Chicago - Day 3

We visited Tommy's mom and had a real "Chicago" lunch - hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches at a little "hot dog stand". (Calling it a 'stand' makes no sense to me. It's inside a building with tables. Wouldn't a stand mean it's outside?) Luke loves loves loves trees and flowers. I think he's going to be a budding botanist. (hee hee) That night Merry came by and we watched "Xanadu" and ate pizza (I'm a thin crust girl - who knew?) and ice cream. (Dairy Queen! There are no Dairy Queens in the NY metro area.) It was good to have just a hang-out-girls'-night together.

Chicago - Day 2

Happy Father's Day! Luke was outfitted appropriately with a shirt that said "Cool Just Like Daddy". Do I rock as a wife or what? It was a warm day, but perfect for swimming. The boys went swimming and relaxed. I took many a picture, fretted by the side of the pool about Luke swallowing pool water, getting it in his ears and sunburns. He's still in one piece, so I think it agreed with him.

Chicago - Day 1

So we finally made it to Chicago for a few days to visit Tommy's family. It was bliss. Four days of napping, eating delicious non-NY food and visiting. On day 1 we got in at Chicago-Midway nice and easy (Luke was an angel on both flights) and promptly went to breakfast. See, here's where NY is lacking. You could trip and fall in the Chicagoland area and find an amazing breakfast place. I was able to choose from like a million different skillets. But I had a chicken, asparagus, cheese skillet. It was delicious. And the babies communed with one another. They got along really well and Luke was loving the fact that he had plenty of room to sleep (poor little guy has really outgrown the cradle) and there were TONS of toys for him to play with. He probably thought he was being punished when we got back home. And, he napped on the most comfy down comforter/feather bed type thing. I may have even dozed off here and there on it.

I'm Officially A Mom

In the hour and a half between getting home from dinner at Mom and Dad's and putting Lukey-Luke to sleep I:

Installed an air conditioner in the window in the bedroom
Wrote protest letters about the use of pesticides in public schools
Cleaned up the stuff I toted home
Fed Luke his cereal
Got him cleaned up
Somehow got him to go to sleep

Now I'm officially tired. New photos of the kid soon. Promise.

Puuuure Eeeeeviiiiil

Fried oreos are the work of the devil. Plain and simple. They're too delicious not to plunk down $5 for 6 of them. And they're too wiley not to eat almost all of them at once. You'd think they'd be over-sweet or cloying, but the heat from the frying softens the cookie and the coating is just enough to make it almost cake-like. *sigh*

Another Coincidence

Okay. So there's been quite a few coincidental things popping up in my life lately. Last weekend on Saturday, we went to Emily's memorial. It was beautiful. Tons of singing, music and memories. Luke LOVED the singing and music. He was transfixed by it and whenever there was singing, he was trying to sing along in his own little baby way. It made me do a lot of thinking about where I am and where I want to be in life. A lot of food for thought. Monday, I get into the office, have a crazy morning and then I have a moment to just settle in to my work and enjoy the classical station I have playing on my computer. And out of nowhere I hear "The Swan" from "Carnival of the Animals" by Dvorak. It's not a piece they play often, due to its novelty. However. It's the piece that Emily taught me that summer. Not only did I learn a piece that was way harder than anything I had attempted up to then, but she had me perform it at full assembly. In front of a lot of people. Accompanied only by a dancer and a pianist. From memory. Things I thought I'd never be able to do. So, I pose to you - was that a message from Emily?

Walk For Two

I'm walking in Relay for Life on May 2. This time last year, we knew we were pregnant, but hadn't told anyone. As we were walking we giggled and laughed and knew that next year we'd be walking with someone else.

I plan on walking the survivors' lap holding Lucas. Could there be a better testament to the miracles that cancer research have found than a survivor who has since had a baby?

If you're interested in joining us or supporting the cause - let me know in the comments area so I don't have a link to my personal info floating out in the world!

My New Wheels

I've had the car for 2 months now. But I procrastinated taking pictures of it. So here it is! I named her Gertie. So far we get along just fine. In the second picture, notice the television above the gas pumps. Hideous. They're just everywhere - at the supermarket checkout, in doctors' offices, now at the gas pumps?? Ugh.

More Beethoven

Played a short little concert today. Since I lost my cello strap I was practically chasing my cello across the floor as I played. Not so much fun. But it was nice to just play and to be appreciated.

Sometimes I love playing my cello so much that it scares me.

