Banana for the baby

I started my current assignment when I was about 4 months pregnant. As my stomach got bigger and bigger I got all obligatory attention from strangers, coworkers, and strange coworkers.
The benefits for big belly included an almost definite pass to a seat @ any nurses station ( though I must say, the shnucky PA students frequently pretended not to see and often I was too proud to ask), lost of advice on what to do and not to do, and bananas 'for the baby' from residents whose only way of showing attention and appreciation was to save their dessert (banana) and later give it to the recepient of the appreciation award.
Initially, (when my belly looked like that of someone who likes to eat ) I noticed a banana on desks of 2 of my coworkers (left over from the previous regime). And though there are bananas on sale in the cafeteria (50c each), I was told that those bananas were given to them by appreciative patients.
A bit envious of the attention and the 50c savings, I acted like an adult and either brought a fruit from home or just bought something from the cafeteria.
But, in less than 2 months, I got my first banana! And I was told 'it's for the baby' so I didn't even pretend to protest, graciously accepted the gift, and ate it.
Then, as my belly grew I started getting 2-3 bananas per day. And when I'd politely decline and say that I already had a banana, I'd be told " It's not for you, it's for the baby!'. And how can I refuse that kind of bananas!?
I diligently shared my bananas with all the coworkers who wanted them. Yet, there wasn't a day when I wouldn't eat a banana or two. If popularity in my gym was measured in bananas, I would be the undefeated reigning queen with no close competitors!
My baby is, thank God, almost 7 months. My fan club slowly dwindled. One resident was transfered to another facility, one went home, a few noticed that I obviously don't have such a huge belly anymore. One resident switched from bananas to milk and I kind of like the variety. However, if you'd see my desk today, you'd notice 7 bananas on it. And it's not that I'm hoarding them. I just have one die-hard friend who brings me up to 3 bananas per day (all but one banana coworkers have moved on). When I tell her that she doesn't really have to do that since I already gave birht to the baby, she insists saying " You're feeding him, right? Then eat the banana!"
I'm concidering opening a fruit stand with competitive pricing of 25c per banana ( when I overcome my fear of being accused of stealing bananas from the elderly).

A dollar saved is a dollar earned

Last night was another one of those nights when I sat by the computer around 11Pm and felt as fresh as a cucumer in my fridge ( For those who haven't seen my refrigirated cucumbers they are typically slightly wilted but still fit to be eaten in a salad cut up into small pieces).
So I decided to check my bank account, my email, my facebook ( thank you Moshe for convincing me to join- I have one more excuse to stay up late), baby gap, banana republic, gymboree...And that's when I got stuck.
They had some promotional deal going on. And based on the clock, it just started so all the sizes were still available! How can I possibly bypass an oportunity to buy ( yet another) matching outfits for my daughter and my nieces and matching outfits for daughter and son?!
So my shopping bag quickly filled up to 20-something items. Exciting yet obscene because the box with 20 something items @ my door step will be quite large, hubby would most probably see it first and i'll have a hard time explaining my reasons for buying the stuff.
So I trimmed the shopping bag to high teens. Not bad at all, considering all the bargains they had.
Then I remembered that I have a 20% off coupon to be used online only. The only thing I didn't remember is where I put this coupon...
[As a side note, my desk is the funeral home for all the letters, circulars, periodicals, professional publications, and bills prior to their departure to the recycling bin. However, for some of these items the viewing can last for days, if not weeks. In short, my desk is cluttered.]
I quickly tried to look for my coupon on my desk which I almost cleaned last weekend. I didn't find it. Then I remembered that I went shopping a couple of weeks ago and the coupon may be in the trunk together with my loot which I slowly unload (not to create panic by bringing it all in at once). The only problem was- it was now after 1 AM, I was in pjs, upstairs...
But what the heck, 20% off my high teens items in the shopping bag can buy me another outfit.
So I went downstairs, out to my car ( which was thankfully parked in front of my house), and to the trunk. I got the bag which I had the coupon and then the trunk refused to close. It's done that a few times before but somehow at 1:18 am it seemed more dramatic if not borderline creepy- me standing on an empty street, repeatedly slamming the trunk and it refusing to close...
It closed after what seemed like an eternity -5th attempt.
Then I quitely came back upstairs, opened the bag, searched through all the stuff I almost forgot I bought and DIDN"T SEE THE COUPON!
I took all three bibs, two doggy pocketbooks, 1 pair of pants, 2 gift boxes, and wrappings out of the bag. NO COUPON.
Now I had a tough choice to make. Do I buy the stuff now without the coupon but with the assurance that everything I chose will be mine or do I wait for some time in late morning when I'll be albe to inspect many potential coupon hiding places, hopefull find the coupon, and place the order then ( with the possibility of some of matching-kids-pieces out of my shopping bag).
With uncharacteristic decisiveness I chose the first option. A bit sour about that extra outfit that I won't be able to purchase with my savings that didn't happen, but happy overall.
Now I have about a week to convince hubs that kids should have professional photos taken in matching outfits ( he already knows how much I love my nieces...)

