Adios, 2010s!

New Subaru and BABIES, March 2010

Like many of us, I think, I'm inundated by a hodgepodge of feelings around the beginning of a new year--typically nostalgia about the uplifting parts of the previous 12 months, along with eagerness to put the less pleasing aspects firmly behind me, mixed with a healthy measure of excitement and anticipation about what I know is coming...plus the possibility of (hopefully positive, of course!) surprises during my next trip around the sun. But...2020, y'all. That has such a...momentous ring...doesn't it? And we're just going to skip right over the debate about whether the previous decade truly ends at 19 or not, blah blah blah, 'kay? For me, it seems like as good a time as any to reflect upon the past 10 years and see...well...what's happened in this little old life. So without further ado, here's a...hmm...let's call it a non-comprehensive highlight summary of The Chronicles of Me...with substantial guest appearances by the Male Trio.

--First of all, I wrote NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY blogposts. I just...I can't even...whoooaaaaa. That's a whole lotta stories, creative punctuation, made-up words, and general nonsense. Which neatly leads me to some of the reasons for said "creative license"...

--Team WestEnders was fortunate enough to be able to do some pretty epic exploring. Our wanderings kicked off with a cruise (with stops in the Bahamas and Virgin Islands), and a super-scenic road trip (encompassing Boston, Niagara Falls plus a bonus visit with Rochester friends, and Cooperstown, NY). In what's come to be known as our "Central American Phase", we visited Mexico, Costa Rica, and Belize. When I was still laboring under the impression that I could get everyone on board for relocating to the West Coast, we did a nice long look-see in the Bay area of California. Even though my diabolical scheme ultimately didn't work (more on that in a moment) it seemed to lead us to our current "Westward Ho" agenda, in which we've already touched upon Seattle, Colorado (Denver and Boulder), and Vancouver, BC.

--In the middle of all this, of course, we did pack up and move the fam...from MD to NC. This has given us a whole new state for gallivanting, which was part of the reason I was ready for a literal "change of scenery"! We've had a blast getting to know the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), as well as roaming further afield, to cool places like Asheville (the lovely mountains!), Wilmington (aaahhh, the beach!), Greensboro (minor league baseball's Grasshoppers...and a cool science museum!) and Charlotte (waaay too many delightful things to list!). On my own, I've also meandered through some other interesting towns, like Winston-Salem (Wake Forest U.), Fayetteville (charming holiday festival), New Bern (birthplace of Pepsi! You know, among other nifty stuff), Mt. Airy (Andy Griffith's childhood home, and the model for TV's Mayberry), Halifax (colonial re-enactment, for a change) and Carolina Beach (again with the sun, sand, and surf...yes, please!). And just because we happen to enjoy it so much, we've made our way down to Atlanta a couple of times for long weekends o'fun.

Mid-decade: Costa Rica 2015

--Not that all of our wandering is so large-scale: we've also taken quite a few field-trippy-type excursions, either with the full squad, or me and the boys on school-free days. If you're paying attention, you'll undoubtedly notice a couple of recurring motifs here, but I'll make it easy on you by saying that most of them involve either Civil War sites, hiking...or both. For example, I dragged--um "introduced"--the kids to Manassas/Bull Run and Winchester (VA), Antietam/Sharpsburg and Cumberland (MD), and Gettysburg and Hanover (PA). We all ventured to Harper's Ferry (WV), Valley Forge and Pittsburgh (PA), Catoctin (MD), Great Falls and Williamsburg/Jamestown (VA), and Charleston (SC). On my own, because I'm not only a history nerd, but also just a little bit inexplicably obsessed with battlefields, I added Fredericksburg, Petersburg, Chancellorsville, Monticello, Montpelier, and Richmond (all in VA), and nearby war-related locales like Bennett Place and Bentonville in NC.

--And sometimes, believe it or not, we do actual...leisurely things! Like enjoying America's pastime, to the tune of countless Orioles contests (both at Camden Yards and on the road), 14 minor league affiliates (mostly Durham Bulls), and 8 stadiums while on vacation (AT&T Stadium of the San Francisco Giants, Coors Field for the Rockies, Braves' Turner Field and SunTrust Park, Fenway, Seattle Mariners' Safeco Field, Nationals Park, the Pirates' PNC Park). Mind you, on other occasions we do somewhat less sitting around...and more, say, "running". In fact, since we took up 5K races as a hobby of sorts in 2013, our scorecard looks like this: Husband 13; Derek 18; Riley 27 and yours truly...34. (Whoo hoo! What do I win? Please tell me it's chocolate, after all that effort?)

--Since we're on the subject of, well, ME, the 2010s marked my first complete decade as a full-time, committed vegetarian. And, as I've written about in some detail over the course of this period, I switched-up my career (not voluntarily, but as an expected consequence of the transfer to NC...and I rolled with it), and held 3 (very different, but all fulfilling in their own way) jobs during that time. Who knows, maybe the current (still pretty brand new) one will hold me through the 20s...is that even possible? (Stay tuned...) Meanwhile, Husband continues rolling contentedly along in the industry he's been a part of since he graduated from college...and with the same company for the past 15 years...who incidentally allowed him to keep his position when we vacated Maryland and simply convert to a home-based model. So he basically gets up in the morning, throws on weather-appropriate athletic wear, and stumps downstairs for coffee and meetings. Yep, somebody's gotta be the stable partner in this relationship! (1-2-3, NOT IT!)

