Fashion Plates

I was reflecting on that great girl-toy of the 80’s, Fashion Plates, a few days ago at Like Totally 80’s. I didn’t actually own any Fashion Plates, but I sure did love them, and kind of want to play with a set right now.

Daddy J’s birthday pics

Daddy J informed me last fall that he did NOT want me to plan a surprise party for his 40th birthday. He knew what he wanted: he wanted to rent the town banquet hall, put a bottle of Cabo Wabo on every table, and sing with his band, Speakeasy, for a crowd of his friends and family.

So, that’s just what happened.

He turned into his rockstar alter-ego and rocked out with Speakeasy, after a set with Toby Fuss and his band. Many thanks to our friends Russ Faxon and TJ Hall for taking photos and giving us a disc with hundreds of happy memories. Also thanks to Maggi Vaughn, our Tennessee poet laureate, for composing and reading a poem about Daddy J, and to our friend Angelica Wortham for creating a gorgeous cake as a birthday present for my man.

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. I love you.

lovely photos

This sort of reminds me of Anne Geddes’s stuff, except it’s more tender, I guess because of the sleeping baby. And I absolutely love the crafty, home-madeness of the tableaux. It’s just incredibly sweet and so well done.

Check out While the Baby Sleeps…

fighting for justice regarding Henry’s death

Please take a minute and go check out cousin Katies’ blog, and please take another minute to leave a comment that you have not forgotten Henry’s case and that you expect the Knoxville authorities to continue to investigate fully. This kind of support is very helpful to Katie as she continues to pursue justice for her son’s death, and we feel that keeping attention on the investigation will encourage the authorities to resolve the case.

Thank you.

a couple more ball pics

~ Courtesy of my friend and the committee co-chair Angelica ~

It was SO MUCH FUN.

Here is the general decor look – pink and black, feathers and balloons and shiny stuff. Look at that boa action over the doorway and around the bar! And I love the ostrich feathers that committee member N.G. got going for the tables.

And a little clearer short of Daddy J and me.

(Yes, I’m double-fisting, but one is WATER.)

(REALLY.)

Apparently there are more ball pics in the Sunday paper, but we don’t have a subscription and we couldn’t find one this morning. I hope one turns up so I can check it out.

first real boo-boo

Rainbow did something to his ankle in the backyard on Friday. We had a few theories floating around, but Daddy J’s is the best: He was trying to walk on the playsystem ladder’s rungs as it was resting on the ground.

(Until the company, which we sued in small claims court, comes and fixes it within the next month or so.)

(Yeah, we won*.)

(Hee.)

*makes immature finger gesture toward company’s office in Franklin, TN*

Anyway, he twisted his ankle/hurt his foot somehow. I looked over toward the playsystem and he was next to the ladder, holding up his foot and crying. Nothing other than a scrape on the back of his calf, no swelling or discoloration or lumps or anything, but it was very tender. He cried for a while and just would NOT put any weight on that thing. It was so incredibly pitiful to see – he’d forget, and ask to be put down, and then cry and beg to be held. He learned to scoot on his bottom and walk on his knees.

This happened at 9:30. My father in law, who was a First Responder at one point, happened to be here at the time. He helped me check out Rainbow’s little ankle and we decided that there wasn’t an immediate ER situation. We gave it a couple of hours, but I couldn’t deal and wanted to be sure nothing was broken or fractured. Got X-rayed and confirmed that it’s a soft tissue injury. So that’s good.

Anyway, that was my Friday: fretting, hospital, fretting, pampering Rainbow.

Also much of Saturday morning.

By Saturday lunchtime, he was walking on it with a pronounced limp. And by Saturday night, he was limp/dancing at Daddy J’s 40th birthday party.

Which totally rocked. Pics to follow soon.

* Instead of saying that we “won”, I should have said that we “reached a settlement,” albeit a settlement that we are very happy with and that the company was at first adamant just wasn’t going to happen. So, for us, it was a win, though we settled before we went to court.

in the wee morning hours

It’s 2:30 and I just put little Scarlett and Wolfric out for bathroom break. Scarlett normally makes it all night, but woke me up just now. Whaddayagonnado.

I’m all creaky and sore from the little ski trip that Daddy J and I just took. It was a couple thing, a grown-up only thing, and it was great. First time skiing for both of us, and I think the fact that we avoided injury AND both made it down the beginner slope multiple times (with varying degrees of flair and speed) equals success. I’ll try to get a trip report and pics up tomorrow afternoon.

Here are a few pics from the Ball. (Daddy J used the Hipstamatic filter on his iPhone for these.) I wish I had a better pic of The Dress, which I loved, and its racy open back. We did get our Prom Pictures made by the photographer, so I’ll scan that in when they get back.

