The Zog Blog

On February 7, after more long illnesses than any one human should have to encounter, my grandfather Ray passed away. He was a few weeks past his 80th birthday.
As an adult, I knew Ray better than any of my other grandparents. I thought, as I started Gram Lois’ essay back in August, that whenever Grampie [...]

Pregnancy still sucks, but fortunately (?) I have plenty of other things keeping me way too busy to dwell on that fact. In lieu of complaining about them, though, I want to share something I wrote today.
This is about politics. I’ve wanted to write something for awhile, about my feelings on the upcoming election, but [...]

First of all, if your primary elections are today, get out and VOTE! Go. Go now.
Second… well, the little mister is going to be pretty surprised, come his birthday this year.

Around then, a new zog will join our family. The crib notes: I’m 12 weeks along, everything looks healthy and fine, I’m having as [...]

Don’t have much to say, I guess. Our lives are pretty consumed by logistics large and small, at this point. We’re planning like busy planners, waiting, trying to make decisions, etc., etc., etc.
So here’s a grainy, over-exposed view of our morning:

…and a statement that you’re all in our thoughts. Hope you’re well!

Except we’re not, really. Returning to California feels like the vacation, our time in New England like home. I don’t know exactly when or how, but I’ve got to get back there.
It’s impossible to pick highlights, because even with all of the moving around and illness and difficulty, I had such a wonderful time [...]

So far, Hanukkah and Christmas are running neck and neck. Hanukkah has singing books, which are pretty cool:

But Christmas definitely has better hats.

Time: 6:52 AM.
Temperature: 24 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dude’s scraping the ice off of his windshield in shorts.
(At least he was wearing a fleece vest.)

The holiday season is upon us. Hanukkah has started, and it’s much more enjoyable this year due to Jacob’s vastly increased ability to grasp the whole thing. “Happy Hanukkah!”, he shouts to random passers-by. “Hanukkah a HOLIDAY!”

He’s really enjoying the little safari animals we’re giving him this year, and it’s so much fun to see [...]

Wednesday was a pretty good day. Jacob decided in the morning that he didn’t want to attend the Mommy & Me-type class we usually go to (“Jacob no go class today pleeease, Mommy?”), so we stayed at home and Jacob helped me work.

But my favorite part of the day was unwinding at the end [...]

Today was a good day pretty much all around. Jon and I had one of those Important Conversations, and it both went well (no fighting) and was productive (a plan for our future that we both believe in). I cast on for some fun new knitting projects. We figured out how to save a sizable [...]

I think it’s a good idea to try (at least for the next two weeks, before we head back east) to post a daily “good thing”. Just a moment during the day that I really enjoy, to try and balance out the bad I post here so often lately.

Today, it’s Jacob “reading” to himself. [...]

A wonderful blogger recently prompted me to think about what I believe in–what rules I try to live by. If she’d posted such a query two years ago, I would have shared the following:
Life is good.
Be happy now.
Let it go.
I still like this, but it just doesn’t quite ring true for me at the [...]

My grandfather’s given name was Lewis, but everyone called him Tinker. When I was young, he was a tinkerer, a trader, a man who always liked to have some plan hatching or project going. He slowed down a lot as he aged, like everyone does I suppose. For the past few years, he mostly sat [...]

Me [looking blearily at Jon]: I’m starting to waffle on going to this new parent social event.
Jon: (nod)
Jacob: Jacob want waaaffle!
[Jon and Amy look at Jacob]
Jacob: Jacob want waffle pleeeeeeeeease!

We had a house full of visitors this weekend, which is just the way I like it. I got to bake, which I don’t do very often, and made a cheesecake I haven’t made in years. It was yummy. Jacob had lots of playmates, there was Nintendo, there was a hike, great conversation, wonderful people. [...]