Tag Archives: life

turns out it’s none of the above. it’s the rug i have on my wood floor, and it’s wool comes from a mountain goat or lamb or some sort of unknown animal, perhaps an otter, but it’s hard to know for sure.

and after such a long and hearty winter, it was time to wash my filthy flokati and bring it back into the fresh and clean spring feel now inhabiting the cottage. i researched online and found that the scandanavians traditionally throw it outside on top of a pile of fresh snow and beat it into clean submission with a stick. i then went with the laundromat option, so as to maintain at least some illusion of normalcy with my neighbors for just a bit longer.

i invited my friend m to go on a ‘goat washing adventure’ with me. she was in immediately, as she is up for most anything. and while she wasn’t sure exactly what we’d be doing, she knew that we always have fun doing whatever it might be. upon notifying her family, she was quickly questioned by her daughters, who said they never knew you could wash a rug, and asked why it had never happened in their house. and why it was never going to. i understood this, and if mine was not so ‘pet-like’, it never would have happened in my house either. that settled, we headed off to super sud’s.

all you need:

the flokati, some strong coffee, a bottle of gentle woolite, lots of coins. good company,

and of course, a dog brush.

greeted by the manager, with no bra, a benjamin the dog sweatshirt,

and a personality like a drill sergeant, who told us not to overload, we were warned and ready.

ummmm…

there were so many options, signs, warnings. so much potential for trouble.

so much math.

i should have listened better in school.

more math! and then, not working after all.

but, somehow it had a homey feel about it.

and it had with something for everyone.

the kitchen sink, with notes from mom.

the tech center.

the two odd cousins in the den.

the food and entertainment in the family room area.

the sports memorabilia corner.

the centrifuge?

the book nook.

here i am, reading and laughing out loud at

‘humor at the speed of life’,

written by fellow blogger, ned, (http://nedhickson.com).

and here is m, after the wash,

fluffing the flokati, with the dog brush,

bringing it back to it’s original luster.

she is taking her job very seriously.

and she is primping and pampering her

like dorothy upon arriving in the emerald city.

and at last, she is a beauty once more.

and after much coffee, many laughs,

more warnings, and a few scoldings from the sergeant,

we are on our way.

and the flokati

is ready to be welcomed back to the cottage,

fresh and fluffy, once more.

whatever it might be.

and now that i look at it,

i think it might be muskrat wool.

—

“I’ve buried a lot of my laundry in the back yard.”
― Phyllis Diller

May14

the hens hit it out of the house!

Posted on May 14, 2014 by beth

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as some of you know, new york blogger/friend/sports/movie/life stories writer, mark (http://markbialczak.com) and i are engaged in a major friendly minor league baseball battle. his beloved syracuse chiefs have played my toledo mud hens for 4 games in his town, (with mixed results and home field advantage). and luckily they’ve made their way back and hens have come home to roost for a 4-game home stand. see the results of yesterday’s game one below! the hens and chiefs will take to the field again this morning and we shall see who indeed rules the farm in the end)

http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140513&content_id=75360256&fext=.jsp&vkey=recap&sid=t512

GO HENS!

May12

Children remind us to treasure the smallest of gifts, even in the most difficult of times. – Allen Klein

Posted on May 12, 2014 by beth

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and even when your special chocolate cupcake melts in the car,

you just stick the candles in sideways,

light them up,

and blow them out.

and you sing in celebration.

and you rename it a molten hot lava cupcake.

and you can then eat that volcanic overflow with a spoon and a smile.

May11

Life is the flower for which love is the honey. – Victor Hugo

Posted on May 11, 2014 by beth

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and on this mother’s day,

i am reminded of when my girls were young and we had no money,

but we had each other,.

and they went to the neighbor’s garden to pick flowers for me,

as a very special mother’s day gift.

they knew i loved flowers.

and they did so fearlessly.

and they didn’t worry about getting in trouble.

and they hoped i wouldn’t be mad.

and when they told me,

i hoped the neighbors, if they saw them picking,

understood why, and wouldn’t be mad.

these flowers meant the world to me.

and they were dirty and smiling and proud to have a gift.

and i hugged them and was so happy to be their mother.

to all of the mothers and children out there,

this day is for you.

and to all of their neighbors.

if you see a child picking flowers in your garden today,

please understand and smile,

and wish them a happy mother’s day.

May10

the hill is alive with the sounds of music

Posted on May 10, 2014 by beth

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went to the 4th annual water hill music fest, held the first sunday of each may

in a neighborhood filled with artists, musicians, and eccentrics of the highest order, music rules the day

founded In 2011, Paul Tinkerhess (folksman, craftsman, businessman) to spotlight the cohesive personality of the neighborhood as well as its musicians, this un-sponsored event follows only one rule: at least one member of each performing band must reside in water hill.