Wallingford Coming Out Day

Yesterday I took the Quadruplets, Phoenix, Aidan, Alec and Ellie to the pottery studio.
When I proposed the trip, Ellie was concerned because we only had one kids smock. I suggested the 4 of them could all wear some of my t-shirts. I came out with a purple triangled shirt reading, "Queers As Far As the Eyes Can See" and a Keith Herring one that read, "National Coming Out Day"

They looked radical.

We headed north and the kids were all great. We started with hand building. Phoenix was anxious to try the "Spinner." I told them it was called a Wheel. Aidan decided it was called a "Spinning Wheel."

Ellie told them what an expert she was at throwing pots, having tried it once before a few days before, and that she would show them how to do it. I told her that perhaps I would demonstrate. She stood along my side and ran the vocal commentary while I centered a ball of clay.

"See how she is holding her hands really still and pushing and pressing? That is really important. Isn't it, Mama?"

She wanted her friends to know how close she was to something so cool and magical as clay.

I held each of the children's hands in turn and helped them throw their very own pot. They were happy with what they made.

The Newman

My sister wrote that she bought a boat. I wrote: What on earth possessed you? She wrote, "I want to see you wake boarding."

So we now have another boat to worry about. Lordy.

We will call it, "Newman" as in how Jerry Seinfeld addresses his nemesis.

I said, "Let me guess. You saw it on the side of the road, for sale and you thought, gosh, we could use a new boat. And it was cute. And then you bought it."

She said, "Not even close. I saw it on the side of the road and it was for sale and 4 days later, I bought it."

It is the Sadler way.

Interview

I am not good at this. Today I thought...geez, what am I gonna wear. Laurie suggested blue eye shadow, but stay away from the prostitute look. I was leaning that way, so you can imagine my gratitude upon receiving that advice. Whew, what a relief.

My neighbor called and said, "Don't snort." I told her, "Ok. I won't snort." She said, "I think you should let me take you to Nordstroms and buy a suit."

I didn't snort. I laughed hysterically.

I went to Nordstroms. I was a fish out of water. This woman named Tanya. (That is her real name, really) ran around bringing me clothing to put on and then after I agreed to a shirt, pants and jacket, another woman came and marked the suit for alternations.

The price of the shirt was about twice of my usual annual budget for clothing. At Goodwill, no one, and I mean no one, runs around bringing suggestions to you for your perusal. Nor do they taylor the clothing for free.

Pilgrimages

Trying to convince anyone these days that I am not religious is getting to be a challenge. Especially as I head to our beloved state’s capital to a rally with the religious left to lobby for marriage equality. Of course, those ‘buzz’ words are attacked as code for pro-gay rights. Oh well.

This morning Ellie witnessed her first miracle. She told me to come into the bathroom to see the droplet of water that was on the floor. It was in the shape of a heart. On Valentine’s Day! What are the chances of that?

She is an observant gal, that one.

Happy New Year

A weekend full of holidays, I tell ya. Yesterday we went to see the lion dance, firecrakers pop by the thousands and wander around Chinatown with oodles of other adopted children. There were lots of white couples with baby Chinese girls. Ellie wore her indigo Chinese silk outfit, just like the other girls. Her red hair stuck out, as did the fact she was wearing her nightgown over the pants.

Ellie got a fortune cookie that read: There is a Surpise in store for you.
Ellie was excited about that. She wanted to know which store.

Happy Valentines Day

Went to Church. didn't like it much. the guest minister was a little over the top for my taste.

Ellie made the trip to church this morning worth it. She had a great time in church school and after church, Ellie came up with a valentine left from the ones she brought to give away to her friends. She said she wanted to give it to someone who is in the church. I said, "One of the Sunday school teachers? "
"No, that guy you wanted to talk to but didn't that one time." I said, "Jon? The minister?"
She said, "Yes."

Ellie was dwarfed in the greeting hall full of adults. She patiently waited until Jon was free. She went up to him shyly. I introduced them as I don't think they have met. She handed him the valentine and said, "Happy Valentine's day." He gushed and beamed and pinned it to his robes.

