it's that time again

~This morning I lay in bed listening to the news on NPR before I got up--they were talking about the elections taking place in several states tomorrow, and it set me to thinking about this time last year, and how excited many of us were about the presidential election. I can still feel that sense of excitement and hope that we felt in the hours leading up to Obama's election, and the elation we felt in the days that followed. And now the news media is referring to tomorrow's elections as a referendum on his presidency. That seems unfair somehow.

I knew from the get-go that Barack Obama wouldn't be able to accomplish all that I would hope for--no one could in this political climate. And I can't imagine a worse time to become president, what with wars in Afghanistan and Iraq dragging on and the economy going to hell in a handbasket in the waning days of the campaign. The health care debacle--I knew that there would be opposition, but nothing like what has sprung up from the conservatives--beyond the pale in many ways. Yes, I am very disappointed that health care reform is not more extensive than the bills currently in the congress (but not surprised--me, I'll take a single payor system, whether run by the government or not, but I don't expect it to happen any time soon).

Nonetheless, it seems unfair to say that if Democrats lose the governorship in New Jersey or Virginia, it's a reflection on how Obama is doing. Doesn't it have more to do with the merit of those candidates and the issues those states have to face than with national political sentiment? And shouldn't we give Obama more time before we sit judgment on his presidency? Take into consideration the extraordinarily difficult times he's been working in?

Next year is soon enough, don't you think?

Happy Birthday, NSLS

~How quickly another year passes. NSLS hasn't been blogging but she may still be lurking. Happy birthday, baby girl. Hope you had a great day, and hope it's a great year.

Hallowe'en redux

The extent of my costume this year

Random bits of Hallowe'en

~I'm happy to say that I did have a few trick-or-treaters....I only answered the door 3-4 times but there were multiple kids each time. And awfully cute costumes. Very young kids, too.

~There may have been more but it started raining again about 8, and that was that.

~I have a lot of candy left. Maybe I should've bought candy I don't like? But what fun is that?

~It's all chocolate :)

~I'm looking forward to an extra hour of sleep tonight, too. I'm really grateful, because tomorrow will be a very busy day. Two services, then run to Staples to get some supplies, then back home to set up for our All Saints' Dinner and Saints' Hall of Fame tomorrow evening. I'm a little nervous about that because even with a sign-up sheet I don't know what turnout will really be like, and how willing people will be to participate in the activity.

~I'm annoyed at having to go to Staples tomorrow. I should've gone today, but my local Stop & Shop has a Staples section that did (last week) have what I need (large pads of paper) so I thought I would get it there since it's 2 minutes from my house. Only when I went, that aisle has been redone to allow for--are you ready--toys for Christmas. Why do they need to sell toys for Christmas in the grocery store? Now? Gah. And at that point I didn't have time to go to Staples before time for trick-or-treaters.

~Oh, my petty complaints!

~My awesome Hallowe'en discovery? Dark chocolate Twix. YUM!

I closed the door

on the puppy question this week.

When I last reported on this, I was still in limbo, wanting to go get the puppy, but worried about having the time to properly attend to her. And shortly thereafter the puppy's mom emailed me to say that she'd decided to keep the puppy after all. I had suspected that might happen and when it did, it felt like a relief.

So I was surprised when the puppy's mom emailed me this week and asked me to call her. When I did she said she'd had another change of heart--did I still want the puppy?

And you know, I could say that honestly, I just couldn't do it right now. Part of it was seeing her going back and forth--she has an older dog she adores, and she wanted the puppy as company for herself and the dog, but found she just didn't want the commitment of time and energy a puppy required. If she (who doesn't work outside her home) couldn't pull it off, how would I? And part of it was realizing (again) when WW was here and we went out for the day, how I probably wouldn't have been able to do that if I had the puppy.

So I've close the door on not just this puppy, but any puppy for the foreseeable future. This puppy was a breed I really liked, and she was coming to me free of cost. If I turned that down, it must mean that now is just not the time for a dog.

For me to have a dog now would require me having a pet sitter who could come anytime of day, any day I needed. And that just isn't likely to happen. Maybe I'm selfish, but I am enjoying not being accountable to anyone for my coming and going. Not that I go that many places, but I CAN, if I want to, just pick up and go.

I'm still thinking about a cat though.

So I did it

~I just signed up for NaBloPoMo for the third year. The first year I really wasn't sure I could do it, but I did; the second I was coming up on the end of a year of posting every day. This year feels more challenging than the first--I haven't been blogging much, and honestly, the blogisphere is pretty quiet these days, compared to two years ago, at least the corner where I hang out. But I am going to try to write SOMETHING every day, or post a picture, and hopefully not be dreadfully boring.