Holiday photo 2019

--And finally, as you can imagine, the sons have gone through some pretty major changes in the last 10 years of their young lives (besides the obvious GROWTH). Let's see, both of them "graduated" Elementary and Middle Schools, and Derek finished the whole enchilada when he earned his High School diploma in 2018. During the latter stages of that process there were naturally college tours (Clemson, University of South Carolina, Penn State, University of Maryland, UNC Charlotte, James Madison, Virginia Tech), on which some or all of us accompanied him. Then he selected the Other Carolina--becoming a proud member of Gamecock Nation--and I got to tag along for the Admitted Students event, Orientation, and all too soon, Move-In Day...also called "Mom Has a Breakdown" (I'm fine, it's all good, I recovered..eventually!) Now Derek is cruising through his Sophomore year...and as an 11th-grader, Riley's ramping up his own research about where he wants to end up for his collegiate experience. And the inevitable process of Growing Up continues unabated....siiiiighhhhh....

Woooow....that was...a lot. I know I said this little ramble down Memory Lane was meant focus on the joyful happenings, but as we move forward into the fresh decade, I also want to recall the special people we lost--my mom, a treasured great-aunt, and my sister-in-law...watching over us, sharing our triumphs, commiserating in our failures, and no doubt cheering on our next set of adventures. And there you have it! In the immortal (unapologetically stolen and paraphrased) words of Buzz Lightyear: To 2020...and beyond!

Final 2019 Adventures in Maryland

After Team WestEnders had once again persevered through the myriad perils of I-85/95, completed our harrowing journey, and triumphantly marched into our stronghold--er, base of operations...oh right, "hosts' house"--the two days of whirlwind social activities could commence. First up for me was meeting an old pal for coffee and catch-up chatting. This is always the payoff for gritting our teeth and fighting our way through traffic several times a year to visit the ancestral homeland, so to speak: spending special time not only with the extended clan, but also longtime friends who feel like family by this point. So there was java, and laughter, and stories, and an all-around lovely morning of touching base with an amiga muy buena.

Then it was back to the Hotel de Hillpeople, where I knew exactly what I'd encounter: a roomful of people camped out on sofas, locked into an intense day of sports viewing, with occasional breaks to wander a few yards over to the kitchen and grab a snack or refill a beverage. Hey, at least it was a group event, right? And of course it wasn't like everyone was just staring in silence--with the occasional yelling of approval...encouragement...disagreement...disgust...or confusion in the direction of the TV based on whatever play had just occurred. Oh, and let's not forget the mandatory analysis, spirited discussion, and rehashing of controversial moments in the contest. Yep, it was definitely a fully interactive football fest, folks!

As for myself, there's only so much gridiron action I can take. So I took a scheduled break in the late afternoon to get outside and run some laps around the neighborhood for a while. This proved to be absolutely delightful, since Maryland was being unusually hospitable to us in the waning days of December, and serving up near-60-degree weather. I enjoyed myself immensely, listening to a festive playlist through my headphones, wearing much less clothing than I'm accustomed to during our Winter sojourn, and admiring the holiday decorations along my route, with the twinkly outdoor lights just beginning to come on at dusk as I finished.

Aaaahhh...a much-needed exercise interlude...readying me for several--or "many", as it happened--more hours with the couch crowd, caught up in the entertaining Peach and Fiesta Bowl games. Actually...exhausting might be a more appropriate description, since the only one I truly cared about unfortunately kicked off at 8 p.m...and lasted until just past midnight. Holy adrenaline hangover, Batman...can't they finish before my bedtime? Sheesh...


Not surprisingly, the household denizens rose slowly the next morning, after all that excitement, noshing, staying up late, and whatnot. But there was no rest for the weary, as the Male Posse and I were due at my father's house for one more round of hanging out with the relatives. I also had an additional engagement on the agenda, as I was rendezvousing with a college girlfriend for our annual gabfest--and more of the blessed caffeinated elixer, because why not? Thus I slipped out for several pleasant hours of sipping warm joe and getting all the latest updates on each other's lives, which is always a highlight of the twice-yearly MD excursions.

When I made my way back to Dad's, I found a whole squadron of soaking wet, muddy boys (sons and nephews) who'd apparently been frolicking in the pouring rain in my absence. (Eh, my kids had checked the forecast ahead of time and planned for this by bringing an extra set of clothing, so no harm, no foul, really...) Once the young athletes had changed and dried off, the football-palooza plowed ahead unabated, with everyone gathering around yet another television screen to cheer on the Baltimore Ravens in their final regular season matchup before the playoffs.

After the obligatory cousin picture (Everyone sit down! Keep your hands to yourselves! Get the dog out of the way! Now smile! As you can see, it was only moderately successful...but we'll take what we can get from the goofy gang of adolescents...) it was time to bid farewell to the fam--at least for the cold season, anyway. We returned for one more night to the deluxe accommodations at our Northern Home Base, to fit in some final bonding before heading back to Chapel Hill. Saying goodbye and leaving is always bittersweet...we miss our loved ones during the months apart, for sure...but we always know we'll see them again before TOO much time passes. So for now, it's hasta luego, MD...back to NC...and welcome, 2020!

Maryland Excursion 2019

With the home half of Christmas 2019 concluded, Team WestEnders hit the road for the travel portion of the schedule, heading north to catch up with our Maryland loved ones. First, there had been some discussion about whether we'd leave Thursday afternoon--following the paradigm we adopted a couple of years ago, when we figured out how much easier it was to miss all the horrific traffic by sneaking through in the evening--or Friday morning...thereby risking All. The. Backups. I would like it stated for the record, right here, that I vehemently voted for the former...but was overruled. Aaaannnnd guess what happened? That's right, sweeties, our historic nemesis, commonly known as "Virginia", rose up and bit us in the...patootie...yet again.

Honestly, the only positive thing to come out of that wholly infuriating experience was that Riley took the first shift, racked up 90 solid minutes behind the wheel, and thereby acquired the final hour he needed to log for his Learner's Permit requirements. You know what that means, yeah? Watch out, License Test, here he comes! Other than that, the delay almost--but fortunately not quite--derailed our plan to get the HECK out of the car and hike for a while near the end of the journey, before finishing up at my Dad's house for the beloved, time-honored Friday Night Pizza tradition.

