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Halloween Test Run

Posted on October 22, 2007

Several weeks ago we were out front making fuzzy sidewalk chalk art when one of the moms from our neighborhood came by with her kids. She passed us an invitation to a Halloween Costume Party. Briar started chirping “party” and Avery gleefully parroted her, “Paw-tee. Pah- DEE!” I laughed and shook my head in that oh-aren’t-kids-precious way you do with someone you have absolutely nothing in common with other than your kids. Seems to be some weird, forced way of creating a common bond and so help me it is an impulse I cannot resist. I followed with, “Oh of course we will come. We cannot wait. We’ll go buy costumes right now.” I felt huge shades of Molly Ringwald wash over me. Shut…

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Categories: Mama Sap

Sunlight’s Inspiration

Posted on October 21, 2007

Morning came early with a declarative, “It’s morning time, let’s go,” ringing from Briar’s room before 7, while Sean was trying to put the dog outside to prevent her whining from waking the entire house. “Mo-nink. Mo-nink.” “Hey Avery! It’s morning time. You up? Good girl!” “Uh guh-girl. A-ree, guh girl.” “Morning time for going into mom and dad’s room.” And then the footsteps, first little, three year old paddle feet, then 30+ year old, sleepy feet. I cringed as I waited for the banging of baby doll against crib and toddler exclaims to hit Sean’s ears, sealing his fate as up for the day. “What? Everybody’s up?” He asked, defeat and delight mixing, with delight quickly eclipsing the rest as Briar leapt into…

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Categories: Love

Dining Room Aftermath

Posted on October 21, 2007

I met him on the front porch with my laptop in hand. He walked up the steps with a smile on his face, his eyes more relaxed than they’ve been in weeks thanks to the healing touch of our acupuncturist friend Kevin. “Hey babe.” Hi,” I said nervously before thrusting the laptop at him. “I wanted you to read the post I just wrote.” His face lit up. He took the computer and headed for the door. “Will you read it before you go inside?” “Why?” “Will you just read it now?” I asked stepping in front of the door. “What did you do?” He was laughing nervously and we danced there on the porch as he tried to get inside. “You didn’t,” he…

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Categories: Love

Incorrigible, me, not the kids

Posted on October 20, 2007

Four years. I mean it, four years it’s been there, taunting me and I’ve not tweaked a corner, not fingered a single edge. Bits of decades old wallpaper have curled and frayed, exposing layers of other older wallpaper behind them, but I have not given in to temptation. Others have dared to poke a finger behind the yellowed paper, lifting and scraping, but the most I’ve done is pressed that same paper down, smoothing it out and leaving well enough alone. And then it happened. The girls were sitting, happily ensconced in PB&J on fresh sourdough, the bread halves opened and the gooey peanut butter and jam fast becoming a mask on their Saturday morning faces. I had, up until that very moment been…

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Categories: Love, Me

The Cupboard Was Bare

Posted on October 18, 2007

Every so often we run completely out of food and as I glare in the cupboards willing a box of Annie’s macaroni and cheese to appear I see it. Sauerkraut. Canned. I don’t know where the hell this thing comes from. I could swear that I’ve thrown it away seven times, and yet every time the cupboards are bare, Ole sauerkraut comes a calling. Other irrefutable truths that remain constant during times of famine at Chez Magee – There will be asparagus with rotten tips in the crisper. There will be no less than two entire jars of pickles in the fridge. There will be partially opened string cheese with hardened edges curling in the lunch meat drawer. There will be vegan frozen entrees…

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Categories: Love, Mama Sap