~Speaking of pictures, after my hard drive crashed in April, I upgraded my Photoshop, and ever since then I have not been able to get the interface between iPhoto and Photoshop to work correctly--at least as I understand it. It used to be that I downloaded my pictures into iPhoto and then easily opened them to edit in Photoshop. And they were easily accessible in my photo library. Now, if I download them into iPhoto, I can't open them in Photoshop, and if I download them into Bridge (which photoshop really wants me to do) I can't seem to access them outside of Photoshop. Making me nuts, and it's a major disincentive to working with my photography.

Good morning!

~It's a bright sunny Monday morning, and I woke up feeling rested, despite once again staying up too late last night (although part of that 'staying up' was actually sleeping on the couch.) And it's my day off. Sweet. Especially since last week was busy and this week promises to be more so. Fewer meetings but lots of planning and things to get set in place.

~WW, Mr. WW and Baby M spent a week here with me, which I greatly enjoyed. Baby M is, of course, adorable, and I had a chance to get to know Mr. WW (who needs a better pseudonym) a little better--after all, I'd only known him through FB until he arrived in this country a mere 48 hours before Baby M was born. WW has been seriously lacking sleep, but they all seemed to sleep fairly well here, and I could do some baby holding, so all was good.

~While they were here we spent an afternoon in nearby Ivy League City, which I had thus far only driven through. Found a couple of nice coffee shop/bookstores, walked through the university, and enjoyed the sunshine. Will be back. The next day they took the train into the city and went to the Museum of Natural History, which thrilled Mr. WW.

~Saturday I attended our diocesan convention where a new bishop for our diocese was elected. Sadly to me I didn't get to vote, not having met the three-month residency requirement, but it was fun to observe. Election came on the second ballot which to me indicates a high degree of consensus--some episcopal elections go 15+ ballots before someone gets the required number of votes.

~Have I said here that I live in a very cool house? I'm really liking it (and I promise to post pix as soon as I figure out my new (six months ago) photoshop. Sigh. ) I don't have enough furniture for this house, and as it happens there a number of antique shops in my new town, right on the main street. So I've been perusing them for things I might use here. Truth is I can't afford really expensive antiques, but I like funky old things of the less expensive sort, and I bought a very cool old oak hall tree a couple of weeks ago. I have my eye on a couple of other things--this will be a work in progress.

~Can this really be the very last week in October? I am hoping for trick-or-treaters this year, and yes, I will give them candy. (I'm all for healthy living, but come on, it's Hallowe'en!) We never had any trick-or-treaters at our last house because it was down a long dark driveway, and not in a heavily residential neighborhood, but it should be different here. I love Hallowe'en.

~And if November is coming, will NaBloPoMo be coming too? Perhaps that's what it will take to reestablish a new blogging habit. If I can do it.

Almost missed it

It just occurred to me, as I was going down my blogroll, that today is my fourth blogiversary. How time flies!

After not missing a day for 400 and some days, (EVERY day in 2008 plus some this year) my writing has dribbled off to nothing. I keep saying I'm coming back, with no results so far. But as much as I've come to love FB, I hate to let the blog go. There are so many of you I wouldn't know at all if it weren't for our interactions in the blogisphere. My life is richer for "knowing" all of you, and in the really rough part of the last year or so, your support meant a great deal to me.

Raising a glass of virtual bubbly to all of you (or at least anyone who still stops by). Here's to another year!

Friday Five--Shoes, shoes, shoes

A topic near and dear to my heart...

1. What is your favorite footwear at this time in your life?

Danskos, Keenes, Ecco, Chakos. I'm all about comfort but with at least a modicum of style. I learned in the city that as my feet go, so goes my day, so I just won't scrimp on shoes (although I've never succumbed to teh Mephistos).

2. What was the craziest shoe, boot, or sandal you ever wore?.
2hat was the craziest shoe, boot, or sandal you ever wor
Probably the sandals with the 1 1/4 inch platforms and 2 1/2 inch heels I wore back in the seventies--and walked to work in. Yikes. Don't know how I did that.

3. What kind of shoes did you wear in your childhood?

Flip flops and Keds or Red Ball Jets in the summer, patent leather Mary Janes for Sunday, and I don't remember what but they were probably ugly for school. I only recall the saddle oxfords I had in about second grade because I remember wanting them intensely and being so happy when my mother agreed to them.

