Look into my eyes. . .

 . . . because I find this HI-larious! I just watched it three times and I want to see it again! I don't care what you think!

I love food. I spend so much time thinking about it that one might think that I have a problem. I read magazines dedicated to food. I daydream about food. I salivate over those cookbooks that are more for the coffee table and less for the kitchen. I salivate over cookbooks that have no pictures, like The Joy of Cooking for example. The sheer mass of recipes in one book makes me grin like the village idiot. The internet? Don't get me started . . . On our honeymoon to Italy we traveled to the Abruzzo Mountains to attend an art workshop. K spent his time painting beautiful old architecture and landscapes. I made a series of pastels of food: beautiful purple garlic, larger than life (in appearance and fragrance) lemons, beautiful shiny apples, eggs of crazy colors you don't find around here to name a few. I think this says a lot about me but I'm not entirely sure what.

After a summer that has been filled with sugary sweet and gooey goodness, I find myself hankering lately for something starchy, salty, meaty and as I checked in with one of my favorite blogs I found what I need! Mmmm, Taiwanese breakfast (Funny, I seem to have been transformed into Homer Simpson). Actually I wasn't entirely sure what I was looking at when I saw the picture, but upon reading her description, I knew that this is what would satisfy my craving perfectly.

I have just realized what my dream job is - one of those lucky FoodTV personalities who gets to travel the world with the sole purpose of eating at every port.  Eating for the rest of us who can't afford the plane ticket.

Scents that I love:

Lemon
Lime
Tangerine
Grapefruit
Grass
Vetiver
Lily of the Valley
Carnations
Bergamot
Basil
Pine
Ginger
Clove
Cinnamon
Fresh tomatoes hot off the vine
Cucumbers
Coconut
Rain

There's more I know but I am lost in my olafactory imagination.

Oh how I love the sport!!! And thanks to the drama extinguishing forces that be (LLLOOONNNGGG story that I don't know all the details of anyways as I have been off the league for a bit - so don't ask) I can now return to the sport that I love. But I am torn... I had made up my mind to be a ref this next season but now, I'm not so sure. I have been exploring other league sites and all that ass kicking action, while under the careful watch of the Team Zebra, is owned by the ladies on the track. Oh what a quandry! BUT right now? Who cares! I am coming back!

. . . J's entrance into the outside world began. He was actually due mid September but nine weeks early, there I was, having contractions on the way back from Illinois. We made it as far as Fon Du Lac when we had no choice but to stop at the hospital there.

After a very bumpy ride up to Appleton in an ambulance (I'm amazed that people survive the ride in those things if they have life threatening injuries) I spent the next four days in labor. Given, hospital staff tried to stop labor for four days, but by the 18th enough was enough and right after dinner he arrived. Nine weeks early and weighing in at four pounds 12 ounces, he was whisked away from us and into the NICU.

They didn't tell us right away that he had significant breathing problems. I imagine this was so that we didn't freak out any more than necessary. It was hard enough that I didn't know what he looked like for almost two days after he was born due to the breathing tube and all the tape holding it in place (thinking about it now I am getting emotional). And leaving the hospital without a baby? Well that is a novel of epic emotional proportions all by itself. The NICU staff were amazing. Yes, they were treating J but the special handling they gave our entire family was nothing short of amazing. There were many times I would go to the hospital anxious and depressed and by the time I sat down by his isolette, I had calmed completely down because they had calmed my nerves with encouragement and kindness. Simple things like writing down family information ("Older brother M, two years old, very active, currently in swim class" was one that I remembered) for the next shift so that everyone knew who we were and what was important in our lives made our time there a lot easier. For that I can not say thank you enough.

We were lucky. His breathing issues resolved themselves, and the month that he spent in the hospital was spent gaining weight, learning to eat from a bottle (learning to eat from me would take another three and a half months), and just generally catching up. His neonatologist commented many times that he was the perfect preemie. That's my boy, perfect (funny how I never heard the word preemie)!

He is my zen baby. Even though he is much calmer than M was at his age, J is just as curious, and extremely oral - EVERYTHING goes into his mouth. And while he doesn't have any words yet, he certainly gets the point across at dinner time (one of many nicknames is Piglet - he has yet to refuse any food that I give him).

I can't believe is going to be one on Friday. Happy birthday Piglet, Bubbadu, Jack Rabbit, NamNam (M's creation), Sweet Boy. Love forever, Mommy.

