Digby and his dads

I was downloading pictures from our camera, and found one or two left over from our honeymoon, which was a little over 3 years ago. We went to this FABULOUS place, spending more on this one vacation than I think either of us has spent on all of our vacations in our entire lives, combined. We went to Caneel Bay which a resort on the island of Saint John.

We were there for a week. We sat on this beach



and saw this view from our room




and saw these guys around the resort



and swam in this water



and met this guy while snorkling.



But possibly the most entertaining part of our honeymoon was Digby and his dads.

We first became aware of the two gay guys and Digby while sitting on the beach. The CGGs came through the trees and arranged themselves on some chairs, one adult sized one for each of them, and one kid sized one for The Doll. The doll was one of those lifelike ones, like the one that danced on those Ally McBeal episodes. At first I thought I would eventually see a child, since the guys were carrying this doll around. But no child appeared. The two guys did stop a woman walking on the beach and asked her to take a picture of them in the surf with the doll. Eventually we began seeing these guys, and the doll, everywhere. We would see them at meals, especially dinner, dressed exactly alike, with the doll, dressed in a little tiny outfit exactly like their own. They would sit the doll on the table, and put a plate in front of it, putting food on it and then one of them would eat the food like the doll ate it. One night we were eating near them, and one of the guys left the table, and the other sat there having an entire conversation with the doll, "feeding" it and then pocketing the mussel shells that were left over from the doll "eating." It was all very surreal. I was facing them, and could barely contain myself. These guys would get bottled water delivered to the table like it was champagne. One day I watched one of them pocket a handful of lemons from the breakfast buffet.

Over the week we saw them often, and finally one night, as we were leaving the computer room (this resort has no TV, telephone or computer access in the rooms) and we came face to face with the CGGs, and one of them was carrying the doll. Up to this point Bob had been preventing me from introducing myself to the guys and getting the full story. "Puuleeeease let me meet the crazy gay guys and find out what the deal with the doll is" I would plead. "Stay away from the crazy gay guys" Bob would say. But as we were leaving the computer room, through a door that only one person at a time could pass, I was face to face with one CGG carrying a doll. A doll dressed in exactly the same clothing as the CGG. The doll even had a tiny doll watch that looked just like the one on the guy. Not even Bob could stop the encounter. "Hellooooo" says me. "Who is your friend" asks me. "Digby" says CGG. "He is dressed exactly like you guys" says me, in a dazzling display of grasping the obvious. "Yes, they are by an Italian designer" says CGG. "He even has a watch exactly like yours" says me. "YES!" says CGG with a big smile. At this point I became aware of a gentle but insistent pushing against my back. BOB. He was PUSHING me out of the room, and away from the CGG and doll. GAH. I bid the two crazy gay guys and Digby (because now we were on a first name basis) good night and went on my way.

We left a day or so later and I was unable to find out anything more. For all I know they were two very wealthy gay guys with nothing better to do than mess with the heads of their fellow vacationers and brought that doll along just for fun. Or they really were crazy, and were treating this doll like a human child. I will never know, but every so often we see a lifelike doll, and both of us will say "DIGBY!" and wonder what has become of him and his crazy gay guy fathers.

And did you notice I figured out how to imbed a link??? Did you, did you, huh, HUH? Thanks Witchypoo!

Update: Now there is a link to my friend Witchypoo. Mea Culpa!

It probably should have been a red flag

A friend of mine planned an 80th birthday party for her father this weekend. He was in his day a jazz musician, playing with Herb Pomeroy's big band and teaching at the Berklee School of Music here in Boston. Part of the celebration included a jazz guitarist they hired to perform at the party.

Talking about the plans with her reminded me of my first wedding. In case you didn't know, The Bob is my second husband, my BEST husband. My first wedding took place in Oregon, where most of my family lives. My parents helped me plan this wedding, including finding the person who would play music during the ceremony.

