I got a survey from Disneyland today. It asked what I would say about Disneyland to friends.
“I think heaven is going to be Disneyland. I wish I was there right now. Can I move in with Tinkerbell?”
…He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 2 Nephi 8:3
Conversation with Gentry while eating lunch (at 2). I am not functioning well right now.
G: I want to keep my nails long so that I can cut people and stuff.
M: I am going to trim your nails tonight.
G: I need them long to cut people. I will run away.
M: I will knock you down.
G: I will get up and run around.
M: I am going to knock you down and tackle you to the floor and make Dad cut them.
G: I am going to knock you down and cut your nails. And then I am going to knock Dad down and cut his nails and then I am going to run away. You cannot cut my nails.
M: Tonight. Your getting your nails cut and a hair cut kid.
Working on an octo-drawing. I am liking the direction of this guy. This is one of the many heads I have drawn for him.
Wouldn’t it be nice to switch out heads? I feel like a rusty slug today, but I am going to choose the smiley head to wear and conceal reality till I get home and smash something.
There is a pizza place in downtown Salt Lake called Settebello, that has actual Italian pizza. It is nothing like Godfathers. The crusts are thin and chewy. The toppings are things like Parmigiano-Reggiano, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil. And it is divine.
Yesterday for dinner I decided to make the Bianca pizza. I made the crust, brushed it with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled it with kosher salt and melted Manchego cheese on it when it was almost finished baking. When it was finished baking I spread arugula, more manchego and prosciutto de parma on top. And it was divine. The crust I made was not as good as the restaurant, but I think with a few more tries I could find one that is just as good. Yum.
I dreamed, last night, that I was in negotiations with the boundaries I would have with a certain person for the rest of my life. His dad was there and as per usual was being demeaning and condescending, but calling all the shots.
I am awake now, but the stress of the situation is still weighing on me as I know that eventually something of this nature is going to actually happen unless JJ and I sell this house and move to Italy/The Netherlands. Which is not such a bad options.
Boundaries are a funny thing. Until recently I have shared all and everything with anyone that asks. I thought I was supposed to, and I really feel like it is part of my nature. So finding out I did not need to share with one and all was a shocking discovery that I struggle with. There are things I want to share almost all the time that I don’t, or am learning to not, but the thoughts are always in the back of my head wanting to burst out of my nearly uncontrollable trap.
I have been teaching myself manners, by reading about them. I learned propriety from a book. And the only reason why is that I have been on these business trips and been humbled when I let some unruly run-on sentence burst from me, only after interrupting others and making a complete fool of myself.
I now find myself apologizing for my stupidity quite often.
I used to be a picky eater until I married JJ and realized that good food doesn’t always look good. JJ’s mom, Kim, was grilling some ribs outside on the grill. I walked out, took one look at the nasty looking things and I kid you not, said, “Who would eat that?”
JJ’s sister, was standing there and said, “I would.” I walked away and did not think anything of what I had just said.
Later I realized what a fool I had been and apologized. I am learning that keeping my mouth shut sometimes is better than saying anything at all. Thank you Thumper. I am learning that not saying everything that pops into my noggin is not such a bad idea.
I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. –Louisa May Alcott–
When I was a kid, I spent the summers wearing nothing but a swim suit and rollerskates. I remember skating up and down our neighborhood into the dusky night hours only to be stopped by the lure of a neighbors cool pool or large horse trough, I didn’t know the difference at the time. Even than I would use the rollerskates to get from point a to b and back again.
I remember neighbors commenting on how dark and tan I would get. I also remember the details of several of the swimsuits I had. A gold skimpy one. A pink one with a large heart or star in the center. My rollerskates were white with pink wheels.
Somehow I am wishing for that kind of day today. Free and easy and not a care in the world. Including cellulite.
My family was poor than. I didn’t know it at the time. I knew other people had better things than we did and got to go to Disneyland a lot more. But it never really mattered. I look back at the pictures now and I can see how poor we were. I also remember several pairs of shoes with holes in the soles or toes and not getting new ones for a quite a while. It really didn’t matter to me though. I was happy and immune to the world around me.
I wish everyday was like that.
Katie, JJ’s sister, drew this for us when I was pregnant with Gentry. Probably early 2004. She was 11 or 12. I found it a few days ago because I have been digging through boxes and boxes of pictures and mementos from my earlier year. I thought it was sweet, except for the part where she is insinuating that I am some sort of chocolate piggy? Where would she get such an idea? Can you see how she accurately depicted my leopard print slippers? That is because we were living in Logan at the time and it is freezing all year long. I mean it heats up in July and is back to freezing in like mid-August. So you have to stay bundled up or you will surely die. Notice that JJ is wearing shorts. Yeah. He did that until we had Gentry and I told him he could not be a bad example of what to wear. I did not want my toddler thinking shorts were fine when it was -20 out and so JJ had to quit. Also, he was probably playing Russian Roulette with the cold.
See if you can catch me you cold beast! You will never get me!
I eventually got him though.
Look at my new favorite link.
A webcam from the hotel we stayed at (Howard Johnson) near Disneyland. And if you are patient, you can control the camera. I have not figured that part out yet. But I am so excited to watch the fireworks over the Matterhorn tonight.
I would also totally recommend this hotel. Just bring earplugs because you are right next to the freeway and once in a while at night a loud thing will come roaring down the freeway. The hotel has the coolest little splash pool and also a normal pool. It is very close to the park, you can see Tomorrowland and the Matterhorn. If you look on this website, it will give you a discount code to use at the HOJO website.
Don’t you love Disney? I totally didn’t get it until I went as an adult and now it is my happy place and where I go (in my head) to get away from it all. Don’t you think that heaven will be a little like Disneyland?