We didn't have as much daylight left as we'd hoped, so our stroll through the woods at Sugarloaf Mountain was slightly abbreviated...and perhaps a bit brisker than originally anticipated...but still delightfully peaceful, enjoyable, and rejuvenating. This turned out to be especially important once we arrived at Casa Extended-Fam...otherwise called Cousin Chaos Central. Yes, there was dinner, which was the relatively calm aspect of the whole shebang. But then...at 7:00, my father switched the TV to Jeopardy, which during my childhood was an ultra competitive sport, inspiring much enthusiastic participation, yelling of answers, good-natured arguing, and frankly, nerdy trash talking. Well, I'm happy to report that nothing has changed--except perhaps the VOLUME level of the combatants...or, you know, Quiz Show Geeks...whatever...

Add to that the fact that my youngest nephew broke out a Trivial Pursuit-type game (at the same time, mind you--because who wouldn't want more noise and rivalry?) and wrangled my sister and Derek into playing it with him...which can be summed up as just a whole bucketful of pandemonium, y'all. Need proof? My nephew, when unsure of the correct response to one question ("Name of the teenage spy written by author Anthony Horowitz"...Alex Rider, if you're curious), settled for shouting the first thing that apparently popped into his mind, which happened to be...the cartoon character Kim Possible. After that, this became the default wrong answer whenever anyone couldn't come up with a better option.

Meanwhile, my brother at one point was attempting to name a Disney film, but only managed to sputter, "You know, that princess movie! (Oh, that's helpful. Would you care to maybe narrow that down for us, dude?) Bless him, he plowed on with admirable determination, "With...um...Esmerelda? (We'd figured it out by now...but he was on a roll, so we didn't want to interrupt...or honestly...rescue him...) He finally, desperately tried "And the song...'Take away, take away!'" This was accompanied by dramatic, sweeping arm movements to supposedly illustrate his point and spark our memories...of the movie FROZEN. (So close, and yet, sooooooo...NOT...) Yeeeahhh....there was no speaking for at least 5 minutes after that debacle, until my sister and I were able to pick ourselves off the floor, stop howling and clutching our sides, wipe our eyes, and generally get ourselves back together enough to continue.

Whew! It was a wild little get-together, for sure. And then we said our goodbyes and headed to our usual HQ at the home of friends who so graciously allow us to crash there several times a year. There we were able to greet our hosts, settle in for a couple minutes of quieter conversation, and rest up for Day 2 of the Mid Atlantic Invasion...or, um, "holiday visit". Stay tuned for more fa-la-la-ing!

Navidad '19

So, Merry Christmas! And...um...Happy Boxing Day! Team WestEnders were treated to a lovely interlude of family bonding--I've gotta say, with one kid away at college for most of the year, it really is true that the best gift of all is having everyone together for the holidays. Even if the 16 and 19-year olds sidle up to you on the 24th--interrupting your blissful TV viewing--and pretend to try and wheedle hints out of you about their presents, like they're reliving their elementary school days, or something. And also regardless of the fact that you tell the older son that the festivities will occur at (the very reasonable hour of) 10 a.m., so he gives you a pained expression...and sets an alarm to avoid the unbearable unpleasantness of being woken up by his parents. Oh, and before all of this, of course, came the several-stage annual interrogation to determine what each of the clan might wish to receive for their yuletide gifts. But yeah, they're all great, and I love them dearly (just...after coffee...)! (Also please note that in the Christmas morning photo I demanded, that IS in fact a...CHEESE STICK...behind Derek's ear. I didn't even notice he was eating one when I told him to pose, so he tucked it there for safe keeping. Siiiiighhhhhh. See what I mean about Mom's java juice? Not even joking...)

Each year I try to take their suggestions (which are meager, and hard-won) and add a few educated guesses to the mix. So, Derek's asks included: he'd recently developed a hole in his UofSC hoodie and could use a replacement (that's an easy one--check); he didn't own any UNC gear, and felt it was time to represent the home turf...while prowling the grounds of the OTHER Carolina (amusing, and also simple to achieve--check check); and the customary updated version of the FIFA video game he enjoys playing in his leisure time (done, and done!). Then to add a couple of surprises--even if they're more practical rather than...whimsical...now that he's basically an adult--I threw in a beard trimming ensemble (hey, if he's gonna keep that thing, it might as well be groomed, yeah?) and a silicone mat for cooking in his apartment (which he and Husband had tried to find in Columbia at the beginning of the school year, without success). One carefully selected Ramses t-shirt from his sibling rounded out his haul rather nicely.

Then there's Riley, who tends to be even more challenging, since he usually struggles to come up with any concrete guidance for the Shopping Fairy (just one of my many esteemed titles...one of these days I'm really going to have to demand tiaras for each of these jobs. That'll make it seem soooo much more important...and less like a chore. Right? Eh, one can dream...). A 30-ounce insulated cup for smoothies (Target, breezy), wireless headphones for running (same kind I have, re-order a different color on Amazon, BOOM)...and a home-gym-thingie which, as it turns out, while ordered on the 15th, won't be delivered until the 27th...oy!  My extra, stealthy purchases comprised a fresh Fleet Feet hat (to retire the previous version, which is covered in salty sweat stains and held together with duct tape), a lightweight workout shirt, and a blender for concocting the frothy breakfast drinks he likes to make on weekends. Thus his brother decided to add protein powder as his contribution...which is when I realized that absolutely all of Riley's items fell into the health/fitness category...which is so on-brand, it's actually a wee bit scary.

