i've thought and thought

I love the idea of this new blog. I love the idea of connecting with people through my words. I love even the faintest hope that I will someday inspire someone about something, in the same way that I have been inspired by a whole host of bloggers out there. There is but one problem. I wish I had more time to spend with you and to devote to the items on the list that is the subject of this blog. One can set goals of completing the soon-to-be beautiful striped dresser that will reside in my baby boy's room but until one has an unscheduled afternoon to complete these tasks, they will remain...unchecked on the list.

Oh list...how you inspire me. Oh list...how you frustrate me. Oh list...you have NOT defeated me.

The dresser will make its debut, same as its owner, fashionably late. Its not a trait to be proud of but it is one that myself and said dresser are TOTALLY guilty.

While the dresser sits untouched in a rather dark and dusty corner of my basement you will have to settle for another story. Okay, its not a true story - it is merely the happenings of the last few weeks. I am one of those girls that has not managed to make any incredible friends since high school. Stop rolling your eyes and keep the, "that's kinda pathetic." comments to yourself before you've heard me out. If you had my friends (there are three of them) you would not be on the prowl for any auxilliary friends either. They would be like the side salad at a totally average restaraunt. You force yourself to enjoy the limp greens but the relationship is anything but natural. The salad is inevitably resented, as would be the case with any additonal friends. They encompass everything I could ever want in a companion and are totally different and as a side note, are not necessarily friends with one another. There is but one problem. They have all chosen, I am sure in an effort to punish me, to live far far away. Well, in the past few weeks, I have had the privelage of sharing at least an afternoon with all three of them. It has been a good, almost blissful few weeks.

I spent hours talking all things wedding and bridal with my first friend and having skipped throwing a big wedding myself, it was a thoroughly satisfying experience. Although, I am content living vicariously through my blushing best friend bride. We pondered shoe color and hair style and flower choice, all of which she has made beautiful choices (with my assistance, obviously). We also talked life stuff. Her living situation, and upcoming commitment, my marriage and child dilemnas and joys. We drank a bottle of wine over sushi, and wondered where it had gone...where the time had gone...but, NOT where our bond had gone. We can go weeks without speaking, both of us in the throws of young adulthood (although with a house, husband, and two children I think we can skip the "young" part) and pick up almost exactly where we left off. She is my greatest friend, besides the other two. She exploits my girliness in all of its waxing, dying, and gossiping glory. She brought my daughter an Easter basket overflowing with girliness. There was lip gloss, bracelets, sunglasses, and a painting project. And for my son, whome she wouldn't dare ignore, there was a pair of mod dino footed jammies, too damn cute! The most exhilerating part of the evening came when she whispered, in a casual fashion, that she and her husband were moving back home. After this statement, and with me out of breath, she added that it would probably be within a year. I gasped and I think I choked on my Pinot Noir, but then I smiled. Because, as happy as my lovely husband and two kids make me - I am nothing without my friends.

More on the other two friends later...its raining outside and I want coffee and a good book. But alas, I must finish the work day...

fancy up the blog later

I am slowly learning how to make my blog look pretty, or at least NOT as if it were designed by someone from the cast of Office Space. Although the boring layout doesn't fit the mission or my personality...it will have to do for now. I will think up some alarmingly attractive color scheme and a catchy little layout in the very near future. However, I'm finding it of little import in comparison to the actual content of the blog which in my eyes, is the writing and of course THE LIST. So, onward we move. Pretty or not.

I think I have decided on my first project. To you, my friends, these projects may sound mundane. Maybe they are. But as soon as I can check them off the list, I can call them munDONE. Wow, I didn't think I had it in me but there it is. The backspace bar is yelling at me but I am ignoring its shrill calls. I promise to keep you entertained, one way or another. I'm a second child and it is my purpose in life. If I don't follow through with this promise and your forehead slinks ever closer to the keyboard and you find yourself checking for light leaks in your eyelids...I will immediately shut down. Like I told you in my first post - STICK WITH ME KID!!! I AM NOTHING IF NOT FUN!!! I even grant you permission to laugh at my failures.

Anyway...first project on new blog: refurbishing an old dresser. This dresser was my husband's (here to for known as Jason, really thats his name, no tricks here) when he was a child. My father-in-law recently offered it to me and I jumped, seeing as how my four month old son doesn't yet have one in his room. We (I, at 8 months pregnant) managed to finish the adorable tuquoise stripes on his walls but my poor boy has nothing hung on his walls and even less in the way of furniture. Don't worry dear reader, he does have a crib...I am not that neglectful. He has plenty in the kisses and love arenas but is very lacking in the furniture area - which, to a fourmonth old baby boy can be very distressing. Maybe thats why he's not yet sleeping through the night??

The dresser is begging to be totally made over. Its a basic enough shape that I could really have some fun with it. I'm thinking more stripes. It may sound a little busy but I think should the dresser get a treatment of vertical stripes against the horizontal turquoise stripes of the walls...we might really have something. Yellow. Yes, yellow. Yellow and turquoise...a very pleasing combination. My other thought was to paint it white with a giant yellow 'B' on the front but I'm not sure I could make it work with all the ins and outs of the drawers etc. Jason fondly recalls the clanging that the old metal pulls make when the wooden drawers are opened and closed, but shhhhh...I think I may replace them. We'll see. I'll show the before pics tomorrow and by weekend's end, we will have ourselves a new dresser. Or...my blog might ground me. Uhoh...better get working.

so, i guess we're off...and away.

If anyone's out there...

This is very typical.  I have finally figured out this whole Blog creation thingy and here my lovely computer is just about out of batteries.  It is fitting though, my readers.  It is a swell introduction to what you will experience on this blog.  At my parents' house, in the study that is littered with antiques and childhood memoribilia (my dad's youth league golf trophies, tin Lucky Strike cigarette boxes and political signs from elections long ago) there is a sign that reads, "I finally got it all together and then I forgot where I put it."  I know, its not poetic.  Its not even touching but I have always identified with it.  I have read that sign many times and thought, "that is the story of my life."  Oh, I try with the best of intentions to know where my keyes are when I'm planning on leaving the house but, I swear they sprout little tiny metal legs and prance off into the night.  I have implemented countless strategies for keeping track of important dates like birthdays and anniversaries but I can't seem to keep it straight.  I'm telling you - my life is a full on comedy.  The most comical part??  I have kids now.  Two of them.  They are super sweet and scrumptous but they don't deserve the disorganized, open-ended life full of pipe dreams and fairy tales.  Did I mention that I am a bit dramatic at times?

So, I am going to change that with the moment that I push that PUBLISH button.  I have accountability now.  I know most people don't need a blog, but it turns out that I might.  I have lists and lists of things that I want to accomplish.  There are things that I want to learn and places I want to go.  Some of these things are small and seemingly inconsequential but I have the kind of mind that obsesses over them if they are never executed.  I have wanted to learn French for years.  I need to do it.  I have wanted to teach myself to knit.  I have never done it.  I want to bake the perfect apricot tart.  I must get moving!!  There are big things and small and I will try to do them all.  Some days though there is an oversized portion of accomplishments that just appear in the everyday.  Like, say, getting a 19 month old and a 4 month old to bed at the same time. Or, perfecting a chocolate chip cookie recipe.   Aaaaahhh, the mini miracles.  You will hear about those too.

Here my friends you will find my successes as well as my failures.  Should I try knitting and never make it past the 16th stitch, I will share with you my experience...the good, the bad, and most certainly the ugly because I'm sure that will make for the best reading.  Stick with me though.  My life is bumpy, so fasten you seatbelts.  And the battery is......