Day 77 - March 26: Town Election

Recently, my sister-in-law, Rachel worked tirelessly on a campaign to fund a badly needed new middle school in their city.  Thousands of people voted and her side won by just six votes.  Before that, my parents campaigned for a new library in their town and again, their side won, but by something even less than six.  Today our town held elections for a number of posts.  With only one contested race, it would have been easy enough to blow off.  Their stories, though, reminded me that every vote really does count.

Day 76 - March 25: Magnolia Tree

My grandmother had a gorgeous Magnolia tree in the front yard of her exquisitely preserved antique home in Janesville, Wisconsin.  Each spring, she would send us a snapshot of her standing in front of the tree in full bloom.  Now, whenever I see a Magnolia in bloom, I see my grandmother smiling - and know that spring has officially sprung.

Day 75 - March 24: Manicures

Today I took Lane and two friends for manicures.  I resist vanity but must admit that the end result of a professional manicure is pure pleasure.  No matter how the rest of me looks or feels, with my neatly trimmed claws, I feel put together and under control.  And that's even without the pink, green, or blue with white flowers.   

Day 74 - March 23: False Advertising

Blame it on my upbringing.  My mother taught English and Latin and I was schooled in proper grammar from an early age.  So today, while following this truck, I cringed.  I get it - "Dun Rite" is cute, I guess.  But "Craftsmanship at it's Best"?  "It's" is a contraction of "it is" or "it has".  Insert "it is" into this sentence - does it still make sense?  I don't think so.  Listen, I don't claim to be an expert but this is an easy one.  And before I go painting the back of my truck, I'll review it with my mom first.    

Day 73 - March 22: Stuart's Haircut

The last time Stuart's neck was visible he was a first grader.  Since then it's been a mop of curls, which I always found rather adorable.  Recently, though, he's been expressing interest in shorter hair (much to my dismay) and today he finally took the plunge.  He's quite pleased with the result and I must admit I find it equally adorable. 

Day 72 - March 21: The Dentist

A dental appointment is one of the few things in life that you prefer to be boring and uneventful.  Today's visit was just that - except that I got everyone giggling when I pulled out my camera. 

Day 71 - March 20: Phase One Complete

I distinctly remember the day I got my braces off and the feeling of my teeth - almost jelly-like in their smoothness.  Today was Lane's joyous day and, because I got to steal her away for both the appoinment and a celebratory lunch before returning her to school, a joyous day for me as well. 

Day 70 - March 19: Report Cards

Two Kids + Tons of Hardwork = Straight A's + Really Proud Parents

Day 69 - March 18: In Bloom

Our unusually warm winter has its downsides (see yesterday) and its glorious upsides. 

Day 68 - March 17: Last Runs

No one can say we didn't squeeze every last drop out of this season.

Day 67 - March 16: Happy Birthday, Jean

Today my sister, Jean is celebrating a birthday - so, of course, I spent a lot of time thinking about her.  In 2004, we took a trip to Zimbabwe to visit her and tour the country.  It was fantastic - the people were warm and friendly, the scenery was beautiful, and the safaris were out of this world.  My fondest memento from that trip is our "family sculpture", for which the Zimbabwean artisans are famous.  It sits on our living room mantel and reminds me each day of that fabulous trip and my fabulous sister. 

Day 66 - March 15: It's Natural

I am completely ready to go gray.  My husband is completely ready to go gray.  However, my husband is not completely ready for me to go gray.  And so, more often than I care to admit, I spend lots of money and lots of time returning my hair to the color it would be if it wasn't gray.  

Day 65 - March 14: Back Handspring

The reason we procreate is to give our own unfulfilled dreams another chance, right?  I never came close to a back handspring, settling instead for a fairly lame cartwheel.  I was in awe of the girls with springs in their feet who made the acrobatics look so easy.  Even with my gene pool, Lane has got it down on the trampoline and is working on the mat.  A proud mama indeed. 

Day 64 - March 13: Routine Exam

They tell you not to move a muscle for 35 minutes.  They slide you into a narrow enclosure and subject you to the sound of a jackhammer.  Many people become anxious and claustrophobic in the MRI.  I fall asleep.  I guess I grab downtime anywhere I can get it. 

