The Honeymoon is Over

Not wanting to be outdone by Bill's anniversary post (which was very sweet and I love nothing more than my own wedding pictures) I decided to do an anniversary-themed post as well tonight.  This is Bill in the stocks at Warwick castle (my favorite castle because it's really castle-y) with Petey as his gaoler - a glimpse of what the rest of his life will be like as #3 in the household.

"Is there something in my teeth?"

Here is some more insight into the drudgery of Bill's life...this is us the morning after our wedding with Bill grooming me at the breakfast table.  

I'll end on one of our favorite honeymoon shots...me in Harry Potter glasses next to some dead plucked chickens.   As soon as I saw them I knew I had to be near them.

Happy Anniversary to us

Happy Anniversary, Jennie.  I'd do it all again and would still consider myself incredibly lucky to be married to my best friend.

I wish I were home with you to celebrate.

Love you...

One good reason to only maintain a small circle of friends is that three out of four murders are committed by people who know the victim.
- George Carlin

%#^@&*$

I went out to dinner tonight in Arlington with Stacey and Di.  We had Italian while we caught up on the past few weeks.   

This is me when I get into the car and realized that the whole night went by without a picture for the blog!!!  It's not very flattering but maybe that will teach me to take a photo while socializing rather than waiting until every one goes home.  (of course, Arrested Development fans know that you shouldn't teach lessons...)

Bill said he might try to post from California as well.  We have a rule that you can't post on top of the other's post in one day but in this case I will make an exception. Post away, honey!

Nothing much for me to post either.... just me hanging out on the left shore with the girls.....

Bill vs The Waffle

Haircut day again.  You know, its hard to take a picture of your own hair in a mirror.  I kept getting the iPhone in front of my face. Not that you wouldn't want to see a picture of my iPhone.  In fact, there it is in its Cath Kidston case.  Isn't it cute?

In this photo you can see the little note taped to the mirror that says I love Bill more than my favorite waffle (Windsor England around 2003).  It was the best compliment he ever got so it's been up there for years.  I take my waffles very seriously. (I posted about all my favorite waffles once but since we don't use tags you will have to read every blog entry ever written to find it.)

Since this blog is really intended as kind of a diary of our activities, I'll add that Bill is in California on business and that the NPPS convened on Atwood Street tonight for episode 3 of Mildred Pierce.    Milldred just opened her chicken and waffles restaurant.  Her waffles didn't look like they could begin to challenge Bill for my love.

Style Blog, followed by Braille Blog

Petey doesn't need glasses.  She just wears them to look cute.

I wear glasses to offset my rugged handsomeness with a dusting of intellectual.

Jennie wears glasses because without them she'd need a world design by Louis Braille.

Speaking of Monsieur Braille, did you know that this blind Frenchman didn't invent the communication method that was named after him?  He actually improved upon a system developed by Charles Barbier in response to Napoleon's demand for a code that soldiers could use to communicate silently and without light at night called "night writing". 

Please, Sir, I want smores....

The Byrnes-Kay family headed north today.  The game plan was bbq, fire pit and smores - things we thought would interest Thomas and Alexander.  Turns out that these are things that really only interest the over 40 crowd - especially on a cold drizzly day.  

Alexander tried to get into the spirit of the smores but quickly tired of the weather and, no doubt, the company.  

The day ended when Noelle said that our yard was "over cairned".  Bill now has plans for a dozen more to spite her.  

The Day in Pictures

The weeping cherry has blossomed prematurely, we ate breakfast with Wyatte and Malikai, sent Joey back to U Dub and went out to dinner.

Sunrise on Joppa

I drove Laura to the bus early this morning for her trip to California and on the way back home I noticed an orange glow behind the buildings down town.  This is what I miss every day while I'm in the shower and trying on my 7th outfit of the morning.  Sunrise as seen from Joppa Flats.

Spring Break craziness

We had dinner on deck again tonight.  We tortured Joey with questions about school and relationships.  He handled all our inquiries, most of them frivilous hypotheticals.

I don't think MTV will be making a spin off special about Joey's Spring Break rowdiness.

Jen, however, was offered a six show pilot.

It was our last dinner before he heads back to Seattle.  Seems like he just got here.

Jennie's Dark Side

Jennie reads her book in the dark on the deck.

Who said the following quote?

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
a) Groucho Marx

b) Steven Wright

c) Rodney Dangerfield

d) me

Joey week continues ....

 

Don't be fooled by the picture of our little Joey looking possessed. He's as thoughtful as ever.  Even though the leader of Invisible Children went on his naked profanity-laced dance in San Diego this week, he remains behind the mission.  He is not cynical like his parents.He's positive and hebelieves in the good in people.  These traits he should never lose.

More Joey! Totally ALL Joey!!

