It was just one of those weekends (I know, my weekends come at strange times — my next weekend will start on Monday), packed with FUN and new things and great people, the kind of weekend that actually made us buy a lottery ticket. Just because. So many other good things were happening, why not? (We did not win. I have to admit I was a little surprised, which is just silly and goes to show.)
A few of the fun things because everyone likes a list:
1. I made chocolate cake in a mug and topped it with ice cream and hot fudge. It was AMAZEBALLS and took a couple of minutes to mix up with ingredients we had in the kitchen, and three minutes to cook. I told Lala I'd be right back (we were in between watching the new episodes of the Fabulous Beekman Boys and Megamind), and I came back with homemade cake. It was cool.
2. I stayed in bed almost all of Sunday, reading. It was glorious. Three whole hours with the paper. (I knew EVERYTHING for one fleeting minute. Then the feeling passed. As it does.)
3. Met up with fantastic writer friends to celebrate a new book release. At one point, I looked around the table and thought with some surprise, "These are my friends." It felt so good.
4. I feel like making this one blinky or sparkly: I FELL IN LOVE WITH AN ACCORDION. Really. Lala had a friend over to play some Mexican music (we are constantly confusing our neighbors), and got her accordion out to show Camilla. Then it was on the dining room table, so after a while I said something about getting it off and putting it away.
Then I opened the box. And promptly fell in love at first sight. I *know!* I do that! Hi, ukulele! But hey, I feel pretty proficient on the uke now (at least for playing along to singing, which was the goal), but I never felt like this about the uke (I swear Mom, he's not like any of the other boys). Look at this pearlized blue! OOOOH!
I got it out and before I even tried it, I told Lala, who was saying something CRAZY about selling it, that it could be stored in my office. No problem. Then she showed me some things to do with it, and I took off. I'm obsessed now, people. Yesterday I went to Smythe Accordion in Oakland, and I have books to learn from (most interested in gypsy/klezmer, but good old fashioned German folk songs are also awesome).
And I'm playing whole SONGS! Badly, of course, since there are three things to do while playing: right hand on the keyboard, left on the bass notes, all the while pushing and pulling to keep the air moving over the reeds — it gets intensely confusing. But somehow, I feel drawn to it in the same ridiculous, doesn't-make-sense way I am to Venice. I just know.
5. And Lala got an iPad 2.
She's been dying for one, and we couldn't justify it, but then I got a little money from Australia (thanks, Australia!), and we could pull it off. And I'm not dumb. I put the iPad in the empty accordion case, brought her into my office and said, "I want to keep your accordion forever. I will trade you what's in that case." My arms were tight around the accordion — she couldn't have pried it from my fingers if she'd tried.
Luckily, she agreed to the trade even before she knew what it was. (Points!) And when she picked her jaw back up off the floor, she said that the reason she'd been thinking about selling the accordion was to pay for an iPad.
Ha! Then I sold my hair and she bought me a comb…. you know the rest of the story. (And I think it's a nice gift exchange — tomorrow we'll have been married 5 year
s. FIVE YEARS, people. Happy sigh.)
And one more fun thing before I forget! I'll remind you of this when the book hits bookstores on April 26th, but I have a galley copy of Catherine Friend's new memoir, SHEEPISH: Two Women, Fifty Sheep and Enough Wool to Save the Planet. I love this book — I love her humor, and the way she pokes fun at herself the same way she does life, gently, with great kindness. I'll send it to one lucky commenter on this post w ho tells me something fun they've done recently.
First – love, love, love the accordion! (I’m half Polish, how could I not? Of course, that also makes me a little bit predisposed to polkas…..)
Something fun recently: hard to pick since, really, I pretty much have fun most of the time. First thought that pops up is I visited a friend’s farm over the weekend and she has three – count ’em three! – new Akbash puppies. Two she bought from a breeder, one is a rescue, all of them are about 12 weeks old and still have that New Puppy Smell and rice fangs for teeth. Sitting on the ground surrounded by alpacas and having three puppies tumble all over you – yup, counts as big fun.
5 years! Congratulations & happy anniversary!
Please excuse me the story though, as I haven’t been having very much fun lately. Although I anticipate fun soon!
Fun? What’s that? Kind of in a fun crisis right now, though yesterday I got to take a break, sit on the sofa and read my new knitting magazine. I’ll count that as my fun thing…
Happy anniversary! Just for fun, I went out to my front porch to wish you and Lala congrats and many, many more — and also to drink in this beautiful day which I have off to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day. Cheers to you both from the Glenview.
