And so it goes...

What I've been doing....

So, here's what I've been doing! These are two "brangles". Kind of a cross between a bracelet and a bangle.  They're done in copper and silver and meant to be worn together. I had a hell of a time with them AFTER I finished them. Put them in a liver of sulfur solution to patina them and the copper came off some of what I thought were ceramic beads! Took the bracelets apart, replaced the beads and tossed in to the tumbler to polish... again! no copper on the "ceramic" beads! Hmmmmm

I love this piece, but I'm not sure anyone else does! That's an agate fish carving there and the glass beads are sea glass. It's not done, I'm looking for a small piece of branch coral and I have to make the the chain. Oh, and patina it... no copper here to worry about!

This is a close up of Mr. Fish. I have another that is incredible, but this one is my "practice" piece.

One thing that was very exciting about going to the storage facility (if that can be exciting...)is that I'm finally getting some of my tools back! My brushes were very important to me, but now, my pliers are like extensions of my hands. The ones I have now are pretty expensive but are ergonomic and really save my hands. In the workshop I had a set of tools at each station, it's not a good idea to be sticking our good pliers into a project that you're soldering, but you use anything handy!  In some cases, crappy tools are just fine, but I really did miss some of my buddies... (my micro torch for one). Any way... these are some of the bracelets that I've created in classes. Jewelry classes are very liberating because instead of copying a project, you learn a technique and then apply it in some sort to a project. i.e. - here's how you do a wrapped link, here's how you do a coil wrapped bead, have at it. My days in actual metal smithing are numbered, my hands have maybe 5 years in them. I don't know why- I use them for about everything! The ring is probably my favorite piece, with many different methods and tools used. The background pattern is actually a stamp of the letter K and the center ring is satin finish. It spins around the base ring!

I'm not using any custom settings to put these photos in here, so I'm sure this post will have them randomly placed! I should really spend an afternoon and read up about blogging so I would have a clue what I'm doing!

WELL... before I got side tracked, my days are numbered in working with raw metal, so I've been very excited about a new (to me) product on the market.  It's Precious Metal Clay or PMC for short (also known under the trade name of Art Clay). It comes in 3 forms, well 4 if you count slip. Lump clay, syringe and paper. It was developed by the Japanese (is that politically correct?) originally from silver from recycled computers. It is mixed with an organic compound and water and when it is torch fired or fired in a kiln, the organic compound and water burn off leaving you with .999 pure silver. Or Fine Silver.

I spent a week with one of the Certified Master teachers, Sherry Fotopoulos from Austin. She was in Baton Rouge teaching. It was WONDERFUL - I giggled for the whole week, just thrilled at the things I was learning and bursting with ideas and creativity! Our classes were more structured as far as the projects were concerned, but what you did with them was up to you.

The bracelet was made using the lump clay, rolling it out into coils on texture plates. Everything you see there is made from the clay except the jump ring! The kimono was made using the paper clay and origami! The ancient art of Keum Bo. It is the process of transferring gold foil onto the silver in a heat fusion method. The kimono can be worn as a pin or also as a pendant with a chain or cord strung through the sleeves.

This ori box was created with the lump clay using the slab method. It was built on a paper form which burned away in the kiln. There is some finish work to be done(can we say filing?) but I am very happy with it. It is meant to be worn as a pendant and has small tubes on the side (also made from the clay) and on the bottom to keep the cord in place.

The one thing I'm not crazy about is that you have to use synthetic stones if you are going to fire them in place. Other wise it is post construction and I'm going to fool around with that for a while.

These are the rings we made in the last class. The angled one on the left wold take hours, if not days to make conventionally with hard good and we made both of these in a just a day! The one on the right was basically just teaching setting stones for fireing. The setting is done by syringe, which you can use like wire. Many also decorated the sides with the syringe, but we're all kind of clean and simple girls here. The PMC has about a 11-13% shrinkage so it will tighten and really hold your stone. I love the saddle cut of the stone I used, again a lab grown something. You can "recycle" all of your sanding waste too- into a small bottle or jar with a very little bit of water or oil. Sherry uses lavender oil, and now you have slip! Slip or water is used to bind the clay to each other. The syringe can be used just like wire and you can free form designs, fire them and it's amazing. It solves a lot of design problems and opens up a whole new world where little is impossible- it's so exciting - I just love it!!!

This is the other stuff I've been doing while waiting on my oxy generator. (I couldn't get tanked oxygen for my bead making torch - so I ordered an oxygen concentrator). I'm making them for a shop in Uptown New Orleans, but never seem to have the time to take them up there, so they're going to be listed on eBay. I have a store there now - http://stores.ebay.com/PHDs-Private-Collection_W0QQsspagenameZMEQ3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm I'm selling some of my miniature accessories, s-crapbooking stuff and some books that seem too nice to just give to Goodwill. (our library is not finished yet).  Later, I'll use it as a venue for my beads and jewelry too. My days are numbered with doing torch work too, unless I go to off mandrel stuff... some days I can't get the beads off the mandrel and it seems silly to have to hire some young thing to do that for me!

It seemed wise to get a different eBay id for this - why I thought this I don't know... but I did. It came to me when Bob and I were having dinner one night with Skylar and he asked me if I knew how many classes (miniature, scrapbooking, jewelry) I've taken over the years... I thought it was coming from his CPA head and that he was going to tell me some tax related info. NOT! He looked at me and said, "You should have a PHD in crafting by now!" Bob and I thought it hilarious, and my new eBay id became phdincollecting because, for some reason known only to God, I am like Noah and seem to buy things in pairs (or more).  So I have plenty of stuff hanging around I have no use or room for!

Any way, back to the beaded stuff... (shameless plug) the beads are all hand made, annealed for lasting durability etc., etc and I loved the look of them on these pieces. The pens are surprisingly comfortable too!

I noticed at JC's house when I was there last that his ceiling fan pulls were rather unattractive, so I'm going to be doing those as well!

So, that's what I've been doing... what's up with you?

Rain, rain, go away...

Lots to talk about - and later tonight (honest!) I'll do a catch up post of photos - but for right now I'm taking a break and thought I'd shout out to y'all.

The Kutcher household seems to be in a constant state of warp speed. Bob is busy like crazy with work, Skylar is busy like crazy with work (and excitingly, a person the entire family just adores!) and me, well it's the usual break neck speed crashing through life like a crazed bear.

Some of the photos I'm going to post are of my jewelry, recent trips, JazzFest (OY!), maybe the studio if it gets cleaned today and of course, the Grand boys.

Passover came and went (we've all been carbo bulking celebrating the joys of eating bread again!). It was MUCH smaller this year because it was so late. Andy and Jessie and friends were pretty tied up with papers, preparing for exams and Spring Formals. Dear friends, Rex and Carla and their family were in Dallas at the wedding of their daughter Cher (Mazel Tov!). We only had about 11 people each night and it was a lot of fun.

eBay is consuming a big part of my life right now too - I'm selling off some miniature and books and will be listing some items that are great little gifts. (SHAMELESS PLUG). I've made some really nice (I think so!) wine stoppers, bottle openers, cheese knives and pens with hand made glass beads (not mine). They are very festive and were created for a shop Uptown, but I just have not had the time to take them up there - so y'all can have first crack at them. They'll be listed in the eBay store.

