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Oops, I Forgot to Post HERE
Jul. 23rd, 2008 10:02 amSorry it's been so long, my fellow travelers, but my brain has elsewhered itself much of this week. I (or rather Tate) did blog at Something Wicked on Monday, per ususual, and yesterday I (actually Tate again) complained bitterly about the writing of synopses, which I hate.
Though last night I finished the first of the two dreaded synopses that I'm working on, and I'm happy to tell you all that I finally figured out how to get Deidre and Mouse to meet at the end of RESURRECTION CODE, and I'm extremely pleased with what seem to be the results (of course, I won't really know until I write the thing.) If the book ends up like the synopsis, it should be pretty action packed.
Mostly, however, I've been freaking out about (and preparing for) Mason's fifth birthday tomorrow. Since he's still in school, we're having two parties for him. One with the grandfolks tomorrow on Birthday Actual, and one (the big, scary one) with his school friends on Saturday, Birthday Observed. Tomorrow isn't really much freakage, except the usual crap-I-should-really-clean-the-house-if-my-folks-are-coming panic. There are dishes that need doing, a rug to vacuum, some toys to get out of the middle of the living room, and a very messy computer room. The big plan for tomorrow is that my parents will show up in town some time before school lets out so they can come with to pick up the little guy and get a gander at his school.
Mason's school makes a bit of a fuss for each kid's birthday. They get to wear a birthday crown all day, and their name is moved from the rolls of the 4 year olds to the 5 year old column. Mason has been watching everyone else in his class move over and he's pretty excited to finally be one of the "big kids." Plus, as parents desire/can afford, it's traditional to give a present to the classroom/the kids. People have given bubbles, glow sticks, and even flags. We bought a bunch of monogramed pencils that say "Crossroads Pre-K 2007-2008" on them. A nice momento for the end of the year. Plus, Mason really wanted to buy the class a copy of "Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea," (by Cynthia Ryliant, illustrated by Arthur Howard) which, to be perfectly honest, is one of the best books ever written.
After school, if the weather holds, the plan is to head off to Como Zoo/Como Town for a day of hotdogs and amusement park rides. (If it rains, there's some debate... we may go to the zoo anyway, or we may go to the Children's Museum.) Afterwards, back to the house for cake and presents.
Every year, Mason requests a "Mouse cake." When Mason was barely verbal, Grandpa Morehouse read him a Garfield in the Sunday paper in which Garfield gets a birthday cake with a mouse hidden inside. The panel shows him taking a big bite of cake, and spitting out the "pop out mousie girl" with a bit "Patoooooie," which cracked Mason up deeply. He asked for that for his birthday. So, we made him a layer cake and cut out a spot inside for a plastic bath toy mouse to hide (with a toothpick on the outside to mark the spot.) Mason was so incredibly thrilled when we cut the cake and he got the mouse inside. Now, it's a tradition. Tonight we will be baking the mousie cake. It will be pink (his favorite color), with purple trimmings.
The big deal, of course, is the party on Saturday. I've been working overtime to be ready for this capital "E," EVENT. Keep in mind that we are a one child family, and Shawn is secretly terrified of having more than one child to mind. (I'm a bit of an old hand, having helped chapperone school field trips twice now, as well as the fact that I used to teach cartooning to as many as twenty 6 to 10 year olds.) The theme is "pool party"/fish. I made the invitations and decorated the goody bags with groovy underwater creatures. Actually, I had a blast, and might have to take some digtal photos of some of my more clever creatures (the puffer fish is CUTE! As is the sneaky octopus!) before we give them away. Inside are sunglasses for each kid, some candy, a plastic fish squirty toy, and a blow up beach ball.
We've got outdoor games galore planned (Simon Says!, Water Relay!, Twister!), and, in case of foul weather, a bunch of indoor games as well (Simon Says!, Twister!, Hi-Ho, Cherrieo!). Mason invited six other children, and most of them have RSVPed (except one, who may or may not show.) The parents are invited to stay or drop-off as they wish. We're having Wouletts make a fish-themed cake (no mouse), and will have juice boxes and popicles for everyone.
Personally, I figure even if the whole this is somehow a disaster, it's only two hours. We can survive it.
So besides working on my sysnopses, that's what I've been doing with my time. It actually took a surprising amount of time to get the backyard ready. I've been ignoring the yard work, other than ocassionally plunking down the sprinkler so that the grass stays relatively greenish. I nearly had to use the machette to hack through the undergrowth to uncover the picnic table and whatnot. When we first moved in an put up a fence, we wanted something aggressive to cover it in green and we foolishly planted hops. Yes, hops. The plant that can grow a foot a day. I spent a lot of time trimming and taming those on Monday.
