what do gypsies do?

I've been having more and more trouble staying on task lately. I've always thought I tended a little toward ADD, but it's worse than ever lately. I've decided it is all because of my children.

Questions/Statements with which I was beset during our drive to dog obedience class tonight, within the very short span of 20 seconds:

• "Do you know the words to 'Bet On It?'"
• "Mom, what does a gypsy do?"
• "Do you know how to throw a frisbee forehand?"
• "You know, you can't ever change that you spanked Roxy."

{Roxy is our dog who was being EXTRAORDINARILY naughty tonight on the way to dog obedience, of all places, causing several bruises on my shins, a few burst eardrums and a total shattering of patience. Yes I spanked her and no, E will never forgive me.}

(Sigh.)
I am so tired.

Here is a random selection of some of the things I've been busy with recently (as a pathetic attempt at an excuse as to why I've not posted in so long).

I found out I'm funded through this.

I'm also going to San Francisco and LA in December for some meetings. I have not traveled for work in 2 years. It's not easy to try to stay up with things as a scientist when you limit travel so severely. But it's a choice I happily made in order to keep the balance I want between my career and my family. I'm ready to travel some more now though, which is a good thing since I may need to go on at least one of the aircraft deployments to the Arctic (Fairbanks?) this year.

Red Sox. I am supremely happy. So is DH (happy is somewhat of an understatement.) Man, does he love baseball. I love that he loves it, and I find I can love the game too, if he can de-intensify enough to enjoy it with me. I won't even get into the whole ordeal (yes I will) that I made him pay dearly for, when we took a family trip to see the Sox play in Baltimore this year, and I discovered once we were looking for our seats (DH bought the tickets), that we WERE NOT SITTING TOGETHER. DH simply cannot understand how anyone would not be happy to go watch the Red Sox play, whether you are sitting alone or not. Me? I fumed and sputtered and cried and tried to enjoy what I could of the game without going to find DH and clobbering him over the head. Let's just say that from now on, we will not be attending games unless the family is SITTING TOGETHER. I'm such a bitch.

Anyway.

We had so much fun watching the playoffs and the World Series. I just wish my kids could have watched more of them with us, but it was too late for them to stay up. Q just absolutely adores Jacoby Ellsbury and has been following his career for a while (Q's favorite position is center field). He's a talented, strapping young man (who is young enough to be my son, I discovered - Mare, check out his birth date. O.M.G.) who is just amazing at baseball. I saw Ellsbury announcing the lineup before one of the series games and he was so nervous that he was rocking back and forth in such a Q'esque kind of way that I nearly died laughing.

Me? I have a soft spot for Mike Lowell, the series MVP and all around amazing person and amazing ball player and...well...he's distinguished and handsome, and is a lot closer to my age. I will have a hard time forgiving the Sox if they don't re-sign him.



He's downright hot in that picture.
(from me, the baseball aficionado)

Not sure about DH. I know he's a Varitek fan, partly because we were at Ga Tech all at the same time. Sorry, I have no stories about hanging out with Jason (and Nomar) at local bars, though. DH did take me to a game or two back then, not that I had any idea. No idea that Varitek and Garciapara would end up in the majors, and no idea that I would end up marrying DH and having two children with him. I was just hanging out at the ball field and drinking a beer. (BTW, I just went to ask DH who his favorite Red Sox player was and he said historically it'd be Varitek, but he's really up on Ellsbury now).

Funny, neither DH nor Q place much importance on "being hot." Me either, really. I swear. Really. It's just a very nice sidenote. Jeez. Time to indulge my ADD and move to another subject.

We are in the process of beginning another addition to our home (will post pictures as it goes along). This room will be a full addition (foundation, heating and cooling, etc) sunroom - i.e., nice big room with as many windows that will fit, vaulted ceiling, skylights, and door leading out to a new TREX deck. Future dreams include a hot tub on the deck, and an above-ground pool with surround decking. It'll happen!!!! Party at my house in about another decade...

See you there...