Who's ZOOming Who?

This weekend, we decided to be brave and venture out of our weekend routine (which usually consists of doing nothing, but doing nothing extremely well).  J took us (and by "us", I mean the adults in the family--no one under legal drinking age allowed) to First Friday on Elm St. in Greensboro.  The evening started off great, dinner at the Pour House, followed by a leisurely stroll along Elm, ducking into antique shops (and Mellow Mushroom for the bathroom--I did have dinner at the Pour House & that's gonna catch up with a girl.  In a hurry!) 

J then whisked me off to the longest hour and a half I've had since I was in labor (with either girl--both equally painful, so feel free to insert whichever painful and long hour & half you'd like).  We went to a "comedy" club.  I'm guessing the "comedy" part comes in when the owners laugh all the way to the bank with our money.  It was akin to being trapped in the early days of Comedy Central, with random standup acts and no remote to change the channel and being too lazy to get up to walk all the way the tv.  Now, don't go to fussin' at me, saying "it takes courage to get up on stage in the first place!".  I know ALL about courage--my middle age butt got up on stage with the youngsters to dance last week.  In spandex nonetheless.   However, if making fun of people is what's passing for comedy these days, then consider me a grumpy old curmudgeon (with the exception of when Mary Margaret & I make fun of people, because THOSE people deserve it!).

Saturday we decided to take the Sound & the Fury to the zoo.  We have season passes, provided by my mother in law.  The weather was gorgeous so we thought we'd enjoy a leisurely day at the zoo and it shouldn't be too crowded, as folks should be at pools or working in the yard or somewhere other than the zoo.  To put it politely, we were wrong.  I have NEVER seen so many folks, other than when Chic Fil A gives out free sandwiches.  Undaunted, we parked 2 miles away & sauntered in (give or take 1.75 miles).

We had already made our minds up that we were going to stay on the African side of the zoo (the zoo sprawls over a mile & a half--granted that doesn't sound too far, but remember I don't exercise, much less with two kids to whine along the way).  We merely meandered.  We got season passes.  No additional money wasted.  If we didn't see it, we'd come back.  Not like the poor saps on a day pass who HAVE to get it all in in one day.  We kinda got to see some animals.  The girls weren't very impressed with the chimps, especially when I kept pointing out which ones must be sisters, because they fought just like the two sisters in my house.

 

And as the sun set on our zoo day (see what I did there--the shadow pic and the sun set reference. Yeah, I was an only child for many years.  I've learned to entertain myself), we ventured to Sir Pizza, (the holy grail of pizza places--square pizza slices!)  and over to Coffee Xchange for dessert.  Yeah, Coffee Xchange is one of my clients, so of course I'm gonna plug 'em!  Even if they weren't I'd still plug 'em--their espresso shake is outta this world.  I was amazed at how happening downtown Asheboro was for a Saturday night.

Now if I could figure out how to get people to pay me to watch my own little personal zoo.  Hey--isn't that the same as a reality show??)!

May Dance Recital, "A Night at the Movies"

Today I am truly feeling my age.  I slept in until 9:30, which is the middle age version of sleeping into 2pm for college kid.  I just can't get it going.  Why the lethargic nature? No--I didn't clean the house (clean, why?  Is Ewan McGregor coming over?)  No--I didn't run a 5K (run, why?  Is there a bear chasing me?)  No--I didn't stay up late watching Saturday Night Live (stay up late?  10 is beyond my bedtime). 

Nope, I'm worn out because yesterday was the day to don fake eyelashes, glitter and watch RuPaul's Drag race marathon (Psyche!! No, not really).  We DID don the glitter and we DID get all purdy because it was dance recital.  Not just one session, but two.  Yes, two recitals all in the course of one day--not for mere mortals. Two recitals in one day is the stuff of Titans! The Sound was in the first recital, the Fury in the second.  Since I am a glutton for punishment and in the teenage advance classes, I, alas, was in both. 

The theme for this year's recital was "A Night at the Movies" and each song came from a movie.  I'm pretty sure my songs all came from "On Golden Pond", "Cocoon" or "Driving Miss Daisy"--what else could possibly accompany an old lady up there dancing?  Thank heavens Ms. Kody went with the younger crowd and picked "Footloose" (the new version, not Kenny Loggins--I lobbied hard for the real version, but youth wins over experience), "All That Jazz" and a song from "Slumdog Millionare". 

