FeatherLight » family

Here we go again – 2012 version

Amanda — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:00:19 +0000

I’m back! It’s been a while (since February, I think, or later?), and not much has changed, but I want to blog again. I went back through some of my older posts, and I really sort of miss it. Maybe I’ll have something important to talk about this year, or maybe I’ll still write about things that don’t really matter to anyone but me, but that’s okay.

I’m driving home today from visiting my brother’s family – the infamous Wia and Emma. We had so much fun this trip – I arrived a day earlier than I usually do so I could be here in time for Emma’s birthday. We ate at Sweet Potatoes and raced go-karts to celebrate her 5th (can you believe she’s FIVE?). We’ve also eaten at Vinnie’s, which is a Savannah institution, and then today tried the Crystal Beer Parlor, Savannah’s second oldest restaurant. We went to see Arthur Christmas, which was way better than I thought it would be, and yesterday we went ice skating at the Savannah Civic Center. This was probably the most fun I’ve had with the girls since they started school and pre-K – they’ve been on break all week, so we’ve played lots of Kinectimals and Once Upon a Monster on their new XBox 360, too. They’re growing up SO fast, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to make as many trips down each year going forward. It seems silly for me to come while they’re in school, so that rules out spring and fall (except for Wia’s birthday, which I will never miss if I can help it). For now, though, I’m happy to have spent the time with them this past week… it was crazy-busy, but spending time with my family is the best.

If at first you don’t succeed…

Amanda — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 03:14:26 +0000

Talk about a hiatus! I think my last post was in January – how sad is that? I think of things to write about, funny little things that happen or random sights to share, and then I just… don’t log in. I’m SUCH a blog loser.

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Work is good, but home is so much better. I’m working on a BIG project that will require TRAVEL!! Outside the US!! To JAPAN!! I’m very excited about the prospect of international travel, especially since the company will be paying for the majority of it. The downside is that I’m beginning to feel overwhelmed by all the things that need to be done before I leave. Lots and lots of things. Coordinating with other people, making sure things are set up correctly for testing… it’s A LOT. Not to mention the preparations at home! I’m working on getting a pet/house sitter to come and stay with the animals – I don’t want to board Moses for two weeks, and she’s experienced with bunnies and piggies, so I think it’ll work out well.

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My brother moved his family back to Savannah this month. It’s going to be a better situation for their family; no more overnight babysitters needed! It sucks for me, though. As over the whole “spending the night twice a week” thing as I have been, I wouldn’t trade that time with my girls for anything in the world. NOT A THING.

They left a week ago last Thursday, and came back this last week for a wedding, leaving again Saturday night. When I hugged Emma goodbye, she said “But I’ll miss you…” – GAH. Three year olds do say the darndest things, don’t they?

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Off to bed, hopefully for a peaceful, storm-free night. It’s definitely summer in Indiana!

More of “the cute”

Amanda — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:56:57 +0000

It’s been a couple of weeks since I posted, and my life is so boring and lame that I really don’t have anything to post about now. Let’s see…

I have two new foster rabbits: Willa and Spencer, and I recently inherited our oldest living foster rabbit, Honey.

I spent 45 minutes on Friday evening cutting mats out of the hair on my cat’s back – he’s so fat that he just can’t groom himself well, and all of the saliva just ends up gluing the hair together. It’s gross, and now he looks ridiculous. I hope he’s more comfortable.

I’m moving forward with dog adoption – I’m working with a local rescue group, and went to an adoption event last Saturday to meet some of the dogs. I think I met “the one”, but am still waiting for the home visit to find out if I’m approved. I have a good feeling, but you never can tell…

I’m psyching myself up this week for the big MEMORIAL SERVICE this Saturday. This thing has taken on a life of its own, and it’s more than my mom would have wanted. As far as I’m concerned, the only people that should be there are people that knew Mom, that loved her (or at least liked her), and have been supportive of our family. Those people will all be there, along with several others who haven’t had a presence in the lives of our family for years. The planning was sort of taken out of my hands – not unwillingly – so I’m just going to sit back and watch it unfold. It’s interesting to hear Dad’s perspective, because I think he’s looking for a different experience than I am. I’m pretty well over it, at this point, and am trying to figure out how I’m going to hold it together in front of all these people. I know I don’t have to hold it together, but I’m not really into sharing my grief at this point. Except in writing.

I painted the spare bedroom this weekend – it’s a lovely shade of blue now, and while it needs another coat before it’s officially done, I’m ready to start filling it up with furniture. I’d like to get this daybed and thisbookcase from IKEA; I’d also like to get this lampshade to hang from a pendant cord. I think I’d like a glider, like this one to put in the corner for reading, but I’ll be checking Craigslist for one of those. I would also like to get a drafting table to use as a hobby station, but I’m not sure if that’s practical, since I also need to squeeze the sewing machine cabinet in there somewhere. Oh, and my grandmother’s cedar chest will be moving into that room, though I may refinish it and paint it red. I’m planning to hang the Sunbonnet Sue quilt that my Gammy made me when I was a little girl – it’s bordered with red and white gingham, and I think it’ll look great against the blue walls. Once that room is done, it’s on to the living room – I’m beginning to be in dire need of a new couch.

