Data

This is hilarious to me. My number of blog posts from the last 4 years:

• 2011 (65)
• 2010 (79)
• 2009 (166)
• 2008 (120)
• 2007 (158)

2010 was DEFINITELY a bit short on posts. 2011 is shaping up a bit better. I was a postin' FOOL in 2007-2009. Had a lot to say! Or rather - not much else to DO - so I actually had time to blog about my life!

Makes me think of 2 things:

1. I really do need to make a blog book. I've been wanting to do this, but 2007 ended up being 193 pages and costing around $250.
2. I just do not have as much time to blog as before. Having a house is a beast of burden!

I remember in Paris, all I wanted - was to own a home. And now that I have one, I really miss the days of renting! All my free time nowadays is utilized cleaning, tidying, painting, if not painting - then picking out paint samples, picking out fabric samples, googling how to fix a loose sink faucet, weeding, watering plants, organizing something, looking at new toilets/vanities for my powder room -picking out said paint for my new powder room -

THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.

So whatever free time I do have - is spoken for! Until I have my house all in line. You know how you move in somewhere - and it just doesn't feel like your place yet? Yeah - that's where I am in this house.

When we moved into our apt in Austin, I decorated in about 2-3 months. We had no money - but that was ok because I had a ton of time (newlywed and no job and all) - scoured garage sales, sewed a bunch of stuff and shopped sales. And I decorated our 2 bedroom, 2 bath apt in no time flat. Got a job - and on went our lives.

Then, we moved to Paris - and while I had no more free time (introducing MICHAEL!) - we were well taken care of by Uncle Air Liquide and I outfitted our apt within 2-3 months as well.

NOW - we are in our HOME - and it has been over a year - and it STILL is a work in progress. Something about the fact that I can do WHATEVER I want - paralyzes me for the whole affair. And the fact that now I have no time and little excess money (thank you PA Tax Man, my water softening tank breaking, replacing 2 windshields in one month, maintaining 2 cars, paying for out of network doctors who implied that they were in network, tuition for Michael - THAT list goes on and on as well).

SIGH. So I haven't blogged. Because I am busy taking care of my family - and taking care of my house. Somehow I thought I could start a business in all of that - but now is not the time with Michael being home for the summer. And me needing a new camera. And my house feeling like someone else's house.

Good grief. Am I being a whiny melodramatic drama queen tonight. Really should not have watched my chick flick of Made of Honor.

I'm done now.

P

iPhone Download Time!

About once every quarter, my iphone makes it down to the depths of the basement. Known to Brian as "The Man Cave." Known to me as "The Meat Locker." It's pretty cold down in our basement.

And when this happens, we get the Blog - By Phone Pictures - Fire

Let's begin.

Leftover Picture from Strasburg. I did NOT feed this train any of my coins:

Michael and I playing chess while eating:

Michael wanted to get in the laundry bucket. Made me nostalgic for a similar picture I took of him in Paris when he was less than a year old. I tried to find it to post it here, but can't.

In June, we went and picked strawberries at Walnut Springs Farm. Here is the result of our efforts:

Tarte aux fraises - courtesy of Chocolate and Zucchini cookbook. One of my favorites.

This guy loves cheese even more than Brian. This was taken at -none other than- DUNKIN' Donuts:

Brian ran into this guy on our wood pile:

I would not have remained calm enough to take a picture of it. But I LOVE this one that Brian took. Such a nice contrast between the texture of the wood and the texture of the snake. And how the colors are definitely complimentary. I don't know - I just love this shot.

I DID GET ONE PICTURE FROM JULY 4th WEEKEND!

Our picnic blanket with the Gaglianos at Freedom Fest

Michael climbed on these bouncy houses suppled by : Date with a Tramp (see sign on image)

And Brian's latest harvest. Had to put that GLAD COSTCO sized Press 'n Seal box next to 'em so you could get the scale of these bad boys:

As my dad would say - Grown to about the size of a forearm.

AWESOME. I am off to take "good" pictures of Brian's garden. He has requested them. And then of Michael's hair cut.

And up next - videos of Brian and Michael re-enacting Wimbledon in our driveway.

Love,

P