Yesterday, Bob and I went to the storage unit for the first time and I brought some stuff home from the workshop. I was EXTREMELY pleased to find my micro torch (I hate the replacement one I got). I wasn't really worried about much from the studio, why I don't know - maybe I was just too consumed with the house, but there were a couple of things that were always in the back of my mind.

One, my micro torch and metal tools. Included in that group were a set of 3 horses from a rocking horse class with Bill Hudson. They proudly sat at what I referred to as the "electrical station".  It was where I would do my electrical stuff (duh) and small soldering projects.  Don't know why these little guys were important to me, but they were.   I found them today squashed in a box, totally unscathed (through no fault of the packer) and they now sit on my bench waiting for a new place of honor.

And.... MY BRUSHES!!!  I found my "good" brushes! Some how way back in my mind I think I was afraid I'd never be able to paint well again with out them.  Silly I know, but it's like having a favorite pair of running shoes or that special knife in the kitchen. My brushes were, just, well... like an extention of my brain some times, especially the one I used to do marble veins. I did lose most of my full size decorative brushes (some where out there I'm sure there is a painter using my $150 Badger brush for baseboards...<sigh>).

The trip to storage wasn't emotional, it wasn't really anything. It was just time to go see what's in there and start some planning about what to do with it all. Of course there are some questions - like half the furniture is missing, as is my tv and dvd player, but they may be in that back corner behind the Beanie Babies in Rubbermaid containers (in air tight bags, with tags and tag protectors....) So, another step forward.  I do believe the end is in sight.  Of course, I should live so long as to see my kitchen counter top, but that's another post. My time's up for now!

later gators!

OH MY!

Yesterday I got a phone call from my friend Mr. Bill, aka The Big Guy, who asked if I was still alive!  It has been so long since I've updated my blog, he was worried something had happened to me!  In a way, yes, life is happening to me! Here's a recap of the past two months.

We'll start with my computer crash, because that took almost a month to fix.  What a pain! The Great Brown Out really messed up my computer, and my whole Outlook program got fritzed.  'Puter finally got fixed, but is very temperamental.  I see a new one in my future, which bothers me, because it seems like they work just fine for about 3 years and then that's it.  I really don't want to get a new one, because I've not heard anything great about Vista... so if I do, I may make the leap to Apple.

Bob and I went to Los Angeles for a few days, where he had depositions, and we stayed with our friend Pat. Pat has this fabulous house on the beach in Hermosa Beach. Unfortunately, the weather was just awful and I don't think I warmed up until we got home! During this time we caught up with friends and I took a couple of metal classes and got introduced to lampglass making.  I LOVED IT! It's the art of making glass objects, i.e. beads, on a mandrel over an open flame.  It is so relaxing, and well, fun! I really don't need another hobby, but bought all the stuff. (was there any doubt?)

After Los Angeles, we went to Las Vegas, where we stayed at the MGM Grand. Las Vegas always amazes me.  It's like living inside a giant Mardi Gras float! We had the Eiffel tower on one side and the Statue of Liberty across the street. We never left the hotel to eat, which is not a normal thing for us.  We had a great Mexican dinner one night, and the second night we had one of the top 5 dinners I've ever had any where in the world.  It was not even at the top ranked French Restaurant, but at it's little brother next door, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon.  The design of the restaurant was very sleek - we ate at a granite bar that surrounds the open kitchen.  It was surprisingly unobtrusive and the wait staff was really excellent.  We ordered the tasting menu and a meal off the menu.  While not cheap, it was reasonably priced and out of this world! We had a nice conversation with the sommelier, because I watched him pour two iced wines - one a red - which we had never seen before. The white was an apple wine (I could pass) and the red was a very interesting port of all things! It had all the complexities and character of a port, but was lighter and lacking in that medicinal taste making it a perfect pairing for deserts. I did taste them, I did! But just enough to wet my tongue and not enough to swallow. A very tiny bit. I do miss learning about different wines...

Bob and I arrived home and I of course signed up for some lessons in lampglass at GlassWorks an sort of living museum with artists in residence downtown. They teach glass arts, print making and bookbinding.  I also took on the gargantuan task of my home studio! It has not been touched since Katrina and I had no idea it had been so badly damaged.  It took 2 of us over a week to pull everything out of there, clean and repair it.  I hired a sweet young woman who dusted each and every item while I pulled out moldy sheet rock and scraped paint off the brick walls.  I had Katrina cough for a couple of weeks after.  I had no idea it was in such bad shape, for most of the damage was hidden by my desk and my wood storage. You can't begin to believe how much stuff got tossed. Roomboxes, bag after bag of junk and out dated supplies - big green trash bags full!  Half finished projects and kits I was honest enough to admit I'd never finish.  The studio looks fabulous now - and I really enjoy spending time there again.  I haven't started torching at home, because I could not find tanked oxygen any where, so I'm waiting on the delivery of an oxygen concentrator. (TODAY!!! YIPEE!)

The beginning of March I was supposed to travel to San Diego for another jewelry class, but Skylar ended up in the hospital with an appendicitis.  He came down that morning complaining of a pain in his side that woke him in the middle of the night.  Brief discussion, call to cardiologist friend, who agreed with Dr. Mom's diagnosis, and off to the hospital. Admission was painless (at least for me) and Skylar was in an ER room within a half hour. Four hours later and probably $10,000 worth of tests later, (CAT scan) my diagnosis was confirmed and he was scheduled for surgery.

My trip to San Diego got canceled, which was ok by me - it was my least favorite class I had signed up for - but poor Skylar spent his 29th birthday in a bathrobe vegging out in front of the TV recovering.  The upside is that he really needed a few days off of work because they have been working him pretty much 7 days a week.  I'm pretty sure that this is not what he had in mind for a vacation though. His birthday present from us was a check to cover his deductible.  Oh well, there's always next year!

Bob and I went to Florida for Spring training and caught a bunch of games. The Yankee ball park is amazing with great concessions and souvenir stores. This was all during the big brouhaha with the dirty cleats play (Yankees player slid into a Rays player and cleated him on purpose in the thigh) and Billy Crystal's up at bat.  We missed both of those... drat!  We went to a Rays' game in St. Pete and visited with our friends Pam and Mike, who moved to Orlando after Katrina.  And of course, my personal favorite, the Detroit Tigers. It was a fun and relaxing and I think we're finally enjoying the quasi empty nest thing.

I taught a scrapbooking class (Grunge!) and spent a 5 days in Pennsylvania taking more classes, which thrilled and inspired me. What really made that trip was staying a couple of nights with JC, Erin and the boys (how fast they are growing!) and an unexpected visit with someone I dated in college.

