Zoom Sisters

When my sister Susan and I were little, our parents rented this little cottage in Little Compton, RI for the summer. There was no TV, and Susan and I were addicted to TV. So we had to come up with our our own activities to keep ourselves busy.

One thing we did is rig a fishing line from our bedroom window to the bottom of the tree outside. Then we would wrap bungee cords around our stuffed animals, open the window, and send them down the line. People from far away couldn't see the fishing line, and I remember the owner of the house wondering how we got our stuffed animals to fly down to the bottom of the tree so smoothly.

Another thing we did is ride our bikes all over the place. There was a bakery down the street, and the baker used to make cookies of naked sunbathers. We used to hang out there, waiting to see if anyone bought the naked cookies. And we'd giggle like crazy when they did.

Another thing we did was to pretend we were on a tv show. Not just any tv show, but the ever popular Zoom. We were the stars of a special segment called "Zoom Sisters". We would do simple things, like make a salad, but we would talk through each step in great detail while talking to a pretend TV camera that wasn't there. Seriously. We would do this for hours on end.

"Hi and welcome to Zoom Sisters. Today we're going to show you how to pick berries!"

"Hi and welcome to Zoom Sisters. Today we're going to show you how to sweep the kitchen and get rid of all that summer sand!"

"Today we are taking Zoom sisters on the road! Follow us as we ride our bikes into town! Wonder what we'll find there?"

You get the idea.

There was something so wonderful about that simple time, when all we had was each other to occupy ourselves. I'm so glad that I share these memories with my amazing sister.

And now that we are all grown up, I love it when our families get together and we get to watch the 6 cousins together. Playing in the brook at the barn. Performing a dance off in the living room. Looking for bugs and butterflies as we hike through the woods. Giggling as they wait for Santa to come as they are all crammed into one bedroom. They love to be together, and Susan and I love watching them together.

And every now and then, when we're doing something together, Susan will ask me if I remember "Zoom Sisters".

As if I could ever forget.

The Bestest Lauren EVAH

Giving up the hooch was a major thing I've done for the betterment of the Lauren.  Now we are all a work in progress, and I started thinking about all the other things I should do to create the most faboo Lauren evah. 

Please notice I said "should".  At this point in time it's a "should" list.  These things aren't happening any time soon.

1. Give up sweets.  Or at least cut down (not happening)
2. Exercise more (I'm already doing zumba 2-4 times a week, whaddya want from me???)
3. Sing more (no one is subjected to the torture except my poor boys in the car)
4. Walk the dog more (this one is totally do-able, I don't care what you say you pesky ankle!)
5. Be more patient with the kids in the morning (working on it but I can only be pushed so far)
6. Stay in better touch with my favorite people who live far away (this one I can TOTALLY do!)
7. Paint the living room (maybe I should do this one without telling Sean?  Surprises are nice.)
8. Paint the bedroom (harder to do as a surprise because I can't move the furniture by myself.  Any volunteers?)
9. Cook more new dishes.  LOVE this one!!!
10. Cut down on my TV time
11. Find a job.

Any other ideas?

To be truthful I really don't see the TV one happening at all, as the cheese I watch makes my own life look like paradise.  Let's not burst that bubble, shall we?

As for finding a job, I'd love to do radio commercials.  I think that would be fun.  I have a GREAT look for radio! 

So that's my "should" list.

Ooh - I forgot to add one!

12.  Get a good tan hanging out at the pool with the ladies.

Actually, that one should be #1.

Nuggets of Brilliance

Many of my Facebook status updates are about amazing things my kids say.  I thought I should collect them here and share them - they're pretty great.

TJ just started saying "Holy Crab". Guess I should either watch my mouth, or start pronouncing my words more clearly.

I am laughing at TJ who said "I have autism, and enthusiasm!" True, TJ, very true.

