angst, cultivate patience, and enjoy all the things I can do without a newborn on the scene just yet. Things like not having two sets of diapers to change, getting sleep interrupted only by two 30-second trips to the bathroom rather than a few half-hour-long nursing sessions, getting showers roughly when I want them, that sort of thing. I mean, I'll miss this when it's gone, right?
Friday, November 09, 2007
Near the end
I may feel differently in a few hours when Husband leaves town to go run the Richmond marathon. Richmond is only about a 3-hour drive from Chapel Hill, and when Husband originally sounded me out about leaving on a trip this close to my due date I thought I was okay about it. But my dreams 2 nights ago were all about me going into labor while Husband wasn't here to help me, so perhaps on some level I guess I am worried about the possibility. Still, now that my rational, daytime mind has taken over, I think I could almost welcome this if I could only get my non-pregnant body back. Tonight would be just fine, whether Husband is here for the first few hours or not. Bring on the sleep deprivation from waking every few hours to nurse a newborn! Bring on three needy, clamoring kids instead of just two! Bring on soreness, difficult labor, stitches, and blood!
I just.want.to.not.be.pregnant.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
I want out
Pregnancy is not for those of "advanced maternal age" like myself, apparently.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Blessed rain
Yay for rain!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Blogger meet up
Maybe Beth will post some pictures when she gets back? I was too slack to remember to bring my camera along this morning, I'm sorry to say.
State Fair
It was a little tricky this year with Bean so insistent on being independently mobile. Despite renting what we thought would be an irresistible car-shaped stroller to push her around in, Bean had to walk like a big kid and furthermore had quite strong opinions about where she did and didn't want to go. Hence, many kiddie rides and prize-every-time games, but no gazing upon prize-winning pies and quilts and amateur wedding cakes for mama. Still, after 5 hours of waddling around, I was happy with what we had done and seen. The girls were happy, too.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Rough return, but then more nesting
Nesting in preparation for our new little daughter has begun in earnest now that my trip is over. Her room--formerly Bean's room--is pretty well set up. Baby toys and clothes stored in the attic have been washed and put away. Cloth diaper service begins on 11/10. We have a new freestanding freezer, courtesy of my friend Suburban Gorgon, in which I'm looking forward to stockpiling food for the baby apocalypse. On the agenda today--4 chicken pies and a large batch of pumpkin muffins.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Catching up
It's been a pretty brutal couple of weeks, with Husband and I finally selling my old station wagon, Girl Scouts to deal with, out-of-town guests to entertain for a weekend, and a new, wretched phase that Sister is going through involving a lot of lying and tears. Phew!
Fortunately, there is an end in sight, or at least a much-needed reprieve. Tomorrow at noon, I and 4 of my good college friends are heading to Topsail Island, NC for a long weekend at the beach. No kids, no husbands. I am practically delirious with excitement at the idea that I'll be able to sleep in, make ONE breakfast for myself, sit in one chair as long as I feel like it, and have lengthy, uninterrupted, grown-up conversations with some of my favorite people. Knowing that I can't have any of the free-flowing cocktails that are usually characteristic of this trip doesn't even matter. I.can't.wait.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Can't wait til my next errand!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Big mama, big car
But even if I do have to do some driving this afternoon in order to extract the items I need from slack-ass parents, I at least get to do it in my new minivan! Beth asked me for pictures, but as it happens our camera is mysteriously malfunctioning all of a sudden--perhaps from sippy cup spillage in my purse? Who knows, but anyways here is someone else's minivan and ours looks just like it but is dark blue with a few scratches, being already well-used by another family for the past 2 years. We picked it up late yesterday afternoon and were the ONLY people in line at the NC Department of Motor Vehicles, which clearly is a sign that the gods approve of us getting a minivan, 'cause right after we walked in, no fewer than 6 people got in line behind us. See? It's destiny and I can feel okay saying I might love this car.
My favorite minivan features today are stereo controls on the steering wheel, a sliding door that opens and closes all on its own, and 8 bajillion cupholders scattered throughout the vehicle. Bean's favorite feature is being able to stand completely upright in it and also the little cubby spot in the back that happens when you fold part of the back seat down. It's the perfect size for a 2-1/2 year old to curl up in and chat to herself.
Sister loves the "bookholders" in the back--and God knows what the hell she's going to start storing back there given the amount of shit I cleaned out of her side of the old car today--foreign money, index cards with runes written on them, half of a paperback book, marbles, ketchup, a pencil sharpener, a baggie of trail mix...a lot of shit.
Other things about my day: my first purchase EVER of maternity underwear today. Yes, I really needed it because both my belly and my ass are just that huge all of a sudden. Also a pair of black knit maternity pants that I think I'll just plan to live in for the next 2 months since I can't get away with wearing a waistband-less sack. Does the fact that I've outgrown many of my cute maternity pants mean that I refrained from indulging in a sudden jones for a bacon-egg-and-cheese biscuit, hash browns, and Coke for second breakfast this morning? Hell no! I'm gunning for 50 pounds, y'all!
Friday, September 21, 2007
A club that would have me as a member
Have you guessed yet? I'm joining the minivan drivers club.
Husband and I have finally owned up to the fact that my little Ford Focus wagon simply can't accommodate 2 car seats and a 9-year old kid without the 9-year old kid complaining very legitimately that she is way too squished. So we'll be taking possession of a 2-year old Toyota Sienna on Monday and selling my car.
I'm eating anything bitchy I ever said about mommy-mobiles now, and trying to at least take comfort in the fact that this new Japanese engineered behemoth has the exact same gas mileage as my much smaller but very American-made wagon.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Big girl bed success!
I kept Bean busy that morning, going out to a local children's museum, then for a pizza lunch, followed by a walk to an ice cream shop a few doors down. By the time we walked back to the car, she was rubbing her eyes and yawning. She fell asleep on the car ride home.
When I transferred her from her car seat to her big girl bed, she opened her eyes, looked around and took note of where she was...and fell right back to sleep for the next hour and a half. After a delightful little nap of my own I peeked in on her and saw that she was still lying in bed, but awake and apparently just thinking about whatever it is 2-1/2 year olds think about. Success!
It went so well that Husband and I decided to put her down there for bed last night, too. Sister happened to be on a 2-hour delayed schedule for school this morning so I figured that even if they treated it like a slumber party they'd still both get enough sleep. (I should mention here that Bean's big girl bed is the bottom bunk in Sister's room.) Indeed they DID both treat it like a slumber party. They chatted together for awhile, with both of them periodically squealing with delight at finding themselves with company at night. But again, no complaints from Bean. While it took them about 45 minutes to get over their glee, both girls did finally settle in and fall asleep peacefully for the rest of the night.
Phew! I hate to believe I'm in the clear so easily, but so far so good! Bean is in her big girl bed as I write this, still chatting to herself and singing, "Winnie Wah Pooh." But it's only been 10 minutes and I'm optimistic.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Not ready
Suddenly the new baby's arrival seems imminent. While I'm uncomfortable enough now to look forward to the end of my pregnancy, I'm decidedly NOT ready to have her come just yet.
And still no name picked out for her...
Monday, September 17, 2007
Cooling off
My nesting projects are on hold temporarily while I wait for a fabric order to arrive. At that point I'll start on a big stuffed nursing ottoman, but in the meantime I'm planning on doing some hard core weeding in the front yard garden beds. That, plus making molasses-spice cookies and miniature apple-cinnamon cupcakes for my neighborhood garden club meeting tomorrow.
And speaking of baked goods, Bean, Husband, and I enjoyed some yummy pumpkin muffins for breakfast this morning brought over by a friend this weekend. They were perfect in the cool morning house with a cup of hot chocolate for Bean and Husband and some hot ginger tea for me. I love that part of my job as mama is to supply people I love with delicious cozy things to eat and drink.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Also, nearly ALL my very favorite names that have just the right feeling of retro old-fashionedness plus ease of spelling without being too plain I have heard on other young children within the last 3 weeks. For this reason, Sadie, Ruby, and Ellery are all out for me. Ditto Nell, Nina, Eliza, Maisie, and Phoebe. I just don't want a name that could be on the verge of being used by our whole small town, and knowing there's even one little girl nearby using it makes me worry that it's on the upswing, no matter what the baby name books or Social Security Administration website say. I know this is silly to obsess over, but we all have our must-have criteria, right?
