'Tis His Birthday Tomorrow

And I have no clue what to buy him. Seriously, I don't know what to buy my husband for his 42nd birthday. Thought about buying him the latest Pearl Jam album, but he bought it on the road. I could pick up the latest action figure he's looking for, but it's hit or miss so that could be either tomorrow or next week or next year. Then again, I could buy him a book or a DVD, but he pretty much does that himself. So I have no clue.

Instead, I thought I would tell some secrets about him:

• Every time there's a Prince song on, he does this little dance that makes me grin from ear to ear. He likes Prince more than any white man with no rhythm should. 
• He graciously spells words for me because he knows I am a poor speller. In fact, he just spelled "rhythm" for me. 
• For our first married birthday together, he bravely ate the grapefruit meringue pie I made even though I used whole wheat flour, and it looked like it had bugs in it. 
• He doesn't really say too much if I spend a day (or two) on the weekend in my pj's grading papers. If we do choose to go someplace, it's with an understanding that I will brush my teeth and hair, but there will be no makeup. 
• If I need to, he lets me cry on his shoulder and doesn't say anything. It's kind of nice because people really shouldn't say anything when you are crying on their shoulder. 
• He'll check on the dog just to make sure she's still breathing. 
• When I get overly invested in a football game, he doesn't shush me or tell me to stop like some people I know (hint: our daughters).
• If we are on a trip to Philly or New York City and we're walking, he walks with me no matter how far we choose to hoof. I just have to remember to get us to a food cart earlier. 
• He doesn't tease me about my grey hair and tells me that he likes it. 
• He's one of the most compassionate people that I know. And he's never forgotten where he comes from or how far we've come. 
• After 21 years, he still makes me laugh on a daily basis. Sometimes over something that he does like the whole "Cat in a box" idea. Sometimes over nothing at all.
• On weekend mornings, he lets me put my head on his shoulder and fall asleep there even though he knows I'll leave an ear print or press down on his chest. 
• He owns everything that Pearl Jam and the Wu Tang Clan have ever released. I'd be hard pressed to tell you what they sing . . . fine, I could tell you some Pearl Jam songs, but the Wu Tang Clan is a mystery. 
• He's cleaned the bathroom more than I ever have in my entire life. Add to that the laundry. 
• He reads voraciously and shares what he reads with me. It doesn't matter what he's reading; it all gets shared. 
• When we are together, he holds my hand in public. 
• He still calls me "Sweetie" when he leaves me voicemail messages . . . and I save at least one of them when he's on the road in case I don't hear his voice again. 
• He's provided an excellent example for our Girls for what a husband and a father should be like.
• He never ends a phone call without saying "I love you" . . . unless there are people in his office, but then he calls right back to tell me when they are gone. 

Dave . . . almost at 42

As of tomorrow, he will have celebrated at least one half of all his birthdays with me.  I still don't have a clue what to buy (other than the one small thing I have) for his birthday. In the past, I've given him silly toys or a tickets to a Steelers' game or DVDs or god knows what else. I guess I have 24 hours (ish) to figure it out for this year.

Cheers . . . and I love you, Dave
Jill

*Edited: Went with a Steelers sweatshirt that he said he liked a few weeks ago . . . but I cleared it with him first. 

"Would You Like Fries With That?" - Harder Than You Think

Conversation today at the end of 7th period:
RG: So, ummm, Mrs. G . . . do you work at Wendy's, too?
Me: (completely serious) Yes . . . it's my second job.
RG: Oh. I wasn't sure when I saw you there.
Me: No, sweetie. I was helping out a friend who had a fundraiser. I was kind of surprised to see you there, too.

On Wednesday night, the last thing I wanted to do was be in Wendy's for two hours, asking people what they wanted to drink with their  value meals. My fall allergies were hitting with the force of a Mack truck. My feet hurt from Zumba. I was dead tired from crap sleep for the past three days. But I promised my friend, Jen, that I would help her during a fundraiser she's holding for her annual multiple sclerosis walk . She's been participating in Walk MS for years now and raises the $2,000 over several fundraisers. In the past it's been easier for her to do, but since the economy has taken a nose-dive, charities have been hard hit.