I think that’s about it. I’m ready to go to bed – I have an early day tomorrow, and then another night with the girls. It seems Pawpaw is playing “roadie” this week doing security for some kind of tour, so I’m pulling double babysitting duty. It’s a good thing the girls are so cute.

Cute

Amanda — Fri, 15 May 2009 03:08:31 +0000

Sometimes the cute is too much to take… for being a special good girl tonight, Wia got to listen to music on my iPod, which she loves. We listened to several songs, and finally settled on Colbie Caillat’s “Bubbly”, which is her daddy’s favorite song. She sang along, stopping periodically to very seriously ask me to share my earbud with her stuffed bunny. The song ended, I put it all away, and she picked up the bunny and looked at him and said “Thank you for the fun singing!” Then she hugged it. And then I melted into a puddle of goo.

The other one, Emma, barrels into me as soon as I come in the door… “Are you here, Aunt Amanda?” All of her questions come out in this sing-songy little voice. But she’s such a teenager right now… one minute she’s all lovey, the next she’s yelling “I DO IT!” She’s awfully moody for a 2 year old. It’s a good thing she’s so adorable.

Mom

Amanda — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:27:15 +0000

I’ve been trying to decide how to, and whether I should, write a post about my mother’s death. I wrote before about her diagnosis with uterine cancer, and she’s already gone. It was kind of a “one minute she’s fine, the next she’s not” scenario, and I won’t get into details, but it’s been such a hard month since it happened. We knew that death would ultimately be the outcome, but it was so FAST. I barely had a chance to process the diagnosis… let alone process the thought of never seeing or hugging my mom again, at least in this life.

I think we always know that it’s natural for our parents to die before we do, but that doesn’t make it any less traumatic or sad. Mom was young – only 58 – and I thought she had lots of life ahead of her. Losing Mom has meant losing my best, best friend. I used to talk to her two or three times a day – for the silliest things, things I would never bother any other living soul about – and I can’t begin to say how many times I’ve come thisclose to picking up the phone and dialing her number. Dad joked about leaving her cell number connected, just so I could still call… but that wouldn’t be the same.

I thought I would have more to say about this loss, but there’s just not much to say, I guess. It’s the reason I’ve been so quiet – it’s hard to write witty posts when you don’t really feel all that witty. It’s kind of like the color went out of the whole world; it’s slowly coming back, just not fast enough. One of the things that irked me about Mom (and Dad) when she first became a Buffett fan was how she would quote him. She said Jimmy had a song for every situation, and by God, she knew which one fit. I asked her, the Wednesday before she died which one fit this situation… she didn’t answer, but I think it’s this one:

Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On
from TAKE THE WEATHER WITH YOU
(Jimmy Buffett/Matt Betton)

I bought a cheap watch from the crazy man
Floating down Canal
It doesn’t use numbers or moving hands
It always just says now
Now you may be thinking that I was had
But this watch is never wrong
And if I have trouble the warranty said
Breathe in breathe out move on

And it rained
It was nothing really new
And it blew
We’ve seen all that before
And it poured
The earth began to strain
Pontchartrain
Leaking through the door
Tides at war

If a hurricane doesn’t leave you dead
It will make you strong
Don’t try to explain just nod your head
Breathe in breathe out move on

And it rained
It was nothing really new
And it blew
We’ve seen all that before
And it poured
The earth began to strain
Ponchartrain
Buried the Ninth Ward
To the second floor

According to my watch the time is now
The past is dead and gone
Don’t try to shake it just nod your head
Breathe in breathe out move on
Don’t try to explain it just bow your head
Breathe in breathe out move on

A Moment

Amanda — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:08:38 +0000

Mom and I always have fun when we’re together, and at some point we almost always have a moment where we completely lose it… we laugh, and laugh, and laugh, until we pee our pants and tears roll down our faces.

We went shopping while Mom was here over Christmas, and stopped at the local Sonic for a cherry limeade for me and a chocolate-cherry Coke for her. While we waited for the waitress to bring our order, we watched as shopping carts made their way across the Meijer parking lot we were facing, and sadly, we started making up stories about them. One of the shopping carts looked like it was trying to make it over to the Sonic, but got stopped at the curb… we assumed it was just hoping to take a break and get something to drink. There was another shopping cart that was obviously trying to latch itself onto a truck bumper so it could try to break free and make a new life somewhere else, but the wind blew it just the wrong way and all of it’s newfound hopes and dreams were dashed.