Next up: Husband, who requested exactly one thing: new frying pans. (I. Am. NOT. Kidding.) You see, in an attempt to get away from Teflon and move toward supposedly safer, more environmentally friendly and less chemical cookware, I'd invested in the ceramic-coated kind, not too long ago. But Husband had somehow managed to gunk up them up, before we knew that the gentler surface also requires special handling, so we needed to start over. (Live and learn? Sure...and this time, read the manuals!) And of course, in what has become a highly anticipated top-secret field trip, the boys and I head to Whole Foods to compile a junk food smorgasbord full of unusual, interesting edibles...such as lamb jerky (I know, right? But it's not for me, so whatevs!), barbeque potato chips (standard), a salty snack mix, and a variety of pretzels that bills itself as "the official pretzels of beer". (Seriously, how could we NOT?) Derek threw in a Gamecocks t-shirt for good measure, and that was that.

Finally, we have yours truly, whose Wish List was also modest. I mean, you'd think it'd be the easiest thing in the whole wide world to obtain a pair of slippers...wouldn't you? Evidently this is not true, when young men are assigned the errand. I learned later that it took an extended trek through Kohl's...in which by their own admission they gave up rather quickly and were distracted instead by some massage chairs that they just had to test out...where they were utterly thwarted until running into a neighbor who, upon hearing their sad plight, offered them a 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon to try their luck in another venue. (Thanks, D! You saved the day!) There the intrepid elves--um "teenagers"--reportedly located the only set of fuzzy footwear they could get their hands on, triumphantly paid for them, and the way they tell it, at least, managed to escape the terrifying Realm of Housewares relatively unscathed. And then bragged repeatedly about how they paid SIX DOLLARS for my...Men's...Size Medium...slippers. I can't even, with these Big. Honking. Gooberheads.

Meanwhile, Husband provided me with the warm socks I wanted, but couldn't resist choosing the Farm to Feet style....which honestly makes sense for me, so no complaints here. He threw in a National Parks guidebook, sure to come in super-handy for future vacation planning. And then we have the phantom packages: the ones Derek and Husband assure me are on their way from points distant, but due to shipping snafus have yet to arrive. So apparently I get to experience some additional suspense...along with an unusually celebratory New Year's. Sparkling cider! Plainly wrapped boxes in the mail! Whoo hoo!

And there you have it: a final cool Yule of the decade with my boys. Tomorrow we're traveling to Maryland to spend quality time with our northern friends and fam. So for now, wishing you and yours peace, love, and joy to finish out 2019!

Mid-December mashup

Oldies but goodies

Lots of wintry shenanigans this week--although thank goodness, none of it involving actual weather! Let's see, we had the solstice (which really just signifies that more daylight is coming--whoo hoo!), the beginning of most of Team WestEnders' holiday break (I have to show up at the office for 4 hours on Monday, no biggie), and of course, the ever-so-festive (and perpetually silly) photo shoot for the annual friends-and-family Merry Everything card.

Speaking of the yearly picture-palooza, back up with me for a moment to Thanksgiving weekend, if you will. I'd gleefully decked the halls on Sunday, faithfully following my mom's tradition as we used to do it in my childhood home. However, one crucial piece of fa la la-ing remained glaringly unfinished...and as dinnertime approached, Husband wearily sighed, gave me what was probably meant to be his best hangdog expression, designed to inspire sympathy, and plaintively asked, "Can we put the tree up next week?" Well...while I do understand and even empathize with being tired at the end of a 4-day mini-vacay...the short answer was an unequivocal "Um, sorry, but NO WAY, JOSE--er, "Spouse". I mean, I need to experience the sparkle and glow of a fully bedazzled (faux) evergreen in our living room for the entire month of December, and this just leaves no wiggle room for delaying the magic, my sweet little...elves.

New, fresh, and exciting!

So he grumbled a wee bit, but then rallied and applied himself admirably to the task nonetheless, and fulfilled my pre-Christmas wish...even though he was missing one helper, since Derek had returned early to SC for the big Rivalry Week football game. This left Riley to assist me in placing the baubles, as the final step in the beautification process. As we were lovingly unpacking the box full of special trinkets, my darling son suddenly commented, "I think...we need some new ornaments. Some of these are....a little dated." For a moment, I just gaped at him, unable to believe my ears at this audacious notion. How could you SAY that? Why, just look at this...ooooh, I see. Are you referring to the collection of kitschy snowmen, plastic Santas, and other random, cheap fillers that I most likely purchased before we had enough meaningful tokens to actually cover the branches? Yeah...you may have a point...

While I took the hint and weeded out some of the no-longer-essential placeholders to "retire", he enthusiastically continued, "Hey! Derek and I can go to the Hallmark store and each pick out something! We haven't done that in years!" He's absolutely right...and some of those early selections still adorn our tree, such as the sporty penguins...the soccer net that (when supplied with working batteries, which only happened for the briefest of periods, for obvious reasons) obnoxiously shouts "GOOOOOAAAL" when the ball is thrown into it...and the cheerful locomotives from Riley's precious Thomas the Tank Engine phase.

Oops! Almost...

And since we still had to wait a bit for Derek to finish up his semester and come home, I figured what the heck, why shouldn't I get in on the fun? Thus I upgraded our tiny, almost invisible Harry Potter decoration, and acquired a tasteful UNC addition. (Husband having pointed out that not only have we lived here 5 years, but now I'm even employed by the institution...yet we still somehow lacked anything commemorating either the town or university in our display...a glaring omission which as you can see has been successfully--and attractively--addressed. Whew!) Then, as an unexpected bonus, my massage therapist happened to be giving out adorable handmade crafts...using locally sourced acorns and organic wool, in a perfectly artistic representation of Hippie-town (as my children call it)...otherwise known as Carrboro. Needless to say, it fits in beautifully--at least with MY aesthetic, which is really the only one that counts, right? (Sure, let's go with that...)

Well, I did tell them they could be silly...