TJ said he improvised in the play yesterday. He was the tail of the crocodile. He said to Captain Hook "Say hello to my little friend!" Then he farted at him. I'm...um...so proud.

TJ fell out of a tree today. "I can't breathe Mom. I think I'm going to die right here." First wind knocked out experience. Didn't know I could run that fast across a field! He's fine, BTW.

TJ put on an exam gown at his check up yesterday and asked his doctor, "Do I look like a woman?"

TJ: "We're best friends, right Pete?" Peter: "Yeah TJ, you're my best friend." I can't take it!!!

Peter promotes acceptance after watching Pixar Shorts with TJ: "Mom, TJ remembers the order of each Pixar short because of his autism. Isn't that so cool?"

TJ: "Peter, you have to make pickle island." Peter: "TJ, how am I supposed to do that???" TJ: "Why, with pickles of course!!!"

TJ this morning: "Mom, I'm gonna wear my shades to school so I can see how cool I can be."

At the dance off TJ yelled to the audience, "We're gonna bring the house down!!!" They did, too...

TJ: "Mom, Peter did me a solid.". Me: "What?!?!". TJ: "Mom, that means he did me a favor." WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN???

TJ cried when I forced him to play a game with his brother and PCA. TJ: "I don't want to talk to people" Me: "sweetie, it's the autism part of you that makes it so hard for you. That's why we have to practice." TJ: "I hate the autism part of me!!!" Me: "I don't hate it, love. It's part of you, and you are amazing just the way you are" A breakthrough for both of us, I think...here's to open communication!!!!

TJ running around the house yelling "baldy baldy baldy bald", stopping only to look in the mirror and flex his "muscles". That's my boy.

TJ: "I love you Peter, very much. You're my best brother friend forever."

TJ this morning, with underwear on his head: "Mom, is this my shirt? And by the way, 'boner' is not a swear, it's a body part."

"I thought there was a monster laying next to me, then I realized it was my pants." TJ Jordan, in all his brilliance.

TJ driving through farm country: "It smells like a rancid burrito. What's a burrito?"

Peter: "Look how fast I can run without pants!"
TJ: "Mom, here's a fact about mollusks."
Ah, a typical morning in the Jordan house.

Yesterday TJ and Peter were busted going on YouTube without asking - big no-no. I told them they would have some sort of punishment. TJ said "What are you gonna do? Spank us on our hammies? Punch us in the gut?" Where does he get this stuff?!!?!

This morning at breakfast Peter started yelling "I wanted you to give me life, mom! Why didn't you give me life?" I said, confused, "I did, 10 years ago!!!" "NO mom, Life CEREAL! DUH!" My bad - of course that's what you meant.

Peter: "Mom, can I have extra Wii time? It's really hard having a brother with autism...." Nice try kiddo but I'm on to you!

TJ is upset about his homework - meaning he's yelling "I can't do it! I quit! I can't do anything!!!" I left him alone to calm down and he just yelled from the dining room, "Mom, I can do it myself. I know what to do. I am driven to tears." then he started crying. I asked "Are you upset or proud?" "A little bit of both, Mom, a little bit of both". Drama, anyone?

love it when TJ says "blissed-ed" when he means "ballistic". He's also walking around saying "Hey mom, do you have any cook books by.....YO MAMA?!?!"

We got some new fish yesterday for the tank. TJ is thrilled and after staring at the tank for about 20 minutes, opened it up and said "it smells like happiness!". :)

Peter: "Mom, my right butt cheek just fell asleep."
Me: "Well how does your left butt cheek feel about it?"
Peter: "Jealous."
True story.

TJ is walking around with his hand near his rear end, saying "I'm pregnant! I'm going to have a baby!" Then brings his hand to the front, with a dyed egg in his hand. "I'm a Mom! Come here, little egg....."

Sean and I have Autism Awareness tshirts with TJ's name on them. He cried when he saw them and asked us not to wear them. "Are you sad because it makes you feel different, sweetheart?" "Yes, Mom. Inside and out." My amazing, wonderful boy.