THAT was interesting! The last time I saw Bob (apparently I have a habit of dating REALLY nice guys named Bob before getting married - I was dating another Bob before I married my Bob!) was in the hospital in January of 1971 after getting my tonsils out. I was also newly engaged.  Bob is an artist (watercolors) as well as a writer and had sent me a very sweet email after stumbling onto my blog during research for a project. We met at his house in Baltimore where I met his wife, the dog, the housekeeper, the tutor and his son. It was a fun and interesting afternoon and I spent much more time there than I had planned. We caught up on each other's lives and parted with promises to do it again. I'll be back in August, but I think they will be in Europe or maybe the Carribean at that time. Oh well, it's not like I don't get up there fairly often to see the grand boys!

Taught what will probably be my last scrapbook class (Alcohol Inks) and wrote a blog entry about tools for the shop. Started selling on eBay (gad, how time consuming!). Today I'm driving to Baton Rouge to take a class  in PMC (pure metal clay - fascinating medium!). Passover is this weekend.

There, all caught up!  What's doing in YOUR life?

xoxo

In theory...

In theory, spending my morning coffee time updating the blog seemed like a great idea.  In reality though, we had a brown out Wednesday night that blew my computer!  It was a weird event.  I was sitting at the computer (something new) and the lights dimmed A LOT. Some of the low voltage lights just faded to nothing and pretty much everything electrical was making not good noises.

Our TVs were struggling to turn themselves on and reload the cable information.  My computer was trying to reboot and not succeeding, so I just powered it down (apparently a mistake).  I ran around unplugging everything I could reach that was attached to an electrical plug and went to sleep.  Not a bad thing considering how tired I was from the past two weeks.

Thursday morning I woke up, made my latte and made my way to the computer.  Powered it up, waited it to load and hit the email button.  No files found.  Application files not found.  I browsed my back up drive for Outlook files.  None found.  Browse the back up external hard drive.  None found.  Not only did the power event take out all my email, it's files and my contact list, but the ENTIRE program as well.  Crap.  Spent a while trying to figured it out and only managed to delete ALL the Office programs.  This was work for the computer geek.  Unfortunately he's tied up.  A lot of the appliances seemed to readjust themselves, (in fact - I have a service call out on our dryer but it seems to be working just fine now!).  The only casualties seem to be my computer and big screen TV in the family room. 

Oh well.  I tried again Friday, and tried writing this post on Saturday, when we had ANOTHER power surge and the post went *poof*.  Man.  Right now I'm writing this from Bob's laptop from not so sunny (at the moment) Southern California.  Hopefully my computer guy can come next week when I'm home and find my files and programs.  Don't think that's going to happen though.  So for all 4 of you out there that still read the blog - please email so I can start compiling an address book again.

So - that's the news from here (there) for now... tomorrow - California!

Let's try this...

Today I'm trying out a couple of new things.  You could call it procrastinating, but I prefer to think of it as altering my morning routine! eBay is killing me financially - so this is what I'm going to try to do while I drink my morning lattes.  Besides - it will keep me from housework for a bit! Lord knows there is still tons of Mardi Gras stuff to clean up!

We had 24 (25 when Jessie decided to sleep over) people at the house for Mardi Gras! Air mattresses every where and a good time was had by all!  Unfortunately our dryer is acting up (oh yeah, I gotta call them!) so it is taking forever to get the laundry done.  We had 30 somethings and 3 kids (second generation) under 5 and then the 20 somethings.  Bob, Lolly and I were the only "old" people here.  All in all it was a great week-end.  With the exception of me leaving the keys to the car (our get away car for Mardi Gras Day) on the party bus.  The bad news... my keys have been vacationing in Florida for the week.  The good news... wonderful Mr. Rex was kind enough to bring me my extra set, so we were only hanging around for about 30 minutes.

Unfortunately, this pattern repeated itself in Orlando on my way to the airport! I could not find the keys at all - and of course the contract was locked in the car! I finally ended up calling American Express to find out who the lessor was - Budget - called a locksmith - and had a shuttle bus driver find my keys in the parking lot!  Hurray! I was so astonished and relieved (the locksmith was going to cost $250 easy) I forgot to reward her... but she has been in my thoughts and prayers lots for the past few days!

Disney World was great even if the weather was a little dicey.  Actually, it was perfect for me - not sunny and cool.  Covered from head to toe and didn't need to worry about sunscreen!  Saturday they closed the Magic Kingdom early for a "private" party.  Erin had gotten us tickets to their Pirates and Princesses party!  It was super - many adults and kids dressed up - not to mention the adults there without kids! There was treasure to find (read as more Mardi Gras beads etc) and a 15 minute fireworks display which included a "battle" for Cinderella's castle!  Tinkerbell flew (can't tell you the last time I saw her fly!) and we had a fantastic time!

All in all, life is good.  Just filed an insurance claim on the glass kitchen counter top... an ongoing saga... I started Chantex yesterday with the hopes of finally quitting smoking again... family is good. Work continues through out New Orleans and it is wonderful seeing all the new construction.  Skylar has the plans for his house, but unfortunately the bids are double what he has to spend, but that's another story. 

Oh! Today on Ellen she was talking about inventions... Ellen showed this bra that you can fill up with wine and drink on the go! I thought it just hilarious!!!  WHERE WAS THAT WHEN I WAS DRINKING???!!!!

Yes, I'm ALIVE!!!!

Ok, I've been meaning to do this for ages... Yes, I'm alive and well.  There just hasn't been a whole lot to write about.  Well, actually there is a ton of stuff... I just never thought anyone would be interested in it!

Here is the family photo from Friday night - our start of Carnival.  Ben is asleep in the corner in his stroller - and Jessie's boyfriend Caleb is new too... new to the photo not to Jessie.  They've been together about 1 1/2 years now, I think... y'all may remember him from the NYC family trip.

The Suit of Lights (my sequined suit) has been finally retired, but look for an amazing replacement for next year. And, as if Mardi Gras wasn't reason enough to celebrate, Andy turned 21 on Monday. Yikes!!!  (It was Ellie's 5th birthday too!)

For the moment I'll just post some photos so everyone can see life is as usual... I've got to pack for Disney World.  I'm meeting JC, Erin and the boys for the weekend.  The grand boys have their own private paparazzi!

Later kids!!!

 

From the left, Skylar, Caleb, Jessie, J.C., Erin, Jake, Bob, Lolly, me, Chad and Andy.  I think we all look terrific! Didn't have the chance to tweek it in Photoshop - so don't let all the red eyes scare ya!

Andy, Bob, me and Jessie on the left. Andy and me in Iris on the right.

                                                         

Some of the twenty something people we had staying here for Mardi Gras - I think these are all the Millsaps kids (on left). At the last moment, there was an opening on Bob's float so Chad was able to have his first Bacchus ride (center of photo).  Interestingly enough - bracketing the photo is Skylar (far right) and his boss (far left)!

My crazy kids at the Bacchus ball on the left and Chad's family on the right. Chad is holding a LSU hat that was autographed by Les Miles at some point during the day.

Andy and Ellie share the same birthday - so we celebrated at our brunch. And of course, Superstar Benjamin...