Anyways, at almost 30 weeks I'm down to hoping that we'll at least have one picked out in time to put it on the birth certificate while we're still at the birth center. Any suggestions out there, y'all?
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Season change, menu change
Cooler temperatures aren't all great news, though. This morning I made the girls and I some oatmeal for breakfast. (Husband was out on another of his daily morning runs, in training now for a marathon in early November.) Oatmeal sounded like a cozy, wholesome idea but doesn't oatmeal always sound way better than it actually tastes, no matter how much brown sugar and cinnamon you sprinkle on it? And as far as I'm concerned, that goes for all the rest of the food in season this time of year. The tomatoes, corn, watermelon, and berries that I gorge on in the hot months are of course still available in the grocery stores but are mushy and mealy or sour and seedy, all around unappealingly yucky not to mention expensive all of a sudden since you have to pay for their air fare from Costa Rica or wherever the hell.
So 'tis the season for kale, winter squash, broccoli, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and cauliflower. All good for you but...meh. Maybe summer isn't so bad after all.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Swaddling blanket
Another new baby blanket, though the picture isn't showing it off too well here. It's pretty in person, though. This butterfly fabric is one I fell in love with a few years ago at our fabulous local quilt shop and bought 4 yards of it. In going through my stash recently, it inspired me all over again for the new baby's room. Hence this blanket, backed with tiny yellow plaid flannel, some baby bibs, and soon a 24" stuffed cloth ottoman once I get some matching turquoise polka dot fabric in the mail. The ottoman is from Amy Butler's pattern here.
Oh, and I should mention that the scalloped edge on this blanket was from Amy Karol's pattern out of Bend the Rules Sewing. It wasn't easy, I must confess, but I'm very happy with how it turned out.
Monday, September 10, 2007
New baby's new quilt
Meant to post this picture of the new baby's quilt before I left town this past weekend, but somehow didn't get around to it. Here it is, though, made only of 100 scrappy half-square triangles so that it was surprisingly easy and fast to make, especially since I learned a nice cheat for this particular block. For those of you who don't sew, please skip this next paragraph.
You take 2 equal-sized fabric squares and pin them right sides together. Then you draw a diagonal line from one point to another. Take it to your machine now and stitch 1/4" line on either side of the line. Then cut along your drawn line, open up your newly pieced squares, and press! Very easy.
I'll post more nesting related pictures soon for those of you who are interested in this sort of thing.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Big fat toad mama
And I thought I'd be gaining LESS than the 40 pounds that I gained with Bean!
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Laid low
I managed to finish the new baby's crib quilt this week during Bean's naptimes. It's a bit puckery because I quilted it quite inexpertly on my machine rather than by hand, but still looks damn good if I do say so myself. I'll post pictures if I can figure out how to do it on this new computer which hopefully won't be too hard for this very tech-unsavvy mama. I also made 8 flannel-backed baby bibs from this book, which my friend Pie Eater turned me onto and which is full of many projects I want to make now. (Although I'm kicking myself for not thinking of making bibs before. They were ridiculously easy and I got to indulge myself in some rick-rack trim!) Nesting has been fun during this horrible 100 degree weather, but now the garden is calling me. I've got some serious weeding to do before they all go to seed and make new baby weeds for next year.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Today I'm trying to...
...maintain my equilibrium in the face of very interrupted sleep and a very cranky and still somewhat sick Bean.
...find a happy mama place before Sister gets home from school.
...determine where the hell the ants all over my kitchen counter are coming from and what they could possibly be after. There are no crumbs! The cookie jar is empty!
...free-motion quilt the new baby's blanket on my mysteriously uncooperative machine.
...plan the meeting for Sister's Girl Scout troop parents at my house tomorrow night, made difficult by the fact that half of them STILL haven't responded to a couple of emails now. (I wish everyone checked their email as often as I do, dammit.)
...make a delicious dinner of cheese-coated fried pork chops with madeira sauce, mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli.
...feel unconcerned that I still have between 13 and 15 weeks to go of feeling this uncomfortably pregnant. (It will only get worse.)
This mama is trying.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Home is where the barf is
We got home yesterday to a house that wasn't nearly as trashed as I'd anticipated it would be with Husband and Bean on their own for a few days. Clearly Husband had made an effort to tidy before I got home, which I appreciated a lot. But the transition back home wasn't all smooth. Bean woke up feverish in the middle of the night last night to vomit up her skimpy dinner. She's still feverish today, though thankfully the barf hasn't made a reappearance. She's definitely feeling pretty bad, though, and doesn't want to do anything more right now than curl up under a blanket next to me on the sofa to watch recorded episodes of Sesame Street. She's eaten only 2 slices of watermelon and a grape popsicle today, and as far as I'm concerned she can eat nothing but watermelon and popsicles today if she wants. Mild, slightly sweet stuff that will keep her hydrated and cool and that contain some calories at least. My poor girl.
So I'm in for a quiet day today, catching up on emails and trying to plan the meeting I'm holding for the parents of Sister's Girl Scout troop on Wednesday. (Why am I already not surprised that fully half of the parents haven't responded to the email I sent out early last week?)
Friday, August 24, 2007
Last few days of summer
Things have been busy here at the cave, but I've also been a bit too sad and overtired to blog. I started the week off with a stupid fight with Husband over Bean's wretched sleeping habits and what we could do to fix it. It ended badly and Bean's still not sleeping worth a damn. However, now she appears to be getting Sister's cold so at least there's an excuse. If there's a reason for sleep-deprivation it's somehow a little easier to be patient about it. I at least have the illusion that it'll be over once the reason no longer exists. (A mama can dream, right?)
The good news is that I'm taking Sister for a big girls only trip to Savannah today. We're using up some free business class plane tickets to get there, staying in a B&B in the historic district with a small pool in its lovely, lush private courtyard, and planning to do fun, hokey things like going on a horse-drawn carriage tour of all the haunted spots in the district. And did I mention that I'm going to sleep A LOT? 'Cause my fabulous 9-year old child really needs her nighttime sleep in uninterrupted 12-hour chunks, bless her. I can't wait!
After that school starts and the Girl Scout year starts and it'll be back to getting up at 6:15 to get a few quiet minutes before the girls have to be gotten up for the day. But I still have a few nice days of summer...
Saturday, August 18, 2007
It's starting again
But it is funny how her tastes are starting to change. She and her friends spent all last year spurning all things "girly-girl," as they phrased it. This included anything pink or Bratz, Barbie, or unicorn-related. This year, suddenly pink is o.k., and even desirable. She chose a pink parka for herself out of a catalog, along with a pastel pink shirt with floral trim and a pink-flowered skirt to match. She wants to grow her hair out long again and also chose a pink backpack this year--though it is in fact hot pink with black polka dot trim and nothing too sweet.
Still, I'm interested to see where this might be heading this year.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
I managed to make it through last week and Husband's absence, but just barely. By Thursday I was beginning to lose it from all of Bean's night wakings and Sister's attitude. He got home Friday, so I don't think I had too much time to be an absolute bitch mama. I still don't feel entirely caught up on my sleep, but I think that may be because I'm getting on in my pregnancy. I'm at 25 weeks now, feeling suddenly large, and beginning to slow down a tad.
Since I've now finished the last Harry Potter, I'm going full steam ahead with sewing projects. I need to finish a rug I'm making for a friend, and after that it's baby quilt and flannel blanket-fest. Also, cute, doll quilt wall hangings and new pillow covers for the baby's room-fest. Oh, and new baby bib-fest. Plus some hand-sewn toys.
Ack! So many ideas! But it IS fun to nest, isn't it?