Lulu had three dances in the first recital, most of which I can't remember the names to, but were good.  Here are some pics she let me snap of her backstage:

My stupid DROID ate the pictures of Peytie.  I'm just gonna have to make that kiddo dress back up in her outfits and take some more official pics (in MUCH better lighting too).  While Lulu would fight me tooth & nail to dress back up, Peytie enjoys wearing costumes around the house. A lot.

The girls and their first cousin did a trio to a song from Willy Wonka.  Super, super cute (loved how Peytie kept up with the big girls).  I saw it from the wings, but can't snap pics.  Even if I did, my stupid DROID would eat them all.

What?  Pics of me?  Fuggetaboughtit.  Ain't happening.  Bad enough I had to wear costumes from 12-9 yesterday.  No way I'm putting that out here on the internet for all to see.  I spent my day wearing enough Spandex and short shorts to make Richard Simmons jealous.

I will show you a picture of my trophy.

See the take 2?  That was for how many years I've been taking.  Thank heavens they didn't put my actual years of dance down there, because that would be longer than Magic Feet's owner has been alive.  And that would be embarrassing.  For me. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I have eyelash glue and glitter to go wash off.  How do those girls on RuPaul's Drag Race do it??

Things I Like About Motherhood, #1, Sweet Surprises

While most days have me ready to enlist the Sound & the Fury in whatever version of the French Foreign Legion that will take them, some times one of them will do something that makes me happier than a venti latte or a Ewan McGregor film.  Or even better still--all my laundry washed.  And folded.  By Ewan Mcgregor!

Exhibit A:

Flowers from my Peytie.  J had taken the week off after Easter & I came home to a clean kitchen, dinner going and these sweet flowers (in our best crystal, nonetheless).  Granted they do come from my best blooming and largest azalea (which ironically is in the back of the house where only the dog enjoys it), but still.  Flowers from my baby! 

And if that wasn't enough, here's the sweet little note that came with them:

And no, before you ask, she hadn't done anything bad that she was trying to make me forget.  Just because.

Guess I'll hold off on calling Pepe Le Pew for at least another day!

Easter 2012

Better late than never, I suppose.  This whole being employed thing is great for the family economics, but it greatly cuts into my leisure time.  Used to be I had time to mull over my words.  To think a thought to fruition.  To be charming and witty.  Now I have to be terse and clipped, much like I am paying by the word.  Kinda like the old timey telegrams, only spread worldwide.  And with pictures.

So in as few words as possible, here's our Easter.  Festivities started at Archdale UMC on Palm Sunday, with an egg hunt.  We have been attending Archdale UMC since September and this was the first big shindig we've attended (not counting church, of course).  They do it up right.  Stories, games, face painting, snacks.  And eggs.  A field full of eggs.

Then it was off to our usual Easter place, Kill Devil Hills, NC on Good Friday.  Since I'm a workin' now and since folks gotta have their coffee, I didn't get the day off.  Instead, I worked part of the day & then we were east bound and down (yes, a VERY old Smokey & the Bandit reference).  It was good to hit up all the usual good eats places (Spanky's--I'm looking at you).  We dyed eggs with some very vintage tin cups (soy milk formula tins from when my sister was a baby, circa 1979).

These would bring a pretty penny on the Antiques Road Show.

The Easter Bunny brought some wicked, easy flying kites.  We took down to the water and flew kites.  For an hour or so.  If there was a job to fly kites for a living, I would definitely have to apply.

Not a Strike to Spare

We asked Pey what she'd like to do for her birthday and she answered with the typical seven year old girl reply--getting mani/pedi's, going shopping and roller skating.  Ha!  As if!  Nope.  Peytie wanted to get in touch with her inner ....... (that's the sound of me drawing a complete blank, as I know no bowling terms and no famous bowlers to reference).  Yes.  My sweet little princess wanted to say happy birthday to herself by donning funny looking shoes, hanging out in a funny smelling place and risking broken toes if she dropped a 6 pound heavy round thing on her foot.

The bowling alley had made it even harder to say no.  They had given out coupons for el cheapo bowling lane rental & funny shoe rental.  It was too late to back out with an excuse once Pey saw that coupon.  When the rest of the world was out enjoying the warm spring day, we hid out from the natural sunlight and went a bowlin'.

