View From The Cheap Seats

Mending fences

2008-10-02T16:32:00.008-04:00

Well, my vacation from this blog truly did last longer than I had anticipated. Health issues, job (and the lack of sleep that results), family stuff, new writing stuff...I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. It wasn't so much the taking and posting of pictures that did it. In fact, I took pictures nearly every day. It was more the keeping up with everyone elses' blog. I didn't feel right about posting here if I wasn't visiting you guys as well.

I did miss it, though. And even though I'm still feeling overwhelmed, I'm going to give it a shot. So...here's a new entry with a few pictures.

The view I see most mornings (ie, mornings when I'm working, and when it's not raining.)

My hubby put up some new fences a few weeks ago...

This is one of them this past weekend:

I don't believe in raking leaves. They're just too darned pretty. I'm glad my neighbor feels the same way.

And last, but not least, Hazel's new favorite sleeping place. We've taken to calling her The Bag Lady.

Taking another break...

2008-08-07T15:47:00.002-04:00

Probably obvious, no?

Been rather crazy here again. My work schedule is changing, it's my kids' summer vacation, I'm in the middle of writing a novel...I’ve got my country’s five-hundredth anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder, and Guilder to frame for it. I’m swamped! Things should be calming down in another week or so. Until then I'll do my best to check back here...

Backwards

2008-07-30T20:44:00.000-04:00

The opposite view of Tuesday's picture.

Rainy days and Tuesdays...

2008-07-29T22:40:00.000-04:00

...can be pretty.

Sneak attack

2008-07-28T22:38:00.002-04:00

This picture was taken by my son. He caught me taking a nap.

Okay, I'm back

2008-07-27T16:57:00.015-04:00

Instead of posting a bunch of individual entries for all my missing pics, I'll just give you an overview of the past week.

I spent most of my time working the graveyard shift (here's some recent pictures of the construction, obviously not taken during the graveyard shift):

recuperating from said graveyard shifts (aside...I made all three quilts on my bed):

and writing:

But there were some other things going on as well. My daughter had a sleepover that left the house a complete wreck:

With careful recycling, we usually average only 2 bags of garbage each week for a family of four. I cheated and bought paper plates/cups for the sleepover. Two bags of trash in just 16 hours:

One of the mom's brought me ten yards of this funky material when she came to pick up her daughter. Whoo-hoo!

I spent some time in my garden, too. The blueberries are really starting to ripen:

Once "God of Speed" arrived from Australia on Saturday morning...

...I spent the rest of my weekend reading in my garden:

Temporary surrender

2008-07-24T08:05:00.001-04:00

Hi all!

I've been horribly neglectful of my pet project here over the past week. Pictures have been taken, but someone has been too lazy/tired to post them. I promise to get around to doing so today or tomorrow...

Some assembly required

2008-07-16T21:31:00.004-04:00

A little bit closer to pie...

2008-07-15T21:29:00.000-04:00

Home sweet home

2008-07-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

Some animals--probably mice--made a nest in this can of nails that was in our shed.

Lazy Sunday

2008-07-13T21:26:00.000-04:00

Landscaping fun

2008-07-12T21:18:00.000-04:00

We did some work on what will be our 'rock garden.' Yep, this is the chair my hubby fashioned out of the stump of a fallen tree.

Schedule

2008-07-11T09:03:00.003-04:00

For his Wednesday Picture, my buddy, Ole JC, posted his work-out schedule; his "key to my losing weight and pumping up the muscles." I'm not being sarcastic when I say I think this is a very admirable thing. Since our trip to D.C., where we did nothing but walk, I've been trying to lose some weight and get healthier myself.

So, inspired by JC, I sat down to make a schedule too. I sat for a long time. Then I remembered: I don't really do schedules all that well. I tried anyway, and this is what I came up with:

Did you know...

2008-07-10T10:03:00.004-04:00

...that potatoes can be quite pretty?

I guess this means no overtime?

2008-07-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

The store I work at is undergoing some pretty major construction.

Whoo-hoo!

2008-07-08T09:58:00.000-04:00

I finally got a chance to buy Coldplay's new CD. Wicked awesome!

