waiting out the storm

Posted on October 29, 2012 by is there any more pie?

Many of you have emailed or called to ask where we are.  I love you for that.

We’re not in the storm tonight.  We’re in Texas.  Daughter Nancy and her husband Mike are in the midst of the storm.  The power went off at three o’clock this afternoon, while we were talking.  She texted tonight to report that they are safe and playing board games.

The ocean has flooded roads, trees are down, and the wind is blowing.  It’s not high tide yet and we are glued to the Weather Channel.

Our home is not in the path of the rising ocean.  We sit on a ridge on a glacier morrain (am I saying that correctly, Retired Mountain Man?).  We worry about trees coming down on the house, though, as we’re in the middle of the woods.

Love to all.  Stay safe, wherever you are.
More Pie

 

 

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the demise of the pumpkin cake

Posted on October 28, 2012 by is there any more pie?

Posted in family, grandmother stuff | 2 Comments

bad grandma

Posted on October 26, 2012 by is there any more pie?

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. But here are the facts, ma’am, just the facts:
1. My daughter-in-law bought my grandson something similar at a thrift shop. It broke. My musically inclined (aka genius) grandson was royally ticked off.

2. My daughter-in-law gave me permission to buy a drum set for his birthday.

3. I even called said daughter-in-law from Toys R Us to make sure this purchase was okay.  I described the box.  I mentioned it had its own stand. And an mp3 hookup.  She still said yes, after that final chance to say no, thank you.

4. Yes, my guitarist son is going to be very unhappy when the wrapping paper comes off.

5. Yes, I bought extra batteries.

6. I also bought an alphabet puzzle–wooden and very educational, I swear.

7. I hadn’t been in a Toys R Us in 15 years–I think it went to my head.

8.  But I bought something else, something else on Etsy, something else that is so wonderful and perfect for my rock and roll loving grandson that I can’t even blog about it.  It doesn’t need batteries and it doesn’t need to be assembled and my son will like it, too and I will be forgiven for the drum set.  I’ll link to it tomorrow, after the party.

9.  Grandpa Banjo Man approved of the drum set, btw.

10.  As did Uncle Will and Great-Grandma.  Daddy is outnumbered 6 to 1.

Levon Helm

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it’s finished–no, it’s not

Posted on October 25, 2012 by is there any more pie?

EDITED THURSDAY MORNING
As much as I wish this statement was true, and as much as I love boxers and their expressions, the book is not done.

I’d written this post and thought I’d saved it as a “draft”, so when I was done with the gd book I would be able to hit “send” and tell you all that you didn’t have to read about my whining any longer (or at least not for a while, until the next deadline).

But this darn post keeps appearing. The boxer is mocking me. Or does he just look at me like I am pathetic?

I should title this “The book is not done”. Then it would be the truth.
Speaking of truth…the book is over done. The book is over the page limit. The book will never, ever end, I fear.

i hope they like it.

Excuse me, I think I have to take this dog out for a walk.

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the texan turns 35

Posted on October 24, 2012 by is there any more pie?

Happy Birthday, son #2!!!

(this photo was taken a few years ago, when Will and I were on a road trip together.  We stopped for the afternoon in a ghost town in Bannack, Montana.  He wanted desperately to see a ghost.  I didn’t.  And thank goodness we didn’t, though there were several creepy houses we didn’t go inside of.)

For more info on Bannack, click HERE.

Posted in family | 5 Comments

in my to-be-read pile

Posted on October 23, 2012 by is there any more pie?

Just downloaded THIS book from the e-zone section of my local library and uploaded it to my Kindle Fire.  Sometimes it’s good to be a geek.  I’ll be posting more about books this winter, so please let me know what YOU are reading as the snow falls outside your window.

I love my Kindle Fire, but I surely don’t want to pay to read most books when I can get them free from the library.  But libraries have limited supplies of e-books, so I use my son’s Texas library card, my Idaho library card and my local library card to browse and checkout e-books.  If you have an e-book and you have a family member or friend who has a library card but doesn’t use the e-book part of it, see if they will share their account with you.****

****If this is illegal or immoral or in poor taste, please know that I was only kidding.  Otherwise, happy reading.

Posted in books & music, writing | 1 Comment

the old montana hotel antiques mall

Posted on October 22, 2012 by is there any more pie?

Four floors:  main floor, two upstairs and the basement.  All filled with stuff.

I found it after only one wrong turn.  I gave myself 45 minutes.  It’s called “self-medication”, by the way.  I could have plopped my yoga-pants butt on a bar stool, lit a cigarette, ordered a shot of tequila and told my woes to the bartender, but looking at junk is more my style.

Missoula is a pretty cool little city.