Love the accordion it’s a really beauty, I used to play myself borrowing my step-mothers. I’m a bit envious you got one. I had a situation recently with one of my bunnies( i rescue fiber animals). Anyway it involved me taking him to the vet and having him shaved bald. I bought him a doggy sweater. He was so cute as he ran around the livingroom(had to stay in the house because the barn isn’t heated). Here’s a pic if you like http://www.twitpic.com/4fdkx8
OH DAMN I was going to make a hair comb joke, but you beat me to it!
(Also, I have always marveled at the cost of hair combs back in the day.)
I love it! I’m about to do something really fun. Uke lessons on Sunday!!! I got one for Xmas and can’t wait to put it to use. My friends have a music fest at their grange hall and I want to be able to jam, I have until memorial day. I really want to learn reap what you sow from the Carter family. I sing it to my kids a lot. Mainly the fusser chorus 😉
Five years. Oh my . . . .
Five years — YAY! Amazing how the time flies by, isn’t it? We’re up to 21 this year and it seems like just yesterday and oh, it’s all very happy-making. Smiling really hard for both of you right now.
Five years — Congrats. Didn’t realize I have been following your blog that long. I read HOW TO KNIT A HEART BACK HOME, pretended to be Lucy, had a very good fun time.
I have been waiting and waiting and waiting for that book to come out!
Let’s see, something fun I did… Well, Monday, since I was off work, I took the Little Miss and met K for lunch at Outback before she had to get back to school and teach her last class. Way more fun than PB&J sandwiches for lunch.
Happy Anniversary! I love that you got married in the City that is my home.
As for something fun – a two week vacation with the man I love in glorious Hawaii. There are no words to describe how wonderful it was. And thanks for the tip about where to go snorkelling.
Okay. I am not crazy, I am a PE teacher. We had an old indoor pitching mound made of wood and I jacked it up on 8 tires on one end, got on a scooter board, and rode down it to see if it was safe to do in class- it was- and fun too!
Congrats on the anniversary!!
Fun…I went to a private party at a roller skating rink with my 3 1/2 yo who hadn’t been on skates before. She was totally diggin’ it! We shuffled around the rink several times on the plastic slip on skates, stopping periodically to “dance” (wiggle her hips) or twirl. She has been asking to go back several times a day since.
Happy anniversary, Lala & Rachael!!!
(That accordion is a beaut!)
So I own a yarn shop and we just put together a display stand from Lantern moon. That was not fun, however, it the midst of the struggle, I got inside of it. (Good place to hide from cranky customers) Had a giggle, and every one else was afraid to try. A bit later, my partner at the shop was gigglling away. She fit, didn’t think she would, and she did. We quickly put shelves on the inside, so no one else can try!
Happy Anniversary!
Something fun…well, I met someone new and I am going on a blind date tomorrow. Is that fun or terrifying? I can’t decide!
I am so happy you have an accordian to love for your very own!!! My mom just gave me my 2nd dulcimer. It is all fancy and shiney and I’ve been practicing as much as I can. I am even thinking.. *gasp* about tuning the 1st one in a different key!
Congratulations, Baby Wimmens! 5 freaking years? how did that happen? twas only yesterday, ack. so fun thing, eh? I read an essay by Robert Fulghum in his book, “What on Earth Have I Done?” called Asbestos Gelos. That means unquenchable laughter and is in a quote from Epictetus. Anyway, go. Find it. I roared and snorted till tears were coming down my face. It involves his young self going jogging in front of a group of Cretan men at a cafe in a small town in Crete. And what happens from there. Fulghum is almost as good a story teller as you. Hugs, beauties!
Something I’ve done lately that was funny, and not so much in the ha-ha sense: I thought I might like to knit a sweater. So, I bought sheep. Not lying. 4 Jacobs. I’m pretty sure I might love sheep more than chocolate.
Grumble grumble. Fun? Lesse–I took a cat to the vet. No, wait. That was no fun. Oh! I went bowling with a bunch of folks from work. That was fun. Really more fun than I might have thought. Beer helped.
Happy Anniversary to one of my favorite married couples (and your animal family)!
Fun thing lately: I went to NC last weekend to visit my brother and his wife. They just had their second daughter, so my primary responsibility was their first daughter. Emma is four and loves dinosaurs–so we had “Dinosaur School” every afternoon. We lined up all the plastic dinosaurs and took turns playing the teacher and asking them questions. Amazing how many questions those dinosaurs got right! Anwway, I had a blast, and Emma did, too. And now the dinosaurs are smarter–or at least, now they know how to count to 20 and what 2 fingers plus 5 fingers is: DINOSAUR DINNER!