The day after a holiday weekend

2008-07-07T09:56:00.000-04:00

As I was leaving work this morning, the Bud guy was just getting there.

I love a bargain

2008-07-06T09:52:00.002-04:00

$4.99 at the Goodwill Store. Now I have to buy some new dress shoes...

Where's Hubby?

2008-07-05T09:35:00.001-04:00

Lilies of the...yard

2008-07-04T09:34:00.001-04:00

Two gruesome headlines

2008-07-03T16:32:00.004-04:00

One murdering asshole convicted, another one caught.

When will it stop?

Sounds like a good idea to me...

2008-07-02T22:38:00.001-04:00

Oh snap!

2008-07-01T22:37:00.001-04:00

I didn't want to fold laundry anyway

2008-06-30T14:13:00.000-04:00

My new reading spot

2008-06-29T19:30:00.001-04:00

While Mom worked...

2008-06-28T07:55:00.001-04:00

...the rest of the family went fishing.

Cornfield part 2

2008-06-27T07:35:00.000-04:00

A lot can change in two and a half months.

Please don't eat the daisies

2008-06-26T22:55:00.001-04:00

She once was lost...

2008-06-25T20:55:00.001-04:00

...but now she's found.

We looked for Hazel for almost 20 minutes before we found her hiding behind the curtains, looking longingly at the backyard wildlife.

Summertime in a vase

2008-06-24T20:53:00.001-04:00

Shrinkage

2008-06-23T20:42:00.002-04:00

I bought myself a Jack Bauer/24 shirt at the International Spy Museum. It shrunk. Now my daughter wears it proudly.

The Aftermath

2008-06-22T12:18:00.001-04:00

Laundry and souveniers (this is only about 1/4 of them...)

Trip to D.C. Day 6: Home Sweet Home...

2008-06-21T12:11:00.000-04:00

Trip to D.C. Day 5: Animals...alive and otherwise

2008-06-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

We visited the Museum of Natural History in the morning:

And the National Zoo:

Trip to D.C. Day 4: A Day To Remember

2008-06-19T11:20:00.001-04:00

On Thursday, the only place we visited was the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. I plan to write a blog entry here very soon dedicated to our visit. For now let me just say that everyone should visit this memorial. Again, we were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum.

Trip to D.C. Day 3: A busy day.

2008-06-18T10:34:00.001-04:00

We decided to get off the Metro at the Pentagon stop so we could take this picture. That was before we knew you're not allowed to take pictures at the Pentagon Metro station. We had lots of 'splaining to do. Fortunately it didn't take them long to realize that we weren't spies or terrorists, but rather an idiot tourist family. They let us go...

Next stop: Union Station. Awesome place!

A replication of the Liberty Bell, at Union Station.

The Washington Memorial. We wanted to take the elevator up to the top, but the line was WICKED long.

Jefferson Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial:

Reflecting Pool:

The White House. But you probably knew that.

United States Botanical Garden. We got close to 100 pictures here. I could start a blog with them. Someday I might.

View of The Capitol Building from the Botanical Garden:

The Capitol:

The view from our hotel room window...

Trip to D.C. Part 2: The Fun Begins

2008-06-17T09:47:00.000-04:00

We went to the International Spy Museum chiefly for the kids, but my hubby & I had just as much fun as they did. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures inside. You'll just have to visit and see for yourself.

Next up: Ford's Theater, where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. It was closed. I was super bummed out.

Lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe for a family of four: $76.00.
Seeing memoriabilia from some of my favorite rock stars: priceless.

National Archives.

Navy Memorial.

This was lots of fun:

Trip to D.C. Part 1 Monday: A Day Of Signs

2008-06-16T09:28:00.000-04:00

Goodbye, Maine.

We wanted to stop here, but we didn't.

We chose to go around Boston, not through it.

We weren't so lucky with NYC.

Keep back 200 feet? NOT a problem.

Start spreadin' the news. I'm leavin' today. We weren't really 'a part of' New York, New York. We drove on by...

We made it out of NYC unscathed.

