I just love this man.

An Englishman in OHIO

GO ENGLAND!
The World Cup England vs. USA
Joe is so excited! xo

and decades seemed further than ghosts

Two nice things:

Last night I had dinner with my gals Michelle and Jenn and it was an awesome three hour plus spread that started with Mediterranean food and stretched out to vegan bakeries and then to a good old coffee shop full of real talk. The thing that was the best was when I was at the counter ordering from Ethan Hawke Circa Reality Bites in the flesh I could hear their laughter behind me in a small nook. I realized that hearing my dearest friends laughter is much like hearing my children laugh. There is so much joy inside of those audible expressions of people. And I really do float on it.

Also. Today I have been married to Joe for eleven years. This makes me smile so hard corners want to crack. Our family bed was ruckus and annoying this morning with spindly arms and legs causing me great discomfort yet all I could do was look over at this man who seems to always glow against the white sheets. He looks the same to me as he did on that amazing Spring day back when we had no idea what life really was and decades seemed further than ghosts.

back when we had no idea that someday we would be eleven years older
because time stood a bit still then
back when we had no idea
but tiny hopes that we would love so hard
as we were projected into the future

and here we are
and it's all good.

Happy Day my love.
xo
As Ever, Amy



image via ffffound

and this made me realize

It has been far too long since I went absolutely nuts with my husband.
Here's to a really fun date night soon.
I am planning it now.
What do you like to do for yr date nights?

I am open to all ideas:
dancing on tables, jagermeister, strolling, art viewing, parks at night

A for Alfie

Joe has been back in the workshop and it is equally good and bad for him to create again.
His mind is off his grief for a bit while he makes- but if the workshop is empty and without others he gets a bit lonely I think.

He made some gorgeous handcrafted rattles the other day- personalized alphabet rattles.


What lucky little babies
who get to mouth and play with these
I know they have goodness infused in them
You can check em out here

He's a hunk this one

Joe is amazing.
He just finished a beautiful wooden sign for his client and friend DesignSmith.
I can't wait to see it with patina and hung up on the wall.
Joe is so dreamy.
I may implode.

Bells to be rung/and a wonderful fling to be flung

It was amazing last night. I love my man. I also loved being without the children.
I know that sounds like well- mean and wretched and I don't care. The rearing of children and the attention to ones own life is so freaking exhausting.
I also realized that last night at the video shop that I am in constant hurry. I don't know how to go from point A to point B slowly and directly without much stress involved. I am always bustling wee ones and running late and backtracking it seems.

Last night we went to the dance class and laughed and laughed and then after being reminded that I could take my time (such novelty) we spent 35 minutes in the video isles laughing, choosing, and yes even a bit of practicing our steps.

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just afloat on the sea/find myself on a page of history

My Joe loves the "Carry On" films. He loves them so much he has to own the box package special editions and such. They remind him of home, of his childhood he says.
They are so British he tells me.
like Monty Python or the queen or HP Sauce
The films were first made in the late 50's and ran through the 80's. They are full of innuendo and parody and sauciness and are really quite hysterical. The Brits pride themselves on their humour (and they spell humor like that)and these cult classics are shining examples of this.

Joe says that Christmas was so marvelous because all the family would sit round and watch all the films on the BBC.(That BBC, I think he loves it more than me... it is like a person- like a real live person how he talks of it. THE BBC!)

anyhoo...

I am thinking of scratching one of the items off my list soon by having a "Carry On" party.
I want to invite a few folks over and screen one of the films while having fish and chips or a "Ruby Murray" (cockney for curry) and some Newkie Browns.

I want to watch Joe laugh and laugh with his whole body. I want to hear his accent come through thicker and stronger like it tends to when he drinks beer or is around other Brits.
I want to notice his accent as I daily do not after a decade.
I think it is still warm enough in the evenings to bring the projector outside and have this party! I am off to make another list.
kiss kiss

and check back all week for lists from other fabulous folks who are playing along with me and Jos. Get yrs in soon! xo

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pics from the BBC of course

I'll Take More Than Another Riverful

On children being with grandparents:

Being alone with Joe reminds me of how I do feel underneath all of the worldly crust that cakes itself all over our lives.

Under the worry and concern and drive and spin is that amazing gravitational pull that moves me quickly from wherever I am to his side.
I would curl up inside the corner of his grin if I could.

Last night we did not go out or do anything fabulous.
We played an intense game of Scrabble and watched a tear jerker of a movie (The Bucket List) and through everything I couldn't believe that there was no little child pulling my attention away from this beautiful man.


"Moi, je veux te dire que je ne te quitterai jamais. Et puis, si tu es triste, je pourrais toujours te donner un peu d'alcool pour te rechauffer le couer. xo"

artwork from the divine hidenseek

He turned to me as if to say/ hurry boy it's waiting there for you

We have made a little update to the shop. I am going gaga over the new maple toy Joe made. She is called Lil Lark Roller and she is gorgeous. We also made a Egg Shaker too! Today has been filled with work and cleaning and lots of sweat. I hope as the night falls we can relax. It is hot today. It is looking like a beer and carport kinda night. Kiss Kiss.

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And we would scream together songs unsung

pretty patti images

We went into the city today on the bus. It was a great day full of friends, window shopping, walking, playgrounds, and energy. We were lucky to have dad meet us here for ice cream.