We are at the soccer field watching Peter and TJ didn't want to go, so he's having a meltdown. He sat in his chair and "ran" with his legs only saying "I'm free!" Now he's calling himself Robbie Jordan (TJ has left the building and RJ is here in his place). A day in the life.

TJ was up at 6 - looking at his ipod. "good morning sweetheart!" "MOM! I'm looking at images! I need privacy! Leave please!" I don't think I want to know.....

TJ at brunch: "ah, maple syrup...it's my life, it's my wife."

Well, that basically sums it up.  I wonder what they'll say next.....

 

Sobriety Makes Me Fat

Isn't it supposed to be the opposite?  When you take out all those calories that alcohol brings into your diet, you're supposed to get all skinny, right?  Wrong, if you're Lauren.

Since I've lost the booze, I've gained a sugar addiction.  Ice Cream.  M&Ms.  Twizzlers.

I'm not binge eating, mind you, and thanks to bazoom I'm not huge.  My friend Jennie, when she saw me in February, said "I was prepared for you to be huge - you look fine!"  (I love love love her honesty, BTW - one of my favorite things about her).  But I'm definitely having to work really hard to burn calories to stay on an even keel.

Anyway, thanks to my lovely sprained ankle, I am slowly getting back up to speed with my bazoom.  But it definitely threw a wrench into matters.

I was so completely touched today when a friend called to tell me that over the past weekend, when she was hanging out with her girlfriends, she decided not to drink.  She told me "I know it's only a tiny example of what you go through, but it really changes the entire dynamic of hanging out with the girls, and I had no idea.  It was hard!  I really admire you for doing it."

The fact that she called me to tell me means so, so much to me. I know it must be really difficult for my friends to understand how hard it is for me.  I wish I understood it myself.  I wish it was so easy for me to simply say "nah, I'll skip the booze tonight" and another night say "I'll just have one" and be able to stick to it.  That has never been me.  Never. 

And I wish I had some control - any control - over when not drinking is really hard and when it isn't.  When it's hard it hits me like a truck.  I feel paralyzed.  I feel like everyone is looking at me.  I feel like I don't really know what to do with myself.  These suck.  They really do.  The last time this happened I reached out to a few friends, whose text messages of humor, support and love got me through it.  Thank god for them!!!  I am lucky - so lucky - to have the wonderful friends that I have.

And I think the vulnerability of what I'm trying to do for myself has made me really over sensitive.  I worry that my not drinking, or talking about it, or working on it, or the changes it makes in my life, are going to cost me my friends, who are so so so important to me.

But I'm doing it anyway.

Aren't I fun?  Boy, this is a serious one.

But that's just where I'm at today, I guess.  No wonder, really, as Mother's Day used to be my drink-champagne-sitting-on-the-couch-watching-cheesy-tv-while-wearing-fabulous-shoes-and-a-tiara day.

And I made it through that day, for the first time, without champagne. 

I did wear the tiara.  And fabulous shoes for a few hours.

Stupid ankle - threw a wrench into that plan, too.

OK - introspect over.  I'm going upstairs to see how my ankle feels when I wear my nude colored patent leather stilettos.

UPDATE!

 Cancel the whole thing.  I just got some tops from Boden (thank you Mom!) and they were ALL too big!  WAHOO!!!  Not feeling so fat after all.  Forget I said anything.

A Bit about Mother's Day, Clean Rooms, and Castration

So this morning, just as I'm about to leave for Bazoom, Sean says to me "We have a lot of yard work to do today."

I'm sorry, what was that again?

I don't like doing yard work when it's not Mother's Day weekend, forget about it when it is Mother's Day weekend.  Not happening. 

I think I'm turning Mother's Day into the same kind of thing as my birthday.  At first, it was just my birthday.  Then it turned into my birthday week, then my birthday month.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this - I think it's common practice.  If not, it really should be, don't you think?