This summer has been awful for mosquitos. And this is coming from someone who can sit amongst a large group of people and no one else will get a single nibble because I am just that oh so tasty. I look like I have some terrible skin disorder, especially around the ankles. I guess the skeeter population has boomed because of the wet spring we had. I know that they are tasty goodies for other more desirable critters, like fish and dragonflies (which are loving our back yard and I love watching), but I just can't stand the itching!

Continuation of pool drama: Senor Asshat was back in the play area next swim day. I guess it was lucky that M had a listening problem that day and his discipline was to miss swim class. He didn't have to deal with that !@#$^^&*!!! person. "But wouldn't things have calmed down?" you ask? Not so my friend. That guy was in the pool manager's office complaining about my dear boy about 1/2 hour before I went in to tell them about my experience with the King of all Douchebags. Apparently M is a bully. A sand throwing bully. Yes I know he is quite fond of throwing the stuff and I  repeat that he is disciplined when he does it. But a bully? Jeebus Crisco! A three year old bully. Let's just let that sink in for a minute... Oy, this guy is out to lunch. I am all kinds of anxious about class on Monday because I sincerely think this guy is a threat to every child there. M is not the only enthusiastic sand thrower at the pool and this guy obviously hasn't got a clue about how to go through the proper channels to solve a problem. I am glad to have the in laws that I do because they will be watching M during J's class from here on out. Normally I would have considered this a measure to prevent things like M's sand throwing. Now I consider it a protective measure for M's safety from this guy. I now know his name is Ross but I think I will continue to find creative monikers him. I rather like the sound of Rabid Ape Ross. But I would love to hear your suggestions.

Funny: M discovered the joys of his "toys" (of the penile persuasion) a long time ago. But with the introduction of underwear they have become so immediately accessible that we have begun to discuss the concept of time and place on a regular basis with him. SO when we see him doing it, we calmly tell him that if he wants to play with his penis, he needs to go to his room, "You are not in trouble but that's just a private thing." Its beginning to sink in. The other day after breakfast he told me, "If I want to play with my penis, I have to go to my room. I have to go to my room now." And he went. Believe it or not this is a proud parenting moment for me. He is actually listening! Halleluia!
He's totally going to hate me when he gets older.

Gonna miss: M's language has always been advanced. His first word popped out his mouth when he was around six months old - "khee khee" or kitty for those of you who don't speak M-ish. But even though his has been advanced verbally for the majority of his life, he had some fabulous substitutions for Webster's published version. Grandpa was "Bob bob" for a while. The snowblower was a "snowglower." Instead of "Oh my gosh!" he used to say "Oh my gock!" He still calls crab rangoons "crab eye goons." But we lost one of my favorites recently. When he got very excited about a prospective activity, he used to 'jump up and down and shout, "I'm so exciting!" as he pumped his fists in the air. He now says excited like every other average Joe. Sigh. I'll miss that one.

Derby: I made the decision to be a referee next season but due to some extraordinary drama I'm having doubts whether derby is in my future at all. I don't know all the facts yet so maybe I am overreacting. We'll see. This makes me sad because I LOVE it. But as I said, we'll see.

Construction: We are replacing our back porch because the old one was rotting out at the foundations. We actually couldn't open the door properly anymore because the base was falling apart and the door would jam as a result. I'm looking forward to it being done.

Garden: It's doing fabulously! Apart from some serious weeding that needs to take place in some areas, everything looks great. Already harvesting peppers, radishes, peas, spinach, beet greens, and purslane. We've had some yummy salads and I can't wait for more!

J: Ahh sweet boy. His hair has always had a reddish tinge but because we've been in the sun a lot and it has gone quite carroty. Who would've thunk a red head from the two of us? He's a sweet boy and smiles all the time but he's also turned into a bit of a piglet and eats everything we put in front of him.

Book I want to read: The Silenced by James Devita It was featured on an NPR segment and I think I may have to start reading books again.

Idea for future lively hood: There is an area downtown Neenah that is up for development. Its right along the river front and I think it would be a great place to open a small market. The focus would be on fresh, and in season produce, artisan cheeses, free range eggs and meats, flowers, and fresh made gelato - all as local as possible. Maybe even our own coffee roasts and tea blends. It wouldn't be a one stop shop by any means but hopefully would help support local farms and the like. I definitely believe it is more important to go local instead of organic. Sure those strawberries are organic but how much fossil fuel was burned trucking them from California to Wisconsin? I like this idea immensely and I think I will be researching options to see what is possible.

What else? Here are some pictures and then its off to bed for me. I shall add captions another day. Night night!