Chase Fenway does it again!

The curse has indeed been broken. We think it was, maybe, with the birth of our son in September 2004 -- Chase Fenway.
Red Sox Nation rejoice at TWO World Championships in 2004 AND 2007! Go Sox!

The Happiest Place on Earth...

...is actually a little scary. We braved the crowds, but didn't realize we'd have to brave the rides, too. Fortunately, Disney employees gave us "the magic flashlight" to help ease little 3 year old fears. Hugs from Mommy, Gran, and Uncle Henry helped, too.
Daddy was like one of the 7 Dwarfs whistling at home while he worked, "Hi-ho-hi-ho, it's off to work" he goes. I think the rest of that song goes something like, "to pay the bills for a day at Disney hi-ho-hi-ho-hi-ho-hi-ho."

Evacuation

We are home. We have a home.

There was a mandatory evacuation for our area Monday morning. Patrick was at the airport headed for Mexico City for business, which ironically probably had better air quality than here. Thankfully, he turned back and helped scoop up his family. We stayed at a hotel Monday; one of the last rooms available we were told -- at 9:30 am. Tuesday, we were taken in by the generosity of friends in La Jolla.

It became a evacu-vacation, or evacu-cation.

Don't mean to make light of the tragedies of others. I know how fortunate we are. It's not that the fires were ever really putting our home in danger. The nearest one was probably still 5 miles away. Those poor people who had reverse 911 calls in the wee hours, with literally a moment to grab a pet/child/pair of shoes...how strange it is to drive away and wonder if you'll be back.

We had enough time to actually choose...Should I bring long-sleeved shirts, or short? Open-toed shoes, or closed? I packed an emergency kit which I keep in the laundry room (food/water/first-aid/pet food/flashlight). Some clothes. One toy per kiddo. My photos on discs. Important paperwork in a binder. Seemed reasonable. But as days ticked off I realized the things I forgot. Baby books. Ugh. How could I forget those?

It brings to mind those things which we truly do need. What would you grab? In a minute? In 5 minutes? In a half an hour?

Thanks to our friends Wendy and Dane for putting us up. Despite the tragedies, we enjoyed the good company, (good wine), soft place to sleep, and friendship. Dane, nearly 10 years old, even put Tatum and Chase to bed, complete with a bedtime dance session, and story. Thanks also to the Lippes, who had our dog, Molly. (We didn't know it at the time, but hotels were actually allowing dogs due to the circumstances. The four-legged friends were a funny sight on the elevator.)

We are home. There are ashes and soot to clean, but of course we are fortunate to have a home to dust off. Our thoughts are with the many who still wait...

Tune in

Laying in bed alternately reading and watching TV, I realized that I was hungry. Hate it when that happens. I'm all cozy and warm. I know the kitchen floor will be cold, the chill of the refrigerator...so I wait. Maybe I'm not really hungry I tell myself. I read some more. In the background a commercial comes on for some gorgeous looking hamburger. That's it! I'm seriously hungry.

Should I lie in bed hungry but warm, or brave the cold and be fed?

I choose to get out of bed, head for the panrty, and pour myself a bowl of cereal. Perfect. That's just what I needed.

Sometimes the best things to do for ourselves are the harder ones. The ones that take a little extra strength.

Getting back into bed with a belly full of Cheerios was worth it.

It's simple really: Tune into our bellies, and brains, and hearts and find what is missing. Then feed it.

17 minutes

We are very blessed to have many wonderful friends and family. Our kids are still opening birthday presents from last month's big party. So today, when my little guy wanted to open this Talking "Woody" toy -- we did. And a mere 17 minutes, scissors, screwdriver, and trip to the recycling bin later ... he had his toy!
My new favorite phrase (see post below): "Are you kidding me?" Is this a toy or a nuclear weapon?
Fortunately, my son did play with his toy for nearly half the time it took me open it. Well done!

A little help...please

Damn those makers at Nabisco! Are you kidding me with these? Like the ebony and ivory goodness of their original version, these are like Oreos on steroids. This puffed up, swollen version of the original offenders take a woman's weakness and dangle it in her face.

"Oh, you like Oreos? Well, what about double-stuffed? Try doubling the explosion of sugar and trans-fats all in one bite."

[With a mouth full of crumbs...] "Yef, fank you . May I have fome mo pwease."
[As she doubles the double-stuffed ones.]

Did you know there are actually websites for recipes for these things? Not like Oreo cookie-crust (come on, how's a girl supposed to make cheesecake?). I'm talking FRIED Oreo cakesters with a side of clogged artery.

And there is actually a lawsuit which seeks to ban sale of Oreos to children in California. The suit, the first of its kind in the country, asks for an injunction ordering Kraft Foods to desist from selling Nabisco Oreo Cookies to children in California, because the cookies are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, also called trans fat.

If you know me, please get into your car, drive to our house and throw these damn things away. As of now...there are ELEVEN left...I could be dead by morning.

The ONE Campaign

Perspective

"It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing, or dance" -- Alan Watts

If you decide to...

Remember those "Choose Your Own Adventure" books? Developed in the 1970's, designed to put the reader in the pilot's seat, becoming both protaganist and author at once. Choose your own adventure books offer alternate story endings as the reader sees the story fit. They prompted the reader with the phrase, "If you decide to" stay and fight the dragon turn to page 7, "If you decide to" run home, crawl into bed and cuddle your blankie ... turn to page 91. Hardly "invented" in the 1970's, merely published. For haven't we always been choosing our own adventure?

Remember those college applications? "If you decide to" go to Humboldt State -- turn to page 17 ... There you may become an oceanographer, a poet, a developer of alternate energy sources. "If you decide to" go to University of Colorado -- turn to page 76 ... There you may become an engineer, a business student, a yoga instructor."If you decide to" throw all of the applications in the garbage and join a band -- turn to page 43. But perhaps we would have come to our destination regardless.

There are these crossroads each day; should I eat Cheerios or scrambled eggs, drive the freeway or the coast, give in to the kids 3rd request for fruit snacks. We choose. Maybe nothing in our future really was affected by that choice.

Then there are the bigger adventures. The choices I have made, have yet to make, could have made differently. Dare I expose that ugly word "regret?" What about "fate?" "Destiny?" Or should I just turn the page and say, this is the adventure I have chosen. This is the ending I was looking for.

Admit it: You cheated here and there. You turned to page 17, 76, AND 43. You wanted to see what happened before you chose, right? Did the dragon win? But at some point, we have to commit to the page, close our eyes and believe. It's too hard to keep track of the alternate endings and consequences of each.

So here I am, choosing my own adventure. Some days, I wish I could peek ahead and get a glimpse of the pages ahead. But it takes the depth from the journey.

So here I go. "If you choose to" believe each moment exists entirely for the purpose of enjoying the ride...then it will be and the pages will begin to turn on their own.