Facebook

After finally heeding the advise of my friends, I've seen the light aka facebook. The next question is will I see my pillow again or will I be one of those people with keyboard inprints on their face?

Joys of motherhood-Nursing (aka Breast Feeding) and cosleeping

As soon as I posted my thoughts on insomnia and before I got a chance to go downstairs I heard my baby's precry- the small cry which is on-need-to-know basis which if not answered within 1/2 a minute becomes a loud cry for all-who-can-please-come-and-help which if not attended to within a minute and a half or so becomes a i'll-wake-up-the-nighborhood-if-i-have-to yell. But I digress.
I attended to my baby, went to get some tea, and thought of something else I'd like to type about- nursing and co-sleeping.
There are lots and lots of health benefits to breast feeding ( a term which I prefer to use but which I think i'll substitute with nursing because it's shorter:)). But that's not the sole reason why I chose to nurse my son.
Ever since my good friend Yelen told me (when Eh was still an infant) that she used to nap while nursing her baby, my life hasn't been the same. Gone were my backside pains from sitting forEVER day and night, at least 20 minutes at a time trying to make sure Eh's eaten enough. Gone were the nights when I'd catch myself snoozing with an infant on my lap ( something silimar to falling asleep on a subway and waking up with a start cuz your head fell on your chest and squeezing the handles of your pocketbook greatful that it's still there).
Cosleeping was discovered!
How convenient is it to just plup the hungry baby next to you, the baby eats, you don't know when both of you fall alseep. The next thing you know it's the morning and you got pretty decent amount of sleep!
With SiM things were even less complicated. If I'd nurse him and we cosleep, I'd never really have to wake up, much less get out of my bed to feed the baby! And I won't even have to think of going downstairs to make fresh milk every time a baby woke up- blah! Plus, the health benefits...
[His bassinette is actually next to my bed, cramping up the bedroom (and moonlighting as a closet) but I can probably count on my fingers the times that he'd slept there. ]
Lately, I'm beginning to think that I'm a victim of my own laziness yet again. My baby monopolizes my bed leaving me a little space on the edge( though even if he was more polite and took the edge, I'd have to politely decline since my bed has no side rail). I fold myself on that little space so that I don't hurt him in my sleep, waking up stiff almost every morning. Also, since food is readily available to him, he sees no shame in asking for it every 2 to 3 hours (more frequently, if he isn't feeling his best).
Last Thursday, when I got a crippling (though thank Gd very temporary) back spasm I decided to overcome my fear of sleepless nights (though at this point, I literally have to fear only the fear itself since sleeping in intervals is not your average good night's sleep) and evict my son from my bed! Maybe putting it in writing would make it more official...Don't know, but so far he is enjoying my bed ( as I type) and I'm thinking of rereading subwife's cosleeping post.

Insomnia

When I was a pregnant insomniac I kind of enjoyed it. It gave me some private time to connect with the contects of my belly, think about the future, and often blog about it.
Now, every time I have a bout of insomnia, I'm afraid to start a long blog because I never know when my 6 month old ( who doesn't sleep through the night and can wake up as frequently as every 90 minutes) will wake up. I don't want to be interrupted in the middle of a thought for once lost my thoughts are seldom found.
By the way, he woke up as soon as I started the title of this entry. So I have time to write now (but darn it, the main point I was trying to say is aluding me now).
Anywho, now even if I do get up and sit by the computer my head is still filled with questions but they are typically more bizarre and less pleasant when they used to be in my pregnant days...
I have less than 6 hours til wake up, will I get up with the alarm or sleep through it? ( I can wake up later but then I will either have to make up hours and come home later OR work less hours. That one's self explanatory).
I ate 4 or 5 Godiva chocolates which I got from my sis for my daughter's bday or chanuka or both. Now, I need a drink which means I have to go downstairs. Do I make myself a decaf coffee, take some red wine, drink plain water, make nice medium tea...? Do I have to brush my teeth again!? If I drink tea would it wash off the chocolate and then I can at least eliminate the tooth brushing?
Would my baby wake up while I'm making myself tea and would he wake up my daughter before I make it back up? Would I care to drink my cold tea after the kids go back to sleep, etc, etc, etc
Anyhow, I think I'll go make the tea

