Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

1.  Ernie and I were at loose ends this weekend.  Not that we don't have lots of things we should have been doing (and really....I do mean LOTS) but somehow neither us could focus adquately.  So finally we just kind of gave in and declared it a last-weekend-before-school lazy weekend but somehow in the light of Monday morning I find that unsatisfying.  Oh well.

2.  While we were on vaction, for some unknown reason Owen requested that we cook a turkey when we got home.  He kept bringing it up so Ernie obediently bought a turkey the other day.  I suggested grilling it but that wasn't according to his plan....he wanted it "cooked in the oven."  So we roasted a turkey.  Normally I always buy an absolutely huge turkey but went with a small 14 pound one and.....just as with every time I cook a small turkey....I just didn't like it all that much.  And Owen, although he was polite about it, finally confessed that it didn't taste like he remembered.  I think there's something about the longer roasting time that give it a flavor that I just never find with a small turkey.  It was fine but not quite what Owen and I had wanted....

3.  Sometimes when I don't know what to do with myself I attend to the care and feeding of my computer.  So Friday and Saturday I spent God knows how long deleting pictures.  The various weird/fuzzy/bad pictures you end up with that really don't need to be saved.  I managed to delete about 3000 off my laptop and and most of the way through iphoto on our iMac.  Then I need to get back to getting them onto Flickr.  Sometimes even tiny little accomplishments can be satisfying.

4.  We've been tossing around going out of town on Labor Day.  The last several years we have always gone to the Labor Day parade with my mother as it went within a block of her house.  I would really have a hard time going this year without her so we decided to make it a last gasp of summer weekend.  I poked around online and found that the Indianapolis Children's musem not only has a Star Wars/Clone Wars exhibit but also one on rock and roll/guitars.  I showed the boys and they got very excited so I found a nice hotel pretty cheaply on hotwire and we are all set.  Any other Indianapolis recommendations are welcome!

5.  The other night I was trying to fall asleep with Owen at the foot of the bed (there was lightning and thunder).  All of a sudden I heard him sniffing and I, rather impatiently and rolling my eyes, asked what the problem was.  He then proceeded to tell me that he was just thinking about Aunt Judi and how much he wished that she could have seen him grow up.

Phhhhtttt.

Yeah.

I tried to keep it together and reminded him of how she had told him that she would always be there in his heart---always, always be there for him.  And I told him I missed her too....all the time.  We talked a bit and eventually I started crying.  He darted up to the head of the bed and hugged me and told me he was sorry that he made me cry.  I kissed him and told him that sometimes it's o.k. to cry.

I gotta say though....that one has stayed with me.  One of Judi's HUGEST regrets was not being able to see the boys grow up....and to have Owen suddenly articulate that loss like that....  Oof.

6.  My old camera was on its last legs and so I splurged and got a new one.  Erne went outside the other evening and came back with these pictures.....