Update on the vent.

Thanks for the good calming vibes, Stumpf. They worked. In fact, I just hoisted my ass out of a warm bath filled with rosemary, vanilla, mint and jasmine, and I didn't even let myself hate my shower. I put a clay mask on my feet, a brazil nut mask on my hair, and a mineral mask on my face. The brazil nut is my favorite b/c it smells like earth and bonfires, and my hair will smell like this for days. I barely remember why I vented this morning? Was it before or after Hunter hit Ben in the eyebrow with the wooden hammer that comes with the bench and pegs?

So, post-bath I'm sitting in my grown-up version of the suck-a-butt-chair (remember Caitlin?) with my feets up and my daily protein defrosting at my side. What, PB encased in chocolate Haagen Dazs ice cream doesn't count? Never to worry, I had chili, and hamburger(s) today. And no, I'm not on Atkins. Bread comprises atleast 14.3% of my body, and my intuition tells me I'd die without daily intake of large amount of carbs. Just so you know.

So what was I saying? Oh, my day improved. I sidetracked my morning planning a romantic evening we can't afford, but so deserve, during our California vacation. Theo leaves for Afghanistan in less than 6 months now, and we need time together. When we got married, (in 2002, OMG?), we drove up the coast of Cali visiting interesting towns, and wineries (with Wine For Dummies as our car reading material). The first place we stayed was a bed and breakfast with a nice jacuzzi tub. They served Danish Abelskivers for breakfast, and it changed our lives they were so blasted good. I bought a pan that day, and have since learned to make them at home, although I seldom do. Back to my point. I wanted so bad for us to stay in the same room we stayed in the first night of our honeymoon, but when I learned it was $300, I thought maybe a day trip would suffice. For a moment, I wish I could put it on plastic, but we do not have a single credit card (God Bless it, I swear there is not freedom like that of the freedom of no credit card bills, folks!) and so we have to stay within the confines the little money we have for this trip. I then did some more searching and found the place we stayed the second night of our honeymoon (a little further up Highway 1) was only $135 for the same kind of room we stayed in on our last visit. I know we'll be walking on the beach, wine-tasting, touring, etc, so the room we stay in need-not be fancy, just a place for us to crash when we've had too much wine, and perhaps chocolate.

I so should have microwaved this Haagen Dazs for a few seconds before I sat down.

So, with a few hundred calls to my mom and Theo regarding his opinion and her work schedule, I finally figured out how we can have a nice day and night away from the two small adorable devil-children we've made. Thank goodness.

The boys and I went outside a few times today, so I could spray to kill the thrips that are eating my roses, and flick the Japanese Beetles off the many plants they are devouring. I did some laundry with the new Lemon Verbena detergents and fabric softners I'm in love with, hung it on the clothes line outside, and I napped with the boys because I could. We all crashed in our bed. This evening I took them for a brief walk in their red wagon, and they helped me fill up all our bird feeders in the front yard. Then, after we had dinner, I began painting the picket fence Theo & his buddy Chief built this spring.

I was quite undecided on whether to paint or not to paint. I wanted the fence to last a long time, so sealing it with something was on the list for sure, but after viewing several of my aged wooden pieces outside (my arbors, for example), I grew to dislike the grayish tone of the aged wood. That, coupled with the way clematis, delphinium, and roses pop against a nice white fence sealed the deal. So there I was, kneeling on my injured knee (we'll get to that in my next installment of grandma Anita's visit), in the shade of our willow tree getting eaten by those dern mosquitos, painting my fence. It took me over and hour and half to paint one 8 foot section of the fence. With the primer. Yeah, this is gonna take some serious time.

Painting a picket fence white seems so symbolic. I once had a neighbor lady come into my garden and introduce herself. She admired my plants, and told me my fire-pit looked so "quaint." I had stacked the willow logs like a teepee, because I rock at building campfires, and the air ciculation is unmatched when the logs are positions this way, but yes, also b/c I love to control my aesthetic whenever possible, and the logs looked darn nice that way. This nice lady was just complimenting me, but I overanalyzed it and decided she was critiqueing me. I do have an ideal life lady, a "quaint" little happy home with two kids, a dog, one and half cats and an amazing husband. Piss off, right? And here I am tying up the whole darn package in a nice white picket fence. Ha.

I'll post some pictures of the boys and my mom's vacation here tomorrow. Until then, goodnight.