Finally, the bros were able to make their sojourn to ye olde card shoppe to peruse this season's offerings and carefully choose one to represent the 2019 noel. Of course, first we had to indulge in some patented ridiculousness by, for example, acting like 4-year olds. "Mom, can I buy the $40 lightsaber one?" "No? How about the...fishing...pants?" Siiiighhhh. Eventually, in a move that surprises absolutely no one, after much consideration, Riley kept coming back to the sleek, shiny gold train that caught his eye early in the proceedings. And Derek? Well, he went with a beloved classic character as you can see: Snow Miser from The Year Without a Santa Claus. (circa 1974. Holy guacamole, who knew it was that old? Ahem...I mean...vintage is cool, yeah? Or...retro! That's it, we're just throwing it back...'cuz that's how we roll...or some such nonsense. Moving on...)

Goofball brothers...

And then--HALLELUJAH--we were able to muster the troops for the campaign that I'm going to hereafter refer to as "for the love of all things holy, can we please just position ourselves (without blocking anyone else), stand still (no last-second twitching), smile (in a reasonably natural fashion), and keep our eyes open (DEREK) long enough for One. Decent. Shot?" I swear, it doesn't seem like that much to ask, especially with offspring who are essentially grown, and yet...every time...it quickly degenerates into a downright farcical situation with me barking (unheeded) orders in an increasingly exasperated tone...until I throw my hands up and declare that "Fine! It'll have to do". What can I say? Unfortunately, it IS my circus, and they ARE my monkeys...ay yi yi...

Anyway...with all of the prep work pretty much done at this point, it feels like we can now relax and enjoy the rest of our holly jolly hiatus. So without further ado, let there be hot chocolate...Disney+ marathons...presents! Yay, yule!! Oh, and of course: wishing everyone a joyful...any and all of the wonderful things you may celebrate!)

December doings

Well hello there, my little reindeer! It's been a while, hasn't it? But in my defense: DECEMBER, amiright? As far as I can tell, I attribute the pace of life lately to a combination of being back in the world of  the employed, plus holiday prep, along with...I don't know, some ineffable slippage of the time/space continuum in the final month of the year that makes it just...whoosh...fly by at the speed of, like...sugar cookies disappearing. (Mmmm...)

So what has Team WestEnders' journey involved to this point? First off, I'd say the past few weeks were characterized by  "taking care of business". For Riley, this included his first shot at the SAT test (and perhaps the only one, if he gets the scores he wants. So let's all keep our fingers crossed, 'kay? Thanks...). Meanwhile, Derek had a week or so of reviewing the semester's material in his classes, followed by his final exams. (First semester of Sophomore year: in the books! And then he got to come home for a month of uninterrupted family bonding time....yaaaayyyyy!) As for me, I've been settling in at the office, meeting new people all the time, learning things every day, and helping out where I can in these early stages.

So yeah, it's been kind of a whirlwind--which is not to say there hasn't been time for some good old fashioned FUN, of course. For example, I participated in the Secret Santa exchange in my department. I quickly realized that it's very well done; you fill out a questionnaire with lots of valuable information about topics such as foods you like/dislike, favorite colors/places to shop, what you enjoy doing in your leisure hours, etc. You turn it in, pick up your own cheat-sheet with someone else's deets, then you use that list to select small treats for Monday-Thursday, and a wrap-up gift on Friday. And lemme tell ya...my sneaky elf was the greatest! I honestly don't know how she did it, but the things she chose for me were so perfect it was almost scary. (Seriously, dark chocolate, coffee and tea, organic skin care, and money to spend at the local co-op? Man, she was just...GOALS!)

Oh, and I also had a blast curating surprises for my buddy as well--Hershey's kisses (#1 snack!); a purple, floral scented candle (fave shade and scent!); cookie mix (loves to bake!); mini makeup items from Ulta (one of her top interests!); and for the grand finale, a Barnes & Noble giftcard, since she mentioned that reading is one of her most treasured ways to spend free time. From my perspective as a first-timer, it definitely felt like a terrific way to promote a spirit of  festivity and camaraderie in the workplace!

Next, to counteract all that decadent yumminess, I met up with a group of bootcamp pals to participate in Fleet Feet's inaugural Run Run Rudolph event. It was an untimed route, where the idea was simply to come out, hit the streets with the local fitness community, donate to a couple of worthy causes, and just generally enjoy yourself. Aaannnd...costumes were "encouraged"...so it seemed like an ideal opportunity to indulge in another sparkly running skirt, yeah? (I mean, it's just TWO...so far...so I totally don't have a problem...yet...) And trust me, I fit right in amongst the fancy headbands, yule-themed tights, sweaters, and socks, and Kris Kringle hats. As usual, my gang represented well--in both buoyant enthusiasm and seasonally appropriate, entertaining apparel, as you can clearly see.

Sooooo, that brings us up-to-date, with one week remaining of academics and job-related toil before the whole fam goes on break until the new year...and decade...gulp! On that note, it feels like a lovely opportunity to go sit down and have some tea...or chocolate...and chill for a while. Peace out, peeps!

Disney Date with Derek

The convoluted tale of how the boys and I saw the original Frozen...on an appropriately frigid day in January of 2014...during a rare miss of a historical field trip to Winchester, VA (whose alleged "battlefield" failed us mightily in terms of both size and sites of interest, I tell ya)...as a desperate Plan B activity to fill time and wring something worthwhile out of the excursion...oh, and with one kid beginning to show signs of illness, which would turn out to be bronchitis, for crying out loud...is nevertheless now a treasured part of WestEnders family lore. As they like to tell it, I "dragged them there" under protest and forced them to sit through a movie about one of their least favorite things on planet Earth: singing princesses.