Digital Camera

When I met my hubby he had a digital camera and I had my trusted Fuji (the one that I got for my 16th bday from my friend Miriam). It took hubs a lot of convincing and demos of why digital cameras are better. And, I finally switched to one when I got it for some special occasion( my birthday, anniversary, some other happy even, or just because...).
Since then hubby's done some inservices and other public ed on why one shouldn't save ALL the pictures that one shot with digital camera but my carry over is far from excellent.
I just can't bring myself to delete even one picture of my kids- so what if it's blurry, so what it I have another 10 shots that look almost identical? They aren't really identical- each shot is unique and it depics a cute face, a great expression, a movement that is so characteristic of my baby!
I also don't seem to bring myself to print these pictures too often-once I can view them (in the camera or on the computer) the need to print them is not so great...( Btw, that's how my computer crashed last year- memory overload.)
But as part of self improvement, I've been slowly printing those pictures. I found a decent Duane Reade Lab on my way from work and printed about 3-400 pictures there.
Then, I changed assigments ( work location). Blah, blah, blah.
I tried CVS online- it took over 1/2 hour to upload 100 pics ( not to mention the time it took me to proof what I was uploading) and the pics were far from perfect AND out of order ( not a good thing for someone who neurotically prints every shot and then as neurotically puts then in albums in cjronological order).
My newest love is snap fish. Just now, after spending less than 4 hours online I've ordered 606 prints. I'm almost current with printing all those 'power shots'.
And, what's an even bigger accomplishment- only about 10% are blurry, 15% -20% are of similar poses/occasions, and less than 5% of people and thngs that I don't really need to have in print, i.e. hard copy.
Now if I make it to Amazing Savings before the prints arrive to buy albums there and sort all prints into albums within a week, maybe i'll reward myself by buying a more sofisticated camera where all the shots will be fit to print! Snapfish, here I come!

poetry

I saw this poetry years ago but in vernacular it sounds absolutely lovely!
Вчера я ехал на работу
в метель, туман и гололёд,
вдруг мимо пронеслась Тойота,
взяла опасный поворот.
Пересекая автостраду
там, где сплошная полоса,
водитель мазалась помадой
и тушью красила глаза!
Как тут от злости не беситься?
Я в гневе бритву уронил
(я дома не успел побриться
и по дороге щёки брил).
Упала бритва в кофе прямо
(между колен стоял стакан -
мне вкусный кофе варит мама -
его я пью в такой туман).
Когда предмет тяжёлый падал,
крутой горячий кипяток
плеснул туда, куда не надо -
там третьей степени ожог.
И вот от боли я подпрыгнул,
и из моей руки другой
вдруг выпал телефон мобильный -
и снова - в кофе по прямой.
Не помню, что там дальше было...
Открыл глаза: больница? морг?
Теперь ни тачки, ни мобилы...
Зато повязка между ног.
Весь загипсован под завязку,
без гипса только голова.
А вот мораль у этой сказки -
У ВСЕХ БЫ БАБ ЗАБРАТЬ ПРАВА !

Allergic reactions

Last week Subwife http://subjugatedwife.blogspot.com/ was lamenting the state of US education (to summarize very succinctly her Dec 6th entry). Personally, I think this whole education vs general knowledge thing is overrated.
To get to the point...Yesterday, I was on one of the units, writing some evaluations and socializing with friendly social worker and dietitian. A few general topics were covered, including menu of the week, menus of holiday parties for residents, demented residents, and weird family members, nourishments, etc
Then the dietitian said, "Forget about hash browns that are served as latkas. The other day, one of kitchen supervisors mentioned that he isn't sure if he can serve an eggplant to a certain resident because he ( the supervisor) doesn't know if the resident is allergic to eggs!"
All one can do is wonder if this allergy dilemma would make Sherri Shepherd itch?

Eh's is 2

I've been a mom for 2 years!
I'm speechless!