Mardi Gras day saw us repeating the Barbie theme (not as successfully as the past).  It says a lot about your daughters' boyfriends when they are willing to cross dress! Skylar was protesting by not wearing a dress that the women had not dressed as Ken!

PS - 138 days sober - that's almost 5 months!

First of all - I'd like to thank everyone who has posted here, emailed and called with their support and love.  It means so much to me to have so many of you rooting for me!  Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

It is a real struggle to try and blog any more.  First, my desk and computer was my "neighborhood bar". It is where I sat, with my glass of wine and read emails, chatted with on line friends and Oh, let's not forget SHOP! When you stop drinking, they tell you to avoid all the friends you drank with (hey, it's a computer! Avoid places you drank (hey, it's my HOUSE!) so I was pretty much at a loss what to do.  And really... not happy with the alternative.  I've started house cleaning at night.  How disgusting is THAT???  In fairness the house is very clean - and (grab on to your seats everyone...) ALMOST DONE!!!

Yup, yup, yup... ALMOST done!  The master bedroom just needs to have one piece of furniture painted and it (and the bathroom) will be completely finished! The kids rooms are done, the family room just needs to be straighten about every 10 minutes (Milton and General play the Indy 500 on the couch and the pillows are always all over the room).  But wait until y'all hear...

THEY STARTED PUTTING UP MY HURRICANE SHUTTERS!!!!  AND!!! THE Kitchen BAR top is at least in New Orleans and should be installed this week. (Read as hopefully by Thanksgiving!!!) Curtains are ordered (Thanksgiving) as is the second round (and last) of the hurricane shutters.  And that will be it! Well, I'd like new pool furniture and even more so a whole house generator - but OMG!  Done!  Good thing I'm busy will all these AA meetings or I wouldn't know what to do with myself.  OH! And as if that wasn't enough - all the front and side gardens got "fall"ed this weekend - and in another 2 weekends, I'll do the levee side yard.  WOW!  Almost 2 years to the day since we arrived back home.

So, this sobriety thing is really pretty fun... yes, I did say that.  I haven't laughed so much or so often as I do in meetings and in my week day outpatient group sessions.  My "clubhouse" where I go for most of my meetings is very New Orleans.  A raised cottage 4 plex (top left) with beautiful moldings, fireplaces, wood floors, the works.  The people are an amazing cross section of the city and in these rooms I hear the Spirit of New Orleans speaking to me.  All characters, most pretty funny and very healing. I never leave with out having learned something and my spirit uplifted. 

My God has a mystical sense of humor these days and I was having headaches in the mornings for about 10 days - guess those were all the ones I never got when I was drinking.  And in the past 5 days alone... Thursday Bob and I had a tiff while I was making dinner.  I asked Jessie to finish it while I dashed to a meeting.  It was my only recourse because I was either going to drink or kill him and we don't own a gun! "They" don't tell you that you have to hammer out relationships again because they are different (usually for the better) when you sober up.  Who knew?

Friday - While installing a simple decorative cable plate in our bathroom, the TV fell off the wall (sigh, YES we do have a TV in the bathroom - it's a BOB thing - they're every where in the house!). It crashed down on our counter top, shattering the granite! In the middle of cleaning THAT up - I knocked over an open bottle (the kind with the brush top... don't ask...) of Super Glue to the floor and promptly glued myself to the floor while cleaning that  up.

Saturday I fell off a wall while trying to use the leaf blower and closed my hand in a door bruising (I hope only!) my knuckles.  Sunday, well, it was a gem - but nothing compared to today.  Sunday I was coming home and the battery light on the car panel was on - couldn't figure out why because the gage said it was fine.  No air, no windows... hmm.  Well, turns out my ignition casing was jammed.  Couldn't get the car to turn off.  Mr. Rex came over with vise grips and finally got the car turned off - but now we can't get the key out of the ignition.  Walked into the house to find that the dogs had eaten about 12 pounds of Skylar's dog food... which set the stage for today.

I was roused from sleep at 5 a.m by Bob cursing the dogs... nothing new, but as I was talking myself into springing (as much as I can spring in the morning) out of bed to take care of what ever business was out there, I couldn't get over this strange sensation of gummy stuff on my bed.   Seems Milton decided to throw up all over the NEW duvet and sheets.  Read that as sheets with an S.  He had also thrown up all over the NEW fitted sheet UNDER the duvet too! So started the 3 hours of projectile vomiting from Milton and Old Dog. Every where.  With out warning.  No retching, no heaves - just a sudden opening of the mouth and, like Linda Blair in the Exorcist (and actually, pretty similar in looks only brown) partially digested dog food spewing every where. God it was gross. Finally got ready for "school" and it is POURING out.  Can I find an umbrella... no!  Well I did finally find one to use - a little sucker about 14 inches wide that was Jessie's when she was about 6!

So I come home to find that what is left of my studio has flooded (good news - the rest of the house was bone dry and we had 6" of rain and counting!!!) one of the big dogs, Abel (the Master Mind in the great Dog Food heist I think) had diarrhea all over his crate! To be fair, most of it was in his empty dog food bowl (how fitting!).  I was shoo-ing them out of the room with my foot when it smacked against something and I think I broke a toe.  I may have to re-think this sobriety being fun thing...

But I'm here and writing again... (anything to avoid the pile of clothes to be ironed in the kitchen).  Oh, and yesterday was 1 month.  Time flies...

The High Holy Days

September is usually the time for the Jewish High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  Some times they are later - in October, depending on the calendar.  Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year, at this time the "Big Book" in heaven is opened and we hope that through prayer and repentance that on Yom Kippur (10 days later) that our name is scribed in the book before it is closed at sundown, not to be opened again until next year.

As usual, families gather together for festive meals (when don't we eat??!) and then go to services.  But, a funny thing happened to me on the way to services on Yom Kippur eve.  We were out to an early dinner, because we had to be in services before sundown. Andy, Jessie and Skylar were with Bob and me so the dinner was lively and full of laughter.  Just as Bob was paying the check, I turned to him and said "I have to go home". "What?" he replied as if he hadn't heard me correctly (read that as, "are you crazy we're suppose to be in temple!" I repeated that I HAD to go home... so he walked me out to the street and put me in a cab.

Once I got home, I changed clothes, packed a small weekend bag and called my friend Carla to see if she could give me a ride. Then I called my friend Stacy to see if she could meet us at my destination.  And off we went.  My destination was the River Oaks "resort" just outside New Orleans.  Read THAT as detox/rehab.  For me it was time's up gotta go.  And go I did.  No one knew - not Bob, not my kids and not my friends... I'm not even really sure I really knew - but I think I had some spiritual guidance on this decision.

I won't bore you with the details - but the quick story is that at some point in the past few months I started drinking in the early afternoon... and then that moved to lunch.  And THEN, one day when I looked in the mirror, I saw my mother's face looking out at me and I was scared - well, scared sober! It was about a week later that I checked myself in.  All my life I've worried about being "just like my mom" and I had started down that path.