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Too hot
I'm going to take the girls to the pool here in a few minutes since it's already 87 degrees at 9:15 am, and we'll leave before it gets too unbearable. Fortunately, it's going to cool off to a relatively delightful 92 degrees by Saturday.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Real summer
It is brutally hot this week in NC. The kind of hot where when you walk out the door, the temperature and the humidity hit you in the face like a wet wall. I waited til 7:30 in the evening to walk the dog around the block, and just that little bit of exertion walking very, very slowly had me dripping with sweat all over. Even my exposed calves were sweating, not to mention the thigh sweat and boob sweat--yuck.
I'm working on some sewing projects with the girls today and staying the hell indoors.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
New resolve
Baking. I'm going to bake some different cupcakes this week, starting with the recipe that Bean and I made this morning for Upside-down Sticky Pecan Cupcakes. They're sorta like a sticky bun, but with sour cream cake batter holding it all together instead of a yeasted dough. They came out beautifully and are so delicious I may have to give them to my neighbor to keep from eating them all myself.
Sewing projects. I mentioned last night that I was working on the border for Bean's big girl quilt, and once that's done this project will be finally over. I finished Sister's last year and just got tired of working on them. Bean's on the fast track for a big girl bed now, though, so this is incentive for her, to have a bed just like Sister's.
I also thought I'd try making Bean a Pointy Kitty from this great blog that a crafty friend turned me onto. You should go check out Wee Wonderfuls if you're at all sewing-minded. She has other free patterns, too, as well as a store with even more cute kid patterns. I already started helping Sister and her friend make pointy kitties last week, prompting Bean to ask me, "Where's mine?" I may try to make up a bib pattern, too, since Bean's used her supply pretty hard and it would be nice to have cute, fresh ones for the new baby.
As for gardening, there isn't a whole hell of a lot I'm willing to do with the weather forecast predicting temperatures close to and at 100 degrees this week. I ought to do battle with the crabgrass in the front beds but...nah. I will, however, be working on potting up some plants for the patio since most of ours died during our trips to the mountains and then to the beach. This morning, I took Bean out shopping and got a hardy banana, some variegated cannas, and some ornamental grasses, among other things. I'm going for tall things with interesting leaves this time around so I don't have to deadhead anything.
What else? I need to clean the house since I've been putting that off for awhile and Husband invited some of his friends over for dinner Saturday night. But since that's so far away, I'll put it off awhile longer maybe. The toilets don't have rings yet, so I can live with it. Heh.
Hope you're all doing things you love right now, too.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
One solo bedtime routine down...
She's sleeping now and even the dog is sleeping, though with a rather more sullen attitude than either she or I have at the moment. I'm looking forward to the rest of this quiet evening with mint chocolate chip ice cream, some comedy movie on cable, and diligent work on the border of Bean's big girl bed quilt.
Nighty-night, y'all!
More sleep deprivation, more bitchiness
For 6 whole days.
I was not at my best with either of the girls this past week. Sister is in a stubborn and argumentative phase, and since I am also both stubborn and argumentative--and sleep-deprived on top of those lovely qualitites--I'm just hoping I can manage to be not quite such a bitch mama with her this week, too.
Wish me luck, mamas.
Monday, July 30, 2007
A little bitchy
There was no "please," no "Would it be okay if...." Just, his daughter would like to come play at our house this week and when could she do that. I like this family fine, but his email just rubs me the wrong way.
Reminds me of trying to be one of the co-leaders of Sister's Girl Scout troop last year and getting almost zero help from the girls' parents. Is it just the fact that I slept so poorly last night and am feeling particularly cranky, or are there lots of people out there who think that stay-at-home moms have nothing better to do than to run a free, drop-in babysitting service for their kids?
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Big stinker
When I walked in, Sister ran right up to me with her face all lit up which is a lovely sight for a mama. Bean and I grabbed her into a big group hug and my next thought after the warm fuzzies was, "Damn, this child's head stinks!" Turns out Sister brushed her teeth only once while she was gone and didn't wash her hair at all, so it's no wonder her entire head was enveloped in a cloud of funk you could almost see. I've gotta get that girl a book on personal hygiene soon or something. I don't want classmates making fun of her for being stinky and unkempt--'cause don't you remember the weird kid in your class who smelled bad and everyone made fun of?--but the more I say anything about the subject, the more I get the feeling she's deliberately "forgetting" to keep herself clean so that she can have some form of control over things.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Proud mama
Today, I've put everything back on shelves, made the beds, arranged stuffed animals, and all the smaller tasks that I could do without Husband. I also purged a bit of Sister's stuff, hoping that she'll be so distracted by the new arrangement that she won't notice. And if I ever needed confirmation that come fall I should continue my policy of underscheduling Sister for afterschool activities and lessons, I got it. Actually, I get this every time I purge Sister's room because one of her very favorite afterschool activities is to sit up in her room and write stuff. I found two particularly interesting pieces of paper this time around.
One says only: "She likes adventures. She always sees Fred. Her mother died. She isn't glamorous." I'm dying to know what character she was imagining that day.
The other one is an advertisement for: "Lip sick! Only $100,000 per stick. Now in poop brown, booger green, and in 1 new smell of chunky barf! Poop there it is!"
Yeah, no soccer practice, dance lessons, acting class, and horse-back riding for you, girlie! Well, okay, maybe one or two of those things now and then. But you're genius all on your own!
Monday, July 23, 2007
What are people thinking?
What happened was, we were all sitting around in the beach house living room chatting. Someone asked Husband and I if we'd decided on a name for baby girl #3 yet. We told them no but we'd welcome suggestions if they had any. My mom tossed out a few, another aunt suggested something, and then the bitchy aunt said, "How about, 'Oh no, another girl'?"
I yelled back at her, "What the hell's wrong with girls?", surprised that she, a mother of a girl herself and--hello! a former girl!--would say such a thing. Fortunately, she didn't pursue it any further.
This isn't the first time with this pregnancy that people have acted weird or said stupid things to me. Having a third child--and a third girl--has meant I've received several rude comments that I didn't get the first two times around. People were all dewy-eyed when I was pregnant with my first and second, but seem to feel that I'm just going too far, being too decadent or something with a third. For the most part, people are just stopped short and frowningly say, "Oh!" when informed that this is my third baby. And no gooey congratulations, needless to say. If they find out it's another girl, then they also express sympathy for me that it's not the boy that they assume we were trying for. We weren't. We just wanted a third kid.
I suppose no matter what, people are going to have opinions about how you run your life. Why is it, though, that the sight of a pregnant woman makes them want to say them out loud?
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Home again, home again
Now I'm just trying to decide what my welcome home baking project will be. I always have the urge to bake something when I've been gone from home awhile. Maybe lemon raspberry muffins for tomorrow's breakfast.
Quickly, some new stuff that's happened with Bean while we've been gone. She now calls Husband "Daddy" instead of "Papa." This is because my 2 little brothers call their dad (and my step-dad) that. From another older kid relative, she's picked up the less endearing habit of periodically exclaiming, "Oh my Gawd!" I've trained Sister very diligently not to say this because, despite being a non-Christian myself, I do think it's pretty ugly coming out of the mouths of children. Still, when Bean says it I find it difficult not to laugh, even as I try to correct her over to "gosh" instead.
She walks out the front door naked to help me pick flowers, feels the heat on her skin and yells, "Oh my Gawd!"
She sees a big bumblebee on a flower and shouts, "Oh my Gawd!"
Her sandal catches a bit on the stair as she's climbing and it's, "Oh my Gawd!"
