Hoquiam and Aberdeen have a population of about 27,000 people so it should really reveal something about the microculture we live in that today a complete stranger asked me if I was "Ralph Hogaboom's wife" and here's why: she works with my husband who revealed our son's proclivity to his sister's clothes the other day, and this morning at our favorite deli Nels was wearing a hairbow of Sophie's (to a lot of smiles and comments). This "recognition" should just give you a tiny taste of how rare it is for a preschooler boy 'round these parts to wear anything much more girlie than an Elmo shirt.

Of course in PT the requisite look was encouraging one's boychild to wear a Halloween costume year-round and / or thrifted Hanna Andersson playdress, fairy wings, and dirty face comprised of equal parts organic gummi bears, Odwalla Superfood, and Veggie Booty. While I lived there I never thought I'd miss the New Ager Preciousness of that crowd of parents and kids but of course, I really really do - not just my friends, which made my holiday season hit pockets of unbearableness, but the culture there in general. The Port Townsend I knew was exciting, brazenly liberal, and fiercely creative. Port Townsend will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the inheritance of my young family.

OMG I have nothing to complain about these days, and I really shouldn't. I mean really. Today I spent the day running necessary errands and cleaning house, with my children's help in all endeavors. We had a delightful lunch on store credit. And I've since been at the library having me-time while my children quietly play and read. We're about to head home and get ready for a Y visit this afternoon where I can get in some walking and talking with my girlfriend J. And if I'm lucky, the kids won't hate-fuck the house and mess it up again. I am definitely dreading firing up the old clunky sewing machine again, but I do have to finish Sophie's li'l overalls and start on her birthday princess dress. Which will, in all likelihood, be worn more by Nels anyway.

Labels: library, navelgazing, Nels, sewing, YMCA

Today I found myself at 11:15 leaving my daughter's school (where I do volunteer work every Monday) and on my way to pick up Nels when: problem? I forgot bus fare. Luckily it was only very, very, freezing-nuts-off cold as opposed to the torrential rain that descended at 2:45 that day when - again, on foot - I needed to go pick up my daughter. At 11:15, realizing my error, I tied my hat earflaps down and walked super-fast to my parents' house to ask for their van or 50 cents and the use of the phone. As I walked I thought about what it is like for families who really DON'T have a car or people who RELY on public transportation regularly. There is simply no room for, "Oh whoops, I forgot such-and-such," or "Oops, running a little late!" when you're catching a bus in order to get somewhere.

As of two yesterday our van battery is dead. Luckily nothing phases me when it comes to getting around; it's a good life skill if you ask me. Today at 3:22 as I pulled the kids along to our bus stop (uncovered and right by a crosswalk; people slow down and glare at me, waiting for me to cross. I point and point to the sign we're next to but no one registers it is indeed a bus stop. It's weird.) my children asked me why we have to walk so fast in the pouring rain. I said, "OK. Let me tell you a story about what's happening. When our car breaks down, we don't have money to fix it right away. So we take the bus. You know some people don't have cars at all. Some people have money to fix their cars right away," and a bunch of other things. It was a good conversation. They really listened as we slogged through the wet. My three year old son valiantly hiked his coat up and kept a jog for four blocks. Yes, we made the bus. They are pros at it. Nels rang the bell when we got to the Y.

Despite being on foot, on bus, and bumming the use of my parents' van once I still managed to arrange school for the kids, take homebaked cookies to Suse's school, deliver a hat to a friend, and get the kids to the Y for my workout (very sluggish today) and the kids' first night of Short Sports (tonight's workshop: basketball skills). Arriving home at 7:30 and my body doesn't yet know it's time to rest (in fact, the dirty dishes and piles of laundry encourage my body to keep going). But it really is time to rest. And give the family the SNUGGLING OF THEIR LIFE! Does that sound threatening? Because it's meant to.

Labels: bus, Nels, on foot, rain, YMCA

One way I've been getting some time to my own thoughts is hitting the YMCA right at 4 PM - before the evening rush, but just as the childcare opens. I can listen to music really loud and work out a few aggressions / sorrows. I also can look straight ahead and see high school boys on the swim team, diving off the diving board. Today one was wearing a speedo with a pirate flag smack over the bum.

While on the treadmill this evening the man next to me (OK he's running, I'm walking, but he's doing a SLOW run and I was on longer) kept looking over. Trying to catch my eye. He looked familiar to me. But he had his headphones in and so did I, so I didn't ask if I knew him. At one point I looked over and he was using the headphones to watch sports statistics on the treadmill TV (yes, there is a television in the treadmill!). I on the other hand was listening to Panic! At the Disco, The Kinks (simply cannot get enough), and Radiohead - while occasionally looking up at the CC set to watch Tom Hanks on Oprah (this all worked very well for me). After a while the man started to smell, or rather his smell wafted to me. It was part man-funk and part stale doggy. I have a very sensitive nose so, just because I can smell you doesn't mean you should worry you particularly smell bad. By way of illustration: one summer day (pregnant was I) my husband and his friend Bart came inside my parents' house and I, from fifteen feet away, said, "You smell like bark. Were you climbing trees?" to their very shocked expressions because of course, they did and they had been.

OMG OMG OMG!!! I like, completely finished the first issue of my zine... ohgeez. So yeah. Download here at the - oh yes, did I mention? I (well, RALPH and I) finished the website, too. You can go to "Current Issue" and download the PDF - it's a rather large file so give it a few minutes.

Labels: SNF, the bod, YMCA