Lisbon Day 1

Things to know about Portugal:
1. Portugal is lovely.
2. Refer back to #1.

The Line

As we made our way through customs in Montreal, I was mesmerized by the serpentine line of hundreds of people moving through the cordoned stanchions. So many people, each with their own individual stories of heartache and joy, their personal struggles and good fortune and bad passport photos.

Crowds generally give me a feeling of smallness - but small in a good way. A way that reminds me that I'm but a tiny part of this whole operation and that my hours are not better or worse than anyone else's just because they belong to me. We're all here just walking through the line. Together.

Smacksy Sunday Links

Where joy hides and how to find it.

How the jump rope got its rhythm.

The power of thank you notes.

The literal translation of country names.

What a music conductor does on stage.

And a sweet dog and a butterfly. 

Happy Sunday.

Smacky Saturday Photo: Luna

Yes. pictures of the moon two nights in a row. Because.

Hippie Business

Just charging my moon stones in the energy of the full moon. Why? What are you doing?

Why No, I Haven't Run Out of Photos of Kauai

Buddha and bamboo.

Heading Into Week Three of The Couch That Remains Uneaten

I don't take it personally. 

A Good Wish

"Mom? Remember how when we were in Kauai after the luau and it was so hot and you found us all in the field playing a pick up game at like 10:00 at night?"

"Yes, I do."

"Yeah, I wish I could just stay in Kauai with my team and go to the beach and have shave ice and play baseball forever."

My Favorite

My favorite from Kauai: Mr. Rosenberg as base coach, Bob and his pals on the field. 

Photo by Phil Regan

Smacksy Sunday Links

How to make this the summer of missing out.

Why reading books should be your priority, according to science.

What you should read watch and listen to, according to David Sedaris.

Edible weeds likely growing in your yard.

Bowie, before he was Ziggy. (Or Bowie.)

And elephants hugging. 

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Caffeine Maintains My Sunny Personality

When we were in Kauai, I left the baseball field before the game one morning, in search of coffee. One of the other mom's gave me directions to a place she had found. I went two blocks down until I saw the closed taco stand on the left, then down the side street and through an alley-way into a parking lot then pull up to what sort of resembled a storage shed with an open window. I pulled up to the window and asked the woman inside for three black coffees. (Not all of them were for me. Sort of.) She smiled and nodded and disappeared into the tiny coffee house.

I sat in my rental car and waited. And waited. And then waited. Just as I was starting to worry that something tragic had happened to her (or my coffee), she came back to the window and handed me my order in a to-go box she had fashioned out of a cereal box and duck tape specifically for my three coffees. Just in case I didn't love Hawaii enough already.

Aloha.

Smiles Everybody, Smiles

These two seem all right.

More Photos Because I Said

I know! I know.

Yep, amazing.

Mr. Rosenberg took the one of this guy.

Pretty darn glorious. 

How Are the New Sofa and Throw Pillows Doing (Tasting)?

Ask this "innocent" face...

... about this amuse bouche. 

Load Up the Carousel

Remember when we all used to watch slide shows of each other's vacations? If you're too young to know what I'm talking about, please just nod yes anyway. I could build an epic slide show from the pics we took in Hawaii because it's extremely tough to take a bad photo on those islands. Instead of hauling out my projector and the Jiffy Pop, Snack Packs, and Space Food Sticks, I will just leave a few more (Yes, more!) photos here now and then. Aloha.

*Footnote: Paradise is humid so pack a hairnet. 

13

Thirteen years ago today, Mr. Rosenberg and I drove to Vegas and got hitched. It was a good idea, followed by a bunch of other good ideas, and a couple of weird ones, and I'm all for all of it.

Smacksy Sunday Links

Mindfulness: Not another buzzword.

Let us now praise librarians. 

Dreaming of Paris real estate. 

The secret to really good hummus. 

Winners of National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year.

Newly discovered Stonehenge-like site.

Swimming cap fashions of the 1950s.

And baby goats running.

Happy Sunday.

The Romantic and The Realist

"It's a heart, for our anniversary," I said, and took a picture.

"Where? Are you sure? I just see dirt," said Mr. Rosenberg. Opposites attracting and all that.

Sunrise, Hawaiian Style

I woke up at 5:45am and peeked out the shutters and this was happening. Oh, Kauai, it's like you never want us to leave, or something.

The Water Music

How am I enjoying our trip? By doing hula arms to the rhythm of the water. That's how. 