I'm just glad my mom isn't around to hear her.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Looking homeward
I think I finally settled into vacation mode yesterday when I was able to read on a shady, ocean view porch for a couple of hours straight and then nap afterwards. Today, Husband took Bean out to a playground nearby, so I got in some more reading on the beach while Sister hunted shells and tiny shellfish in the surf. I'm all caught up on sleep since Husband has been letting me sleep in every.single.morning that we've been here, bless him. So I'm all vacationed up at this point and feeling just fine about going home tomorrow, even if the drive will suck again. It'll be good to see my garden and my house and my kitties again, and to sleep in my own bed without 2 kids sleeping in the same room a few feet away from me.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
On vacation
My birthday was yesterday, which was the day we were packing the car and driving to the beach. I'd originally thought that a beach trip starting on my birthday was a fabulous idea, but in practice not so great. I have said many times since Sister was born 2 days before my own birthday that mine isn't important anymore and I'm thrilled if anyone even notices enough to give me a present 'cause I'm that self-sacrificing. But you know what? I'm NOT that self-sacrificing. I wanted some fuss and some presents and to go out to a special dinner and all the rest, and when I didn't get it I was pissed. Next year, I'll not plan to be driving anywhere on my birthday unless it's to a long stint at the day spa.
Bean has orange-stained lips and fingertips right now because I'm pretending not to notice as she raids the enormous bag of crunchy Cheetos. Better stop her and get on with my dinner preparations. It's my night to cook dinner for the 9 adults and 9 kids here. On the menu tonight is 7# of shredded pork barbecue brought from my favorite barbecue place in Chapel Hill, cornbread, cucumber and onion salad, purple coleslaw, corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes, watermelon, and key lime pies for dessert. I do love summertime food.
Monday, July 09, 2007
About Lisa
I went to her memorial service Saturday evening at the Forest Theater in Chapel Hill. There were several dozen people there, nearly all of them friends who had known her a good long time, too. Several of them got up to talk about Lisa--her loud screeching laughter, her ridiculously complicated ordering habits when out to eat at restaurants, what a stellar cook she was herself, her political activism and unflinching outspokenness about all that she felt was wrong with the world or wrong with YOU, for that matter. Some people cried, but mostly people laughed because there really was a lot you could laugh at when talking about Lisa.
Later at home, I was in a bit of a funk as I thought about one of the last conversations we had together, when she asked me what I was planning to do after I was "done with this whole mom thing." I was kinda pissed at the question then and didn't give a straight answer, in part because I'm not going to be "done" with being a mom for quite some time. But I'm wondering now just who would show up at my funeral if I were to die tomorrow and what stories they would tell. My life is so contained and so very unconcerned with anyone else but my own family and few good friends. I'm not out there advocating for poor women or gays or Latino immigrants like she was. I'm not publishing political 'zines or losing my job standing up for some righteous principle. I don't take other people's recycling home with me if I know they're not going to be recycling. I'm just keeping the house clean, keeping the kids fed, doing a little gardening, a little sewing--a small, private, contained life.
Just another bout of SAHM angst, I guess, not helped by the fact that there's an actual friend's death setting it off. Maybe it'll pass. In the meantime, I'm going to be more diligent about recycling, try to buy much more local produce, support more local businesses, get the damn compost pile started finally...
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Inventory of a vacation
3-4 times per night was about how often Bean woke up while we were gone.
An ungodly number of calories consumed over the course of those few days--mostly sweet iced tea, fried chicken livers, devilled eggs, spoon bread, potato salad, red velvet cake, and some kind of outlandishly good brownie cheesecake praline concoction that I couldn't stay away from. (Two servings about made up for the lack of banana pudding at this year's family reunion.)
7 hours spent on the road yesterday driving from TN back to Chapel Hill, NC.
Approximately 50 creatures riding home in the car--Husband, myself, the girls, the dog, and the difference made up in snails Husband brought from the Little River to reside in our backyard pond.
69 Japanese beetles plucked buzzing from the plants they'd infested while I was gone.
2 hours spent watering our parched garden.
4 bags of liquified vegetables culled from the bottom drawer of our fridge.
We're home now.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Going, going...
I'll be gone for the week and maybe without internet access depending on whether the fancy new-last-year coffee shop is still open for business this year. Hope you all have a lovely Independence Day!
Friday, June 29, 2007
What to say
But the other thing occupying my mind lately is a friend in the intensive care unit of the hospital. She's got very aggressive thryroid cancer and isn't going to last much longer. She may be moving to a hospice facility today, but I'm still waiting to hear from another friend if that's the case.
I have known my sick friend for about 15 years now, but we haven't been in contact much since our lives diverged. She's an ardent feminist and activist, never married or shacked up, never had kids or even pets. I, on the other hand,...well, here I am a stay-at-home mama, pregnant with my 3rd baby and engrossed lately in another quilting project. I love her, but our lives haven't have had much in common for some years. Even the restaurant business fell away as something we both shared.
Still, I visited her in the hospital the other night and it was devastating to see her just dying right in front of me. I spent that night dreaming dark dreams of her and hospitals. My life isn't on hold like certain of her other, closer friends' lives are right now. She has nearly 'round the clock company from her many other friends, none of whom have children. Nevertheless, I've found myself unmotivated to blog about the trivial details of my life just now. Vacations, summer colds, Bean's new tricks, and even the fact that I learned I'm pregnant with daughter #3 on Monday seem like very light fare indeed compared to an old friend dying in the hospital.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Big decision today--whether to take the girls swimming or to the Museum of Natural Science. Probably the museum since it's looking like the sky's going to open up any minute here...
Sunday, June 17, 2007
How not to observe Father's Day
And then later this morning, I thought I'd sneak in a quick hair-dyeing session while he and Bean were out in the backyard. I was excited to be trying out a nice, bright red to go with my sassy new pixie cut. While the color was processing, though, all hell broke loose with Bean. Husband tried to take her out for a walk with the dog and she grew hysterical. I was about to get in the shower to rinse the color so I couldn't take either the dog or her. And once I did get the color rinsed out and got a glimpse of myself in the mirror I was horrified at the near-neon shade of orange-red my hair had become. Suburban Gorgon, expert in all matters involving hair color screw-ups, reminded me on the phone that pregnancy hormones tend to produce extremely wacky results with hair-dye, even when you're using your usual shade. So once Bean goes down for a nap, I'm going back out for some nice ash brown to try to tone things down a bit.
Father's Day has been all about me so far. Maybe a homemade lemon chess pie will redeem the day for poor Husband later. I've gotta do something.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Summer begins
For the past 3 summers, the daughter of a good friend of mine comes to stay with us while her parents are at work. She's a year older than Sister and they have literally known each other since Sister was born. They don't attend the same schools and aren't in the same grade, but they get along so beautifully. Yesterday I allowed them to watch "What Not to Wear" and "10 Years Younger" with me during Bean's naptime. (DVR'ed, so no commercials.) Afterwards, they went upstairs to give Sister's Barbies makeovers. Since there were only 2--and one of them lost her head long ago--we decided to go to the thrift store in search of new ones once Bean woke up. We hit the Barbie jackpot there, scoring 8 scraggly, naked Barbies that nevertheless cost only $.50 each. All of them received make-overs once we returned home. The upstairs positively reeked of artificially flavored lipgloss, and the floor of Sister's room was strewn with Barbie hair. For two girls who go out of their way to declare to the world how un-girly they are, this struck me as hilarious and sweet.
I can already see the difference in Sister's face after only a little while of this. She's smiley and unstressed and laughing very freely. I love to see her this way.
Friday, June 08, 2007
I won't really do it, okay?
The Ex picked a fight with me in front of Sister a few hours ago because he wanted to change her summertime schedule to begin effective in 5 fucking days, threatening me with a lawyer when I "irrationally" said no, that was not enough notice for me to change all my plans.
And worst of all, a 42-year old friend of mine who was diagnosed with thryoid cancer some months ago has now been told that it's spread to her liver and pancreas. She has no health insurance. I talked with her on the phone a few minutes ago about bringing her some food and listened to her struggle to talk with paralyzed vocal cords and lungs full of God knows what.
I certainly hope the rest of you have had better weeks.
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Not just fat
I outgrew my regular pants and skirts a few weeks ago, but what few maternity clothes I have left from my summer pregnancy with Sister are either extremely dated, extremely ugly, or just gone now. I've got a few dresses left that still look like tents on me and a few maternity tank tops that look unacceptably baggy right now.
