The Land of Nod

Ah, my new favorite place. There is where I have been for the past ten hours or more. Such a pretty thing to feel well rested. I even went to the gym on my first morning off from work. A new habit has formed. When I am at the gym I must have the treadmill directly in front of the giant television that broadcast the Martha Stewart Show (with closed captions). If the spot is already in use I find my self to be miffed. The person using that specific mill is totally missing the cheesy fun of the Martha Stewart Show. I instead get stuck in front of the sport center television. Who knew I would be territorial in a gym and about my quality time with Martha Stewart? And please note to: the amazing quilt pictured was made by my mother as our wedding present.

Ring Ring Ring

Working the zombie shift is tuff. Respect is due to all those who roam the earth during the night policing the streets, changing bed pans, mopping floors, and baking donuts. My days and hours blur together. Trying to make contact with me is difficult. My sleepy ears ignore the phone. If per chance some one does get a hold of me, my communication skills are very primary and monosyllabic. My family had great "family" news. And I was the official last to know person. *sigh*. I am off for the next couple of days. Perhaps, after I sleep over the next few to ten hours, I will arise and become a member of the waking world that hears the phone ring.

It's in the Details...

In the beginning:

1.) We forgot to bring a spatula to flip the burgers

2.) No one brought water to drink, but two people asked for it and the dog needed it.

3.) We were asked to leave the pavilion we chose due to a family that had reserved it for their family reunion.

4.) Mosquitoes found me. They even bit the flesh of my eyebrows.

There was minor family grumpiness.

But:

1.) George and Chris took a special warp speed trip back home to retrieve a spatula and any other missing items.

2.) We drank tea instead and the dog was given water from the fountain by the restrooms.

3.) We moved to a different pavilion after our hot dogs were done.

4.) The scourge of mosquitoes still found me.

I was not the perfect hostess but my wonderful family somehow always makes the best of things. So our Fifth of July picnic in the park was a good one. I am sure our laughter and good cheer could be heard through out the park (and by the family reunion that booted us out of the pavillion).

Map of My Heart

Tah-Dah! Here is a little view of what is happening in the studio on my husband's work side. Paint and Ink (Alison Whittingtontured) is the featured artist. The complete name of her studio is : The Interimaginational Institute for Fantastic Exploration and Cartography. I posses an affinity for maps---real and imagined. Any book with a map on the inside cover, or even better, a fold out map, typically finds it way home to my library. (Favorite Maps: Harry's Marauder Map, The Goonies Map, Maps that come with Wes Anderson movies that are drawn by his brother, and the maps found in books by Shannon Hale and, of course, Tolkien.) So when I discovered this work I felt my inner-pirate heart say "ARHH" and had to comply. These paintings are destined to inspire on the new periwinkle wall in the studio. Shiver me timbers.