Speaking in full sentences

That's what my little Eh did Saturday night!
I was putting her to sleep ( since hubby was on some work assignment). She wasn't falling alseep, asking for hot milk. I pretended to be asleep so I won't have to actually get the milk.
Then, the front door opened. "Abba home", said Eh. "Abba bring Etty hot milk."
Now that's a full sentence!

Chanuka

A very happy chanuka to all my friends and family! It's SiM's first chanuka ( and Eh's third though she didn't turn 2 yet:))
We lit the chanuka candle together and Eh was very delighted about the whole process. Afterwards we had a read 2.5 course dinner with dessert ( so it's 3.5 course). And Eh absolutely loved her jelly cake ( donut). Hopefully I'l remember to attached a picture.
PS SiM has low grade fever ( though I can think of other ways to commemorate his first chanuka thank Gd he is overall ok). Peace

Clementine

How easy is it to peal a clementine?
Pretty darn easy, if you start from the top and the clementine is fresh. Not so easy if the clementine was in the fridge for a couple of weeks and you don't know the trick with starting from the top...
Well, today my big Eh ( who officially turned 23 months yesterday) peeled an old clementine all by herself! She didn't let me help her once, the process took her more than 5 minues but I think she enjoyed this clementine more than usual- she ate most of it ( whereas the clementines that I give her are usually juiced only and the pulp ( still pretty juicy by my standards) is discarded)! Good for you, Eh!
PS Today SiM ate his first green peas. The peas were preceded by carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, and prunes. And, he eats all this in a high chair.
Where was I while he turned from a little raisin to a solid eating infant?

The golden compass

Albeit this is no Harry Potter, today after listening to my daily dose of Bloomberg radio, I surfed the channels ( if that's what I want to say) and heard , on BBC, 3 ladies discussing the evens of this compass movie and the danger of unsuspecting parents buying this compass book for their kids for the ' holidays' .
In conclusion (I want to make the most out of my quite time), one of the ladies with a pleasant voice and a lovely British accent summarized this hype by basically saying ' a zochen vey' to the catholics if they are afraid that this book might undermine them.
Whew- a periodic outing from the cave does feel good.

Thank you book

I think it was probably yesterday or last week ( though I cannot at all be certain0 but I saw on TV ( naturally during work hours) there is a publication, possibly a best seller where a lady basically writes her outlook ( not the right term, but my time at the computer is short, so it'll have to do) on life- every single day to find and write down in a little journal things that she is thankful for.
What a wonderful idea, an attitude makeover- not just a mode ani in AM but in PM as well.
So now I realize-among many many things that I'm greatful for, I'm not only greatful for the food at my work and also for the many TVs there! Thanks

First carrots

A few weeks ago I realized that there is a TJ Maxx 5 min away from work which I can visit during lunch. That led to me a discovery of the Gap, KB Toys, Piere 1, Barnes and Noble, Sears, AND Pathmark. Not all in the same location, however all close enough to be visited during lunch. ( Of course that would mean missing 'Who wants to be a millionaire" show, but something had to give...)
Anywho, yesterday, aka Monday, Nov 26, I went to Pathmark and bought a whole bunch of baby food- little stage 1 beginner jars of apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, beans, and prunes; oatmeal with bananas and rice with apples; toddler crackers ( though Eh prefers the grown up version aka CooKies). I also bought a ripe avocado, a cucumber and a couple of tomatoes on the vine- one never knows what fringe benefits a fresh salad for dinner can bring...
Anywho, I wasn't sure if I should give SiM sweet potatoes or carrots but eventually decided on the carrots.
He enjoyed them a lot- though most of the first carrots ended on his bib there was an unmistakable enthusiasm with which he mouthes the spoon with the orange gook.
Eh naturally wanted to have some, too. And since last night was the night when I was againts cross contamination ( if that's the term I want to use) of food, so Eh got a jar of bananas. She politely refused them ( after getting some on her shirt and the table) so I ended up with an almost 2 ounce banana dessert! Life is beautiful!!!

Birthday party vs potty chair

In order to see ( or hear ) similarities in these you either have to be one who's ESL or a 22 month old.

