boy

April 12, 2015

wolf whispers

on the train
heading home
lost in my own thoughts
my heart hurting
a sweet sound breaks through
that of a child howling
not crying, squalling, or fussing
howling
like a wolf at the moon
AH-OOO!
[but not too loudly]
it was a quieter, “ah-ooo”
made me smile
I peeked around my window seat and said aloud to the brown eyed boy behind me, “Is there a wolf back there?”
his eyes got bigger
as did his mother’s smile
I told him I like to howl like a wolf too
added that I have a big dog that looks like a wolf with a long nose and pointy ears and that he has a girlfriend that howled if he didn’t visit her fence fast enough when we went on walks
he has three dogs at home
one of them is named Luna
the same as Blue’s best girl
thankful for this brief moment
on the train taking me home
the day after a memorial service
for my grandfather
he was a moon howler too
great big, giant and loud, “AH-OOO!”
though for thoughtfulness of others
such as inside and on a train car
a quiet, nearly whispered, “ah-ooo”
I love you, Grandpa
Forever
your life’s work and legacy will live on
inside everyone who ever met and knew you and through your stories, music and poems
ah-ooo
ah-ooo
ah-ooo

April 12, 2015

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February 6, 2014

nighttime energy

9:33pm
Me: “If Blue is fine, please, let Blue be fine.”
My 10 year old son goes into living room to find the sleeping dog and says, “Hey, Blue. Wanna cause some mayhem?!”
Both Blue and The Boy come in to family room calmly.
I scratch his ears and neck around his collar and the dog pants and grins at me.
Next thing I know, they are running laps.
10 year old says, “Hey, Mom. I wound him up for you.”
Bedtime. It’s bedtime. Mine.
There they go again. Off and running.

February 5, 2014

January 30, 2014 Image

So, there was a little hostage situation here last night…
My youngest son, age 10 in fifth grade, asked for the yardstick to measure the dog’s long, fluffy tail. When I didn’t immediately hand it over to him, he began taking items out of the pantry one by one, reading their labels aloud, stacking them on the kitchen counter as he stockpiled hostages. Along the way he found the yardstick and Blue did NOT want his tail measured, so my boy resumed taking pantry items hostage. Not just the extra food, also batteries, straws, flashlights, lightbulbs and the broom. Then, since I made white chicken chili yesterday, and the crock pot found itself surrounded by other hostages, that boy blocked his captives off with the yardstick and declared the crock pot hostage too. What?! The crock pot was an innocent bystander! Just sitting on the counter, minding it’s own business, after working hard all day, when it found itself surrounded by hostages and a crazed madman brandishing a yardstick about. Too funny really, both in the moment and as hindsight. Love him. The older boy too. He had his own smiling, trying to get my goat, way of pushing buttons last night. His grin said he knew he did too. My narrowed eyes didn’t convince him to move because my grin gave me away. He showered. Such a simple thing, but heaven forbid it be one. Thursday morning now. The sun rose. Both of my sons rose too, even though they were still rather tired, grumbly and wanting more sleep. Oldest is delivered to school and youngest is en route. Blue has been out twice. Time is 8:30am. I stayed in my flannel pjs and am making coffee now. Errands and cat duty and miscellaneous whatnot will all fill in the hours until those two boys who hold their mother’s heart return home again. I may have agreed to make a chocolate cake last night to free the hostages. I sort of think I did. I better make one, to appease that crazed madman, age 10.
~Janean

January 30, 2014
There is a new moon tonight. The second new moon of January 2014. There are two super moons this month, on the first and thirtieth, but actually, there were three because of the full moon in the middle. I have a feeling “moon effect” had a little to do with the antics at my house last night. The rest was a very creative, witty and hilarious way to avoid bedtime.

January 23, 2014

z time

I can hear the wind now
I’m tucked in
Blue is in his fleece bed
I have soothing instrumentals on Pandora for zzz’ing
Boys in their rooms
Maybe still reading
The phone rang a bit ago
“No school tomorrow”
Fist pump from the youngest
It was his school that was calling
Phone just buzzed “email”
No school for either son
Due to severe windchill
and single digit temps
Begun before ten
Then a l’il doze
Now it’s after
Z time here
‘Night
Zzzzzzzz

January 22, 2014
began at 9:50p
finished by 10:15p
reality

May 26, 2013

tastebuds awakening

My oldest boy asked for SPAM again at supper time yesterday. He wanted to try it as a sandwich this time, which I served cold. He took a bite and then asked if I’d warm up the SPAM in the skillet again. Of course I obliged. Afterwards my thirteen year old son decided he liked SPAM best with breakfast. I have a feeling this journey is just beginning: My Life As A SPAM Cook. ~ Janean

May 26, 2013

March 25, 2013 Image

I am the crazy lady who shoveled her backyard to find the dog’s long leash, so he could romp and dance and play with his favorite 9 1/2 year old boy. It’s snowball throwing, snowman building, snowdog playing time. All is well.

March 25, 2013
a.k.a. The Snowiest Spring Break Ever

March 9, 2013 Image

These two canoodling canines sure would make some pretty puppies. Alas, twill never be, ‘cause my boy, Blue, was already “fixed” before Miss Luna moved in to the house on the corner with the fenced yard. He’s a l’il bit older, no comment on wiser, and even without a litter o’pups shared between them, these two purebred dogs are all kinds o’crazy in love with each other. Oh, how they make me smile and laugh with all their carrying on!

March 9, 2013

February 9, 2013 Image

At 10:30 a.m. this morning my youngest son and I indulged in ice cream. Don’t judge. The M&M bowl was for him. I’m in full on Mom Mode today. First, I ate the two unwanted heels of bread toasted, with my over easy egg. THEN, I scooped strawberry ice cream into my bowl, after carefully just dishing chocolate and vanilla for my sweet boy. Doggone neapolitan. The ice cream aisle was sorta bare that day…

February 9, 2013