Friday, January 4, 2008

for goodness sake stay inside

Today it snowed and wintery mixed and then just rained and rained. It was the type of morning that is perfectly described by Elizabeth Bishop's "Paris, 7 A.M."

Winter lives under a pigeon's wing, a dead wing with damp feathers.

It reminded me of two days ago, when I got up and Rachel took one look at me and said, "try the electric shower." There is nothing to be done on days such as today but take an electric shower and drink many cups of tea and for goodness sake stay inside.

Speaking of damp, I was researching a certain city which will remain namesless in a certain Arab country, and the article I was reading instructed,

"If you are a female, do not go out in public with wet hair. For some inexplicable reason, this indicates to everyone that you have just had sex."

I laughed out loud when I read that, it reminded me of a conversation that I had with Betsey and Abby the last time we met up before the break.

I am tired. Tomorrow I am cleaning and packing, meeting up with three different people in three different places, and child minding.

But then Sunday, Sunday will be lovely because it will only be church and then the rest of the day with my sisters, who, by the way, I generally like quite a lot.

But now, now eight blessed hours of sleep.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

my active lifestyle

THINGS...

...i have done today.

---but before I say anything else, a million happy birthdays to brittany lorraine.---

1) Minded Tadhg, took him on a walk in the bitter bitter cold to see the ducks near our house.

3) Said goodbye to my own sweet and horribly bad dog, who I have no garuntee of ever seeing again.

2) Took the Christmas tree out to the front garden. In the process, I tipped over the base and spilled water everywhere. I was forced to respond with "f--- you" to Abby when she gleefully ran to the middle of the circle of pine needles in our living room and yelled "I am protected in the center of the circle!"

3) I had to swear again when I knocked over the rack of cds while hoovering. I hoovered the house and got up (almost all of) the dog hair and pine needles.

4) I finished Ezra Pound's early poems. These (poems) are funny things in general-- I can read thirty that I don't like or don't understand but then I read one that is crafted so that it says exactly what it means, it describes exactly right an experience. Then all is forgiven, all of poetry's past transgressions. I am a believer again.

5) I licked a whole cluster of grapes so Giz wouldn't eat it and I would get all of it.

6) I was demonstrating my stag leap to my sisters and mother (after my mother had also demonstrated hers from her cheerleading days) and I ripped my favourite jeans all along the crotch. What I sacrifice for my active lifestyle.

7) I witnessed my mother making the following statement (in mockery of me and my sisters) "I come from a homeschool community and they're all getting married so they can kiss."

8) I ate the best dinner ever-- the aforementioned mother's chicken pot pie.

9) I watched the Namesake with Abs and Giz and it made me very sad.

Now, I am sleepy.

Good night.