Another Time I Wasn't Funny

"Mom! We saw a poisonous sider in there!"

"How did you know it was poisonous?"

"It just looked like it probably was."

"Based on what, exactly?"

"It has green eyes."

"If that's the only criteria, I might know some poisonous spiders."

"Mom, please. I'm being completely serious right now."

Vista

It's as if the world said, "I know! But wait until you turn the corner up there. I've got more cool stuff!"

It's There, Just Behind Those Clouds

I took this photo of the moon from the front porch of the house we're staying in on our trip. Then it occurred to me, I'm doing it again. A different front porch, a different tree, the same moon. I'm not sure how something so high in the sky, so far away, can be grounding. And it is.

Smacksy Sunday Links

How to know it's July.

The extraordinary reason exceptional people avoid mediocre friends. (They rewire your brain.)

In praise of the good old-fashioned hobby.

A photographer uses models to recreate Klimt paintings.

Giant marionettes take over Montreal.

And pigs in outfits? Yes, please.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: He's Packed

I pride myself on my travel packing. It's one of my things. We are leaving tomorrow for eight days away at a baseball tournament. This afternoon, I packed Bob's bag. He does not need to bring his bat, but will need everything else. I was determined to fit everything for him into a carryon and one "personal item." (The place we are staying has a washer and dryer.)

Included In Carryon:
Cleats
Batting Helmet
2 Gloves
1 Baseball
1 Pair Batting Gloves
4 Pairs Uniform Socks
Belt
4 Pairs Sliding Undershorts
2 Uniform Jerseys
4 Pairs Baseball Pants
3 Pairs Shorts
4 Shirts
5 Pairs Underwear
5 Pairs Socks
Swimsuit
Rash-guard Swim Shirt

In His Backpack:
Beach Shoes
Toiletries
Snacks
Book
Headphones
Sunglasses

And then I did a victory lap through the house. High five.
Do they have a Packing Tournament? I think I'm ready.

The Eagle Has Landed

The new couch arrived this morning. Everyone just seems very confused by the whole situation. They are on strike against the couch. They have spent some time eyeing the (delicious) throw pillows piled on the kitchen table where said throw pillows shall remain until the end of time so they are not eaten. We have some issues.

So Long, Craig's List Chesterfield Sofa

We said goodbye to the old (tasty) couch today and the guys are taking it a little hard. Teddy repeatedly walked in circles in the area formerly known as couch. Levi just stared at the empty space for three minutes.

There is another (delicious) couch showing up tomorrow. The new one might smell less like old dog pee, but I'm guessing "someone(s)" will take care of that pretty quick.

Fourth of July

I strolled through the park on my way to grab a seat to watch the parade this morning. (I was going to write I "walked" but when you're making your way through a beautiful park, I think it's an automatic "stroll.")

Mr. Rosenberg and Bob continued their long tradition of being in the parade. They marched and performed a quick number from The Greatest Showman with a group of dads and kids. None of us has seen that movie yet so it wasn't until this evening that we found out that's what they had actually been doing. Details.

When it got dark we sat on blankets in the high school football field and watched the firework show. Mr. Rosenberg and I took turns naming the fireworks.

"I call that one, The Screamer."

"That's The Fluffy Sparkler."

"Hey! It's The Super Twister."

"That's the Wonderful World of Disney Opening Sequence, Circa 1969."

And next fourth of July, I hope we get to do it all over again.

Tuesday Night

The wind up.

Muscle Amnesia

I've been going to physical therapy every week for awhile now, rehabbing my torn rotator cuff thing. I also get to pilates when I can, not as much as I'd like, but still. Today I added something new to my situation and tried the New York City Ballet Workout via the YouTube.

I used to study ballet, like three hours a day, five days a week, a short thousand years ago. I figured I'd catch on to this NY City Ballet Workout, no problem because I assumed not having done ballet in thirty-one years wouldn't be an issue and I am special and the rules don't apply to me and muscle memory and everything.  I made it seven minutes and twenty-eight seconds (give-or-take) into the hour long workout and then every part of me said no.

I will try again tomorrow because that's how change happens but mostly because I committed to the shoes.

Smacksy Sunday Links

"Hold on guys, be right back, I'm just going to go make the bed real quick and --- oh."

The magic of seeing everything as sacred.

A smart guide to traveling.

This amazing eleven-year-old Nigerian artist.

Twenty short novels you can read in a day.

Eighty-eight artists drew the sky.

And kittens in a teacup.

Happy Sunday.