I remember thinking, "When Joey is home we will have Joey posts all week!" without really taking into account the fact that half the time he is at his mother's.  So this is my makeshift Joey post without Joey.  Would you know that Joey wasn't in it if I didn't tell you? (I should have covered that stick neck with a blanket)   I'm also, of course, pandering to Fletch, who wants all Joey all the time.  Soak it in, Fletch, this time next week we'll be posting the sink series.

Spring Break - Newburyport

Joey made himself right at home today.  He's on the east coast for a week before he starts the final quarter of his Freshman year.  He spent the afternoon on the couch watching March Madness....

then we fired up the grill and the pit and spent a balmy night out in the yard.  Good times with the 'rents.  

Just for the record, UW alumni include Patrick Duffy, Bruce Lee, and Kenny G.  In a few years Joey's name will be added to that illustrious list!

Rorschach: What do you see in this picture?

Desperate for a photo we took this one with Photobooth on Bill's Mac.  Then Bill worked his photoshop magic.  Can you tell what is going on here?  It's like a Rorschach test.  

Meanwhile, it's pizza night. My favorite night of the week.  Work is over, we have two full days of leisure in front of us. Joey gets home Sunday morning which means Joey will be featured in the blog next week (something for Fletch to look forward to).  

Random reference to an earlier post - - I don't know which of us (me or Andy) came up with that game show title (see March 14) but I clearly remember the setting.  We were talking while sleeping over at Gramma Entwistle's house.  There was only one bedroom (hers) so we slept on lawn chairs on either side of the dining room table.  When I had to get up in the middle of the night to pee it meant the chair would flip up and I would sort of catapult into the table legs.  Good times at Gramma E's.

Gassy Betty

Jen will not like this post.  We joke about the Queen Mother having a flatulence problem.

Daruma Queen

This is my Daruma doll.  It was a gift from Vicki at the start of the year. It comes with a little story about an Indian priest (Daruma) who stared at the wall for 9 years in mediation.  The doll is purchased for good luck, hope and courage throughout the year.  What luck has to do with the 9 year meditation, I have no idea.  The little story really doesn't make that connection.  Anyway, the way it works is that I'm supposed to blacken one eye when I make a wish and then blacken the other eye when the wish comes true.   As many readers can probably guess, the eyes are both white because I'm afraid of "wasting" my Darum wish!  Every time I think of something I talk myself out of it and say that the wish isn't worthy.  

Rereading my little story here, I realize that it really doesn't imply that the eye blackening MAKES the wish come true.  You just blacken the eye and then, basically, you are on your own.  Either it will come true or it won't.  (Which just reminded me of the old game show Andy and I created once called "Either You Win or You Don't".  Andy and I were pretty black and white when we were kids. There were winners and there were losers.  The End.)

The perfect little rerun

Daylight savings seems like a good idea on the evening end.  It's still light at 7 pm!!  But on the morning end, it's rough.  I'm still not adjusted and after my evening wine, I'm exhausted at 10 and not in the mood to blog.  But of course, I feel some sense of obligation to our 5 followers.  I wouldn't want my sleepiness to create a void in someone's life.

I had bookclub tonight and since I'm the only one of the group who likes to have her picture taken, that doesn't tend to generate good blog fodder.  Hmmm...what to post?  Can I go back in time and look for a shot from the past?    Then I saw it.  My perfect little face.  I don't care if I've posted this before.  Chances are, I will post it again.  

not all HR Managers role are defined the same

I watched The Human Resource Manager tonight while Jennie had her monthly book club.

I will tell you this, this guys job does not resemble mine.  

A temp worker at a large bakery in Jerusalem kills herself in a suicide bombing.  The HR Manager spends the movie trying to do the right thing to bring her body back home.

My job is a walk in the park in comparison

THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER is a dramedy centered on the HR manager of Israel's largest industrial bakery, who sets out to save the reputation of his business and prevent the publication of a defamatory article. It was Israel's official entry for the 2011 Academy Awards Best Foreign Film category. HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER is a Film Movement release, runs for 103 minutes, is in Hebrew, English and Romanian with English subtitles, and is not yet MPAA-rated. The Human Resources Manager of Jerusalem's largest bakery is in trouble. He is separated from his wife, distanced from his daughter and stuck in a job he hates. When one of his employees, a foreign worker, is killed in a suicide bombing, the bakery is accused of indifference, and the HR Manager is sent to the victim's hometown in Romania to make amends. Far from home, on a mission to honor a woman he didn't even know but has somehow grown to admire, the HR Manager rediscovers his own humanity and his ability to truly care for human resources. Eran Riklis' THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER is based on an Israeli book that was recommended to him-A.B. Yehoshua's A Woman in Jerusalem (a New York Times notable book, and L.A. Times Book Prize winner, among other awards.) Keeping with the book, Riklis made the calculated decision not to name any of his characters (save the deceased woman inspiring the trip) but rather rely on their professions and personal attributes to identify and define them-the HR Manager, The Weasel, The Boy... These character archetypes lack a certain individuality and could, in turn, be any of us. In this act Riklis challenges the conventional and quirky road-trip movie and, in his words, creates a film that is "offbeat and kind of mainstream in a way." He calls THE HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER "an asymmetrical road movie." It played at numerous international film festivals, including Toronto and Palm Springs, and captured the Audience Award at the Locarno Int'l Film Festival. Riklis' film features fearless performances by a comedic ensemble cast led by the well-known Ukrainian actor Mark Ivanir, whose resumé includes Spielberg's SCHINDLER'S LIST; HOLLY ROLLERS (with Social Network's Jesse Eisenberg), and Robert De Niro's THE GOOD SHEPHERD. -- (C) Film Movement