In high school Bass Weejuns were all the rage, and I was allowed to have them but it was a BIG DEAL.

4. How do you feel most comfortable? Barefoot, flip-flops, boots, or what?

I would wear sandals all year round if I could. But since I live in New England that really isn't an option. So, sandals when it's warm and some sort of Danskos or the like when it's not, and my furry Ugg slippers when I get home from work. Sadly my barefoot days seem to be over.

5. What kind of socks do you like, if any?

I wear black trouser socks when I wear pants to work, and I like ones with cool patterns--my favorites have a lacy pattern.

Bonus: Anything you want to share about feet or footwear.

When I was a kid I loved to go barefoot, and there was a summer when I didn't put shoes on from the day school was out until the day school started, not for any reason. But when I was in grad school I had to walk great distances across campus every day, wearing my Sam and Libby ballet flats and I wrecked my feet --painful bone spurs were the end result. Ever since then my feet have not been happy about me walking around barefoot.

On living alone...so far...

~I've been here just a little over a month and the Kid's been away at college for almost a month, and I'm trying to settle into a normal routine...just don't know what normal is, yet. Everything is different--my daily routine, my day off, my work routine. Until last week I still felt like I was in transit because everywhere I looked there was evidence of moving. But that's gone now--well, mostly. There are a few things that still need attention, but it looks like I live here now. So I don't have that pressure.

~I'm doing okay here alone. Being really busy helps, no doubt. The first few days the Kid was gone, his absence was palpable (as it was when each of the other kids left home but probably exaggerated this time since he's the last to go). But you become accustomed to it. I still walk by his unnaturally neat room and wish he were there, and I had a little pang last night when I was doing my pathetic grocery shopping for one (more on that). And I miss his music. I don't tend to turn music on (I don't mind quiet and I just don't think about turning on the iPod or stereo) but the Kid would play music, or even better, play his guitar and sing, and I'm surprised at how much I miss that. Overall, though, I'm fine, and as predicted, in some ways it's very easy to be on my own, and really, accountable to no one.

~I would like to settle into a better daily rhythm. Because the office staff works from 9-1 each day, I've adopted those hours plus. So I've been coming home for lunch 1:30-2:00ish, and then either working at home or going back to church for a few hours. And then not getting around to thinking about dinner until 7-8, by which time it feels too late to really cook anything. And I've been staying up way too late has had become my habit. Yesterday after a long week I realized how very exhausted I felt, and how much I need to make sure I get enough sleep every night. So I need to go to be earlier. Sounds simple, but I rarely make it to bed before midnight and it's often 1 am. Must work on that.

~Cooking and eating: Gah. Now I love to eat, but I lost my motivation to cook a few years back. And cooking for one? Seems like a lot of trouble. So I eat a lot of frozen dinners--Lean Cuisine and the like, supplemented with some extra veggies. And easy things like omelets, nachos, baked potatoes, veggie burgers. But real cooking has gone by the wayside for now. I had visions of cooking on the weekends and freezing single servings--sounds like a great idea, doesn't it? But I'm not sure I'll ever do it. If I were in the city, or even in City by the Lake I'd be eating lots of take out, but I haven't discovered that many options that are really close by yet, which may be just as well. And the Kid and I ate out fairly often, but I'm not (yet) motivated to eat out alone.

~As for my work routine: On the one hand it's really easy because I can set my own hours to a degree, and yet at the same time, it's challenging to use my time well. The whole coming home for a late lunch and then getting back to work is okay some days, but others I feel like I'm not being very productive after I come home for lunch. Part of it is working out what exactly my day to day tasks are, and that is becoming more clear as time goes by. And part of it is, as my clergy coach says, working smart.

~Managing my time off is a challenge, too. In my last position I had Mondays and Fridays off. Saturdays were considered work days, but in truth, every other week when I wasn't preaching, Saturday also could be a day off. I knew then I had it good. Ironically, I was criticized by my boss for working too much because I sometimes worked on one of my days off (and very occasionally on both of them). Now I have Monday off, and I suppose theoretically Saturday, except I still write sermons on Saturday and this month I have lots of Saturday meetings as well. And last week I had a funeral on Monday, so no day off at all (but how do you say no to a family scheduling a funeral for a loved one?) So my off time is drastically reduced. I've been encouraged to take comp time, and I guess I could do that by taking some afternoons. off I just don't want that to make me look like I'm a slacker. It's all a balancing act, I guess.

