avablog

I bet you don’t remember avablog post# 443, do you? I forgive you. I guess.

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We got a call bright and early this morning that the guy Leah had contacted to remove a dying tree next to our house was on his way to do the job. The bulk of the action was over within 15 minutes of him showing up, but I did manage to get some shots of […]

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We hopped into the car and drove up to Lake Zurich, IL for the weekend to visit a friend of mine. The weather was much nicer there than it was supposed to be, so we were able to get outside for lots of fun activities. My Flickr stream is bulging with about 40 shots from […]

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In the last 24 hours, I’ve found out that four women I know are pregnant. Spring has sprung, I guess. This morning, Ava came in while I was getting ready and patted my tummy. She said, “Do you have a baby in there, Mom?” I said, “No,” and she said, “Well, it looks like you […]

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Leah told me today that I’ve been neglecting the blog. Too true. Guilty as charged. My trip to Nashville last week went well. The drive takes just under nine hours, and the countryside is really nice. I didn’t take as many pictures as I would’ve liked, but I was busy at my conference. I always […]

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Mark always tells me that I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, and though that’s a gross exaggeration, there is a kernel of truth to his accusation: I do indulge in some obsessive behaviors. However, last I checked, I still could leave the house without ritualistically rubbing the light switch 200 times.

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I’m off for Nashvegas in the morning. Google tells me the drive is going to take me about 9.5 hours. We’ll see. I think I saw my rental car in the lot at work as I left this evening, and if it is the one I think it is, it’s going to be a long, […]

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I’ve been going through Flickr and looking at old pictures of Ava today, trying to cleanse my mind. I’ve been gazing at her small, wrinkled baby feet, trying to forget about the woman I know from the gym whose husband murdered her yesterday. We waved “hello” and made small talk about the gym and our […]

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Just in case I ever forget: This world is as terrible and brutal and insane as it is wonderful and gentle and wise. There’s no understanding it, only living in it and hoping for the best. Ava’s latest “thing” is to tell me how unfair it is that we don’t let her do this or […]

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I just finished reading Barack Obama’s most recent speech, and you know, I really miss having a president who can speak well. One who is eloquent. One with some presence. Some class. Clinton could do it. And Reagan had a flair for delivery, too. I understand that “he talks good” isn’t a great reason for […]

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From “The Cedar Rapids Gazette:” BABY BOOMLET What’s happening: Births are surging in the U.S. Why: Peer pressure, immigration and shifting priorities play roles Trend is quite evident around the Corridor By Carly Weber If it seems like every woman you know is pregnant, trying to start a family or cooing over a newborn, they […]

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This summer I’ll celebrate my 10th year at my current place of employ. As a show of (their) thanks, I get to choose a gift from a list of things like watches, toaster ovens, and multitools. I’ve narrowed down my group of potential selections to the following: Calphalon Stainless Steel Specialty Multi Pots. Includes 8-qt […]

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Leah and I took Ava to breakfast yesterday at the Hamburg Inn (Kim, I never see you there anymore!). It was yummy, as always. As I was paying la cuenta on the way out the door, I eavesdropped on a young man at a nearby table who was trying to explain to a non-native English […]

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The music was soothing, but all I could think about was scratching my cheek. It itches. Oh, God, I really need to scratch it. Must. Not. Move. Arm. Oh, yeah. Can’t. Move. Arm. I couldn’t move my arm because there were needles sticking out of it. And out of my forehead, my scalp, my feet, […]

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Leah will, no doubt, take exception to this result.

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Hey there, Internet friends. Now that the raging hormones have subsided, here’s what I know: 1. I have some amazing, wonderful, supportive friends out there–some of whom I’ve met and some of whom I haven’t. Thanks to all of you for your very kind words and caring–and for opening up to share your very personal […]

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Well, that extra two percent wasn’t on our side this month. That means Mark will be back to visit the Barnyard Babes again in about two weeks. Truthfully, I think I’ve reached my lowest, darkest days yet. I feel hopeless. I feel like this will never work. The doctors told us that doing IUI without […]

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From Knights Who Writes: 1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages). 2. Open the book to page 123. 3. Find sentences 5,6, and 7, and post them. 4. Tag five people. Here goes: From Clementine 11.1 Node Reference: The default is T. Specify a value to include in the flag field […]

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Dare to dream, people. A 15″ Beagle won the hound group last night at the WKC Dog Show. My, but he’s a handsome devil: He’s a barker, too, which is endearing. I didn’t get a chance to catch much of the show last night other than Uno’s win, so I don’t know what kind of […]

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Man. That was some trip. And to top it all off, the drive from Madison to I.C. this morning was positively slippery. I very nearly kissed the garage floor when I got out of the car upon our arrival.

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