I learned two things from this foray:  1)  the person who invented bumpers was a genius  2)  there is a reason cheap beer is associated with bowling--enough of it and you don't care about how poorly you bowl--too bad I had none.

J was still on the injured reserve list, so he sat at the score keeper spot and took pics.  I didn't get a reprieve and was forced to embarrass myself out there (but I repeat--thank heavens for  bumpers!!)

We bowled two games.  Lulu took the first one and I took the second one.  As you can see it was a barn burner.  Yes, my skillz rival those of my children.

I only wonder what she'll want to do for her 8th birthday--dirt bike racing?  Monster trucks?

Dem's Da Breaks, Toots!

Or perhaps I should say, "Dem's da tendon reattachment and bicep reconstruction, Toots!".  Yeah, in addition to starting a new job and having to learn everything there and in addition to having to figure out a routine for being a working mom and still taking care of/arranging care for the Sound & the Fury, J upped the ante and threw in just a wee, little, over night hospital stay, major muscle/tendon surgery.  Yes, I realize he's the one who had surgery, but this is MY blog and I'll whine if I want to.

Don't be fooled.  What looks like a minor cast is in reality, our 15th anniversary trip.  At least he got an overnight stay with room service.

 

"What happened?", you ask?  He simply wouldn't listen to me & I had to lay down da law!  Ha!  Too bad we don't have an interesting story to relate when people inquire.  Truth is, he tried to pick up Pey while she was sitting in a chair and hyperextended his elbow.  I tell him he needs to invent a better story, say, lifting a car off of an elderly lady before the gas tank exploded.  Nope.  Just another Friday night around the Godwin house.  Do we know how to par-tay or what?

He had surgery on March 14th.  He is in a true cast now (as opposed to the splint they put on there immediately after surgery).  The true cast comes off April 13th at 10am.  At 10:05am, the Hallelujah chorus will begin, with revival to be held immediately after.  Can I get an AMEN!!

Bringing Home the Bacon! (And Coffee!)

Regular readers of my blog know two things about me:  1)  That I have been unemployed at leisure since selling the shop in September and 2)  I have a *slight* coffee addiction.  Yes, I drink through a two month supply of coffee in 3 weeks, but that's Amazon's definition--they started by selling books, so what do they know about what normal coffee consumption is?

In my quest for obtaining employment, I have sent off numerous cover letters to numerous outlets--some via employment sites, some via company websites, some via employment agencies and some via Craigslist.  Usually the ones on Craiglist amounted to nothing more than scams (as appealing as working as a personal assistant to someone currently abroad seems, it was merely a ploy to get somebody to launder money--thank heavens for internet research or else you might be seeing me on the nightly news and not in a good way).  In my efforts to leave no possible employment stone unturned, I sent off resumes to anything remotely related to any talents I remotely possess (for example, I even sent off a resume to be considered a housekeeper for a local college because I remotely know what a mop is).

Last Friday, I replied to a Craigslist add for an account manager.  I figured that the only thing it would probably amount to was more spam in my inbox (and more funny fodder to add to the scammer stories).  Within two hours, I received a phone call.  Of course, I let it go straight to voice mail, because I have had my share of life insurance companies calling to get me to sell life insurance--didn't need that on a Friday afternoon.  I Bing searched the number and it was a local company.  A local company that sold COFFEE.  It was like the mothership calling me home!  COFFEE!!!  I cannot put enough stress on the coffee part--they roast it AND import some from Italy.  The Holy Grail of employment!

I spoke with one of the two owners and arranged an interview for Monday morning.  I was an absolute nervous wreck.  I spent all weekend researching the company.  Researching their competition.  Researching what to wear on an interview.  Researching what to say on an interview.  It wasn't so much that I wanted A job.  I wanted THIS job!  Monday came and so did the interview.  It went well--lasted about two hours.  I was offered the job via telephone less than two hours later. I felt like I was holding revival up in the house--lots of "Hallelujahs" and "Amens" going on in my living room!  I started work on Tuesday.  Yes, a whirlwind, but a good one. 

J & the girls took me out to celebrate Tuesday night.  He even bought me some roses.  Awwww. 

The little bag of espresso was my parting gift from the interview.

 

Now I have a husband at home buying me flowers and a boss at work making me cappucinos and espressos several times a day.  Only by selling red lipstick there too or Ewan McGregor stopping by to discuss the roasting process, could it possibly get better!