Finding Joy in Snarkville

I have a love/hate relationship with Halloween.  I love the concept of dressing up, eating candy, and the fun of it all.  What I don’t love is the scary.  I strongly dislike anything that is meant to fright — mostly because even at my old age of 34, I’m likely to have nightmares.

So, when picking costumes for Duke, I head straight for the cute and away from the monsters.  He’s not been the baby Frankenstein or even a popular movie character.   In fact, with one exception, he’s been animals.  Monkeys mostly.  In fact this is year three of the monkey — year two of the same costume — because we were on a ship last year and none of his friends saw it.

However, this is the first year I’ve not had to bribe Duke to wear his costume. Well, the first year doesn’t count, he was a few months old — less opinionated then.  Last year, I literally had to tell him ‘to get candy you have to wear the costume’ — he put the costume on and I gave him a piece of chocolate.  Then he proceeded to fall asleep and I carried a sleeping (and heavy) monkey all over a ship for the evening.

But this year Duke discovered two things about Halloween, pumpkins and the fun of dressing up.  He told his teachers yesterday that he was going to be a monkey AND he was going to wear his costume to school.  Um, ok.  They have a parade in the morning and I’m not sure if they are to wear it or bring it — but Duke left for school in his best monkey suit (complete with banana).  Um, he’s pretty adorable if I say so myself.  And I think — oh how I think — this might be the year to beg candy from the neighbors — do you think he’ll stay away until it is time??

And for the first time in years, I’m dressing up too.  I needed something that reflected my inner self.  The part of me that no one sees and will be shocked to learn that I’m all about.  I worked hard to seek out a costume that would shock and amuse my friends.  So I offer to you, my personal Halloween Fun…

One, rather smart ass!!

Yesterday was an awesome day – and you know how rarely I say that when it doesn’t involved traveling somewhere cool or the words “Queen, get thee to a spa — someone else is paying.” Alas, it was a great day…. (more…)

I can’t tell anymore.  I’m out of sorts lately.  I am rather sure it has nothing to do with the fact I’ve been working 15 hour days since my return and I still feel (and am) horribly behind. So I thought I’d go through the Good/Bad list, my effort to share the love and joy. (more…)

I went to bed last night at 8pm. That would be in my very own bed, but 8pm, folks. I’m apparently either 80 or I’m not yet recovered from my trip.

Let’s review, I’ve spent no more than 72 hours in a single time zone since the 1st of October. 72 hours, people. Can anyone guess why I was wide awake at 3am, then 4am, and then 5am.

I got out of bed at 5am when I heard Duke talking to himself. He declared he didn’t like Snarkville and wanted to go back on vacation. Well, since I was awake and all…I got up and asked him if I could snuggle and talk with him. I want to freeze that hour in time and just live it forever. I curled up with Duke and we chatted about what made vacation fun and how we might make Snarkville more like vacation. Yes, sure we can go to the zoo every day and not have to clean our room or possibly put in a water park in the backyard — I’ll get right on that, um, when the sun comes up, ok.

But at the end of it all, he put each hand on the side of my face and said, “Maybe we can just make pancakes before the sun comes up?” Well, hmmm, let’s see… I think we can do that. So at 6am, Duke and I made pre-dawn pancakes. I reminded him that this isn’t going to happen all the time, but I understood he was awake and hungry. (and pancake making is fun)

So, back to the story of my travels. I thought about on my very last flight of October, I’ve traveled 38 hours in the air, 6 days on a ship, 2 hours on a train (plus countless Metro hours) and about 9 billion miles by foot. I did all of this in 17 days. Keep in mind I lost a day and a half in air travel alone. I don’t even want to think about all the hours I lost (and gained) in time zones. However, I want to give you a few highlights. I’m hoping the laundry will cooperate and let me get a few photos up on Flickr later today. Real life must begin again tomorrow and I’m not prepared for it at all. (more…)

I have so many stories to share, but I’m going to briefly say hello with this one brief one.

Sitting outside at a cafe, I casually mention to Prince, “I noticed that really the French don’t do finger foods.”

Him: “Wha…”

Me: “Well, maybe it avoids having to touch foods since now that I think about it, we didn’t wash our hands before we ate and we were climbing all those stairs and touching handrails.” (sidenote: I’m icked out by that just remembering it — please don’t think ill of me — I can’t believe I did that.)

Him: “Honey, what do you think you are going to catch? French*?

Well, NO — I don’t think I’m going to catch French, but I am not so sure about the things the tourists might carry….

* In thinking about it, I think “catching French” can be summed up best by “becoming a cheese loving surrender monkey” — I already like cheese — let’s not push the rest.  (Oh, and you know the middle of the French Flag is white, right?  It is so surrender in easy no matter where you are — heck, I think Prince and I conquered a neighborhood or two…  I jest…mostly.

I want to write an ode to the internet, a sonnet perhaps.  I want to declare my undying love for the ‘pipes’ and ‘trucks’ that clog the pipes.  I want to hug the virtual world in a giant bear hug.  Want to know why?

Because I’ve essentially gone about 48 to 72 hours without a connection.   I’m seriously considering finding out how I can get a constant connection just implanted.  Serious people 72 hours, folks, that’s just not humane anymore.

Ok, I’ll cool it on the drama.  But I will randomly through updates at you.

• Prince solved my computer issue this week and I’m currently traveling with my beloved Mac (that is also jonesing for an internet connection).
• Duke is a master traveler.  I’ve said it before, but seriously when a 4 year old is forced to school an adult (not me — some random person in line) to take their shoe off to go through security — you know you have raised a traveler.
• Duke and I have been having a ton of laughs lately.  My apologies to anyone at the airport recently who had to deal with me teaching my son to give zerberts and take turns.  There was spit, squeals, and giggles everywhere.  And for the record, Duke can not give a zerbert if he is laughing.  His mommy, however, can.
• Duke has picked out his own pumpkin and helped carve a face in it.  Best part is that he named it “Jack” no, not Jack-o-lantern, ‘Just Jack’ (jazz hands weren’t involved).
• I am currently running a long list in my head of things I’ve forgotten to pack.  Thus far the top of the list is my anti-sea sickness patches.  Um, this is not a good thing and involved not one but two calls to my doctor and a little “I can’t believe I forgot them — and please tell me I’m not the only person to do this.”  (I’m picking them up in about an hour.)
• I am one sleeve away from the top of my cardigan — so much for finishing it before I leave — however, let me mention that I forgot to pack my knitting tools — read: darning needle, stitch markers, and cutter. Yes, that takes real talent.

So — enjoy your snarky break.  As I find internet, I may try to get a few more things updated.  Miss me, for I miss you already!!