E.T. Phone Home

So I had this dream last night (or rather this morning since it occurred after I woke up in a panic after checking Luke, since he slept from midnight to 6am) about E.T. E.T. was in the hospital and I was with my Auntie Glo (who passed away right before Easter). Except she looked like she did a good 10 years ago or so. And she wanted to visit E.T. since she knew he was really sick (like towards the end of the movie where he's separated from Elliot). And we found the room that he was in and she walked right in and held his hand. Okay. Now that's a weird dream to begin with, but when I got in to work this morning, I decided to put on the classical station. And about 10 minutes later, the closing music from E.T. starts playing.

This is going to sound completely weird, but I feel like my premonitions are getting a teensy bit stronger. I've had a few weird feelings the last couple of weeks that have come true. Driving to my parents' house last week to pick up Luke, I thought, "Maybe my mom doesn't have her class tonight and I'll see her." Lo and behold, mom was home sick.

Remembering Emily

Two weekends ago one of my first cello teachers passed away. In some twist of coincidence, her husband plays baseball with mine. And her husband had visited the camp she worked at the summer I was a camper there. So, I had met him before my husband did.

But I digress.

It was the first time I had really intensive lessons. It was the first time I really delved into learning the cello. It was the first time I played "real" music in orchestra, not watered-down, simplified versions. (We played the overture to The Barber of Seville, the second movement of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, the 2nd movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony) Emily had me study Saint-Saens' Swan from the Carnival of Animals. Not only did I learn it, but she had me perform it at an all-camp assembly, from memory and with a piano accompaniment and a dancer. Never had someone had so much confidence in me that I could pull something like that off. She taught me to "feel" music rather than just play it.

There are times you know your musicianship is being changed. There's definitive moments to the shaping of who you are as a musician. For me, the first one was studying with Emily. She taught me to not be self-conscious when I play. To try making things up as I go along. To just take risks as a musician.

Now I wonder. I've posted my question to the universe as "The Three Only Things" suggests. I asked about what it is I really should be doing, and what it is that I'm meant to do. Hearing about Emily makes me re-visit what it means to me to be a musician and what I want to do with it. It makes me remember what a magical summer that was for me and how I felt like a "real" musician for the first time.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

We went to visit the big guy himself - no, not Santa, the Easter Bunny. Luke was bummed that he was too little to visit Santa (we weren't about to take him to the mall at 2 weeks old), so we made up for it by having his picture taken with the big bunny. He was all eyes and very well behaved; so much so, that he stared at the other kids who were crying as if to say, "Hey dude, it's the Easter Bunny." My little sweetie.

Look Out Martha

The other day, while Luke was napping in the a.m. I leafed through my latest issue of Bon Appetite. I love it. It's not as haughty as Gourmet, but has great recipes and articles. It's funny - I used to drool over "In Style" and "Lucky" but now I love reading food magazines.

But I digress.....I came across an article about homemade mayonnaise and how wonderful it is, etc. And I had taken out some chicken breasts, not knowing what I'd do with them. So I decided to try my hand at homemade mayonnaise and poaching chicken breasts (which I had also never done).

I've always kind of liked mayonnaise. I loved it on sandwiches as a kid and considered it a luxury as an adult trying to watch what I eat. When I was small, my dad would be making his lunch in the mornings before heading off to work and would make me a tiny mayonnaise sandwich on seedless rye bread that I would enjoy while tuned into a.m. cartoons. But as I aged and learned how mayonnaise wasn't the best thing for you, I turned to mustard to dress up my sandwiches.

So I wondered if homemade mayonnaise could re-ignite my mayo love. And I was challenged by it too - I mean, who makes homemade mayonnaise when you can just grab it out of the fridge? AND...I was inspired by the beginnings of the new season of "Top Chef". Love it. Love it. They make all sorts of nifty stuff off the tops of their heads - no recipes, no sous-chefs, no help.

It took me 2 tries to get it right (it's a little dance between whisking constantly and sloooowwwwllly adding oil) but it was this heavenly, whipped, rich concoction that distantly resembled the stuff in the jar with the blue lid.

That being done, I poached 2 chicken breasts (a new technique for me), chopped them roughly and added them to the mayonnaise. Then slathered that on some toasted rolls, added sliced avocado and voila! A delicious, warm chicken salad sandwich.

Oh mayo. You've been gone for too long.

Ten Points If You Know What This Is - Answer Below!!

It's a cable box. I remember them being in my aunt's neighborhood, which was a particularly new sprouting of suburbia 35 or so years ago. We used them as home plates, "safe" areas, incorporated them into all parts of our outdoor games. I was surprised to see them still around with all the digital cable that floats around, but it was certainly a blast from the past!

