That would be…Disney’s Gargoyles. Protectors of a Scottish castle, cast into the future and urban chaos and set atop a monument to capitalism, out of their element and yet thoroughly…protectors. As much as I hate to admit it, probably a good chunk of adult warrior development was tweaked as Carl and I snuggled up in our early marriage and watched this cartoon. I’d forgotten Demona was Goliath’s second-in-command as well as lover.

It was sad to see the twin towers on the skyline too. A different time.

Unfulfilled yearnings live within the most contented soul. What might have been, what might one day be if only things were different. So when life’s struggles weigh heavily, there is a temptation to only see the happiness of the other life, but this is folly. For each life contains its own burdens, though they may be hidden to all, but one carries them. ~ Goliath

Noah’s verdict: Transformers are better, but it’s not bad.

I’d forgotten there was an Avalon clan! UH OH!

What? Did you think we were watching something else today?

That said his fever is gone and his skin colour more normal, although dark circles remain. So… I’m going to assume Monday will go well.

We are spending our weekend, besides the usual, creating a beautiful poster for the 100th day of school. The teacher’s letter outlining the assignment made it very clear that this is a group project. I am not pretending it is kid work. (well…astral kid.)

“The poster can focus on one particular theme… group 10s -marshmallows, macaroni, candies…to create an abstract design, a scene (a cityscape, winter scene, portrait, etc.) or perhaps an original “I Spy” poster…This project has always proven to be successful as it entails both curriculum standards and creative effort. The originality of the displays…[makes] for a very rewarding experience for all. The students enjoy creating this open-ended project and welcomed [sic] the challenge to their creativity and number sense….This venture has officially become a tradition in my class.”

Translation, after the last project: I want really pretty posters.

We are doing 2×50 animals on Noah’s Ark. I bought stickers, even. Lyr was holding out for a bean mosaic, but lose one en route…

Anyways, I found it kind of funny this one does sum a few things up about My Internet Divorce.

May I be releasing creative works at his age. Buy this if you like his work! In case you didn’t know, his old manager swindled him out of millions of dollars and he doesn’t own the rights to say, Hallelujah.

I tried and tried to get an interview, but obviously did not or would have squee’d. It would have been on the phone. I admit that I would have worried about what Lynn might try in person. :-)

The good thing about having flipped him to our pediatrician though is that she works at Sick Kids. So I know if she sends us home, likely the hospital would too. She is not shy about tests.

Liam had his 1 year checkup and vaccinations – I add the last because I am pretty pro-vax and want to be clear; there are a few quibbles we could have but overall I totally believe in MMR, pertussis, etc. Here is the great news: he grew in length, which I pretty much knew from his clothing but still. He is at the 25th percentile for everything, so wee, but no concerns.

My pediatrician speaks some ASL so when she took him and he signed “all done” and then “more mummy” she caught it. Apparently he is ahead of himself there too. Between that and the clear kidney scan (which was unexpected) she said he gets the gold star. We are still following up but seizure-free for two months, clear kidneys, language…yay.

So I am worried and happy at once.

Fitting the pieces together – work, nanny, sick kids, etc. – is already driving me to distraction. One thing I will say about two: there is no room for fair. By that I mean both Carl and I have had to leave work, cover appointments, move meetings…my editor in chief waited 45 min for me today (with notice), oops. At night we have to both pitch in and then work to catch up. There’s not any room right now for “but I left Monday…”

And…it’s fine. We both know, truly know from experience, it gets better. And worse. And better. And if he can get a workout in or me a swim, good.

This is not a criticism…we each used to need that sense of “you got Thurs so I get Fri.” But right now… We had to let it go in favour of whatever works.

I do wish we were not on quite so tight a budget, although V. Is worth every penny for her care with the boys, which I will go into another time but comes down to: She cares, and pays attention, and communicates.

Still, this week I wish I had a cleaning budget. And a teleporter. :)

I am having trust issues. Major.

And it will probably just come down to prune juice.

