Monday motherhood: orthodontia and why I hate my life (sometimes)

This morning, Bun Bun had to visit the orthodontist to have a piece of metal put back on one of her teeth.  It’s part of the head gear she wears to help straighten her smile and the whole ordeal is so much more trouble than I anticipated.  Whatever.  When I called on Friday to let them know this piece had fallen off, they scheduled us for Monday morning.  “Don’t forget to bring in the head gear,” were the last words I heard the dental assistant say.  We put it in a plastic bag and Bun Bun … [Read more...]

Today’s cup: the Arizona wildfire, Weiner’s wife is pregnant, Afghanistan is a bust, and coffee is the new LSD

No reported deaths or injuries, but Arizona is on fire.  By Friday, there’s an excellent chance that parts of Texas and New Mexico will experience rolling power blackouts as the wildfire that has been burning across 600 square miles for eleven days heads toward transmission lines.  Firefighters are struggling to bring the blaze under control as high winds complicate their efforts. Huma Abedin, the wife of scandal-plagued New York congressman Anthony Weiner, reacted to her husband’s icky … [Read more...]

Sunday cafe: the budget, Sidney Lumet, The Masters, and coffee is good for your heart

When the budget finally passed at the eleventh hour Friday night, everyone I knew felt the same way – that it was a charade, that those representing us in Congress were doing a poor job of it, that we were all relieved the National Park system was not going to shut down and that our spring break reservations at Grand Canyon were still viable. My gut reaction is that I’m not looking at a hard copy of the budget, I’m not an economist, and there is so much to running a federal deficit that I … [Read more...]

Tuesday tidbits: part one, Starbucks and a free pastry

Daily Cup of Jo was inspired by coffee.  My mornings are fueled by it.  It comforts my soul.  Coffee represents, for me, all that is good and right with the world - like puppies and my daughters' buttocks. This morning, before 10:30am, if you go to Starbucks and buy a coffee drink, they'll give you a free pastry.  Isn't that nice of them?  So go.  Get your cup of joe.  Enjoy your snack.  And come back here later for Tuesday tidbits, part two. … [Read more...]

Sunday café

The first appointment I had with my OBGYN after finding out I was pregnant with my first child went something like this: “Take these once a day...blah, blah, blah…folic acid…blah, blah, blah…lots of water, blah, blah, blah…” Dr. Levinson told me.  “Do you have any questions?” she asked. “Can I drink coffee?”  It was really my only concern. “Well, there’s some evidence that large amounts of caffeine may lead to low birth weight, but moderate amounts should be okay,” she explained.  All I heard … [Read more...]

I sought refuge up the street on the final day of Christmas coffee

On the 18th day of Christmas coffee, my true love gave to me, a double cappuccino -- Christmas was good.  My kids are old enough now that I don’t have to spend the entire time at my sister’s house on Christmas evening untwisting and liberating toys attached to cardboard like Hannibal Lecter was attached to that hand truck dolly.  What is up with that?  You’re finally done untwisting and discover microscopic threads securing Barbie’s hair.  Or worse, the talking puppy you just unleashed needs … [Read more...]