Running on empty

It is very apparent that my concentration has bit the dust. This week there have been three typos, two broken links, and a slew of other problems on Unclutterer. It’s like I’m running a clown car business.

Happy Herbs

My front porch is almost finished being set up for the summer. We need a small table for drinks … but otherwise, we’re ready to go.

Here we are:

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You also can see all my baby plants in their new pots:

Basil:
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Mint:
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Rosemary:
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Oregano:
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Tarragon:
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Tomatoes:
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My friend Mary gave me the tomato plants and Maeve gave me the mint. It is a great feeling to have plants from friends surrounding me on the porch. I’m so excited to watch them grow and relax in this space!

Back from the Ledge

It’s amazing what a good night’s rest will do you. Today, I feel much less mentally exhausted and ready to tackle all of the things on my to-do list. I may not get through them all, but I have to try. Throwing in the towel will only make things more difficult for me when I should be relaxing. So, here I go, back to the grindstone …

On the verge

Have you ever been so mentally exhausted that all you can do is sit and cry? If you stop crying, then your brain starts trying to work again and that is the last thing you want it to do? So you just keep trying to cry and trying your hardest to sit still?

Well, that’s pretty close to my current state. The last four months I’ve been writing and researching and managing and writing and writing and writing, and it is fair to say that I’m exhausted. I’m not actually crying, but it really sounds attractive.

That’s all. I don’t have enough energy to write things not job-related.

Babies, babies everywhere!

To begin, I don’t have any news to report on our adoption. The headline isn’t directly about me.

However, it has everything to do with the amount of baby knitting on my schedule. FIVE of my friends are pregnant and due in the next six months. FIVE!!! And, I have a big suspicion that the number is actually seven but that two people aren’t yet sharing their news. Dude. It’s baby growing season in these parts. Woo hoo!

So, I need everyone’s suggestions for what to knit for all of these wee ones! I want to make the Harvey vest again for a boy baby, but otherwise I’m out of ideas. I’m taking suggestions in the comments, so, knitters, this is your chance to give me reports on your favorites. I will be a baby knitting machine.

Oh … and one of the pregnancies I can report is in our immediate family. PJ’s older sister is due in November!! I’m elated because this means that I will be an aunt. Aunt Erin. Cool. It also means that our wee one will have a cousin within a year of his/her age. Three cheers for family playmates!!!

Conversation with my father-in-law

Him: Now, wait a minute. Tell me about this List of Five.
Me: There was an episode of Friends where everyone talked about their list of five celebrities they could have an affair with and their spouse or girlfriend or whatever couldn’t get upset with them. So, if your wife had George Clooney on her list and George decided he wanted to have an affair with her, you’d have to say it was okay because he was on her List of Five.
Him: Oh, okay. I get it. So who is on your List?
Me: Tom Petty, John Laroquette, …
Him: Wait, wait, wait a minute! Tom Petty?! John Laroquette?!
Me: Well, yeah. The way I see it is that if I’m going to have an imaginary List, I should at least have people on it who might want to sleep with me.
Him: [silence]
Me: Do you want me to finish naming the people on my List?
Him: No, no. NO. No.

Gratitude meme

Knitty Banter is sharing a wonderful meme called Joy Rush. I think it’s a fun meme and timely, so here are a handful of things for which I am grateful:

  • The George Washington University for awarding the Carper Prize to Katie this past weekend.
  • Kind, thoughtful, appreciative Unclutterer readers.
  • Caffeine.
  • Division of labor.
  • Blue irises and red tulips in bloom, side-by-side.
  • The smell of dryer sheets.
  • Ranch dressing.

What are you grateful for today? I’d like to hear about it in the comments!

Good thoughts

I needed this today, so I thought I’d pass it along to you:

http://internet-pets.blogspot.com/2008/05/mothers-love.html

Reasons I hate the web

This message is a rant. A big GIANT rant. If you do not enjoy rants, please STOP READING.

First off, I want to say that if I had to choose between the internet and no internet, I would choose the internet. Thanks to the internet, I have health insurance, a number of friends I wouldn’t have otherwise, and steady employment. Three cheers for the internet!

HOWEVER, the internet comes with some really awful things, and I would like to rant about two of those really awful things right now.

The first horrible thing is that people assume if they read what you write on the web that they KNOW you and that they have permission to say nasty things to you. Because, you know, that’s what friends do, right? Say mean and nasty things to each other?? (Bullsh*t!)

Secondly, people assume that you put EVERYTHING about your life online and keep nothing private. Who you are online is an exact image of you. (Ha!!!!! HAAAAAAAAA!! My sides, they ache from laughing!!!)

I would like to thank those of you who know me in the real world, as well as a few of you I only know digitally but whom I treasure your friendship (like Amy!), for supporting me and not sending me nasty grams and being DECENT HUMAN BEINGS. The last four weeks have been tough, and I really, really, really value your awesomeness. Thank you, dear friends, for not being like the trolls of the internet, and for showing respect and kindness.

Okay, that is all. End rant.

Aging

Today is one of my dearest friend’s birthday and in a short while I will be heading to her birthday party to celebrate with her. I love birthdays and enjoy having the excuse to celebrate. Happy birthday, Kara!

On a sort of related aging note, I spent this afternoon at the eye doctor’s office. I hadn’t been to the eye doctor since 2002, and I knew that it was time for me to head in for an appointment. As expected, my eye sight isn’t anywhere close to what it used to be. I’ve been wearing reading glasses since high school, but now I’m at the point where I should be wearing glasses full time. I don’t know exactly why, but it made me feel old. Gone are the days of 20/20 distance vision. Farewell, smooth skin on the bridge of my nose. Hello, adulthood. Blech.