The time in rehab was relatively short - admitted on Friday and was suppose to be discharged Monday (until my insurance ok'ed 5 days) so I got out on Wednesday.  It was an absolutely amazing experience! Uplifting, frightening, hilarious all at the same time. There were 22 of us on the unit, only 3 of us alcoholics (pills are VERY popular right now). For a while there during groups, I kept thinking to myself "What am I doing here? I'm just a soccer mom who drinks a little too much wine!" as I listened to the 18 year old heroin addict share his story, or the 16 year old methadone addict, or the disabled jockey crack addict share their stories.  One of the other alcoholics in with me was a lovely 23 year old girl who had been to "the unit" 3 times in the last month. AND a 28 day program before that. 

Really LISTENING to them, I realized we were all the same actually, people who just lost control of their lives and substance of choice.  Who would have thought?  I was just one of the lucky ones who had a "high bottom" - one who quit before they lost everything.

So here I am... not to worry... I won't be writing about the joys of sobriety or spouting off AA stuff... after all it IS ME!  But I feel like I've been gone for a long time and now I'm back!

Hi, my name is Renée and I'm an alcoholic. I've been sober 23 days.

ARRRGGGHHHH!!!

Not only did I not have the chance to finish the NYC post(s) but I never posted on the Crab Boil (read as Steam) we hosted for Caleb's birthday!!!  His parents came down (from South Carolina) and they SO seem like people we'd (Bob agreed, hence the "we") like to get to know better.  They'll be back next month, so hopefully we'll get together then.

This is the rig we use for crawfish boiling.  I couldn't quite figure out how to steam the crabs in it, so we pretty much used it just for the veggies.  Surprisingly, the veggies are always a big hit. We do artichokes, mushrooms (my personal favorite) corn, red potatoes... hmmm what am I missing here? Oh, those little link sausages (also a big hit on my list).  We made so much - well you can see where the boil line is... we boil them in the same seasoning we do the crawfish in.

This was a real adventure because I've never steamed crabs for more than, oh, 10 people.  Since I couldn't figure out how to do big batches, I was inside the little kitchen cooking away for most of the night.  Which actually proved to be very interesting.  There was most of Caleb's fraternity here (it was thin on the girls) and some friends of his drove in from various places (notably West Point).  They were ALL a nice bunch of guys, several who kept me company while I steamed away.

So, there I was using my "little" steamer.  It probably does maybe 3 dozen crabs... maybe more, at a time... so it was slow going for 25 people!  The seasoning is home made (very hot!) thanks to some stuff that Lolly sends me down from New Jersey.  She grew up in Baltimore so she does steamed crabs too.  The end result is this... which turns into...

THIS!   Seriously, we were eating for about 5 hours.  Maybe more! One of Caleb's friends was asleep for a good portion of the evening (which those of you who remember the Mardi Gras posts will recall) we don't tolerate too well, so out came the Sharpie and voila! Captain Morgan!!! Once he woke up he had just a fine time... as did we all!

 

The time just flies by...

I guess the NYC post will never be finished - almost a month has past since then!  The trip to Arizona was great... and we all had a wonderful time.  BUT, the Wednesday we were there a black cloud enveloped me and it was very strange. First, there were people who knew me whom I have no recollection of. It took me a week to realize it might be from posts on the yahoo list or even here, that they "know" me... but I guess that I am suffering more from PTSS than I realized.

Then I became very angry. It accumulated over the course of a few days, but I was hurt and upset and angry.  Maybe because it was my Mom's birthday, the Katrina "Anniversary" and just basic frustration with how slowly every thing is going. I'm SO OVER IT ALL.

The mind is a bizarre little contraption... Katrina, my Mom, and where our life is now.  In Lakeview, most of our past population is gone.  I'm sure y'all have read here that we are getting a lot of 30 somethings - newly weds or new parents.  That's GREAT! But what happened to our old people? So I guess my mind hooked my Mom (ancient!) with Katrina, and the media coverage, which of course still sucks.  I realized that in all of the coverage no one EVER addressed the question/problem of the loss of these people.  At least HALF of Lakeview was populated by elderly people.  Ones that have lived in those homes since the 50s and early 60s. Most of these people had no flood insurance, because they had no mortgages.

Where did they go? What has happened to them?  Those of the WWII generation? The people next door just left. Moved to Boston to be near their daughter. Never came back. Never retrieved anything. It was like the Twilight Zone over there.  A HUGE part of our oral local history left with these people too. All of the coverage NOLA has had on nation wide tv - and this has never been addressed.

And I'm SO tired of this (katrina) being pushed into a racial thing. I don't know what happened to Ray Nagin, but I have more important things to think about. We would really just like to be left alone (hello Jesse Jackson and  Al Sharpton... and you were living in New Orleans WHERE when Katrina hit????) to work together as a community.  YES, there are problems here, are there not in your community?  We're all a little bit racist... just think about it. And we in the community here are trying to have serious dialogs about this.

I'M SO TIRED of people making this into more than just a people trying to make a new life for themselves.

The next day I was "Ok" so I guess I worked it out in my sleep... I really hate any kind of negative energy. It's such a waste of time.

Oh and yet really"wonderful" news.  They decided that the Road Home GRANTS are now considered income and taxed at up to 35%.  Crap! That's ridiculous! It would have been cheaper for us to get a loan. This all just gets better and better.

Tomorrow is another day... and maybe I'll have a brighter day.   

The Big Apple

So Monday, we rush into Manhattan to meet Caleb and catch up with Bob who was at a business meeting.  The hotel is serviceable - REASONABLY priced for NYC and in a great location.  There really wasn't much time to do anything so I went to a cafe for a glass of wine and to finish reading Harry Potter.  We met Skylar's friend Chris for Chinese, which was pretty good. The BEST though, was going to Serendipity (across from Bloomingdale's) for desert. This my friends is a frozen hot chocolate and just to die for... I think it was on one of Oprah's best of shows.  We've been eating them for years and can't figure out how to make it the same delicious at home.

Tuesday Andy and Chad went to Doughnut plant then met Caleb, Jessie and me at the Empire State Building and we bought some tour tickets. (and what you see here isn't all of them either!) I had a hard time figuring out which tour package to buy  and by the time we decided what tour tickets we wanted the line was SO long that we just bagged it and met Bob for lunch at Penn Station. He had a meeting out on Long Island.  There use to be a great oyster bar there when I went to school (boarding school out on Long Island) but it was long gone. Thankfully there was a really great seafood spot in it's place.

We all bought Yankee stuff (sorry my dear Detroit Tigers!!!), toured the Empire State Building (I'm assuming all y'all know what it looks like!), went back to the hotel to change and an early dinner. We went to see Avenue Q on Broadway. It was just hilarious - sort of an adult Sesame Street (yes, with muppets but you see the puppeteers!).