Also, that last pic? That would be me playing tambourine and singing with Four on the Floor, the band (at their invitation!) for Mustang Sally. Hee.

Totally unrelatedly: just now, I stood with the back door open to let the dogs in and noted that it’s downright balmy outside. We’ll probably get some more yucky weather (I feel like March always sneaks in some crud) but it totally feels like spring. Perhaps Aslan is on the move!!

And yeah, I’m really sleepy. Off to dreams of Narnia.

***edited to add: Just learned through Cousin Katie’s blog that Perry Moore, the producer of the Narnia movies was found dead of an overdose on Thursday morning. I didn’t know about this when I mentioned Narnia above; I just love the Narnia books and the warm end-of-winter weather reminded me of it.

I am so sad to learn about his death. He was so young (Daddy J’s and my age) and seems like such a talented and good guy. What a tragedy. Katie’s son Henry’s tragic passing due to complications from a drug overdose makes death from drug abuse very personal for our family.

Oscars in the 80’s

Hee. I had so much fun writing this column about the Best Picture Oscar winners of the 1980’s. I hope you like it. I’m really loving writing for Like Totally 80’s.

Also! Babble just told me that they are going to publish another of my parenting pieces in mid March.

🙂

we’ve got big balls

Ball preparation has been a wild flurry of activity for the last few days. It takes A LOT of work from the committee to put this thing on. Money, food, alcohol, the band, auction donations, correspondence, decorations… But, oh, goodness, the ballroom in indeed gorgeous. It’s a confection of pink and black, and yes, the feather boas are used to great effect. Feathers on the tables, lit balloon bouquets are going in place today around the room.

Feather Sparkle Barbie and Pink Tie Ken tonight = Awesome.

One of the ladies commented that Yes, indeed, that’s one girly bar, but that the men will get over it because they can still get their drinks from it just fine.

Part of my job is writing up the bid sheets, so I’ve been putting in some major computer time to get those done. We put baskets together on Tuesday, and some of the ladies started decorating on Thursday. Friday was decorating day #2; I had to take all the boys and let the big boys chase Rainbow around.

Whew.

Then left to put him down and work at home, while many ladies remained to work and work throughout the afternoon. We’re meeting again this morning, and should, at that point, be ready.

I gave up on getting my dress altered. I know. It makes me sad. But the neighborhood lady who normally alters for me (who comes to my house to pin me) has been sick, and I have been so dang busy that it’s just incomprehensible to work out babysitting to drive somewhere to get my dress altered. And taking Rainbow along on a fancy dress altering excursion is just totally out of the question.

But! My friend and committee co-chair J came through. I’m borrowing an amazing dress from her. It’s chocolatey-caramelly-brown, with sequins and beads and an open back. Yes, it won’t match our pink and black theme, but whatever. It’s fun to wear something new and beautiful, and I love it.

(Added bonus: wearing “shaping garments” underneath just can’t happen due to the open back, so I’ll be all comfy all night long. And it magically de-empasizes my tummy, so that’s okay. Sweet!)

Today’s To-Do List:

1. meet the ladies with my last batch of bid sheets and revisions from last night and work for a bit on the auction items and whatever else needs doing

2. color my grays

3. indulge in one more tanning

4. get my nails done. A French manicure, maybe? Two of my friends did a “gel” manicure and it looked lovely.

5. meditate/nap for half an hour or so this afternoon

6. get all prettied up

7. remember to drink water in between glasses of white wine

8. remember to eat something

9. dance to Mustang Sally and Brick House with a tuxedoed Daddy J

I. CAN’T. WAIT.

reflection

Oh, wow. I am so humbled and proud and amazed by this blog post about our town and the wheelchair basketball event.

Daddy J was very touched by this year’s event and concert, too. I wasn’t able to go hear his band perform because I didn’t have babysitting for Rainbow, but he said it was just an awesome experience. Last year, the wheelchair athletes didn’t really dance, but this year they did. He said he gave them various percussion instruments and they got out on the dance floor and were really feeling the music, and that it was a beautiful, moving thing. I wish I’d gotten to see it and dance with them. (Next year?) And I’m so proud of our other friends in the piece: Linda and Doug and Gracelyn, and Kim and Elijah and their growing family, and Carla and Dennis, and all the members of the park board, and those talented athletes who graced us with their competitive performance.

Our little town is many things; it’s not perfect and there are things it lacks and things that it could certainly do without. But I do love it, and I think this writer did an excellent job touching on why so many of us here do.

I’m looking forward to reading more of the Hoops for Heroes blog. What a powerful, beautiful thing he’s doing.

Makes me smile, really big.

🙂