On Sunday Eh, SiM, and I went to visit Papi and Beddy. Then, SiM stayed with Papi and I drove back home with Eh. On the way home I told Eh that we were going to go to a birthday party, and asked her if she was excited to go. Eh said "Mama, Eti, Abba go birday potty chair". I didn't even catch on right away. So I told her, yes, Eh is going to come home and go on potty chair and then we are going to a birthday party. So she repeated " birthday potty chair' story a few times more until I finally realized what she was saying.
I presume it was a combination of my accent and her toddler associations- she is well aware of what a potty chair is but the concept of party was new to her.
Anyway, once we arrived to the birthday potty chair, Eh had a blast - danced a lot, ate her favorite bread with hummy, and even had a big cookie ( though she she only ate less than 1/2 a cookie and said ' no more').
By the way, this was the rescheduled birthday party ( chair) that didn't happen a couple of weeks ago... I didn't tell my friend Eh's name for the even- these things can so easily be misunderstood.

SiM Can sit unsupported

I saw it on friday when he was sitting with the babysitter but I thought maybe may be she was holding him a bit. Yet, yesterday, Tuesday, hubs called me over to see that Sim is sitting on the bed unsupported aka by himself!
PS A very happy birthday to Barb!

SiM rolled over!

Sometime at the end of last week, Nov 18ish, he rolled from his back to his stomach! Yay! And, he can sit with two hand anterior support for a few (30 or so) seconds. Way to go, SiM!

No speak English

Last week I came up with a great idea. Since one of my good friends lives in Long Island, I thought I may visit her during one of my lunch breaks!
I called her on Monday, told her I want to come during lunch. She sounded excited. Told me that she'd have to leave @ 2:15 to pick up her daughter. I said, my lunch isn't that long. So we agreed that I'd come in but call her when I was on my way.
I called her somewhere midway to her house. I got voicemail. So I figured she was busy with something and that's why she didn't answer the phone. Silly me, I didn't leave a message.
I finally located her house around 12:35 (I left exactly by 12). She lives in one of those neighborhoods where people park in driveways only. NO cars visible on the street. Anywho, there were no visible cars in her driveway, either.
I called her cell. twice. I called her house. Then she called me back saying that she was at the mall and it would take her 30 min to get home. And, why didn't I call her before coming?
I told her my story of how I called and got her voice mail, etc. It didn't even enter my mind that she wouldn't be home .
sigh. That was a second time in 2 weeks when I didn't make it to her house. Well, at least I dropped off the birthday/house warming gifts! ( Btw, if you weren't actually in the house when you deliver the house warming gift, is it still considered house warming gift or just a package that someone forgot at the door step?).

Another milestone!

Today I got a call from the babysitter around 4 PM- not a typical time for her to check in . I was about to get concerned when the babysitter got straight to the point... Eh pooped on the potty!!!! For the first time!

YAY! Though I wish I was the one who convinced her to use the device, I'm still very proud of my little Eh's achievement!

PS Above mentioned achievement was documented on Thursday, Nov 15 but due to technical difficulties, I couldn't post it til today. Peace

Maxine

I was browsing through the pictures in my email, came upon this one, and had an epiphany: " I am Maxine in a body of a younger woman ( and I don't have a dog, yet).

Verbal expressions and 1/2 jokes

A couple of months ago I was bypassed for promotion. It's a long but uncomplicated story. The point - my current semiboss sadly does not command respect. Yesterday, in the departmental gathering, which happens at the end of the day (aka lets-talk-or-make-calls-to-get-more-hours time), this semiboss said that he and another wannabe are practically best friends. To which I said, " I knew there was a reason I don't like you." An awkward silence followed. My 1/2 joke was taken literally...
Well, it was probably 85% literal and 15% joke. That's not the point. The question is, how prudent is it to be so outspoken!? Even in a casual environment, even when one isn't afraid or doesn't care to lose one's job, when does outspokenness (is there such a word? @ 11:54pm it's hard to say) becomes stupidity?
I just lost my train of thought. And this answers the second, unspoken question. My brain completely shuts down around midnight.
Peace out and til next time.