Did I mention the weather in NYC was just ungodly hot and humid? For this I could have stayed home... but, Oh wait...  it gets better!  Thank Goodness I bought all those tickets that the kids laughed about because Tuesday night it rained and flooded the subways! You could not get around the city by subway, the cabs (what few there were) all had fares and even the buses weren't around because they had flood issues too! So Wednesday the only way any of us got around was by the double decker tour bus.  Chad and Andy went their own way - and Bob and I had a nice lunch alone at a cafe, then met up with Caleb and Jessie for the downtown and Harlem tour. Now I admit that there are three Kutcher girls loose in NYC with cameras... the ONLY same photo we took was the one of the Courthouse from the opening scenes of Law and Order!

ARRRGGHHH! Have to leave now - more next week when I get home from my trip!

                                                                                                                                                                                          

So much to say - so little time...

The other day I was on the phone with a friend of mine and we were discussing our days. Judy said she had lists of things to do everyday and was busy, busy, busy, but at the end of the day really accomplished nothing.  I commiserated with her and mentioned that what I found difficult is I would be doing something in one room- note that I needed something from, oh say the laundry room (where we keep the tools... at least some of them) go to the laundry room, (walking through the kitchen I would note a spot on the counter, clean that, oh and a dish in the sink - into the dishwasher and maybe dry out the sink) get to the laundry room find I have to change out loads... completely forget why I was there...

This came to a scary fruition yesterday.  Skylar is home from Australia (yippeee) and comes to me yesterday (just as we were getting ready for a crab boil for 25 people) and says... "Mom... where are my Saints tickets?" Oh! "not to worry I said - when I was arranging your room for the painters to come in I thought it would be best to put them in a safe place". Uh, yeah maybe.... sort of looked around Saturday before people came and didn't really panic until today. LOGICALLY, I would have moved them to Bob's desk. That's like the safety deposit box of the house. Clean and neat and ridiculously tidy ALL the time. So that is where I would put something that important. 

NOT THERE!!!!!  YIKES!!!! So, I'm thinking - ok where I put my jewelry... not there - long story short (too late!) I'm quietly tearing Sky's room a part and no luck... I walk out the door and there, on the bookcase in the hall (ever so safe! lol) were his two packs of tickets.  <sigh> I guess I put them there to take to 1) Bob's office or 2) the jewelry safe place and forgot.  I really need to start making notes about what I do... like a voice activated tape recorder attached to my arm...'cause I'd surely lose a paper list!

So I'm two big posts behind... I'll now start with the first - The Big Apple with the kids. Bob, Chad, Andy and I flew up to NY to meet JC, Erin and the grand boys (Lolly too) at the hotel in Monticello. We were also meeting Jessie there - she had just finished up her stint as a counselor at the Sports Academy. All went well and surprise! lots of the family was there that weekend.

The hotel (Kutsher's Country Club, www.kutshers.com ) is celebrating its 100th year in business.  The weekend we were there a feature article on Aunt Helen (far right) was in the newspaper... it was great. Harriet (in purple) has been with the hotel and family so long, she is family.  Then on the far left is Bob's cousin Mady... holding our newest grand baby Benjamin. In the back are Mark (Helen's son and Mady's brother) and Bob in his summer madras. For some reason I don't have any group shots of the whole family - just kind of random shots... I really need to figure out how to do that Flicker or collage thing here... maybe some time when I get my life back!

 

We got up to the hotel in time for dinner (we all run on our stomaches in this family!) and gathered in the office (picture above) after wards. We went to see Freddie Roman at the nightclub and he really was very funny. The next day was (of course) golf, breakfast, lunch and the outdoor pool.  That's Jake and Ben - isn't that "thing" Ben in so cool??? It's like a personal house boat!  Jake has been swimming for about 3 years now and does really well, but I figured I wouldn't bore y'all with those pictures!

The afternoon ( I swear being at KCC is like going on a cruise...) is not complete without a visit to the coffee shop where Jake had made friends with the waitress... his shake was HUGE! I think Lolly and Chad were napping during this... some people just don't know how to pace themselves!

Bob grew up here, living in a small house on the property with his Aunt and Uncle and 3 cousins (and his Mom and Dad!) which is why he doesn't have much in the way of domestic abilities... all services (housekeeping, the kitchen, maintenance) were all at the end of a phone.  These days the person at the end of "the phone" is me!

Ok... little tired so I'll finish this tomorrow... and hopefully also post photos of the crab party - what a hoot!

THANK YOU

So it's the second "anniversary" of Katrina. I had hope to do something profound or at least amusing... but then I picked up the paper. The headline simply says THANK YOU. There are a few random stories from evacuees about small kindnesses they received.  I cried. Made it through all the stupid programs and I cry at the newspaper headline.  It was just so PERFECT.

Today shouldn't have been about us... we're trying to move forward, but none of us could do this with out the help of strangers. More than a MILLION people have come to New Orleans to volunteer to help gut and repair homes. Which brings me to yet another thank you to all of you out there still reading that helped our family.  Frankly, I don't know anybody else who received the out pouring of help that we did. And again, I truly don't know what we would have done with out all y'all.

There could be a list here of all the generous and kind hearted people who helped us, but invariably I would leave some people out and there would be hurt feelings.  So, I just want you to know your kindness and generosity have not been lost on me.  I have been paying it forward.  I remember.  We remember.  It's engraved in my heart and soul.

In the Jewish religion the highest mitzvah (good deed) you can do is for some one you don't know and you tell no one about it.  I'm going to slip a degree in my good deed to share them with you.  I have been paying it forward. First to a woman who lost her house (and scrap room) to a fire.  The second a woman who lives in lower Indiana who lost her scrap/office to the horrible storms/floods etc they have been having there.  I am going to publish their addresses, although I am not so sure I should do that... probably get into big trouble, but I am appealing to y'all to RAK  (Random Acts of Kindness - NOT Robert Allen Kutcher!) these women who are so deserving. 

Jackie Cummings

52 Old Chester Road

Goshen, NY 01924

I don't know much about Jackie, she's on a Yahoo list for Ranger Ink products and Altered art.  She's a big stamper and saved some of her stamps because they were in bins. But most everything else was destroyed by the smoke. She was very touched and grateful for the box of product I sent her.

Sandy McBeth on the other hand... well, I know lots more about her. Sandy is the mother of 5, grandmother of 9. She runs a licensed day care from her home, something she took on after being a Parent Aid for the Indiana welfare system for years. She made this turn after she found herself in court testifying more than in homes helping parents. She lost all of her stickers and cardstock, the paper she had collected for her daughter's wedding album and all of her holiday patterned paper.  Her kids have done sports, (football, swim team and soccer), band, girl scouts and like most scrappers I know is years behind. One of the scrapbooks she lost was a 7 x 7 grandbaby book she was working on. 

When I read her post on a teachers (scrapbooking) Yahoo list, I contacted her privately.  It took her forever to write me back because she came her and read my blog.  She too is having a hard time "taking" things from people.  Her husband says "she'd give away the house" if he didn't watch out...but after reading what our family went through... she felt better about accepting the kindness of strangers. And she sent supplies to the Katrina victims... So, coming full circle

Sandy McBeth

709 E. Locust Street

Petersburg, IN 47567

Again, many, much heart felt thanks for all of you who helped our family when we evacuated to Dallas, those who have helped other Katrina victims/causes.  Y'all are really the Saints here.  A million volunteers... go figure - so many good souls out there.  Thank you for coming here.