All in all, it takes me quite a long time to get dressed in the mornings and it's damn disheartening. I'm looking forward to looking really pregnant in a few weeks rather than just really stupid.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Blood sisters...or something
I'm going to pause here while you contemplate that.
I still can't decide which I think is more weird and unsanitary--Sister doing that, or me at the same age pricking my finger with a filthy safety pin retrieved from the bottom of my own best friend's mother's purse so that we could become blood sisters.
Maybe it's best not to think about it.
Friday, June 01, 2007
Spring is over
Anyways, I'm tired and just babbling here. What really marks the end of spring for me is finally finishing up all the planting I'm willing to do til cold weather comes again. And of course, I'll be way too fat with child to be digging holes by then, so really it'll be more like next spring before I plant again. In the meantime, though, I've gotta get on the deadheading, and there's a fancy dogwood frying in way too much sun that I should probably move soon...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Things to do besides gardening
Contemplate culling closet and dresser of old clothes for the thrift shop...but don't.
Make tiny peanut butter cookies with M&M's pressed into the tops with Bean to be served on her new tin toy tea set.
Not mind when the neighbor kids come over to play with Sister and Bean and eat hot cookies.
Read blogs.
Make chicken-fried steak with gravy for dinner. (Yee-haw!)
Enjoy the break from the 90 degree heat and only a couple of times peek out the window to see if the 7 potted plants still left are wilting yet.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Still pregnant
Tonight, though, Husband and Sister and I perused a book of baby names and had great fun tossing out names we liked and mercilessly mocking those that were stupid. Sister really likes Bert and Maximus. Ahem. These are a vast improvement over her choices of Star Blossom and Sparkles for Bean, however, so I'm going easy on her.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Playgroup dynamics
I do get out sometimes though. This morning I took Bean to her usual Tuesday morning playgroup and left feeling a little thrill that I'm beginning to make friends with my 2 favorite group mamas. We're the moms with the daughters, whereas the other 2 moms have sons that are several months younger. The moms-of-girls are all meeting at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham in a few days to hang out again while the kids are hopefully engrossed in the outdoor water play area. We made this plan after the moms-of-sons had already left, but no one mentioned getting in touch with those moms to include them.
I've been secretly hoping that for some reason those moms would just stop being interested in the playgroup because one of them talks non-stop about either t.v. shows or what her son will and won't eat that week. Seriously. You can barely get a word in edgewise. The other one is quite pregnant and feeling so low energy that she says she's going to start sending in her mom with her son instead of coming with him herself. No one's talked about this, but I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I suppose the playgroup is meant for the kids. But really, it's at least half for the moms to get together and have some grown-up conversation, enjoying the dynamic we've put together, right? Now, one of my very favorite friends happens to be a childless woman more than 20 years my senior, so I can assure you that I have no problem hanging out with older ladies. But this mom's mom ain't one of my favorite friends. Yes, I have met her.
Maybe playgroup outside of playgroup is the way to work this. It's not worth getting all junior high bitchy and cutting off any little kids just because a couple of the moms aren't my cup of tea.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Memorial Day
Slow time is nice, even if a child has to be sick before I let myself take it. But pretty soon I'm going to have to slow down. I'm getting a belly and it's already getting too damn hot outside to keep planting. (I told myself last week that once I got the last few things we'd already bought into the ground I'd call it quits for the summer--but then went shopping at a super-cheap, huge nursery an hour's drive from my house and got a couple dozen more perennials. As soon as they get into the ground then...)
Anyways, school's almost out and Sister and I will both get a much-needed break from the school routine. I'm so looking forward to a lazy summer with my girls.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Spilling it
I'm pregnant again.
I'm 13 weeks along with a perfect ultrasound, blood test, and midwife visit behind me, so I'm feeling pretty confident that this pregnancy is going to be okay. (Quick--knock on wood for me!) Sister is so excited she went to school the morning after we told her and announced it to her entire 3rd-grade class. Husband is letting himself be excited now that the danger of miscarriage seems to be past, and even Bean has been talking about me having a baby in my belly and how she wants a baby in her belly, too.
I'm settling in to feeling pretty excited myself.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Food meme
1. Link to the name of the person who tagged you.
2. Include the state and country you're in.
3. List your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location (locally).
4. Tag 5 other people (preferably from other countries/states) and let them know they've been tagged.
Okay. I'm in Chapel Hill, NC which is stinking with great restaurants. There are just a lot of great cooks and bakers here, even with no cooking school nearby. It's a nice place for a foodie, and if you're not one you're likely to become one in short order. (Ha! Get it?) I don't get out nearly as much as I used to and would like to, but here's my list.
1. The Barbecue Joint is just what the name suggests, but it's more than that, too. It has hands-down the absolute best barbecue I have ever put in my mouth. Ever. They also have fried squash, duck confit salad, house-cured meats of many varieties, and rockin' mac-and-cheese for the 2-and-under crowd. Plus, it's run by one of my old kitchen buddies, Damon Lapas who's cute, funny, and single for all you single Chapel Hill ladies out there.
2. Guglhupf is a great bakery run by a posse of...is it Austrians? I'm not sure and have never actually met them, but they make great coffees and crank out excellent croissants, danishes, and breads. Rumor has it that their bakers show up for their shifts at midnight and work til 8:00 am. Ouch! They've added on a cafe in the last year or 2 and have things like cheese plates and platters of sliced meats and cornichons. I haven't been there for lunch, but when I do I'm havin' a meat and pickle plate. What I usually do is haul Bean there and let her splash in their outdoor fountains while I have a latte and a pastry of some kind. I feel all civilized and shit when I can manage that.
3. Lantern, and no "the" there please. But forget the snooty articleless-ness. They have phenomenal Asian cuisine made with excruciatingly fresh, local produce. Everything I've ever had there is perfect. Plus, they invent and serve their own equally fresh and fabulous cocktails in the best people-watching bar in town! I never take the kids 'cause I usually have to wait a long time to get a table, but it's so worth it.
4. Carrburritos is actually in Carrboro, just a few miles down the road from Chapel Hill. I seldom make it down the road that far these days if I'm hungry for a burrito, but if Husband and I happen to be in Carrboro we go there. They fry their own corn and flour tortilla chips, and you can dip them in truly excellent fresh salsas. My favorite is this smoky chipotle stuff with little black flecks of charred goodness. Great guacamole, great, uncomplicated ceviche, and lots of food for not much money. Oh, and great decor--weird Mexican clay statuary, oilcloth tablecloths, and tin ceiling tiles. The girls love it, too.
5. One of my long-time favorites is Crook's Corner, so charmingly and ably cheffed by Bill Smith. I must confess I used to work there, but I don't continue to like every place I've worked like I do Crook's. It's good Southern food made with good quality ingredients and everything I've had there is well-made and just what I want. Soft shell crabs in season and "cheese pork" are a couple of my favorites. They also make the town's best margarita, or at least they did 9 years ago when I was fresh off Sister's birth and in need of a bender with friends to take my mind of my slack-ass (now Ex-) husband. On a more pleasant reminiscent note, I remember working the line one very slow Monday or Tuesday night with Bill and Damon (yes, from the Barbecue Joint above). There were steamed oysters on the menu. Orders were only trickling in, so Damon and I sampled a few raw oysters. They were so fresh and briny and delicious that we had a few more. Bill wasn't partaking, but he also wasn't protesting about food cost. He stood there with his hands folded above his Buddha belly like he always did, smiling benignly at our very vocal pleasure. Damon and I ate oysters til we were stuffed and must have polished off at least a few dozen each, adding all manner of little flavorful goodies from our prepped line--lemon juice, hot sauce, scallions, vinegar, bacon bits, and I can't even remember what else. It is still one of my favorite memories of both food and work.
Ah, food. I had no idea I'd spend so much time working on this meme, but it's been such a nice diversion. Husband's dealing with a post-bath screaming Bean now, so I guess I should get my ass off the computer and help him. But I still need to tag folks, so how about Suburban Gorgon, Mama D, Lauren over at Dream Kitchen, Joan in Southern Suburbia, and Blind As a Bat Beth.