Old Montana Hotel

Yard art? Cool!

Something for the band?

Looks just like my childhood desk. Love the sombrero!

Tony Lama’s, used and abused but still cool.

I came out of here with a pair of $25 boots and a $5 aluminum colander. I barely resisted two handstitched quilts and a tiny cupboard. The prices were reasonable and there was lots to see. Can’t wait to go back next year!

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home confinement is a pain in the you-know-what

Posted on October 19, 2012 by is there any more pie?

I have not left my house in twelve days.  I might as well be wearing an ankle bracelet.

Writing books is an insane lifestyle.  Have you noticed that writers whine a lot?  We do.  I do.  You should feel very sorry for Banjo Man.

My butt hurts.  I think I need a new chair.  I think I need a new career.  I shouldn’t have dropped out of college after only 30 days.  I don’t want to get up at 4 AM any more.  I need to have my eyes checked.  I’m gaining weight.   I can’t talk to my friends until the book is done.  I am all alone here in my office, all the time.  Thank goodness I am only a few pages away from finishing this damn thing.  I can’t believe this book is taking so long to write.  Why didn’t I start this a year ago?  Why did I start this at all?  Did I mention that my butt hurts?

Yes, feel very very very sorry for Banjo Man.

Yesterday I sat outside in my car and drank a diet coke and ate some Wheat Thins.  It was such a pretty afternoon, all sunshine and yellow leaves dropping on the driveway.  I needed a break from staring at a monitor.  The seats in the Highlander are so comfy.

As soon as I finish this book I am going to Texas.  Seriously.  Going. To. Texas.

To the land of vintage cowboy boots, guacomole, Johnny Gimble and margaritas.

I will celebrate a couple of special birthdays.  Hug my boys.  Fiddle.  Babysit.  Read story books.  Go for walks.  Cook some massive family dinners.  Shop for a wild pair of vintage Tony Lama’s.  Listen to lots of live music.  Spoil my daughter-in-law.  Adore my grandson.  I will not whine at all.

The next book is due December 15th, but that is far, far away.  In another galaxy.

Posted in personal female whining, writing | 5 Comments

and the seasons go ’round and ’round

Posted on October 18, 2012 by is there any more pie?

June.

October.

At least it’s not snowing yet.

Posted in rhode island | Leave a comment

a morepie public service announcement

Posted on October 17, 2012 by is there any more pie?

TO WHOMEVER IT MAY CONCERN:

I am not an alarm clock.   I can get myself to where I need to be, and I will be on time, but the rest of the world is on their own.  I will stand at the front door admiring my new ebay cowboy boots at departure time, but I will no longer yell, “Fifteen minutes!  Ten minutes!  Five minutes!” like a damn train conductor.

I am not Google.  Yes, I love to research and yes, I can scan info at lightning speeds, but it’s time for everyone to DIY.  I do not know when the dump opens.  Or closes.  Or if it’s open on Sunday.   I don’t know when your favorite televisions shows are on, or if they’re a repeat, or a two-hour special.  I don’t know what to do with leeks or flax seeds and I can no longer operate the bread machine.  In fact, there are lots of things like that I don’t know.  Billions, even.

I am not Travelocity.  I do not memorize anyone’s flight schedules, either departing or arriving.   I do not memorize the airline either.  Yes, I used to do that, but I’m 60 now and my brain prefers to hold onto more important details, such as where I left my sunglasses and if I took my antidepressant today.

I am not Saint Anthony:  If you are three thousand miles away and have lost something, I cannot find it, even if I pray.

I am not Verizon; I don’t know why your cell phones are uncooperative.  I can barely operate my own and I don’t care when I can’t.

I am not Fios; you and the DVR must make peace with each other.  The remote is your friend, not your enemy.  There are only so many times I can say, “Push the red button to record.”

I am not psychic:  I don’t know what you did with your car keys.  Or your wallet.  Or the portable phones.  Or that piece of paper with someone’s name on it.  I do not know where the lemon that was on the top shelf of the refrigerator went to.  Or how old the Paul Newman salsa is.

I am not Gordon Ramsay.  Because I deal with three microwaves, five ovens, four refrigerators, two freezers, seven crockpots, three blenders and two food processors in three different states, I can’t instantly remember how to operate, clean or repair any of them.

I will, however, always be happy to make you a cup of coffee from the Keurig while we read the manuals, play with the remotes, find the phones, print out airline tickets, google, watch television and check to see what time it is.  Together.

Love, MorePie

Note:  Banjo Man thinks this is a little hostile and wants you all to know he is praying to Saint Anthony to help me find all of the patience I seem to have lost.

Posted in a more pie opinion, family, personal female whining | 2 Comments