Argh, a bit of a delay today while we move our sites over to a new host. One that works. Imagine that.
Some comments were lost in the move. My apologies. Cory.

It’s been a nice Friday so far. The three of us just hanging around together—feels like a weekend already. Neil worked on our sites while Dash and I went out shopping to indulge my need for creative activities. No, the shopping wasn’t it. I needed more supplies to finish some pillows for our deck chairs. I’ll post the finished product hopefully soon, though perhaps as late as next year.

I have to go fix up a pear and gorgonzola pizza for dinner. Cory and Robyn are coming at 7 so I’d better bust my butt. What an odd phrase that is, yes?

Let me leave you with a little slideshow I like to call, “Two minutes in the life of Dash.”

Have a great weekend!

I admit that I often get quite nostalgic for Brooklyn, though I’m never really sure why. Was it the city itself? The apartment living? The long commute to work? The crowds? mmm… the restaurants? Nah, we have really good restaurants in Portland, so I’m not missing that.

Whatever it is, ultimately it represents an important part of my life. My early-mid 20’s. I had my first real jobs, my first real life outside of my family, my first real relationships. Big stuff. All in Brooklyn.

Naturally, it wasn’t all great. In spite of that, I have a tendancy to gloss over that whole period of my life. “Wasn’t it so great? I was young, carefree, everything was fun and pretty and wonderful and easy, etc.” When in reality, it was just as difficult and sucky and stressful and ugly as every time in life can be. My job was awesome, yet also drained my soul day by day in the way that working for a huge corporation will do. I loved riding the subway, but I also couldn’t wait to not have to ride the subway anymore. (I’m remembering in particular the woman who was essentially spooning me one afternoon while also holding my hand on the pole instead of just the pole. That sounds more sexual than it actually was. It was really that she just had no concept of personal space and was insulted when my friend asked her to get off of me. Good times.) Anyway, thank god that’s how my memory works. Mix up the good and the bad, and what comes out at the end is mostly just the good. And the funny.

So when I read things about NY, like about the tornado that touched down in Brooklyn yesterday, it brings me right back to living there. Cassie said it well, days like this are hell in the city. When you’re on the train and it suddenly gets stuck, all you can think about is how you want to get off that train. And that’s exactly what the other 150 people in your car are thinking. Only, you’re all stuck together. And some of you smell. And others of you are eating chicken salad out of a baggie with a plastic fork.

The best scenario is when the train gets stuck and you haven’t gotten on it yet. “Oh, mass flooding? Bummer. Guess I’m going to be late for work. I’ll call that in.”

“Hi, boss? Yes, it’s Tonya. The F train is down and I don’t think it’s coming back up any time soon. I’m going to try to find a cab. I’ll be in as soon as I can.”

Only then, everyone in the city is trying to find a cab and you realize that instead of elbowing your way through a crowd to fight for a cab, what you really ought to do is just take the day off. Yes, that’s what you’ll do.

“Hi, boss? Yes, it’s Tonya again. Looks like it is going to take forever to get in town today. I could come in, but it probably won’t be until at least noon. What’s that? Yeah, I agree. It might be better to just try again tomorrow. I don’t have any meetings today anyway. All right then. Yup, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

And thus, the personal day was born. And all was good.

So yesterday, as Cassie and I are cruising down 295 to the Bead store, talking talking talking, I see this little gray blur down by my feet. I look down and very quickly raise my eyes back up.

And it takes a full 3-5 seconds for it to sink in.

There’s a tiny mouse sitting by my foot. The foot that is currently working the gas pedal which is keeping the car at about 70 mph. On a busy highway.

I wouldn’t say I went into full shock. I recall conciously thinking that I should remain calm as I am in control of a speeding car, but if that mouse should touch my foot, I might lose it. I believe my exact words were, “There’s a mouse by my foot. There’s a mouse by my foot.”

Thank God it was Cassie in the car with me. She’s the only one I know who could calmly reach down, pick up the little mouselette with a scrap of paper, ask me to slow down, and toss it from the car. Thank you God. Or Cassie, as the case may be.

I called Neil to let him know that Cassie saved the day, but we might have a nest in our car, and he pauses and says, “You didn’t even pull over before throwing him out?”

Oops.

So for no reason other than that I promised you pictures, here you go.

Dashiell and Jessica at the beach last week. Can you stand the cuteness?

Cassie with Dash.

Taken with my laptop camera. This is the best of the few that we took and that ain’t sayin’ much. What’s happening with my hair?

The thing about summer in Maine is this. Everyone you know will come visit you at some point during these incredibly short three months. (Is it even three?) And who can blame them? The rest of the year is COLD and Snowy. We wear layers and bid each other “drive safe!” as we step outside, hoping we don’t slip on a hidden patch of ice. That kind of weather is for the diehards, the foolish. You know, us.

But the kind of weather we’ve had for the past week or so? A- mazing. And just in time for the next installment of summer visitors. First there was Jess, down for a quick visit from Toronto. We ran away from all responsibility and headed to the beach. Some goooooooood people watchin’ there, including a KidMan* who recommended that next time we come, we simply “don’t pay five bucks. Just throw two dollars at the guy and walk away.” That’s good advice, thanks KidMan.

And then Cassie came to visit this weekend and I haven’t seen her since my wedding. As if! There’s no excuse for that, I love her and I wish she would move to Maine.

Anyway, this is all just to say that that’s what I’ve been up to and I apologize for not writing. I’ll be back on the bloggin’ wagon tomorrow. With pictures and everything.

*You know the kind. Looks like he’s about 14, right down to the puffy, baby fat body, but in fact is married and has a child and was probably about 21.

LOST: Time.

Specifically last Wednesday through now. Where did you go? The CSA shipment arrived Wednesday evening with fresh vegetables and then I woke up and realized we’re getting another shipment tomorrow. It’s already almost NEXT Wednesday.
I really hate wasting this food! I don’t like wasting any food, but this is super-fresh food that we intentionally seek out and bring into our home. Bad Tonya.

Time to go to the fridge and see just how bad I should feel….

Hmm… well, I’m surprised. We did better than I realized. Just some tired old lettuce, some still viable string beans, and these gorgeous potatoes.

And now to feed my family using just ordinary household items and the food above… got it. Pork chops (marinating in olive oil, thyme from the garden, salt and pepper) and a little mix of potatoes, onion, string beans, onion, and more thyme, salt and pepper. Yum.

Dessert? Mangoes were on sale at Wild Oats so I think I’ll make something called a Mango Fool. Why do I think it’s called that for a reason? Will I be the fool at the end of this experiment? Let’s hope not. The recipe says to freeze leftovers for really good ice cream, which in these hot hot days sounds awfully good.

FOUND: The letter D

I saw this on our walk yesterday. No other letters. Just the D. How perfect is that?