Weekend with Friends

We recently spent the weekend with our friends in Virginia. We were treated to breathtaking views of the Shenandoah and of my friend Elizabeth's garden. I always feel so...Virginian when I go. I stroll the well-tended garden and walk small town streets to a coffee shop (the only business open on a Sunday). We wait at a Railroad crossing and wave to the conductor as a train travels past. It's all just so darn picturesque.


I have to say, Ellie was ecstatic to have someone to make picture books with and have a sleepover (our friends' daughter age 6). Jonah was thrilled to have a red fire engine to ride and a cool tree house in which to play fort with his bud (our friends' son who is one month older than Jonah). And Winnie (yes, even she came along for the ride) was delighted to have a large yard to romp about. In fact, she seemed downright depressed when we pulled up in front of our house. I think I heard her say something to the effect of, "well, it's no Virgina" and then she sighed.

The Name Game

Dave: I think I'm going to change my name to Phil Maker. "Hi, I'm Phil Maker. How do you do?"
Me: Filmmaker. I get it.
Ellie: Oh oh, my new name is going to be (pauses) Shepa.
Me: I have one for you. How about Bally Rena. Get it? Ballerina.
Ellie: No. I don't like it. Wait Jonah needs a name.
Dave: Hmmmm. What could his name be.
Ellie (excited): I know! Brown Stain.

What Our Kids Sing from the Backseat While Driving to Target

Ellie's shrieking ability rivals that of the lead singer. So they alternate between this and songs from the Sound of Music Soundtrack. Do, a deer, a female dear...

I admit it. I'm a Big Dummy... (owner)

You may be asking yourself, "Exactly what is that thing?" It's a SUB (Sport Utility Bike), one of the newest ideas we've lifted from Europe after their decades of using bikes for the things we all use our cars for. Grocery shopping, heading out to see friends, heading to the hardware store, etc. This bike frame by Surly is designed around the Xtracycle system. Click the title of this entry to go to a review that gives you some nitty-gritty, and more pics.

So Jen and I have taken the plunge. We're going to try to live more car-free by loading our stuff (i.e. Ellie and Jonah) onto a bike for things like grocery shopping, trips to local restaurants, and oh yeah... this bike can carry passengers, and an additional 200 lbs! We will both have the Xtracycle which makes carrying the kids and the groceries, etc., even possible. You can convert any bike to do this, and we hope we won't be the only ones in town to do so. We're having Race Pace Bicycles build both bikes. Ask for Nik O. or Julian. Good guys both.

Anyway, hope to see you out on the road soon! Did I mention we'll be getting in shape without any formal exercise?

Marriage IV: When You're Left With Only Hidden Talent of the Stars to Watch

Him: Hey, check this out. I used to know every word of this.
Her: Did you notice how poorly acted it was even back then?
Him (wistfully): Yeah. (sighs) You know we used to watch this all the time in my adolescent years. This shaped who I am today.
Her: Uh-huh.
Him: I could ride the wall a little bit.
Her: You thought you could ride the wall.
Him: You're just like the girls back then.
Her: How come I've known you all these years and this is the first I'm hearing about this?
Him (shrugs): Dunno. I guess I forgot about it.
Her: Well I guess I can see the appeal for a kid. I mean it is rather comical.
Both simultaneously break out into laughter at the dialogue, then in unison: NO Waaay!

*Moral of the story, when there's only poorly acted and written shows on tv to watch do you find out that a poorly acted and written movie shaped your partner's very soul.

A Sucker

The other day whilst traveling the aisles of Target I spied a lip gloss that promised full luscious lips for only $9.99. And being the sucker for marketing that I am, I went back later to test out the product. Because beautiful packaging + clever name = money leaving my pocket.

Okay so I'm not ashamed (well maybe I am) to admit that I couldn't wait to try it out. So in the parking lot, I applied Soap & Glory's Motherpuckers and waited for the magic to happen. I have to say the first sensation was...well...that of my lips being electrocuted. Immediately I phoned my bff to give her a detailed description of my lip plumping transformation. Because she, (more worldly than I) had already warned me that lip plumping HURTS LIKE A B!TCH. I gave her a minute by minute blow of how it went from the feeling of my lips being hooked up to an electrical outlet to them feeling like I had just rubbed a freshly cut habanero pepper all over them to finally a heightened tingly sensation that while unpleasant, allowed me to stop screaming.

And what would you supposed I did with the gloss after all of this. Yes, that's right folks, I kept trying it to see what would happen.

So you be the judge. Ellie took these before and after shots for me (because yes, I force my children to go along on the crazy ride) and I'm not so sure the pain is worth it. I mean my lips look pretty much the same, no?

Camera phone collage

Some pics from the last 6 months or so, taken with my camera phone.

Charles & Marie

Super cool site that I just had to share with you all. Just check it out!

The Beautiful Wee Monster

A portrait of our little guy. This is definitely a transition phase for our J-man. He's potty training and doing pretty well, with the occasional soppy pant leg or shite-filled big boy underpants.

Here he is sporting his new big boy underpants look. At the time of the photo he was still adjusting to the responsibility of owning his bowels and bladder—rather than them owning him. I think you can see it in the eyes. A trace of fear, but a strong, subtle confidence.

Watch Out for Cyclists

Hello all. With the weather improving bit by bit, my mind is wandering to getting on the bike. The thing is, I have a family at home that I'd like to come home to when the ride is over.

Any one of you who has a loved one who rides probably realizes that cyclists have as much right to be on the road as cars do. But I can tell you that during every ride, some guy/gal behind the wheel takes risks to get past me, in order to get to where they are going 30 seconds faster.

Last September I was riding in Orange, Virginia. A small town in the middle of farm and wine country in central Virginia. At a stop sign, a southern gentleman told me that "there has to be a better place for you to ride than here." I told him that I'd take my chances here over a city any day. I thanked him for his concern, and as he drove away in his jacked up 4x4, he yelled "It's not concern if you're dead!" Though his statement is unintentionally cryptic, one message is clear: MOST DRIVERS WANT CYCLISTS OFF THE ROAD. And some, run them off.

Check this out. It's a public service announcement running in the UK.