These Eyes

When we were in Vermont last month we placed two bets with the Mad River Valley Rotary Club's annual "You Bet Your Life" fundraiser in which participants place bets on when a carefully positioned outhouse, rigged to an alarm, will fall through some local ice.
The internet allowed us to track our bets and C was both excited and crushed to learn that he was less than three hours from guessing the correct date and time of the big spash.
With NaBloMo's theme this month being the word whether - I pondered whether it was easier to take losing a contest of luck by a little or by a lot.

song: These Eyes • artist: The Guess Who

Lipstick On Your Collar

I had a free makeover the other day at Mashpee Commons in preparation for a dance performance. As someone who doesn't wear make up, it was rather traumatic: foundation, blush, concealer, eyebrow pencils, mascara, lions and tigers and bears - oh my.
I don't know what to think of make up. Is it something I never did because of my feminist college days? Did I give up on make up even before that after some failed attempts with eye shadow in junior high? Was it that I was lucky enough to have a high school boyfriend who was supportive of make up-less girlfriend? Was it sheer laziness?
And why, when you tell someone you never wear make up, do they then finish your make over and ask you when was the last time your husband saw you in make up?
Never!
Haven't you been listening?
Then she asked if I had cleanser at home.
No.
Why would I?
Again - what part of "I don't wear make up" are you not understanding here?

song: Lipstick On Your Collar • artist: Connie Francis

Your Smiling Face

What happens if you leave your camera lying around.
First this:

then this:

and this:

of course this:

and finally this:

song: Your Smiling Face • artist: James Taylor

Midnight Rambler

What do you do when you get a message saying you've been featured in a blog and then your parental control feature tells you that the blog's content may not be suitable for all readers?
You are psyched.
Thanks Kevin!

song: Midnight Rambler • artist: The Rolling Stones

Wild Night

And sometimes you get to go out with the grown ups and people still know you as you and not just as somebody's mom. And that's nice too.

song: Wild Night • artist: Van Morrison

Living in an Island

Kind of creepy when you take into account the last book I finished was "The Island of Dr. Moreau."

song: Living in an Island • artist: Boomtown Rats

It's Just a Fantasy

Yes, that was me. I was the mom in Marshalls today who carried her four-year old, mid-tantrum, out of the store with his twin brother gimping along behind.
Then I had to chase him back in after putting him down next to the car to fish keys out of my pocket (stupid automatic doors), and pick him up all over again.
Why was he mad? Because I would not buy him shoes that were too small.
Why was I mad? Because I was plum out of parenting tricks.
I tried reasoning: "those shoes don't fit, we tried them on your feet two times."
I tried choice: "you can put those shoes back and have these shoes," "you can put those shoes back or we can leave."
I tried distraction: "let's go look at the socks instead."
Wait. Damn it. I forgot to try fantasy: "I wish we could shrink your feet back down to a size 9." "I wish we could by 100 pairs of these shoes." "I wish I were in Tahiti."

song: It's Just A Fantasy • artist: Billy Joel