I tend to discover TV series as they jump the shark too. Like I think I started watching Roseanne around when they got a new Becky. I’m not always the earliest of adopters…which makes my job a liiiiittle ironic. But not too much. My long view can be quite robust.

~~~

Today Noah stayed home from school with a tummy ache. Diagnosis: Grade One constipation. (It’s hard to use the bathrooms at big school.) We all had shades of appendicitis and I am typing on my laptop while lying with Noah, who had a nightmare. Poor guy. I will never discuss it with him, at least not until he’s a grown man, but that rupture…was way too close. I am at risk for nightmares myself.

Hug your babies!

I’m pretty sure Liam walked today, but V. just said he was “almost walking.” I gave her a look and she just smiled. I suspect I am getting taken care of too a little…but there is no need to pick at it, just see what happens. He didn’t walk before bed, but then, he was a barnacle, so the opportunities were slim.

Last week: roasted chicken and veggies on Sunday:

Err will flip that pic. When at computer. These provided leftovers for mon (martial arts, so Noah eats early) and crockpot Brunswick stew on Wed (ditto). Pea soup and homemade pizza rounded it out, with leftovers in there.

This week I have quiche for Monday made just now…

Since the oven was hot, banana oatmeal muffins for Liam and snacks…

And this is how we manage during the week: pre-prep raw veggies. Carrots and cucumber are next. We got broccoli’d out last week.

So tomorrow is quiche except Liam will have soup and muffins, Tuesday is crockpot ribs with (same pot) BBQ cabbage and cauliflower, plus rice; Wednesday is crockpot minestrone and breadmaker bread; Thursday is leftovers, and Friday will be a casserole made Thurs night and heated up, pasta of some kind.

~~

Noah and I swam this afternoon while Carl took Liam for a walk. We’ve instituted a Sunday afternoon family active-activity, not for Noah – who gets 40 min of gym a day, a walk to school, a walk back, and martial arts 3X a week, plus other – nor for Liam, obviously, but for the grown-ups. And also just to give the idea that this is Something We Do. When the weather is better it seems easier to work activity into the week, but right now Sunday afternoons is about as good as it gets.

I _miss_ that walk with the boys to and from school, darnit. Horribly.

Blueberry muffins, much overdue
1 and 3/4 all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup blueberries
1 tablespoon flour

In large bowl combine first three ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Make a well in center.

In another bowl cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg until smooth. Mix in milk and vanilla. Pour into well. Stir just to moisten. Batter will be lumpy.

In a small bowl mix berries and flour. Fold into batter. Fill greased muffin cups 1/2 full. Bake in 400 degree F oven for 25 min until nicely browner. Makes 16 muffins.

And the eye of round roast? Was soft and juicy. I found a great way to cook it…heat oven to 500F. Cover top and sides with Montreal steak spice. Cook 5 min per lb at 500; reduce to 325 and use meat themometer to cook to internal temp of 145-150. Tent with foil after removing from oven and let rest for 20 minutes. This gives you medium rare towards rare meat; you don’t want to overcook eye of round. The high-temp start sears the meat to keep juices in.

The stories of living in the exotic north were really neat. A lot of my friends are or have been far-flung (diplomat, moved to Geneva, currently sabbatical-ing in London). We all thought that would be me, ha. But I soak it up, listening.

Mostly though I a) like her and b) so do Lyr, JJ, Channah, and even Lynn, so it was kind of a love-fest. L. is one of the most direct people I know; if she hates your hair or finds your kids whiny, she will probably tell you…but she will also tell you what (in her opinion) you are doing right. She also is ten times harder on herself, which takes a while to figure out.

It was really good to see -her-, full stop, and hear her highs and lows and hug and have wine and everything. She and Noah got along great too.

On top of that…

I have been extra-happy all day, beyond the usual friend-happy, and I think I have sorted out why, a little. Part of the arguing between me and Sass, particularly I think the parts I didn’t know until she left and suddenly made her opinions clear, was related to the idea that I don’t tolerate other opinions well. It’s hard for me to know. In my head, I do. But how it comes across…

But hooking up with L., who is kind of extreme that way in her own views, and who was living with us around the same time, vaguely, reminded me that no…the two of us clashed very often, and I still liked and loved her (as a friend) and she knew and knows it…and that was normal, in some ways. Not the conflict, so much, meaning she is probably even more passionate than I am and harder-nosed about her opinions and that makes some discussion more likely. But just…that was the norm, among that group of friends, and no one was mad at me or thought I was a domineering abusive wench or that I was plotting evil.

And L. knows when she is talking to me; having played PernMUSH with me and having been one of the people who started saying at parties “Hey, it seems like you brought Shandra along tonight” it is not that I was in the background.

I realize this may seem repetitive. Or silly. But I did care about Sass and Lohr’s opinions for years, deeply, and I am still sorting that out some. Because L. and I have mostly communicated online for the last few years, seeing her in person suddenly brought all that history back in a rush.

Roast beef (eye of round, sadly, but I will treat it well)
Garlic mashed potatoes
Roast broccoli and cauliflower
Rosemary sautéed carrots
Pecan pie & ice cream

Sangria and beer and a Gamay Noir

Add nostalgia and laughter; mix with love