Not actually a 'vintage' photo from the internets. 
Happy Mother's Day all!

Well hello. What happened here now. Oh working mom what? I really need to get better at carving out some time for this sort of stuff. But then again, I don't feel too bad. Having a creative outlet IS important. But biologically all of my interests (I really have no choice, it's BIOLOGY, man) have been funneling down into one little blonde moppet's interests and whims. And even then I am ignoring her here and there. Mama's gotta read the NY times! Breaking news on facebooks! Oh wait, that's your ipad? That telephone, covered in slime, yes that is yours too. How come Frozen plays on everything? Damn convenient and efficient Itunes purchase. $20 is a handy catch-all, until you realize you can never get away from your purchases at all. Let me go!

So the home repair continues on. The kitchen is pretty much done and its exactly what I wanted. Black counter top (and granite tiles at that, can't believe I won that argument against motoboy AND his contractor dad), white cabinets, white subway tile. Soon we will install the vintage glass towel bars too, another debate I handily won because...ummmm, taste? I has it. I do get a little bit weary of all the dust and dirt. Mototboy is so fixated on his projects he is forgetting to do simple things like PUT THE PLATE IN THE SINK and RECYCLE YOUR BEER BOTTLE. But I can't actually argue that he is not doing work so for now I just make sarcy comments and try to keep clean surfaces, like I like them. The dining room has become the center of our particular family firestorm so it tends to collect a lot of random things - mail, art from A's school, tools, family meal detritus...it's a constant battle but there is no pleasure quite like that beautiful red tablecloth all clean and laying flat and pretty with nothing on it. Ahhhh. Clean surfaces. Yes, I have problems. Also, I never really get my way so there's that.

I do get out, maybe once a week. Maybe a bit less, twice a month if I remember. But when I do its very luxurious and I order whatever I want. I will have the $14 glass of wine AND the $18 charcuterie plate. More farro dip and chips? Indeed. Also I really don't get into much trouble anymore because now I drive everywhere and I do have to get home in one piece, eventually. Moms don't sleep in either, even on the weekend, even if you close your eyes so hard and your husband tries to keep the baby quiet, so I also can't physically be interested in staying up late. I tried that last Friday and stayed up till 2.30 - only to be awoken by an upset toddler at 6am. That's like, 3.5 hours sleep. Ouch. Not worth the looong tired day that followed. Lots of Frozen that Saturday.

But baby girl has been so musical lately. Were we all like this at her age? I guess I am impressed at how quickly and at what a young age she can make melody with her voice. I'm sure there is a German or (perhaps, more appropriately) French or Italian word for this. I guess she has been practicing a lot. But to hear her do a cadence, just like how it was written and intended, I am just - dumbfounded. It was only 2 years and a month ago that she was a slimy pudgy thing crying like a cat in the O.R., after I begged for them to slice me open and remove her because she refused to come out and I was tired of being stuck with various things in the hospital.  Now she is singing Frère Jacques and Twinkle Twinkle, ABCs (all the way through, if you don't count the LALALA O, P...). And at the end of the month PERFORMING for us on STAGE at the university where her day care happens to be located. Ok, so maybe that's a bit of a stretch for 2 year olds but I can't wait to see this. I am thinking of hiring a cameraman so I don't have to watch the damn thing through my iphone lens. Proud mama. And grandma is coming in from Cleveland but no b.d.

I have spoken to my partner in writing group, and we do need to start putting aside time again. But what would I even write about? In my 20s I had so much fiery passion. I was world-centric and looking for adventure and frustrated and opinionated and energetic. In my early 30s I started to boil this down to a more comedic way of looking at things, and loved sitting in my overstuffed chair in my apartment, smoking in the window and pontificating here and there. As you can see by the above blog post, I really got nothing. Maybe some half baked stories I could pick up from before but obviously...not there, anymore. Needing new approaches, maybe new genres, maybe characters that are not based in real life? Because my real life characters consist of a man in my house who farts with abandon and a girl who spreads yogurt all over her chair. Oh wait. Maybe this is why people write at all!

Of course, in true college procrastination style, I will have to outfit my writing perch before I truly feel like I can get started. A project for this weekend as it is warmer now, and instead of freezing in the attic is it stifling hot. I will get there. Maybe some new curtains and a comfy chair will help. Oh maybe I have to go shopping first.

See you in a few months!

Kidding, I hope.

E