monday mash up, March 5

Well, I can't not do Monday Mash Up, can I? You know, I made a conscious decision on Friday, and I can remember the exact moment. I'd just picked Callum up at school and we went to Starbucks to celebrate the start of Spring Break before coming home. As evidenced by photo number one up there in the left hand corner, I had a trunk (and back seat) full of product from Selma's to start taking photos for their website. I am beyond gleefully excited about this project, but I have a lot to do in the coming months. I may have mentioned (a-hem) that I feel a bit overwhelmed these days. Anyway, it was Friday afternoon, and we came happily home from school. Callum was gathering his stuff from the back seat, and as usual, I was ahead of him, up the steps and at the front door. I had my hand on the handle of our storm door and suddenly I thought, rather that feeling overwhelmed by all the work I have ahead of me, I'm going to be grateful for my bounty.

It's all about your point of view, isn't it?

We had a low-key weekend. Saturday morning we had a huge thunderstorm. Nothing like the horrors faced by those in the south and midwest. But plenty of thunder and lightening. My parents are in Tennessee, and my dad spent a portion of Friday night hiding out in the bathroom (storm shelter) during a tornado warning and high winds. My mom was at a play and after the show the audience wasn't allowed to leave the theater due to tornado warnings and heavy storms. They had gathered in the lobby but were then pushed back into the auditorium (which happened to be a storm shelter) for the worst of the storm. Everybody is fine.

I worked a lot, but it was all good. We did not do our Saturday dinner, but instead I made homemade macs and cheese (that's what's being whisked) and BATS (bacon, avocado and tomato sandwiches) early so Neel and Callum could go to the Harlem Globetrotters! How cool is that! They had so much fun. I would have loved to go, but sometimes it's good for a father and son to do these things alone together.

Sunday was my favorite kind of day. Rainy and cozy. I made breakfast sandwiches, hoping to try them for weekdays, and they were awfully tasty. I don't think I can manage bacon every day of the week though. Bummer. While I worked, Neel tended his garden, building a patio in the rain. It looks beautiful (and damp). Callum and his buds played Nerf basket ball in his room and watched basket ball on tv. It's so nice to relax knowing that Spring Break is here. Isn't that dark, glowy picture cool? Except for the weird smallpox effect, I really like it. He has a sleepover to look forward to this week and new shoes and a haircut (!). Later we're heading out of town to one of my favorite cities. I finally get to show Neel. Can you guess where?

five things, march 2nd edition

1. I think I know that everyone has been there, but I'm really struggling with balance and feeling out of control lately. Having Callum, then me get sick really threw me. I said to Callum at dinner one night this week, "This weekend we need to cook the Saturday dinner that we didn't get to make together last weekend." And then I thought, WAIT! That was TWO Saturdays ago. We lost TWO WEEKS. As if the year hasn't been messed up enough already. I'm behind in my work, I'm behind in my play (and let's face it, that's way worse), and right now there feels like no hope of catch up in sight. This too will pass, but right now I feel like I'm on a rocky sea.

2. I think I forgot to tell you, Neel fixed the dryer!

3. I think it's crazy that yesterday I had a conversation with a woman who was getting a foot or more of snow while I had my window open to 80 degree temperatures.

4. I think I'm going to start to take a lot of pictures very soon. And speaking of pictures. I'm so touched by all your dear comments on my Day-in-the-Life post. It was fun to do. Really fun. I didn't want to do words, but I asked and you people wanted words! Next month, no words. Also, quick camera lesson: RAW and .jpeg. I'm not even going to try except to say that by shooting in .jpeg, your camera does the processing to get an image for you. When you shoot in RAW, and you download the images, they aren't processed (therefore they appear flatter & less contrasty) until you process them. Shooting .jpeg takes less space on memory cards and is generally faster. RAW allows more room for editing, a lot more. But. All these pictures you see here are .jpegs. Even if I shot them in RAW, I process it and export it into a .jpeg.

5. I think that next week will be, by necessity, a light blogging week. I hate to do it. But it's Callum's spring break and we have work to do and breathers to be, well, breathed. Love you ducks. Happy weekend. xo