Pool Time

Here's a couple of vid's of M in the pool yesterday. Her canonball is still more of a belly flop which all spectators find amusing and slightly painful to watch. She can swim all the way to the deep end now without help! We've had thunderstorms every day for 4 days now with last night bringing a spectacular lightening storm that lit up the sky like daylight for nearly an hour. So, we've had to get our "loop" time in earlier in the day before they strike. 

You know you love me

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Footloose and Floatie Free

Happy day-after Father's Day to all the fathers out there, especially the father of D-Addy. Too cute! We had a great weekend visiting with Mommy H and Pap. Pap brought N down a fishing pole and a filled tackle box as his F-Day gift. They tested out the pole today at a tidal inlet and caught 2 baby sharks and 2 small unidentifiable fish. All were tossed back, but what a blast. M completely enjoyed her grandparents and spent time each day in the pool with Mommy H. She really had the full mermaid moves in effect, as on Thursday I had decided that 4 and 1/4 was too old to not be putting her face underwater. So without fanfare I grabbed M, bobbed up and down with her in the pool while counting 1-2-3 and then dunked her. Best thing I ever did! She immediately took off the floaties and has hardly put them on since. Now she doggy paddles, back floats, and definitely puts her face underwater (purposely and not.) Here is a scene from the pool now:

M: Hey Mom, look. I can put my face underwater.

Me: Awesome!

M: Look, Mom. Hey, Mom. I can put my face underwater.

Me: Wow! Your such a big girl.

M: Watch me Mom, watch me. I can swim without my floaties!

Me: Mm-hmmm

M: Watch me Mom, look. Watch Me. I'm a big girl, I swim without my floaties, and I put my face underwater.

Me: W-O-W

And on and on. She just needs to get down that talking while her head is barely above surface leads to water intake, and drowning. My favorite was the second day when she was in the 4' and her head quit bobbing above the water. Norm responded with the reflexes of an ex-lifegaurd and pulled her up for air quickly. She hardly took a breath before saying, "I put my face underwater!" Such a proud little mermaid.

G's First Published Fiction

Hey ya'll,

This is the story  I wrote that was published in C.O.D's literary magazine. Once on the page, look to the left hand menu and click on Ruby's Gift. Enjoy.

P.S. "Excuse me, there's two n's at the end of my name." Translation: It's Ga-linda, with an uhhh.

Track that book

I just heard about a great new website/game called Book Crossing. After you join online you can register your books by ISBN and release them into the wild at coffees hops, surf shops, park benches, etc. Then, when someone picks up and reads (or not) your book, they go the website and go to that specific books journal entry page to record where it is, where they found it, what they thought. It's like Where's George, but sooo much cooler. Books change lives. My username is gwendyland, come check me out later when I have time to spruce up my book reviews.

Martha Madness

So, we have yet to get cable T.V. service (but don't mess with my internet, ya'll) so I have had oodles of time to catch up on all the ABC network season finales that I missed. 

Spoiler alert if you are even more behind than I was!!

How awesome was the Desperate Housewives ending??!! My especially favorite part is where Brie turns into the Martha Stewart we all know she should be. Ahhhh. To have my heroine invade your lives every Sunday next fall as the screen version of Ms. Stewart is so satisfying. On a sadder note, only one box of books did not survive the cross country mailing. It contained my wedding planner, my homebirth notebook-with all ultrasound photos:( my recipe book from Omy (sis #1) and my Martha Stewart Handbook. How do I know this, you ask? I got a phone call while we were still home hunting in S.C from a guy who lives in Texas and received my wedding planner in the mail instead of his brother's package to him. I guess a mail truck from SoCal (that guy's brother lives in La Jolla) damaged a bunch of packages, because all they could make out of the wreckage was my wedding planner matched to his name?? He said he would mail it to me, but I haven't seen it yet. The other items from that box are lost to the wind and/or government warehouses. Au revoir, and you all enjoy the new redheaded version of Martha on your T.V.'s next fall.

Swiffer Lust

I am so currently in love with my SwifferVac (Thanks Gram!) It vacuums. It Swiffers. There is no cat hair too wispy or food bit too large. Macaroni, I fear you no more. Mighty Zeus, the commercials were right! Cordless, sleek, and unassuming...Swiffer, you have my heart.

Look, it's so easy even boys can use it. Baby boys.

Feline Fun

Madison is wallowing in her single cat-dom. She lies around majestically, halfway puts up with Noah's ungraceful petting, and hasn't peed on our stuff once. Ahhhhh, the wonders of kitty prozac.

G Job

I got the call today, on Sunday I will start at the Country Club of Charleston. Man, it will feel good to have a schedule again. M asks me "What's in the morning?" referring to the next day as soon as she wakes up and I haven't had an solid answer for weeks. Today we discovered a new playground and went swimming in the pool. I've got to say, so far the playground scene here is rather subpar. But we are persistent and if there's a great playground in town, we're going to find it!

Inspirational

Most of us here are Harry Potter aficionados. She gave a truly moving commencement address to the Harvard grads. Read the entire speech here, or watch the video. 

She talks of the benefits of failure, and the "crucial importance of imagination" as it refers to human sympathy. Wow.

Too Funny

Thought you'd like this one, Alex.

Welcome!

We are settling in nicely after our somewhat abrupt move to Charleston. We've got a cute little condo on James Island, which is just across the Ashley River from downt
own, and minutes to Folly Beach. We're slowly furnishing the place and getting settled. The kids have adjusted well.  Big N is working at a busy restaurant across the river from downtown called California Dreaming. He's rotating between the inside and outside bars. Outside he gets to wear his shades and watch as customers dock their boats before dining. Sweet. I am going to try my hand at club life and work at Country Club of Charleston. I'm excited for the change of pace and new opportunity. 

Kid News (quick up-to-date for some of you.)

N is the proud new owner of 2 bottom teeth. He recently learned to clap and is a food eating machine! Seriously, thighs of a warrior!

M loves having a pool right outside our backdoor. She is learning not to scratch her bug bites. Actually, I've taught her a bit too well because every time I touch my skin I get a "don't scratch it, you'll make it worse!" She also loves all the bridges here, her favorite being the Cooper River, or "triangle" bridge, as she calls it. She loves throwing sticks into the marsh behind our condo, watching the fish jump for flies, and playing at the beach. M's only request is that we find her a beach without any sand. Sigh.