alright, I'll do it

Rollerskater called me out to do this, so I'll play along.
Achtung: Read below if you just can't get enough of me. I'll bet even Kevin will skim this...

7 things

7 things I plan to do before I die:
1) Learn to flamenco
2) Visit Israel
3) Learn to play violin
4) Get a french bulldog
5) Make some art that I could stand to hang on my wall
6) Pray with someone to accept Christ
7) Adopt a lil' African

7 things I can do:
1) play guitar
2) paint, draw, sculpt, print, design, etc
3) sew
4) cook
5) encourage
6) birth a baby
7) blog ;)

7 things I cannot do:
1) Lift heavy things
2) Argue/debate
3) Run or anything associated with running
4) Keep a day-planner
5) Be a b%$@& (on purpose ;) )
6) Settle for "average"
7) Keep my nails nice

7 things that attract me to another (Kevin):
1) Holds/feeds the baby
2) Lets me dress him and the house
3) Washes the dishes
4) Lets me stay at home
5) Never yells
6) Doesn't party
7) Respects me

7 things I say most often:
1) "Don't cry, why you cry?"
2) "Hi lil' baby"
3) "Franklin!/ Mojito!"
4) "I gotta pee"
5) "when ya' comin' home?"
6) "lets go change your diaper"
7) "please don't cry"

7 people I want to do this:
1) Aurora

yeah just one, this way she'll have to do it.

In other pet news,

On Saturday afternoon Cricket was screaming and crying for no apparent reason, so we took her and the dogs on a walk to the end of the block and back, because that always quiets her down.
As we approached our yard, the dog pictured below trotted up behind began to follow us.

He had no tags, but his nails were clipped and we could see that he did have a collar at some point because there was a big indentation on his neck where one had been. We both thought that we'd see a desperate owner run around the corner and say "my dog!" any minute but as we hung around in our front yard with him, no one did.
I called SPCA to see if anyone had reported him missing, but no one had.
The woman on the phone did ask me to see if he had been neutered and he was so low to the ground I had to flip him over to see. Poor guy, total strangers lookin at his crotch. I gave them our information so that the owner could come get him when s/he realized he was loose.
It got later and later and we thought "well we'll just keep him here for a while then." We gave all three dogs a bath. The dog, we called Cleveland was stinky. He was a very gentle dog so the thought of keeping him overnight didn't bother us.
But oh boy.
Apparently he didn't like being alone and no matter how cushy we set up the bathroom for him, he didn't like being in there without us. He started clawing the door and eating through stuff. So at 1:30 A.M. we dediced he should stay at the SPCA.
Kevin got back from the drop off and I thought everything would be peaceful. Our dogs were snug in their beds, Cricket was sleeping quietly...I drift off to sleep--CLINK CLINK CLINK, CHEW CHEW SCUTTLE SCUTTLE.
What in the--?
OLIVE!!!

Kevin took this photo the next morning explaining what she was up to. Eating my Q-tips off the dresser! I shot out of bed and chased her out the room with a squirt bottle.
Friggin cat.

Darn you, dough boy!

I've come down with a sickness, one in particular for which sugar is very bad.
And what do I find everywhere now? Sugar!
I think I'm an addict going into withdrawl.
I love it so much.
I eat marshmellows straight out of the bag.
I eat chocolate chips, coconut flakes, muffin batter, cake frosting, nutella by the spoonful!
I find myself staring at the chalk-mints on our coffee table and thinking "just one...no! I'll want more and more!"
Oh, the willpower! I don't know how long I can last!

I just cut a pumpkin with a power saw

I did.
I needed to make soup with it.
I'm sure professional chefs would use a cleaver and a mallet, but I didn't have those.
Whenever I split a gourd (which isn't that often really) I always feel like if there was someone in the room watching me they'd say, "Charlie, stop you're going to stab yourself!"
And I think, "oh my gosh, I'm gonna stab myself."
Not that I'm in any less danger using a reciprocating saw with bare feet and steadying a rolly pumpkin with my left hand.But don't fear, I still have all my digits and Cricket was safely napping in the other room.

he's bad, bad, Charlie/Leroy Brown

This evening I googled my name, well nickname plus married-last-name, just to see if someone could find me that way.
First out of the shoot was an obituary* that read:

LeRoy "Charlie" Thayer
HAMPTON — LeRoy "Charlie" Thayer, 68, of 450 High St.,Hampton, Mass, died Saturday, March 24, 2001, at the Exeter Hospital...

He was a rather respectable man, war veteran, state representative; being a yankee was his only vice.

I feel inspired to live on in his memory, though as far as I know we have no blood relation.
From now on, y'all can call me LeRoy.

*I don't mean to be movin' in your territory Esbee.

look, substance!

For those of you who read this blog purely for personal information about yours truly, you'll be disappointed in this post.
For the rest of you, I give you Meanwhile.

if I could your attention please? everyone?

a few quick announcements concerning my sidebar:

-Daniel's link that got lost in the shuffle is back, and I have still never met him.
-However I did meet Preston last week, and his link has changed thusly.

Baby Tuesday

According to my laptop, it's exactly 4:00 AM. I've been up since 2:30 with you-know-who. She's all wound up. We're watching the news and she's doing a little dance in her carrier every few moments at the screen and keeps kicking off her blanket. Neither is a sign of sleepiness.
But she's not crying, and that's fine with me.