The third shopping cart, though, the one pictured above… well, it was really making a break for it. We watched as it rolled through the parking lot, headed for traffic. And I said to my mother, speaking for the shopping cart… “Look! I’m just tired of being pushed around!”

We haven’t laughed that hard in a very long time. It felt GOOD.

The worst timing

Amanda — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 04:27:14 +0000

It’s been about three weeks since I’ve been needed overnight at my brother’s… my sister-in-law was on vacation over the holidays, and RC took vacation last week. While it was a nice respite, being able to sleep in my own bed every night, I’m now out of practice. The girls were SO excited to see me, even the four-legged one – you’d have thought they hadn’t seen me at all during that time! And they were terribly cute, playing “let’s dress up and pretend we’re playing in the snow”. Wia has such a big imagination for a three-year old, and Emma follows right along behind her.

Yep, they were cute until bedtime rolled around. Wia took the opportunity to get up no less than 10 times… “I need a little drink of water”, “I need to make a stinky”, “I need to take out my ponytail”, “I need a little drink of milk/juice/more water”. I finally had to threaten a spanking, and fortunately it worked, because I don’t think I could follow through with it.

But poor Bailey suffered the most… she’s now 15 weeks old, and is 99.9% house trained. She’s so good – she lets you know when she needs to go out, and will even come and get you if you’re in another room. But she still takes a long time when she needs to do her business, and I wasn’t paying attention to the cues tonight. I sort of hurried her back in after she squatted, and didn’t give her time to… you know. Wia and I finished up her evening ablutions, and came into the kitchen to get a sip of water, and there it was. In the middle of the living room floor, a steaming pile of Aunt Amanda’s Mistake. Poor puppy. She was so embarrassed; she just stood by it and kind of whined. I felt terrible. Thankfully she forgives easily.

Full

Amanda — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 02:17:04 +0000

Literally, full of food. Mom and Dad are here for Christmas, and we just had our traditional Christmas Eve meal (salmon salad on crackers, macaroni and cheese, asparagus, and various and sundry little snacky things). I ate too much!

Less literally, full of Christmas spirit. This is my favorite holiday, and even the crazy crowd of cars at Target today couldn’t bring me down. We’re going to watch the girls open presents from Santa first thing in the morning, which should be fun. This is the first year that Wia and Emma are really interested in Santa, and they’ve been so excited!

Merry Christmas, everyone… have a safe and happy holiday.

That new puppy smell

Amanda — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:31:23 +0000

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Originally uploaded by Little Miss Magic

What IS that smell? I’m sitting here on my brother’s couch, snuggling with my brother’s puppy, and I’m having a hard time seeing the computer screen through the haze of puppy farts. She’s only 10 weeks old… how in the world can she make that kind of odor at such a young, innocent age? If she weren’t so cute (see picture at left), I’d throw her away.

I still think I’d like a dog, despite spending all this time with Bailey. I also think I’ve decided an adult dog would be great. Or at least a young dog, already house trained and past the mouthing/biting stage that this one is currently going through. When she’s not asleep, she’s attached to one (or more) human appendages with those needles other people call “teeth”. Tonight I literally dragged her around the living room by my pants leg… I used to only worry about the bunnies ruining my clothes, but now I have to worry about an 11 week old puppy? Again, it’s a good thing she’s cute. Also, I can leave her here and go home to my quiet little bunnies, who do NOT bite.

ETA (the next morning): The haze of puppy smell? Was NOT puppy farts. It was a pile of puppy doo-doo on the floor behind the couch. Apparently when I took her out to go potty I didn’t wait long enough for her to do all her business. Bad Aunt Amanda.

NaBloPoMo – Day 932

Amanda — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:45:48 +0000

I kid, I kid. It’s day 25. It just FEELS like 932. Seriously… is November the longest month, or what? I’m running out of things to say, as evidenced by yesterday’s post consisting of three bullet points. I have got to think of better things to write than that.

Also, I missed a day. Sort of. I posted the next day in recognition that I missed it. Does that mean I completely blew it? ‘Cause I’m only in this for the prizes. Hah. No… no, I’m in it for you, reader.

My brother called me at work yesterday…
“Uh, are snake plants toxic?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Bailey ate some of the snake plant.”
Yes, it is toxic. Fortunately, it’s a mild toxicity that the vet says makes animals feel like they’re chewing glass. Unfortunately, Bailey’s just an 8 week old puppy. Fortunately, three doses of charcoal and some mouthwash seems to have taken care of everything. Unfortunately, she’s still pooing something that looks like tar. Ewww. It’s a good thing she’s cute and still has that new puppy smell.

Off to bed. I have to get up in a few hours to take Bailey outside again… I’m beginning to see why people adopt adult dogs.