Oh, I loved her first book — especially the scene where her wife is learning to shear sheep, and she volunteers to be the sheep so her lovey can practice (without shears, of course).
Something fun? I have two teenage boys, every waking, breathing moment with them is fun! Except when they drive me absolutely crazy. Just got back from shopping at Walmart with the younger, and we have milk, KitKats, foam board and spray paint. He is building samurai armor.
I was down visiting my parents in Florida to help them a bit as they get ready to move into assisted living from a huge house and that was no fun at all. But on our last full day there my husband, son and I went to the beach with my dad’s sister (she has a condo on the beach). We all had so much fun just relaxing and catching up. It was the best day of the trip. And I have your book waiting on my Kindle as a reward for finishing my book for book club. Can’t wait to read it!
Happy Anniversary! I love your blog!
The best week ever, my kids are on spring break so I have been with them the whole time! The most fun thing we have done so far is play board games together, with no fighting amongst siblings! Yay!
Happy Anniversary!!
Oh, I need this book! Two women? Check! Sheep? Check! Not fifty so far, just two, but we also have 5 pygmy goats and a llama and will be getting our chickens next month. And then our milking goats and probably more sheep by next year.
Um, fun…it’s always fun living with all of these critters. Just last weekend we got to walk through hip deep (okay, waist deep for me) snow to get a path going for the critters to the hay bale. The fun part was watching them all line up behind us like we were some sort of bizarre pied pipers. And twice the llama thought he could get ahead of us, knocked us over and then went floundering through until he got himself pulled back up and behind us. I really wish we would have brought a camera with us!
Congrats to you two. You are still one of the couples I hold in my mind as the ideal relationship.
I love reading your blog. It makes me feel more alive. That’s a fun thing!
Tuesday my little 4-year-old granddaughter and I picked lemons and blew bubbles. I love watching her eyes light up. Ah, love……
Happy anniversary!
The group with which I sing is doing a Mozart piece next. Standing in a group, singing that glorious music, and being part of something so beautiful was a lot of fun.
Yay Catherine! She lives not far from me, and I helped her shear their guard llamas one year. Well, I helped Melissa, and poor Catherine watched Mom for me. She didn’t know what she was getting herself into.
Something fun lately…I got my antique circular sock knitting machine working and am having fun cranking out socks and mitts and scarves. Ok, only one scarf so far. And only one sock. But it’s fun!
I had a fancy drink at a cocktail bar that was modeled after a speak-easy this week. That was very fun!
Congrats on the anniversery!!
The last few weeks have not had a lot of fun involved, but 1 fun thing I’ve done was go soaking with a friend at a local turkish bath (a nice reward for surviving a nasty shot to my shoulder that did not work & physical therapy)
Been reading you for longer than five years; it’s always a joy; love the iPad/accordion/comb story; Congratulations on everything!
Ok, now you get to hear (read) the accordion joke.
A woman gave an accordion concert and on her way home had to make a pit stop so she pulled over into the next rest area. She was in the stall when she realized that she hadn’t locked her car door. She rushed back out to the car, but she was TOO LATE.
There were 2 more accordions on the back seat.
Congrats on 5 years. Do you celebrate each wedding separately?
That picture of you with the accordion – so cute! I’m a sucker for accordion music myself – I think it’s a combination of my German DNA and all those years in San Antonio, where conjunto music is everywhere.
And happy anniversary to you and Lala!
Congrats on 5 years!
The most fun thing I did (recently) was go to a very expensive, very posh chocolate counter and sample, oh, Idunno, EVERYTHING. And then feel guilty and buy £10 of chocolate that I shared with my sweetie and ate entirely too quickly and now I want to go back immediately 🙂
I went to Mt. Vernon Estate, walked around, and saw tiny lambs frolicking with their parents. I took a picture but it ended up just being lamb-butts. Heehee!
I am attending my first FiberFest..Fun to look forward to in a chaotic world. Since I started knitting…..Fun!
Love the blue accordion. It matches my hubby’s brand new ‘pretty’ blue bike. My dad used to play the accordion as a kid. According to my grandmother, when he was mad at them(his parents) for making him practice, he would go to his room and play Camptown Races as loud as he could, over and over and over. (And over). It drove her CRAZY. Of course, my grandfather didn’t mind – he was partially deaf from the war, and he thought it was kindof nice!
Fun? I just taught my son to “give mummy a kiss”. So now when you ask for a kiss, he runs in circles around the room, and stops to slobber on you when he passes by.