I told the boys that all I want for Mother's Day is for them to clean their rooms.  TJ's is not so bad but Peter's is a complete disaster area.  All week when I reminded Peter that he needs to do a little bit of room cleaning every day, it turned into World War III around here.  But now he's cleaning his room, sorting through the piles of papers and knick-knacks that are precious to a ten-year-old, and when he started he said to me "I didn't even yell at you, Mom!  How's that?"

By the way, that's not all I really want for Mother's Day, of course, but I am realistic.  Diamonds simply aren't happening right now.  Totally OK with it.

On another note, Sean is off to get pain meds for the dog.  He was snipped yesterday, and has been crying ever since.  Seriously.  It's awful.

Me:  "Sean, we really need pain meds for the Sammy....call the vet."

Sean:  "He's fine.  He just wants attention."

Me:  "If I had you castrated I'd get you pain meds."

Sean:  "Gee, thanks."

Me:  "I'm just sayin'.  He's miserable."

Guess it hit home because he's off to the vet's for the meds.  Which just goes to prove that with guys, it's all about the penis.

Speaking of, tonight is my Book Club.  Our last book was 50 Shades of Grey.  This ought to be a good one.

And there is NO WAY I will be writing anything about it.  No one panic.

Don't Try the Uni

This story makes me laugh every time I think about it.  It makes me cringe, too.  But it really shows the relationship I have with my faboo sister, Susan.

This was sometime in the 90s - I can't remember if we were in college or if I was going to one of Susan's reunions at Brown with her.  In either case, we were out with her friends at Tokyo, a sushi restaurant in Providence, RI where we are originally from.  Is it still there, does anyone know?

Anyway, we had tried different pieces of sushi throughout the visit, and Susan picked up Uni to try.  Neither of us had any idea what it was.

Susan put it in her mouth, chewed, swallowed, and immediately said to me. "Lauren, you HAVE to try this!  It's one of the best things I've ever eaten!"

Me:  "No, Suz, I think I'm done."

Susan:  "You HAVE to!  You'll be so bummed if you don't - it's SO GOOD!!!"

Me:  "No thanks, Susan, I'm done."

Susan:  "Please????  You'll love it I promise!"

Me:

Susan:  "PLEASE?!?!?!?!"

Me:  "You promise I'll love it?"

Susan:  "I PROMISE you'll absolutely LOVE it."

Me:  "OK."

Then I put a piece in my mouth and started chewing.  The consistency was like someone blew their nose in my mouth, with rice.  The nastiest thing I have ever eaten.  I covered my mouth in disgust.

Me:  "SUSAN!!!!  This is the grossest thing I've ever tried!!!"

Susan:  "I know!  Isn't it?"

Me:  "WHAT?!?!  You promised that I'd love it!!!"

Susan:  "I lied.  It's repulsive, but I wanted you to share the experience with me.  Now we're bonded forever over Uni!"

Me:  (gagging and laughing at the same time) "SUSAN I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THAT!!!"


I can TOTALLY believe she did that.  Her over-enthusiasm should have clued me in.  And, kudos to Susan for her acting abilities and not gagging when she ate that piece of uni - she tricked me but good.

Now every time she asks me to try something, I ask her "Is it really good, or is it Uni good?"

There's my sister in a nutshell, ladies and gentlemen.  Actually, she's much, much more than this story can convey, but this gives you a taste of our sense of humor when we're together.

And please, don't try the Uni.  It's really, really gross.

Mornings in the 802

I'm up at 5:45 to shower (or I'm not - sometimes I shower the night before, sometimes I wait 'til the kids are gone...).  I wake the boys up at 6:30.  Our house rule is downstairs by 7am if you want a coin (which is a poker chip, good for 10 minutes of Wii or computer time), and if you're not down by 7:10 you have a time out, which means no TV after school or before bed.

