We had a snow fort for about two days

January 14, 2009 | Iowa,Weather,Winter

Then we got a blizzard.

Before.

After.

It’s like hurricane season, only colder

January 12, 2009 | Barack Obama,Iowa,Politics,Weather,Winter

Much colder.

We’re at the beginning of the second (or is it the third?) blizzard of the season. I’d post a picture, but, well … got a printer? Got paper in the printer? Pull out a piece of that paper and hold it in front of your face. That’s what it looks like out there right now.

The kids spent two hours at school this morning before it got canceled. Then I got stuck at the end of the driveway on my way to pick them up.

Whee.

Don’t worry. I’m not wishing us back to hurricanes. I’ll never forget having two babies in bouncy seats. Under the kitchen table. In the dark. For at least three storms that took out a couple of trees.

Guess we’re just wacky weather magnets no matter where we live.

We will be layering in the coming week. You know it will be cold when they actually use the word “bitter” in the forecast. That’s just a nice way to not use lots and lots of cuss words. And the folks up here are nothing if not nice.

I better hurry up and call President-elect Barack Obama’s Blackberry (while he still has it) and see if he can add “making winter more pleasant” to his agenda.

Books: 2008 in review

2008,2009,Books,New Year

1) What did you read in 2008?
2) Anything not on my list that you would recommend?

Here’s what I read in 2008.

• Life of Pi by Yann Martel [Wasn’t as good as the author thought he it was.]
• The Girls by Lori Lansens [Amazingly sweet story.]
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson [Incredible, inspiring, exhausting.]
• The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
• A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
• Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman
• Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
• The Street of a Thousand Blossoms by Gail Tsukiyama [Slow read but definitely worth the effort.]
• The Bookseller of Kabul by Ã…sne Seierstad [Disappointing.]
• Final Salute by Jim Sheeler [Everyone should read this book. Everyone.]
• Rumors of our Progress have been Greatly Exaggerated by Carolyn B. Maloney
• Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They’d Ask) by Justin Richardson and Mark Schuster [Humorous and informative.]
• The Giver by Lois Lowry [Creepy.]
• Entwined Lives by Nancy L. Segal [Packed with information the author has studied her entire life.]
• Indivisible by Twoby Nancy L. Segal [In-depth look at some of the subjects from her first book.]
• Identical Strangers by Elyse Schein and Paula Bernstein [Touching and honest look at their incredible story of separation, reunion and confrontation of the people who controlled their lives.]
• The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson [Lively and entertaining historical account.]
• Iowa Curiosities by Dan Coffey and Eric Jones with Berit Thorkelson [Funny, interesting, informative.]
• Touch and Go by Studs Terkel
• Patriotic Grace by Peggy Noonan
• Hold on to Your Kids by Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D., and Gabor Maté, M.D.

I started several others that I haven’t finished yet, and I may have missed a few.

Actually, I just finished reading that one, Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression by Mildred Armstrong Kalish. It’s a great book.

I’m reading this one now: Involuntary Joy by Joy M. Newcom.

2008 in review: Blogland and beyond

January 9, 2009 | 2008,2009,Audience participation,Blogging,Blogland games,Citizen of the Month,Dad2twins,Devra Renner,Friends,Goon Squad Sarah,Great Interview Experiment,Guest blogger,Gunfighter,Magpie Musing,New Year,Traveling

Hey. Still grateful here.

Just a little more than a year ago, we decided at the last minute to go to Norway for the holidays. My husband’s grandmother was gravely ill, and we hoped to see her one more time. (She died just a few days before we got there.)

I put out a desperate call to a bunch of blogfriends, asking if they would be willing to guest post in my absence. I was humbled with the response. I had guest posts for almost every day I was away.

So I’m still grateful.

For …

• AdventureDad
• Bad American
• The Bullshit Observer
• Childs Play x2
• Creative Ink
• Dad2twins
• Funny Business
• Kemp’s Blog
• The Little Bird
• Mamma Loves
• Margaret
• Mom’s Minivan
• One Man and his Blog
• Parentopia
• Sarah and the Goon Squad
• Toddled Dredge
• The View from Here
• Writer’s Round-About

For …

Linda Jones for letting me blog at You’ve Got Your Hands Full.