~The whole should-I-get-a-dog question remains in limbo. When I left my previous location, the option was still open for me to claim the puppy, but I haven't had time to go get her. And as time goes by, I wonder if I could do the day-to-day? I have days when I need to be gone all day (tomorrow for instance is Clergy Day) and while I've had offers for pet care, I'm not sure any of them would be able to do mid-day on week days kind of care. Part of me still wants the dog--and I'd like to train her as a therapy dog--but part of me still says are-you-craaazzy??? And the latter part seems to be ahead right now. Maybe a cat instead?

~ETA: I actually did cook a from-scratch dinner tonight: corn on the cob and sauteed veggies (onion, zucchini, yellow squash and green tomato--yummy!) Of course the Kid (were he here) would say, "That's not a meal, that's sides" but it works for me.

October

HOLY COW--HOW can it be OCTOBER already? Where has the time gone?

Honestly, the last few months seem like such a blur--packing, the relentless packing, then reversing the process, and all while first saying goodbye and processing everything I'd been through, and then while starting a new job. I don't want to do that again for a long time! I am happy to say that after I stayed up very late night before last hanging pictures, now the "moving in" is just about complete. It looks like I'm here to stay, and it looks like home.

And I'm SO happy to be here. Really. I love my job, and so far I like the area. I have STARBUCKS and a FARMER'S MARKET both less than a mile from my house (and if you've read here for long you will appreciate how very happy that makes me). I can drive 10-20 minutes and get to anything and everything I could possibly want in terms of shopping (Ikea, Target, Whole Foods--well in a couple of months, WF). I can take the train into the city. I live in an awesome house, and I have wonderful people to work with.

I know this honeymoon won't last forever, and that little superstitious part of me is almost afraid to be too happy for fear of what might go wrong, but really, right now life is good!

Friday Five~It's Fall!

1. Share a Fall memory.

Walking through big piles of crisp golden leaves on the way to school when I was in 1st or 2nd grade.

2. Your favorite Fall clothes--(past or present)?

I love it when it's time to start wearing sweaters again.

3. Share a campfire story, song, experience...etc.

Sitting around the campfire making s'mores on the shore of Lake Champlain at camp.

4. What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

Fall is my favorite season--I love the changing of the leaves, the cooler temps, the preparations for winter.

5. What changes are you anticipating in your life, your church, family...whatever...as the season changes and winter approaches?

No more changes, please! After packing, moving, unpacking, starting the new job, taking the Kid off to college and having a new grandson, I'm hoping for some relative calm here.

Right on time!

~WW gave birth to my grandson, Baby M, yesterday at 3:21 pm, exactly on her due date. 7 lbs 6 oz, lots of black hair, and beautiful. Pictures to follow.

It's been a whirlwind for her since Mr. WW just arrived from Nepal on Sunday afternoon. They are all exhausted.

As for me, I was supposed to be at a new clergy meeting yesterday, but I begged off. As in introducing myself to the bishop, and then saying, "My daughter is labor, and I really need to leave." He was very understanding, for which I am very grateful.

Catching up, random bits style

~Catching up seems to be the theme of my life. I'm still unpacking, but the end is in sight. I'm off today and plan on a tackling those pesky remaining boxes--but it's the last ones that are the hardest, with all the stuff you look at and say "What am I going to do with THAT?" Which probably means that some of it should just go straight to the trash. Even though I tried to throw away lots as I packed. Ugh. Moving is a pain.

~I took the Kid to college last Sunday. That really deserves its own post, but I don't know if I'll get around to writing it. Suffice it to say that my nest is completely empty, and leaving him there was a bit hard. Tears were shed on the drive home, but I'm adapting and he seems happy at school so far. But when I think about it, I realize it is a huge milestone. I've been parenting for more than 30 years, and not to have a child at home now is, well, different. More about that as time goes by, I'm sure.

~I started work officially on September 1, but yesterday was my first Sunday. It really was a wonderful day. Lots of people in church (including my clergy coach and his wife!) and by all reports people who hadn't been there for a while. I'm sure there is lots of curiosity about the new priest, especially the new WOMAN priest (yes, there is some of that, but it's okay I think) but our task now is to keep them coming back. We'll see. There is so far a very positive feel in this place, and I'm so so happy to be here.

~In other good news, WW's beloved (whom I mentioned briefly here) finally arrived in Vermont yesterday--just in the nick of time since their baby is due on Tuesday--tomorrow actually!! Let us just say that the wheels of immigration move very, very, very slowly. I'm so glad he's here!

