The World is Full of Jellybeans
(Among other things.)
Here is a popcorn post to skitter here and there, rather like my train of thought these days.
The sun shines brightly surrounded by the promise of new snow. How can this be? I can't wrap my mind around the pall of snow after last week's full-blown blossom of spring. Ah, well. Snow's snow, but I've got jellybeans to tide me over.
The weather was so nice last week that we walked to the cemetery for the first time in months. A cemetery visit-- now that's a sure sign of spring.
I've been playing electrician this morning, mucking about with wires I know nothing about. Surprisingly, our phone still does not work.
Susannah's looks have changed incredibly in the last two weeks; sometimes, she looks like a different baby entirely. This is thanks to me (and a full-blown case of baby acne), because I gave her jowls that would make even Hitchcock drool in disbelief at their cuteness. She gained an unprecedented 2.5# in 3 weeks and is not as wee a one as before. Only a month old, and her newness has worn through to knowing. She's solidly acquainted with us now and we solidly taken with her-- if possible, more than before.
The Nixie Pixie, our blessed little Fool, celebrated her second birthday with the bearded beloved, Millie, and I on Saturday. We roasted a requested elephant in her honor and celebrated with hats, blowers, and great abandon. Though she spent far too long fastidiously removing wrappings, she enjoyed the inner gifts even more, and we thank those who contributed to her torn paper mountain. Annika's delight in all delights me (except perhaps for the twin kazoos and harmonicas I gave to birthday her and Millie both; my delight in those diminishes along with my hearing).
We're ready for a move, and what time is better than spring to live in a tent? (Perhaps summer, perhaps never, speak the smartypants.) I am itching to start sowing seed, and if we moved all in a rush within the next month or so, I'd have time to dig elbow-deep in earth. Otherwise, I'll just moan and mope here all summer as I look at the space that used to be brimful of green, garden goodness. (I'm going to sow it with grass seed in a few weeks. Grass seed! The impudence!) I have to do this, though, not only because we might move along soon, but also because the house that houses our apartment and two more besides may have sold last week. The realtor has been making almost weekly visits, and last week's visit was a second viewing by a burly man. As that burly man may be our new landlord soon, I intend "burly" as a compliment. He seems quite nice.
If the house has sold, though, my newest get-rich-quick scheme is destroyed. I intended on loaning Mr. Realtor Man (for a nominal fee) to those mothers-at-home who struggle accomplishing the non-daily tasks of mopping, dusting, and window-washing. Trust me, there's nothing so compelling as a voice on one's answering machine smoothly saying, "So call my cell if we can stop by tomorrow morning at ten o'clock..." Our apartment, though not up to M. Stewart's standards (I'll never iron our sheets), will never be mistaken for a hovel.
We consumed three separate batches of visitors in the last week and a half, but none seem to be on the horizon for this week. If you'd like to visit, there are slots available at any hour; just give us a call. John's stargazing friend from high school stopped by for supper, and, because of his influence, the girls won't stop chanting, "Physics! Science! Physics!" (Thanks a lot; they'd better discover a new planet or something....)
The Newman bunch visited last weekend, and it was beyond good to visit with them. Rebecca was gracious enough to delay going into labor long enough to spend a few days with us, and we're grateful to them for willingly stepping into our bustling little stream when they've got so much bustle in theirs right now. Good company is a long, cool drink just when one is needed.
Plus! Three too-rarely-seen chums from college stopped by on Saturday evening for several hours of food and fun. I think they left with bellyaches. Holly, Spike, and Dani are good people, all three, and en masse, they are even better.
Has this post's last kernel popped? No letters seems primed to plunk right now.
I love old maids-- you know, the kernels that are too timid to pop entirely--so here's an old maid to round out this batch.
What would you recommend I do in the event that.....???
11 comments :
"I've been playing electrician this morning, mucking about with wires I know nothing about. Surprisingly, our phone still does not work."
I like that comment. Reminds me of my life as a repair man.
