I find this blog test rather accurate.

You Communicate With Your Ears

You love conversations, both as a listener and a talker. What people say is important to you, and you're often most affected by words, not actions. You love to hear complements from others. And when you're upset, you often talk to yourself. Music is very important to you. It's difficult to find you without your iPod.

How Do You Communicate?

Portland potpourri

I'm back home now and back blogging here.

I started a vacation blog for the trip, mostly centered on my son and his adventures.

Portland, Oregon was lovely - lush, with wonderful mountain scapes, beautiful houses and a smart-looking downtown.

* The home landscaping was gorgeous, so much better than the palm tree and St. Augustine grass regimen of Central Florida. Every home had lots of vines and flowers and grand trees and protective bushes. It just gave the whole place that nice homey, lived-in look that these new Florida subdivisions utterly lack.
* We witnessed this intriguing, but vibrant culture of hippies and punk bicyclists and even came upon a bikefest, complete with this fuschia and black dance troupe on little girl bikes.
* After being so worried about how cool it was, we ended the trip with a heat wave, with our last day peaking at 101 degrees. It was odd, walking out in the mid afternoon and the heat hitting my face like it does at home.
* I spied some interesting sign in Cannon Beach - tsunami warnings. Reminded me of all the hurricane signs I see at home.
* I never found anything more on that RV fire that blocked U.S. Highway 26 last Thursday, as we drove from Cannon Beach to Portland. (We sat by the side of the road in the middle of Tillamook State Forest, watching the RV burn.) I guess that is probably a good thing, since no news means that nobody died (as they say "no body, no brief") but it would have been nice to have seen that get picked up by one of the Portland news organizations.

On Vacation

And I'm blogging here

I might transfer some of the posts over but for now, I have a different blog because I'm trying to keep certain readers of that blog from reading this blog.

Just one of those things.

Out of the mouths of little boys

One of the odd reminders of my breastfeeding days is that my son has still been referring to my chest as his "nursies."

It had been endearing for a while, but now that he's approaching 4 years of age, I'm trying to get him to let go of that old term.

I tried to explain they're not nursies anymore because I don't have a baby anymore. So I told him they were boobies.

Mind you, we've really only had this conversation once, when he accidentally saw me as I stepped out of the shower. (I firmly believe that the boy is old enough not to be seeing me naked on a regular basis).

But everything has a way of coming back to you.

My family and one of my son's favorite playmates were in the car, ready to go to a movie. We were watching the other boy, while his parents enjoyed an afternoon date.

I don't know how it came up, but my son explained to the other boy, "My mommy has boobies!" (screaming it with a big laugh).

My husband was too horrified to notice that I was trying to stifle a laugh.

On her last wheels

I guess that after 7 years and 153,000 miles, my Corolla may be ready for the scrap heap.

I had been so happy with reaching the 150K milestone that I had hoped to push it to 200K.

But the car failed with one of the few things that was truly a death knell. The air conditioning system (or specifically the condenser) short-circuited. That makes the car unbearable to drive during a Florida summer.

There are no easy or cheap solutions to this dilemma. Is it really worth plugging in another $400 to $500 in this car? Then again, having to juggle a new car payment may be too difficult.

Really, all I had hoped was to push the car until next year, when we're done paying off my husband's car, which frees up some cash for a new car payment.

Unfortunately, the car gods are not smiling on me too kindly these days.

In black and white

I've spent the last half hour, vegging out and watching the pandacam for 11-month-old Tai Shan. Watching a panda nibble bamboo is just very relaxing.

Today is a rare day of hooky for me. Work has been tiring and stressful so I really do need the break.

My morning agenda includes some laundry, a Kung Fu video and cutting fabric for my latest sewing project.

It should a very good morning.

Hard questions to answer

There’s only one topic that I dreaded as the mother of a boy.
That is, dealing with my little guy’s little guy.
I left the circumcision decision entirely with my husband and I figured that since Daddy is a biologist, and a skilled biology teacher, that he could handle the conversations necessary before puberty.

Still, I knew there would be a few awkward moments that I couldn’t avoid.

No one prepared me for the first.
He was just a few days old when I laid him on the changing table, opened his diaper to see the unmistakeable evidence that infant boys could have erections.
I was surprised, but I have to admit. It was the cutest one I had ever seen.

Then there was the phase of his own curious self-exploration (9 months old). Thankfully, that was short-lived.

But now he’s getting older and is starting to ask questions about everything.
I tell him some fact, and he asks, “Why?”
I explain it to him, prompting another “Why?”

This brings us to Awkward Mommy moment #3, which took place early during a recent morning.
Our morning schedule is tight so as soon as he woke up, I started changing him out of his pajamas and his little guy had perked right up.
“Mommy, it’s big.” He grabbed himself to investigate what was happening.
“Yes, sweetie. This happens to boys.”
“Why?”
“Because it just happens sometimes. Just don’t touch it.”
“Why?”
“Because if you keep touching it, it’ll stay big.”
“Why?”
“Because honey, that’s the way they work. Someday, Daddy will explain it to you.”

Sigh. Why me?

South Park heads to the Middle East?

I read this article today about a new low-fare airline serving the Arabian peninsula.

But it was this picture that first caught my attention - the advertising character for Air Arabia.

I can almost envision a South Park episode where they fly on Air Arabia and take
a tour of the Pyramids.

As if I have time for a new hobby

My latest sewing project was a great success. The lavendar satin halter-top cocktail dress earned rave reviews at last weekend's wedding.

But now the sewing must not stop!

I finished up at least 3 minor sewing projects that had been lying around for months undone. Jeans were rehemmed, a scratchy fabric was removed from my son's polo shirt, which needed some restitching to replace the scratchy fabric. I stitched together some leftover cloths for a pillow that I want to make. I have been cruising eBay for the past 2 days, looking for cheap sewing patterns and have fallen in love with one particular seller who specializes in $1 patterns. I have already bid on 4 items.

Mostly, I have been carefully studying a trio of free batiks that I received. My mother-in-law has a brother who visited the Philippines decades ago and brought back a couple of Filipino blouses and several fabrics. Now all of those batiks have since been gifted to me.

Unfortunately, the fabrics aren't enough for a sundress that I'd like to make so I'm thinking about transforming them into skirts.