A very happy unbirthday

One of my friends invited us to her daughter's 2nd bday party. The party was called for 6:30p on a Sunday, approx 1 hour drive from us.
When I first got the verbal invitation (approx 10 days prior), both of my kids had colds so I told my friend there is a chance we won't come.
Then, as the happy day was getting closer, I was a bit disgruntled about the whole party idea- 630p on the day when the clock was changed was , for all intents and purposes, 7:30 for my daughter. And, that's her bedtime. Then, there's the 1 hour drive, etc, etc, etc
Eventually, hubs, I and Eh decided to go.Eh was chosen to attend since, after all, it was someone's 2nd bday party
I spend over an hour picking out a bday gift and a house warming gift (we were going to friend's house for the first time. yay!), Eh got dressed in a pretty new outfit. I even put on some make up for the occasion.
Sis came to us to babysit SiM. So, off we went ( somehow managing to leave the house close to the time the party was called for).
Husband asked me to call and say that we are on our way.
When I called my friend, she told me the party was cancelled. Her daughter was sick with high fever the night before, they spent the whole night in the ER, and the party was cancelled by 12 noon... (The natural question that was running through my mind was "Where was I when the cancellation happened?!" She went on to say that since I initially told her that I wasn't sure re: our attendence, and since I didn't call to ask for directions,she thought I won't come. Blah!
At that point, hubs made a uturn (thankfully we didn't get too far) and said that since we are all prepped up, might as well go to the city for dinner (!).
However, to my embarrassment and for the first time in my history, I declined an invitation to have dinner in the city ( possibly because of our little company who, in the meantime, was enjoying the ride with parents).
In the end, we settled on a restaurant in BP (the next best thing to the city:)).
Eh got a hotdog with KETSUP (or I should probably say ketsup with hotdog on a side) and was one of the best behaved kids in high chairs with a white cloth napkin for a bib. We even got a compliment on her good behavior from a mom of a squirming toddler sitting 2 tables away from us. She also enjoyed some chicken soup, and fries.
Then, to treat her, we ordered dessert. But it took the waiter a looooooong time to get it -Eh got a bit cranky waiting for it. And once it came, a little upside down cake didn't seem to impress her. However, she very much enjoyed the ice cream that came with it. And we just loooved watching her ( and of course, helping out with the upside down cake).
This was the first time the 3 of us went out since Pesach. A very happy unbirthday ( which was close to celebrating Eh's 22 month bday but not quite it), thanks to my friend for cancelling the party!
PS. Friend's daughter is feeling better...

Exploding vocabulary

Since I don't keep up with my baby blogs (read- any blogs), I thought I'll include Eh's latest accomplishments here.

She speaks in baby sentences now which means she says all the important words like nouns and verbs and omits all other, at the moment, not-as-important words.

She also translates some of the words that she knows in more than one language, i.e. she says both of them. Examples: agala stroller, yes ken, shapa hat, towel blanket (she used to call blankets 'towel', now apparently either she, or the nanny decided that towel "tatu' is a foreign word, hence it's also translated), kutka jacket, etc

She used to be sweet - when parting with someone say 'bye' and blow them a kiss. Now, she is soficticated- when parting she says ' bye, see you'.

She makes SiM laugh better than anyone- often on her own, or by request. All one has to do is say " Eh, make baby happy" and there she is- talking to him, or making faces, or screeching (used to be my favorite sound, though lately I can't always handle the volume), laughing..

She also knows that he likes to put everything but the kitchen sink (aba doesn't appreciate babies in sink, otherwise I'm sure SiM would've tried) into his mouth. So periodically, she helps him by putting his toys or his pacifier into his mouth. A couple of times, she even previewed the taste. She also offers him all of her snacks and milk. I try to explain that baby doesn't eat anything but milk. Then, there is the long ( and not sure how clear for Eh) explanation why baby can't have Eh's milk or should've have her pacifier, or why she should've put his toys and pac. into her mouth. "Let's not give this to baby" or "Please don't take his stuff" works sometimes but not as often as one would wish.

Today, I braided her hair for the first time. Don't know why I didn't think of doing it before since now, she not only allows the nanny ( and me!) to put her hair into ponytails, she asks for it. Anywho, her little braid with baby highlights looks very sweet.
Anywho, time for bed.

One of the reasons I love the city

When Ed and I used to go out on the town, we spotted this establishment somewhere in the 50s. I think I took this picture near midtown tunnel ( they have more than one office?) or queensboro bridge?