Delaware. We were only in it long enough to sneeze, and it cost us $4 in tolls.

After that it was too late, and too dark, for any more pictures. We got to our hotel in Alexandria Virginia at 11:45 pm.

Hiatus

2008-06-13T22:44:00.002-04:00

Hey guys...

My family and I will soon be traveling to Washington DC for what I hope will be a fun-filled week. As a result, there won't be any entries here until at least Sunday June 22; and that's assuming I'm caught up on my missed sleep by then. Never fear...I'll be taking tons o' pictures, and will post them here (post-dated) so you can see what I did, when I did it.

Until then...happy blogging!!

Pie

2008-06-13T22:25:00.003-04:00

This is a picture I took back in May. Originally I was going to post it here with a braggarty "Whoo-hoo! Look what I did" blog entry. But it didn't take long for me to realize there wasn't anything to brag about.

I hate to cook. I seriously do. I cook because the authorities look rather unfavorably on starving kids. Every so often, though, I'm inspired to do something a little daring. Like this lemon meringue pie. You may have noticed how awesome the meringue itself looks. That's because I got the recipe for it from Alton Brown, my favorite nerdy TV cook. The recipe came with instructions for making homemade lemon filling and a homemade crust, but that was a bit much for me; I opted for a frozen store-bought crust and a can o'filling instead. Still...the meringue was kind of amazing. I want you to remember that. Here's why:

I was so concerned with the meringue coming out Just So that I didn't think to cook the crust first. I just plopped the lemon filling into the raw (but thawed!) crust, gently spread the meringue on top, and cooked it for the alloted time (I can't even remember just what that was right now.) And so I was stuck with a beautiful, inedible pie.

I really hate to cook...

Kel enters the 21st century

2008-06-12T23:06:00.001-04:00

Whoo-hoo! I've got a cell phone. With a camera. No one's cooler than me.

Just a few more months...

2008-06-11T11:03:00.000-04:00

...and I can make some blueberry pie.

A new mascot

2008-06-10T08:18:00.004-04:00

A coworker found this wounded butterfly yesterday afternoon. We adopted her (we assume it's a her; we didn't actually check) as our store mascot. I never thought to name her...

Lupines!

2008-06-09T08:17:00.001-04:00

Already?

2008-06-08T17:06:00.002-04:00

It's only June 8, and it's already over 90 degrees and humid. We broke the air conditioner out a month earlier than usual. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

I suppose I shouldn't complain, since I spent the whole winter complaining about the snow...but I am.

Party time

2008-06-07T00:51:00.001-04:00

The altar

2008-06-06T00:49:00.000-04:00

Iriseseses

2008-06-05T12:46:00.001-04:00

Sabotage

2008-06-04T12:33:00.000-04:00

I'm supposed to be on a diet, and look what my husband brought home tonight.

The pinhead.

Crash--Make up photo for Tuesday

2008-06-04T10:27:00.002-04:00

I worked two overnight shifts this past weekend, with very little sleep in between. Tuesday night I sat down on the couch at 6:30 to watch the Red Sox game...and fell asleep before the pre-game show was over. Right on the couch. My hubby didn't have the heart to wake me up, so this is where I slept until 6:00am Wednesday morning.

Protest

2008-06-02T16:41:00.002-04:00

This is me, wearing every scarf I own at the same time, to protest Dunkin' Donuts wimpy behavior. I was going to give Dunkin' the finger, but thought better of it.

Boycott

2008-06-01T16:39:00.000-04:00

I'm boycotting Dunkin' Donuts for pulling the Rachael Ray 'offensive scarf' ad.

Frigging pussies.

Drone

2008-05-31T16:38:00.000-04:00

MINE!!

2008-05-30T16:34:00.000-04:00

People like to make narrow turns going around the corner and frequently drive over our lawn. If the bricks don't work the tacks and nails are coming out.

Bouquet

2008-05-29T20:57:00.000-04:00

My kids picked this for me today.

Shedding

2008-05-28T07:59:00.000-04:00

View from the forest

2008-05-27T07:57:00.000-04:00

Storm's a-comin

2008-05-26T07:56:00.000-04:00

Ladybug?