The Wendy's fundraiser meant that a lot of teachers in our district (all of them from one of our high schools) come to Wendy's, put on an apron and name tag, and shadow someone who is working. I figured I would get to see some former students, help out a friend, and have a good time. Seriously, how hard could it be.

They're chili isn't as good as mine . . . but it's pretty darn good

Famous last words. I shadowed Nikki, a woman a year younger that the Girls, for the evening. She was gracious, kind, and patient with me. She didn't get upset when I repeatedly had to ask which was the medium cup and which was the value cup or where the lids for the chili was located. She laughed when I was flustered. She answered all my questions. She was patient with customers who couldn't make up their minds. She was kind when customers weren't. She smiled nonstop. She worked nonstop. She was awesome.

At the end of my two-hour shift, my feet were killing me. There was a Frosty with my name on it, and I was ready to head out. But Nikki still had another five hours to go for her shift. During one of our conversations, she said she thought about being a teacher, but she's pretty sure that she doesn't have the patience for it. So she was thinking that nursing might be for her . . . but most of her friends were doing that, and most people might be expecting her to as well. For now, Nikki is saving money to buy a car because it's a 25 minute walk for her to get to work. College will come after she has the car, and by then she thinks she'll know what she wants to study. Considering I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up until I was 30, I am pretty sure that Nikki will be fine.

Besides, if she can handle the rush at Wendy's with a smile on her face the way she did on Wednesday evening, college will not be a problem for her.

Enjoy the weekend,
Jill

PS - I'm loving Kellie Hatcher's color presets . . . check 'em out!

A Simple Note of Thanks

It's been a weird few days here. We got back from visiting Dave's parents in Cambridge on Sunday night. Monday, I had to be at work for most of the day working on some curriculum writing for the digital world (that would be for a cyber-school). It's a whole new beast, and it honestly made my head hurt at one point. However, the real fun was saved for Tuesday. Seems Dave's on-again-off-again "love affair" with gout was on-again . . . only it decided that their old meeting place - the big toe - wasn't painful enough so it picked a new place - the middle of his foot.

So, a quick trip to the doctor's to confirm that this new painful spot was the same old gout meant a trip to the pharmacy and the realization that the previous meds were no longer on the market since the drug companies had done a new study to "improve" them. At least his doctor gave him some sweet painkillers to take the sting out of that news.

By this morning, he was feeling much better but still not capable of walking or going to work. We spent most of the day reading, watching dumb movies, and basically doing absolutely nothing. But the mail brought the most welcome sight in a long time. A simple note of thanks from a woman I never met before and probably never will again.

Veronica was one of my fellow passengers stranded in Austin, Texas, after Continental decided to dump our asses there when a flight attendant called out sick. I guess getting you as far as Austin in a state the size of Texas was a pretty big accomplishment. But at midnight, it seemed like a death sentence. However, I overheard Veronica talking to another woman (her name wound up being Pam, which I learned after she was heaving her bags in the trunk of my rental car) about sharing a ride to San Antonio. My normal shy side took a backseat, and I volunteered to drive them to San Antonio because a) I had no idea where I was going, b) I needed people to keep me awake, and c) there was no sense in three people driving when one would suffice. Needless to say, we picked up another Continental cast-off (Addeline) at the rental car desk, the ride went very smoothly, and no one was harmed in their attempts to make it to San Antonio. Pam and Addeline each chipped in with some cash, but Veronica said she would mail me some. So . . . I gave her my address, never intending to hear from her, wished the ladies well, and went on my merry way to the Riverwalk where a soft, comfy bed and my husband were waiting.

But today, I got that thank you note from Veronica saying that she hadn't forgotten my generosity and was sorry for not writing earlier but things had gotten crazy. She also included $40 in the card, which was a fraction of the cost of a one-way rental. However, her generosity was the one that should be applauded. She was an excellent navigator and never once stopped chatting since sleep was something that neither of us had encountered for close to 24 hours. So for that . . . thank you, Veronica! Besides, that $40 will buy me enough yarn at the Fourth of July sale to make a new sweater.