BOY IS IT HOT!

Short little post so y'all don't think I'm dead. Mercy is it hot.  We were in New York last week (everyone but Skylar who is winging his way to Australia) at the family hotel.  GOOD GRIEF - for this I could have stayed home! In fact, I'm not sure I've ever been in New Orleans when it has been 91 degrees AT SEVEN AT NIGHT! What's with THAT?  Oy the city was a misery, schelpping around sight seeing in the heat.  And of course we were there when THEY got 3 inches of rain and drown the subway system. OY OY OY! Not a cab forever! 

We did have a very good time really and I'm going through the photos and those I'll post this week... Man I can't believe how big Jake and Benjamin are!!!

Oh, and after that I'm going to be quiet for a bit longer.  I can't believe the second anniversary (if one can call it that) of Katrina is coming closer.  I decided to go back and do comparison shots from the flood, when we came home and now... so you can judge for yourselves how far we have come.

Later Gators...

last night

Last night the news had a feature about a family in the Lower 9th ward who made a request to have storm debris removed from their home.  They were one of the few whose house was structurally sound and they had gutted it to go forward with repairs and renovations. They showed up to work on it the other day to find it had been torn down. Not even a slab! They have no answers. Not from FEMA, not from City Hall.  It wasn't on the blighted list, they had paid their taxes and were just waiting for the road home money. They interviewed the home owner and his mother. His grandmother built the house. His mother said all of her children were conceived and raised there. Now it is gone.  My heart broke for these people until ...

The bridge collapse.  My God. For any of y'all out there in that area please know that my thoughts and prayers are with your community and all of those families affected.  The news has been saying that tragedies like these bring communities together. And I am here to tell you that they do. There is an invisible linking of arms that bonds us all here - and I am sure that is what is going on there too.  How ever long your healing takes, you will forever be bonded to those people. I watched an interview with one of the Fire department chiefs - and he welled up with tears and the reporter finished the interview. Our first responders are still like this too.  It is a forever thing.

It is awful that something horrible has to happen to bring the community together... but those communities that have gone through shootings, collapses, earthquakes, fire, tornadoes and hurricanes... well, y'all know what I'm talking about.

Prayers going out to them all. The victims, the families and our first responders.

Soooo LONG!

It has been so long since I've posted, but there hasn't been much of anything going on. Andy, Chad and some friends were in two weekends ago for a wedding... that went pretty well - Parrot got thrown out of a kareoke bar for sleeping on the couch and no one knew where he went... a minor incident in the annals of French Quarter stories a la Kutcher.  There was a photo of Andy, Bob and I at dinner - but for the life of me I can't figure out where it's filed. (Found it!)

We were at a little place in the French Quarter called the Redfish Grill. If you go WAY back in the archives,(you remember - when my posts were interesting!) it was one of the first "real" restaurants we went to when we came home.

http://reneekutcher.typepad.com/and_so_it_goes/2005/week42/index.html

More importantly, it felt like home again.  There were street musicians (I do believe these guys were trying to make money for their school band uniforms and YES of COURSE I gave them money) and the Lucky Dog carts were back out.

Skylar finished the Bar exam (9 parts, 3 days!) and I was in Baton Rouge with Carla for the weekend.  Probably not such a bad thing as I suspect he was having "too much fun" for a few days. Andy and Chad were nice enough to come down to celebrate with him - and Bob came back from NYC as well.  Funny that - Bob would call me in the evenings (when he is out of town to catch up) - that took all of about 2 minutes.  Then he would ask for Skylar and they would be on the phone for 20 minutes! I swear they will get their own table at holiday meals now.  He's in NYC now for a wedding, will be back for a day then off to Australia for a month... LUCKY HIM!

Bob's been busy prepping witnesses for depositions this week so Skylar and I have been dining together a LOT.  We went out to a noodle house the other night and Sky had a trifecta of Katrina drinks. Road Home, FEMA and I forget the other one... but they were pretty gross. Good looking but not worth ordering a second one.

This week is - well actually tomorrow - is really exciting since the decorative painter (the one I've been waiting for going on 2 years now) will be starting on the furniture. OH! That means I have to take before and after pictures! The glass guy is coming by too -to "take ONE more measurement" for the glass counter top in the kitchen (also going on 2 years) that is rumored to be in SC getting fabricated. AND my dining room table is suppose to be returned from the refinisher's.  THAT I've been waiting on since before Katrina!  (wish I had him take it before - it cost me twice as much now!). 

After the 9th the "real" painter will be coming to do the base coat for the decorative painter (Madelyn) to do our bedroom and bath and Skylar's bedroom... and he'll finish Andy's bedroom.  Am thinking of painting Jessie's room green instead of the red it is now - but am pretty happy with how the red looks.   Pretty much after that will be the window treatments - but I think my drapery guy has forgotten all about us!  Almost - ALMOST there.  Now just to figure out what to do with all the junk we have collected in the living and dining rooms... Guess that'll have to wait until Sky moves out in September and Andy goes back to school.  Why do I see a series of eBay auctions in my future?

Fun thing - last weekend while I was away I did nothing but play with product - no scrapbooking pages or anything, just fun stuff.  Here's a purse I did - it's not finished by a long shot and I still have to do the interior - but it was really fun just playing around!

Mystery solved...

Sorry to be so quiet - but there is nothing new to chat about... at least nothing interesting. No photos either.  Bob is still working his butt off, the Bar exam starts Monday for Skylar, the girls are still gone and I'm still trying to clean up my scrap office... That actually sounds like it wouldn't be so hard, but I've now started collecting vintage ephemera* for some altered art projects.  *old papers, photos, watch parts, tickets, etc. etc. The daily "stuff" that makes up your life. My family doesn't know I'm actually paying for "junk" and that's my little secret.

This week though the mystery of the laundry room mischief has been solved.  Pretty much in the summer it will rain everyday. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, a little, a lot and sometimes with thunder and lighting.  I came home last Thursday and lo and behold General had pulled the front panel on his crate INTO the crate and escaped... how he did that we can't really figure out - because the panel would have fallen in on him - but escape he did. He really quakes when ever it is storming - or even simply raining!

Now at first glance you might think that this is pretty much the same photo from last time - but it is NOT. He did leave the lower left cubby pretty much alone, but this time he cleared off the countertop too!  There were paw prints every where!  So Mr. General was given a doggy time out.  We still can't figure out how he managed to pull the crate front off.

So, that's pretty much the news from here. We're still waiting for the kitchen bar top.  Andy is coming home with friends tonight... and that's it.