Day 63 - March 12: Apple Ad

My kids really like this ad.  For one thing, it's announcing a new iPhone, which is always cool and exciting and presents yet another opportunity to ask Mom for an iPhone.  For another thing, May 19th really is their Dad's birthday.   

Day 62 - March 11: Dress Rehearsal

While house hunting 20 years ago, we came upon this barn and Douglas knew he had found the future home of Whitla Brothers.  I appreciated the fact that the barn came with a house.  What we didn't realize at the time was that this barn would also serve as the perfect rehearsal stage for the 5th grade talent show.

Day 61 - March 10: Take Apart

Twice a week, Lane goes to the Medfield Afterschool Program (MAP), a magical place with energetic, imaginative teachers and many of her dearest friends.  One of their stations is "Take Apart", where kids don protective eyewear to somewhat carefully disassemble donated articles and discover what lurks inside.  On Friday Lane tackled a printer, with the innards, of course, now strewn across my kitchen counter.

Day 60 - March 9: Opening Night

When I was in high school, I played first violin in the pit for "My Fair Lady".  It all came back to me when I took the kids to the high school tonight for a performance of Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods". 

Day 59 - March 8: Spring Fever

Of course I'm worried about the Polar Ice Cap - but 70 degrees and sunny sure feels nice. 

Day 58 - March 7: Prima Lane

Who is the most beautiful girl in the world - Jennifer Lopez or Taylor Swift?  Apparently, according to Lane, there is no consensus.  Actually, they're all wrong - the most beautiful girl in the world is the one I had breakfast with this morning. 

Day 57 - March 6: Middle School

I survived the sink-or-swim model of junior high school in the 1970's.  Now, of course, it's called middle school and everything has changed.  Tonight I went to a meeting for the parents of incoming 7th graders, led by the school's young, passionate, bright, caring principal.  Commit this to memory:  middle schoolers are going through awkward stages as they discover their social self.  They display inconsistant behavior and are preoccupied with self.  They are curious and desire to feel autonomous and competent.  And, it feels like it happens overnight.  As my kids would say, "Duh, Mom".  Of course there is nothing new here, but the fact that it's happening under my roof is new.  That the school is committed to "help steady the course" is also new, and comforting.

Day 56 - March 5: Celery Root

My cousin, Tom is a Props Master in Hollywood - providing or creating anything and everything needed to make a scene come alive.  Surely he has discovered celery root, which must be used routinely as freeze dried brain in horror flicks.  I was back at Whole Foods today where I bought a dozen for our organic veggie friend.  Honestly, does anyone really eat this stuff?

Day 55 - March 4: Double Diamond

The last time we skied with our friend, Tia, we were all in Jackson Hole, Wyoming more than 20 years ago.  How can that be?  Today we skied together at Mount Sunapee, in New Hampshire, along with our boys, and we came across this trail.  My great grandmother was a Hawes and my mother tells me they were a big, fun loving family.  I think they'd approve of the fun we had in their Hideout today.

Day 54 - March 3: Boy Scout Merit Badge

Forgive me if I break the rules and feature a photograph taken by my son today.  Stuart is pursuing the Photography Merit Badge and spent the morning with an instructor, five fellow scouts, and my camera.  Other scouts were busy in the kitchen, making pastry - and serving as models for the shutterbugs.  Stuart's instructor particularly liked this photograph, in which Stuart applied the rule of thirds, "which dictates that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.  Proponents of the technique claim that aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would".  And here I thought I just had to snap a picture everyday - clearly, I've got a lot to learn.

Day 53 - March 2: Look What We Woke Up To

Snow?  In New England?  In March?  That's crazy!  Believe it or not, we haven't seen the white stuff since January 20 - and before that it had been the week of Halloween.  This morning, a welcomed taste of winter. 

Day 52 - March 1: Sparkle Cowl

Completing a knitting project is indeed satisfying.  However, I honestly think that I relish the process more than the product.  For me, knitting is relaxing and monotonous, in a wonderful way - and though I'm not very good, it provides a tremendous feeling of accomplishment, stitch by stich, row by row.  Making the time to knit is difficult, though, so when I do, it's a wonderful feeling.