Falcons dominate - so did I

Randy invited Mom & I to come with him to watch our High School play in the semi final game for the state championship (Division 3).  I left work a little early (don't squeal on me, Fletch).

As you can see from the happy faces Danvers won.  They play for the state championship Saturday.

I loved that Mom came with us.  She had a really great time, it was last minute and of course, it makes me think "why don't I do more of this?".  But for tonight, it was all good.

I need a better P.R. team

We had our last day in NYC and spent it in Brooklyn.  Jennie went to one of her favorite bookstores while I walked the streets.  I saw this great little car named the Beaglemobile.  The owner made this rolling advertisement for his Beagle and Potts woodworking business.

It's got to be hard to get noticed in New York.  With the luck we've had with mediocre contractors, I'd hire this guy and his beagle to work on our house.

I teased Jen about not taking any pictures of me on our trip.  She took this very flattering picture of me driving home.  It doesn't count.

Meet You in Hell!

Jennie and I visited the Renoir exhibit at the Frick Museum.  I got scolded by a nasty security lady for brushing my hand against one of the antique fainting chair.  And then as if to emphasize the scolding she snorted as she passed me.

But I should not have started the Frick review on such a negative path.  It was wonderful.  The building is an architectural wonder.  The paintings (and sculptures, but I could give two shits about the sculptures) all fit together.  Frick liked paintings that told a story, that had personal emotion.  You see more happy scenes than other museums who have room after room of John the Baptist getting his head cut off (Jen loves these, of course).

But the best part of the Frick story is the feud with the Carnegie family.  The tour talks about Frick the collector.  It emphasizes his personal touch in creating a beautiful museum.  Then it casually hints that he and the Carnegie's had a falling out over their steel empires.

But when you go to the gift shop the first book you see is about the feud, title "Meet You in Hell".  Seriously, "Meet You in Hell"?  I love that and am jealous that I've never had that much emotional distain for someone to recite these words.  It's on my bucket list.

Even after my "Sir!  Don't touch the furniture!" lecture, we broke the rules again by taking a photo in the Frick.  We're like the couple in Natural Born Killers, totally rebellious.

But then again, not so rebellious that we don't appreciate a French macaron.

We were walking down Park Avenue after the Frick and saw a long line of people in what looked to be a cookie shop.  We got in line.  We had no idea what they were selling but we had time to kill.

Turns out this shop, Laduree, is famous for it's macarons.  We bought four.  It may have been the best thing we ate all weekend (and we ate well).

Speaking of eating well, we found Lupa in Greenwich Village.  One of our better meals this weekend.

No Rickman today, but another great day in the city.

Snape Sighting!

Bill and I went to see Seminar last night starring Alan Rickman, Jerry O'Connell (the fat kid in Stand By Me who is now thin and married to Rebecca Romjin) and three other people with no bloggable fame.  (I'm assuming everyone reading our blog knows who Alan Rickman.  If not, please google and start renting movies immediately.)

I've been to plenty of Broadway shows and somehow never noticed that people line up afterwards at the stage door to see the actors come out.  Of course I've seen pictures of this happening in magazines but I never actually saw it in real life.  When we exited the theater, there was a small group waiting behind metal barriers so I grabbed Bill and went behind the line to be groupies.  After a nobody came out to tell us that Mr Rickman will only sign material from Seminar (which made me start to wonder what people generally ask him to sign rather than the show playbill), we were rewarded in short order with many photos and an autograph.  

Jennie was so excited after our Rickman rendezvous that she told a random couple on the elevator that she and Rickman had a one on one connection.  "He's still thinking about me, " she told them as they fled the elevator.

Which reminds me of our encounter with the Middle Eastern man who works at the little convenience store around the corner.  He said to me as he was looking at Jen "She ees very pretty".  My comment back was "She is beautiful ...... but she's dumb as a stump."  I'm not sure he understood the phrase.

Here is us gallery hopping.  Jennie is inspired by the giant tiger photos behind her.  We discovered a new artist, Eric Fischl (he's new to us, been around forever, apparently).

We took a walk on the Highline.  We can't say enough about this park.  It's everything you'd want in a government project.  We love it, love it.