2008-05-25T07:47:00.002-04:00

A girl I work with found this bug in the parking lot Saturday night. It's kind of like a ladybug, but bronze...ish. Last week she found two four-leaf clovers in one day.

Kineo!

2008-05-24T11:54:00.000-04:00

Mt. Kineo is prominently featured in Waiting for Spring.
Here it is, taken by my daughter today. (On Moosehead Lake in Rockwood, Maine.)

View from the mailbox

2008-05-23T22:07:00.004-04:00

I recently received an autographed copy of Ginny Good, sent to my by Mr. Gerard Jones himself. I'm pretty psyched.

It's that time again

2008-05-22T17:14:00.003-04:00

Rowe's Apple Orchard is on Route 7 in Newport. The trees sit on both sides of the road. Every year, there's about a five day period when it feels like you're driving through a mystical forest.

Bring on the rain

2008-05-21T18:19:00.005-04:00

Just one picture won't do it today

Lots of limts

2008-05-20T06:16:00.000-04:00

We found this buried out back behind the shed over the weekend. My son wants to hang it in his room. I wonder how much scrubbing with bleach it will take until I'm comfortable with that?

View from my kitchen window

2008-05-19T19:10:00.000-04:00

Yes, this means what you think it means...

2008-05-18T20:24:00.004-04:00

My "I'm going grey quest" is at an end.

I guess you could say I've got a bleeding heart.

2008-05-17T21:38:00.001-04:00

Sure, it's pretty...

2008-05-16T11:58:00.001-04:00

...but the pollen plays merry hell with my allergies.
Does that make me a glass-half-empty kinda gal?

Gritty McDuff's

2008-05-15T13:23:00.003-04:00

Today I'm playing the role of Vacationland Guide.

If you're ever in Maine, eat at Gritty McDuff's. My personal favorite location is the Freeport brewery/pub, but they've also got spots in Portland and Lewiston-Auburn. The Black Fly Stout will knock your socks off.

We bought a Gritty Dozen variety pack last weekend. Yum!

Look what's in my freezer!

2008-05-14T01:42:00.002-04:00

This one is for JenO...and to make up for my anti-cow tirade at my other blog.

Queen Nefertiti

2008-05-13T20:25:00.001-04:00

My son's school had an academic fair. One of his classmates is a walking encyclopedia on Ancient Egypt.

(I didn't post my son's project here because all of those photos had him in them. But it was brilliant.)

Too cute to eat

2008-05-12T13:16:00.000-04:00

Tiptoe through the...

2008-05-11T12:59:00.001-04:00

...well, you know.

Purely shameless plug

2008-05-10T01:05:00.004-04:00

I'm excited to announce that Readers and Writers Blog will begin serializing
Waiting for Spring tomorrow,
Sunday, May 11.

Readers and Writers Blog was founded by a gentleman by the name of Sid Leavitt, a retired newspaper editor who once worked at the Portland* Press Herald. The site's official description: "a combination website-weblog that promotes good writing. We give writers a place to publish their nonfiction, fiction or poetry of any length at no cost and give readers a place to comment on that work." But what it is, really, is a haven for writers and a treasure trove for readers.

Currently posted work includes Gerard Jones' Ginny Good; Disconnected by J. Cafesin; and Leavitt's own Adrift in America. Needless to say I'm rather humbled by my own pending inclusion in this company, and would have touted this website even if my novel had not been accepted. The fact that it was makes it all the sweeter. So check out Waiting for Spring beginning tomorrow, along with the other very excellent writing available there.

[Note: the copy of WFS in the photo is one I had self-published at Lulu.com for my own editing purposes.]

* Maine, not Oregon

Spring poetry

2008-05-09T23:38:00.005-04:00

The honey wagon made a delivery today
half a mile away.
Thus, Kel left all her windows closed
on a warm, sunny spring day.

Awakening

2008-05-08T17:13:00.002-04:00

Four days later...

Stupid pet tricks

2008-05-07T15:09:00.000-04:00

Hazel can touch her nose with her tongue. I don't know if most cats can do this, but even if they can I'm pretty sure Hazel does it best.

