The Sandwich Life

Cows and Doughnuts

Oh. My. Gosh.  I decided it would be fun to take the boys to the Vet Med Open House today.  Leo of course didn't want to go.  I told him I would drop him at Grandma and Grandpa's house then because his brother DID want to go.  Then he wanted doughnuts...  I said no doughnuts unless he goes to the Open House with us.  Much negotiation and low volume growling later he agreed.  So I picked them up from art class and off we went.  I. Had. NO. Idea.  MILLIONS of people.  We parked about a mile away and trudged towards it and entered the building only to come to a standstill.  It was utterly packed.  I'm sure it's a wonderful event but with two little guys, one of whom hates crowds, and one parent it was overwhelming.  We looked at a few animals and then the guys began begging to see the cow with a hole in its stomach.  After trudging through crowds for a mile or so we finally found the line.  They insisted I put my hand in the cows' stomach.  So for my boys I did.  Owen was going to look in the cow's stomach but got a bit shy and just watched me.  Needless to say, Leo waited outside.  We spied a door and fled and walked the miles back to the car.  Leo just kept saying, "that was a TERRIBLE place and I am NEVER going back there" while Owen calmly said, "next time just Mom and I are coming."

I had to admit that Leo deserved doughnuts after all those crowds so then we started the discussion of what kind of doughnuts.  They insist on getting a dozen so I said they could each pick six.  Owen said he wanted three blueberry, so I said, "o.k. do you want your other three to be chocolate covered with sprinkles" and he said yes.  Then Leo said he wanted six chocolate covered with sprinkles and Owen said, "why does Leo always get more than me?"  I explained that they each got six and we went through the whole thing again only to have Owen end up saying "Leo always gets more than me".  GRRRRRRR.  I finally just said I was ordering the doughnuts and I didn't want to hear about it.  I just could not get it through Owen's head that they were getting the same number of doughnuts.  So we drove from the Vet school in Urbana to the Champaign Dunkin' Doughnuts only to be told they had no chocolate covered with sprinkles OR blueberry.  The boys took it calmly and said matter of factly "o.k. we'll just go to the other one".  sigh.  So I went BACK to Urbana and ordered them there.  They only had five chocolate covered with sprinkles but gave us four vanilla covered with sprinkles which delighted the guys.  We finally got home and Owen threw off his clothes, put on a cartoon and said, "can I have some macaroni?".  "NOOOOO" I yelled, "you're having doughnuts".  ARGH.

Random old pictures

To continue in my nostalgic vein, albeit a bit more erratically..... Here's a picture of me and my two older sisters.  The date on the pictures says 1971 but that's just from my parents' habit of developing photos years after they were taken.  Although if you want to believe I was a little toddler in 1971 that's o.k. too.  When I showed this to the boys they were awestruck.  They said, "are they trying to FEED you?".  I said, "yes, my sisters were very good to me" and they both looked at me knowingly and said, "except when Aunt Judi made you eat the orange peel."  Well, yeah, except then....  Aren't they  beautiful?  Note the gloves!

Here's a picture of Ernie with the Dead Reckoning crew.  Must be ten years ago or so....everyone looks a bit younger.  Ernie is very happy.  I love them so.

O.K.....this isn't an old picture but I liked it. Japanese  Vibernum at work:

I think the key to lightness of heart might be to spend more times with friends.  A week or so ago I had brunch with my friend Sasha and other good friends and it made me feel so relaxed.  Tonight we had pizza with our dearest friends Ann and Bob and Sophie and I swear the whole family seems more at peace.  An important lesson.  I need to remember it.

Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

1.  A ray of hope.....I actually feel a little hopeful.  We met at my parents' house today with people from an agency that does homecare for the elderly.  Dad was gracious and shook their hands and then slept through the whole thing.  My mother was charming and pretended to be open.  We are going to start with someone coming over 3 hours a week for general help with cleaning and whatever else is needed.  The woman will come over on Sunday to meet Mom and Dad and will start next week.  It won't solve all the problems but it will be a huge help.  I assume she'll get more done in three hours than I do.   When I was over there the other day it was one thing after another----Owen needed ice water, my father wanted some milk, my mother needed help figuring out the prescription order, then she had a reaction and needed orange juice, etc.....and all this in a house that hasn't had an open window in God knows how long.....all I wanted to do was clean their kitchen but I never seem to get enough done.  So here's to hoping that someone who is younger, more energetic and less emotionally invested will be MUCH more productive!  Cross your fingers that this works out.....