TJ typically earns his coins each morning.  Sometimes he doesn't.  Sometimes I go to get him up at 6:30 and he's lying in bed already dressed for the day with his teeth brushed, having woken up at 4 or 5 to do so.  You get the picture.

Peter, however, is another story.

Does everyone with 2 or more kids have 1 who resists doing anything on time?  Seriously - it's completely annoying.  I may have to invest in a cattle prod to get this kid up and moving.

6:30 - after I've woken them up - I do a countdown from 10 and after that they aren't allowed back in bed.

6:35 - me:  "Peter, get out of your bed!"

6:45 - me, to 2 boys lying on their floors in their underpants:  "15 minutes, guys, let's go!"  followed by grumbled "ok mom"s.

6:55 - me:  "Sean, will you remind them?  I'm convinced they can't hear my voice anymore."

6:58 - me:  "Two minutes!"  followed by an "AUGH!!!" from upstairs and the sound of elephants running to the bathroom.

7 - me:  "10 minutes 'til time out, Peter"
Peter:  "WHAT?  That is SO not fair mom!!!  You have GOT to be kidding me!!!"

I think I need more coffee.

The irony is that on weekends, they're both up at 6am, running around asking for pancakes.

It is SO not fair.

This May Be My Most Random Post So Far

Have you seen those Lipton Iced Tea ads where people drink the tea, then turn translucent with lemon and lime slices floating around in them?  Creepy.

Anyway, on to my post.

I'm back doing Zumba again!  Or Bazoom, as I like to call it.  My whole life I feel like I've avoided exercise, and quite successfully, too.  I was athletic in middle school, and then it came to a grinding halt as I went a more creative direction with theatre and singing.

I avoided it so much that I did a play my senior year in high school that I originally did not want to do.  The deciding factor in my auditioning?  PE exemption for the semester.  No joke.

So the fact that doing bazoom has become so important to me I find to be astonishing.  Seriously.  My jaw is on the floor.  How often can you really surprise yourself like that?  Me, the queen of athletic avoidance, bazooming 4 times a week.

What I find to be amazing, really, is how I went all this time without some sort of physical release.  Dirty minds out of the gutter, please, you know what I'm talking about.  The past years have not been easy ones.  There has been a lot of wonderful, don't get me wrong, but there has been a lot of tough stuff, too.  And now that I'm exercising I don't know how I lived without it.

The past few weeks I have been a bear.  The difference?  No bazoom.

This week Hot Mama O Rama is back.  You got it....bazoom. 

Boy it really sounds dirty when I say "bazoom", doesn't it?  Or is that just the 50 shades of Lauren talking?

Anyway, my point is that for the first time, in my whole life really, I feel more balanced than I ever have.  And I know exercise has been a big part of it.

AND, when I go back to Bogota, Colombia, I will be able to dance at Andrea's Restaurant with the confidence that I'm not standing out like the rhythm-impared white girl I was the last time I was there!  BONUS!!!

OK - I'm off to ice my ankle.  Laters babies!  See, there's that 50 shades of Lauren again.....

My Kid Would NEVER Do Such a Thing!!!

Warning - there is some inappropriate language in this post.  It's not my fault....I blame my son.  Read on and be warned.

Yesterday my son TJ turned 12.  Unbelievable.  TJ has autism and is the kind of kid who acts younger than his middle school peers - no interest in sports or dances, has a tough time just "hanging out with the guys", that sort of thing.  Despite this fact we have heard from many people, parents and teachers alike, that everyone in his class loves TJ.  They look out for him.  TJ has a great sense of humor and loves to make people laugh (sound familiar?) and the kids love him for it.  It's really an incredible thing and we feel so fortunate that our sweet TJ is surrounded by such wonderful kids.

