Flotsam and Jetsam

Hubby and I were chatting this morning and we remarked on some upcoming birthdays, none of which I'm prepared for. That reminded me that many family birthdays have come and gone this summer without so much as a phone call of acknowledgement from yours truly. Sigh. I have many wonderful attributes. Really, I do. However, always planning ahead, remembering birthdays, sending gifts and cards on time (or at all) - none of those are on the list of What's Great About Laume.

Of course I feel guilty about it. Although as the years go by the guilt doesn't seem to have helped me mend my distracted, haphazard ways. If anything, I've gotten worse and I've gotten less concerned about ever redeeming myself. In fact, just today it I've decided that it's a good thing that I have these failings and inconsistencies about me. Just think if I was truly a perfect person, what a burden it would be for my children try to live up to my example! I'm really saving them from years of self esteem issues and expensive therapy.

Moving on...

It was frustrating to sit around yesterday resting my wrist and doing Not Much when I felt perfectly healthy in every other way. I tried to make the best of it and read a couple of books, catch up on blog reading, visit the library, nap in my hammock, relax with my family. All my boxes sat around and stared at me forlornly. I had mixed success in making an impromptu holiday out of it. But it was the right decision, as my wrist seems mostly better today. Of course now my shoulder is stiff but I think it's residual from holding my arm tenderly and from the pain. I'll be cautious today using it, but I have to get something done.

Even though I've mentioned it several times here, football season has surprised me by really having arrived. I know I already said it was here. We went to the Grizz Feed, a potluck and scrimmage that starts the season, but then I went home and forgot about it again. But tomorrow we go to our first out of town game, which, since we're so far away from all the other schools we play, means a full day of travel. I'll have fun once I'm on the way, but right now I'm just feeling it as "ARgh - one more day I can't get anything else done". Despite my Argh-ing, I do enjoy football season. I love the lights, the crowds, the snack bar (we have a good one!), the bleachers full of friends, the game itself. There's even positives to the travel required for away games.

Here's a photo I took of William (center of the pic, #66) hanging out with friends after the Grizz Feed scrimmage last Friday. I took it with a telephoto lens because as a teenager he's not too keen on having his mom standing around taking photos of him and his playmates, y'know. But it's nice to see him surrounded by friends. It brings back memories, mostly pleasant, of my own teen years.

Yeah, I was one of those, a popular kid. I was fortunate, my high school was large, more like a community college in many ways, and cliques and peer groups weren't made out of stone like in some schools. There were different "crowds" but people intermingled and, I know now in hindsight, were much kinder to each other than they are in many high school populaces. My kids have been fortunate - the local high school is small instead of large, but has the same generally accepting and fluid social tiers. At least, that's been their experience. And like me, they enjoy and get along with a lot of people, but seem happiest spending their time with a few close friends.

While we were waiting in the room for the doctor the other day, William commented on this poster. He said the kid looked like a zombie child. I think they were trying to make him/her look ill but I have to admit, he/she is a little creepy looking. Actually, it looks a lot like William when he was little. Hehe.

Hubby and I have a weekly date at the local tea room. This week was the first time we had to miss our regular day, as I had to take William out of town to the doctor. But we made up for it by going yesterday afternoon. We splurged and ordered the "Royal Tea". I love the fancy tiered tray and fussy cut sandwiches.

The tea room is in an old Victorian and the neighboring house is still a private home. We like to sit out on one of the two front porch tables because it's private and a good way to enjoy our short summer season. I figure there will be plenty of time to enjoy a hot cuppa in the pretty rooms inside once the cold and snow arrive.

Yesterday the neighbor's birdfeeders put on quite a show. These are all small finches. (Double click on the photo to see the birds better.) For years yellow breasted finches used to visit my gardens every autumn. They'd come in huge flocks and gorge themselves silly on the sunflowers, heavy with seeds. The last couple years I've had finches all year round, and different kinds. I wonder if the bird populations have changed regionally or if it's simply a matter of the birds having found a good thing in my yard and sticking around? I put up a year round birdfeeder in my backyard for them this year, but no one seems to visit it. They visit my yard, my flowers and my trees, but not the feeder. Maybe it's the wrong kind of birdfeeder for finches. After seeing how happy the birds were with this mesh sack style, I think I'll chuck our feeder and pick up some of these.

I put up a couple more photos from the tea room over at Laume's Studio. "Face" photos. Go see.