Meyer lemon tarts for everyone!

Late late late!  Apologies.  (Again.) 

The Meyer lemon tart is from my hot date last night!  Mmm mmm -- shortbread crust, delicious lemony wonderfulness, dollop of fresh whipped cream, and some candied fresh blueberries. 

Miranda wins the SuperWoman Award, for flying here and there during an especially busy couple weeks of madness and joy.

Sue wins the Pullet Surprise for completing her writing assignment for the awesome upcoming writing workshop. 

The Einstein Award for loving math at summer camp goes to Liz's Muffin Man!   We can say we knew him when...

Neighbor Girl wins the Fabulous Sleepaway Camp Award -- yes, it's a long time to be away, but such a great opportunity!  Hugs to NL, who will miss her lots. 

QWP wins the Adverntures in the Almost Wilderness Award, for  sallying forth to camp with a 6 month old; and also the Apartment Karma Award for quickly locating great possibilities when the current place got sold out from under them.  Excellent work!

This week's Universe is Smiling Award goes to a pair of scotus decisions advancing the causes of equality and love. 

Cluesticks to banks, obnoxious colleagues, headache monsters, delays and obstacles, and all other deserving parties.

Many thanks for patience with your host's Saga.  Thanks for playing!

Welcome Summer!

Schools are out; camps are in session; people are planning these things called "vacations."  Summer already started, but it's only now officially starting, and on the other hand, the days will just get shorter in the N. hemisphere from here on out.  So confusing!  I do really like the long days.


Sibling angst report:  had a very long, good talk with the Sibling of Greatest Historical Angst.  Wow.  Not betting the farm on this development, but it's not bad.

On the SIL front, I'm really happy to have found an online support group for people dealing with her kind of dementia.  It is a boost to find out there is a "tribe" out there.

Cluestick nomination:  those gigantic urban assault vehicles, parked in the "compact" spot.

What's happening?

Chocolate cake, brownies, and banana bread for Everyone!

Queen of West Procrastination wins the Baking Goddess Award for her variety of soothing baked goods this week, none of them pie, proving that she is multi-talented.

This week's Useless Object Award is for bread-shaped doorstops, the production of which seems to be a Pixie specialty. 

The Wash Our Eyes With Bleach Award goes to those pieces of the Intertubes featuring an unhealthy devotion to feet, something a person does not want to discover unaware of the danger that such things exist.

The Word of the Week is "frugal,"  which as Esperanza points out, sounds so much more complimentary than "cheapskate."   QWP's dad wins the crown, having gone close to 60 years without paying for a haircut!

The Graceful Hostess Award goes to Sue, who had far-traveling guests to dinner and managed to do no harm to herself in the dangerous kitchen.  Take that, you sneaky freezer door!

The Perils of Parenting Award goes to Esperanza,  who has had it up to here with slow-pokes -- bringing out the big guns, "no rodeo for you, young miss, if you don't get out of those jammies!"  Esperanza also brings the Bodily Fluids, in the form of a carpet puddle suggesting that the great potty training adventure might have a few loose ends yet.

Congratulations to Miranda, on the unloading of the dreaded Work Albatross!

Happy Dance for A(nother) Nonny Mouse's news about the great date!

Cluesticks to that pediatrician, who keeps referring QWP's little one for specialty consults even though E's head is normal.  Also to the sister who stayed up half the night chatting with friends, then complained far and wide that she had to drive part of the way home.  Also to any Fun Parents who make Fun Decisions and leave the consequences to a more beleaguered parental unit.  And finally, to heavy-handed big guys, people who  mislead others about their future plans, those responsible for horrible meetings, and others in need of a nice clue by four. 

Many thoughts are with all those affected by the terrible flooding in Canada.  So glad that Sue's friend was rescued. 

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Book club!  Remarkable Creatures, by Tracey Chevelier, hosted by Miranda, is still open for comments.

Next up:   July 10, 2013 - Les Miserables [2012 movie version].