So for his birthday dinner yesterday he invited 3 friends to go to Pizzeria Uno.  The kids sat on one end of the long table and the adults sat on the other end (in addition to us, my in-laws are here, and one of our wonderful PCAs joined us as well).  At the beginning of the dinner TJ clearly had something in his head.  For you who are not familiar with autism, or not familiar with TJ, this means he is running a TV show in his head and is watching it....picture perfect, word for word.  He sat there at the end of the dinner table, not talking to anyone.  I reminded him "TJ, your friends are here to visit with you.  Out of your head and be here with us please."  "Yes, Mom!"  Of course I had to do this 4 or 5 more times before he slowly began to engage with his buddies.

Now some of you may call me crazy, or too involved, but during times like these I start to panic.  He looks different.  He acts different.  How much will his friends put up with until they don't want to be around him anymore?  What if he's in his head all night and doesn't talk to anyone?  Did I set him up for failure?  You get the idea....I do a number on myself.

So I decided to turn my chair away from the kids and face the adults.  I knew that my eagle eye wasn't helping TJ to socialize at all.

Guess what?  IT WORKED!!!  Within a few minutes I heard laughter from the kid side of the table and turned to see TJ with a huge natural smile (not a fake I-have-autism-I-have-to-force-myself-to-smile smile) and giggles galore.  WAHOO!!!  I turned back to the adults and breathed a sigh of relief.

That relief was temporary.  But not for the reason you may be thinking.

Suddenly the giggles stopped, all at once, from every kid at the table.  I turned to see them all looking at me with wide eyes, like "Did she hear?  Are we going to get in trouble?"  TJ CLEARLY looked like he did something terribly naughty.  I turned to Sean.

Me: "Did you hear what happened?"

Sean:  "Yup."

Me:  "What?  Tell me!"

Sean:  "TJ said 'shit'."

I'm sorry....what?

You must be mistaken.  My sweet young TJ would NEVER say such a thing, especially in a public restaurant, especially in front of his friends.

But one look at TJ's face told me otherwise.

Now here's where things get interesting as a parent of a kid with autism.  Am I mortified because he's swearing?  Am I thrilled that he's behaving like a typical 6th grader?  YES TO BOTH.

It really is an interesting position to be in - I want to cheer and laugh out loud, but I also want to act horrified so I'm a good example for the kids.  Good thing I was a theatre major...I can act horrified and scold my cute-as-hell-smiling-bigger-than-ever boy, while I'm cheering as loud as can be on the inside.

By the way, things went downhill from there.  In the parking lot, TJ started yelling, and I mean yelling, "Forget You Crazy Knucklenuts!  Get it?  F-U-C-K?"  Then in the car there were a few mentions of "penis" and "prick".....you get the idea.

I really had to act my ass off last night.

12 Years Ago....

TJ this morning:  "Mom, tomorrow is my birthday."

Me:  "I know buddy!  You've been doing the countdown for months now."  (he really has - since "100 days 'til my birthday!")

TJ:  "Here's what will happen tomorrow Mom.  I'll walk downstairs like this (puts a sleep mask over his eyes and puts his arms in front of him, feeling around).  You guys will grab my arms and bring me to right in front of all my presents, then you'll pull the blindfold off and yell 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!'  Then I'll be surprised and open all of my presents while Dad makes pancakes.  No - waffles.  I want waffles from the toaster.  Toasty waffles."

Me:  "OK sweetie, anything you want."

TJ:  "But nobody sing.  OK, Mom?"

12 years has flown by.

12 years ago I never could have imagined all the gifts that being a parent could give me.  12 years ago I had a very different and naive understanding of what my future would be like.  12 years ago I never knew how strong I could be for somebody else.  12 years ago I never knew how strong I could be for myself.  12 years ago I never knew that brothers could have as strong a bond as sisters do.  12 years ago I knew Sean and I were a great team, but I didn't know that we would be a force to be reckoned with. 12 years ago I didn't know that when your kid struggles or hurts, it feels like you are wearing your guts on the outside of your body.