But don't you believe a word of it, my friends, because the truth is that they LOVED it. How do I know this? Well, Derek to this day can throw random quotes (mostly Olaf's greatest hits) into conversation. Even his college gang found out about his not-so-secret Disney proclivity...and gifted him with a Frozen pinata for his birthday last year. So you can imagine that there was Not. Any. Universe. in which I wasn't going to purchase the preposterous breakfast cereal tie-in for when he came home at Thanksgiving. (Yes, of course I texted him a photo while clutching the box in the aisle at Costco. He wasn't quite as gleeful as I was, but he did appreciate it, nonetheless...)

Needless to say, when the inevitable hysteria started mounting in advance of the hugely anticipated, long awaited sequel, you can bet we jumped right on that glittery, snowflake fueled bandwagon. In fact, I think we began talking about it as early as Summer, when the first short teasers were released. Then during one of our recent Sunday afternoon phone calls, Derek suddenly asked me, in a tone of barely contained enthusiasm, "Do you know what happens in 2 weeks?" Momentarily stumped, I glanced at the calendar and stalled..."Um...you'll be here for the holiday?" Fortunately he bailed me out with the correct answer: Frozen II opens! Oh, yeah--how could I forget? (A brief lapse, I assure you. There will be no need to alert the...I don't know...Mouseketeer Police? And don't even THINK about trying to take away my Honorary Princess card, 'cuz that's just not happening...)

Now, there's a bit of a...minor dispute...about what transpired next. You see, the way I recall the conversation, Derek said, "You're gonna wait until I get home to see it, right?" I assured him that was the plan. I even graciously agreed--given that he naturally wanted to spend time with his neighborhood buddies, and also would be going back to Columbia early for the big football game--that we might have to wait until the end of the semester when he'd be home for several weeks, rather than attempting to cram it in over TG.

And so, I prepared myself to (impatiently) hold out until I could share the experience with my precious child...you can guess where this is going, hmm? I received a text on 11/23 (that would be "the day after it premiered") that read "The lads and I pulled up to the 10:30 primetime showing of Frozen. I feel bad, so I'm ok with seeing it over break if you want." I...I just...let's say I was..."miffed" and leave it at that. I thought it best in this instance NOT to reply, so I maintained radio silence (and stewed), and would you believe he had the sheer nerve to add, at 1:31 a.m. "Great movie btw". Grrrr! He was definitely holding the position of least favorite son at that moment (which is really saying something, in a pool of only 2).

By the time he strolled through the door on Sunday night, though, he'd been forgiven. I told him I understand that if his whole posse decides to do something together, he can't very well be the one that bows out because "he promised his Mom". Besides, now that he was back in town, we were able to hash out the details of our own agenda...buy our tickets...and get ready for the magic (again, for some of us, but whatever)! It turned out that the best day for us would be Friday...also known as "the most chaotic shopping day of the year"...AND our preferred theater happens to be at a mall...what could possibly go wrong?

This called for a carefully constructed, strategic course of action, so I went ahead and reserved the passes online to avoid any box office madness, and we settled on a departure time that would allow us plenty of leeway for traffic and...whatnot. Part of me felt like our behavior might be a bit...paranoid, or at least dramatic...and we were probably overreacting, blah blah blah. But ay ay yi, it was a dang good thing we thought this through, because simply navigating the parking lot ended up being like how I imagine the 9th Circle of Hell--with minivans. Piloted by drivers weaving erratically, stopping unexpectedly, and crawling up and down the rows seeking nonexistent empty spots. Every single space was occupied, but thank heavens for the bankrupt Sears Auto Shop at the far end of the property, which afforded a few extra, precious yards of crumbling asphalt for those of us lucky--and early--enough to snag some.

After that--and the subsequent HIKE from our vehicle to the theater--it was fortuitous smooth sailing all the way. We cruised through the entrance, the snack line, the preemptive restroom break, and into our pre-selected assigned chairs...which incidentally include "recline", "footrest"...and even "seat warmer" at the push of a button! (Hey, it's a flick that features lots of ICE, so why not counteract that by toasting the tushie? Ha!) And then...we were transported to Arendelle, swept away with Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven once more. No spoilers, but the music was stunning, the story amazing, the animation gorgeous, and the whole package added up to yet another enchanting Disney triumph. In short: four very passionate thumbs-up from the WestEnders contingent.

On top of that, it was a delightful interlude of Mother/Son bonding before Derek had to hit the road. And when you think about it, we didn't have to suffer through Winchester for our entertainment payoff...no one came down with a nasty ailment...we survived a retail center during holiday pandemonium...and WARM. BUTTS. Absolutely no doubt about it, this was a W-I-N! (And really, go catch the film; it's awesome. Heck, if you let me know, I'd totally tag along and see it again! I'll even try to sing only under my breath....but I make no promises. Consider yourself warned...)

Frolicking and Feasting!

In the theme of "gratitude", one thing Team WestEnders really appreciates about living in Chapel Hill is the robust health culture and Great Outdoors vibe that's constantly on display throughout the area. For a relevant seasonal example, there's not just ONE turkey-trot-type event to participate in, but rather a whole array from which you can choose, if you're inclined to start your Day of Thanks by pre-burning some of the inevitable calories to be consumed later.

Alas, the one located geographically closest to me comprises an 8K course...which is just a tad ambitious for this recreational runner. However, a couple of years ago our bootcamp leader (K) informed me of an alternate race that includes a much friendlier 5K option...and a new tradition was born. Now, in 2018 I got the whole fam to come along with me (to my slight surprise, due to the "waking up early and, you know, exercising on a day dedicated pretty much to eating...and lounging on the couch watching sports"). But this year, Riley said he didn't want to do it...Husband is still experiencing residual pain from the ankle bone he broke several months ago...and Derek obviously wasn't going to commit without his jogging buddy (that would be "Dad", NOT his brother, who's far too speedy for any of us to match).