This will sound odd, and in retrospect, it was, but the person we had play music at our wedding was my mother's barber. My mother worked at a book store in Oregon City at the time, and Dan owned the barber shop in the plaza. He was the only one in the shop who would cut womens' hair, which is how my mother got to know him. He was also a fairly talented jazz guitarist. We were getting married in a small chapel that was a historic landmark, and had very little to offer by way of music. I had this idea that a guitarist, playing "Here comes the Bride" in kind of bossa nova style would be great. And it was. In case you were wondering.

The ceremony was lovely, the music was pretty. A few weeks after the event my mother had some interesting information to share. Turns out Dan had a small cocaine problem. He apparently needed some funds, so in a moment that can only be described as "Poor Judgement Extraordinaire" he did the following:

Robbed a bank. The bank in the same plaza where he had his business, where he was known to the employees. And used as his getaway vehicle...a bicycle. Which at some point in his getaway he decided to abandon, and dump over a bridge into a river. Because NO ONE would notice that.

In retrospect, I probably should have taken this as a red flag, an indication perhaps, that things would not go as hoped or anticipated in my first marriage. Which is why it was my first and not only marriage.

On cry babies and aging parents

I got home today to hear that Bob's mother was in the hospital. She fell down today and broke her leg. She lives in Maine, near her daughter and grown grandchildren so she has people there with her now. Bob will be going up this weekend to check out the situation. She has been having problems with tripping and falling lately. She has been complaining about being in pain in her hips and back, and the doctors had diagnosed the problem as arthritis and spinal stenosis. This accident is awful but not a complete surprise.

She is not the cry baby I am referring to. My child is. He has of late taken to crying when he doesn't get his way. Full on crying, giant tears and hand to his mouth crying. We have become immune to his wiley ways but that doesn't seem to deter him. He actually practices crying in the mirror. I have mentioned this before. He loves to watch himself do things in the mirror, like fall down. The teachers at school have mentioned that he will watch himself cry in the mirror there too. GREAT. THAT is the reputation he needs.

The crying is relatively shortlived because his father and I don't get swayed by it, but it is still rather annoying and slightly embarrassing in public.

However, he does make up for torturing his parents this way by being funny.




Cooper loves to ask for "eyes" when he sees Bob wearing his glasses. So I let him use a pair of glasses that have no lenses in them I have. And he was totally into wearing his hat and sunglasses the other day. He really is a funny kid.

Fathers vs. Mothers

This is not a new or remarkable observation, I just happen to find the differences between what happens when Bob is solo parenting vs. when I am solo parenting HILARIOUS.

Last summer I had to visit my parents by myself, so Bob was in charge of Cooper for about 10 days by himself. I came home to find that Cooper refused to fall asleep in his own crib, and definitely refused to fall asleep before 9pm. That was not so hilarious. The other things that I discovered were more entertaining. Like one of my cutting boards (IKEA, $2.99) had been colored on with crayons. I don't know HOW that came about. If I am in charge of Cooper, he not only cannot get into the cupboard where the cutting boards live, but he is never left with crayons unsupervised. So either unsupervised illegal activities were occuring, or Bob ALLOWED my cutting board to be colored on.

A few weekends ago I went out on my own for some reason and came home to find Cooper and Bob playing with the walkie talkies we have. Somehow Cooper saw them and HAD to play with them, so when I walked into the house, they were both in the dining room, with walkie talkies in hand, and Bob was talking into his "Cooper, come in Cooper" and Cooper was turning the knob on his to cause fabulous feedback.

Last night was jazz ensemble rehearsal night, so Bob did pick up from daycare and was in charge, alone, for an hour. I walked in to find Cooper wearing his big puffy winter jacket, and a diaper. Oh, and socks. No pants, no shoes, just a diaper and a puffy jacket.

Part of this is of course that Cooper is way more active and interactive and asserting his own special brand of Cooper-ness. Bob thinks that Cooper does these things just to make Bob look bad when I get home. I think it is funny. I think Bob is a fun dad. This is not to say that I am the unfun parent, but there is always one parent who is the FUN one, the one who lets you eat crazy things for dinner and wear nothing but a puffy jacket and a diaper. And I think Bob is the fun one.