- Jill

PS - Finished Beautiful Creatures this evening. It was pretty good . . . I'll summarize it later this week. 

1:52

I decided that with my 52 Weeks of No Color, I'd add one more rule. I must be grateful for something in the image. That won't be too hard. Since I've talked  endlessly about how I have to stalk my B&W images, the idea of love is already in my head when I release the shutter.  This does not mean I'm wax poetically about my loved ones.   I'm sure some days it will be my gratitude for the light or happiness for a trinket. But I will be grateful for something in my B&W photo.

{1:52}

Sunday, we went sledding with some friends.  It was the first time for the boys & the first time I had been in years.  I was worried about Cooper, but he hopped on with me & laughed the entire trip.  Becks?  He didn't like the snow.  Didn't like the cold.  Didn't like the slight breeze.  Hated the sled.  But we kept taking turns on the sled.  I'd fly down the hill watching an angry Becks get smaller & smaller.  About a half-hour into it, something clicked.  He jumped on the sled by himself, let us push him off, & he smiled the entire trip down.  With that 5 second ride, our trip sweetened.  


When we told the boys it was time to go, they didn't put up a fight it. Up & down hills will make a kid happy to leave. Coop took a break by laying down. When Becks saw this, he clomped over & took a break on Coop. He rested his head & smiled. Cooper just let him be. That mini-rest tangled up in love is what I'm grateful for this week.


-Erika


p.s.  As stated, I will be deleting "A Week of No Color" Flickr group later today!

Gratitude for Weeks 36 & 37

After camping, I dropped the ball on my weekly gratitude photos.  Honestly, we dropped the ball on a lot of things after camping.  The tent & sleeping bags are still airing out in the garage.  But we don't live in our garage, so it doesn't seem that bad to me.  But I don't like tossing out my "52 Weeks of Gratitude" & I'm going to scribble out my thankfulness for 36 & 37 here.

When I was in middle school, my best friend & I purchased 14,000 Things to Be Happy About for each others' birthdays.  We'd flip through each tiny page & either nod our heads, "Yes" to the obvious or let a new wave of happiness float over us.  I will never forget two Things I read from that book: the way you hold your head to eat a taco & the way your butt shakes when you sharpen a pencil.  The first one still cracks me up.  It's sort of like having to yawn just because you read "yawn" or yawning only because someone else does.   It just happens.  Your head just tilts & there's nothing you can do about it.  Even if you try to fight the tilt, your head will win.  Try it.  Your belly will be happy too.  The second Thing got me through a number of boring lectures during college.  I'd   watch someone stomp down the stairs with pencil in hand & I knew I was about to get a show.  The butt bounces up & down & side to side.  It's a magical little dance that few people appreciate.  I didn't make it through all 14,000 things.  I was in middle school, people!  But while I was editing the apple orchard pictures I noticed a quirk that might have made the list: the way your mouth puckers & forms while it's chewing on an apple.  It's almost like your mouth doesn't want to spare a single drop of the apple's juice.  It's holding on so tightly to all of that fruit's goodness.  Run the video & notice that shape.  Oranges don't do that.  Grapes can't produce that pucker.  Just apples.  Gratitude 36: Apple Chomping Faces.

"Apple Chomping"

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Gratitude 37 is quite simply Fall.  It's here & there's no questioning it.  My tastes have switched from being quenched by ice tea to craving hot tea.  When you walk outside, the air welcomes you with a crisp hug.  And with that hug, you can almost hear your mother's voice chirp, "You'll need a coat tomorrow."  Summer's beat of the flop from your sandal is remastered to a crunch from your boot smashing the leaves.  Apples are begging to be sauced, dried, pie'd, cobbled, chomped.  The distant sounds of splashing have been replaced with the echoing cheers from a tackle.  I start to take inventory of our wools.  Who needs a new hat & where's this glove's partner?  My razor is tossed & my legs relax in the tub.  And I let out a long sigh.  Who loves to shave their legs?  Hello, Fall.  I've missed you.

-Erika 

Thanks

Thank you all for the kind words yesterday. 

oxoxo

Thanks for the reminder, Keli! I decided to take an August Break too. 
How hard could it be when stretched between two sisters?