quiet

Good morning., a photo by cocopuff1212 on Flickr.

After a weekend with house full of people, sitting alone in the kitchen feels strange, and the quietness of this place is unsettling. My son was heartbroken to see his cousin leave, and I am wondering if I need to do something special to cheer him up.


Thanksgiving was early this year, and we have a full week before Advent starts. I am working through the piles of towels and sheets to wash, and between the loads, making trips to the garage to get our Christmas things out.

I know I am six days ahead, but I find myself saying, "O come, O come, Emmanuel."

sketching

After being told "no more TV or video games for the rest of the day," my son's chosen activity was sketching.

La petite maison, from this post.

rainy day at the beach

"Making the decision to have a child - it's wonderous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." ~Elizabeth Stone

At the small fishing port of Sasset-les-Pins.

hello ocean

We've missed you.

(In Cassis, where the beach was pebble-y, not sandy)

let there be rain

It's hard to be depressed about rainy days when there's someone in the house who gets excited when he sees rain. Rain jacket: check (L.L.Bean, bright yellow). Rain boots: check (L.L.Bean, bright yellow). Umbrella: check (mom's collapsible in red-and-pink polka dots; doesn't seem to bother him a bit).

And I let him splash in puddles all he wants, because that's what I wanted to do to when I was his age but wasn't allowed to.

It's one of life's sweet revenges.

the best job in the whole world

I would pay money to do this job.

picnic at the park

The prince has requested a picnic lunch at the park.

With six pieces of onigiri, tamagoyaki made with two eggs, plus salmon and green beans from the night before in a medium-size Tupperware, our obento looked very proudly Japanese. We also had two bottles of mugi-cha, our favorite cold beverage. Had there been a thermos full of hot hoji-cha, it would have been a perfect Japanese picnic lunch.


It just so happens that in Japan, it is the middle of Golden Week right now. Families everywhere are packing obento, putting their walking shoes on, lugging their backpacks and picnic baskets, and enjoying the good weather over there.


Nobody else was having a picnic at the park we went to, but we celebrated our Golden Week anyway. Because, you see, every week is a Golden Week for me.

The weather was lovely, children happy in the playground, runners and bicycles gladly sharing the path, and E and I were content.

Yes, every day is a Golden Day.

go fly a kite

Me and E flying a kite at Sandy Beach Park, on Eastern Shore on Oahu, Hawaii (January 2005) .

Since I'm in this photo, M must have taken it. It shows the kind of moment that I'm always trying to capture -- candid, warm, and one that tells a story.

I love it.

the greatest gift

Money can't buy it.


It can't be kept.




But it lasts forever.

life is a beach

A beach in Southern California on a sunny day, that is.












Life at its best. Need to say any more?

rainy days and mondays

...can get us down.



Rainy Saturdays, however, are a bit different.

We've got no plans, in no rush go anywhere, so we go to the library, and of course it was the perfect day to be there.




We browse until we get hungry, then we're off to lunch.

color me beautiful

I gave E the camera for 30 minutes, and this was one of the photos he took. I know what's in the photo, but it's so out of focus that it's absolutely impossible to tell what it is by just looking at it. I love the colors and the blurriness. The image of the chandelier (from the underside) on the last post was also taken by him. I'm surprised and amazed by the photos he takes sometimes.


****************


Cooking just for the two of us, one of whom is only seven years-old and not really into appreciating the art of eating, has been somewhat of a challenge. However, today I had two of my girlfriends over for lunch, and for the gathering I made enough food for six people. It was the kind of pasta dish that could be served hot, at room temp, or cold. We have more than enough of this dish left for E and me for dinner tonight. I also took two servings of salad out of the bowl before dressing it for the girls and me, so I already have a salad ready for dinner.

The best part of this was that I actually ate something decent for lunch! With a glass of wine, no less!

I may have to do this more often.

yes, you do

You do give me a fresh perspective. Literally and figuratively.

seven years of pure joy

I am so glad you came.

sunshine, on my shoulders

sunshine, on my shoulders - makes me happy
sunshine, in my eyes - can make me cry
sunshine, on the water - looks so lovely
sunshine, almost always - makes me high

if i had a day that i could give you
i'd give to you a day just like today
if i had a song that i could sing for you
i'd sing a song to make you feel this way

sunshine, on my shoulders - makes me happy
sunshine, in my eyes - can make me cry
sunshine, on the water - looks so lovely
sunshine, almost always - makes me high

if i had a tale that i could tell you
i'd tell a tale sure to make you smile
if i had a wish that i could wish for you
i'd make a wish for sunshine all the while

sunshine, on my shoulders - makes me happy
sunshine, in my eyes - can make me cry
sunshine, on the water - looks so lovely
sunshine, almost always - makes me high

sunshine almost all the times makes me high
sunshine, almost always

- John Denver

glide, just glide

on this day

You will be missed. You are and always will be in our hearts.

when you're smilin'

Oh when you're smilin'
Keep on smilin'
The whole world smiles with you
Ah when you're laughin'
Keep on laughin'
The sun comes shinin' through

Now when you're cryin'
You bring on the rain
So stop that sighin'
Be happy again
Cause when you're smilin'
Just keep on smilin'
And the whole world's gonna smile with
The great big world will smile with
The whole wide world will smile with you

-Shay, Fisher, and Goodwin

three o'clock in the afternoon

The yummiest snack I've ever had. Thank you, pumpkin, and I love you, too.

baby mine

What's more important than anything to me is your presence and your smile. I will go through hail or fire for you.



Little one when you play
Don't you mind what they say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear, baby of mine

- Ned Washington