I'd feel more guilty about tagging if I hadn't enjoyed doing this particular meme myself. Hope you all do, too.
Bean went down for her nap at 11:00 am this morning, about 2 hours earlier than usual. This was a nice reprieve, but it also means that I won't be napping myself today since there's just no way for me to fall asleep after such recent caffeine consumption. I'll start to crash around the time Bean wakes up and Sister comes home from school.
At least I managed to cross some ancient items off my to-do list already today. Took the dog and his poop in this morning for some tests and a vaccine. Cancelled my utterly unused gym membership 'cause who am I kidding here? If only I could bring myself to "wash baseboards," I'd probably feel so self-congratulatory my whole attitude would turn around.
But nah. Maybe outside for a bit of light puttering in the cool 65 degree air is what I need.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Some part of me feels a bit of guilt that I should really be doing more to help her teacher out here. I love love love this particular teacher. She's done a miraculous job reinforcing my belief of the past couple of years that Sister does not have attention problems requiring medication (as 2 of her teachers have hinted we should look into). Rather, she just hadn't yet found the teacher who could bring out the best in her. Some part of me thinks I should return the favor and drill Sister on this huge list of terms and problems that she's going to encounter in the end-of-grade tests next week so her teacher will look especially good. I got this list last week and what I did instead was asked Sister about a couple of things on it, then promptly stuck it in a drawer where it's still languishing under some more recently-added coupons.
I just can't make myself believe that stressing Sister over an achievement test in third grade is really an okay thing to do, notwithstanding the fabulousness of her teacher. Yes, I'm assuming she'll do well enough because I used to do well on such tests as a kid. Above that, it's just not worth it to me to spend two weeks drilling her in order to up her score by a couple of points. She's only 8! There will certainly be time to stress about tests when she's older and the stakes are higher. But third grade? Pfffttt.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
More on gardening
Got outside to do a little gardening today despite my post-lunch urge to nap. A nice glass of sweet iced tea stiffened by resolve to get some more damn plants in the ground before it gets too hot to be worth it. It's only May, but it's been in the mid-80's lately and not getting any cooler. The front yard is shaping up nicely. We've taken up quite a bit of our large front lawn and installed a huge planting bed instead, in case I haven't mentioned that. Before you start clamoring for pictures, though, let me just say that it's just not that pretty yet. The shrubs and trees I've put in are nowhere near their bushy, mature size and so things out there look mulchy and sparse to my eye. Maybe next year when it's all filled in a bit...
In the meantime, I'm hoping not to be quite such a landscaping widow to Husband's pond-building obsession soon. While I went through my part of the girls' bedtime routine last night--the stories and teeth-brushing part--he made a beeline for the fully dark backyard to work on the pond. After he put Bean down and sang her a song and wished Sister goodnight--his part of the routine--he practically ran outside again before I could stop him and stayed out til 9:30, fer chrissakes! This weekend's supposed to be nice, too, so I expect we'll be hanging around the house. Again.
Lest I sound like I'm complaining I have to admit here, though, that the pond is beginning to look really lovely, even half-finished and with black plastic pond liner still showing. Can't wait to plant there, too!


text:
2oz soft brown sugar
2 level tbsp golden syrup
4oz SR flour
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 level tsp ground cinnamon
3oz porridge oats
1 tbsp milk
1. Preheat oven to 170'C fan and lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan and gently heat until melted. Do not boil.
3. Sift together the flour, soda and cinnamon. Add to the syrup mixture along with the oats and milk. Mix thoroughly.
4. Place heaped teaspoons of the mixture onto baking tray, leaving room for cookies to spread, and flatten slightly with a spoon.
5. Bake for approximately 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Allow to cool on tray for a couple of minutes and then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
How to get your sh*t together after you fail.
All of us in our lives have seen failure. Most failures might seem like life ending at the time of occurrence but they often play a big role in understanding what went wrong and letting you grow from your mistakes. I am writing this for those of you who have recently seen a failure and I hope this will help you through it. Typically getting out of a failure involves going through multiple stages. Following is how I would classify the stages of failure and how you could get through them.
Stage-1 Despair:
This is what happens when you have just failed. It feels like this is the end of the world. You enter into a cocoon and shut everyone out. You can't even get out of your bed and deal with the day. You have this immense feeling that you have not failed but 'you are a failure'. The more you try to break free from the chains of despair, the more it tries to clench you. The longer you stay in this state of despair and hopelessness, the deeper you get into an abyss of loneliness. Extended exposure of this can lead to a complete death of confidence. This is usually the toughest phase in this cycle and also the most dangerous one. It's vital to get out of this phase, even though it seems an impossible thing to do at that time. In my experience what helps is getting some 'Hope' i.e. Stage 2.
Stage 2 Hope:
When you are dealing with the dilemma of how to deal with life, the next day, or how to find the courage to get out of that bed, what helps is finding and talking to positive people. I would like to share a personal story with you about my wife.
During her engineering days, my wife was unable to write even a single line in one of her final year papers. She had lost the courage to get out of her bed for the next day's exam. It was only after her father asked her to just go and take a stroll in the exam hall and its okay if she didn't feel like writing anything in the next papers, that she was able to get through them. The moment she thought it was not a big deal for her father and what was 'the worst that could happen', she got some courage and was hopeful that she can do better than what she was expected to do.
It is important to understand that you have failed the task and not your entire life. Even though its a failure, there are going to be instances in life when you will fail bigger but that 'should not stop you' from becoming what you are destined to be.
Stage 3 Accept:
One of the most important steps in dealing with failure and moving ahead that people don't realise is: finding and accepting the reason(s) for failure instead of blaming it on god, fate or 'things that give you a feeling of no control'. Sometimes a feeling of lack of control comes from blaming it on time, situation or other people.
You find yourself shrugging off the responsibility by saying "it was not the right time" or "the situation/condition was bad and I had no control over it".
As against this what really helps is accepting that you have failed and trying to move on to a place where you can constructively analyse the root cause(s) of the failure i.e. Stage 4.
Stage 4 Reflection:
Whenever you're ready to think clearly, start by analysing why did it happen? Typically out of the many scenarios, it could be one of these:
- Distraction or lack of focus
- Lack of or 'complete loss of' confidence in yourself
- It is also important to understand that this thing that you are trying to understand might not be for you. One cannot (and should not) judge the ability of a fish by making it climb a tree. If what you are doing is not one of your bright spots, find something that is. As I mentioned there was a period in my wife's life where she was struggling and mostly failing to manage her engineering exams. After a setback in the final year, she realised that this was not her calling and quickly decided to move to an alternate career, something that she liked and was good at. As soon as she did that, she found herself doing well in academics. She was placed in one of the best companies for digital design, climbed the ladder fast and there has been no looking back since then. My wife is now a very successful woman professionally.
- One of the prime reasons why people fail is due to 'Lack of effort' or 'Laziness'. It is very difficult to judge if you are not meant for this or this is something that you did not put enough effort in. For a third person, it is very easy to perceive your failure as lack of effort or worse, to discard your talent by emphasising the failure.
- Sometimes the failure can also be simply because you were over-confident. This usually happens along with one of the above reasons but it could contribute to the failure.
Stage 5 Respond:
Reflect on the situation by answering these questions:
– How can I use this experience in my future endeavours, by not repeating what I did?
– How do I avoid the same mistakes?
Once you have some clarity start by
– Inculcating changes that will help you avoid the errors/ mistakes you discovered while reflecting.
– Try to work on focus.
– Work on improving confidence.
– Making a habit of putting in extra effort in every small thing that you do.
Stage 6 Move on:
– It is important to understand that you learn more in failure than you learn from a success and just move on after a point. It's easier to get to this stage with the help of a support group. Support group helps you to get out of these situations easily. Even if your support group is limited to a couple of close people.