I almost didn't put this one on here. But her cuteness trumped the less than flattering nostril shot.


Flail flail flail! This is pretty close to what she's doing now actually.
Note the little purple plastic cricket next to her, courtesy of Ebay.

'Love the peruvian baby hat that kevin's aunt and uncle brought back from llama land.


I loved this outfit. 'Pity she kicked off one of these shoes while we were shopping. Maybe I'll bronze the other one.

The Odd Couple

I've had this picture of my dogs in my head for a while. They quibble like Felix and Oscar and if I had known they'd turn out like this, I might have named them that.

Don't point that finger at me unless you intend to use it. -Oscar Madison

Speaking of pets, I'm a goof and installed a virtual pink llama on my sideline. I'm sure I'll soon get bored with Guillermo and have to surrender him at the local livestock shelter. Pet him while he's here.

sniffle

This made me cry.

Go [a). scream b). fight c). barf] It On The Mountain

I remember getting a Christmas tree as a kid, and it was always accompanied by arguing and angst. I'm not sure what made my mom so tense, but the whole operation was executed like necessary visit to the GYN doctor.
Last year, I thought those stressful tree days were behind me. I traveled with Kevin's family up into the mountains to their traditional tree farm, cut down our own perfect tree, carted it back and happily planted it in our living room. No fights, no strife, riding in the back of a 1987 Dodge Caravan was my only complaint.
This year, the wheels came off.
Here were the players on the field:
Me, Kevin, Mojito, Franklin, Cricket, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law-- that's 2 dogs, 1 baby, and four in laws.
We took two cars, and the car ride up was nice. I didn't even mind how unbelievably far we had to drive up winding mountain roads to get to the trees-- but Mojito did.
Who knew dogs get car sick? If any dog is sensitive enough to get queasy, it's my chihua-chshund. Luckily he didn't barf on me, he barfed on the vinyl seat, but I still had to mop up the regurgitated kibbles. Here's a photo of Mojito giving me the look of "please let me out.":

When we got out of the car, it became clear that I did not come prepared. No gloves, no baby hat or pacifier and no bjorn pouch. Crap. The dogs went nutz with all the people milling around and all the trees to pee on.
And as for the perfect tree, that idea went out the window. When he asked "what kind do you want?" I replied "a close one."




Kevin carried Cricket until he had to cut the tree down. After that hand off to Grandma, she cried for over an hour, straight through. It was unbelivable. So loud, especially when you're trapped in a car.
Scream scream scream down the mountain. Even after we got home and I fed her, she still was inconsolable. As we were trying to set the tree up-- cry cry cry.
I'm going add that to the top of my list of holiday spirit killers, along with drunken relatives, and political arguments- the screaming baby.

one of these things is not like the other

Which one of these people sticks out?
No, no, not the Vietnamese-aunt-in-law, you'd think so, but no.
Give you a hint: "moon-face"
That's right, it's me.
Highlights of Thanksgiving include: stuffed mushrooms, llamas on DVD, and a baby that slept through dinner.


Cricket's little Thanksgiving outfit, courtesy of Aunt Dianne, everyone loved it. After I took this photo we put on her little baby tights and baby Ugz (thanks Becky), you can see the full ensemble in the group shot if you squint.

only you can prevent Jingle Bells

I've been compiling my favorite Christmas songs on iTunes to make my own personal Ultimate Christmas Album. (*Not available in stores, call now!*)
Here's what I have so far.

Poignant Songs:
Celebrate Me Home - Kenny Loggins
Christmas by the Bay - Tim Hockenberry
Mary Did You Know? - Kathy Mattea
O Holy Night - Kelly Clarkson**
Welcome to Our World - Chris Rice
Go Tell It on the Mountain - The Swan Silvertones

Fun Songs:
All I Want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
Here Comes Santa Claus - Elvis Presley
I Want and Alien For Christmas - Fountains of Wayne
Man in the Santa Suit - Fountains of Wayne

I can't think of any other really good ones but I bet you can. I'm asking for suggestions. If you're considering voting for Jingle Bells or The Christmas Shoes-- shame on you.


**What? She does a good job!

Chickies Home Journal

This was my monday night meal. Thank you, thank you very much.


Check it out, all the black boxes go away when I close the door! Hooray! This closet didn't exist before. And now it brings me so much happiness!
Now I just have to paint that nasty patched part on the corner. I think the drywall guy got a little over zealous with the plaster.

Baby Tuesday

Her dedication outfit. The little onesie says "His little lamb" and has a, you guessed it, a little felt lamb stitched on it. 

Ta da! "I love it, Mom, finally I got some style!" 

Recognize this shot? She's sleepin in my spot. (No, we don't do the "family bed" thing, she just naps in there when she falls asleep after breakfast #1) 

Maybe *she* didn't drink it, but I'll bet her next meal had a hint of Cricket Cola. 

We do this alot during the day, she and I. Tidying is one of her favorite activites. Note the bug pants. Later Mojito unearthed those little pants and brought them back to his dog lair where Kevin found them before they met their end. (btw, this is *not* a good photo of me, but I'm too lazy to cut my goofy face out of it) 

The world should have more purple sweater blankets.