Morning Chaos

This morning was insane. It is 8:19 AM and I have been in the car three times since 6:55 AM.

Trip One: I walked downstairs to see Evan's lunch still on the countertop. He had JUST left to catch the bus, so I quickly made his sandwich (which he also forgot to do), jumped in the car and got to the bus stop exactly as Evan was boarding it. I think the bus driver and every kid on the bus thought I was a psycho as I drove up beeping my horn and flashing my lights. However, it was a success.

Trip Two: Today, most kids are taking the PSAT (sort of like a practice GCSE in Maths and English for you Brit readers, but it does determine scholarship eligibility for Evan's year group). For weeks, the kids have been told they need to bring pencils and a calculator. I asked Craig if Evan had his calculator. His reply was, "I don't know. He is 16 years old and responsible; I am sure he has his calculator." The Mom gut instinct in me just didn't believe that response, so I went up to Evan's room and sure enough, there was the calculator on his desk! Craig and I made arrangements for him to get the younger guys out of the house and off I went to the high school. I got there and the bazillion kids who attend his school were milling about since school hadn't actually opened. I looked for Evan but there are a lot of kids. I walk inside to the lobby area and lo and behold, my son is standing directly in front of me! What are the chances of that? Calculator handoff ensues. Evan is actually grateful. Upon my return, I wave to the middle school boys walking to the bus stop and Craig going to work. Aaaah, success!

Trip Three: Less than 10 minutes later, I get a phone call whilst talking to a neighbor on the other line (call waiting rocks!) and it is Finn. I thought he was calling to say they missed the bus, but he was calling to say that he had forgotten his gym kit. Aaaargh! In all of the chaos, I had forgotten to get it out of the dryer this morning and to his credit, he had no idea where it was although the bag was right next to his backpack and he or Craig could have called me before this point in time. So I pack a gym kit and head for the middle school. Kit delivered, coffee poured, blog written. A triple play (or hat trick as the case may be)! The End.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Are You Sure You're From Around Here?

Today whilst walking to the farmer's market on Main Street (which is also Frederick Road, like how High Street in the UK can have another name as well), Craig looked at some trash in the gutter and saw something that looked like a KFC wrapper, but said KGC and just after saw a KFC wrapper. He noted that he thought the first one said KGC and we kept walking. Upon our return, we looked for the wrapper and found it and it DID say KGC. After a more thorough inspection, we saw that KGC stands for Kentucky Grilled Chicken and we were like, "What? When did that happen?" Still acclimating or (shall I say acclimatising?).

On another note, we keep seeing this cat wandering around the neighborhood that looks a lot like our cat, Gus, that disappeared at least 10 years ago. This is not the same cat by any means; he is much younger and stockier. However, today out of the blue, he ran right up to us meowing and rolled around for pets and just hung around like he belonged here. So, I caved. I fed him some food which he immediately snarfed down in record time.


We totally had been played, but he was super nice and actually didn't look mangy in the least. So I plan to keep a bowl of food on the porch during the day (not at night because we have raccoon issues) to see if he visits again. We named him Charlie Bucket in keeping with our Willie Wonka theme (Varuca Salt, Augustus "Gus" Gloop) and because he just has that orphaned boy look about him even though I think he is a she.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Indian Summer

The past few days have been extra lovely after all of the rain and cold temperatures we have had lately. Autumn is by far my most favorite time of the year. I do believe I am so glad to be home.

I also love going to Pier 1 in the fall. I love the smell of it, the autumn colored themes, the music. I know it's weird, but I missed it.

This is the Maryland I love. I am actually happy to have experienced the heat and humidity, the crazy rain storms and yes, even the mosquitoes (which need to DIE off entirely) so I can appreciate the changing season. Autumn is awesome.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Been Keeping Busy

Craig returned to work on Friday. Owen has been playing soccer in between rain cancellations.


Evan started Driver's Ed and is doing very well in his transition to high school. Finn is doing lots of homework whilst trying to catch up on some Algebra gaps and I have finally unpacked all of the clothing that we haven't seen since 25 May which meant a trip to the dry cleaners.

My dry cleaner remembers me from three years ago and prints my name on a slip before the door closes behind me. This is litruhlee true. It also helps that we have been in three times in the past month and a half with piles of wrinkly clothes. And the fact that we have probably doubled her income in that month and a half... At least dry cleaning isn't nearly as expensive in the UK.

My latest nephew, Dylan,


was baptized on the last weekend of September. It was nice to see all of the family.


Owen is given Troy a noogie. Aaaah, cousinly love...


Cole is fascinated by Evan's phone. He's definitely the technology brother.


A blurry photo of big brother and belated birthday boy, Shane.


My brother, Kirk, and his wife, Jenny. They're the ones holding the kids just in case you weren't sure.

Finally, a big shout out to Steve Jobs with whom this post probably would not have been possible. Pure.Genius.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hilltop Hike

This past Thursday, the kids had a day off from school for Rosh Hashanah (something that hasn't occurred for us in three years) so Owen, Craig and I went on a hike to one of our favorite spots in the Patapsco State Park, the Sawmill Branch Trail. We heard lots of birds, saw a small herd of deer twice and a couple of northern water snakes. The latter sighting really made Owen's day. Let's just say that I was not unhappy to move along. It was a beautiful day as well.


Follow the red rectangle











The Bobsey Twins looking at...


this foul creature.





Sage advice

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The Hunger Games

I just finished reading the first book of The Hunger Games. I bought the trilogy for Finn almost a year ago and he litruhlee devoured them (pun intended). As he was reading them, we talked about them so I knew basically what they were about. I think I was scared to start them because they are pretty gory.

So it took me all of maybe five hours partially interrupted to finish the first one. I was hooked and really couldn't put it down but I am not sure I actually liked it. My friend, Laura, described them as " disturbing" and I would totally agree with that description. In addition, here are my thoughts.

Suzanne Collins is a great young adult fiction writer. Her series, The Underland Chronicles, is fantastic. This book however, seemed to be written while Ms Collins was sat in front of the telly watching a season of Survivor except she added real violence and the fact that it was kids just made it worse. I did like the post-apocalyptic setting and the imagination it took to create their world and how she wove in details about each area of the country to create districts. But seriously, I just couldn't get over the fact that the Hunger Games would never exist and/or people would watch them year after year. When we all start tuning into reality TV shows called something like "Survivor to the Death", I think that's my hint to exit this big blue marble.

I started reading the trilogy because a movie adaptation is in the works. Jennifer Lawrence has been cast as Katniss and I can totally see her in this role. If anyone has seen Winter's Bone (excellent movie), you will agree 100%. I just don't know now if I would go to see the film. What do you all think?

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Girls' Weekend

"She is a friend of mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It's good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind." - Toni Morrison

I am very fortunate to have good friends. We had a great beach weekend despite the icky weather. Besides, I am not sure wine and sun mix anyway.


A wet beach walk


Wendy was the only smart one!


Hurricane Irene killed many horseshoe crabs


Ocean front to the extreme


I don't even like melon(s).


Speaks for itself...


As does this one...


And this is for my British friends - it's like a Terry's Chocolate Orange in a bottle I suppose. It didn't sound that appetizing though.