Honestly, though, this was totally okay with me, since I knew I'd have my usual partner-in-crime--um, "fitness friend"--to keep me company. Plus, a bonus-J-pal from our workout gang decided she'd join us as well, making it an even merrier little band. And then...things got even awesomer...when K announced that she and her uncle planned to wear costumes to the shindig...and J was so inspired/enthused that she jumped on that bandwagon as well. So that meant I'd find myself hanging out with a fork and knife and spoon....basically your full complement of utensils is what I'm getting at, y'all. And...well...while I wasn't exactly inclined to deck myself out in full dress-up gear, my creative tribe motivated me to figure out some way to go with the festive mood. Which led to me happily purchasing a Fall-themed tutu for the occasion. Yep, we were gonna be quite the spectacle, folks. (And boy, was the Male Trio ecstatic...and relieved that they weren't attending, when I gleefully shared all of these shenanigans...)

So there we were on Thanksgiving morning, surrounded by the throngs of like-minded active men, women, and kids...and garnering a fair amount of attention. (Or should I say: not really ME, whose cheerful skirt went practically unnoticed next to my fabulously silver-garbed contingent!) Glancing around, I read faces full of amusement...approval...and maybe even admiration?--although to be fair, that could have been either "Wow, that's so clever!" or "Jeez, they're awfully brave to show up that way!" But the absolute BEST moment came when we'd all finished our loop, and J reported that she'd entertained herself--and others, apparently--by chasing small children with a mock-serious growl and pretending she was going to gobble them up. PRICELESS. (Yeeaahhh...I suspect this is only the beginning of what is going to become an even more elaborate collaboration in years to come...stay tuned, turkeys!)

And speaking of turkeys...and such: the guys and I tackled our Second Annual November Culinary Extravaganza, to create an evening repast worthy of both groups of pilgrims--carnivores and vegetarians, that is. Fortunately, I'd thought to record what we did last year, since we'd enjoyed the results, and it'd obviously be easier just to recreate the magic, as it were. This meant a Butterball breast rather than a whole bird, gluten-free stuffing we could ALL partake of, the standard mashed potatoes, and two varieties of cranberry sauce (because the dudes utterly reject the idea of--heaven forbid--whole berries in their canned fruit product). Since I don't actually consume most of these items, I made a serving of roasted Brussels sprouts for myself. I did incidentally offer to cook them for everyone else as well, but they feigned horror at the notion of slipping a bona fide vegetable dish in amidst the carbo-palooza, so the green stuff was all mine. (Whoo hoo!)

The only hiccup in the proceedings centered around the aforementioned stuffing, for which I (lazily) wanted to buy a pre-packaged mix to speed up and simplify the assembly. However, the Big Three stores that I typically rely on--that would be Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Weaver Street Market, our local co-op--all either failed to stock, or had run out of, such a product this year. Inconceivable! (And yes, it does absolutely mean what I think it means. So there!) Thus I was forced to improvise...looking up a recipe online, obtaining an actual loaf of non-wheat bread...and then cutting it into cubes and toasting it myself. Sheesh! No, really, I have to admit that not only wasn't it difficult at all, it also turned out super-tasty in the end (and...appealingly rustic? Sure, we'll go with the Cooking Channel buzzword, yeah?). Besides, everyone else gave it a thumbs-up as well, so we're gonna go ahead and call that a WIN.

And that's about it for TG 2019. After that, it was all post-meal-coma and chilling in front of the TV for our household. It was a lovely way to kick off the holiday season...now let's cue up some fa la la tunes, dig out those yule decorations...and think about getting back to some light salads...tomorrow!

Pre-TG Happenings

November, November...so fleeting and yet so....nope, just that. I can't pretend to have any idea how we've come to find ourselves in the waning days of Turkey Month (or, you know, the vegetarian equivalent), and yet here we are. So let's do a recap of some recent highlights for Team WestEnders, shall we?

In between receiving the offer for my new job and actually starting, I used some of my dwindling free time to visit a much anticipated, long awaited addition to downtown: a delightful entity called Epilogue. In this case, I won't try to improve upon their own words, so here's how they describe themselves on their website: "an independent bookstore and Spanish-style chocolatería that aims to foster community in the heart of Chapel Hill. It is a place for people to gather, whether to cultivate new ideas, learn old ones, or escape into the welcoming atmosphere that books, chocolate, beer, and coffee all provide." Um...YES, PLEASE...ALL OF THESE THINGS! 

The day I checked them out, business seemed to be bustling, with a line at the counter to order bevs and treats, people wandering the shelves perusing the available titles, and even groups congregating in the seating area for meetups. I procured my brew (some kind of Mexican latte concoction that was delicious...and tongue-tingling-ly spicy, as advertised!), then made my way into the section of used volumes, to see what I could find. I sipped my java and lost myself in blissful browsing for a while...until it occurred to me that I had neglected to snap a picture. (Horrors!) 

This turned out to be a fabulous idea, because my camera happened to capture the owner of the fine establishment, manning the register and chatting with a customer. I discovered this when I went over to explain why I was taking the photo (free publicity on social media!). He introduced himself and told me a few fun tidbits about the shop, including the fact that there are approximately 8,000 page-turners already on display...and he has an estimated 22,000 more at home waiting to be organized and brought in to sell! More awesome things to read = super-happy campers! I made off with a small stack of prizes, and am already looking forward to when I finish them and can head back for more. This could be dangerous...but also educational...entertaining...and enlightening? Yeah, it's definitely a WIN, y'all!

