An Ounce of Prevention

I bought these cute water bottles for the girls at Uwajimaya today in an attempt to offset the spillage that occurs in our home, our car, our bed, on my clothing, in my shoes...you get the idea. We've recycled Emma's toddler bottles so now they're Phoebe's, which may be the flaw right there. I would love to get feedback from other Moms on how NOT to cry over spilled milk because for the life of me I can't seem to get rid of the smell or the stains milk leaves behind.

Anyway, back to the water bottles.

I thought, with the retractable straw, the liquid would be more easily contained than a regular sippy or bottle. Turns out a determined toddler will shake and twist the liquid out of anything. Not a minute after I filled Phee's bottle with water and sat her down at the table did she have the thing upside down, shaking it while squeezing the straw so more would come out. This would have been less damaging to me and the wood table and floor if I, lost in confidence that this would work, had not turned around and gone back to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner.

All in all, no real damage has come of the spilled liquids. You just get that with kids. But I still can't get the smell of spoiled milk out of my nose.

p.s. The purple one is Pochacco (for Phoebe, natch, the dog lover) and the Hello Kitty is for Emma.

Cool It

Just wanted to post a picture of Emma and Phoebe keeping cool. It makes me feel less sticky. Just the tiniest bit.

Slurpees, Part II

Emma is at a musical theater camp this week and next. As many dancers know, a dance studio can be excruciating in the summer--the sweaty bodies emitting heat that lingers, fogs mirrors and stinks up the room. Yesterday Em asked for a Slurpee, which, after her cajoling, we found across the street from the dance studio at the 7-11. I sort of regretted it later because she had eaten only the sweet treats in her lunch while her luncheon meat and cheese combo went bad and stinky in her lunchbox (which she also left in the living room, half tucked under the couch). 

Today I didn't even ask if she'd finished her healthy food first; I asked her how her day was and we marched straight across the blistering pavement to the 7-11. And I bought another one for Phoebe and I to share when we got her, too. According to Yahoo, it was 102 degrees in Seattle when I picked up Phoebe at her daycare around 4:30 p.m. The weather report on my iPhone (provided by Yahoo) says it is now 103 degrees. It's 5:37. 

I'm lucky we have a great basement to hang out in and keep cool. But I'm really not used to this here in Seattle. How are you all doing? What have you done to comfort yourself during our heat wave? (Me: Iced Mocha from the Firehouse in Ballard, Slurpee, basement, watching old "Lost" episodes online)

Tybecast

No, that's not a typo above. Actually, it is, but not because I don't know my right pinkie finger from by left pointer.

Last night I took my first class in Letterpress, an extremely intricate art form that I've long admired. The teacher, Lisa Hasegawa, gave us a ton of information and led us through "setting the type" for the first time in the course. We were to choose a type case that did not have a label and make one. As you might guess from the picture above and my type-oh-oh, I had '18 pt. Garamond Light.'

I was worried about placing the letters in reverse order before I got to class, but Lisa explained how the type has little cuts in it to help us. All the cuts go on the top. No sweat, I did that. But I didn't realize that there were b's in the d tray, and lo, there's my 'Garamonb.'

My mistake aside, I really enjoyed the class. It's been a long time since I learned something completely and utterly new, and I forgot how difficult that is. And how much I've craved it. We set type, saw how Lisa locked it down, then inked and ran the press. The word 'impression' has a new dimension for me now, as I run my fingers along the card with our printed type.

Next week we'll start designing our project. I've started collected ideas for what to print-it's so exciting!

You can see more about Lisa and her work here.

Hot Hot Heat

I've always said summer is the best kept secret about Seattle. Sunny but not too hot, blazing sunsets and cool evenings. But this year spring came on strong (30+ days without precipitation in April/May) and now we're experiencing an incredible heat wave. Living in California, 90-100 degree weather was more common, but Seattle rarely sees the mercury climb above 90 and here we are, having a week of it. Today and tomorrow have the highest forecast numbers at 95 degrees.

Our garden is wilting, our grass completely brown. We spend the afternoons in the cool comfort of our basement. And after a couple of appointments today, that is where you'll find me as I continue to get "the green room" into shape.

A Pressing Matter

(image from http://sourcedesign.com/)

After we returned from the Knight Fellowship reunion, I had some nervous energy.

I thought about getting a tattoo, learning to play the drums, taking writing classes. I immediately went online to figure out what interesting hobby I could take up. As I surfed around, I realized what had happened: I was back to real life.

Exposed again to the grandeur of the Stanford campus, talking to fellow Fellows, catching up with old friends, expanding my online social network, listening to professors profess and educators educate, I was mentally and emotionally stimulated. Coming home, as wonderful as it was, became a bit of a letdown. I think I was a little bored.

I've wanted to take a Letterpress class for some time. As fate would have it, a class started in just two weeks at Pratt Fine Arts Center. I didn't even think twice-I just booked it.

The class runs for five weeks. The School of Visual Concepts, where I took a Photoshop class last year, offers a 10 week class, but I decided to start easy. My first class is tomorrow night and I'm exhilarated. A bit excited, a bit nervous, but happy to start feeding my brain in a new way. Will I be the oldest person there? Will I fail to place the letters backwards? Can I get some extra studio practice? I'm all a-tingle thinking about this new adventure, this new pathway I'm laying in my brain.

Press on!

Now serving # 565

565 was my number at the pharmacy today. I went to the doctor for a physical, towing both of my kids. I knew it would be awkward, but my physician is so great (and a mother of three herself), she suggested to my older daughter (who is eight) that Mommy might need privacy and would she mind waiting just outside the door with her book? My one-year-old stayed in the exam room, which was fine, but the experience convinced me I have to start a list of things I've done while my kid is in my lap. I thought getting my bangs trimmed with her in my lap was odd, but you really haven't experienced odd until you are lying on an examination table getting a pelvic exam while your toddler is squirming in your arms, scribbling with a pen and pad of paper.

That strangeness aside, I was unprepared to have my private-and-very-female-prescriptions filled by a cute, young - male - pharmacist.

I have been married 13 years. I have two kids. Being somewhat secure in my marriage, I don't go around flirting with other men. But, I would like to be seen as somewhat attractive to members of the opposite sex. This does not usually entail having one of them talk to me about spermicidal jelly applicators or how to use my diaphragm. These situations call for the Mr. Gower type in "It's a Wonderful Life" or Tina Fey as your tough but understanding teacher type from "Mean Girls." It was hard enough to ask my eight-year-old to leave the room so I could talk to my doctor about birth control, but to have some cute, funny 30-something pharmacist explain the effects of my Estrogen creme, well, I have to admit I was unprepared for this milestone in my life.

Welcome to the other side of 35, Kale.