of anniversaries and other abstractions

Hey, apparently today is my wedding anniversary. I thought it was tomorrow but I guess I lost track of the dates. I was reminded when I got home this afternoon to a card from my mother-in-law, followed up with a phone call, and a voice message from my mother to wish us Happy Anniversary!

Yes, three years ago today, we formalized our partnership in front of many loved ones with wine and beautiful words that have been uttered by thousands (millions?) before us, in a field of goldenrod and New England aster. We ate a curry buffet and carrot cake, and watched beautiful belly dancers shimmy and undulate just for us. Eight years ago today, Sugar D nervously pulled a tiny scrap of paper out of his breast pocket and passed it to me over the counter of a chain photography shop. But you've heard all that before.

Obviously, we have no plans to celebrate today. Between one thing and another (and another and another) our heads are just not together enough to enlist a babysitter and think about going to a place we'd want to go. My mother-in-law did offer to babysit for us, but we won't be taking her up on it. I remember right after Swee'pea was born, I asked Sugar D how he felt about his mum babysitting our new family member, and he thought maybe when Swee'pea was a teenager. Maybe I shouldn't blog this but I need to get it off my chest. I was writing about my mother-in-law in these posts. And much of what has been stressing us out over the last several weeks has had to do with her (on top of all the other stuff I've blogged about).

She's being evicted at the end of the month but isn't looking for a new place to live because she's expecting to be appointed as G0vern0r Gener@l any day now, and that job comes with housing (R1deau Ha11). Yep, any day now, a black stretch limo will show up at her door and a man in a cap will put her belongings (already packed for weeks in anticipation) in the trunk and drive her off into the sunset of our capital city.

So there... it's out there now. My mil is nuts, really and truly. (That bit will likely self-destruct... I'm too chicken to leave it up.)


In other news, Slouching Mom named me as a Creative Blogger. I would have mentioned it sooner, except that I found out when I was at my parents (I think I've mentioned their internet connection before? The one that's so slow it's backwards?) and I couldn't bear to fight with their computer to post about it. I may have been low-key about notifying you all, but it lifted my spirits in a big way. I've been feeling a bit discouraged about my blogging and photography lately, probably in large part because I haven't had the time and/or energy I'd like to be able to devote to them. So I was pretty stoked to discover that Slouching Mom feels I qualify for this award:

The Creative Blogger Award is meant for those who bring unique and creative elements to their blogs. For those who incorporate art, music, creative writing, photos, and other beautiful visual effects into their website. For those who put a unique spin on things and come up with new ideas. This award is for the artsy, the funky, the inventor, and even the rebel. This award is for those creative individuals who stand out from the crowd.

So, thanks Slouching Mom!!

And now, to pass it on. Although I've had to reduce my bloglines subscriptions in the interest of maintaining my sanity, I have way too many folks to choose from. But here goes...

The artsy*: The Silent K, who's going through a difficult time and handling it with grace and staying grounded through it all.

The funky*: Who else but K-girl? Every time I click over from bloglines, I never know what I'm gonna get.

The inventor*: Why, Beck, of course. She's always sharing her tips for kids' birthday parties, gluten-free recipe adaptations and other delicious creations, and her husband's talents for building fantastic things for their kids.

The rebel*: This one's trickier, but I think I'll name Mad. She always offers me a perspective I haven't considered before, a way of looking at things that doesn't come naturally to me but makes so much sense and carries much truth. I've said it before in comments at her place, but she makes me a better person.

And because Slouching Mom likes my pics, here's another one, continuing my latest photographic obsession with canoes. (And hey, if anyone ever wants to buy one of my prints, you need only ask -- and yes, Sage, I've got you on my list of prints to make. I haven't forgotten.)



*(I hate to label people because we are all so much more than single word could ever convey, but using these categories helped me focus my selection.)