Happy National Punctuation Day!

Did you know today, September 24, has been named National Punctuation Day? No? Check out this link to learn all you've ever wanted to know about punctuation. There are no parades or barbecues, no moments of silence or football games to honor the marks. But there is a contest--and the winner will receive "punctuation goodies", whatever they may be. Your guess is as good as mine. You can find out the rules at the link above. And if you enter the contest, please let us know.

In case you were wondering, National Punctuation Day is the brainchild of a former newspaper editor from Pinole (near San Francisco) named Jeff Rubin. He created the honorary day in 2004 as a way to highlight the importance of the proper use of punctuation marks. How do you intend to celebrate?

They're Here!

My PajamaJeans have arrived. I opened the bag and they look kind of BIG...I’m not feeling very positive at the moment, but I’ll try them out tomorrow.

Grapes Into Wine

Wine is bottled poetry.

--Robert Louis Stevenson

We got up at 4am Saturday morning, dressed in work clothes, and headed for the vineyards. Davis has been making wine in our garage for the last three years but this year, for the first time, we were going to pick the grapes ourselves. We set out in the dark, not sure what to expect, and arrived at the vineyard just as the sun peeked over the horizon.

The morning was cool and the grapes plentiful. The three of us picked about 400 pounds of Zinfindel grapes in about two hours. As the sun rose higher, and with it the temperature, the bees began to wake up. Fortunately, we were about finished by that time--I'm not sure I'd want to pick with the bees so active. Overall, it was a marvelous experience...and although I complained about having to get up so early, I'd do it all over again.

When we returned home with four large containers filled with grapes (and the spiders that came along for the ride!), Davis and Cody ran the grapes through the destemmer and crusher...a very interesting process. Now the grapes are in the cold soak and will soon begin their long journey to become wine.

Sometimes Momma Wonders

My son came home from school today, and with pride in his voice wanted to show me what he "learned". Granted, he is learning how to manipulate photos, work in Photoshop, and design images...but planking? Really? Sometimes you just have to smile and go with it.

PajamaJeans? Sign Me Up!

I don't watch television very often, and when I do it's usually something I have recorded on the DVR and when I finally have the opportunity to sit down and watch, I click through all the commercial breaks. My son is appalled that I have no idea what he's talking about sometimes when he quotes commercials, but so be it. I'm clueless.

Well, what a surprise it was when a commercial came on for PajamaJeans. Where have I been? I sat staring at the screen with my mouth hanging open. I think I may have found heaven. Jeans comfortable enough that you can sleep in them, but still look great enough to go out in? That's too good to be true.

First, in order to understand how excited this news made me, you need to understand where I'm coming from. I work from home. I spend the day sitting in front of my computer, curled up on the couch readinor sitting at my desk editing. I don't have to get dressed up for the office, but if I stay at my desk in pajamas all day I just don't feel productive. And, if I have to run out for some reason or, heaven forbid, someone stops by, I have to race to my closet and get dressed for company. Jeans are comfortable, and that's primarily what I wear...but after a few hours of sitting the waistband and snap start to dig into my skin (yes, I admit I have put on a few extra pounds over the years) and I begin getting antsy. I've solved this problem by wearing yoga pants...with a pair of jeans conveniently set on my bed should the doorbell ring or there be a need for a quick afternoon trip to the post office or UPS. So when I heard about these pants I was nearly drooling for a pair.

But being a skeptic, I couldn't completely trust the commercial. I went to my trusty computer and Googled PajamaJeans. After watching the nifty infomercial (the same one shown on TV), I searched for PajamaJeans reviews. There were some written reviews and even a few YouTube video reviews. Imagine that! Nearly everyone seemed to love them. Sure, there were some negatives...like the dye running in the washer and ruining a load of clothes, or a rivet came off, or the husband who couldn't stand seeing his wife in them. But there were far more lovers than haters, so...I ordered a pair. Yup...I succumbed to an infomercial. Now I'm eagerly waiting for the UPS man (it didn't say how long I'd have to wait). And when they arrive, I'll tell you what I think.

Friends Are Like Panties

A friend posted this on Facebook today and I thought it was hilarious--and so very true. Hope you enjoy!

Friends are like panties.... Some crawl up your butt. Some snap under pressure. Some don't have the strength to hold you up. Some get a little twisted. Some are your favorite. Some are holey. Some are cheap. Some are naughty. And some actually cover your butt when you need them to.

Facing Fifty!

Today's the day I turn fifty. For months I've been worrying about this day...would I feel any different? Would this make me officially "OLD"? Would the world miraculously make sense, or would I find myself with even more questions? Like most anticipated events that make us a little (a lot) nervous, it turned out to be uneventful. I don't feel any older, wiser, or different. Why is that?

When I was in my twenties, I couldn't wait to be thirty. Thirty would mean that I would finally be taken seriously in the world of business. I would begin to think about starting a family. I would finally be a woman...no longer a "girl". A lot did change when I hit my thirties. I became more confident in my role as both wife and editor. I became a mother, and I no longer looked at the world through my own eyes but through the eyes of my husband and son. "I" became "we".

I entered my forties with eyes wide open. Hand-in-hand with my husband and son, we'd face the world as one. We'd learn together, laugh together, and even cry together. We'd move cross country (twice!) and discover who we are and where we want to be. We'd lose parents and grandparents, and gain an understanding that life is precious and not to be taken for granted. We'd discover new sports, new interests, new places...and we'd do it together.

I spent some time today thinking back over the last fifty years, and I've come to a realization. We don't really change from decade to decade. We're the same person, inside where it counts, but we do evolve...gaining greater understanding of ourselves and our world, acknowledging the wealth of possibilities that awaits us each day, and seeking the life that suits us best.

It turns out that fifty is not any different than forty-nine, except for the experiences and wisdom that comes with each passing day. I look back at what has come before, and I step forward knowing that life is extraordinary. The journey is sometimes smooth, sometimes bumpy, sometimes downright wild. It's a journey filled with awe and possibility...and one worth embracing.