Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Mermania

I just finally ordered Swim to Me...a novel based on the Weeki Wachee mermaids. In Two Rivers, Brooder's mother runs away to become a mermaid in this roadside attraction, and he winds up married to a mermaid he meets when he goes to Florida to find his mother. I have been fascinated by them since I first discovered Weeki Wachee. It bums me out that someone beat me to the punch with the novel, but maybe a photo project would be fun. A road trip down to Florida??

Do you suppose I'm too old for Mermaid Camp??!!!

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Possessed

Esmee was possessed by the devil two days ago. Linda Blair in "The Exorcist" possessed. Marlena on "Days of Our Lives" in the 90's possessed.

So it was time for the annual check-up for both girls. No big deal. Ears, nose, throat...a flu shot. Some boosters. Right? Am I crazy? I thought this would be a piece of cake. These girls have been going to the doctor for years! And their pediatrician wears a little rubber Pooh Bear attached to his stethoscope and makes them guess what animal is living inside their ears. We'd be in and out, right?

No such luck. Here's the timeline.

2:30 We arrive at the office. All is great. We even get called in early by the nurse.
2:35 Blood pressure, pulse, height and weight. The girls are happy, smiling, finding their own pulses.
2:45 The doctor comes in, Kicky starts to ask questions about the flu shot. "I'm just getting one shot, right? Just the flu shot, right? It won't hurt much, right?" Anxiety starts to build. The doctor proceeds with the exam...checking tonsils, spines and asking questions about what kind of veggies they like. Kicky keeps asking questions about the flu shot. The doctor says she will, indeed get a flu shot. And a Hep A booster. AND a chicken pox booster. Terror sets in.
3:00 A respite: the eye and hearing exams. Then the nurse comes with Kicky's shots. Esmee's cool...watching Kicky freak out as she gets not one but three shots. But she is brave, strong, proud of her band-aided shoulders.
3:15 Esmee's turn.
3:20 Where is Esmee?
3:25 Curled up under the chair, clinging like a monkey to the chair legs. Screaming bloody murder.
3:30 The nurse and I extricate her from the bottom of the chair and try to get her situated on my lap.
3:35 Flailing, beet red and screaming, the demons have arrived.
3:40 The nurse prepares FIVE vaccinations and gets ready to administer the first one.
3:41 Esmee's head spins round and round and then she close-fisted clocks me in the face. Hard. Harder than I have ever been struck. Ever.
3:42 Stunned and bewildered and IN PAIN, the rest is a blur. Somehow the shots all get given, and the demon leaves my child's body.
3:45 We go out to the lobby, Esmee is clutching her Dora the Explorer sticker. I am clutching my nose. The receptionist, clutching her side, laughs, "The Four Year special?"

Monday, January 14, 2008

A New Year

I am several days (weeks?) late for new year's wishes, but I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the bittersweet waning of 2007 and the glorious waxing of this new year. I have high hopes for this year, though 2007 really gave most others a run for their money.

I have lots and lots of writing goals for this year...I have to revise The Hungry Season (the next book in line). I also want to write a short story. I want to find a home for my collection of poems and my children's book.

Other resolutions/aspirations: I want to get a photo published. I want to make all of the Christmas presents I give next year. I vow to go to the doctor AND the dentist this year (for me, not for the kids). I will practice patience. I will pay off some credit cards. I will use the stupid new treadmill at least once or twice. And I will try to be a better teacher to my children. And I will make more time to be a grown-up with my husband, even if it means hiring a babysitter every now and then. And I am going to try to spend less time on TMZ.com and more time reading the books that are threatening to collapse my nightstand.

As for the blog...I promise to try to be more prolific. My silence has been due both to absence (holiday vacations out west) and the fact that my typing fingers have been otherwise engaged. I finished my edits on Two Rivers just a couple of days ago...and I think I am finally done. for those of you have had any sort of history with this blog...you will know that this damned novel has occupied my digits for far too long. I swear I almost got up and danced when my index finger clicked the mouse on SEND.

That's it...best wishes to all of you in this new you. Peace. (Oh yeah...Kicky learned a new word during break...PSYCHEDELIC. She told me I have psychedelic eyes. So have a psychedelic new year!)