12 years ago tomorrow I fell in love.....again.

Happy Birthday TJ - you are a treasure who has brought us 12 years of amazing.  And the best is yet to come....

Today calls for Guffman

It's amazing to me, when I get slammed with lots of tough things at once, how quickly I become the most insecure person on the planet.

My stupid ankle is still wrapped up and sore at the end of each day.  I haven't done Zumba for 3 weeks now.  I'm feeling huge, tired, and gross.  And I'm still coughing.   Also I've been out of work for a month now and not seeing people during my day really sucks.

Sorry to complain, but there it is.

During these times, I turn to my favorite movies, because these can ALWAYS put a smile on my face.

My go-to-make-me-feel-better-immediately-and-makes-me-laugh-like-crazy movie?

Waiting for Guffman.  Hands down the most hysterical movie ever.  Have you seen it?  SO FUNNY.  Christopher Guest is brilliant and the entire cast is perfect.  Here's a taste:

I mean, COME ON!!!  How funny does that look?!?!  Oh how I LOVE this movie.....

I have been asked many times what my favorite movie is. In a lot of ways that is like asking which is my favorite son.  Just like I have different songs for my personal soundtrack, I have different movies that I love for different reasons. Here are some of them, and why I love them:


Singin' in the Rain - old time Hollywood musical at it's finest.

The Philadelphia Story - amazing actors, funny story...and Cary Grant pushes Katharine Hepburn down by pushing her face.  Who would dare do that but Cary Grant???

Same Time Next Year - I love movies that are adapted from Broadway plays, and this is a great one.  Plus, Marvin Hamlisch wrote the music so what's not to love about that?

Monty Python and the Holy Grail/Life of Brian/Meaning of Life - hysterical and random, and never gets old.

Tootsie - Dustin Hoffman in a dress and Terry Garr is in love with him.  Perfect.

Young Frankenstein - much like Guffman does, it makes me laugh every time.

The Godfather, I and II.  Duh.

Conception - fabulous film by my friend Josh Stolberg, starring my friends Leila Charles Leigh, Tim Griffin, and the opening song is written by my friend Chris Ziter.  And aside from that, what a great movie to watch!!!


So many others that flood my brain...too many to list....

I will say that since I've had children, I have a hard time watching sad movies.  And movies like "A Beautiful Mind", "Rain Man" or "Temple Grandin"?  Forget it.  Not gonna happen.  For obvious reasons.  I don't care how inspiring they are, it's too tough.

I'd write more, but My Fair Lady is on and it's calling to me.  Things are lookin' up - gotta go!

Happy Birthday Maybonne!

Today is my faboo sister's birthday.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSU!!!

Every time someone in our family has a birthday, the Jordans gather around the phone and call the lucky birthday boy or girl on the phone and we yell/sing Happy Birthday to them.  It's tradition.  Our old dog Sam, who died last year, used to howl every time he heard the birthday song, so it's like he sang along with us.  Our new dog, Sam, doesn't howl, but certainly looks very interested in our singing.   Maybe the howl is yet to come?  Fingers crossed.

Anyway, this morning bright and early we called Susan and sang to her, then Susan gave ME the fabulous gift of a reminder.  She reminded me of Lynda Barry comics - I haven't thought of them in years.  They were originally introduced to be by Jill, one of my best friends who lives in California.  We met in camp when we were 14 and I used to go see her every summer after that.  Anyway, Jill used to cut these comics out of newspapers and send them to me, then when Lynda Barry put out books I bought them as fast as I could.  There is just something about her humor that I adore and never gets old.  Here's a sample:

And here's another one:

I'm guessing that you either LOVE it or HATE it.

I love it.  Always have, always will.

I may have to show these to the boys, but I don't want them to destroy my old Lynda Barry books.  I may keep her all to myself.

PS - Susan is big sister Maybonne and I'm little sister Marlys.  Please find her comics and give them a look and you'll know what I mean!