~As I was reading blogs last night I realized how many of the bloggers I feel like I've come to know over the last four years now either write infrequently or not at all. Nothing is forever, I guess, but I miss some voices. And I'm grateful for FB where I keep up with some folks I first met here. I haven't joined the twitter fray yet, but I guess the time is coming for that....

~I am also grateful for FB--as well as texting and Skype and other electronic media--for making it so much easier to keep up with my kids. Wherever they are! It's a whole new world compared to when my older kids went off to college and we had to rely on--gasp--land lines!! Only we didn't call them that...it was just the phone. And having grown up in a household where long distance calls were a BIG DEAL, I wasn't that good at calling frequently, as my daughters will attest. Electronic media make it so much better.

~Now I must go unpack SOMETHING before the day gets away from me!

We're here!

Actually we've been here a few days--in our new location, that is. Guess it needs a pseudonym. Suffice it to say for now that it's in another New England state.

Packing up was crazy, as I knew it would be. Despite all my best efforts we were up half the night before the packers came finishing up. The movers were great, though, and loaded and unloaded with efficiency and good humor. Even the guys who had to trek up to the attic in my new house multiple times. Turns out the mover needed two trucks--not because I had too much stuff, but because I have so many books that it would've been too heavy for one truck! Go figure. One of the movers carrying in book boxes said "There sure is a whole lot of reading going on in this house!"

My new house is awesome. It's an old Victorian, and it's been well care for. The Kid quickly noted that we have a "cupboard under the stairs" and he claimed for his bedroom the room accessible directly by the back stairs. My only complaint is that I don't have enough storage space in the kitchen. The butler's pantry in my old house along with ample kitchen cabinets really spoiled me. And I don't really have enough furniture, but that is something to take care of over time.

So unpacking has gone slowly so far, but I need to pick up the pace because I actually start work on Tuesday. Not sure that reality has set in yet! I am excited and nervous and happy and scared, but I think that this is going to be a good place. They already gave us a warm welcome--and a delicious dinner--when we arrived Thursday evening.

If you've read here for long, you know that the last year and a half or so has been really difficult, but in the end it's all worked out. I left my previous position knowing that the work I'd done had been appreciated by the congregation, and knowing that I had built good relationships with parishioners, if not with my boss. And now I have a wonderful new position with lots of potential--lots of challenges to be sure, but lots of potential. I am so blessed to be here.

As I was packing I had lots of posts running through my head, triggered by things I found along the way, and things I chose to throw away (including my tenure file, my old syllabi, and most of my teaching materials.) Hopefully, some of those posts will actually get written.

But first I have more unpacking to do!

Random bits of PACKING!

~Five days before the movers come and I'm deep in the throes of packing--I think I've reaching that "it's all chaos" stage. It has to get better, right?

~The books are 99.5% packed and I even managed to give four big bags full to the library. Nonetheless I foresee a shortage of bookcases in my future since there are fewer built-ins both in my church office and in my new rectory.

~As I predicted, it's hotter than h*ll and the humidity is about 99%. Why do I always move in the summer?

~Because it's so hot (and because I hate packing) I stop every so often and go shopping for one more thing for the Kid to take to college. And every trip I say, "We're done now, right?" Remains to be seen if we're really done.

~I'm trying to weed through things that have accumulated, or worse, were moved before (sometimes more than once) when they shouldn't have been. Which slows the process because I take so many side trips down memory lane. But since it's so hot, sometimes that's okay.

~And I've spent a prodigious amount of time on FB--especially playing FarmVille which has to be the biggest.time.suck.ever but I keep right on playing. I guess I need some diversion.

~Remember the puppy? Well, after failing to make ANY decision when the offer was first made, I thought the deal was off. But this week the puppy and her current mom came to visit, and we may have worked a deal where I come get the puppy after I'm safely moved. I'm kind of excited about that.

~I'm getting excited about getting to my new church, too. And nervous. And scared. And happy. Really, I'm looking forward to it, but sometimes I don't think that the reality has set in. I'm going to be the rector!

~Stay tuned. I've vowed to write more and give the blog a new look once I get settled.

Celebrity sightings

~~but not by me....

I live in a relatively quiet place. It is a vacation destination, but people who vacation here tend to keep a pretty low profile and most celebs are pretty secluded. But a Very Prominent Family happens to live here as well, and today there is a funeral for a Very Important Person. So there are lots more celebrities around than usual. Among the Kid's friends there have been a LOT of celebrity sightings, including the governor of a bankrupt state, the world's richest TV host, a legendary blind singer, and the VPOTUS. Wow. I'm a bit envious, I must admit.

