Mockery and Link Love May 24, 2006

More than a month since I’ve made an appearance on my own blog! Typepad (or was it a Bloglines fluke?) took it upon itself to spontaneously republish an old post last week, as if to mock me. All the usual excuses of busy-ness aside, I’ve been struggling with wrist pain lately, so I’m trying to limit my leisure pursuits that put stress on that area. Kind of a drag for a girl who loves to do things with her hands! (That sounds funny as I re-read it – like I yearn to be out in a woodshop or mechanic’s garage!) Plus, I’ve been reading the words of a brilliant author on blogging (okay, maybe a little partial, but it really is great work!), and it’s been rekindling my urge to blog.

The upside is that it has been a good excuse to give Ben opportunities to help me Anyway, nothing big, just trying to take some common-sense precautions and remedies before it gets serious. Thankfully, it doesn’t take many clicks to read blogs, so I’m continuing to enjoy my favorites and discover new ones:

Katherine, I can’t believe your family is moving again! You were the subject of Bailey dinner conversation yet again the other night. Thanks for the primer on France – now teach us about life in England beyond the cliches.

Mary offers a great perspective on what’s been a fairly hilly year for us and some of the people we love.

Theresa, would you like cheddar or Wensleydale? I really enjoy keeping up with what’s going on in your life, even when it’s rough. Hope things get easier soon!

And finally, people, do not miss the greatness of Cute Overload. I can’t tell you the perpetual boost that this site provides. The pictures are great, but the words take them over the top.

Out of Office in to Summer May 24, 2006

I am intolerably chipper right now. I just set my out-of-office notification for my work email account, an action that produces similar wonderful feelings to when I turn off my alarm clock on Fridays. Even though I love my job, I relish these breaks! Ben’s last day of school is tomorrow and it’s become a tradition for me to take a vacation day, start the day at Starbucks with my journal reflecting on the past schoolyear and the summer ahead, and then attend his last-day party. In the past we’ve gone straight to the library when school gets out – an admittedly nerdy way to celebrate that nonetheless brings us great joy. But this year, we are well stocked, so we’ll have to indulge in some other form of decadence. With Memorial Day on Monday, I’ll have five days off in a row, so Ben and I are plotting what we should do with this delicious stretch of time. Brian is deep in book-finishing mode right now, so our time with him will be very limited – we’re down to sharing hugs, food and an occasional conversation.

These chunks of time are a great way for us to transition – celebrating Ben’s hard work this year and the blessing of a wonderful teacher while looking forward to everything that summer will hold.