2.  I'm really impressed with how much music this woman manages to cram into her life.  She's my age.  She's got young kids. She works.  What the hell?  I'm envious too....as my visits to clubs are few and far between.  If only I were a night owl....  I never have been though---my friends always knew the only way to get me to stay out late was to get me out early and keep me there....and it's still true. If I am home at 9:00...well, I'm just not going out again.  I LIKE being home.  I LIKE going to bed early. But I like music too.  sigh.  I guess I'll just have to make do with Ernie as dj extraordinaire and Owen as my own in-house popster....

3.  Had my first snake encounter the other day.  I sat down in one of the chairs in the front yard and Ernie stood next to me saying, "uh, Cynthia, uh, uh, you might want to move."  Upon  which I shrieked and leaped up awkwardly and flew to the front porch almost shaking.  I knew it.  There was a garter snake under my chair.  What is with me and this irrational fear?  I went into the house where Owen sympathetically asked, "ohhhh, did it stick its tongue out at you too?"  "EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH," I replied.  Then Owen said he would go out and see if it was still there.  So he stood on the porch muttering to himself, "I can't be a scaredy cat...... but I hope it doesn't chase me.....o.k."   Off he went and happily returned with a report that it was gone.  Throughout the afternoon whenever he would pass me he would pat my arm and cheerfully say, "sorry about that snake Mom."

4.  I splurged and ordered a bunch of plants---hoping to revamp my shade gardens this year.  I used Bluestone Perennials and Big Dipper Farm.  I can't wait til they get here but we have lots to do first.  Planning to divide some ornamental grasses, move my whole daylily bed, dig out the perennials on the border and fill with herbs...oh and need to divide all the sedum too.  Oh and tear out a bush too. 

5.  Would it be too much to ask for spring to last more than two days in Central Illinois?  Once it's over 80 I believe it's summer.  And too much heat will fry the damn daffodils that just bloomed.  Harumph.

Monday again.....

Monday again and spring break is over.  I thought  yesterday  might kill me but evidently I have survived.  Church with Dad, coffee at the parish hall with war stories, shopping and then a couple of hours of trying to clean their increasingly disorganized house.  When I got home I could barely talk I was so exhausted.  Ernie's foot is getting better slowly although if he does too much, which he does, it gets swollen.  This week will be a busy week so I have lots to do.....I'll just share a couple more pictures from the weekend....

A bouquet picked by the boys for me....in an old Jesus Lizard shot glass.  My heart just breaks when the boys bring me flowers.  I probably should have told them not to pick flowers from the neighbor's yard but I couldn't.....

My little scholar madly trying to finish his spring break homework:

Yes, the other front tooth is out.  It was so loose that Leo actually said I could try to pull it out....I reached in and it came right out and we all giggled from the excitement....  I think he was excited to go to school today and tell his friend Luke all about it.....

it's only Saturday

I had Friday off unexpectedly due to the kindness of my boss.  OH what a difference three days make.  It was rainy yesterday so after enjoying Ernie's homemade muffins that we never seem to have time for in the morning these days we scooped up the boys and went antiquing.  Didn't buy a whole lot but had a good time.   Much to Leo's hyperventilating delight and our financial dismay, turns out Hobbyland, with a huge model railroad set up, is right next to one of the shops we went to.  A few $ later we headed back home to a late lunch at Fries and Peanuts. As we walked up, Owen wondered aloud if Adam Schmitt would stop by when we were there.  I told him that the odds weren't too good but he merely ignored me and said, "if he comes and he doesn't know how to play pool, I could show him."  I did tell him that was awfully nice of him....

 

Today was a big day because it was the lat day we could go to Carmon's before the current owner sells it.  The boys are devotees of his pancakes, and his friendliness, so there was much sadness in the house.  They both drew pictures for him---Leo's was of a freight train full of pancakes and Owen's was of a firetruck shooting syrup and was the most phallic looking image I've ever seen.  Ernie turned bright red trying not to laugh and I assured Owen it was beautiful but asked if maybe he wanted to draw another.  nope.  So he brought it and when he gave it to him I explained what it was--despite other possible interpretations.  He laughed and thanked the boys.  They were quite pleased with themselves.

