More Photographs

So we move onto birding with the Birdchick (http://birdchick.com/wp ... she rocks. Check out the blog). The nature reserve was amongst the most beautiful places I have ever visited. And I saw an Eastern bluebird for the first time in my sixteen years. Can you believe it - living in Rhode Island and never having seen a bluebird? There just don't seem to be many of them around these days. But Sharon - the Birdchick - assures me they're making a comeback.

Lorraine's gigs were so completely awesome. I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life as I did the Friday and Saturday I was in MN. This is me having too much fun with my marvelous camera at about one-thirty in the morning, post-gig.

Almost dead!

And does anybody else like the shirt I got at the nature reserve?

Yes, and this of course is Emily having WAY too much fun with her camera.

That's a pillow on my head, if you were wondering. Some people have asked.

Revelle reading "The Zombie Survival Guide" (which I've never read), as a zombie.

A good deal of fun with Lorraine and Cabal, her boss's (http://journal.neilgaiman.com/) dog.

He was a terribly sweet dog.

Chantrelle did not disappoint with the socks:

No, she never ceased to amaze me.

Donielle, who was impossible not to like.

Revelle was very excited to find, in a little antique shop in Stillwater, my favorite word to describe her.
This same antique shop bore the cheesiest but most fascinating Star Trek drinking glasses (thanks to Lorraine for pointing them out: I said, "Check out these Star Wars glasses. Ha." Though I don't actually watch Star Wars - that's Jack's forte. And Lorraine said, "If you go over there you'll find Star Trek glasses." I leapt away to see.)

More pictures are coming. But for now, I need a break. Eat supper, maybe, after a long day of working at a local festival. Waitressing is a fun way to keep busy!

~Emily

Snapshots of the Marvelous Voyage

I promised you pictures, and now that I'm home from my second trip - as a nanny for a family vacationing in Massachusetts - I ...

... keep trying to think of something clever to say, but the best I could come up with - seriously - was, "I have got them pictures, dudes."

If someone would like to volunteer to kick the dead half of my brain into shape ...

This here was the only vegetarian item on the menu of Leo's Grill and Malt shop in Stillwater, but it was totally worth it. Yummy fruit - a delightful touch.

My roommate Revelle, being Special. She has a thing for Jurassic Park and velociraptors - so here she is, Revelle the Velociraptor.

The view from the gazebo nearby the inn where we Fiends gathered.

The bridge, of course, leads to Wisconsin. Isn't this so amazingly beautiful? (Ha. I didn't miss Rhode Island.)

The Valley Bookstore had birds in it, in a big glass cage. I did try to get better snapshots of the brightly colored ones, but I had trouble. I am, after all, a novice.

Chantrelle had truly awesome socks.

Perfectly Fiendish!

Siri, Bobbee (my temporary mom for the trip, and Revelle the Veleciraptor's permanent mom), and Marjorie (who gave me this camera).

(For those who wonder, "Here for the Quiche" refers to Lorraine of http://blog.fabulouslorraine.com/. She is called Quiche and is the leader of the Fiends. Plus she's awesome. Forgot to mention that.)

Revelle found a hat in an antique shop. She sports it, as you can see, with pride.

Like mother like daughter ...

Now, I am afraid this shall have to be the conclusion for now. More tomorrow? Or whenever I can get around to it? I will be back, I promise. I would like to say I'm not ready to fall over and never ever get up again, but the thing is, I am.

So more later, Fiends and all.

~Emily

Coming up ...

I now have a camera and I promise you pictures.

Thank you, Marjorie ...

~Emily

The Flying Fiend

I am flying tomorrow, for the first time in eleven years, from teensy Rhode Island to Minnesota. I have never been there, nor have I flown in eleven years, nor have I ever traveled alone.

I am one of the Fiends.

See http://blog.fabulouslorraine.com for more information.

I would so happily write more but just realized I need to be on my way home from the library. Must run. But I will be back in RI on Monday evening and will try and post then. I'm sure you'll get plenty of pictures from Lorraine's website.

~Emily

Fathers

Happy Summer Solstice and Father's Day. No father is here to celebrate with us and while that sucks, it would be worse if my ex-father were actually here.

I wonder about fathers sometimes; I have this idea in my head that they're all, er ... evil. I would love to hear from those who have good fathers. Tell me what makes them good fathers. This is something that is important to me to know.

~Emily

Munch munch munch, said the vulgan

Another interesting conversation with Will this morning:

"Emily, that huge bird outside, eating the little bird - was that a chicken or a turkey?"

"Oh, that was a turkey vulture."

"What?"

"A turkey vulture - they eat dead animals."

"A turkey vulgan?"

"No: vulture."

"A vulgan ..."

"Okay, call it that if you'd like."

"We saw a vulgan! Just like Star Trek!"

I don't even know where he learned that term (okay, so I tease Ben about having certain Spock-ish characteristics. That might just possibly be where he picked it up).

~Emily

"I think they should just call them 'dogs'"

What is your idea of like a completely perfect Saturday?

Benjamin and I went to see Star Trek ... and then came home and played tennis. So awesome. So completely and utterly wonderful.

(Oh, and the movie was too. Ben wasn't sure he wanted to come but had a spring in his step on his way out of the cinema.)

Seriously ... what is your idea of a completely perfect Saturday? I would like to know.

The day had a little extra glow with this morning's conversation with William. I take it most parents eventually have the conversation about hot dogs with their kids? The why-are-they-called-hot-dogs talk? I find myself wondering how often the conversation goes like this:

"Emily, why do they call them 'hot dogs'?"

"Well, I don't really know."

"I think they should just call them 'dogs'."

I was kept busy today. In the unscheduled way. And that is just the way I like it!

The last couple of weekends were really busy, in the scheduled kind of way. This is something I also tend to like, but not as much.

Except for the upcoming voyage to Minnesota: this is one scheduled event that doesn't faze me by its being scheduled. Leaving on the twenty-fifth to see the Fiends (see http://fabulouslorraine.com)!!

William is watching a movie on the other side of the room. Ever since the paintings were rearranged, so that the smaller one is parallel to the television and the larger one above the sofa, I cannot see the film reflected in the glass. I keep glancing up out of sheer habit.

The smell of popcorn fills the house as Jack and William watch their film. I have to tell you ... things have been so wonderful since my ex-father left the house.

~Emily