Wow. I had no idea you all were so easily offended. I’ll try to avoid talking about poop in the future. Even if it’s hypothetical poop. Poop that never existed.

Poop that never was.

In other news, the sun just came out and it’s almost 50 degrees! Got to love that January thaw. I just came in from running a few errands to find Dash up early from his nap and Neil and Tim still rehearsing in the living room. I’m thinking the two are related.

I haven’t talked about it on this site yet, but Neil (thoroughly inspired by Dash) has been writing children’s music for the last few months. You can listen to some rough demos here to get an idea of what I’m talking about. Those are two of the early songs and in my opinion they’ve gotten steadily better since then (there’s another 10 or so being recorded, including this sweet rag-time-ish tune). We’re already planning the world tour (and complete world domination), so let me know if you want us to play your town or sublet our house in coastal Maine.
I’m mostly not kidding.

P.S. HappyDashery shop update in progress. Check it out!

I am a coin collector, of sorts.

No, not the kind who has binders of neatly categorized coins from all over the world and all through time, but rather the kind who sees a dime on the ground, and everything stops until I get that coin in my possession.
And any coins that I find around the house (wallet, washing maching, etc.) are immediately pooled together with a satisfying clink that only money on money makes.

When I was little, I had one of those tootsie roll banks that I saved my money in. I didn’t save much (if you ask my mom) but I did manage to build a tiny nest egg with my allowance. And on Saturdays, when the allowance payment came through, I (displaying my virgoan tendencies) would dump all the change out, line them up like little soldiers, and one-by-one, count them all up again.

And all this from someone who can’t do math to save her life.

I haven’t done the counting part in a long time (and you’ll be pleased to know that I no longer line the coins up before counting them) and what with the new year and all, I decided it’s time. A new tradition is born! I will start each new year with a wealth of spare change!

So I spent some time on Saturday, painstakingly counting out change by two’s. By the way, it’s hard to stop counting in two’s once you do it for an hour or so.

I expected about $50 and would have been happy with $20.

I counted over $100 and nearly pooped my pants.

Not really. It’s just a figure of speach.

So exciting! And convenient, since someone I know has a birthday coming up.

Or, August Morning, to be precise.

That’s right, the studio finally was painted. Finally. I’ll have more pictures soon (as soon as I can get through the crap I piled in the center of the room in order to paint) and will share so you can see the glory that is The Studio.

Can you tell I’m excited?

Here’s to a new year where I actually get shit done.

As much as I love it, these quiet moments after Christmas are always so nice. The tree stands, proud and decorated, and there’s no pressure to make or buy lovely things to put beneath it. Josie loves these days best of all, as there’s finally room for her.

We spent a lovely Christmas eve and day with my parents (at what we call our “country house”). Dash, oblivious to all except mom & dad & grandparents lavishing attention on him, was spoiled with more gifts than he knows what to do with. Not too many really, but when you consider how much an almost-one-year-old really needs, a lot.

His favorite way to spend time? Standing at the old drum-turned-coffee-table playing with this little gift box that plays “We wish you a merry Christmas” every time the lid is lifted. Sounds fine, but that box is one of the more annoying things ever brought into my parent’s house. And I should know. I brought it home to them almost twenty years ago. You’re welcome, Dad!

Here’s a shot of the boy in action.

So now it’s all over for another year and the snow is falling yet again. Life goes on, and never was that more clear than on my to-do list.

Today’s To-Do:

Go to the post office
Return videos (Cube and Chalk)
Paint studio (who am i even kidding here? this is the longest project ever.)
Write thank you notes

And with that I’m off. Those thank you’s don’t write themselves.

Or, snowberms, as Robyn would say.

So we’ve been a little cooped up with all this snow that fell over the past week. And though it’s been cold for just a leisurely walk, I had to do it anyway. There’s only so much of the inside of my house I can take.
Time to bundle Dash up in his new snowsuit and head out for a jaunt up the street.

Mom? I can’t move but for all the bundling.

But Dash, I say, we’re going out into the freezing cold to walk up the street. We’ll step carefully on crunchy, packed down snow, our noses will drip everywhere, and we’ll probably slip on some ice on the way. It’ll be so much fun!

I believe you mom. Let’s go!

All of the above did indeed happen (note to self: bring tissues), but it was sunny and our spirits were lifted by the fresh air, so we (I) decided to do the complete block. It’s about a mile around, easy on a mild day, but we tend not to walk it in the winter. But I was feeling ok about it and Dash was enjoying himself, so we kept on walking.

One short portion of this loop falls on a busy, loud street. It’s my least favorite and I don’t even like to admit that we live so close to it. But there are sidewalks and like I said, it’s the short, and last portion of the walk. As we approach it I get this sinking feeling. “What if they haven’t cleared the sidwalks? No, that’s ridiculous. It’s been two days since the storm and it’s a busy street. Of course they’ve plowed. Ha ha, it sure would suck if they hadn’t plowed. We’d have to walk all the way back, another mile, up that steep hill, and the temperature is plummeting. Hilarious!”

My disappointment in the city’s lack of plowing is perhaps best expressed by this picture, taken after the long, unexpected and cold, walk home.

I was pretty annoyed, but then the city got a lot of bad press for dropping the ball during this particular storm (sidewalks not plowed around schools? Come on now.). I still love you Portland, but why you gotta make my baby cry?