– Do more of what makes you happy. Once you have failed, reflected and have moved on, you will feel an increase in confidence and you are basically a better person than you were before. You could potentially grab new opportunities and start afresh.
– Once you have moved past a failure like this, imagine what multiple failures could do to you, in a positive way? Basically, what doesn't kill you, will make you stronger 🙂
In summary, success is an aggregate of multiple failures so fail, pick yourself up and fail again!


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Sermon delivered on Yom Kippur Day 5770 – September 28, 2009
by Rabbi Barry H. D. Block
A congregant approached me on Rosh Hashanah morning. He said: "Last night, when you began your sermon by singing, 'You Can't Always Get What You Want,' I was sure you were going to talk about health care reform."
Well, I didn't. And I won't be doing so today. But not because the subject is not relevant, or timely, or reflective of our collective sins. And certainly not because I don't have strong opinions on the matter. Those who know me are well aware that I have strong opinions about, well, everything; and I'm particularly concerned about health care.
Health care would be a great example for today's topic. This morning's sermon is a meditation on the last sentence of Chapter 5 of Pirke Avot: "Ben Hei Hei taught: 'According to the difficulty is the reward'." Or, as we usually put it: "No pain, no gain." That's right, Texas football coaches might have come up with the slogan, but the concept has been around for at least 2000 years. When we have decisions to make, we most often make the choice that is easiest for us. We avoid hard work and we steer clear of unpalatable consequences. No doubt, that impulse is making it harder for our nation's leaders to agree upon a health care reform plan. But those football coaches, like the ancient Rabbi, know better.
Parents do, too. We do a pretty good job of making the point to our children. We expect them to take courses of study that challenge them, not merely to skate by. We want them to learn, and we know that they will best succeed in the future if they do not take the easy way out. Whether in sports or studies, debate or dance, intuition and experience teach us, like Ben Hei Hei: "According to the difficulty is the reward;" or, "No pain, no gain." Sure, natural ability helps, sometimes a great deal, but hard work is required for achievement.
Almost every Shabbat that we have a Bar or Bat Mitzvah at our Temple, a guest will ask me a rhetorical question: "Wasn't Stephanie," or whatever the child's name, "the most remarkable Bar or Bat Mitzvah you have ever seen?" I respond: "Stephanie is just wonderful." And she is. The truth be told, though, I've seen thirteen year olds achieve as Stephanie just has, week in and week out, for over seventeen years. The guest will continue: "At our synagogue, the kids don't do nearly so much. Stephanie must be unique," I'm told. Naturally, I don't want to spoil the moment. I have no reason to disabuse our guest of believing that Stephanie is a wunderkind the likes of which I've never seen. The truth, though, is more complicated.
At some point along the way, Stephanie's parents have complained – probably to fellow Bar or Bat Mitzvah parents, not to me – that Bat Mitzvah preparation here requires an inordinate amount of time and effort. We have very high standards at Temple Beth-El, established long before Rabbi Bergman Vann, Cantor Berlin or I ever came upon the scene. The kids work hard.
Several weeks after each Bar or Bat Mitzvah, we distribute an evaluation form to the parents. We have learned much from the responses. We ask the extent to which parents agree or disagree with a series of statements: "By the time of the Bar/Bat Mitzvah, the service was the most important part of the experience for our child." Almost invariably, the response is, "strongly agree." "Our child's Bar/Bat Mitzvah enhanced his/her Jewish identity." "Strongly agree." Comments about our needing to consolidate appointments, to cut down the number of drives to the Temple? You bet. Criticism of the amount of work expected of the student? Never.
So, when it comes to children, we get it: Hard work communicates important lessons. Achievement of a challenging goal is of inestimable value.
Let me tell you about a remarkable group of adults in our congregation who have undertaken a similarly challenging task. Well, I shouldn't say "group." A stigma is attached to what these men and women have done, so they don't necessarily know one another. Often, the Rabbi doesn't know.
I'm talking about the scores of men and women in our Temple family, and the millions across America, who have successfully achieved recovery from addition to alcohol and drugs. Most addicts in recovery participate in 12-step programs. The work is hard, every day.
Scientists continue to struggle to understand the root causes of addiction: the biological and the psychological, the genetic and the behavioral. Many people, though, continue to view addicts as weak-willed, self-indulgent, even sinful. Whatever the explanation, I know it's too complicated for me to judge. Addicts who have maintained recovery are nothing short of heroic.
First, these men and women must admit that they have lost control over their lives. Many go through "detox," a dangerous period in which they must be weaned from physical addiction, often enduring tremendous physical pain despite medical attention. Now sober, some for the first time in decades, they must come to terms with the lives they have ruined, their own and others, the loving partners they have abused, the children they failed to raise. And now, aware of all the terrible things they have done, they must stay sober, and continue to confront life's harsh realities every day.
Too often, addicts relapse. Most of us aren't up to keeping up that level of tremendous effort, of hard work, for a lifetime.
Isn't that what Yom Kippur is all about? Today is not an easy day. We are commanded to fast. We spend our day in the synagogue. We confess our sins, repeatedly. We are expected to come to terms with the ways in which we are harming the world, the people around us, and ourselves. We are required to make difficult choices, to change our lives, to become better people, to make the world a better place. We are asked to do so, not only when the change is easy, but because repentance is hard work.
On Rosh Hashanah, and again on Yom Kippur, we ask God to forgive us on account of our ancestors' righteousness. An example of their remarkable behavior: Torah tells us that Abraham and Sarah left not only the place where they lived, but their homeland, their parents' house, to travel to the Promised Land. Why use three descriptions of the place they are leaving? To make sure we understand that Abraham and Sarah undergo real hardship in order to establish the covenant.
On Rosh Hashanah, and again on Yom Kippur, we ask God to forgive us on account of our ancestors' righteousness. Another example of that piety: Elijah is scorned and oppressed, as he does verbal battle with Ahab and Jezebel and with the prophets of the idol Ba'al. Elijah's labor is as intense as it is lonely. He flees the hordes that want to murder him, finding himself alone in a cave. In the process, he is victorious for God; and the prophet gives us hope for our future.
On Rosh Hashanah, and again on Yom Kippur, we ask God to forgive us on account of our ancestors' righteousness. One more example: Chaim Solomon, the Jewish financier of the American Revolution, ultimately impoverished himself in order to secure the funds General Washington needed to win American freedom. His later years were harsh and cold, but he provided all Americans with freedom and American Jews with a glorious legacy.
In the week before Rosh Hashanah, two young men gave their lives, for us. One was a graduate of Judson High School, killed in Afghanistan. Another was Asaf Ramon, son of Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon, who was killed in the Colombia disaster. Many of us knew Asaf, and indeed Ilan and all of the Ramon family, at Greene Family Camp, which they attended when they lived in Houston during Ilan's training for the Colombia mission. Asaf was killed when his plane crashed in a training mission for the Israeli Air Force. These young men, Ilan Ramon included, undertook most difficult tasks, risking everything, and ultimately making the supreme sacrifice, safeguarding our good and infinitely easier lives.
Today, our nation faces a terrible decision about that war in Afghanistan. We have left Afghanistan before, and we know what will happen if we do so again: The Taliban, and ultimately al-Qaeda, will fill the vacuum. The security of the civilized world will be threatened. And yet, we also know, if we send more troops to Afghanistan, more valiant American men and women will perish. Maddeningly, we are supporting one of the world's most corrupt regimes – a kleptocracy, really – which is the only real way to understand our fair-weather allies in the supposedly elected Afghani government. Our budget deficit will grow. And we know of no exit strategy.
Will we raise our own taxes, to share the burden of the war? Will we engage in increasingly serious efforts to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, the only way that we will ever really cut into the power that Middle Eastern terrorists hold over our heads? Will we submit to universal national service, in the military or elsewhere, so that the burden of protecting our nation will be shared by all, as it was in World War II, the last time we really won a serious war? Or will we again look for an easy way out?
We know that sliding by will ultimately lead our children to failure. The same will be true for our nation.
