Barrister Dandelion

Today I got an email from Barrister Dandalo Dansuleman offering me great sums of money if only I would wire him some first. Then I got an email from Emmanuel Klein saying I could "lose weight without starving yourself." Thanks to Acai Slim, whoever that is.

I am SO. LUCKY. these people found my email address!!

~Ally

heh heh

Water Slide!

Okay, if you need a laugh or a high or a sense of adventure, watch this:

10 Most Frugal Cars to Own

And for anyone considering trading down or utilizing the famous "Cash for Clunkers Program," which ends this week btw, read this. Yahoo Finance has put together a list of the ten cheapest cars to own over a five year period, taking into account base price and maintenance, gas, etc. Good to know!

~Ally

Check this out, you employed folks

This is a very good article on How to Not Get Laid Off, written by the folks at Yahoo Finance. For anyone who has a job, it's worth a read. Short and to the point.

~Ally

Need a Lift?

A little visit from our friends at Shoeboxblog (god love 'em):


Quote of the Day:

“You’d think ‘because it comes from goats’ would be a good enough reason for not liking goat cheese.” – Mark



(An August) Quote of the Day:

“Save electricity! Bake biscuits in your car!” - Scott

~~~~
And one tasteless [sic] joke passed along by Scott:

"If God wanted us all to be vegetarians, why did He make animals out of meat?"

Sick. Wrong. Delightful. Relaxxxx, they're jokes!
~Ally

Things That Are Great About an Old Friend Visiting

1. She wants to look at my wedding albums...again. :)

2. She brings her children, who are beautiful, creative mixtures of her and her husband's personality. Yet they are also unique, interesting, and delightful in their own rights.

3. Wilbur Chocolate Buds. Mmm.

4. She knew me when. (And still comes to visit.)

5. She remembers the context for all my stories. So when we stay up until 1 a.m. talking each night, we cover a lot of ground!

6. She stopped judging me years ago. She just loves me.

7. I can confess my deep darks, like baby insanity and grief stories and how I accidentally got fat.

8. I remember when she was several different variations of herself and have perspective on how far she's come and how much she's grown.

9. I remember when she was heavier, so I always like to remark on her beautiful, svelte looks! And her new post-baby, sexy curly hair. Who doesn't love those compliments?

10. When she leaves, I know she'll be back. And she knows I really want to come visit her house too.

The best thing is how we can jump right in, as if a year hasn't passed.

(photo not taken by me)

Good, good friend. So glad for the visit.

~Ally

Travel Tip: Route 28 in Alton is NOT a good place to run out of gas

Ahem. You can see where this is going...

So on Wednesday night, after a very, very long and arduous day, two things happened to me. Two things that I did not believe really exist happened to me.

1) I ran out of gas. Yes, actually ran OUT of gas. As in, the car would not move another inch. And after then turning it off, magically restarting it, and miraculously going another two or three miles on literal fumes, it stopped again. This time, no dice. Thus, I got out of the car in my now-sweaty (as it was 90+ degrees) work outfit, and started walking down the road toward the elusive gas station. At which point,

2) An actual honest-to-god Knight in Shining Armor (a big honking Chevy Silverado of armor to be exact) rescued me, the Damsel in Distress. (!!!!) I was on the cell phone wailing my woes to Mom, who frankly sounded too preoccupied to come help me, when he drove up, slowed down the truck alongside me, and said out the window, "I have gas in my truck if you need it."

???

Who does that? And who, but my Knight in Shining Armor All, keeps gas in the back of their truck??

GOD. BLESS. MY. KNIGHT.

I hesitated for the wee-est of seconds, and then decided to take a leap of faith, hopped (scrabbled) up into his mondo truck, and was driven back to my vehicle where said Knight put two gallons of beautiful life-affirming unleaded gas - not even diesel! - in my car. I said, "How do you have gas in your truck?" He said, "My old girlfriend used to run out of gas twice a week."

I then tried to give my Knight a fiver, to which he said, "No, no," and I said, "Take it!" and he said, "No way." He then smiled a beautiful shy smile at me, watched me start up the car, and I drove away. I may have fallen in love just the littlest bit. ;)

Needless to say, DO NOT run out of gas in Alton because it is miles and miles between gas stations. And above all, always hold out hope because fairy tales do sometimes come true.

***

~Ally

Some pics to amuse you

This is how I've been feeling (and acting) lately:

This is Laurel at Grape Island in Maine:

This is where Scott and I stayed for the weekend:

This is Baby Nora and New Mom Erin.

(photos not by me)

I'm Writing Again

...on Rock, Water and Light. Scott is doing some amazing new photographs. Come visit us. Leave your "two cents."

I am also writing on my private Yahoo blog. More details on life and thoughts, and the blow-by-blow of my search to have a baby. [I will send you an invite you if you want to read along. Will need your email address.]

~Ally

Gratitude

...for being given a sweet award by someone I respect and admire - Donna at DQ's Windmill. Donna is a Yoga teacher, philosophy teacher, and Zen practitioner who is wise beyond her years and yet down to earth. What a joy to get an award from such a great person!


I will pass this award on to:

Michele at The Squawkery, a mom who is working on conceiving her second baby. With truthfulness and courage to ask all the tough questions, she has written a blog in which I love to get lost.