I recently went to NYC with my boyfriend primarily to see a concert (Allman Brothers Band), but we also got to see a show Off Broadway, go to the Museum of Natural History, and accidentally find a really good pizza place right next to our hotel. It was a great couple of days!
I’ve been lurking here for years and years but you got me when you asked for something fun: My guy and I just learned how to make MAPLE SYRUP! We did it! We tapped the trees in his yard, (we live in Maine) and boiled it down over a fire in the back, and we’ve got more than a gallon now and 55 gallons of sap waiting for us this weekend. We’re feeling very amazing and powerful and SWEET. Denise
Most fun lately was breakfast with my 3 DD. Don’t usually have them all together so cooking together and eating together is always a laughfest. My sides hurt when we were done eating the chocolate chip pancakes! Then we baked cookies for them to take home.!
I can’t believe you guys have been together for five years! It feels like it was just last year that I was reading about the weddings! You are making me feel old :-).
I know that this post is about the accordion, but your recent posts about the ukulele make me want to get one myself. I LOVE music so much that I’ve always wanted to be part of it somehow. I can’t dance and I can’t sing, but you make the uke sound like something I might be able to do. My kids are all band geeks and my eldest wants to major in music education — I can’t be left out!
As for something fun I’ve done recently, I went to the regional semi-finals for ICCA (college a cappella). I’ve enjoyed college a cappella for years but had never seen a live performance, and my BFF was not familiar with a cappella music at all. It was a wonderful time, and the group that won brought tears to my eyes. Next on the agenda — roller derby!
I along with my family to the bus and the train to Olivera Street in downtown LA. So darn fun to be a tourist in your own town.
My S-I-L came in from Florida. Every time she comes to visit (once a yar)I plan some type of activity. This year she, my daughter and I went to a class on how to make ravioli. It was so much fun, messy eggs, batter, flour and the rolling the dough out, and getting to eat the finished product!!! We are still laughing.
p.s happy anniversary!!!
I think 5 years is a great milestone – Congrats!
Last weekend we had knitting night with the girls and went to a risque shop…yes, that kind
Too fun!
Congrats on 5 years! awesome 😉
Loved the accordian story. My grandfather played and the story brought back many memories.
Something fun…. my semi-boyfriend and I fell asleep watching a movie. Both woke up with cravings for ice cream so we jumped in the car in PJ’s and went to fetch some. Since we are elderly the youngters working stared like we escaped a mental ward. F them …the ice cream was awesome.
This past weekend I farm-sat for my local alpaca breeder. I got to play with the dogs and the alpacas and even got some of the cria’s to take food from my hand. I didn’t even mind the cleaning of stalls and work involved. I’m just so happy to be moving around after my surgery!
Happy Anniversary!
Something fun: Teenage son and I have been watching the first two seasons of Glee. Loads of fun and we’ve had some GREAT conversations about some of the issues they deal with. Win-win.
Hrm, let’s see. I tasted delicious wine in a medieval fort last week and argued with an Albanian utility worker in Italian. Also refound the Sicilian bakery cafe that is my one true happy place. All pretty fun. And I’d love to read Catherine’s memoir.
(I think languages for me are like musical instruments for you–except without the shiny blue finish.)
Well, I read How to Knit a Heart Back Home; THAT was fun! And then I taught my mother to dye yarn (she’s commissioned a scarf for a friend’s Xmas present, so I figured she should get in on the action) and then my family made me an Angry Birds birthday cake (but not an interactive one, unfortunately). All fun!
😉
Scenario… 1 one year and and excercise ball the same size… hilarious and fun…
The “funnest” thing I’ve done lately is rescue a bunny from a traveling petting zoo that came to our school. I’ve really gotten attached to him, and now he follows me around when I let him out of the hutch. Since I’ve spent so much money on rabbit accessories lately, I can’t afford any books for awhile!
Happy Anniversary! I remember when you got married, boy it doesn’t feel like five years.
I’m reading your new book now, fun.
First you got me wanting to play the uke and now this! : ) My fun for today was taking my four year old son with me to the yarn store where he enjoyed the spinning room and the bathroom the best! Oh, yes, we also enjoyed picking out buttons for his bright orange cotton sweater: he chose bright green train buttons-love it! I too am reading your second book right now and want to move to Cypress Hollow!!! Please write more!!!
That does sound like a fun weekend! Tomorrow my best school mate and I are spending the early morning walking in the surf eating the best fresh donuts in the whole world and sipping fattening milk.
