File and Smake it.

We all know there is something irresistible about the hind end of football players on the field...all bent over waiting for the snap...tight poly stretched across their buns. OK snap out of it...entirelry different story when the players are 10 years old...and your offspring. Still cute in a skinny, "that's my boy" kind of way. It doesn't matter how good they are (unless they are really, really good...and then you don't really need to talk about it, everyone just knows), it really is about how much fun they have out there. They work together, they respect the coaches, they take crap from the coaches, they grow thicker skin, they sweat, they cry and they roll on the field when they win. It is all still new, they try different positions and they make mistakes. The coaches revert back to boyhood and the boys feel like men. Sometimes it just comes together...and sometimes they win...sometimes by one point.

Have Thoughts...Must Write.

My head is full. It feels like it may explode. Don't worry it won't be coming out orifices of my head...hopefully. If I am lucky it will all spew forth from the end of my fingertips. I must discipline the thoughts bouncing around the inside of my skull, tame them and mold them into coherent stories to be written and stored for as long as this thing they call the internet survives. Oh yeah...I must also find the time to tackle that mountain. This cannot including sleep time or running time when I just happen to have many great ideas...but fail to remember them when I actually have a key board or a pad of paper handy. However, the Big Guy has the perfect solution to that problem: nipple rings, one on each side...a pad of paper hanging from one and a pen from the other. How would I survive without him?!

Waiting for a rainy day.

I spend long winters waiting for hot sunny days...and then when they get here I feel the need to be outside enjoying them. But every once in a while it is nice to have a cool, rainy day to give me the excuse to stay inside and get a few things done. Yeah sure, I could do a load of laundry or wash the kitchen floor...which will just be dirty again tomorrow when we are all back to running in and out from the hot sunny day...the mud left over from the rain the day before...you get the picture...but I would much rather gather on the couch with the Wild Ones, have a few snuggles, read a few books, play a few games and then just in case we haven't had enough lazy time...head off to a movie that we have been dying to see. OK, it has rained and we've done all that, now...BRING BACK THE SUN...please!

Talk about neglect!

Something always has to give...as "they" say. I have been busy starting a business...spurred on by a client that thought I was already in business. She heard from a friend of a friend that I was ready to go and who was I to say I wasn't. Perhaps it was the kick in the butt I needed to take the leap...OK it WAS the kick I needed. I feel a bit behind the 8 ball with my own business, but my first project is complete...with a little on-going consultation to boot. With that done, I now have time for my life again...well a little anyway until school starts back up after labor day. Until then, I will try to take time for the kids, time for the Big Guy and a bit of time for myself...all mixed in with the continuation of the new business. Oh, the name of the business..."lollipop design"  Website Design, Communications and Marketing for small and start up businesses...website anyone?

Tooting My Own Horn.

Don't you just love the "corner", "neighborhood", "mom-n-pop" shops? I have been looking for a saxophone for the bean Wild One and let me tell you for a woman who knows "not so much" about music...this has not been fun. I searched craigslist, local sites, talked to friends and neighbors and even thought of checking the local junk yard. I researched and found the size and brand I wanted and determined a price I would not go over...keeping in mind that we are talking about a 10 year old with no previous music experience who thought he might play the flute cuz someone told him it was an easy instrument to learn...which quickly caused an earsplitting fight with the tallest Wild One who just happens to play the flute...quite well and easily I might add. I scratched off craigslist and online ordering and made a list of music stores that sell used equipment and happen to have the exact sax I...I mean the Wild One...wanted. All four locations happen to be waaayyyy across town so I checked the maps and made a game plan. As I drove up to the first stop...35 minutes later...I knew I was going to find something. The shopping area was nestled in a quaint little neighborhood of old brick buildings, sidewalks covered in chalk and no Starbucks or Caribous with in miles (you might think that is a bad thing...and on some days I would agree...but I would so rather walk into a corner coffee shop where everybody knows my name...well they wouldn't there cuz I live so far away and have never been there before and the local Caribou baristas do know me...or perhaps I should say my car but that's beside the point). I went in and found a young man (ha...he was probably 30) who promptly introduced himself and told me that he and his father own the store and have been dealing with instruments for over 35 years. They prep everything...as in tune and repair...before they are willing to sell it and offer great guarantees and inexpensive yearly tunes. I fell in love with the store and found an instrument slightly out of my price range. I asked what other options they had and after looking at a few things, the young man offered me a deal on the first sax I picked out...of course with the strap, oil, reeds etc I quickly ate up my savings. But really, where else would you get this type of service and deal? I hope they are the real deal...otherwise I am a huge sucker and they are laughing all the way to the bank!