jubilation 147...beware of frogs in your vitamins

Me during an NPR program about major scams:    "If someone tells you that they have the best Vitamin in the world, it is probably a fraud."

Ansel:  "How would you fit a frog into a vitamin?"

jubilation 146....buying some time

If you remember from a recent post, I had a bit of trouble grasping on to the concept of Ansel actually havimg front teeth.    While we were at the U2 concert, he lost....and I mean lost, as in it fell out of his mouth and he couldn't find it, which is exactly the same predicament all of  his naturally dislodged teeth   have found themselves in.  This time he had a babysitter who explained the situation to the tooth fairy.  Unfortunately, the tooth fairy had an extremely late night and wasn't too tired to leave money, but was too tired to answer his question.   According to my cousin's daughter, her tooth fairy is named Tautiania and it may have been Tautiania that left the money, but it is very unlike Tautiania not to leave a note or fairy dust.  So for now, this tooth fairy remains anonymous.  I don't care.  I am just thrilled that Ansel has another empty space in his mouth, buying him a little growing up time.

jubilation 145.U2 in Seattle

U2 and I have a complicated relationship that can best be explained through parable. 

  There once was a girl who, during her formative adolescent years, developed a deep and abiding friendship with someone we will call B3.  The girl provided an appreciative listening ear, while B3 provided a safe place for this girl to channel much of her inexpressible and foreign emotions.  B3 was simple, down to earth, passionate, angry, and infatuated with the world......just like the girl.  The girl taped a poster of her friend in her room  and often felt empathy pouring from this portion of the wall. 

 This mostly one-sided relationship continued to grow for several years.  

But then the friend changed.   Or the girl changed.  Or both.   B3 became a little to flashy and self-aware, wanting to please the now millions of other friends that had since been acquired. B3 bought fancy toys to impress his new friends.  The girl grew up and tamed her raw emotions that were the foundation of this relationship.  Whatever the reason doesn't matter.  They grew apart.  The girl no longer gave B3 a listening ear and B3 no longer spoke to the girl's heart.   

So when the girl was given the opportunity to see her old friend again, she wondered if it would be too painful to see B3, to be reminded of what they once had and how far they had grown apart.  But the girl hoped that no matter how much each of them had changed, they would still have the strength of their old memories to bond them, rendering this reunion memorable.   I was right.  I mean, the girl was right.

Plus, it is impossible not to have a great time with my cousin, Marika.  We would have fun together at a farm equipment auction.   

My devotion to U2 lies somewhere in the spectrum between this adoring, weeping fan (above) and this bored to death family (below).

Getting some help from astronaut Kelly in space.......not sure how Bono will ever be able to top this stunt.

We didn't have the best seats for the show, but we did have the best seat for a back view of the Harbor and a front view of Seattle's skyline.

My favorite part was when all the fancy lights were shut down and only the lights from cell phones and lighters could be seen.   Now we were in space and Bono was playing "With or without you."  I was taken back 20 years to a tentless night under a Moab night sky, listening to Joshua Tree on cassette tape,  so seemingly close to the stars that I felt their hot breath on my face.   It was nice to be with my old friend again.  

jubilation 144 mountain biking with this guy

This is steeper than it looks.  I wouldn't  descend without my  feet on the ground and Corey made it look like a piece of fluffy, soft cake.  I blamed it on the fact that my bike is more than 10 years old, too big for me,  and doesn't have shocks.  Plus I may still be a bit traumatized from a high school bike accident which left my ability to have children in question.

Corey took me straight to the bike shop and bought me a new bike.  Great, now I'll have no excuses for not going down the devil's pathway.

jubilation 143....a flood of estrogen

The flood

There were literally hundreds of little ducklings and goslings and my walk today.   Those unfortunate souls who were talking on the phone with me when I ran into these gaggles, heard a hair-raising squeal at least 2 octaves higher than what is normal and only a few tones shy of ear-drum bursting.

jubilation 140,141,and 142

 Marshmallow Caterpillars

 Well-intentioned men in suits handing out Bibles to Jr. High Students after school.   Is this even legal?

More than enough water this spring