Happy anniversary. Thank you for sharing the Magi’s gift story. 🙂
Happy anniversary! I recently played pool and drank beer for the first time since college (20+years ago) Cough! Cough! Choke!! You should compose an original song on the accordion for Lala in honor of your milestone!
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY
Rachael and Lala
Love Springs Afresh Every April 1st!!!
and Accordians…I think they were French colonists, plunked down in Louisiana, who evolved their own brand of music totally separate from the rest of the world.
Rachael, remember, yer mom’s accordian is gathering dust under the piano. Pick it up, play or sell.
Dad
Thanks for sharing the book.
I met a friend from out-of-town for breakfast today – we caught up over the past months while having tasty omelettes.
It’s been rather a hectic week, I think that is the fun thing I can contribute. No spring flowers in Toronto yet, but no snow either.
Happy anniversary!
Happy Anniversary!
Sorry. No fun here. Between my toddler knocking out one of his teeth and now possibly having hand, foot, mouth disease (unrelated to losing the tooth)… *sigh*
Five years AND an iPad2! Wow.
Congratulations on your anniversary, I can’t believe it’s passed so quickly. Many many more years of happiness for both of you.
Happy anniversary!
Something fun….pulling weeds? No, but it was fun to enjoy sunlight! I think it was my grandson’s little league game last weekend!!!
Happy Anniversary, 🙂
This morning my boss was doing me a huge favor and moving my camper for me. We got it hooked up and my DH was going to guide things and I decided I would ride along in the truck. Opened the door to jump in and boss’ wife was sitting there! Boy did I feel silly! She is so quiet I didn’t even know she was there, but I was in the middle of a happy dance because my camper that has been sitting for 6 years moved and the tires didn’t blow.
I had lunch with a couple of friends this afternoon and it really made my day. It’s the little things, right?
Happy anniversary!! Tonight I went to a gala that was celebrating the 2nd anniversary of marriage equality in Iowa! I’m feeling very proud of my home state tonight…
Happy, happy anniversary. What a productive and rich five years it’s been.
Congratulations!
L
I have been very short on the fun recently. But the most fun that I had recently was sitting in my pajamas all day knitting.
Happy Anniversary! Much fun has been had outdoors this weekend with the munchkins now that the snow has receded. Yay for spring.
Happy anniversary! Loved the sweet story about the iPad and the accordion. Your posts make me smile, and also in 2007 gave a then-19 year old me an introduction to Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings when you and Lala named the kittens. THANK YOU.
P.S. I think I also may have learned about cake in a mug from your blog? But whether or not that is the case I forgot about it til you brought it up again here!
Happy Anniversary to you! : )
I am late to the party (heh) but I have been sequestered at Sock Camp, thus rather out of touch. The whole thing has been fun, but among the most fun parts were keeping a hula hoop going for more than 0.1 seconds (I am an abysmal hula hooper, haven’t done it since failing as a kid, but got some pointers), and also learning to do suspended Swiss darning. I know, I know, my life is so exciting. But really! It’s like a magic trick! So cool!
I love the accordian too! Every august there is a great little accordion festival in petaluma, you should go this summer. It is usually the last weekend of the month.
You two are the bestest couple ever.
This weekend, I blogged. Yes, really. After two years of silence, I’m terrified that no one will know who this Dalton character is and what happened to the Balazuc (you just do NOT want to know), but I’m back! It was insanely fun.
Much love and cake to both of you. Accordion rocks.
Congratulations, belatedly!
The accordian is beeeyootiful. Like a piece of china…well worth an iPad, methinks.
Are you coming to Stitches South?
I was holding off buying your book 2 til then so I could get you to sign it, but am now thinking you won’t be there. Hmmmm…
Thanks for an idea! I need to mail a birthday package – I think I will ind a special mug – and include the ingredients for the cae in a mug (well, sans the egg of course!)
Yea on the accordian!!! BUT mostly, happy anniversary!
Something fun .. yeah! Cathy, a friend of mine, retired in February and I asked her if she could puleeeeese teach me how to spin. I took a week’s vacation and drove to Sacramento in the driving, pounding rain. She had her studio all set up for me to stay in, and we spent the whole time picking through fleeces, carding, drop spinning, wheel spinning and then dyeing the yarn. We even picked oak galls in the park and used them as a dye bath which produced some lovely dark brown yarn. Since I’ve been home I’ve spun two hanks of yarn and am awaiting Cathy’s arrival here next month so we can go fleece shopping – IN THE FIELD – picking out the fleece on the hoof, so to speak. Now, come on, that’s gotta be exciting – or maybe its just me.