Tascha at Time With Tascha, an artist who posts the most delightful videos of making art, painting, and following the paths of her endless creativity.

Denise from Eat, Play, Love, who always has something interesting to say about family, life, or modern culture, and who has also bravely started vlogging.

Kelly from Kelly Johnson Photography, who has recently come back into my life (we used to be Chicago neighbors!) and inspired me with her keen sense of kindness and the way she captures humanity on film. Check out Kelly Johnson Photography on Facebook too.

And if she hadn't already received the award herself, I would definitely give it to Donna. She invigorates my life with her honest writing and spiritual clarity.

Good company. Get to know them too!

~Ally

On a dusty road to Mexico

We're getting ready for Mom to go to Mexico on Thursday, to visit with Lauren and Co. for a month. I don't want her to go, though I know Lauren needs her and the time will be good for them. I guess what I mean is, I don't want to be away from Mom for that long. I need her so much right now and feel more attached to her than ever. Thursday will be the anniversary of Dad's death - I guess an appropriate day for Mom to see both daughters in one day. The loss of Dad snuck up on me like a ton of bricks yesterday as I was driving to a friend's baby shower in Mass. Thinking about the lack of Dad when/if I get pregnant and how much I wish he were still here, how much we all still had to talk about and do together. And no, this is not a case of, "If only I had said" or opportunities lost. This is a case of "It sucks that I have to live the rest of my life without my father." And I miss him terribly.

Wonder when the grief will let go of its death grip (pun intended). It still affects everything. My son-in-law is struggling right now and I want to say to him,"It's the fucking grief!" He lost his brother a few months ago. The grief takes hold forever, it seems, but eventually, things do get a little easier, a little more normal.

This is going to be a hard week. Scott and I seem to be living like ships passing in the night - emotionally anyway. Sometimes we looked at each other this past week with the look of, "Who the heck are you and what are you doing in my living room?" Marriage, another long and dusty road. If one partner doesn't feel well, no one does. I wish things didn't feel like work so much for us right now. Nothing coming easily.

That's not true. I did make a spontaneous friend and pint-sized friend at the baby shower - a delightful Chinese woman and her daughter (who latched onto me like I was Aunty Ally). I feel in love with the both of them. They are heading back to China to live soon though and I probably will never see them again. Still, I am grateful for that beautiful feeling when you meet someone and like them instantly, knowing you could be friends. Rare and wonderful.

How are you, reader? What's new?

~Ally
p.s. Lauren, I wish Scott and I could come to Mexico too! That would be the best of all scenarios! Have enough fun for all of us. xoxo

Bet you wish you knew if I really LOL

The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article about the common use and (sometimes funny) misuse of popular texting phrases. Thought you'd appreciate knowing, once and for all, what these quips really mean:

* UG2BK . . . . . . . You've got to be kidding
* GBTW. . . . . . . . Get back to work
* NMP . . . . . . . . . Not my problem
* PIR . . . . . . . . . . Parent in room
* GFTD. . . . . . . . . Gone for the day
* FYEO. . . . . . . . . For your eyes only
* BI5 . . . . . . . . . . Back in five minutes
* DEGT . . . . . . . . Don’t even go there
* BIL . . . . . Boss is listening
* PAW. . . . Parents are watching
* 99 . . . . . . Parents are no longer watching
* PCM . . . . Please call me
* IMS. . . . . I am sorry
* TOY. . . . . Thinking of you
* KUTGW. . Keep up the good work
* CID . . . . . Consider it done
* FWIW. . . For what it’s worth
* HAND . . . Have a nice day
* IAT . . . . . I am tired
* NRN . . . . No response necessary
* 4COL. . . . For crying out loud
* WRUD. . . What are you doing
* LMIRL. . . Let’s meet in real life
* ^5 . . . . . . High five
* NSFW.....Not safe for work
* LOL...Laugh out loud
* OMG.....Oh my god
* WOMBAT....Waste of money, brains, and time
* TTYL....Talk to you later
* WTF....What the #$&@
* IMO....In my opinion
* BFN....Bye for now
* ROFL....Rolling on the floor laughing
* LMAO....Laughing my @%$ off
* BFF....Best friends forever
* SWDYT....So what do you think
* WDYM....What do you mean
* GNOC....Get naked on camera
* POS....Parent over shoulder
* IWSN....I want sex now
* HBU....How 'bout you
* CIL....Check in later

Have another to share? Put it in comments and I'll add it.

TTFN (ta ta for now!)

~Ally

Changes

1. My friend had a baby! A preemie and both she and mom are doing fine.

2. I am on vacation this week. Not "vacation from my problems," just vacation from my job! :)

3. I watched the movie Trust the Man twice last week and it was hilarious both times! Rent it!

4. This month, I am taking a baby making drug that will hopefully help us get pregnant.

5. Did not get the job I interviewed for last week - sorry about that. Will keep trying.

6. It is August.

7. Mom is leaving soon for Mexico. I am gathering goodies for the various birthdays they will celebrate there.

8. Mom's house is on the market. It's a winner so check it out!

9. We got to see fireworks at the Pittsfield Balloon Rally on Saturday night, and they were spectacular - like no other fireworks!

10. I am planning a beach day this week if the weather cooperates (and maybe even if it doesn't).

~Ally