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Just Jen
Careful with the pretty things

Monday, September 22, 2008
So you remember Gertie, our Beta fish, and perhaps my concern in explaining fishy heaven and all that to Ryder. Well the deal is, he didn't even notice that the fish had died until about a week ago, when he asked, "Momma, where's Gertie the fish?," and I was so unprepared to answer the question because at that point, I just figured he'd forgotten about her entirely. I mean, she died two months ago.


We'd recently returned from vacation, so when I stuttered a response to that first question, he began to develop his own conclusion. I tried to explain that there's a lifespan for every organism and that the fish lifespan is not that long, that we were lucky to have had Gertie for two years. Yet he asked, "Is she in Ohio? Is she at Nana's?" And I tried to explain that she died ... two frickin months ago, and that he will be fine, and that we could get another fish if he so desired.


So today we got Ruby, which he named her, though he keeps inadvertently calling her Gertie.


It's just interesting to see life and death from the perspective of a child. He was mostly concerned about where Gertie was than what actually happened to her.


So anyway, he wasn't terribly distraught, and now we have Ruby. Another responsibility for me! :) (Don't tell Ryder but "she's" actually a "he." And he is pretty darn cute, as far as Betas go.)


Friday, September 19, 2008
Bagels are the yum. I go through phases with them. At one point I didn't have one for more than a year because, you know, carbs are bad. My dad has cut all bread from his diet. WTF? Have you seen the man? I don't think this is necessary.


I only work half the day today, and this makes me happy. I've yet to decide how to spend my afternoon ... I'm meeting someone for lunch, and then I do whatever I please til yoga. Yesterday, I wanted to go shopping. My heart's only half there today, on this half-day. I think it's because there are a number of things I want to buy, but they're all over the place ... yesterday I was thinking "I need jeans," and "I want shoes" (and I'm blaming Em and T, respectively, for that). Today I'm thinking about paint colors for the study and Pottery Barn for a rug, and I want a new desk.


I think I might now be craving some retail therapy due to a bit of anxiety over the traumatic experience that I shall call "next week." (Its threat advisory might be orange, as was this one, might be yellow. Is the threat advisory ever green? Come on; I could use a green week.) As a matter of fact, this entire month has been disappointing; you'll recall I was anticipating a carefree September? Not so much. But October ...


Reasons I am slowly falling in love with October:
1) It's not here yet, and it's not quite within reach so ...
2) I love the *idea* of it
3) Um, Oct. 1, people -- DSM Season Dos
4) The weather is usually damn near perfect
5) It's my son's birthday month thus ...
6) It was the last month of the year in which I was ever pregnant (bittersweet)


By the way, did you see the way I just went from half-hearted-about to craving the shopping? This is typical behavior.


And seriously, we really need peanut butter.