Bricks and stones part 2

2008-05-06T16:39:00.000-04:00

The finished project.

Snacktime at work

2008-05-05T19:31:00.002-04:00

Sorry Ole J.C.

Newborn

2008-05-04T21:25:00.002-04:00

This is what greeted me when I got home from work this morning at 7:30.

Forget Moxie...

2008-05-03T23:23:00.000-04:00

...this is Maine's favorite beverage.

Camoflage

2008-05-02T21:23:00.003-04:00

Hazel goes well with my bedspread. So does her stuffy. (Yes, she frequently sleeps with a stuffed dog.)

Let there be light

2008-05-01T22:14:00.003-04:00

I love my funky chandelier. It was a 10th anniversary present from my hubby (almost six years ago.) He saw it at an antique store and said, "Yep. That's Kel."

Gotta love him.

Semi-organized chaos

2008-04-30T10:06:00.003-04:00

Otherwise known as my desk. (Yes, that's right...I'm a Sims 2 geek.)

Subliminal advertising

2008-04-29T20:15:00.003-04:00

I rarely pay attention to commercials, but my son noticed something odd in this chicken sandwich this afternoon. There's a dollar bill hidden in the lettuce.

If I was superstitious...

2008-04-28T19:15:00.005-04:00

...I'd say that this Curt Schilling rookie card--rediscovered just this afternoon in one of my old baseball card albums--indicates good things to come for my beloved Red Sox this season, much like the receipt of my Bill Lee rookie card did back in 2004.

I'd say that if I was superstitious.

The future's so bright...

2008-04-27T21:45:00.003-04:00

This is a cheat pic, taken last summer, but it's really cool so I'm sure you'll forgive me. (Yep, that's right...my camera batteries died again. You'd think I'd invest in some rechargeables.)

Fly boy

2008-04-26T16:39:00.000-04:00

My son tied these flies. Without a pattern. Obviously.

He's going fishing Memorial Day weekend. I'll let you know if these guys snag him any fish.

"Wilson!!!!!"

2008-04-25T23:53:00.002-04:00

Garden-to-be

2008-04-24T19:56:00.001-04:00

Yep. More flowers. Hey, after a long winter I deserve it.

Ant's eye view

2008-04-23T13:07:00.002-04:00

My favorite Bud...

2008-04-22T13:05:00.000-04:00

...is not beer.

Yellow stars

2008-04-21T13:03:00.000-04:00

My newest addiction

2008-04-20T13:03:00.000-04:00

Hazel from the other side...

2008-04-19T22:58:00.001-04:00

The opposite view...

Bricks and stone

2008-04-18T08:14:00.004-04:00

My brother-in-law bought these bricks last fall for his garden. He and his wife are moving out of state in a few weeks, so they gave them to us. For some reason, he also threw in a rock.

3 birds with one photo

2008-04-17T20:08:00.002-04:00

This photo shows:

1. Hazel, The Amazing Feline
2. GREEN GRASS in my backyard!
3. My icky window, that will soon be replaced.

My daughter's friend has been airbrushed to retain her anonymity.

Traveling Northbound on I-95 at 70 MPH

2008-04-16T22:43:00.004-04:00

Pine Tree Landfill, Hampden Maine. A 200 foot mountain of steaming, stinking trash.

I'm sure there's a logical reason for building it so close to I-95. I just don't know what that reason is.

Here's a closer view:

Distraction from taxation

2008-04-15T12:24:00.005-04:00

First blooms of spring today:

Last summer we got a freak windstorm than knocked down five trees in our yard. (Miraculously enough our house wasn't hit.) My hubby turned one of the stumps into a chair. This is where our rock garden will go. (Expect updates on that.)

Another sign of spring:

Some of the leaves we didn't get around to raking last year:

What Spring will mean

2008-04-14T22:06:00.003-04:00

This corn field sits less than half a mile from my house. In a few weeks, Mr. Dairy Farmer will be tilling and fertilizing these fields.

Ah...I love the smell of manure in the morning.