I want to chime in as one of the smarty pants, and point out that it's not a good idea to sleep in a tent while it rains 3 inches. . .particularly not if that means you will have a stream of water running hopefully under (but probably through) your tent. Particularly if a non-smarty pants leaves the zipper open all night. . . .
The Bird really does look different--her face has plumped out and it looks more grown-up than it did. She's a sweetheart!
Send my sympathies to the family concerning the phone. Mucking about with wires is only fun if something actually happens for all the trouble. :( I can recall a certain experience with a computer router and an Internet line that had a similarly frustrating outcome... but there's an irrepressible urge to poke around in there and figure out what's wrong! :o)
Abby,
Oh how we'd love to have you back here soon, if the Lord wills! We'd just love to have you for neighbors!!!
Susannah has grown so much! She does look so different! She's beautiful! Do you think we'll have a girl this time? ;)
Rundy,
Except surely you fake it better than I do, yes?
Titi,
Yep, I thought of your "adventures," too. If we go a-tenting, I will assuredly zip compulsively!
Annie,
Irrepressible's just the word! I think I've got too many of those urges...some of which may or may not involve eating half a pound of jellybeans as I write a post. (Licorice is one of my favorites.)
Leah,
I've got to call Scott soon to ask him some questions about setting up septic, housing, etc., from your experience. When would be the best time to call? Also, do you have room for a tent on your land? :)
I think it'd be awfully cool if you had a girl, especially since I expressly bought a dress for that little girl three years ago! (I'm not always a procrastinator, I guess.) It's been in storage ever since, and it's now got a funny story attached to it (which I will share with the gift if your dear one is a girl).
Abby,
You can call Scott ANYTIME!!! He's home from about 8-9AM for breakfast, 12:30-2:30PM for lunch, and then at about 6:00PM for the night.
We DEFINITELY have room for a tent!!! We'd love to have your family stay here! Oh, I'm so excited at the thought! Yippee!!!
Wow! I'd love to have a girl so I can see that dress and hear the story, too! :)
"Rundy,
Except surely you fake it better than I do, yes?"
Depends. I did manage to rewire our phone lines last year. I managed to avoid any trouble, so maybe I passed for an expert even though I never did it before. Had more trouble setting up the local computer network in our house (but that wasn't exactly my fault).
Where I'm usually really faking it is when I'm working on computers. People ask me to help them fix their computers and so I poke around until somehow things are fixed and they say, "Wow! You're an expert!" If only they knew the truth . . . so I guess I must fake it pretty good. (Or else computers are so obscure to most people that a lot of mouse clicking and frowning at the screen looks like expert service. Ha.)
As far as the title goes,
Not any more...
I have been popping jellybeans by the handful every since my return. :-) They do make the world a better place!
Happy Birthday to Annika-I TRIED to 'finish up' so Annika and Andrew could share a birthday. Really I did-but the joke was on me. :-)
Sounds like you have been a BUSY BEAVER what with company and the realtor man. You are like the energizer bunny! :-)
Leah,
One of us will probably call before the weekend's out...
Rundy,
Yep. Just as I thought. You definitely fake it better than I do. I've been reading up on phone wiring, though. That's got to count for something.
Rebecca,
Between the two of us, the world will be rid of the jellybean curse in a matter of days!
I wish Andrew had been born a little Fool, too, but the 2nd comes a close second.
Hello. This is Josh Tate- your former associate from Houghton days. I understand my wife recently made contact with you. She recommended that I take a look at your blog. I have thoroughly enjoyed my visit. Tell John "hi" for me. Keep on keepin' on.
Well, bowl me over, it's Josh Tate of the Vermont Tates! I sit here with the chant, "Ridge Runner, Ridge Runner, Appalach..." running through my mind, closely followed by the snippet, "...with a jingle in my pocket and a twinkle in my eye..."
John returns the greeting once I give it! (Our little bird is keeping me awake, hence I get the message first.)
I plan to visit your wordsmithing site for more than a toe-wetting when a new day comes, because hopefully this little stinker will fall asleep soon.
Come again, and tell that wife of yours to feed your children. They look awfully hungry to me.
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