The time has come for tough choices. This Yom Kippur, let us urge our national leaders to join us in repentance, in the hard work we need to do to make our lives, and our nation, better.
If we fail, Medicare and Social Security will bankrupt our nation.
If we fail, al-Qaeda will again be at our doorstep.
If we fail, our moral standing will diminish, as tens of millions continue to go without the "greatest medical care on Earth."
Hashiveinu Adonai eleicha, v'nashuvah. Make us repent, O God, and let us return to do your will. Like Abraham and Sarah before us, let us know that our lives will be better only if we leave the comfort of the devil we know. Like Elijah before us, let us feel your presence, even when we fight a lonely battle. Like Chaim Solomon before us, grant us the strength to undergo personal hardship for the greater good.
Then, may our repentance on this Yom Kippur Day enhance our lives. Then may our nation achieve its destined great. Then may our souls be pleasing in God's sight.


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Chennai Smashers beat Mumbai Rockets to clinch Premier Badminton League Season 2
After fourteen days of action, we had finally arrived on the last day of the league matches of the Premier Badminton League Season2. A high-octane action kept the spectators enthralled in the final between Chennai Smashers and Mumbai Rockets here on Saturday.
The first game was mixed doubles between Nipitphon/Zieba of Rockets and Chris Adcock/Gabby Adcock of Smashers. The Smashers had a narrow lead of 6-5 at the break of the opening game. It went as close as one would have expected. Both the teams made 9-9. The Smashers took the opening game by a narrow win 11-9. The Rockets started the second set strongly against the Adcocks with a one point lead at the break of the second set. The Adcocks attempted a comeback & won the second set by 11-8. The Adcocks pair won the closely contested game in straight sets by 11-9, 11-6.
The second match was women singles between world number 6 Sindhu of Smashers & world number 3, Sung Ji Hyun of Rockets. Sindhu went into the break with a lead of 6-4. Sindhu delivered terrific cross-court smashes. Sung Ji was also fighting back and pushing shuttle to the back of court making hard to Sindhu but nothing was stopping her. Sindhu won the first game by 11-8. Both the shuttlers were sweating it out by playing intense rallies to win the match for their team but Sindhu won the game and ended at 11-8, 11-8. An impressive victory by Sindhu.
The third game was men's doubles between Kolding/ C Adcock of Smashers. and Lee Yong Dae/ Nipitphonp of Rockets. An early lead by Lee Yong Dae/ Nipitphonp in the first set. Kolding/ C Adcock made a lot of unforced errors which helped Lee Yong Dae/ Nipitphonp to win the set by 12-10. The Rockets completely dominated the set and won the match in straight sets 12-10, 11-6.
The fourth match was P Kashyap of Smashers and Prannoy of Mumbai Rockets. The first set saw a good start by both the players with Prannoy having a lead of one point at the break. Prannoy maintained the lead and won the set. Kashyap started the second set strongly by playing some terrific net play. Prannoy continued his winning run & remains unbeaten this season.11-4,8-11,11-8


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Broadview Networks
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We have been a customer of BROADVIEW…
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With over 20 years of service experience, Broadview Networks has grown from a legacy telephony provider, shifting their focus to delivering cloud unified communications solutions to almost any size business. Based in New York, Broadview Networks offers services throughout the entire nation, and has been specifically focused on VoIP and the Cloud Industry since 2005. Currently the provider offers their own Office UC suite of tools, with contact center software, online phones and presence, business intelligence, and company wide chat. The entire platform is built off of the Broadview MyOfficeSuite to provider users with an incredibly simple yet powerful management portal.
Broadview had filed for Chapter 11 back in 2012, but emerged from the process in October that year ready to talk on their next challenges. Since, Broadview has not slowed down in improving their product base, and innovating unique solutions for any size business, even scaling up to the large Enterprise companies. Over time, Broadview has also acquire a large number of businesses to help build out their portfolio, including ATX communications and even InfoHighway Communications in 2007 to strengthen their hosted offerings. Beyond their service platform, Broadview also offers resources and information including white papers, expert videos, FAQs and virtual demos.
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On top of it all, highlighting Broadview's understanding for Enterprise needs, the provider understand the upmost importance of security, and aims to ensure the highest level of robust encryption and security practices to protect not own their own network, but your business's network and data as well. And speaking of Data, thanks to the unique Broadview cloud network, the provider can help your business manage data and intelligence with their solutions as well. Broadview's platform utilizes a "unique technology platform, and SilNET, instead of SIP or open source technologies" to help ensure the best security, compatibility and reliability.


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Pope John Paul II (1920–2005) was born Karol Józef Wojtyla in 1920 and served as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from October1978 until his death almost twenty-seven years later. When he became Pope, John Paul II was already an avid sportsman, jogging in the Vatican gardens,weightlifting, swimming, and hiking in the mountains. John Paul II has been widely acclaimed as one of the most influential leaders of the twentieth century.
Pope John Paul II
- "Earth Toward Our Children's Future"


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Atmospheric Sciences & Global Change
Research Highlights
May 2018
Gust or Bust: Blustery Winds Important for Modeling Tropical Rainfall
Researchers find surface evaporation drives circulation and summer precipitation in the Tropical West Pacific.
In areas with weak surface winds, researchers noted that additional surface evaporation is an important energy source for driving tropical circulations that create rainfall.
The Science
Wind gusts beneath rain storms over the ocean increase surface evaporation, but how this process influences tropical circulations—a key component of the global climate system—and precipitation remains unclear.
A research team led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory found that the additional surface evaporation is an important energy source for driving tropical circulations that create rainfall in areas with weak surface winds, such as the Tropical West Pacific.
The Impact
In the northern Tropical West Pacific, a region with very strong rainfall and weak surface winds, summertime precipitation is often underestimated in Earth system models compared to observations. Researchers found that accounting for surface wind gusts over the ocean produced more realistic model simulations of rainfall patterns.
Earth system models struggle to represent some aspects of tropical circulations, leading to biases (offsets from observations) in tropical rainfall. In particular, models often underestimate summer rainfall in the northern Tropical West Pacific. The simulated rain shortage is related to the low amount of evaporation arising from light surface winds in the region. General circulation models typically neglect wind gusts generated below evaporating rain, but these gusts are known to create circulations that increase surface evaporation.
Using the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), researchers diagnosed that the increased surface evaporation from these "gusty winds" acts as a local source of moist energy to the atmosphere. This energy intensifies the circulation and total surface rainfall amount. Clarifying the role that surface evaporation plays in increasing rainfall has improved understanding of tropical circulations.
Sponsors: This research was supported as part of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM) project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research.
User Facility: The research used computational resources of the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC), a DOE Office of Science user facility.
Research Area: Climate and Earth Systems Science
Research Team: Bryce E. Harrop, Po-Lun Ma, and Philip J. Rasch, PNNL; and Richard B. Neale and Cecile Hannay, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Reference: B.E. Harrop, P.-L. Ma, P.J. Rasch, R.B. Neale, C. Hannay, "The Role of Convective Gustiness in Reducing Seasonal Precipitation Biases in the Tropical West Pacific." Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems 10, 961-970 (2018). [DOI: 10.1002/2017MS001157]


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Bayern adds Hobbs to its backcourt
Jul 04, 2017
by Eurocupbasketball.com
FC Bayern Munich fortified its backcourt by bringing in guard Braydon Hobbs on a two-year deal, the club announced Tuesday. Hobbs (1.96 meter, 28 years old) arrives from German powerhouse ratiopharm Ulm, where he averaged 7.3 points on 43.4% three-point shooting, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 14 7DAYS EuroCup games last season. He started his career with Mackay Meteors of Australia and also played for Caceres in Spain, Gladstone Port City Tower of Australia, Alba Fehervar of Hungary, as well as for Nuernberg and Giessen of Germany before joining Ulm before the start of the 2014-15 season. Hobbs took part in 24 EuroCup games with Fehervar and Ulm, averaging 9.2 points and 47.4% three-point shooting and 4.3 assists.
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