It's about a quarter after 6 and my brain is still waking up. Of course, I should just eat breakfast but I really, really want some coffee. And of course, there's none in the house to be found. So, in a few I'll walk down the block and see just how early the neighborhood cafe opens. (Face it, I usually don't walk in there until 9 am, so I'm not sure they open this early. But I refuse to get 7-11 coffee, just can't do that.) Besides, there's nothing more beautiful then a great sunrise and it looks like we have just that here this morning.
Nothing else much new. The job search continues. Or I should say the identity search goes one. I really, really want to define what I want to do before I seek out that really big opportunity. I've been keeping busy with a little freelance work —more would be nice friends, please keep me in mind if you hear of something— but I know that I want to be doing something bigger, than I've got the skills and the talent. Now it's just about finding the opportunity.
Coffee update: The cafe was closed so I headed over to the 'not-real' bagels bagel store which does open at 6 am (real bagels, by the way, can be found here) and has decent coffee.
It's a glorious morning, smells just like the shore, and it's going to be a beautiful day. Enjoy it where ever you may be.
Well, I'm sure all of Baltimore is just thrilled with this weekend's outcome at the Yard. I for one, am simply embarrassed by the Yankee's performance . I don't mean just this more recent sweep, but for the past two weeks. This is to take nothing away from the Orioles' win, which they certainly outpitched and out-hit my beloved Bombers. But let's just say, I don't like losing. And I hate losing badly to the team that plays a mere seven blocks away.
I know, it's early in the season. George has to be steaming at this point and expect more line-up changes to come. And I remember last year's slow start as well...but still, losing three in a row in Baltimore is just plain painful. And to make matter's worse, my son prefers the hat with the Bird over the classic Yankee logo. (I would consider this normal for a three-year old to chose a 'cute' animal over a powerful symbol but still, it does bother the die-hard Yankee in me.) But obviously, I can't forbid him to wear the Oriole hat. as much as I'd like to, since Karen is an O's fan and well, we must play fair. Right? (Believe me, deep in the back of my mind, I'm screaming NO! NO! NO!)
Beyond this news, it's just a perfect spring day in Baltimore. 70+, low humidity and not a cloud in the sky. So, I think I'll concentrate on that and leave the baseball problems to the Skipper.
Part of my new routine is to get up early and have some 'quiet' or work time to myself before the chaos of the morning starts. I was really hoping to have about two hours in the morning for writing and etc...but as it was, I was only getting an hour, which was not enough.
So, I this morning I got up at a quarter-to-five but it took me 45 minutes to shower, shave and get dressed. I was hoping it would only take me 30 minutes or less. So I either have to shower faster or get up even earlier. It really find it amusing that a shower should take any longer than say, ten minutes. (I think I heard somewhere that that was the average). Unless you are shaving in the shower, really it shouldn't take all that long. Soap, scrub, rinse. Wash your hair and your done. Right? That really shouldn't take more than ten minutes, but it always seem to. And honestly, I couldn't tell you why, unless I'm catnapping in the shower and don't realize it. Nah, that can't be it. Maybe our perception of time changes when we are being pelted with warm water? Who knows?
It's been an awfully long-time since I've posted anything, I almost have to wonder if anybody checks back. Not that that really matters, since this more for me and the rest of the world is just out there doing whatever it is that the rest of the world does.
Yesterday would have been Dad's 68th birthday but instead it was the first anniversary of his passing to the big ballpark in the sky or where ever it is that deceased Yankee fans go. I'm still not sure which was more difficult for me, opening day without Dad or yesterday. Not that it really matters, he is missed but remembered and that's what's most important. Of course, as Mom pointed out in a recent e-mail, he would certainly have been amused by the fact that the Pope's funeral was on his birthday. He always did have an offbeat sense of humor and certainly told some of the worst jokes my sisters and I ever had to hear. And we certainly learned to love every one of them not matter how many times we cringed as he began to recite any of his favorites. Fortunately, my memory sucks and I can only remember having to listen to them and not the actual content.
So, my weather headline is my way of setting the scene. I'm in my comfort outfit (shorts and a sweatshirt) most likely because it reminds me so much of being at the beach. And for some reason, my legs don't just seem to get as cold as the upper extremities.
The last three weeks have been totally nuts. Week One was a bout of strep throat for both Izzy and Liam. Week Two was Izzy's Spring Break and we at least got out a little and when to the planetarium at the Maryland Science Center. It wasn't as cool as what I remember from my select trips to the Hayden Planetarium in NYC (Museum of Natural HIstory) but there will be second visits upcoming. Week Three was Liam's turn to be sick. He was home Monday through Wednesday and then Izzy's school was closed on Friday for the Pope's funeral. (If Dad were alive, I can just hear him saying that Izzy's school was closed for his birthday...) Week Four will begin tomorrow and right now Izzy has what Liam had last week and I'm just praying to whomever is in charge of communicable illnesses that a) it stops here and b) she's better by Monday morning. Oh and to top it all off, Karen has had some kind of bug for at least two weeks.
We did all have a really nice weekend last weekend. We rented a cabin at Herrington Manor State Park in Western Maryland. Saturday was off and on again rain but they managed to get a hike in—I wasn't in a hiking mood, so I grabbed dinner duty at the first opportunity—down to the lake which everyone seemed to enjoy. Our friend Clare was there as well, with her three kids (WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME) who are 6, almost 4 and one and a half. Her artist husband was home working on his art. He's the Mr. Mom so the alone time is valuable to him in getting caught up. And don't I know that now. I have nothing to show for the past three weeks work wise other than wrapping up one minor project and a much longer to-do list than I would like.
So, I'm back. At least for tonight. Not that means much. The words only mirror one reality. Mine. Hopefully, I'll have more time and energy to post again on a more frequent basis. It's good to write. It's good to say goodnight. God speed Dad. God speed.