On living in a cave

I think it was a couple of years after college that I found myself an inexpensive cave and lived there a few days a week. Since those days, the cave's become my permanent residence and I get out of there a couple of times a month ( give or take a few).
Luckily for me I work in a facility which has TVs on every floor and most of them are on all the time. That's how I get to watch the early show, racheal ray show, the view, the price is right, 12p news, millionaire, all my children, days of our lives, one life to live, general hospital, oprah, 5p news, occasional ellen, and occasional cnn.
I sometimes used to buy a newspaper from a nice indian guy on Jamaica Avenue, if I was waiting by the light. But I pretty much stopped that- there is no point in bringing in recycable material into the house, keep it my desk for a few days, forget to recycle it on the designated day and then keep it in recycling pile for another week. And all that in hopes of reading some headlines, to get out of the cave.
Sometimes, my coworkers have newspapers on their desks- I'll read those even if they are a few days old - to me they are usually still news.
There is also they 10p news- but the anchors are too enthusiastic for that time of day for me to watch the whole hour. And, often I find better things to do with my time.
Yahoo news (most often in headline form) is one of my sources of information but lately I don't get too much web time.
My sister periodically sends me links and articles but because of my limited web time, I get to about 5% of that stuff.
I DO pretty religiously listen to bloomberg radio with includes world news , muse news, and lots of fun market information. BUT, with all these sources of my information, I somehow missed Dumbledore's eulogy and all that followed.
I even discussed it with Barb C yesterday (it seems like she gave me a verbal report of it when it happened- the verbal reports, btw, are yet another source of my current events) and why the world was better off without the above mentioned eulogy.
Maybe I should be more thankful to my cave for my general state of content. And maybe I've been feeling so blah in the last few days because one of my coworkers early Mon morning gave me a verbal report of some local dentist's shooting right before his 4 year old daughter. (And, I've been hearing about it from many people since. Those who have heard the story, may realize why some think I should know about, too).
Anywho, must go to post office and mail a time sensitive package before it becomes a bunch of clothes of useless sizes in a recycled box.

Fatique

I need to sleep. I know I do. I came late to work yesterday and today because I didn't hear my alarm. I'm slow, moody, bored, too tired to care...
Yet, I can't force myself to go to sleep. Why?

Whew

I don't know why in my approaching-middle-thirties-yet-still-in-early-thirties days I have such a hard time logging on to my google account. I don't even know if I should admit it in writing but for the past few months I've created and forgot 4 or 5 accounts in my attempts to leave comments on my sisters blog. I couldn't remember the password, the email that matched the password, which email I used, what was my user name, etc, etc, etc...

What happened to my great hey days when I was just Sally Hazel and signing in was a breeze?!

And I'm writing all this because just now before I was able to log on and write something I had to spend 5 minutes or so resetting my password! Mind you at least google gave me that option this time. With my other 4 or 5 accounts ( for reasons i'd rather not mention here, I don't actually remember how many accounts there were), I didn't even get the option of resetting- hence the useless load of unused accounts.

Anyhow, enough of my complaints and on to the exciting stuff in my life.

Last week, on Sunday Papi, Yummy, and the kids ( including the writer aka designated driver) went to Battery Park. We had so much fun Eh and I didn't want to leave... The weather people promised good weather on Monday as well so I decided, since Eh never really played in the sand in that park, to go to the park on Monday as well, and correct the not-yet-played-in-the-sand thing.

The weather people got lucky and weather was absolutely great on Monday, so I actually told everyone at work that I have an important date, left early (2pm), and came home while Eh was still napping. Nanny, accepting my offer, joined us with SiM.

We had a blast of a time-played in the sand with shoes on, crocs on, crocs off; threw sand in the air, on our hair, on the slides; jumped on bouncers; rocked on rockers; enjoyed the swings; basically, it was worth all the opportunity costs involved in this trip.

On the way back, I was telling the nanny how great this park and the neighborhood is - "I used to live here, could've bought an apartment at the time, even though it's part of downtown Manhattan it's very isolated...blah blah blah" And then the nanny asked "Is it really that isolated?" And I explained that a train station is not too far away... But my heart beat became irregular. While I was talking to her, in the back of my mind I realized that she may be considering her options!? Hope it was just a paranoid moment.

I got interrupted while writing this post. Now I naturally don't remember what I wanted to write. Life

To blog or not to blog

Was never a question. The true question were when, how, how much, how often...?
Back in college, I was crowned the email queen of our class but all I did was forward funnies around.
Then, a few years later, I started writing emails about my daily happenings and sending them to my friends. And that was wonderful, while it lasted.
Then I created a baby blog when I was pregnant with Eh- it was even more wonderful but when Eh was born, I started cheating on my blog with ebay until I pretty much stopped writing altogether.
Then came my pregnancy with Ehe aka Avatiach. It seemed somehow unfair not to blog about this pregnancy just because I've been there and done that...
Well, I'm giving blogging another try.
Whew