I walked out of the church and said, "Ellie, you are a very nice person."

She said, "Yup, especially today."

I kissed her on the head and we headed to the coffee shop.

Morally Superior

This morning a young man came and took my car. He gave me a check, I gave him the title and now I am carless. Kim pointed out that instead of my seeing myself as downwardly mobile, I should see myself as morally superior for not owning a car. She was surpirsed I didn't immediately think of that.

Go Steelers!!!

House Finch
Originally uploaded by sasadler.

Not only did I know that New England was playing, but I knew a team from Pennsylvania was playing as well. I thought it was the Steelers, and I also thought they were called the Stealers, but still, I practically knew who was playing this year. A first.

Spring is springing up all over the place. The buds on the plum and almond are starting to pop like popcorn, and today the feeder was crowded with house finches.

Yesterday I made a bowl that I was really happy with, thanks to my friend whom we'll call Sylvia. She sat back, drank a beer and ordered her personal artist about.

Chicken Chickens

Light Brahmas
Originally uploaded by sasadler.

This morning, after E had climbed into bed with me and snoozed a while, she said, "I can see the chicken's head move." We watched the two Light Brahma hens cluck and pace the railing of the small balcony on our back. Thinking about jumping down to the ground, but not sure they could do it. They verbally complained about their predicament. One, after nearly a half hour of pacing, finally jumped. The other squawked louder still. Ellie told me, "You should go help her." So I went to the back, picked her up and gave her a toss. She less than gracefully landed in the back yard.

The Thousand Sock Slide

Ellie and Phoenix have made up a new game. It consists of putting on every sock in the house and then putting on a pair of tights. Then you run the length of our long hardwood floored house and slam into the dinning room wall. Fall onto the ground and laugh hysterically. Repeat.

This game was invented by the girl who Monday through Friday cannot, for the life of her, find two socks to wear to school.

Rant

No big surprise, but it is all incremental. And we don't do well with incremental. We respond to airplanes slamming into our building by spinning the story to bomb two countries who weren't really involved. However, if you can add 2 and 2, and even I can do that, this country has gone over the top in going over to the right.

While Georgia was ordered to removed the stickers in the text book that read, "Evolution is just a theory, not fact."

I have been thinking of stickers myself, "Gravity is just a theory, not fact." or "God is just a myth, not a fact"

I am feeling pretty confident about the gravity theory.

Anyway, the incremental nudge that got me ranting today was in the OP-Ed page of the NYT. Two pieces, one was how a majority of high school students do not think a free press is a good idea. They should have to ask the government what they can and cannot not print. And why wouldn't they?

The other was how schools are staying away from teaching evolution out of fear for reprisal.

How many things do we loose before our constitution isn't our constitution anymore?

Oh Canada

ourflag
Originally uploaded by sasadler.

And I mean that in a pleading, begging sense. I couldn't listen last night, but I managed to read about the State of the Union. Black and White, For and Against, Drawing Lines in the Sand...

Is this war on the Islamic world and our civil rights, plus the giant debt for our children's children the legacy that will be remembered? No, he will be known as the man who had to courage to stand up for what he believes in, come hell or high water.
Heaven help us all.

Total Point Score

My immigration score to get into Canada:

Your final score is: 72

Here is the breakdown of your total score:
Factor Maximum
Points Your
Score
1 Education 25 25
2 Language Ability 24 16
3 Work Experience 21 21
4 Age 10 10
5 Arranged Employment 10 0
6 Adaptability 10 0
Total Score 100 72


Pass Mark

The pass mark as of September 18, 2003 is 67.

A 2nd Christmas

Today must have hit a record for high temperature. As you know, we like talking about the weather, we Northwesterners. Well today, we all collectively talked about crocuses blooming, daffodil's shining and the shirt sleeve sunny day. Ellie ran inside to come and get me. She made me close my eyes and lead me to a bright open purple and orange crocus.

You'da thunk it a 2nd Christmas for how exited Ellie was when I said yes to going swimming. She was asking every 5 minutes if it were time to go and sprinted to put on her suit.