Linda also gave me free rein to redesign the blog, which I did over my crazy summer. I had some hits and misses. A photographer promised the use of an image then wouldn’t return e-mails or telephone calls. So I scrambled for a suitable replacement, and I got something even better. I called on someone I knew, Kristine Freed.

With the help of Kristine and Sherilyn Brinker of Brinker-Freed Photographyand new mother-of-twins Kerrin Laari and her 5-week-old babies, Elise and Ian, I had a fabulous image to use on the blog.

None of it would have happened, though, without Jo-Lynne at DCR Design. She made the header and buttons, arranged and rearranged everything and even called me to give me a crash course in making my own changes. (Though I’m still fairly hopeless in that department.) I would have made a big announcement on the blog by now, but I’m having technical difficulties with Typepad, and I haven’t been able to sign on. As soon as I get it figured out, though, I’ll get something posted.

For …

• Stefania for giving me a blogging job at Being Savvy.
• Morningside Mom for taking over my Tampa spot when I moved.

For …

Citizen of the Month for a great experience, The Interview Experiment, and meeting two new blogfriends at A Juicy Life (now Notre Vie Juteuse since she moved to France) and The Would-Be Writers Guild.

For …

• Dad2twins for the E for Excellent award.
• Magpie Musing for the <3 award.

For …

Bob for his review of Final Salute.

For …

• Gunfighter for letting me guest post.
• PunditMom for letting me guest post.

For …

• Everyone who stopped by to read and/or comment.

Happy New Year.

Weird things happen in my dreams

January 8, 2009 | I'm kidding

I was reading a blog post (in my dream) by Sarah about us hanging out with Patrick Swayze. In Tampa. And she had pictures. (They were good.)

As we were reading her blog post, we were also hanging out with other celebrity boys. (I can’t remember who now.) We were headed out the door when my telephone rang. We all stopped and listened. It was Teddy Kennedy saying to my answering machine, “Hi, Becky. It’s Edward. Blah-blah-blah-de-blah.”

I was all, let’s get outta here, hurry! And I was relieved he didn’t have my cell number.

What’s more disturbing?

1) That I still had an answering machine?
or
2) That Teddy Kennedy was leaving a message on it?
or
3) That Teddy Kennedy apparently knew where I lived?

Weird things happen on Twitter

January 7, 2009 | MSM,Television,The Today Show,Twitter

So I was on Twitter, and I said I didn’t watch The Today Show, and I said something not terribly flattering about Ann Curry. Before the end of the night? The Today Show was following me on Twitter. Do you think they really care what I have to say … or are they just pulling an Abraham Lincoln on me?

Why do I sense Oprah is on Obama’s short list?

January 6, 2009 | 2008 campaign,2009,Barack Obama,Politics

Because — as Eric Deggans reported — Sanjay Gupta is apparently being considered for Surgeon General. You know. Of the United States.

And Leon Panetta? Really?

We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for auld lang syne

2008,2009,Family,Friends,New Year,Stuff

I’ve heard so many people say about last year, “Good riddance!” and “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Yeah, 2008 sucked in many ways. Even so, I’m … grateful.

Don’t worry. I’m not going permanently smarmy. I have plenty of complaints and pessimism to last the rest of the year. But for now, I’m grateful.

In a year where losses piled on losses, I have so much. I have a wonderful husband who still loves me after all these years. I have three beautiful children. I live closer to the rest of my family than I ever have before. I have shelter, warmth, companionship and love.

Wishing you all of this and more … happy New Year.

Verizon buys Alltel

January 4, 2009 | Customer service,Verizon

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Do you know what this means?

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Wait. Does that mean I can get my ringtones back?

Oh, never mind.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

All the king’s horses and all the king’s men

Barack Obama,Ethics,Fundraising,Politics,U.S. government

Does twice make a trend?

Gov. Bill Richardson withdraws from commerce secretary nomination … blah, blah, blah … pay-to-play.