Oh, and I RULE at "Bookworm Adventures." Also, if you're looking for a review of Periphery (the lesbian erotica that contains an AngeLINK story) you can read it here: http://www.ourchart.com/content/book-review-periphery
Though last night I finished the first of the two dreaded synopses that I'm working on, and I'm happy to tell you all that I finally figured out how to get Deidre and Mouse to meet at the end of RESURRECTION CODE, and I'm extremely pleased with what seem to be the results (of course, I won't really know until I write the thing.) If the book ends up like the synopsis, it should be pretty action packed.
Mostly, however, I've been freaking out about (and preparing for) Mason's fifth birthday tomorrow. Since he's still in school, we're having two parties for him. One with the grandfolks tomorrow on Birthday Actual, and one (the big, scary one) with his school friends on Saturday, Birthday Observed. Tomorrow isn't really much freakage, except the usual crap-I-should-really-clean-the-house-if-my-folks-are-coming panic. There are dishes that need doing, a rug to vacuum, some toys to get out of the middle of the living room, and a very messy computer room. The big plan for tomorrow is that my parents will show up in town some time before school lets out so they can come with to pick up the little guy and get a gander at his school.
Mason's school makes a bit of a fuss for each kid's birthday. They get to wear a birthday crown all day, and their name is moved from the rolls of the 4 year olds to the 5 year old column. Mason has been watching everyone else in his class move over and he's pretty excited to finally be one of the "big kids." Plus, as parents desire/can afford, it's traditional to give a present to the classroom/the kids. People have given bubbles, glow sticks, and even flags. We bought a bunch of monogramed pencils that say "Crossroads Pre-K 2007-2008" on them. A nice momento for the end of the year. Plus, Mason really wanted to buy the class a copy of "Mr. Putter & Tabby Pour the Tea," (by Cynthia Ryliant, illustrated by Arthur Howard) which, to be perfectly honest, is one of the best books ever written.
After school, if the weather holds, the plan is to head off to Como Zoo/Como Town for a day of hotdogs and amusement park rides. (If it rains, there's some debate... we may go to the zoo anyway, or we may go to the Children's Museum.) Afterwards, back to the house for cake and presents.
Every year, Mason requests a "Mouse cake." When Mason was barely verbal, Grandpa Morehouse read him a Garfield in the Sunday paper in which Garfield gets a birthday cake with a mouse hidden inside. The panel shows him taking a big bite of cake, and spitting out the "pop out mousie girl" with a bit "Patoooooie," which cracked Mason up deeply. He asked for that for his birthday. So, we made him a layer cake and cut out a spot inside for a plastic bath toy mouse to hide (with a toothpick on the outside to mark the spot.) Mason was so incredibly thrilled when we cut the cake and he got the mouse inside. Now, it's a tradition. Tonight we will be baking the mousie cake. It will be pink (his favorite color), with purple trimmings.
The big deal, of course, is the party on Saturday. I've been working overtime to be ready for this capital "E," EVENT. Keep in mind that we are a one child family, and Shawn is secretly terrified of having more than one child to mind. (I'm a bit of an old hand, having helped chapperone school field trips twice now, as well as the fact that I used to teach cartooning to as many as twenty 6 to 10 year olds.) The theme is "pool party"/fish. I made the invitations and decorated the goody bags with groovy underwater creatures. Actually, I had a blast, and might have to take some digtal photos of some of my more clever creatures (the puffer fish is CUTE! As is the sneaky octopus!) before we give them away. Inside are sunglasses for each kid, some candy, a plastic fish squirty toy, and a blow up beach ball.
We've got outdoor games galore planned (Simon Says!, Water Relay!, Twister!), and, in case of foul weather, a bunch of indoor games as well (Simon Says!, Twister!, Hi-Ho, Cherrieo!). Mason invited six other children, and most of them have RSVPed (except one, who may or may not show.) The parents are invited to stay or drop-off as they wish. We're having Wouletts make a fish-themed cake (no mouse), and will have juice boxes and popicles for everyone.
Personally, I figure even if the whole this is somehow a disaster, it's only two hours. We can survive it.
So besides working on my sysnopses, that's what I've been doing with my time. It actually took a surprising amount of time to get the backyard ready. I've been ignoring the yard work, other than ocassionally plunking down the sprinkler so that the grass stays relatively greenish. I nearly had to use the machette to hack through the undergrowth to uncover the picnic table and whatnot. When we first moved in an put up a fence, we wanted something aggressive to cover it in green and we foolishly planted hops. Yes, hops. The plant that can grow a foot a day. I spent a lot of time trimming and taming those on Monday.
Oh, and I RULE at "Bookworm Adventures." Also, if you're looking for a review of Periphery (the lesbian erotica that contains an AngeLINK story) you can read it here: http://www.ourchart.com/content/book-review-periphery