Random thoughts

i've been thinking about how boring happiness can be and how misery and unrequited love and broken hearts seem to give us so much more to write about. Think about music and songs, there are so many more songs about breaking up, or wishing someone would like them or getting even for being jilted than the happy we're engaged and getting married and living happily ever after songs. When I'm hurting or sad or wishing things were different I seem to have so much more to say. The words seem to flow in a more fluid way.

People have been asking me about Sven. In many ways, Sven is not a real person, he's more of a composite of many. He can be anyone I need him to be. Sometimes I do have a specific person in mind when I write a poem but other times I don't. I put older poems up that were written before I came up with the idea of Sven as well. I worry that someone will take Sven too seriously, which would be a mistake. Sven is a friend that I love dearly. Sven is my husband. Sven is the boy that got away, the one I wish I had taken more seriously. Sven is the one who broke my heart and the one who mended it. I miss him, I see him all the time, I have never met him. I bought a card one time that had a picture of someone coming around a corner...I don't remember exactly what it said other than it had to do with hoping that one day I would come around the corner and run into the person the card is for. That would be Sven. In my mind he is perfect, I know that isn't possible.

And now before I pick up the Twilight Series again and read all night...I am heading for bed.

Bike Race in the rain

Let me start this by saying that I am not a racer and know very little about bicycle racing and this was the first time I've been to this race. If you are looking for pictures of the race and the bikers, you will need to go to another site. Yesterday, the hurricane came to town during my jobs biggest community event of the year.


This is from the end of the second race on Sunday. The sun was out and the smaller race (critirium?) was fast furious and fun. I was stuck in a tent handing out cloth shopping bags and selling cycling jerseys. it was fun. Afterwards we walked around town checking out the art fair.


Here I am in my offical marshal shirt with Colleen. I dragged Colleen, Tim, Ryan, Angie, and Marissa out of bed to come help me. Turned out that Ryan was the best help of all. He LOVED stopping traffic while the riders went by.

Here's Ryan in his official poncho waiting to run out into the rain!

This picture is before the riders were back in town. We sat on a wall and cheered all the cyclesportif riders up the hill to the finish line.

Tim and Marissa wandering all the tents before we went down to our posts. It was just starting to rain.

This is my good friend Dawn and her son. Originally we were supposed to be on the same corner but last minute changes sent us up the hill to another corner. I was REALLY glad I had the kids with me.

Ocean City NJ

Two weeks before the end of the summer. Tim and I had Sunday off so we decided to go to the shore. Marissa was here so she came along for the ride. Tim had control of the camera so don't blame me!


can you tell how cramped the car was? that is Sarah in the corner

Colleen and Tim on the beach


How does Colleen manage to look so cute while making funny faces?

First Day

Today is Sarah's first day of middle school. Last night it hit me that she is getting so grown up. Where did my baby go? She is very self sufficient and capable. A great kid. I spent at least an hour crying. I'm so proud of her and yet I'm scared for her too. She's on the edge of becoming a teenage and all that. One consolation is that Colleen has begun being nice to her again. Tim too but that might just be because Marissa seems to be nice to her. I wish I had a baby picture and pictures leading up to today but since i've only had the camera for a year....those of you with babies now are lucky because you have an easier way to document your baby growing up. She wanted me to walk her to the bus. We stopped just at the top of the hill because while she said she didn't care if anyone saw, i told her we could stop there and no one would know. I love her so!

Aruba 2007

This is a great spot! The rocks are huge and fun to climb around. Check out the view of the island too!



Here is Colleen relaxing in the sun.














Tim and Colleen ducking up between to rocks to get to the top.












Sarah found a fun place to hide!


Wouldn't this be a cool card?


Tim and Colleen checking out the view.

We should have worn shoes....

Exploring ruins at the Quincy steam hoist site.

No time for a real tour so we did windows and more windows













And then there were these other shapes...

Mt Baldy

This is not the top of the mountain....see the peak in the distance? We still had to go down and then up an even steeper climb. It's a 2 hour climb. I wasn't sure we'd make it.


Yes, we did make it. Here we are resting.


We're on the top of the world!

A lonely flower

Can you see the ore boat?

Colleen looking over the edge...notice what her shirt says!

For most of the hike (both up and down) Colleen lead the way. I forgot to take pictures on the way up so these are on the way down.

Here she is waiting for me to catch up!

Most of the walk looked like this, nice path, nice trees, fabulous sun on our shoulders...making it hot!

It was a great day, even if it was exhausting. So far I've done the climb each year. I hope to make it a tradition. I just have to stay in shape.