T minus 18 insane days

So the wedding fast approaches!

I won't bore you with the crap I haven't finished...

but I will bore you with the things I have fantasized about in the past day in order to avoid dwelling on unfinished wedding things (or my chest cold, or my sudden gastro-intestinal distress...tragic, but well timed, because no one wants to be worried about (as my mom calls it) "running to the bathroom" in a wedding dress!)

Fantasies:

1. going to some random, rural locale in the Rockies with Jam where it's quiet and we don't know anyone. We find a quiet spot, near a creek, dip our toes in the water and have a picnic. Thanks a billion "Enjoying the Small Things" for putting that fantasy in my head!

2. Spending some time on a farm

3. Crocheting a blanket while snowed in, not moving from the couch except to pee and eat until it's finished

4. Making an apple pie (not an unreasonable fantasy, but no time)

5. Hiking/camping - ESCAPING! This actually might be possible, if I can convince the Jamonster. The subaru has a fixed muffler and I know this campsite in Western Mass....hmmm.

But yeah. I'm looking for some escapism I guess, but there is no time to be fantasizing! There is work to be done! I have menus to print! Escort cards to design! I must focus.....

....now the Grand Tetons must be lovely in the fall........

argh!

If one more flipping person tells me how our wedding is fast approaching and that I should "breathe and enjoy the day"...
I might have to strangle them! OMG!!!!

Foster Parrots

Most of you four or five readers (tee hee) know that I used to volunteer EVERY Saturday at a local parrot shelter. I know I mentioned that they moved to a wonderful facility in Rhode Island so they can set up a better "habitat" for the birds and care for even more abandoned/abused exotic animals. This means I only visit the sanctuary about once a year...which is sad, though pet-sitting for the directors helps me get my animal fix!

Apparently a project is in the works for FP and the PR person needed photos of birds that are "striking." He asked me to send him some thing and I thought "ugh, all I have is CRAP" but to be nice, I sent him what I thought were my "best," including this shot of Jane Goodall from the Grand Opening of the sanctuary:

The other photos were exclusively birds...and while looking at them I realized that 1. I am a halfway decent self-taught photographer 2. I love birds because they exude so much personality. People hate on birds - you hear it all the time. They cringe and say "why would I have a bird when I can have a dog?" or "birds freak me out" - whatever, birds are pretty damn awesome and SMART. Not that I don't totally love dogs, want a dog, and think most dogs are smart, it's just that science has proven that large long-lived birds are smart in terms of animal smartness - think monkey and dolphin smart, think toddler-smart. The birds at FP do everything from let themselves out of cages that I probably couldn't let myself out of, talk and say things in context (ie one of the "bad birdies" calling a volunteer a "f*cking c*nt" in frustration....we were shocked and horrified....then laughed) to learning how to manipulate people into getting what they want. Seriously! These creatures have big big personalities....I wish more people loved them as much as I and all the FP folk do:

My Sister's Tumblr

My sister has a rockin' tumblr page that makes me JEALOUS. I want a tumblr page too! I already blog too much at work though. Eek.

Anywho, she has a great Indiana Jones tumblr up.

It's funny because docking the boat at our grandparent's (Bear Island, Lake Winnipesaukee, sometimes big waves) can be the most dramatica thing ever when there are whitecaps and a stiff north wind. This weekend I took a flying leap out of the boat and watched it drift a little further and further away from the dock. Now I have a hard time remembering that it's a boat, and unlike a car, you have a ton of leeway for maneuvering and backing up and trying a re-approach is not really a big deal - it's not a car that you risk running off the road. Anyways, in my panic, I meet my dad's eyes and say "THROW ME THE ROPE!!!!!!" which he threw, two-handed at me, like a poisonous snake. Looking back, it must've been the most insane boat docking of all time. Luckily my sister has the ability to see the hilarity in just about any situation. She gets out of the boat and says "Gimme the whip! Throw me the idol!!!!" Of course I follow up with "Adios, Dr. Jones....mwhahahahahahahhahha"

We could be a traveling comedy show, I swear.