As for Riley, 11th grade continues apace, and he's embroiled in all the activities thereof. These include cramming in practice driving excursions whenever schedules permit--it's actually helpful now that it gets dark so early (go figure!) since he still needs to amass those elusive "nighttime hours". He's about 10 away from the required amount for his full license, so we can almost glimpse the finish line. Meanwhile, he's dedicating study time to prepping for the SAT, which he's taking in a few weeks. On a related note, there's been a mild, expected uptick in the college advertisement mail since he completed the ACT in last month, the most amusing--and impressive--of which came from the University of Chicago. Now, he has no intention whatsoever of attending their venerable institution...but we had to give them mad props for that lovely poster! It's almost a shame it's too far away...and COLD...for Riley to consider--ha!
And finally, the college dude is returning to the nest for the holiday, of course--on a slightly...unusual schedule. You see, the university gives students Wednesday through Friday to travel home and spend quality time with their beloved fams. As a bonus, some of his teachers went ahead and cancelled sessions that would have met earlier in the week...which left him with the option of remaining on campus for ONE class, or bailing on Sunday and savoring the extra days in NC. He assured me that he hasn't skipped all semester, and that he would check with his professors to make sure he wouldn't be missing anything important, so I trusted him to be a responsible adult about it...and stroll in over the weekend....yay! 

Besides, we already know--because he told us a YEAR ago--that he'll also be headed back to Columbia on the early side at the end of the break...for a football game. (Raise your hand if you're surprised....no? Me neither....siiiiighhhh....) Yes, I'm well aware that it's Rivalry Week, and UofSC faces off against Clemson, their Palmetto State enemy, blah blah blah. At least we get him for a solid 4-day stretch, to catch up, EAT, and enjoy each other's company. We'll take it, for sure!

And there you have it, November in a Nutshell. Peace out for now--see you peeps on the other side of the feast!

Text-planation(s)

As we (oh so rapidly) approach Thanksgiving, things in Casa WestEnders have settled into their Fall rhythm (because let's face it, with the possible exception of Husband, the fam basically operates on an academic schedule for all intents and purposes). For me, the routine feels a lot more...normal, for lack of a better word...in 2019 than it did last year, when I was still adjusting to having Derek away at college, and the house didn't feel quite right yet, with one of the squad missing on a daily basis. But by now, the (usually lengthy) Sunday afternoon phone call is well-established. And in between these catch-up sessions, there are the mid-week electronic exchanges about random stuff, which serve the dual purpose of  keeping us from missing him too much...and periodically reminding us what a big gooberhead we sent off to SC.

Sometimes one of us will touch base (Ha! Sorry, that was unintentional...) about a topic of interest to us both, like the World Series, for example. (See left)


To me, this is long-distance Mother/Son bonding at its best; not only do I get some bonus chit chat...but it allows me continued access to my own personal sports analyst, so that has to be considered a Win-Win!

And then there are the precious instances when he chooses to reach out with something he knows will amuse me, such as him and his friends dressed up for Halloween. Keep in mind, this was after he vehemently denied he'd be participating in the costume-related shenanigans his buddies were encouraging him to join--which made it even more hilarious. You see, the young man on the left side of the photo is supposed to be Derek, and vice versa. If you happen to be acquainted with my child, you recognize that this just...well, NAILS it. Meanwhile, if I hadn't given birth to him, I wouldn't even believe this was Derek, wearing articles of clothing that have NEVER appeared on his person before (Athleisure sneakers? Flannel? Nuh-uh. And he seriously hasn't owned a pair of jeans since he was, oh, about 8!) I have to hand it to them: when these boys put their minds to it, they're impressively creative! Here's hoping they continue to (at least mostly) use their talents for good...

Now, I will admit that occasionally his confusing messages make me question just what the HECK my beloved offspring is thinking...or whether he's actually being sincere. (See right) I mean...we DID complete that Disney binge this past Summer, where we watched all the animated classics we could record for free, scrounge from the library, or rent from a streaming service. Plus, he made sure to point out that it includes the entire Marvel catalogue, and we're total superhero nerds...so maybe he actually does have a point. Yeah, but then he described himself and one of his pals as..."Disney hypebeasts"...so he lost me to hysterical laughter and that was the end of it. Whew! That was a close one!

Aaannd, once in a while there's one that causes Parental Heart Failure, followed closely by Righteous Indignation...accompanied by Threats of Well-Deserved Repercussions. I'm referring to terrifying conversation starters like the one on the right. It was fortunate that I happened to be sitting next to my phone at the time, so I could read it...take a deep breath...ponder for a few beats...and come to the conclusion that it didn't sound at all typical of my low-key, non-dramatic son.

Besides, he also knows better by now (I think) than to send his mother such a potentially inflammatory text--all of which flew through my head in about 30 seconds, permitting me to compose my subsequent calm, rational, neutral response. Until I found out it was his amigo, stirring up trouble...at which point the aforementioned "consequences" came into play. I'm sure Ryan figured he was being a real hoot...but lemme tell ya, next time I see that dude, he'll be the recipient of my most ferocious Mom Glare...along with perhaps a brief but passionate lecture in "why it's in your best interests to NOT aggravate your future roommate's parents". Sheesh...

However, all was forgiven, when this little chat concluded with the promised picture...of Derek's leg...sporting...um...what appears to be a horrific bruise of some kind? He assured me that is indeed the ill-fated temporary tattoo...which evidently isn't at ALL effective when applied through copious amounts of leg hair. But this is reportedly where Ryan insisted he attempt to place it, so what can you do, right? Oh, and if you were wondering, it supposed to be Kristoff and Sven. And he obtained it from a cereal box, so that actually explains a lot...

And there you have it...silly interactions with ridiculous young men, Part 9,000 (or so). Obviously, it pleases me to no end that even though he's all-but-grown-up now, we can still share these moments. Also...my eldest does enjoy reading his own press, if you will, so it's nice to be able to throw a random Derek-centric post into the mix, to keep him entertained (along with at least one of his NC gang who tunes in every so often to catch up, much to my delight). Because if we can't laugh at...I mean "with"...our children, what's the point of having them, amiright? (Or...something like that? Am I close? Eh, whatever...) Anyway, you're welcome...all!