Today's the day

Blessed Samhain to all! Happy 7th anniversary to us!

Names for Pippi Longstocking in other languages: In Bulgarian "Пипи Дългото Чорапче" In Croatian "Pipi Duga Čarapa" In Czech "Pipi Dlouhá Punčocha" In Danish "Pippi Langstrømpe" In Dutch "Pippi Langkous" In Estonian "Pipi Pikksukk" In Finnish "Peppi Pitkätossu" In French "Fifi Brindacier" In German "Pippi Langstrumpf" In Hebrew "בילבי בת-גרב" ("Bilbi Bat-Gerev") In Icelandic "Lína Langsokkur" In Indonesian "Pippi Si Kaus Kaki Panjang" In Italian "Pippi Calzelunghe" In Latvian "Pepija Garzeķe" In Norwegian "Pippi Langstrømpe" In Persian "پی‌پی جوراب‌بلنده (Pipi Joorab-Bolandeh)" In Polish "Fizia Pónczoszanka" In Portuguese "Bibi Meialonga" (Brazil), "Pipi das Meias Altas" (Portugal) In Russian "Пиппи Длинный Чулок" (or "Пеппи Длинныйчулок") In Serbian "Pipi Duga Čarapa" In Slovak "Pipi Dlhá Pančucha" In Slovenian "Pika Nogavička" In Spanish "Pipi Calzaslargas"

More Pippi

Good thing my almost 5-year old came up with a great costume idea. It was economical, too...we shared the wig. Several people who have known me for a long time did not recognize me. Fun!

Trouble

4 women(age range 30-45) 1 Victorian house in the 'hood Popcorn popped in the fireplace Red wine Ouija board Chocolate Tarot Pyjamas No boys No kids ___________________ = SLEEPOVER! See you tomorrow...

Halloween fun

Do you know this character? Lily went to a costume party this morning, and was disappointed that her peers had never heard of Pippi. The adults loved it, though. That's Mr. Nielson sitting on her shoulder, and you'll need your imagination to see Alfonso. He's right behind her. We couldn't get him to come all the way down the stairs. You know how stubborn imaginary horses can be. I'm borrowing the wig for a party this weekend, and I don't promise you'll see those photos.

Cera

Our dog, now known as the Mistress Willow, has taken a liking to Lily's stuffed tricertops named Cera. Cera roars if you squeeze her just right, and Willow can ofter be found squishing and squeezing her conquest hoping to hear her make a sound. Recently, Willow has started humping the helpless dino. In front of company, even. Must be puppy hormones, she just turned 14 in doggie years. I guess it's time for that talk.

More paper

My computer is not functioning as it should. Neither is my camera. I dropped it (camera, not computer). I've been tempted to throw the computer, but haven't yet. Been busy compiling adoption documents, getting signatures notarized, blah, blah, blah. One year ago I thought we'd be home with a child sometime around Thanksgiving. We barely made clearance on this side of the border in that time. If all goes well (cross all appendages for me) I'll be done with the paperwork next week. Hopefully I'll get my computer up and running again and I'll be inspired with an actual fun post instead of boring adoption updates.

Guess who got FBI clearance despite the crazy people I hang out with? Finally, CIS notified us that we have "a notice of favorable determination." Adoption updates to follow, we've changed course. Oh, and the sun is shining today. Life is good.

Suggestions?

Because I hang with the coolest, most clever cyber-friends around, I'm asking for your help in a theme or title for my party. The scene: A gathering to celebrate the fact that I am outliving the odds quoted to me the day I was diagnosed with heart disease. The resident told me I wouldn't live more than 5 years without a heart transplant. Here I am, no meds, and planning on sticking around. I am thrilled to be planning Lily's 5th birthday party, I clearly remember thinking about it when I was critically ill. Hearts are an obvious theme, but not my style. I'd like to come up with something a bit more obscure. Help! Ideas?

It just keeps raining

Flu

I managed to get an appointment for Lily's flu shot this year, after much internal debate over the vaccine controversy. If she gets the flu, it's more likely to hit her hard because of her heart. (structurally not normal) As far as the vaccine preservative issue, there is much controversy linking mercury to neurological issues. And Miss Lily may have a neurological issue. So.....I got the pleasure of running all the possible scenarios through my head and speaking with a couple of docs I trust, and she's getting the shot on Monday. More flu worries: as if the State and Federal governments tripping up our adoption plans aren't enough, now Mother Nature is going to join in with the Avian Flu. Traveling to China in the near future with my health-compromised family probably isn't the best idea... And when will it stop raining?

Just thinking

The day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. - Anais Nin

More baby recipes

Today I've come across two references to consuming babies. One at DRT, and the other in the form of a photo in my inbox. Babies made of marzipan. A midwife friend found it. Yummy?

I needed this today

Thanks, Miko! Nothing but Happy News.

Lilyism

At the Faire, a kind woman (who had no idea what she was getting herself into) told Lily that the yellow wax in her ears is faery poop. "That's rude behavior." *Thoughtful moment of silence* "Then where do they pee? And what do they wipe with?" Update: Continuing the fae poop conversation: "Well Mommy. I don't think they are trying to hurt our feelings. It's affectionate poop, right?"

yeah, one of those

Instructions: 1. Delve into your blog archive. 2. Find your 23rd post. 3. Find the fifth sentence. 4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions. It's a Lilyism: But mommy, when I blink I miss some of the movie! Found at the Purple Goddess, and the Cap'n, who found it at Spinning Girl...

A letter came today

A beautiful envelope arrived today with "The Office of Homeland Security" in the return address. I was so giddy I photographed it. Then I opened it. It's a form letter stating that some of our homestudy, submitted by the adoption agency, is not complete. They need more information. The information must be sent in by the agency. And then be notarized, certified, authenticated. Someone please explain to me why we are paying this agency thousands of dollars to run interference for us for exactly this situation, and they are contributing to the delays? Oh, the vocabulary I used today.

Faire time

We went to King Richard's Faire over the weekend and had a lovely time. My favorite sight was this wonderful Birch woman, and Lily's favorite was the Gargoyle. Kate joined us for the day, and John got a break from taking the kid on all the rides. And she also did piggy-back duty. Overall, great fun and the weekend passed too quickly.

Ten31 Productions created both of these creatures. They were breathtaking.