Here they are waiting outside on the sidewalk (longgggg wait today):

You'll notice fewer pictures of Leo these days as most of them look like this:

We also broke down and bought cel phones today.  Yes, I know, I know, most people got them years ago but I hate phones.  This IS the modern world however, as The Jam said.....

Champaign in the 1980s

I ended up going through a box of old pictures this morning and oh, did I have fun. First up, rare photo-documentation of Milktoast.  Look at my beautiful boy.  I always have had a soft spot for bass players...

The inimitable Pat Dailey, wig and all:

and of course David Conroyd:

The weird thing is that David still looks the same....and now on to the Vertebrats.  I don't know where these poloroids came from---I think they might have been taken by Ernie's old girlfriend---neither one of us ever had a Poloroid--which means they predate January of 1981.  Anyway---they're great and oh my, do the guys look young.....

Then a random shot of Ernie doing a song with a band I can't recall the name of:

And then Stephanie, this is just for you----a party where a similarly amazing picture of my hair was taken:

ahhhhh, memories.....

 

 

stillness....

It's always very strange when Ernie is still.  He's like his mom was–-in that he's always moving.  So when he's still I find it throws me off.  I find myself unsettled and not sure what to do with myself. Yesterday he had a lot of pain from his foot----in fact he said he's had broken bones that didn't hurt so much.  I came home early and of course ran smack dab into definitive proof of how much he normally does on a daily basis.  I wanted to photograph the kitchen sink piled high with dishes but he wouldn't let me.  I'm a lousy replacement for him too.  I took the boys down to the school so they could race their bikes and play on the playground but I'm just not as much fun as Daddy is.  Halfway through Leo sighed deeply and said, "I wonder what Daddy is doing now?" and then another big sigh.....

Owen continues to be a huge flirt.  As they were riding in circles around the school buildings he stopped for a drink of water and to tell me how much he loves me.  Then he rode off saying "Goodbye Mommy" over one shoulder and then a second later, over the other shoulder came, "or should I say my pretty angel?" with a smarmy grin.

another trip to the doctor....

Well, I was going to post happy little pictures of the boys making pizza last night…..pressing out the dough, grating cheese, Leo putting nothing but chocolate chips on his and even then refusing to eat it…..Owen happily eating his then giving me a thumbs up and saying in a wondering voice, “this was a good idea Mommy!”  The morning got thrown off however by Ernie waking up in terrible pain after having had the good fortune to walk on a nail yesterday.  Is this possibly because we never got a dumpster and got rid of trash after our kitchen remodel and instead left things piled up by the garage?  Uh, yeah, probably.  I wasn’t even that sympathetic when he told me because all I could think was, “that could have been one of my BABIES with a nail in their foot---what were you thinking leaving that there?" And “oh well, you’ve had a tetanus shot.”  Once I got past the visual of one of the guys with a nail in their foot I did become more sympathetic.  He seemed fine yesterday however---even taking the guys to the schoolyard to ride their bikes and shoot baskets.  This morning was a different story however and he is going to hobble off to the doctor.  We even had a babysitter tonight but I think he’ll probably be better off sitting on the couch with his foot up.  Poor guy----he’s had enough of doctors in the last few years….and he’s pretty stoic so if I can tell he’s hurting then he’s REALLY hurting.

When I left for work this morning I kissed the guys and reminded them that Daddy had hurt his foot so they would have to be really good and get things for themselves and for Daddy.  Owen nodded his head seriously and then said, “can you tell Daddy to come here so I can tell him something?”  It really is like talking to a doorknob sometimes….

Scenes from the last week

I went out for drinks with my dear friend Ann last week.  Just us.  in a bar.  no kids.  no husbands.  just us.  ahhhhhhh.....

My Aerogarden is going nuts---the herbs are now big enough to harvest!

We've had renewed interest in the Thomas the Tank Engine railroad system.  Not the engines so much anymore, but Leo can spend hours rebuilding track layouts. I thought this one was particularly pleasing.

This was on one of the warm days we had last week....hope we have some more soon....

An Omen....

Owen is very good at writing his name these days but he does have problems with M's and W's which leads to his name often appearing as Omen......  Need I say more?