Oh - FEMA... did y'all read that for the last 2 years Fema has been trucking multiple loads of ice around the country? Same load(s) of ice... and these were meant for New Orleans after Katrina! So the tax payers of the US have been paying $900 a DAY for TWO years to keep this ice cold SOME where in the US. And last week (at least I think it was last week) they decided that it was no longer fit for human consumption.  At least when they get rid of it, it will be in a reservoir in California where they need water. Millions people... for ice that never got here.

Oh... and hard to believe, but the alcohol inks did not do one darned thing to the couch! Yippee - so Milton is still alive and well.

Creepy!!!

Ok - so here's the thing... there were three very creepy things that happened today.  Pretty much when something weird happens we can figure out what dog did what and laugh about it... this was just too damned eerie.  Here's what I found in my laundry room.  Mind you it was perfectly fine at 10:30 when I went out to do errands and all...   All the stuff that has been pulled out and all over the floor was in those little cubby holes.  And what's with the ONE can of paint still on the shelf?  We speculated a lot about what happened, but just can't put any of our dogs in there.  And then....

And then there was the fact I had water in the studio/dog room where we have NEVER had water before... and it was by the sliding glass doors....

AND THEN... after we ruminated about this over dinner... Bob went into his work out area and all his stuff on one side was thrown on the floor... wish I had taken a photo of that but he was too busy cursing for me to intrude with a camera!

SO... what do YOU think??? I have absolutely no clue what was up... but... do you think a dog could do this to the laundry room? Really - how weird is this???

Things that make you go HMMMMMMM....

(Friday a.m.)

So, Bob was ranting, raving and railing about the damned dogs when I showed him the photo of the laundry room.  Stopped him dead in his tracks. The photo here is a little shelving unit - on the middle shelf he has a bunch of hats - that's what was pulled on to the floor.  Now, I can see Milton doing that - he's small enough, but... he was crated. 

Now I've had some suggestions and I will also add this:

No earthquake. No doggy door. No teenagers (although I will say Jessie's room usually looked like the photo of the laundry room!) No valuables taken.  It does look like some one was searching for something and everyone knows I am not home on Thursdays. But what would be in the laundry room??? And this is what it usually looks like...

The thing that really gets me is - if a dog did this where was he standing to pull the stuff out?  There wasn't much room between the cubbies and the junk on the floor and wouldn't the big plastic tub have been knocked over?

Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July!  Today we took our bar-b-que to Rex and Carla's house... Rex had neck surgery last Wednesday and Skylar and I were trying to make our get together as easy as "pie" for everyone.  Bob is flying home from New York, so it was just us kids, so to speak.

I'm glad I took this picture because about 5 minutes later it was gone - I'm pretty sure it was Stonewall who ate it... she likes counter cruising.  Gotta tell you I almost cried.  If I had only known I could have saved hours by just giving her the damned apples before I peeled them!

The Fourth use to be our other big family holiday and it makes me sad every year.  Hell - Jake's birthday was on the first and I totally forgot... what kind of gram-ma does that make me???  In the old days we were always at the hotel in the Catskills for the summer.  We have two cousins (twins!) who were born on the fourth and the whole Kutcher clan would be together, if not for the whole summer, certainly for that weekend.

When Skylar was in his freshman year in college he had his knee scoped so I stayed home with him, and so started a whole new round of traditions.  I would stay home and Bob would go spend the summer at the hotel. The girls were in sleep away summer camp in NY as well, so I'd would go up and spend the 4th at the hotel and seen them - visiting day was usually the weekend before or after - so I'd sort of kill two birds with one stone.

JC was totally committed to Erin by 1994 and so after the fourth we would go and spend a week or so with Bruce and Lolly and all the kids (JC and Skylar's paternal grandmother lived 2 houses away) at the Jersey Shore and then again on our drive back South. The Fourth was to Bruce and Lolly what Mardi Gras is to Bob and me. JC and Erin got married in 1999... they became pregnant in 2001.  Shortly after then Bruce was diagnosed with lung cancer and died a few days before Jake's first birthday.  I'm not sure but I think he was buried on June 30th. We always went up for Jake's birthday, then Katrina happened and now, every week is the same.

To tell you the truth, I'm surprised it is July.  My weeks have only Mondays and Thursdays, pretty much the only days I leave the house.  Mondays are for errands and groceries - Thursday is my "mental help" day when I get some spa service done and go to see my therapist.  And truth be told, when I wake up in the morning, it is like being a little kid trying to figure out how many sleeps until Thursday.  Really... how sad is that that I spend the first waking moments of every day figuring out what day of the week it is- forget actual dates - I'm happy with the day of the week!

I consider myself fairly "normal" and stable, but I am still leery of leaving the house and almost fearful of leaving the city since the storm.  I'm getting better - as is the city - but it is annoying that the after affects are still lingering - or for that matter that there are still after affects.  But I digress... big surprise...

Happy Fourth of July - have a safe and happy one - and if you have a chance - reflect on what a privilege we have here of freedom.  And say a quick prayer of thanks to all who have defended our country so that we may have that freedom.

PS - I added photos to the Father's day post - doesn't Andy French toast look FAB??  And it was! 

What a weekend!

Geesh... I've been trying to post this since Sunday, but we've been so busy!  It was a great weekend - we went to the circus Friday night.  Bob is big on the Big top - one of his favorite things ever.  For year

I started this three days ago and just am finally getting back to it- A whole week has passed! So... where were we?  Oh right - the circus! For the past oh, gee 10 years or so I have always been out of town when the circus was in New Orleans, but Bob always found someone to go with him.  I was really excited that we were able to finally go together.  It has changed A LOT - instead of 3 rings it is now only one with a huge plasma type "magic mirror" looking thing... but some things never change.  There were jugglers, magicians, clowns, and animal acts.  The smells were familiar and we had a classic dinner of junk food, complete with hot dogs, peanuts and cotton candy!

The Arena was packed and I was glad... on the news there was a preacher who was attending his first circus!  He is my age!  The things we take for granted, oh my.

Somethings have changed though, there was a CAT (not tigers, domestic house CATS!) act that was pretty amusing... and there really wasn't a trapeze act either... it's now kind of a hybrid.

The guys are on the swing and do tumbling stuff and end up on the trapeze for the catch... they also went through a ring of fire as their finale - I guess it sort of combined the tumbling, trapeze and that guy on the motor cycle (although they had those in a cage).   

It was the same, but different - including the light twirlers (what are those things called anyway??) At any rate that was last Friday night... and Saturday we had another - MUCH bigger crawfish boil.  Jessie and Skylar had a bunch of their friends over so there was about 30 - 35 people at the house!

Sky and Mr Rex went to get the little mud bugs - and these guys were really feisty - they kept trying to get out of the cooler! We had kids every where and people kept coming all evening. It was a nice mix though between grown ups and kids. (though at some times who could tell the difference!)

The dogs were having a fine time as well... I kept mine inside - they have way too much hair to be comfortable when it's 90 degrees out - but Dank (Dawg) and Sky's dog (General shown here-) had fun exploring and making new friends.  My friend Mary and Dank communed together and I just love this photo of them. It was another fun weekend and it's been a long time since Andy's been home.  Yeah, sometimes it's good to be Mom.