Dear, Deer, Turkey

My beloved -- who a few weeks ago acquired a painful fence-building-related tendon problem, and just last Friday had physical therapy to banish the remains -- spent his Father's Day continuing to build this long fence along the back of the yard.  He was a man on a mission.  (Our lot is nearly triangular -- narrow on the street side, long on the back side that borders the nature area.)

But alas, one of those hungry deer jumped the fence and ate about half the foliage of a young fruit tree, and part of another.  This also happened in the fall, when the junior trees were stripped naked of all their leaves, and he vowed revenge in the form of the fence.  Well, it is a nice-looking and sturdy fence, anyway, with 1x1's well-spaced so that there is still a view through it.  He's also kind of ticked at the birds, who are eating plums from a more mature tree without his permission. 

Meanwhile, a "lady turkey" has been visiting outside the fence -- which isn't huge news to those of us who work at home, because there are lots of wild turkeys around the hillside, and it's not even terribly unusual to see them wandering the quieter streets, looking for whatever turkeys look for.  When traveling in a flock on the street, the dude turkeys have been known to challenge automobiles they suspect of dishonorable intentions toward their womenfolk.  Oh, the strutting and flaunting of tail feathers!  But, my beloved has not spotted a turkey so close before.

That's the wildlife report.  What's going on in your personal environment?

Pies for Everyone!

Our admiration for the extended pie-making efforts of Queen of West Procrastination, henceforth to be known as The Pie Queen!

Mini and Sweet Baboo win the Swimming Like Fish Awards, for doing great at the first swim lesson!

The Good Sportsmanship Award goes to Neighbor Boy, who not only did his best in the pouring rain, but also went with two teammates to congratulate the other team on a good game -- demonstrating the kind of spirit we like.  Go, NB!

Albatross Be Gone Award for Miranda, who reports:  "If I can keep folks from stealing my team, I should be done with my Work Albatross this week." Rock Star!

JenR wins the Old Skool Award, for:  "I am sitting in bed reading, and I am hungry. The kitchen is directly below me, and I feel too lazy to get up and walk down there."

Esperanza has been on Baboo duty for a good long stretch, and so she wins an extra helping of Esperanza Time at the conference for her other job.  Here, have some pie!

The Shiny New Machine Award goes to Sue, for her new netbook!  Whee!

This week's Dreaded Object Award goes to electronic toys with annoying and repetitive music, which in the opinion of Award Central should go directly from factory to landfill, in the interest of preserving parental brain cells.  Or, they make handy tools of revenge, should you be in need. 

Thanks for playing!

Dance Party!

OK, maybe this means we're humming and bopping in our office chairs, or dancing a baboo through the kitchen, or locking the door so nobody sees it -- but everybody is encouraged to cut loose a little this week, in celebration of summertime!   Song suggestions welcome!  No earworms, please.

W/AW:  This project is so behind.  I have to finish it, but think it is time to move in a different career direction after this.  I've been devoted for so long, so changing course seemed like a really hard decision until all of a sudden, it isn't so much.  (Details unbloggable.)

Stupid report:  Yesterday, I remembered to buy the paper towels, and then I left them in the bottom of the shopping cart when I loaded the car. 

Wildlife report:  Cute deer behind the back fence!  Their ears are marvels, swiveling to and fro to pick up sounds in the vicinity.

What's the tune on your dance floor?

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Book club!  Remarkable Creatures, by Tracey Chevelier, hosted by Miranda.

Aloe and Bonnets for Everyone!

When even the Canadian pixies experience sun and warmth, then summer is definitely here!

Hip, Hip, Hooray! to our very own candidate....Liz! Congratulations, and best wishes on the campaign! And Hooray for campaign donors!

Gentle hugs to JenR's little guy, as he recovers from a successful and (it turns out) minor surgery.

Elevated Risk of Mullet AND Remembering What It's All About (has there ever been such an illustrious amalgamation of awards?) goes to Queen of the West Procrastination, for this put-your-coffee-down sentence: "...now I keep finding yams on my Remembering What It's All Abouts. Mildly uncomfortable." And the kicker of an understatement: "Being a mom is really weird sometimes."