We are really lucky that this is working out. I have been home a whole year now. A whole year as a stay at home/work a little at home mama...It cannot have been a whole year already. Things are working out and I had little faith last year. I forget to focus on the fact that I have a really strong man for a husband. I am lucky. I see the look in some pals eyes, I know I won the lottery with soul mates. I got the whole shebang and I really do sit and shake my head some times at my charmed little luck. I forget that even with the crappy luck in the housing market and two mortgages, that we are making this work because we are a pretty damn good team.

I wanna stay home another year at least. I am putting it out to the universe that I am so open and ready for my writing to start to carry more of our weight. I am so putting it out there that as cool as it is that Joe can meet us for cones, it still makes me sad that today will be a 14 hour physical day on his strong smooth shoulders.

I will sit this weekend hunched over my novel and think about how very odd it is that a dream that was once just my little spark, my little beacon, glowing inside of me since I was a kid ( to write a book) has become just as much about these people I love and how they share this dream with me now. My goals and aspirations are now lovingly taken care of by more than just my heart. My dreams have been resuscitated by Joe, blown life back into lungs and he has helped me find a way home. He has helped me to find a way to write my stories again and his support opened a door inside of me as a mother that was once shut. I am sappy with my love for him on this hot sticky day. Happy Weekend. Kiss yr mate today. That is an order.







***Found out they are droog design lights for those of you who asked! I love them so! Charly from Jenis Ice Cream told me!!!

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Youre the one who makes me come running/Youre the sun who makes me shine

A repeat
but worth it
Happy Fathers Day baby
yr the best

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The attraction the tension/Baby like this is perfection

We live near this little gem called "Just Pies".
We will have lived here a year this summer and had yet to visit the shop. We tried to go on Monday for Joe's birthday but it was closed. We went last night and seriously fell in love with the old school charm of the pie place. It is super cute and family run and inside there is a big photo of Oprah Winfrey, as she had apparently mentioned it on her show before. The girls working the counter seemed as sweet as the pie and we all left smiling. After chowing a medium cherry down we are fearful of a pie addiction starting...I can hardly wait for dinner tonight to be over so we can open that white box again. What kind of pie do you like?Wanna share some recipes? Here is a little pie porn I saw yesterday on one of my favorite blogs.

I swear I can see your soul

Daddy has a birthday today
we made you lots of cards and trinkets
36 and devastatingly handsome
36 and I would so pick you up today like I did so many years ago
At a party or a bar
take you home and never let you go
You are beautiful
and you know how to do most anything
you tell stories that pop my irises
and the world could fall inside out
as long as you are near me
Happy Birthday Joe.

We made steak and fries and took a walk to the candy store.
A pretty good day.
xo

like every single day

Twice a week I am going to throw down some reposts for nablopomo.
(originally posted on 5/1/08)

This was our wedding song. I was very resistant to having a song. I was resistant to a lot back then, but I did make Joe say that this would be just fine for us because it spoke volumes to me at the time. It made sense for our love and it also reverberated the authenticity of simple love and small town living that I knew so well. Our songs were really Brit punk rock and The Rolling Stones, but I think I have always been attracted to songs like this. Songs that others may call cheesey or trite I have sometimes cleaved to my heart. My parents have a Jukebox in the living room and on it are songs like "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by the Eagles and when I hear that song I see my parents dancing and I am sure they choose that song for the way it makes them feel. John Hiatt is cold beer and some of the best times in Athens, Ohio to me. I used to be invited up on stage and would sing Hiatt duets with a townie band at school and it was magnificent.
It's funny how 9 years later the song fits still as our song. It really is the cornerstone, the nominal starting place in the construction of our love. It still makes me scrunch my face when I hear it in bars or elevators or even from Joe Cocker. Life gets more and more complicated each day but I have faith. I actually have better than faith, because faith is belief not based on proof and everyday for over 10 years Joseph has proven himself to be my soul mate.

Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars

Good things:
New Domino Mag, homemade apple butter, and my old Strawberry Shortcake mug brought to me by my father.

Great things:
Baskets of blocks for summer festival and a phone call from Canada.


The Best Thing:
Sweet Joe.
Even during our weekend without kids he takes all the time needed to help me with my projects and dreams. Finn talks about how lucky he is lately. Lucky that he has so many matchbox cars, lucky that he lives near an ice cream shop, lucky that he is four. Over and over again.
I am so lucky too. I am lucky in this world of uncertainty and crud that every day I get to be his best thing too. I am lucky that even on hard days being with him is like the feeling you get when you hear yr favorite song. Over and over again.

And all I can do is just pour some tea for two

Amazing weekend. My mom sent us to a cabin on the lake, took my boys, and stuffed money in my pocket. We went antique shopping, ate Mexican food, fed ducks, and talked for hours. It was well needed and sublime. My husband is truly my best friend.

My poetry audition went pretty well, although my nerves were a kickin and my leg was shaking uncontrollably under the podium for all to see. I wanted to shout expletives at my thigh. I think the poems were decent, but my whole body tremor was annoying.

We went for a beer at my hometown Irish pub. It was overwhelming to see how things change. It has moved locations and is no longer in the skinny building with ceilings of fire retardant spray turned black by the years of smoke drifting upwards. It is now clean and sterile and holy boring. It is no longer packed with people so tightly that bodies brush. All the cute boys of my youth must be married with beer guts at home. All the big haired girls were absent. My old teachers were not drinking whiskey at the round table looking fascinating. There was nary a drunken lush from my youth. It was empty and kinda sad. Me and Joe drank our Stella's and left. You really might not be able to go home again.

Just let my love throw a spark

3/27/99
Seems like a moment ago
My very best days have followed
xo Happy Day Dear Joe