O the irony!

For as long as I've lived here I've lamented the lack of availability of locally grown produce in the summer. Yes, there is a farmer's market, but it takes place on a day of the week when it was absolutely impossible to get there because of work. Farms stands are few and far between, and until this year, CSAs were pretty rare, too.

Today the Kid and I went to Whole Foods--it's almost a hour's drive away, so we don't go there very often, but the Apple Store is there also and we went to get the Kid a new laptop to take to college (!) and since we were there anyway, I couldn't skip Whole Foods.

One of the things I like about WF is that they tell you where the produce comes from. I really appreciate that. I was eyeing tomatoes from Jersey and peaches grown in this state, and blueberries from Maine and Michigan, when to my great surprise I spied cabbages and potatoes from--yes, you guessed it--the very town I live in. Who knew?

It's sort of like living in Florida and only finding California oranges in the grocery store! Why can't there be more places selling locally grown produce RIGHT HERE?

Argh.

Sorting and filing

In some ways I'm a very organized person. But my organization tends to be internal, and the outside--well, chaos might be too strong, but there tends to be a bit of clutter, especially when it comes to things that need to be sorted and filed. I've tried to be better about it, but still--I just hate dealing with it.

A small metal filing cabinet has moved around with me for the past 20+ years, holding bits of this and that. Every so often I'll take a stab at getting files in order, but it's hit or miss. And since we've lived here, I've filed papers on a shelf instead. Finally last night I decided the filing cabinet--rusty, dented, and not very attractive--had to go, so I unloaded its contents and started going through them.

Of course, it was like opening Pandora's box. Yes, there were tax forms--many years worth, all neatly filed away. And there were birth certificates and shot records and report cards from years gone by. A random paper I wrote my freshman year in college--on Southern food. (Don't ask why--I don't remember.)

Then there were the warranties for things I no longer own, the floppy disks that no computer can read anymore, old canceled checks, Mother's Day, graduation and birthday cards, a newspaper article about me when I graduated from college, random photos (the big box of photos is still upstairs, needing to be repacked!), receipts for who knows what--the flotsam and jetsam of my life.

Some of it was funny; some of it was painful--the divorce decree, the letter my dad wrote to each of us when he knew his cancer was terminal--which I ironically received the same day as my acceptance letter from seminary. An essay I wrote for the commission for ministry and my first ember letter to my bishop, along with his reply were tucked away, too.

I filled a big box with discards, shredded two big bags of papers, and reduced it all down to one neat waterproof file box. It's all in folders, but it wouldn't win any gold stars for great organization. And I don't think I ever will. Because here's the thing: Being able to file everything away into orderly folders, neatly labeled doesn't really match how my life is. It doesn't encompass the ambiguity, the ups and downs, the messy reality of my life. I expect my files, like my life, will always be a bit chaotic. But that's okay.

Random bits of "I'm on vacation now!"

~Even though I have tons of organizing and packing to do, I'm determined to have some vacation time. So yesterday morning I loaded up the car and took off for Vermont where I'll be on child care duty for a few days with the delightful Baby J who has grown so much since I saw her the first week of June that I can hardly believe it.

~Traffic was teh awful yesterday. Where I live, I expect delays at certain points, but oddly, the back-ups were in totally different places yesterday. But they were bad enough that my trip took a whole hour longer than it should have.

~Today I spent with WW, looking at car seats and seeing her new apartment and then attending the shower NSLS threw for her. Boy, are car seats more complicated (and expensive) than they were when the Kid was an infant.

~Alas, I did not leave rainy weather behind. There were torrential downpours off and on all afternoon. Really, all of New England is just going to float away...

~Three of NSLS's high school friends were at the shower this afternoon. They're all married or engaged, two of the four (counting NSLS) are moms, one is a mom of two. But in my mind I still see the giggling ninth graders I used to drive around, the cheerleaders and track runners I watched compete, the girls I saw off to the prom. Where has the time gone?

~The Kid stayed behind for a few days to work and spend time with his friends. Weird going off without him, but preparation for the weeks ahead when he will be going off on his own to college. He's taking the bus up to join me on Thursdsay, and next weekend we'll head off to Maine for a few days.

~ I have pictures to post, but ever since I got a newer version of Photoshop and Leopard I've been having trouble with pictures. I'm not sure exactly what is different, but I need to figure it out. Maybe while Baby J is napping this week...

~And now I should go to bed at a decent hour and store up som energy for baby-watching