Old Skool Award to Miranda, for her tearful saga of No Coffee Beans at Home.

Gross Awards to people who lick waxed paper, and to people who request other people to buy their underwear (understandable, in the situation, but gross).

Cluesticks to people who run anonymously for political office (seriously), dishwashers that break, twitching eyes, parishioners who make inane comments about clergy appearance, snow mold, and anyone else acting like they forgot they are a grownup.

Hugs to kathy a and the whole crew on the SIL situation.

Happy Birthday to kathy a's grownup son! And hooray for disappearing Work Albatrosses! (Albatrossi?)

Pixies, I have a sermon to write tonight. This Awards Show needs to wrap up.  Have a fantastic week, and don't forget the Wednesday Book Club, where we will discuss Remarkable Creatures this week, under Miranda's direction!

A Better Week of Whining

Universe, we have some requests:
* lay off the tornadoes, please
* and the flooding too
* keep legit comments out of the spam filter. Blogger can't figure it out, so maybe you can take care of it.
* outlaw summer colds (or at least get a better name. How can it be a "cold" when it's hot outside?)
* chocolate ice cream needs to be calorie-free (magically, not with a bunch of unpronounceable ingredients)
* everyone needs a good job. If not this week, then next
* really, we could use a bit of good news this week

The Esperanza Household is off to the beach for a few days (pale skinned people at the beach. What could go wrong?). Part of us will return on Wednesday, while one poor soul has to stay for boring meetings. Fill us in on your whines, pixies.

Valuable Prizes!

This week's ceremony is sponsored by the Sp@m Patrol, dedicated to keeping important member comments out of the sp@m filter.  Thanks, Liz!

The Old Skool Award was earned by Esperanza, with her classic whine of itchy peeling sunburn.   The trophy is actually a cleverly disguised tube of SPF 50 sunscreen.

Purple Kangaroo wins the Remembering What It's All About Award, for the ouchie ta-tas of middlish pregnancy. Saltines all around!

Queen of West Procrastination wins the Volcanic Action Award, for dealing with a poop-splosion of epic proportions (the fabulosity of which was only increased by white pants, which are a bad idea anyway).  Apologies for freaking Mr. Q out about airplanes.

The Mamas Never Forget Award goes to Liz, for "I remember one 'splosion that went up the 4th of July onesie and out the neck and armholes. He had goop in his HAIR. IN HIS HAIR."  They never really tell you about this in those happy upbeat parenting books.  You're looking for a developmental milestone or something, and bam.

The coveted Elevated Risk of Mullet Award goes to Sue, for her time-tested advice to never wear white undies with white pants:  "'Aaaaaack!  It's like wearing a neon sign that says 'Here are my panties!'"

Esperanza wins the Outlaw Award, for getting a book of faces "friend" request from a creepy step-mother-in-law whose "photo looked like one of those h0t chix spam accounts," which might mean that outlaw offspring set it up as a cruel prank; but in any event, Ms. Manners says one need not "friend" creepy persons.

The Neighborly Training Award goes to QWP, for educating the annoying downstairs neighbor in the mysterious ways of the recycling bins, so as not to get blacklisted by the recycling gods. 

Sue wins the It's a Miracle Award, for her report of a wonderful multi-day church meeting -- with bonus news of no fireplacing headache!

Congratulations to Miranda, on the new job!  And also the divorce finally getting done.

Many hugs to Flutterbye, negotiating life circumstances and marital issues.  xoxoxo

Best to all who are dealing with difficult relatives and/or neighbors, bodily fluids of any kind, hilariously inadequate excuses, policy decision-making, meltdowns at inconvenient times (like during the ceremony one drove 8 hours to attend), sleeplessness of self or others, time flying inexplicably fast, school choices, re-joining the dating pool, or any other potential obstacles to health and happiness.  The Posse shall pay visits as needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Next up at the Wednesday Book Club:
* June 12, 2013 - Remarkable Creatures, by Tracey Chevelier (Miranda)
*  July 10, 2013 - Les Miserables [2012 movie version] (Kathy A; suggested by PK)