Since I secured babysitting for Saturday night, I got to decide what movie S & I were going to see. There are a bunch of flicks that I’ve been wanting to see, but it’s been such a long while, they’re not in theatres anymore, but not yet on DVD. Antonement it was. I thought it was going to be much more action than I perceived it to be (sorry S; yah, haven’t read the book yet, but it’s on my to-read list now). No spoilers here, but what a romantic yet tragic story! We had just seen “The Last King of Scotland†and James McAvoy was much more suited for the role in “Atonementâ€. Sigh. Though the chemistry between Keira and James wasn’t as amazing as critics had been saying, they were both well cast. Bring Kleenex!
Going Green
I try not to make resolutions. I don’t want to set myself up for disappointment. One of my “efforts†for 2008 is to “go green†(local and organic, too) where I can and am able. S will tell you that I am a recycle and compost fiend. I try to buy what’s in season, local and organic. It’s healthy and easy on the environment. Especially if you can find treats like Late July’s Organic Dark Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (“intense and decadentâ€; antioxidants and cookies on the same box, how can you go wrong?) – yum! – but I digress. One item I cannot and will refuse to buy the more environmentally sound alternative: diapers. In an emergency, we had to purchase eco-friendly diapers at Whole Foods. Gone were the cute little Sesame Street characters and ultra-stretchiness of the tabs. What we got were sad plain brown diapers that looked like brown paper bags – thank goodness we’re finished with them.
RIP Norbert
Norbert was the name given to our Montero SUV. The Montero lasted us a good while (I think we got it back in 2001), a drive down to San Diego, Big Sur. Memories of Lucie as a puppy nudging the bars of the dog barrier and jumping through to the middle row to stick her head out of the window.
Surprisingly, “we†decided on a car relatively quick, and decided to lease this. I’ve nicknamed her Bertha as the car is quite large. I still can’t get used to it, but the seat warmers help me acclimate quickly.
In a state of shock
Which recent headline is more shocking:
A non-profit journalism group has put out a statement that the Bush administration was spreading false statements to garner support/justification for the Iraq war
…or…
Heath Ledger, dead at 28?
Yah, I was pretty shocked to read that Heath Ledger passed away. Crazy!
Recent Zoo headlines:
Tiger fatally mauls teen
Snow leopard & polar bear pull off a “near escape”
and now…
Zebra found dead at SF Zoo
I AM so glad I applied for family membership at the SF Zoo…
For those not in the know, the Steinhart Aquarium in GGPark had temporarily relocated to a space near the Metreon so that redesigns and renovations could be made to their GGPark home. Well, last week all the penguins, fish and creepy crawlers had to pack up a move back home. Since it would be a few months since the aquarium would reopen, we decided to check out the place before everyone packed up. (Of course, Mads had been there already with her day care group.) Little did S & I know that Mads was an old pro at the aquarium! Not that she could say humuhumunukunukuapua’a (reef triggerfish, for all us others), but she just loves standing at the tanks watching them swim about.
We also made a stop at the toddler play area…what is it with this girl & giraffes?
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It’s been a crazy last couple days. Friday, Mads got attacked by a nasty virus. We should have known something was brewing because she didn’t want to eat dinner Thursday.
Saturday night, we had a great dinner with Aunt Katie & Uncle Matt. Mads is making big progress with Uncle Matt – for some reason she finds him VERY intimidating! Didn’t help when he scared the bejeesus out of her with the door buzzer, though.
Sunday evening, I decided to slice open my finger (read: stupid kitchen accident). It didn’t look any better this morning, so I made a trip to the ER, where I got three stitches. Now, the MD warned me that it was going to hurt. I thought, I gave birth (granted with the help of an epidural), it can’t be THAT bad. Yah, right. I’d rather give birth, it hurt that much. Stitches suck.
Those are my two wishes for everyone this upcoming year. Happy belated New Year!
Thankfully, it was a short work/day care week. I don’t know what we would’ve done if it was a full week. Getting back into the swing of things difficult when you’re an adult, but when you’re a 16-month old, it can be a bit challenging. First, Mads didn’t even want to go into day care (though I was halfway across the threshold), and by the end of the day, when other kids are being picked up, she insisted (that includes crying) that she put her parka on (hood, included), sit in the mickey mouse chair with her giraffe and wait for her mama. She seemed to do better today, so hopefully next week will be better.
Pick me! Pick me!
As this “investigation” unfolds it’s becoming more and more feasible that the two foolios from San Ho did taunt Tatiana and their poor friend just got caught. Why hire a defense attorney, especially the guy who defended Scott Petersen, if you’re claiming innoence. Didn’t work for Petersen, now did it? I’m not saying that the zoo isn’t completely at fault – below standard barriers, no security system in place. As a member of the zoo, slash the director’s supposed $300k annual salary and make some much needed improvements. Anyways, I am hoping that this goes to trial – I would love to be on this jury!
Still in shock
My jaw dropped to the floor and my eyes bugged out as I was reading the NY Times a couple weeks ago – Bhutto Assassinated. Nah, this must be some kind of joke. Sadly, it wasn’t and my heart just sank. I don’t want to get into the politics too much, but it is a great loss and all we can do is learn from her example.
Pick me! Pick me!, part II
So, how about them Iowa caucauses? I am mildly surprised that Hilary placed 3rd. I haven’t made a decision – it’s between Obama & Edwards, now – but I have until the end of the month. I don’t know about you, but for some reason this election season is so…exciting! Exciting that it’s just one less day Bush is in office (I shudder to think at what executive pardons he’ll be granting at the end of his term) and exciting because there’s a HUGE opportunity for change.
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So we just got back from a fondue party at Lisa & Brad’s. It was their solution to “alleviate the post-holiday-forecasted-to-be-wettest-windiest-weekend-in-20-years blues”. Nothing like gooey, melted cheese to warm you up and then rice krispy treats dipped in chocolate fondue to make you forget that the wind could’ve blown you and your car off the highway bridge on your way to work Friday and that the wind was SO STRONG it made your house shake (no joke!), moved the table in the backyard, toppled Mads’ new play structure, broke a few young trees in the yard and scatterd branches all over the place. But I am thankful, for surely, it could have been a LOT worse.