The Making Of A Couch Potato

Here's my little couch potato watching television. I know, I know that tv isn't "good" for babies, but he enjoys the colors and sounds and is watching "Sesame Street", so at least it's educational. He was actually mesmerized by Richie Havens singing "Wonder Child" and playing the guitar and by Jose Feliciano singing and playing guitar as well. Glad to see he has an appreciation for the arts!

An Apple A Day

I'm so not a fruit person. According to my mother, I used to love it. Would eat orange slices left and right, loved apples and grapes. Now, I'm just real picky about the fruit I eat. I'll eat the occasional grapes, I still love bananas, and maybe the odd apple here and there.

But lately I've been digging apples like crazy. Maybe it's something inside me trying to stave off scurvy or something, but they've been delicious.

I had part of an apple gallette from Boston Market. Now, I'm not one to like pie-type desserts. To me, dessert doesn't mean eating fruit. If I'm going to do dessert, I'm going to eat something decadent and chocolatey. Something that makes it worth it. But this apple dessert was amazing. A buttery crust, lots of streussel topping and the apples weren't tart at all. (I think that's why I'm wary of fruit - sometimes it's so hit or miss as to if it's going to be sweet or tart or unripe - I don't like playing Russian roulette with my food.) I've been dying to eat another one for days now.

More recently, Luke and I went food shopping and on a whim I bought Gala apples. I've been buying sliced apples from Trader Joe's and I think they're sliced Gala apples. So I grabbed one today when running out to my concert, which had a rehearsal before it, so I'd have something to eat in between. (Plus, I figured the apple would cancel out the liverwurst sandwich I brought as well) Why didn't anyone tell me Gala apples were so tasty? It was sweet without being cloyingly so and not too crunchy and not mealy. I'm now hooked on apples. Which I guess is better than being hooked on something like Cheetos or Big Macs.

Mr. Beethoven, If You Please

I had a rehearsal for the Island Chamber Symphony. It's a small group (obviously, since it's a chamber group) and I simply get a gas stipend, not a usual check, but I get a lot of enjoyment out of playing for them. It's the only classical music I'm doing lately, and I feel like it keeps me in check and keeps my classical chops in gear.

We're doing (did, since we had our concert earlier today) Beethoven's 8th Symphony, which has this wicked little cello part in the 3rd movement. And I was sitting up front by myself. So I get through it, and the conductor says, "You know, I've heard Ricardo Muti do this with the Philadelphia Philharmonic and I could swear that it's one cello at that point, and since you did it so beautifully, how about you play it alone?"

I was mortified and excited all at once.

So we try it again, this time me playing the part alone. And it's this little minuet type thing where it's just basically the French horns and myself. And I manage to get through it again and sound not-so-bad.

And you know what happened? Everyone applauded! It was so cool. I was embarrassed and damn proud all at once.

The sad thing? I hadn't practiced the part like I had wanted to. I went in and winged it. And it just came so naturally to me. Which always makes me wonder and regret and wish and pontificate. Should I have been a music major? Where would I be now if I had? Is it too late to go back?

How To Make Me Cry At My Desk

a.) Send me the following via e-mail to read upon getting to my desk:

A baby asked God, 'They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?' God said, 'Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you.

'The child further inquired, 'But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy.' God said, 'Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy.'

Again the child asked, 'And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?' God said, 'Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak.'

'And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?' God said, 'Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.

''Who will protect me?' God said, 'Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life.

''But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.' God said, 'Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you.'

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, 'God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name.'

God said, 'You will simply call her, 'Mom.'

b.) Play the closing theme music to E.T. on the classical station.

Believe It or Not

Okay. So Sunday morning, around 6ish or so, I was reading all by myself in the living room. Luke was asleep as was Tommy. It's a little chilly and I've got a blanket wrapped around myself. All of a sudden out of nowhere I heard my name whispered. I kid you not. It was my whole name and I couldn't tell if it was a male or femal voice, but it was distinct as if the person was sitting next to me.

Spooky.

What Makes a Good Morning

• Watching my two special guys sleep in the early morning while I'm getting ready for work.
• Hearing a little someone stirring in their crib, going to investigate and getting a big smiley greeting.
• Seeing a cardinal fly right past me on my way down the driveway.
• Seeing a puppy in the car in front of me kiss the heck out of its owner and the owner kissing it back gleefully.
• Hearing on the radio that it's going to be close to 60 degrees today.