Cooper and I end up doing things like coloring, playing with play dough, stomping in puddles in his new Lightening McQueen rubber boots. It is not to say I am NOT fun, I am just more traditionally fun. Bob takes it to this quirky level. And I am OK with that. Cooper will love and admire his dad for those moments.

But I would like to say right now I would rather not sacrifice anymore of my kitchen utensils to the cause. One day it is an inexpensive cutting board, the next time I will find that something has been mixed in the blender that has hardened beyond the point of being able to clean it out. Some things are NOT TOYS.

How Bob cracks me up

Driving past a church today, we see a sign, advertising what the sermon will be tomorrow, which says "Words from the cross."

"Ouch" says Bob.

Shortest sermon, ever.

Fun Fact Friday

*Another blaze of color to remind us what is in store in the not so distant future as spring creeps closer and closer.

* I am currently avoiding writing up an outline to a presentation I am doing at 11am this morning for the Admissions staff. It is currently 9:17am. Ahem. I should get crackalackin.

* My kid might be headed for a career in music or showbiz or both. He loves Jack's Big Music Show - which by the way is no longer being made...Hello Jim Henson Puppet people. Could you get back to making it again? It is GENIUS. I digress. There is this quartet of muppets called the Schwartzman Quartet. Whenever they are going to come into the club house, they ring the doorbell, and Jack and Mary sing "Whoooo is iiiiit" and they come in and hum one note "Hmmmm" before singing. Recently I discovered if I am in the bathroom with the door closed as I am wont to do, and Cooper knocks, if I sing "Whoooo is it" he will say "Hmmmmm. Tet." Meaning the quartet. It cracks me up every time.

* I have discovered that I went to the same high school as Patricia Heaton, who used to be Ray's wife on Everybody Loves Raymond. She graduated a year or two ahead of when I arrived at high school, so there was no overlap. Her dad was a big wig with the Plain Dealer.

*Another dude I went to HS with was in a semi famous band - Stabbing Westward. I don't think they are together any longer. But Bob knew the band as soon as I said the name. Not my kind of music. Now he is the owner of Sellers Markets, a chain of restaurants in CA that is focused on sustainability and using locally grown produce. Cool.

*I just found another friend on Facebook I haven't talked to in a million years and it is a blast to find Jean again.

*I love my shiny new president and all his positive mojo, but he has come up with a proposal for his budget that will bring wreck and ruin to the student loan industry. Chaos and mayhem will ensue. I truly hope as the budget negotiations continue that sanity will weigh in and the smoke and mirrors will be revealed for what they are, SMOKE AND MIRRORS. Sigh.

Now I really do need to go write that outline. Happy Friday everyone! Tomorrow it is haircuts for Mom and the Coop! We know how to rock the weekend, yes we do.

Not much to say...it is snowing...again.

I haven't much to contribute today to the interweb discussions. It is snowing here. There is another 12 inches or so on the ground. I am not going to post more pictures of snow. I am going to post pictures from this summer when we were in Maine and it was warm and sunny and there was fruit on the trees and flowers in the fields. Even if it IS slightly out of focus fruit. Just to remind myself that it will be warm and sunny and fruity and flowery again. Someday.

We have a snowday today, so Cooper and the Bob and I have been enjoying more of each other's company. To say that I.LOVE.NAPTIME is putting it mildly. Understating the fact entirely. It will be over soon. It has been three hours now. So more coffee has been brewed. Winnie the Pooh is cued up on the VCR (it is the only Pooh video we have!!) since that is keeping a certain little someone occupied happily today and we shall weather the weather.

The only other news of note is our driveway has finally been fully repaired. They dug it up a bit more and leveled it and paved it and now it no longer looks like a hastily dug grave is in the middle of it.